Power supply apparatus and method for an electric vehicle
First Claim
1. A power supply unit for a motor of an electric vehicle, wherein a semiconductor power switching element is disposed between a battery power source and an inverter for supplying electric power to the motor;
- a rush-current suppressing starting circuit provided in a stage following said semiconductor power switching element driving said semiconductor power switching element to shift said semiconductor switching element to its ON-state while gradually lowering the ON-resistance of said semiconductor switching element; and
a stabilized power circuit for supplying a stabilized constant power to an inverter controller connected to a stage following said semiconductor power switching element in parallel to positive and negative terminals of said inverter, whereby the electric charge of a current smoothing capacitor is discharged therefrom via said stabilized power circuit when said semiconductor power switching element is in its OFF-state.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A field-effect transistor incorporates a diode which is disposed between a battery power source and an inverter. A rush-current suppressive starting circuit is provided in a stage anterior to the field-effect transistor. The transistor is shifted to its conducting state while the on-resistance of the transistor is gradually lowered to thereby limit a charging current to a power smoothing capacitor. In an off-state of a main switch, a charge stored in the current smoothing capacitor is released therefrom via a stabilized power circuit and a controller which is a power load to the circuit.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A power supply unit for a motor of an electric vehicle, wherein a semiconductor power switching element is disposed between a battery power source and an inverter for supplying electric power to the motor;
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a rush-current suppressing starting circuit provided in a stage following said semiconductor power switching element driving said semiconductor power switching element to shift said semiconductor switching element to its ON-state while gradually lowering the ON-resistance of said semiconductor switching element; and a stabilized power circuit for supplying a stabilized constant power to an inverter controller connected to a stage following said semiconductor power switching element in parallel to positive and negative terminals of said inverter, whereby the electric charge of a current smoothing capacitor is discharged therefrom via said stabilized power circuit when said semiconductor power switching element is in its OFF-state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A power supply for supplying power to a motor of a vehicle comprising:
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a DC power source, a main switch connected to said DC power source, a power converter converting DC power to AC power and supplying the converted AC power to the motor, a semiconductor switch element interposed between said main switch and said power converter, a rush current suppressing circuit suppressing a rush current to the inverter when the main switch is switched ON by shifting said semiconductor switch element to a conducting state and gradually lowering the ON-resistance of said semiconductor switching element, and a constant voltage source supplying constant voltage to a control terminal of said semiconductor switch element in response to switch-ON of said main switch to shift said semiconductor switch element into a conducting state. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)
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15. A power supply for supplying power to a motor of a vehicle comprising:
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a DC power source; a main switch connected to said DC power source; a power converter converting DC power to AC power and supplying the converted AC power to the motor; a semiconductor switch element interposed between said main switch and said power converter; and a rush current suppressing circuit suppressing a rush current to the inverter when the main switch is switched ON by shifting said semiconductor switch element to a conducting state and gradually lowering the ON-resistance of said semiconductor switch element, said rush current suppressing circuit further including a quick-charging circuit, responsive to a switch-ON of said main switch, for quickly charging a capacitor to an initial output voltage that is supplied to a control terminal of said semiconductor switch element wherein the initial output voltage shifts said semiconductor switch element into a conducting state. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for preventing rush-current to a motor of an electric vehicle that occurs during switch-ON of the motor comprising the steps of:
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supplying stabilized DC power to an AC power controller with a stabilized power circuit, supplying DC power to a main switch, turning the main switch ON, shifting a second switch into a conducting state in response to switch-ON of the main switch to supply DC power from the main switch to a power converter, smoothing the DC power supplied to the power converter with a current smoothing capacitor, gradually lowering the ON-resistance of the second switch, converting the DC power from the second switch to AC power with the power converter, controlling said converting step with the AC power controller, supplying the controlled AC power to the motor, and discharging a charge stored on the current smoothing capacitor through the stabilized power circuit when the main switch is turned OFF.
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Specification