Electric-powered vehicle

• US 9,227,524 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2011
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Ito, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kaplan, Hal
• Application Number:
  US13/818,830
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154360A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22, 307/10.1, 307/9, 307/1, 318/376, 180/65.285, 903/902
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/10 for monitoring or controlling batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/15 Preventing overcharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/22 Balancing the charge of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/482 for several batteries or cells simultaneously or sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 : using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 : Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 : Energy storage using batteries
• 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

Abstract

An electric-powered vehicle is equipped with a power storage system having power storage devices each including a plurality of serially connected cells, and an integration control device. Contactors and current sensors are connected in series to the power storage devices. Control devices capable of managing statuses of the power storage devices are provided in addition to the power storage devices, the contactors, and the current sensors, thereby forming unit power storage modules. The unit power storage modules are connected in parallel. An electrical load whose driving is controlled by using powers of the power storage devices is provided. The integration control device is connected to the electrical load and the control devices of the unit power storage modules.

Claims

1. An electric-powered vehicle comprising:

a plurality of parallel-connected unit power storage modules each including a power storage device, a contactor connected in series to the power storage device, and a control device capable of managing a status of the power storage device;

an electrical load, connected to the power storage device through the contactor, whose driving is controlled by using powers of the power storage devices; and

an integration control device connected to at least the control devices of the unit power storage modules,

wherein the electrical load includes at least one dynamotor controlled by the integration control device, and

wherein the integration control device, when detecting an abnormality of any of the unit power storage modules, performs open and close control of the contractor of the unit power storage module having the detected abnormality, and limits a drive torque of the dynamotor.

2. The electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electrical load comprises a power input/output device controlled by the integration control device and capable of controlling input and output of the powers both to and from the unit power storage modules.

3. The electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the integration control device:

obtains status information of each of the power storage devices from the control device of each of the unit power storage modules,

compares the obtained pieces of status information of the power storage devices with one another to detect a worst value,

controls the driving of the dynamotor as the electrical load based on the worst value of the pieces of status information, when detecting an abnormality of any of the unit power storage modules, performs open and close control of the contractor of the unit power storage module having the abnormality; and

limits power generation control of the dynamotor,

wherein the worst value is the status information with the largest deviation from a regular range of values for the status information.