Electric vehicle

• US 7,690,453 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kinoshita, Naoki, Imaizumi, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurari; Erez
• Application Number:
  US11/725,931
• Publication Number:
  US 20070222413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 180/65.1
• US Class Current: 180/65.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/24 including control of energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/28 including control of fuel cells
• 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 2510/24 Energy storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/28 Wheel speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/112 Batteries
• 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 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

An electric vehicle including a high-voltage power source at least including a first power source is provided. The electric vehicle further includes a low-voltage battery that is supplied with electric power from the high-voltage power source through a converter; an auxiliary vehicle controller for controlling a high-voltage contactor with electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source through the converter and/or with electric power supplied from the low-voltage; and an electric motor driving with electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source. The high-voltage contactor is connectedly provided between the high-voltage power source and the auxiliary vehicle controller, and the auxiliary vehicle controller controls the high-voltage contactor in such a manner that the electric power supply from the high-voltage power source is shut off if the electric power supply from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle comprising:

a high-voltage power source at least including a first power source;

a low-voltage battery that is supplied with electric power from the high-voltage power source through a converter;

an auxiliary vehicle controller for controlling a high-voltage contactor with electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source through the converter or with electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery;

the high-voltage contactor being connectedly provided between the high-voltage power source and the auxiliary vehicle controller;

an electric motor driving with electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source,

a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a traveling speed of the electric vehicle; and

a low-voltage battery connection detector for detecting a connection state between the low-voltage battery and the electric vehicle,

wherein

using the electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source through the converter directly to the auxiliary vehicle controller, the auxiliary vehicle controller controls the high-voltage contactor in such a manner that the electric power supply from the high-voltage power source is shut off if;

the electric power supply from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off,

the low-voltage battery connection detector detects a disconnection state between the low-voltage battery and the electric vehicle, and

it is determined that the traveling speed value of the electric vehicle obtained on the vehicle speed shows at least that the vehicle is in a still state or in a low-speed state, and

using the electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source through the converter directly to the auxiliary vehicle controller, the auxiliary vehicle controller further controls the high-voltage contactor in such a manner that the electric power supply from the high-voltage power source is not shut off if;

the electric power supply from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off,

the low-voltage battery connection detector detects a disconnection state between the low-voltage battery and the electric vehicle, and

it is determined that the traveling speed value of the electric vehicle obtained on the vehicle speed sensor shows at lest that the vehicle is not in a still state or in a low-speed state.

2. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the high-voltage contactor is connectedly provided between the high-voltage power source and the electric motor.

3. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the high-voltage power source at least includes a fuel cell that is supplied with fuel gas and oxidizer gas so as to generate electric power, as the first power source thereof,

the fuel cell is connected with a fuel tank for supplying the fuel gas,

a fuel gas shut-off valve is provided between the fuel cell and the fuel tank, and

the auxiliary vehicle controller controls the fuel gas shut-off valve to shut off the fuel gas supplied from the fuel tank to the fuel cell if the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off.

4. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the high-voltage power source at least includes a fuel cell that is supplied with fuel gas and oxidizer gas so as to generate electric power, as the first power source thereof,

the fuel cell is connected with a fuel tank for supplying the fuel gas,

a fuel gas shut-off valve is provided between the fuel cell and the fuel tank, and

the auxiliary vehicle controller controls the fuel gas shut-off valve to shut off the fuel gas supplied from the fuel tank to the fuel cell if the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off.

5. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the high-voltage power source further includes a high-voltage battery as a second power source that is a different power source from the first power source,

the first power source and the second power source of the high-voltage power source are connected in parallel with the electric motor,

a voltage control unit for controlling currents taken out of the high-voltage power source is connectedly provided between the high-voltage power source and the electric motor, and

the auxiliary vehicle controller controls the high-voltage contactor to shut off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source including the second power source if the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off.

6. The electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the high-voltage power source further includes a high-voltage battery as a second power source that is a different power source from the first power source,

the first power source and the second power source of the high-voltage power source are connected in parallel with the electric motor,

a voltage control unit for controlling currents taken out of the high-voltage power source is connectedly provided between the high-voltage power source and the electric motor, and

the auxiliary vehicle controller controls the high-voltage contactor to shut off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source including the second power source if the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off.

7. The electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

the high-voltage power source further includes a high-voltage battery as a second power source that is a different power source from the first power source,

the first power source and the second power source of the high-voltage power source are connected in parallel with the electric motor,

a voltage control unit for controlling currents taken out of the high-voltage power source is connectedly provided between the high-voltage power source and the electric motor, and

the auxiliary vehicle controller controls the high-voltage contactor to shut off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source including the second power source if the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off.

8. The electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the high-voltage power source further includes a high-voltage battery as a second power source that is a different power source from the first power source,

the first power source and the second power source of the high-voltage power source are connected in parallel with the electric motor,

a voltage control unit for controlling currents taken out of the high-voltage power source is connectedly provided between the high-voltage power source and the electric motor, and

the auxiliary vehicle controller controls the high-voltage contactor to shut off the electric power supplied from the high-voltage power source including the second power source if the electric power supplied from the low-voltage battery to the auxiliary vehicle controller is cut off.