US 5,656,916 A · Apparatus for controlling the currents supplied for battery charging and an electric load during charging of an electric vehicle battery

Abstract

When the main battery of an electric vehicle is being charged and any one of an air-conditioner ON/OFF switch, a pre-air-conditioning preference ON/OFF switch, an external-input-controlled timer pre-air-conditioning preference ON/OFF switch, and an external-input-controlled pre-air-conditioning ON/OFF switch is turned on, a charging control device causes the maximum output current from the battery charger to be distributed between the battery and a motor-driven air conditioner or other electric load at a certain ratio on a real-time basis or at a start time established by a pre-air-conditioning timer or a timer in an air-conditioner controller. Therefore, the motor-driven air conditioner or other electric load can be operated and a charging current can be supplied to the battery at the same time even if the rated output capacity of the charger is relatively small. Consequently, the motor-driven air conditioner or other electric load can efficiently be operated while the battery is being charged.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An apparatus for controlling the charging of a battery on an electric vehicle with a charger which is energizable by an external power supply, comprising:

an electrical load used in said electrical vehicle, said electrical load normally operating at a demand current;
electrical load operating demand means for demanding operation of said electrical load at said demand current;
detecting means for detecting whether a power supply line of said charger is a high voltage power supply line or a low voltage power supply line;
charger maximum output current determining means for determining a maximum output current which can be produced by the charger;
and
charging control means connected to the charger and said charger maximum output current determining means for controlling said charger such that, when the battery is being charged by said low voltage power supply line and a power supply to said electrical load is demanded, said electrical load is controlled at an operating current which is lower than said demand current, and the battery is charged at an electrical current which is diminished from the maximum output current of said charger by said operating current.

3 more elements

An apparatus for controlling the charging of a battery on an electric vehicle with a charger which is energizable by an external power supply, comprising:

an electrical load used in said electrical vehicle, said electrical load normally operating at a demand circuit;
electrical load operating demand means for demanding operation of said electrical load at said demand current;
charger ability detecting means for determining a maximum current that can be output from said charger, and for detecting when said maximum current is lower than a prescribed value which is derived from a present battery charging current and the electrical load demand current during charging of said battery;
and
charging control means connected to the charger and said charger ability detecting means for controlling said charger such that, during charging when said charger ability detecting means detects that said maximum current is lower than said prescribed amount and power supply to said electrical load is demanded, said electrical load is controlled at an operating current which is lower than said demand current, and the battery is charged at an electrical current which is diminished from said maximum current of said charger by said operating current.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus for controlling the currents supplied for battery charging and an electric load during charging of an electric vehicle battery

Life of this patent

Apparatus for controlling the currents supplied for battery charging and an electric load during charging of an electric vehicle battery

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19