Range extender, drive and motor vehicle

• US 9,127,592 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2013
• Issued: 09/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH, Samsung SDI Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Butzmann, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuevas, Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US13/890,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1.A, 320/140, 322/45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/00 Arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion, e.g. hybrid propulsion systems comprising electric motors and internal combustion engines ; Control systems therefor, i.e. systems controlling two or more prime movers, or controlling one of these prime movers and any of the transmission, drive or drive units arrangement or mounting in vehicles of electrical gearing, in which an electrical machine serves only as reduction gearing and not as the prime mover and in which no electrical storing means are used B60K17/12; control and regulation of purely electrical prime movers B60L; prime-movers comprising electrical and internal combustion motors in a common engine block or housing per se F02B65/00; electric motors or motor-generators used for starting the combustion engine F02N11/04; electric motors for synchronising gearing F16H3/12 Informative references: mechanical gearings with secondary electric drive F16H3/72; arrangements for handling mechanical energy structurally associated with the dynamo-electric machine H02K7/00; machines comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; dynamo-electric machines not otherwise provided for in H02K see H02K99/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/527 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/529 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/00 Conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function for propulsion of purely electrically-propelled vehicles with power supplied within the vehicle B60L50/00 - B60L58/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• 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: Y10S 903/903 having energy storing means, e.g. battery, capacitor

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a range extender for a hybrid vehicle configured to be driven by an electric machine. The range extender includes a generator configured to generate electrical energy, an internal combustion engine configured to drive the generator which generates a number N of generator output voltages, and an N-phase rectifier configured to rectify the number N of generator output voltages to form a rectified output voltage. The range extender further includes a direct voltage converter configured to convert the rectified output voltage of the generator.

Claims

1. A drive for a hybrid vehicle, comprising:

a controlled battery including a plurality of battery lines configured to make available an N-phase alternating voltage where N is equal to a number of battery lines in the plurality, each of the battery lines being configured to generate a different phase of the N-phase alternating voltage;

a first electric machine configured to drive the hybrid vehicle, wherein each of the battery lines is connected to the first electric machine to provide the respective phases of the N-phase alternating voltage to the first electric machine; and

a range extender including

(i) an output,

(ii) a step-down converter configured to convert a rectified output voltage of an N-phase rectifier to a down-converted rectified direct output voltage which is made available at the output, wherein the step-down converter includes a first series circuit that has a switch and a diode and a second series circuit that includes an inductor and a capacitor, and

(ii) a regulator configured to detect a rectified direct output current of the step-down converter and to regulate the step-down converter as a function of the detected direct output current so as to maintain the direct output current substantially constant,

wherein the output of the range extender is connected to each of the battery lines such that the direct output current is applied to each of the battery lines in an alternating fashion, and

wherein the direct output current is configured to charge each of the battery lines.

2. The drive according to claim 1, further comprising:

N diodes,

wherein each of the battery lines is connected to the output of the range extender by one diode of the N diodes, and

wherein the N diodes are connected in such a way that the direct output number N of battery lines can be charged.

3. The drive according to claim 1, further comprising:

N semi-conductor switches,

wherein each of the battery lines is connected to the output of the range extender by semi-conductor switch of the N semi-conductor switches, and

wherein the semiconductor switches are configured to be switched in such a way that the direct output current is applied to one of the battery lines at a time in an alternating fashion.

4. The drive according to claim 1, wherein the direct voltage converter is configured to generate a predetermined output current that is compatible with the battery line which is to be respectively charged.

5. The drive according to claim 1, wherein N is equal to three.

6. A hybrid motor vehicle comprising:

a drive including

a controlled battery including a plurality of battery lines configured to make available an N-phase alternating voltage where N is equal to a number of battery lines in the plurality, each of the battery lines being configured to generate a different phase of the N-phase alternating voltage,

a first electric machine configured to drive the hybrid vehicle, wherein each of the battery lines is connected to the first electric machine to provide the respective phases of the N-phase alternating voltage to the first electric machine, and

a range extender including

(i) a generator configured to generate a number N of generator output voltages,

(ii) an internal combustion engine configured to drive the generator,

(iii) an N-phase rectifier configured to rectify the number N of generator output voltages to form a rectified output voltage,

(iv) a step-down converter including an output and configured to convert the rectified output voltage of the N-phase rectifier to a down-converted rectified direct output voltage which is made available at the output, wherein the step-down converter includes a first series circuit that has a switch and a diode and a second series circuit that includes an inductor and a capacitor, and

(v) a regulator configured to detect a rectified direct output current of the step-down converter and to regulate the step-down converter as a function of the detected direct output current so as to maintain the direct output current substantially constant,

wherein the output of the range extender is connected to each of the battery lines such that the direct output current is applied to each of the battery lines in an alternating fashion, and

wherein the direct output current is configured to charge each of the battery lines.