Vehicle Charging System

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle charging system. A charging system includes a base, a platform including an extended plug, at least three interconnected legs, and a first set of articulated joints and a second set of articulated joints. The at least three interconnected legs have a fixed equal length and are mechanically biased to be perpendicular to the base. The first set of articulated joints and the second set of articulated joints connect opposite ends of the legs to the platform and the base, respectively, so that in response to a force on the plug, the legs remain parallel to each other while tilting, and the platform remains parallel to the base.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to vehicle charging systems for traction batteries and, in particular, to vehicle charging connectors, receptacles, and structures. Background Art

[0002] Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) (collectively referred to as EVs or xEVs) may use electric motors as their primary or sole power source. BEVs or PHEVs typically require an external power source to charge the battery pack mounted on the vehicle that powers the motor.

[0003] The increasing popularity and sale of battery electric vehicles (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) has brought about advances in vehicle and charging system technology. Using a charging cable to connect the vehicle to the power grid may be considered an inconvenience by a potential BEV or PHEV owner. One way to allow the vehicle to be charged without having to physically connect the vehicle to the power grid is through the use of an inductive wireless charging system. This inductive wireless charging system is commonly used for electronic devices such as electric toothbrushes and cell phones. Inductive wireless charging systems are now being proposed for charging BEVs or PHEVs. Summary of the invention

[0004] A charging system includes a base, a platform including an extended plug, at least three interconnected legs, and a first set of articulated joints and a second set of articulated joints. The at least three interconnected legs have a fixed equal length and are mechanically biased to be perpendicular to the base. The first set of articulated joints and the second set of articulated joints connect opposite ends of the legs to the platform and the base, respectively, so that in response to a force on the plug, the legs remain parallel to each other while tilting, and the platform remains parallel to the base.

[0005] A vehicle includes a frustoconical surface and a socket. The socket is at the apex of the frustoconical surface and defines a guide surface so that when a plug is inserted with a rotational offset, the plug is rotated for alignment in response to a force applied by the guide surface before an electrical connector of the plug contacts the socket.

[0006] A vehicle charging station includes an electric plug, a parallel manipulator and an actuator. The electric plug has a guide mechanism and is connected to a platform via a torsion joint. The parallel manipulator has at least three legs and is configured to support the platform. The actuator is configured to move the parallel manipulator and the plug along the central axis of the parallel manipulator.

[0007] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the guiding mechanism is a guiding pin connected to a plug, the plug being configured to cooperate with a socket, the socket comprising a tapered surface and a groove so that rotation occurs between the plug and the socket until the plug and the socket are aligned, after which the socket is configured to receive the plug inserted to a depth determined by the length of the groove.

[0008] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the parallel manipulator is a parallelogram linkage mechanism, and the parallelogram linkage mechanism is configured to keep the platform parallel to the base of the manipulator.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the parallel manipulator is a three-dimensional parallelogram linkage mechanism.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the parallel manipulator is a Gough-Stewart platform.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the invention, the actuator is a linear actuator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Figure 1A is a side view showing the location of a conductive charging system for a vehicle.

[0013] Figure 1B is a rear view showing the location of a conductive charging system for a vehicle.

[0014] Figure 2 is a top view of the vehicle placement relative to the alignment of the conductive charging system.

[0015] Figure 3 is a front cutaway view of a conductive charging system receiver assembly in a retracted position.

[0016] Figure 4 is a front cutaway view of a conductive charging system receiver assembly in a deployed position.

[0017] Figure 5 is a front cross-sectional view of a conductive charging system receiver assembly in an offset, retracted position.

[0018] Figure 6 is a front cross-sectional view of a conductive charging system receiver assembly in an offset, deployed position.

[0019] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the floating linkage of the conductive charging system receiver assembly in an offset position.

[0020] Figure 8A-8C is a perspective view showing a plug and a receptacle of a conductive connector of a self-aligning conductive charging system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are examples only, and other embodiments may take various alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show the details of a particular component. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to utilize the present invention in various forms. As will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the various features shown and described with reference to any of the figures may be combined with the features shown in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly shown or described. The combination of features shown provides representative embodiments for typical applications. However, various combinations and variations of features consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure may be desired for specific applications or implementations.

[0022] As the number of electrified vehicles increases, so do the variations of electric vehicles that require charging. Current methods of charging electric vehicles, PHEVs, and BEVs rely on the user to connect a charging cable to the vehicle. Many users and owners find this task inconvenient. Furthermore, with the advent of autonomous vehicles and applications, connecting a charging cord may require personnel to connect and disconnect charging of these vehicles.

[0023] Herein, systems and structures for connecting a vehicle to a charging station are described so that the vehicle can be autonomously connected to an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) charging station without any human intervention, thereby saving time and money. Herein, a structure is disclosed that automatically deploys and retracts when the vehicle is in place. The structure is configured to compensate for parking errors by guiding a ground connector to a docking connector in the vehicle. In one embodiment, a charging port mechanism is built into the ground within a parking space and is configured to extend upward to connect the connector of the charging port with the connector of the vehicle. The deployment can be activated automatically or manually. These charging ports use an automated system designed to be a self-positioning conductive connection.

[0024] In one embodiment, a mechanical system uses a system of linkages and geometry to guide the connector into its charging port given a force provided from an actuator.

[0025] In order for the system to work, the vehicle must be parked above the charger within a given accuracy. The charger's connector is embedded in the ground at a location common to the vehicle and the charger system. The connector is designed to be actuated along the Z-axis by using a power actuator, which can be hydraulic, electric, pneumatic, etc. For the present disclosure, the charging port on the vehicle is placed between the front wheels of the vehicle, but is not limited to this location. The vehicle's charging port flare (e.g., a frustro-conical surface, which is the side surface of a truncated cone) must overlap with the center of the charger connector on the ground.

[0026] Figure 1A is a side view showing possible locations of a conductive charging receiver on a vehicle and associated locations of a matching electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) structure. The conductive charging system 100 includes a vehicle 102, a receiver location capable of supporting and accommodating a conductive charging receiver assembly, and a charging supply assembly location that can be used to position a conductive supply assembly. In the first embodiment shown, the charging receiver assembly location 104A is located near the center or passenger area of ​​the vehicle to allow the vehicle to be conductively connected to the charging supply assembly located at a center location 106A of the charging station parking space. In the second embodiment shown, the charging receiver assembly location 104B is located near the engine compartment to allow the vehicle to be conductively connected to the charging supply assembly located at a front location 106B of the charging station parking space. In the third embodiment shown, the charging receiver assembly location 104C is located near the rear area of ​​the vehicle to allow the vehicle to be conductively connected to the charging supply assembly located at a rear area 106C of the charging station parking space. Figure 1A Also shown is a ground clearance line 112 above which the charging receiver is held. The charging supply assembly moves from the ground surface to above the clearance line 112 when deployed.

[0027] Figure 1B 1 is a rear view showing the locations of a conductive charging system for an electrified vehicle. Conductive charging system 100 includes vehicle 100, a receiver location capable of supporting and accommodating a conductive charging receiver assembly, and a charging supply assembly location. In one embodiment, charging receiver assembly location 104D and charging station supply assembly location 106D are positioned to intersect a mid-plane of vehicle 102. In another embodiment, charging station supply assembly location 106D is offset from mid-plane 108 and charging receiver assembly location 104D is offset from mid-plane 108 such that the charging receiver assembly does not intersect mid-plane 108.

[0028] Figure 2206A is a top view of aligned vehicle placement for a conductive charging system of an EVSE. The electric vehicle charging system 200 includes one or more supply assemblies associated with an electric vehicle charging station parking space. For example, four parking spaces are shown in this illustration, each with an associated charging supply assembly position. The first parking space has a first supply assembly 202A, the second parking space has a second supply assembly 202B, the third parking space has a third supply assembly 202C, and the fourth parking space has a fourth supply assembly 202D. In this illustration, the supply assembly is positioned along the centerline of the parking space width and offset from the middle of the parking space length. Car 1 206A is located in the second parking space so that the charging receiver 204A is aligned with the supply assembly 202B so that the offset 210A is close to zero. In this position, since no alignment calibration is required, the receiver and supply assembly are easy to connect. Car 2 206B is parked with both a linear offset and a rotational offset. The linear offset 210B is defined by the distance from the charging receiver 204B to the supply assembly 202C. Rotational offset 208 is defined by the angle from the center axis of charging receiver 204B to the center axis of supply assembly 202C. Car 3 206C is parked only with a linear offset 210C defined by the distance from charging receiver 204C to supply assembly 202D.

[0029] Figure 3 3 is a front cross-sectional view of an electric vehicle charging system 300 including a conductive charging supply assembly 314 and a conductive charging receiver assembly in a retracted position. As shown, the conductive charging receiver assembly is connected to an electric vehicle 302. The conductive charging receiver assembly includes a truncated cone surface 304, a socket 306, a protective structure 308, and a wireless transceiver 310. The conductive charging supply assembly 314 includes a transceiver 312, an actuator 316, a platform manipulator 318, a connector 320, and a protective structure 322. The transceiver 312 is configured to wirelessly transmit information with the vehicle's wireless transceiver 310. In the present disclosure, the term "truncated cone" includes the bottom of a solid cone formed by cutting the top with a plane parallel to the base, and also includes embodiments in which the planes are not parallel but can also be parallel up to + / -10 degrees. In addition, the solid cone includes a figure defined by a base in a plane (e.g., a circle) and a surface (e.g., a side surface) formed by the trajectory of the line segments connecting the vertex and the edge of the base. In the present disclosure, the side surface may include a line segment with a curvature along with a straight line segment. The curvature may be a curvature with a radius of at least 2 times the arc length. The curvature may be concave or convex to assist alignment when the connector is connected. A frustoconical surface is a type of truncated cone, and a frustoconical surface is a side surface of a truncated cone.

[0030] The wireless transceivers (410 and 412) may include radio frequency wireless transceivers, optical transceivers, and infrared transceivers. In addition, in the present disclosure, the wireless transceivers include wireless transponders (such as radio frequency identification), wherein the automatic transceiver 410 in the vehicle 402 sends a coded identification signal in response to an inquiry signal received from the EVSE transceiver 412. Wireless communications include short-range wireless communications where signals propagate from a few centimeters to a few meters. Examples of short-range wireless communications include Bluetooth, infrared, some near field communication (NFC) protocols, ultra-wideband (UWB), wireless USB, and Zigbee. Bluetooth and Zigbee are standards described in 802.15.x of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

[0031] UWB transmissions send information by generating radio frequency energy at specified time intervals within a large bandwidth, thereby enabling pulse position or time modulation. The information can be modulated on a UWB signal (eg, pulse) via pulse polarity encoding of amplitude and / or by using orthogonal pulses.

[0032] Figure 4 4 is a front cross-sectional view of an electric vehicle charging system 400 including a conductive charging supply assembly 414 and a conductive charging receiver assembly in a deployed position. As shown, the conductive charging receiver assembly is connected to the electric vehicle 402. The conductive charging receiver assembly includes a frustoconical surface 404, a socket 406, a protective structure 408, and a wireless transceiver 410. The conductive charging supply assembly 414 includes a transceiver 412, an actuator 416, a platform manipulator 418, a connector 420, and a protective structure 422. The transceiver 412 is configured to wirelessly transmit information with the vehicle's wireless transceiver 410. Here, when deployed, the protective structure 422, shown as a door, folds down to allow the platform manipulator 418 to be extended into place by the actuator 416. In other embodiments, the protective structure 422 can slide out of the channel or fold in an alternative direction. Similarly, the protective structure 408 folds when the platform manipulator 418 and the connector 420 are lifted by the actuator 416. In this illustration, the connector 420 is aligned with the receptacle 406 so that the platform manipulator 418 does not articulate horizontally to achieve alignment. The wireless transceivers 410, 412 can be used to provide vehicle identification, vehicle status (e.g., battery model, chemistry, state of charge, etc.), billing information, and preferences. The charging port cover 422 and the receptacle cover 408 are uncovered as the actuator is deployed from the connection system.

[0033] Figure 55 is a front cross-sectional view of an electric vehicle charging system 500 including a conductive charging supply assembly 514 and a conductive charging receiver assembly in an offset retracted position. As shown, the conductive charging receiver assembly is connected to an electric vehicle 502. The conductive charging receiver assembly includes a frustoconical surface 504, a socket 506, a protective structure 508, and a wireless transceiver 510. The conductive charging supply assembly 514 includes a transceiver 512, an actuator 516, a platform manipulator 518, a connector 520, and a protective structure 522. The conductive charging supply assembly 514 and the conductive charging receiver assembly have an offset 524, causing the connector 520 to not mate with the socket 506 when moved vertically upward without any horizontal adjustment. The transceiver 512 is configured to wirelessly transmit information with the vehicle's wireless transceiver 510.

[0034] Figure 6 6 is a front cross-sectional view of an electric vehicle charging system 600 including a conductive charging supply assembly 614 and a conductive charging receiver assembly in an offset deployed position. As shown, the conductive charging receiver assembly is connected to the electric vehicle 602. The conductive charging receiver assembly includes a frustoconical surface 604, a socket 606, a protective structure 608, and a wireless transceiver 610. The conductive charging supply assembly 614 includes a transceiver 612, an actuator 616, a platform manipulator 618, a connector 620, and a protective structure 622. The transceiver 612 is configured to wirelessly transmit information with the vehicle's wireless transceiver 610. The conductive charging supply assembly 614 and the conductive charging receiver assembly have an offset 624, resulting in the connector 620 not being tightly mated with the socket 606 when it moves vertically upward without any horizontal adjustment. In this illustration, the platform manipulator 618 can be guided to the socket 606 by traveling along the frustoconical surface 604. The platform manipulator 618 is configured to translate the connector 620 along a 2-dimensional horizontal axis, while the actuator 616 moves the platform manipulator 618 and the connector 620 vertically.

[0035] Figure 7700 is a perspective view of a floating linkage mechanism 700 for a conductive charging receiver assembly in an offset position. The floating linkage mechanism 700 includes a base 702 having at least three joints (704A, 704B, 704C) connected to rods (708A, 708B, 708C) through mating joints (706A, 706B, 706C). The rods (708A, 708B, 708C) are connected to a top platform 712 via joints (714A, 714B, 714C) and mating joints (716A, 716B, 716C). A stabilizing bracket 710 is used to keep the rods parallel to each other so that no rotation or twisting occurs. The stabilizing bracket 710 is used to keep the base 702 parallel to the top platform 712. The top platform 712 includes a mounting member 718 and a connector 720. The connector 720 has a guide mechanism 722 (eg, a pin or a guide surface) that is configured to mate with a receptacle 724 .

[0036] The floating linkage 700 (also referred to as the platform manipulator) can be a 3-dimensional 4-bar linkage or a 3-dimensional parallelogram linkage. Typically, a 4-bar linkage (also referred to as a four-bar) is a movable closed chain linkage. The 4-bar linkage is composed of four main bodies (e.g., rods or connecting rods), and the four main bodies are connected into a ring by four joints. Typically, the joint is configured so that the connecting rod moves in a single plane or parallel planes, and the assembly is referred to as a planar four-bar linkage. The parallelogram linkage is a 4-bar linkage, in which two relative rods have the same length so that the top rod (e.g., top platform) remains parallel to the base when the other two rods move. Since the 4-bar linkage has 4 joints, the 3-dimensional 4-bar linkage (also referred to as a 9-bar linkage) has 9 rods or connecting rods and 6 joints. Similar to the parallelogram linkage, the 3-dimensional parallelogram linkage (also called parallelplane linkage) has 3 joints that are mirror images of the other three joints, and the three connecting links are equal.

[0037] In another embodiment, the use of a Gough-Stewart platform (6-axis manipulator) may be used to control the top platform 712 and connector 720. This would allow small angles (e.g., <10 degrees) to be applied to the top platform 712 in the event that the tires have low air pressure or the suspension is tilted due to the load of the vehicle, an attached trailer, or operating conditions such as damaged springs or shock absorbers.

[0038] The joint is shown as a ball joint, however the joint may be a universal joint or a U-joint. In addition, the mount 718 and the connector 720 may be connected via a swivel joint so that the connector can be rotated to align with the socket 724. The swivel joint may include a spring to apply force to reset the alignment before or after insertion. In some embodiments, the mount 718 and the connector 720 may be connected via a wrist joint. A wrist joint is a joint that allows movement along three axes, thereby adjusting pitch, yaw, and roll. Such a wrist joint may be a spring loaded with a spring that applies a force less than that used by the spring of the parallel mechanism, thereby resetting the alignment before or after insertion. The connector 720 is electrically connected to the vehicle charging station via a conductor (not shown).

[0039] Fig. 8A , 8B 8C are perspective views of a plug and a socket of a conductive connector for illustrating a self-aligned conductive charging system. Connector system 800 includes a socket 802 and a plug 810. Socket 802 includes a tapered surface 804 and a slot 806 having a length 808. Plug 810 includes a guide mechanism 812 (e.g., a guide pin) and electrical contacts (814A, 814B, 814C, and 814D). Connector system 800 is rotationally aligned when the plug is separated from the socket. As shown in diagram 820, plug 810 is inserted into socket 802, and guide pin 812 moves along guide surface 804, thereby rotating plug 810 relative to socket 802. As shown in diagram 840, once plug 810 and socket 802 are aligned and the offset is reduced to near zero, plug 810 can be inserted into socket 802 a distance determined by length 808 of slot 806.

[0040] Although exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the present invention. More specifically, the words used in the specification are descriptive rather than restrictive terms, and it should be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In addition, the features of the various embodiments of implementation may be combined to form further embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A charging system, comprising: base; platform, including extended plug; at least three interconnected legs having fixed equal lengths and mechanically biased to maintain the plug perpendicular to the base; A first set of articulated joints and a second set of articulated joints connect opposite ends of the legs to the platform and the base, respectively, so that in response to a force on the plug, the legs tilt while remaining parallel to each other and the platform remains parallel to the base.

2. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein: The extended plug is connected to the platform via a torsion joint so that the extended plug can rotate around the central axis of the plug.

3. The charging system according to claim 2, wherein: The extended plug includes a guide pin configured to mate with a socket, the socket including a tapered surface and a slot so that rotation occurs between the plug and the socket until the plug and the socket are aligned, after which the socket is configured to receive the plug inserted to a depth determined by the length of the slot.

4. The charging system according to claim 2, wherein: The torsion joint is a wrist joint.

5. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least three interconnected legs form a parallel manipulator.

6. The charging system according to claim 5, wherein: The parallel manipulator is a parallelogram linkage mechanism configured to keep the platform parallel to the base of the manipulator.

7. The charging system according to claim 5, wherein: The parallel manipulator is a three-dimensional parallelogram linkage mechanism.

8. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein: The at least three interconnected legs form a Gough-Stewart platform.

9. The charging system of claim 1, further comprising an actuator connected to the base.

10. The charging system according to claim 1, wherein: The extended plug includes conductive contacts.

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