Method for operating a charging station for an electric vehicle

Abstract

Method for operating a charging system (1) for an electric vehicle (2), wherein - an electric vehicle (2) transmits a position of an external sensor (20) arranged on the outside of the electric vehicle (2) to a cleaning unit (110) of a cleaning system (11) of a charging system (1); - a control unit (1103) of the cleaning unit (110) automatically moves an arm (1100) which is movably held on the cleaning unit (110) relative to the cleaning unit (110) in such a way that a cleaning nozzle (1101) held at a free end of the arm (1100) is directed towards the external sensor (20); - the cleaning nozzle (1101) emits a spray of cleaning water (1111) that cleans the external sensor (20).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a charging system for an electric vehicle.

[0002] Charging systems, available in various designs, represent the state of the art and serve to charge electric vehicles and, in particular, to clean them during charging. These charging systems combine a charging unit with a cleaning system to provide both functions for electric vehicles. In this way, charging time can be used effectively for cleaning the electric vehicle. Therefore, the charging system can more accurately be described as a charging and cleaning system.

[0003] CN 114290941 A discloses a charging system for an electric vehicle, designed like the charging system described at the outset. DE 10 2018 004 919 A1 and US 2018 / 0 215 043 A1 each disclose a charging system with a cleaning unit, which in particular comprises an arm held on the cleaning unit and movable relative to the cleaning unit, and a cleaning nozzle held at a free end of the arm.

[0004] Of course, an electric vehicle can also be cleaned during a visit to the charging station; that is, the charging and cleaning functions provided by the charging station can be used independently of each other.

[0005] An electric vehicle, particularly one designed for autonomous driving, incorporates numerous external sensors that provide environmental data for the vehicle's driver assistance systems. These sensors are located on the exterior of the vehicle and are typically integrated into the outer surface of the vehicle's body.

[0006] The driver assistance systems are impaired if the external sensors are dirty and, as a result of the dirt, provide inaccurate or no environmental data. Dirty external sensors reduce the driving safety of the electric vehicle, which is associated with an increased risk of accidents.

[0007] To avoid this disadvantage, DE 10 2020119473 A1 and US 2018 / 0015908A1 each disclose a vehicle with external sensors and cleaning systems provided on the vehicle for automatically cleaning the external sensors.

[0008] However, each external sensor of the electric vehicle requires a dedicated, i.e., exclusively assigned, cleaning system, which, given the majority of external sensors, is technically complex, costly, and also prone to errors.

[0009] If the electric vehicle does not include cleaning systems for the external sensors, the external sensors must be cleaned regularly using an external device, for example, a combined charging and cleaning system as described in CN 114290941 A. However, it is desirable to facilitate cleaning the external sensors and reliably achieve a better cleaning result. Furthermore, the charging system should cause the least possible environmental impact.

[0010] It is therefore an object of the invention to propose a method for operating a charging system for an electric vehicle that allows for reliably efficient cleaning of external sensors of an electric vehicle, has a high degree of automation and is also environmentally friendly.

[0011] The problem is solved by a method having the features of claim 1.

[0012] The method is based on a charging system for an electric vehicle, comprising a charging unit for electrically charging the electric vehicle's traction battery and a cleaning system for cleaning an exterior surface of the electric vehicle, the cleaning system including a cleaning unit. The charging unit is suitable, for example, for a pure electric vehicle, a battery electric vehicle (BEV), or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), and generally for any autonomously driving rechargeable electric vehicle. The charging unit can be designed as a stationary charging unit, such as a charging station, or as a mobile charging unit.

[0013] The cleaning system is also suitable for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) or vehicles with combustion engines, which in particular have autonomous driving modes, i.e. can drive at least partially autonomously.

[0014] Naturally, the charging system can comprise multiple charging units. Similarly, the cleaning system can comprise multiple cleaning units. In this way, multiple electric vehicles can be charged and / or cleaned simultaneously. The cleaning system is located adjacent to the charging unit. It is possible for a cleaning unit and a charging unit to be integrated into a single device, i.e., located together in the same housing.

[0015] The cleaning unit comprises an arm attached to the cleaning unit and movable relative to it, and a cleaning nozzle held at a free end of the arm. The movable arm allows the cleaning nozzle to be positioned and aligned relative to the electric vehicle. In particular, the arm can be extendable from and retractable into the cleaning unit. The cleaning unit can include multiple movable arms, each with a cleaning nozzle.

[0016] The cleaning nozzle emits a directed spray onto the exterior surface of the electric vehicle, resulting in reliably high cleaning efficiency. This directed spray can be generated by a high-pressure pump belonging to the cleaning unit, to which the cleaning nozzle is fluidly connected, and an automatically actuated valve. The valve can be integrated into the cleaning nozzle itself.

[0017] Preferably, the cleaning unit for moving the arm includes one or more actuators. The arm can be pivotally mounted on the cleaning unit and / or include one or more joints. An actuator can be assigned to the pivot bearing or to each joint. The actuators enable automatic movement of the arm and thus positioning and aligning of the cleaning nozzle, thereby facilitating cleaning of the external sensor. The actuators can be electrically or hydraulically operated.

[0018] Ideally, the cleaning unit includes a control unit functionally connected to one or more actuators for controlling each actuator. The control unit actuates the actuators to move the arm.

[0019] The cleaning unit advantageously includes a communication device functionally connected to the control unit for wireless communication with the electric vehicle located in the charging system. The communication device is configured to receive a cleaning request and data regarding the position of the external sensor from the electric vehicle and to provide this information to the control unit.

[0020] Preferably, the cleaning system comprises a separate supply tank, connected to the cleaning nozzle and fluid-connected, for providing cleaning water. The supply tank is a water tank. The quantity of cleaning water supplied is significantly larger than the volume of water in a single spray. The supply tank can be fluid-connected to multiple cleaning nozzles, particularly multiple cleaning units. In other words, the supply tank can be a central component of the loading system.

[0021] The reservoir may include a dispensing device for manually drawing cleaning water from the reservoir. This dispensing device may consist of a tap attached to the reservoir and / or a dispensing nozzle connected to the reservoir via a hose. Thanks to this dispensing device, the cleaning water in the reservoir can also be used for manually cleaning the electric vehicle. In particular, the supplied cleaning water can also be used to refill the windshield washer system, the cooling circuit for the drive motor, the reservoir of a cleaning system associated with an external sensor, and the like.

[0022] The cleaning system advantageously includes a water treatment unit that is fluidically connected to an inlet of the supply tank on the outlet side. The water treatment unit is designed to treat water for cleaning the external sensor, i.e., to remove contaminants that are detrimental to cleaning, for example, by means of physical or chemical treatment processes.

[0023] Ideally, the cleaning system includes a collection tank for rainwater and / or process water, which is fluidically connected to an inlet of the water treatment unit. The collection tank is a water reservoir and can be a central component of the charging system. Water in the collection tank may contain contaminants that are detrimental to cleaning the external sensor.

[0024] The cleaning system can include a rainwater collection system located on a roof or integrated as the roof of the charging station, and / or a greywater collection system located in the base of the charging station, each connected to an inlet of the collection tank. Thanks to the rainwater collection system or the greywater collection system, the charging station requires little or no water from a drinking water supply. The greywater collection system allows for the reuse of used cleaning water. Both systems reduce the environmental impact of the charging station.

[0025] One aspect of the invention is a method for operating the charging system. During normal operation of the charging system, a traction battery of the electric vehicle can be charged when the electric vehicle is connected to a charging unit of the charging system, for example inductively or by means of a charging cable.

[0026] According to the invention, the electric vehicle transmits the position of an external sensor located on the outside of the electric vehicle to the cleaning unit of the charging system. A control unit of the cleaning unit automatically moves an arm, which is movably mounted on the cleaning unit, relative to the cleaning unit such that a cleaning nozzle held at a free end of the arm is directed at the external sensor. The cleaning nozzle then emits a spray of cleaning water to clean the external sensor. The transmitted position enables the cleaning unit to automatically clean the external sensor. Naturally, the electric vehicle can transmit a cleaning request and / or multiple positions to automatically clean several external sensors.

[0027] A key advantage of the methods according to the invention is that they allow for reliably efficient cleaning of the external sensors of an electric vehicle, offer a high degree of automation, and are environmentally friendly. The charging time of the electric vehicle can be used effectively for cleaning the external sensors.

[0028] The invention is schematically illustrated in the drawings with reference to one embodiment and is further described with reference to the drawings. It shows: Fig. 1 in a lateral view a charging system for an electric vehicle, which is operated in a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 shows a charging system 1 for an electric vehicle 2 in a lateral view. The electric vehicle 2 includes an external sensor 20 and a communication unit 21.

[0030] The charging system 1 comprises a charging unit 10 for electrically charging a traction battery of the electric vehicle 2. Furthermore, the charging system 1 comprises a cleaning system 11 for cleaning an exterior surface of the electric vehicle 2.

[0031] The cleaning system 11 includes a cleaning unit 110, an arm 1100 held on the cleaning unit 110 and movable relative to the cleaning unit 110, and a cleaning nozzle 1101 held at a free end of the arm 1100. The cleaning unit 110 may include one or more actuators 1102 for moving the arm 1100. Ideally, the cleaning unit 110 includes a control unit 1103 functionally connected to one or each actuator 1102 for controlling one or each actuator 1102.

[0032] Furthermore, the cleaning unit 110 can include a communication device 1104 functionally connected to the control unit 1103 for wireless communication with the electric vehicle 2 arranged in the charging system 1, in particular with the communication unit 21 of the electric vehicle 2.

[0033] The cleaning system 11 can also include a separate supply tank 111 for providing cleaning water 1111, which is fluidly connected to the cleaning nozzle 1101. The supply tank 111 advantageously includes a dispensing device 1110 for manually dispensing the cleaning water 1111 from the supply tank 111.

[0034] Furthermore, the cleaning system 11 can include a water treatment unit 112, which is fluidly connected on the outlet side to an inlet 1112 of the supply tank 111.

[0035] The cleaning system 11 preferably includes a collection tank 113 for collecting rainwater 1131 and / or process water 1132, which is fluidly connected on the outlet side to an inlet 1120 of the water treatment unit 112.

[0036] Furthermore, the cleaning system 11 can include a rainwater collection device 120 arranged on a roof 12 of the charging system 1 or designed as a roof 12 of the charging system 1 and / or a process water collection device 130 arranged in a substructure 13 of the charging station 1, each of which is fluidly connected on the outlet side to an inlet 1130 of the collection tank 113.

[0037] The charging system 1 is operated in a method according to an embodiment of the invention as follows.

[0038] The electric vehicle 2 transmits to the cleaning unit 110 of the cleaning system 11 of the charging system 1 a position of the external sensor 20 arranged on an outside of the electric vehicle 2.

[0039] The control unit 1103 of the cleaning unit 110 automatically moves an arm 1100, which is movably held on the cleaning unit 110, relative to the cleaning unit 110 in such a way that a cleaning nozzle 1101, held at a free end of the arm 1100, is directed towards the external sensor 20, and the cleaning nozzle 1101 emits a spray of cleaning water that cleans the external sensor 20. REFERENCE MARK LIST: 1 charging station 10 charging units 11 Cleaning system 110 cleaning units 1100 Arm 1101 Cleaning nozzle 1102 Actuator 1103 Control unit 1104 Communication device 111 storage containers 1110 Sampling device 1111 Cleaning water 1112 Admission 112 Water treatment unit 1120 Admission 113 collection containers 1130 Admission 1131 rainwater 1132 Domestic water 12 Roof 120 rainwater collection system 13 Subsurface 130 Domestic hot water collection system 2 electric vehicles 20 external sensors 21 Communication unit

Claims

[1] Method for operating a charging system (1) for an electric vehicle (2), in which - an electric vehicle (2) transmits a position of an external sensor (20) arranged on an outer side of the electric vehicle (2) to a cleaning unit (110) of a cleaning system (11) of a charging system (1); - a control device (1103) of the cleaning unit (110) automatically moves an arm (1100) movably held on the cleaning unit (110) relative to the cleaning unit (110) such that a cleaning nozzle (1101) held at a free end of the arm (1100) is aligned with the external sensor (20); - the cleaning nozzle (1101) emits a spray of cleaning water (1111) that cleans the external sensor (20). [2] The method of claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit (110) comprises one or more actuators (1102) for moving the arm (1100). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleaning unit (110) comprises a control device (1103) functionally connected to one or each actuator (1102) for controlling one or each actuator (1102). [4] Method according to claim 3, wherein the cleaning unit (110) comprises a communication device (1104) functionally connected to the control device (1103) for wirelessly communicating with the electric vehicle (2) arranged in the charging system (1). [5] Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cleaning system (11) comprises a supply container (111) separate from the cleaning unit (110) and fluidly connected to the cleaning nozzle (1101) for providing a cleaning water (1111). [6] Method according to claim 5, wherein the supply container (111) comprises a removal device (1110) for manually removing the cleaning water (1111) from the supply container (111). [7] Method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the cleaning system (11) comprises a water treatment unit (112) which is fluidly connected on the output side to an inlet (1112) of the supply container (111). [8] Method according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning system (11) comprises a collecting tank (113) for collecting rainwater (1131) and / or process water (1132), which is fluidly connected on the output side to an inlet (1120) of the water treatment unit (112). [9] Method according to claim 8, wherein the cleaning system (11) comprises a rainwater collection device (120) arranged on a roof (12) of the loading system (1) or designed as a roof (12) of the loading system (1) and / or a process water collection device (130) arranged in a subsurface (13) of the loading system (1), each of which is fluidically connected on the output side to an inlet (1130) of the collecting container (113).

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