Abstract:
A symmetrical DC/DC converter is adapted to desirably select an energy transferring direction and a step-up or a step-down operation as well as a desired step-up or a step-down ratio. The converter comprising a single inductor with a pair of switching means connected to its terminals in a symmetrical arrangement with respect to the inductor. The converter is operable as a step-up converter and a step-down converter in a manner such that one and the other of the switching means are used as an input switch and an output switch, respectively, and that one and the other of the switching means are conversely used as an output switch and an input switch, respectively.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    (1) Technical Field  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a DC/DC converter for carrying out a step-up or a step-down operation upon transferring an electric energy and, in particular, to a symmetrical DC/DC converter.  
           [0003]    (2) Background Art  
           [0004]    For example, an electric double layer capacitor is known as an energy storage device having a voltage variable in dependence upon the amount of energy stored therein. When the electric double layer capacitor is used, a step-up or a step-down operation by a DC/DC converter is required when energy transfer is carried out upon charging or discharging.  
           [0005]    In case where a motor of an electric automobile is used as a load to consume an electric energy of the electric double layer capacitor, the motor may conversely generate an electric energy, for example, upon braking to act as a power generator. If the electric energy produced by the motor is recovered, it is possible to considerably improve an energy efficiency of a whole system including the electric double layer capacitor and the motor as a power supply and a load, respectively.  
           [0006]    Therefore, it is important that the DC/DC converter for carrying out the step-up or the step-down operation has a function of transferring the electric energy in one direction from one terminal portion to the other terminal portion and in the other direction from the other terminal portion to the one terminal portion, whichever terminal portion acts as an input terminal portion to be supplied with the electric energy. To this end, it is proposed to provide a pair of DC/DC converters for the respective directions and a switch for selecting one of the DC/DC converters. However, this structure is not practical because the size of the whole system is increased. In view of the above, it is indispensable to provide a DC/DC converter which, as a single circuit, is operable even if an input terminal portion and an output terminal portion are exchanged.  
           [0007]    As the DC/DC converter of the type described, proposal has already been made of a so-called bidirectional converter.  
           [0008]    A first existing bidirectional DC/DC converter is a circuit device connected between a battery or a power supply (such as an electric double layer capacitor) and a load (such as a motor) and has a plurality of switching circuits and four terminals.  
           [0009]    The first existing bidirectional DC/DC converter is operable in the following manner. In case where the electric double layer capacitor supplies the electric energy to the motor to drive the motor, one of the switching circuits is put into an opened state while the other switching circuit is operated under PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control or the like. In this event, the DC/DC converter is operated as a forward converter circuit. On the other hand, in case where the electric energy generated by the motor is supplied to the electric double layer capacitor to charge the electric double layer capacitor, the other switching circuit is put into an opened state while the one switching circuit is operated under the PWM control or the like. In this case, the DC/DC converter is operated as the forward converter circuit.  
           [0010]    Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-33445 (JP 2000-33445 A) discloses a second existing bidirectional DC/DC converter connected between a d.c. power supply and a load including a capacitor. The second existing bidirectional DC/DC converter uses FETs (Field Effect Transistors) as switching devices. Specifically, the second existing bidirectional DC/DC converter comprises a first series circuit, a second series circuit, an inductor, and a control unit. The first series circuit comprises first and second FETs connected in parallel to the d.c. power supply. The second series circuit comprises third and fourth FETs connected in parallel to the load. The inductor is connected between a junction of the first and the second FETs and another junction of the third and the fourth FETs. The control unit controls respective gates of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth FETs so that the electric energy is supplied from the d.c. power supply to the load and that the electric energy stored in the capacitor is recovered and fed back to the d.c. power supply.  
           [0011]    The above-mentioned first existing bidirectional capacitor comprises a plurality of inductors and has a complicated circuit structure.  
           [0012]    In case where the energy storage device, such as the electric double layer capacitor, having a variable voltage is used or in case where the motor is driven as the load and conversely produces the electric energy to be recovered, the system includes voltage variation corresponding to the amount of energy. Therefore, it is necessary not only to transfer the energy in two directions but also to desiredly carry out the step-up or the step-down operation in correspondence to the status of energy at the electric double layer capacitor (power supply) and the motor (load).  
           [0013]    In case where the system is constructed by a combination of a plurality of energy storage devices, a plurality of power generators, and a plurality of loads, it is necessary to set an appropriate step-up ratio or an appropriate step-down ratio of the DC/DC converter connected to these components. Thus, each of the existing bidirectional DC/DC converters is not applicable to such system.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a symmetrical DC/DC converter which is operable in a variable direction corresponding to an energy transfer direction at a step-up or a step-down ratio corresponding to an input/output voltage ratio.  
           [0015]    According to this invention, there is provided a symmetrical DC/DC converter comprising a single inductor with a pair of switching means connected to its terminals in a symmetrical arrangement with respect to the inductor, the converter being operable as a step-up (boost) converter and a step-down (buck) converter in a manner such that one and the other of the switching means are used as an input switch and an output switch, respectively, and that one and the other of the switching means are conversely used as an output switch and an input switch, respectively. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of a first existing bidirectional DC/DC converter;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the structure of a second existing bidirectional DC/DC converter;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a first embodiment of this invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a second embodiment of this invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 shows the symmetrical DC/DC converter in FIG. 4 during a step-up operation using third and fourth terminals as input terminals;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 shows the symmetrical DC/DC converter in FIG. 4 during a step-down operation using third and fourth terminals as input terminals;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a third embodiment of this invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a fourth embodiment of this invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram of a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a fifth embodiment of this invention;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a sixth embodiment of this invention;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 11 is a flow chart for describing an operation of the symmetrical DC/DC converter illustrated in FIG. 10;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 12 is a circuit diagram of a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a seventh embodiment of this invention; and  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 13 is a flow chart for describing an operation of the symmetrical DC/DC converter illustrated in FIG. 12. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]    For a better understanding of this invention, description will at first be made of existing DC/DC converters.  
         [0030]    Referring to FIG. 1, a first existing bidirectional DC/DC converter is connected between an electric double layer capacitor  17  as a power supply and a motor  19  as a load and comprises a transformer  25  and a pair of switching circuits  27  and  29 .  
         [0031]    In case where an electric energy is supplied from the electric double layer capacitor  17  to the motor  19  to drive the motor  19 , the switching circuit  29  is put into an opened state while the switching circuit  27  is operated under PWM control or the like. In this event, the DC/DC converter is operated as a forward converter circuit.  
         [0032]    In case where an electric energy generated by the motor  19  is supplied to the electric double layer capacitor  17  to charge the electric double layer capacitor  17 , the switching circuit  27  is put into an opened state while the switching circuit  29  is operated under the PWM control or the like. In this case, the DC/DC converter is operated as the forward converter circuit.  
         [0033]    Referring to FIG. 2, a second existing bidirectional DC/DC converter  31  is connected between a d.c. power supply  33  and a load  37  including a capacitor  35 . The second existing bidirectional DC/DC converter  31  uses FETs as switching devices. Specifically, the second existing bidirectional DC/DC converter  31  comprises a first series circuit  43 , a second series circuit  49 , an inductor  23 , and a control unit (not shown). The first series circuit  43  comprises first and second FETs  39  and  41  connected in parallel to the d.c. power supply  33 . The second series circuit  49  comprises third and fourth FETs  45  and  47  connected in parallel to the load  37 . The inductor  23  is connected between a junction of the first and the second FETs  39  and  41  and another junction of the third and the fourth FETs  45  and  47 . The control unit controls respective gates of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth FETs  39 ,  41 ,  45 , and  47  so that the electric energy is supplied from the d.c. power supply  33  to the load  37  and that the electric energy stored in the capacitor  35  is recovered and fed back to the d.c. power supply  33 .  
         [0034]    Now, description will be made of several preferred embodiments of this invention with reference to the drawing.  
         [0035]    Referring to FIG. 3, a symmetrical DC/DC converter  51  according to a first embodiment of this invention comprises an inductor  23  and a pair of switching portions  53 ,  53 . By individually controlling the switching portions  53 ,  53 , selection is made of an input/output direction (i.e., an energy transfer direction) and a step-up or a step-down operation.  
         [0036]    Referring to FIG. 4, a symmetrical DC/DC converter  55  according to a second embodiment of this invention comprises the inductor  23 , first and second switching portions  57  and  59  having one ends connected to one end of the inductor  23 , third and fourth switching portions  61  and  63  having one ends connected to the other end of the inductor  23 , first through fourth terminals  65 ,  67 ,  69 , and  71  connected to the other ends of the first through the fourth switching portions  57 ,  59 ,  61 , and  63 , respectively, and a pair of capacitors  73 ,  73  connected between the first and the second switching portions  57  and  59  and between the third and the fourth switching portions  69  and  71 , respectively. The second and the fourth terminals  67  and  71  are connected to each other.  
         [0037]    Table 1 shows the states of the first through the fourth switching portions  57 ,  59 ,  61 , and  63  in case where the first and the second terminals  65  and  67  are used as input terminals while the third and the fourth terminals  69  and  71  are used as output terminals and in case where the first and the second terminals  65  and  67  are used as output terminals while the third and the fourth terminals  69  and  71  are used as input terminals. For each case, the step-up operation and the step-down operation are shown.  
                                       TABLE 1                       1st, 2nd   3rd, 4th                           Terminals   Terminals       57   59   61   63                   Input   Output   Step-up   ON   OFF   D   SW               Step-down   SW   D   ON   OFF       Output   Input   Step-up   D   SW   ON   OFF               Step-down   ON   OFF   SW   D                  
 
         [0038]    In Table 1, “ON” and “OFF” represent a short-circuited or a closed state and an opened state, respectively. “SW” is a controlled state where ON/OFF is intermittently switched under PWM control or the like so that an appropriate step-up or a step-down ratio is obtained. “D” represents a rectifying state of performing a rectifying operation.  
         [0039]    Referring to FIG. 5, the symmetrical DC/DC converter  55  is operated as a step-up converter with the first and the second terminals  67  and  67  used as input terminals and the third and the fourth terminals  69  and  71  used as output terminals.  
         [0040]    The first switching portion  57  is in the ON state, i.e., in the closed state while the second switching portion  59  is in the OFF state, i.e., in the opened state. The third switching portion  61  is in the D state, i.e., acts as a diode  75  to perform the rectifying operation. The fourth switching portion  63  is in the SW state, i.e., acts as a switching circuit  77  to controllably set an appropriate step-up ratio.  
         [0041]    Referring to FIG. 6, the symmetrical DC/DC converter  55  according to the second embodiment of this invention is operated as a step-down converter with the first and the second terminals  65  and  67  used as input terminals and the third and the fourth terminals  69  and  71  used as output terminals, like in case of FIG. 5.  
         [0042]    The first switching portion  57  is in the SW state, i.e., acts as the switching circuit  77  to controllably set an appropriate step-down ratio. The second switching portion  59  is in the D state, i.e., acts as the diode  75  to perform the rectifying operation. The third switching portion  61  is in the ON state, i.e., in the closed state while the fourth switching portion  63  is in the OFF state, i.e., in the opened state.  
         [0043]    On the contrary, in case where the first and the second terminals  65  and  67  are used as output terminals while the third and the fourth terminals  69  and  71  are used as input terminals, the similar operation is realized by changing the states of the switching portions between a pair of the first and the second switching portions  57  and  59  and another pair of the third and the fourth switching portions  61  and  63 .  
         [0044]    Referring to FIG. 7, a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a third embodiment of this invention is similar in structure to the second embodiment. In the third embodiment, each of the first through the fourth switching portions  57 ,  59 ,  61 , and  63  comprises a switching circuit  77  ( 77   a - 77   d ) and a rectifier  75  connected in parallel to each other.  
         [0045]    Table 2 shows the states of the first through the fourth switching portions  57 ,  59 ,  61 , and  63  in case where the first and the second terminals  65  and  67  are used as input terminals while the third and the fourth terminals  69  and  71  are used as output terminals and in case where the first and the second terminals  65  and  67  are used as output terminals while the third and the fourth terminals  69  and  71  are used as input terminals. For each case, the step-up operation and the step-down operation are shown.  
                                       TABLE 2                       1st, 2nd   3rd, 4th                           Terminals   Terminals       57   59   61   63                   Input   Output   Step-up   ON   D   D   SW               Step-down   SW   D   ON   D       Output   Input   Step-up   D   SW   ON   D               Step-down   ON   D   SW   D                  
 
         [0046]    In Table 2, if the switching circuit  77  is put in the OFF state, i.e., in the opened state, the switching portion performs the rectifying operation in the D state because the diode  75  is connected in parallel to the switching circuit  77 . Therefore, the OFF state or the opened state in each part of Table 1 is changed into the D state of the rectifying operation.  
         [0047]    However, at the part where the opened state is changed into the D state of the rectifying operation, the diode in the switching portion is not applied with a forward voltage. This means that this D state is equivalent to the opened state. Therefore, the operation similar to that shown in Table 1 is achieved.  
         [0048]    Thus, in the symmetrical DC/DC converter in FIG. 7, the operation similar to that shown in Table 1 can be realized simply by turning ON/OFF of the switching circuit  77 .  
         [0049]    Referring to FIG. 8, a symmetrical DC/DC converter  79  according to a fourth embodiment of this invention uses FETs  81  as the switching circuits  77  ( 77   a - 77   d ) illustrated in FIG. 7. Each of the FETs  81  has a body diode  83  which can be used as a rectifier.  
         [0050]    As illustrated in FIG. 8, the diode  75  as a high-performance diode which is low in forward voltage Vf than the body diode  83  and short in recovery time is connected in parallel to the body diode  83  of each FET  81  to be oriented in the same direction. With this structure, the symmetrical DC/DC converter  79  is operable irrespective of the body diode  83 .  
         [0051]    Referring to FIG. 9, a symmetrical DC/DC converter  85  according to a fifth embodiment of this invention has a structure in which the diode operation in the DC/DC converter in FIG. 8 is realized by synchronous rectification so as to improve the efficiency.  
         [0052]    Specifically, in the fifth embodiment, a diode  21  is connected to one end of each FET  81  through a resistor  87  so as to perform analog control in a manner such that the output of an operational amplifier  89  is not saturated on a minus side.  
         [0053]    As described above, according to the first through the fifth embodiments of this invention, it is possible to provide a symmetrical DC/DC converter operable in a desired energy transfer direction and at a desired step-up or a desired step-down ratio.  
         [0054]    Referring to FIG. 10, a symmetrical DC/DC converter  91  according to a sixth embodiment of this invention is used in a similar energy transfer system to that mentioned in conjunction with the second embodiment. The converter  91  is connected to the electric double layer capacitor  17 , a solar cell  93 , and a light emitting device  95  as an energy storage device, a power generator, and a load among which the electric energy is transferred. A control unit  97  is supplied from voltage monitors  99  and  101  with voltage information of each terminal and from current sensors  103  and  105  with current information of each terminal. The control unit  97  has a function of judging the state of energy with reference to the voltage information and the current information. The control unit  97  is connected to the first through the fourth switching portions  57 ,  59 ,  61 , and  63  so that each of the switching portion is controllably put into one of a switching state (SW state) of switching the opened state and the closed state at a high speed, the closed state (ON state), the opened state (OFF state), and the rectifying state (D state) of the rectifying operation or flowing an electric current only in one direction.  
         [0055]    Referring to FIG. 11, in the symmetrical DC/DC converter  91  according to the sixth embodiment of this invention, the state of each of the first through the fourth switching portions  57 ,  59 ,  61 , and  63  is controlled by the control unit  97 . The control unit  97  acquires and judges the voltage information from the voltage monitors  99  and  101  (steps SA 1  and SA 2 ) and the current information from the current sensors  103  and  105  and determines which terminals are to be used as input and output terminals (i.e., the energy transfer direction) and whether the DC/DC converter is to be operated as a step-up converter and a step-down converter (step SA 3 ).  
         [0056]    Once the energy transfer direction and one of the step-up and the step-down operations are determined, the switching portions  57 ,  59 ,  61 , and  63  are controllably put into the states shown in Table 3 to perform the corresponding operations. In addition, for each of the switching portions in the SW state, time intervals between opening and closing operations are controllably set to appropriate lengths in correspondence to the input/output voltage ratio (step SA 4 ). After energy transfer is performed (step SA 5 ), the control unit  97  again judges the voltage information from the voltage monitors  99  and  101  and the current information from the current sensors  103  and  105  and determines how to operate the switching portions next (step SA 6 ). Generally, the above-mentioned operation is repeated unless an end instruction is supplied.  
                                       TABLE 3                       1st, 2nd   3rd, 4th                           Terminals   Terminals       77a   77b   77c   77d                   Input   Output   Step-up   ON   OFF   OFF   SW               Step-down   SW   OFF   ON   OFF       Output   Input   Step-up   OFF   SW   ON   OFF               Step-down   ON   OFF   SW   OFF                  
 
         [0057]    The sixth embodiment has a structure such that not only the electric energy generated by the solar cell  93  is consumed by the light emitting device  95  but also excess electric energy is charged to the electric double layer capacitor  17 . When the solar cell  93  generates an electric energy sufficient to make the light emitting device  95  fully emit light, the control unit  97  judges that the operation of charging the electric double layer capacitor  17  is to be carried out. At this time, irrespective of the state of energy, i.e., the voltage of the electric double layer capacitor  17 , the control unit  97  judges the input and the output voltages of the converter  91  and determines the step-up or the step-down operation to charge the electric double layer capacitor  17 . Furthermore, it is assumed that the light emitting device  95  is desired to emit light even when the solar cell  93  does not generate the electric energy. In this event, if the voltage of the electric double layer capacitor  17  is higher or lower than a particular voltage required to light emission of the light emitting device  95 , the voltage is adjusted to an appropriate level and is then supplied to the light emitting device  95 . Thus, the light emitting device  95  emits light at a desired luminance.  
         [0058]    Referring to FIG. 12, a symmetrical DC/DC converter according to a seventh embodiment of this invention is used in an energy transfer system similar to that described in conjunction with the third embodiment. The DC/DC converter is connected to the electrical double layer capacitor  17  and the motor  19  as an energy storage device, a power generator, and a load among which the electric energy is transferred. The control unit  97  is supplied from the voltage monitors  99  and  101  with voltage information of each terminal and from the current sensors  103  and  105  with current information of each terminal.  
         [0059]    The control unit  97  is also supplied from a torque setting unit  107  with torque information representative of a desired torque of the motor  19  as desired by a user. The control unit  97  has a function of judging the status of energy from these information supplied thereto. The control unit  97  is connected to the switching circuits  77  so that each switching circuit can be controllably put into one of the switching state (SW state) of switching the opened state (OFF state) and the closed state (ON state) at a high speed, the closed state, and the opened state.  
         [0060]    Referring to FIG. 13, in the symmetrical DC/DC converter according to the seventh embodiment of this invention, the state of the switching circuit  77  is controlled by the control unit  97 . The control unit  97  is supplied with external input information, i.e., the torque information from the torque setting unit  107  in the illustrated example (step SB 1 ). The control unit  97  is also supplied from the voltage monitors  99  and  101  with the voltage information and from the current sensors  103  and  105  with the current information (step SB 2 ). The control unit  97  judges these information supplied thereto (step SB 3 ) and determines which terminals are to be used as the input and the output terminals (i.e., the energy transfer direction) (step SB 4 ) and whether the DC/DC converter is to be operated as the step-up converter or the step-down converter (step SB 5 ).  
         [0061]    Once the energy transfer direction and one of the step-up and the step-down operations are determined, the switching circuits  77  are controllably put into the states shown in Table 4 so that the switching portions  57 ,  59 ,  61 , and  63  perform the corresponding operations. For each of the switching portions in the SW state, time intervals between the opening and the closing operations of the switching circuit is controllably set to appropriate lengths in correspondence to the input/output voltage ratio (step SB 6 ). After energy transfer is performed (step SB 7 ), the control unit  97  again judges the voltage information from the voltage monitors  99  and  101  and the current information from the current sensors  103  and  105  and determines how to operate the switching circuits  77  next (step SB 8 ).  
                                       TABLE 4                       1st, 2nd   3rd, 4th                           Terminals   Terminals       57   59   61   63                   Input   Output   Step-up   ON   D   D   SW               Step-down   SW   D   ON   D       Output   Input   Step-up   D   SW   ON   D               Step-down   ON   D   SW   D                  
 
         [0062]    In the seventh embodiment of this invention, the desired torque of the motor  19  is used as the external information or signal. If the desired torque is smaller than an actual torque of the motor  19  in operation, for example, if the stop of rotation is desired while the motor  19  is rotated, the motor  19  acts as the power generator. At this time, irrespective of the state of energy, i.e., the voltage level of the electric double layer capacitor  17 , and irrespective of the voltage level produced by the motor  19 , the control unit  97  judges the input and the output voltages and determines the step-up or the step-down operation to charge the electric double layer capacitor  17 . If the desired torque is greater than the actual torque of the motor  19  in operation, for example, if the rotation at a certain speed is desired while the motor  19  is stopped, the motor  19  serves as the load. In this event, if the voltage of the electric double layer capacitor  17  is higher or lower than a particular voltage required to operate the motor  19 , the voltage is adjusted to an appropriate level to drive the motor  19 .