Charger and vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11820243-B2
Application number	US-202117476751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2021
Priority date	Sep 18, 2020
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A charger includes a DC port, a first AC port, a second AC port, a bidirectional converter, and a switching device. The switching device includes at least one switching relay that selectively switches between a first power path and a second power path, the first power path connecting the bidirectional converter and the first AC port, the second power path connecting the bidirectional converter and the second AC port. The charger further includes a limiting resistance connected in parallel to a position that bypasses a switching relay on the first power path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charger comprising:
a bidirectional converter;
a DC port that electrically connects the charger to a power storage device;
a first AC port that receives first AC power for charging the power storage device; and
a second AC port that outputs second AC power, wherein
the bidirectional converter
converts the first AC power into DC power and outputs the DC power to the DC port, and
converts DC power supplied from the power storage device to the DC port into the second AC power and outputs the second AC power to the second AC port,

the charger further comprising:
a switching device including at least one switching relay that selectively switches between a first power path and a second power path, the first power path connecting the bidirectional converter and the first AC port, the second power path connecting the bidirectional converter and the second AC port; and
an electric resistance connected in parallel to a position that bypasses a switching relay on the first power path, of the at least one switching relay,
wherein the bidirectional converter is connected to each of a first power line and a second power line,
wherein the first power line is connected to the DC port, and
wherein the second power line branches off into the first power path and the second power path at a branch point.

2. The charger according to claim 1 , wherein
the switching relay on the first power path is a CO contact relay arranged at the branch point to bring one of the first power path and the second power path into a connected state and bring the other into a disconnected state.

3. The charger according to claim 1 , wherein
the switching relay on the first power path is a first switching relay arranged between the first AC port and the branch point to switch between connection and disconnection of the first power path, and
the at least one switching relay in the switching device further includes a second switching relay arranged between the second AC port and the branch point to switch between connection and disconnection of the second power path.

4. A vehicle comprising:
the charger according to claim 1 ; and
a controller that controls the charger, wherein
the controller controls the switching device such that
when charging of the power storage device using the first AC power is started, the switching relay on the first power path brings the first power path into a disconnected state and thus the electric resistance suppresses an inrush current at the time of precharging, and
when the precharging is completed, the switching relay on the first power path brings the first power path into a connected state.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4 , further comprising:
the power storage device electrically connected to the DC port of the charger;
an inlet electrically connected to the first AC port of the charger; and
a vehicle interior electric outlet electrically connected to the second AC port of the charger.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein
a component that operates in accordance with a control signal from the controller is not provided between the first AC port and the inlet and between the second AC port and the vehicle interior electric outlet.

7. The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein
at least during traveling of the vehicle, the controller brings the first power path into the disconnected state and brings the second power path into the connected state.

8. The vehicle according to claim 5 , wherein
the first AC port outputs third AC power,
the bidirectional converter converts the DC power supplied from the power storage device to the DC port into the third AC power and outputs the third AC power to the first AC port, and
the controller controls the switching device such that when external power feeding for outputting the third AC power from the first AC port to the inlet is started, the switching relay connected in parallel to the electric resistance brings the first power path into the disconnected state and thus the electric resistance suppresses an inrush current, and then, the switching relay connected in parallel to the electric resistance brings the first power path into the connected state.

9. A charger comprising:
a bidirectional converter;
a DC port that electrically connects the charger to a power storage device;
a first AC port that receives first AC power for charging the power storage device; and
a second AC port that outputs second AC power, wherein
the bidirectional converter
converts the first AC power into DC power and outputs the DC power to the DC port, and
converts DC power supplied from the power storage device to the DC port into the second AC power and outputs the second AC power to the second AC port,

the charger further comprising:
a switching device including at least one switching relay that selectively switches between a first power path and a second power path, the first power path connecting the bidirectional converter and the first AC port, the second power path connecting the bidirectional converter and the second AC port; and
an electric resistance connected in parallel to a position that bypasses a switching relay on the first power path, of the at least one switching relay,
wherein the DC port is a connector that connects, to the charger, a power line extending to the power storage device,
wherein the first AC port is a connector that connects, to the charger, a power line extending to an inlet to which a charging plug is connectable, and
wherein the second AC port is a connector that connects, to the charger, a power line extending to an electric outlet that outputs AC power.

10. A vehicle comprising:
the charger according to claim 9 ; and
a controller that controls the charger, wherein
the controller controls the switching device such that
when charging of the power storage device using the first AC power is started, the switching relay on the first power path brings the first power path into a disconnected state and thus the electric resistance suppresses an inrush current at the time of precharging, and
when the precharging is completed, the switching relay on the first power path brings the first power path into a connected state.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10 , further comprising:
the power storage device electrically connected to the DC port of the charger;
an inlet electrically connected to the first AC port of the charger; and
a vehicle interior electric outlet electrically connected to the second AC port of the charger.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein
a component that operates in accordance with a control signal from the controller is not provided between the first AC port and the inlet and between the second AC port and the vehicle interior electric outlet.

13. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein
at least during traveling of the vehicle, the controller brings the first power path into the disconnected state and brings the second power path into the connected state.

14. The vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein
the first AC port outputs third AC power,
the bidirectional converter converts the DC power supplied from the power storage device to the DC port into the third AC power and outputs the third AC power to the first AC port, and
the controller controls the switching device such that when external power feeding for outputting the third AC power from the first AC port to the inlet is started, the switching relay connected in parallel to the electric resistance brings the first power path into the disconnected state and thus the electric resistance

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ando Toru

Classifications

• H02J7/933

  the cycle being controlled or terminated in response to electric parameters · CPC title

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• H02J7/855

  with circuits adapted for supplying loads from the battery · CPC title

• H02J7/865

  Battery or charger load switching, e.g. concurrent charging and load supply (H02J7/50 takes precedence) · CPC title