Power charging device using multiple energy sources

• US 6,580,251 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2002
• Issued: 06/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boracho IP Holdings LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Takeuchi, Kesatoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US10/125,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 320/116, 320/117, 320/123, 320/128, 320/137, 320/138
• US Class Current: 320/138
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/52 Wind-driven generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/102 being switching converters H02J1/108, H02J1/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/40 adapted for charging from various sources, e.g. AC, DC or multivoltage
• 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: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A power charging device is provided in which different power sources 12 are used, and if the generating capacity of each of the power sources varies without correlation, the voltage thereof is constantly controlled to be a voltage determined by a charging unit 48, whereby the charging unit 48 can receive uniform voltages. Also, the uniform voltage value is determined based on the difference between the present charging state and the full-charge. Accordingly, charging with an overcurrent and charging beyond capacity can be prevented, thus realizing steady charging.

Claims

1. A power charging device using multiple energy sources for supplying a predetermined amount of electrical power, wherein the multiple energy sources comprise a plurality of power sources, each having a different generating capacity and each output value thereof varying independently, the device comprising:

output changing means which is provided for each of the power sources and which changes the variable output value to a desired output value; and

charging means which outputs the desired output voltage value to the output changing means and which supplies the power from the plurality of connected power sources.

2. The power charging device according to claim 1, wherein the output changing means comprises:

a rectifier for rectifying an AC voltage of each of the power sources; and

an inverter which converts a DC voltage generated by rectification by the rectifier to frequency-adjustable AC and which converts the AC after the frequency adjustment to DC.

3. The power charging device according to claim 2, further comprising bias voltage supplying means for supplying a bias voltage to the inverter.

4. The power charging device according to claim 2, wherein the inverter receives the desired output voltage value from the charging means and frequency adjustment is performed based on the desired output voltage value.

5. The power charging device according to claim 2, wherein the charging means comprises:

a maximum-current detector for detecting a maximum current value based on the electrical power, supplied from the plurality of power sources; and

a voltage feedback unit for converting the current value detected by the maximum-current detector to a voltage value and sending the voltage value to the inverter.

6. The power charging device according to claim 5, wherein each of the maximum-current detector and the voltage feedback unit includes a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit.