Charging device comprising adapter plug compartment

Abstract

The invention relates to a charging device (10) for charging an electrically driven vehicle (42), comprising: a charging interface (12) for coupling the charging device (10) to a charging socket (44) of the electrically driven vehicle (42); a communication interface for identifying the vehicle (42); an adapter plug compartment (14) containing a plurality of reservoirs (16) of adapter plugs (18); and a control unit (26), which is connected to the communication interface (24) and the adapter plug compartment (14) in an information-exchanging manner and is designed to actuate the adapter plug compartment (14).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a charging device for charging an electrically driven vehicle for transporting loads and / or persons. Background Art

[0002] The term “vehicle” is used synonymously with the term “electrically driven vehicle” below. This also includes a “vehicle that is at least partially electrically driven”.

[0003] In order to be ready for driving, electrically driven vehicles must be charged at regular intervals. For this purpose, such vehicles are usually coupled to a charging device in order to supply the battery of the vehicle with electrical energy and thereby charge it. The basic condition for charging a vehicle on a charging device is that the charging device and the vehicle have the same charging system, that is, are compatible with each other. A variety of different charging systems are known from the prior art. Well-known charging systems are Type-1, Type-2 Mennekes, Combined AC / DC Charging System (Combined AC / DC Charging System, hereinafter referred to as "CCS"), Type-F, Commission on the Rules for the Approval of the Electrical Equipment (hereinafter referred to as "CEE"), Charger for Advance (Charge de Mode, hereinafter referred to as "ChadeMo") and Tesla Supercharger. In addition to the charging systems mentioned, there are many other charging systems and their characteristics determined by the manufacturer.

[0004] Based on the variety of charging systems available on the market, not every vehicle is compatible with every charging device. This significantly limits the choice of charging devices on which the vehicle can be charged. Finding a suitable charging device for a vehicle is therefore often time-consuming and limits the vehicle's maneuverability or range.

[0005] One proposal to overcome the aforementioned problems is to use so-called adapter plugs, which establish the compatibility of the charging device for electrically driven vehicles that would otherwise not be able to couple with each other. Of course, such adapter plugs are often limited to establishing compatibility between two specific charging systems. This significantly limits the use of such adapter plugs, since multiple adapter plugs must be purchased and carried. Summary of the invention

[0006] In this context, the object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a device with which an electrically driven vehicle can be charged in a simple manner.

[0007] According to the invention, the object is achieved by a charging device for charging an electrically driven vehicle for transporting loads and / or people, the charging device comprising a charging interface for coupling the charging device to a charging socket of an electrically driven vehicle. The charging device comprises: a communication interface for identifying the vehicle; an adapter; an adapter plug compartment, the adapter plug compartment containing a reserve of a plurality of adapter plugs; and a control unit, the control unit being connected to the communication interface and the adapter plug compartment in an information-exchanging manner and being provided for controlling the adapter plug compartment. Each of the plurality of adapter plugs has a first adapter side compatible with the charging interface of the charging device and a second adapter side compatible with a specific charging system for electrically driven vehicles. Each of the plurality of adapter plugs has a second adapter side that is different from the other adapter plugs.

[0008] The invention is based on the basic idea that a plurality of different adapter plugs are already provided on the charging device. The charging device according to the invention can therefore charge vehicles with different charging systems, since, by means of the supply of adapter plugs provided in the charging device, an adapter plug compatible with the respective charging system of the vehicle is always ready. This eliminates the need for the user of the charging device to carry a plurality of adapter plugs himself in order to couple his electrically driven vehicle to the respective charging device. Vehicles can be charged in a simple manner by means of the charging device according to the invention, without excluding certain charging systems from being charged by means of the charging device. The adapter plug compartment is controlled by communication with the vehicle, so that the adapter is immediately available to the user.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, the communication interface is configured to query data specific to the charging system of the vehicle to be charged and forward the data to a control unit, based on which the control unit selects from the adapter plug compartment an adapter plug having a second adapter side that is compatible with the charging system of the vehicle to be charged. This ensures that an adapter plug that is compatible with the charging system of the vehicle is automatically selected from the supply of adapter plugs without the user having to make a selection of a matching adapter plug. This enables a particularly fast and simple selection of an adapter plug.

[0010] Charging system-specific data are understood to be all data relevant to the charging process, for example data about the charging system of the vehicle, data about the charging system of the charging device, data about the charging duration and about the state of charge of the vehicle.

[0011] Another aspect of the invention provides that the adapter plug compartment is coupled to an output unit, which is configured to release the adapter plug from the adapter plug compartment when the control unit has selected an adapter plug. Advantageously, the adapter plug selected by the control unit can be removed directly from the charging device via the output unit. This prevents theft of other plugs.

[0012] According to a variant of the invention, the charging device is designed as an automatic charging device and has a motor-driven adjustable charging arm, which can be placed in engagement with the output unit and is provided to couple with the first adapter side of the adapter plug after the adapter plug is selected by the control unit and to cause the adapter plug to be automatically transferred from the output unit to the charging socket (Lagerbuchse) of the vehicle to be charged. The vehicle can thereby be electrically coupled to the charging arm via the second adapter side of the adapter plug and charged. This eliminates the need for manual removal of the adapter plug from the output unit. Such a charging device is fully automatic and enables the vehicle to be charged to be coupled to the charging device and charged without manual user interaction.

[0013] According to another variant, the output unit is configured to provide the adapter plug selected by the control unit to the user, so that the user can electrically couple the vehicle to be charged to the charging interface of the charging device via the adapter plug. In this variant, the charging device is thus manually operated. Such a charging device requires less maintenance and is less susceptible to technical disturbances or faults.

[0014] In another embodiment, it is provided that the communication interface is implemented as a touch display, a WLAN interface, an NFC interface or a Bluetooth interface. If the communication interface is implemented as a touch display, it is advantageously possible to interact with the charging device intuitively and in a simple manner. If the communication interface is implemented as a WLAN interface, an NFC interface or a Bluetooth interface, communication between the vehicle and the charging device can be carried out directly via a user interface in the vehicle.

[0015] In another embodiment, the second adapter side of the adapter plug corresponds to a charging system selected from the group consisting of Type-1, Type-2 Mennekes, CCS, Type-F, CEE, ChadeMo and Tesla Supercharger and their manufacturer-defined special types. The above-mentioned selection ensures that a large number of charging systems are compatible with the charging device.

[0016] The first adapter side is compatible with the charging interface of the charging device and may correspond to one of the above-mentioned charging systems or a specific feature type of the charging device.

[0017] According to another aspect, the charging device is a stationary charging device, in particular a stationary charging post. The embodiment of the charging device as a stationary charging device or a stationary charging post is particularly advantageous, since known specifications can be used.

[0018] According to a variant, the adapter plug magazine can be designed as a rotating drum magazine having a plurality of radially arranged seats, wherein each seat is equipped with one adapter plug from the plurality of adapter plugs. Such an adapter plug magazine can easily store a plurality of adapter plugs and can output adapter plugs from the store when required.

[0019] In another variant, the adapter plug magazine can be designed as a circulation system having a plurality of levels which rotate about a central axis, wherein each level is equipped with one adapter plug from the plurality of adapter plugs and the circulation system has a common removal and loading opening for removing and loading the adapter plugs. Such circulation systems are also known as "circulators". Such systems allow a plurality of adapter plugs to be received, stored and, if necessary, discharged through the common removal and loading opening in a simple manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Other advantages and features of the present invention are apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings to which reference is made. In the accompanying drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a charging device according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 A schematic diagram showing an adapter plug compartment implemented as a drum compartment used in the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing an adapter plug compartment implemented as a circulation system used in the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4 Show Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a charging device according to the present invention in , wherein the charging device is connected to an electrically driven vehicle via a charging line; and

[0025] Figure 5 Show Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a charging device according to the invention in FIG. 1 , which is connected to an electrically driven vehicle via a motor-driven adjustable charging arm. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Figure 1A charging device 10 is shown for charging an electrically driven vehicle.

[0027] Charging device 10 has a charging interface 12 which is provided for coupling charging device 10 to a charging socket of an electrically driven vehicle.

[0028] Furthermore, the charging device 10 has an adapter plug magazine 14 which contains a supply 16 of a plurality of adapter plugs 18 . A supply 16 of a plurality of adapter plugs 18 is understood to mean a plurality of different adapter plugs 18 .

[0029] More precisely, each of the plurality of adapter plugs 18 has a first adapter side 20 that is compatible with the charging interface 12 of the charging device 10 and a second adapter side 22 that is compatible with a specific charging system for an electrically driven vehicle. In this case, each of the plurality of adapter plugs 18 has a second adapter side 22 that is different from the other adapter plugs 18. Advantageously, the plurality of adapter plugs 18 are contained in the stock 16 in such a way that for each commercially known charging system, an associated adapter plug 18 with the corresponding second adapter side 22 is present in the stock 16.

[0030] Furthermore, the charging device 10 has a communication interface 24 and a control unit 26 , which are connected to one another for information exchange. The control unit 26 is also connected to the adapter plug bay 14 for information exchange and is provided for controlling the adapter plug bay 14 .

[0031] The communication interface 24 is configured to query data specific to the charging system of the vehicle to be charged and forward the data to a control unit 26, based on which the control unit 26 selects an adapter plug 18 having a second adapter side 22 from the adapter plug compartment 14, which is compatible with the charging system of the vehicle to be charged.

[0032] Furthermore, the charging device 10 has an output unit 28 which is coupled to the adapter plug compartment 14 and is provided to release the adapter plug 18 from the adapter plug compartment 14 when the control unit 26 has selected the adapter plug 18 .

[0033] exist Figure 2 and 3 Different embodiments for the adapter plug compartment 14 are shown in FIG.

[0034] exist Figure 2In the embodiment of the present invention, the adapter plug magazine 14 is designed as a drum magazine 30. The adapter plug magazine 14 is designed in particular as a rotating drum magazine 30 which has a plurality of radially arranged seats 32, wherein each seat 32 is equipped with one adapter plug 18 in each case.

[0035] The operating principle of such an adapter plug compartment 14 designed as a drum compartment 30 can be explained as follows: the drum compartment 30 can be rotated about a central axis, wherein the adapter plugs 18 stored in the drum compartment 30 are also moved in a rotational manner. If the charging system of the vehicle to be charged is determined via the communication interface 24, the control unit 26 can control the adapter plug compartment 14 designed as a drum compartment 30 in such a way that the adapter plug compartment 14 is rotated until an adapter plug 18 suitable for the charging system of the vehicle, that is, compatible, can be removed via the output unit 28.

[0036] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment of the invention, the adapter plug compartment 14 is designed as a circulation system 34. Such a circulation system 34 can also be referred to as a paternoster.

[0037] The circulation system 34 has a circumferential traction connection 36, to which a plurality of levels 38 are suspended. The traction connection 36 can be designed as a traction belt, a traction chain or a traction rope. The plurality of levels 38 are guided together in a circumferential direction via the traction connection 36. The traction connection 36 can be moved in a circumferential direction by at least one drive device 40, thereby also guiding the levels 38 together. In the present case, two drives 40 are provided.

[0038] The supply 16 of the adapter plugs 18 is provided on the levels 38. In particular, each level 38 is equipped with one adapter plug 18 in each case.

[0039] The circulation system 34 has a common removal and loading opening (not shown here) for removing and loading the adapter plug.

[0040] Such a circulation system can be described as follows in terms of its operating principle: The adapter plug 18 mounted on the level 38 can be moved in a circumferential direction. If the charging system of the vehicle to be charged is queried via the communication interface 24 and this information is transmitted to the control unit 26, which then selects a suitable adapter plug 18 from the reserve 16, the circulation system 34 is moved in a circumferential direction until the selected adapter plug 18 reaches the common removal and loading opening and can be removed there by the output unit 28.

[0041] Figure 4 Show Figure 1The charging device 10 in FIG. 1 is a charging device 10 in which the charging interface 12 is coupled to an electrically driven vehicle 42. The electrically driven vehicle may be a fully electrically driven vehicle or a hybrid vehicle.

[0042] More precisely, the charging interface 12 is electrically connected to the vehicle 42 via a charging cable 46. The charging cable 46 can be part of the charging device 10 or connected to the charging device via a plug-socket connection. The charging cable 46 also has a vehicle-side end 47, via which it can be coupled to the vehicle 42. For this purpose, the vehicle-side end 47 of the charging cable 46 is electrically coupled to the first adapter side 20 of the adapter plug 18, wherein the second adapter side 22 of the adapter plug 18 is coupled to the charging socket 44 of the vehicle 42.

[0043] Figure 5 As already shown Figure 4 The same arrangement as described in , with the difference that a motor-driven adjustable charging arm 48 is provided instead of the charging cable 46 .

[0044] The charging arm 48 has a plurality of joints 50 which enable motor-driven adjustability of the arm. In the present case, for example, three joints 50 are provided.

[0045] The charging device 10 shown is thus designed as an automatic charging device 10. The motor-driven adjustable charging arm 48 can be brought into engagement with the output unit 28 and is provided to couple to the first adapter side 20 of the adapter plug 18 after the adapter plug 18 has been selected by the control unit 26 and to cause the adapter plug 18 to be automatically transferred from the output unit 28 to the charging socket 44 of the vehicle 42 to be charged, so that the vehicle 42 can be electrically coupled to the charging arm 48 via the second adapter side 22 of the adapter plug 18 and charged.

[0046] The following is an exemplary description of a charging process using the charging device 10 according to the present invention, which is not to be understood in a restrictive sense.

[0047] An electrically driven vehicle 42 to be charged approaches the charging device 10. First, data specific to the charging system of the vehicle 42 to be charged are queried via the communication interface 24 and forwarded to the control unit 26. The vehicle 42 is thereby identified by the charging device 10, wherein in particular the charging system of the vehicle 42 is queried via the communication interface 24.

[0048] Using the information determined via the communication interface 24, the control unit 26 selects an adapter plug 18 from the adapter plug compartment 14 that is compatible with the vehicle 42, wherein the second adapter side 22 of the selected adapter plug 18 is compatible with the charging system of the electrically driven vehicle 42. The adapter plug 18 can be released via the output unit 28.

[0049] Thereafter, the adapter plug 18 can be manually removed by the user from the output unit 28 , plugged with the first adapter side 20 onto the vehicle-side end 47 of the charging cable 46 and subsequently coupled to the charging socket 44 of the vehicle 42 via the second adapter side 22 , or the motor-driven adjustable charging arm 48 can remove the adapter plug 18 from the output unit 28 and connect it to the charging socket 44 of the vehicle 42 via the adapter plug.

[0050] In both cases, charging device 10 is coupled to vehicle 42 sequentially via charging interface 12, optionally charging cable 46 or charging arm 48, adapter plug 18 and charging socket 44. After successful coupling, the charging process can take place.

Claims

1. A charging device (10) for charging an electrically driven vehicle (42) for transporting loads and / or people, the charging device comprising: A charging interface (12) for coupling the charging device (10) to a charging socket (44) of an electrically driven vehicle (42); a communication interface (24) for identifying a vehicle (42); an adapter plug compartment (14) containing a supply (16) of a plurality of adapter plugs (18); and a control unit (26) connected to the communication interface (24) and the adapter plug compartment (14) for exchanging information and configured to control the adapter plug compartment (14), Each of the plurality of adapter plugs (18) has a first adapter side (20) that is compatible with a charging interface (12) of the charging device (10) and a second adapter side (22) that is compatible with a specific charging system for an electrically driven vehicle (42), wherein each of the plurality of adapter plugs (18) has a second adapter side (22) that is different from the other adapter plugs (18).

2. The charging device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that The communication interface (24) is configured to query data specific to a charging system of a vehicle (42) to be charged and to forward the data to the control unit (26), based on which the control unit (26) selects an adapter plug (18) from the adapter plug compartment (14) according to a second adapter side (22) that is compatible with the charging system of the vehicle (42) to be charged.

3. The charging device (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that The adapter plug compartment (14) is coupled to an output unit (28), which is configured to release the adapter plug (18) from the adapter plug compartment (14) when the control unit (26) has selected the adapter plug (18).

4. The charging device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that The charging device (10) is designed as an automatic charging device (10) and has a motor-driven adjustable charging arm (48), which can be brought into engagement with the output unit (28) and is designed to couple to a first adapter side (20) of the adapter plug (18) after the adapter plug (18) is selected by the control unit (26) and to cause the adapter plug (18) to be automatically transferred from the output unit (28) to a charging socket (44) of the vehicle (42) to be charged, so that the vehicle (42) can be electrically coupled to the charging arm (48) via the second adapter side (22) of the adapter plug (18) and charged.

5. The charging device (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that The output unit (28) is configured to provide the adapter plug (18) selected by the control unit (26) to the user, so that the user can electrically couple the vehicle to be charged to the charging interface (12) of the charging device (10) via the adapter plug (18).

6. The charging device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The communication interface (24) is implemented as a touch display, a WLAN interface, an NFC interface or a Bluetooth interface.

7. The charging device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The second adapter side (22) of the adapter plug (18) corresponds to a charging system selected from the group consisting of Type-1, Type-2 Mennekes, CCS, Type-F, CEE, ChadeMo and Tesla Supercharger, and manufacturer-determined specialty types thereof.

8. The charging device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The charging device (10) is a fixed charging device (10), in particular the charging device (10) is a fixed charging pile.

9. The charging device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The adapter plug magazine (14) is designed as a rotating drum magazine (30) having a plurality of radially arranged seats (32), wherein each seat (32) is equipped with a respective one of the plurality of adapter plugs (18).

10. The charging device (10) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The adapter plug magazine (14) is implemented as a circulation system (34) having a plurality of levels (38) which rotate about a central axis, wherein each level (38) is equipped with one adapter plug (18) of the plurality of adapter plugs (18) and the circulation system (34) has a common removal and loading opening for removing and loading the adapter plugs (18).

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