Method and apparatus for controlling a battery car

• US 5,446,365 A
• Filed: 05/18/1993
• Issued: 08/29/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), HINO Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation), HINO Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Endo, Koji, Okado, Chihiro, Nomura, Yoshihito
• Primary Examiner(s): KINCAID, KRISTINE LYNN
• Application Number:
  US08/062,569
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 320/14, 320/60, 320/61, 320/62, 320/64, 320/3, 320/4, 320/13, 320/15, 318/375, 318/376, 290/50
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/12 for vehicles propelled by dc motors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/34 Robot, hybrid, recreational or emergency vehicle

Abstract

A method of controlling a battery car in which a motor is driven by a battery and the battery is charged with regeneration power generated by deceleration torque comprises the steps of charging a large-capacitance capacitor connected in parallel with the battery and the motor while restricting a current flowing from the battery to the large-capacitance capacitor, when the voltage of the large-capacitance capacitor is lower than a first voltage, charging the battery to a preset voltage while restricting a current flowing from the large-capacitance capacitor to the battery, when a charging voltage of the large-capacitance capacitor is increased above a predetermined voltage by the regeneration power, and driving the motor with only the charge stored in the large-capacitance capacitor, when the voltage of the large-capacitance capacitor is at least a second voltage.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a car in which a motor is driven by a battery and the battery is charged with regeneration power generated by deceleration torque, said method comprising the steps of:

charging, using regeneration power, a large-capacitance capacitor connected in parallel with a motor driving unit for driving the motor and the battery while restricting a current flowing from the battery to the large-capacitance capacitor, when a voltage of the large-capacitance capacitor is lower than a first voltage;

charging the battery to a preset voltage while restricting a current flowing from the large-capacitance capacitor to the battery, when a charging voltage of the large-capacitance capacitor is increased above a predetermined second voltage by the regeneration power; and

driving the motor with only a charge stored in the large-capacitance capacitor, when the voltage of the large-capacitance capacitor is equal to or higher than the predetermined second voltage.

2. A control apparatus for controlling a car including a motor driven by a battery and a motor control means for charging the battery with regeneration power generated by deceleration torque of said motor, said apparatus comprising:

a large-capacitance capacitor, connected in parallel with said motor control means and the battery, for supplying power to said motor control means;

a first current control means, connected between said battery and said large-capacitance capacitor, for controlling a current flowing from said battery to said large-capacitance capacitor; and

a second current control means, connected in series with said first current control means between said battery and said large-capacitance capacitor, for controlling a current flowing from said large-capacitance capacitor to said battery.

3. A control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a voltage control means for comparing a voltage of said battery with a reference voltage and for outputting a reference current.

4. A control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second current control means includes:

a current control unit for producing an output on the basis of the current flowing from said large-capacitance capacitor to said battery and said reference current output from said voltage control means; and

a switch element having two main circuits and a control terminal for controlling passage of a current flowing between said two main circuits on the basis of the output from said current control unit.

5. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said large-capacitance capacitor is constituted by an electric double-layered capacitor.

6. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second current control means includes:

a current control unit for producing an output on the basis of the current flowing from said battery to said large-capacitance capacitor and a reference current; and

a switch element having two main circuits and a control terminal for controlling passage of a current flowing between said two main circuits on the basis of the output from the current control unit.

7. A control apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a voltage control means for comparing a voltage of said large-capacitance capacitor with a preset second voltage and for outputting the reference current to said current control unit of said second current control means.

8. A control apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

said car includes an internal combustion engine, and

said motor is connected to said internal combustion engine of said car and adds an auxiliary torque to said internal combustion engine.

9. A control apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a voltage control means for comparing a voltage of said large-capacitance capacitor with a preset voltage and for outputting a reference current to a current control unit of said second current control means.

10. A control apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said current control unit is for producing an output on the basis of the current flowing from said battery to said large-capacitance capacitor and said reference current;

and

wherein said second current control means further includes;

a switch element having two main circuits and a control terminal for controlling passage of a current flowing between said two main circuits on the basis of the output from the current control unit; and