Car power source apparatus and vehicle equipped with the power source apparatus

• US 8,917,039 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 12/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Yugo, Masaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Luo, David S
• Application Number:
  US13/658,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/34, 318/558
• US Class Current: 318/139
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0084 relating to control modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/14 Preventing excessive discharging
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/18 of two or more battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/19 Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/08 Three-wire systems; Systems having more than three wires
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/082 Plural DC voltage, e.g. DC supply voltage with at least two different DC voltage levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2207/10 Control circuit supply, e.g. means for supplying power to the control circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/345 using capacitors as storage or buffering devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

The car power source apparatus is provided with a driving battery having a plurality of connected batteries, battery-switches that connect the driving battery to the vehicle-side load, a control circuit that controls the battery-switches, and an auxiliary battery that supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line. The power source apparatus is provided with a supplementary power supply circuit that supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line from batteries in the driving battery to maintain control circuit operation in the event of an auxiliary battery voltage drop condition. In an auxiliary battery voltage drop condition, the supplementary power supply circuit supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line and maintains control circuit operation to maintain control of the battery-switches.

Claims

1. A car power source apparatus comprising:

a driving battery having a plurality of batteries connected in series to supply power to a vehicle driving motor;

battery-switches that connect the driving battery to a vehicle-side load;

a control circuit that controls the battery-switches;

an auxiliary battery that supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line, and

a supplementary power supply circuit that supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line from a segment of the batteries of the driving battery and that maintains control circuit operation if supply voltage drops in the auxiliary battery power supplied to the control circuit power supply line,

wherein the supplementary power supply circuit supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line at the control circuit operating voltage from one segment of the batteries of the driving battery, such that in an auxiliary battery voltage drop condition, control circuit operation is maintained to maintain control of the battery-switches,

wherein the supplementary power supply circuit includes supplementary power switches that are switched ON in an auxiliary battery voltage drop condition, a voltage detection circuit that detects the voltage on the control circuit power supply line or the voltage of the auxiliary battery, and a decision circuit that judges a voltage drop condition when the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit is below a first set voltage, and judges normal conditions when the detected voltage is above a second set voltage,

wherein in the voltage drop condition, the decision circuit switches ON the supplementary power switches to supply operating power from one segment of the driving battery to the control circuit power supply line, and

wherein under normal conditions, the decision circuit switches the supplementary power switches to the OFF state to supply operating power from the auxiliary battery to the control circuit power supply line.

2. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 1,

wherein the supplementary power switches connect said one segment of the driving battery with the control circuit power supply line, and

wherein in the auxiliary battery voltage drop condition, the supplementary power switches are switched ON to supply operating power to the control circuit power supply line from one segment of batteries in the driving battery.

3. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the specified supply voltage of the supplementary power supply circuit that supplies power from the driving battery to the control circuit power supply line is lower than the specified voltage of the auxiliary battery.

4. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set voltage and the second set voltage are the same and are higher than the specified supply voltage of the supplementary power supply circuit and lower than the specified voltage of the auxiliary battery.

5. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an electrolytic capacitor connected to the control circuit power supply line, and

an A/D converter provided in the voltage detection circuit to detect power supply line voltage or auxiliary battery voltage with a given sampling period,

wherein the decision circuit discriminates between the voltage drop condition and normal conditions based on digital signals output from the A/D converter,

wherein the specified supply voltage of the supplementary power supply circuit is set lower than the specified voltage of the auxiliary battery, and

wherein the supplementary power switches are maintained in the ON state for a given period when the decision circuit judges a voltage drop condition;

with the supplementary power switches in the ON state, the A/D converter detects the power supply line voltage or auxiliary battery voltage with a given sampling period; and

the decision circuit determines the change in detected voltage, discriminates between the voltage drop condition and normal conditions from the change in detected voltage, and controls the supplementary power switches ON or OFF.

6. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 1,

wherein the specified supply voltage of the supplementary power supply circuit is lower than the specified voltage of the auxiliary battery, and

wherein the supplementary power supply circuit supplies power to the control circuit power supply line from one segment of batteries in the driving battery through a diode;

and the auxiliary battery supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line through another diode.

7. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the control circuit power supply line is connected to the auxiliary battery through a diode, and the diode is connected with a polarity that only allows power to be supplied from the auxiliary battery to the power supply line and does not allow power to be supplied from the power supply line to the auxiliary battery.

8. A vehicle equipped with the power source apparatus as recited in claim 1.

9. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set voltage and the second set voltage are the same.

10. A car power source apparatus comprising:

a driving battery having a plurality of batteries connected in series to supply power to a vehicle driving motor;

battery-switches that connect the driving battery to a vehicle-side load;

a control circuit that controls the battery-switches;

an auxiliary battery that supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line, and

a supplementary power supply circuit that supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line from a segment of the batteries of the driving battery and that maintains control circuit operation if supply voltage drops in the auxiliary battery power supplied to the control circuit power supply line,

wherein the supplementary power supply circuit supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line at the control circuit operating voltage from one segment of the batteries of the driving battery, such that in an auxiliary battery voltage drop condition, control circuit operation is maintained to maintain control of the battery-switches,

wherein the specified supply voltage of the supplementary power supply circuit is lower than the specified voltage of the auxiliary battery, and

wherein the supplementary power supply circuit supplies power to the control circuit power supply line from one segment of batteries in the driving battery through a first diode; and

the auxiliary battery supplies operating power to the control circuit power supply line through a second diode.

11. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 10,

wherein the supplementary power supply circuit is provided with supplementary power switches that connect said one segment of the driving battery with the control circuit power supply line, and

wherein in the auxiliary battery voltage drop condition, the supplementary power switches are switched ON to supply operating power to the control circuit power supply line from one segment of batteries in the driving battery.

12. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the specified supply voltage of the supplementary power supply circuit that supplies power from the driving battery to the control circuit power supply line is lower than the specified voltage of the auxiliary battery.

13. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 10,

wherein the supplementary power supply circuit includes supplementary power switches that are switched ON in the auxiliary battery voltage drop condition, a voltage detection circuit that detects the voltage on the control circuit power supply line or the voltage of the auxiliary battery, and a decision circuit that judges a voltage drop condition when the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit is below a set voltage, and judges normal conditions when the detected voltage is above the set voltage,

wherein in the voltage drop condition, the decision circuit switches ON the supplementary power switches to supply operating power from one segment of the driving battery to the control circuit power supply line,

wherein under normal conditions, the decision circuit switches the supplementary power switches to the OFF state to supply operating power from the auxiliary battery to the control circuit power supply line, and

wherein the set voltage for decision circuit discrimination between the voltage drop condition and normal conditions is set higher than the specified supply voltage of the supplementary power supply circuit and set lower than the specified voltage of the auxiliary battery.

14. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 10,

wherein the supplementary power supply circuit includes supplementary power switches that are switched ON in the auxiliary battery voltage drop condition, a voltage detection circuit that detects the voltage on the control circuit power supply line or the voltage of the auxiliary battery, and a decision circuit that judges a voltage drop condition when the voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit is below a first set voltage, and judges normal conditions when the detected voltage is above a second set voltage,

wherein in the voltage drop condition, the decision circuit switches ON the supplementary power switches to supply operating power from one segment of the driving battery to the control circuit power supply line,

wherein under normal conditions, the decision circuit switches the supplementary power switches to the OFF state to supply operating power from the auxiliary battery to the control circuit power supply line,

wherein the car power source apparatus further comprises:

an electrolytic capacitor connected to the control circuit power supply line, and

an A/D converter provided in the voltage detection circuit to detect power supply line voltage or auxiliary battery voltage with a given sampling period,

wherein the decision circuit discriminates between the voltage drop condition and normal conditions based on digital signals output from the A/D converter,

wherein the specified supply voltage of the supplementary power supply circuit is set lower than the specified voltage of the auxiliary battery, and

wherein the supplementary power switches are maintained in the ON state for a given period when the decision circuit judges a voltage drop condition;

with the supplementary power switches in the ON state, the A/D converter detects the power supply line voltage or auxiliary battery voltage with a given sampling period; and

the decision circuit determines the change in detected voltage, discriminates between the voltage drop condition and normal conditions from the change in detected voltage, and controls the supplementary power switches ON or OFF.

15. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the first set voltage and the second set voltage are the same.

16. The car power source apparatus as recited in claim 10 wherein the control circuit power supply line is connected to the auxiliary battery through the second diode, and the second diode is connected with a polarity that only allows power to be supplied from the auxiliary battery to the power supply line and does not allow power to be supplied from the power supply line to the auxiliary battery.

17. A vehicle equipped with the power source apparatus as recited in claim 10.