Method, charging plug and system for charging an electric vehicle

Abstract

Procedure for charging an electric vehicle, including the following steps: - Connecting a battery (14) of the electric vehicle (4) to a charging station (16) and starting the charging process; - Monitoring an area (8) of an environment (U) of the electric vehicle (4) with a proximity sensor (6) integrated into a charging plug (2) during a charging process; - Visualizing at least part (18, U1) of the monitored area (8) using a light source (10) integrated into a charging plug (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method, a charging plug and a system for charging an electric vehicle.

[0002] To shorten charging times for electric vehicles, the transmitted charging power is being continually increased. Currents of up to 500 amperes are being transmitted and charging powers of up to 350 kW are being achieved.

[0003] To ensure human safety, there are already strict legal requirements for the charging plugs and charging systems used. Despite the established standards, there is still a risk of careless or negligent user intervention during the charging process, as the danger to humans posed by the high charging power is not immediately apparent in everyday use.

[0004] DE 10 2009 035 626 A1 describes a charging device for charging a vehicle, comprising a charging cable, a vehicle connector, and a charging socket. The charging socket has a twilight switch and a proximity switch, which control an orientation light such that it is switched on only at dusk and only when a person approaches.

[0005] DE 10 2011 080 455 A1 describes an arrangement for charging an electric vehicle, comprising a charging station, a charging cable, and a plug. The plug is equipped with two lamps and a push-button, which are activated by pressing the push-button. The lamps are thus only switched on when the plug is directly touched.

[0006] Against this background, the invention is based on the technical problem of specifying a method, a charging plug and a system for charging an electric vehicle, which enable increased safety for people and reliable charging of an electric vehicle.

[0007] The technical problem described above is solved by a method according to claim 1, a charging plug according to claim 7 and a system according to claim 10. Further embodiments of the invention emerge from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0008] According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a method for charging an electric vehicle, comprising the method steps: - Connecting a vehicle battery to a charging station and starting the charging process; - Monitoring an area of ​​the electric vehicle's surroundings with a proximity sensor integrated in a charging plug during a charging process; - Visualizing at least part of the monitored area using a light source integrated into a charging plug.

[0009] By monitoring an area of ​​the electric vehicle's surroundings, it can be detected whether a person or animal is approaching the electric vehicle. If a person or animal enters the monitored area, the charging power can be reduced or the charging process can be interrupted. The following process step can therefore be provided: - Reducing the charging power or interrupting the charging process if the proximity sensor detects a person or animal in the monitored area.

[0010] To prevent intrusion, especially by humans, into the monitored area, at least part of the monitored area is visualized using a light source. This prevents a person from accidentally entering the monitored area by making the monitored area visible to a person.

[0011] It may be provided that the visualization of the monitored area using the light source comprises the following process step: - surface lighting of an external wall of the electric vehicle and / or an area adjacent to a parking area of ​​the electric vehicle.

[0012] The illuminated area therefore indicates the extent of a volume monitored by the proximity sensor, so that a person can recognize that, for example, entering the illuminated area slows down or possibly completely interrupts the charging process.

[0013] It may be provided that the visualization of the monitored area using the light source comprises the following process step: - Projection of a linear boundary frame onto an outer wall of the electric vehicle and / or onto an area adjacent to a parking space of the electric vehicle.

[0014] The boundary frame therefore indicates the extent of a volume monitored by the proximity sensor, so that a person can recognize that, for example, crossing the line will slow down or possibly completely interrupt the charging process.

[0015] According to a further embodiment of the method, the visualization of the monitored area using the light source comprises at least one of the following method steps: - Use of one or more laser diodes as light source and / or - Use of one or more LEDs as a light source.

[0016] This means that energy-efficient, bright light sources can be used to indicate the monitored area.

[0017] It can be provided that one or more lamps emit green-colored light as long as the charging process is active.

[0018] It can be provided that one or more lamps emit red-colored light as long as the charging process is interrupted or the charging line is reduced.

[0019] Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that one or more lamps light up continuously as long as the charging process is active.

[0020] Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that one or more lamps light up in a pulsating manner as long as the charging process is interrupted or the charging line is reduced.

[0021] Alternatively or additionally, the charging plug can be provided with an additional status indicator separate from the light source, which can be configured as a single- or multi-colored light source and / or an acoustic signaling device. For example, the following method step can be used: - Indicate an active or inactive charging status using a status indicator separate from the light source.

[0022] According to a further embodiment of the method, monitoring the area surrounding the electric vehicle with the proximity sensor during the charging process comprises the following method step: - Monitoring the area surrounding the electric vehicle using a motion detector.

[0023] The motion detector can be an active motion detector (high frequency, Doppler radar, ultrasound) or a passive motion detector (infrared), or a combination of these designs.

[0024] The monitored area can be a volume that is at least partially conical. In other words, the motion detector can have a substantially conical radiation and / or reception characteristic.

[0025] According to a further embodiment of the method, the visualization of the monitored area using the light source comprises the following method step: - Visualizing at least part of the monitored area, wherein a visualized area and / or boundary is larger than the actually monitored area.

[0026] In this way, a tolerance range can be created in which the proximity sensor does not detect an intrusion by a person or animal.

[0027] According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a charging plug for charging an electric vehicle, comprising a proximity sensor for monitoring an area of ​​an environment of the electric vehicle during a charging process and comprising a light source for visualizing at least a part of the monitored area.

[0028] The charging plug can be configured to carry out the method described above or to be used to carry out the method described above.

[0029] With the help of the charging plug described above, the safety and reliability of charging an electric vehicle can be improved by automatically interrupting the charging process using the proximity sensor and by visualizing the monitored area to prevent unwanted entry by a person into the monitored area.

[0030] The proximity sensor may be a motion detector.

[0031] The motion detector can be an active motion detector (high frequency, Doppler radar, ultrasound) or a passive motion detector (infrared), or a combination of these designs.

[0032] The motion detector can have a substantially conical radiation and / or reception characteristic.

[0033] The motion detector can be integrated into a handle of the charging plug.

[0034] The light source can be integrated into a handle of the charging plug.

[0035] The light source may comprise one or more laser diodes.

[0036] Alternatively or additionally, the light source may comprise one or more light-emitting diodes.

[0037] This means that energy-efficient, bright light sources can be used to indicate the monitored area.

[0038] It may be provided that one or more lamps are designed to emit green light as long as the charging process is active.

[0039] It may be provided that one or more lamps are designed to emit red-colored light as long as the charging process is interrupted or the charging power is reduced.

[0040] Alternatively or additionally, it may be provided that one or more lamps are designed to illuminate continuously as long as the charging process is active.

[0041] Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that one or more lamps are designed to emit pulsating light as long as the charging process is interrupted or the charging power is reduced.

[0042] Alternatively or additionally, it can be provided that the charging plug has an additional status indicator separate from the light source, which can be designed in the form of a single- or multi-coloured light source and / or an acoustic signal generator.

[0043] According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a system for charging an electric vehicle, comprising a charging plug, a charging socket, a proximity sensor for monitoring an area of ​​an environment of the electric vehicle during a charging process and a light source for visualizing at least a part of the monitored area, wherein the proximity sensor is provided on the electric vehicle or the charging plug and wherein the light source is provided on the electric vehicle or the charging plug.

[0044] A monitoring device and / or a visualization device or a light source can therefore be integrated on the vehicle side.

[0045] A monitoring device and / or a visualization device or a light source can be integrated on the charging plug side.

[0046] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to a drawing illustrating exemplary embodiments. The drawings schematically show: Fig. 1 a charging plug according to the invention; Fig. 2 an electric vehicle in a rear view and a system according to the invention; Fig. 3 the electric vehicle from Fig. 2 in a plan view; Fig. 4 shows another charging plug according to the invention; Fig. 5 an electric vehicle with the charging plug from Fig. 4 in a perspective view.

[0047] Fig. 1 shows a charging plug 2 for charging an electric vehicle 4 ( Fig. 2). The charging plug 2 has a proximity sensor 6 for monitoring an area 8 of the surroundings U of the electric vehicle 4 during a charging process. In this case, the proximity sensor 6 is a motion detector 6.

[0048] The charging plug 2 has a light source 10. In this case, the light source 10 is a light source 10 with a plurality of laser diodes. A plurality of laser diodes 12.

[0049] To charge the electric vehicle 4, a battery 14 of the electric vehicle 4 is first connected to a charging station 16 and the charging process is started. During the charging process, the area 8 of the surroundings U of the electric vehicle 4 is monitored by means of the proximity sensor 6. The monitored area 8 is indicated here by the solid conically widened lines of the Fig. 2 and the pitch circle 8 of the Fig. 3. As soon as a person or animal enters the area 8, the charging process is stopped by the charging station 16.

[0050] In order to make the monitored area recognizable for a person approaching the electric vehicle 4, the monitored area 8 is visualized using the light source 10.

[0051] For this purpose, an outer wall 18 of the electric vehicle 4 and an area U1 adjacent to a parking space S of the electric vehicle 4 are illuminated. The illuminated area is indicated by the dashed line, which encloses the monitored area 8 shown by the solid line.

[0052] As an alternative to a planar illumination, only an outer boundary can be displayed in a linear manner on the electric vehicle 4 and in the area U1, for example by a laser diode projecting a boundary frame.

[0053] Together with a charging socket 20, the charging plug 2 is part of a system for charging an electric vehicle. According to alternative embodiments, the light source 10 and / or the proximity sensor 6 may be provided on the electric vehicle 4 itself instead of on the charging plug 2.

[0054] Fig. Figure 4 shows another charging plug 22 according to the invention in three views. Proximity sensor 6 and light source 10 are integrated into a module 24. Fig. 5 shows an electric vehicle 26 with the charging plug 22. A cone 28 describes the monitored area 28, which is simultaneously illuminated to make the monitored area 28 visible. Reference symbol 2 charging plugs 2 electric vehicles 6 Proximity sensor 8 Area 10 Light source 12 laser diodes 14 Battery 16 charging stations 18 Outer wall 20 charging socket 22 charging plugs 24 Module 26 electric vehicles 28 cones / monitored area S footprint U environment U1 surroundings

Claims

[1] Method for charging an electric vehicle, comprising the following steps: - connecting a battery (14) of the electric vehicle (4) to a charging station (16) and starting the charging process; - monitoring an area (8) of an environment (U) of the electric vehicle (4) with a proximity sensor (6) integrated in a charging plug (2) during a charging process; - Visualizing at least a part (18, U1) of the monitored area (8) by means of a light source (10) integrated in a charging plug (2). [2] Method according to claim 1, - wherein the visualization of the monitored area (8) using the light source (10) comprises the following method step: - surface illumination of an outer wall (18) of the electric vehicle (4) and / or of an environment (U1) adjacent to a parking area (S) of the electric vehicle (4). [3] Method according to one of claims 1 or 2, - wherein the visualization of the monitored area (8) using the light source (10) comprises the following method step: - Projection of a linear boundary frame onto an outer wall (18) of the electric vehicle and / or onto an environment (U1) adjacent to a parking space (S) of the electric vehicle (4). [4] Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, - wherein the visualization of the monitored area (8) using the light source (10) comprises at least one of the following method steps: - Use of one or more laser diodes (12) as light source (10) and / or - Use of one or more light-emitting diodes as light source (10). [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, - wherein monitoring the area (() of the environment (U) of the electric vehicle (4) with the proximity sensor (6) during the charging process comprises the following method step: - Monitoring the area surrounding the electric vehicle using a motion detector (6). [6] Method according to claim 5, - wherein the visualization of the monitored area (8) using the light source (10) comprises the following method step: - Visualizing at least a part (18, U1) of the monitored area, wherein a visualized area (18, U1) or boundary is larger than the actually monitored area (8). [7] Charging plug for charging an electric vehicle, - with a proximity sensor (6) for monitoring an area (8) of an environment (U) of the electric vehicle (4) during a charging process; - with a light source (10) for visualizing at least a part (18, U1) of the monitored area (8). [8] Charging plug according to claim 7, - wherein the proximity sensor (6) is a motion detector (6). [9] Charging plug according to one of claims 7 or 8, - wherein the light source (10) comprises one or more laser diodes (12) and / or - wherein the light source (10) comprises one or more light-emitting diodes. [10] System for charging an electric vehicle, - with a charging plug (2), - with a charging socket (20), - with a proximity sensor (6) for monitoring an area (8) of an environment (U) of the electric vehicle (4) during a charging process and - with a light source (10) for visualizing at least a part (18, U1) of the monitored area (8), - wherein the proximity sensor (6) is provided on the electric vehicle (4) or the charging plug (2) and - wherein the light source (10) is provided on the electric vehicle (4) or the charging plug (2).

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