VEHICLE POWER SUPPLY APPARATUS, AND VEHICLE

• US 20100038962A1
• Filed: 12/26/2007
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Komatsu, Masayuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,004,109 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/4585 having a rectifier with controlled elements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 : Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

A vehicle power supply apparatus includes a battery that is the main power storage device, a power feed line through which power is supplied to an inverter that drives a motor generator, a boost converter provided between the battery and power feed line to convert voltage, batteries that are a plurality of subpower storage devices provided parallel to each other, and a boost converter provided between the plurality of subpower storage devices and power feed line to convert voltage. The boost converter is selectively connected to any one of the plurality of subpower storage devices to convert voltage.

Claims

1. A vehicle power supply apparatus comprising:

a main power storage device,

a power feed line through which power is supplied to an inverter that drives a motor,

a first voltage converter provided between said main power storage device and said power feed line to convert voltage,

a plurality of subpower storage devices provided parallel to each other, and

a second voltage converter provided between said plurality of subpower storage devices and said power feed line to convert voltage,

said first voltage converter provided exclusive to said main power storage device, and

said second voltage converter provided to be shared among said plurality of subpower storage devices, and selectively connected to any one of said plurality of subpower storage devices to convert voltage.

3. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first connector provided between said main power storage device and said first voltage converter to make and break electrical connection, and

a second connector provided between said plurality of subpower storage devices and said second voltage converter to make and break electrical connection,

wherein said second connector is controlled to attain a connection state in which any one of said plurality of subpower storage devices is selectively connected to said second voltage converter, and a non-connection state in which none of said plurality of subpower storage devices is connected to said second voltage converter.

4. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first connector includes

a first relay connected between said main power storage device and said first voltage converter, and

a second relay and a limiting resistor connected in series,

said second relay and said limiting resistor connected in series are connected parallel to said first relay,

wherein said second connector includes

a third relay connected between a first one of said plurality of subpower storage devices and said second voltage converter, and

a fourth relay connected between a second one of said plurality of subpower storage devices and said second voltage converter.

5. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

each of said first to fourth relays is provided at a side of one electrode of a corresponding power storage device, said one electrode having a polarity identical to each other,

each other electrode of said main power storage device and said plurality of subpower storage devices is connected to a common node,

each said other electrode has a polarity opposite to the polarity of said one electrode,

said vehicle power supply apparatus further comprising a fifth relay provided between said common node and said first and second voltage converters.

6. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a control unit conducting control of said first and second voltage converters, and conducting opening and closing control of said first to fourth relays,

wherein said control unit renders at least one of said first and second relays conductive, and has a voltage on said power feed line converted into a voltage of said first subpower storage device by said first voltage converter, and then renders said third relay conductive.

7. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a control unit conducting control of said first and second voltage converters, and conducting opening and closing control of said first to fourth relays,

wherein said control unit controls said first and second voltage converters such that power transfer between said first subpower storage device and said power feed line becomes zero when said third relay is changed from a conductive state to a non-conductive state.

8. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control unit stops an operation of said second voltage converter after the voltage on said power feed line is increased to a level higher than a voltage of said first subpower storage device by actuating any of said first and second voltage converters and said inverter to cause the power transfer between said first subpower storage device and said power feed line to become zero.

9. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a control unit conducting control of said first and second voltage converters, and conducting opening and closing control of said first to fourth relays,

wherein said control unit renders said third relay non-conductive, and then renders said fourth relay conductive after adjusting a voltage on said power feed line to a voltage of said second subpower storage device by actuating said first voltage converter.

10. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a first one of said plurality of subpower storage devices and said main power storage device can output a maximum power tolerable for an electrical load connected to said power feed line.

11. The vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a single control unit conducting control of said first and second voltage converters, and conducting opening and closing control of relays, that carry out connection and disconnection between said main power storage device and said first voltage converter, and connection and disconnection between said subpower storage device and said second voltage converter,

wherein said control unit further controls said inverter.

12. A vehicle incorporating the vehicle power supply apparatus according to claim 1.

2. (canceled)