JP7364513B2 - Vehicles with external power supply - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a vehicle equipped with an external power supply device. In the case of an electric vehicle, an external power supply device converts power from a battery that supplies power to an electric motor for driving into power suitable for electric devices outside the vehicle. In the case of a fuel cell vehicle, the external power supply converts the power generated by the fuel cell into power suitable for electrical devices outside the vehicle. In the case of internal combustion engine vehicles and hybrid vehicles, an alternator or electric motor driven by the power of the internal combustion engine converts the power generated into power suitable for electrical devices outside the vehicle.

Consideration is being given to utilizing the electric power possessed by an automobile as a power source for electrical devices (for example, household electrical appliances) outside the vehicle. A technique for increasing the convenience of utilization is disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example. Patent Document 1 discloses a charger/discharger that is connected to a vehicle-mounted power source, supplies power from the power source to a building, and charges the vehicle-mounted power source with power from a power supply device in the building. The charger/discharger is activated when the presence of a target electric vehicle nearby is detected. Since the charger is activated simply by the presence of the target electric vehicle nearby, charging and discharging can be performed quickly.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2013-188103

It is conceivable that the vehicle could be driven to disaster areas and use the onboard power source there. If a user of an electric vehicle uses up all the remaining power of the on-board power source in a disaster area or the like, he or she will not be able to operate the electric vehicle. It would be good to be able to separate the remaining amount of power that can be used for driving and the amount of remaining power that can be supplied to devices outside the vehicle in disaster areas, etc. In the case of a car equipped with a generator that generates electricity from internal combustion engine power, the remaining fuel that can be used for driving is divided into the remaining fuel that can be used to power devices outside the vehicle in disaster areas etc. It would be good if you could understand it. This specification provides a technology that virtually divides the power supply or fuel tank of an automobile equipped with an external power supply device into two parts, and supports the use of the two parts for driving and for devices outside the vehicle.

The vehicle disclosed in this specification includes a display device that displays the remaining amount of power for the vehicle after subtracting a predetermined amount of power (amount of power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle) from the remaining amount of power of an on-vehicle power source. An electric vehicle is equipped with an electric motor for driving, and a power source stores electric power to be supplied to the electric motor. The predetermined amount of power corresponds to the remaining amount of power that can be supplied to external devices in a disaster area or the like. In the automobile disclosed in this specification, the user can grasp at a glance the amount of electric power remaining for driving after securing the amount of electric power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle. The remaining amount of electric power for the vehicle may be used not only for the electric motor for driving but also for onboard electrical equipment such as the air conditioner inside the vehicle.

The vehicle disclosed in this specification includes a power source that stores power to be supplied to an electric motor for driving, an external power supply device that supplies power from the power source to the outside of the vehicle, and a first display device and a second display device that display the amount of power. has. The first display device displays the remaining amount of power to be supplied outside the vehicle, which is obtained by subtracting the amount of power output to the outside of the vehicle through the external power supply device from the scheduled amount of power to be supplied outside the vehicle. The second display device displays the remaining amount of power for the vehicle, which is obtained by subtracting the remaining amount of power supplied outside the vehicle from the remaining amount of power of the power source.

The first display device displays the amount of power remaining to be supplied outside the vehicle as a percentage of the amount of power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle, and the second display device displays the remaining amount of power for the vehicle relative to the value obtained by subtracting the amount of power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle from the maximum storage amount of the power source. It may be expressed as a percentage.

The vehicle disclosed in this specification stops outputting power to the outside of the vehicle through the external power supply device when the amount of power output to the outside of the vehicle reaches the amount of power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle, and saves the remaining power for the return trip. You can definitely leave it behind.

It would be good for emergency response headquarters in disaster areas to be able to grasp how much electricity cooperating car users can provide. The vehicle disclosed in this specification may include a communication device that notifies a device external to the vehicle (for example, a server at a disaster response headquarters) of the amount of power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle.

The present specification can also be applied to automobiles having an internal combustion engine for driving. The automobile includes a fuel tank that stores fuel to be supplied to the internal combustion engine, a generator that generates electricity using the power of the internal combustion engine, an external power supply device that supplies the electric power generated by the generator to the outside of the vehicle, a first display device, and a first display device. Equipped with 2 display devices. The first display device shows the amount (remaining fuel for power generation) obtained by subtracting the amount of fuel used to generate the amount of electricity output to the outside of the vehicle through the external power supply device from the predetermined amount of fuel (scheduled amount of fuel for power generation). amount) is displayed. The second display device displays the remaining amount of fuel for driving, which is obtained by subtracting the remaining amount of fuel for power generation from the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank. The user of the vehicle can grasp at a glance the remaining amount of fuel scheduled to be used for power generation and the remaining amount of fuel scheduled to be used for driving. The first display device may display the amount of power that the generator can generate using the remaining amount of fuel for power generation.

The technology disclosed in this specification virtually divides a power source or a fuel tank into two parts, one of which is used for driving the vehicle, and the other used to power devices outside the vehicle. Since the power supply or fuel tank is virtually divided, it is advantageous in that the ratio of division can be determined freely. Furthermore, since it does not include two power sources or two fuel tanks, it is also cost-effective. Details and further improvements of the technology disclosed in this specification will be explained in the following "Detailed Description of the Invention".

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a car according to a first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a change in display on a display device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an automobile according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a vehicle according to a third embodiment.

(First Embodiment) An automobile 10 according to a first embodiment will be explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an automobile 10. The automobile 10 is an electric vehicle including an electric motor 25 for driving. The automobile 10 includes a power source 12 that stores electric power to be supplied to an electric motor 25 for driving. Power source 12 is a rechargeable battery. Power source 12 may be a fuel cell.

In addition to an electric motor 25 and a power source 12, the automobile 10 also includes a computer 13, a display device 14, and a communication device 15. The computer 13 controls the electric motor 25 according to the accelerator work of the occupant. The computer 13 manages the remaining amount of power of the power supply 12 and controls data to be displayed on the display device 14. The computer 13 can also send vehicle information to a server outside the vehicle using the communication device 15 and obtain disaster information from the server outside the vehicle.

The remaining amount of power of the power source 12 is displayed on the display device 14 . The display device 14 can display the remaining amount of power in two types of display modes (normal mode 14i and external supply scheduled mode 14ii. The display device 14i in FIG. 1 is an example of a display in the normal mode.Normal mode 14i, the remaining power amount (remaining power amount of the power source 12) with respect to the maximum amount of power storage of the power source 12 is displayed as a percentage.The maximum amount of power storage of the power source 12 is 50 [kWh], and the current remaining power amount is 40 [kWh]. ], the display device 14 in the normal mode 14i displays [80[%]] (current remaining power amount 40 [kWh] ÷ maximum storage amount 50 [kWh] x 100). In the normal mode 14i, the display device 14 in the normal mode 14i displays This is a display mode when all 12 remaining power amounts can be used for the vehicle devices (including the electric motor 25).

The external supply scheduled mode 14ii is a display mode when a part of the remaining amount of power that the power source 12 can output is scheduled to be supplied to a device external to the vehicle instead of for driving. The display device 14ii in FIG. 1 is an example of a display in the outside-vehicle supply schedule mode. The automobile 10 is equipped with an external power supply device 16 and a power output port 17 for supplying power to external devices. The external power supply device 16 is composed of a DC-AC converter that converts the DC power of the power supply 12 into AC power for driving AC-driven devices outside the vehicle. Power output port 17 is connected to the output end of external power supply device 16 . In a disaster area or the like, a power line that supplies power to electrical devices outside the vehicle is connected to the power output port 17 . If the electric device outside the vehicle is driven only by direct current, the external power supply device 16 may be configured with a DC-DC converter.

In the external power supply schedule mode 14ii, the first display device 14a displays the remaining power to be supplied outside the vehicle, and the second display device 14b displays the remaining power for the vehicle.

Both the first display device 14a and the second display device 14b display the remaining power amount as a percentage. Before power is supplied to the outside of the vehicle, 100% is displayed on the first display device 14a.

For example, it is assumed that the maximum amount of electricity stored in the power source 12 is 50 [kWh], and the amount of electric power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle is 25 [kWh]. Assume that the remaining amount of power of the power source 12 is 40 [kWh]. In this case, 100[%] is displayed on the first display device 14a. The maximum amount of electricity that can be used for driving is 25 [kWh] (=maximum stored electricity amount 50 [kWh] - planned amount of electricity to be supplied outside the vehicle 25 [kWh]). At present, the remaining amount of power that can be used for driving is 15 [kWh] (40 [kWh] remaining power of the power source 12 - 25 [kWh] amount of electric power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle). The second display device 14b displays the percentage (i.e., 60%) of the remaining amount of power that can be used for driving (15 [kWh]) with respect to the maximum amount of electric power that can be used for driving (25 [kWh]) (Fig. 1 ).

By referring to the display device 14b in the external supply schedule mode, the user of the vehicle 10 can grasp at a glance how much power is left that can be used for driving, excluding the power scheduled to be supplied to the outside. . The second display device 14b may display the distance (cruising distance) that can be traveled with the remaining amount of vehicle power.

Switching of the display device 14 between the normal mode 14i and the scheduled outside supply mode 14ii, and the scheduled amount of power to be supplied outside the vehicle can be set by the user using an input device connected to the computer 13 and the communication device 15.

The automobile 10 includes a communication device 15 that notifies a device external to the vehicle of the amount of electric power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle. For example, the user of the automobile 10 wishes to have the electric power of his/her vehicle utilized in a disaster area. When the user operates a predetermined input device of the vehicle 10, the computer 13 of the vehicle 10 uses the communication device 15 to inform the server 21 of the disaster control center 20, which manages power in the disaster area, of the power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle. Notify the amount.

For example, like the automobile 10, a plurality of automobiles 10a to 10c that have secured 25 [kWh] of electric power as the amount of electric power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle notify the server 21 of the amount of electric power scheduled to be supplied outside the vehicle. Then, the server 21 that has received the offer of power supply from the cars 10, 10a-10c can understand that a total of 100 [kWh] of power will be donated. FIG. 1 shows an example of a screen 22 of the server 21, and the screen 22 shows that 100 [kWh] of electricity will be donated.

FIG. 2 shows the transition of the screen of the display device 14 (14ii) on which information is displayed in the out-of-vehicle supply schedule mode 14ii. (A) in FIG. 2 shows the display state before leaving for the destination, (B) in FIG. 2 shows the display state when the destination is reached, and (C) in FIG. ) shows the display state after power is supplied to devices outside the vehicle at the destination.

FIG. 2A shows a state when the user switches the display mode to the outside-vehicle supply schedule mode 14ii before leaving for the destination.

In (B) of FIG. 2, since the vehicle has traveled to the destination, the remaining amount of electric power has decreased, and the remaining amount of electric power for the vehicle shown on the second display device 14b has decreased to 20%. Since power has not yet been supplied to devices outside the vehicle, the display on the first display device 14a remains at 100%.

FIG. 2C represents the display on display 14ii after providing some power to devices outside the vehicle at the destination. The computer 13 monitors the amount of power output to the outside of the vehicle through the external power supply device 16 and the power output port 17. The computer 13 displays, on the first display device 14a, the amount of power (remaining amount of power supplied outside the vehicle) obtained by subtracting the amount of power outputted through the power output port 17 from the scheduled amount of power supplied outside the vehicle. On the first display device 14a, the remaining amount of power to be supplied outside the vehicle is displayed as a percentage of the scheduled amount of power to be supplied outside the vehicle.

In the case of the example in FIG. 2(C), 15 [kWh] of power was supplied to the device outside the vehicle. The remaining amount of power supplied outside the vehicle is 10 [kWh]. Since the scheduled amount of electric power to be supplied outside the vehicle is 25 [kWh], the percentage of the remaining amount of electric power supplied outside the vehicle (10 [kWh]) of the first display device 14a is 40 [%].

In the case of the example shown in FIG. 2C, the remaining amount of vehicle power displayed on the second display device 14b is 20% and does not change. However, during external power supply, if the power is used for an on-vehicle electrical device such as an air conditioner inside the vehicle, the remaining amount of vehicle power on the second display device 14b changes.

When the amount of power output to the outside of the vehicle through the external power supply device 16 reaches the scheduled amount of power to be supplied outside the vehicle, the computer 13 stops outputting power from the external power supply device 16 to the outside of the vehicle. The computer 13 uses the communication device 15 to notify the server 21 of the disaster control center 20 that the external power supply to the own vehicle has been completed. This function of the computer 13 ensures that there is enough power left for the return trip.

The automobile 10 having the display device described above is particularly suitable for use in donating electricity to disaster areas. Useful operational points for such usage are listed below.

(1) It is preferable that the computer 13 of the vehicle 10 communicates with a server related to disaster countermeasures so that various information can be automatically exchanged with each other. For example, a server in a region that requires power may display a message requesting power donation on the display device of a nearby car 10. For this purpose, it is preferable that the automobile 10 is equipped with a GPS receiver and constantly reports the location of the automobile to the local government device.

(2) The user may enter into a contract to donate part of the electric power of the automobile 10 to the local government (or the country). In return, some kind of incentive may be provided to the user by the local government (or the country). Incentives may be economic, such as car tax reductions, regional promotion gift certificates, or point redemptions that can be used for shopping, or may be psychological, such as letters of appreciation.

(3) When heading to a disaster area to provide electricity, the scheduled amount of power to be supplied outside the vehicle may be automatically set low if it is far from the disaster area, and high if it is close to the disaster area.

The technology disclosed in this specification can also be applied to automobiles equipped with fuel cells as a power source. In that case, the "maximum storage amount" in the description of the first embodiment should be understood as being replaced with "the total amount of power that can be output."

(Second Embodiment) An automobile 100 according to a second embodiment will be explained. FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the automobile 100. The automobile 100 includes an internal combustion engine 111 for driving, and a fuel tank 112a that stores fuel to be supplied to the internal combustion engine 111. The output shaft of the internal combustion engine 111 is connected to wheels 123 via a clutch 121 and a gear set 122. An alternator 125 is connected to the output shaft of the internal combustion engine 111 via a pair of pulleys 124 and a belt 126. The alternator 125 is a generator that generates power using the power of the internal combustion engine 111, and the generated power is stored in the auxiliary battery 112b. By engaging the clutch 121, the automobile 100 can generate electricity while traveling. When the clutch 121 is released, electricity can be generated while the vehicle is stopped.

An external power supply device 116 is connected to the alternator 125. External power supply device 116 is configured with a DC-AC converter that converts the electric power generated by alternator 125 and the DC power of auxiliary battery 112b into AC power suitable for driving electric devices outside the vehicle. A power output port 117 is connected to the output end of the external power supply device 116. Various electric devices external to the vehicle can be connected to the power output port 117. The automobile 100 connects the electric power generated by the internal combustion engine 111 and the alternator 125 to the electric devices external to the vehicle through the external power supply device 116 and the power output port 117. can be supplied to

The fuel tank 112a is equipped with a fuel gauge 131 that measures the remaining amount of fuel. A current sensor 132 is provided between the external power supply device 116 and the power output port 117. Current sensor 132 measures the current of power supplied to the outside of the vehicle via external power supply device 116. The measurement data of the fuel gauge 131 and the measurement data of the current sensor 132 are sent to the computer 113.

A display device 114 is connected to the computer 113. The display device 114 includes a first display device 114a and a second display device 114b.

The automobile 100 can manage the remaining amount of fuel stored in the fuel tank 112a by dividing it into the remaining fuel amount for use in generating electric power to be supplied to the outside of the vehicle and the remaining fuel amount for use in driving. For convenience of explanation, the amount of fuel scheduled to be used for power generation to be supplied outside the vehicle will be referred to as the planned amount of fuel for power generation.

The computer 113 calculates a numerical value to be displayed on the display device 114 from the measurement data of the fuel gauge 131 and the current sensor 132, and sends it to the display device 114.

The first display device 114a shows an amount obtained by subtracting the amount of fuel used to generate the amount of electric power outputted through the external power supply device 116 and the power output port 117 from the amount of fuel scheduled to be generated (remaining amount of fuel for power generation). is displayed. The amount of power that alternator 125 can generate when driven by the internal combustion engine per unit capacity of fuel is known in advance. Since the computer 113 automatically stops the internal combustion engine 111 when the current measured by the current sensor 132 is small and suppresses wasteful fuel consumption, it is possible to calculate the amount of fuel used for external power supply.

The first display device 114a displays the ratio of the remaining amount of fuel for power generation to the scheduled amount of fuel for power generation as a percentage. On the first display device 114a, a hatched rectangle and an open rectangle represent the percentage of the remaining fuel for power generation. The amount of power that can be generated by the alternator 125 using the remaining amount of fuel for power generation is also displayed at the bottom of the first display device 114a.

The second display device 114b displays the remaining amount of fuel obtained by subtracting the remaining amount of fuel for power generation from the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank 112a. The remaining amount of fuel displayed on the second display device 114b means the remaining amount of fuel for the vehicle that can be used for driving, assuming that the remaining amount of fuel for power generation is all used. The second display device 114b displays the ratio of the remaining amount of vehicle fuel to the value obtained by subtracting the amount of fuel scheduled for power generation from the maximum storage amount of the fuel tank 112a as a percentage. On the second display device 114b, the hatched rectangle and the white rectangle represent the percentage of the vehicle fuel remaining.

At the bottom of the second display device 114b, the distance that the vehicle can travel with the remaining amount of fuel (cruising distance) is displayed.

The automobile 100 of the second embodiment can also separately display the remaining fuel amount that can be used for driving and the remaining fuel amount that can be used for power generation. The user can grasp both fuel levels at a glance. The fuel stored in the fuel tank 112a may be gasoline, light oil, liquefied petroleum gas, or the like.

(Third Embodiment) An automobile 200 according to a third embodiment will be explained. FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the automobile 200. The automobile 200 is a hybrid vehicle that includes an internal combustion engine 211 and an electric motor 225 for driving. The automobile 200 includes a high voltage battery 212b and an inverter 226, and the inverter 226 converts the DC power outputted by the high voltage battery 212b into AC power to drive the electric motor 225.

The output shaft of the internal combustion engine 211 is connected to a gear set 222 via a clutch 221a, and the output shaft of the electric motor 225 is directly connected to the gear set 222. The output shaft of the gear set 222 is connected to the wheels 224 via a clutch 221b. The automobile 200 is driven by the output torque of the internal combustion engine 211 and the electric motor 225. When the clutch 221b is released and the gear set 222 is adjusted to a predetermined combination, the electric motor 225 driven by the power of the internal combustion engine 211 functions as a generator. AC power generated by electric motor 225 is converted to DC power by inverter 226, and stored in high voltage battery 212b.

An external power supply device 216 is connected to the high voltage battery 212b. The DC power of the high voltage battery 212b is converted into AC power suitable for driving electrical devices outside the vehicle and output. A power output port 217 is connected to the output end of the external power supply device 216. The automobile 200 can supply electric power generated by the internal combustion engine 211 and the electric motor 225 to electrical devices outside the vehicle through the external power supply device 216 and the power output port 217. The vehicle 200 of the third embodiment is characterized in that it is suitable for power supply to external electrical devices that require more power than the vehicle 100 of FIG. 3 . Further, the automobile 200 of the third embodiment is characterized in that it is suitable for power supply to external electrical devices that require a larger amount of electric power than the automobile 10 of FIG. 1.

The fuel tank 212a is equipped with a fuel gauge 231 that measures the remaining amount of fuel, and a current sensor 232 is provided between the external power supply device 216 and the power output port 217. Current sensor 132 measures the current of power supplied to the outside of the vehicle via external power supply device 116. The measurement data of the fuel gauge 231 and the measurement data of the current sensor 232 are sent to the computer 213. A display device 214 is connected to the computer 113. The display device 214 includes a first display device 214a and a second display device 214b.

Similar to the display device 114 of the automobile 100 of the second embodiment, the display device 214 separately displays the remaining fuel amount that can be used for driving and the remaining fuel amount that can be used for power generation. The automobile 200 of the third embodiment can present both fuel levels to the user, similarly to the automobile 100 of the second embodiment.

Points to note regarding the techniques described in the examples will be described. The first display device 14a and the second display device 14b of the first embodiment display the remaining power amount in a bar graph. The first display device 14a and the second display device 14b may simply display the remaining power amount as a percentage in numbers. The first display device 14a and the second display device 14b may directly display the remaining power amount in units of [kWh]. If power is intended to be supplied to a DC-driven electrical device, the external power supply device does not need to include a DC-AC converter.

The specific examples of the present invention described above are merely illustrative, and do not limit the scope of the claims. The techniques described in the claims include various modifications and changes of the illustrated specific examples. The technical elements described in this specification or the drawings exhibit technical utility alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims as filed. Furthermore, the techniques illustrated in this specification or the drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving one of the objectives has technical utility in itself.

10, 10a-10c, 100, 200: Car 25, 225: Electric motor 125: Alternator 126: Belt 212b: High voltage battery 112a, 212a: Fuel tank 112b: Auxiliary battery 13, 113, 213: Computer 14, 114, 214 : Display device 14i: Normal mode 14ii: External supply scheduled mode 14a, 114a, 214a: First display device 14b, 114b, 214b: Second display device 15: Communication device 16, 116, 216: External power supply device 17, 117, 217: Power output port 111, 211: Internal combustion engine 121, 221a, 221b: Clutch 122, 222: Gear set

Claims (6)

A power source that stores power to be supplied to the electric motor for driving,
an external power supply device that supplies power from the power source to the outside of the vehicle;
a first display device and a second display device that display electric energy;
It is equipped with
The first display device displays the remaining amount of power supplied outside the vehicle, which is obtained by subtracting the amount of power output to the outside of the vehicle through the external power supply device from the predetermined amount of power;
In the automobile with an external power supply device, the second display device displays a remaining amount of power for the vehicle, which is obtained by subtracting the remaining amount of power supplied outside the vehicle from the remaining amount of power of the power source. The first display device displays the remaining power supplied outside the vehicle as a percentage with respect to the predetermined power;
The external power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the second display device displays the remaining amount of power for the vehicle as a percentage of a value obtained by subtracting the predetermined amount of power from the maximum amount of power stored in the power source or the total amount of power that can be output. car with. The automobile with an external power supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when the amount of power outputted to the outside of the vehicle reaches the predetermined amount of power, the power output to the outside of the vehicle through the external power supply device is stopped. The vehicle with an external power supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a communication device that notifies a device external to the vehicle of the predetermined amount of power. a fuel tank that stores fuel to be supplied to an internal combustion engine for driving;
a generator that generates electricity using the power of the internal combustion engine;
an external power supply device that supplies the power generated by the generator to the outside of the vehicle;
A first display device and a second display device;
It is equipped with
The first display device displays the remaining amount of fuel for power generation, which is obtained by subtracting the amount of fuel used to generate the amount of electric power outputted to the outside of the vehicle through the external power supply device from the predetermined amount of fuel,
In the automobile with an external power supply device, the second display device displays a remaining amount of fuel obtained by subtracting the remaining amount of fuel for power generation from the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank. The vehicle with an external power supply device according to claim 5, wherein the first display device displays an amount of power that the generator can generate using the remaining amount of fuel for power generation.

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