Hybrid car power supply apparatus

• US 6,392,380 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Furukawa, Tadashi, Toya, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Han, Jessica
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US09/770,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20010026142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/103, 307/46, 307/64, 307/66, 180/65.1, 180/65.2, 180/65.3
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• 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 58/26 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/10 Controlling the power contribution of each of the prime movers to meet required power demand
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/13 in order to stay within battery power input or output limits; in order to prevent overcharging or battery depletion
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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: Y10S 903/903 : having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

The hybrid car power supply apparatus is provided with a battery system having a driving battery to run an electric motor to drive the vehicle, an inverter to drive the electric motor with the driving battery, and an automotive battery. The battery system houses a charging circuit to charge the driving battery with the automotive battery. The charging circuit charges the driving battery with the automotive battery when remaining driving battery capacity becomes low. The charged driving battery runs the electric motor to start the engine.

Claims

1. A hybrid car power supply apparatus, for use with a hybrid car having an electric motor for driving the hybrid car and having electrical equipment, said hybrid car power supply apparatus comprising:

an automotive battery for supplying power to the electrical equipment of the hybrid car;

a battery system comprising

a driving battery to be connected to the electric motor of the hybrid car for driving the hybrid car,

a battery control circuit operable to control charging and discharging of said driving battery,

a charging control circuit operable to charge said driving battery with power from said automotive battery when a remaining battery capacity of said driving battery drops below a first specified value; and

an inverter operable to supply the electric motor of the hybrid car with output from said driving battery of said battery system.

2. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to compute the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery by subtracting discharged capacity from charged capacity.

3. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to determine a remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery by detecting a battery voltage of said automotive battery.

4. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, said charging control circuit obtaining operating power from said driving battery, wherein, in obtaining operating power, said charging control circuit is operable to step down a voltage of said driving battery.

5. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said charging control circuit comprises an inverter operable to step down the voltage of said driving battery in obtaining operating power from said driving battery.

6. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to suspend supply of power from said driving battery and to supply power from said automotive battery to the electric motor of the hybrid car when the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery drops below a second specified value.

7. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said battery control circuit of said battery system is operable to detect the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery and a remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery, and to charge said driving battery with said automotive battery when the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery is below a second specified value and the remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery is greater than a third specified value.

8. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said charging control circuit of said battery system comprises a circuit operable to charge said automotive battery with said driving battery.

9. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said battery control circuit of said battery system is operable to detect the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery and a remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery, and to charge said automotive battery with said driving battery when the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery is greater than a second specified value and the remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery is below a third specified value.

10. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hybrid car with which said power supply apparatus is used further comprises an engine, and said battery control circuit is operable to charge said driving battery with said automotive battery via said charging control circuit when the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery drops below a second specified value and said driving battery cannot turn over the electric motor of the hybrid car and start the engine of the hybrid car.

11. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said battery control circuit is operable to charge said driving battery with said automotive battery to a capacity allowing said driving battery to run the electric motor and start the engine of the hybrid car.

12. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said automotive battery outputs a DC voltage, and said charging control circuit includes an inverter circuit operable to step up the DC voltage of said automotive battery to a DC voltage capable of charging said driving battery.

13. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hybrid car with which said power supply apparatus us used further comprises an ignition switch, and said charging control circuit is operable to begin charging said driving battery with said automotive battery when the ignition switch is turned on.

14. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the hybrid car with which said power supply apparatus is used further comprises an engine, and said charging control circuit is operable to suspend charging when said driving battery has been charged enough to start the engine with the electric motor.

15. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hybrid car with which said power supply apparatus is used further comprises an ignition switch, and said charging control circuit is operable to charge said driving battery with said automotive battery when the ignition switch is off and the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery drops below a second specified value.

16. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said charging control circuit includes a circuit operable to convert an output of said driving battery to a charging voltage of said automotive battery.

17. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said battery system further comprises a cooling fan for said driving battery, said cooling fan being driven by said automotive battery.

18. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said battery system further comprises a cooling fan for said driving battery, said cooling fan being driven by said diving battery.

19. A hybrid car power supply apparatus, for use with a hybrid car having electrical equipment, said hybrid car power supply apparatus comprising:

an electric motor for driving the hybrid car;

an automotive battery for supplying power to the electrical equipment of the hybrid car;

a battery system comprising

a driving battery,

a battery control circuit operable to control charging and discharging of said driving battery,

a charging control circuit operable to charge said driving battery with power from said automotive battery when a remaining battery capacity of said driving battery drops below a first specified value; and

an inverter operable to supply said electric motor of the hybrid car with output from said driving battery of said battery system.

20. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising an engine and a generator, wherein said generator is connected between said engine and said driving battery and is operable to charge said driving battery.

21. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein said driving motor is operable to start said engine.

22. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to compute the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery by subtracting discharged capacity from charged capacity.

23. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to determine a remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery by detecting a battery voltage of said automotive battery.

24. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, said charging control circuit obtaining operating power from said driving battery, wherein, in obtaining operating power, said charging control circuit is operable to step down a voltage of said driving battery.

25. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 24, wherein said charging control circuit comprises an inverter operable to step down the voltage of said driving battery in obtaining operating power from said driving battery.

26. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to suspend supply of power from said driving battery and to supply power from said automotive battery to said electric motor when the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery drops below a second specified value.

27. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said battery control circuit of said battery system is operable to detect the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery and a remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery, and to charge said driving battery with said automotive battery when the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery is below a second specified value and the remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery is greater than a third specified value.

28. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said charging control circuit of said battery system comprises a circuit operable to charge said automotive battery with said driving battery.

29. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein said battery control circuit of said battery system is operable to detect the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery and a remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery, and to charge said automotive battery with said driving battery when the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery is greater than a second specified value and the remaining battery capacity of said automotive battery is below a third specified value.

30. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising an engine, wherein said battery control circuit is operable to charge said driving battery with said automotive battery via said charging control circuit when the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery drops below a second specified value and said driving battery cannot turn over said electric motor and start said engine.

31. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 30, wherein said battery control circuit is operable to charge said driving battery with said automotive battery to a capacity allowing said driving battery to run said electric motor and start said engine.

32. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein said automotive battery outputs a DC voltage, and said charging control circuit includes an inverter circuit operable to step up the DC voltage of said automotive battery to a DC voltage capable of charging said driving battery.

33. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising an ignition switch, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to begin charging said driving battery with said automotive battery when said ignition switch is turned on.

34. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 33, further comprising an engine, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to suspend charging when said driving battery has been charged enough to start said engine with said electric motor.

35. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, further comprising an ignition switch, wherein said charging control circuit is operable to charge said driving battery with said automotive battery when said ignition switch is off and the remaining battery capacity of said driving battery drops below a second specified value.

36. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said charging control circuit includes a circuit operable to convert an output of said driving battery to a charging voltage of said automotive battery.

37. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said battery system further comprises a cooling fan for said driving battery, said cooling fan being driven by said automotive battery.

38. A hybrid car power supply apparatus as recited in claim 19, wherein said battery system further comprises a cooling fan for said driving battery, said cooling fan being driven by said driving battery.