Voltage converting circuit for electric vehicles

• US 7,230,395 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2006
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi FUSO Truck & Bus Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi FUSO Truck & Bus Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Inventors: Horii, Yusuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro; Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US11/391,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20060220601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 318139-140, 318441-442, 180 651- 654, 320/15, 320/30, 320/43, 320/48, 701 21- 22
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/36 Means for starting or stopping converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A voltage converting circuit for electric vehicles that is capable of stably performing precharge control from a high voltage battery to an inverter. The voltage converting circuit includes a high voltage battery for supplying electric power to a vehicle drive motor; and an inverter, which is interposed between the high voltage battery and the vehicle drive motor and has a capacitor, for converting a direct current, supplied from the high voltage battery, to an alternating current and supplying to the vehicle drive motor. The voltage converting circuit further includes a voltage converter, connected to the high voltage battery in parallel with the inverter, for converting a voltage of the high voltage battery to a low voltage and outputting the low voltage; a contactor circuit, interposed between the high voltage battery and the inverter, for performing a process of suppressing rush current relative to the inverter when supplying electric power of the high voltage battery to the vehicle drive motor; and voltage a converter start-up enabling units and for enabling start-up of the voltage converter when a conclusion of the suppression process performed by the contactor circuit is sensed.

Claims

1. A voltage converting circuit for electric vehicles comprising:

a high voltage battery for supplying electric power to a vehicle drive motor;

an inverter, which is interposed between said high voltage battery and said vehicle drive motor and has a capacitor, for converting a direct current, supplied from said high voltage battery, to an alternating current and supplying to said vehicle drive motor;

a voltage converter, connected to said high voltage battery in parallel with said inverter, for converting a voltage of said high voltage battery to a low voltage and outputting said low voltage;

a contactor circuit, interposed between said high voltage battery and said inverter, for performing a process of suppressing rush current relative to said inverter when supplying electric power of said high voltage battery to said vehicle drive motor; and

voltage converter start-up enabling means for enabling start-up of said voltage converter when a conclusion of the suppression process performed by said contactor circuit is sensed.

2. The voltage converting circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said contactor circuit comprises:

a main contactor; and

a precharge circuit comprising

a precharge contactor arranged in parallel with said main contactor, and

an electric resistor arranged in series with said precharge contactor.

3. The voltage converting circuit as set forth in claim 2, further comprising converter control means for controlling operation of said voltage converter;

wherein said voltage converter start-up enabling means is provided in said converter control means and comprises

an operation control unit for causing said voltage converter to operate when a start-up enabling signal is input and also a previously set operating voltage is input, and

a switch through which said start-up enabling signal is input to said voltage converter, and which is turned from off to on in synchronization with switchover of said main contactor from off to on.