Charge control apparatus, electrically powered vehicle and electric storage charge control method

• US 20090121659A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Oyobe, Hichirosai, Yoshida, Hiroshi, Ishikawa, Tetsuhiro, Nakamura, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 7,859,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/12
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/365 with the gears having orbital motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/445 Differential gearing distribution type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/20 characterised by converters located in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/20 Charging or discharging characterised by the power electronics converter
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/02 for charging batteries from ac mains by converters
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

When it is determined that an electric storage is to be charged from a commercial power source, a controller sets a control target of a voltage of a power line to be controlled by a boost converter, based on a voltage of the commercial power source. Specifically, the controller sets the control target of the voltage to a level approximately equal to the crest value of voltage. Then, the controller outputs an input permission command to a relay circuit, and controls inverters to execute charging of the electric storage.

Claims

1. A charge control apparatus for charging an electric storage, comprising:

a star-connected first poly-phase winding;

a star-connected second poly-phase winding;

a power input unit connected to a first neutral point of said first poly-phase winding and a second neutral point of said second poly-phase winding, and applying an AC power from an external power source to said first and second neutral points;

a power converting apparatus converting to a DC power, the AC power from said external power source applied to said first and second neutral points and outputting said DC power to a DC power line;

a converter lowering a voltage from said DC power line to charge said electric storage, while controlling the voltage of said DC power line to be not lower than a voltage of said electric storage, in accordance with an applied command; and

converter control means for setting a control target of the voltage of said DC power line based on a voltage level of said external power source, and outputting said command for controlling the voltage of said DC power line to said control target, to said converter.

2. The charge control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said converter control means sets a predetermined set value in accordance with the voltage level of said external power source, as said control target.

3. The charge control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said converter control means sets a voltage approximately equal to a crest value of the voltage of said external power source as said control target.

4. The charge control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said converter includes

a chopper circuit having two switching elements each with a flywheel diode, connected in series between said DC power line and a ground line, and

a reactor connected between said electric storage and a connection point of said two switching elements.

5. The charge control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said power converting apparatus includes

first and second inverters connected to said first and second poly-phase windings, respectively, and

inverter control means for controlling said first and second inverters in a coordinated manner, so that the AC power applied to said first and second neutral points is converted to the DC power and output to said DC power line.

6. The charge control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said external power source is a commercial power source.

7. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a first poly-phase AC electric motor including a star-connected first poly-phase winding as a stator winding;

a second poly-phase AC electric motor including a star-connected second poly-phase winding as a stator winding;

a driving wheel mechanically linked to a rotation shaft of at least one of said first and second poly-phase AC electric motors;

first and second inverters respectively provided corresponding to said first and second poly-phase AC electric motors;

an electric storage;

a converter provided between said electric storage and a DC power line connected to each of said first and second inverters, controlling a voltage of said DC power line to be not lower than a voltage of said electric storage;

a controller controlling said first and second inverters and said converter; and

a power input unit connected to a first neutral point of said first poly-phase winding and a second neutral point of said second poly-phase winding, and applying an AC power from an external power source to said first and second neutral points;

wherein

said controller includes

inverter control means for controlling, when the AC power from said external power source is applied to said first and second neutral points, said first and second inverters in a coordinated manner, so that the AC power is converted to a DC power and output to said DC power line, and

converter control means for setting, when the AC power from said external power source is applied to said first and second neutral points, a control target of the voltage of said DC power line based on a voltage level of said external power source, and for controlling said converter such that said electric storage is charged while the voltage of said DC power source is adjusted to said control target.

8. A method of charge control for charging an electric storage by a charger, wherein

said charger includes

a star-connected first poly-phase winding,

a star-connected second poly-phase winding,

a power input unit connected to a first neutral point of said first poly-phase winding and a second neutral point of said second poly-phase winding, and applying an AC power from an external power source to said first and second neutral points,

a power converting apparatus converting to a DC power, the AC power from said external power source applied to said first and second neutral points and outputting said DC power to a DC power line, and

a converter lowering a voltage from said DC power line to charge said electric storage, while controlling the voltage of said DC power line to be not lower than a voltage of said electric storage, in accordance with a set control target;

said method comprising;

a first step of detecting a voltage level of said external power source; and

a second step of setting said control target based on the detected voltage level.

9. The method of charge control according to claim 8, wherein

in said second step, a set value predetermined in accordance with the voltage level of said external power source is set as said control target.

10. The method of charge control according to claim 8, wherein

in said second step, a voltage approximately equal to a crest value of the voltage of said external power source is set as said control target.

11. A charge control apparatus for charging an electric storage, comprising:

a star-connected first poly-phase winding;

a star-connected second poly-phase winding;

a power input unit connected to a first neutral point of said first poly-phase winding and a second neutral point of said second poly-phase winding, and applying an AC power from an external power source to said first and second neutral points;

a power converting apparatus converting to a DC power, the AC power from said external power source applied to said first and second neutral points and outputting said DC power to a DC power line;

a converter lowering a voltage from said DC power line to charge said electric storage, while controlling the voltage of said DC power line to be not lower than a voltage of said electric storage, in accordance with an applied command; and

a controller executing a series of operations;

wherein

said controller sets a control target of the voltage of said DC power line based on a voltage level of said external power source; and

outputs said command for controlling the voltage of said DC power line to said control target, to said converter.

12. The charge control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

said controller sets a set value predetermined in accordance with the voltage level of said external power source, as said control target.

13. The charge control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

said controller sets a voltage approximately equal to a crest value of the voltage of said external power source as said control target.

14. The charge control apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

said power converting apparatus includes first and second inverters connected to said first and second poly-phase windings, respectively;

and

said controller controls said first and second inverters in a coordinated manner, so that the AC power applied to said first and second neutral points is converted to the DC power and output to said DC power line.