Vehicle, power supply device of vehicle, and current detection device

• US 7,928,688 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2006
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Yano, Tsuyoshi, Oyobe, Hichirosai, Nakamura, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): LeDynh; Bot
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIAO, M BAYE
• Application Number:
  US11/990,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20080303529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,708 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/132
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/06 using substantially sinusoidal ac
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/24 Using the vehicle's propulsion converter for charging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/16 responding to battery ageing, e.g. to the number of charging cycles or the state of health [SoH]
• 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 20/13 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: G01R 31/3832 without measurement of battery voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/48 Accumulators combined with arrangements for measuring, testing or indicating the condition of cells, e.g. the level or density of the electrolyte constructional details of current conducting connections for detecting conditions inside cells or batteries, e.g. details of voltage sensing terminals, H01M50/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 16/006 of fuel cells with rechargeable batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

A vehicle comprises a battery, i.e. a power storage unit having a capacity different from a reference capacity, a current sensor for detecting a current inputted to the power storage unit or outputted therefrom and delivering the detection value by converting it depending on the ratio of the capacity of the power storage unit to the reference capacity, and a controller performing current integration by receiving the output from the current detecting section and judging charged state of the power storage unit. The current sensor preferably comprises a sensor for measuring a current flowing through wiring connected with the power storage unit, and a converting section for converting the sensor output depending on the ratio of the capacity of the power storage unit to the reference capacity. When the capacity of the power storage unit is equal to n times of the reference capacity, the converting section delivers the sensor output while multiplying by 1/n.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a power storage unit, said power storage unit including

a power storage device that has a capacity different from a reference capacity, and

a current detection unit that detects a current inputted to/outputted from said power storage device, converts the detected value in accordance with a ratio between the capacity of said power storage device and said reference capacity, and outputs a resultant; and

a charge control device that receives the output from said current detection unit, performs a current integration, and determines a state-of-charge of said power storage device;

wherein

said charge control device is not included in said power storage unit, and

said current detection unit includes

a sensor that measures a current flowing through a wire connected to said power storage device, and

a conversion unit that converts an output from said sensor in accordance with the ratio between the capacity of said power storage device and said reference capacity.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

when the capacity of said power storage device is n times as large as said reference capacity, said conversion unit multiplies the output from said sensor by 1/n, and then outputs a resultant.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connection part that connects, to said power storage device, a power line for external charge.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotating electric machine that propels said vehicle with the use of power stored in said power storage device; and

an internal combustion engine that propels said vehicle in cooperation with said rotating electric machine.

13. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the reference capacity corresponds to a capacity of a unit battery, and the capacity of the power storage device corresponds to a capacity of a plurality of unit batteries.

5. A power supply device of a vehicle, comprising:

a power storage unit, said power storage unit including

a power storage device that has a capacity different from a reference capacity; and

a current detection unit that detects a current inputted to/outputted from said power storage device, converts the detected value in accordance with a ratio between the capacity of said power storage device and said reference capacity, and outputs a resultant, wherein

said current detection unit outputs said detected value to a charge control device that performs a current integration and determines, a state-of-charge of said power storage device,

said charge control device is not included in said power storage unit, and

said current detection unit includes

a sensor that measures a current flowing through a wire connected to said power storage device, and

a conversion unit that converts an output from said sensor in accordance with the ratio between the capacity of said power storage device and said reference capacity.

6. The power supply device according to claim 5, wherein

when the capacity of said power storage device is n times as large as said reference capacity, said conversion unit multiplies the output from said sensor by 1/n, and then outputs a resultant.

7. The power supply device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a connection part that connects, to said power storage device, a power line for external charge.

8. The power supply device according to claim 5, wherein

said vehicle includes:

a rotating electric machine that propels said vehicle with the use of power stored in said power storage device; and

an internal combustion engine that propels said vehicle in cooperation with said rotating electric machine.

9. A current detection device for use in a power supply device of a vehicle,

said current detection device being connected between a power storage device that has a capacity different from a reference capacity and a charge control device,

said current detection device being configured to detect a current inputted to/outputted from said power storage device, to convert the detected value in accordance with a ratio between the capacity of said power storage device and said reference capacity and to output a resultant, wherein

said charge control device performs a current integration and determines a state-of-charge of said power storage device,

said current detection device and said power storage device are included in a power storage unit,

said charge control device is not included in said power storage unit, and

said current detection device comprises

a sensor that measures a current flowing through a wire connected to said power storage device;

and

a conversion unit that converts an output from said sensor in accordance with the ratio between the capacity of said power storage device and said reference capacity.

10. The current detection device according to claim 9, wherein

when the capacity of said power storage device is n times as large as said reference capacity, said conversion unit multiplies the output from said sensor by 1/n, and then outputs a resultant.

11. The current detection device according to claim 9, wherein

said vehicle includes a connection part that connects, to said power storage device, a power line for external charge.

12. The current detection device according to claim 9, wherein

said vehicle includes:

a rotating electric machine that propels said vehicle with the use of power stored in said power storage device; and

an internal combustion engine that propels said vehicle in cooperation with said rotating electric machine.