CHARGING APPARATUS

• US 20120249066A1
• Filed: 11/26/2009
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji
• Application Number:
  US13/322,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20120249066A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC 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 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/025 Disconnection after limiting, e.g. when limiting is not sufficient or for facilitating disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 5/04 responsive to abnormal temperature specially adapted for electric machines H02H7/0852
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/007192 in response to temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A control pilot circuit and a temperature sensor are provided within a drum of a cable reel. The temperature sensor detects the temperature of a charging cable wound on the drum and outputs the temperature to the control pilot circuit. The control pilot circuit generates a pilot signal having a duty ratio which is determined in advance in accordance with an allowable current value of the charging cable, and transmits the signal to a vehicle through the charging cable. The control pilot circuit further changes the duty ratio of the pilot signal based on the detected value of the temperature of the charging cable received from the temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A charging apparatus for supplying electric power from an external power supply to a vehicle, said external power supply being located externally to the vehicle and said vehicle being configured to be chargeable by said external power supply, the charging apparatus comprising:

a charging cable capable of electrically connecting said external power supply with said vehicle;

a reel capable of winding said charging cable;

a temperature sensor provided to said reel for detecting a temperature of said charging cable; and

a controller configured to generate a pulse signal having a duty ratio determined in advance in accordance with a predetermined allowable current value of said charging cable, and to be able to transmit the generated pulse signal to said vehicle,

said controller changing the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with the temperature of said charging cable detected by said temperature sensor.

2. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said controller changes said duty ratio so that the allowable current value of said charging cable is smaller as the temperature of said charging cable detected by said temperature sensor is higher.

5. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plug for connecting said charging cable to said external power supply; and

a plug temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said plug, wherein

said controller further changes the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with the temperature of said plug detected by said plug temperature sensor.

6. The charging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a voltage sensor for detecting a voltage of said external power supply, wherein

said controller further changes the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with a voltage drop of said external power supply.

7. The charging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a plug for connecting said charging cable to said external power supply; and

a plug temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said plug, wherein

said controller further changes the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with the temperature of said plug detected by said plug temperature sensor.

10. The charging apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a voltage sensor for detecting a voltage of said external power supply, wherein

said controller further changes the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with a voltage drop of said external power supply.

3. A charging apparatus for supplying electric power from an external power supply to a vehicle, said external power supply being located externally to the vehicle and said vehicle being configured to be chargeable by said external power supply, the charging apparatus comprising:

a charging cable capable of electrically connecting said external power supply with said vehicle;

a reel capable of winding said charging cable; and

a controller configured to generate a pulse signal having a duty ratio determined in advance in accordance with a predetermined allowable current value of said charging cable, and to be, able to transmit the generated pulse signal to said vehicle,

said controller changing the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with a wound length of said charging cable wound by said reel.

4. The charging apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

said controller changes said duty ratio so that the allowable current value of said charging cable is smaller as the wound length of said charging cable wound by said reel is larger.

8. The charging apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a plug for connecting said charging cable to said external power supply; and

a plug temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said plug, wherein

said controller further changes the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with the temperature of said plug detected by said plug temperature sensor.

9. The charging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a plug for connecting said charging cable to said external power supply; and

a plug temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of said plug, wherein

said controller further changes the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with the temperature of said plug detected by said plug temperature sensor.

11. The charging apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a voltage sensor for detecting a voltage of said external power supply, wherein

said controller further changes the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with a voltage drop of said external power supply.

12. The charging apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a voltage sensor for detecting a voltage of said external power supply, wherein

said controller further changes the duty ratio of said pulse signal in accordance with a voltage drop of said external power supply.