Refueling facility, refueling device, and refueling method

• US 7,861,748 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iida, Yasuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust; Timothy L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARNETT, NICOLAS ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US11/631,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,002 Days
• Field of Search: 141/18, 141/95, 141/98, 141/392, 320/104, 439/191
• US Class Current: 141/95
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/33 by cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/34 by heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/037 Quick connecting means, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/012 Hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0341 using another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0439 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0478 Position or presence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0626 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0105 Ships
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0139 Fuel stations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0178 Cars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0184 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0189 Planes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/007 for individual gas tanks or containers, e.g. in vehicles filling with liquid fuel not under pressure, B60S5/02, B67D7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/02 for filling with liquefied gases
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 5/06 : for filling with compressed gases
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 7/00 : Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases from pressure vessels, not covered by another subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 : Hydrogen storage
• 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

A refueling facility (200) according to the present invention comprises a refueling source (210) for refueling a fuel cell vehicle with fuel, a power supply source (220) for supplying power to the fuel cell vehicle, and a controller (230) for controlling refueling and power supply from the refueling facility (200) to the fuel cell vehicle. The forward end of a refueling path (211) and that of a power supply path (221) are integrated into a supply connector (240). The refueling and the power supply are achieved by connecting the supply connector (240) to a fuel receptacle (110) of the fuel cell vehicle.

Claims

1. A refueling device for a moving object, the moving object having a fuel tank for storing fuel, a first battery for supplying power to a motor for generating a driving force of the moving object, a power consuming device which operates when the fuel tank is refueled, a second battery for supplying power to the power consuming device, and a power converter which is provided between the first battery and the second battery, the refueling device comprising:

a refueling connector for refueling the fuel tank from an outside facility;

a power supply connector for supplying power to at least the first battery from the outside facility; and

control means for controlling the power supply from the outside facility to the fuel tank and the power supply from the first battery to the second battery via the power converter,

wherein the control means is programmed to be capable of performing the refueling of the fuel tank simultaneously with the power supply to the first battery and the power supply from the first battery to the second battery via the power converter.

2. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, wherein the refueling connector is integrated with the power supply connector.

3. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 2, wherein the refueling connector, the power supply connector, and an electrical signal connector disposed at the forward end of a status signal line are integrated into a connector.

4. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 3, wherein a status signal includes a signal indicating the status of the fuel tank or the status of the battery.

5. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 3, wherein the integrated connector is provided with a ground wire.

6. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, wherein the control means detects the state of charge of the first battery and controls the power supply from the outside facility to the first battery according to a detection result.

7. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 6, wherein the control means supplies the power from the outside facility to the first battery if the state of charge of the first battery is equal to or lower than a preset first reference value.

8. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, wherein

the control means supplies power from the first battery to the second battery upon detecting that the state of charge of the second battery is equal to or lower than a preset second reference value.

9. A refueling device for a moving object according to claim 1, wherein the fuel is gas fuel.

10. A refueling facility for refueling a moving object, the moving object having a fuel tank for storing fuel, a first battery for supplying power to a motor for generating a driving force, and a power supply unit for supplying power to a power consuming device operating with power supplied from the first battery during refueling, the refueling facility comprising:

a refueling source;

a power supply source;

a refueling connector for refueling the moving object from the refueling source;

a power supply connector for supplying power to the moving object from the power supply source;

a status signal line for transmitting a status signal indicating the state of charge of the first battery from the moving object; and

control means for detecting the state of charge of the first battery and controlling the power supply from the power supply source to the first battery according to a detection result,

wherein the refueling of the fuel tank, the power supply to the first battery, and the power supply to the power supply unit can be performed at the same time.

11. A refueling facility for a moving object according to claim 10, wherein the refueling connector is integrated with the power supply connector.

12. A refueling facility for a moving object according to claim 11, wherein the refueling connector, the power supply connector, and an electrical signal connector disposed at the forward end of the status signal line are integrated into a connector.

13. A refueling facility for a moving object according to claim 12, wherein the integrated connector is provided with a ground wire.