METHOD TO SUPPLY AN ELECTRIC ACCESSORY OF A MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING AN ELECTRIC BATTERY TO WHICH SAID ACCESSORY IS CONNECTED

• US 20120319470A1
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Original Assignee: Renault Sas (Renault)
• Inventors: Oberti, Claire, Boiron, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 9,446,666 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/56 Mechanical storage means, e.g. fly wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1438 in combination with power supplies for loads other than batteries
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A method of powering an electrical accessory of a motor vehicle including an electric battery to which the accessory is connected, the accessory and the battery also being connected electrically to an external electricity generator, wherein the following steps are performed in alternation: a) causing the accessory to be powered by the battery of the vehicle; and b) causing the accessory and the battery to be powered by the external electricity generator. A motor vehicle includes an electrical accessory connected to an electric battery of the vehicle, wherein powering of the accessory is controlled by the above method when the battery is charged and connected to an external generator.

Claims

1. A method of powering an electrical accessory of a motor vehicle including an electric battery to which said accessory is connected, said accessory and said battery also being connected electrically to an external electricity generator, wherein the following steps are performed in alternation:

a) causing said accessory to be powered by the battery of the vehicle; and

b) causing said accessory and said battery to be powered by the external electricity generator.

2. A method according to the preceding claim 1, including the following steps:

determining a lower threshold value for a first charge characteristic of the battery;

performing step a) when said first charge characteristic is greater than said lower threshold value; and

performing step b) when the first charge characteristic of the battery is less than said lower threshold value.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein an initial value is determined for said first charge characteristic, and said lower threshold value is determined as a function of said initial value of said first charge characteristic.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein said lower threshold value is a predetermined fixed value.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

an upper threshold value is determined for at least a second charge characteristic of the battery;

step b) is performed so long as said second charge characteristic of the battery is less than said upper threshold value.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein:

when said second charge characteristic of the battery becomes greater than said upper threshold value, step a) is performed.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein an initial value is determined for said second charge characteristic, and said upper threshold value is determined as a function of this second initial value for said second charge characteristic.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein said upper threshold value is a predetermined fixed value.

9. A method according to claim 5, wherein the steps a) and b) are performed in alternation, going from step a) to step b) when said first charge characteristic reaches said lower threshold value, and going from step b) to step a) when the second charge characteristic reaches said upper threshold value.

10. A method according to claim 5, wherein said first and second charge characteristics are identical.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said first and second charge characteristics correspond to the state of charge of the battery.

12. A method according to claim 5, wherein said first and second charge characteristics correspond to two different physical magnitudes.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein, with said battery of the vehicle being made up of a plurality of storage cells, said first charge characteristic corresponds to the voltage across the terminals of the least charged cell of the battery, and said second charge characteristic corresponds to the voltage across the terminals of the most charged cell of the battery.

14. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

step a) is performed for at least a predetermined minimum duration.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first step implemented is step b).

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the first step implemented is step a).

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein, with a supervisor determining a current setpoint for the input current of the battery, said current setpoint is zero during step a).

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said current setpoint is determined as a function of the maximum electric power that can be delivered by the charger and/or as a function of the maximum electric power that can be received by the battery.

19. A motor vehicle including an electrical accessory connected to an electric battery of said vehicle, wherein powering of said accessory is controlled by the method according to claim 1 when the battery is charged and connected to an external generator.