Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging – One cell or battery charges another – Vehicle battery charging
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-31
2004-09-21
Tibbits, Pia (Department: 2838)
Electricity: battery or capacitor charging or discharging
One cell or battery charges another
Vehicle battery charging
Reexamination Certificate
active
06794847
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charging system for a vehicle for charging batteries carried on the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there is known a vehicle which carries two kinds of batteries with different voltages, that is, a main battery (for example, a 42V battery) and an auxiliary battery (for example, a 12V battery). In other words, there is known a vehicle which is capable of using properly two kinds of batteries with different voltages in such a manner the main battery is used to drive a motor requiring large electric power and the auxiliary battery is used to drive other units such as a control unit than the motor.
Now,
FIG. 13
is a block diagram of a first example of a conventional charging system for charging the batteries of the above-mentioned type carried on a vehicle. This conventional charging system example includes two systems of charging circuits in order to charge two kinds of batteries with different voltages. That is, to charge a main battery
101
, an alternating current generated by a motor generator
102
may be converted into a direct current by an inverter
104
which is controlled by a controller
103
, and the thus-converted direct current may be supplied to the main battery
101
. On the other hand, to charge an auxiliary battery
105
, when an alternator
107
is rotated by an engine
106
, a direct current generated by the alternator
107
may be supplied to the auxiliary battery
105
.
Now,
FIG. 14
is a block diagram of a second example of a conventional charging system for charging the batteries for vehicle of the above-mentioned type. In this example, there are used a DC/DC converter
108
changing the voltage in order to charge two kinds of batteries which differ in voltage from each other. That is, to charge a main battery
101
, similarly to the first example, an alternating current generated by a motor generator
102
may be converted into a direct current by an inverter
104
which is controlled by a controller
103
, and the-thus converted direct current may be supplied to the main battery
101
. On the other hand, an auxiliary battery
105
can be charged by converting the output voltage of an inverter
104
using the DC/DC converter
108
.
However, since the above-mentioned conventional charging systems require the alternator and DC/DC converter, the charging systems are complicated in structure and expensive in the manufacturing costs thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention aims at eliminating the drawbacks found in the above-mentioned conventional charging systems. Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a charging system for a vehicle which is neither complicated in structure nor expensive in cost.
In attaining the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a charging system for a vehicle, including: a motor generator which operates as a generator to generate an alternating current when the motor generator is driven by an internal combustion engine, and operates as a motor when an alternating current is supplied thereto; a switching circuit for converting an alternating current generated by the motor generator into a direct current; a first accumulator for accumulating therein the direct current converted by the switching circuit; a second accumulator for accumulating therein the direct current converted by the switching circuit and having an accumulation voltage smaller than that of the first accumulator; a first opening/closing unit interposed between the first accumulator and switching circuit; a second opening/closing unit interposed between the second accumulator and switching circuit; and, a control unit for controlling the opening and closing of the first and second opening/closing units.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6002603 (1999-12-01), Carver
patent: 6333620 (2001-12-01), Schmitz et al.
patent: 6426608 (2002-07-01), Amano et al.
patent: 6573675 (2003-06-01), Schmitz et al.
Aoki Shigeru
Hosoda Masaharu
Kaizuka Masaaki
Takahashi Kazunari
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Tibbits Pia
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