Charging device for electric automobile

• US 8,183,821 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Masato
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval, Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boateng, Alexis
• Application Number:
  US12/245,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20090096410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/111, 320/125, 320/127, 320/124, 320/103, 320/107, 320/137, 320/134, 320/135, 320/136, 320/109, 307/80, 340/995.27, 180/65.1
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• 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 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 5/00 Circuit arrangements for transfer of electric power between ac networks and dc networks H02J3/36 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• 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

The present invention provides a charging device for an electric automobile that can reduce the number of connection terminals provided in a vehicle and respond to a plurality of charging methods including normal charging and fast charging. Fast charging lines, an in-vehicle charger, and a feeder unit are connected to a power supply circuit for supplying power from a high voltage battery to a motor/generator. The fast charging lines, normal charging lines connected to the in-vehicle charger, and feeder lines connected to the feeder unit are respectively connected to common connection terminals of a connector. Relays provided on the respective lines are activated in accordance with the type of a connection plug attached to the connector, and as a result, charging is performed in accordance with the type of the connection plug.

Claims

1. A charging device for an electric automobile, which charges a storage device that supplies power to an electric motor for driving a vehicle, comprising:

a connector having a common connection terminal to which a fast charging line, which is connected to a power supply circuit for supplying the power of the storage device to the electric motor, and a normal charging line, which is connected to the power supply circuit, are respectively connected;

first switching means for switching the fast charging line to a connected state when a connection plug of a fast charger having a connection terminal that is connected to the common connection terminal is attached to the connector;

second switching means for switching the normal charging line to a connected state when a normal charging connection plug having a connection terminal that is connected to the common connection terminal is attached to the connector; and

control means which, when one of the connection plugs is attached to the connector, switch the switching means corresponding to the connection plug to a connected state in accordance with a type of the connection plug.

2. The charging device for an electric automobile according to claim 1, further comprising:

a feeder line that is connected to a feeder circuit having a feeder unit connected to the power supply circuit, and connected to the common connection terminal; and

third switching means that include a connection terminal connected to the common connection terminal and switch the feeder line to a connected state when a feeding connector connected to a power supply circuit of another vehicle is attached to the connector,

wherein the control means switch the third switching means to a connected state when a connection plug of the feeding connector is attached to the connector.

3. The charging device for an electric automobile according to claim 2, wherein the feeder unit supplies the power of the storage device to the power supply circuit of the other vehicle via the feeding connector attached to the connector.

4. The charging device for an electric automobile according to claim 2, wherein power from the other vehicle is supplied to the storage device via the feeding connector attached to the connector.

5. The charging device for an electric automobile according to claim 1, wherein an in-vehicle charger is provided on the normal charging line such that when the normal charging connection plug is attached to the connector, the in-vehicle charger rectifies power supplied from an external commercial power supply via the connection plug and charges the storage device with the rectified power.

6. The charging device for an electric automobile according to claim 1, wherein each of the connection plugs is provided with plug side communicating means for outputting a signal corresponding to the type of the connection plug to vehicle side communicating means provided in the vehicle, and

the control means determine the type of the connection plug on the basis of a signal from the vehicle side communicating means.