Charging device and control method of charging device

Abstract

A charging device and a control method for the charging device are provided. A control device performs the following processing, which includes: in the case of a first state, a step of determining whether a preset time has passed since the last cleaning time point; a step of determining whether a movable part has risen a preset number of times since the last cleaning time point; a step of determining whether there has been precipitation since the last cleaning time point; a step of performing spray control; and a step of resetting the elapsed time, the number of rises, and the precipitation flag.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to control of a mobile charging device that charges a vehicle-mounted power storage device. Background Art

[0002] Charging equipment for charging power storage devices mounted on vehicles is installed in parking lots or sidewalks outside vehicles, but it occupies installation space, which may hinder walking and driving. Therefore, it is known to make the charging equipment movable and store it under the ground.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-109807 discloses a charging station that is provided so as to be able to stand up from the ground and to be able to be raised and lowered so as to be stored under the ground. Summary of the invention

[0004] When the movable charging device that can be raised and lowered is not in use, it is stored under the ground, so sand and mud easily enter the movable part and make it dirty. In addition, the dirty part caused by sand and mud may cause rust, corrosion and other problems.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a charging device and a control method of the charging device that can suppress the occurrence of a malfunction caused by sand or mud entering a movable part.

[0006] A charging device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a movable charging device that is disposed in a recess formed in the ground and is capable of charging a power storage device mounted on a vehicle. The charging device comprises: a movable part, the movable part including a connection device that can be connected to the power storage device; a lifting device, the lifting device lifting the movable part to be in any of a plurality of states including a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the movable part is stored under the ground, and the second state being a state in which the movable part is exposed on the ground; a spraying device, the spraying device spraying a cleaning liquid toward the side of the charging device; and a control device, the control device controlling the operation of the lifting device and the operation of the spraying device. The control device controls the spraying device to spray the liquid toward the side of the charging device when a pre-set execution condition related to at least one of the elapsed time from the last time of spraying the liquid, the number of times the movable part rises, and the presence or absence of precipitation is satisfied.

[0007] In this way, when the pre-set execution condition related to at least one of the elapsed time from the last injection time point, the number of times the movable part rises, and the presence or absence of precipitation is satisfied, the cleaning liquid is sprayed toward the side of the charging device in the first state. Therefore, the regular cleaning of the movable part to which stains are attached to a certain extent can wash away the stains caused by sand and mud attached to the movable part. Therefore, the occurrence of adverse conditions caused by sand and mud entering the movable part can be suppressed.

[0008] In one embodiment, the execution conditions include at least one of the following conditions: a predetermined time has passed since the last injection time point, a number of times the movable part has risen exceeds a threshold after the last injection time point, and precipitation has been observed at the location where the charging device is set after the last injection time point.

[0009] In this way, the movable part is cleaned at a timing when a certain degree of dirt is attached, and the dirt caused by sand and mud attached to the movable part can be washed away.

[0010] In another embodiment, the charging device further includes a storage unit that stores precipitation in a predetermined area including the location where the charging device is installed as part of the cleaning liquid. The control device predicts the storage amount of precipitation in the storage unit and uses the prediction result to set the amount of liquid sprayed to the charging device when the liquid is sprayed.

[0011] In this way, the spray device can be controlled according to the storage amount, so that, for example, when the storage amount increases due to rainfall, a large amount of cleaning liquid can be sprayed. Therefore, stains caused by sand and mud attached to the movable part can be washed away.

[0012] In still another embodiment, the injection device includes: a supply passage connected to an injection port formed at a position on an inner wall of the recessed portion facing a side surface of the charging device in the first state; and a pump for pressure-feeding the liquid to the supply passage.

[0013] In this way, the cleaning liquid can be ejected from the ejection port toward the side of the charging device in the first state by the operation of the pump, so that stains caused by sand and mud attached to the movable part can be washed away.

[0014] A control method for a charging device according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a control method for a movable charging device that is disposed in a recess formed in the ground and is capable of charging a power storage device mounted on a vehicle. The charging device comprises: a movable part, the movable part including a connection device that can be connected to the power storage device; a lifting device, the lifting device lifting the movable part to become any one of a plurality of states including a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the movable part is stored under the ground, and the second state being a state in which the movable part is exposed on the ground; and a spraying device, the spraying device spraying a cleaning liquid toward the side of the charging device. The control method comprises: a step of determining whether a pre-set execution condition related to at least one of the elapsed time from the last spraying time point, the number of times the movable part rises, and the presence or absence of precipitation is satisfied; and a step of controlling the spraying device to spray the liquid toward the side of the charging device when the execution condition related to at least one of the two is satisfied.

[0015] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a charging device and a control method of the charging device that can suppress the occurrence of a malfunction caused by sand or mud entering a movable part. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Hereinafter, features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

[0017] Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a charging station in which an electric vehicle and a movable unit are stored under the ground.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a charging station in which an electric vehicle and a movable part are exposed on the ground.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control device of the charging station.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of a charging station in a modified example.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control device of the charging station in the modification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the same reference numerals are given to the same or corresponding parts in the drawings, and their description will not be repeated.

[0023] Hereinafter, the configuration of the charging station 300 which is the charging facility according to the embodiment of the present disclosure will be described as an example. Figure 1 This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a charging station 300 in a state where an electric vehicle 200 and a movable unit 300a (described later) are stored under the ground. Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the charging station 300 in a state where the electric vehicle 200 and the movable unit 300a are exposed on the ground.

[0024] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the charging station 300 is configured to be able to be in the first state (see Figure 1 ) and the second state (refer to Figure 2 ), the first state is a state in which the position of the upper end becomes approximately the same as the ground and the movable part 300a is stored under the ground, and the second state is a state in which the upper end rises to a specified position on the ground and the movable part 300a is exposed.

[0025] The charging station 300 has, for example, a cylindrical shell, which is disposed on the bottom surface of a recess formed in the ground. The recess formed in the ground is formed to have a predetermined gap with the outer peripheral surface (side surface) of the shell of the charging station 300, and is formed to have a depth equal to the vertical length of the charging station 300 in the first state.

[0026] The charging station 300 includes a movable portion 300a and a fixed portion 300b. A storage space capable of accommodating the connector 302 is formed at the upper portion of the movable portion 300a. The connector 302 is connected to one end of the cable 304, and the other end of the cable 304 is connected to the power supply 350. The power supply 350 is, for example, an AC power supply constituted by a commercial power supply or the like. The cable 304, for example, has a telescopic portion in the shape of "having a curved portion" or a telescopic portion in the structure of "having a winding structure", and is configured to be able to be extended to the connection port (charging port) 220 of the electric vehicle 200 parked in the parking space when the connector 302 is taken out.

[0027] A precipitation sensor 312 is provided at the upper end of the movable part 300a. The precipitation sensor 312 is provided, for example, at the upper end of the movable part 300a to detect the presence or absence of precipitation. The precipitation sensor 312 may be a sensor for detecting the amount of precipitation or a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of water droplets. The precipitation sensor 312 transmits information indicating the presence or absence of precipitation to the control device 308.

[0028] The fixing part 300b is fixed to the bottom surface of the recessed part formed in the ground. In addition, the fixing part 300b can be fixed to any place in the recessed part formed in the ground, and is not particularly limited to being fixed to the bottom surface of the recessed part.

[0029] The fixed part 300b includes a lifting device 306 for lifting the movable part 300a in the vertical direction. The lifting device 306 may have a rack and pinion type mechanism that uses an electric actuator to rotate a pinion gear meshing with the rack teeth fixed to the movable part 300a to lift the movable part 300a, or a mechanism using a hydraulic cylinder that fixes a rod connected to a piston to the movable part 300a and lifts the movable part 300a by increasing or decreasing the hydraulic pressure supplied to the cylinder body fixed to the fixed part 300b, or a mechanism that generates a repulsive force based on magnetic force between the movable part 300a and the fixed part 300b to lift the movable part 300a.

[0030] The lifting device 306 lifts the movable part 300a to any one of a plurality of states including a first state and a second state. In the present embodiment, the lifting device 306 is configured to, for example, not lower the movable part 300a beyond a position corresponding to the first state, and not raise the movable part 300a beyond a position corresponding to the second state, by means of a stopper mechanism or the like.

[0031] Charging station 300 further includes an injection device 320 . Injection device 320 includes a first supply passage 322 , a second supply passage 323 , a third supply passage 324 , and a pump 325 .

[0032] A plurality of injection ports 321 are formed on the inner wall of a recess formed on the ground. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the embodiment, for example, eight injection ports 321 are formed on the inner wall of the recess at predetermined intervals in the height direction. In addition, eight injection ports 321 are formed at positions facing each other. Figure 1 and Figure 2 , 16 injection ports 321 are shown as an example, but the number of injection ports 321 is not particularly limited to 16, and is not limited to being formed with a predetermined interval along the height direction of the inner wall of the recess. The injection ports 321 may be formed, for example, at a position where dirt is more likely to adhere than at other positions in the charging station 300 in the first state (for example, a position where sand and mud are easily accumulated, such as the upper part of the housing of the charging station 300 or the recessed part of the housing).

[0033] One end of each of the plurality of first supply passages 322 is connected to each of the plurality of injection ports 321. The second supply passage 323 is connected to the other end of each of the plurality of first supply passages 322. One end of the third supply passage 324 is connected to the second supply passage 323. The other end of the third supply passage 324 is connected to the ejection port of the pump 325.

[0034] A tank 328 is connected to the suction port of the pump 325. The tank 328 stores a cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid may be water or a liquid containing a detergent, for example. The pump 325 is operated according to a control signal from the control device 308.

[0035] When the pump 325 is operated, the cleaning liquid is sucked from the tank 328, and the liquid sucked into the third supply passage 324 is ejected. The liquid ejected into the third supply passage 324 is as follows: Figure 1 As shown by the arrows, the liquid flows through the second supply passage 323 and the first supply passage 322 and is ejected into the concave portion from the ejection port 321. In addition, a drain port (not shown) is provided at the bottom of the concave portion formed on the ground, and the liquid ejected into the concave portion is discharged from the concave portion to the outside through the drain port.

[0036] The fixing portion 300 b further includes a control device 308 for controlling the operation of the lifting device 306 and the operation of the spraying device 320 .

[0037] The control device 308 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 308a, a memory 308b composed of a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and a communication unit 308c that can communicate with an external device (device). The control device 308 controls the electrical equipment (e.g., the lifting device 306, the pump 325) installed in the charging station 300 based on the information stored in the memory 308b, the information received via the communication unit 308c, and the information obtained from sensors (e.g., the precipitation sensor 312, etc.). In addition, regarding these controls, it is not limited to the configuration in which the CPU 300a executes the processing based on software, and it can also be set as a configuration constructed using dedicated hardware (circuit).

[0038] The communication unit 308c is configured to communicate various information and the like with devices outside the charging station 300. For example, the communication unit 308c is configured to communicate with the management server 600. In addition, the communication unit 308c may be configured to communicate with a portable terminal (not shown) held by a user who uses the charging station 300 for charging in addition to the management server 600, or may be configured to communicate with other charging stations 300.

[0039] The communication unit 308c may be configured to communicate with the management server 600 or other charging stations 300 by wired communication, for example. Alternatively, the communication unit 308c may be configured to communicate with the management server 600, a portable terminal or other charging stations 300 by wireless communication, for example.

[0040] For example, when the execution condition of the ascending control is satisfied, the control device 308 executes the ascending control of the lifting device 306 so that the charging station 300 switches from the first state to the second state. The execution condition of the ascending control includes, for example, the condition that the charging station 300 is in the first state and the condition that there is an ascending request for the charging station 300. The ascending request may also be received from, for example, the management server 600, a portable terminal, or another charging station 300.

[0041] Alternatively, the control device 308, for example, performs the descending control of the lifting device 306 so that the charging station 300 switches from the second state to the first state when the execution condition of the descending control is satisfied. The execution condition of the descending control includes, for example, the condition that the charging station 300 is in the second state and the condition that there is a descending request for the charging station 300. The descending request may also be received from the management server 600, a portable terminal, or another charging station 300.

[0042] The management server 600 includes a control device, a communication device, and a storage device (none of which are shown in the figure). The control device of the management server 600 is composed of a CPU and a memory, etc. The communication device of the management server 600 is configured to be able to communicate with other devices such as the charging station 300 or a portable terminal via a communication network or directly. The storage device of the management server 600 stores specified information. The control device of the management server 600 receives specified information from the electric vehicle 200 and the charging station 300 via the communication device, and stores part or all of the received information in the storage device.

[0043] The management server 600 is configured to access an external server managed by an agency such as the Meteorological Bureau via a communication device to obtain information such as AMeDAS observation data regularly provided by the Meteorological Bureau. The management server 600 stores the obtained information in a storage device. The information obtained from the external server includes, for example, information related to precipitation at the installation locations of multiple charging stations (including the charging station 300) managed by the management server 600.

[0044] The information acquired from the external server or the like includes, for example, information on the amount of precipitation at the installation location of charging station 300 before the current time point.

[0045] Figure 1 and Figure 2 2 also shows an example of the configuration of an electric vehicle 200 parked in a parking space that can be charged using a charging station 300. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the electric vehicle 200 includes, for example, a plug-in hybrid vehicle and an electric vehicle equipped with a power storage device. In addition, the configuration of the electric vehicle 200 is not particularly limited to the above-mentioned vehicles as long as it has a configuration capable of receiving power supply from the charging station 300, and may be, for example, a vehicle equipped with a power storage device for external power supply.

[0046] Electric vehicle 200 includes a charger 212 , a battery 214 , an inverter 216 , a motor generator 218 , and a connection port 220 .

[0047] When AC power is supplied from the connection port 220, the charger 212 converts the supplied AC power into DC power and supplies it to the battery 214. The battery 214 is charged by the operation of the charger 212. The charger 212 is controlled by a control signal from an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) (not shown) of the electric vehicle 200, for example.

[0048] The battery 214 is, for example, a rechargeable power storage element, and a secondary battery such as a nickel-metal hydride battery or a lithium-ion battery containing a liquid or solid electrolyte may be used as a representative example. Alternatively, the battery 214 may be any power storage device capable of storing power, and for example, a large-capacity capacitor may be used instead of the battery 214.

[0049] Inverter 216 converts DC power of battery 214 into AC power, for example, and supplies the power to motor generator 218. Inverter 216 converts AC power (regenerative power) from motor generator 218 into DC power, for example, and supplies the power to battery 214 to charge battery 214.

[0050] Motor generator 218 receives electric power from inverter 216 and applies rotational force to drive wheel 222. Drive wheel 222 rotates due to the rotational force applied by motor generator 218, so that electric vehicle 200 travels.

[0051] The connection port 220 is provided together with a cover such as a cap (not shown) on the exterior of the electric vehicle 200. The connection port 220 is a power receiving unit that receives charging power from an external charging device (e.g., a charging station 300). The connection port 220 has a shape that allows the connector 302 of the charging station 300 to be installed. Contacts are built into both the connection port 220 and the connector 302. When the connector 302 is installed in the connection port 220, the contacts come into contact with each other, and the connection port 220 and the connector 302 are electrically connected. At this time, the battery 214 of the electric vehicle 200 becomes capable of being charged using the power supplied from the charging station 300.

[0052] The charging station 300 is sometimes provided on a sidewalk adjacent to a plurality of parking spaces in a parking lot, a sidewalk adjacent to a plurality of parking spaces set on a road, etc. When the electric vehicle 200 is parked in any of the plurality of parking spaces and the charging station 300 is in the second state, the user takes out the connector 302 from the charging station 300 and connects it to the connection port 220 of the electric vehicle 200.

[0053] When charging station 300 is in the first state, the user sends a lifting request to charging station 300 using a mobile terminal or sends a lifting request to charging station 300 via management server 600. Control device 308 of charging station 300 receives the lifting request and controls lifting device 306 to the second state.

[0054] When the movable charging station 300 is not in use, it is stored in a recessed portion under the ground, so sand and mud easily enter the movable portion and make it dirty. In addition, the dirty portion caused by sand and mud may cause rust, corrosion and other problems.

[0055] Therefore, in this embodiment, the control device 308 of the charging station 300 controls the operation of the injection device 320 (specifically, the pump 325) to inject the cleaning liquid toward the side of the charging station 300 in the first state when a predetermined execution condition related to at least any one of the elapsed time from the last injection time of the cleaning liquid, the number of times the movable part 300a rises, and the presence or absence of precipitation is met.

[0056] In this way, when the pre-set execution condition related to at least one of the elapsed time from the last spraying time point, the number of times the movable part 300a rises, and the presence or absence of precipitation is satisfied, the cleaning liquid is sprayed on the side of the charging station 300 in the first state, so that the regular cleaning movable part with stains attached to a certain extent can wash away the stains caused by sand and mud attached to the movable part. Therefore, the occurrence of an adverse condition caused by sand and mud entering the movable part can be suppressed.

[0057] Below, refer to Figure 3 , an example of the control processing performed by the control device 308 is described. Figure 3 : is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by the control device 308. A series of processing shown in this flowchart is repeatedly executed by the control device 308 at each predetermined control cycle.

[0058] In step (hereinafter referred to as S) 100, the control device 308 determines whether the charging station 300 is in the first state. For example, when the ascending control is executed and the ascending and descending control is executed, the control device 308 determines that the charging station 300 is in the first state when the ascending and descending flags are in the inactive state. When it is determined that the charging station 300 is in the first state (Yes in S100), the process moves to S102. In addition, when it is determined that the charging station 300 is not in the first state (No in S100), the process ends.

[0059] In S102, the control device 308 determines whether a preset time has passed since the last cleaning time point. The control device 308 resets the value counted by the timer (not shown) to an initial value (e.g., zero) at the time point (hereinafter, recorded as the cleaning time point) when the last cleaning action (injection control) is implemented, for example. When the value counted by the timer exceeds a value equivalent to a preset time, the control device 308 determines that a preset time has passed since the last cleaning time point. In addition, the so-called last cleaning time point is set to the injection time point at which the cleaning liquid is ejected in the last injection control. The injection time point is, for example, set to any time point in the period from the injection start time point to the injection completion time point. In the case where it is determined that a preset time has passed since the last cleaning time point (yes in S102), the process moves to S108. In the case where it is determined that a preset time has not passed since the last cleaning time point (no in S102), the process moves to S104.

[0060] In S104, the control device 308 determines whether the movable part 300a has risen a preset number of times since the last cleaning time point. The control device 308, for example, resets the count value used to count the number of times the movable part 300a rises to an initial value (for example, zero) at the time point when the last cleaning action was performed. The control device 308, for example, increases the count value by a specified value (for example, 1) each time the execution condition of the rising control is satisfied and the movable part 300a of the charging station 300 in the first state rises. The control device 308 determines that the movable part 300a has risen a preset number of times since the last cleaning time point when the count value exceeds the value representing the preset number of times. When it is determined that the movable part 300a has risen a preset number of times since the last cleaning time point (yes in S104), the processing moves to S108. When it is determined that the movable portion 300 a has not risen the preset number of times since the last cleaning time (NO in S104 ), the process proceeds to S106 .

[0061] In S106, the control device 308 determines whether there is precipitation since the last cleaning time point. The control device 308 sets the precipitation flag to an activated state when receiving information indicating the presence of precipitation from the precipitation sensor 312 after the last cleaning action was performed. Alternatively, the control device 308 may also set the precipitation flag to an activated state when receiving information indicating the presence of precipitation at the location where the charging station 300 is set from the management server 600 after the last cleaning action was performed. When it is determined that there is precipitation since the last cleaning time point (yes in S106), the processing moves to S108. In addition, when it is determined that there is no precipitation since the last cleaning time point (no in S106), the processing ends.

[0062] In S108, the control device 308 performs the spray control (i.e., the cleaning operation). Specifically, the control device 308 operates the pump 325 to suck the cleaning liquid in the tank 328, and sprays the cleaning liquid from the spray port 321 to the side of the charging station 300 opposite to the spray port 321 via the third supply passage 324, the second supply passage 323, and the first supply passage 322. The control device 308 may, for example, continue spraying until a preset time has passed, and stop spraying when the preset time has passed, or may continue spraying until the total amount of spraying reaches a preset amount, and stop spraying when the total amount of spraying reaches the preset amount.

[0063] In S110, the control device 308 resets the elapsed time, the number of rises, and the precipitation flag to initial values. That is, the control device 308 sets the count value of the elapsed time to an initial value (e.g., zero), the count value of the number of rises to an initial value (e.g., zero), and the precipitation flag to an initial value (e.g., a value indicating an inactive state).

[0064] An example of the operation of the control device 308 in this embodiment based on the above-described structure and flowchart will be described.

[0065] For example, it is assumed that the last cleaning operation of the charging station 300 is completed. After the cleaning operation is completed, the count value of the elapsed time from the time point when the cleaning operation was performed is reset to zero as an initial value, so counting starts from the initial value, and the count value of the number of times the movable part 300a rises is also reset to zero as an initial value, and the precipitation flag is reset to an inactive state.

[0066] When the charging station 300 is in the first state (yes in S100), determine whether a preset time has passed since the time when the last cleaning action was performed (S102); if the preset time has not passed (no in S102), determine whether the movable part 300a has risen a preset number of times since the time when the last cleaning action was performed (S104); if the movable part 300a has not risen the preset number of times (no in S104), determine whether there has been precipitation since the time when the last cleaning action was performed (S106).

[0067] For example, when a preset time has elapsed from the time when the last cleaning operation was performed (YES in S102 ), the injection control is executed ( S108 ).

[0068] Therefore, the cleaning liquid is sprayed from the plurality of spray ports 321 to the side of the charging station 300. By spraying the cleaning liquid to the side of the charging station 300, dirt such as sand and mud attached to the side of the charging station 300 (e.g., the movable part 300a) is washed away. The dirt washed away from the charging station 300 is discharged from the drain port on the bottom of the recess to the outside of the recess, for example. When the cleaning is completed, the elapsed time, the number of rises, and the precipitation flag are reset to the initial value (S110).

[0069] Alternatively, even if the preset time has not passed since the last cleaning operation was performed (No in S102), the jet control is performed when the movable part 300a has risen a preset number of times (S108). Furthermore, even if the movable part 300a has not risen a preset number of times but there is precipitation, the jet control is performed (S108). Therefore, the jet control is performed at the timing when the sand and mud stains adhere to the side of the charging station 300, and the attached stains are washed away.

[0070] As described above, according to the charging station 300 as the charging device of the present embodiment, when the pre-set execution condition related to at least one of the elapsed time from the last injection time point, the number of times the movable part 300a rises, and the presence or absence of precipitation is satisfied, the liquid for cleaning is sprayed on the side of the charging station 300 in the first state, so that the movable part with stains attached to a certain extent can be cleaned regularly, and the stains caused by sand and mud attached to the movable part can be washed away. Therefore, the occurrence of adverse conditions such as rust and corrosion caused by sand and mud entering the movable part can be suppressed. Therefore, a charging device and a control method for the charging device that suppress the occurrence of adverse conditions caused by sand and mud entering the movable part can be provided.

[0071] Modifications will be described below.

[0072] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the power supply 350 is described as an AC power supply, but the power supply 350 may be a DC power supply. In this case, the electric vehicle 200 may be configured such that the charger 212 is omitted, for example.

[0073] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the configuration in which the connector 302 is stored in the storage space at the upper portion of the movable portion 300a is described as an example, but for example, a socket may be provided so as to be exposed on the upper side of the movable portion 300a. In this way, the user can charge the battery 214 mounted on the electric vehicle 200 by connecting the socket of the charging station 300 to the connection port 220 of the electric vehicle 200 using a charging cable prepared separately.

[0074] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the case where the housing of the charging station 300 has a cylindrical shape is described as an example, but any shape that can be raised and lowered is not particularly limited to a cylindrical shape. For example, the housing of the charging station 300 may also have a rectangular shape.

[0075] Moreover, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the tank 328 stores cleaning liquid is described as an example, but for example, the tank 328 may also include a storage section for storing precipitation in a predetermined area including the installation location of the charging station 300 as part of the cleaning liquid, and the control device 308 may, for example, predict the storage amount of precipitation in the storage section and use the prediction result to set the amount of liquid sprayed to the charging station 300 when spraying the cleaning liquid.

[0076] Figure 4 FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of a charging station 300 in a modified example. Figure 4 In, about Figure 1 The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals. Therefore, detailed descriptions of these components will not be repeated. Figure 4 As shown, a storage section 330 is connected to the tank 328. The storage section 330 is a rainwater storage tank provided underground, and is in a communicating state with an opening formed on the ground. Thus, for example, water accumulated on the ground due to precipitation flows through the opening, flows from the opening into the storage section 330, and is stored in the storage section 330. One end of a connecting passage 332 is connected to the bottom of the storage section 330. Furthermore, the tank 328 is connected to the other end of the connecting passage 332. Thus, the water stored in the storage section 330 can flow to the tank 328. In addition, regarding the flow from the storage section 330 to the tank 328, for example, a pump not shown in the figure may be used to circulate the water, or the connecting passage 332 may be configured to circulate the water by the gravity of the water.

[0077] Control device 308 receives the amount of precipitation at the location where charging station 300 is installed from management server 600, uses the received amount of precipitation to predict the amount of water stored in storage unit 330, and uses the prediction result to set the amount of liquid sprayed to charging station 300 when executing spray control.

[0078] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing an example of processing executed by control device 308 of charging station 300 in the modification.

[0079] and Figure 3 Compared with the flowchart, Figure 5 The flowchart of is different in that it also includes the processing of S200 and the processing of S202. Figure 3 The processing shown in the flowchart of is the same processing, and the same step number is marked. Therefore, the detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[0080] When it is determined that a predetermined time has passed since the last cleaning time (yes in S102), or it is determined that the movable part 300a has risen a predetermined number of times since the last cleaning time (yes in S104), or it is determined that precipitation has occurred since the last cleaning time (yes in S106), the processing moves to S200.

[0081] In S200, the control device 308 obtains the remaining water amount and the degree of contamination. For example, the control device 308 receives the precipitation amount at the installation location of the charging station 300 from the management server 600 as described above, and uses the received precipitation amount to predict the storage amount of water in the storage unit 330. The control device 308 obtains the proportion of the precipitation amount stored in the storage unit, for example, through experiments, and predicts the storage amount of water in the storage unit 330 using the precipitation amount and the proportion. The control device 308 calculates the change in the storage amount using the precipitation amount and the proportion since the last cleaning time point, and predicts the storage amount of water in the storage unit 330 by adding the calculated change to the storage amount at the last cleaning time point. Furthermore, the control device 308 obtains the elapsed time since the last cleaning time point, the number of times the movable part 300a rises since the last cleaning time point, and the presence or absence of precipitation after the last cleaning time point as the degree of contamination.

[0082] In S202, the control device 308 sets the control amount in the injection control (specifically, the amount of movement of the pump 325). For example, the control device 308 sets the control amount in such a manner that the amount of movement of the pump 325 is increased to increase the injection amount when the storage amount is large compared to when the storage amount is small. Alternatively, the control device 308 sets the control amount in such a manner that the amount of movement of the pump 325 is increased to increase the injection amount when the degree of contamination is large compared to when the degree of contamination is small. In addition, in S108, the control device 308 performs the injection control according to the set control amount. In addition, the injection control is as described above, so the detailed description thereof will not be repeated.

[0083] An example of the operation of the control device 308 in the modified example based on the above-described flowchart will be described.

[0084] When the charging station 300 is in the first state (yes in S100), determine whether a preset time has passed since the time when the last cleaning action was performed (S102); if the preset time has not passed (no in S102), determine whether the movable part 300a has risen a preset number of times since the time when the last cleaning action was performed (S104); if the movable part 300a has not risen the preset number of times (no in S104), determine whether there has been precipitation since the time when the last cleaning action was performed (S106).

[0085] For example, when a preset time has passed since the last cleaning operation was performed (Yes in S102), the remaining water amount and the degree of dirt in the storage portion 330 are obtained (S200), and the control amount in the injection control is set using the obtained remaining water amount and the degree of dirt (S202). Then, the injection control is performed according to the set control amount (S108).

[0086] Thus, for example, when the amount of remaining water in the storage unit 330 is large, the amount of spraying increases compared to when the amount of remaining water is small, so that a large amount of dirt attached to the side of the charging station 300 can be washed away. Also, when the degree of dirt is large, the amount of spraying increases compared to when the degree of dirt is small, so that a large amount of dirt attached to the side of the charging station 300 can be washed away. In addition, in this modification, the storage amount in the storage unit 330 is predicted based on the amount of precipitation, but, for example, the storage amount of water in the storage unit 330 (the amount of remaining water) may be detected using a liquid level sensor or the like provided in the storage unit 330.

[0087] Moreover, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the control device 308 obtains weather information from the management server 600 is explained as an example, but for example, the weather information of the location where the charging station 300 is set can be directly obtained from the external server of the Meteorological Bureau, or the weather information of the location where the charging station 300 is set can be obtained from a website on the Internet that discloses precipitation conditions, or the weather information of the location where the charging station 300 is set can be obtained from a portable terminal moving around the charging station 300 or other charging stations 300.

[0088] Moreover, although the above-mentioned embodiment is described as obtaining weather information from the precipitation sensor 312 and the management server 600, when the "first judgment result of the presence or absence of precipitation using the precipitation sensor 312" and the "second judgment result of the presence or absence of precipitation using the information obtained from the management server 600" are different, the presence or absence of precipitation can be judged according to the pre-set priority of the first judgment result and the second judgment result.

[0089] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, it is described that the determination as to whether a preset execution condition is satisfied is made when the charging station 300 is in the first state, but for example, the injection control may be performed after the charging station 300 is switched from the second state to the first state when the charging station 300 is in the second state and is capable of becoming the first state and the preset execution condition is satisfied.

[0090] Moreover, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where it is determined whether a preset execution condition is met when the charging station 300 is in the first state in order to wash away stains on the peripheral portion of the movable part 300a is described as an example, but for example, when it is easier to wash away stains caused by sand and mud when the injection control is performed when the charging station 300 is in the second state than in the first state, it is also possible to determine whether the preset execution condition is met when the charging station 300 is in the second state, and perform the injection control when the execution condition is met.

[0091] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the injection from the plurality of injection ports 321 is performed by the operation of the pump 325 is described as an example, but for example, injection valves may be provided at the plurality of injection ports 321, and the opening and closing operations of the injection valves may be controlled by the control device 308. In this way, injection control can be performed individually at the plurality of injection ports 321.

[0092] Moreover, in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is assumed that the injection control is performed when there is precipitation after the last cleaning time point, and the control device 308 can perform the injection control after a predetermined time has passed since the precipitation stopped, or can perform the injection control during the precipitation period.

[0093] Furthermore, all or part of the above-mentioned modifications may be appropriately combined and implemented.

[0094] The embodiments disclosed this time should be considered to be illustrative in all aspects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims.

Claims

1. A charging device, the charging device being a movable charging device which is installed in a recessed portion formed in the ground and capable of charging a power storage device mounted on a vehicle, The charging device has: a movable part, the movable part including a connection device that can be connected to the power storage device; a lifting device that lifts the movable part up and down to be in any one of a plurality of states including a first state and a second state, wherein the first state is a state in which the movable part is stored under the ground, and the second state is a state in which the movable part is exposed above the ground; a spray device, the spray device spraying a cleaning liquid toward a side of the charging device; and a control device, wherein the control device controls the movement of the lifting device and the movement of the injection device, The control device controls the injection device to inject liquid toward the side of the charging device when a preset execution condition related to at least one of the elapsed time from the last injection time of the liquid, the number of times the movable part rises, and the presence or absence of precipitation is satisfied.

2. The charging device according to claim 1, The execution conditions include at least one of a condition that a predetermined time has passed since the last injection time point, a condition that the number of times the movable part has risen after the last injection time point exceeds a threshold, and a condition that precipitation is observed at the location where the charging device is installed after the last injection time point.

3. The charging device according to claim 1 or 2, The charging device further includes a storage unit that stores precipitation in a predetermined area including a location where the charging device is installed as a part of the cleaning liquid. The control device predicts the storage amount of precipitation in the storage unit, and uses the prediction result to set the amount of liquid sprayed to the charging device when spraying the liquid.

4. The charging device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The injection device comprises: a supply passage connected to an injection port formed at a position of an inner wall of the recessed portion opposite to a side surface of the charging device in the first state; and The pump pressure-feeds the liquid to the supply passage.

5. A method for controlling a charging device, the charging device being a movable charging device which is installed in a recess formed in the ground and can charge a power storage device mounted on a vehicle, The charging device comprises: a movable part, the movable part including a connection device that can be connected to the power storage device; a lifting device, the lifting device lifts the movable part to become any one of a plurality of states including a first state and a second state, the first state is a state in which the movable part is stored under the ground, and the second state is a state in which the movable part is exposed on the ground; and a spraying device, wherein the spraying device sprays a cleaning liquid toward a side of the charging device, The control method comprises: a step of determining whether a preset execution condition related to at least one of an elapsed time from the last injection time point, a number of times the movable part rises, and the presence or absence of precipitation is satisfied; and The step of controlling the injection device to inject liquid toward a side surface of the charging device when an execution condition related to at least one of the above aspects is satisfied.

Images