POWER-SOURCE APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE AND CONTROL METHOD OF THE SAME

• US 20140062414A1
• Filed: 08/08/2013
• Published: 03/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: YOSHIDA, Katsumasa, KOTANI, Kazuya, YUHARA, Masamitsu
• Granted Patent: US 9,434,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/134
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/10 Dynamic electric regenerative braking B60L7/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1446 in response to parameters of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1492 by means of controlling devices between the generator output and the battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

A power-source apparatus for a vehicle comprises a generator driven by an engine and generating power, a power-storage device storing the power generated by the generator thereat and supplying the power stored thereat to an electric load, and a control device configured to detect a deterioration state of the power-storage device and change a voltage of the power-storage device during a soak in accordance with the deterioration state of the power-storage device detected. Thereby, the improvement of the fuel economy can be achieved and also the necessary durability of the power-storage device can be ensured.

Claims

1. A power-source apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a generator driven by an engine and generating power;

a power-storage device storing the power generated by the generator thereat and supplying the power stored thereat to an electric load; and

a control device configured to detect a deterioration state of the power-storage device and change a voltage of the power-storage device during a soak in accordance with the deterioration state of the power-storage device detected.

2. The power-source apparatus for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said control device changes the voltage of the power-storage device during the soak from a high voltage to a low voltage when the deterioration state of the power-storage device detected is determined such that the power-storage device deteriorates.

3. The power-source apparatus for a vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a DC/DC convertor coupled between said power-storage device and said electric load,

wherein said DC/DC convertor is configured to be capable of supplying part of the power stored at the power-storage device to the electric load via the DC/DC convertor and adjusting the amount of said power supplied to the electric load, and

said control device comprises a control unit which outputs, to the DC/DC convertor, a control signal for adjusting said amount of the power supplied to the electric load via the DC/DC convertor.

4. The power-source apparatus for a vehicle of claim 2, further comprising a DC/DC convertor coupled between said power-storage device and said electric load,

wherein said DC/DC convertor is configured to be capable of supplying part of the power stored at the power-storage device to the electric load via the DC/DC convertor and adjusting the amount of said power supplied to the electric load, and

said control device comprises a control unit which outputs, to the DC/DC convertor, a control signal for adjusting said amount of the power supplied to the electric load via the DC/DC convertor.

5. The power-source apparatus for a vehicle of claim 1, wherein said power-storage device is a capacitor, and detection of the deterioration state of the capacitor by said control device is conducted based on capacity of the capacitor which is measured every a specified period of time during the soak.

6. The power-source apparatus for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein said detection of the deterioration state of the capacitor by the control device is achieved by estimating a deterioration state of the capacitor at the timing a next measuring of the capacity of the capacitor is conducted.

7. The power-source apparatus for a vehicle of claim 5, wherein said detection of the deterioration state of the capacitor by the control device is achieved by estimating a deterioration state of the capacitor at the timing a term of operation guarantee of the capacitor passes.

8. The power-source apparatus for a vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a battery,

wherein said power-storage device is coupled to a first circuit portion connecting said generator and said DC/DC convertor, said battery is coupled to a second circuit portion connecting the DC/DC convertor and the electric load, a bypass circuit portion connecting said first circuit portion and said second circuit portion, bypassing the DC/DC convertor, is provided, a switch operative to close for short-circuiting the bypass circuit portion when a voltage difference between the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion is a specified value or smaller and open when said voltage difference is greater than said specified value is provided, and said control device is further configured to detect a deterioration state of the battery and change the voltage of the power-storage device during the soak in accordance with the deterioration state of the battery detected.

9. The power-source apparatus for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein said control device changes the voltage of the capacitor during the soak from a high voltage to a low voltage when the deterioration state of the battery detected is determined such that the battery deteriorates.

10. A control method of a power-source apparatus for a vehicle which comprises a generator driven by an engine and generating power and a power-storage device storing the power generated by the generator thereat and supplying the power stored thereat to an electric load, the method comprising steps of:

detecting a deterioration state of the power-storage device; and

changing a voltage of the power-storage device during a soak in accordance with the deterioration state of the power-storage device detected such that the voltage of the power-storage device is changed from a high voltage to a low voltage when the deterioration state of the power-storage device detected is determined such that the power-storage device deteriorates.