Straddle Electric Vehicle

• US 20140292075A1
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kawasaki Motors
• Original Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Matsuda, Yoshimoto
• Granted Patent: US 9,656,551 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 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/26 Vehicle weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• 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 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/64 Constructional details of batteries specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 : involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 : of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 : having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 : having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 : by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/16 : on motorcycles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/20 : characterised by the mounting
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 50/30 : Means for ventilation within devices provided on the cycle, e.g. ventilation means in a battery container
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/04 : characterised by the engine being between front and rear wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 19/30 : Frame parts shaped to receive other cycle parts or accessories axle suspensions B62K25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 : Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor for driving electrically assisted bicycles B62M6/00
• 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 90/167 : 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: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A straddle electric vehicle comprises an electric motor which is a driving power source for activating the vehicle; a high-voltage battery for storing electric power supplied to the electric motor; a low-voltage battery for storing the electric power supplied to an auxiliary machine mounted in the vehicle; a converter for converting a voltage of the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the low-voltage battery into a voltage to be charged into the low-voltage battery; and a case having an insulativity, for storing the high-voltage battery; wherein the low-voltage battery is placed outside the case, and the converter is stored in the case.

Claims

1. A straddle electric vehicle comprising:

an electric motor which is a driving power source for activating the vehicle;

a high-voltage battery for storing electric power supplied to the electric motor;

a low-voltage battery for storing the electric power supplied to an auxiliary machine mounted in the vehicle;

a converter for converting a voltage of the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the low-voltage battery into a voltage to be charged into the low-voltage battery; and

a case for storing the high-voltage battery;

wherein the low-voltage battery is placed outside the case, and the converter is stored in the case.

2. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the low-voltage battery is detachably mounted to a body of the vehicle.

3. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

a control unit for controlling the vehicle;

a first electric wire for connecting the control unit to the low-voltage battery; and

a relay which is provided on the first electric wire and performs switching between a connected state in which the control unit is connected to the low-voltage battery and a disconnected state in which the control unit is disconnected from the low-voltage battery;

wherein the auxiliary machine includes the control unit, and the control unit operates by the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery via the first electric wire; and

wherein the relay is switched between the connected state and the disconnected state in accordance with a command from the control unit.

4. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 3, comprising:

a second electric wire for connecting the control unit to the low-voltage battery, the second electric wire being different from the first electric wire; and

a switch which is provided on the second electric wire and performs switching between the connected state in which the control unit is connected to the low-voltage battery and the disconnected state in which the control unit is disconnected from the low-voltage battery;

wherein the switch is switched between the connected state and the disconnected state in accordance with a rider'"'"'s operation.

5. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

an abnormality detector for detecting whether or not there is an abnormality in a system for supplying the electric power from the high-voltage battery to the electric motor;

wherein the auxiliary machine includes a control unit for controlling the high-voltage battery or the electric motor; and

wherein when the abnormality detector detects the abnormality, the control unit cuts-off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the electric motor or the low-voltage battery and operates by the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery.

6. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the auxiliary machine includes a control unit for controlling the high-voltage battery or the electric motor, and the control unit operates by the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery;

and

wherein in response to an OFF command received, the control unit cuts-off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the electric motor or the low-voltage battery and then cuts-off the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the control unit.

7. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein in response to an OFF command received in the middle of driving, the control unit cuts-off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the electric motor or the low-voltage battery, and cuts-off the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the control unit when the control unit detects that the vehicle is stopped.

8. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 7,

wherein the control unit detects whether or not the vehicle is stopped based on an input received from a speed sensor attached on a wheel.

9. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

a relay stored in the case.

10. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 9,

wherein the relay includes an inverter relay, a converter relay, and a charging relay.

11. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the case is made of an insulating material.

12. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

an inverter for converting DC power stored in the high-voltage battery into AC power; and

an inverter case for storing the inverter;

wherein the inverter case is provided separately from the case for storing the high-voltage battery.

13. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 12,

wherein the inverter case is placed in the vicinity of the case for storing the high-voltage battery;

and

wherein the low-voltage battery is placed to be distant from the case for storing the high-voltage battery.

14. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the converter is placed in an upper portion in an interior of the case.

15. The straddle electric vehicle according to claim 1, comprising:

a front wheel;

a rider seat; and

a passenger seat placed rearward relative to the rider seat;

wherein the high-voltage battery is placed between the front wheel and the rider seat; and

wherein the low-voltage battery is placed below the passenger seat.

16. A straddle electric vehicle comprising:

an electric motor which is a driving power source for activating the vehicle;

a high-voltage battery for storing electric power supplied to the electric motor;

a low-voltage battery for storing the electric power supplied to an auxiliary machine mounted in the vehicle;

a converter for converting a voltage of the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the low-voltage battery into a voltage to be charged into the low-voltage battery;

a case for storing the high-voltage battery; and

an abnormality detector for detecting whether or not there is an abnormality in a system for supplying the electric power from the high-voltage battery to the electric motor;

wherein the auxiliary machine includes a control unit for controlling the high-voltage battery or the electric motor; and

wherein when the abnormality detector detects the abnormality, the control unit cuts-off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the electric motor or the low-voltage battery and operates by the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery.

17. A straddle electric vehicle comprising:

an electric motor which is a driving power source for activating the vehicle;

a high-voltage battery for storing electric power supplied to the electric motor;

a low-voltage battery for storing the electric power supplied to an auxiliary machine mounted in the vehicle;

a converter for converting a voltage of the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the low-voltage battery into a voltage to be charged into the low-voltage battery; and

a case for storing the high-voltage battery;

wherein the auxiliary machine includes a control unit for controlling the high-voltage battery or the electric motor, and the control unit operates by the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery; and

wherein in response to an OFF command received, the control unit cuts-off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage battery to the electric motor or the low-voltage battery and then cuts-off the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the control unit.