Arrangement of an electrically powered towing vehicle, a trailer connected to it and an electric vehicle mounted on the trailer

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement (1) of an electrically powered towing vehicle (2) designed as a passenger car, a trailer (3) connected to the towing vehicle (2), an electric vehicle (4) mounted on the trailer (3), and an energy transmission device (5) for bidirectional transmission of energy between high-voltage batteries and towing vehicle (2) and electric vehicle (4), wherein the energy transmission device (5) comprises a DC-DC converter (6). In this arrangement, the DC-DC converter (6) is provided to be stored in the trailer (3) and arranged in an area of ​​the trailer (3) facing the towing vehicle (2), and a high-voltage cable (7) electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle (2) is connected to the DC-DC converter (6) via a plug connection (8), and a high-voltage cable (9) electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle (4) is connected to the DC-DC converter (6) via a plug connection (10). The DC-DC converter (6) has connectors on opposite sides for connecting to the high-voltage cables (7, 9), namely a connector on the side facing the towing vehicle (2) when the arrangement (1) is traveling straight ahead, for connecting to the high-voltage cable (7) connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle (2), and a connector on the side facing the electric vehicle (4) for connecting to the high-voltage cable (9) connected to the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle (4).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement of an electrically driven towing vehicle, a trailer connected to the towing vehicle, an electric vehicle mounted on the trailer, and an energy transmission device for the bidirectional transmission of energy between high-voltage batteries of the towing vehicle and the electric vehicle, wherein the energy transmission device has a DC-DC converter.

[0002] Such an arrangement is known from DE 10 2016 003 532 A1. This describes a semi-trailer combination consisting of a semi-trailer truck and a semi-trailer. The semi-trailer serves to accommodate several passenger cars to be transported by the semi-trailer truck, which are arranged at two different levels of the semi-trailer. The semi-trailer truck, which represents the towing vehicle, is electrically driven. The passenger cars carried by the semi-trailer, i.e. the trailer, are electric vehicles. A transmission device serves the bidirectional transmission of energy between the high-voltage batteries of the semi-trailer truck and the passenger car. The energy transmission device has a DC-DC converter mounted in the semi-trailer truck, i.e. the towing vehicle. - When energy flows from the towing vehicle to the respective electric vehicle mounted on the trailer, this can be used to charge the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle.With a reverse energy flow from the respective electric vehicle to the towing vehicle, this can be used to charge the towing vehicle's high-voltage battery and / or to support the towing vehicle's drive. This can, for example, extend the range and / or provide power or drive torque support to the towing vehicle.

[0003] DC-DC converters, also known as DC-DC converters, convert an input DC voltage into a DC voltage with a higher, lower or inverted voltage level.

[0004] Towing vehicles designed as passenger cars can usually be equipped in such a way that a trailer can be attached to the towing vehicle via a ball head coupling.

[0005] DE 10 2018 207 768 A1 discloses an arrangement comprising a towing vehicle, a trailer connected to the towing vehicle, and a motor vehicle positioned on the trailer. The towing vehicle is powered by an internal combustion engine and the vehicle positioned on the trailer is electrically powered. A primary coil is integrated into the trailer, which interacts with a secondary coil of the motor vehicle to charge an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle positioned on the trailer.

[0006] US Patent No. 9,887,570 B2 discloses an arrangement consisting of a passenger car and a trailer connected to the passenger car. The trailer accommodates high-voltage batteries, which serve to provide traction power for the towing vehicle. A motorcycle or boat is mounted on the trailer.

[0007] US 7 193 393 B1 and DE 10 2015 112 349 A1 disclose further prior art.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an advantageous alternative design of the arrangement described above.

[0009] The problem is solved by an arrangement having the features of patent claim 1.

[0010] Further developments of this arrangement are the subject of the subclaims.

[0011] According to the invention, an arrangement is provided of an electrically driven towing vehicle designed as a passenger car, a trailer connected to the towing vehicle, an electric vehicle mounted on the trailer, and an energy transmission device for the bidirectional transmission of energy between high-voltage batteries of the towing vehicle and the electric vehicle, wherein the energy transmission device has a DC-DC converter. Here, the DC-DC converter is mounted in the trailer and arranged in a region of the trailer facing the towing vehicle. Furthermore, a high-voltage cable electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle is connected to the DC-DC converter via a plug connection, and a high-voltage cable electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle is connected to the DC-DC converter via a plug connection.

[0012] The DC-DC converter has plugs on opposite sides for connecting to the high-voltage cables, namely a plug on the side facing the towing vehicle when the arrangement is traveling straight ahead for connecting to the high-voltage cable connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle and a plug on the side facing the electric vehicle for connecting to the high-voltage cable connected to the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle.

[0013] The DC-DC converter is thus assigned to the trailer. No additional installation space is required for the DC-DC converter within the towing vehicle. Furthermore, the DC-DC converter, which is stored in the trailer, is particularly easy to access, especially considering the convenient connection of the high-voltage cables. These can be easily connected to the DC-DC converter via the plug-in connectors.

[0014] An electric vehicle is, in particular, a boat, an airplane, or a two-wheeler. The term "aircraft" is to be understood broadly, meaning that it can be a fixed-wing aircraft or a helicopter.

[0015] It is particularly advantageous if it is possible to automatically or manually set or select whether the towing vehicle or the electric vehicle is electrically charged while the towing vehicle is in motion. Especially with a towing vehicle designed as a hybrid vehicle, this makes it easy to ensure that the electric vehicle's high-voltage battery is fully charged upon arrival at the location where the electric vehicle is to be used.

[0016] Given that a preferred embodiment of the towing vehicle is a passenger car, in particular an SUV, the trailer is connected to the towing vehicle in particular via a ball head coupling.

[0017] In particular, the trailer is designed as a single-axle trailer or as a trailer with a tandem axle.

[0018] The towing vehicle preferably has a plug connection in its rear area for the high-voltage cable leading from the DC-DC converter to the towing vehicle. A high-voltage cable of the towing vehicle is connected to this plug connection, which is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle. Thus, the towing vehicle, in particular the passenger car, has a conveniently located plug connection for the high-voltage cable to the DC-DC converter in an area facing the trailer. This plug connection of the towing vehicle or passenger car is usually an additional plug connection to the usual plug connection provided for charging the towing vehicle or passenger car at a charging station, in particular a charging column.

[0019] In the arrangement according to the invention, the trailer with the DC-DC converter represents the interface. The DC-DC converter is provided to enable the different voltage levels between the towing vehicle and the electric vehicle. This converter has the same interface to the towing vehicle and the electric vehicle as a charging station or charging column (plug, etc.).

[0020] With this arrangement, a wide variety of charging functions can be represented, for example: - Charging the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle when stationary or while driving using the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle on the trailer, - Charging the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle when stationary or while driving using the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle, - Charging the electric vehicle's high-voltage battery while stationary while the towing vehicle is charging at a charging station. This means only one charging station is required for the towing vehicle and the electric vehicle.

[0021] Further features of the invention emerge from the attached drawing and the description of the embodiment shown in the drawing, without being limited thereto.

[0022] It shows: Fig. 1 a side view of the arrangement according to the invention.

[0023] Illustrated is an arrangement 1 of an electrically driven towing vehicle 2, a trailer 3 connected to the towing vehicle 2, an electric vehicle 4 mounted on the trailer 3 and an energy transmission device 5 for the bidirectional transmission of energy between high-voltage batteries of the towing vehicle 2 and the electric vehicle 4, wherein the energy transmission device 5 has a DC-DC converter 6.

[0024] The DC-DC converter 6 is mounted in the trailer 3. A high-voltage cable 7, electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle 2, is connected to the DC-DC converter 6 via a plug connection 8. A high-voltage cable 9, electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle 4, is connected to the DC-DC converter 6 via a plug connection 10.

[0025] The towing vehicle 2 is a passenger car, specifically an SUV. The towing vehicle 2 has a trailer coupling 11 with a ball head at its rear. The trailer 3 is connected to the towing vehicle 2 via this ball head coupling.

[0026] Trailer 3 is designed as a single-axle trailer.

[0027] Electric vehicle 4 is a boat, specifically an open recreational craft with a length, width, and height suitable for road transport. The boat rests on the usual supports of trailer 3 and is lashed down.

[0028] The towing vehicle 2 has a plug connection 12 in its rear area for the high-voltage cable 7 leading from the DC-DC converter 6 to the towing vehicle 2. This plug connection 12 is electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle 2 via a high-voltage cable.

[0029] The electric vehicle 4 or boat is also provided with a plug connection 13, in particular a plug connection 13 that serves for the usual charging of the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle 4. The high-voltage cable 9 is connected to this. However, the electric vehicle 4 can also have a separate electrical connection for the high-voltage cable 9.

[0030] The DC-DC converter 6 is arranged in an area of ​​the trailer 3 facing the towing vehicle 2. It rests on the trailer 3 and is secured there. On opposite sides of the DC-DC converter 6, the latter has plug connectors 8, 10 for connecting to the high-voltage cables 7 and 9. These plug connectors 10, 12 are arranged, based on the illustrated straight-ahead travel of the arrangement 1, on the side facing the towing vehicle 2 and on the side facing the electric vehicle 4.

Claims

[1] Arrangement (1) of an electrically driven towing vehicle (2) designed as a passenger car, a trailer (3) connected to the towing vehicle (2), an electric vehicle (4) mounted on the trailer (3), and an energy transmission device (5) for the bidirectional transmission of energy between high-voltage batteries of the towing vehicle (2) and the electric vehicle (4), wherein the energy transmission device (5) has a DC-DC converter (6), characterized by , that the DC-DC converter (6) is mounted in the trailer (3) and arranged in an area of ​​the trailer (3) facing the towing vehicle (2), a high-voltage cable (7) electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle (2) is connected to the DC-DC converter (6) via a plug connection (8), and a high-voltage cable (9) electrically connected to the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle (4) is connected to the DC-DC converter (6) via a further plug connection (10), the DC-DC converter (6) has plugs on opposite sides for connecting to the high-voltage cables (7, 9), namely a plug on the side facing the towing vehicle (2) when the arrangement (1) is traveling straight ahead for connecting to the high-voltage cable (7) connected to the high-voltage battery of the towing vehicle (2) and a plug on the side facing the electric vehicle (4) for connecting to the high-voltage cable (9) connected to the high-voltage battery of the electric vehicle (4). [2] Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized by that the electric vehicle (4) is a boat, an aircraft or a two-wheeler. [3] Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the trailer (3) is connected to the towing vehicle (2) via a ball head coupling. [4] Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the trailer (3) is designed as a single-axle trailer or as a trailer with a tandem axle. [5] Arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by that the towing vehicle (2) has a plug connection (12) in its rear area for the high-voltage cable (7) leading from the DC-DC converter (6) to the towing vehicle (2).

Images