Method and apparatus for charging or discharging and electrical device by controlling switches

• US 9,381,819 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wu, Hongjie, Tang, Yuqing
• Primary Examiner(s): Amrany, Adi
• Application Number:
  US13/171,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20120091792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/50 using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/03 for supply of electrical power to vehicle subsystems or for circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/322 Means for rapidly discharging a capacitor of the converter for protecting electrical components or for preventing electrical shock
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• 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 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for charging and discharging an electrical device in a vehicle is provided with a first power source for providing low voltage energy and a second power source for providing high voltage energy. A switch enables/disables the first power source. A first contactor includes a first winding connected to the first power source and a first switch connected to the second power source. The first contactor enables the second power source to provide the HV energy for charging the electrical device in response to the switch enabling the first power source. A second contactor includes a second winding connected to the first power source for receiving the LV energy and a second switch connected to the second power source for receiving the HV energy. The second contactor is in an open state in response to the switch enabling the first power source.

Claims

1. An apparatus for charging and discharging an electrical device in a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a first power source configured to provide low voltage (LV) energy;

a switch for enabling and disabling the first power source;

a second power source configured to provide high voltage (HV) energy for charging the electrical device;

a first contactor comprising a first switch and a first winding, the first winding being connected to the first power source for receiving the LV energy and the first switch being connected to the second power source for receiving the HV energy, the first contactor being configured to enable the second power source to provide the HV energy to the electrical device for charging thereof in response to the switch enabling the first power source; and

a second contactor comprising a second switch and a second winding, the second winding being connected in series with the first winding and in series with the first power source for receiving the LV energy and the second switch being connected to the second power source for receiving the HV energy, wherein the switch is connected between the first power source and at least one of the first winding and the second winding such that the second contactor is in an open state in response to the switch enabling the first power source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to control the switch to enable and disable the first power source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first contactor is further configured to disable the second power source from providing the HV energy in response to the switch disabling the first power source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical device includes a capacitor, the capacitor being configured to store energy in response to the switch enabling the second power source to provide the HV energy.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the capacitor is further configured to discharge the energy therefrom in response to the switch disabling the second power source.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a resistor positioned in series with the second contactor for enabling the energy to pass therethrough in response to the capacitor discharging the energy.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first power source, the switch, the first winding and the second winding are connected to each other in a closed loop to form a low voltage circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first contactor and the second contactor are synchronized with the switch such that the first switch of the first contactor closes and the second switch of the second contactor opens in response to the switch closing and enabling the first power source.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a low voltage circuit including a first power source for providing low voltage, a first winding connected in series with the first power source, a second winding connected in series with the first winding, and a switch connected in series between the first power source and at least one of the first winding and the second winding for enabling and disabling the first power source;

a high voltage circuit including a second power source for providing high voltage, a capacitor connected in parallel with the second power source, a first switch connected in series between the second power source and the capacitor and coupled to the first winding such that the first switch closes to provide high voltage to the capacitor in response to the switch enabling the first power source; and

a discharge circuit including a second switch connected in series with a resistive element, the discharge circuit being connected in parallel with the second power source and with the capacitor, the second switch being coupled to the second winding such that the second switch opens to disable the discharge circuit in response to the switch enabling the first power source.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a first contactor including the first winding and the first switch, and a second contactor including the second winding and the second switch, wherein the first contactor and the second contactor each form a mechanical relay for physically isolating the first power source from the second power source.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first contactor is a normally closed relay and the second contactor is a normally open relay.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the low voltage is approximately 12 volts and the high voltage is approximately 150 volts or greater.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a controller operably coupled to the switch for controlling the switch to enable and disable the first power source.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first switch opens to disable the second power source in response to the switch disabling the first power source.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second switch closes to enable the discharge circuit in response to the switch disabling the first power source.