IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,097,621
Granted Patent B2
US 11,097,621 · App. 16/717,539 · Granted Aug 24, 2021

Power source system for electric-powered vehicle

Inventors: Shinichiro Masaki (Tokyo, JP); Takashi Inoue (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATION
B60L15/2045B60L50/66B60L53/22B60L58/10H02M7/5387H02P27/06B60L2210/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,097,621
App. No.
16/717,539
Granted
Aug 24, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a power source system, a high-voltage battery and a low voltage battery are configured to store electric powers to be supplied to a traveling motor and an accessory, respectively. A step-up unit is interposed between the low-voltage battery and the traveling motor, and is configured to step up a voltage of the low-voltage battery and apply the stepped-up voltage to the traveling motor. A controller is configured to perform switching to a normal-time electric power supply circuit, in which the high-voltage battery and the traveling motor are coupled to each other, when the high-voltage battery is in a normal state and perform switching to an abnormal-time electric power supply circuit, in which the low-voltage battery and the traveling motor are coupled to each other via the step-up unit, when the high-voltage battery is in an abnormal state.

Claims (48)

1. A power source system for an electric-powered vehicle, the electric-powered vehicle including a traveling motor, the power source system comprising:

a high-voltage battery configured to store an electric power to be supplied to the traveling motor;

a low-voltage battery configured to store an electric power to be supplied to an accessory provided in the electric-powered vehicle;

a step-up unit interposed between the low-voltage battery and the traveling motor, the step-up unit being configured to step up a voltage of the low-voltage battery and apply the stepped-up voltage to the traveling motor; and

a controller configured to perform switching to a normal-time electric power supply circuit when the high-voltage battery is in a normal state and perform switching to an abnormal-time electric power supply circuit when the high-voltage battery is detected in an abnormal state, the normal-time electric power supply circuit being a circuit in which the high-voltage battery and the traveling motor are coupled to each other, the abnormal-time electric power supply circuit being a circuit in which the low-voltage battery and the traveling motor are coupled to each other via the step-up unit.

2. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the electric-powered vehicle comprises an electric vehicle that includes only the traveling motor as a driving source directed to driving of a driving wheel.

3. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an inverter interposed between the high-voltage battery and the traveling motor;

a step-up device interposed between the high-voltage battery and the inverter;

a DC-DC converter interposed between the low-voltage battery and high-voltage battery side of the step-up device to step down a voltage of the high-voltage battery and apply the stepped-down voltage to the low-voltage battery; and

a switch configured to allow the low-voltage battery to be coupled to the high-voltage battery side of the step-up device with the DC-DC converter being bypassed, wherein

the controller is further configured to close, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the switch to form the abnormal-time electric power supply circuit in which the low-voltage battery is coupled to the traveling motor via the step-up device and the inverter with the DC-DC converter being bypassed, the step-up device serving as the step-up unit.

4. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising:

an inverter interposed between the high-voltage battery and the traveling motor;

a step-up device interposed between the high-voltage battery and the inverter;

a DC-DC converter interposed between the low-voltage battery and high-voltage battery side of the step-up device to step down a voltage of the high-voltage battery and apply the stepped-down voltage to the low-voltage battery; and

a switch configured to allow the low-voltage battery to be coupled to the high-voltage battery side of the step-up device with the DC-DC converter being bypassed, wherein

the controller is further configured to close, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the switch to form the abnormal-time electric power supply circuit in which the low-voltage battery is coupled to the traveling motor via the step-up device and the inverter with the DC-DC converter being bypassed, the step-up device serving as the step-up unit.

5. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an inverter interposed between the high-voltage battery and the traveling motor; and

a DC-DC converter interposed between the low-voltage battery and high-voltage battery side of the inverter, the DC-DC converter being configured to step down a voltage of the high-voltage battery and apply the stepped-down voltage to the low-voltage battery, the DC-DC converter being configured to step up the voltage of the low-voltage battery and apply the stepped-up voltage to the inverter, wherein

the controller is further configured to form, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the abnormal-time electric power supply circuit in which the low-voltage battery is coupled to the traveling motor via the DC-DC converter and the inverter, the DC-DC converter serving as the step-up unit.

6. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising:

an inverter interposed between the high-voltage battery and the traveling motor; and

a DC-DC converter interposed between the low-voltage battery and high-voltage battery side of the inverter, the DC-DC converter being configured to step down a voltage of the high-voltage battery and apply the stepped-down voltage to the low-voltage battery, the DC-DC converter being configured to step up the voltage of the low-voltage battery and apply the stepped-up voltage to the inverter, wherein

the controller is further configured to form, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the abnormal-time electric power supply circuit in which the low-voltage battery is coupled to the traveling motor via the DC-DC converter and the inverter, the DC-DC converter serving as the step-up unit.

7. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising

a relay configured to allow for or cut off electrical coupling between the high-voltage battery and the abnormal-time electric power supply circuit, wherein

the controller is further configured to open the relay when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state.

8. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 2 , further comprising

a relay configured to allow for or cut off electrical coupling between the high-voltage battery and the abnormal-time electric power supply circuit, wherein

the controller is further configured to open the relay when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state.

9. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to limit, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the electric power to be supplied to the traveling motor to a level lower than a level held when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state.

10. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to limit, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the electric power to be supplied to the traveling motor to a level lower than a level held when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state.

11. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to limit, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the electric power to be supplied to the accessory to a level lower than a level held when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state.

12. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to limit, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the electric power to be supplied to the accessory to a level lower than a level held when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state.

13. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a limit-target accessory with a priority on safety of the electric-powered vehicle, the limit-target accessory being the accessory to which the limited electric power is to be supplied when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state.

14. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a limit-target accessory with a priority on a traveling performance of the electric-powered vehicle, the limit-target accessory being the accessory to which the limited electric power is to be supplied when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state.

15. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to cause, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, number of the limit-target accessory to be larger while the electric-powered vehicle is being stopped than while the electric-powered vehicle is traveling.

16. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to control, when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state, a remaining capacitance of the low-voltage battery to keep the remaining capacitance from falling below a reference capacitance, the reference capacitance corresponding to a lower-limit electric power required for the electric-powered vehicle to perform refuge-taking traveling when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state.

17. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein the controller is further configured to control, when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state, a remaining capacitance of the low-voltage battery to keep the remaining capacitance from falling below a reference capacitance, the reference capacitance corresponding to a lower-limit electric power required for the electric-powered vehicle to perform refuge-taking traveling when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state.

18. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to limit, when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state, the electric power to be supplied to an accessory to a level lower than a level held when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state.

19. A power source system for an electric-powered vehicle, the electric-powered vehicle including a traveling motor, the power source system comprising:

a high-voltage battery configured to supply an electric power to the traveling motor;

a low-voltage battery coupled to the traveling motor in parallel to the high-voltage battery, the low-voltage battery having a lower voltage than the high-voltage battery;

a step-up unit interposed between the low-voltage battery and the traveling motor, the step-up unit being configured to step up a voltage of the low-voltage battery and apply the stepped-up voltage to the traveling motor; and

a controller configured to perform switching of an electric power source that supplies an electric power to the traveling motor between a time when the high-voltage battery is in a normal state and a time when the high-voltage battery is detected in an abnormal state, the controller being configured to select the high-voltage battery as the electric power source when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state and select the low-voltage battery as the electric power source when the high-voltage battery is in the abnormal state.

20. The power source system for an electric-powered vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the controller is further configured to control, when the high-voltage battery is in the normal state, a remaining capacitance of the low-voltage battery to keep the remaining capacitance from falling below a reference capacitance.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 18, 2019
From: MASAKI, SHINICHIRO; INOUE, TAKASHI
To: SUBARU CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051325/0233 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-054520 · Mar 22, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20200298710A1 · Sep 24, 2020