Warm-up apparatus for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9284935-B2
Application number	US-201414341911-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 28, 2014
Priority date	Jul 29, 2013
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

A warm-up apparatus for a vehicle including a system which charges a battery by using an external power supply is provided. The warm-up apparatus includes a heater for warming up, a current detector, a voltage detector and a resistance changer. The heater is mounted in the vehicle and produces heat by receiving electric power from the external power supply. The current detector detects an allowable current value of the external power supply. The voltage detector detects an output voltage value of the external power supply. The resistance changer changes an electric resistance value of the heater based on the allowable current value detected by the current detector and the output voltage value detected by the voltage detector.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A warm-up apparatus for a vehicle including a system which charges a battery by using an external power supply, the warm-up apparatus comprising:
a heater for warming up, mounted in the vehicle, and configured to produce heat by receiving electric power from the external power supply;
a current detector configured to determine an allowable current value that can be supplied to the vehicle by the external power supply and differs depending upon a specification of a charging equipment, based on a stored value which is stored in advance;
a voltage detector configured to detect an output voltage value of the external power supply; and
a resistance changer configured to change an electric resistance value of the heater based on the allowable current value detected by the current detector and the output voltage value detected by the voltage detector.

2. The warm-up apparatus according to the claim 1 , wherein
the resistance changer changes the electric resistance value of the heater to a value which corresponds to a ratio of the output voltage value to the allowable current value.

3. The warm-up apparatus according to the claim 1 , further comprising:
a pilot signal output unit, provided in a control box which is incorporated in a charging cable connecting the vehicle to the external power supply, and configured to output a pilot signal of a duty ratio which corresponds to the allowable current value,
wherein the current detector receives the pilot signal which is output from the pilot signal, and detects the allowable current value based on the duty ratio of the pilot signal.

4. The warm-up apparatus according to the claim 1 , wherein
the heater includes a plurality of resistors whose electric resistances differ from each other and a plurality of switches.

5. The warm-up apparatus according to the claim 1 , wherein
the heater includes a variable resistor in which an electric resistance thereof can be changed.

6. The warm-up apparatus according to the claim 1 , wherein
the allowable current value is smaller than a rated current value of the external power supply.

Assignees

• Mitsubishi Motors Corp

Inventors

• Kamachi Makoto

Classifications

• B60H2001/2234

  when vehicle is parked, preheating · CPC title

• B60L1/08

  Methods and devices for control or regulation · CPC title

• B60H2001/2265

  related to the quantity of heat produced by the heater · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60H1/2218

  controlling the operation of electric heaters · CPC title