Cradle device

Abstract

To provide a cradle device which can stably and quickly charge a storage battery with high output.SOLUTION: A cradle device comprises: a plurality of AC chargers 10A which are connected with a plurality of AC power sources 7A and convert AC power to be input into DC power to charge a storage battery 3; a plurality of DC chargers 10B which are connected with a DC power sources 7B to charge the storage battery 3 by a plurality of pieces of DC power to be input; a rectification unit 16 which suppresses reverse current from the storage battery 3; an input control unit 20 which switches on or off of input of the AC power from the plurality of AC power sources 7A and input of the DC power from the plurality of DC power sources 7B; and an output control unit 30 which synthesizes the DC power output from the plurality of AC chargers 10A and the plurality of DC chargers 10B, wherein the input control unit 20 turns the input of the AC power to the plurality of AC chargers 10A off and switches the input of the DC power from the plurality of DC power sources 10B to on when the input of the AC power from the AC power sources 7A is lost.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cradle device, and more particularly to a cradle device that supplies power for charging a storage battery. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, charging devices such as uninterruptible power supplies that charge storage batteries with power from an AC power source are known (for example, Patent Document 1). When charging a drive battery (corresponding to a storage battery) of an electric vehicle or the like at home, for example, an on-board charger (also simply called a charger) is connected to a low-voltage AC power source of 200V, and charging is performed with the converted DC power. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 5-207682 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the uninterruptible power supply described in Patent Document 1 is not intended to charge a drive battery of a vehicle or the like, and does not satisfy the requirement for high output when the drive battery is rapidly charged. Furthermore, when the drive battery is rapidly charged, a high-output charging facility is required, and there is a problem that the facility cost and installation cost are high in order to introduce the high-output charging facility. Furthermore, when the drive battery is charged using AC power from an AC power source, there is a problem that charging is not possible when power is lost due to a power outage or the like. However, as described above, the uninterruptible power supply described in Patent Document 1 is insufficient for charging the drive battery.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cradle device that enables high-output and stable rapid charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The cradle device of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, comprises a plurality of AC chargers each connected to a plurality of AC power sources, converting input AC power into DC power and charging a storage battery with the DC power; a plurality of DC chargers each connected to a plurality of DC power sources and charging the storage battery with the input DC powers; an input control unit for switching on or off the input of the AC power from the plurality of AC power sources and the input of the DC power from the plurality of DC power sources, respectively; an output control unit for combining the DC power output from the plurality of AC chargers and the plurality of DC chargers; and a rectification unit provided in either or both of the DC chargers and the output control unit, which suppresses reverse current from the storage battery, wherein the input control unit turns off the input of AC power to the plurality of AC chargers and switches on the input of DC power from the plurality of DC power sources, on condition that the input of AC power from the AC power sources is lost.

[0007] The above-mentioned cradle device can combine the DC power output from a plurality of AC chargers and a plurality of DC chargers by the output control unit. Therefore, even a large-capacity storage battery such as a driving battery of a vehicle or the like can be quickly charged. The above-mentioned cradle device can switch on and off the input of AC power and DC power from a plurality of AC chargers and a plurality of DC chargers by the input control unit. The above-mentioned cradle device can turn off the input of AC power to the plurality of AC chargers and turn on the input of DC power from the plurality of DC power sources, on the condition that the input of AC power from the AC power source is lost. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device can charge the storage battery using the DC power source even if the AC power source is lost due to a power outage or the like. Here, the case where the input of AC power from the AC power source is lost is not only the case where the input of AC power is completely lost due to a power outage or the like, but also includes, for example, a case where it is difficult to stably charge the storage battery due to a voltage drop of the AC power, or a case where it is difficult to start the cradle device itself. In addition, the above-mentioned cradle device is provided with a rectifier in either or both of the DC charger and the output control unit, so that even when DC power is used, reverse current from the storage battery is suppressed. Here, the rectifier can be, for example, a diode provided in the DC charger or a rectifier using inrush prevention control in the output control unit.

[0008] (2) The cradle device of the present invention described above may be characterized in that it includes a sub-circuit unit that supplies driving power to the output control unit and the input control unit from the DC power supply, and when the input of AC power from the AC power supply is lost, the driving power is supplied from the DC power supply to the input control unit and the output control unit through the sub-circuit unit.

[0009] The above-described cradle device can be supplied with driving power from a DC power source through the sub-circuit unit by using such a configuration, and therefore can be driven even if the AC power source is lost due to a power outage or the like.

[0010] (3) The cradle device of the present invention described above may include a detection unit that detects the state of the storage battery, and in the output control unit, one of the plurality of AC chargers and the plurality of DC chargers is set as a main charger, and the AC chargers and the DC chargers other than the main charger are set as sub-chargers, and the output control unit may be characterized in that it performs control to combine and output power output from the main charger and power output from at least one of the sub-chargers depending on the state of the storage battery detected by the detection unit.

[0011] The above-mentioned cradle device can set one of the multiple chargers as a main charger and the other chargers as sub-chargers. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device can sequentially combine and output the power output from the multiple sub-chargers based on the power output from one main charger. Therefore, even if multiple AC power sources are installed in the same facility, the above-mentioned cradle device can suppress a sudden drop in voltage in the facility. Furthermore, since the above-mentioned cradle device can set DC power sources as the main charger and the sub-charger, even if the AC power source is lost due to a power outage or the like, the above-mentioned cradle device can charge the storage battery by combining multiple DC power sources. Furthermore, the above-mentioned cradle device can efficiently charge the storage battery by combining the optimal chargers.

[0012] (4) The cradle device of the present invention described above may be characterized in that the detection unit is capable of detecting temperature information of the storage battery, and the output control unit is configured to perform output control in accordance with the temperature information.

[0013] By adopting such a configuration, the above-mentioned cradle device can suppress deterioration or damage of the storage battery due to overcharging, heat, etc., or a decrease in charging capacity due to a rise in temperature.

[0014] (5) In the cradle device of the present invention described above, it is preferable that the input control unit executes distributed control for distributing the input of the AC power from the plurality of the AC power sources.

[0015] By configuring the above-mentioned cradle device in this way, it is possible to prevent a sudden drop in power on the AC power supply side. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device can stably supply power and prevent a current breaker (breaker) on the AC power supply side from operating. Here, the input control unit may control the supply of power by controlling the voltage and current input from the AC power supply according to the number of chargers mounted on the cradle device, for example. In addition, distributed control for distributing the input of AC power can also be performed by, for example, using a DC power supply in combination.

[0016] (6) The cradle device of the present invention described above may be characterized in that the detection unit is mounted on a vehicle and communicatively connected to the output control unit, and the output control unit is capable of acquiring the status of the storage battery acquired by the detection unit through communication.

[0017] The above-mentioned cradle device can acquire the state of the storage battery without providing a separate detector. The detector can be, for example, a BMS (battery management system) mounted on the vehicle. The detector can be connected to the output controller wirelessly or by wire so as to be able to communicate with the output controller.

[0018] (7) The cradle device of the present invention described above may be characterized in that the storage battery is a drive battery mounted on an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

[0019] The above-mentioned cradle device can be preferably used for rapid charging of a driving battery in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle (plug-in hybrid vehicle). Effect of the Invention

[0020] The present invention can provide a cradle device that enables high-output and stable rapid charging. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cradle device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of a power control method using the cradle device of the present invention. [Diagram 3] This is a continuation of the flow diagram in Figure 2. [Figure 4] This is a continuation of the flow diagram in Figure 3. [Diagram 5] This is a continuation of the flow diagram in Figure 4. [Figure 6] This is a continuation of the flow diagram in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a continuation of the flow diagram in Figure 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Hereinafter, the details of the cradle device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached Figs. 1 to 7. These figures are schematic diagrams and are not necessarily drawn to scale. In addition, in the figures, similar components are denoted by similar reference numerals. In the following description, the storage battery 3 will be described as a driving battery mounted on a vehicle 2 such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. In addition, it should be noted that Fig. 1 illustrates an example in which four AC chargers 10A and four DC chargers 10B are provided, and some of the AC chargers 10A and the DC chargers 10B are omitted or simplified.

[0023] The cradle device 1 includes a cradle main body 1A, a plurality of AC chargers 10A, a plurality of DC chargers 10B, etc. The cradle device 1 is connected to a storage battery 3 in a vehicle 2 via an output control unit 30 provided in the cradle main body 1A. Please note that in the following description of the cradle device 1, the configuration of the vehicle 2, the AC charger 10A, and the DC charger 10B will be described first, and then the cradle main body 1A will be described.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle 2 is equipped with a storage battery 3 (also referred to as an on-board battery 3) that is charged using a charger 10. The vehicle 2 is, for example, an electric vehicle that is driven by a motor using power output from the storage battery 3. In addition to the above, the vehicle 2 is also equipped with a VCU 4 (vehicle control unit), a BMS 5 (battery management system 5), etc.

[0025] When only AC power from an AC power source is input, the storage battery 3 can be charged with DC power of, for example, up to 12 kW. When DC power from a DC power source is also used, the storage battery 3 can be charged with DC power of, for example, up to 24 kW.

[0026] The VCU 4 is connected to each device of the vehicle 2 via CAN communication or the like. The VCU 4 can control various devices such as a motor (not shown), a storage battery 3, and an inverter (not shown) depending on the state of the vehicle 2.

[0027] The BMS 5 acquires the state of the storage battery 3 from a detection unit 6 connected to the storage battery 3, and performs charging control in accordance with the state of the storage battery 3. The BMS 5 can perform charging control of the storage battery 3 in cooperation with the VCU 4, an input control unit 20 described later, an output control unit 30, and the like.

[0028] The detection unit 6 is directly or indirectly connected to the storage battery 3, and can detect various information of the storage battery 3, such as remaining capacity, voltage, current, temperature information, and deterioration state. The detection unit 6 is communicatively connected to the VCU 4 and the BMS 5. That is, the detection unit 6 can use, for example, the BMS 5 mounted on the vehicle 2. The detection unit 6 is also communicatively connected to the output control unit 30 and the like wirelessly or via wire. Therefore, the information acquired by the detection unit 6 is sent to the output control unit 30, and is used for charging control, which will be described later.

[0029] The charger 10 has, for example, a box-shaped housing (not shown) and is mounted on or connected to the cradle device 1. In this embodiment, the charger 10 is composed of a plurality of (four in this embodiment) AC chargers 10A and a plurality of (four in this embodiment) DC chargers 10B. Each charger 10 is directly or indirectly connected to the storage battery 3 via the cradle device 1.

[0030] Each of the AC chargers 10A is connected to an AC power source 7A and can convert the input AC power into DC power. The AC power source 7A used here is, for example, a low-voltage household power source that is a home AC 100V power source that is boosted and converted to AC 200V, 16A. The AC charger 10A can charge the storage battery 3 with the converted DC power (for example, 3 kW each). The AC charger 10A includes a relay 11, a noise filter 12, an AC / DC converter 13, and a DC / DC converter 14. In addition to the above, the AC charger 10A includes an input terminal (not shown) for AC power and an output terminal (not shown) for DC power. Note that the multiple AC chargers 10A are of the same type, and therefore, unless there is a need to distinguish them, they will be treated as equivalent and referred to as chargers 10. Note also that, if there is a need to distinguish them, they will be referred to as the first AC charger to the fourth AC charger.

[0031] A charging cable 15 is connected to the AC charger 10A. The other end of the charging cable 15 is provided with, for example, a power outlet and can be detachably connected to the AC power source 7A. AC power (for example, AC 200V, 16A) is input to the AC charger 10A. A relay 11 is connected to the AC power source 7A side of the AC charger 10A.

[0032] An input control unit 20, which will be described later, is connected to the relay 11. Although details will be described later, the input control unit 20 can perform ON-OFF control of AC power or DC power input to the relay 11. The AC power input via the relay 11 is rectified by a noise filter 12 and input to an AC / DC converter 13.

[0033] The AC / DC converter 13 converts AC power into DC power. The AC / DC converter 13 also includes, for example, a PFC (Power Factor Correction) circuit, and can perform power factor correction (suppression of harmonic currents) by the PFC circuit. The DC power output from the AC / DC converter 13 is input to the DC / DC converter 14.

[0034] The DC / DC converter 14 converts the voltage of the input DC power into a predetermined voltage. The DC power output from the DC / DC converter 14 is output-controlled by an output control unit 30, which will be described later.

[0035] The multiple DC chargers 10B are each connected to a DC power source 7B, and can transform the input DC power to convert it into DC power suitable for charging. The DC power source 7B used here can be, for example, a battery capable of outputting power in accordance with CHAdeMO (registered trademark), a rapid charging standard. The battery can be a single battery or multiple batteries. The DC chargers 10B can charge the storage batteries 3 with the converted DC power (for example, 10 kW each).

[0036] The DC charger 10B includes a relay 11, a DC / DC converter 14, and a rectifier unit 16. The DC charger 10B also includes an input terminal (not shown) for DC power and an output terminal (not shown) for DC power. Note that the multiple DC chargers 10B are of the same type, and therefore, unless there is a need to distinguish them, they are treated as equivalent. Note that, if there is a need to distinguish them, they are referred to as the first to n-th DC chargers. At least one of the multiple DC chargers 10B includes a power supply circuit unit 40 (also referred to as a sub-circuit unit 40) for driving the cradle device 1. Note that the relay 11 and the DC / DC converter 14 are as described above, and therefore will not be described here.

[0037] The rectifier 16 suppresses reverse current from the storage battery 3. In this embodiment, a diode is used as the rectifier 16. In this embodiment, the rectifier 16 is mounted on each of the multiple DC chargers 10B. In this embodiment, the rectifier 16 is composed of a diode and inrush prevention control in the output control unit 30, which will be described later. The rectifier 16 may be provided in either or both of the DC charger 10B and the output control unit 30. In this way, the cradle device 1 described above has the rectifier 16 provided in either or both of the DC charger 10B and the output control unit 30, so that even when DC power is used, reverse current from the storage battery 3 is suppressed. Here, in the AC charger 10A, the AC / DC converter 13 is an insulating system, so that reverse current is suppressed.

[0038] Here, the cradle device 1 is assumed to obtain power required for starting the input control unit 20, the output control unit 30, etc. from the AC power source 7A in the initial use state. On the other hand, when AC power from the AC power source 7A is lost due to a power outage or the like, DC power is obtained through the sub-circuit unit 40. Specifically, the sub-circuit unit 40 can supply drive power for the output control unit 30 and the input control unit 20 from the DC power source 7B. The sub-circuit unit 40 can supply drive power from the DC power source to the input control unit 20 and the output control unit 30 on the condition that the input of AC power from the AC power source is lost. Here, the case where the input of AC power from the AC power source 7A is lost is assumed to include not only a case where the input of AC power is completely lost due to a power outage or the like, but also a case where it is difficult to stably charge the storage battery 3 or to start the cradle device 1 itself due to, for example, a voltage drop of AC power.

[0039] In addition, although details will be described later, one of the four AC chargers 10A and one of the four DC chargers 10B are set as a main charger, and the other six chargers 10 are set as sub 1 charger to sub 7 charger, respectively. Note that when there is no need to particularly distinguish between main and sub, they will be described as AC charger 10A or DC charger 10B.

[0040] Next, a detailed description will be given of the cradle main body 1A constituting the cradle device 1 of the present invention. The cradle main body 1A uses a plurality of connected chargers 10 to convert AC power input from a plurality of AC power sources 7A and DC power input from a plurality of DC power sources 7B into DC power for charging, and also combines and outputs the plurality of DC powers.

[0041] The input control unit 20 can control the input of AC power from the multiple AC power sources 7A and the input of DC power from the multiple DC power sources 7B to be switched on or off. That is, the input control unit 20 controls the AC power input to the AC charger 10A and the DC power input to the DC charger 10B. Specifically, the input control unit 20 controls the supply of the AC power source 7A and the DC power source 7B input from the master charger to the sub 1 to sub 7 chargers in sequence while switching the relay 11 in sequence. In addition, the input control unit 20 can control the input of AC power to the multiple AC chargers 10A to be turned off and the input of DC power from the multiple DC power sources 7B to be turned on, on the condition that the input of AC power from the AC power source 7A is lost. Here, the case where the input of AC power from the AC power source 7A is lost is not limited to the case where the input of AC power is completely lost due to a power outage or the like, but also includes, for example, a case where it is difficult to stably charge the storage battery 3 or to start the cradle device 1 itself due to a voltage drop of the AC power.

[0042] In addition, although details will be described later, the input control unit 20 can execute distributed control to distribute the input of AC power from a plurality of AC power sources 7A. Therefore, the input control unit 20 can suppress a sudden drop in power on the AC power source 7A side. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can stably supply power and suppress the operation of a current breaker (breaker) on the AC power source 7A side. Here, the input control unit 20 may control the supply of power by controlling the voltage and current input from the AC power source 7A according to the number of chargers 10 mounted on the cradle device 1, for example. In addition, the distributed control to distribute the input of AC power can also be performed by using a DC power source 7B in combination, for example.

[0043] The output control unit 30 is connected to an output terminal (not shown) of each charger 10. The output control unit 30 controls the combination of DC power output from each charger 10 to obtain a predetermined power. The output control unit 30 detects a signal output from the charger 10 to recognize whether or not the charger 10 is connected (whether or not power can be supplied).

[0044] The output control unit 30 can perform control to combine and output DC power output from the AC charger 10A and the DC charger 10B in series or parallel, for example. That is, the output control unit 30 can combine DC power output from a plurality of AC chargers 10A and a plurality of DC chargers 10B. Specifically, in the output control unit 30, one of the plurality of AC chargers 10A and the plurality of DC chargers 10B is set as a main charger, and the AC charger 10A and the DC charger 10B other than the main charger are set as sub-chargers. Furthermore, the output control unit 30 can perform control to combine and output the power output from the main charger and the power output from at least one sub-charger according to the state of the storage battery 3 detected by the detection unit 6. Note that the above combination can be changed according to a command from the BMS 5 or the like even during charging of the storage battery 3.

[0045] In this way, the output control unit 30 can vary the voltage of DC power to match the storage battery 3 by combining multiple chargers 10 in various ways. In addition, the output control unit 30 can combine DC power output from multiple chargers 10, so it can supply high-output DC power suitable for rapid charging. The DC power output by the output control unit 30 is used to charge the storage battery 3.

[0046] Moreover, the output control unit 35 can perform output control according to the temperature information of the storage battery 3 detected by the detection unit 6. This allows the above-mentioned cradle device 1 to suppress deterioration or damage of the storage battery 3 due to overcharging or heat, or a decrease in charging ability due to a rise in temperature. Here, for example, if a cooling means for cooling the storage battery 3 or a heating means for the storage battery 3 at low temperatures is provided and linked to the output control unit 35 via the VCU 4 or the BMS 5, more efficient output control can be expected. Furthermore, the output control unit 35 may perform output control based on the state of the storage battery 3 other than the temperature information (for example, remaining capacity, deterioration state). With this configuration, the output control unit 35 can perform output control (including output stop) taking into account the load on the storage battery 3 based on various states of the storage battery 3.

[0047] The output control unit 30 also performs CHAdeMO (registered trademark) communication control, i.e., quick charging control. The output control unit 30 can supply DC power to the storage battery 3 of the vehicle 2, for example, via an inrush prevention circuit. Therefore, the output control unit 30 can suppress reverse current from the storage battery 3 by performing inrush prevention control via the inrush prevention circuit.

[0048] Here, an output cable (not shown) is connected to the cradle main body 1A, and a DC gun, which is a CHAdeMO gun (registered trademark), is connected to the other end of the output cable. The cradle main body 1A can be connected to the storage battery 3 via the output cable and the DC gun.

[0049] The above is the configuration according to one embodiment of the cradle device 1 of the present invention. Next, the power supply control from the AC power source 7A and the DC power source 7B in the cradle device 1 (including charging control, ON-OFF control, and distributed control of the storage battery 3) will be described with reference to the flow charts of FIG. 2 to FIG. 7. Note that the cradle device 1 will be described as having four AC chargers 10A and four DC chargers 10B connected thereto. In the following description, the four AC chargers 10A may be described as the first to fourth AC chargers, and the four DC chargers 10B may be described as the first to fourth DC chargers. Also, one of the four AC chargers 10A and the four DC chargers 10B may be described as the main charger, and the other chargers 10 may be described as the sub 1 to sub 7 chargers. Also, in the drawings, the AC charger 10A may be described as the AC charger, and the DC charger A0B may be described as the DC charger. Also, the main signal refers to the output signal from the main charger, and the sub 1 to sub 7 signals refer to the output signals from each sub charger.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 2, in step S10, it is determined whether or not there is an AC12V power signal. If it is determined in step S10 that there is an AC12V power signal, the AC12V power is turned ON (step S11). This starts up the cradle device 1 (step S12). Then, the cradle device 1 is reset and restarted (step S13), and goes into a standby state (standby mode) in step S14.

[0051] On the other hand, if the AC 12V power signal cannot be confirmed in step S10, the presence or absence of a DC 12V power signal is determined (step S60). If it is determined in step S60 that a DC 12V power signal is present, the DC 12V power supply is turned ON (step S61). This starts up the cradle device 1 (step S62). When the cradle device 1 is started up in step S62, the process proceeds to a reset restart process in step S13. Also, if the DC 12V power signal cannot be confirmed in step S60, the process ends.

[0052] In the standby state of step S14, the start switch is turned on (step S15). This causes the cradle device 1 to transition to the ON-OFF control mode. When the mode transitions to the ON-OFF control mode, the LED is turned on in step S16, indicating that the mode has transitioned to the ON-OFF control mode.

[0053] Next, as shown in FIG. 3, in step S17, DC power is supplied from all the DC power sources 7B to the main charger. The supply of DC power from the DC power sources 7B is controlled by the input control unit 20 (see FIG. 1). Next, in step S18, it is determined whether or not there is a main signal (whether or not there is a main charger). The determination in step S18 is performed, for example, 500 ms after the execution of step S17 (the same applies to the determination of the presence or absence of the main signal and the sub-signal below). The waiting time after the execution of step S18 can be changed as appropriate (the same applies to the determination of the presence or absence of the main signal and the sub-signal below). The determination of the presence or absence of the main signal may be performed not only by a one-zero determination, but also by setting a threshold value, for example (the same applies to the determination of the presence or absence of the main signal and the sub-signal below). By setting a threshold value, it is possible to deal with not only the case where the AC power source 7A is lost, but also the case where a voltage drop occurs, for example.

[0054] If the main signal is not confirmed in step S18, the DC power source 7B of the main charger (DC charger 10B) is turned off in step S70. Next, the process proceeds to input processing of the AC power source 7A to the main charger (AC charger 10A) (see FIG. 6), which will be described in detail later.

[0055] If the main signal is confirmed in step S18, the presence or absence of the sub-1 signal is determined (step S19). If the sub-1 signal is not confirmed in step S19, the DC power source 7B of the sub-1 charger (DC charger 10B) is turned off (step S71), and the DC / DC converter 14 in the main charger is started (step S72). The DC / DC converter 14 is started when the temperature is within a predetermined range (the same applies in the following processes).

[0056] If the sub-1 signal is confirmed in step S19, the presence or absence of the sub-2 signal is determined (step S20). If the sub-2 signal is not confirmed in step S20, the DC power source 7B of the sub-2 charger (DC charger 10B) is turned off (step S73), and the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger and sub-1 charger are started (step S74). After step S74 is executed, the process proceeds to step S42 (see FIG. 5) described later.

[0057] If the sub 2 signal is confirmed in step S20, the presence or absence of the sub 3 signal is determined (step S21). If the sub 3 signal is not confirmed in step S21, the DC power source 7B of the sub 3 charger (DC charger 10B) is turned off (step S75), and the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger, sub 1 charger, and sub 2 charger are started (step S76). After step S76 is executed, the process proceeds to step S41 (see FIG. 5) described later.

[0058] When the processing in steps S17 to S21 (also referred to as the DC input portion) ends as described above, the processing proceeds to steps S25 to S32 (also referred to as the AC input portion, see FIG. 4).

[0059] When the process in step S21 is completed, as shown in Fig. 4, an AC power source 7A is supplied to the sub 4 charger (AC charger 10A) (step S25). The supply of AC power from the AC power source 7A is controlled by the input control unit 20. Next, in step S26, it is determined whether or not a sub 4 signal is present.

[0060] If the sub-4 signal cannot be confirmed in step S26, the AC power source 7A of the sub-4 charger (AC charger 10A) is turned off (step S80), and the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger and the sub-1 to sub-3 chargers are started (step S81). After step S81 is executed, the process proceeds to step S40 (see FIG. 5) which will be described later.

[0061] If the sub-4 signal is confirmed in step S26, the AC power source 7A is supplied to the sub-5 charger (AC charger 10A) (step S27). Then, the presence or absence of the sub-5 signal is determined (step S28). If the sub-5 signal is not confirmed in step S28, the AC power source 7A of the sub-5 charger (AC charger 10A) is turned off (step S82), and the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger and the sub-1 to sub-4 chargers are started (step S83). After step S83 is executed, the process proceeds to step S39 (see FIG. 5) which will be described later.

[0062] If the sub-5 signal is confirmed in step S28, the AC power source 7A is supplied to the sub-6 charger (AC charger 10A) (step S29). Then, the presence or absence of the sub-6 signal is determined (step S30). If the sub-6 signal is not confirmed in step S30, the AC power source 7A of the sub-6 charger (AC charger 10A) is turned off (step S84), and the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger and the sub-1 to sub-5 chargers are started (step S85). After step S85 is executed, the process proceeds to step S38 (see FIG. 5) described later.

[0063] If the sub-6 signal is confirmed in step S30, the AC power source 7A is supplied to the sub-7 charger (AC charger 10A) (step S31). Then, the presence or absence of the sub-7 signal is determined (step S32). If the sub-7 signal is not confirmed in step S32, the AC power source 7A of the sub-7 charger (AC charger 10A) is turned off (step S86), and the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger and the sub-1 to sub-6 chargers are started (step S87). When step S87 is executed, the process proceeds to step S37 (see FIG. 5) described later. In this way, by sequentially executing steps S25 to S32, the input from the multiple AC power sources 7A is distributed (also referred to as distributed control). Therefore, a sudden voltage drop in the AC power source 7A is suppressed.

[0064] If the sub-7 signal is confirmed in step S32, the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger and the sub-1 to sub-7 chargers are started up (step S35), as shown in Fig. 5. When step S35 is executed, it is determined whether charging by the main charger and the sub-1 to sub-7 chargers is necessary (step S36).

[0065] If it is determined in step S36 that charging by the main charger and sub 1 to sub 7 chargers is necessary, then a determination as to whether charging by the main charger and sub 1 to sub 7 chargers is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S36 that charging by the main charger and sub 1 to sub 7 chargers is not necessary, then a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger and sub 1 to sub 6 chargers is necessary (step S37).

[0066] If it is determined in step S37 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 6 chargers is necessary, then a determination as to whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 6 chargers is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S37 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 6 chargers is not necessary, then a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 5 chargers is necessary (step S38).

[0067] If it is determined in step S38 that charging by the main charger and sub 1 to sub 5 chargers is necessary, then a determination as to whether charging by the main charger and sub 1 to sub 5 chargers is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S38 that charging by the main charger and sub 1 to sub 5 chargers is not necessary, then a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger and sub 1 to sub 4 chargers is necessary (step S39).

[0068] If it is determined in step S39 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 4 chargers is necessary, then a determination as to whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 4 chargers is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S39 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 4 chargers is not necessary, then a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is necessary (step S40).

[0069] If it is determined in step S40 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is necessary, then a determination as to whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S40 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is not necessary, then a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 and sub 2 chargers is necessary (step S41).

[0070] If it is determined in step S41 that charging by the main charger, sub 1 charger, and sub 2 charger is necessary, a determination as to whether charging by the main charger, sub 1 charger, and sub 2 charger is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S41 that charging by the main charger, sub 1 charger, and sub 2 charger is not necessary, a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger and sub 1 charger is necessary (step S42).

[0071] If it is determined in step S42 that charging by the main charger and sub-1 charger is necessary, the determination as to whether charging by the main charger and sub-1 charger is necessary or not is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S42 that charging by the main charger and sub-1 charger is not necessary, control is performed to stop the DC / DC converters 14 in the sub-1 to sub-7 chargers (step S43), and power supply by the main charger continues. Furthermore, when charging of the storage battery 3 is completed, power supply by the main charger is stopped, although not shown. Note that, if necessary, processing to return to the standby state or the like of step S14 may be performed.

[0072] Here, the processing in the above steps S35 to S43 is, in other words, processing for optimizing the combination of chargers 10 required for rapid charging of the storage battery 3. Moreover, the processing in the above steps S36 to S42 is processing for sequentially reducing the number of chargers 10 from the maximum number of chargers 10 down to the last charger 10. That is, the processing in the above steps S36 to S42 is processing for reducing unnecessary chargers 10.

[0073] Next, the process after the DC power supply 7B of the main charger (DC charger 10B) is turned off in step S70 (see FIG. 3) described above (the process when the DC power supply 7B is not available) will be described in detail below with reference to FIG. 6.

[0074] AC power is supplied to the main charger from the AC power source 7A (step S45). Then, the presence or absence of a main signal is determined (step S46). If the main signal is not confirmed in step S46, the AC power source 7A of the main charger (AC charger 10A) is turned off (step S90).

[0075] If the main signal is confirmed in step S46, the AC power source 7A is supplied to the sub-1 charger (AC charger 10A) (step S47). Then, the presence or absence of the sub-1 signal is determined (step S48). If the sub-1 signal is not confirmed in step S48, the AC power source 7A of the sub-1 charger (AC charger 10A) is turned off (step S91), and the DC / DC converter 14 in the main charger is started (step S92).

[0076] If the main signal is confirmed in step S48, the AC power source 7A is supplied to the sub 2 charger (AC charger 10A) (step S49). Then, the presence or absence of the sub 2 signal is determined (step S50). If the sub 2 signal is not confirmed in step S50, the AC power source 7A of the sub 2 charger (AC charger 10A) is turned off (step S93), and the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger and sub 1 charger are started (step S94). After step S94 is executed, the process proceeds to step S56 (see FIG. 7) described later.

[0077] If the main signal is confirmed in step S50, the AC power source 7A is supplied to the sub 3 charger (AC charger 10A) (step S51). Then, the presence or absence of the sub 3 signal is determined (step S52). If the sub 3 signal is not confirmed in step S52, the AC power source 7A of the sub 3 charger (AC charger 10A) is turned off (step S95), and the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger, sub 1 charger, and sub 2 charger are started (step S96). After step S96 is executed, the process proceeds to step S55 (see FIG. 7) described later.

[0078] If the sub 3 signal is confirmed in step S52, the DC / DC converters 14 in the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers are started up (step S53), as shown in Fig. 7. When step S53 is executed, it is determined whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is necessary (step S54).

[0079] If it is determined in step S54 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is necessary, then a determination as to whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S54 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is not necessary, then a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger, the sub 1 charger, and the sub 2 charger is necessary (step S55).

[0080] If it is determined in step S54 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is necessary, then a determination as to whether charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S54 that charging by the main charger and the sub 1 to sub 3 chargers is not necessary, then a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger, the sub 1 charger, and the sub 2 charger is necessary (step S55).

[0081] If it is determined in step S55 that charging by the main charger, sub 1 charger, and sub 2 charger is necessary, a determination as to whether charging by the main charger, sub 1 charger, and sub 2 charger is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S55 that charging by the main charger, sub 1 charger, and sub 2 charger is not necessary, a determination is made as to whether charging by the main charger and sub 1 charger is necessary (step S56).

[0082] If it is determined in step S56 that charging by the main charger and sub-1 charger is necessary, a determination as to whether charging by the sub-1 charger is necessary is repeatedly executed. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S56 that charging by the main charger and sub-1 charger is not necessary, control is performed to stop the DC / DC converters 14 in the sub-1 to sub-3 chargers (step S57), and power supply by the main charger is continued. That is, in steps S45 to S57, input control of AC power from the multiple AC power sources 7A is performed when DC power from the DC power source 7B cannot be used. When charging of the storage battery 3 is completed, although not shown in the figure, power supply by the main charger is stopped. Note that, if necessary, a process of returning to the standby state or the like of step S14 may be performed.

[0083] The above is the flow of control over the supply of power from the AC power source 7A and the DC power source 7B (flow of control over charging the storage battery 3) in the cradle device 1 of the present invention. Next, the effects of the cradle device 1 of the present invention will be described.

[0084] The above-mentioned cradle device 1 can combine the DC power output from the multiple AC chargers 10A and the multiple DC chargers 10B by the output control unit 30. Therefore, even a large-capacity storage battery 3 such as a driving battery of a vehicle 2 or the like can be quickly charged. Furthermore, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can switch on / off the input of AC power and DC power from the multiple AC chargers 10A and the multiple DC chargers 10B by the input control unit 20. Furthermore, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can turn off the input of AC power to the multiple AC chargers 10A and turn on the input of DC power from the multiple DC power sources 7B on the condition that the input of AC power from the AC power source 7A is lost. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can charge the storage battery 3 using the DC power source 7B even if the AC power source 7A is lost due to a power outage or the like.

[0085] Moreover, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 includes a sub-circuit unit 40 that supplies drive power to the output control unit 30 and the input control unit 20 from the DC power source 7B, and on condition that the input of AC power from the AC power source 7A is lost, drive power can be supplied from the DC power source 7B to the input control unit 20 and the output control unit 30 through the sub-circuit unit 40. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can be driven even if the AC power source 7A is lost due to a power outage or the like. Moreover, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can efficiently charge the storage battery 3 by combining it with an optimal charger 10.

[0086] Moreover, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can set one of the multiple chargers 10 as a main charger and the other chargers as sub-chargers. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can sequentially combine and output the power output from the multiple sub-chargers based on the power output from one main charger. Therefore, even if multiple AC power sources 7A are installed in the same facility, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can suppress a sudden drop in voltage in the facility. Furthermore, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can set the DC power source 7B as the main charger or sub-charger, so that even if the AC power source 7A is lost due to a power outage or the like, the storage battery 3 can be charged by combining the multiple DC power sources 7B. Furthermore, the above-mentioned cradle device 1 can efficiently charge the storage battery 3 by combining the optimal chargers 10.

[0087] In addition, in the above-described cradle device 1, the detection unit 6 is mounted on the vehicle 2 and is communicatively connected to the output control unit 30, and the output control unit 30 can acquire the state of the storage battery 3 acquired by the detection unit 6 through communication. Therefore, the above-described cradle device 1 can acquire the state of the storage battery 3 without a separate detection unit 6.

[0088] The above is one embodiment of the cradle device 1 of the present invention, but the cradle device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made.

[0089] In the present embodiment, the case where four AC chargers 10A are provided is illustrated, but at least one or more AC chargers 10A may be provided. In addition, in the present embodiment, the case where four AC power sources 7A are provided is illustrated, but at least one or more AC power sources 7A may be provided. In addition, in the present embodiment, the case where the AC power sources 7A are connected to the AC chargers 10A in a one-to-one correspondence is illustrated, but the AC power sources 7A and the AC chargers 10A may correspond to each other in other ratios than the one-to-one correspondence. In addition, the AC chargers 10A may be configured not only of the same type, but also of a combination of different types. In addition, the AC chargers 10A can be used in various capacities and forms.

[0090] In addition, in the present embodiment, the case where four DC chargers 10B are provided is illustrated, but at least one or more DC chargers 10B may be provided. In addition, in the present embodiment, the case where four DC power sources 7B are provided is illustrated, but at least one or more DC power sources 7B may be provided. In addition, in the present embodiment, the case where the DC power sources 7B are connected to the DC chargers 10B in a one-to-one correspondence is illustrated, but the DC power sources 7B and the DC chargers 10B may correspond to each other in other ratios than the one-to-one correspondence. In addition, the DC chargers 10B may be configured not only of the same type, but also of a combination of different types. In addition, the DC chargers 10B may be of various capacities and shapes.

[0091] In the present embodiment, the rectifier 16 suppresses the reverse current from the storage battery 3 by both the diode in the DC charger 10B and the inrush prevention control in the output control unit 30, but the rectifier 16 may be configured, for example, as either the diode on the DC charger 10B side or the inrush prevention control on the output control unit 30 side. In the present embodiment, the input control unit 20 and the output control unit 30 are provided as the control unit, but the input control unit 20 and the output control unit 30 may be integrated into the control unit. In addition, the control unit may be provided not only in the input control unit 20 and the output control unit 30, but in various arrangements as necessary, such as a control unit provided for each unit of the device, or a control unit that controls each unit of the device in conjunction with the control in the input control unit 20 and the output control unit 30.

[0092] In the present embodiment, the input control unit 20 executes control to turn off the input of AC power to the multiple AC chargers 10A and to switch on the input of DC power from the multiple DC power sources 7B on the condition that the input of AC power from the AC power source 7A is lost, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, not only when the AC power source 7A is completely lost, but also when the AC power cannot secure the power required for charging due to a voltage drop of the AC power, the input of AC power to the multiple AC chargers 10A may be turned off and the input of DC power from the multiple DC power sources 7B may be turned on. That is, it is desirable to switch between the AC power source 7A and the DC power source 7B when the AC power from the AC power source 7A cannot be obtained stably.

[0093] In addition, in this embodiment, power input control (ON-OFF control) is performed by first determining whether or not DC power is being input by the DC charger 10B and then determining whether or not AC power is being input by the AC charger 10A, but the determination whether or not DC power is being input by the DC charger 10B and the determination whether or not AC power is being input by the AC charger 10A may be performed interchangeably.

[0094] In the present embodiment, the driving power of the cradle device 1 (the input control unit 20 and the output control unit 30) is obtained from the AC power supply 7A in the initial state, but it may be obtained from the DC power supply 7B in the initial state. In such a case, the processing in steps S10 to S12 in FIG. 2 may be interchanged with the processing in steps S60 to S62.

[0095] The main charger and the sub charger can be set by various setting methods other than those according to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, the main charger and the sub charger can be assigned in various orders, such as a method in which the main charger and the sub charger are assigned in advance, or a method in which the chargers are assigned sequentially according to the order in which they are started up. The main charger and the sub charger can be connected in various combinations, regardless of whether they are connected in series or in parallel.

[0096] In addition, in this embodiment, the input control unit 20 executes distributed control to distribute the input of AC power from the multiple AC power sources 7A. However, the distributed control may be executed only when necessary, and the execution of the distributed control may be omitted.

[0097] In the present embodiment, the detection unit 6 is mounted on the vehicle 2 and is connected to the output control unit 30 so as to be able to communicate with it. However, the detection unit 6 may be provided at various positions as necessary, such as at the cradle device 1 side or at both the storage battery 3 and the cradle device 1. In the present embodiment, the detection unit 6 is exemplified as using the BMS 5, but the detection unit 6 may be used alone, not only using the BMS 5 or the VCU 4. In the present embodiment, the detection unit 6 detects the temperature information of the storage battery 3, but the detection unit 6 may be configured to detect various states in addition to the temperature information. For example, the detection unit 6 may detect one or more of various information such as the remaining capacity, deterioration state, voltage, current, temperature, and remaining time until the expiration date of the storage battery 3 as the state of the storage battery 3. In addition, the detection unit 6 may be provided in a required number at a required location as necessary, and may be configured not to include the detection unit 6.

[0098] In the present embodiment, the storage battery 3 is a driving battery mounted on an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle (plug-in hybrid vehicle), but the storage battery 3 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, various batteries other than the vehicle 2. When the storage battery 3 is a battery other than the vehicle 2, the connection cable, connector, etc. may be changed appropriately according to a standard other than CHAdeMO (registered trademark). In addition, the storage battery 3 to be charged may be one with various capacities, quantities, and forms. In addition, the shape and size of the cradle device 1 may be one with various shapes and sizes. In addition, the input AC power source 7A and DC power source 7B are not limited to those in the embodiment, and may be one with various powers (voltages, currents).

[0099] The above are various embodiments and variations of the cradle device according to the present invention, however, the present invention is not limited to those exemplified in the above-mentioned embodiments and variations, and it will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that other embodiments are possible in accordance with the teachings and spirit of the present invention without departing from the scope of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0100] The cradle device of the present invention can be used to charge various types of storage batteries, and can also be used to charge drive batteries for electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0101] 1: Cradle device 1A: Cradle body 2: Vehicle 3: Storage battery (vehicle battery) 4: VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) 5: BMS (Battery Management System) 6: Detection section 7A: AC power supply (AC power supply) 7B: DC power supply (DC power supply) 10: Charger 10A: AC charger (AC charger) 10B: Direct current charger (DC charger) 20: Input control section 30: Output control section 40: Sub-circuit section

Claims

1. a plurality of AC chargers each connected to a plurality of AC power sources, converting input AC power into DC power, and charging a storage battery with the DC power; a plurality of DC chargers each connected to a plurality of DC power sources and configured to charge the storage battery using a plurality of input DC powers; an input control unit for switching on / off the input of the AC power from the plurality of AC power sources and the input of the DC power from the plurality of DC power sources; an output control unit that combines DC power output from the plurality of AC chargers and the plurality of DC chargers; a rectifier unit provided in either one or both of the DC charger and the output control unit, the rectifier unit suppressing a reverse current from the storage battery; Equipped with The input control unit of the cradle device is characterized in that, when the input of AC power from the AC power source is lost, the input of AC power to the multiple AC chargers is turned off and the input of DC power from the multiple DC power sources is switched on.

2. a sub-circuit unit that supplies drive power to the output control unit and the input control unit from the DC power supply, The cradle device of claim 1, characterized in that, when the input of AC power from the AC power source is lost, the driving power is supplied from the DC power source to the input control unit and the output control unit through the sub-circuit unit.

3. A detection unit for detecting a state of the storage battery is provided, in the output control unit, one of the plurality of AC chargers and the plurality of DC chargers is set as a main charger, and the AC chargers and the DC chargers other than the main charger are set as sub-chargers, The output control unit is The cradle device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it controls the output of a combination of power output from the main charger and power output from at least one of the sub-chargers depending on the state of the storage battery detected by the detection unit.

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