VEHICLE BATTERY CHARGING APPARATUS

• US 20130069589A1
• Filed: 09/12/2012
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Metals (Thailand) Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Cable Limited (Proterial Ltd.)
• Inventors: KAI, Takafumi, KANEYASU, Masayoshi, YANAGISAWA, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,153,982 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle battery charging apparatus includes a charging connector including a charging current output terminal for outputting a charging current to a vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source and a proximity detection terminal for detecting a proximity of the charging connector to a inlet on the vehicle, a voltage output portion that outputs a voltage from the proximity detection terminal via a first resistor, a detection means that can detect a variation in current flowing through the first resistor caused by fitting the charging connector to the vehicle inlet, and a control section that detects the proximity of the charging connector and the vehicle inlet based on the variation in current flowing through the first resistor detected by the detection means, and enables the charging current output terminal to output a charging current when the proximity is detected.

Claims

1. A vehicle battery charging apparatus, comprising:

a charging connector comprising a charging current output terminal for outputting a charging current to a vehicle having an electric motor as a drive source and a proximity detection terminal for detecting a proximity of the charging connector to a inlet on the vehicle;

a voltage output portion that outputs a voltage from the proximity detection terminal via a first resistor;

a detection means that can detect a variation in current flowing through the first resistor caused by fitting the charging connector to the vehicle inlet; and

a control section that detects the proximity of the charging connector and the vehicle inlet based on the variation in current flowing through the first resistor detected by the detection means, and enables the charging current output terminal to output a charging current when the proximity is detected.

2. The vehicle battery charging apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a switching circuit switchable from a connected state of the first resistor to the proximity detection terminal to a disconnected state,

wherein the control section operates the switching circuit to be a disconnected state when detecting the proximity of the charging connector and the vehicle inlet.

3. The vehicle battery charging apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the switching circuit is switchable between a first connection state and a second connection state, the first connection state allowing the first resistor to be connected to the proximity detection terminal and the second connection state allowing one end of a second resistor grounded at an other end is to be connected to the proximity detection terminal, and

wherein the control section detects a disengagement of the charging connector from the vehicle inlet based on a variation in voltage of the proximity detection terminal in the second connection state of the switching circuit and disables output of the charging current from the charging current output terminal when the disengagement is detected.