JP2009194958A - Charging controller and charging system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charging controller, which enhances the convenience in charging an electric vehicle, and to provide a charging system. <P>SOLUTION: The charging system is equipped with the charging controller 20 which is built in a connector 1 for charging. The charging controller 20 is equipped with a switch 25 which opens and closes an electric path leading to the charging line of the electric vehicle 3, a mode selecting switch 123 which receives the selecting operation of two or more charging modes, and a switching control unit 23 which controls the switch 25 according to the charging mode received by the mode selecting switch 123. The selectable charging mode includes the first charging mode in which the switch 25 is closed immediately after the selecting operation and starts charging operation, and the second charging mode in which the switch 25 is closed and charging operation is started when a predetermined time is reached after the selecting operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a charging control device and a charging system applied to an electric vehicle such as an electric vehicle and a rechargeable hybrid vehicle.

  Conventionally, electric vehicles using lead acid batteries and nickel metal hydride batteries have been put into practical use and have been used in some public institutions and companies. However, since the battery performance is low and the traveling distance is short, it has not been widely spread. In recent years, high-energy density storage batteries (secondary batteries) such as lithium-ion batteries have been developed and are now widely used in small electronic devices, etc., but they have been increased in capacity to electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Installation is under consideration. Electric vehicles equipped with high-energy-density storage batteries can secure the same mileage as gasoline-powered vehicles with a single charge. Has been. In this case, a power cable with a charging connector (see, for example, Patent Document 1) is connected to an outlet provided in the house, that is, an electric vehicle or the like is charged using a household power source. .

On the other hand, in households, the electrification of kitchens and hot water supply facilities has progressed, and the number of houses with all-electricity specifications has increased. Most all-electric homes have a rate menu such as a time-based electric light rate system where nighttime electricity rates are cheaper.
Japanese Patent No. 2924553

  In a conventional electric vehicle, charging of a storage battery mounted on the electric vehicle is started at the same time that the charging connector is inserted into the vehicle-side connector. When charging at an ordinary household, it is more economical to use cheaper nighttime electricity for ordinary households that use a fee menu such as hourly lighting fee system, such as the all-electric house listed above. is there. However, in the charging operation according to the conventional method, the user must perform an operation of inserting the charging connector in the nighttime power period (23:00 to 7 o'clock), paying attention to the time, or performing the operation in the dark nighttime. There is a need, and inconvenience cannot be denied.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a charging control device and a charging system that can improve the convenience of charging work for an electric vehicle.

  A charging control device according to an aspect of the present invention includes an opening / closing means for opening and closing an electrical path between a predetermined charging device and a charging system of an electric vehicle charged by the charging device, and a plurality of charging modes. A selection unit that receives a selection operation; and a control unit that controls the opening / closing unit in accordance with a charging mode received by the selection unit. The charging mode is closed immediately after the selection operation as the charging mode. A first charging mode for starting the charging operation and a second charging mode for starting the charging operation by closing the opening / closing means when a predetermined time comes after the selection operation ( Claim 1).

  According to this configuration, it is possible to immediately start the charging operation by selecting the first charging mode, while it is possible to start a predetermined time desired by the user by selecting the second charging mode. Sometimes it is possible to start the charging operation. For example, it is possible to make a setting for a charging operation in the daytime and to actually start the charging operation when the night power time period arrives.

  In the above configuration, it is preferable that the charging mode further includes a third charging mode in which the opening / closing means is closed and the charging operation is started at a timing at which the charging operation can be completed at a predetermined time after the selection operation. (Claim 2).

  According to this configuration, it is possible to complete the charging operation at a predetermined time by selecting the third charging mode. Therefore, when the use start time of the electric vehicle is fixed and it is necessary to complete the charging operation by then, the user can achieve the purpose by selecting the third charging mode. Can do.

  In the above-described configuration, it is desirable that the predetermined time in the second charging mode is a start time of a nighttime power period (Claim 3). According to this configuration, an economical charging operation can be performed using cheap nighttime electric power.

  A charging system according to another aspect of the present invention is a charging connector that is connected to a power source, the power source and a power supply cable, and is electrically connected to a charging system of the electric vehicle when charging the electric vehicle. And a charging control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which controls the charging operation in a state where the charging connector is connected to a charging system of the electric vehicle. Item 4).

  According to this configuration, the user selects the charging mode and then connects the charging connector to the charging system of the electric vehicle so that the charging operation is started immediately or the charging operation is started when a desired time arrives. It is possible to make it.

  In this case, it is desirable that the selection means is provided in the charging connector. According to this configuration, the charging mode can be easily selected at the time of connecting the charging connector to the charging system of the electric vehicle, so that the convenience for the user can be further improved.

  In the above configuration, it is desirable that the power source is an outlet to which power is supplied from a commercial power system. According to this configuration, it is possible to easily construct the charging system by using an outlet provided in a general home.

  According to the present invention, when the user wants to charge quickly, the user selects the first charging mode and immediately starts the charging operation, and when priority is given to economy, the user selects the second charging mode and selects the night power time. Operation such as starting the charging operation when the band arrives can be achieved. Therefore, the convenience of the charging operation for the electric vehicle can be improved.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a usage mode of a charging system according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this charging system, a storage battery (not shown) provided in the electric vehicle 3 is provided by connecting the charging connector 1 to a vehicle-side connector 30 provided in the electric vehicle 3 such as an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. Is for charging. The vehicle-side connector 30 is a terminal of a charging system provided in the electric vehicle 3, and the power supply system and the charging system are electrically connected when the charging connector 1 is connected.

  FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the charging connector 1 shown in FIG. The charging connector 1 includes a connector body 10, a power cable 13 having one end attached to the connector body 10, and a charging control device 20 and a switch 25 (see FIG. 4) housed in the connector body 10. Configured. As shown in FIG. 1, a plug 14 is attached to the other end of the power cable 13. When the charging connector 1 is used, the plug 14 is inserted into an outlet 15 (one form of “power supply”). The outlet 15 is an outlet to which power is supplied from a commercial power system. For example, the outlet 15 exists in a general household where a charge menu such as a time-based electric light charge system in which nighttime electricity charges are discounted is adopted. It is.

  The connector body 10 includes a connector housing part 11 and a grip housing part 12. The connector housing portion 11 is a portion that is fitted to a connector housing portion 31 (FIG. 1) provided in the vehicle-side connector 30 of the electric vehicle 3, and includes a terminal for supplying a power supply voltage therein. It has been.

  The grip housing portion 12 is a portion that holds the charging control device 20 and is gripped when the user handles the charging connector 1. In order to facilitate this gripping, a grip hole 121 is provided in the center of the grip housing portion 12. The connector housing part 11 is provided so as to protrude from such a grip housing part 12. In addition, a start switch 122, a mode selection switch 123 (selection means), a time setting switch 124, and a clock display unit 125 are provided on the peripheral wall of the grip housing portion 12.

  The start switch 122 is a push button switch, and is a switch for giving a trigger signal for actually starting the charge control operation to the opening / closing control unit 23 (FIG. 4) described later. When the start switch 122 is pressed while the mode selection switch 123 is executing the charging mode selection, the charging control according to the selected charging mode is started. For example, after the user selects the charging mode using the mode selection switch 123, the user inserts the connector housing portion 11 into the connector housing portion 31 on the vehicle side, and then presses the start switch 122, thereby starting charging or charging standby. State.

  The mode selection switch 123 includes a slide switch and is a switch for accepting selection of a charging mode desired by the user. FIG. 3 shows an enlarged installation portion of the mode selection switch 123 in the grip housing portion 12. In the present embodiment, the following three charging modes (a) to (c) can be selected.

(A) Mode 1; normal charging Immediately after the start switch 122 is pressed, the switch 25 (FIG. 4) is immediately closed to start the charging operation for the storage battery of the electric vehicle 3 (first charging mode). This mode is a mode that is selected when the economic efficiency is neglected and priority is given to charging quickly anyway.

(B) Mode 2; Charging with designated charging start time After the start switch 122 is pressed, the switch 25 is closed when a predetermined time arrives to start the charging operation (second charging mode). In this mode, the charging operation can be started when a predetermined time desired by the user arrives. For example, when the charging connector 1 is connected to the electric vehicle 3 in the daytime and the nighttime power time zone comes. Actually, the charging operation can be started. In other words, this mode is selected when economics are given priority.

(C) Mode 3; Charging with designated charging end time After the start switch 122 is pressed, the switch 25 is closed and the charging operation is started at a timing at which the charging operation can be completed at a predetermined time (third charging) mode). This mode is a mode that is selected when the use start time of the electric vehicle 3 is determined and the charging operation needs to be surely completed by then. When the electric vehicle 3 is charged immediately in the mode 1 regardless of a considerable period until the date and time when the electric vehicle 3 is actually used, useless natural discharge may be performed before use. In addition, if charging is performed after waiting for the arrival of the night electric power time zone in mode 2, there is a possibility that the use of the electric vehicle 3 is not in time. This mode 3 is for compensating for such a problem.

  The time setting switch 124 is a push button switch, and is a button for setting time information when the above-described mode 2 and mode 3 are selected. When the mode 2 is selected, the user sets the charging start time with the time setting switch 124, and when mode 3 is selected, the user sets the charging end time with the time setting switch 124.

  The clock display unit 125 includes a liquid crystal display panel or the like, and displays clock information timed by the clock unit 22 (FIG. 4). The time information set by the time setting switch 124 is displayed on the clock display unit 125 during the setting operation.

  FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the charging control device 20 built in the grip housing portion 12 of the charging connector 1. In addition to the above-described start switch 122, mode selection switch 123, time setting switch 124, and clock display unit 125, the charging control device 20 includes a mode setting unit 21, a time measuring unit 22, an opening / closing control unit 23, a storage unit (RAM) 24, and A switch 25 is provided. An AC / DC converter 26 is provided in the grip housing part 12.

  The mode setting unit 21 generates a setting signal corresponding to the charging mode selected by the mode selection switch 123 and supplies the setting signal to the open / close control unit 23. When mode 1 is selected, the mode setting unit 21 outputs a setting signal indicating that the switch 25 is to be closed immediately after the start switch 122 is pressed to the switching control unit 23. When mode 2 is selected, the mode setting unit 21 receives input of charging start time information from the time setting switch 124, and outputs a setting signal indicating that the switch 25 is closed when the time arrives. Output to the open / close control unit 23. When mode 3 is selected, mode setting unit 21 receives an input of charging end time information from time setting switch 124, and performs an operation execution instruction signal for determining a charging start time at which the charging operation can be completed at that time. And a setting signal indicating that the switch 25 is closed and the charging operation is started when the charging start time arrives, is output to the switching control unit 23.

  The timer unit 22 is composed of an electronic circuit having a clock function and generates time information. This time information is displayed on the clock display unit 125. The time information is given to the open / close control unit 23 and is used in the control of the mode 2 and the mode 3.

  The opening / closing control unit 23 performs opening / closing control of the switch 25 according to the mode setting signal given from the mode setting unit 21. In mode 1, the opening / closing control unit 23 closes the switch 25 immediately after the start switch 122 is pressed (ON). In the case of mode 2, the switching control unit 23 refers to the time information of the time measuring unit 22 and closes the switch 25 when the charging start time comes. In the case of mode 3, the opening / closing control unit 23 first performs a calculation for obtaining a charging start time at which the charging operation can be completed at the charging end time. At this time, the information on the charging capacity and the past charging performance information stored in the storage unit 24 are referred to, and the charging start time is calculated backward from the set charging end time. Then, referring to the time information of the time measuring unit 22, the switch 25 is closed when the charging start time arrives.

  The charging connector 1 is provided with a battery capacity sensor (not shown). The opening / closing control unit 23 monitors the charging status based on the information given from the battery capacity sensor, and performs control to open the switch 25 (OFF) when the storage battery of the electric vehicle 3 is in a predetermined charging state. .

  The storage unit 24 includes a RAM (Random Access Memory) and the like, and stores various control information, information on the charging capacity used when the mode 3 is selected, and past charging record information. In addition, charging performance information etc. are updated sequentially.

  The switch 25 is composed of a semiconductor switching element, an electromagnetic contact element or the like, and is interposed in a power supply line from the power cable 13 to the connector housing part 11, and opens / closes (ON) the power supply line based on a control signal given from the open / close control part 23. / OFF) operation.

  The AC / DC conversion unit 26 includes a converter circuit and the like, and is interposed in a power supply line from the power cable 13 to the connector housing unit 11. The AC / DC converter 26 converts the AC voltage supplied from the commercial power system to the outlet 15 into a DC voltage having a predetermined voltage level.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the charging control device 20. When the mode selection switch 123 is operated to start the process, the mode setting unit 21 determines the set charging mode (step S1). When the mode is 1, the mode setting unit 21 outputs a setting signal corresponding to the mode 1 to the open / close control unit 23. The opening / closing control unit 23 waits until the start switch 122 is pressed (step S21). When the start switch 122 is pressed (YES in step S21), the switch 25 is immediately closed (ON) (step). S3).

  In the case of mode 2, the mode setting unit 21 acquires charging start time information from the time setting switch 124 (step S22), and outputs a setting signal according to mode 2 to the opening / closing control unit 23 together with the time information. The open / close control unit 23 waits until the start switch 122 is pressed (step S23), and after the start switch 122 is pressed (YES in step S23), whether or not the set charge start time has arrived. A loop to be checked is executed (step S24). When the charging start time arrives (YES in step S24), the opening / closing control unit 23 executes control to close the switch 25 (step S3).

  In the case of mode 3, the mode setting unit 21 acquires charging end time information from the time setting switch 124 (step S25), and outputs a setting signal corresponding to the mode 3 to the opening / closing control unit 23 together with the time information. The opening / closing control unit 23 waits until the start switch 122 is pressed (step S23), and after the start switch 122 is pressed (YES in step S23), the charging operation can be finished at the charging end time. Calculation for obtaining the charging start time is performed (step S27). Thereafter, the open / close control unit 23 executes a loop for confirming whether or not the obtained charging start time has arrived (step S28). When the charging start time has arrived (YES in step S28), the switching control unit 23 executes control to close the switch 25 (step S3).

  Subsequently, the open / close control unit 23 monitors the charging state based on information given from a battery capacity sensor (not shown) (step S4), and when the storage battery of the electric vehicle 3 is in a predetermined charging state (in step S4). YES), the switch 25 is opened (OFF) (step S5).

  According to the charging system according to the present embodiment described above, when the user wants to charge the electric vehicle 3 in a hurry, the user selects the mode 1 and immediately starts the charging operation. If 2 is selected to start the charging operation when the night power hours come, and the charging operation is surely completed before the use start time of the electric vehicle 3, the operation of selecting the mode 3 may be attempted. it can. Therefore, the convenience of charging work to the electric vehicle 3 can be improved.

  Further, since the start switch 122, the mode selection switch 123, and the time setting switch 124 are provided in the charging connector 1, when the charging connector 1 is connected to the vehicle-side connector 30 of the electric vehicle 3 in the charging operation, the mode is set. Selection and time setting can be performed easily.

  As mentioned above, although it demonstrated per embodiment of this invention, this invention is not limited to this, For example, the following deformation | transformation embodiment can be taken.

(1) In the above embodiment, an example in which the start switch 122 that provides a trigger signal for actually starting the charge control operation by the opening / closing control unit 23 is provided. Instead of this, the start switch 122 is omitted, and the charging control operation in the above modes 1 to 3 is started when the connector housing portion 11 is connected to the connector housing portion 31 on the vehicle side. good.

(2) In the above embodiment, closing the switch 25 and starting the charging operation at the timing when the charging operation can be completed at a predetermined time (third charging mode) is added as an option. The third charging mode may be omitted, and either normal charging (first charging mode) or charging with a designated charging start time (second charging mode) may be selected.

(3) The charging control device 20 may be disposed in a housing separate from the charging connector 1 without being built in the charging connector 1.

(4) In the said embodiment, the switch 25 showed the example installed in the circuit after carrying out direct current | flow conversion in the AC / DC conversion part 26. FIG. Instead of this, the switch 25 may be arranged in the AC circuit before DC conversion.

(5) In the said embodiment, the example which incorporates the AC / DC conversion part 26 in the connector 1 for charging was shown. The AC / DC conversion unit 26 is provided on the electric vehicle 3 side, for example, and the AC connector is supplied to the electric vehicle 3 from the charging connector 1 so that the charging connector 1 is reduced in size. Also good.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the usage condition of the charging system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which expands and shows the connector 1 for charging shown in FIG. It is an enlarged view of the installation part of the mode selection switch 123. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a charging control device 20. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the charging control device 20;

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Charging connector 11 Connector housing part 12 Grip housing part 122 Start switch 123 Mode selection switch (selection means)
124 Time setting switch 125 Clock display 13 Power cable (power supply cable)
20 Charge Control Device 21 Mode Setting Unit 22 Timekeeping Unit 23 Open / Close Control Unit (Control Unit)
24 storage unit 25 switch (switching means)
26 AC / DC conversion part 3 Electric vehicle 30 Vehicle side connector 31 Connector housing part

Claims (6)

Opening and closing means for opening and closing an electrical path between a predetermined charging device and a charging system of an electric vehicle charged by the charging device;
A selection means for accepting a selection operation of a plurality of charging modes;
A controller that controls the opening and closing means according to the charging mode received by the selection means, and as the charging mode,
A first charging mode for immediately closing the opening / closing means and starting a charging operation after the selection operation;
A second charging mode for closing the opening / closing means and starting a charging operation when a predetermined time comes after the selection operation;
A charge control device comprising: As the charging mode,
2. The charging according to claim 1, further comprising a third charging mode in which the charging unit is closed and the charging operation is started at a timing at which a charging operation can be completed at a predetermined time after the selection operation. Control device.   The charging control device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time in the second charging mode is a start time of a night power time period. Power supply,
A charging connector connected via the power supply cable with the power source and electrically connected to a charging system of the electric vehicle when charging the electric vehicle;
The charging control apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the charging operation is controlled in a state where the charging connector is connected to a charging system of the electric vehicle.
A charging system comprising:   The charging system according to claim 4, wherein the selection unit is provided in the charging connector. The charging system according to claim 4, wherein the power source is an outlet to which power is supplied from a commercial power system.

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