Electric vehicle
In an electric vehicle, a power supplier includes a software type condenser charging circuit and a hardware type condenser charging circuit. The software capacitor charging circuit operates when a controller controls the software type condenser charging circuit while monitoring a voltage between opposite ends at an initial charging stage. The hardware type condenser charging circuit is operated when the controller controls the hardware type condenser charging circuit without monitoring the voltage between the opposite ends of the DC-link condenser or by direct switching manipulation of a user.
1. An electric vehicle driven by at least one vehicle driving motor, the electric vehicle comprising:
a controller and an electric power supplier,
wherein the electric power supplier comprises;
a direct-current (DC) power source;
a DC-link condenser to which electrical loads are connected;
a software type condenser changing circuit connected between the DC power source and the DC-link condenser, and configured to operate when the controller controls the software type condenser charging circuit while monitoring a voltage between opposite ends of the DC-link condenser at an initial charging stage; and
a hardware type condenser charging circuit connected between the DC power source and the DC-link condenser, and configured to operate when the controller controls the hardware type condenser charging circuit without monitoring the voltage between the opposite ends of the DC-link condenser at the initial charging stage, or by a direct switching manipulation of a user,
wherein the hardware type condenser charging circuit comprises:
a first relay connected between a positive terminal of the DC power source and a positive terminal of the DC-link condenser; and
a relay driving circuit configured to turn the first relay on when a voltage of the DC-link condenser is higher than a set initial voltage,
wherein the relay driving circuit comprises a switching transistor, a comparator, and a voltage detection circuit,
the voltage detection circuit is connected to the opposite ends of the DC-link condenser,
when the switching transistor is in a turn-on state, an exciting current path of the first relay is formed,
when the switching transistor is in a turn-off state, the exciting current path of the first relay is blocked, and
when a detection voltage detected by the voltage detection circuit is higher than a set detection voltage, the switching transistor is turned on by the comparator.
2. The electric vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the hardware type condenser charging circuit comprises an initial switching circuit connected to opposite ends of the first relay to provide a current path at the initial charging stage,
wherein the initial, switching circuit comprises a first switch and a variable resistor connected to each other in series,
the voltage detection circuit included in the relay driving circuit comprises a first resistor, a second switch, and a second resistor connected to one another in series,
an end of the first resistor is connected to an end of the DC-link condenser,
an end of the second resistor is connected to a ground terminal, and
the second switch is connected between an opposite end of the first resistor and an opposite end of the second resistor.
3. The electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the second switch is turned on or turned off according to a control signal from the controller or by user manipulation.
4. The electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the opposite end of the second resistor and a positive input terminal of the comparator are connected to each other,
a Zener diode is connected between a negative input terminal of the comparator and the ground terminal, and
a pulse bypass capacitor is connected between the opposite end of the second resistor and the ground terminal.
5. The electric vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the software type condenser charging circuit comprises:
a second relay connected between a positive terminal of the DC power source and a positive terminal of the DC-link condenser;
an initial switching circuit connected to opposite ends of the second relay to provide a current path at the initial, charging stage; and
a third relay connected between a negative terminal of the DC power source and a negative terminal of the DC-link condenser.
6. The electric vehicle of claim 5 , wherein, when the software type charging circuit operates for an initial charging operation of the DC-link condenser, the controller turns the third relay on and then turns the second relay on after the DC-link condenser is charged by the initial switching circuit during a set period of time.
7. The electric vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the initial switching circuit included in the software type condenser charging circuit comprises a fourth relay and a current adjusting circuit connected to each other in series.
8. The electric vehicle of claim 7 , wherein an initial charging menu provided to the user comprises a software charging mode and a hardware charging mode,
initial charging is performed by the software type condenser charging circuit in the software charging mode,
the hardware charging mode comprises a normal charging mode, a first switch error mode, and a second switch error mode,
the first switch error mode is selected by the user when the first switch in the hardware type condenser charging circuit is broken, and
the second switch error mode is selected by the user when the second switch in the hardware type condenser charging circuit is broken.
9. The electric vehicle of claim 8 , wherein, in the first switch error mode, the initial switching circuit in the software type condenser charging circuit operates instead of the initial switching circuit in the hardware type capacitor charging circuit.
10. The electric vehicle of claim 8 , wherein, in the second switch error mode, the controller turns on the second relay in the software type condenser charging circuit after the DC-link condenser is charged by the initial switching circuit in the hardware type condenser charging circuit during a set period of time.