Vehicle with an energy source supply portion

• US 9,827,971 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Naoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Gurari, Erez
• Application Number:
  US13/137,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20110315461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,308 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0416 Arrangement in the rear part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/28 characterised by the electric energy storing means, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/126 Methods for pairing a vehicle and a charging station, e.g. establishing a one-to-one relation between a wireless power transmitter and a wireless power receiver
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• 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 vehicle is a hybrid vehicle including an engine driven by fuel, and the vehicle includes a motor-generator driven by electric power and a charge plug to which a connector is removably connected, the charge plug being capable of at least one of being supplied with electric power from the connector and supplying electric power to the connector. An engine is arranged to be offset toward one side surface and the charge plug is provided in the other side surface.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

an internal combustion engine driven by fuel;

a drive source driven by an energy source different from said fuel;

an energy source storage portion that stores said energy source;

an energy source supply portion to which an external connection portion is removably connected, for at least one of being supplied with said energy source from said external connection portion and supplying said energy source to said external connection portion;

a vehicle-mounted device arranged adjacent to said internal combustion engine,

an internal combustion engine accommodation portion for accommodating said internal combustion engine,

the internal combustion engine accommodation portion including a first side surface and a second side surface extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and aligned with each other in a parallel fashion,

said internal combustion engine being arranged closer to the first side surface relative to the second side surface in the internal combustion engine accommodation portion,

said internal combustion engine being a heat source that emits irradiation on said vehicle-mounted device to form a projection region on said second side surface, the projection region being a region substantially in-line with said internal combustion engine and said vehicle-mounted device where direct heat irradiation from said internal combustion engine onto said second side surface ispartially blocked by said vehicle-mounted device; and

said energy source supply portion being arranged within said projection region in the second side surface.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said energy source is electric power, said energy source storage portion is a battery that stores and discharges electric power,

said drive source is a first rotating electric machine,

said vehicle further comprises a second rotating electric machine,

driving wheels are driven only by the first rotating electric machine, and

said second rotating electric machine generates electric power by using motive power of said internal combustion engine and charging said battery or driving said first rotating electric machine by using the generated electric power.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said internal combustion engine is a 3-cylinder engine.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said energy source is electric power,

said drive source is a rotating electric machine having a polyphase winding and a neutral point of the polyphase winding,

said energy source storage portion is a battery,

said vehicle further comprises an inverter connected to said rotating electric machine and an inverter control portion that controls driving of said inverter,

said energy source supply portion includes a line connected to said neutral point, and

said inverter control portion controls said inverter such that AC electric power provided to said neutral point is converted to DC electric power for supply to said battery.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

said rotating electric machine includes a first rotating electric machine having a first polyphase winding and a first neutral point of the first polyphase winding and a second rotating electric machine having a second polyphase winding and a second neutral point of the second polyphase winding,

said energy source supply portion includes a first line connected to said first neutral point and a second line connected to said second neutral point,

said inverter includes a first inverter for converting DC electric power from said battery to AC electric power and supplying the AC electric power to said first rotating electric machine and a second inverter for converting DC electric power from said battery to AC electric power and supplying the AC electric power to said second rotating electric machine, and

said inverter control portion controls said first inverter and said second inverter such that AC electric power provided to said first neutral point and said second neutral point is converted to DC electric power for supply to said battery.

6. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said energy source is electric power,

said drive source is a rotating electric machine having a polyphase winding and a neutral point of the polyphase winding,

said energy source storage portion is a battery,

said vehicle further comprises an inverter connected to said rotating electric machine and an inverter control portion that controls drive of said inverter,

said energy source supply portion includes a line connected to said neutral point, and

said inverter control portion controls said inverter such that DC electric power supplied from said battery to said inverter is converted to AC electric power for supply from said energy source supply portion to an external load.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein

said rotating electric machine includes a first rotating electric machine having a first polyphase winding and a first neutral point of the first polyphase winding and a second rotating electric machine having a second polyphase winding and a second neutral point of the second polyphase winding,

said energy source supply portion includes a first line connected to said first neutral point and a second line connected to said second neutral point,

said inverter includes a first inverter for converting DC electric power from said battery to AC electric power and supplying the AC electric power to said first rotating electric machine and a second inverter for converting DC electric power from said battery to AC electric power and supplying the AC electric power to said second rotating electric machine, and

said inverter control portion controls said first inverter and said second inverter such that DC electric power supplied from said battery to said first inverter and said second inverter is converted to AC electric power for supply from said energy source supply portion to the external load.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

said energy source is electric power,

said energy source storage portion is a battery,

said vehicle further comprises a conversion device connected to said energy source supply portion and said battery, and

said conversion device that at least one of converts electric power supplied from said energy source supply portion to DC electric power that is supplied to said battery for charging of said battery and converts DC electric power supplied from said battery for supply from said energy source supply portion to an external load.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

said conversion device is provided at a position distant from said internal combustion engine accommodation portion, and

said vehicle further comprises a line connecting said conversion device and the energy source supply portion to each other and passing through said internal combustion engine accommodation portion.

10. The vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising

a driver and/or passenger accommodation portion that accommodates a driver and/or a passenger, and

a luggage storage portion located on a side opposite to said internal combustion engine accommodation portion, with respect to said driver and/or passenger accommodation portion, wherein

said conversion device is arranged within said luggage storage portion.

11. A hybrid vehicle incorporating an internal combustion engine and a motor, the hybrid vehicle comprising:

a battery for supplying electric power for driving said motor to said motor;

an electric power reception portion electrically connected to said battery, the electric power reception portion is connected to a connector for supplying electric power from outside the hybrid vehicle to said hybrid vehicle;

a vehicle-mounted device arranged adjacent to said internal combustion engine; and

an internal combustion engine accommodation portion for accommodating said internal combustion engine, wherein

the internal combustion engine accommodation portion has a first side surface and a second side surface, the first side surface located opposite to the second side surface,

said internal combustion engine being arranged to be offset toward the first side surface with respect to a centerline passing through a center in a direction of width of said hybrid vehicle, and

said internal combustion engine being a heat source that emits irradiation on said vehicle-mounted device to form a projection region on said second side surface, the projection region being a region substantially in-line with said internal combustion engine and said vehicle-mounted device where direct heat irradiation from said internal combustion engine onto said second side surface is partially blocked by said vehicle-mounted device; and

said electric power reception portion being arranged within said projection region in the second side surface.