Power Supply System Provided With a Plurality of Power Supplies, and Vehicle Provided With Such Power Supply System

• US 20100194318A1
• Filed: 04/03/2006
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Aso, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 7,863,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/400.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2045 for optimising the use of energy
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04619 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0494 of fuel cell stacks
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/12 Parallel operation of dc generators with converters, e.g. with mercury-arc rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/34 Parallel operation in networks using both storage and other dc sources, e.g. providing buffering H02J7/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

A power supply system is provided with a plurality of driving motors, a power converter, and a plurality of power supplies which supply the driving motors with power and have different output voltages. Each power supply is connected with at least one driving motor through the power converter and with at least one driving motor through a path which does not include the power converter.

Claims

1. An electric power supply system comprising:

a plurality of drive motors;

a bidirectional electric power converter for converting a DC voltage; and

a plurality of electric power supplies with mutually different output voltages for supplying electric power to the plurality of drive motors,

wherein each of the plurality of electric power supplies is connected to at least one of the plurality of drive motors by a path that does not include the bidirectional electric power converter, and also to at least one of the plurality of drive motors by a path that does include the bidirectional electric power converter; and

when an abnormal output is obtained from at least one of the plurality of electric power supplies, the output from the electric power supply with the abnormal output and the power conversion of the bidirectional electric power converter are both suspended in order to supply electric power from an electric power supply other than the one with the abnormal output to at least one of the plurality of drive motors via a path that does not included the bidirectional electric power converter.

2. The electric power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the plurality of electric power supplies is an electric power generation means;

and

a controller is provided for distributing a load for each of the plurality of electric power supplies in such a manner that the power output by the electric power generation means is within a predetermined high-efficiency output range.

3. The electric power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the plurality of electric power supplies is a fuel cell;

and

a controller is provided for distributing a load for each of the plurality of electric power supplies in such a manner that the power output by the fuel cell is within a predetermined high-efficiency output range.

4. The electric power supply system according to claim 3, wherein

when a required electric power for the plurality of drive motors is within or greater than the high-efficiency output range, the controller instructs an electric power supply other than a fuel cell among the plurality of electric power supplies to supply electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors.

5. The electric power supply system according to claim 4, wherein

the controller instructs an electric power supply other than a fuel cell among the plurality of electric power supplies to supply electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors via a path that does not include the bidirectional electric power converter.

6. The electric power supply system according to claim 4, wherein

when the required electric power is not greater than the maximum output power of the electric power supplies among the plurality of electric power supplies which are not fuel cells, the controller instructs only an electric power supply other than a fuel cell among the plurality of electric power supplies to supply electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors.

7. The electric power supply system according to claim 4, wherein

when the required electric power is greater than the maximum output power of the electric power supplies among the plurality of electric power supplies which are not fuel cells, the controller instructs the fuel cell to supply the additional required electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors.

8. The electric power supply system according to claim 7, wherein

the controller instructs the fuel cell to supply electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors via a path which does not include the bidirectional electric power converter.

9. The electric power supply system according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the plurality of electric power supplies is a secondary cell which can be charged and discharged;

and

a load of output power is distributed to each of the plurality of electric power supplies based on a charge status of the secondary cell in such a manner that the maximum output power of the secondary cell is not exceeded.

10-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of drive motors;

a bidirectional electric power converter for converting a DC voltage; and

a plurality of electric power supplies with mutually different output voltages for supplying the plurality of drive motors,

wherein each of the plurality of electric power supplies is connected to at least one of the plurality of drive motors by a path that does not include the bidirectional electric power converter, and also to at least one of the plurality of drive motors by a path that does include the bidirectional electric power converter; and

when an abnormal output is obtained from at least one of the plurality of electric power supplies, the output from the electric power supply with the abnormal output and the power conversion of the bidirectional electric power converter are both suspended in order to supply electric power from an electric power supply other than the one with the abnormal output to at least one of the plurality of drive motors via a path that does not included the bidirectional electric power converter.

13. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

at least one of the plurality of drive motors is used for driving front wheels and at least one of the plurality of drive motors is used for driving rear wheels.

14. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

at least one of the plurality of electric power supplies is a fuel cell;

and

a controller is provided for distributing a load for each of the plurality of electric power supplies in such a manner that power output by the fuel cell is within a predetermined high-efficiency output range.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, wherein

when a required electric power for the plurality of drive motors is greater than or within the high-efficiency output range, the controller instructs an electric power supply other than a fuel cell among the plurality of electric power supplies to supply electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors.

16. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

the controller instructs an electric power supply other than a fuel cell among the plurality of electric power supplies to supply electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors via a path that does not include the bidirectional electric power converter.

17. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

when the required electric power is not greater than maximum output power of the electric power supplies among the plurality of electric power supplies which are not fuel cells, the controller instructs only an electric power supply other than a fuel cell among the plurality of electric power supplies to supply electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors.

18. The vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

when the required electric power is greater than maximum output power of the electric power supplies among the plurality of electric power supplies which are not fuel cells, the controller instructs the fuel cell to supply the additional required electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors.

19. The vehicle according to claim 18, wherein

the controller instructs the fuel cell to supply electric power to at least one of the plurality of drive motors via a path that does not include the bidirectional electric power converter.

20. The vehicle according to claim 12, wherein

at least one of the plurality of electric power supplies is a secondary cell which can be charged and discharged;

and

a load of output power is distributed to each of the plurality of electric power supplies based on a charge status of the secondary cell in such a manner that the maximum output power of the secondary cell is not exceeded.

21-22. -22. (canceled)