VEHICLE WITH EXTERNAL CHARGING

• US 20120330489A1
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Masuda, Tomokazu
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/05 Inlet covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0546 Arrangements for checking the position of the inlet cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• 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 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/667 Precipitation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/58 Departure time prediction
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• 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 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• 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: B60L 53/65 : involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 : responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A vehicle can be charged by receiving electric power from an external power supply apparatus (600) via a charging cable (450) and includes an inlet (220), a lid (250) for protecting the inlet (220), and an electricity storage device (110). The inlet (220) includes a C terminal (227) for detecting connection to the power supply apparatus (600) and a G terminal that is connected to the body earth of the vehicle (100). The lid (250) is configured to electrically connect between the C terminal (227) and the G terminal (223) when the lid (250) is closed. The vehicle (100) further includes a PLG-ECU (350) that detects whether the lid (250) is open or closed, based on the voltage of the C terminal (227).

Claims

1. A vehicle that can be charged by receiving electric power from an external power supply apparatus via a charging cable, comprising:

a first inlet for connection with a connector of the charging cable, the first inlet including a power terminal for receiving electric power from the power supply apparatus, and a first terminal and a second terminal that are separate from the power terminal;

a protection portion that protects the first inlet and can be opened and closed;

an electricity storage device capable of being charged by the electric power supplied from the power supply apparatus, the electricity storage device being electrically connected to the first inlet; and

a controller configured to determine whether the protection portion is open or closed, based on a state of connection between the first terminal and the second terminal.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the first terminal is a terminal that receives a signal for detecting connection of the vehicle to the power supply apparatus via the charging cable;

the second terminal is connected to a body earth of the vehicle; and

the protection portion includes a connecting portion configured to electrically connect between the first terminal and the second terminal when the protection portion is closed.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein, when the protection portion is closed, the protection portion connects between the first terminal and the second terminal via a connecting portion resistor included in the connecting portion.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3, wherein:

the controller includes a voltage connection portion that supplies a voltage higher than a voltage of the body earth to the first terminal via a pull-up resistor, and a voltage detecting section that detects a voltage of the first terminal;

when the detected voltage detected by the voltage detecting section is lower than a first voltage, the controller determines that the vehicle is connected to the power supply apparatus;

when the detected voltage is higher than the first voltage and is lower than a second voltage that is higher than the first voltage, the controller determines that the protection portion is closed; and

,

when the detected voltage is higher than the second voltage, the controller determines that the protection portion is open and the vehicle is not connected to the power supply apparatus.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the second voltage is lower than the voltage of the voltage connection portion and higher than a voltage that is determined by the voltage of the voltage connection portion, a resistance value of the connecting portion resistor, and a resistance value of the pull-up resistor when the voltage connection portion is grounded via the connecting portion resistor and the pull-up resistor.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a switching device that is placed in a power line connecting between the power terminal and the electricity storage device and is configured to be brought into conduction when the switching device is closed, brought out of conduction when the switching device is opened, so that the switching device is capable of switching between supply and cutoff of electric power supplied from the power supply apparatus,

wherein the controller closes the switching device when the electricity storage device is charged.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein:

the charging cable includes a power cable that transmits electric power for charging the electricity storage device, a power source line that transmits a first power source voltage for control from the power supply apparatus, and a ground line that is grounded in the power supply apparatus;

the first inlet further includes a third terminal and a fourth terminal, to which the power source line and the ground line are connected, respectively, when the charging cable is connected to the first inlet, and a fifth terminal that is connected to a second power source voltage for control in the vehicle;

the switching device is closed when the third terminal is connected to the power source voltage and the fourth terminal is grounded; and

the protection portion is configured to electrically connect between the third terminal and the fifth terminal and electrically connect between the second terminal and the fourth terminal when the protection portion is closed.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein:

the charging cable includes a power cable that transmits electric power for charging the electricity storage device, a power source line that transmits a first power source voltage for control from the power supply apparatus, and a ground line that is grounded in the power supply apparatus;

the first inlet further includes a third terminal and a fourth terminal, to which the power source line and the ground line are connected, respectively, when the charging cable is connected to the first inlet;

the switching device is closed when the third terminal is connected to the power source voltage and the fourth terminal is grounded;

the vehicle further comprises a first line and a second line, the first line connecting between the third terminal and the controller, the second line connecting between the fourth terminal and the controller;

the controller includes a power source node, a first switch that electrically connects between the first line and the power source node when the first switch is activated, and a second switch that electrically connects between the second line and the body earth when the second switch is activated; and

the controller activates the first switch and the second switch when it is detected that the protection portion is closed.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein,

when it is detected that the protection portion is opened, the controller deactivates at least one of the first switch and the second switch after an electric current flowing through the switching device falls below a threshold value.

10. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein:

the power supply apparatus supplies direct-current (DC) power to the vehicle;

the vehicle further comprises a second inlet for receiving alternating-current (AC) power from an external power source, and a charging device, connected between the second inlet and the switching device, for converting the AC power, supplied from the external power source, to DC power to charge the electricity storage device; and

the electricity storage device is charged by one of the DC power supplied from the power supply apparatus and the DC power supplied from the charging device.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the controller closes the switching device when the vehicle is connected to the power supply apparatus and the electricity storage device is charged by the electric power supplied from the power supply apparatus or when the protection portion is closed and the electricity storage device is charged by the electric power supplied from the external power source.