Vehicular power supply apparatus, vehicle including the same, and method for controlling vehicle-mounted charger

• US 8,810,061 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2010
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Yoshinobu, Sakamoto, Yosei
• Primary Examiner(s): KAPLAN, HAL IRA
• Application Number:
  US13/876,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20130193751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,405 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 307/9.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/22 Constructional details or arrangements of charging converters specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/1423 with multiple batteries
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charger is configured to receive electric power from an external power supply and charge a main power storage device and a power storage device for auxiliary machinery. The charger includes a capacitor for smoothing charging power outputted to the main power storage device. A PM-ECU controls charging of the power storage device for auxiliary machinery by the charger such that the power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive residual electric charge in the capacitor. The PM-ECU controls the charger, after the end of charging of the main power storage device by the charger, such that the residual electric charge in the capacitor is discharged into the power storage device for auxiliary machinery.

Claims

1. A vehicular power supply apparatus, comprising:

a main power storage device for storing electric power for traveling;

a power storage device for auxiliary machinery for storing electric power for auxiliary machinery;

a charger configured to receive electric power from a power supply external to a vehicle and charge said main power storage device and said power storage device for auxiliary machinery; and

a control device for controlling said charger, wherein

said charger includes a capacitor for smoothing charging power outputted to said main power storage device,

said control device includes;

a charging control unit for controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said charger such that said power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive residual electric charge in said capacitor; and

a discharging control unit for controlling said charger, after the end of charging of said main power storage device by said charger, such that the residual electric charge in said capacitor is discharged into said power storage device for auxiliary machinery,

said charging control unit controls charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery such that remaining capacity of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery does not exceed a prescribed amount,

said prescribed amount is determined based on an amount of electric power stored in said capacitor,

said charger further includes;

a main circuit for converting a voltage of electric power supplied from said power supply and outputting the electric power to said main power storage device; and

a sub power supply unit for converting a voltage of the electric power outputted from said main circuit and outputting the electric power to said power storage device for auxiliary machinery,

said charging control unit controls charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said sub power supply unit such that said power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive the residual electric charge in said capacitor, and

said discharging control unit controls said sub power supply unit, after the end of charging of said main power storage device, such that the residual electric charge in said capacitor is discharged into said power storage device for auxiliary machinery.

2. The vehicular power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said charging control unit stops charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said charger when said remaining capacity exceeds said prescribed amount, and executes charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said charger when said remaining capacity is equal to or lower than said prescribed amount.

3. The vehicular power supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said prescribed amount is an amount obtained by subtracting free capacity of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery required to receive the residual electric charge in said capacitor from full charge capacity of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery.

4. A vehicle, comprising the vehicular power supply apparatus as recited in claim 1.

5. A vehicular power supply apparatus, comprising:

a main power storage device for storing electric power for traveling;

a power storage device for auxiliary machinery for storing electric power for auxiliary machinery;

a charger configured to receive electric power from a power supply external to a vehicle and charge said main power storage device and said power storage device for auxiliary machinery; and

a control device for controlling said charger, wherein

said charger includes a capacitor for smoothing charging power outputted to said main power storage device,

said control device includes;

a charging control unit for controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said charger such that said power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive residual electric charge in said capacitor; and

a discharging control unit for controlling said charger, after the end of charging of said main power storage device by said charger, such that the residual electric charge in said capacitor is discharged into said power storage device for auxiliary machinery,

said charging control unit controls charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery such that remaining capacity of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery does not exceed a prescribed amount,

said prescribed amount is determined based on an amount of electric power stored in said capacitor,

said charger further includes;

a main circuit for converting a voltage of electric power supplied from said power supply and outputting the electric power to said main power storage device; and

a sub power supply unit provided on an input side of said main circuit, for converting a voltage of the electric power supplied from said power supply and outputting the electric power to said power storage device for auxiliary machinery,

said main circuit is configured to allow electric power to flow bidirectionally,

said charging control unit controls charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said sub power supply unit such that said power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive the residual electric charge in said capacitor, and

said discharging control unit controls said main circuit and said sub power supply unit, after the end of charging of said main power storage device, such that the residual electric charge in said capacitor is discharged into said power storage device for auxiliary machinery.

6. The vehicular power supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

said charging control unit stops charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said charger when said remaining capacity exceeds said prescribed amount, and executes charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said charger when said remaining capacity is equal to or lower than said prescribed amount.

7. The vehicular power supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

said prescribed amount is an amount obtained by subtracting free capacity of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery required to receive the residual electric charge in said capacitor from full charge capacity of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery.

8. A vehicle, comprising the vehicular power supply apparatus as recited in claim 5.

9. A method for controlling a vehicle-mounted charger configured to receive electric power from a powers supply external to a vehicle and charge a main power storage device for storing electric power for traveling and a power storage device for auxiliary machinery for storing electric power for auxiliary machinery, said vehicle-mounted charger including a capacitor for smoothing charging power outputted to said main power storage device, the method comprising the steps of:

controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said vehicle-mounted charger such that said power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive residual electric charge in said capacitor; and

controlling said vehicle-mounted charger, after the end of charging of said main power storage device by said vehicle-mounted charger, such that the residual electric charge in said capacitor is discharged into said power storage device for auxiliary machinery,

the step of controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery includes a step of controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery such that remaining capacity of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery does not exceed a prescribed amount,

said prescribed amount is determined based on an amount of electric power stored in said capacitor,

said vehicle-mounted charger further includes;

a main circuit for converting a voltage of electric power supplied from said power supply and outputting the electric power to said main power storage device; and

a sub power supply unit for converting a voltage of the electric power outputted from said main circuit and outputting the electric power to said power storage device for auxiliary machinery,

the step of controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery includes a step of controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said sub power supply unit such that said power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive the residual electric charge in said capacitor, and

the step of controlling said vehicle-mounted charger includes a step of controlling said sub power supply unit, after the end of charging of said main power storage device, such that the residual electric charge in said capacitor is discharged into said power storage device for auxiliary machinery.

10. A method for controlling a vehicle-mounted charger configured to receive electric power from a power supply external to a vehicle and charge a main power storage device for storing electric power for traveling and a power storage device for auxiliary machinery for storing electric power for auxiliary machinery, said vehicle-mounted charger including a capacitor for smoothing charging power outputted to said main power storage device, the method comprising the steps of:

controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said vehicle-mounted charger such that said power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive residual electric charge in said capacitor; and

controlling said vehicle-mounted charger, after the end of charging of said main power storage device by said vehicle-mounted charger, such that the residual electric charge in said capacitor is discharged into said power storage device for auxiliary machinery,

the step of controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery includes a step of controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery such that remaining capacity of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery does not exceed a prescribed amount,

said prescribed amount is determined based on an amount of electric power stored in said capacitor,

said vehicle-mounted charger further includes;

a main circuit for converting a voltage of electric power supplied from said power supply and outputting the electric power to said main power storage device; and

a sub power supply unit provided on an input side of said main circuit, for converting a voltage of the electric power supplied from said power supply and outputting the electric power to said power storage device for auxiliary machinery,

said main circuit is configured to allow electric power to flow bidirectionally,

the step of controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery includes a step of controlling charging of said power storage device for auxiliary machinery by said sub power supply unit such that said power storage device for auxiliary machinery can receive the residual electric charge in said capacitor, and

the step of controlling said vehicle-mounted charger includes a step of controlling said main circuit and said sub power supply unit, after the end of charging of said main power storage device, such that the residual electric charge in said capacitor is discharged into said power storage device for auxiliary machinery.