Charge method and device of battery for electric motor vehicle

• US 8,188,705 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2009
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Wakayama, Norihira
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US12/582,096
• Publication Number:
  US 20100097036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/109, 320/134, 320/153, 320/157, 324/427
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The present invention is a charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle, in which a battery is charged by an outside electric source. A residual charge quantity of the battery is detected before charging. A maximum-quantity charge time Ttotal which is required for the residual charge quantity of the battery becoming the maximum quantity is calculated based on detection result. A driving-start time tds of the electric motor vehicle is estimated. A first charge is executed so as to be started from a driving stop of the electric motor vehicle, continued for a period of time which is shorter than the maximum-quantity charge time Ttotal, and completed before the driving-start time tds. A second charge is executed so as to be started after the first charge is completed and completed at the driving-start time tds.

Claims

1. A charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle, in which a battery is charged by an outside electric source, comprising:

a residual charge quantity detecting step for detecting a residual charge quantity of the battery before charging;

a maximum-quantity charge time calculating step for calculating a maximum-quantity charge time which is required for the residual charge quantity of the battery becoming the maximum quantity based on detection result of said residual charge quantity detecting step;

a driving-start time estimating step for estimating a driving-start time of the electric motor vehicle;

a first charge step for executing a first charge in which the charge of the battery is started from a driving stop of the electric motor vehicle, continued for a specified period of charge time which is shorter than the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by said maximum-quantity charge time calculating step, and completed before the driving-start time of the electric motor vehicle estimated by said driving-start time estimating step; and

a second charge step for executing a second charge in which the charge of the battery is started after said first charge step is completed and completed at the driving-start time of the electric motor vehicle estimated by said driving-start time estimating step.

2. The charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a temperature estimating step for estimating a temperature at the driving-start time of the electric motor vehicle estimated by said driving-start time estimating step, and a warm-up time calculating step for calculating a warm-up time for the battery based on estimation result of said temperature estimating step, wherein said second charge step is executed for a period of the warm-up time calculated by said warm-up time calculating step.

3. The charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein said specified period of charge time of the first charge which is executed by said first charge step is a specified charge time which is required for the residual charge quantity of the battery becoming a specified quantity.

4. The charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein in case a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed by said first and second charge steps exceeds the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by said maximum-quantity charge time calculating step, the period of charge time of the first charge which is executed by said first charge step is shortened such that said total of the charge times of the first and second charges is equal to the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by the maximum-quantity charge time calculating step.

5. The charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein in case a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed by said first and second charge steps exceeds the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by said maximum-quantity charge time calculating step, the period of charge time of the second charge which is executed by said second charge step is shortened such that said total of the charge times of the first and second charges is equal to the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by the maximum-quantity charge time calculating step.

6. The charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein in case a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed by said first and second charge steps does not exceed the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by said maximum-quantity charge time calculating step, the period of charge time of the first charge which is executed by said first charge step is extended such that said total of the charge times of the first and second charges is equal to the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by the maximum-quantity charge time calculating step.

7. The charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 3, wherein in case a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed by said first and second charge steps does not exceed the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by said maximum-quantity charge time calculating step, the period of charge time of the second charge which is executed by said second charge step is extended such that said total of the charge times of the first and second charges is equal to the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by the maximum-quantity charge time calculating step.

8. The charge method of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 3, further comprising a third charge step for executing a third charge in which the charge of the battery is conducted for a specified period of charge time in case a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed by said first and second charge steps does not exceed the maximum-quantity charge time calculated by said maximum-quantity charge time calculating step, wherein said third charge step is conducted after said first charge step and before said second charge step such that the charge time of the third charge is equivalent to a difference between the total of the charge times of the first and second charges and the maximum-quantity charge time.

9. A charge device of a battery for an electric motor vehicle, comprising:

a battery to be charged by an outside electric source and supply an electric power to a motor for driving the vehicle;

a residual charge quantity detecting means for detecting a residual charge quantity of the battery before charging; and

a charge control means for controlling charging of said battery,

wherein said charge control means calculates a maximum-quantity charge time which is required for the residual charge quantity of the battery becoming the maximum quantity based on detection result of said residual charge quantity detecting means, estimates a driving-start time of the electric motor vehicle, executes a first charge in which the charge of the battery is started from a driving stop of the electric motor vehicle, continued for a specified period of charge time which is shorter than the maximum-quantity charge time, and completed before the driving-start time of the electric motor vehicle, and executes a second charge in which the charge of the battery is started after the first charge is completed and completed at the driving-start time of the electric motor vehicle.

10. The charge device of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a temperature estimating means for estimating a temperature at the driving-start time of the electric motor vehicle, wherein said charge control means calculates a warm-up time for the battery based on estimation result of said temperature estimating means, and executes the second charge for a period of said calculated warm-up time.

11. The charge device of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein said charge control means calculates a specified charge time which is required for the residual charge quantity of the battery becoming a specified quantity, and executes the first charge for a period of said calculated specified charge time.

12. The charge device of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein said charge control means determines whether or not a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed exceeds said calculated maximum-quantity charge time, and shortens the period of charge time of the first charge such that the total of the charge times of the first and second charges is equal to the maximum-quantity charge time in case the total of the charge times of the first and second charges exceeds the maximum-quantity charge time.

13. The charge device of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein said charge control means determines whether or not a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed exceeds said calculated maximum-quantity charge time, and shortens the period of charge time of the second charge such that the total of the charge times of the first and second charges is equal to the maximum-quantity charge time in case the total of the charge times of the first and second charges exceeds the maximum-quantity charge time.

14. The charge device of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein said charge control means determines whether or not a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed exceeds said calculated maximum-quantity charge time, and extends the period of charge time of the first charge such that the total of the charge times of the first and second charges is equal to the maximum-quantity charge time in case the total of the charge times of the first and second charges does not exceed the maximum-quantity charge time.

15. The charge device of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein said charge control means determines whether or not a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed exceeds said calculated maximum-quantity charge time, and extends the period of charge time of the second charge such that the total of the charge times of the first and second charges is equal to the maximum-quantity charge time in case the total of the charge times of the first and second charges does not exceed the maximum-quantity charge time.

16. The charge device of a battery for an electric motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein said charge control means determines whether or not a total of respective charge times of the first and second charges which are executed exceeds said calculated maximum-quantity charge time, and executes a third charge in which the charge of the battery is conducted for a specified period of charge time in case the total of the charge times of the first and second charges does not exceed the maximum-quantity charge time, the third charge being conducted after the first charge and before the second charge such that the charge time of the third charge is equivalent to a difference between the total of the charge times of the first and second charges and the maximum-quantity charge time.