ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20120222910A1
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: MIYAGAWA, Toru, TANAKA, Kunihiko
• Granted Patent: US 9,051,024 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/291
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/16 on motorcycles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B62M 7/02 with engine between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/322 Means for rapidly discharging a capacitor of the converter for protecting electrical components or for preventing electrical shock
• 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

Abstract

An electric vehicle includes a motor drive section that supplies electric power from a main battery to a motor to drive the motor. The motor drive section can include an inverter configured to convert direct current from the main battery into alternating current, and a capacitor configured to stabilize an operation of the inverter. A resistor is configured to discharge electric charge of the capacitor, and discharge operation unit can be configured to manually control the resistor to discharge the electric charge of the capacitor.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, comprising:

an inverter configured to convert direct current from a battery into alternating current;

a capacitor configured to stabilize an operation of the inverter;

a discharge unit configured to discharge electric charge of the capacitor; and

a discharge operation unit configured to control the discharge unit to discharge the electric charge of the capacitor,

wherein the inverter, the capacitor, the discharge unit, and the discharge operation unit are configured to form a motor drive section, and wherein the motor drive section is configured to supply electric power from the battery to a traveling motor, to drive the traveling motor.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the discharge operation unit is disposed such that the motor drive section is accessible by manually operating the discharge operation unit when accessing the motor drive section.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the discharge operation unit is a manual switch connecting a discharge circuit including the discharge unit to the capacitor.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the motor drive section is interposed between the battery and the traveling motor, and comprises a main contactor connecting the battery to the inverter of the motor drive section, a first switch permitting the main contactor to turn on, and a second switch connecting the discharge circuit to the capacitor, and

wherein the discharge operation unit is configured to interlock the first switch with the second switch in order to turn on one of the first switch and the second switch and turn off another of the first switch and the second switch.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a seat configured to support a rider,

wherein the motor drive section is disposed below the seat.

6. An electric vehicle, comprising:

inverter means for converting direct current from a battery into alternating current;

capacitor means for stabilizing an operation of the inverter means;

discharge means for discharging electric charge of the capacitor means; and

discharge operation means for controlling the discharge means to discharge the electric charge of the capacitor means,

wherein the inverter means, the capacitor means, the discharge means, and the discharge operation means form a motor drive means, and wherein the motor drive means is for supplying electric power from the battery to a travelling motor means for providing motive force for the vehicle, to drive the traveling motor means.

7. The electric vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the discharge operation means is disposed such that the motor drive means is accessible by manually operating the discharge operation means when accessing the motor drive means.

8. The electric vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the discharge operation means comprises a switch means connecting the discharge means to the capacitor means.

9. The electric vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the motor drive means is interposed between the battery and the travelling motor means, and wherein the motor drive means comprises a main contactor for connecting the battery to the inverter means, first switch means for turning on the main contactor, and a second switch means connecting a discharge circuit of the discharge means to the capacitor means, and

wherein the discharge operation means is for interlocking the first switch means with the second switch means in order to turn on one of the first switch means and the second switch means, and turn off another of the first switch means the second switch means.

10. The electric vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising seat means for supporting a rider, wherein the motor drive means is disposed below the seat means.

11. A method of controlling an electric vehicle, said method comprising:

converting direct current from a battery into alternating current;

stabilizing the converting operation using a discharge operation unit which controls the discharge of the capacitor,

wherein a motor drive section supplies electric power from the battery to a traveling motor, to drive the traveling motor.