Charging system

Abstract

To provide a charging system that requires minimal installation space and is inexpensive. [Solution] The charging system according to the present disclosure comprises at least four or more power conversion units and a plurality of charging ports to which power output from the power conversion units is supplied, and further comprises a plurality of selector switches disposed between the current paths connecting the power conversion units and the charging ports, the selector switches being capable of connecting the outputs of the power conversion units in a ring shape.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a charging system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a charging system including a plurality of power conversion units, a plurality of charging ports that supply power to a plurality of devices to be charged respectively, and a matrix-shaped switch unit that switches the connection relationship between the plurality of power conversion units and the plurality of charging ports.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the charging system described in Patent Document 1, since a large number of switches are required to switch the connection relationship between the plurality of power conversion units and the plurality of charging ports, it is difficult to construct a charging system with a small installation space and low cost.

[0005] This disclosure has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide a charging system with a small installation space and low cost.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The charging system according to this disclosure is a charging system including at least four or more power conversion units and a plurality of charging ports to which the power output from the power conversion units is supplied, and includes a plurality of changeover switches arranged between current paths connecting the power conversion units and the charging ports and capable of connecting the outputs of the power conversion units in a ring shape.

[0007] It is preferable to include a control device that controls the amount of power supplied to the charging port by switching the multiple selector switches on and off.

[0008] The aforementioned changeover switch may be arranged in such a way that some of the outputs of at least four or more power conversion units can be connected in a ring. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, it is possible to provide a charging system that requires minimal installation space and is inexpensive. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a charging system, which is one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a charging system, which is another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing a modified configuration of the charging system shown in Figure 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The configuration of a charging system, which is one embodiment of this disclosure, will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0012] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a charging system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 1, the charging system 1 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises an AC power source (AC) 2, charging equipment 3, a plurality of charging ports 4 (4a to 4d), and a control device 5. The charging system 1 of this embodiment uses AC power supplied from the AC power source 2 to charge a device to be charged, such as a vehicle battery, connected to the charging port 4.

[0013] The charging equipment 3 is equipped with multiple AC / DC converters 31 (31a to 31d), multiple changeover switches 32 (32a to 32d), and multiple changeover switches 33 (33a to 33d).

[0014] Multiple AC / DC converters 31 convert the AC power supplied from the AC power source 2 into DC power and output it to the output current path 34 (34a to 34d).

[0015] The changeover switch 32 is located between current paths 34a and 34d and is configured to allow the outputs of multiple AC / DC converters 31 to be connected in a ring.

[0016] More specifically, the changeover switch 32a is located between the current path 34a connecting the AC / DC converter 31a and the charging port 4a, and the current path 34b connecting the AC / DC converter 31b and the charging port 4b. The changeover switch 32a switches the connection / disconnection of the output of the AC / DC converter 31a and the output of the AC / DC converter 31b depending on the on / off operation.

[0017] The changeover switch 32b is positioned between the current path 34b connecting the AC / DC converter 31b and the charging port 4b, and the current path 34c connecting the AC / DC converter 31c and the charging port 4c. The changeover switch 32b switches the connection / disconnection of the output of the AC / DC converter 31b and the output of the AC / DC converter 31c depending on the on / off operation.

[0018] The changeover switch 32c is positioned between the current path 34c connecting the AC / DC converter 31c and the charging port 4c, and the current path 34d connecting the AC / DC converter 31d and the charging port 4d. The changeover switch 32c switches the connection / disconnection of the output of the AC / DC converter 31c and the output of the AC / DC converter 31d depending on the on / off operation.

[0019] The switching switch 32d is disposed between a current path 34d connecting the AC / DC converter 31d and the charging port 4d and a current path 34a connecting the AC / DC converter 31a and the charging port 4a. The switching switch 32d switches the connection / disconnection between the output of the AC / DC converter 31d and the output of the AC / DC converter 31a according to an on / off operation.

[0020] Thus, the switching switch 32 is configured to select the output of any one of the plurality of AC / DC converters 31 by an on / off operation and supply it to any charging port 4.

[0021] The switching switch 33 is arranged in the current paths on the input side of the plurality of charging ports 4 and switches the on / off of the plurality of charging ports 4.

[0022] When the switching switch 33 disposed on the input side of the charging port 4 is turned on, the charging port 4 supplies the output (DC power) of any AC / DC converter 31 supplied from the connected current path to the device to be charged.

[0023] The control device 5 is constituted by an information processing device such as a microcomputer and controls the operation of the entire charging system 1. In the present embodiment, the control device 5 constructs a high-output and multi-output charger by turning on / off the switching switch 32 and the switching switch 33 according to the required power amount of the device to be charged connected to the charging port 4, thereby supplying the required power amount to the device to be charged.

[0024] For example, when the device to be charged connected to the charging port 4a requests a power amount corresponding to the sum of the outputs of the AC / DC converter 31a and the AC / DC converter 31d, the control device 5 turns on the switching switches 32d and 33a and turns off the switching switches 32a to 32c. Further, when the device to be charged connected to the charging port 4a requests a power amount corresponding to the sum of the outputs of the AC / DC converters 31a to 31d, the control device 5 turns on the switching switches 32a to 32d and 33a.

[0025] As described above, the charging system 1, which is one embodiment of the present disclosure, is configured such that the outputs of AC / DC converters 31a to 31d can be connected in a ring shape via a changeover switch 32. With this configuration, the number of changeover switches can be significantly reduced, so a charging system that requires less installation space and is inexpensive can be provided. Furthermore, by switching the changeover switch 32 on and off and appropriately assigning any output from among the outputs of AC / DC converters 31a to 31d to the device to be charged, a high-power and multi-output charging system can be realized.

[0026] In this embodiment, there are four AC / DC converters 31, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the number of AC / DC converters 31 can be at least four or more. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 2, there are six AC / DC converters 31, and a changeover switch 32 (32a to 32f) is provided so that the outputs of the six AC / DC converters 31 can be connected in a ring.

[0027] Furthermore, in this case, it is not necessary to make all of the outputs of the six AC / DC converters 31 ring-shaped. For example, as shown in Figure 3, the outputs of five of the six AC / DC converters 31 may be configured to be ring-shaped. The number of AC / DC converters 31 connected in a ring can be adjusted as appropriate according to the output specifications (high output, multiple output) required for the charging equipment 3.

[0028] Further effects and modifications can be readily derived by those skilled in the art. Broader aspects of this disclosure are not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Accordingly, various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1 Charging System 2 Alternating current power supply (AC) 3 Charging equipment 4A~4D charging port 5 Control device 31, 31a~31d AC / DC converters 32, 32a~32d, 33, 33a~33d changeover switch

Claims

1. A charging system comprising at least four power conversion units and a plurality of charging ports to which power output from the power conversion units is supplied, A charging system comprising a plurality of selector switches, which are arranged between the power conversion unit and the charging port and capable of connecting the outputs of the power conversion unit in a ring shape.

2. The charging system according to claim 1, further comprising a control device that controls the amount of power supplied to the charging port by switching the on / off state of the plurality of changeover switches.

3. The charging system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the changeover switch is arranged to connect some of the outputs of at least four or more power conversion units in a ring shape.

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