Electric power supply system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10040355-B2
Application number	US-201615073750-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2016
Priority date	Mar 19, 2015
Publication date	Aug 7, 2018
Grant date	Aug 7, 2018

Abstract

A converter can selectively use reactors through an ON-OFF control on relays by an electronic control unit. The first reactor is disposed as a component of the converter separately from a main battery. On the other hand, the second reactor is so disposed as to have a heat transfer path between the second reactor and the main battery. At least based on the output from the temperature sensor, in a low temperature state of the main battery, the electronic control unit turns off the first relay, and turns on the second relay, thereby configuring a reactor of the converter by using the second reactor.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electric power supply system comprising:
an electric power storage apparatus;
a detector configured to detect a temperature of the electric power storage apparatus;
a converter connected between the electric power storage apparatus and a load, the converter including a first reactor and switching elements;
a first switch electrically connected to the first reactor in series relative to the electric power storage apparatus;
a second reactor so disposed as to have a heat transfer path between the second reactor and the electric power storage apparatus;
a second switch electrically connected to the second reactor in series relative to the electric power storage apparatus; and
an electronic controller configured to control the converter, the first switch, and the second switch,
wherein
the second reactor and the second switch are electrically connected to the first reactor and the first switch in parallel,
and
based on an output from the detector, the electronic controller is configured to close the second switch and open the first switch in a low temperature state of the electric power storage apparatus, wherein the electric power storage apparatus is in the low temperature state when the temperature of the electric power storage apparatus is lower than a first threshold temperature,
wherein the second reactor is disposed in a housing that houses the electric power storage apparatus inside,
the electric power supply system is installed in a hybrid vehicle equipped with an engine and a motor, and
the electronic controller is configured to close the second switch, and open the first switch in a drive condition in which silence is required for the hybrid vehicle.

2. The electric power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein
the electric power storage apparatus is charged via a current path including the converter when the electric power storage apparatus is charged by electric power from an electric power supply in an outside of the hybrid vehicle.

3. The electric power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein
in the low temperature state of the electric power storage apparatus, the electronic controller is configured to control ON-OFF of the switching elements of the converter in such a manner that charge or discharge current of the electric power storage apparatus becomes alternating current having an average value of zero.

4. The electric power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein
even in the drive condition in which the silence is required for the hybrid vehicle, the electronic controller is configured to close the first switch, and open the second switch when the electric power storage apparatus is in a high temperature state, wherein the electric power storage apparatus is in the high temperature state when the temperature of the electric power storage apparatus is higher than a second threshold value.

5. The electric power supply system according to claim 1 ,
wherein during drive of the hybrid vehicle, when abnormality occurs in the first reactor, the electronic controller is configured to close the second switch, and open the first switch in the low temperature state of the electric power storage apparatus.

6. The electric power supply system according to claim 5 , wherein
even when the abnormality occurs in the first reactor, the electronic controller is configured to close the first switch, and open the second switch in the high temperature state of the electric power storage apparatus.

7. The electric power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein
the electric power storage apparatus includes a plurality of battery cells each of which has a cylindrical shape,
the plurality of battery cells are fixed into a plurality of holes formed in a thermal diffusing plate in a flat-plate shape, and
the second reactor is so disposed as to have a heat transfer path between the second reactor and the thermal diffusing plate.

8. The electric power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein
the electric power storage apparatus includes a plurality of battery cells that are separately arranged in a plurality of electric-power-storage-apparatus units,
the second reactor includes a plurality of reactor elements connected in series, and
the plurality of reactor elements are so arranged as to have respective heat transfer paths between the plurality of reactor elements and the plurality of electric-power-storage-apparatus units.

9. The electric power supply system according to claim 1 , wherein the first reactor and the second reactor have an equal inductance.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Arai Kunihiko

Classifications

• H01M10/667

  the system being an electronic component, e.g. a CPU, an inverter or a capacitor · CPC title

• H01M10/635

  based on ambient temperature · CPC title

• Y02T90/16

  Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60L2240/662

  Temperature · CPC title

• Y10S903/904

  Component specially adapted for hev · CPC title