Battery equalization using a plug-in charger in a hybrid electric vehicle

• US 7,567,061 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2007
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nallapa, Venkatapathi Raju, Kuang, Ming L., Syed, Fazal U., Grand, Kerry E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso; Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US11/652,899
• Publication Number:
  US 20080169138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/127, 320/128, 320/134, 320/136, 320/137, 320/138, 320/167, 320/119, 320/116, 320/132, 320/148
• US Class Current: 320/132
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/48 Parallel type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• 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 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/13 Maintaining the SoC within a determined range
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• 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 2510/244 Charge state
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/906 : Motor or generator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/907 : Electricity storage, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

In a hybrid electric motor vehicle, a power supply system for storing and supplying electrical power includes a motor-generator located onboard the vehicle, driveably connected to the vehicle wheels and producing AC electric power, an energy storage device for alternately storing and discharging electric power, an inverter coupled to the motor-generator and the energy storage device for converting alternating current produced by the motor-generator to direct current transmitted to the energy storage device, and for converting direct current stored in the energy storage device to alternating current transmitted to the motor-generator, a source of AC electric power located external to the vehicle, and a charger coupled to said electric power source and the energy storage device for supplying DC electric power to the energy storage device from said AC electric power source.

Claims

1. A hybrid electric motor vehicle system for storing and supplying electrical power, comprising:

an internal combustion engine;

a motor-generator driveably connected to a vehicle wheel for producing AC electric power;

an energy storage device for alternately storing and discharging electric power;

an inverter coupled to the motor-generator and the energy storage device for converting alternating current produced by the motor-generator to direct current transmitted to the energy storage device, and for converting direct current stored in the energy storage device to alternating current transmitted to the motor-generator;

a source of AC electric power located external to the vehicle;

a charger coupled to said electric power source and the energy storage device for supplying DC electric power to the energy storage device from said electric power source; and

a controller configured to use a current state of charge of the energy storage device to determine five base electric power profile operating regions according in which the energy storage device is discharged and charged through the motor-generator and internal combustion engine to provide a bulk charge to the energy storage device, said regions comprising a fast active discharge region, an increasing active discharge region, a passive region, an increasing active charge region and a fast active charge region, wherein

wherein-the controller uses the motor-generator and internal combustion to charge the battery pack to a relatively high state of charge by determining a modified electric power profile comprising five operating regions that shift the base electric power profile regions, respectively, in response to a need for high-voltage battery cell voltage equalization.

2. The power supply system of claim 1 wherein:

the controller prevents the motor-generator and internal combustion engine from bulk charging the energy storage device when the magnitude of electric power that can be discharged or charged currently by the energy storage device is above a reference magnitude.