Integrated charger for vehicles and method of making same

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a traction system is disclosed. The traction system includes a DC bus, an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus, and a voltage converter assembly coupled to the energy storage device. The voltage converter assembly includes a plurality of phase legs. The traction system further includes an electromechanical device including a plurality of windings coupled to the voltage converter assembly. The traction system also includes a switch coupled to the DC bus between the voltage converter assembly and the energy storage device. The traction system includes a controller configured to control the switch and the voltage converter assembly such that a phase leg and a winding of the electromechanical device form a DC/DC converter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a DC bus;   an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus;   a voltage converter assembly coupled to the DC bus, the voltage converter assembly comprising at least one phase leg;   an electromechanical device coupled to the voltage converter assembly, the electromechanical device comprising at least one winding;   a switching system coupled to the DC bus; and   a controller configured to:
 control the switching system such that a charging path is defined by at least one phase leg of the voltage converter assembly and at least one winding of the electromechanical device in the order named; and 
 control the voltage converter assembly such that a DC charging voltage derived from a voltage source is stepped down via the charging path to convert the DC charging voltage to a voltage suitable for charging the energy storage device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the switching system comprises at least one switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the voltage converter assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the switching system comprises:
 a first switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the electromechanical device; and   a second switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the voltage converter assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an inductor coupled to the DC bus between a phase leg of the voltage converter assembly and the energy storage device. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage converter assembly comprises a plurality of phase legs. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical device comprises a plurality of windings configured in a wye connection. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical device is a traction motor. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a receptacle coupled to the DC bus between the energy storage device and the voltage converter assembly, the receptacle configured to mate with the voltage source. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the voltage converter assembly is an inverter. 
     
     
         10 . A method for charging a vehicle, the vehicle including an energy storage device, a voltage converter assembly, and a switching system coupled to a DC bus and an electromechanical device coupled to the voltage converter assembly, the method comprising:
 controlling the switching system such that a charging path is defined by at least one phase leg of the voltage converter assembly and at least one winding of the electromechanical device in the order named; and   controlling the voltage converter assembly such that a DC charging voltage derived from a voltage source is stepped down via the charging path to convert the DC charging voltage to a voltage suitable for charging the energy storage device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the switching system further comprises controlling at least one switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the voltage converter assembly. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the switching system further comprises:
 controlling a first switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the electromechanical device to be conducting; and   controlling a second switching device coupled between the energy storage device and the voltage converter assembly to be non-conducting.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the voltage converter assembly further comprises controlling a phase leg of the voltage converter assembly and a winding of the electromechanical device. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein controlling the voltage converter assembly further comprises controlling a plurality of phase legs of the voltage converter assembly and a plurality of windings of the electromechanical device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising configuring a receptacle coupled to the DC bus between the energy storage device and the voltage converter assembly to mate with the voltage source. 
     
     
         16 . A system comprising:
 a DC bus;   an energy storage device coupled to the DC bus;   a first voltage converter assembly coupled to the DC bus, the first voltage converter assembly comprising at least one phase leg;   a first electromechanical device coupled to the first voltage converter assembly, the first electromechanical device comprising at least one winding;   a second voltage converter assembly coupled to the DC bus, the second voltage converter assembly comprising at least one phase leg;   a second electromechanical device coupled to the second voltage converter, the second electromechanical device comprising at least one winding;   a switching system coupled to the DC bus; and   a controller configured to:
 control the switching system such that a first charging path is defined by at least one phase leg of the first voltage converter assembly and at least one winding of the first electromechanical device and a second charging path is defined by at least one phase leg of the second voltage converter assembly and at least one winding of the second electromechanical device; 
 control the first voltage converter assembly such that a DC charging voltage derived from a voltage source is stepped down via the first charging path to convert the DC charging voltage to a voltage suitable for charging the energy storage device; and 
 control the second voltage converter assembly such that the DC charging voltage is stepped down via the second charging path to convert the DC charging voltage to a voltage suitable for charging the energy storage device. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the switching system comprises:
 a first switching device coupled to the DC bus between the first electromechanical device and the energy storage device; and   a second switching device coupled to the DC bus between the second electromechanical device and the energy storage device.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a third voltage converter assembly coupled to the DC bus. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to control the third voltage converter assembly such that a third charging path is defined by a switching device and an inductor of the third voltage converter assembly, the DC charging voltage being stepped down via the third charging path to convert the DC charging voltage to a voltage suitable for charging the energy storage device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising a receptacle coupled to the DC bus between the energy storage device and the voltage converter assembly, the receptacle configured to mate with the voltage source. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the first electromechanical device is a traction motor and the second electromechanical device is an alternator.