Charging device

Abstract

To provide a technique capable of selecting an optimal power supply source according to a state of a plurality of power supply sources in a charging device for charging a battery of an electric mobile body.SOLUTION: A charging device for charging a battery of an electric mobile body includes: a relay unit; and a control unit that enables power supply from any of a plurality of power supply sources to the battery by transmitting an open command or a close command to each relay in the relay unit. The control unit includes a power supply selection unit that selects the power supply source that supplies power to the battery based on a state of at least one of the plurality of power supply sources when the battery is charged with power.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging device capable of switching a power supply source for charging an electric moving body from among a plurality of types of power supply sources.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a system for supplying power to a load such as an electric device or an electric vehicle (EV) and charging the load is known. In this system, normally, power is supplied from a commercial power source to the load. For example, when the commercial power source fails during an emergency such as a disaster, power is supplied from an emergency power source to the load. This makes it possible to charge the load even during an emergency (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0003] In recent years, in order to promote the spread of EVs, infrastructure for basic charging has been developed at places where EVs usually stay for a long time, such as parking lots. When charging an EV, as described above, normally, power is supplied from a commercial power source to the EV. However, the electricity bill imposed on the user due to the supply of power from the commercial power source generally varies depending on the time zone. That is, there are time zones when the electricity bill for charging becomes relatively high. In such time zones, even when the commercial power source is operating normally, it is desirable to automatically switch the power supply source from the commercial power source to something other than the commercial power source so that the electricity bill imposed on the user becomes relatively low. Thus, the demand for making it possible to select a power supply source depending on the state related to the power supply source is increasing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0005] The technology disclosed herein has been made to solve the above problems, and its object is to provide a technology capable of selecting an optimal power supply source according to the states of a plurality of power supply sources in a charging device for charging a battery of an electric moving body.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0006] The present disclosure for solving the above problems is a charging device for charging a battery of an electric moving body, including a relay unit including a plurality of relays respectively connected to a plurality of power supply sources, a control unit that enables power supply from any one of the plurality of power supply sources to the battery by sending an open command or a close command to each relay in the relay unit, and comprising the control unit has a power supply selection unit that selects a power supply source that supplies power to the battery based on the state of at least one of the plurality of power supply sources when charging the battery, and is characterized by including a charging device.

[0007] In the present disclosure, a power on / off module mounted on the charging device is connected to, for example, two power sources, a commercial power source and a storage battery. And the relay unit includes, for example, a first relay and a second It is composed of two relays of a relay. The control unit outputs a command signal to a first relay and a second relay to which each of two power supplies is connected, and each relay performs control to switch the power line connected to the power supply from on (closed state) to off (open state), or from off (open state) to on (closed state). By using the charging device in the present disclosure, the control unit is operated, and by controlling the open / closed state of the power line by each of the first relay and the second relay, it is possible to switch the AC power supply source to either a commercial power supply or a storage battery. As a result, it is possible to select the optimal one from a plurality of power supply sources and charge at a good cost. Further, since the switching of the power supply source is automatically performed by the power supply selection unit based on the state of the power supply source, it is possible to save artificial costs such as rearrangement of the power line and reconnection of the charging cable to the outlet output.

[0008] Also, in the present disclosure, the relay unit includes a first relay that opens and closes a power line connected to a commercial power supply and a second relay that opens and closes a power line connected to a storage battery, and the power supply selection unit selects the commercial power supply as the power supply source that supplies power to the battery during a time period when the electricity charge per hour in the commercial power supply is equal to or less than a predetermined charge, and selects the storage battery as the power supply source that supplies power to the battery during a time period when the electricity charge per hour in the commercial power supply is higher than the predetermined charge.

[0009] In the present disclosure, the storage battery may store electric energy converted from natural energy such as solar energy by a solar panel installed on the roof of a house or the like, for example. That is, since the storage battery is charged from natural energy, the cost related to the use of the electric energy stored in the storage battery is relatively low.

[0010] Here, when the commercial power supply is used as the source of AC power, the electricity charge imposed on charging generally varies depending on the time period. Based on this electricity charge, when the time period is such that the electricity charge is higher than a predetermined charge, even if the commercial power supply is operating normally, the power supply selection unit selects the storage battery as the power supply source. As a result, the source of AC power switches to the storage battery. As described above, since the cost associated with using the electrical energy stored in the storage battery is relatively low, the electricity charge imposed on the user becomes relatively low. On the other hand, when the commercial power supply is operating normally and the time period is such that the electricity charge is less than or equal to the predetermined charge, the power supply selection unit selects the commercial power supply as the power supply source. As a result, the source of AC power switches to the commercial power supply, and it becomes possible to save the power stored in the storage battery.

[0011] Also, in the present disclosure, it further includes a storage unit that stores information on the relationship between the time and the electricity charge per unit time in the commercial power supply. The power supply selection unit may select the power supply source that supplies power to the battery based on the information on the relationship between the time and the electricity charge per unit time read from the storage unit. Thereby, the power supply selection unit can more appropriately select the power supply source based on the electricity charge.

[0012] In addition, in the present disclosure, when the remaining charge amount of the storage battery is higher than a predetermined remaining amount, even if the time-based electricity charge in the commercial power supply is within a time period equal to or lower than the predetermined charge, the power supply selection unit may select the storage battery as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery. In the present disclosure, an index called a predetermined remaining amount is provided for the remaining charge amount of the storage battery. The power supply selection unit determines whether the remaining charge amount of the storage battery is large based on this predetermined remaining amount, and when the remaining charge amount of the storage battery is large, it is possible to switch to charging from the storage battery. Note that in the present disclosure, when the time period in which the electricity charge stored in the storage unit is equal to or lower than the predetermined charge, in principle, charging is switched from the commercial power supply, but when the remaining charge amount of the storage battery is large, it is preferentially switched to charging from the storage battery. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the storage battery from being fully charged.

[0013] In addition, in the present disclosure, when the remaining charge amount of the storage battery is equal to or lower than a second predetermined remaining amount that is lower than the predetermined remaining amount, even if the time-based electricity charge in the commercial power supply is within a time period higher than the predetermined charge, the power supply selection unit may select the commercial power supply as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery. That is, even in a case where charging is switched from the storage battery in principle, when the power supply selection unit determines that the remaining charge amount of the storage battery is small, as long as the commercial power supply is operating normally, it may preferentially switch to charging from the commercial power supply. This can prevent the charge amount of the storage battery from decreasing excessively.

[0014] In addition, in the present disclosure, during a power outage of the commercial power supply, the power supply selection unit may select the storage battery as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery. Here, when the charging device is not in use, both the first relay and the second relay are in an off state, and the input of AC power is completely cut off. Also, when the charging device is used normally, the first relay is in an on state and the second relay is in an off state. That is, normally, AC power is input only from the commercial power supply, and the electric moving body is charged with the power from the commercial power supply.

[0015] However, for example, due to disasters such as earthquakes or equipment troubles, the commercial power supply may experience a power outage. For example, a predetermined value is set for the power measured by the power measurement unit, and when the power is compared with the specified value and the power is less than the specified value, the power supply selection unit may determine that the commercial power supply has a power outage and switch the supply source of the AC power from the commercial power supply to the storage battery. Thereby, even when the commercial power supply experiences a power outage during a disaster or the like, it is possible to charge the electric moving body from the storage battery.

[0016] Also, in the present disclosure, when the commercial power supply experiences a power outage, if the remaining charge amount of the storage battery is equal to or less than a third predetermined remaining amount, the power supply selection unit may not select a power supply source that supplies power to the battery, and the control unit may not supply power to the battery. That is, when the commercial power supply has a power outage and the remaining charge amount of the storage battery is low, the control unit may exceptionally output an off command signal to both the first relay and the second relay. Thereby, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a situation where the charge amount of the storage battery also runs out during a power outage.

[0017] Also, in the present disclosure, the power for driving the control unit may be secured from the storage battery. Thereby, it is possible to ensure the operation of the charging device even during a power outage.

[0018] Also, in the present disclosure, it further includes a communication unit capable of communicating with a server device on the cloud, the power supply selection unit is installed on the server device, and the control unit may send an open command or a close command to each relay in the relay unit based on a signal from the server device received by the communication unit.

[0019] In the present disclosure, the relay unit, at least a part of the control unit other than the power supply selection unit, a power measurement unit that measures the power supplied to the battery through the relay unit, and a communication unit capable of communicating with a server device on the cloud are modularized and housed in charging equipment installed for the electric moving body. The communication unit can transmit information on the power measured by the power measurement unit to the server device on the cloud, and can receive information on power supply to the battery from the server device on the cloud via the communication unit. According to this, important components in the charging device can be handled integrally, and it becomes possible to more easily construct the device and respond to failures. Further, the module can be applied to other systems other than the charging device in the present disclosure, and the module can be distributed alone.

[0020] In the present disclosure, it is assumed that the above module is housed in charging equipment installed in a place where basic charging is possible, such as a parking lot in an apartment building. Then, by applying the module to, for example, charging an electric moving body and using a charging device, it becomes possible to charge the electric moving body as intended by the user. Here, the electric moving body includes, in addition to EVs, electric assist bicycles, electric kick scooters, electric wheelchairs, and robotic lawn mowers.

[0021] Note that the means for solving the above problems can be used in combination with each other as much as possible.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the technology of the present disclosure, in a charging device for charging a battery of an electric moving body, it is possible to select an optimal power supply source according to the states of a plurality of power supply sources.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0024] 〔APPLICATION EXAMPLE〕 The outline of the application example of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to some drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an example of applying the charging device 1 according to this application example to charging of an EV 2. The charging device 1 according to this application example includes a power switch module 10 which is a module related to the management of charging power in the charging device. The power switch module 10 includes a control unit 100, a relay 101, a power measurement unit 102, a storage unit 103, a communication unit 104, and the like.

[0025] The power switch module 10 is connected to two power sources, namely the commercial power supply 3 and the storage battery 4. The relay 101 opens and closes the power lines to which the commercial power supply 3 and the storage battery 4 are respectively connected. The storage battery 4 is installed for household use and stores electrical energy converted from solar energy by, for example, solar panels installed on the roof of a house or the like. That is, since the storage battery 4 is charged using the power generated by the solar panels, the cost associated with the use of the electrical energy stored in the storage battery 4 is relatively low.

[0026] The relay 101 receives a command signal from the control unit 100 and switches the power lines to which each of the two power sources is connected from on (closed state) to off (open state), or from off (open state) to on (closed state). When an alternating current is input from the commercial power supply 3 or the storage battery 4 in a state where the relay 101 has received an on command signal, the alternating current is output to the EV charging socket 11 via the power measurement unit 102 that measures power. Thus, by connecting the charging cable of the EV2 to the EV charging socket 11, the EV2 can be charged. The state of supplying power from the power switch module 10 to the EV2 is shown in FIG. 4A described later.

[0027] More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the relay 101 is composed of two relays, namely the first relay 1011 and the second relay 1012. The first relay 1011 opens and closes the power line connected to the commercial power supply 3, and the second relay 1012 opens and closes the power line connected to the storage battery 4. Note that FIG. 2 shows the power lines from each of the two power sources to the power measurement unit 102. In this application example, normally, the control unit 100 outputs an on command signal to the first relay 1011 and an off command signal to the second relay 1012, thereby setting the source of the alternating current supply as the commercial power supply 3.

[0028] ​Further, the control unit 100 includes a power supply selection unit 1001 that selects a power supply for supplying power to the EV2. In this application example, more precisely, the power supply selection unit 1001 selects either one of two power supplies, the commercial power supply 3 or the storage battery 4, as the AC power supply source. Hereinafter, it will be described that the control unit 100 is the entity that selects either one of the two power supplies.

[0029] Returning to the description of FIG. 1. The electricity charge imposed on charging when the commercial power supply 3 is used as the AC power supply source generally varies depending on the time zone. The charging device 1 includes a storage unit 103, and the storage unit 103 can store in advance the relationship between the electricity charge and the time. This relationship may be stored as a table. Based on the data stored in the storage unit 103, when the time zone in which the electricity charge is higher than a predetermined charge as a threshold value (hereinafter, also referred to as a time zone with a relatively high electricity charge), even when the commercial power supply 3 is operating normally, the control unit 100 outputs an off command signal to the first relay 1011 and an on command signal to the second relay 1012. As a result, the AC power supply source becomes the storage battery 4. As described above, since the cost related to the use of the electrical energy stored in the storage battery 4 is relatively low, the electricity charge imposed on the user becomes relatively low. On the contrary, when the commercial power supply 3 is operating normally and the time zone in which the electricity charge is below the predetermined charge (hereinafter, also referred to as a time zone with a relatively low electricity charge), the control unit 100 outputs an on command signal to the first relay 1011 and an off command signal to the second relay 1012. As a result, the AC power supply source also becomes the commercial power supply 3, and it becomes possible to reduce the electricity charge imposed on the user.

[0030] 〔Example 1〕 Hereinafter, the charging device 1 according to Example 1 of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings (including the drawings once described in the above application example). Note that the charging device 1 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited to the following configuration.

[0031] <Configuration> Regarding FIGS. 1 and 2, the power switching module 10 according to this embodiment has a wireless communication function by the communication unit 104 in addition to the function of opening and closing the power line by the aforementioned first relay 1011 and second relay 1012.

[0032] The communication unit 104 uses the wireless communication function to transmit information necessary for charge management to the charge management system 12 constructed on the cloud via a network (not shown). Also, the communication unit 104 receives an instruction from the charge management system 12 using the wireless communication function and transmits the instruction to the control unit 100. Based on this, the control unit 100 outputs a command signal for opening and closing control to the first relay 1011 and the second relay 1012. For example, when the charging cable of EV2 is connected to the EV charging outlet 11, charging does not start immediately, and it is also possible for the user to specify the time to start charging by operating a terminal such as a smartphone. At this time, the information of the specified time is stored in the charge management system 12, and when the specified time is reached, the control unit 100 receives an instruction from the charge management system 12 via the communication unit 104 and outputs an on command signal to the first relay 1011 or the second relay 1012 according to the instruction. Then, the communication unit 104 transmits information such as the electricity charge related to the charging of EV2 to the charge management system 12 based on the electricity measured by the power measurement unit 102 and the relationship between the electricity charge and time stored in the storage unit 103. Also, it is possible to specify the time to end charging in the same way. When the charging cable of EV2 is connected to the EV charging outlet 11, charging does not start immediately, and it is also possible for the user to specify the time to start charging by operating a terminal such as a smartphone. At this time, the information of the specified time is stored in the charge management system 12, and when the specified time is reached, the control unit 100 receives an instruction from the charge management system 12 via the communication unit 104 and outputs an on command signal to the first relay 1011 or the second relay 1012 according to the instruction. Then, the communication unit 104 transmits information such as the electricity charge related to the charging of EV2 to the charge management system 12 based on the electricity measured by the power measurement unit 102 and the relationship between the electricity charge and time stored in the storage unit 103. Also, it is possible to specify the time to end charging in the same way.

[0033] In addition to the relationship between the electricity charge and time stored in the aforementioned storage unit 103, the control unit 100 outputs command signals for opening and closing control to the first relay 1011 and the second relay 1012 based on the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4. In this embodiment, a predetermined remaining amount is provided as a threshold value for the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4. The control unit 100 determines whether the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4 is large or small based on this predetermined remaining amount. When the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4 is large, charging from the storage battery 4 can be switched to charging from the commercial power supply 3 when the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4 is small. As a result, it is possible to balance and suppress both the increase in the electricity charge imposed on the user and the consumption of the electric power stored in the storage battery 4. Details of the control of the control unit 100 based on the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4 will be described later using the flowchart shown in FIG. 3.

[0034] Moreover, since the power switch module 10 is configured to include the control unit 100, the first relay 1011, the second relay 1012, the storage unit 103, the communication unit 104, etc., it can be handled independently from the charging device 1. As a result, it becomes possible to apply the power switch module 10 to other systems other than the charging device 1 or to sell and provide the power switch module 10 alone.

[0035] In this embodiment, the battery of the EV2 is exemplified as the charging target, but the charging target of the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, other electric moving bodies such as electric assist bicycles, electric kick scooters, electric wheelchairs, and robotic lawn mowers may also be used. Furthermore, rechargeable electrical products other than electric moving bodies may be used as the charging target.

[0036] <Flowchart> Next, with reference to FIG. 3, the mechanism by which the charging device 1 according to the present embodiment switches the AC power supply source will be described. Regarding the flowchart shown in FIG. 2, first, in step S101, based on the relationship between the electricity charge and time stored in the storage unit 103, it is determined whether the time period during which the EV 2 is being charged is a time period with a relatively high electricity charge. When the control unit 100 determines that it is a time period with a relatively low electricity charge (step S101: no), next, in step S102, based on the remaining charge of the storage battery 4, a command signal for opening and closing control is output to the first relay 1011 and the second relay 1012.

[0037] Here, at the stage of step S102, since it is a time period with a relatively low electricity charge, in principle, the control unit 100 outputs an on command signal to the first relay 1011 and an off command signal to the second relay 1012, thereby setting the AC power supply source to the commercial power supply 3. However, at the same stage, in the present embodiment, when the remaining charge of the storage battery 4 is large, the AC power supply source is preferentially set to the storage battery 4. Specifically, the control unit 100 acquires the remaining charge of the storage battery 4, compares the remaining charge with a predetermined remaining charge, and determines whether the remaining charge of the storage battery 4 is large.

[0038] Here, in the present embodiment, the predetermined remaining charge is set to 90%. When the control unit 100 determines that the remaining charge of the storage battery 4 is less than 90% (step S102: no), as a rule, the step In PS104, by outputting an on command signal to the first relay 1011 and an off command signal to the second relay 1012, the commercial power supply 3 is set as the source of AC power. On the other hand, when the control unit 100 determines that the remaining charge of the storage battery 4 is 90% or more (step S102: yes), assuming that it is determined that the remaining charge of the storage battery 4 is large, exceptionally in step S105, an off command signal is output to the first relay 1011 and an on command signal is output to the second relay 1012, thereby setting the storage battery 4 as the source of AC power. As a result, in step S104, it becomes possible to suppress the consumption of the power stored in the storage battery 4, and in step S105, it becomes possible to suppress an increase in the electricity bill imposed on the user.

[0039] Also, when the control unit 100 determines that it is a time period when the electricity rate is relatively high (step S101: yes), next in step S103, based on the remaining charge of the storage battery 4, command signals for opening and closing control are output to the first relay 1011 and the second relay 1012. Here, at the stage of step S103, since it is a time period when the electricity rate is relatively high, in principle, the control unit 100 outputs an off command signal to the first relay 1011 and an on command signal to the second relay 1012, thereby setting the storage battery 4 as the source of AC power. However, at the same stage, in this embodiment, when the remaining charge of the storage battery 4 is low, as long as the commercial power supply 3 is operating normally, the commercial power supply 3 is preferentially set as the source of AC power. Specifically, the control unit 100 acquires the remaining charge of the storage battery 4, compares the remaining charge with a second predetermined remaining amount as a threshold value, and determines whether the remaining charge of the storage battery 4 is low.

[0040] Here, in this embodiment, the second predetermined remaining amount is set to 30%. When the control unit 100 determines that the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4 is higher than 30% (step S103: no), in principle, in step S105, an off command signal is output to the first relay 1011, and an on command signal is output to the second relay 1012, so that the power supply source of the AC power is the storage battery 4. On the contrary, when the control unit 100 determines that the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4 is 30% or less (step S103: yes), assuming that it is determined that the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4 is small, exceptionally, in step S104, an on command signal is output to the first relay 1011, and an off command signal is output to the second relay 1012, so that the power supply source of the AC power is the commercial power supply 3. Note that if the second predetermined remaining amount is a value lower than the predetermined remaining amount, the values of the predetermined remaining amount and the second predetermined remaining amount are not limited to 90% and 30% respectively.

[0041] Also, in this embodiment, the control unit 100 may switch the power supply source of the AC power without considering the remaining charge amount of the storage battery 4. That is, in the flowchart shown in FIG. 3, the steps of step S102 and step S103 do not necessarily have to be considered. In this case, when the control unit 100 determines that it is a time zone with a relatively low electricity rate (step S101: no), in step S104, an on command signal is output to the first relay 1011, and an off command signal is output to the second relay 1012, so that the power supply source of the AC power is the commercial power supply 3. On the contrary, when the control unit 100 determines that it is a time zone with a relatively high electricity rate (step S101: yes), in step S105, an off command signal is output to the first relay 1011, and an on command signal is output to the second relay 1012, so that the power supply source of the AC power is the storage battery 4.

[0042] <Configuration> FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing a state in which power is supplied from a charging facility (pole) that houses a power switch module 10 provided in the charging device 1 according to this embodiment to the EV2. In this embodiment, for example, in a parking lot of an apartment building, power is supplied from the power switch module 10 housed inside the pole to the EV2. This charging method corresponds to basic charging that is performed during a time period when the EV2 is not in use and can be charged over time, so it is possible to reduce the load on the battery of the EV2. Also, since each person connects a cord to the EV charging outlet 11 to charge, it is possible to charge only when necessary. Also, the installation cost of the power switch module 10 for basic charging is relatively low. Also, since it is housed inside the pole, the power switch module 10 itself does not necessarily need to have waterproof and weather resistance. Since each person connects a cord to the EV charging outlet 11 to charge, it is possible to charge only when necessary. Also, the installation cost of the power switch module 10 for basic charging is relatively low. Also, since it is housed inside the pole, the power switch module 10 itself does not necessarily need to have waterproof and weather resistance.

[0043] In this embodiment, basic charging is illustrated as the charging method, but other charging methods can also supply power to the EV2 by introducing the power switch module 10. Examples of other charging methods include destination charging performed at a destination facility and route charging performed during the journey to the destination.

[0044] Also, the location where the power switch module 10 is mounted is not limited to the inside of the pole, and as shown in FIG. 4B, it may be housed inside a wall-mounted pool box and wall-mounted. In this way, by expanding the location where the power switch module 10 is mounted, it is possible to improve the penetration rate of the power switch module 10 and apply the charging device 1 in various fields.

[0045] 〔Embodiment 2〕 Next, an example in which the charging device 1a according to Embodiment 2 of the present disclosure is applied to charging of the EV2 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. Since the charging device 1a has many configurations in common with the charging device 1 of Embodiment 1, such configurations are denoted by the same reference numerals and further description thereof is omitted. Also in this embodiment, the relay 101 is configured to include two relays, a first relay 1011 and a second relay 1012, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0046] <Configuration> As a difference from the charging device 1 shown in FIG. 1 in the first embodiment, in the charging device 1a shown in FIG. 5, a charging management system 12a constructed on the cloud includes a power supply selection unit 1001 and a storage unit 103. That is, since the control unit 100 in the power switch module 10a does not include the power supply selection unit 1001, the control load can be reduced. Also, the storage unit 103 is provided by the charging management system 12a on the cloud so that the management and maintenance load of the power switch module 10a can be reduced. That is, the control unit 100 can easily execute the opening and closing control of the first relay 1011 and the second relay 1012 by receiving the provision of the information on the relationship between the electricity charge and the time stored in the storage unit 103 on the cloud.

[0047] Also, the power measured by the power measurement unit 102 can be used as a criterion for determining whether the commercial power supply 3 is operating normally. For example, when the commercial power supply 3 fails due to a disaster such as an earthquake, the power measurement unit 102 cannot measure the power of the alternating current input from the commercial power supply 3, so it is possible to determine that the commercial power supply 3 is not operating normally. Also, even when alternating current power is input from the commercial power supply 3, the power measured by the power measurement unit 102 may be lower than normal.

[0048] In this embodiment, a preset value is provided for the power measured by the power measurement unit 102, and when the measured power is less than the preset value, it is possible to determine that the commercial power supply 3 is not operating normally. Specifically, the control unit 100 outputs a command signal to the first relay 1011 and the second relay 1012 based on the measured power. When the measured power is less than the preset value, it is determined that the commercial power supply 3 is not operating normally, and an off command signal is output to the first relay 1011 and an on command signal is output to the second relay 1012. As a result, the AC power supply source is switched from the commercial power supply 3 to the storage battery 4. By this, even when the commercial power supply 3 experiences a power outage during a disaster or the like, it is possible to charge the EV2.

[0049] Next, with reference to FIG. 6, the mechanism by which the charging device 1a according to this embodiment switches the AC power supply source will be described. Since many steps in the flowchart of FIG. 6 are common to the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 in Embodiment 1, such steps are given the same reference numerals and a new description thereof will be omitted.

[0050] <Flowchart> As a difference from the flowchart shown in FIG. 3 in the first embodiment, first, in step S106, the control unit 100 determines whether or not the commercial power supply 3 has a power outage. Specifically, as described above, the control unit 100 may acquire the power measured by the power measurement unit 102, compare the power with a preset value, and determine whether or not the commercial power supply 3 has a power outage. When the measured power is equal to or greater than the preset value, the control unit 100 determines that the commercial power supply 3 has no power outage (step S106: no), and then, in step S101, based on the relationship between the electricity charge and the time stored in the storage unit 103, it is determined whether or not the time zone during which the EV2 is being charged is a time zone with a relatively high electricity charge. That is, in this embodiment, before comparing the electricity charge with a predetermined charge, the power of the commercial power supply 3 is compared with a preset value. On the other hand, when the measured power is less than the preset value, the control unit 100 determines that the commercial power supply 3 has a power outage (step S106: yes), and in step S105, by outputting an off command signal to the first relay 1011 and an on command signal to the second relay 1012, the power supply source of the AC power is set to the storage battery 4. As a result, in addition to keeping the electricity charge required for charging relatively low, it becomes possible to charge from the storage battery 4 even in an emergency such as a disaster.

[0051] Also, the flowchart shown in FIG. 7 is used to supplementarily explain the flow shown in FIG. 6. When the control unit 100 determines that the commercial power supply 3 has a power outage (that is, in the case of step S106: yes), in step S105, the power supply source of the AC power is the battery 4, and then, in step S103, it is determined whether the remaining charge amount of the battery 4 is 30% or less corresponding to the third predetermined remaining amount in the present disclosure. When the control unit 100 determines that the remaining charge amount of the battery 4 is more than 30% (step S103: no), in step S107, the state in step S105 is continued. On the other hand, when the control unit 100 determines that the remaining charge amount of the battery 4 is 30% or less (step S103: yes), since the commercial power supply 3 has a power outage and the remaining charge amount of the battery 4 is small, an off command signal is exceptionally output to both the first relay 1011 and the second relay 1012 to stop the charging of the battery of the EV2. Thereby, it is possible to suppress an excessive decrease in the charge amount of the battery 4.

[0052] Note that, in order to make the constituent elements of the present disclosure comparable with the configuration of the embodiment below, the constituent elements of the present disclosure are described with reference numerals in the drawings.

[0053] [Appendix 1] A charging device (1, 1a) for charging the battery of an electric moving body (2), including a relay unit (101) including a plurality of relays (1011, 1012) respectively connected to a plurality of power supply sources (3, 4), a control unit (100) that enables power supply to the battery from any one of the plurality of power supply sources by sending an open command or a close command to each relay in the relay unit, comprising, wherein the control unit has a power supply selection unit (1001) that selects a power supply source that supplies power to the battery based on the state of at least one of the plurality of power supply sources during charging of the battery, and is characterized by the charging device. [Appendix 2] The relay unit includes a first relay (101 1) that opens and closes a power line connected to the commercial power supply (3), and a second relay (1012) that opens and closes a power line connected to the storage battery (4). The power supply selection unit selects the commercial power supply as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery during a time period when the electricity charge per hour in the commercial power supply is equal to or less than a predetermined charge; The charging device according to supplementary note 1, characterized in that the storage battery is selected as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery during a time period when the electricity charge per hour in the commercial power supply is higher than the predetermined charge. [Supplementary note 3] The charging device further includes a storage unit (103) that stores information on the relationship between the time and the electricity charge per hour in the commercial power supply. The power supply selection unit selects the power supply source for supplying power to the battery based on the information on the relationship between the time and the electricity charge per hour read from the storage unit, as described in supplementary note 2. [Supplementary note 4] When the remaining charge of the storage battery is higher than a predetermined remaining charge, the power supply selection unit selects the storage battery as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery even during a time period when the electricity charge per hour in the commercial power supply is equal to or less than the predetermined charge, as described in supplementary note 2. [Supplementary note 5] When the remaining charge of the storage battery is equal to or less than a second predetermined remaining charge that is lower than the predetermined remaining charge, the power supply selection unit selects the commercial power supply as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery even during a time period when the electricity charge per hour in the commercial power supply is higher than the predetermined charge, as described in supplementary note 2. [Supplementary note 6] During a power outage of the commercial power supply, the power supply selection unit The charging device according to supplementary note 2, wherein the storage battery is selected as a power supply for supplying power to the battery. [Supplementary note 7] When the remaining charge of the storage battery is equal to or less than a third predetermined remaining amount during a power outage of the commercial power supply, the power supply selection unit does not select a power supply for supplying power to the battery, and the control unit does not supply power to the battery. The charging device according to supplementary note 5. [Supplementary note 8] The charging device according to supplementary note 2, wherein power for driving the control unit is secured from the storage battery. [Supplementary note 9] The charging device further includes a communication unit (104) capable of communicating with a server device (12, 12a) on the cloud. The power supply selection unit is installed on the server device. The control unit sends an open command or a close command to each relay in the relay unit based on a signal from the server device received by the communication unit. The charging device according to supplementary note 2. [Supplementary note 10] the relay unit, at least a part other than the power supply selection unit in the control unit, a power measurement unit (102 ) for measuring the power supplied to the battery through the relay unit, a communication unit (104) capable of communicating with a server device (12, 12a) on the cloud, are modularized, are housed in charging equipment installed for the electric moving body, Information regarding the power measured by the power measurement unit can be transmitted to the server device on the cloud via the communication unit, and information regarding power supply to the battery can be received from the server device on the cloud via the communication unit. The charging device according to any one of supplementary notes 1 to 8.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0054] 1, 1a ··· Charging device 10, 10a ··· Power switch module 100 ····· Control unit 1001 ····· Power supply selection unit 101 ····· Relay 1011 ····· First relay 1012 ····· Second relay 102 ····· Power measurement unit 103 ····· Memory unit 104 ····· Communication unit 11 ······ EV charging socket 12, 12a ··· Charging management system 2 ······ EV 3 ······ Commercial power supply 4 ······ Storage battery

Claims

1. A charging device for charging a battery of an electric vehicle, comprising: a relay unit including a plurality of relays respectively connected to a plurality of power supply sources; a control unit that enables power supply from any one of the plurality of power supply sources to the battery by sending an open command or a close command to each relay in the relay unit; Equipped with The control unit is A charging device comprising: a power supply selection unit that selects a power supply source that supplies power to the battery based on a state of at least one of the plurality of power supply sources when the battery is being charged with power.

2. the relay unit includes a first relay that opens and closes a power line connected to a commercial power source, and a second relay that opens and closes a power line connected to a storage battery, The power supply selection unit is selecting the commercial power source as a power supply source for supplying power to the battery during a time period when the hourly electricity rate of the commercial power source is equal to or lower than a predetermined rate; 2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the storage battery is selected as a power supply source for supplying power to the battery during a time period when the hourly electricity rate of the commercial power source is higher than the predetermined rate.

3. A storage unit that stores information on a relationship between time and an hourly electricity rate for the commercial power source, 3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein the power supply selection unit selects a power supply source for supplying power to the battery based on information on a relationship between the time and an hourly electricity rate read from the storage unit.

4. When the remaining charge of the storage battery is higher than a predetermined remaining charge, The power supply selection unit is 3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein the storage battery is selected as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery even during a time period in which the hourly electricity rate of the commercial power source is equal to or lower than the predetermined rate.

5. When the remaining charge of the storage battery is equal to or less than a second predetermined remaining charge which is lower than the predetermined remaining charge, The power supply selection unit is 3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein the commercial power source is selected as the power supply source for supplying power to the battery even during a time period in which the hourly electricity rate at the commercial power source is higher than the predetermined rate.

6. In the event of a power outage, The power supply selection unit is 3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein the storage battery is selected as a power supply source for supplying power to the battery.

7. When the commercial power supply is interrupted, if the remaining charge of the storage battery is equal to or less than a third predetermined remaining charge, The power supply selection unit is 6. The charging device according to claim 5, wherein the control unit does not select a power supply source for supplying power to the battery, and does not supply power to the battery.

8. The power for driving the control unit is secured from the storage battery. On-board charging device.

9. Further comprising a communication unit capable of communicating with a server device on a cloud, the power supply selection unit is installed on the server device, 3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit sends an open command or a close command to each relay in the relay unit based on a signal received from the server device by the communication unit.

10. The relay unit; a portion of the control unit other than at least the power supply selection unit; a power measuring unit for measuring the power supplied to the battery through the relay unit; A communication unit capable of communicating with a server device on a cloud; is modularized, The charging device is stored in a charging facility installed for the electric vehicle, A charging device as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that information regarding the power measured by the power measuring unit is capable of being transmitted to the server device on the cloud via the communication unit, and information regarding the power supply to the battery is capable of being received from the server device on the cloud via the communication unit.

Images