Use of high frequency transformer to charge HEV batteries

• US 8,148,949 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2010
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American AXLE & Manufacturing Incorporated (American AXLE & Manufacturing Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American AXLE & Manufacturing Incorporated (American AXLE & Manufacturing Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Oliveira, Gary A., Gilmore, Curt D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Diao, M'Baye
• Application Number:
  US12/709,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20100213902A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 320/145
• US Class Current: 320/145
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00302 Overcharge protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00309 Overheat or overtemperature protection
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• 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

Abstract

A system for charging a high voltage battery includes a low DC voltage battery, a DC-to-AC converting circuit, a controller, an AC-to-DC converting circuit and a high DC voltage battery. The low voltage battery outputs a low DC voltage signal. The DC-to-AC converting circuit receives the low DC voltage signal to convert into a chopped DC voltage signal. The DC-to-AC converter outputs a high AC voltage signal corresponding to the chopped DC voltage signal. The controller controls a duty cycle of the chopped DC voltage signal. The AC-to-DC converting circuit converts the high AC voltage signal into a high DC voltage signal. The high voltage battery charges using the high DC voltage signal. A method for charging a high voltage battery is also provided.

Claims

1. A battery charging system, comprising:

a DC-to-AC converting circuit adapted to be electrically coupled to a low voltage power source for receipt of a low voltage signal, said DC-to-AC converting circuit configured to chop said low voltage signal into a pulse width modulated signal having high frequency and a duty cycle and operative for converting said pulse width modulated signal into a corresponding high AC voltage signal based on a first condition and a second condition;

a controller operably coupled to said DC-to-AC converting circuit for controlling said first condition and said second condition;

a AC-to-DC converting circuit operably coupled to said DC-to-AC converting circuit for receipt of said corresponding high AC voltage signal in order to convert said high AC voltage signal into a high DC voltage signal in order to charge a high voltage power source using said high DC voltage signal; and

at least one sensor operably coupled to said high voltage power source for sensing a magnitude of said high AC voltage and outputting a sensor signal in response thereof, wherein said controller is operably coupled to said at least one sensor for receipt of said sensor signal to compare said magnitude to a predetermined magnitude of a high AC voltage signal target and adjust said duty cycle of said pulse width modulated signal in response thereof.

2. The battery charging system of claim 1, further comprising:

a charging switching device operably coupled to said AC-to-DC converting circuit and adapted to be electrically coupled to said high voltage power source, said charging switching device is configured to control a charging current of said high voltage power source.

3. The battery charging system of claim 2, wherein said charging switching device operates based on a first charging condition and a second charging condition.

4. The battery charging system of claim 3, wherein said controller is further configured to control said first charging condition and said second charging condition.

5. The battery charging system of claim 3, wherein said charging switching device further comprises a transistor configured ON for said first charging condition and configured OFF for said second charging condition.

6. A battery charging system, comprising:

a switching device adapted to be coupled to a low voltage battery source for receipt of a low DC voltage signal and converting said low DC voltage signal into a chopped DC voltage signal having a high frequency and a duty cycle based on a first condition and a second condition;

a controller operably coupled to said switching device for controlling said first condition and said second condition;

a step-up transformer operably coupled to said switching device for receipt of said chopped DC voltage signal and operative to output a corresponding high AC voltage in response thereof for charging a high voltage battery source; and

at least one sensor operably coupled to said high voltage battery for sensing of a magnitude of a temperature of said high voltage battery and outputting a sensor signal in response thereof, wherein said controller is operably coupled to said at least one sensor for receipt of said sensor signal to compare said magnitude to a predetermined temperature target, said controller is further configured to adjust said duty cycle of said chopped DC voltage signal in response thereof to reduce over charging of said high voltage battery.

7. The battery charging system of claim 6, wherein said switching device further comprises at least one transistor.

8. The battery charging system of claim 7, wherein said at least one transistor further comprises a first set of transistors and a second set of transistors, said first set of transistors and said second set of transistors are configured in an H-bridge configuration.

9. The battery charging system of claim 8, wherein said first condition is indicative of said first set of transistors being ON and said second set of transistors being OFF such that said low voltage signal flows through a first transistor of said first set of transistors, into a top of a primary winding of said transformer and to ground via a second transistor of said first set of transistors.

10. The battery charging system of claim 8, wherein said second condition is indicative of said first set of transistors being OFF and said second set of transistors being ON such that said low voltage signal flows through a first transistor of said second set of transistors, into a bottom of a primary winding of said transformer and to ground via a second transistor of said second set of transistors.

11. The battery charging system of claim 6, further comprising:

a charging switching device operably coupled to said switching device and adapted to be electrically coupled to said high voltage battery source, said charging switching device is configured to control a charging current of said high voltage battery source.

12. A battery charging system comprising:

a switching device adapted to be coupled to a low voltage battery source for receipt of a low DC voltage signal and converting said low DC voltage signal into a chopped DC voltage signal having a high frequency and a duty cycle based on a first condition and a second condition;

a controller operably coupled to said switching device for controlling said first condition and said second condition;

a step-up transformer operably coupled to said switching device for receipt of said chopped DC voltage signal and operative to output a corresponding high AC voltage in response thereof for charging a high voltage battery source; and

at least one sensor operably coupled to said transformer for sensing of a magnitude of a temperature of said transformer and outputting a sensor signal in response thereof;

wherein said controller is operably coupled to said at least one sensor for receipt of said sensor signal to compare said magnitude to a predetermined temperature target, said controller is further configured to adjust said duty cycle of said chopped DC voltage signal in response thereof to reduce over-temperatures of said transformer.

13. A method of charging a battery, comprising:

receiving a low voltage signal from a low DC voltage battery source to chop into a pulse width modulated signal having high frequency and a duty cycle based on a first condition and a second condition;

converting said pulse width modulated signal into a corresponding high AC voltage signal;

converting said high AC voltage signal into a high DC voltage signal in order to charge a high DC voltage battery source using said high DC voltage signal;

controlling a charging current of said high DC voltage battery source using a switching device;

sensing a magnitude of a temperature of said high DC voltage battery source; and

comparing said magnitude to a predetermined magnitude of a temperature target in order to adjust said duty cycle of said chopping low DC signal in response thereof to reduce over charging of said high DC voltage battery source which in turn modifies a magnitude of said high DC voltage signal.

14. The battery charging method of claim 13, wherein converting said pulse width modulated signal further comprises converting said pulse width modulated signal into said corresponding high AC voltage signal using a high frequency transformer.

15. A method of charging a battery, comprising:

receiving a low voltage signal from a low DC voltage battery source to chop into a pulse width modulated signal having a high frequency and a duty cycle based on a first condition and a second condition;

converting said pulse width modulated signal into a corresponding high AC voltage signal using a transformer;

converting said high AC voltage signal into a high DC voltage signal in order to charge a high DC voltage battery source using said high DC voltage signal;

sensing a magnitude of a temperature of said transformer; and

comparing said magnitude to a predetermined magnitude of a temperature target in order to adjust said duty cycle of said pulse width modulated signal in response thereof to reduce over-temperatures of said transformer which in turn modifies a magnitude of said high DC voltage signal.

16. A method of charging a battery, comprising:

receiving a low voltage signal from a low DC voltage battery source to chop into a pulse width modulated signal having a high frequency and a duty cycle based on a first condition and a second condition;

converting said pulse width modulated signal into a corresponding high AC voltage signal;

converting said high AC voltage signal into a high DC voltage signal in order to charge a high DC voltage battery source using said high DC voltage signal;

sensing a magnitude of said high AC voltage signal; and

comparing said magnitude to a predetermined magnitude of a high AC voltage signal target in order to adjust said duty cycle of said pulse width modulated signal in response thereof which in turn modifies a magnitude of said high DC voltage signal.