POWER CONVERSION CABLE APPARATUS

• US 20200130521A1
• Filed: 10/24/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji
• Application Number:
  US16/662,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20200130521A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• 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: B60Y 2200/91 Electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/92 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2300/91 Battery charging
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00304 Overcurrent protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0009 Devices or circuits for detecting current in a converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0085 Partially controlled bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/32 Means for protecting converters other than automatic disconnection
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/4258 using a single converter stage both for correction of AC input power factor and generation of a regulated and galvanically isolated DC output voltage H02M1/4241 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33573 Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• 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 power conversion cable apparatus includes: a plug having a terminal connectable to an AC outlet; a DC connector having a terminal connectable to a DC inlet of a vehicle; a cable connecting the plug and the DC connector; an abnormality detection module; and an AC/DC conversion circuit. The abnormality detection module is configured to detect an abnormality of a current at a detection spot. The AC/DC conversion circuit is located on the terminal side relative to the detection spot and configured to convert AC power input from the terminal side into DC power and output the DC power to the terminal side.

Claims

1. A power conversion cable apparatus comprising:

a plug having an AC terminal connectable to an electrical outlet for AC power;

a DC connector having a DC terminal connectable to an inlet for DC power of a vehicle;

a cable connecting the plug and the DC connector;

an abnormality detector configured to detect an abnormality of a current at a detection spot between the AC terminal and the DC terminal; and

a power conversion circuit located on the DC terminal side relative to the detection spot and configured to convert AC power input from the AC terminal side into DC power and output the DC power to the DC terminal side.

2. The power conversion cable apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the abnormality detector includes:

a current sensor configured to detect the current at the detection spot;

a switch configured to switch conduction and cut-off of a current between the AC terminal and the power conversion circuit; and

a controller configured to control the switch, and

the controller is configured to bring the switch into an open state, when it is determined, using a result of detection by the current sensor, that the current at the detection spot has the abnormality.

3. The power conversion cable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the abnormality detector is housed in a housing of the plug, and

the power conversion circuit is housed in a housing of the DC connector.

4. The power conversion cable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the abnormality detector and the power conversion circuit are housed in a housing of the plug.

5. The power conversion cable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the abnormality detector and the power conversion circuit are housed in a housing of the DC connector.

6. The power conversion cable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

a housing configured to house the abnormality detector and the power conversion circuit is provided partway along the cable.

7. The power conversion cable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the abnormality detector is housed in a housing of the plug, and

a housing configured to house the power conversion circuit is provided partway along the cable.

8. The power conversion cable apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

a housing configured to house the abnormality detector is provided partway along the cable, and

the power conversion circuit is housed in a housing of the DC connector.