Power supply system and plurality parallel resonant converters having current blocking circuit

• US 8,773,874 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hasegawa, Takahiko, Minamii, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Berhane, Adolf
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham, Emily P
• Application Number:
  US13/375,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20120074919A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,862 Days
• Field of Search: 363/65, 363/66, 363/67, 363/68, 363/69, 363/70, 363/71, 363/72, 323/222, 323/225
• US Class Current: 363/65
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/34 Snubber circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/155 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

Between a direct-current power source and a connection point where a resonance current flowing in an opposite direction from a main current joins the main current from the direct-current power source in a resonant converter, there is provided a current blocking circuit which blocks the resonance current toward the direct-current power source. In consequence, it is possible to prevent the reverse charging of the direct-current power source with the resonance current which realizes soft switching in the resonant converter.

Claims

1. A power supply system comprising a direct-current power source, and at least one resonant converter which converts a direct-current voltage input from the direct-current power source into a predetermined output voltage by soft switching based on a current resonance phenomenon,

wherein the at least one resonant converter has a joining connection point where a resonance current joins a main current from the direct-current power source, wherein the resonance current is generated by the resonance phenomenon and flows in a direction opposite to the main current,

wherein the at least one resonant converter is a plurality of resonant converters which are connected in parallel between the joining connection point and the direct-current power source, and

in a predetermined resonant converter of the plurality of resonant converters single driving period is specified when the plurality of the resonant converters to be driven is controlled to increase or decrease in accordance with the predetermined output voltage, a current blocking circuit which blocks the resonance currents of the plurality of resonant converters toward the direct-current power source is provided between the joining connection point and a parallel connection point formed by the parallel connection.

2. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein the current blocking circuit is a diode in which an anode is connected to an electricity path on a side of the direct-current power source and a cathode is connected to the electricity path on a side of the joining connection point.

3. The power supply system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a bypass switch provided in the electricity path which bypasses the current blocking circuit,

wherein the bypass switch is ON-controlled in a case where a current amount of the main current is not less than a predetermined value.

4. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein the current blocking circuit is a reactor.

5. The power supply system according to claim 2, wherein phases of the resonance currents in the respective resonant converters of the plurality of resonant converters are controlled to become different from one another.

6. The power supply system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a bypass switch provided in an electricity path which bypasses the current blocking circuit,

wherein the bypass switch is ON-controlled in a case where a current amount of the main current is not less than a predetermined value.

7. The power supply system according to claim 6, wherein phases of the resonance currents in the respective resonant converters of the plurality of resonant converters are controlled to become different from one another.

8. The power supply system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a bypass switch provided in an electricity path which bypasses the current blocking circuit,

wherein the bypass switch is ON-controlled in a case where a current amount of the main current is not less than a predetermined value.

9. The power supply system according to claim 1, wherein phases of the resonance currents in the respective resonant converters of the plurality of resonant converters are controlled to become different from one another.