An electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic ice melting function

Abstract

The application is suitable for the technical field of electric vehicle thermal management, and provides an electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with an automatic ice melting function, which comprises a charging port, a charging interface, a heater, a temperature sensor, a bottom shell, an ice measuring circuit, an opening and closing circuit and a controller. The system has the function of automatically detecting whether the outside of the electric vehicle charging port is iced, can monitor the temperature in real time, and provides heating capacity from the electric vehicle side. When the ice layer appears, the ice measuring circuit will be turned on, the controller automatically identifies the external resistivity, thereby realizing automatic identification and judgment, and then the heat generated by the electric heating pipe is used to heat the surrounding of the electric vehicle charging port, melt the ice layer covering the outside of the vehicle body near the electric vehicle charging port, improve the adaptability of the electric vehicle to the low temperature use environment, and broaden the application scenarios of the electric vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electric vehicle thermal management technology, and particularly relates to an electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function. Background Technology

[0002] Traditional gasoline-powered vehicles are a major source of carbon emissions, and my country is strongly supporting the development of the electric vehicle industry. However, in many parts of northern my country, winter temperatures are low and snow accumulation is thick. Furthermore, temperatures fluctuate throughout the winter. When electric vehicles are exposed to the elements for extended periods, tiny gaps exist between the charging port cover and its inner lining. Water from melting snow or car wash residue can seep into these gaps through capillary action and accumulate. In low temperatures, this water freezes and extends outwards from the gaps to the outside of the vehicle, forming an ice layer that prevents the charging port cover from opening and severely impacts the normal use of the electric vehicle.

[0003] Existing de-icing devices mainly rely on spring force to pry open the charging port cover, which is a rough method and can easily damage the charging port. In addition, relying on pouring windshield washer fluid onto the icy parts of the vehicle body is time-consuming, ineffective, and wasteful of resources. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a thermal management system for electric vehicle charging ports with automatic de-icing function, aiming to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] The present invention is implemented as follows: a thermal management system for an electric vehicle charging port with automatic de-icing function includes a charging port, a charging interface, a heater, a temperature sensor, a bottom shell, an ice detection circuit, an opening and closing circuit, and a controller.

[0006] The charging port is located on the vehicle body. The charging port includes a charging port cover and a charging port liner, and there is a fitting gap between the charging port cover and the charging port liner.

[0007] The bottom shell is installed on the vehicle body at the charging port, and the bottom shell, the charging port liner and the vehicle body are fixed together by a bolt group;

[0008] The charging interface is located in the inner lining of the charging port, and the charging interface is fixed to the inner lining of the charging port by a bolt group and protrudes from the middle of the bottom shell;

[0009] The heater is installed in the bottom shell and surrounds the outside of the vehicle body. The heater includes a heat spreader, an electric heating tube and a fixing plate. The heat spreader is directly connected to the vehicle body. The electric heating tube is located on the side of the heat spreader away from the vehicle body and penetrates through the bottom shell. The fixing plate is located on the side of the heat spreader away from the vehicle body, and one end of the electric heating tube in the bottom shell is located in the fixing plate.

[0010] The ice-measuring circuit includes a metal sheet, wires, and a contact structure, divided into inner and outer parts. The metal sheet includes an inner metal sheet and an outer metal sheet, the wires include an inner wire and an outer wire, and the contact structure includes a single contact, a single contact metal sheet, and a single contact wire. The inner metal sheet is embedded around the edge of the charging port cover and is connected to the single contact metal sheet at the other end through the inner wire. The inner wire is disposed in the charging port cover. The single contact is embedded in the bottom shell and is connected to the controller through the single contact wire inside the bottom shell. The outer metal sheet is embedded and fixed at the edge of the inner lining of the charging port and is connected to the controller through the outer wire.

[0011] The opening and closing circuit includes two contacts, a two-contact metal sheet, and a two-contact wire. The two-contact metal sheet is embedded in the inner lining of the charging port, and the two contacts are embedded in the bottom shell and connected to the controller through the two-contact wire.

[0012] The temperature sensor is fixed to the top of the bottom shell and near the connection between the electric heating tube and the bottom shell.

[0013] A further technical solution is that the cavity formed by the bottom shell and the charging port liner is filled with a heat insulation layer, and the heat insulation layer is located on the side of the heat dissipation plate away from the vehicle body.

[0014] A further technical solution is that the material of the heat insulation layer filled in the bottom shell can be glass fiber, which has a heat resistance temperature of over 300℃ and a thermal conductivity of only about 0.04W / (m·K), thus achieving effective heat insulation.

[0015] In a further technical solution, the bolt group includes a vehicle body bolt group and a charging interface bolt group. The bottom shell, the charging port liner, and the vehicle body are jointly fixed by the vehicle body bolt group, and the charging interface is fixed to the charging port liner by the charging interface bolt group.

[0016] In a further technical solution, the heat spreader and the fixing plate should be made of materials with the same or similar coefficient of thermal expansion as the steel of the vehicle body, so as to reduce the thermal stress at the weld and prevent the vehicle body from deforming. At the same time, the material selection of the heat spreader should also take into account its thermal conductivity, and materials with a larger thermal conductivity should be selected.

[0017] In a further technical solution, the materials of the charging port cover, the charging port liner and the bottom shell can be general engineering plastics with a long-term working temperature of 100℃-150℃, such as polyamide (PA).

[0018] A further technical solution is that the thermal management method of the system includes the following steps:

[0019] Step 1: When the driver issues a command to the electric vehicle to open the charging port cover, the opening and closing circuit is activated to determine whether the charging port cover can be opened normally. If not, the icing detection circuit is automatically activated. A preset resistance value can be pre-input into the controller, which can be 2.5 × 10⁻⁶. 6 Ω, the controller measures the resistance between the inner and outer metal plates. If it is lower than the preset resistance value, it is determined that there is a foreign object at the charging port and a warning is issued to the driver. Otherwise, it is determined that icing has occurred.

[0020] Step 2: The controller obtains the local outdoor temperature and humidity from the vehicle's onboard sensors to calculate the appropriate de-icing parameters, namely the preset temperature range and preset time. The controller calculates the estimated power consumption based on the de-icing parameters and prompts the driver to request the heating to be performed.

[0021] Step 3: After the driver requests heating, the electric heating element is powered on. The controller continuously records the time elapsed, and the temperature sensor monitors the temperature changes within the system in real time. Heating stops when the temperature reaches the upper limit of the preset temperature range and starts when the temperature falls below the lower limit. The upper limit of the preset temperature range can be 40℃, and the lower limit can be 10℃. During the ice-melting process, if the ice-measuring circuit is disconnected, it is determined that the ice layer has melted, and the ice-melting process ends. If the controller records the time to the preset time and the ice-measuring circuit is still conducting, the ice-melting process stops, indicating the presence of foreign objects, and an alarm is triggered on the driver.

[0022] This invention provides a thermal management system for electric vehicle charging ports with automatic de-icing capabilities. This system automatically detects whether ice has formed near the outside of the charging port and monitors the surrounding temperature in real time, providing heating from the electric vehicle. When ice forms, the ice-detecting circuit is activated, and the controller automatically identifies the external resistivity, thus achieving automatic identification and judgment. The heat generated by the electric heating element then heats the area around the charging port, melting the ice layer covering the outside of the vehicle body near the charging port. This improves the electric vehicle's adaptability to low-temperature environments and expands its application scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the architecture of an electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2A front view of an electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 Rear view of an electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 An internal isometric view of an electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 A top view of an electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the AA cross-sectional structure of a thermal management system for an electric vehicle charging port with automatic de-icing function, provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the BB cross-sectional structure of a thermal management system for an electric vehicle charging port with automatic de-icing function, provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the CC cross-sectional structure of a thermal management system for an electric vehicle charging port with automatic de-icing function, provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 9 A flowchart illustrating the control strategy of a thermal management system for an electric vehicle charging port with automatic de-icing function, provided as an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] In the attached diagram: 1. Charging port; 11. Vehicle body; 12. Charging port liner; 13. Charging port cover; 2. Charging interface; 21. Charging base; 22. Charging base cover; 23. Positive and negative terminals; 3. Heater; 31. Electric heating element; 32. Nut; 33. Heat spreader; 34. Fixing plate; 4. Temperature sensor; 5. Bolt group; 51. Vehicle body bolt group; 52. Charging interface bolt group; 6. Heat insulation layer; 7. Bottom shell; 8. Ice detection circuit; 81. Inner metal sheet; 82. Outer metal sheet; 83. Inner wire; 84. Outer wire; 85. Single contact; 86. Single contact metal sheet; 87. Single contact wire; 9. Opening and closing circuit; 91. Double contact; 92. Double contact metal sheet; 93. Double contact wire. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0034] The specific implementation of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0035] like Figure 1-8 As shown, an embodiment of the present invention provides a thermal management system for an electric vehicle charging port with automatic de-icing function, including a charging port 1, a charging interface 2, a heater 3, a temperature sensor 4, a bottom shell 7, an ice detection circuit 8, an opening and closing circuit 9, and a controller.

[0036] The charging port 1 is provided on the vehicle body 11. The charging port 1 includes a charging port cover 13 and a charging port liner 12. There is a certain fitting gap between the charging port cover 13 and the charging port liner 12.

[0037] The bottom shell 7 is installed on the vehicle body 11 at the charging port 1, and the bottom shell 7, the charging port liner 12 and the vehicle body 11 are fixed together by bolt group 5.

[0038] The charging interface 2 is located in the charging port liner 12, and the charging interface 2 is fixed to the charging port liner 12 by bolt group 5 and protrudes from the middle of the bottom shell 7.

[0039] The heater 3 is installed in the bottom shell 7 and surrounds the outside of the vehicle body 11. The heater 3 includes a heat spreader 33, an electric heating tube 31 and a fixing plate 34. The heat spreader 33 is directly connected to the vehicle body 11. The electric heating tube 31 is located on the side of the heat spreader 33 away from the vehicle body 11 and penetrates through the bottom shell 7. The fixing plate 34 is located on the side of the heat spreader 33 away from the vehicle body 11, and one end of the electric heating tube 31 in the bottom shell 7 is located in the fixing plate 34.

[0040] The ice-measuring circuit 8 includes a metal sheet, wires, and a contact structure, divided into inner and outer parts. The metal sheet includes an inner metal sheet 81 and an outer metal sheet 82. The wires include an inner wire 83 and an outer wire 84. The contact structure includes a single contact 85, a single contact metal sheet 86, and a single contact wire 87. The inner metal sheet 81 is embedded around the edge of the charging port cover 13 and is connected to the single contact metal sheet 86 at the other end through the inner wire 83. The inner wire 83 is disposed in the charging port cover 13. The single contact 85 is embedded in the bottom shell 7 and is connected to the controller through the single contact wire 87 inside the bottom shell 7. The outer metal sheet 82 is embedded and fixed at the edge of the charging port liner 12 and is connected to the controller through the outer wire 83.

[0041] The opening and closing circuit 9 includes a double contact 91, a double contact metal sheet 92, and a double contact wire 93. The double contact metal sheet 92 is embedded in the charging port liner 12, and the double contact 91 is embedded in the bottom shell 7. It is connected to the controller through the double contact wire 93. When the charging port cover 13 is closed, both the single contact structure and the double contact structure are conductive.

[0042] The temperature sensor 4 is fixed to the top of the bottom shell 7 and is located near the connection between the electric heating tube 31 and the bottom shell 7.

[0043] In this embodiment of the invention, the heat spreader 33 is connected to the vehicle body 11 by welding, and the fixing plate 34 is also connected to the heat spreader 33 by welding. The electric heating tube 31 is fixed to the bottom shell 7 by a nut.

[0044] When in use, heater 3 can provide the heat required to melt ice. When started, electric heating tube 31 is energized, and the heat generated by the internal resistance wire is transferred to the vehicle body 11 through heat spreader 33, which heats up the vehicle body 11 and melts the ice. Heat spreader 33 in heater 3 has a high thermal conductivity, which makes the heat evenly distributed to the surroundings, preventing heat accumulation and avoiding safety hazards caused by excessive local temperature.

[0045] The ice detection circuit 8 can automatically identify the presence of ice. The inner metal plate 81 and outer metal plate 82 in the ice detection circuit 8 are located on either side of the gap formed between the charging port cover 13 and the charging port liner 12. When there is no ice, the inner metal plate 81 and outer metal plate 82 in the ice detection circuit 8 are not connected, and the entire ice detection circuit 8 is in an open state with no current flowing through it. If any point in the gap is connected, it will cause the inner metal plate 81 and outer metal plate 82 to connect. The controller automatically measures the resistance between them to determine whether icing has occurred or if there is a foreign object in the charging port 1. The opening and closing circuit 9 can automatically identify whether the charging port cover 13 is open. When the charging port cover 13 is closed, the double-contact metal plate 92 connects with the double-contact 91, and the opening and closing circuit 9 is conductive; otherwise, it is closed.

[0046] like Figure 2 , 5 As shown in Figure 7, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the charging interface 2 includes a charging base 21, a charging base cover 22, and positive and negative terminals 23. The charging base 21 is mounted on the charging port liner 12, the charging base cover 22 is disposed at one end of the charging base 21 located inside the charging port liner 12, and the positive and negative terminals 23 are disposed at one end of the charging base 21 located outside the charging port liner 12.

[0047] like Figure 5 and 6 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cavity formed by the bottom shell 7 and the charging port liner 12 is filled with a heat insulation layer 6, and the heat insulation layer 6 is disposed on the side of the heat dissipation plate 33 away from the vehicle body 11.

[0048] In this embodiment of the invention, the heat insulation layer 6 blocks heat within the range of the bottom shell 7, preventing it from dissipating backward, thereby transferring heat to the vehicle body 11 as much as possible, improving the ice melting efficiency, reducing the impact of the ice melting device on other areas inside the vehicle, and reducing the power consumption of the ice melting device itself.

[0049] like Figure 2 and 3 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bolt group 5 includes a vehicle body bolt group 51 and a charging interface bolt group 52. The bottom shell 7, the charging port liner 12 and the vehicle body 11 are jointly fixed by the vehicle body bolt group 51, and the charging interface 2 is fixed to the charging port liner 12 by the charging interface bolt group 52.

[0050] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the heat dissipation plate 33 and the fixing plate 34 should be made of materials with the same or similar coefficient of thermal expansion as the steel of the vehicle body, so as to reduce the thermal stress at the welding point and prevent the vehicle body 11 from deforming. At the same time, the material selection of the heat dissipation plate 33 should also take into account its thermal conductivity, and a material with a larger thermal conductivity should be selected.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the materials of the charging port cover 13, the charging port liner 12 and the bottom shell 7 can be general engineering plastics with a long-term working temperature of 100℃-150℃, such as polyamide (PA).

[0052] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the material of the heat insulation layer 6 filled in the bottom shell 7 can be glass fiber, which has a heat resistance temperature of over 300°C and a thermal conductivity of only about 0.04 W / (m·K), thus achieving effective heat insulation.

[0053] like Figure 9 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the thermal management method of the system includes the following steps:

[0054] Step 1: When the driver issues the command to open the charging port cover 13 to the electric vehicle, the opening and closing circuit 9 is activated to determine whether the charging port cover can be opened normally; if not, the ice detection circuit 8 is automatically activated. A preset resistance value can be pre-input into the controller, which can be 2.5 × 10⁻⁶. 6 Ω, the controller measures the resistance between the inner metal plate 81 and the outer metal plate 82. If it is lower than the preset resistance value, it is determined that there is a foreign object at the charging port 1 and a warning is issued to the driver. Otherwise, it is determined that icing has occurred.

[0055] Step 2: The controller obtains the local outdoor temperature and humidity from the vehicle's onboard sensors to calculate the appropriate de-icing parameters, namely the preset temperature range and preset time. The controller calculates the estimated power consumption based on the de-icing parameters and prompts the driver to request the heating to be performed.

[0056] Step 3: After the driver requests heating, the electric heating element 31 is energized and begins heating. The controller continuously records the time elapsed, and the temperature sensor 4 monitors the temperature changes within the system in real time. Heating stops when the temperature reaches the upper limit of the preset temperature range and starts when the temperature falls below the lower limit of the preset temperature range. The upper limit of the preset temperature range can be 40℃, and the lower limit can be 10℃. During the ice melting process, if the ice-measuring circuit 8 is disconnected, it is determined that the ice layer has melted, and the ice melting ends. If the controller records a time that reaches the preset time (10 seconds), and the ice-measuring circuit 8 is still conducting, the ice melting stops, indicating the presence of a foreign object, and an alarm is triggered to the driver.

[0057] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A thermal management system for an electric vehicle charging port with automatic de-icing function, comprising a charging port and a charging interface, characterized in that, It also includes a heater, temperature sensor, base shell, ice detection circuit, switching circuit, and controller; among which: The charging port is located on the vehicle body. The charging port includes a charging port cover and a charging port liner, and there is a fitting gap between the charging port cover and the charging port liner. The bottom shell is installed on the vehicle body at the charging port, and the bottom shell, the charging port liner and the vehicle body are fixed together by a bolt group; The heater is installed in the bottom shell and surrounds the inside of the vehicle body. The heater includes a heat spreader, an electric heating tube and a fixing plate. The heat spreader is directly connected to the vehicle body. The electric heating tube is located on the side of the heat spreader away from the vehicle body and penetrates through the bottom shell. The fixing plate is located on the side of the heat spreader away from the vehicle body, and one end of the electric heating tube in the bottom shell is located in the fixing plate. The ice-measuring circuit includes an inner metal sheet, an outer metal sheet, an inner wire, an outer wire, a single contact, a single contact metal sheet, and a single contact wire. The inner metal sheet is embedded around the edge of the charging port cover and is connected to the single contact metal sheet at the other end through the inner wire set in the charging port cover. The single contact is embedded in the bottom shell and is connected to the controller through the single contact wire inside the bottom shell. The outer metal sheet is embedded and fixed at the edge of the inner lining of the charging port and is connected to the controller through the outer wire. The opening and closing circuit includes two contacts, a two-contact metal sheet, and a two-contact wire. The two-contact metal sheet is embedded in the charging port cover, the two contacts are embedded in the bottom shell, and are connected to the controller through the two-contact wire. The thermal management method of the system includes the following steps: Step 1: When the driver issues a command to the electric vehicle to open the charging port cover, the opening and closing circuit is activated to determine whether the charging port cover can be opened normally. If not, the icing detection circuit is activated automatically. A preset resistance value is pre-input into the controller. The controller measures the resistance value between the inner and outer metal plates. If it is lower than the preset resistance value, it is determined that there is a foreign object at the charging port and a warning is issued to the driver. Otherwise, it is determined that icing has occurred. Step 2: The controller obtains the local outdoor temperature and humidity from the vehicle sensors to calculate the required de-icing parameters, namely the preset temperature range and preset time. The controller calculates the estimated power consumption based on the de-icing parameters, prompts the driver, and requests the execution of heating. Step 3: After the driver requests heating, the electric heating element is powered on and heating begins. The controller continuously records the time elapsed, and the temperature sensor monitors the temperature changes within the system in real time. Heating stops when the temperature reaches the upper limit of the preset temperature range, and starts when the temperature falls below the lower limit of the preset temperature range. During the ice melting process, if the ice detection circuit is disconnected, it is determined that the ice layer has melted, and the ice melting ends. If the controller records the time to the preset time and the ice detection circuit is still conducting, the ice melting stops, it is determined that there is a foreign object, and an alarm is triggered to the driver.

2. The electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cavity formed by the bottom shell and the inner lining of the charging port is filled with a heat insulation layer, and the heat insulation layer is located on the side of the heat dissipation plate away from the vehicle body.

3. The electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function according to claim 2, characterized in that, The material of the heat insulation layer filled in the bottom shell is glass fiber.

4. The electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bolt assembly includes a vehicle body bolt assembly and a charging port bolt assembly. The bottom shell, the charging port liner, and the vehicle body are jointly fixed together by the vehicle body bolt assembly, and the charging port is fixed to the charging port liner by the charging port bolt assembly.

5. The electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The heat spreader and the fixing plate are made of a material with the same coefficient of thermal expansion as the steel of the vehicle body.

6. The electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function according to claim 1, characterized in that, The charging port cover, charging port liner, and bottom shell are made of polyamide.

7. The electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 1, the preset resistance value is 2.5 × 10⁻⁶. 6 Ω.

8. The electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 3, the upper limit of the preset temperature range is 40°C and the lower limit is 10°C.

9. The electric vehicle charging port thermal management system with automatic de-icing function according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step 2, the preset time is 10 seconds.

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