US 9,849,805 B2 · Fuel cell vehicle

Abstract

A switch is to switch a connection mode between a serial mode and a parallel mode. In the serial mode, a fuel cell and a power storage device are connected in series and connected to a travelling apparatus in parallel. In the parallel mode, the fuel cell is connected to the travelling apparatus in parallel. A converter is to be turned on to boost a voltage generated by the fuel cell to be applied to the travelling apparatus and to be turned off when the parallel mode is selected. A controller is to control the switch to switch a connection mode to the parallel mode when power to be consumed by the travelling apparatus is lower than a first power threshold, and to switch the connection mode to the serial mode when the power to be consumed by the travelling apparatus is higher than the first power threshold.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A fuel cell vehicle including a motor load including a motor that generates motive power for traction, a fuel cell, and a power storage device, the fuel cell vehicle comprising:

a serial/parallel switcher that switches a connection mode of the fuel cell and the power storage device with respect to the motor load between a serial mode and a parallel mode with the fuel cell alone;
a converter operable in a first state to be turned off when either the serial mode or the parallel mode is selected, or operable in a second state to be caused to boost a fuel cell voltage when the serial mode is selected and to apply the boosted voltage to the motor load;
and
a control unit that controls the serial/parallel switcher and the converter,
wherein the control unit causes the serial/parallel switcher to select the parallel mode when the motor load is lower than a first power threshold equal to or lower than a supply capacity of the fuel cell, and to select the serial mode when the motor load is higher than the first power threshold.

2 more elements

A fuel cell vehicle comprising:

a travelling apparatus including a motor to generate power to move the fuel cell vehicle;
a fuel cell;
a power storage device;
a switch to switch a connection mode between a serial mode and a parallel mode, the fuel cell and the power storage device being connected in series and connected to the travelling apparatus in parallel in the serial mode, the fuel cell being connected to the travelling apparatus in parallel in the parallel mode;
a converter connected to the travelling apparatus in parallel to be turned on to boost a voltage generated by the fuel cell to be applied to the travelling apparatus and to be turned off not to boost the voltage generated by the fuel cell to be applied to the travelling apparatus when the parallel mode is selected;
and
a controller to turn on or turn off the converter, the controller being to control the switch to switch the connection mode to the parallel mode when power to be consumed by the travelling apparatus is lower than a first power threshold which is equal to or lower than a supply capacity of the fuel cell, and to switch the connection mode to the serial mode when the power to be consumed by the travelling apparatus is higher than the first power threshold.

4 more elements

A fuel cell vehicle including a motor load including a motor, a fuel cell, and a power storage device, the fuel cell vehicle comprising:

a serial/parallel switcher configured to switch a connection mode of the fuel cell and the power storage device with respect to the motor load between a serial mode and a parallel mode with the fuel cell alone;
a converter configured to be turned off when either the serial mode or the parallel mode is selected, or configured to boost a fuel cell voltage when the serial mode is selected and to apply the boosted voltage to the motor load;
and
a control unit configured to control the serial/parallel switcher and the converter,
wherein the control unit is configured to cause the serial/parallel switcher to select the parallel mode when the motor load is lower than a first power threshold equal to or lower than a supply capacity of the fuel cell, and configured to select the serial mode when the motor load is higher than the first power threshold.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fuel cell vehicle

Life of this patent

Fuel cell vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21