JP2017070149A - Vehicle battery system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To report the event of heating being completed to a user so as not to trouble the user in a case where a difference occurs between the clock-time set by the user and an actual heating-completion clock-time.SOLUTION: A vehicle battery system includes: a main battery 20; a heater 32 for heating the main battery 20; and an output part 50 for reporting a situation of heating the main battery 20 to a user. Further, in a case where actual heating is completed at a clock-time earlier than a clock-time set by the user, a report is issued at the same clock-time as the clock-time set by user or earlier by backward-shifting the actual heating completion time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle battery system mounted on a vehicle.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, electric vehicles that use a rotating electric machine as one of the power sources, such as hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles, are widely known. Such an electric vehicle is equipped with a battery for supplying electric power to the rotating electrical machine. The vehicle-mounted battery is a secondary battery (storage battery) that can be charged and discharged, and can charge power generated by the rotating electrical machine and power from an external power source. Such an in-vehicle battery has a longer charging time due to a decrease in chargeable capacity and a decrease in allowable charging current when the temperature is lowered. Moreover, when the vehicle-mounted battery falls to the freezing temperature, there is a characteristic that charging and discharging cannot be performed.

  Therefore, the user sets the next time to use the vehicle, performs temperature rise control so that the temperature rise of the storage battery ends at the set time, and notifies the user at the time when the temperature rise control of the storage battery ends. Vehicle battery systems to perform are known. In addition, it is disclosed to notify a user that a battery cannot be charged when a condition in which a battery heater or an air conditioning auxiliary system can be used is satisfied and an external power source cannot be used (Patent Document). 1).

International Publication No. WO2014 / 045776A1 Pamphlet

  By the way, when the temperature of the storage battery is raised with the time set by the user as a target, the temperature may actually reach a predetermined temperature earlier than the time set by the user. At this time, if the user is notified at the time when the temperature rise has actually ended, the user is notified at a time earlier than the time at which the user plans to use the vehicle, which causes trouble for the user. Further, in practice, the predetermined temperature may be reached later than the time set by the user. At this time, if the user is notified at the time when the temperature rise actually ends, there is a possibility that the notification to the user may be delayed even though the vehicle is actually close to the temperature at which the vehicle can travel.

  One aspect of the present invention includes a storage battery that supplies driving power to an electric motor, battery temperature raising means that raises the storage battery using a user set time set by the user as a target time for completion of temperature rise, and a user. Temperature rise notification means for notifying the temperature rise status of the storage battery, the temperature rise notification means, when the actual temperature rise is completed at a time earlier than the user set time, A notification is given to the user at the same time or earlier than the user set time after shifting from the completion time, or when the actual temperature rise is completed at a time later than the user set time, the actual temperature rise The vehicle battery system is characterized in that a notification is given to the user at the same time as or after the user set time, shifted before the completion time.

  According to the present invention, when there is a difference between the time set by the user and the actual temperature rise end time of the storage battery, the user can be warmed up without bothering the user and unnecessarily waiting. You can be notified of the situation.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the hybrid drive system which is embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the temperature rising process of the storage battery in embodiment of this invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a hybrid drive system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. This hybrid drive system 10 is provided with two rotating electrical machines MG1 and MG2 and one engine 12 as power sources. The hybrid drive system 10 is provided with a main battery (storage battery) 20 that supplies electric power to the rotary electric machines MG1 and MG2 or stores electric power generated by the rotary electric machines MG1 and MG2. The main battery 20 has a plurality of single cells connected in series. As the single battery, a storage battery (secondary battery) such as a nickel metal hydride battery or a lithium ion battery can be used. In addition, an electric double layer capacitor can be used instead of the secondary battery. The main battery 20 may include a plurality of single cells connected in parallel.

  The voltage value VB of the main battery 20 is detected by the voltage sensor 22 and input to the controller 26. The current value IB of the main battery 20 is detected by the current sensor 23 and input to the controller 26. A temperature sensor 24 for detecting the temperature of the main battery 20 (battery temperature Tb) is also provided in the vicinity of the main battery 20. The temperature sensor 24 functions as a battery temperature acquisition unit that acquires the battery temperature Tb. The battery temperature Tb detected by the temperature sensor 24 is input to the controller 26.

  In addition, a temperature sensor 25 that measures an environmental temperature Ta, which is the temperature of the environment in which the main battery 20 is installed, is provided in order to perform a temperature raising operation that will be described later. The temperature sensor 25 measures the environmental temperature Ta in the external environment of the vehicle in which the hybrid drive system 10 is provided, and outputs the measured environmental temperature Ta to the controller 26. For example, the temperature sensor 25 may be provided outside the passenger compartment or in the refrigerant intake path for cooling the main battery 20.

  The main battery 20 is connected to the inverter 18 via the system main relay 44. When the ignition switch of the vehicle is switched from OFF to ON, the controller 26 electrically connects the main battery 20 and the inverter 18 by switching these system main relays 44 from OFF to ON. Conversely, when the ignition switch of the vehicle is switched from on to off, the controller 26 electrically disconnects the main battery 20 and the inverter 18 by switching these system main relays 44 from on to off.

  The inverter 18 converts the DC power supplied from the main battery 20 into AC power and outputs the AC power to the second rotating electrical machine MG2. The second rotating electrical machine MG2 receives the AC power output from the inverter 18 and generates kinetic energy for running the vehicle. The vehicle travels when the kinetic energy generated by the second rotating electrical machine MG2 is transmitted to the drive wheels 16. The second rotating electrical machine MG2 converts kinetic energy generated during braking of the vehicle into electrical energy. The inverter 18 converts AC power (regenerative power) generated by the second rotating electrical machine MG2 into DC power and supplies it to the main battery 20. Thereby, the main battery 20 is charged.

  The power split mechanism 14 transmits the power of the engine 12 to the drive wheels 16 or to the first rotating electrical machine MG1. First rotating electrical machine MG1 receives power from engine 12 to generate power. The electric power generated by the first rotating electrical machine MG1 is supplied to the second rotating electrical machine MG2 via the inverter 18 or supplied to the main battery 20. The main battery 20 is charged by supplying power to the main battery 20.

  A booster circuit (not shown) is also provided in the current path between the main battery 20 and the inverter 18. The booster circuit boosts the output voltage of the main battery 20 and outputs the boosted power to the inverter 18. The booster circuit steps down the output voltage of the inverter 18 and outputs the reduced power to the main battery 20.

  The main battery 20 is connected to the charger 38. A charging relay 42 is provided between the main battery 20 and the charger 38. The charge relay 42 receives a control signal from the controller 26 and electrically connects or disconnects the charger 38 and the main battery 20. A connector 40 (inlet) is connected to the charger 38. A connector 102 (charging plug) of an external power supply 100 (for example, commercial power supply) can be connected to the connector 40. The controller 26 monitors whether the two connectors 40 and 102 are connected, that is, whether the two connectors 40 and 102 are plugged in or the two connectors 40 and 102 are disconnected. When connector 40 is connected to connector 102 and charging relay 42 is on, charger 38 converts AC power from external power supply 100 into DC power and outputs DC power. The operations of the charger 38 and the charging relay 42 are controlled by the controller 26. The DC power output from the charger 38 is supplied to the main battery 20, thereby charging the main battery 20. Charging the main battery 20 using the power from the external power supply 100 in this way is called “external charging”.

  A DC / DC converter 30 is also connected to the main battery 20. The DC / DC converter 30 is connected in parallel with the inverter 18. An auxiliary machine 36, an auxiliary battery 34, and a heater 32 are connected to the DC / DC converter 30. The DC / DC converter 30 steps down the output voltage of the main battery 20 and supplies the reduced power to the auxiliary machine 36 and the auxiliary battery 34. Thereby, the auxiliary machine 36 can be operated and the auxiliary machine battery 34 can be charged. The operation of the DC / DC converter 30 is controlled by the controller 26.

  The heater 32 is used to raise the temperature of the main battery 20. The heater 32 is provided in the vicinity of the main battery 20. Further, the heater 32 may be one or plural. A switch 46 is provided in the current path between the DC / DC converter 30 and the heater 32. The switch 46 receives a control signal from the controller 26 and electrically connects or disconnects the DC / DC converter 30 and the heater 32. When the switch 46 is turned on, predetermined power is supplied from the DC / DC converter 30 to the heater 32, and the heater 32 can generate heat. And when the heater 32 generates heat, the main battery 20 is heated. The heater 32 is controlled by the controller 26. That is, the battery temperature raising means for raising the temperature of the main battery 20 is configured by the heater 32, the temperature sensor 24, the controller 26, and the like.

  In the plug-in state, the power from the charger 38 can be supplied not only to the main battery 20 but also to the DC / DC converter 30. Here, when the switch 46 is turned on, the DC / DC converter 30 can step down the electric power from the charger 38 and supply the electric power after the step down to the heater 32. That is, in the plug-in state, the main battery 20 can be heated by driving the heater 32 using a part of the electric power from the external power supply 100.

  Further, an auxiliary machine 36 including an air conditioner (A / C) 36 a and the like may be connected to the DC / DC converter 30.

  The controller 26 is provided with an output unit 50. The output unit 50 includes means for notifying the user of the state of the hybrid vehicle. The output unit 50 can be, for example, an image display device, an audio output device, or the like. The output unit 50 may include means that can output information to a terminal (smart phone or the like) carried by the user wirelessly or by wire. In the present embodiment, the output unit 50 functions as a temperature increase notification unit that notifies the temperature increase status of the main battery 20 according to an instruction from the controller 26.

  In the hybrid vehicle, external charging is possible while the vehicle is stopped, but the user can set the end time of the external charging as the user set time tx. That is, the user can set the user set time tx so that charging of the main battery 20 will be completed by considering the time when the vehicle is scheduled to be used next.

  The controller 26 controls charging of the main battery 20 by external charging so that charging is completed with the user set time tx as a target time. The controller 26 receives the voltage value VB of the main battery 20 from the voltage sensor 22 and obtains the time until the charging of the main battery 20 ends at the user set time tx from the relationship between the voltage value VB and a predetermined reference voltage. The time before the user set time tx is set as the charge start time. In order to obtain the time required for charging from the relationship between the voltage value VB and the reference voltage, the amount of charging time required for the difference between the voltage value VB and the reference voltage is examined in advance and compiled into a database. , Refer to that database. Then, the controller 26 starts charging by supplying charging power from the external power source 100 to the main battery 20 at the charging start time. Thereby, the charging of the main battery 20 can be completed by the user set time tx.

  Further, when the external environmental temperature Ta is low, battery temperature increase control for increasing the temperature of the main battery 20 is performed using the user set time tx as a target time. Hereinafter, the battery temperature increase control in the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

  In step S <b> 10, plug-in confirmation processing is performed by the controller 26. The controller 26 confirms that the connectors 40 and 102 are in the plug-in state.

  In step S12, the controller 26 sets a user set time ty that is a target time for completing the temperature increase of the main battery 20. In the present embodiment, the user set time ty is set to the same time as the user set time tx for completing charging. However, the user set time ty is not limited to this, and the user may set a time different from the user set time tx, or may be set by applying some function to the user set time tx. The time ty may be set.

  In step S14, the external environmental temperature Ta is measured. The controller 26 acquires the environmental temperature Ta measured by the temperature sensor 25 and stores it in the memory 28. In step S16, the current battery temperature Tb of the main battery 20 is measured. The controller 26 acquires the current battery temperature Tb of the main battery 20 measured by the temperature sensor 24 and stores it in the memory 28.

  In step S <b> 18, a time required for increasing the temperature of the main battery 20 is calculated. Based on the environmental temperature Ta acquired in step S14 and the current battery temperature Tb acquired in step S16, the controller 26 calculates the required temperature increase time required to raise the temperature of the main battery 20 to the predetermined reference temperature Tr. To do. For example, for each combination of the environmental temperature Ta and the battery temperature Tb, the time required to raise the temperature to the reference temperature Tr is checked in advance and stored in the memory 28, and the controller 26 refers to the database. What is necessary is just to read and set the temperature increase required time corresponding to the present environmental temperature Ta and battery temperature Tb. In addition, a function for determining a required temperature increase time is set using the environmental temperature Ta and the battery temperature Tb as arguments, and the controller 26 needs to increase the temperature by substituting the current environmental temperature Ta and the battery temperature Tb into the function. The time may be calculated.

  In step S20, the difference between the user set time ty and the current time is calculated. The controller 26 calculates the difference between the user set time ty set in step S12 and the current time as the remaining time until the target time for completing the temperature increase.

  In step S22, it is determined whether or not to start the temperature raising process. The controller 26 shifts the process to step S24 when the required temperature increase time calculated in step S18 is less than the remaining time calculated in step S20, and shifts the process to step S26 when the required temperature increase time exceeds the remaining time. . In step S24, the system maintains a standby state and repeats the processing from step S20.

  In step S26, the temperature increase process of the main battery 20 is started. The controller 26 starts a temperature raising operation of the main battery 20 by the heater 32.

  In step S28, the controller 26 acquires the current time tc. Subsequently, in step S30, it is determined whether or not the current time tc exceeds the user set time ty. The controller 26 shifts the process to step S32 if the current time tc is smaller than the user set time ty, and shifts the process to step S46 if the current time tc is equal to or greater than the user set time ty.

  In step S32, the current temperature of the main battery 20 is measured. The controller 26 acquires the temperature of the main battery 20 measured by the temperature sensor 24 as the current battery temperature Tb and stores it in the memory 28.

  In step S34, it is determined whether or not the current battery temperature Tb of the main battery 20 is equal to or higher than a preset reference temperature Tr. If the current battery temperature Tb is equal to or higher than the reference temperature Tr, the controller 26 determines that the temperature increase has been completed and proceeds to step S36. If the battery temperature Tb is lower than the reference temperature Tr, the temperature increase is still complete. Assuming that there is not, the process returns to step S28 while continuing the temperature raising process by the heater 32.

  In step S36, the temperature rise of the battery is stopped. The controller 26 stops the temperature increase by the heater 32.

  In step S38, the controller 26 acquires the current time tc. Subsequently, in step S40, it is determined whether or not the current time tc has reached the user notification time tz. The controller 26 sets the user notification time tz to the same time as the user set time ty or a time earlier than the user set time ty. If the current time tc is smaller than the user set time tz, the process proceeds to step S42. If the time tc is equal to or greater than the user set time tz, the process proceeds to step S44. The predetermined time may be set to such a time that notification to the user is not performed much earlier than the user set time ty, but may be set to, for example, about several minutes. In step S42, the system maintains a standby state and repeats the processing from step S38.

  In step S44, a notification is sent to the user informing the temperature rise status of the main battery 20. The controller 26 performs a process of notifying the user that the temperature increase of the main battery 20 is completed by outputting a temperature increase completion notification from the output unit 50. Note that the controller 26 may perform notification indicating that the user set time ty set as the scheduled time for completion of temperature increase has been reached instead of the temperature increase completion notification or in combination with the temperature increase completion notification.

  On the other hand, when the process proceeds to step S46 in step S30, a notification is sent to the user in step S46 to inform the temperature rise status of the main battery 20. The controller 26 performs a process of outputting a notification indicating that the user set time ty set as a scheduled time for completing the temperature increase is output from the output unit 50 and transmitting the notification to the user. In this case, although the temperature increase of the main battery 20 is not actually completed, it is considered that the temperature is almost close to the reference temperature Tr. Therefore, a temperature increase completion notification may be output.

  In addition, when the processing is shifted to step S46, the user is notified immediately. However, the main battery 20 is lower than the reference temperature Tr, but the second reference temperature is usable or close to usable. The notification may be performed after waiting until Tr2 is reached, or the notification may be performed after waiting for a predetermined time.

  In step S48, the current temperature of the main battery 20 is measured. The controller 26 acquires the temperature of the main battery 20 measured by the temperature sensor 24 as the current battery temperature Tb and stores it in the memory 28.

  In step S50, it is determined whether or not the current battery temperature Tb of the main battery 20 is equal to or higher than a preset reference temperature Tr. If the current battery temperature Tb is equal to or higher than the reference temperature Tr, the controller 26 determines that the temperature increase has been completed and proceeds to step S52. If the battery temperature Tb is lower than the reference temperature Tr, the temperature increase is still complete. The process is returned to step S48 while continuing the temperature raising process by the heater 32, assuming that there is not.

  In step S52, the battery temperature rise is stopped. The controller 26 stops the temperature increase by the heater 32.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, when the temperature increase of main battery 20 is completed at a time earlier than user set time ty, the notification time is shifted after the actual temperature increase completion time to set the user set time. The user is notified at the same time or before ty. Thus, the user does not receive the notification at a time greatly deviating from the time when the vehicle is scheduled to be used next, and the notification does not bother the user. Further, when the temperature increase of the main battery 20 is completed at a time later than the user set time ty, the notification time is shifted before the actual temperature increase completion time, and the user set time ty is the same as or after the user set time ty. Will be notified. At this time, although the main battery 20 does not reach the reference temperature Tr, the vehicle is often at a temperature at which the vehicle can actually travel, and the user is notified of the vehicle without greatly delaying from the user set time ty. May be available.

  Further, when the vehicle is not used after the user set time ty has elapsed, the controller 26 intermittently moves the main battery 20 using the heater 32 for a certain period of time so that the temperature of the main battery 20 does not decrease. Temperature increase control may be performed.

  In the present embodiment, a hybrid vehicle has been described as an example. However, the scope of application of the present invention is not limited to a hybrid vehicle, and any other vehicle such as an electric vehicle may be used as long as the vehicle is equipped with a battery (including a fuel cell). Or a fuel cell vehicle.

  10 Hybrid Drive System, 12 Engine, 14 Power Dividing Mechanism, 16 Drive Wheel, 18 Inverter, 20 Main Battery, 22 Voltage Sensor, 23 Current Sensor, 24 Temperature Sensor, 25 Temperature Sensor, 26 Controller, 28 Memory, 30 DC / DC Converter, 32 heater, 34 auxiliary battery, 36 auxiliary machine, 36a air conditioner, 38 charger, 40, 102 connector, 42, 44 relay, 46 switch, 50 output unit, 100 external power supply, MG1, MG2 rotating electrical machine.

Claims (1)

A storage battery for supplying drive power to the motor;
Battery temperature raising means for raising the temperature of the storage battery using a user set time set by the user as a target time for completion of temperature raising;
A temperature rise notification means for notifying the user of the temperature rise status of the storage battery;
With
The temperature rise notification means includes
When the actual temperature rise is completed at a time earlier than the user set time, a notification is given to the user at the same or earlier than the user set time shifted after the actual temperature rise completion time, or
When the actual temperature increase is completed at a time later than the user set time, a notification is given to the user at the same time as or after the user set time shifted before the actual temperature increase completion time.
A vehicle battery system.

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