Vehicle power source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288651-A1
Application number	US-201615066823-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 10, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle power source includes a first switch, a second switch, a connection point, and a failure determiner. The first switch is switched between conductive/cut-off states of a generator and a first power storage. The second switch is switched between conductive/cut-off states of the generator and a second power storage. The connection point couples a first conduction path, a second conduction path, and a third conduction path to one another, in which the first conduction path is coupled to a positive electrode terminal of the first power storage. The failure determiner executes failure determination processing that involves determining a failure in one or both of the first switch and the second switch, based on control signals of the first switch and the second switch, and a current and a potential of the first conduction path.

First claim

1 . A vehicle power source mounted on a vehicle, the vehicle power source comprising:
a generator coupled to an engine and including an output terminal; a first power storage coupled to the generator and including a positive electrode terminal; a second power storage coupled, in parallel with the first storage, to the generator, and including a positive electrode terminal; a first switch switched based on a control signal, between a conductive state and a cut-off state, the conductive state involving coupling of the generator to the first power storage, and the cut-off state involving separation of the generator from the first power storage; a second switch switched based on a control signal, between a conductive state and a cut-off state, the conductive state involving coupling of the generator to the second power storage, and the cut-off state involving separation of the generator from the second power storage; a connection point that couples a first conduction path, a second conduction path, and a third conduction path to one another, the first conduction path being coupled to the positive electrode terminal of the first power storage, the second conduction path being coupled to the positive electrode terminal of the second power storage, and the third conduction path being coupled to the output terminal of the generator; and a failure determiner that executes failure determination processing that involves determining a failure in one or both of the first switch and the second switch, based on the control signal of the first switch, the control signal of the second switch, a current of the first conduction path, and a potential of the first conduction path.

2 . The vehicle power source according to claim 1 , further comprising a fourth conduction path,
wherein the first power storage further includes a negative electrode terminal, and the fourth conduction path is coupled to the negative electrode terminal of the first power storage, the first switch is inserted in the first conduction path or the fourth conduction path, and the second switch is inserted in the second conduction path.

3 . The vehicle power source according to claim 1 , wherein
the first switch is inserted in the first conduction path, and the failure determiner determines a failure in one or both of the first switch and the second switch, based on a potential at a point between the first switch and the connection point in the first conduction path.

4 . The vehicle power source according to claim 2 , wherein
the first switch is inserted in the first conduction path, and the failure determiner determines a failure in one or both of the first switch and the second switch, based on a potential at a point between the first switch and the connection point in the first conduction path.

5 . The vehicle power source according to claim 1 , wherein
the control signal of the first switch includes a conduction signal and a cut-off signal, the conduction signal allowing the first switch to be switched to the conductive state, and the cut-off signal allowing the first switch to be switched to the cut-off state, the control signal of the second switch includes a conduction signal and a cut-off signal, the conduction signal allowing the second switch to be switched to the conductive state, and the cut-off signal allowing the second switch to be switched to the cut-off state, and the failure determiner executes, as the failure determination processing, first determination processing that involves determining a current and a potential of the first conduction path when the first switch is supplied with the conduction signal and the second switch is supplied with the conduction signal, second determination processing that involves determining the current and the potential of the first conduction path when the first switch is supplied with the cut-off signal and the second switch is supplied with the conduction signal, third determination processing that involves determining the current and the potential of the first conduction path when the first switch is supplied with the conduction signal and the second switch is supplied with the cut-off signal, and fourth determination processing that involves determining the current and the potential of the first conduction path when the first switch is supplied with the cut-off signal and the second switch is supplied with the cut-off signal.

6 . The vehicle power source according to claim 2 , wherein
the control signal of the first switch includes a conduction signal and a cut-off signal, the conduction signal allowing the first switch to be switched to the conductive state, and the cut-off signal allowing the first switch to be switched to the cut-off state, the control signal of the second switch includes a conduction signal and a cut-off signal, the conduction signal allowing the second switch to be switched to the conductive state, and the cut-off signal allowing the second switch to be switched to the cut-off state, and the failure determiner executes, as the failure determination processing, first determination processing that involves determining a current and a potential of the first conduction path when the first switch is supplied with the conduction signal and the second switch is supplied with the conduction signal, second determination processing that involves determining the current and the potential of the first conduction path when the first switch is supplied with the cut-off signal and the second switch is supplied with the conduction signal, third determination processing that involves determining the current and the potential of the first conduction path when the first switch is supplied with the conduction signal and the second switch is supplied with the cut-off signal, and fourth determination processing that involves determining the current and the potential of the first conduction path when the first switch is supplied with the cut-off signal and the second switch is supplied with the cut-off signal.

7 . The vehicle power source according to claim 1 , wherein
the vehicle includes a start-up switch, and the failure determiner executes the failure determination processing when the start-up switch is operated to start-up stop side by an occupant.

8 . The vehicle power source according to claim 2 , wherein
the vehicle includes a start-up switch, and the failure determiner executes the failure determination processing when the start-up switch is operated to start-up stop side by an occupant.

9 . The vehicle power source according to claim 1 , wherein
the vehicle includes a start-up switch, and the failure determiner executes the failure determination processing when the start-up switch is operated to start-up side by an occupant and there is no record of execution of the failure determination processing.

10 . The vehicle power source according to claim 2 , wherein
the vehicle includes a start-up switch, and the failure determiner executes the failure determination processing when the start-up switch is operated to start-up side by an occupant and there is no record of execution of the failure determination processing.

11 . The vehicle power source according to claim 1 , wherein
the vehicle includes a start-up switch, and the failure determiner executes the failure determination processing when the start-up switch is operated to start-up side by an occupant and there is record of a failure in one or both of the first switch and the second switch.

12 . The vehicle power source according to claim 2 , wherein
the vehicle includes a start-up switch, and the failure determiner executes the failure determinat

Assignees

• Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kinoshita Takahiro

Classifications

• F02N2200/061

  Battery state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• F02N11/006

  using a plurality of electric motors · CPC title

• B60L3/0069

  relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current · CPC title

• B60L3/04

  Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions (protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H) · CPC title

• F02N11/087

  Details of the switching means in starting circuits, e.g. relays or electronic switches · CPC title