Charging device

Abstract

To avoid or restrain occurrence of thermal interference between components disposed in a charging device while downsizing the charging device.SOLUTION: A charging device mounted on an electric vehicle includes: a first charger that can convert AC power supplied from the outside to DC power to be supplied to a battery of the electric vehicle; a second charger that can convert AC power supplied from the outside to DC power to be supplied to the battery and further can convert DC power supplied from the battery to AC power to be supplied to the outside; a DC-DC converter that can convert DC power supplied from the battery to low-voltage DC power to be supplied to an auxiliary battery of the electric vehicle; a relay that electrically connects and disconnects a DC charging inlet of the electric vehicle to the battery; and a housing that has a first chamber accommodating the second charger, a second chamber accommodating the first charger and the relay, and a third chamber accommodating the DC-DC converter.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a charging device, and particularly to a charging device mounted on an electric vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a power control device mounted on an electric vehicle. In this power control device, a plurality of circuits and elements such as a boost converter, an inverter, and a DC-DC converter are integrated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] As a power control unit mounted on an electric vehicle, the development of a charging device that integrates a plurality of circuits and elements related to charging is in progress. Circuits and elements related to charging have a relatively large amount of heat generated during operation. Therefore, simply integrating a plurality of circuits and elements related to charging only considering the miniaturization of the charging device will cause problems of heat interference between these circuits and elements.

[0005] In view of the above situation, this specification provides a technology for avoiding or suppressing heat interference from occurring between components arranged inside while achieving miniaturization of the charging device.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The technology disclosed in this specification is embodied in a charging device mounted on an electric vehicle. This charging device includes a first charger capable of converting AC power supplied from the outside into DC power supplied to the battery of the electric vehicle, a second charger capable of converting AC power supplied from the outside into DC power supplied to the battery and also capable of converting DC power supplied from the battery into AC power supplied to the outside, a DC-DC converter capable of converting DC power supplied from the battery into low-voltage DC power supplied to the auxiliary battery of the electric vehicle, a relay for electrically connecting and disconnecting the DC charging inlet of the electric vehicle to and from the battery, a first chamber for housing the second charger, a second chamber for housing the first charger and the relay, and a third chamber for housing the DC-DC converter, and a housing having these components.

[0007] In the above-described charging device, it is usually not assumed that the first charger and the relay operate simultaneously. Therefore, the first charger and the relay are arranged in the same second chamber of the housing. On the other hand, it is assumed that the second charger and the DC-DC converter operate simultaneously with other components respectively. Therefore, the second charger and the DC-DC converter are separately arranged in the first chamber and the third chamber of the housing respectively. Thereby, while miniaturizing the charging device, it is possible to avoid or suppress the occurrence of heat interference between the components arranged inside.

[0008] In a second aspect, in the first aspect, the housing may be provided with a first refrigerant flow path for cooling the second charger and a second refrigerant flow path for cooling the DC-DC converter. According to such a configuration, the second charger and the DC-DC converter, which have many opportunities to generate heat, can be efficiently cooled by independent refrigerant flow paths.

[0009] In the third aspect, in the second aspect, the first charger and the relay may be cooled by a common refrigerant flow path provided in the housing. In this case, although not particularly limited, the common refrigerant flow path may be the first refrigerant flow path or the second refrigerant flow path. Since the operation opportunities of the first charger and the relay are exclusive, by adopting a configuration of cooling with the common refrigerant flow path, the cooling path provided in the housing can be simplified.

[0010] In the fourth aspect, in the third aspect, the first chamber may be located above the second chamber, and the second chamber may be located above the third chamber. In this case, the second charger may be attached to the upper surface of the first chamber, and the first refrigerant flow path may be provided inside the upper wall of the housing that forms the upper surface of the first chamber. The first charger and the relay may be attached to the lower surface of the second chamber, and the DC-DC converter may be attached to the upper surface of the third chamber. And the second refrigerant flow path may be provided inside the partition wall of the housing that forms the lower surface of the second chamber and the upper surface of the third chamber. According to such a configuration, while suppressing the thermal interference between components, each component can be effectively cooled by a refrigerant flow path with a relatively simple structure.

[0011] In the fifth aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, when charging the battery with AC power supplied from the outside, a control device for controlling the operations of the first charger and the second charger may be further provided. In this case, when the charging command power for the battery is less than the maximum output of the first charger, the control device may operate only the first charger, and when the charging command power exceeds the maximum output of the first charger, the control device may operate the first charger and the second charger.

[0012] As described above, the first charger operates only when charging the battery with an external AC power supply, while the second charger operates not only when charging the battery with an external AC power supply but also when supplying power to the outside. Therefore, when charging the battery with an external AC power supply, if the charging command power is relatively small, by preferentially operating the first charger, it is possible to equalize the cumulative usage time between the first charger and the second charger. As a result, the heat load on the second charger can be reduced, and the life of the charging device can be extended.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] With reference to the drawings, the charging device 10 of the embodiment and the vehicle 100 on which it is mounted will be described. The vehicle 100 referred to here is an electric vehicle having a motor 110 that drives the wheels 104f and 104r. The vehicle 100 in the present embodiment is a rechargeable electric vehicle charged by an external power supply. However, the vehicle 100 may be a hybrid vehicle (i.e., a plug-in hybrid vehicle) charged by an external power supply.

[0015] Here, the direction FR shown in the drawings indicates the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100, and the direction RR indicates the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100. The direction UP indicates the upper side in the vertical direction of the vehicle 100, and the direction DW indicates the lower side in the vertical direction of the vehicle 100. In this specification, the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 100, the lateral direction of the vehicle 100, and the vertical direction of the vehicle 100 may be simply referred to as the longitudinal direction, the lateral direction, and the vertical direction, respectively.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 includes a vehicle body 102 and a plurality of wheels 104f, 104r. The vehicle body 102 has a passenger compartment 102c which is a space for carrying passengers (for example, users of the vehicle 100). The plurality of wheels 104f, 104r are rotatably attached to the vehicle body 102. The plurality of wheels 104f, 104r include a pair of front wheels 104f located at the front of the vehicle body 102 and a pair of rear wheels 104r located at the rear of the vehicle body 102. The pair of front wheels 104f are arranged coaxially with each other, and the pair of rear wheels 104r are also arranged coaxially with each other. Note that the number of the wheels 104f, 104r is not limited to four. Although not particularly limited, the vehicle body 102 is made of a metal such as a steel material or an aluminum alloy.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 100 further includes a main battery 106, a power control unit (PCU) 108, a motor 110, and a system main relay 112. The main battery 106 incorporates a plurality of secondary battery cells such as, for example, lithium-ion battery cells, nickel-metal hydride battery cells, or all-solid-state battery cells. The main battery 106 is a high-voltage battery whose output voltage exceeds 100 volts.

[0018] The PCU 108 includes an inverter, a converter, etc. The PCU 108 controls the power supply between the main battery 106 and the motor 110. The motor 110 is a traveling motor that drives a pair of front wheels 104f and is connected to the pair of front wheels 104f. The motor 110 is electrically connected to the main battery 106 via the PCU 108. For example, when the vehicle 100 accelerates, the PCU 108 controls the drive power supplied from the main battery 106 to the motor 110. Alternatively, when the vehicle 100 decelerates, the PCU 108 controls the regenerative power supplied from the motor 110 to the main battery 106. Note that the motor 110 is not limited to the pair of front wheels 104f and may be configured to drive at least one of a plurality of wheels 104f, 104r.

[0019] The system main relay 112 is electrically interposed between the main battery 106 and the motor 110. Therefore, when the system main relay 112 is closed and opened, the main battery 106 and the motor 110 are electrically connected and disconnected. Note that the operation of the system main relay 112 may be controlled by the control device 20 of the charging device 10 or may be controlled by another control device (not shown).

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 100 further includes a charging device 10, an AC charging inlet 114, a DC charging inlet 116, and a power supply outlet 118. The AC charging inlet 114, the DC charging inlet 116, and the power supply outlet 118 are electrically connected to the main battery 106 via the charging device 10.

[0021] The AC charging inlet 114 is configured to be detachable from an external AC power source 2. The external AC power source 2 is, for example, a household commercial power source. The AC charging inlet 114 receives the charging power for charging the main battery 106 from the external AC power source 2. The AC charging inlet 114 of the present embodiment is connected to the external AC power source 2 via a cable. However, as another embodiment, the AC charging inlet 114 may be wirelessly connected to the external AC power source 2.

[0022] The DC charging inlet 116 is configured such that an external DC power source 4 can be detachably attached thereto. The external DC power source 4 is, for example, a charging stand. The DC charging inlet 116 receives charging power for charging the main battery 106 from the external DC power source 4. The DC charging inlet 116 of the present embodiment is connected to the external DC power source 4 via a cable. However, as another embodiment, the DC charging inlet 116 may be wirelessly connected to the external DC power source 4.

[0023] The power supply outlet 118 is disposed within the passenger compartment 102c. The power supply outlet 118 is configured such that an electrical device can be detachably attached thereto. The power supply outlet 118 outputs AC power to the electrical device. Examples of the electrical device herein include home appliances, personal computers, smartphones, tablet terminals, and the like.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 100 further includes an auxiliary battery 120 and at least one auxiliary device 122. The auxiliary battery 120 is a low-voltage battery having a rated voltage of 30 volts or less. The auxiliary battery 120 supplies power to at least one auxiliary device 122. Examples of the at least one auxiliary device 122 include an electric control unit, lights, audio equipment, a car navigation system, a drive recorder, and the like.

[0025] Next, the electrical configuration of the charging device 10 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the charging device 10 includes a first charger 12. The first charger 12 is a type of power converter. The first charger 12 is electrically connected to the AC charging inlet 114 and is electrically interposed between the AC charging inlet 114 and the main battery 106. The first charger 12 can convert AC power supplied from an external AC power source 2 into DC power to be supplied to the main battery 106. Thereby, the first charger 12 can charge the main battery 106 using the AC power supplied from the outside.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the charging device 10 further includes a second charger 14. The second charger 14 is a type of power converter. The second charger 14 is electrically connected to the AC charging inlet 114 and is electrically interposed between the AC charging inlet 114 and the main battery 106. The second charger 14 can convert the AC power supplied from the external AC power source 2 into DC power supplied to the main battery 106. Thereby, the second charger 14 can charge the main battery 106 using the AC power supplied from the outside.

[0027] In addition, the second charger 14 is also electrically connected to the power supply outlet 118 and is electrically interposed between the power supply outlet 118 and the main battery 106. The second charger 14 can convert the DC power supplied from the main battery 106 into AC power supplied to the power supply outlet 118. Thereby, the second charger 14 can convert the DC power supplied from the main battery 106 into AC power and supply it to the outside of the vehicle 100, that is, to the electrical equipment connected to the power supply outlet 118. That is, the second charger 14 is a charger that has not only a charging function but also a power supply function, and is also called a bidirectional charger.

[0028] The charging device 10 is electrically connected to the main battery 106 not only when charging the vehicle 100 but also during the running of the vehicle 100. Thereby, the second charger 14 can supply power from the main battery 106 to the power supply outlet 118 even during the running of the vehicle 100.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the charging device 10 further includes a DC-DC converter 16. The DC-DC converter 16 is a type of power converter. The DC-DC converter 16 is electrically connected to the auxiliary battery 120 and is electrically interposed between the main battery 106 and the auxiliary battery 120. The DC-DC converter 16 can step down the DC power supplied from the main battery 106 and supply it to the auxiliary battery 120. Thereby, the DC-DC converter 16 can charge the auxiliary battery 120 using the high-voltage DC power supplied from the main battery 106.

[0030] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the charging device 10 further includes a relay 18. The relay 18 is electrically connected to the DC charging inlet 116 and is electrically interposed between the DC charging inlet 116 and the main battery 106. When the relay 18 is closed, the DC charging inlet 116 is electrically connected to the main battery 106. Thereby, the main battery 106 is charged using the DC power supplied from the outside.

[0031] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the charging device 10 further includes a control device 20. The control device 20 is communicably connected to each of the first charger 12, the second charger 14, the DC-DC converter 16, and the relay 18, and controls their operations. For example, when an external AC power source 2 is connected to the AC charging inlet 114, the control device 20 gives an operation command to the first charger 12 and / or the second charger 14. Thereby, the charging device 10 charges the main battery 106. Alternatively, when an external DC power source 4 is connected to the DC charging inlet 116, the control device 20 closes the relay 18 and electrically connects the DC charging inlet 116 to the main battery 106. Thereby, the charging device 10 charges the main battery 106. Note that except during charging by the external DC power source 4, the relay 18 is maintained in an open state, so the DC charging inlet 116 is electrically disconnected from the main battery 106.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 3, the mechanical configuration of the charging device 10 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the charging device 10 further includes a housing 22. The housing 22 is a housing member. The housing 22 has an upper wall 24 and four side walls 26 extending downward from the outer peripheral edge of the upper wall 24. The housing 22 is made of a metal such as an aluminum-based metal. Although details will be described later, since a first chamber 32, a second chamber 34, and a third chamber 36 are sequentially arranged inside the housing 22 from above downward, the upper wall 24 of the housing 22 forms the upper surface 32a of the first chamber 32.

[0033] The housing 22 further includes a first partition wall 28 and a second partition wall 30. The first partition wall 28 and the second partition wall 30 are provided inside the housing 22. The second partition wall 30 is located below the first partition wall 28. The first partition wall 28 and the second partition wall 30 divide the internal space of the housing 22 into a first chamber 32, a second chamber 34, and a third chamber 36. Specifically, the first chamber 32 is located above the second chamber 34 with the first partition wall 28 in between. The second chamber 34 is located above the third chamber 36 with the second partition wall 30 in between. The second partition wall 30 of the housing 22 forms the lower surface 34a of the second chamber 34 and the upper surface 36a of the third chamber 36.

[0034] As an example, the first partition wall 28 is composed of a plate-like member 28a that forms the lower surface of the first chamber 32 and a plate-like member 28b that forms the upper surface of the second chamber 34. Therefore, the housing 22 of the present embodiment can be formed by integrating the upper part and the lower part of the housing 22.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 3, the second charger 14 is housed in the first chamber 32. Specifically, the second charger 14 is attached to the upper surface 32a of the first chamber 32. The first charger 12 and the relay 18 are housed in the second chamber 34. Specifically, the first charger 12 and the relay 18 are attached to the lower surface 34a of the second chamber 34. The DC-DC converter 16 is housed in the third chamber 36. Specifically, the DC-DC converter 16 is attached to the upper surface 36a of the third chamber 36.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 22 is provided with a first refrigerant flow path 38 and a second refrigerant flow path 40. The first refrigerant flow path 38 and the second refrigerant flow path 40 are flow paths through which a refrigerant such as cooling water flows. In the present embodiment, the first refrigerant flow path 38 is provided inside the upper wall 24 of the housing 22. As described above, the upper wall 24 forms the upper surface 32a of the first chamber 32, and the second charger 14 is attached to the upper surface 32a of the first chamber 32. Accordingly, the first refrigerant flow path 38 is configured to cool the second charger 14.

[0037] In the present embodiment, the second refrigerant flow path 40 is provided inside the second partition wall 30 of the housing 22. As described above, the second partition wall 30 forms the lower surface 34a of the second chamber 34, and the first charger 12 and the relay 18 are attached to the lower surface 34a of the second chamber 34. Further, the second partition wall 30 also forms the upper surface 36a of the third chamber 36, and the DC-DC converter 16 is attached to the upper surface 36a of the third chamber 36. Accordingly, the second refrigerant flow path 40 is configured to cool both the first charger 12 and the relay 18 disposed in the second chamber 34 and the DC-DC converter 16 disposed in the third chamber 36.

[0038] In the charging device 10 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, four operation modes, i.e., an AC charging mode, a DC charging mode, a DC charging mode (at home), and a running mode, are assumed.

[0039] The AC charging mode is an operation mode in which the main battery 106 is charged by AC power supplied from the outside. In this case, the first charger 12 and the second charger 14 operate. When charging the auxiliary battery 120 or operating the auxiliary machine 122 is necessary, the DC-DC converter 16 may also operate simultaneously. On the other hand, it is not assumed that the relay 18 operates. That is, in the AC charging mode, the first charger 12, the second charger 14, and the DC-DC converter 16 can generate heat, while the relay 18 does not generate heat.

[0040] The DC charging mode is an operation mode in which the main battery 106 is charged by DC power supplied from the outside. In this case, the relay 18 operates. When charging the auxiliary battery 120 or operating the auxiliary machine 122 is necessary, the DC-DC converter 16 may also operate simultaneously. On the other hand, it is not assumed that the first charger 12 and the second charger 14 operate. That is, in the DC charging mode, while the DC-DC converter 16 and the relay 18 may generate heat, the first charger 12 and the second charger 14 do not generate heat.

[0041] The DC charging mode (at home) is a mode in which, during the execution of the above-described DC charging mode, the user of the vehicle 100 uses the passenger compartment 102c of the vehicle 100 as the user's own room (at home). For example, the user of the vehicle 100 can connect an electric device brought in from the outside to the power supply outlet 118 and use it. In this case, the second charger 14 and the relay 18 operate. When charging the auxiliary battery 120 or operating the auxiliary machine 122 is necessary, the DC-DC converter 16 may also operate simultaneously. On the other hand, the first charger 12 does not operate. That is, in the DC charging mode, while the second charger 14, the DC-DC converter 16, and the relay 18 may generate heat, the first charger 12 does not generate heat.

[0042] The driving mode is an operation mode when the vehicle 100 is driving. Also in this mode, the user of the vehicle 100 may use the passenger compartment 102c of the vehicle 100 as the user's own room (at home). In this case, the second charger 14 operates. When charging the auxiliary battery 120 or operating the auxiliary machine 122 is necessary, the DC-DC converter 16 may also operate simultaneously. On the other hand, it is not assumed that the first charger 12 and the relay 18 operate. That is, in the driving mode, while the second charger 14 and the DC-DC converter 16 may generate heat, the first charger 12 and the relay 18 do not generate heat.

[0043] As described above, in the charging device 10 of the present embodiment, it is usually not assumed that the first charger 12 and the relay 18 operate simultaneously. Therefore, the first charger 12 and the relay 18 are arranged in the same second chamber 34 of the housing 22. On the other hand, the second charger 14 and the DC-DC converter 16 are each assumed to operate simultaneously with other components. Therefore, the second charger 14 and the DC-DC converter 16 are separately arranged in the first chamber 32 and the third chamber 36 of the housing 22, respectively. Thereby, while reducing the size of the charging device 10, it is possible to avoid or suppress the occurrence of heat interference between the components arranged inside it.

[0044] Note that the main battery 106 in the present embodiment is an example of the battery in the present invention. The second refrigerant flow path 40 in the present embodiment is an example of the common refrigerant flow path in the present invention. The second partition wall 30 in the present embodiment is an example of the partition wall of the housing in the present invention.

[0045] In the above-described embodiment, a first refrigerant flow path 38 for cooling the second charger 14 and a second refrigerant flow path 40 for cooling the DC-DC converter 16 are provided. According to such a configuration, the second charger 14 and the DC-DC converter 16, which have many opportunities to generate heat, can be efficiently cooled by independent refrigerant flow paths.

[0046] In the above-described embodiment, the first charger 12 and the relay 18 are cooled by the second refrigerant flow path 40 provided in the housing 22. However, as another embodiment, the first charger 12 and the relay 18 may be cooled by the first refrigerant flow path 38 that cools the second charger 14. Alternatively, as yet another embodiment, a third refrigerant flow path for cooling the first charger 12 and the relay 18 may be further provided. Since the operation opportunities of the first charger 12 and the relay 18 are exclusive, by adopting a configuration in which they are cooled by a common refrigerant flow path, the cooling path provided in the housing 22 can be simplified.

[0047] In the above-described embodiment, the first chamber 32 is located above the second chamber 34, and the second chamber 34 is located above the third chamber 36. The second charger 14 is attached to the upper surface 32a of the first chamber 32, and the first refrigerant flow path 38 is provided inside the upper wall 22a of the housing 22 that forms the upper surface 32a of the first chamber 32. The first charger 12 and the relay 18 are attached to the lower surface 34a of the second chamber 34, and the DC-DC converter 16 is attached to the upper surface 36a of the third chamber 36. The second refrigerant flow path 40 is provided inside the second partition wall 30 of the housing 22 that forms the lower surface 34a of the second chamber 34 and the upper surface 36a of the third chamber 36. According to such a configuration, while suppressing thermal interference between components, each component can be effectively cooled by a refrigerant flow path having a relatively simple structure.

[0048] Although it is an example, the control device 20 in the present embodiment can execute a series of processes shown in FIG. 5. When charging the main battery 106 with AC power supplied from the outside (that is, while executing the AC charging mode), the control device 20 controls the operations of the first charger 12 and the second charger 14 to execute a series of processes shown in FIG. 5. For example, the control device 20 starts a series of processes when an external AC power source 2 is connected to the AC charging inlet 114.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 5, the control device 20 first determines whether the charging command power for the main battery 106 is less than the maximum output of the first charger 12 (step S12). If YES in step S12, the control device 20 operates only the first charger 12 (step S14). Thereby, the first charger 12 charges the main battery 106 using the AC power supplied from the outside. On the other hand, if NO in step S12 (that is, when the charging command power exceeds the maximum output of the first charger 12), the control device 20 operates the first charger 12 and the second charger 14 (step S16). Thereby, the first charger 12 and the second charger 14 charge the main battery 106 using the AC power supplied from the outside.

[0050] Next, the control device 20 determines whether the end condition of the AC charging mode is satisfied (step S18). The end conditions here include, for example, the removal of the external AC power supply 2 from the AC charging inlet 114, the state of charge (SOC) of the main battery 106 exceeding a predetermined value, and the like. If the result in step S18 is NO, the control device 20 returns to the process of step S10. If the result in step S18 is YES, the control device 20 ends the series of processes. That is, the processes from step S10 to step S14 are repeated until the result in step S18 becomes YES.

[0051] As described above, the first charger 12 operates only during the AC charging mode of the main battery 106, while the second charger 14 operates not only during the AC charging mode of the main battery 106 but also during power supply to the outside. Therefore, when the charging command power is relatively small during the AC charging mode of the main battery 106, by preferentially operating the first charger 12, it is possible to equalize the cumulative usage time between the first charger 12 and the second charger 14. As a result, the heat load on the second charger 14 can be reduced, and the life of the charging device 10 can be extended.

[0052] Although several specific examples have been described in detail above, these are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and changes of the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility either alone or in combination.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0053] 2: AC power supply, 4: DC power supply, 10: Charging device, 12: First charger, 14: Second charger, 16: DC-DC converter, 18: Relay, 20: Control device, 22: Housing, 24: Upper wall, 26: Side wall, 28: First partition, 30: Second partition, 32: First chamber, 34: Second chamber, 36: Third chamber, 38: First refrigerant flow path, 40: Second refrigerant flow path, 100: Vehicle, 102: Vehicle body, 102c: Passenger compartment, 104f, 104r: Wheels, 106: Main battery, PCU: 108, 110: Motor, 112: System main relay, 114: AC charging inlet, 116: DC charging inlet, 118: Power supply outlet, 120: Auxiliary battery, 122: Auxiliary machine

Claims

1. A charging device mounted on an electric vehicle, comprising: a first charger capable of converting AC power supplied from the outside into DC power to be supplied to the battery of the electric vehicle; a second charger capable of converting AC power supplied from the outside into DC power to be supplied to the battery and also capable of converting DC power supplied from the battery into AC power to be supplied to the outside; a DC-DC converter capable of converting DC power supplied from the battery into low-voltage DC power to be supplied to the auxiliary battery of the electric vehicle; a relay for electrically connecting and disconnecting the DC charging inlet of the electric vehicle to and from the battery; a housing having a first chamber for housing the second charger, a second chamber for housing the first charger and the relay, and a third chamber for housing the DC-DC converter; A charging device comprising the above components.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with a first refrigerant flow path for cooling the second charger and a second refrigerant flow path for cooling the DC-DC converter.

3. The charging device according to claim 2, wherein the first charger and the relay are cooled by a common refrigerant flow path provided in the housing.

4. The first chamber is located above the second chamber, The second chamber is located above the third chamber, The second charger is attached to the upper surface of the first chamber, The first refrigerant flow path is provided inside the upper wall of the housing forming the upper surface of the first chamber, The first charger and the relay are attached to the lower surface of the second chamber, The DC-DC converter is attached to the upper surface of the third chamber, The charging device according to claim 3, wherein the second refrigerant flow path is provided inside the partition wall of the housing forming the lower surface of the second chamber and the upper surface of the third chamber.

5. The charging device further comprises a control device for controlling the operations of the first charger and the second charger when charging the battery with AC power supplied from the outside. When the charging command power for the battery is less than the maximum output of the first charger, the control device operates only the first charger. When the charging command power exceeds the maximum output of the first charger, the control device operates both the first charger and the second charger. The charging device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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