US 6,518,732 B2 · System and method for optimal battery usage in electric and hybrid vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus (FIG. 1) for optimizing recharging of batteries (20) in an electric or hybrid vehicle that uses an electric motor (35) powered by the batteries (20) and having a regenerative system (10) that uses mechanical forces of the vehicle to generate current to recharge the batteries. The output of the regenerative system is controlled (15 and 35) to supply a maximum amount of current to recharge the batteries immediately after termination of a pulse or continuous discharge thereby to recapture a larger portion of the discharge current (FIG. 3) and the battery voltage is monitored (35) during recharge and the voltage is controlled (15) during charge so that it does not exceed a predetermined value at which battery gas evolution takes place (FIG. 2), thereby permitting the battery to be charged to a relatively high state of charge.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for optimizing charging of a storage battery in an electric or hybrid vehicle having a motor that uses current from the battery and a regenerative current supply system, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a recharging current to the battery from the regenerative system when the motor stops drawing current from the battery;
monitoring at least one of the battery voltage and internal impedance to determine a gas evolution point when gas evolution occurs;
and
continuing the charging of the battery up to a point before the gas evolution point.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/817,727Filed 26 Mar 2001 · us provisional application

Priority

27 Mar 2000

Published

US 2001/0035740 A11 Nov 2001

Granted

11 Feb 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification14 codes

H02J 7/14
Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries: for charging batteries from dynamo-electric…
B60L 58/10
Methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells, specially adapted for electric vehicles: for monitoring or…
H01M 10/44
Methods or arrangements for servicing or maintenance of secondary cells or secondary half-cells: methods for charging or discharging
H02J 7/1446
For charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle: in response to parameters of a vehicle

System and method for optimal battery usage in electric and hybrid vehicles

Life of this patent

System and method for optimal battery usage in electric and hybrid vehicles

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9