Battery charger and method of charging a battery

• US 7,411,371 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arizona Public Service Company (Pinnacle West Capital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Public Service Company (Pinnacle West Capital Corporation)
• Inventors: Hobbs, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US11/162,107
• Publication Number:
  US 20060028178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 320/107, 320/128, 320/140, 320/157, 320/159, 320/162, 320/164
• US Class Current: 320/128
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• 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 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/003 Converting light into electric energy, e.g. by using photo-voltaic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 8/006 Converting flow of air into electric energy, e.g. by using wind turbines
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• 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 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

Stationary and on-board battery chargers, methods of charging batteries, electric-vehicle chargers, and vehicles with chargers, including electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. Chargers may automatically charge at the correct battery voltage for various types of batteries. Chargers have variable AC power supplies controlled by digital controllers, isolation transformers, and rectifiers. Transformers may be foil-type, and may have copper foil. Power supplies may be variable-frequency generators and the controllers may control the frequency. Use of the variable frequency generator supply facilitates reduced component size and weight and better battery charging performance. Electric vehicle chargers may have card readers, and vehicles may have batteries and a charger. Methods of charging include identifying the battery type and gradually increasing the charging at different rates of increase while monitoring charging voltage, charging current, or both, until a current lid is reached. Charging may occur at constant current and then at constant voltage.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising:

a direct current (DC) power supply;

a variable alternating-current power supply configured to receive direct current from said DC power supply and output a first alternating current of a controllable power level superimposed upon at least one of a higher frequency switched frequency and a higher frequency carrier frequency; and

a controller configured to control said variable alternating-current power supply, said controller including control of at least said power level of said first alternating current.

2. A battery charger, comprising:

an alternating-current (AC) power supply;

a device configured to receive a first alternating current from said AC power supply and convert said first alternating current to a direct-current (DC) output;

a variable alternating-current power supply configured to receive said DC output from said device and output a second alternating current of a controllable power level superimposed upon at least one of a higher frequency switched frequency and a higher frequency carrier frequency; and

a controller configured to control said variable alternating-current power supply, said controller including control of said power level of said second alternating current.

3. The battery charger of claim 2, further comprising:

a first transformer configured to receive said first alternating current and change a voltage of said first alternating current, and transmit said first alternating current to said device.

4. The battery charger of claim 3, wherein said first transformer is at least one of a wire wound transformer and a foil transformer.

5. The battery charger of claim 3, wherein said first transformer is c configured to at least one of modify and change said voltage, and at least one of modify and change amperage of said first alternating current.

6. The battery charger of claim 3, wherein said first transformer is c configured to change said voltage to a voltage in the range of about 30 volts to a about 700 volts, and increase amperage of said first alternating current to a c current in the range of about 30 amps to about 300 amps.

7. The battery charger of claim 3, further comprising:

a second transformer configured to supply power to said controller.

8. The battery charger of claim 2, wherein said controller is one of a digital controller, an analog controller, and a digital/analog controller.

9. The battery charger of claim 2, further comprising:

a filter configured to filter said direct-current output, said filter comprising at least one of an inductor and a capacitor, wherein said filter achieves optimization utilizing a carrier of said switched frequency and an output frequency of said power supply.

10. The battery charger of claim 2, wherein said controller is configured to measure the voltage of said direct-current output.

11. The battery charger of claim 2, wherein the charger is configured to communicate with a diagnostic device configured to facilitate maintenance or diagnosis of faults.

12. The battery charger of claim 2, wherein said first transformer is configured so that said second alternating current has a lower voltage and a higher amperage than said first alternating current;

and said variable-frequency generator being configured so that said first alternating current has a substantially higher frequency than that of said input electrical power.

14. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 3, wherein said first transformer is configured to receive said first alternating current, change a voltage of said first alternating current to form said second alternating current, and transmit said second alternating current to said device.

13. An electric-vehicle charger comprising:

a variable-frequency generator configured to input electrical power and output a first alternating current of a controllable frequency superimposed upon at least one of a higher frequency switched frequency and a higher frequency carrier frequency;

a controller configured to control said variable-frequency generator, the controller including control of the frequency of said first alternating current;

a first transformer configured to change the voltage of said first alternating current to a second alternating current;

a device configured to convert said second alternating current to a direct-current output; and

a connector configured to connect to an electric vehicle and deliver said direct-current output to the vehicle.

15. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, wherein said first transformer is at least one of a wire wound transformer and a foil transformer.

16. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, said charger being configured to charge at a plurality of direct-current output voltages, the charger being configured to automatically determine the voltage of the electric vehicle and supply the correct voltage and current.

17. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, wherein the charger is configured to charge in the range of about 30 amps to about 300 amps.

18. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, wherein the charger is configured to charge in the range of about 12 volts to about 700 volts.

19. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, further comprising:

a second transformer configured to supply power to said controller.

20. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, further comprising:

a card reader configured to enable the charger.

21. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, further comprising:

a filter configured to filter said direct-current output, said filter comprising at least one of an inductor and a capacitor, wherein said filter achieves optimization utilizing a carrier of said switched frequency and an output frequency of said power supply.

22. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, wherein said controller is configured to measure the voltage of said direct-current output.

23. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, wherein said controller is configured to enable an indication when the electric vehicle is substantially charged.

24. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, wherein the charger is configured to communicate with a diagnostic device configured to facilitate maintenance or diagnosis of faults.

25. The electric-vehicle charger of claim 13, wherein said first transformer is configured so that said second alternating current has a lower voltage and a higher amperage than said first alternating current;

and said variable-frequency generator being configured so that said first alternating current has a substantially higher frequency than that of said input electrical power.