METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CHARGING OR DISCHARGING AN ELECTRICAL DEVICE

• US 20120091792A1
• Filed: 06/29/2011
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Wu, Hongjie, Tang, Yuqing
• Granted Patent: US 9,381,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/00 Supplying electric power to auxiliary equipment of vehicles circuit arrangements for charging batteries H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/50 using propulsion power supplied by batteries or fuel cells
• 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: H02M 1/322 Means for rapidly discharging a capacitor of the converter for protecting electrical components or for preventing electrical shock
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/06 using dc to ac converters or inverters H02P27/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/92 Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for charging and discharging an electrical device in vehicle is provided. The apparatus comprises a switch, first and second power sources, and first and second contactors. The first power source is configured to provide a low voltage. The switch is configured to enable/disable the first power source. The second power source is configured to provide a high voltage for charging the electrical device. The first contactor is operably coupled to the first power source and to the second power source, the first contactor being configured to enable the second power source to provide the high voltage for charging the electrical device in response to the switch enabling the first power source. The second contactor is operably coupled to the first power source and to the second power source, the second contactor being in an open state in response to the switch enabling the first power supply.

Claims

1. An apparatus for charging and discharging an electrical device in vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a first power source configured to provide a low voltage;

a switch for enabling and disabling the first power source;

a second power source configured to provide a high voltage for charging the electrical device;

a first contactor operably coupled to the first power source and to the second power source, the first contactor being configured to enable the second power source to provide the high voltage for charging the electrical device in response to the switch enabling the first power source; and

a second contactor operably coupled to the first power source and to the second power source, the second contactor being in an open state in response to the switch enabling the first power source.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to control the switch to enable and disable the first power source.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first contactor is further configured to disable the second power source from providing the high voltage in response to the switch disabling the first power source.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the electrical device includes a capacitor, the capacitor being configured to store energy in response to the switch enabling the second power source to provide the high voltage.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the capacitor is further configured to discharge the energy therefrom in response to the switch disabling the second power source.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a resistor positioned in series with the second contactor for enabling the energy to pass therethrough in response to the capacitor discharging the energy.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first contactor includes a winding and a first switch, the winding being coupled to the first power source and the first switch being coupled to the second power source.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second contactor includes a winding and

a first switch, the winding being coupled to the first power source and the first switch being coupled to the second power source.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a first contactor configured to receive a low voltage from a first power source and a high voltage from a second power source;

a second contactor configured to receive the low and the high voltage;

a controller configured to enable/disable a transmission of the low voltage; and

a capacitor configured to receive the high voltage to store energy in response to the controller enabling the transmission of the low voltage.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a switch operably coupled to the controller, the controller being configured to control the switch to enable and disable the transmission of the low voltage.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first contactor is configured to enable the second power source to provide the high voltage for charging the capacitor in response to the controller controlling the switch to enable the transmission of the low voltage.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first contactor is configured to disable the second power source from providing the high voltage in response to the controller controlling the switch to disable the transmission of the low voltage.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first contactor includes a winding and a first switch, the winding being coupled to the first power source and the first switch being coupled to the second power source.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second contactor includes a winding and a first switch, the winding coupled to the first power supply and the first switch coupled to the second power supply.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the first contactor and the second contactor each form a mechanical relay.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the first contactor is a normally closed relay and the second contactor is a normally open relay.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the low voltage is approximately 12 volts and the high voltage is approximately 150 volts or greater.

18. A method for charging and discharging an electrical device in vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a first contactor and a second contactor;

controlling the first contactor to close and the second contactor to open in response to a low voltage; and

charging the electrical device with energy from a high voltage in response to closing the first contactor and opening the second contactor.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the first contactor is a normally open relay and the second contactor is a normally closed relay.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the low voltage is approximately 12 volts and the high voltage is approximately 150 volts or greater.