Display system

Abstract

To visualize the state of charging of a power storage device in a charging system for charging the power storage device of a vehicle by DC current from a charging stand through a power line.SOLUTION: The display system is used for a charging system that charges a power storage device of a vehicle with direct current from a charging station via a power line. The display system includes a first coil provided in a power line, a switch device including a plurality of second coils through which a current flows by electromagnetic induction with the first coil and a plurality of switches respectively corresponding to the plurality of second coils, the plurality of switches being selectively turned on in ranges of different current change rates of the first coil, and a display lamp device including at least one display lamp and making a mode of the at least one display lamp different depending on which of the plurality of switches is turned on.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to display systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a communication visualization device has been proposed that includes an electromotive force generating unit that converts a magnetic field generated from a communication cable connected to an information and communication device into electrical energy during information and communication, a rectifying unit that converts the electrical energy generated by the electromotive force generating unit into a direct current voltage, and a light emitting unit that emits light when the direct current voltage converted by the rectifying unit is supplied (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-164241 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a charging system that charges a vehicle's power storage device with direct current from a charging station via a power line, there is a need to visualize the charging status of the power storage device, for example, whether the power storage device is in a mode in which it is being charged with a large current or a mode in which the current is subsequently reduced.

[0005] The display system of the present disclosure has a main purpose of visualizing the charging status of a power storage device in a charging system that charges the power storage device of a vehicle with direct current from a charging station via a power line. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The display system of the present disclosure employs the following measures to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

[0007] The display system of the present disclosure comprises: 1. A display system used in a charging system that charges a vehicle's power storage device with DC current from a charging station via a power line, comprising: a first coil provided on the power line; a switch device including a plurality of second coils through which a current flows by electromagnetic induction with the first coil, and a plurality of switches respectively corresponding to the plurality of second coils, wherein the plurality of switches are selectively turned on within different ranges of a current change rate of the first coil; an indicator light device having at least one indicator light, and changing the state of the at least one indicator light depending on which of the plurality of switches is on; The gist of the project is to provide the following:

[0008] The display system of the present disclosure includes a switch device having a first coil provided in a power line, multiple second coils through which current flows due to electromagnetic induction with the first coil, and multiple switches corresponding to each of the multiple second coils, the multiple switches being selectively turned on within different ranges of the current change rate of the first coil, and an indicator light device having at least one indicator light and changing the state of at least one indicator light depending on which of the multiple switches is on.As a result, a switch among the multiple switches corresponding to the current change rate of the first coil is turned on, and at least one indicator light is turned on in a corresponding state (such as by changing the indicator light that is lit or changing the color of the indicator light).As a result, it is possible to visualize the charging status of the power storage device in the charging system. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a charging system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a display system used in a charging system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A mode (embodiment) for carrying out the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a charging system 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a display system 40 used in the charging system 10. As shown in Fig. 1, the charging system 10 according to the embodiment includes, in addition to the display system 40, an electric vehicle 20 and a charging stand 30 provided at a home, a charging station, or the like.

[0011] The electric vehicle 20 is configured as an electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, or the like. The electric vehicle 20 includes a battery 22 as a power storage device, a vehicle-side connector 26, and a vehicle electronic control unit (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle ECU") 28. The battery 22 is configured as, for example, a lithium-ion secondary battery or a nickel-metal hydride secondary battery. The battery 22 is connected to the vehicle-side connector 26 via power lines 24 (a positive line 24p and a negative line 24n). The vehicle-side connector 26 is configured to be connectable to a station-side connector 36 of a charging station 30. The vehicle ECU 28 includes a microcomputer having a CPU, ROM, RAM, flash memory, input / output ports, and communication ports, as well as various drive circuits and various logic ICs. Signals are input to the vehicle ECU 28 from various sensors. For example, the voltage Vb, current Ib, and temperature Tb of the battery 22 are input to the vehicle ECU 28 from a voltage sensor, a current sensor, and a temperature sensor. The vehicle ECU 28 calculates the power storage rate SOC of the battery 22 based on the integrated value of the current Is of the battery 22, and calculates the allowable input power Win based on the power storage rate SOC and the temperature Tb of the battery 22. The vehicle ECU 28 is capable of communicating with a station power control unit (hereinafter referred to as "station ECU 38") of the charging station 30.

[0012] The charging stand 30 includes a power converter 32, a stand connector 36, and a stand ECU 38. The power converter 32 is connected to an electric power system or the like and is connected to the stand connector 36 via power lines 34 (positive line 34p and negative line 34n). The power converter 32 is configured to convert AC power from the electric power system or the like into DC power, adjust the voltage and current, and output the DC power to the power line 34. The stand connector 36 is configured to be connectable to the vehicle connector 26 of the electric vehicle 20. Like the vehicle ECU 28, the stand ECU 38 includes a microcomputer, various drive circuits, and various logic ICs. Signals from various sensors are input to the stand ECU 38. A control signal is output from the stand ECU 38 to the power converter 32. As described above, the stand ECU 38 is capable of communicating with the vehicle ECU 28 of the electric vehicle 20.

[0013] 2, the display system 40 includes a first coil 42, a switch device 44, and an indicator light device 48. The first coil 42 is connected to two points P1 and P2 of the positive electrode line 34p of the power line 34. The portion of the positive electrode line 34p between points P1 and P2 is referred to as a predetermined portion 34pa. A direct current flowing through the positive electrode line 34p from the power conversion device 32 side branches at point P1 to flow through the predetermined portion 34pa and the first coil 42, and then merges at point P2.

[0014] The switch device 44 includes four second coils 45a to 45d, four switches 46a to 46d, and a control unit 47. The second coils 45a to 45d are arranged coaxially with the first coil 42 and aligned in a row. The second coils 45a to 45d each have a different self-inductance. That is, the second coils 45a to 45d each have a different mutual inductance with the first coil 42. Therefore, when the current in the first coil 42 changes and the resulting magnetic flux changes, the currents flowing through the second coils 45a to 45d are different.

[0015] The control unit 47 selectively turns on the switches 46a-46d based on the current change rate ΔIc, which is the amount of change per unit time of the current in the first coil 42, specifically, based on the current flowing through the second coils 45a-45d. In this embodiment, when the current change rate ΔIc1 in the first coil 42 is increasing and within a first current change rate range R1 having a relatively small absolute value (when the current in the second coil 45a is within a corresponding range), the control unit 47 turns on the switch 46a. When the current change rate ΔIc in the first coil 42 is increasing and within a second current change rate range R2 having a larger absolute value than the first current change rate range R1 (when the current in the second coil 45b is within a corresponding range), the control unit 47 turns on the switch 46c. When the current change rate ΔIc in the first coil 42 is decreasing and within a third current change rate range R3 having a relatively large absolute value (when the current in the second coil 45c is within a corresponding range), the control unit 47 turns on the switch 46c. When the current change rate ΔIc of the first coil 42 is decreasing and within a fourth current change rate range R4 that has an absolute value smaller than that of the third current change rate range R3 (when the current of the second coil 45d is within a corresponding range), the switch 46d is turned on. When the switches 46a to 46c are turned on, the currently turned on switch is turned off when another switch is turned on, and when the switch 46d is turned on, the switch 46d is turned off after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0016] The indicator light device 48 has four indicator lights 48a to 48d. The indicator lights 48a to 48d are indicator lights that indicate first to fourth modes of external charging, respectively. External charging refers to charging the battery 22 with DC power from the power conversion device 32 of the charging stand 30 via the power line 34, the stand-side connector 36, the vehicle-side connector 26, and the power line 24. The first to fourth modes will be described later. The indicator lights 48a to 48d are lit when the switches 46a to 46d are on, respectively, and are extinguished when the switches are off.

[0017] In the charging system 10 of the embodiment, external charging is performed when the vehicle-side connector 26 of the electric vehicle 20 is connected to the stand-side connector 36 of the charging stand 30. During external charging, in the embodiment, the stand ECU 38 controls the power conversion device 32 in accordance with first to fourth modes.

[0018] In the first mode, the current Is from the power conversion device 32 is changed from 0 to Is1 at an increasing current change rate ΔIs1 with a relatively small absolute value, and maintained at that value. A relatively small current is used as the current Is1 for confirming power supply. In the first mode, for example, if the first mode continues for a first predetermined time, the mode transitions to the second mode.

[0019] In the second mode, the current Is is changed from the current Is1 to a larger current Is2 at an increasing current change rate ΔIs2 that has a larger absolute value than the current change rate ΔIs1, and is maintained at that current. The current Is2 is a current for fast charging the battery 22. For example, the current Is2 is a current obtained by dividing the allowable input power Win of the battery 22 by the voltage Vb. In the second mode, for example, when the second mode continues for a second predetermined time or the state of charge of the battery 22 reaches a predetermined rate, the operation transitions to the third mode.

[0020] In the third mode, the current Is is changed from the current Is2 to a smaller current Is3 at a decreasing current change rate ΔIs3 with a relatively large absolute value, and maintained at that current. The current Is3 is used to protect the battery 22 from overcharging, etc. In the third mode, for example, if the third mode continues for a third predetermined time, the system transitions to the fourth mode. In the fourth mode, the current Is is changed from the current Is3 to a value of 0 at a decreasing current change rate ΔIs4 with a smaller absolute value than the current change rate ΔIs3.

[0021] The first current change rate range R1 described above is determined to include only the current change rate ΔIc1 among the current change rates ΔIc1 to ΔIc4 when the current change rates ΔIs1 to ΔIs4 of the current Is from the power converter 32 are converted to the current change rates ΔIc1 to ΔIc4 of the current Ic in the first coil 42. The second current change rate range R2 is determined to include only the current change rate ΔIc2 among the current change rates ΔIc1 to ΔIc4. The third current change rate range R3 is determined to include only the current change rate ΔIc3 among the current change rates ΔIc1 to ΔIc4. The fourth current change rate range R4 is determined to include only the current change rate ΔIc4 among the current change rates ΔIc1 to ΔIc4.

[0022] Therefore, when the first mode starts and the current Is from the power conversion device 32 changes at the current change rate ΔIs1 (the current Ic of the first coil 42 changes at the current change rate ΔIs1), the switch 46a turns on and the indicator light 48a lights up. Subsequently, when the mode shifts from the first mode to the second mode and the current Ic of the first coil 42 changes at the current change rate ΔIc2, the switch 46a turns off and the switch 46b turns on, the indicator light 48a goes out and the indicator light 48b lights up.

[0023] Then, when the mode shifts from the second mode to the third mode and the current Ic in the first coil 42 changes at a current change rate ΔIc3, switch 46b turns off and switch 46c turns on, indicator light 48b goes out and indicator light 48c turns on. Furthermore, when the mode shifts from the third mode to the fourth mode and the current Ic in the first coil 42 changes at a current change rate ΔIc4, switch 46c turns off and switch 46d turns on, indicator light 48c goes out and indicator light 48d turns on, and then indicator light 48d goes out after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0024] In this way, it is possible to notify the user which of the first to fourth modes of external charging is in. As a result, it is possible to visualize the state of charging of the battery 22 in the charging system 10.

[0025] The display system 40 used in the charging system 10 of the embodiment described above includes a first coil 42, a switch device 44, and an indicator light device 48. The first coil 42 is provided on the positive line 34p of the power line 34. The switch device 44 has four second coils 45a-45d through which current flows by electromagnetic induction with the first coil 42, and four switches 46a-46d corresponding to the four second coils 45a-45d, respectively. The four switches 46a-46d are selectively turned on within different ranges of the current change rate of the first coil 42. The indicator light device 48 has four indicator lights 48a-48d, and changes which of the indicator lights 48a-48d is turned on depending on which of the four switches 46a-46d is turned on. With this configuration, one of the four switches 46a-46d corresponding to the current change rate of the first coil 42 is turned on, and the corresponding indicator light is turned on. As a result, the state of charging of the battery 22 in the charging system 10 can be visualized.

[0026] In the above-described embodiment, the switch device 44 of the display system 40 has four second coils 45a to 45d and four switches 46a to 46d corresponding to the four second coils 45a to 45d, respectively, but is not limited to this. For example, the number of second coils and corresponding switches may be two, three, or five or more.

[0027] In the above embodiment, the control unit 47 of the switch device 44 of the display system 40 selectively turns on the switches 46a to 46d based on the rate of change of current ΔIc of the first coil 42 (the current flowing through the second coils 45a to 45d), but this is not limiting. For example, the circuit may be designed so that the switches 46a to 46d are selectively turned on based on the rate of change of current ΔIc of the first coil 42 (the current flowing through the second coils 45a to 45d) using a hardware configuration.

[0028] In the above-described embodiment, the indicator light device 48 of the display system 40 includes four indicator lights 48a to 48d, and changes which of the indicator lights 48a to 48d is turned on depending on the first to fourth external charging modes. However, this is not limited to this. For example, a single indicator light may be provided, and the color of the indicator light may be changed depending on the first to fourth modes.

[0029] In the above-described embodiment, the charging system 10 has first to fourth modes in external charging, but is not limited to this. For example, the first mode and the second mode may be combined into one mode.

[0030] In the above-described embodiment, the display system 40 is provided in the charging stand 30, but this is not limitative and the display system 40 may be provided in the electric vehicle 20.

[0031] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section will be explained below. In the embodiment, the first coil 42 corresponds to the "first coil," the second coils 45a to 45d correspond to the "second coil," the switches 46a to 46d correspond to the "switch," the switch device 44 corresponds to the "switch device," and the indicator light device 48 corresponds to the "indicator light device."

[0032] The correspondence between the main elements of the embodiments and the main elements of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section does not limit the elements of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section, since the embodiments are examples for specifically explaining the mode for implementing the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section. In other words, the interpretation of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section should be based on the description in that section, and the embodiments are merely specific examples of the invention described in the "Means for Solving the Problem" section.

[0033] The above describes the forms for implementing the present disclosure using embodiments, but the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments in any way, and it goes without saying that the present disclosure can be implemented in various forms within the scope that does not deviate from the gist of the present disclosure. [Industrial Applicability]

[0034] The present disclosure is applicable to the display system manufacturing industry and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 10 charging system, 20 electric vehicle, 22 battery, 24, 34 power line, 24n, 34n negative line, 24p, 34p positive line, 26 vehicle side connector, 28 vehicle ECU, 30 charging stand, 32 power conversion device, 34pa predetermined part, 36 stand side connector, 38 stand ECU, 40 display system, 42 first coil, 44 switch device, 45a to 45d second coil, 46a to 46d switch, 47 control part, 48 indicator light device, 48a to 48d indicator light.

Claims

[Claim 1] 1. A display system used in a charging system that charges a vehicle's power storage device with DC current from a charging station via a power line, comprising: a first coil provided on the power line; a switch device including a plurality of second coils through which a current flows by electromagnetic induction with the first coil, and a plurality of switches respectively corresponding to the plurality of second coils, wherein the plurality of switches are selectively turned on within different ranges of a current change rate of the first coil; an indicator light device having at least one indicator light, the indicator light device changing the state of the at least one indicator light depending on which of the plurality of switches is turned on; A display system comprising:

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