Electric drive vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016006377-A1
Application number	US-201514726870-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	Jul 3, 2014
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electric drive vehicle which is capable of performing a bidirectional voltage conversion between two DC power supplies and a rotary electric machine, and a connection switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the two power supplies with respect to the rotary electric machine. The electric drive vehicle can supply electric power without a delay in response to a change in a load request. A controller sets the connection between the two power supplies to the parallel connection when an estimated value of an output electric current in accordance with a torque command to the rotary electric machine exceeds a tolerable electric current value of at least one of the two power supplies.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electric drive vehicle comprising:
a voltage converter which is capable of performing a bidirectional voltage conversion between two DC power supplies and a rotary electric machine, and a connection switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the two power supplies with respect to the rotary electric machine; and a controller which controls the voltage conversion of the voltage converter and the connection switch of the power supplies, wherein the controller sets the connection between the two power supplies to the parallel connection when an estimated value of an output electric current in accordance with a torque command to the rotary electric machine exceeds a tolerable electric current value of at least one of the two power supplies.

2 . An electric drive vehicle comprising:
a voltage converter which is capable of performing a bidirectional voltage conversion between two DC power supplies and a rotary electric machine, and a connection switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the two power supplies with respect to the rotary electric machine; and a controller which controls the voltage conversion of the voltage converter and the connection switch of the power supplies, wherein the controller sets the connection between the two power supplies to the parallel connection when a changed amount in torque command values to the rotary electric machine exceeds a threshold.

3 . An electric drive vehicle comprising:
a voltage converter which is capable of performing a bidirectional voltage conversion between two DC power supplies and a rotary electric machine, and a connection switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the two power supplies with respect to the rotary electric machine; and a controller which controls the voltage conversion of the voltage converter and the connection switch of the power supplies, wherein the controller sets the connection between the two power supplies to the parallel connection when a changed amount in rotation speed of the rotary electric machine exceeds a threshold.

4 . An electric drive vehicle comprising:
a voltage converter which is capable of performing a bidirectional voltage conversion between two DC power supplies and a rotary electric machine, and a connection switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the two power supplies with respect to the rotary electric machine; and a controller which controls the voltage conversion of the voltage converter and the connection switch of the power supplies, wherein the controller sets the connection between the two power supplies to the parallel connection when drive wheels slip.

5 . An electric drive vehicle comprising:
a voltage converter which is capable of performing a bidirectional voltage conversion between two DC power supplies and a rotary electric machine, and a connection switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the two power supplies with respect to the rotary electric machine; and a controller which controls the voltage conversion of the voltage converter and the connection switch of the power supplies, wherein the electric drive vehicle is mounted with an internal combustion engine as a drive source, the internal combustion engine is driven initially with an output torque from the rotary electric machine, and the controller sets the connection between the two power supplies to the parallel connection in response to an output of a start command of the internal combustion engine.

6 . An electric drive vehicle comprising:
a voltage converter which is capable of performing a bidirectional voltage conversion between two DC power supplies and a rotary electric machine, and a connection switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the two power supplies with respect to the rotary electric machine; and a controller which controls the voltage conversion of the voltage converter and the connection switch of the power supplies, wherein the controller sets the connection between the two power supplies to the parallel connection when a vehicle control which is performed when drive wheels slip while being driven is turned OFF.

7 . An electric drive vehicle comprising:
a voltage converter which is capable of performing a bidirectional voltage conversion between two DC power supplies and a rotary electric machine, and a connection switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the two power supplies with respect to the rotary electric machine; and a controller which controls the voltage conversion of the voltage converter and the connection switch of the power supplies, wherein the controller sets the connection between the two power supplies to the parallel connection when a vehicle control which is performed when drive wheels slip while being driven or braked is faulty.

8 . The electric drive vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
limit values are set in the controller to limit an electric power command value in accordance with a torque command to the rotary electric machine, the limit value includes a first limit value, and a second limit value which is set higher than the first limit value, and the controller switches the limit value from the first limit value to the second limit value in response to the connection switch from the series connection to the parallel connection between the two power supplies.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hashimoto Toshiya

Classifications

• B60L2240/423

  Torque · CPC title

• B60L2240/529

  Current · CPC title

• B60L2210/12

  Buck converters · CPC title

• F02N2011/0877

  said switch being used as a series-parallel switch, e.g. to switch circuit elements from series to parallel connection · CPC title

• B60L50/62

  charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders · CPC title