The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 18, 1999
Filed:
Aug. 21, 1997
Susumu Ukita, Nagoya, JP;
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota, JP;
Abstract
In an electric motor vehicle, a bidirectional boosting converter is placed in a battery circuit. A main contactor is turned off to disconnect one battery block from another and contactors are turned on to connect a first battery block to one terminal pair of the bidirectional boosting converter and to connect a second battery block to another terminal pair of the bidirectional boosting converter. A refreshing discharge of the first battery block or an equalizing charge of the second battery block is performed by boosting output of the first battery block and using this output to charge the second battery block. The boosting direction of the bidirectional boosting converter is changed to perform an equalizing charge of the first battery block or a refreshing discharge of the second battery block. The boosting direction is changed again to balance battery block SOCs, these by eliminating need for a charging device for equalizing charge or a discharging device for refreshing discharge.