Apparatus for energy transfer using converter and method of manufacturing same
View Patent ↗According to an aspect of the invention, a motor drive circuit includes a first energy storage device configured to supply electrical energy, a bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter coupled to the first energy storage device, a voltage inverter coupled to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and an input device configured to receive electrical energy from an external energy source. The motor drive circuit further includes a coupling system coupled to the input device, to the first energy storage device, and to the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter. The coupling system has a first configuration configured to transfer electrical energy to the first energy storage device via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter, and has a second configuration configured to transfer electrical energy from the first energy storage device to the voltage inverter via the bi-directional DC-to-DC voltage converter.
1. A vehicle comprising:
an energy storage device;
a first voltage converter coupleable to the energy storage device;
a traction drive coupleable to the first voltage converter, the traction drive comprising an inverter coupled to a traction motor; and
a charging system on-board the vehicle and coupleable to the energy storage device, the charging system comprising:
a receptacle coupleable to an external charging source;
a second voltage converter configured to boost an input voltage derived from the external charging source to an intermediate voltage; and
a third voltage converter configured to buck the intermediate voltage to an output voltage to charge the energy storage device.
2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third voltage converters comprises an isolation transformer.
3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the external charging source is an AC source.
4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a rectifier coupled to the receptacle.
5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first voltage converter is a bi-directional buck/boost converter.
6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the energy storage device is a battery.
7. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a second energy storage device.
8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the second energy storage device is a battery.
9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the traction motor further operates as a generator during regenerative braking to charge the energy storage device.
10. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the first voltage converter.
11. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the third voltage converter.
12. A vehicle comprising:
an energy storage device;
a first DC converter coupleable to the energy storage device;
a traction motor coupleable to the first DC converter; and
a charging system on-board the vehicle and coupleable to the energy storage device, the charging system comprising:
a receptacle coupleable to an external charging source;
a second DC converter configured to boost an input voltage derived from the external charging source to an intermediate voltage; and
a third DC converter configured to buck the intermediate voltage to an output voltage to charge the energy storage device.
13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first, second, and third DC converters comprises an isolation transformer.
14. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the external charging source is an AC source.
15. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a rectifier coupled to the receptacle.
16. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the first DC converter is a bi-directional buck/boost converter.
17. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the energy storage device is a battery.
18. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the traction motor further operates as a generator during regenerative braking to charge the energy storage device.
19. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the first DC converter.
20. The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the third DC converter.