Charge cycle strategy for vehicles using smaller cross section cable

• US 9,656,560 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Lopez, Juan, Basoukeas, Nondo G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Memula, Suresh
• Application Number:
  US14/570,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20160167535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/24 for controlling the temperature of 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A vehicle includes a traction battery that is coupled to an external charger via a charge port. The traction battery has a maximum charge current. At least one conducting element between the charger and the traction battery is configured with a continuous current rating that is less than the maximum charge current. A controller within a vehicle charging system is programmed to control the current flow through the conducting element such that a current greater than the continuous current rating is conducted for less than a predetermined time that is based on an expected temperature rise of the conducting element.

Claims

1. A vehicle charging system comprising:

a conducting element configured to couple a charger to a traction battery and having a continuous current rating less than a maximum charge current; and

a controller programmed to control current flow through the conducting element such that a current greater than the continuous current rating is conducted for less than a predetermined time that is based on an expected temperature rise of the conducting element caused by the current.

2. The vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the conducting element is a conductor having a predetermined cross sectional area.

3. The vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the conducting element is a connecter pin or a connector terminal.

4. The vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the conducting element includes a welded termination or a crimped termination.

5. The vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined time decreases as the current increases.

6. The vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined time is selected to limit a temperature rise of the conducting element to less than a predetermined temperature rise relative to an ambient temperature.

7. The vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined time is further based on a cross sectional area of the conducting element.

8. The vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the controller is further programmed to decrease the current after the predetermined time.

9. The vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the current and the predetermined time are selected from a charging current profile.

10. The vehicle charging system of claim 9 wherein the charging current profile includes a plurality of charging currents and associated time values that are configured to limit a temperature of the conducting element to less than a predetermined temperature.

11. A vehicle comprising:

a traction battery;

a conducting element configured to couple a charge port to the traction battery and having a continuous current rating less than a maximum charge current; and

a controller programmed to control current flow through the conducting element such that a current greater than the continuous current rating is conducted for less than a predetermined time that is based on an expected temperature rise of the conducting element.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the conducting element is a conductor having a predetermined cross sectional area.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the conducting element is a connecter pin or a connector terminal.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the predetermined time decreases as the current increases.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the predetermined time is selected to limit a temperature rise of the conducting element to less than a predetermined temperature rise relative to an ambient temperature.

16. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the predetermined time is further based on a cross sectional area of the conducting element.

17. The vehicle of claim 11 wherein the controller is further programmed to decrease the current after the predetermined time.

18. A method comprising:

coupling a traction battery to an external power source with a conductive element having a continuous current rating that is less than a maximum charge current of the traction battery; and

controlling, by a controller, current flow through the conducting element such that a current greater than the continuous current rating is conducted for less than a predetermined time that is based on an expected temperature rise of the conducting element.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the predetermined time is selected to limit a temperature rise of the conducting element to less than a predetermined temperature rise relative to an ambient temperature.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein controlling current flow includes decreasing the current after the predetermined time.