Extended-range dual-motor controller, extended-range hybrid powertrain, and electric vehicle

Abstract

The present application provides an extended-range dual-motor controller, an extended-range hybrid powertrain, and an electric vehicle. The extended-range dual-motor controller includes a housing for accommodating a power circuit and a DC protection switch, and the housing includes a high-voltage DC port. The drive motor power circuit is used to receive DC power from a high-voltage DC port through a DC protection switch. The generator power circuit is used to receive AC power generated by the generator and output DC power to a high-voltage DC port through a DC protection switch. The DC protection switch is used to connect or disconnect the drive motor power circuit and the generator power circuit from a high-voltage DC port. Disconnecting the DC protection switch can prevent faults in other loads connected to the DC bus from spreading to the interior of the extended-range dual-motor controller, thereby protecting the power devices in the extended-range dual-motor controller.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of vehicles, and in particular to an extended-range dual-motor controller, an extended-range hybrid powertrain, and an electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] With increasing environmental awareness and the continuous development of electric vehicle technology, the market demand for hybrid and multi-drive electric vehicles is growing. However, in the event of a high-voltage circuit short circuit in an electric vehicle, it is necessary to be able to disconnect the power battery to ensure the safety of both passengers and the electric vehicle. Otherwise, the drive motor may burn out or even cause the vehicle to spontaneously combust.

[0003] The current common solution is to install a master protection device at the output of the vehicle's DC bus power distribution architecture from the power battery pack, and then power the various loads mounted on the DC bus. At this time, if a load mounted on the high-voltage bus short-circuits, the master protection device will cause it to trip, and the entire vehicle's high-voltage bus will lose power, thus ensuring the safety of the vehicle and passengers. However, if the master protection device trips, the short circuit of a load will cause all loads mounted on the high-voltage bus to lose power. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present application provides an extended-range dual-motor controller, an extended-range hybrid powertrain, and an electric vehicle. By adding a DC protection switch to the front end of the dual-motor controller connected to the DC bus, faults occurring in other loads connected to the DC bus can be prevented from spreading to the interior of the extended-range dual-motor controller, thereby protecting the power devices in the extended-range dual-motor controller.

[0005] In a first aspect, a range-extended dual-motor controller is provided. The range-extended dual-motor controller is configured to receive power from a power battery to drive the drive motor of an electric vehicle or to transfer power generated by a generator to the power battery for charging. The range-extended dual-motor controller includes a housing, a DC protection switch, a drive motor power circuit, and a generator power circuit. The housing is configured to accommodate the generator power circuit, the drive motor power circuit, and the DC protection switch. The housing includes a high-voltage DC port. The range-extended dual-motor controller is configured to receive power from the power battery or charge the power battery through the high-voltage DC port. The drive motor power circuit is configured to receive direct current (DC) from the high-voltage DC port via the DC protection switch. The generator power circuit is configured to receive alternating current (AC) generated by the generator and output DC power to the high-voltage DC port via the DC protection switch. The DC protection switch is configured to connect or disconnect the drive motor power circuit and the generator power circuit from the high-voltage DC port.

[0006] It can be understood that in the extended-range dual-motor controller, after the DC side of the generator power circuit and the DC side of the drive motor power circuit are combined, they can be connected to the DC bus in turn through the DC protection switch and the high-voltage DC port, thereby connecting to the power battery.

[0007] The DC protection switch can be installed as an independent device inside the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 .

[0008] It is understood that the DC protection switch can be a controlled switching device such as a switching tube, a relay, etc., or a device that automatically detects overcurrent and blows, such as a fuse, etc., and this application does not limit this. If the DC protection switch is a controlled switching device, it can be connected to the control circuit in the motor controller and controlled by the control circuit.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present application, a DC protection switch is added to the front end of the extended-range dual-motor controller connected to the DC bus. This DC protection switch can prevent faults in other loads connected to the DC bus from spreading to the extended-range dual-motor controller, thereby protecting the power devices within the extended-range dual-motor controller. Furthermore, the DC protection switch can be assembled within the extended-range dual-motor controller housing, resulting in a high level of integration and easy installation and use.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the high-voltage DC port includes a positive DC terminal and a negative DC terminal, the positive DC terminal being used to connect to the positive electrode of the power battery, and the negative DC terminal being used to connect to the negative electrode of the power battery. One of the positive DC terminal and the negative DC terminal is used to connect to one end of a three-phase bridge arm of the generator power circuit and one end of a three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit via a DC protection switch, and the other of the positive DC terminal and the negative DC terminal is used to connect to the other end of the three-phase bridge arm of the generator power circuit and the other end of the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit.

[0011] It can be understood that the DC protection switch can be connected in series between the positive DC terminal of the high-voltage DC port and the power circuit, or the DC protection switch can be connected in series between the negative DC terminal of the high-voltage DC port and the power circuit, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0012] Optionally, the DC protection switch may also be a switch group consisting of multiple switches. Exemplarily, the DC protection switch includes two switches, one switch connected in series between the positive DC terminal of the high-voltage DC port and the power circuit, and the other switch connected in series between the negative DC terminal of the high-voltage DC port and the power circuit.

[0013] According to the embodiment of the present application, the DC protection switch in the extended-range dual-motor controller can be connected between the positive DC terminal or the negative DC terminal and the power circuit, with flexible connection method and high control reliability.

[0014] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, during the driving process of the electric vehicle, after the DC protection switch disconnects the connection between the drive motor power circuit and the generator power circuit and the one high-voltage DC port, the generator power circuit is also used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator and supply power to the drive motor power circuit so that the drive motor power circuit is used to drive the drive motor.

[0015] It is understood that after the DC protection switch is disconnected, the drive motor power circuit cannot receive power from the power battery through the high-voltage DC port. At the same time, the generator power circuit can receive power from the generator and supply power to the drive motor power circuit, so that the power of the drive motor is not interrupted.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the present application, after the DC protection switch in the extended-range dual-motor controller disconnects the power circuit in the extended-range dual-motor controller from the DC bus, the generator power circuit can be controlled to supply power to the drive motor power circuit to avoid the drive motor losing power supply, thereby ensuring that the power of the entire vehicle is not interrupted.

[0017] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, in response to the power battery stopping supplying power to the extended-range dual-motor controller during the driving of the electric vehicle, the generator power circuit is also used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator and supply power to the drive motor power circuit so that the drive motor power circuit is used to drive the drive motor.

[0018] Among them, the power battery stops supplying power to the extended-range dual-motor controller, which can be understood as insufficient power of the power battery, or a failure of the battery pack in the power battery, or a break or short circuit failure of the wiring harness between the power battery and the extended-range dual-motor controller. This application does not limit this.

[0019] Optionally, after the extended-range dual-motor controller loses power supply from the power battery, the DC protection switch is disconnected.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present application, the extended-range dual-motor controller can receive power from the generator and supply power to the drive motor after losing power from the power battery, thereby ensuring uninterrupted power for the entire vehicle and further improving the safety of the electric vehicle.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the range-extended dual-motor controller further includes a DC conversion circuit housed in the housing, and the housing further includes a low-voltage DC port. The DC conversion circuit is configured to receive DC power from the high-voltage DC port via the DC protection switch, perform voltage reduction conversion on the DC power from the high-voltage DC port, and output the DC power through the low-voltage DC port.

[0022] It is understood that one end of the DC conversion circuit is connected to the DC protection switch, and the other end of the DC conversion circuit is connected to the low-voltage DC port. The DC conversion circuit can receive a first DC power provided by the power battery through the DC protection switch and the high-voltage DC port, and output a second DC power to the low-voltage DC port. The voltage of the first DC power is higher than the voltage of the second DC power. In other words, the DC conversion circuit 114 is used to reduce the voltage of the first DC power to generate and output the second DC power.

[0023] It can be understood that the DC conversion circuit can be connected to the low-voltage electrical equipment of the electric vehicle, or connected to the low-voltage battery of the electric vehicle through the low-voltage DC port, and the embodiments of the present application are not limited to this.

[0024] According to an embodiment of the present application, the DC conversion circuit can be integrated into the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller, and the dual-motor controller has a high degree of integration and a wider range of applications.

[0025] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, after the DC protection switch is disconnected, the DC conversion circuit is further used to receive power from the generator power circuit and perform a step-down conversion on the DC power output by the generator power circuit and output it through the low-voltage DC port.

[0026] It is understood that when the DC protection switch is in the on state, the DC conversion circuit can receive the DC power provided by the power battery, perform step-down conversion, and output it through the low-voltage DC port. When the DC protection switch is in the off state, the DC conversion circuit can receive the DC power provided by the generator power circuit, perform step-down conversion, and output it through the low-voltage DC port. In other words, the low-voltage DC port can reuse the DC conversion circuit to receive power from the DC bus or the generator power circuit.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present application, after the DC protection switch is disconnected, the extended-range hybrid powertrain can generate electricity from the generator and output low-voltage DC power through the DC conversion circuit and the low-voltage DC port, thereby ensuring uninterrupted vehicle power while further improving the user's driving experience and driving safety.

[0028] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the extended-range dual-motor controller also includes a control circuit. In the process in which the generator power circuit is used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator and supply power to the drive motor power circuit, the control circuit is used to control the output power of the generator power circuit to be greater than the output power of the drive motor power circuit and to control the difference between the output power of the generator power circuit and the output power of the drive motor power circuit to be less than a preset threshold.

[0029] It is understood that the present embodiment does not limit the specific value of the preset threshold. For example, the preset threshold may be 10%.

[0030] According to the solution of this application, after the DC protection switch is disconnected, by controlling the output power of the generator power circuit to be slightly larger than the output power of the drive motor power circuit, the energy utilization rate can be effectively improved and overvoltage faults can be prevented, thereby improving the safety and cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0031] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, in the process of the generator power circuit being used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator and supplying power to the drive motor power circuit, the control circuit is also used to control the output power of the generator power circuit to increase with the increase of the accelerator pedal opening and to decrease with the decrease of the accelerator pedal opening.

[0032] Specifically, in the process of controlling the generator power circuit to receive the AC power generated by the generator and supply power to the drive motor power circuit, in response to an increase in the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle, the control circuit is configured to control the generator power circuit and the drive motor power circuit to increase output power. In response to a decrease in the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle, or in response to an increase in the brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle, the control circuit is configured to control the generator power circuit and the drive motor power circuit to decrease output power.

[0033] It will be understood that the present application does not limit the specific manner in which the control circuit adjusts the generator power circuit and the drive motor power circuit.

[0034] As an example and not limitation, in response to changes in the accelerator pedal opening or brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle, the control circuit is used to first adjust the generator power circuit and the output power of the generator, and then adjust the drive motor power circuit and the output power of the drive motor.

[0035] As an example and not a limitation, in response to changes in the accelerator pedal opening or brake pedal opening of an electric vehicle, the control circuit is used to simultaneously adjust the output power of the generator power circuit, the generator, the drive motor power circuit and the drive motor, and controls the rate of change of the output power of the generator power circuit and the generator to be greater than the rate of change of the output power of the drive motor power circuit and the drive motor.

[0036] According to the application scheme, the control circuit in the extended-range dual-motor controller can adjust the power of the power circuit, generator and drive motor in response to the opening of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal, ensuring that the power output can be adjusted according to user needs, which is more practical.

[0037] In conjunction with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, during driving of the electric vehicle, in response to the DC protection switch being in an on state and the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle decreasing or the brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle increasing, the drive motor power circuit is configured to output DC power through the high-voltage DC port. In response to the DC protection switch being in an off state and the accelerator pedal opening decreasing or the brake pedal opening increasing, the drive motor power circuit ceases to output the DC power through the high-voltage DC input terminal.

[0038] It is understood that when the electric vehicle operates in single-pedal mode and the accelerator pedal is opened less, or the brake pedal is opened more, the electric vehicle is in a braking state. Furthermore, when the electric vehicle is in the braking state, the vehicle controller of the electric vehicle receives a braking signal and sends an energy recovery signal to the dual-motor controller. In response to the energy recovery signal, the dual-motor controller controls the drive motor to operate in a power generation state. At this time, the drive motor converts the kinetic energy of the electric vehicle's wheels into electrical energy and outputs a counter-torque to the electric vehicle's wheels to provide braking force to the electric vehicle.

[0039] According to the solution of the present application, after the DC protection switch is disconnected, the extended-range dual-motor controller stops energy recovery, avoiding overvoltage failure of the wiring harness between the internal power circuits, and further improving the safety and reliability of the extended-range dual-motor controller.

[0040] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the DC protection switch is disconnected when the current passing through the DC protection switch is greater than a first current threshold or when the rate of change of the current passing through the DC protection switch is greater than a preset rate of change.

[0041] The first current threshold can be understood as a relatively large current value. A fault in another load connected to the DC bus could cause a short circuit between the positive and negative DC buses, significantly increasing the circuit length through the DC protection switch. In this case, the DC protection switch will open, preventing the fault on the DC bus from spreading to the extended-range dual-motor controller.

[0042] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the positive DC terminal is used to connect to the positive electrode of the power battery through a positive DC bus, the negative DC terminal is used to connect to the negative electrode of the power battery through a negative DC bus, and the DC protection switch is disconnected after the voltage between the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus decreases to a first voltage threshold.

[0043] The first voltage threshold can be understood as a relatively low voltage value. A fault in another load connected to the DC bus could cause a short circuit between the positive and negative DC buses, causing the voltage between the positive and negative DC buses to drop rapidly. At this point, the DC protection switch will trip, preventing the fault on the DC bus from spreading to the extended-range dual-motor controller.

[0044] It is understood that the embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific values ​​of the first current threshold and the first voltage threshold, and their specific values ​​can be selected according to actual implementation, which is highly flexible.

[0045] According to the solution of the present application, the disconnection conditions of the DC protection switch in the extended-range dual-motor controller are flexible and highly practical.

[0046] In combination with the first aspect, in certain implementations of the first aspect, the extended-range dual-motor controller also includes an AC protection switch, which is used to turn on or off the connection between the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit and the three-phase winding of the drive motor.

[0047] It is understood that when the drive motor is a synchronous motor, if a single switch tube module in any of the three-phase bridge arms of the drive motor power circuit shorts, the current in that phase bridge arm will significantly increase when the switch tube module is closed. If the fault in the switch module is not isolated at this time, the resulting short-circuit current will cause the synchronous motor to generate a large braking torque, thereby affecting driving safety. Therefore, the AC protection switch provided in the embodiment of the present application can disconnect the midpoint of the three-phase bridge arm from the three-phase winding of the synchronous drive motor when the current passing through any of the three-phase bridge arms exceeds a third current threshold, thereby preventing the generation of braking torque.

[0048] It can be understood that the AC protection switch can be a device that automatically detects overcurrent and blows, such as a fuse, or a controlled switching device, such as a switch tube, a relay, etc. This application does not limit this.

[0049] It is understandable that the present application does not limit the installation position of the AC protection switch. For example, the AC protection switch may be inside the housing of the other motor controller, or may be a separately added device.

[0050] It can be understood that when the drive motor is an asynchronous motor or an excitation motor, the above-mentioned AC protection switch is an optional option.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present application, by adding an AC protection switch on the power line between the drive motor power circuit and the drive motor, it is possible to avoid module failure in the drive motor power circuit that causes the drive motor to generate braking torque, so that the vehicle will not suddenly decelerate even when power is lost, effectively improving driving safety.

[0052] In a second aspect, a range-extended dual-motor controller is proposed. The range-extended dual-motor controller is configured to receive power from a power battery to drive the drive motor of an electric vehicle or to transfer power generated by a generator to the power battery for charging. The range-extended dual-motor controller includes a generator power circuit and a drive motor power circuit. The drive motor power circuit is configured to receive power from the power battery via a first DC protection switch and output alternating current (AC) to the drive motor. The generator power circuit is configured to receive AC power generated by the generator and supply power to the power battery via a second DC protection switch. During travel of the electric vehicle, after the first DC protection switch disconnects the drive motor power circuit from the power battery, the generator power circuit is further configured to receive AC power generated by the generator and supply power to the drive motor power circuit, thereby enabling the drive motor power circuit to drive the drive motor.

[0053] It can be understood that the generator power circuit can be connected to the positive DC bus and / or the negative DC bus through the second DC protection switch, and the drive motor power circuit can be connected to the positive DC bus and / or the negative DC bus through the first DC protection switch. This embodiment of the present application is not limited to this.

[0054] It is understood that the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller can be formed with two accommodating chambers. One accommodating chamber is used to accommodate the generator power circuit and the second DC protection switch, and the other accommodating chamber is used to accommodate the drive motor power circuit and the first DC protection switch. Alternatively, one accommodating chamber is used to accommodate the generator power circuit and the second DC protection switch is mounted outside the first accommodating chamber, while the other accommodating chamber is used to accommodate the drive motor power circuit and the first DC protection switch is mounted outside the other accommodating chamber.

[0055] According to an embodiment of the present application, a range-extended dual-motor controller can include separate DC protection switches for the generator power circuit and the drive motor power circuit. These DC protection switches prevent faults in other loads connected to the DC bus from propagating to the controller, protecting the power components within the controller. Furthermore, after the first DC protection switch is disconnected, the generator power circuit can supply power to the drive motor power circuit, ensuring uninterrupted vehicle power.

[0056] In conjunction with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the range-extended dual-motor controller further includes a connection switch configured to connect or disconnect the three-phase bridge arm of the generator power circuit and the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit. During travel of the electric vehicle, the connection switch is configured to connect after the first DC protection switch is disconnected, allowing the generator power circuit to receive the AC power generated by the generator and supply power to the drive motor power circuit, thereby driving the drive motor.

[0057] It is understood that when both the first DC protection switch and the second DC protection switch are in the on state, the connecting switch disconnects the generator power circuit from the drive motor power circuit. When the first DC protection switch is off, the connecting switch is turned on, allowing the drive motor power circuit to receive power from the generator power circuit through the connecting switch.

[0058] According to an embodiment of the present application, after the DC protection switch in the extended-range dual-motor controller is disconnected, the connection between the power circuits can be turned on through the internal connecting switch, so that the generator power circuit can supply power to the drive motor power circuit, ensuring uninterrupted power of the entire vehicle.

[0059] In conjunction with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the range-extended dual-motor controller includes a housing for accommodating the generator power circuit, the drive motor power circuit, the first DC protection switch, and the second DC protection switch, the housing including a first DC port and a second DC port. The drive motor power circuit is configured to connect to the first DC port via the first DC protection switch and receive power from the power battery via the first DC port. The generator power circuit is configured to connect to the second DC port via the second DC protection switch and supply power to the power battery via the second DC port.

[0060] According to an embodiment of the present application, the generator power circuit and the drive motor power circuit in the extended-range dual-motor controller can be connected to the power battery through different DC ports, and the connection method is flexible.

[0061] In conjunction with the second aspect, in certain implementations of the second aspect, the range-extended dual-motor controller further includes a control circuit configured to control the connection switch to open in response to the first DC protection switch and the second DC protection switch being closed. The control circuit is configured to control the connection switch to close in response to the first DC protection switch or the second DC protection switch being opened.

[0062] According to the embodiment of the present application, the extended-range dual-motor controller can control the closing and opening of the switch module with reference to the state of the DC protection switch, and the control method is simple and reliable.

[0063] In a third aspect, a range-extended hybrid powertrain is proposed, which includes a drive motor, a generator and a dual-motor controller according to any implementation of the first aspect or any implementation of the second aspect, wherein the range-extended dual-motor controller is used to receive power from a power battery to drive the drive motor or to receive electrical energy generated by the generator and charge the power battery.

[0064] According to the solution of the present application, a DC protection switch is added to the front end of the extended-range dual-motor controller in the extended-range hybrid powertrain connected to the DC bus. The DC protection switch can prevent faults occurring in other loads connected to the DC bus from spreading to the interior of the extended-range hybrid powertrain, thereby protecting the power devices in the extended-range hybrid powertrain.

[0065] In a fourth aspect, a range-extended electric vehicle is proposed, which includes a power battery and the range-extended hybrid powertrain in the second aspect, and the range-extended hybrid powertrain is used to receive power from the power battery to drive the wheels of the electric vehicle, or to output direct current to charge the power battery.

[0066] In conjunction with the fourth aspect, in certain implementations of the fourth aspect, the electric vehicle further includes another powertrain, the range-extended hybrid powertrain being used to drive the two front wheels or the two rear wheels of the electric vehicle, the other powertrain being used to drive the other two wheels of the electric vehicle, the other powertrain including a motor controller, another drive motor, and an AC protection switch, the other drive motor being a synchronous motor, the motor controller including a three-phase bridge arm, the bridge arm midpoint of the three-phase bridge arm being used to connect to the three-phase winding of the other drive motor. In response to a current passing through any of the three-phase bridge arms being greater than a third current threshold, the AC protection switch is used to disconnect the bridge arm midpoints of at least two of the three-phase bridge arms from the three-phase winding.

[0067] It can be understood that when a single switch tube module in a phase bridge arm is short-circuited, the current on the phase bridge arm will be greater than the third current threshold when the switch module is closed. At this time, if the fault of the switch module is not isolated, the short-circuit current will cause the synchronous motor to generate braking torque, affecting driving safety.

[0068] According to the application scheme of this application, for four-wheel drive vehicles, adding an AC protection switch on the power line between the motor controller in other powertrains and the drive motor can prevent the motor controller in other powertrains from short-circuiting and causing the drive motor to generate braking torque, thereby improving the safety of the vehicle.

[0069] For the supplementary and technical effects of the solutions provided in the second to fourth aspects above, please refer to the corresponding description of the first aspect and will not be repeated here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of a DC bus protection device;

[0071] Figure 2 is a structural diagram of an electric vehicle 10 proposed in an embodiment of the present application;

[0072] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of an electric vehicle 10 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0073] Figure 4 is another structural schematic diagram of the hybrid powertrain 110 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0074] Figure 5 is a circuit diagram of a hybrid powertrain 110 provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0075] Figure 6 is a control timing diagram of the control circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application;

[0076] Figure 7 1 is a circuit diagram of another hybrid powertrain 110 provided in an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] The technical solution in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0078] In the description of the embodiments of the present application, unless otherwise specified, “ / ” means or, for example, A / B can mean A or B; “and / or” in this article is merely a way to describe the association relationship of associated objects, indicating that three relationships can exist, for example, A and / or B can mean: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone.

[0079] In the embodiments of the present application, prefixes such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different description objects and have no limiting effect on the position, order, priority, quantity or content of the described objects. The use of prefixes such as ordinal numbers to distinguish description objects in the embodiments of the present application does not constitute a restriction on the described objects. For the statement of the described objects, please refer to the description in the context of the claims or embodiments, and the use of such prefixes should not constitute an unnecessary restriction. In addition, in the description of this embodiment, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "plurality" is two or more.

[0080] References to "some embodiments" and the like in this specification mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in one or more embodiments of the present application. Thus, phrases such as "in some embodiments" and the like that appear in different places in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "including," "comprising," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0081] With increasing environmental awareness and the continuous development of electric vehicle technology, the market demand for hybrid and multi-drive electric vehicles is growing. However, in the event of a high-voltage circuit short circuit in an electric vehicle, it is necessary to be able to disconnect the power battery to ensure the safety of both passengers and the electric vehicle. Otherwise, the drive motor may burn out or even cause the vehicle to spontaneously combust.

[0082] like Figure 1 As shown, a common solution currently involves installing a master protection device at the point where the vehicle's DC bus power distribution architecture outputs power from the power battery, using the DC bus to power various loads, such as the drive assembly. For example, in a hybrid electric vehicle, the generator controller and the drive motor controller share a DC bus connected to the power battery. A fault in any other load connected to the DC bus could cause the master protection device on the DC bus to fuse, de-energizing the entire vehicle's DC bus and thus ensuring the safety of the vehicle and its passengers. However, using this solution can cause undamaged electrical components, such as the power assembly, to cease functioning due to a loss of power.

[0083] In view of this, the embodiments of the present application propose an extended-range dual-motor controller, an extended-range hybrid powertrain and an electric vehicle. By adding a DC protection switch to the front end of the dual-motor controller connected to the DC bus, faults occurring in other loads connected to the DC bus can be prevented from spreading to the interior of the extended-range dual-motor controller, thereby protecting the power devices in the extended-range dual-motor controller.

[0084] Figure 2 It is a structural diagram of the electric vehicle 10 proposed in an embodiment of the present application.

[0085] like Figure 2As shown in (a) of FIG. 1 , the electric vehicle 10 may be a two-wheel drive vehicle. The electric vehicle 10 may include a power battery (not shown), an extended-range hybrid powertrain 110, and four wheels. The extended-range hybrid powertrain 110 is used to drive the two front wheels of the electric vehicle 10. The extended-range hybrid powertrain 110 includes an extended-range dual-motor controller 111, a generator 112, and a drive motor 113. The drive motor 113 is connected to the two front wheels of the electric vehicle 10 and drives the two front wheels to rotate by outputting torque. The generator 112 is driven by the internal combustion engine to output torque, and in the process of outputting torque, it converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, that is, the generator 112 generates electricity.

[0086] In the embodiment of the present application, the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 is used to receive power from the power battery to drive the drive motor 113 or to transmit the power generated by the generator 112 to the power battery to charge the power battery. Specifically, during the process of power generation by the generator 112, the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 can receive the power output by the generator 112 and supply power to the power battery to charge the power battery, or the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 can receive the power output by the generator 112 and supply power to the drive motor 113 to drive the drive motor 113, or the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 can receive the power output by the generator 112 and the power output by the power battery and supply power to the drive motor 113 to drive the drive motor 113.

[0087] It can be understood that the above-mentioned extended-range dual-motor controller 111 can also be split into a drive motor controller and a generator controller. The generator controller is used to implement the above-mentioned functions related to the generator power circuit 111a, and the drive motor controller is used to implement the above-mentioned functions related to the drive motor power circuit 111b.

[0088] like Figure 2 As shown in (b) of FIG. 1 , the electric vehicle 10 may be a four-wheel drive vehicle. The electric vehicle 10 may include a power battery (not shown), a range-extended hybrid powertrain 110, a second powertrain 120, and four wheels. The range-extended hybrid powertrain 110 is used to drive the two front wheels of the electric vehicle 10, and the second powertrain 120 is used to drive the two rear wheels of the electric vehicle 10. The second powertrain 120 includes a second motor controller 121 and a second drive motor 122. The second motor controller 121 is used to output AC power to the second drive motor 122 to drive the second drive motor 122.

[0089] It can be understood that the above-mentioned second powertrain 120 can also be a distributed powertrain. In this case, the second powertrain 120 can include two drive motors, and the two drive motors are used to drive the two rear wheels of the electric vehicle 10. The second motor controller 121 is used to output AC power to the two drive motors to drive the two drive motors.

[0090] It is understood that the powertrain in this application can be a centralized powertrain, a hub motor powertrain, or a wheel-side motor powertrain. A hub motor powertrain places the motor and reducer directly in the wheel hub, eliminating transmission components such as half-shafts, universal joints, differentials, and transmissions; a wheel-side motor powertrain places the motor on the subframe.

[0091] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of the electric vehicle 10 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0092] It is understood that the extended-range hybrid powertrain 110 can be used in vehicles with at least two electrical components mounted on a DC bus. For example, a two-wheel drive electric vehicle 10 can include the extended-range hybrid powertrain 110 and at least one load. Another example is an all-wheel drive electric vehicle 10 that can include the extended-range hybrid powertrain 110 and a second powertrain 120.

[0093] In some embodiments, as Figure 3 As shown, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 includes a generator power circuit 111a, a drive motor power circuit 111b, a DC protection switch 111c, and a housing 111d. The housing 111d is used to accommodate the generator power circuit 111a, the drive motor power circuit 111b, and the DC protection switch 111c. In other words, the DC protection switch 111c can be installed as an independent device inside the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111.

[0094] The housing 111d includes a high-voltage DC port, through which the range-extended dual-motor controller 111 is configured to receive power from or charge the power battery. Specifically, the generator power circuit 111a receives AC power generated by the generator 112 and outputs DC power to a high-voltage DC port via a DC protection switch 111c. The drive motor power circuit 111b receives DC power from a high-voltage DC port via a DC protection switch 111c. The DC protection switch 111c is configured to connect or disconnect the drive motor power circuit 111b and the generator power circuit 111a from a high-voltage DC port.

[0095] The housing 111d further includes two AC ports. The AC input end of the generator power circuit 111a is used to connect to the generator 112 through one AC port, and the AC output end of the drive motor power circuit 111b is used to connect to the drive motor 113 through the other AC port.

[0096] It is understandable. Since other electrical components are mounted on the DC bus, the current on the parallel branch is smaller than the current on the main circuit. Therefore, the current received by the DC bus from the power battery is larger than the current passing through the DC protection switch 111c. For example, Figure 3 As shown, the magnitude of the current received by the DC bus from the power battery is I1, and the magnitude of the current passing through the DC protection switch 111c is I2, where I1 is greater than I2.

[0097] According to an embodiment of the present application, by adding a DC protection switch to the front end of the dual-motor controller connected to the DC bus, faults in other loads connected to the DC bus can be prevented from spreading to the extended-range dual-motor controller, thereby protecting the power devices within the extended-range dual-motor controller. Furthermore, the DC protection switch can be installed within the extended-range dual-motor controller housing, resulting in a highly integrated, easy-to-install and user-friendly dual-motor controller.

[0098] In some embodiments, the DC protection switch 111c in the embodiments of the present application can be a controlled switching device such as a switching tube, a relay, etc., or a device that automatically detects overcurrent and blows, such as a fuse, etc., which is not limited in this application. If the DC protection switch 111c is a controlled switching device, it can be connected to the control circuit in the motor controller and controlled by the control circuit.

[0099] In some embodiments, the high-voltage DC port includes a positive DC terminal and a negative DC terminal, the positive DC terminal being used to connect to the positive electrode of the power battery, and the negative DC terminal being used to connect to the negative electrode of the power battery. Specifically, one of the positive DC terminal and the negative DC terminal is used to connect one end of the three-phase bridge arm of the generator power circuit 111a and one end of the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit 111b through the DC protection switch 111c, and the other of the positive DC terminal and the negative DC terminal is used to connect the other end of the three-phase bridge arm of the generator power circuit 111a and the other end of the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit 111b. In other words, the DC protection switch 111c can be connected in series between the positive DC terminal of the high-voltage DC port and the power circuit, or the DC protection switch 111c can be connected in series between the negative DC terminal of the high-voltage DC port and the power circuit, and this embodiment of the application is not limited to this.

[0100] In some embodiments, the DC protection switch 111c can also be understood as a switch group consisting of multiple switches. Exemplarily, the DC protection switch 111c includes two switches, one switch connected in series between the positive DC terminal of the high-voltage DC port and the power circuit, and the other switch connected in series between the negative DC terminal of the high-voltage DC port and the power circuit.

[0101] According to the embodiment of the present application, the DC protection switch in the extended-range dual-motor controller can be connected between the positive DC terminal or the negative DC terminal and the power circuit, with flexible connection method and high control reliability.

[0102] In some embodiments, the generator power circuit 111a is also used to receive the AC power generated by the generator 112 and supply power to the drive motor power circuit 111b during the driving of the electric vehicle 10, after the DC protection switch 111c disconnects the connection between the drive motor power circuit 111b and the generator power circuit 111a and a high-voltage DC port, so that the drive motor power circuit 111b is used to drive the drive motor 113.

[0103] It is understood that after the DC protection switch 111c is disconnected, the drive motor power circuit 111b cannot receive power from the power battery through the high-voltage DC port. At the same time, the generator power circuit 111b can receive power from the generator 112 and supply power to the drive motor power circuit 111b, so that the power of the drive motor 113 is not interrupted.

[0104] According to an embodiment of the present application, after the DC protection switch in the extended-range dual-motor controller disconnects the power circuit in the extended-range dual-motor controller from the DC bus, the generator power circuit can be controlled to supply power to the drive motor power circuit to avoid the drive motor losing power supply, thereby ensuring that the power of the entire vehicle is not interrupted.

[0105] It can be understood that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the disconnection condition of the DC protection switch 111c.

[0106] In some embodiments, the DC protection switch 111 c is disconnected when the current passing through the DC protection switch 111 c is greater than a first current threshold or when the rate of change of the current passing through the DC protection switch 111 c is greater than a preset rate of change.

[0107] It is understood that the first current threshold can be understood as a relatively large current value. A fault in another load connected to the DC bus may cause a short circuit between the positive and negative DC buses, significantly increasing the circuit flow through the DC protection switch 111c. In this case, the DC protection switch 111c will be disconnected to prevent the fault on the DC bus from spreading to the extended-range hybrid powertrain.

[0108] In some embodiments, a positive DC terminal is used to connect to the positive electrode of the power battery through a positive DC bus, and a negative DC terminal is used to connect to the negative electrode of the power battery through a negative DC bus. The DC protection switch 111c is disconnected after the voltage between the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus decreases to a first voltage threshold.

[0109] It is understood that the first voltage threshold can be understood as a relatively low voltage value. When a fault occurs in other loads connected to the DC bus, the positive and negative DC buses may short-circuit, causing the voltage between the positive and negative DC buses to drop rapidly. At this point, the DC protection switch 111c will be disconnected to prevent the fault on the DC bus from spreading to the extended-range hybrid powertrain.

[0110] It is understood that the embodiments of the present application do not limit the specific values ​​of the first current threshold and the first voltage threshold, and their specific values ​​can be selected according to actual implementation, which is highly flexible.

[0111] According to the embodiment of the present application, the disconnection condition of the DC protection switch in the extended-range dual-motor controller is flexible and highly practical.

[0112] In some embodiments, in response to the power battery stopping supplying power to the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 during the driving of the electric vehicle 10, the generator power circuit 111a is also used to receive the AC power generated by the generator 112 and supply power to the drive motor power circuit 111b so that the drive motor power circuit 111b is used to drive the drive motor 113.

[0113] Among them, the power battery stops supplying power to the extended-range dual-motor controller 111, which can be understood as insufficient power of the power battery, or a failure of the battery pack in the power battery, or a break or short circuit failure of the wiring harness between the power battery and the extended-range dual-motor controller 111. This application does not limit this.

[0114] Optionally, after the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 loses power supply from the power battery, the DC protection switch 111c is disconnected.

[0115] According to an embodiment of the present application, the extended-range dual-motor controller can receive power from the generator and supply power to the drive motor after losing power from the power battery, thereby ensuring uninterrupted power for the entire vehicle and further improving the safety of the electric vehicle.

[0116] In some embodiments, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 further includes a DC conversion circuit 114 housed in a housing 111d, which also includes a low-voltage DC port. The DC conversion circuit 114 is configured to receive DC power from a high-voltage DC port via a DC protection switch 111c, step down the DC power from the high-voltage DC port, and output the power through a low-voltage DC port.

[0117] It will be understood that one end of the DC conversion circuit 114 is connected to the DC protection switch 111c, and the other end of the DC conversion circuit 114 is connected to the low-voltage DC port. The DC conversion circuit 114 can receive a first DC power provided by the power battery through the DC protection switch 111c and the high-voltage DC port, and output a second DC power to the low-voltage DC port. The voltage of the first DC power is higher than the voltage of the second DC power. In other words, the DC conversion circuit 114 is configured to reduce the voltage of the first DC power to generate and output the second DC power.

[0118] It can be understood that the DC conversion circuit 114 can be connected to the low-voltage electrical equipment of the electric vehicle 10 or the low-voltage battery of the electric vehicle 10 through the low-voltage DC port, and this embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0119] According to an embodiment of the present application, the DC conversion circuit can be integrated into the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller, and the dual-motor controller has high integration and greater practicality.

[0120] In some embodiments, after the DC protection switch 111 c is disconnected, the DC conversion circuit 114 is further configured to receive power from the generator power circuit and perform voltage reduction conversion on the DC power output by the generator power circuit before outputting the DC power through a low-voltage DC port.

[0121] It will be appreciated that when the DC protection switch 111c is in the on state, the DC conversion circuit 114 can receive the DC power provided by the power battery, perform step-down conversion, and output it through the low-voltage DC port. When the DC protection switch 111c is in the off state, the DC conversion circuit 114 can receive the DC power provided by the generator power circuit 111a, perform step-down conversion, and output it through the low-voltage DC port. In other words, the low-voltage DC port can reuse the DC conversion circuit 114 to receive power from the DC bus or the generator power circuit 111a.

[0122] According to an embodiment of the present application, after the DC protection switch is disconnected, the extended-range hybrid powertrain can generate electricity from the generator and output low-voltage DC power through the DC conversion circuit and the low-voltage DC port, thereby ensuring uninterrupted vehicle power while further improving the user's driving experience and driving safety.

[0123] Continue to see Figure 3 In some embodiments, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 further includes an AC protection switch 115 , which is used to connect or disconnect the connection between the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit 111b and the three-phase winding of the drive motor 113 .

[0124] In response to the current passing through any one of the three-phase bridge arms being greater than a third current threshold, the AC protection switch 115 is configured to disconnect the connection between the midpoints of at least two bridge arms and the three-phase winding.

[0125] It can be understood that when the drive motor 113 is a synchronous motor, if a single switch tube module in any of the three-phase bridge arms of the drive motor power circuit 111b is short-circuited, the current on the phase bridge arm will increase significantly when the switch tube module is closed. At this time, if the fault of the switch module is not isolated, the short-circuit current generated will cause the synchronous motor to generate a large braking torque, thereby affecting driving safety. Therefore, it is necessary to set an AC protection switch 115 to disconnect the three-phase winding of the drive motor 113 from the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit 111b when the current passing through any of the three-phase bridge arms of the drive motor power circuit 111b is greater than a third current threshold. Among them, the at least two-phase bridge arms may include the phase bridge arm to which the failed switch module belongs, or may not include the phase bridge arm, and this embodiment of the application is not limited to this.

[0126] It is understandable that the present application does not limit the installation position of the AC protection switch 115. For example, the AC protection switch 115 can be inside the housing of the dual-motor controller 111, or it can be a separately added device.

[0127] It is understood that the drive motor power circuit 111b may include an N-phase bridge arm and be connected to the N-phase winding of the drive motor 113, where N is a positive integer greater than 2. This application is described with N being 3. When N is other values, similar methods can be used, and no further details are given here.

[0128] In some embodiments, the AC protection switch 115 may be a device that automatically detects overcurrent and blows, such as a fuse. When the current passing through any one of the three-phase bridge arms exceeds a third current threshold, the AC protection switch 115 is configured to disconnect the connection between any one of the three-phase bridge arms and the winding of the drive motor.

[0129] In some embodiments, the AC protection switch 115 may be a controlled switch device such as a switch tube, a relay, etc., and the overcurrent signal detected by the detection device in the drive motor power circuit 111b is used as a trigger source.

[0130] In these embodiments, the detection device is used to detect an overcurrent signal in the circuit. The detection device transmits the overcurrent signal to the extended-range dual-motor controller 111. Upon detecting the overcurrent signal, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 can control the AC protection switch 115 to disconnect the midpoints of at least two of the three-phase bridge arms from the corresponding motor windings. Similarly, when the inverter circuit includes an N-phase bridge arm, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 can control the AC protection switch 115 to disconnect the N-1 phase bridge arm from the windings of the drive motor 113.

[0131] It can be understood that when the drive motor 113 is an asynchronous motor or an excitation motor, the AC protection switch 115 is optional.

[0132] According to an embodiment of the present application, by adding an AC protection switch on the power line between the drive motor power circuit and the drive motor, it is possible to avoid module failure in the drive motor power circuit that causes the drive motor to generate braking torque, so that the vehicle will not suddenly decelerate even when power is lost, effectively improving driving safety.

[0133] Continue to see Figure 3 In some embodiments, a second power assembly 120 is further connected to the DC bus. The second power assembly 120 includes a second motor controller 121 and a second drive motor 122 .

[0134] It is understood that the second motor controller 121 may also include another AC protection switch, which is used to connect or disconnect the three-phase winding of the second drive motor 122 and the three-phase bridge arm of the second motor controller 121. The working principle of the other AC protection switch can be referred to the relevant description of the AC protection switch 115 and is not repeated here.

[0135] According to an embodiment of the present application, by adding an AC protection switch on the power line between the other motor controllers connected to the DC bus and the drive motor, it is possible to avoid internal failure of the other motor controllers connected to the DC bus, which may cause the drive motor to generate braking torque, thereby ensuring that the extended-range hybrid powertrain can drive the vehicle normally and further improving driving safety.

[0136] In some embodiments, the second powertrain 120 may include another DC protection switch, and the second motor controller 121 is configured to connect the second DC protection switch to the DC bus. The second DC protection switch is configured to disconnect the second motor controller 121 from the DC bus when the second motor controller 121 fails.

[0137] It is understood that when a short circuit occurs in second motor controller 121, the DC current flowing through the second DC protection switch suddenly increases. When the current flowing through the second DC protection switch exceeds a preset threshold, this indicates a short circuit within the powertrain. To protect electrical components, the second DC protection switch disconnects second motor controller 121 from the DC bus, isolating the short circuit in second motor controller 121 and preventing it from affecting other electrical components connected to the DC bus.

[0138] It can be understood that the other DC protection switch can be installed inside the housing of the second motor controller 121, or can be installed outside the housing of the second motor controller 121, and this embodiment of the present application does not limit this.

[0139] According to an embodiment of the present application, a DC protection switch can also be set in the powertrain connected to the DC bus, so as to disconnect the motor controller and the DC bus in the powertrain when a short circuit fault occurs in the powertrain, thereby avoiding the spread of the fault and further improving the safety and reliability of the vehicle.

[0140] Figure 4 This is another structural schematic diagram of the extended-range hybrid powertrain 110 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0141] like Figure 4 As shown, Figure 3 The extended-range dual-motor controller 111 differs from the conventional dual-motor controller 111 in that the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 is used to house the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b. The DC output of the generator power circuit 111a and the DC input of the drive motor power circuit 111b are connected in series, then connected to the DC bus via the DC port and the DC protection switch 111c. The DC protection switch 111c is used to open or close the connection between the high-voltage DC port of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 and the DC bus. In other words, the DC protection switch 111c is mounted as an independent device on the outside of the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111.

[0142] Optionally, the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 may be formed with two accommodating chambers (not shown), one for accommodating the generator power circuit 111a and the other for accommodating the drive motor power circuit 111b. In this case, the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b may be combined outside the two accommodating chambers and then connected to the DC bus through the DC protection switch 111c.

[0143] Understandably, Figure 4In the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 shown, the DC conversion circuit 114 and the generator power circuit 111 a can be located in the same accommodation cavity.

[0144] It can be understood that the embodiment of the present application does not limit the assembly method of the DC protection switch 111c outside the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111.

[0145] In some embodiments, the components of the DC protection switch 111c can be assembled on the housing 111d of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111. Specifically, the components of the DC protection switch 111c can be welded to the housing 111d of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111, or fixed to the housing 111d of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 by bolts, slide rails, etc., which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application.

[0146] In some embodiments, the components in the DC protection switch 111 c can be mounted on a high-voltage wiring harness between the high-voltage DC port and the DC bus of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 .

[0147] According to the embodiment of the present application, the DC protection switch can be installed outside the extended-range dual-motor controller, and the specific installation location can be selected according to actual implementation, which is highly flexible. In addition, the DC protection switch is easy to repair and replace later.

[0148] Figure 5 1 is a circuit diagram of an extended-range hybrid powertrain 110 provided in an embodiment of the present application.

[0149] like Figure 5 As shown, the generator power circuit 111a includes three bridge arms connected in parallel, each bridge arm including an upper bridge arm switching transistor and a lower bridge arm switching transistor, and the midpoint of each bridge arm is used to connect to a phase winding of the generator 112. The drive motor power circuit 111b includes three bridge arms connected in parallel, each bridge arm including an upper bridge arm switching transistor and a lower bridge arm switching transistor, and the midpoint of each bridge arm is used to connect to a phase winding of the drive motor 113.

[0150] In some embodiments, the dual-motor controller 111 further includes a bus capacitor C1 and a bus capacitor C2. The generator power circuit 111a is used to charge the DC bus through the bus capacitor C1, and the drive motor power circuit 111b is used to receive DC bus power through the bus capacitor C2.

[0151] Continue to refer Figure 5 The extended-range dual-motor controller 111 also includes a control circuit 111e, which is used to control the on and off of each switch tube in the generator power circuit 111a and each switch tube in the drive motor power circuit 111b.

[0152] In some embodiments, the control circuit 111e is further configured to control the DC protection switch 111c to be disconnected. Figure 3 The extended-range dual-motor controller 111 shown, when the current passing through the DC protection switch 111c is greater than the first current threshold, or when the voltage between the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus is detected to decrease from a maximum to a first voltage threshold, or when a fault signal output by the battery management system of the power battery is received, the control circuit 111e controls the DC protection switch 111c to disconnect, so that the connection between the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b and the high-voltage DC port of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 is disconnected, thereby disconnecting the power circuit of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 from the power battery.

[0153] According to the embodiment of the present application, the control circuit in the extended-range dual-motor controller can control the shutdown of the DC protection switch according to a variety of electrical parameters or signals, with high control accuracy and strong safety.

[0154] In some embodiments, when the generator power circuit 111a is used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator 112 to power the drive motor power circuit 111b, the control circuit 111e is also used to control the output power of the generator power circuit 111a to be greater than the output power of the drive motor power circuit 111b and to control the difference between the output power of the generator power circuit 111a and the output power of the drive motor power circuit 111b to be less than a preset threshold.

[0155] The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific value of the preset threshold. For example, the preset threshold may be 10%.

[0156] It is understood that the power output by generator 112 via generator power circuit 111a should be greater than the power output by drive motor power circuit 111b to ensure that the torque output by drive motor 113 reaches the torque indicated by the torque signal. Furthermore, by controlling the output power of generator 112 to be slightly greater than the output power of drive motor 113, it is possible to avoid excessive voltage in the wiring harness between generator power circuit 111a and drive motor power circuit 111b due to the inability to consume the power generated by generator 112.

[0157] According to an embodiment of the present application, after the DC protection switch is disconnected, by controlling the output power of the generator power circuit to be slightly larger than the output power of the drive motor power circuit, the energy utilization rate can be effectively improved and overvoltage faults can be prevented, thereby improving the safety and cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0158] It is understood that the control circuit 111e can receive a torque signal from the vehicle control unit (VCU) of the electric vehicle 10 and output torque according to the torque signal. Furthermore, the VCU can control the power of the generator power circuit 111a, the drive motor control power circuit 111b, the generator 112, and the drive motor 113 through the control circuit 111e.

[0159] When the other powertrain is operating normally, the vehicle controller is configured to distribute torque to the drive motor 113 and the other drive motor 122 based on the opening of the electric vehicle's accelerator pedal. When the other powertrain is not operating normally, the vehicle controller is configured to distribute torque to the drive motor 113 based on the opening of the electric vehicle's accelerator pedal and stops distributing torque to the other drive motor 122.

[0160] The failure of the other powertrain 120 to operate normally may be due to a DC bus failure, a power battery failure, or a failure of the second motor controller 121 in the other powertrain, which is not limited in this embodiment of the present application. It is easy to understand that at this time, the second motor controller 121 is unable to normally control the output torque of the second drive motor 122, so the vehicle controller needs to stop allocating torque to the second drive motor 122, that is, the vehicle controller will allocate the power demand analyzed based on the driving information only to the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor control power circuit 111b, thereby ensuring the correct output of power.

[0161] According to an embodiment of the present application, when another powertrain fails to operate normally, the vehicle controller stops distributing torque to the other powertrain and distributes the torque demand evenly to the extended-range hybrid powertrain, thereby ensuring the correct output of the vehicle power.

[0162] In some embodiments, when the generator power circuit 111a is used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator 112 to supply power to the drive motor power circuit 111b, the control circuit 111e is also used to control the output power of the generator power circuit 111a to increase as the accelerator pedal opening increases and to decrease as the accelerator pedal opening decreases.

[0163] It can be understood that in the process of controlling the generator power circuit 111a to receive the AC power generated by the generator 112 and supply power to the drive motor power circuit 111b, in response to an increase in the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle, the control circuit 111e is used to control the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b to increase their output power. In response to a decrease in the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle 10, or in response to an increase in the brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle 10, the control circuit 111e is used to control the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b to reduce their output power.

[0164] It is understandable that because the response cycle of the generator 112 and the generator power circuit 111a is slower than the response cycle of the drive motor power circuit 111b, when the generator power circuit 111a receives power from the generator 112, the control circuit 111b needs to control the generator power circuit 111a and the generator 112 to operate at a lower power. When the vehicle needs to accelerate or decelerate, it needs to adjust the power of the power circuit in the extended-range dual-motor controller 111, the generator 112, and the drive motor 113 according to a certain strategy.

[0165] In some embodiments, in response to changes in the accelerator pedal opening or brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle 10, the control circuit 111e is configured to first adjust the output power of the generator power circuit 111a and the generator 112, and then adjust the output power of the drive motor power circuit 111b and the drive motor 113. Specifically, in response to an increase in the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle, the control circuit 111e is configured to first control the generator power circuit 111a to increase its output power, and then control the drive motor power circuit 111b to increase its output power. Alternatively, in response to a decrease in the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle, or an increase in the brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle, the control circuit 111e is configured to first control the generator power circuit 111a to decrease its output power, and then control the drive motor power circuit 111b to decrease its output power.

[0166] In some embodiments, in response to changes in the accelerator pedal opening or brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle 10, the control circuit 111e is configured to simultaneously adjust the output power of the generator power circuit 111a, the generator 112, the drive motor power circuit 111b, and the drive motor 113, and to control the rate of change of the output power of the generator power circuit 111a and the generator 112 to be greater than the rate of change of the output power of the drive motor power circuit 111b and the drive motor 113. Specifically, in response to an increase in the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle, the control circuit 111e is configured to control the generator power circuit 111a to increase a first power for a preset duration, and control the drive motor power circuit 111b to increase a second power for the same preset duration. Alternatively, in response to a decrease in the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle, or an increase in the brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle, the control circuit 111e is configured to control the generator power circuit 111a to decrease a first power for a preset duration, and control the drive motor power circuit 111b to decrease a second power for a preset duration. The first power is greater than the second power.

[0167] Figure 6 A control timing diagram of the control circuit provided in an embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0168] By way of example and not limitation, Figure 6 As shown in (a), at time t1, the opening of the vehicle accelerator pedal increases from K1 to K2. At this time, the control circuit 111e first controls the power of the generator power circuit 111a to increase from M1 to M3 at time t1, and then controls the power of the drive motor power circuit to increase from M2 to M4 at time t2.

[0169] By way of example and not limitation, Figure 6 As shown in (b), at time t3, the opening of the vehicle accelerator pedal is reduced from K3 to K4. At this time, the control circuit 111e controls the power reduction of the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b at time t3. Among them, in the time period from t4 to t5, the power M7 reduced by the generator power circuit 111a is greater than the power M8 reduced by the drive motor power circuit 111b.

[0170] According to an embodiment of the present application, the control circuit in the extended-range dual-motor controller can adjust the power of the power circuit, generator and drive motor in response to the opening of the accelerator pedal or the brake pedal, ensuring that the power output can be adjusted according to user needs, which is more practical.

[0171] In some embodiments, during the driving process of the electric vehicle 10, in response to the DC protection switch 111c being in the on state and the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle 10 decreasing or the brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle 10 increasing, the drive motor power circuit 111b is configured to output DC power through the high-voltage DC port. In response to the DC protection switch 111c being in the off state and the accelerator pedal opening decreasing or the brake pedal opening increasing, the drive motor power circuit 111b stops outputting DC power through the high-voltage DC port.

[0172] It is understood that when the electric vehicle 10 is in a braking state, the vehicle controller of the electric vehicle 10 will receive a braking signal and send an energy recovery signal to the extended-range dual-motor controller 111. In response to the energy recovery signal, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 will control the drive motor 113 to operate in a power generation state. At this time, the drive motor 113 converts the kinetic energy of the electric vehicle's wheels into electrical energy and outputs a counter-torque to the wheels of the electric vehicle 10 to provide braking force to the electric vehicle 10. In other words, when the electric vehicle 10 is operating in a braking state, the drive motor power circuit 111b can output DC power to the DC bus through the DC port of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 to charge the power battery, thereby improving the energy utilization efficiency of the electric vehicle 10 and extending the cruising range of the electric vehicle.

[0173] As an example and not a limitation, when the opening degree of the brake pedal of the electric vehicle 10 increases, the vehicle controller will receive the above-mentioned braking signal, and the electric vehicle 10 is in a braking state.

[0174] As an example and not a limitation, the electric vehicle 10 provided in the embodiment of the present application can operate in a single-pedal mode. The single-pedal mode means that the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle 10 integrates both the acceleration function and the braking function. When the driver steps on the accelerator pedal, that is, the stroke of the accelerator pedal increases, the electric vehicle 10 operates in a driving state, at which time the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 controls the drive motor 113 to output positive torque. When the driver releases the accelerator pedal, the electric vehicle operates in a braking state, at which time the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 controls the drive motor 113 to operate in a power generation state and outputs negative torque to provide braking force for the electric vehicle 10. In other words, when the electric vehicle 10 operates in a single-pedal mode and the opening of the accelerator pedal of the electric vehicle decreases, the electric vehicle 10 is in a braking state.

[0175] It can be understood that in order to avoid overvoltage failure caused by overcharging the voltage of the positive wiring harness and the negative wiring harness between the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111a when the drive motor power circuit 111b recovers energy, the drive motor power circuit 111b provided in the embodiment of the present application stops outputting DC power through the DC output terminal when receiving power from the generator power circuit 111a.

[0176] In these embodiments, when the DC protection switch 111 c is in the disconnected state, the electric braking capacity fed back by the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 to the vehicle controller of the electric vehicle 10 is 0.

[0177] According to an embodiment of the present application, when the DC protection switch is disconnected, the extended-range dual-motor controller stops energy recovery, avoiding overvoltage failure of the wiring harness between the internal power circuits of the extended-range dual-motor controller, and further improving the safety and reliability of the extended-range dual-motor controller.

[0178] The embodiment of the present application also proposes another extended-range dual-motor controller.

[0179] In some embodiments, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 is configured to receive power from a power battery to drive the drive motor 113 of the electric vehicle 10 or to transfer power generated by the generator 112 to the power battery for charging. The extended-range dual-motor controller 111 includes a generator power circuit 111a and a drive motor power circuit 111b. The drive motor power circuit 111b is configured to receive power from the power battery via a first DC protection switch and output AC power to the drive motor 113. The generator power circuit 111a is configured to receive AC power generated by the generator 112 and supply power to the power battery via a second DC protection switch. During travel of the electric vehicle 10, after the first DC protection switch disconnects the drive motor power circuit 111b from the power battery, the generator power circuit 111a is further configured to receive AC power generated by the generator 112 and supply power to the drive motor power circuit 111b, thereby enabling the drive motor power circuit 111b to drive the drive motor 113.

[0180] Figure 7 1 is a circuit diagram of another extended-range hybrid powertrain 110 provided in an embodiment of the present application. Figure 7 As shown, the DC protection switch 111c includes a second DC protection switch and a first DC protection switch. The generator power circuit 111a is connected to the DC bus via the second DC protection switch, and the drive motor power circuit 111b is connected to the DC bus via the first DC protection switch. The second DC protection switch is used to connect or disconnect the generator power circuit 111a and the DC bus, while the first DC protection switch is used to connect or disconnect the drive motor power circuit 111b and the DC bus.

[0181] It can be understood that the generator power circuit 111a can be connected to the positive DC bus and / or the negative DC bus through the second DC protection switch, and the drive motor power circuit 111b can be connected to the positive DC bus and / or the negative DC bus through the first DC protection switch. This embodiment of the present application is not limited to this.

[0182] Optionally, the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 may be formed with two accommodating chambers. One accommodating chamber is used to accommodate the generator power circuit 111a and the second DC protection switch, and the other accommodating chamber is used to accommodate the drive motor power circuit 111b and the first DC protection switch. Alternatively, one accommodating chamber is used to accommodate the generator power circuit 111a, with the second DC protection switch mounted outside the first accommodating chamber, and the other accommodating chamber is used to accommodate the drive motor power circuit 111b, with the first DC protection switch mounted outside the other accommodating chamber.

[0183] According to an embodiment of the present application, a range-extended dual-motor controller can include separate DC protection switches for the generator power circuit and the drive motor power circuit. These DC protection switches prevent faults in other loads connected to the DC bus from propagating to the controller, protecting the power components within the controller. Furthermore, after the first DC protection switch is disconnected, the generator power circuit can supply power to the drive motor power circuit, ensuring uninterrupted vehicle power.

[0184] Continue to refer Figure 7 In some embodiments, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 further includes a connection switch 111f, which is used to connect or disconnect the three-phase bridge arm of the generator power circuit 111a and the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit 111b. During travel of the electric vehicle 10, the connection switch 111f is configured to connect after the first DC protection switch is disconnected, allowing the generator power circuit 111a to receive the AC power generated by the generator 112 and supply power to the drive motor power circuit 111b, thereby driving the drive motor 113.

[0185] It is understood that when both the first DC protection switch and the second DC protection switch are in the on state, the connecting switch 111f disconnects the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b. When the first DC protection switch is off, the connecting switch 111f is turned on, allowing the drive motor power circuit 111b to receive power from the generator power circuit 111a through the connecting switch 111f.

[0186] According to an embodiment of the present application, after the DC protection switch in the extended-range dual-motor controller is disconnected, the connection between the power circuits can be turned on through the internal connecting switch, so that the generator power circuit can supply power to the drive motor power circuit, ensuring uninterrupted power of the entire vehicle.

[0187] Understandably, Figure 7 In the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 shown, the generator power circuit 111a can be connected to the second DC protection switch, and then connected to the drive motor power circuit 111b connected to the first DC protection switch, and then connected to the DC bus through a DC port, or the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b can be connected to the DC bus through different DC ports respectively. This embodiment of the present application is not limited to this.

[0188] In some embodiments, the extended-range dual-motor controller 111 includes a housing for accommodating the generator power circuit 111a, the drive motor power circuit 111b, a first DC protection switch, and a second DC protection switch. The housing includes a first DC port and a second DC port. The drive motor power circuit 111b is configured to connect to the first DC input port via the first DC protection switch and receive DC bus power through the first DC input port, while the generator power circuit 111a is configured to connect to the second DC input port via the second DC protection switch and supply power to the power battery through the second DC input port.

[0189] It can be understood that when the generator power circuit 111a and the drive motor power circuit 111b are connected to the DC bus through different DC ports, the first protection switch and the second protection switch can also be assembled outside the housing of the extended-range dual-motor controller 111. The specific assembly method can be referred to Figure 4 The relevant instructions are not repeated here.

[0190] According to an embodiment of the present application, the generator power circuit and the drive motor power circuit in the extended-range dual-motor controller can be connected to the DC bus through different DC ports, and the connection method is flexible.

[0191] Continue to see Figure 7 The extended-range dual-motor controller 111 also includes a control circuit 111e. The specific functions of the control circuit 111e can be referred to above. Figure 4 The relevant instructions in are not repeated here.

[0192] In some embodiments, the control circuit 111e may also be used to control the closing and opening of the connecting switch 111f. Specifically, in response to the closing of the second DC protection switch or the first DC protection switch, the control circuit 111e controls the connecting switch 111f to open. In response to the opening of the second DC protection switch and the first DC protection switch, the control circuit 111e controls the connecting switch 111f to close.

[0193] According to the embodiment of the present application, the extended-range dual-motor controller can control the closing and opening of the switch module according to the state of the DC protection switch, and the control method is simple and the reliability is strong.

[0194] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present application, but the scope of protection of the present application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be included in the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be based on the scope of protection of the claims.

Claims

1. An extended-range dual-motor controller, characterized in that: The extended-range dual-motor controller is used to receive power from a power battery to drive a drive motor of an electric vehicle or to transmit power generated by a generator to the power battery to charge the power battery. The extended-range dual-motor controller includes a housing, a DC protection switch, a drive motor power circuit, and a generator power circuit, wherein: The housing is used to accommodate the generator power circuit, the drive motor power circuit and the DC protection switch. The housing includes a high-voltage DC port. The extended-range dual-motor controller is used to receive power from the power battery or charge the power battery through the high-voltage DC port. The drive motor power circuit is used to receive direct current from the one high-voltage direct current port through the direct current protection switch; The generator power circuit is used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator and output direct current to the one high-voltage direct current port through the direct current protection switch; The DC protection switch is used to connect or disconnect the connection between the drive motor power circuit and the generator power circuit and the one high-voltage DC port.

2. The extended-range dual-motor controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: The one high-voltage DC port includes a positive DC terminal and a negative DC terminal, the positive DC terminal is used to connect to the positive electrode of the power battery, and the negative DC terminal is used to connect to the negative electrode of the power battery; One of the positive DC terminal and the negative DC terminal is used to connect one end of the three-phase bridge arm of the generator power circuit and one end of the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit through the DC protection switch, and the other of the positive DC terminal and the negative DC terminal is used to connect the other end of the three-phase bridge arm of the generator power circuit and the other end of the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit.

3. The extended-range dual-motor controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: The generator power circuit is also used for: During the driving of the electric vehicle, after the DC protection switch disconnects the connection between the drive motor power circuit and the generator power circuit and the one high-voltage DC port, it receives the AC power generated by the generator and supplies power to the drive motor power circuit so that the drive motor power circuit is used to drive the drive motor.

4. The extended-range dual-motor controller according to claim 1, characterized in that: In response to the power battery stopping supplying power to the extended-range dual-motor controller during the driving of the electric vehicle, the generator power circuit is also used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator and supply power to the drive motor power circuit so that the drive motor power circuit is used to drive the drive motor.

5. The range-extended dual-motor controller according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The extended-range dual-motor controller further includes a DC conversion circuit housed in the housing, and the housing further includes a low-voltage DC port; The DC conversion circuit is used to receive DC power from the one high-voltage DC port through the DC protection switch, perform voltage reduction conversion on the DC power from the one high-voltage DC port, and output the DC power through the one low-voltage DC port.

6. The extended-range dual-motor controller according to claim 5, characterized in that: After the DC protection switch is disconnected, the DC conversion circuit is further configured to receive power from the generator power circuit and perform voltage reduction conversion on the DC power output by the generator power circuit before outputting the DC power through the one low-voltage DC port.

7. The extended-range dual-motor controller according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The extended-range dual-motor controller further includes a control circuit, which is configured to: In the process of the generator power circuit being used to receive the alternating current generated by the generator and supplying power to the drive motor power circuit, the output power of the generator power circuit is controlled to be greater than the output power of the drive motor power circuit and the difference between the output power of the generator power circuit and the output power of the drive motor power circuit is controlled to be less than a preset threshold.

8. The extended-range dual-motor controller according to claim 7, characterized in that: The control circuit is further configured to: In the process of the generator power circuit receiving the AC power generated by the generator and supplying power to the drive motor power circuit, the output power of the generator power circuit is controlled to increase with the increase of the accelerator pedal opening and decrease with the decrease of the accelerator pedal opening.

9. The range-extended dual-motor controller according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: During the driving of the electric vehicle, In response to the DC protection switch being in the on state and the accelerator pedal opening of the electric vehicle decreasing or the brake pedal opening of the electric vehicle increasing, the drive motor power circuit is configured to output DC power through the one high-voltage DC port; In response to the DC protection switch being in an off state and the accelerator pedal opening decreasing or the brake pedal opening increasing, the drive motor power circuit stops outputting the DC power through the one high-voltage DC port.

10. The range-extended dual-motor controller according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The DC protection switch is disconnected when the current passing through the DC protection switch is greater than a first current threshold or when the rate of change of the current passing through the DC protection switch is greater than a preset rate of change.

11. The range-extended dual-motor controller according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that: The one positive DC terminal is used to connect the positive electrode of the power battery through a positive DC bus, the one negative DC terminal is used to connect the negative electrode of the power battery through a negative DC bus, and the DC protection switch is disconnected after the voltage between the positive DC bus and the negative DC bus decreases to a first voltage threshold.

12. The range-extended dual-motor controller according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that: The extended-range dual-motor controller also includes an AC protection switch, which is used to connect or disconnect the connection between the three-phase bridge arm of the drive motor power circuit and the three-phase winding of the drive motor.

13. A range-extended hybrid powertrain, characterized in that: The extended-range hybrid powertrain includes a drive motor, a generator and an extended-range dual-motor controller as described in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the extended-range dual-motor controller is used to receive power from a power battery to drive the drive motor or to receive electrical energy generated by the generator and charge the power battery.

14. An extended-range electric vehicle, characterized in that: The extended-range electric vehicle includes a power battery and the extended-range hybrid powertrain as claimed in claim 13, wherein the extended-range hybrid powertrain is used to receive power from the power battery to drive the wheels of the electric vehicle, or output direct current to charge the power battery.

15. The extended-range electric vehicle according to claim 14, characterized in that: The electric vehicle further includes another powertrain, the range-extended hybrid powertrain is used to drive the two front wheels or the two rear wheels of the electric vehicle, the other powertrain is used to drive the other two wheels of the electric vehicle, the other powertrain includes a motor controller, another drive motor and an AC protection switch, the motor controller includes a three-phase bridge arm, the midpoint of the three-phase bridge arm is used to connect the three-phase winding of the other drive motor, and the other drive motor is a synchronous motor; In response to the current passing through any one of the three-phase bridge arms being greater than a third current threshold, the AC protection switch is configured to disconnect the connection between the midpoints of at least two of the bridge arms and the three-phase windings.

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