Electric vehicle control device

• US 7,950,943 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohtomo, Yosuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilman; Alexander
• Application Number:
  US12/432,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20090286414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/299, 439/310, 439/372, 320/108, 320/109, 307/70.1
• US Class Current: 439/299
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/28 Door position
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in 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

To secure safety in an electric vehicle during charging, the electric vehicle is provided with a high voltage battery and a charging port portion for charging the high voltage battery. A power reception connector and a connector locking mechanism are provided in the charging port portion, and a fitting hole is formed in a power supply connector disposed on an external power supply side. The connector locking mechanism is switched between a restrained condition, in which a locking pin is inserted into the fitting hole, and a released condition, in which the locking pin is retracted from the fitting hole. A vehicle control unit for controlling the connector locking mechanism switches the connector locking mechanism to the restrained condition when a door is locked, and switches the connector locking mechanism to the released condition when the door is unlocked. Thus, the connection condition between the power reception connector and the power supply connector can be maintained even when a passenger locks the door and moves away from the electric vehicle, and as a result, safety can be secured during charging.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for an electric vehicle including a storage device that is charged by an external power supply, in which a power supply connector on said external power supply side is connected to a power reception connector on a vehicle body side when said storage device is charged, said control apparatus comprising:

a door lock determiner determining a lock condition of a door provided in said vehicle body;

a connector locking mechanism that is provided on said vehicle body side and is switched between a restrained condition, in which said power supply connector and said power reception connector are set in a locked condition, and a released condition, in which said power supply connector and said power reception connector are set in an unlocked condition; and

a connector lock control switching said connector locking mechanism to said restrained condition when said door is in a closed locked condition.

2. The control apparatus for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said connector lock control switches said connector locking mechanism to said released condition when said door is in an unlocked condition.

3. The control apparatus for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said connector locking mechanism comprises a solenoid coil, and

said connector locking mechanism is switched to said restrained condition when said solenoid coil is de-energized and switched to said released condition when said solenoid coil is energized.

4. The control apparatus for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said power reception connector and said connector locking mechanism are provided in a charging port portion disposed in said vehicle body.

5. The control apparatus for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said power reception connector and said connector locking mechanism are provided on a tip end portion of a charging cable extending from said vehicle body.

6. The control apparatus for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said door is a passenger door.