DC-DC converter and power supplying system using a DC-DC converter

• US 8,664,926 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Yasuto, Hirakawa, Mitsuaki, Nakatomi, Somei, Andoh, Keigo
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROSARIO BENITEZ, GUSTAVO A
• Application Number:
  US12/750,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20100244798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,434 Days
• Field of Search: 323 22-225, 323/268, 323/271
• US Class Current: 323/282
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load

Abstract

A DC-DC converter includes first and second capacitors connected in series, a switching part, and a control circuit part which includes a voltage difference calculating part for calculating a difference between voltages of the first and second capacitors, a duty ratio controller for controlling duty ratio of on- and OFF-durations to decrease the voltage difference of the first and second capacitors on the basis of the calculated difference. A power supplying system including the DC-DC converter controls balance between first and second capacitors in voltage on the basis of the powering/regenerating discriminating signal.

Claims

1. A DC-DC converter comprising:

a first input-output circuit;

first and second capacitors connected in series;

a second input-output circuit connected to the first and second capacitors;

a switching part, responsive to switching signals comprising;

a first switch configured to connect a positive side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a positive terminal of the first capacitor and a positive side terminal of the second input-output circuit;

a second switch configured to connect the positive side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a negative terminal of the first capacitor and a positive terminal of the second capacitor;

a third switch configured to connect a negative side terminal of the first input-output circuit to the negative terminal of the first capacitor and the positive terminal of the second capacitor; and

a fourth switch configured to connect the negative side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a negative terminal of the second capacitor and the negative side terminal of the second input-output circuit;

a voltage detector to detect voltages across the first and second capacitors and a voltage through the first and second capacitors; and

a control circuit part configured to generate the switching signals control on the basis of the voltage through the first and second capacitors, and to calculate a difference between the voltages across first and second capacitors, wherein the control circuit part controls a pulse duration in one of the switching signals to control the duty ratios of the switching durations to generate a current flowing in series through the first and second capacitor and to decrease the difference between the voltage of the first capacitor and the voltage of the second capacitor, wherein, when the voltage of the first capacitor is greater than the voltage of the second capacitor, the control circuit part is configured to advance the pulse for the second switch and delay the pulse for the third switch, and wherein, when the voltage of the first capacitor is not greater than the voltage of the second capacitor, the control circuit part is configured to delay the pulse for the second switch and advance the pulse for the third switch.

4. The DC-DC converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control circuit part controls a pulse duration to control the duty ratio of at least one of the switching signals to correct an unbalance in the voltage of the first and second capacitors on the basis of the detected voltages across the first and second capacitors.

5. The DC-DC converter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control circuit part comprises a voltage balance control part configured to decrease the difference:

a first low-pass filter configured to extract a DC voltage component across the first capacitor;

a second low-pass filter configured to extract a DC voltage component across the second capacitor;

a difference calculating part configured to calculate a first difference between the DC voltage components across first and second capacitors and a second difference between the first difference and a reference value;

a proportion and integral unit configured to generate a control quantity including a proportion control quantity and an integration control quantity on the basis of the second difference; and

a duty control part configured to control the duty ratio on the basis of the control quantity.

6. A power supplying system comprising:

the DC-DC converter as claimed in claim 5;

a power supply configured to supply a DC voltage to the DC-DC converter;

an electrical rotating machine connected to the DC-DC converter;

a current sensor configured to detect a current flowing between the DC-DC converter and the electrical rotating machine; and

a powering/regenerating discriminating part, connected to the second input-output circuit, configured to determine whether the DC-DC converter is in either a powering mode or a regenerating mode on the basis of the detected current, wherein the voltage balance control part decreases the difference on the basis of the powering mode or the regenerating mode.

2. A DC-DC converter comprising:

a first input-output circuit;

first and second capacitors connected in series;

a second input-output circuit connected to the first and second capacitors;

a switching part, responsive to switching signals comprising;

a first diode configured to connect a positive side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a positive terminal of the first capacitor and a positive side terminal of the second input-output circuit;

a first switch configured to connect the positive side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a negative terminal of the first capacitor and a positive terminal of the second capacitor;

a second switch configured to connect a negative side terminal of the first input-output circuit to the negative terminal of the first capacitor and the positive terminal of the second capacitor; and

a second diode configured to connect the negative side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a negative terminal of the second capacitor and the negative side terminal of the second input-output circuit;

a voltage detector to detect voltages across the first and second capacitors and a voltage through the first and second capacitors; and

a control circuit part configured to generate the switching signals control on the basis of the voltage through the first and second capacitors, and to calculate a difference between the voltages across first and second capacitors, wherein the control circuit part controls a pulse duration in one of the switching signals to control the duty ratios of the switching durations to generate a current flowing in series through the first and second capacitor and to decrease the difference between the voltage of the first capacitor and the voltage of the second capacitor, wherein, when the voltage of the first capacitor is greater than the voltage of the second capacitor, the control circuit part is configured to advance the pulse for the second switch and delay the pulse for the third switch, and wherein, when the voltage of the first capacitor is not greater than the voltage of the second capacitor, the control circuit part is configured to delay the pulse for the second switch and advance the pulse for the third switch.

3. A DC-DC converter comprising:

a first input-output circuit;

first and second capacitors connected in series;

a second input-output circuit connected to the first and second capacitors;

a switching part, responsive to switching signals comprising;

a first switch configured to connect a positive side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a positive terminal of the first capacitor and a positive side terminal of the second input-output circuit;

a first diode configured to connect the positive side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a negative terminal of the first capacitor and a positive terminal of the second capacitor;

a second diode configured to connect the negative terminal of the first capacitor and the positive terminal of the second capacitor to a negative side terminal of the first input-output circuit to; and

a second switch configured to connect the negative side terminal of the first input-output circuit to a negative terminal of the second capacitor and the negative side terminal of the second input-output circuit;

a voltage detector to detect voltages across the first and second capacitors and a voltage through the first and second capacitors; and

a control circuit part configured to generate the switching signals control on the basis of the voltage through the first and second capacitors, and to calculate a difference between the voltages across first and second capacitors, wherein the control circuit part controls a pulse duration in one of the switching signals to control the duty ratios of the switching durations to generate a current flowing in series through the first and second capacitor and to decrease the difference between the voltage of the first capacitor and the voltage of the second capacitor, wherein, when the voltage of the first capacitor is greater than the voltage of the second capacitor, the control circuit part is configured to advance the pulse for the second switch and delay the pulse for the third switch, and wherein, when the voltage of the first capacitor is not greater than the voltage of the second capacitor, the control circuit part is configured to delay the pulse for the second switch and advance the pulse for the third switch.