Electric automobile

• US 5,150,045 A
• Filed: 11/19/1990
• Issued: 09/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Nagano, Toshihiro, Kyoukane, Yasuaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peckman, Kristine
• Application Number:
  US07/615,242
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/3, 320/15, 320/31, 320/32, 320/33, 320/37, 320/38, 320/61, 320/62, 320/63, 320/41, 320/42, 180/65.3, 180/65.4
• US Class Current: 322/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/54 Transmission for changing ratio
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/917 with transmission for changing gear ratio

Abstract

An electric automobile having a battery as a driving power source is provided with a recharge identification section for producing the first signal when a terminal voltage of the battery reaches the lowest voltage where the automobile can travel, a traveling time judgment section for producing the second signal every time after the automobile has traveled for a predetermined time and a charger responsive to the first and the second signals for recharging the battery for a predetermined time.

Claims

1. An electric automobile vehicle having, a battery as a drive power source, a generator for generating an electric power, an engine for driving said generator for charging said battery, a speed sensor for sensing a vehicle speed and a generator speed sensor for detecting a rotational speed of the generator, comprising:

recharge identification means for detecting a charging condition of the battery and for producing a first signal when a terminal voltage of the battery reaches a predetermined lower limit voltage;

traveling time judgment means for detecting a traveling time of the automobile and for producing a second signal every predetermined set traveling time for which the automobile has traveled; and

recharge means responsive to at least one of said first signal and said second signal for recharging the battery.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said recharge means recharges the battery for a predetermined recharge time which is set in a predetermined ratio with respect to the traveling time.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said predetermined ratio is within the range of 25% to 50%.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said recharge identification means supplies a third signal to said recharge means so as to stop the recharge when the terminal voltage is higher than a predetermined upper limit voltage.

5. An electric automobile vehicle having, a battery as a drive power source, a generator for generating an electric power, an engine for driving said generator for charging said battery and a speed sensor for sensing a vehicle speed, comprising:

traveling judgment means for judging a traveling condition of said automobile when said vehicle speed is larger than a preset speed;

traveling time counting means for counting a traveling time of said vehicle while said traveling condition is judged and for producing a first signal every predetermined set traveling time for which said automobile has traveled;

recharging means responsive to said first signal for recharging said battery for a predetermined recharge time by driving said engine.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein said recharging means comprises:

recharge time counting means responsive to said first signal for starting to count a recharge time of said battery;

recharge time judgment means for comparing said recharge time with said predetermined recharge time to judge whether said recharge time reaches said predetermined recharge time; and

recharge identification means for producing an operation signal to drive said engine for the recharge of said battery until said recharge time reaches said predetermined recharge time and for producing a stop signal to stop said engine after said recharge time reaches said predetermined recharge time.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, having a battery terminal voltage sensor for sensing a battery terminal voltage, wherein said recharge identification means compares said battery terminal voltage with a predetermined lower limit voltage and produces said operation signal irrespective of said recharge time when said battery terminal voltage is lower than said predetermined lower limit voltage, thereby preventing the discharge of the battery.

8. The vehicle according to claim 6, having a battery terminal voltage sensor for sensing a battery terminal voltage, wherein said recharge identification means compares said battery terminal voltage with a predetermined upper limit voltage and produces said stop signal irrespective of said recharge time when said battery terminal voltage is higher than said predetermined upper limit voltage, thereby preventing gassing of the battery.

9. The vehicle according to claim 6, having a generator rotational speed sensor for detecting a rotational speed of the generator and relay means for controlling the rotation of said generator, wherein said recharging means further comprises:

ignition drive means responsive to said operation signal for igniting an ignition plug of said engine;

relay drive means responsive to said operation signal for changing the status of said relay means to impose said generator to charge said battery; and

rotary actuator operation amount setting means responsive to said operation signal for setting an operation amount of a rotary actuator which actuates a throttle valve of said engine, so as to converge said rotational speed of the generator to a predetermined rotational speed.