JP3367289B2 - Electric vehicle charging device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a charging device for charging a battery of an electric vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the spread of electric vehicles, a charging station equipped with a charger for charging an in-vehicle battery has been installed. As shown in FIG. 6, a charging cable 2 is attached to the charger 1 of the charging station, and the connector 3 at the end of the charging cable 2 is connected to the connector 5 of the electric vehicle 4 to charge the in-vehicle battery 6. Be done.

[0003]

By the way, when the battery is charged, the internal temperature of the battery gradually rises. In general, if the internal temperature of the battery is too high, an excessive charging current will flow, and as a result, the temperature of the electrolyte will rise further, eventually leading to damage to the electrode plate. Therefore, in the conventional charging device for an electric vehicle, charging is prohibited when the internal temperature of the battery exceeds a predetermined temperature. Here, assuming that the predetermined temperature, that is, the charge inhibition temperature is 60 ° C., as shown by the curve in FIG. 7, if the internal temperature of the battery is 60 ° C. or less at the charging start time t = 0, charging is started. However, if the internal temperature exceeds the charge prohibition temperature of 60 ° C. during charging (t = t
1) The charging is interrupted and the battery becomes insufficiently charged.

Even if the charging prohibition temperature is lowered to 50 ° C. considering the internal temperature rise of the battery during charging, the internal temperature is 50 ° C. or less at the charging start time t = 0 as shown in the curve of FIG. If so, charging is started, but if the internal temperature exceeds 50 ° C. during charging (t = t2), charging is interrupted. In this case, charging does not start if the internal temperature exceeds the charge prohibition temperature of 50 ° C. at the charge start time t = 0 as shown by the curve, so if the charge prohibition temperature is lowered in consideration of the rise in internal temperature during charging There is less chance to complete.
In particular, in uniform charging, which is performed to reduce the variation in the cell voltage of the battery, the charging time is longer than in normal charging, so the internal temperature rise value is large and the internal temperature reaches the charge prohibition temperature during charging. Is more likely to be interrupted.

An object of the present invention is to fully charge the battery of an electric vehicle.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is applied to a charging device for charging a battery of an electric vehicle, and temperature detecting means for detecting an internal temperature of the battery, It has a charge prohibition temperature and a charge start permission temperature lower than that, and starts charging when the temperature detected by the temperature detection means is equal to or lower than the charge start permission temperature, and the temperature detected by the temperature detection means after the start of charging. Control means for stopping charging when the temperature exceeds the charge prohibition temperature, the charge start permission temperature is set separately for normal charge and equal charge, and the equal charge start permission temperature is permitted for normal charge start. Lower than temperature and before
When the equalization charging is started by the control means,
The temperature detected by the temperature detection means exceeds the normal charge start permission temperature.
Even if you do not switch from equal charging to normal charging,
Continue to charge evenly . The charging device for an electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the temperature detected by the temperature detecting unit is higher than the start permission temperature of the uniform charge and equal to or lower than the start permission temperature of the normal charge when the control unit performs the uniform charge. In this case, normal charging is performed without equal charging. The charging device for an electric vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising cooling means for cooling the battery, and when the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means exceeds the charging start permission temperature by the control means, the battery is cooled by the cooling means. Is designed to be cooled.

[0007]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment. The figure shows a state in which an electric vehicle 10 and a charger 20 of a charging station are connected by a cable 25 in order to charge a battery. A battery 11 is installed in the electric vehicle 10, and charging electric power of the battery 11 is supplied to a traveling motor 13 via a switch 12 and an inverter (not shown) during traveling. The battery controller 14 includes a microcomputer and its peripheral components, a drive circuit, and the like, and controls charging of the battery 11. The electric vehicle 10 is also equipped with an auxiliary battery 15 that supplies control power to various electric components, a charging interlock relay 16, and a traveling controller 17 that controls traveling of the electric vehicle 10. A thermistor 11 a for detecting the internal temperature of the battery 11 is installed, and the detected internal temperature is sent to the battery controller 14.

Charger 20 installed at the charging station
Is a high voltage power supply 21 for rectifying AC power supplied from the outside to output DC power, a switch 22 for opening and closing a charging current, a sensor 23 for detecting a charging voltage v and a charging current i, and a charging Is provided with a charger controller 24. A cable 25 is attached to the charger 20, and a connector 26 at the end of the cable is charged at the time of charging.
Is connected to the connector 18 of the electric vehicle 10.

The cable 25 has two power lines 30 and 3.
One and six control lines 32-36 are included. In addition, illustration of the ground line in the control line is omitted. Power line 3
Reference numerals 0 and 31 are power lines for supplying charging power from the charger 20 to the battery 11 of the electric vehicle 10, and have a large cross-sectional area for supplying a large charging current. The control line 32 is a control line for detecting the connection state of the connectors 18, 26, and the charger 20 side is connected to the ground and the electric vehicle 10 side is connected to the coil 16c of the interlock relay 16. Further, the control lines 33 to 36 are
It is a control line for transmitting various control signals between the battery controller 14 of the electric vehicle 10 and the controller 24 of the charger 20. The control line 33 is a control line that transmits a charging preparation command from the charger 20 to the electric vehicle 10, and the control line 34 is a control line that transmits a charging start permission and a charging stop command from the electric vehicle 10 to the charger 20.
The control lines 35 and 36 are the battery controller 14 of the electric vehicle 10 and the charger controller 2 of the charger 20.
4 is a communication line for exchanging information regarding various types of charging and receiving with the communication unit 4 according to a predetermined communication format.

The interlock relay coil 16c of the electric vehicle 10 is supplied with power from the auxiliary battery 15, and is charged by the charger 20 via the connectors 18, 26 and the control line 32.
Connected to ground on the side. Therefore, in the state where the charger side connector 26 is completely connected to the electric vehicle side connector 18, the auxiliary battery 15 is connected to the coil 1
An exciting current flows through 6c, the interlock relay 16 operates, and its a contact 16a closes, and the b contact 1
6b opens. As a result, the charger side connector 2
A control signal indicating that the 6 and the electric vehicle side connector 18 are in a completely connected state is input to the battery controller 14, and the excitation circuit of the switch coil 12c is opened. That is, during charging, the switch 12 connected between the battery 11 and the traveling motor 13 is opened, and the power supply from the battery 11 to the traveling motor 13 is cut off.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a charging control program of the charger controller 24. 3 and 4 are flowcharts showing a charge control program for the battery controller 14. The charging operation of the electric vehicle 10 and the charger 20 will be described with reference to these flowcharts. The microcomputer of the charger controller 24 starts executing the charging control program shown in FIG. 2 when the main switch (not shown) of the charger 20 is turned on. On the other hand, on the electric vehicle 10 side, the charger side connector 26 is connected to the electric vehicle side connector 18 and the interlock relay 16 operates and the a-contact 16a in a state where all the traveling systems are stopped by the traveling controller 17. When the circuit is closed, the microcomputer of the battery controller 14 starts executing the charging control program shown in FIGS. At this time, since the b contact 16b of the interlock relay 16 is opened at the same time, the exciting circuit of the switch coil 12c is forcibly cut off, and the exciting signal of the switch coil 12c is output from the traveling controller 17 by any chance. However, the switch 12 is not turned on. As a result, the charger side connector 2
In the state where 6 is connected to the electric vehicle side connector 18, the electric power supply from the battery 11 to the motor 13 is cut off, so that the electric vehicle 10 will not accidentally start during charging.

In step 1 of FIG. 2, the charger controller 24 outputs a charging preparation command to the battery controller 14 via the control line 33. The battery controller 14 confirms in step 21 of FIG. 3 whether or not the charging preparation command is received from the charger controller 24, and if the charging preparation command is received, the charging system of the electric vehicle 10 side is activated in step 22. If the charging preparation command is not received from the charger controller 24 after waiting a predetermined time in step 30, step 2
Proceed to step 9 to issue an alarm and stop all processing.
Next, in step 23 of FIG. 3, the battery controller 14 sends battery information such as the completion of charging preparation on the electric vehicle 10 side and the type and rating of the battery 11 to the control line 3.
5 and 36 to the charger controller 24. In step 2 of FIG. 2, the charger controller 24
Confirms whether or not the preparation for charging and the battery information are received from the battery controller 14, and if received, the charger information such as the output voltage and charging current of the charger 20 is received through the control lines 35 and 36 in step 3. To the battery controller 14. If the battery controller 14 does not receive the preparation for charging the electric vehicle 10 and the battery information even after waiting for a predetermined time in step 10, the process proceeds to step 11 to issue an alarm and stop all the processes. In step 24 of FIG. 3, the battery controller 14 is the charger controller 2
It is confirmed whether or not the charger information is received from No. 4, and if it is received, the charging process after step 25 is started. If the charger information is not received from the charger controller 24 after waiting a predetermined time in step 31, step 2
Proceed to step 9 to issue an alarm and stop all processing.

In step 25 of FIG. 3, the battery controller 14 determines whether to perform normal charging or uniform charging in order to reduce variations in cell voltages of the battery 11. In this embodiment, when the count value of a counter (not shown) that counts the number of times of normal charging reaches 21, for example, uniform charging is performed. That is, if the normal charging is performed 20 times, the uniform charging is performed next time. In the case of normal charging, the process proceeds to step 26, in which the battery temperature T before the normal charging is started by the thermistor 11a is started.
Detect IF. In the following step 27, the battery temperature T
IF is compared with the normal charge start permission temperature TAF, and if the battery temperature TIF is equal to or lower than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF, FIG.
Then, the routine proceeds to step 41 to carry out normal charging start processing.
In this embodiment, the normal charge start permission temperature TAF is set to 50 ° C. as shown in FIG. When the battery temperature TIF is higher than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF, the routine proceeds to step 28, charging is prohibited, and at step 29, an alarm is issued and all processing is stopped.

In the case of equal charge, in step 32, the thermistor 11a detects the battery temperature TIK before the start of equal charge. In the following step 33, the battery temperature TIK is compared with the uniform charge start permission temperature TAK. If the battery temperature TIK is equal to or lower than the uniform charge start permission temperature TAK, the process proceeds to step 47 in FIG. 4 to perform the equal charge start processing. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the uniform charge start permission temperature TAK is set to 40 ° C. As described above, since the charging time of the uniform charging is longer than that of the normal charging, the internal temperature rise value of the battery 11 is large, and the probability that the internal temperature reaches the charging prohibition temperature during charging and the charging is stopped becomes high. Therefore, the uniform charge start permission temperature TAK is set to a value lower than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF. Further, in this embodiment, the allowable internal temperature of the battery 11 is 60 ° C.
Let's call it B. If the battery temperature TIK is higher than the uniform charging start permission temperature TAK, the routine proceeds to step 26, where the above-mentioned normal charging process is performed without performing uniform charging. That is,
When the internal temperature of the battery is higher than the uniform charge start permission temperature TAK and is equal to or lower than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF,
Normal charge is performed without equal charge, and equal charge is performed at the next and subsequent charges.

In step 41 of FIG. 4, the battery controller 14 transmits a normal charge start permission to the charger controller 24 via the control line 34, and in the following step 42, the normal charge timer for managing the normal charge time is started. . In step 4 of FIG. 2, the charger controller 24 confirms whether or not the normal charge start permission is received from the battery controller 14, and when the normal charge start permission is received, the process proceeds to step 5 to close the switch 22. Charging power is transmitted from the high-voltage power supply 21 to the battery 11 via the power lines 30 and 31, and normal charging is started. In step 6 after starting the normal charging, the normal charging timer is started. This normal charge timer is for backing up the operation of the normal charge timer on the electric vehicle 10 side.

In step 43 of FIG. 4, the battery controller 14 detects the internal temperature TCF of the battery 11 that is normally charged by the thermistor 11a, and in step 44, compares the detected temperature TCF with the charge inhibition temperature TB shown in FIG. To do. When the battery temperature TCF during normal charging is higher than the charge inhibition temperature TB, the process proceeds to step 46, and the control line 3
A charge stop command is transmitted to the charger controller 24 via 4. On the other hand, if the battery temperature TCF during normal charging is equal to or lower than the charge inhibition temperature TB, the routine proceeds to step 45, where it is checked whether the normal charging timer has timed out and the normal charging time has ended. When the normal charging time is completed and the normal charging of the battery 11 is completed, the routine proceeds to step 46, where a charging stop command is transmitted to the charger controller 24. On the other hand, if the normal charging time has not ended, the process returns to step 43 to continue the normal charging. In step 7 of FIG. 2, the charger controller 24 confirms whether or not the charge stop command is received from the battery controller 14, and when the charge stop command is received, the process proceeds to step 9 to open the switch 22 to open the battery 11 Stops transmitting charging power to. On the other hand, if the charging stop command is not received, the process proceeds to step 8, and it is confirmed whether the normal charging timer for backup has timed up and the normal charging time has ended, and when the normal charging time has ended, the process proceeds to step 9. The process proceeds to stop charging as described above, and if the normal charging time has not ended, returns to step 7 and repeats the above process.

In step 47 of FIG. 4, the battery controller 14 transmits an equalization charge start permission to the charger controller 24 via the control line 34, and in the following step 48, the equalization charge timer for managing the equalization charge time is started. Let In step 12 of FIG. 2, the charger controller 24 confirms whether or not the equal charge start permission is received from the battery controller 14, and when the equal charge start permission is received, the process proceeds to step 13 and the switch 22
Then, charging power is transmitted from the high-voltage power supply 21 to the battery 11 via the power lines 30 and 31, and uniform charging is started. In step 14 after starting the uniform charging, the uniform charging timer is started. This uniform charging timer is for backing up the operation of the uniform charging timer on the electric vehicle 10 side.

In step 49 of FIG. 4, the battery controller 14 detects the internal temperature TCK of the battery 11 during uniform charging by the thermistor 11a, and in step 50, compares the detected temperature TCK with the charge inhibition temperature TB. If the battery temperature TCK during uniform charging is higher than the charge inhibition temperature TB, the process proceeds to step 46, and a charge stop command is transmitted to the charger controller 24 via the control line 34.
On the other hand, if the battery temperature TCK during uniform charging is equal to or lower than the charge prohibition temperature TB, the process proceeds to step 51, where it is confirmed whether the uniform charging timer has timed out and the uniform charging time has ended. When the uniform charging time is completed and the uniform charging of the battery 11 is completed, the process proceeds to step 46, and a charge stop command is transmitted to the charger controller 24. On the other hand, if the equal charging time has not ended, the process returns to step 49 to continue the equal charging. In step 15 of FIG. 2, the charger controller 24 confirms whether or not the charge stop command is received from the battery controller 14, and if the charge stop command is received, the process proceeds to step 9 to open the switch 22 to open the battery 11 Stops transmitting charging power to. On the other hand, if the charge stop command has not been received, the process proceeds to step 16, and it is confirmed whether or not the backup uniform charge timer times out and the uniform charge time ends, and when the uniform charge time ends, the process advances to step 9. The process proceeds to stop the charging as described above, and if the uniform charging has not ended, the process returns to step 15 and the above process is repeated.

In this way, the charge inhibition temperature TB and the charge start permission temperatures TAF, TAK lower than the charge inhibition temperature TB are set, and when the internal temperature of the battery is equal to or lower than the charge start permission temperature TAF, TAK, the charging is started ( (S27 → S41 and S33 → S47 in FIG. 3), the charging is stopped when the internal temperature of the battery exceeds the charge inhibition temperature TB after the start of charging (S44 → S46 and S50 → S46 in FIG. 4). When the internal temperature of the battery is equal to or lower than the normal charge start permission temperature of 50 ° C., time t = t3 before the internal temperature reaches the charge prohibition temperature of 60 ° C. after normal charging is started as shown in the curve of FIG. The normal charging time ends and the normal charging of the battery is completed. Further, when the internal temperature of the battery is equal to or lower than the uniform charge start permission temperature of 40 ° C., the uniform charge is started as shown by the curve in FIG. 5, and the time t before the internal temperature reaches the charge inhibition temperature of 60 ° C. = T4, the uniform charging time ends, and the uniform charging of the battery is completed. That is, the charging start permission temperature and the charging prohibition temperature are set, and the charging of the battery of the electric vehicle is controlled based on these temperatures and the detected internal temperature of the battery, so that charging is performed in the optimum pattern. As such, the probability of an electric vehicle battery being fully charged is increased. Also,
Since the charge start permission temperature is set separately for normal charge and equal charge, and the equal charge start permission temperature TAK is set lower than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF, the internal temperature of the battery is prohibited during charging during equal charge. The probability of reaching temperature and interrupting charging is reduced. Furthermore, when performing uniform charging, the internal temperature of the battery is equal to the uniform charging start permission temperature TAK.
If the temperature is higher than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF and is equal to or lower than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF, the normal charge is performed without performing the uniform charge (S33 → S26 → S27 → S41 in FIG. 3). As a result, the probability that uniform charging will be completely performed is increased.

In the above embodiment, when the internal temperature of the battery is higher than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF, charging is prohibited and an alarm is issued to stop all the processes. Is higher than the normal charge start permission temperature TAF, the battery cooling fan is activated to forcibly cool the battery, and after a predetermined time, the internal temperature of the battery is detected again and compared with the normal charge start permission temperature TAF. May be.

In the configuration of the above embodiment, the thermistor 11a constitutes the temperature detecting means, and the battery controller 14 and the charger controller 24 constitute the controlling means.

[0022]

As described above, according to the present invention, the charge inhibition temperature and the charge start permission temperature lower than that are set, and the charging is started when the internal temperature of the battery is equal to or lower than the charge start permission temperature. At the same time, the charging start permission temperature is set separately for normal charging and uniform charging for the battery charging device of the electric vehicle that stops charging when the internal temperature of the battery exceeds the charging prohibition temperature after starting charging. When the charging start permission temperature is set lower than the normal charging start permission temperature and uniform charging is started,
The internal temperature of the battery exceeds the normal charging start temperature.
Even if you do not switch from even charging to normal charging
Since charging is continued , charging is performed in an optimal pattern, the probability that the battery of the electric vehicle will be fully charged increases, and the internal temperature of the battery reaches the charge prohibition temperature during uniform charging. The probability that charging will be interrupted is reduced. Furthermore, if the internal temperature of the battery is higher than the start charge temperature of the uniform charge and equal to or lower than the start charge temperature of the normal charge when performing the uniform charge, the uniform charge is performed without performing the uniform charge. It will be performed after the next time, and there is a high probability that uniform charging will be completely performed. Furthermore, when the internal temperature of the battery exceeds the charge start permission temperature, the battery is cooled by the cooling means, so that the battery can be charged quickly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a charging control program on the charger side.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a charging control program on the electric vehicle side.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a charge control program on the electric vehicle side, which is continued from FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a battery internal temperature during normal charging and uniform charging according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an outline of a charging system for an electric vehicle.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the internal temperature of the battery during normal charging and even charging by a conventional charging device.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 electric vehicles 11 battery 11a thermistor 12 switches 12c coil 13 motor 14 Battery controller 15 Auxiliary battery 16 Interlock relay 16c coil 16a Normally open contact 16b Normally closed contact 17 Running controller 18 connectors 20 charger 21 High voltage power supply 22 Switch 22c coil 23 sensors 24 Charger controller 25 cables 26 connectors 30,31 Power line 32-37 control line

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) Reference JP-A-8-308139 (JP, A) JP-A-7-67209 (JP, A) JP-A-7-65870 (JP, A) JP-A-7- 45306 (JP, A) JP-A-6-237540 (JP, A) JP-A-5-146084 (JP, A) JP-A-5-56571 (JP, A) JP-A-5-38069 (JP, A) JP-A-4-355632 (JP, A) JP-A-1-99441 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H02J 7/04 B60L 11/18 H01M 10/44 101

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A charging device for charging a battery of an electric vehicle, comprising: a temperature detecting means for detecting an internal temperature of the battery; a charge prohibiting temperature; and a charge start permission temperature lower than the charge inhibiting temperature. And a control unit that starts charging when the detected temperature is equal to or lower than the charge start permission temperature, and stops charging when the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit exceeds the charge prohibition temperature after the start of charging, The charge start permission temperature is set separately for normal charge and uniform charge, and the equal charge start permission temperature is set lower than the normal charge start permission temperature , and the control means is
When uniform charging is started, the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means is detected.
Even if the temperature exceeds the normal charge start permission temperature
A charging device for an electric vehicle, which is capable of continuing the uniform charging without switching to the common charging . 2. The charging device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when performing uniform charging, the control unit has a temperature detected by the temperature detection unit that is higher than a start permission temperature of the uniform charging, and the normal temperature. A charging device for an electric vehicle, which performs normal charging without performing uniform charging when the temperature is equal to or lower than a charging start permission temperature. 3. The charging device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling unit that cools the battery, wherein the control unit has a temperature detected by the temperature detection unit that is the charge start permission temperature. A battery charger for an electric vehicle, wherein the battery is cooled by the cooling means when the temperature exceeds the limit.