Vehicle charging system, vehicle charging device and electric vehicle

• US 20090256523A1
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Taguchi, Tomonari
• Granted Patent: US 8,098,044 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/26 by cooling
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

When a connector portion (4) is coupled, switching dampers (44a, 44b) block a vehicle compartment air intake duct (40a) and a vehicle compartment air discharge duct (40b), respectively. By a blowing fan (12), the air-conditioned air supplied through an air-conditioned air supply conduit (6a) flows through an outside air intake duct (32a), a power supply unit (30), an outside air discharge duct (32b), and an air-conditioned air discharge conduit (6b) in turn, and cools a battery (30a).

Claims

1. A vehicle charging system, comprising:

an electric vehicle equipped with a power storage device that is configured to be rechargeable; and

a vehicle charging device for charging said power storage device mounted on said electric vehicle by an external power supply,

said vehicle charging device including

a connector portion coupled to said electric vehicle at the time of charging,

an electric power supply line by which said external power supply and said electric vehicle are electrically connected through said connector portion at the time of charging,

a heat medium supply conduit through which a heat medium is supplied from outside the vehicle through said connector portion to said electric vehicle, the heat medium is used to maintain, at a prescribed temperature, a temperature change element whose temperature changes as a result of charging of said power storage device at the time of charging, and

a heat medium discharge conduit through which said heat medium having been used to maintain a temperature of said temperature change element in said electric vehicle at the time of charging is discharged outside the vehicle through said connector portion.

2. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein

said connector portion includes a circulation mechanism for circulating said heat medium supplied through said heat medium supply conduit within said electric vehicle.

3. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein

said electric vehicle includes a heat medium path formed to be separated from a vehicle compartment space and configured such that said heat medium supplied through said heat medium supply conduit is guided to said heat medium discharge conduit, and

said temperature change element is placed in said heat medium path such that heat exchange is performed between said heat medium and said temperature change element.

4. The vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein

said heat medium supply conduit is provided with air-conditioned air within an air-conditioned building as said heat medium, and

said heat medium discharge conduit is configured such that said heat medium discharged from said electric vehicle is released outside said building.

5. The vehicle charging system according to claim 4, wherein

said electric vehicle further includes

a vehicle compartment air path configured to communicate with said heat medium path, for taking in and delivering vehicle compartment air to said temperature change element, and

an entry suppression mechanism for suppressing entry of said heat medium supplied through said heat medium path into said vehicle compartment space through the vehicle compartment air path.

6. The vehicle charging system according to claim 4, wherein

said heat medium supply conduit is configured such that a liquid medium having a prescribed temperature is further supplied as said heat medium in addition to said air-conditioned air, and

said electric vehicle further includes a heat exchange mechanism by which heat exchange is performed between said air-conditioned air and said liquid medium before said air-conditioned air is used to maintain a temperature of said temperature change element.

7. A vehicle charging device for charging a power storage device, mounted on an electric vehicle and configured to be rechargeable by an external power supply, comprising:

a connector portion coupled to said electric vehicle at the time of charging;

an electric power supply line by which said external power supply and said electric vehicle are electrically connected through said connector portion at the time of charging;

a heat medium supply conduit through which a heat medium is supplied through said connector portion to said electric vehicle, the heat medium is used to maintain, at a prescribed temperature, a temperature change element whose temperature changes as a result of charging of said power storage device at the time of charging; and

a heat medium discharge conduit through which said heat medium having been used to maintain a temperature of said temperature change element in said electric vehicle at the time of charging is discharged outside the vehicle through said connector portion.

8. The vehicle charging device according to claim 7, wherein

said connector portion includes a circulation mechanism for circulating said heat medium supplied through said heat medium supply conduit within said electric vehicle.

9. The vehicle charging device according to claim 7, wherein

said heat medium supply conduit is provided with air-conditioned air within an air-conditioned building as said heat medium, and

said heat medium discharge conduit is configured such that said heat medium discharged from said electric vehicle is released outside said building.

10. An electric vehicle equipped with a power storage device that is configured to be rechargeable, and configured such that said power storage device can be charged by an external power supply,

said electric vehicle being configured to be capable of being coupled to a connector portion through which said external power supply is supplied at the time of charging,

said connector portion having a supply opening through which a heat medium is supplied to said electric vehicle at the time of charging and a discharge opening through which said heat medium discharged from said electric vehicle at the time of charging is received formed in a coupled surface with said electric vehicle,

said electric vehicle including a heat medium path formed to be separated from a vehicle compartment space and configured such that said heat medium supplied from said supply opening of said connector portion is guided to said discharge opening of said connector portion, and

a temperature change element being placed in said heat medium path such that heat exchange is performed between said heat medium and said temperature change element whose temperature changes as a result of charging of said power storage device at the time of charging.

11. The electric vehicle according to claim 10, further comprising:

a vehicle compartment air path configured to communicate with said heat medium path, for taking in and delivering vehicle compartment air to said temperature change element; and

an entry suppression mechanism for suppressing entry of said heat medium supplied through said heat medium path into said vehicle compartment space through the vehicle compartment air path.