Method for controlling a combined cooling and charging process of an electrified vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a combined cooling and charging process of an electrified vehicle (20) at a combined charging and cooling device, which has a charging plug (10) for electrified vehicles (20), wherein the charging plug (10) has a first plug element (30) for transmitting electrical energy and a second plug element (40) for transmitting a fluid, which is designed to be displaceable in the plugging direction (50), wherein, according to the method, the second plug element (40) is displaced in the plugging direction (50) by means of an actuator as soon as a locking element for locking the charging plug (10) on the vehicle (20) is activated.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for controlling a combined cooling and charging process of an electrified vehicle according to claim 1.

[0002] Electrified vehicles have a battery to provide electrical energy for propulsion. In most cases, this battery can be charged via an external interface. Particularly during fast charging, the battery heats up more than during normal driving. This results in a higher cooling requirement during charging than while driving. Current technologies address this increased cooling requirement by providing additional cooling power through the charging device during the charging process.

[0003] In this context, document DE 10 2012 213 855 A1 discloses a charging station and a battery arranged in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle can be connected to the charging station via a charging cable and a temperature control line. The charging station further comprises a temperature control element.

[0004] Furthermore, document DE 11 2012 003 109 T5 discloses a method for charging an electric vehicle with an electric battery. The charging process includes, in particular for charging capacities between 100 and 300 kW, the supply of a coolant to the electric vehicle to cool the electric battery during the charging process.

[0005] From DE 10 2019 114 765 B3, a charging cable arrangement for charging a traction battery of an electric vehicle is known. This comprises a charging cable which includes at least one electrical conductor and at least one cooling line, a charging plug arranged at the end of the charging cable with a charging plug housing, wherein the charging plug comprises a connector element and a cooling line coupling element, wherein the cooling line coupling element is slidably mounted on the charging plug housing and is movable between a coupling position and a non-coupling position.

[0006] From US 2012 / 0043935A1, a vehicle charging station is defined as having a charging source that provides an electrical charge, a coolant source that provides coolant, and a connector that includes both an electrical supply section that provides the electrical charge and a coolant supply section that provides the coolant.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to improve, at least partially, the known state of the art.

[0008] This problem is solved according to the invention by a control method for a combined cooling and charging process according to claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims. The features listed individually in the claims can be combined with one another in a technologically meaningful way and can be supplemented by explanatory details from the description and / or details from the figures, thereby showing further embodiments of the invention.

[0009] The charging plug for electrified vehicles has at least - a first plug-in element for the transmission of electrical energy, - a second plug-in element for the transmission of a fluid. It is characterized in that the second plug-in element is designed to be displaceable in the plug-in direction.

[0010] The first connector element functions like a conventional charging plug. It can have two or more poles and serves to transfer electrical energy to the charging electronics of an electrified vehicle, which ultimately charges its traction battery.

[0011] The second plug element typically has a supply and a return line for a cooling fluid, preferably coolant, by means of which cooling fluid can be exchanged with the cooling system of an electrified vehicle during the charging process, which then cools the traction battery of the electrified vehicle during a charging process.

[0012] The insertion direction refers to the direction in which the charging plug must be moved so that a connection can be made between the first plug element and a socket intended for connection with the first plug element.

[0013] The second connector is designed to be movable in this insertion direction. "Movable in the insertion direction" naturally means that it can also be moved in the opposite direction, i.e., the movement is reversible and can be repeated multiple times. The advantage of this is that the charging plug can be used both for charging electric vehicles that have the corresponding external cooling connections (as described for the second connector) and for charging electric vehicles that do not. If the first connector is inserted into the corresponding charging port of an electric vehicle that does not allow external cooling, the second connector will not collide with the vehicle body because it can move in the opposite direction to the insertion.

[0014] Preferably, the second plug-in element is guided on a sliding rail. A sliding rail is a conventional and widely used construction element to ensure sliding motion in a specific direction. This makes implementing the sliding motion of the second plug-in element particularly easy.

[0015] In one embodiment, the charging plug further comprises a retraction element that exerts force on the second plug element in the opposite direction of insertion. This ensures that the second plug element is retracted sufficiently in its rest position to prevent it from colliding with the vehicle body if the charging plug is used with an electric vehicle that does not allow external cooling.

[0016] A spring is particularly preferred as the return element, as it is especially cost-effective and reliable. However, it can also be an electric and / or hydraulic actuator.

[0017] Particularly preferably, the force exerted by the return element against the insertion direction is at most 50 N. This advantageously ensures that, in the case of external cooling, no large force is required to connect the second plug element.

[0018] In some embodiments, the force is greater than the weight force acting on the second plug element if the charging plug is aligned with the insertion direction in the direction of the weight force. Thus, regardless of the orientation of the charging plug, it is ensured that the second plug element is not extended in the rest position.

[0019] In one group of embodiments, at least one handle is permanently attached to the second plug-in element. A handle makes it particularly easy for the user to plug in the second plug-in element.

[0020] It is also possible that the charging plug has an actuator and that the second plug element can be moved, at least in the insertion direction, by means of the actuator. This represents a particularly convenient design for the user, as the second plug element can be inserted automatically by means of the actuator without any user intervention.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the second plug-in element has a locking element for blocking its displacement movement. The locking element, for example a pin that can be extended by spring force and / or manually and / or by means of an actuator, can ensure that the second plug-in element, extended in the insertion direction during the cooling process, does not retract unintentionally and thus interrupt the cooling process.

[0022] In some embodiments, the charging plug also includes a sensor for determining the position of the second plug element, for example, a camera and / or a laser sensor. This ensures that the second plug element is positioned precisely over the corresponding socket in the electrified vehicle before it is connected.

[0023] A combined charging and cooling device is any device that enables the simultaneous charging and cooling of an electrical energy storage device. The components required for charging and cooling are preferably arranged in close proximity, particularly preferably within a single housing. Preferably, the combined charging and cooling device is a charging station for electric vehicles, which, in addition to charging, also enables the external cooling of batteries while they are being charged. In some embodiments, the combined charging and cooling device is also part of a charging park.

[0024] The charging plug according to the invention is particularly advantageous in combined charging and cooling devices, since these can then be used by electrified vehicles, regardless of whether they allow external cooling of the battery or not.

[0025] In particular, the combined charging and cooling device includes a mechanism for automatically inserting the charging plug into a charging socket of the electrified vehicle. Since, in addition to operating the charging plug, the second plug element must also be moved during a charging process on the combined charging and cooling device according to the invention, it is particularly well suited for automation.

[0026] In an electric vehicle with a charging socket that can be connected to a charging plug as shown above, the charging socket of the electric vehicle has sockets corresponding to both the first and second plug elements. This allows the electric vehicle to be connected to a combined charging and cooling device particularly conveniently.

[0027] The electrified vehicle is in particular a purely electric vehicle. However, it can also be a hybrid or hydrogen vehicle. Preferably, it is a land vehicle, and most preferably a non-rail-bound land vehicle.

[0028] Preferably, the charging socket has a sensor for determining the position of the second plug element and / or a locking element. The same variants are possible as for a sensor and / or locking element on the charging plug side. This allows the previously mentioned advantages of a locking element and / or a position sensor to also apply on the vehicle side.

[0029] The invention relates to a method for controlling a combined cooling and charging process of an electrified vehicle at a combined charging and cooling device according to the invention, wherein the second plug element is moved in the plugging direction by means of an actuator, - as soon as a locking element is activated. In suitable further training, the second plug-in element is moved in the plug-in direction by means of the actuator, - as soon as electrical energy is transferred via the first plug-in element and / or - as soon as the secure positioning of the second plug-in element has been detected.

[0030] In this process, the second plug-in element is moved in the plug-in direction so far that it enters the corresponding sockets of a charging socket of an electrified vehicle in a fluid-tight manner.

[0031] In the first and second cases, it is particularly easy to recognize that the second connector can be plugged in. As soon as electrical energy is transferred via the first connector and / or a locking mechanism is activated to secure the charging plug to the vehicle, the first connector must necessarily be plugged in.

[0032] In the third case, for example via a sensor to determine the position of the second plug-in element, it is recognized even more reliably that the second plug-in element can be inserted safely.

[0033] Further advantages, advantageous embodiments, and developments of the invention are presented in the following description with reference to the figures. Specifically, it shows: Fig. 1 a charging plug according to the invention when used on an electrified vehicle without external cooling, Fig. 2 a charging plug according to the invention when used on an electrified vehicle with external cooling.

[0034] With reference to the figures, embodiments of the invention are presented.

[0035] Fig. Figure 1 shows a charging plug 10 according to the invention in use on an electrified vehicle 20 without external cooling. The plug 10 is inserted into the charging socket of the electrified vehicle 20. Only a portion of the vehicle 20's body is shown here. The vehicle 20 has only one socket corresponding to the first plug element 30, which is a two-pin plug. The second plug element 40 does not collide with the vehicle 20's body because it is displaced and retracted on a guide rail 60 in the opposite direction to the insertion direction 50. In this rest position, it is held by the return element 70, which is a simple spring.

[0036] Fig.Figure 2 shows the same charging plug 10 when used on an electrified vehicle 20 with external cooling. To enable cooling in addition to the transmission of electrical energy via the first plug element 30, the second plug element 40 is extended in the insertion direction 50 and inserted into the corresponding socket in the charging plug of the vehicle 20. In the embodiment shown here, a handle 80 is provided for moving the second plug element 40; this handle is fixedly connected to the second plug element 40. Reference symbol list 10 charging plugs 20 electrified vehicles 30 first plug-in element 40 second plug-in element 50 Plug direction 60 sliding rail 70 Reset element 80 handle

Claims

[1] Method for controlling a combined cooling and charging process of an electrified vehicle (20) at a combined charging and cooling device which has a charging plug (10) for electrified vehicles (20), wherein the charging plug (10) has a first plug element (30) for transmitting electrical energy and a second plug element (40) for transmitting a fluid which is designed to be displaceable in the plugging direction (50), wherein the second plug element (40) is displaced in the plugging direction (50) by means of an actuator as soon as a locking element for locking the charging plug (10) on the vehicle (20) is activated. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that the second plug-in element (40) is moved in the plug-in direction (50) by means of the actuator as soon as electrical energy is transferred by means of the first plug-in element (30). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that the second plug-in element (40) is moved by means of the actuator in the plug-in direction (50) as soon as the safe positioning for plugging in the second plug-in element (40) has been detected. [4] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the second plug-in element (40) is guided on a slide rail (60). [5] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that force is exerted on the second plug-in element (40) against the plug-in direction (50) by means of a return element (70). [6] Method according to claim 5, characterized by that the force is at most 50 N. [7] Method according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by , that the force is greater than the weight force acting on the second plug element (40) if the charging plug (10) is aligned with the plugging direction (50) in the direction of the weight force.

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