System and method for charging an on-board battery of an electric vehicle

• US 9,187,083 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polaris Industries Incorporated (Polaris Inc.)
• Inventors: Wenger, Urs, Kohler, Beat Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebner, Katy M
• Application Number:
  US13/839,966
• Publication Number:
  US 20130218385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/36 characterised by the transmission gearings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/38 characterised by the driveline clutches shift clutches within the gearing or transmission B60K6/36 , B60K6/54
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/40 characterised by the assembly or relative disposition of components
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/405 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/445 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/145 Structure borne vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 : charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 : including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 : including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/196 : acting within the driveline, e.g. retarders
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/26 : for electrical energy, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 : Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/14 : in conjunction with braking regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/244 : Charge state
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/246 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 : Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/10 : Accelerator pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/12 : Brake pedal position
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/00 : Input parameters relating to data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/248 : Current for loading or unloading
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 1/033 : by clamping together two faces perpendicular to the axis of rotation, e.g. with bolted flanges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• 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 10/7072 : 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: Y10S 903/93 : Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

An electric vehicle and a range extender engine are shown including the controls to operate the same.

Claims

1. A method of charging a battery of an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle including a generator driven by an engine and an electric motor driven by the battery, the electric motor being configured to drive a drive axle of the electric vehicle to move the electric vehicle, the method including:

providing a regenerative braking system with the electric vehicle, the regenerative braking system being configured to transfer kinetic energy of the electric vehicle to the electric motor to rotate the electric motor;

rotating the electric motor with electrical power from the battery to move the electric vehicle;

generating a first electrical current with the generator, the first electrical current being routed to the battery;

rotating the electric motor with the regenerative braking system to slow movement of the electric vehicle and to generate a second electrical current, the second electrical current being routed to the battery;

charging the battery with the first and second electrical currents;

monitoring the first and second electrical currents during the charging step to determine a total electrical current supplied to the battery; and

removing the first electrical current from the battery upon the total electrical current exceeding a first predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing step includes stopping the generation of the first electrical current.

3. The method of claim 1, further including the step of re-starting the generation of the first electrical current after a predetermined time delay following the removing step.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing step further includes removing the second electrical current from the battery upon the total electrical current supplied to the battery exceeding a second predetermined threshold after removing the first electrical current from the battery.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first predetermined threshold and the second predetermined threshold are the same.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the removing step includes one of disabling the regenerative braking system and routing the second electrical current generated by the regenerative braking system away from the battery.

7. The method of claim 1, further including the step of applying a mechanical brake during the rotating step to further slow movement of the electric vehicle.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine includes a catalytic converter, at least one of the first and second electrical currents being used to heat the catalytic converter of the engine.

9. A method of charging a battery of an electric vehicle, the method including:

providing a battery, a generator driven by an engine, an electric motor operative to drive a drive axle of the electric vehicle to move the electric vehicle, a regenerative braking system configured to transfer kinetic energy of the electric vehicle to the electric motor, and control logic operative to control charging of the battery;

rotating the electric motor with electrical power from the battery to move the electric vehicle;

generating a first electrical current with the generator, the first electrical current being routed to the battery;

rotating the electric motor with the regenerative braking system to slow movement of the electric vehicle and to generate a second electrical current, the second electrical current being routed to the battery;

charging the battery with the first and second electrical currents;

monitoring the first and second electrical currents to determine a combined electrical current supplied to the battery; and

removing at least one of the first and second electrical currents from the battery upon the combined electrical current exceeding a predetermined threshold level.

10. The method of claim 9, further including preventing the generation of the first electrical current for a predetermined time following the removal of the first electrical current from the battery.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined threshold level is about 80 amperes.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the removing step further includes removing at least one of the first and second electrical currents from the battery upon at least one of a charge level, a voltage level, and a temperature level of the battery exceeding a predetermined threshold level.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the engine includes a catalytic converter, and wherein the removing step includes directing the at least one of the first and second electrical currents to the catalytic converter to heat the catalytic converter.

14. A method of charging a battery of an electric vehicle, the method including:

providing a battery, a generator driven by an engine, an electric motor operative to drive a drive axle of the electric vehicle to move the electric vehicle, a regenerative braking system configured to transfer kinetic energy of the electric vehicle to the electric motor, and control logic operative to control charging of the battery;

rotating the electric motor with electrical power from the battery to move the electric vehicle;

generating a first electrical current with the generator, the first electrical current being routed to the battery;

rotating the electric motor with the regenerative braking system to slow movement of the electric vehicle and to generate a second electrical current, the second electrical current being routed to the battery;

charging the battery with the first and second electrical currents;

monitoring the first and second electrical currents to determine a combined electrical current supplied to the battery; and

reducing at least one of the first and second electrical currents supplied to the battery upon the combined electrical current exceeding a predetermined threshold level.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the reducing step including preventing the generation of the first electrical current.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein generation of the first electrical current is prevented for a predetermined time after the reducing step begins.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined threshold level is about 80 amperes.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the reducing step includes removing at least one of the first and second electrical currents from the battery upon at least one of a charge level, a voltage level, and a temperature level of the battery exceeding a predetermined threshold level.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the reducing step occurs upon at least one of a charge level, a voltage level, and a temperature level of the battery exceeding a predetermined threshold level.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the engine includes a catalytic converter, and wherein the reducing step includes directing the at least one of the first and second electrical currents to the catalytic converter to heat the catalytic converter.