Charging apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,742,718 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2010
• Issued: 06/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ang, Wanleng, Sugiyama, Yoshinobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US13/876,599
• Publication Number:
  US 20130221920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/109, 320/107, 320/111, 320/137, 320/139, 320/140, 320/134, 320/135, 320/136, 307/10.1, 180/65.1
• US Class Current: 320/104
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/527 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• 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 vehicle is equipped with a main battery, an auxiliary machinery battery, a high-capacitance DC/DC converter which converts power on an electric path between the main battery and a motor-generator for traveling to supply the converted power to the auxiliary machinery battery, a low-capacitance sub power supply which converts power on an electric path between the main battery and an external power supply to supply the converted power to the auxiliary machinery battery, and a control device which controls the sub power supply. The control device determines whether or not the DC/DC converter has an abnormality, and operates the sub power supply to perform precharging when it is determined that the DC/DC converter is abnormal. An auxiliary machinery battery voltage V2 when precharging has been performed is set to a value which is higher by a predetermined voltage a than an auxiliary machinery battery voltage V1 when precharging has not been performed.

Claims

1. A charging apparatus for a vehicle equipped with a first power supply storing power for operating a motor for driving the vehicle, a second power supply storing power for operating auxiliary machinery of the vehicle, and a connector configured to be connectable to an external power supply external to the vehicle, the charging apparatus comprising:

a first converter converting power on an electric path between said first power supply and said motor and supplying the converted power to said second power supply;

a second converter having a lower capacitance than that of said first converter, converting power on an electric path between said first power supply and said connector, and supplying the converted power to said second power supply; and

a control device controlling said second converter,

when said first converter is abnormal, said control device performing precharging causing said second converter to operate such that said second power supply has a greater voltage or amount of power stored than when said first converter is normal.

2. The charging apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said control device determines whether or not said first converter is abnormal while said vehicle is stopped with said external power supply connected to said connector, and performs said precharging before said vehicle starts traveling when it is determined that said first converter is abnormal.

3. The charging apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

said control device performs said precharging when it is determined that said first converter is abnormal while said vehicle is stopped and it is predicted that total energy of outputtable energy of said second power supply in one trip and convertable energy of said second converter in one trip is less than necessary energy for said auxiliary machinery in one trip.

4. The charging apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

said control device stops said precharging once said total energy gets greater than said necessary energy by said precharging.

5. The charging apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

said control device stops said precharging once a voltage of or amount of power stored in said second power supply reaches a predetermined value by said precharging.

6. The charging apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said vehicle is further equipped with a charger provided on the electric path between said first power supply and said connector and converting power of said external power supply into power that can be charged into said first power supply, and

said second converter is provided between said charger and said second power supply.