Power supply device

• US 8,432,058 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic EV Energy Company, Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsukawa, Yasushi, Mizoguchi, Tetsuya, Bullock, Duncan
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US12/026,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20080185999A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/130
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/42 Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells H01M10/60 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00712 the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A power supply device that enables completion of precharging to be accurately determined without increasing manufacturing cost. The power supply device includes a battery pack, a positive main contactor, a precharge contactor, and a precharge resistor. The battery pack supplies DC power to an inverter. A smoothing capacitor is arranged between input terminals of the inverter. The positive main contact disconnects the inverter from a positive electrode of the battery pack. A voltmeter detects the voltage between a negative electrode of the battery pack and a connection node of the precharge contactor and precharge resistor. Voltage detection values taken by the voltmeter immediately before precharging and during precharging are used to determine precharging completion.

Claims

1. A power supply device comprising:

a load including a smoothing capacitor used for precharging;

a direct current power supply which supplies direct current power to the load and which includes a first electrode and a second electrode;

a main contactor arranged between the load and the first electrode of the direct current power supply;

a precharge contactor connected in parallel to the main contactor and including a first terminal electrically connected to the first electrode of the direct current power supply and a second terminal electrically connected to the load;

a precharge resistor connected in parallel to the main contactor and in series to the precharge contactor between the first electrode of the direct current power source and the first terminal of the precharge contactor, wherein the smoothing capacitor undergoes precharging via the precharge resistor when the precharge contactor closes, and after completion of precharging, the main contactor is closed and the precharge contactor is open to start supplying the load with the direct current power;

a voltage detection unit connected to a connection node, which is between the first terminal of the precharge contactor and the precharge resistor, and the second electrode of the direct current power supply, wherein

the voltage detection unit obtains a first voltage detection value by detecting voltage between the connection node and the second electrode of the direct current power supply while the precharge contactor is open, wherein the first voltage detection value is a precharging saturation voltage corresponding to a power supply voltage supplied from the direct current power supply immediately before precharging is performed, and

the voltage detection unit obtains a second voltage detection value by detecting voltage between the connection node and the second electrode of the direct current power supply while the precharge contactor is closed, wherein the second voltage detection value is a precharge voltage applied to the smoothing capacitor during precharging; and

a determination unit which determines that precharging has been completed when the second voltage detection value becomes greater than a determination value set in accordance with the first voltage detection value.

2. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the determination value is set to be higher as the first voltage detection value becomes higher.

3. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the determination value is obtained by subtracting a predetermined constant from the first voltage detection value.

4. The power supply device according to claim 3, wherein:

the main contactor includes a first contact and a second contact that come into contact with each other when the main contactor is closed; and

the predetermined constant is set at an upper limit value of the voltage between the first and second contacts that withstands fusing of the first and second contacts.

5. The power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the determination value is obtained by multiplying the first voltage detection value by a constant that is less than one.

6. The power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising:

an inverter for converting the direct current power supplied from the direct current power supply into alternating current power, wherein the inverter is supplied with power by the power supply device.

7. A method for controlling precharging performed by a power supply device, the power supply device including a load having a smoothing capacitor used for precharging, a direct current power supply for supplying power supply voltage to the load and having a first electrode and a second electrode, a main contactor arranged between the load and the first electrode of the direct current power supply, a precharge contactor connected in parallel to the main contactor and including a first terminal electrically connected to the first electrode of the direct current power supply and a second terminal electrically connected to the load, a precharge resistor connected in parallel to the main contactor and connected in series to the precharge contactor between the first electrode of the direct current power supply and the first terminal of the precharge contactor, and a voltage detection unit connected between a connection node, which is between the first terminal of the precharge contactor and the precharge resistor, and the second electrode of the direct current power supply, the method comprising:

obtaining, prior to precharging, a first voltage detection value by detecting voltage between the connection node and the second electrode of the direct current power supply by the voltage detection unit in a state in which the precharge contactor is open, wherein the first voltage detection value is a precharging saturation voltage corresponding to a power supply voltage supplied from the direct current power supply immediately before precharging is performed;

closing the precharge contactor to precharge the smoothing capacitor via the precharge resistor;

obtaining, during precharging, a second voltage detection value by detecting voltage between the connection node and the second electrode of the direct current power supply by the voltage detection unit in a state in which the precharge contactor is closed, wherein the second voltage detection value is a precharge voltage applied to the smoothing capacitor during precharging;

determining that precharging has been completed when the second voltage detection value becomes greater than a determination value set in accordance with the first voltage detection value; and

after completion of precharging, starting to supply the load with the power supply voltage by closing the main contactor and opening the precharge contactor.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said setting the determination value includes setting the determination value to be higher as the first voltage detection value becomes higher.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein said setting the determination value includes setting the determination value by subtracting a predetermined constant from the first voltage detection value.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein:

the main contactor includes a first contact and a second contact that come into contact with each other when closed; and

the predetermined constant is set at an upper limit value of the voltage between the first and second contacts that withstands fusing of the first and second contacts.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein said setting the determination value includes setting the determination value by multiplying the first voltage detection value by a constant that is less than one.