Power supply for motor usable with an electric vehicle

• US 5,412,293 A
• Filed: 05/02/1994
• Issued: 05/02/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Equos Research
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Equos Research
• Inventors: Minezawa, Yukihiro, Dohkoshi, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Wysocki, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US08/236,156
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/141, 318/145, 318/151, 318/153, 318/138, 318/251, 318/439, 318/430, 318/375-378, 318/759, 318/769, 318/799-801, 307/18-23, 307/16.7, 307/46-49, 307/37, 307/45, 307/66, 307/87, 180/2.1, 180/53.5, 180/170
• US Class Current: 318/376
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• 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

Abstract

A large-capacity capacitor (C1, C2) is connected in series and/or parallel with a battery (11). A voltage sensor (9, 10) is provided to the battery and/or the large-capacity capacitor to detect their terminal voltages. Input and output currents are limited between at least one of a motor driving circuit and the large-capacity capacitor and the battery on the basis of the detection signals from the voltage sensor. When the terminal voltage of the large-capacity capacitor is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, a current flowing from the motor driving circuit to the large-capacity capacitor is limited.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle for generating at least part of a driving force by a motor, comprising:

a driving circuit for driving said motor;

a power source unit for supplying electrical power to said motor, said power source unit being regeneratively charged by said motor;

a large-capacity capacitor that stores an electrical charge and supplies electrical power to said motor, said large-capacity capacitor being regeneratively charged by said motor;

a first sensor for detecting a voltage of said power source unit;

a second sensor for detecting a voltage of said large-capacity capacitor; and

means for distributing a regenerative power of said motor to said large-capacity capacitor and said power source unit, an amount of regenerative power distributed to said large-capacity capacitor and an amount of regenerative power distributed to said power source unit being determined in response to voltage detected by said first sensor and said voltage detected by said second sensor, so as to regeneratively charge said power source unit and said large-capacity capacitor.

2. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distributing means comprises switching means.

3. The electric vehicle of claim 2, wherein said switching means is operatable at a predetermined duty ratio.

4. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein said distributing means comprises a transistor.

8. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein said large-capacity capacitor comprises an electric double-layer capacitor.

9. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein said large-capacity capacitor comprises a plurality of electric double-layer capacitors coupled in series with each other.

10. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein said large-capacity capacitor comprises a quasi capacitance type capacitor.

14. The electric vehicle of claim 1, wherein said power source unit comprises a rechargeable battery.

21. The electric vehicle of claim 1, further comprising means for smoothing said electrical power supplied by said power source unit, said smoothing means being connected between said power source unit and said driving circuit.

5. An electric vehicle for generating at least part of a driving force by a motor, comprising:

a driving circuit for driving said motor;

a power source unit for supplying electrical power to said motor, said power source unit being regeneratively charged by said motor;

a large-capacity capacitor that supplies electrical power to said motor, said large-capacity capacitor being regeneratively charged by said motor;

a first sensor for detecting a first voltage of said large-capacity capacitor;

a second sensor for detecting a second voltage of said power source unit;

means for limiting a regenerative power from said driving circuit in response to said detected first voltage and said detected second voltage when said detected first voltage is greater than a first predetermined value and said detected second voltage is greater than a second predetermined value; and

means for distributing an electrical power from said driving circuit to said large-capacity capacitor and said driving circuit, an amount of electrical power distributed to said large-capacity capacitor and an amount of electrical power distributed to said driving circuit being determined in response to said detected first voltage and said detected second voltage.

6. The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein said distributing means comprises switching means.

15. The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein said power source unit comprises a rechargeable battery.

18. The electric vehicle of claim 5, wherein said limiting means is arranged in said driving circuit.

22. The electric vehicle of claim 5, further comprising means for smoothing said electrical power supplied by said power source unit, said smoothing means being connected between said power source unit and said driving circuit.

7. An electric vehicle for generating at least part of a driving force by a motor, comprising:

a driving circuit for said motor;

a source of electrical power;

a first large-capacity capacitor connected in series with said source of electrical power;

a first sensor for detecting a terminal voltage of said first large-capacity capacitor;

a second large-capacity capacitor connected in parallel with said source of electrical power;

a second sensor for detecting a terminal voltage of said second large-capacity capacitor;

first current-limiting means for limiting a current flowing from said driving circuit to said first large-capacity capacitor when said terminal voltage detected by said first sensor is not less than a predetermined value; and

second current-limiting means for limiting a current flowing from at least one of said driving circuit, said first large-capacity capacitor, and said source of electrical power into said second large-capacity capacitor when said terminal voltage detected by said second sensor is not less than a predetermined value.

11. The electric vehicle of claim 7, wherein said large-capacity capacitor comprises an electric double-layer capacitor.

12. The electric vehicle of claim 7, wherein said large-capacity capacitor comprises a plurality of electric double-layer capacitors coupled in series with each other.

13. The electric vehicle of claim 7, wherein said large-capacity capacitor comprises a quasi capacitance type capacitor.

16. An apparatus for generating at least part of a driving force by a motor, comprising:

means for driving said motor;

means for supplying electrical power to said motor, said supplying means being regeneratively charged by said motor;

means for smoothing said electrical power supplied by said supplying means, said smoothing means being connected between said supplying means and said driving means;

means for storing an electrical charge, said storing means supplying electrical power to said motor, said storing means being regeneratively charged by said motor;

means for detecting a voltage of said storing means; and

means for distributing a regenerative power of said motor to said storing means and said supplying means, an amount of regenerative power distributed to said storing means and an amount of regenerative power distributed to said supplying means being determined in response to said voltage detected by said detecting means, so as to regeneratively charge said supplying means and said storing means.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said supplying means comprises a rechargeable battery.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said storing means comprises a large-capacity capacitor.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said storing means comprises:

a first capacitor connectable in series with said source of electrical power; and

a second capacitor connectable in parallel with said source of electrical power; and

,

said detecting means comprises;

a first sensor for detecting a voltage of said first capacitor; and

a second sensor for detecting a voltage of said second capacitor.