Vehicle power source

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016288652-A1
Application number	US-201615066834-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 generator coupled to an engine; a first power storage coupled to the generator; a second power storage coupled, in parallel with the first storage, to the generator, in which a terminal voltage of the second power storage is lower than a terminal voltage of the first power storage; and a charge and discharge controller that controls a generated voltage of the generator and controls charge and discharge of the first power storage. The charge and discharge controller raises the generated voltage to a voltage higher than the terminal voltage of the first power storage, to cause power supply from the generator to the first power storage. The charge and discharge controller lowers the generated voltage to a voltage lower than the terminal voltage of the first power storage, to cause power supply from the first power storage to an electric load.

First claim

1 . A vehicle power source mounted on a vehicle, the vehicle power source comprising:
a generator coupled to an engine; a first power storage coupled to the generator; a second power storage coupled, in parallel with the first storage, to the generator, a terminal voltage of the second power storage being lower than a terminal voltage of the first power storage; and a charge and discharge controller that controls a generated voltage of the generator and controls charge and discharge of the first power storage, wherein the charge and discharge controller raises the generated voltage to a voltage higher than the terminal voltage of the first power storage, to cause power supply from the generator to the first power storage, and the charge and discharge controller lowers the generated voltage to a voltage lower than the terminal voltage of the first power storage, to cause power supply from the first power storage to an electric load.

2 . The vehicle power source according to claim 1 , wherein the first power storage has internal resistance lower than internal resistance of the second power storage.

3 . The vehicle power source according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first power circuit including the first power storage; a second power circuit including the second power storage and the electric load; and a switch that couples the first power circuit to the second power circuit, wherein the charge and discharge controller raises, with the switch kept in a closed state, the generated voltage to a voltage higher than the terminal voltage of the first power storage, to cause power supply from the generator to the first power storage, and the charge and discharge controller lowers, with the switch kept in a closed state, the generated voltage to a voltage lower than the terminal voltage of the first power storage, to cause power supply from the first power storage to the electric load.

4 . The vehicle power source according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a first power circuit including the first power storage; a second power circuit including the second power storage and the electric load; and a switch that couples the first power circuit to the second power circuit, wherein the charge and discharge controller raises, with the switch kept in a closed state, the generated voltage to a voltage higher than the terminal voltage of the first power storage, to cause power supply from the generator to the first power storage, and the charge and discharge controller lowers, with the switch kept in a closed state, the generated voltage to a voltage lower than the terminal voltage of the first power storage, to cause power supply from the first power storage to the electric load.

5 . The vehicle power source according to claim 3 , further comprising an engine controller that automatically stops the engine based on a stop condition and automatically restarts the engine based on a start condition,
wherein the electric load is an electrical appliance that is kept in operation during engine restart by the engine controller, and the engine controller drives a starter with the switch kept in an open state, to restart the engine.

6 . The vehicle power source according to claim 4 , further comprising an engine controller that automatically stops the engine based on a stop condition and automatically restarts the engine based on a start condition,
wherein the electric load is an electrical appliance that is kept in operation during engine restart by the engine controller, and the engine controller drives a starter with the switch kept in an open state, to restart the engine.

7 . The vehicle power source according to claim 5 , wherein
the generator is the starter that causes starting revolution of the engine.

8 . The vehicle power source according to claim 6 , wherein
the generator is the starter that causes starting revolution of the engine.

9 . The vehicle power source according to claim 3 , further comprising a conduction path,
wherein the first power storage includes a positive electrode terminal, the second power storage includes a positive electrode terminal, the conduction path couples the positive electrode terminal of the first power storage to the positive electrode terminal of the second poser storage, and the switch is inserted in the conduction path.

10 . The vehicle power source according to claim 4 , further comprising a conduction path,
wherein the first power storage includes a positive electrode terminal, the second power storage includes a positive electrode terminal, the conduction path couples the positive electrode terminal of the first power storage to the positive electrode terminal of the second poser storage, and the switch is inserted in the conduction path.

Assignees

• Fuji Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Hiroshi
• Kinoshita Takahiro

Classifications

• F02N2200/061

  Battery state of charge [SOC] · CPC title

• B60L2240/44

  related to combustion engines · CPC title

• B60K1/04

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60L2240/547

  Voltage · CPC title

• F02N11/0866

  comprising several power sources, e.g. battery and capacitor or two batteries · CPC title