AUXILIARY ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY FOR VEHICLE AND CHARGER/DISCHARGER FOR VEHICLE

• US 20090058371A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mizutani, Yoshio, Nakajima, Norio, Nisimoto, Susumu
• Granted Patent: US 7,750,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/167
• 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: F02N 2011/0888 DC/DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0016 using shunting, discharge or bypass circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle has a first switch electrically connected to an I/O end; a capacitor bank; a discharge resistance; and a controller. The capacitor bank has series-connected electric double layer capacitors, and balanced resistances. Each of the balanced resistance is parallel-connected to each electric double layer capacitor, and has substantively the same resistance value. The capacitor bank and discharge resistance are connected to the first switch. The controller controls the first switch while monitoring the voltage of the capacitor bank and the operating state of the ignition key operating the ignition switch of the vehicle, so as to connect the capacitor bank to the discharge resistance when the ignition switch is turned off.

Claims

1. An auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle, the vehicle comprising an ignition switch and an ignition key operating the ignition switch, the auxiliary electric power supply comprising:

a first switch electrically connected to an I/O end;

a capacitor bank connected to the first switch, the capacitor bank having;

a plurality of series-connected electric double layer capacitors; and

a plurality of balanced resistances, each resistance being parallel-connected to each electric double layer capacitor, and having substantively a same resistance value;

a discharge resistance connected to the first switch; and

a controller controlling the first switch while monitoring voltage of the capacitor bank and an operating state of the ignition key of the vehicle including the auxiliary electric power supply,

wherein the controller controls the first switch so as to connect the capacitor bank to the discharge resistance when the ignition switch of the vehicle is turned off, to discharge the capacitor bank and to decrease the voltage of the capacitor bank to a first voltage, at which life deterioration of the electric double layer capacitors is suppressed.

2. The auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the controller controls the first switch so as to connect the capacitor bank to the I/O end when the voltage of the capacitor bank becomes the first voltage.

3. The auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the controller controls the first switch so as to disconnect the capacitor bank from the I/O end and the discharge resistance when the voltage of the capacitor bank becomes the first voltage, and so as to connect the capacitor bank to the I/O end when the ignition key is operated so as to turn on the ignition switch.

4. The auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle according to claim 3,

wherein the capacitor bank further includes a second switch provided between each of the electric double layer capacitors and corresponding each of the balanced resistances, and

wherein the controller controls the second switch so as to disconnect the each electric double layer capacitor from the each balanced resistance immediately after or while the first switch disconnects the capacitor bank from the I/O end, and controls the second switch so as to connect the each electric double layer capacitor to the each balanced resistance immediately after or while the first switch connects the capacitor bank to the I/O end.

5. The auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the controller controls the first switch so as to disconnect the capacitor bank from the I/O end and the discharge resistance when the voltage of the capacitor bank becomes the first voltage, and so as to connect the capacitor bank to the I/O end when the voltage of the capacitor bank becomes a second voltage, which is lower than the first voltage.

6. The auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle according to claim 5,

wherein the capacitor bank further includes a second switch provided between each of the electric double layer capacitors and corresponding each of the balanced resistances, and

wherein the controller controls the second switch so as to disconnect the each electric double layer capacitor from the each balanced resistance immediately after or while the first switch disconnects the capacitor bank from the I/O end, and to connect the each electric double layer capacitor to the each balanced resistance immediately before the first switch connects the capacitor bank to the I/O end.

7. The auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a DC/DC converter connected between the first switch and the I/O end.

8. A charger/discharger for a vehicle, comprising:

the auxiliary electric power supply for a vehicle, according to claim 1;

a battery electrically connected to the I/O end of the auxiliary electric power supply; and

a power generator electrically connected to the I/O end of the auxiliary electric power supply and to the battery.