Cradle Device

Abstract

To provide a cradle device for chargers that can use a plurality of AC power supplies and connect a plurality of chargers with ease and thereby enables stable and rapid charge.SOLUTION: A cradle device 1 that can mount a plurality of chargers 10 each of which converts an AC power from each AC power supply 7 into a DC power and charges an accumulator battery 3 with the DC power, comprises: a plurality of mounting parts 20 that can mount the plurality of chargers 10 in an attachable / detachable manner, respectively; a plurality of input parts 25 that are provided corresponding to the plurality of mounting parts 20 and can receive the AC powers of the plurality of AC power supplies 7, respectively; an output control part 35 that combines the DC powers output from the plurality of chargers 10 mounted on the plurality of mounting parts 20 and can change a voltage to perform output control; and a charging part 40 for charging the accumulator battery 3 with the DC power output from the output control part 35. The cradle device 1 may have an AC power input control part 25.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cradle device for a charger. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a charger that charges a power storage device (corresponding to a storage battery) via a charging cable using DC power output from a power converter (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The charger described in Patent Document 1 includes a power converter whose output side is connected to a charging cable and a branch cable branching from the charging cable, and the branch cable is connected in parallel to the branch cable of another power converter as needed. As a result, the charger described in Patent Document 1 does not require multiple switches, and enables rapid charging by connecting multiple chargers in parallel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-13208 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, when charging an electric vehicle or the like at home, for example, an off-board charger (also simply referred to as a charger) may be connected to a 200V low-voltage AC power source, converting the power into DC power to charge the battery. In such a case, if rapid charging is desired, it is conceivable to connect the off-board chargers to multiple low-voltage AC power sources, respectively, and connect the multiple DC power outputs in parallel. However, the charger described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1 does not connect multiple AC power sources, and therefore cannot solve the above-mentioned problems. Furthermore, when multiple off-board chargers are connected, the handling and connection of the charging cables becomes complicated, raising concerns about wiring errors. Furthermore, charging with incorrect wiring may damage or deteriorate the storage battery. Furthermore, when multiple low-voltage AC power sources are used simultaneously for charging, a local voltage drop may temporarily occur, causing an unstable power supply and potentially activating a current breaker.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a charger cradle device that allows the use of multiple AC power sources, allows easy connection of multiple chargers, and enables stable rapid charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] (1) The cradle device of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, is a cradle device capable of mounting a plurality of chargers that convert AC power from an AC power source into DC power and charge a storage battery with the DC power, and is characterized by comprising: a plurality of mounting sections on which the plurality of chargers can be detachably mounted, respectively; a plurality of input sections provided corresponding to the plurality of mounting sections and capable of inputting AC power from the plurality of AC power sources, respectively; an output control section that combines the DC power output from the plurality of chargers mounted on the plurality of mounting sections and controls the output by varying the voltage; and a charging section that charges the storage battery with the DC power output from the output control section.

[0007] The cradle device described above has mounting sections that can detachably mount multiple chargers, allowing multiple chargers to be easily mounted on the mounting sections. The mounting sections can be of various shapes, such as slots that can accommodate at least a portion of a charger, or mounting sections that can connect a charger by placing it on the cradle. The number of mounting sections can be adjusted as needed to accommodate the voltage and current required for the storage battery.

[0008] The above-described cradle device can connect multiple AC power sources to multiple chargers installed therein via an input unit. The above-described cradle device can also convert the AC power input via the input unit into multiple DC power sources using multiple chargers. Here, the AC power source can be, for example, a low-voltage AC power source converted from a household AC 100V power source to 200V. The output DC power sources are combined by varying the voltage of the output control unit and then used to charge the storage battery via the charging unit. Therefore, the above-described cradle device can supply AC power simply by connecting multiple AC power sources to the input unit, without having to consider the order in which the charging cables are connected to the AC power sources, thereby reducing wiring errors. This allows the above-described cradle device to reduce damage and deterioration of the storage battery.

[0009] Furthermore, the above-described cradle device can vary the voltage of the DC power output by the output control unit, thereby supplying optimal DC power according to the voltage and current required by the storage battery. Here, the output control unit combines the output DC power in series or parallel to convert it into the voltage and current required by the storage battery. Therefore, the above-described cradle device can rapidly charge the storage battery or charge it at low power to suppress deterioration of the storage battery.

[0010] As described above, the cradle device of the present invention can aggregate AC power from multiple AC power sources and convert it into DC power, which can dramatically improve charging capacity. However, if multiple AC power sources are installed in the same facility, for example, there is a concern that a sudden voltage drop in the AC power sources may occur due to the simultaneous output of power.

[0011] (2) To solve this problem, the cradle device of the present invention may include an AC power input control unit that controls the supply of power from the AC power source input corresponding to the plurality of chargers.

[0012] The above-described cradle device, with such a configuration, can prevent a sudden drop in power on the AC power supply side. Therefore, the above-described cradle device can stably supply power and prevent a current breaker or the like on the AC power supply side from operating. Here, the AC power input control unit may control the supply of power by, for example, controlling the voltage and current input from the AC power supply according to the number of chargers mounted on the cradle device.

[0013] However, the storage batteries to be charged may be in various states, such as those that have finished discharging and are nearly empty, those that are charged to a certain extent, those that are almost new, and those that have deteriorated. Therefore, if the same amount of power is applied to all the storage batteries, there is a concern that the burden on the storage batteries will increase.

[0014] (3) Therefore, in order to solve such problems, the cradle device of the present invention described above is provided with a detection unit that detects the state of the storage battery, and the output control unit controls the output based on the state of the storage battery detected by the detection unit.

[0015] With this configuration, the cradle device described above can perform output control (including control to stop output) that takes into account the load on the storage battery based on the state of the storage battery. Therefore, the present invention can provide a cradle device that can prevent the storage battery from deteriorating or breaking.

[0016] (4) In the cradle device of the present invention described above, the state of the storage battery includes at least the remaining capacity of the storage battery, and the output control unit performs output control to output the maximum power allowable in the storage battery when the remaining capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, and performs output control to output power less than the maximum power allowable in the storage battery when the remaining capacity exceeds the predetermined threshold.

[0017] The cradle device described above is configured to include the remaining capacity of the battery as the state of the battery, and therefore can control the power output according to the remaining capacity of the battery. Furthermore, when the remaining capacity of the battery is below a predetermined threshold, i.e., when the charge level is low, the output control unit controls the battery to charge at the maximum power allowed by the battery. Therefore, the cradle device described above can shorten the charging time of the battery.

[0018] On the other hand, when the remaining capacity of the storage battery exceeds a predetermined threshold, i.e., when the charge amount is high, the output control unit controls the storage battery to be charged with less power (including stopping output) than the maximum power allowed for the storage battery. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device can minimize the load on the storage battery. As a result, the above-mentioned cradle device can suppress deterioration and damage of the storage battery and improve the durability of the storage battery.

[0019] Here, the cradle device described above can detect the state of the storage battery by the detector, including the state of deterioration of the storage battery, which can be detected based on, for example, the charging capacity or the period of use of the storage battery.

[0020] (5) In the cradle device of the present invention described above, the detection unit is mounted on a vehicle and is communicatively connected to the output control unit, and the output control unit is capable of acquiring the state of the storage battery acquired by the detection unit through communication.

[0021] The above-described cradle device can acquire the state of the storage battery without a separate detector. The detector can be, for example, a battery management system (BMS) installed in the vehicle. The detector can be connected to the output controller wirelessly or via a wired connection for communication.

[0022] (6) In the cradle device of the present invention described above, when the detection unit detects that at least one of the temperature, voltage, and current of the storage battery exceeds a predetermined threshold, the output control unit may perform control to stop or suppress the output.

[0023] By configuring the cradle device as described above, it is possible to prevent deterioration or damage of the storage battery due to overcharging or heat, or a decrease in charging capacity due to a rise in temperature. Here, the threshold value can be set to an appropriate value depending on the storage battery, for example, 80 to 90% of full charge. Furthermore, the output control unit may output the maximum power allowed by the storage battery or charger up to the threshold value, and stop or reduce the output when the threshold value is exceeded.

[0024] (7) The cradle device of the present invention described above may include a cooling unit for cooling the charger.

[0025] The above-described cradle device, with such a configuration, can prevent the charger from generating heat, thereby preventing a decrease in the charging capacity of the charger and damage to the charger.

[0026] (8) The cradle device of the present invention described above includes a detection unit that detects the state of the storage battery, and the output control unit is capable of output control based on the state of the storage battery detected by the detection unit, and the AC power input control unit sets one of the multiple chargers as a master charger and sets the chargers other than the master charger as slave chargers, and controls the output of a combination of power output from the master charger and power output from at least one of the slave chargers depending on the state of the storage battery in the detection unit.

[0027] The above-mentioned cradle device can set one of the multiple chargers as a master charger and the other chargers as slave chargers. Therefore, the above-mentioned cradle device can sequentially combine and output power from the multiple slave chargers based on the power output from one master charger. Therefore, even if multiple AC power sources are installed in the same facility, the above-mentioned cradle device can prevent a sudden drop in voltage in the facility.

[0028] (9) In the cradle device of the present invention described above, the charger may be detachably mountable on a vehicle and may be connected to the storage battery when mounted on the vehicle.

[0029] The above-described cradle device, with such a configuration, can utilize the charger installed in the vehicle, eliminating the need for the vehicle purchaser to purchase a separate charger. Therefore, the above-described cradle device reduces the burden on the vehicle purchaser. Here, the charger may be directly or indirectly connected to the storage battery when installed in the vehicle. For example, the charger may be connected via the vehicle's VCU (vehicle control unit) or BMS (battery management system), etc. [Effects of the Invention]

[0030] The present invention can provide a charger cradle device that allows the use of a plurality of AC power sources, allows easy connection of a plurality of chargers, and enables stable rapid charging. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram of an embodiment of a cradle device of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is an external perspective view of a cradle device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3] 1 is a configuration diagram of a cradle device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between input power and output power in the cradle device of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a power control method using the cradle device of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a continuation of the flow diagram in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This is a continuation of the flow diagram in Figure 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] A cradle device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. In the following description, an example will be given in which the storage battery 3 is mounted on a vehicle 2. In addition, an example will be given in which the AC power supply 7 used is a low-voltage household power supply obtained by boosting a household AC 100V power supply and converting it to AC 200V.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a vehicle 2 is equipped with a storage battery 3 (also referred to as an on-board battery 3) that is charged using a charger 10. The vehicle 2 is, for example, an electric vehicle that is driven by a motor using power output from the storage battery 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle 2 is also equipped with a VCU 4 (vehicle control unit), a BMS 5 (battery management system 5), and the like, in addition to the above. The vehicle 2 is also sold with the charger 10 installed, for example. In this embodiment, the charger 10 is detachable, and will be described as an example in which the charger 10 is removed from the vehicle 2 and installed in the cradle device 1.

[0034] The storage battery 3 can be charged with, for example, DC 100V, 100A (10kW). In this embodiment, the storage battery 3 is charged with DC power output from a cradle device 1 on which a charger 10 is mounted.

[0035] The VCU 4 is connected to each device of the vehicle 2 via CAN communication or the like. The VCU 4 can control various devices such as a motor (not shown), a storage battery 3, and an inverter (not shown) depending on the state of the vehicle 2.

[0036] The BMS 5 acquires the state of the storage battery 3 from a detection unit 6 connected to the storage battery 3, and controls charging in accordance with the state of the storage battery 3. The BMS 5 can control charging of the storage battery 3 in cooperation with the VCU 4, an AC power input control unit 25, an output control unit 35, a charging unit 40, and the like, which will be described later.

[0037] The detection unit 6 is directly or indirectly connected to the storage battery 3, and can detect various information such as the remaining capacity, voltage, current, temperature, and deterioration state of the storage battery 3. The detection unit 6 is communicatively connected to the VCU 4, the BMS 5, and the charging unit 40. That is, the detection unit 6 can use, for example, the BMS 5 mounted on the vehicle 2. The detection unit 6 is also communicatively connected to the output control unit 35 and the like wirelessly or via a wire. Therefore, the information acquired by the detection unit 6 is sent to the output control unit 35 and is used for charging control, which will be described later.

[0038] 1 and 2, the charger 10 has a box-shaped housing and can be detachably mounted on a mounting unit 20 of the cradle device 1, which will be described later. As described above, the charger 10 is detachably mounted on the vehicle 2, and when mounted on the vehicle 2, is connected directly or indirectly to the storage battery 3. In this embodiment, a description will be given assuming that four chargers 10 are used. As shown in FIG. 3, the charger 10 includes a relay 11, a noise filter 12, an AC / DC converter 13, and a DC / DC converter 14. In addition to the above, the charger 10 also includes an input terminal 25 for AC power corresponding to the input unit 25 of the cradle device 1, an output terminal for DC power (not shown), and the like.

[0039] As will be described in detail later, one of the four chargers 10 is set as a master charger 10A, and the other three chargers 10 are set as a first slave charger 10B, a second slave charger 10C, and a third slave charger 10D. Note that the chargers 10 used in this embodiment are all of the same type, and therefore, when the distinction between master and slave is not necessary, they are treated as equivalent.

[0040] A charging cable 15 is detachably connected to an input terminal 25 of the charger 10. The other end of the charging cable 15 is detachably connected to an AC power source 7. AC power (e.g., AC 200 V, 16 A) is input to the charger 10 from the input terminal 25. A relay 11 is also connected to the input terminal 25. An AC power input control unit 30, which will be described later, is connected to the relay 11. As will be described in detail later, the AC power input control unit 30 can perform ON / OFF control (described later) of the AC power input to the relay 11. The AC power input via the relay 11 is rectified by a noise filter 12 and input to an AC / DC converter 13.

[0041] The AC / DC converter 13 converts AC power into DC power. The AC / DC converter 13 is also equipped with, for example, a PFC (Power Factor Correction) circuit, which can perform power factor correction (suppression of harmonic currents). The DC power output from the AC / DC converter 13 is input to the DC / DC converter 14.

[0042] The DC / DC converter 14 converts the voltage of the input DC power into a predetermined voltage. The DC / DC converter 14 can control the output of the DC power using an output control unit 60, which will be described later.

[0043] Next, a detailed description will be given of the cradle device 1 of the present invention that can accommodate the above-mentioned charger 10. The cradle device 1 uses the multiple chargers 10 mounted thereon to convert AC power input from multiple AC power sources 7 into multiple DC powers, and to combine and output the multiple DC powers.

[0044] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cradle device 1 includes a mounting unit 20, an AC power input unit 25, an AC power input control unit 30 that controls the input AC power, an output control unit 35 that controls the output DC power, a charging unit 40, a cooling unit 45 that cools the charger 10, and a start switch (not shown) that starts the cradle device 1.

[0045] The mounting unit 20 is formed in the housing 1A of the cradle device 1, and in this embodiment, is formed in the shape of a rectangular slot to match the appearance of the charger 10. A total of four mounting units 20 are arranged, two above and two below. Each mounting unit 20 can detachably mount a charger 10. The mounting unit 20 is connected to the charger 10 by inserting the output terminal side of the charger 10 into the mounting unit 20. This connects and establishes electrical continuity between the output terminal (not shown) of the charger 10 and the input terminal (not shown) of the mounting unit 20. In this way, the charger 10 can be easily mounted on each of the multiple mounting units 20, making them easy to handle by users at home, work, etc.

[0046] Here, as described above, the mounting section 20 can be in various forms, such as a slot-shaped section that accommodates at least a portion of the charger 10, or a section that allows the charger 10 to be connected by being placed on the mounting section 20. The number of mounting sections 20 can be changed as appropriate according to the voltage and current required for the storage battery 3.

[0047] 2 and 3, in this embodiment, the input terminal 25 of the charger 10 is used as the input unit 25. That is, in this embodiment, the input unit 25 corresponds to the input terminal 25 of the charger 10. The input unit 25 is provided in each charger 10. That is, an input unit 25 is provided for each of the four mounting units 20. Note that in this embodiment, the input unit 25 uses the input terminal 25 of the charger 10, but the input unit 25 may also be provided on the cradle device 1 side.

[0048] One end of a charging cable 15, which is connected to the AC power source 7, is connected to each input unit 25. As a result, AC power from the multiple AC power sources 7 is input to each input unit 25 via each charging cable 15. That is, in this embodiment, AC power is input from each of the four AC power sources 7 to each of the four chargers 10. The input units 25 are connected to relays 11 provided in the respective chargers 10. The relays 11 are configured to switch the input of AC power between ON and OFF.

[0049] 3, the AC power input control section 30 controls the AC power input to each charger 10. Specifically, the AC power input control section 30 controls the supply of AC power 7 input sequentially from the master charger 10A to the first to third slave chargers 10B to 10D by sequentially switching the relays 11. The supply control of the AC power source 7 will be described in detail later.

[0050] The output control unit 35 is connected to the output terminals (not shown) of each charger 10 mounted on each mounting unit 20. The output control unit 35 controls the combination of DC power output from each charger 10 to achieve a predetermined power. The output control unit 35 can recognize whether or not a charger 10 is connected by detecting a signal output from the charger 10.

[0051] As shown in Fig. 4, the output control unit 35 can control the output of DC power by combining DC power in series or parallel in, for example, eight combinations. Specifically, in No. 1, four input AC power supplies 7 (AC 200V) are combined in parallel, and control is performed to output up to 100 A at a voltage of DC 50 V to 100 V. In No. 2, three input AC power supplies 7 (AC 200V) are combined in parallel, and control is performed to output up to 75 A at a voltage of DC 50 V to 100 V. In No. 3, two input AC power supplies 7 (AC 200V) are combined in parallel, and control is performed to output up to 50 A at a voltage of DC 50 V to 100 V. In No. 4, control is performed to output up to 25 A at a voltage of DC 50 V to 100 V from one input AC power supply 7 (AC 200V). In No. 5, four input AC power supplies 7 (AC 200V) are combined in series and controlled to output up to 25 A at a voltage of DC 50 V to 400 V. In No. 6, three input AC power supplies 7 (AC 200V) are combined in series and controlled to output up to 25 A at a voltage of DC 50 V to 300 V. In No. 7, two input AC power supplies 7 (AC 200V) are combined in series and controlled to output up to 25 A at a voltage of DC 50 V to 200 V. In No. 8, two input AC power supplies 7 (AC 200V) are combined in parallel and then in series and controlled to output up to 50 A at a voltage of DC 50 V to 200 V. The above combinations can be changed in response to commands from the BMS 5 or the like, even while the storage battery 3 is being charged.

[0052] In this way, by combining a plurality of chargers 10 in various ways, the output control unit 35 can output DC power at a variable voltage in accordance with the storage battery 3. The DC power output by the output control unit 35 is supplied to the charging unit 40.

[0053] Here, the output control unit 35 can perform output control based on the state of the storage battery 3 (for example, remaining capacity, temperature, and degradation state) detected by the detection unit 6. In other words, the output control unit 35 can perform output control (including output stop) based on the state of the storage battery 3, taking into account the load on the storage battery 3.

[0054] More specifically, when the remaining capacity is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold (e.g., 80%), i.e., when the charge level is low, the output control unit 35 can perform output control to output the maximum power allowed by the storage battery 3. This allows the cradle device 1 of the present invention to shorten the charging time of the storage battery 3. On the other hand, when the remaining capacity exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g., 80%), i.e., when the charge level is high, output control can be performed to output power (including stopping output) that is less than the maximum power allowed by the storage battery 3. Therefore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can minimize the load on the storage battery 3. This allows the cradle device 1 to suppress deterioration or damage of the storage battery 3 due to overcharging or heat, etc., or a decrease in charging capacity due to temperature rise, thereby improving the durability of the storage battery 3.

[0055] Here, the threshold value can be set to an appropriate value depending on the storage battery 3, for example, 80 to 90% of a full charge. Furthermore, the output control unit 35 may, for example, output the maximum power allowed by the storage battery 3 or the charger 10 up to the threshold value, and when the threshold value is exceeded, stop the output or reduce the output.

[0056] Furthermore, the control in the output control unit 35 can include the degradation state of the storage battery 3 as the state of the storage battery 3 detected by the detection unit 6. The degradation state can be detected, for example, according to the charging capacity or period of use of the storage battery 3. Therefore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can prevent the storage battery 3 from deteriorating or being damaged.

[0057] The charging unit 40 is configured to perform CHAdeMO (registered trademark) communication control, i.e., rapid charging control. The charging unit 40 supplies DC power to the storage battery 3 of the vehicle 2 via an inrush prevention circuit 41. In this embodiment, the inrush prevention circuit 41 may be provided on the output side of the charger 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an output cable 42 is connected to the charging unit 40, and a DC gun 43 serving as a CHAdeMO gun (registered trademark) is connected to the other end of the output cable 42. Some or all of the connections from the charger 10 to the DC gun 43 may be made, for example, by bus-bar connection. The use of a bus-bar connection simplifies the connections.

[0058] The DC gun 43 is connected to the charging terminal 3A on the vehicle side. This charges the storage battery 3. The inrush prevention circuit 41 prevents a sudden current from flowing when the relay 11 is turned on. This prevents damage to the cradle device 1 and the devices on the vehicle 2 side.

[0059] Additionally, a cooling unit 45 for cooling the charger 10 is provided around the mounting unit 20 of the cradle device 1. The cooling unit 45 cools the heat generated in the charger 10 when, for example, converting AC current to DC current. The cooling unit 45 is formed, for example, by an air-cooling fan. In this way, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can cool the charger 10 using the cooling unit 45, thereby suppressing a decrease in the charging capacity of the charger 10 and damage to the charger 10. The cooling unit 45 may cool not only the charger 10 but also the cradle device 1. The cooling unit 45 may be provided as needed, and it is also possible to omit the cooling unit 45.

[0060] The above is the configuration of one embodiment of the cradle device 1 of the present invention, and next, the supply control of the AC power source 7 in the cradle device 1 (charging control of the storage battery 3) will be described with reference to the flow charts of Figures 5 to 7. It is assumed that the cradle device 1 is equipped with four chargers 10A to 10D, and that the AC power sources 7 are connected to the input units 25 via charging cables 15, respectively.

[0061] As shown in Fig. 5, in step S1, the cradle device 1 is started (including restarting by resetting), and control of the cradle device 1 is initiated. Subsequently, in step S2, the cradle device 1 enters a standby mode. The standby mode is a state in which the start switch (SW) in step S3 waits for an input. That is, in step S3, processing returns to step S2 until the start switch is turned ON, and when the start switch is turned ON, processing shifts to the ON-OFF control mode in step S10 (see Fig. 6).

[0062] As shown in FIG. 6, when the mode is switched to the ON-OFF control mode, an LED lights up in step S10 to notify that the mode has been switched to the ON-OFF control mode. Then, in step S11, AC power is supplied to the master charger 10A from the AC power supply 7. The supply of AC power from the AC power supply 7 is controlled by the AC power input control unit 30. Then, in step S12, it is determined whether a master signal is present (whether the device is installed or not). The determination in step S12 is made, for example, 500 ms after step S11 is executed. The waiting time after step S11 is executed can be changed as appropriate.

[0063] If the master signal is not confirmed, the AC power supply 7 of the master charger 10A is turned off in step S50. If the master signal is confirmed in step S12, AC power is supplied from the AC power supply 7 to the first slave charger 10B in step S13. Subsequently, in step S14, it is determined whether or not the first slave signal is present (whether or not it is mounted) in the first slave charger 10B. The determination in step S14 is made, for example, 500 ms after execution of step S13. The waiting time after execution of step S13 can be changed as appropriate.

[0064] If the first slave signal of the first slave charger 10B is not confirmed in step S14, the AC power supply 7 of the first slave charger 10B is turned off in step S51. Then, the DC / DC converter 14 in the master charger 10A is started up in step S52. The DC / DC converter 14 is started up when the temperature is within a predetermined range.

[0065] If the first slave signal of the first slave charger 10B is confirmed in step S14, AC power is supplied to the first slave charger 10B from the AC power supply 7 in step S15. Subsequently, in step S16, it is determined whether or not the second slave signal of the second slave charger 10C is present (whether or not it is mounted). The determination in step S16 is made, for example, 500 ms after execution of step S15. The waiting time after execution of step S15 can be changed as appropriate.

[0066] If the second slave signal of the second slave charger 10C is not confirmed in step S16, the AC power supply 7 of the second slave charger 10C is turned off in step S53. Subsequently, in step S54, the DC / DC converters 14 in the master charger 10A and the first slave charger 10B are started. The DC / DC converters 14 are started when the temperature is within a predetermined range.

[0067] On the other hand, if the second slave signal of the second slave charger 10C is confirmed in step S16, AC power is supplied to the second slave charger 10C from the AC power supply 7 in step S17. Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 7, it is determined in step S18 whether or not the third slave signal of the third slave charger 10D is present (whether or not it is mounted). The determination in step S18 is made, for example, 500 ms after execution of step S17. The waiting time after execution of step S18 can be changed as appropriate.

[0068] If the second slave signal of the third slave charger 10D is not confirmed in step S18, the AC power supply 7 of the second slave charger 10C is turned off in step S55. Next, in step S56, the DC / DC converters 14 in the master charger 10A, first slave charger 10B, and second slave charger 10C are started up. Note that the DC / DC converters 14 are started up when the temperature is within a predetermined range. Next, the process of step S22, which will be described later, is performed.

[0069] On the other hand, if the third slave signal of the third slave charger 10D is confirmed in step S18, AC power is supplied to the third slave charger 10D from the AC power supply 7 in step S19. Subsequently, in step S20, the DC / DC converters 14 in the master charger 10A and the first to third slave chargers 10B to 10D are started up. The DC / DC converters 14 are started up when the temperature is within a predetermined range.

[0070] Next, in step S21, it is determined whether or not charging of the master charger 10A and the first to third slave chargers 10B to 10D is necessary.

[0071] If it is determined in step S21 that charging of the master charger 10A and the first to third slave chargers 10B to 10D is necessary, the process returns to step S21, that is, the determination in step S21 continues.

[0072] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S21 that charging of the master charger 10A and the first to third slave chargers 10B to 10D is not required, the process proceeds to step S22. In step S22, it is determined whether charging of the master charger 10A, the first slave charger 10B, and the second slave charger 10C is required.

[0073] If it is determined in step S22 that charging of the master charger 10A, the first slave charger 10B, and the second slave charger 10C is necessary, the process returns to step S22, i.e., the determination in step S22 continues.

[0074] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S22 that charging of the master charger 10A, the first slave charger 10B, and the second slave charger 10C is not required, the process proceeds to step S23. In step S23, it is determined whether charging of the master charger 10A and the first slave charger 10B is required.

[0075] If it is determined in step S23 that charging of the master charger 10A and the first slave charger 10B is necessary, the process returns to step S23, that is, the determination in step S23 continues.

[0076] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S23 that charging of the master charger 10A and the first slave charger 10B is not required, the process proceeds to step S24. In step S25, the DC / DC converters 14 in the first to third slave chargers 10B to 10D are stopped, and the process returns to the standby mode of step S2. Note that, although in this embodiment the process returns to step S2 after step S24 is executed, the process may also end after step S24 is executed.

[0077] The above is the supply control flow of the AC power supply 7 (charge control flow of the storage battery 3) according to the cradle device 1 of the present invention. By adopting the above-described configuration and supply control flow of the AC power supply 7, the cradle device 1 of the present invention achieves the following effects.

[0078] As described above, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can supply AC power simply by connecting multiple AC power sources 7 to the input unit 25 without having to consider the connection order of the charging cables 15 connected to the AC power sources 7, thereby reducing wiring errors. This allows the cradle device 1 to reduce damage and deterioration of the storage battery 3.

[0079] Furthermore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can vary the voltage of the DC power output by the output control unit 35, and can therefore supply optimal DC power according to the voltage and current required by the storage battery 3. Furthermore, the output control unit 35 combines the DC power to be output in series or parallel to convert it into the voltage and current required by the storage battery 3. Therefore, the cradle device 1 can rapidly charge the storage battery 3 or charge it at low power in order to suppress deterioration of the storage battery 3.

[0080] Furthermore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can aggregate AC power from multiple AC power sources 7 and convert it into DC power, thereby dramatically improving charging capacity. Moreover, the AC power input control unit 30 controls the AC power supplied to the charger 10, so a sudden drop in power on the AC power source 7 side can be prevented. Therefore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can supply power stably and prevent a current breaker or the like on the AC power source 7 side from operating. Here, the AC power input control unit 30 can control the supply of power by, for example, controlling the voltage and current input from the AC power source 7 according to the number of chargers 10 mounted on the cradle device 1.

[0081] Furthermore, in the cradle device 1 of the present invention, the detection unit 6 is mounted on the vehicle 2 and is communicatively connected to the output control unit 35, and the output control unit 35 is capable of acquiring the state of the storage battery 3 acquired by the detection unit 6 through communication. Therefore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can acquire the state of the storage battery 3 without having to provide a separate detection unit 6.

[0082] Furthermore, in the cradle device 1 of the present invention, the charger 10 can be detachably mounted on the vehicle 2, and when mounted on the vehicle 2, the charger 10 and the storage battery 3 are connected. Therefore, the charger 10 mounted on the vehicle 2 can be used, and the vehicle purchaser does not need to purchase a separate charger 10. Therefore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can reduce the burden on the vehicle purchaser.

[0083] Furthermore, the AC power input control unit 30 in the cradle device 1 of the present invention sets one of the multiple chargers 10 as a master charger 10A, and sets the chargers 10 other than the master charger 10A as slave chargers 10B to 10D. Furthermore, the output control unit 35 controls the output of a combination of power output from the master charger 10A and power output from at least one slave charger 10, depending on the state of the storage battery 3 in the detection unit 6. Therefore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can sequentially combine and output powers output from the multiple slave chargers 10, based on the power output from one master charger 10A. Therefore, the cradle device 1 of the present invention can suppress a sudden drop in voltage in the facility, even if multiple AC power sources 7 are installed in the same facility.

[0084] The above is one embodiment of the cradle device 1 of the present invention, but the cradle device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made.

[0085] In this embodiment, the cradle device 1 is illustrated as having four mounting units 20, but the number of mounting units 20 can be changed as appropriate depending on, for example, the voltage and current allowed by the storage battery 3. Also, in this embodiment, the mounting units 20 are formed in rectangular slot shapes, but mounting units 20 of various shapes and sizes can be used to match the shape of the charger 10. Also, the charger 10 mounted on the mounting units 20 can be changed as appropriate depending on the number of mounting units 20.

[0086] Furthermore, the charger 10 does not have to be mounted on all of the mounting units 20, but may be mounted on only some of the mounting units 20. In other words, various numbers of chargers 10 (including a single charger) can be used as long as the number of chargers is less than the number of mounting units 20. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a case where four chargers 10 are identical is exemplified, but it is also possible to use different chargers 10 for each. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a charger 10 mounted on the vehicle 2 is used, but it is also possible to use various chargers 10, including not only chargers mounted on the vehicle 2 but also chargers not mounted on the vehicle 2.

[0087] Furthermore, the storage batteries 3 to be charged can be of various capacities, quantities, and configurations. Furthermore, various shapes and sizes can be adopted for the cradle device 1. Furthermore, the AC power source 7 to be input is not limited to that in the embodiment, and various types of power (voltage, current) can be used.

[0088] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the input unit 25 utilizes the input terminal 25 provided on the charger 10, but the input unit 25 need not necessarily be provided on the charger 10 side, but may also be provided on the cradle device 1 side. Various shapes and sizes of the input unit 25 can also be adopted. Furthermore, the output control unit 35 can combine the chargers 10 in various forms, such as connecting multiple chargers 10 in series or parallel, or combining series and parallel. Furthermore, the output control unit 35 can vary the power (voltage, current) to various powers depending on the combination of chargers 10.

[0089] In this embodiment, the input AC power is controlled by the AC power input control unit 30, but the AC power input control unit 30 may be provided as needed, and it is also possible to omit the AC power input control unit 30. The control of the AC power input control unit 30 is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various types of control can be used.

[0090] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the detector 6 is mounted on the vehicle 2, but the detector 6 may be provided on the cradle device 1 side. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the detector 6 uses the BMS 5, but the detector 6 does not have to use the BMS 5 or the VCU 4, and may be used independently. Furthermore, the detector 6 may detect various states of the storage battery 3 as needed. For example, the detector 6 may detect one or more of various pieces of information, such as the remaining capacity, deterioration state, voltage, current, temperature, and remaining time until the expiration date of the storage battery 3, as the state of the storage battery 3.

[0091] In addition, in this embodiment, an example has been given in which the threshold value of the remaining capacity of the storage battery 3 used as a judgment criterion for the output control unit 35 is set in the range of 80 to 90%, but the threshold value used as a judgment criterion is not limited to 80 to 90% of the remaining capacity, and various numerical values ​​(for example, one based on the deterioration state) can be used depending on the characteristics of the storage battery 3, etc.

[0092] Furthermore, in this embodiment, an example has been given in which the charger 10 is provided with a cooling unit 45 for cooling the charger 10, but the cooling unit 45 may be provided as needed, and it is also possible to not provide the cooling unit 45. Furthermore, the cooling unit 45 is not limited to being provided to cool the charger 10, and can be provided in various locations.

[0093] The above are various embodiments and variants of the cradle device 1 according to the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to those exemplified in the above-mentioned embodiments and variants, and it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that other embodiments are possible within the scope of the claims in accordance with the teachings and spirit of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0094] The cradle device of the present invention can be used to charge various types of storage batteries, and can also be used to charge on-board batteries of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1: Cradle device 2: Vehicle 3: Storage battery (vehicle battery) 4: VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) 5: BMS (Battery Management System) 6: Detection unit 7: AC power supply 10: Charger 20: Mounting section 25: Input section (input terminal) 30: AC power input control section 35: Output control section 40: Live part 45: Cooling section

Claims

1. A cradle device capable of mounting a plurality of chargers that converts AC power from an AC power source into DC power and charges storage batteries with the DC power, a plurality of mounting sections on which the plurality of chargers can be detachably mounted, respectively; a plurality of input units provided corresponding to the plurality of mounting units, and capable of inputting AC power from the plurality of AC power supplies, respectively; an AC power input control unit that controls the supply of power from an AC power source that is input corresponding to the plurality of chargers; an output control unit that combines DC powers output from the plurality of chargers mounted on the plurality of mounting units and controls the output by varying the voltage; a charging unit for charging the storage battery with the DC power output from the output control unit, the plurality of AC power sources are low voltage power sources; The cradle device is characterized in that the AC power input control section controls the master charger to start supplying power from the low-voltage power supply to the plurality of slave chargers in sequence by switching relays in sequence.

2. a detection unit for detecting a state of the storage battery; The detection unit is mounted on a vehicle, The cradle device according to claim 1 , wherein the output control unit controls the output based on the state of the storage battery detected by the detection unit.

3. the detection unit is communicably connected to the output control unit, The cradle device according to claim 2 , wherein the output control unit is capable of acquiring the state of the storage battery acquired by the detection unit through communication.

4. 4. The cradle device according to claim 1, further comprising a cooling unit for cooling the charger.

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