Vehicle supply system for supplying a vehicle with an energy carrier from a supply station

Abstract

Vehicle supply system (10, 20) comprising a vehicle (11) and a supply station (12), wherein the vehicle (11) has a supply access point (13) accessible from the outside of the vehicle with a cover (14) which is operable between an operating position covering the supply access point (13) and an operating position exposing the supply access point (13) and which has a planar cover section that covers the supply access point (13) in the covering operating position and a rim section (15) surrounding the cover section, wherein the supply access point (13) in the exposing operating position of the cover (14) can be selectively connected to the supply station (12) via a supply line (17) provided with a sheath (16) in order to supply an energy carrier from the supply station (11) to the vehicle (11) via the supply line (17), wherein an indicator device (18) visible from the outside of the vehicle21) to indicate a supply status of the vehicle (11) is arranged in the edge section (15) of the cover (14) and / or is included in the sheathing (16) of the supply line (17).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle supply system for supplying a vehicle with an energy source from a supply station external to the vehicle. For this purpose, a supply access point accessible from the vehicle's exterior is typically selectively coupled to the supply station via a supply line in order to supply the vehicle with the energy source from the supply station via the supply line.

[0002] For example, the supply access may be a charging socket for supplying the vehicle with electrical energy, in particular for charging a vehicle battery with a charging current in the case of an electric vehicle, or a tank opening for supplying the vehicle with fuel such as gasoline, diesel or gaseous fuel.

[0003] The supply access is typically mounted on the exterior of the vehicle for easy access and can be covered with a cover, such as a flap, to protect the supply access from damage and contamination. To supply the vehicle with the energy source, the cover is opened and the energy source is fed into the vehicle.

[0004] During a supply process, it is desirable that a person who supplies the vehicle with the energy source and / or monitors the supply is informed about the current supply status of the vehicle.

[0005] Typically, indicators indicating the power supply status are provided in the vehicle's cockpit. However, these are generally not active during a power supply process, for example, when the ignition key is removed. Furthermore, such indicators are difficult to read during the power supply process.

[0006] As an improvement, DE 10 2012 001 672 A1, for example, proposes a cover for a vehicle's utility access with a display device. The display device serves to indicate the current battery charge level using LEDs. The display device can be arranged on a hinge section or on an outer side of the cover, wherein the hinge section pivotally mounts the cover on the vehicle via a substantially vertically oriented axis of rotation.

[0007] Furthermore, DE 10 2020 128 546 A1 discloses a charging system for an electrified vehicle with a charging cable, in which the charging cable has a charge level indicator with several LED light elements. The charge level indicator is arranged in a housing and inserted between two cable sections of the charging cable.

[0008] From the generic document DE 10 2023 000 980 A1, a supply access accessible from the outside of the vehicle with a cover for an electric vehicle is also known, wherein a display device visible from the outside of the vehicle for displaying a supply status of the vehicle can be arranged in an edge section of the cover.

[0009] Against this background, the invention is based on the object of providing a vehicle supply system that ensures improved visibility of the current supply status of a vehicle from different viewing directions.

[0010] This object is achieved by a vehicle supply system having the features of claim 1. Further, particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the subclaims.

[0011] It should be noted that the features listed individually in the claims can be combined with one another in any technically reasonable manner (even across category boundaries, for example, between methods and devices) and demonstrate further embodiments of the invention. The description further characterizes and specifies the invention, particularly in conjunction with the figures.

[0012] It should also be noted that a conjunction "and / or" used herein between two features and linking them together is always to be interpreted in such a way that in a first embodiment of the subject matter according to the invention only the first feature can be present, in a second embodiment only the second feature can be present and in a third embodiment both the first and the second feature can be present.

[0013] The subject matter of the invention is a vehicle supply system comprising a vehicle and a supply station, wherein the vehicle has a supply access accessible from the outside of the vehicle and having a cover that can be operated between an operating position covering the supply access and an operating position exposing the supply access, and which has a cover section that covers the supply access in the covering operating position and an edge section surrounding the cover section. In the exposing operating position of the cover, the supply access can be selectively coupled to the supply station via a supply line provided with a sheath in order to supply the vehicle with an energy source from the supply station via the supply line.According to the invention, a display device visible from the outside of the vehicle for displaying a supply status of the vehicle is arranged in the edge section of the cover and / or accommodated in the sheath of the supply line.

[0014] The installation of the display device in the edge section of the cover ensures good visibility, which is essentially independent of the viewing direction of a person carrying out and / or monitoring the supply process of the vehicle and independent of the operating position of the cover, because the edge section of the cover, or at least a part thereof, is always clearly visible from a wide variety of viewing directions and in different operating positions of the cover. For example, the display device installed in the edge section is visible from both an outer side of the cover and an inner side of the cover, for example when the cover is pivoted between its covering operating position and its releasing operating position. This ensures good visibility of the display device from all sides.

[0015] The alternative or additional arrangement of the display device in the supply line sheath also ensures good visibility of the vehicle's current supply status. Furthermore, the integration of the display device in the supply line sheath eliminates the need for a separate housing to house the display device.

[0016] In both versions described above, the supply status outside the vehicle is always clearly visible.

[0017] The supply access can, for example, be a charging socket for supplying the vehicle with electrical energy, in particular for charging a vehicle battery with a charging current in the case of an electric vehicle, or a tank opening for supplying the vehicle with fuel such as gasoline, diesel, or gaseous fuel. The supply line can accordingly be a charging cable for conducting the charging current or a hose-like line for conveying the fuel. In these cases, the energy source is the electrical charging current or the fuel.

[0018] The invention provides that the display device is elastically deformable. For example, the display device can be formed from an e-paper (i.e., electronic paper) or an LED chain. The elastically deformable display device, when arranged in the sheath of the supply line, allows the supply line to be rolled up, for example, after the vehicle's supply has been completed.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment, the display device has a plurality of display elements arranged in a row. The current supply state (e.g., charge level of a vehicle battery) can be indicated by the number of illuminated display elements, in particular in the form of a progress bar. If, for example, all display elements are illuminated, this indicates a supply state in which the maximum amount of energy source has been absorbed in the vehicle. If none of the display elements are illuminated, this indicates a supply state in which no energy source is present in the vehicle. The display elements can be, for example, LEDs, micro-LEDs, OLEDs, pixels on a display, or pixels on an e-paper. Individual (micro-)LEDs or OLEDs can, for example, be connected together in an LED chain to form the display elements arranged in series.

[0020] Furthermore, according to preferred embodiments, the display device, when arranged in the sheath of the supply line, is arranged in an end section of the supply line closest to the supply access. Typically, a coupling device is provided at the vehicle-side end section of the supply line to couple the supply line to the vehicle's supply access. The coupling device can be, for example, a charging plug or a fuel nozzle. The end section of the supply line in which the display device is arranged according to this embodiment ends at the coupling device.

[0021] According to further preferred embodiments, the cover is mounted on the vehicle such that the orientation of the cover is the same in the operating position covering the supply access and in the operating position exposing the supply access. Accordingly, the cover does not change its spatial orientation in either operating position, ensuring good visibility of the display device in both operating positions. The movement of the cover between the two operating positions can, for example, be purely translational, with essentially all points of the cover moving along parallel trajectories (in contrast to rotation, where all points of the cover move in a circle around a common axis).

[0022] In advantageous further embodiments, the vehicle supply system is configured to activate the display device for displaying the supply status only during the coupling of the supply access to the supply station.

[0023] Features and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail in the following description of non-limiting embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings. The drawings schematically show: Fig. 1 a vehicle supply system according to an embodiment of the invention and Fig. 2 a vehicle supply system according to a further embodiment of the invention.

[0024] In the different figures, parts that are equivalent in terms of their function are always provided with the same reference symbols, so that they are usually only described once.

[0025] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle supply system 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. The vehicle supply system 10 comprises a vehicle 11, of which Fig. 1 only a part of a wheel arch can be seen, and a supply station 12 (e.g. a charging station or petrol pump). Fig. 1 shows that the vehicle 11 has a supply access 13 accessible from the outside of the vehicle with a cover 14.

[0026] The cover 14 can be operated (e.g., manually or automatically) between an operating position covering the supply access 13 (not shown) and an operating position exposing the supply access 13 as shown. The cover 14 has a flat cover section that covers the supply access 13 in the covering operating position and an edge section 15 that surrounds the cover section.

[0027] As in Fig. 1, the supply access 13, in the exposed operating position of the cover 14, can be selectively coupled to the supply station 12 via a supply line 17 provided with a sheath 16 and is coupled in the present illustration in order to supply the vehicle 11 with an energy source from the supply station 12 via the supply line 17.

[0028] In the Fig. In the vehicle supply system 10 shown in Figure 1, a display device 18 visible from the outside of the vehicle for displaying a supply status of the vehicle 11 is arranged in the edge section 15 of the cover 14.

[0029] Fig. Figure 2 schematically illustrates a vehicle supply system 20 according to a further embodiment of the invention. In contrast to the vehicle supply system 10 of Fig. 1 is in the Fig. In the vehicle supply system 20 shown in Figure 2, a display device 21 visible from the outside of the vehicle for displaying a supply status of the vehicle 11 is accommodated in the casing 16 of the supply line 17.

[0030] Both the display device 18 of the vehicle supply system 10 and the display device 21 of the vehicle supply system 20 can have a plurality of display elements 19 arranged in a row, as is shown for example in the display device 18 in Fig. 1 are shown individually. It should be understood that the display device 21 may also have display elements arranged in series (not shown individually).

[0031] The display elements 19 can be, for example, LEDs, micro-LEDs, OLEDs, pixels on a display, pixels on an e-paper (i.e. electronic paper) or the like.

[0032] The display device 21 of the vehicle supply system 20 in Fig. 2 can, for example, be designed as an LED chain.

[0033] Both in Fig. 1 as well as in Fig. 2 that in the present exemplary embodiments, the display devices 18 and 21 are each designed in the form of a progress bar, in which the number of illuminated display elements 19 indicates a supply state of the vehicle 11, in particular a relative amount (ie 0% to 100%) of the energy source present in the vehicle 11.

[0034] Especially in the Fig. 2, it is advantageous if it is designed to be elastically deformable (e.g. in the form of an LED chain or as an e-paper), so that the supply line 17 including the display device 21 can be rolled up.

[0035] Furthermore, the display device 21 in the Fig. 2 is arranged in an end section of the supply line 17 closest to the supply access 13.

[0036] In both the Fig. 1 and Fig. In the exemplary vehicle supply systems 10 and 20 shown in Figure 2, the energy source is an electric current for charging a vehicle battery (not shown) of the vehicle, although this is not necessarily limited to this energy source. In both cases, the supply access 13 is a charging socket into which a charging plug 22, attached to a vehicle-side end section of the supply line 17, engages to supply the energy source to the vehicle 11.

[0037] In the exemplary embodiments presented here, the cover 14 is mounted on the vehicle 11 in such a way that an orientation of the cover 14 in the covering operating position and in the exposing operating position is the same (ie substantially unchanged). LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS: 10 Vehicle supply system 11 vehicles 12 supply station 13 Access to care 14 Cover 15 edge section 16 Sheathing 17 Supply line 18 Display device 19 Display element 20 Vehicle supply system 21 Display device 22 charging plugs

Claims

[1] Vehicle supply system (10, 20) comprising a vehicle (11) and a supply station (12), wherein the vehicle (11) has a supply access (13) accessible from the outside of the vehicle, with a cover (14) which can be operated between an operating position covering the supply access (13) and an operating position exposing the supply access (13), and which has a flat cover section which covers the supply access (13) in the covering operating position, and an edge section (15) surrounding the cover section, wherein the supply access (13) in the exposing operating position of the cover (14) can be selectively coupled to the supply station (12) via a supply line (17) provided with a sheath (16) in order to supply the vehicle (11) with an energy source from the supply station (12) via the supply line (17), wherein a display device (18,21) for indicating a supply status of the vehicle (11) is arranged in the edge section (15) of the cover (14) and / or accommodated in the sheath (16) of the supply line (17), , characterized by that the display device (21) is elastically deformable. [2] Vehicle supply system according to claim 1, wherein the display device (18, 21) has a plurality of display elements (19) arranged in a row. [3] Vehicle supply system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the display device (21) is accommodated in the casing (16) of the supply line (17), wherein the display device (21) is arranged in an end section of the supply line (17) closest to the supply access (13). [4] Vehicle supply system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover (14) is mounted on the vehicle (11) in such a way that an orientation of the cover in the covering operating position and in the exposing operating position is the same. [5] Vehicle supply system according to one of the preceding claims, which is arranged to activate the display device (18, 21) only during the coupling of the supply access (13) to the supply station (12).

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