Method and system for charging an electrically powered vehicle at a charging station using a charging adapter

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for charging an electrically operated vehicle (10) at a charging device (30) using a charging adapter (50) between a vehicle-side charging socket (12) and an external charging plug (34) of the charging device (30), comprising establishing an electrical connection of vehicle-side connections (52, 54) of the charging adapter (50) with the charging socket (12) of the vehicle (10); establishing an electrical connection of the external charging plug (34) of a charging cable (32) of the charging device (30) with plug-side connections (56, 58) of the charging adapter (30); checking by means of a control electronics (20) of the vehicle (10) whether the charging plug (34) has a test resistor (40) specific for the charging plug (34); setting a predefinable time charging profile for a charging process by the control electronics (20) depending on the presence of the test resistor (40). The invention further relates to a system (100) comprising an electrically operated vehicle (10), a charging adapter (50) and a charging device (30).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for charging an electrically operated vehicle at a charging device using a charging adapter between a vehicle-side charging socket and an external charging plug of the charging device, and to a system comprising an electrically operated vehicle, a charging adapter and a charging device for carrying out a method.

[0002] With the introduction of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) for charging electric vehicles at charging stations, another specially developed charging connector has been established as a North American standard. Therefore, charging adapters must be used to charge vehicles with other charging interfaces, such as those based on the Combined Charging System (CCS1) standard. Charging adapters are needed to adapt charging cables from CCS1 to NACS interfaces and vice versa.

[0003] All adapter solutions suffer from the problem of introducing an additional connector into the system, thereby creating additional contact resistance and heat. Furthermore, charging adapters often use a reduced cable cross-section to be as compact and inexpensive as possible. Typical charging adapters for charging vehicles with CCS1 interfaces at NACS charging stations, or vice versa, have maximum possible current ratings between 250A and 500A.

[0004] This means these charging adapters are not adequately sized and will be the limiting factor in almost every charging process. With increasingly larger batteries and higher charging capacities, the problem will only worsen. The switch to the NACS standard will lead to more frequent use of adapter charging in the future.

[0005] Typically, the charging infrastructure communicates its maximum capacity to the vehicle via a communication protocol (e.g., Smart Charge Communication SCC or CAN bus). However, since the charging adapter is unknown to the charging infrastructure, the overload protection that could otherwise be in place is bypassed.

[0006] Furthermore, the charging adapters lack active cooling, unlike the so-called High Power Charger (HPC) infrastructure (water- or oil-cooled plugs and cables). This leads to extremely rapid heating when the charging adapters are overloaded, if currents exceed their permissible limits are drawn, potentially resulting in a charging interruption or even a meltdown of the adapter and the vehicle's charging port or the charging infrastructure's plug.

[0007] The charging adapters currently in use have a protective mechanism that reduces the charging current if the adapter heats up above a certain temperature threshold. This so-called "derating" results in a sudden reduction, usually by half, of the charging current. When the threshold is exceeded, a resistor is switched on and detected by the charging control system, such as the vehicle's battery management system and / or the charging device, triggering the derating process. If the temperature exceeds a further threshold, another resistor is switched on and detected by the vehicle or charging device, causing the charging process to be terminated.

[0008] A charging adapter is only recognized by the charging device and / or the vehicle once it has already entered derating mode and is charged at a reduced current for the remainder of the charging process. This increases the charging time.

[0009] One object of the invention is to provide an improved method for charging an electrically operated vehicle at a charging device using a charging adapter between a vehicle-side charging socket and an external charging plug of the charging device.

[0010] Another task is to create a system for carrying out such a procedure.

[0011] The aforementioned tasks are solved using the characteristics of independent claims.

[0012] Favorable embodiments and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the further claims, the description and the drawing.

[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, a method for charging an electrically operated vehicle at a charging device is proposed using a charging adapter between a vehicle-side charging socket and an external charging plug of the charging device, comprising establishing an electrical connection of vehicle-side terminals of the charging adapter with the vehicle's charging socket; establishing an electrical connection of the external charging plug of a charging cable of the charging device with plug-side terminals of the charging adapter; checking by means of a control electronics of the vehicle whether the charging plug has a test resistor specific for the charging plug; setting a predefinable time-based charging profile for a charging process by the control electronics depending on the presence of the test resistor.

[0014] The proposed method makes it possible to detect a charging adapter during the charging process of an electric vehicle. This applies in particular to the use of charging adapters for charging vehicles with NACS charging sockets at charging stations with CCS1 charging connectors and for charging vehicles with CCS1 charging sockets at charging stations with NACS charging connectors. It is proposed to implement the detection of the charging adapter by means of a defined resistance, the presence of which is checked when the charging adapter is plugged into the vehicle's charging socket.

[0015] CCS1 charging plugs have a built-in test resistor. This allows the system to determine, depending on the vehicle's charging socket standard, whether a charging adapter is required. The proposed method therefore suggests that, before or at the start of the charging process, the vehicle's control electronics should check whether the test resistor is connected, thus detecting the presence of the charging adapter.

[0016] This method offers the advantage of faster and safer charging of an electric vehicle at a charging station. Temperature profiles in the charging plug on the charging station side and in the charging socket on the vehicle side can then be interpreted differently, thus preventing derating and the resulting reduction of the charging current for the remainder of the charging process.

[0017] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, if the absence of a test resistor is detected when the vehicle has a NACS charging port, or the presence of a test resistor is detected when the vehicle has a CCS1 charging port, a charging current above a current limit can be maintained, at least for a certain period. If the vehicle has a NACS charging port and no test resistor is detected, it can be assumed that a NACS charging plug is connected, since a CCS1 charging plug has a test resistor. Similarly, if the vehicle has a CCS1 charging port and a test resistor is detected, it can be assumed that a CCS charging plug is connected. In both cases, no charging adapter is required, allowing charging at a higher current.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, if the presence of a test resistor is detected (in the case of a NACS charging port on the vehicle) or its absence (in the case of a CCS1 charging port), the charging current can be maintained below a current limit. If the vehicle has a NACS charging port and a test resistor is detected, it can be assumed that a CCS1 charging plug is connected, since CCS1 charging plugs have a test resistor. Similarly, if the vehicle has a CCS1 charging port and no test resistor is detected, it can be assumed that a NACS charging plug is connected. In both cases, a charging adapter is required, so charging should be performed at a lower current below the critical current limit to prevent premature derating.

[0019] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the test resistor can be switched on, particularly briefly, by actuating a switch on the charging plug when connecting the charging plug to the plug-side terminals of the charging adapter. In this way, the test resistor does not need to be continuously switched on. However, the brief activation of the test resistor allows its presence to be reliably detected by the control electronics.

[0020] According to an advantageous embodiment of the method, the vehicle's charging process can be controlled by the control electronics in such a way as to prevent the charging adapter from heating up to a temperature exceeding a threshold temperature. This advantageously avoids premature derating of the charging process.

[0021] According to a further aspect of the invention, a system comprising an electrically powered vehicle, a charging adapter, and a charging device for carrying out a method is proposed, wherein the vehicle has a charging socket to which vehicle-side connections of the charging adapter can be connected. The charging device has a charging cable with a charging plug that can be connected to plug-side connections of the charging adapter. The vehicle has control electronics configured to check, when the charging plug is connected to the charging adapter and the charging socket, whether the charging plug has a test resistor specific to the charging plug. The control electronics are configured to set a predefinable time-based charging profile for a charging process depending on the presence of the test resistor.

[0022] The proposed system enables the detection of a charging adapter during the charging process of an electric vehicle. This applies particularly to the use of charging adapters for charging vehicles with NACS charging sockets at charging stations with CCS1 charging connectors, and vice versa. The system proposes implementing the detection of the charging adapter by means of a defined resistance, the presence of which is checked when the charging adapter is plugged into the vehicle's charging socket.

[0023] CCS1 charging plugs have a built-in test resistor. This allows the system to determine, depending on the vehicle's charging port standard, whether a charging adapter is required. Following the procedure described above, the vehicle's control electronics can check whether the test resistor is connected before or at the start of the charging process, thus detecting the presence of the charging adapter.

[0024] This method offers the advantage of faster and safer charging of an electric vehicle at a charging station. Temperature profiles in the charging plug on the charging station side and in the charging socket on the vehicle side can then be interpreted differently, thus preventing derating and the resulting reduction of the charging current for the remainder of the charging process.

[0025] According to an advantageous embodiment of the system, the charging plug can have a switch by which the test resistor can be switched on, particularly briefly, when the charging plug is connected to the plug-side terminals of the charging adapter. In this way, the test resistor does not need to be permanently switched on. However, the brief activation of the test resistor allows its presence to be reliably detected by the control electronics.

[0026] According to an advantageous embodiment of the system, the control electronics can be configured to manage the vehicle's charging process in such a way as to prevent the charging adapter from heating up to a temperature exceeding a threshold temperature. This advantageously avoids premature derating of the charging process.

[0027] Further advantages will become apparent from the following description of the drawings. The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The drawings, the description, and the claims contain numerous features in combination. A person skilled in the art will expediently consider the features individually and combine them into meaningful further combinations.

[0028] This shows: Fig. 1 an overview of a system according to an embodiment of the invention for carrying out a method according to the invention for charging an electrically operated vehicle at a charging device using a charging adapter between a vehicle-side charging socket and an external charging plug of the charging device; Fig. 2 A system diagram of the system with the electrically operated vehicle, the charging adapter and the charging device according to the embodiment in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 a system diagram of the charging adapter; Fig. 4 an overview of a system comprising the electrically powered vehicle, the charging adapter and the charging device according to a further embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 5 a system diagram of the system according to the exemplary embodiment in Fig. 4.

[0029] In the figures, identical or similar components are numbered with the same reference symbols. The figures merely show examples and are not to be understood as limiting.

[0030] Fig. Figure 1 shows an overview of a system 100 according to an embodiment of the invention for carrying out a method according to the invention for charging an electrically operated vehicle 10 at a charging device 30 using a charging adapter 50 between a vehicle-side charging socket 12 and an external charging plug 34 of the charging device 30.

[0031] The system 100 comprises the electrically operated vehicle 10, the charging adapter 50 and the charging device 30. According to a prescribed plug-in sequence, the charging adapter 50 is first plugged into the charging socket 12 of the vehicle and then the charging plug 34 of the charging cable 32 of the charging device 30 is connected to the other side of the charging adapter 50 already arranged on the vehicle 10.

[0032] The insertion sequence can be specified and / or recommended via the mechanical design of charging socket 12 and charging plug 34 and / or via an operating manual.

[0033] At the in Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the charging socket 12 is designed as a NACS charging socket 14, while the charging plug 34 is a CCS1 charging plug 36. Since the two plug standards are different, a charging adapter 50 with the corresponding connections must be used.

[0034] In Fig. Figure 2 is a system diagram of system 100 with the electrically operated vehicle 10, the charging adapter 50 and the charging device 30 according to the embodiment in Figure 2. Fig. 1 shown.

[0035] The vehicle 10 has a control electronics unit 20 for detecting a charging plug 34 inserted into the charging socket 12 via two lines connected to the charging socket 12. A regulated supply voltage 24, for example +5V, is used for this purpose and is coupled to the input of the control electronics unit 20 via a resistor 26. The vehicle 10 also has a vehicle ground 22.

[0036] The charging adapter 50, which is shown as a rectangle with a dotted line, is connected to the charging socket 12 via vehicle-side connections 52 and 54. A resistor 18 is connected between the two connection leads of the charging socket 12.

[0037] The charging plug 34 of the charging device 30 is connected to plug-side terminals 56, 58 of the charging adapter 50. The earth 46 of the charging device 30 is connected to the vehicle earth 22.

[0038] In this embodiment, the CCS1 charging plug 36, which is present as charging plug 34, has a test resistor 40 which is connected in series with another resistor 44 via a switch 42, for example via a rocker switch of the charging plug 36, to the plug-side connection 56 of the charging adapter 50 and thus to the input of the control electronics 20 of the vehicle 10.

[0039] The control electronics 20 is designed to check, when the charging plug 34 is connected to the charging adapter 50 and the charging socket 12, whether the charging plug 34 has this test resistance 40 specific to the charging plug 34.

[0040] Depending on the presence of the test resistor 40, a predefinable time-based charging profile for a charging process can then be set by the control electronics 20.

[0041] In the case of the CCS1 to NACS charging adapter 50, for example, when the CCS1 charging plug 36 of the charging device 30 is inserted into the charging adapter 50 on the vehicle 10, the test resistor 40 is briefly activated by actuating the switch 42, specifically before the actual charging process begins. This can be done, for example, by using a rocker switch when inserting the CCS1 charging plug 36 into the plug-side terminals 56, 58 of the charging adapter 50, thereby activating the test resistor 40.

[0042] This is detected by the vehicle's control electronics 20, which may be, for example, the charging control and / or battery management system, and which monitors the presence of this test resistor 40. The control electronics 20 then optimizes the charging process for charging with the existing charging adapter 50. The charging power is adjusted or reduced over time so that the charging adapter 50 does not heat up above the threshold at which derating occurs. This delays or prevents derating and thus increases the charging speed.

[0043] In Fig. Figure 3 shows a system diagram of the charging adapter 50 with the vehicle-side connections 53, 54 and the plug-side connections 56, 58. The charging adapter 50 has a resistor 60, which can be connected in parallel to the plug-side connections 56, 58 by means of a temperature-dependent switch 62, and a resistor 64 in the connection between the plug-side connection 56 and the vehicle-side connection 52, which can be bypassed by another temperature-dependent switch 66. In the initial state in Fig. In figure 3, this resistor 66 is shown bridged, while resistor 60 is not connected.

[0044] If the temperature threshold is exceeded, resistor 60 is switched on and detected by the control electronics 20 of the vehicle 10 and / or the charging device 30, whereupon derating is triggered, for example, a halving of the charging current. If the temperature exceeds a further threshold, resistor 64 is switched on via switch 66 and detected by the vehicle 10 or the charging device 30, which causes the charging process to be terminated.

[0045] Fig. Figure 4 shows an overview of a system 100 with the electrically operated vehicle 10, the charging adapter 50 and the charging device 30 according to a further embodiment of the invention.

[0046] At the in Fig. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the charging socket 12 is designed as a CCS1 charging socket 16, while the charging plug 34 is a NACS charging plug 38. Since the two plug standards are different, a charging adapter 50 with the corresponding connections must also be used.

[0047] In Fig. Figure 5 shows the system diagram of system 100 according to Fig. 4 shown.

[0048] The in Fig. The system diagram shown in section 5 essentially corresponds to the one in Fig. 2. System diagram shown. In contrast, the NACS charging plug 38 does not have a test resistor 40.

[0049] In the case of the NACS to CCS1 charging adapter 50, when the charging plug 34 or charging adapter is inserted into the vehicle's charging socket 12, the control electronics 20 performs a check to determine whether the test resistor 40 is present or not. If the test resistor is not present, a charging adapter 50 must be present, since a CCS1 charging plug 36 has the test resistor as standard and the vehicle has a CCS1 charging socket 16.

[0050] If a CCS1 charging plug 36 is inserted into vehicle 10 with CCS1 charging socket 16, the test resistor 40 is briefly detected. If this resistor is not present and only the resistance 44 is detected instead, then only a NACS charging plug 38 of a NACS charging device 30 can be inserted.

[0051] Depending on the presence of the test resistor 40, a predefined charging profile for a charging process can be set by the control electronics 20. The charging process of the vehicle 10 can be controlled by the control electronics 20 in such a way that the charging adapter 50 is prevented from heating up to a temperature exceeding a threshold temperature.

[0052] According to the proposed method, if the absence of the test resistor 40 is detected when a NACS charging socket 14 of the vehicle 10 is present, or the presence of the test resistor 40 when a CCS1 charging socket 16 of the vehicle 10 is present, a charging current can be maintained above a current limit value for at least a certain period of time. Conversely, if the presence of the test resistor 40 is detected when a NACS charging socket 14 of the vehicle 10 is present, or the absence of the test resistor 40 when a CCS1 charging socket 16 of the vehicle 10 is present, a charging current can be maintained below a current limit value, thus preventing premature derating of the charging process. Reference symbol list 10 vehicles 12 charging sockets 14 NACS charging sockets 16 CCS1 charging sockets 18 Resistance 20 Control electronics 22 Vehicle soil 24 Supply voltage 26 Resistance 30 charging equipment 32 charging cables 34 charging plugs 36 CCS1 charging plugs 38 NACS charging plugs 40 test resistor 42 switches 44 Resistance 46 Earth 50 charging adapters 52 vehicle-side connection 54 vehicle-side connection 56 plug-side connection 58 plug-side connection 60 resistance 62 switches 64 resistor 66 switches 100 System

Claims

[1] Method for charging an electrically powered vehicle (10) at a charging device (30) using a charging adapter (50) between a vehicle-side charging socket (12) and an external charging plug (34) of the charging device (30), comprising Establishing an electrical connection between the vehicle-side connections (52, 54) of the charging adapter (50) and the charging socket (12) of the vehicle (10); Establishing an electrical connection between the external charging plug (34) of a charging cable (32) of the charging device (30) and the plug-side connections (56, 58) of the charging adapter (30); Checking, using a control electronics (20) of the vehicle (10), whether the charging plug (34) has a test resistance (40) specific to the charging plug (34); Setting a predefinable time charging profile for a charging process by the control electronics (20) depending on the presence of the test resistor (40). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein if the absence of the test resistor (40) is detected when a NACS charging socket (14) of the vehicle (10) is present or the presence of the test resistor (40) is detected when a CCS1 charging socket (16) of the vehicle (10) is present, a charging current is maintained above a current limit value for at least a period of time. [3] Method according to claim 1, wherein if the presence of the test resistor (40) is detected when a NACS charging socket (14) of the vehicle (10) is present or the absence of the test resistor (40) is detected when a CCS1 charging socket (16) of the vehicle (10) is present, a charging current is maintained at a value below a current limit. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the test resistor (40) is switched on, in particular briefly, by actuating a switch (42) of the charging plug (34) when connecting the charging plug (34) to the plug-side terminals (56, 58) of the charging adapter (50). [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the charging process of the vehicle (10) is controlled by the control electronics (20) in such a way as to prevent the charging adapter (50) from heating up to a temperature exceeding a threshold temperature. [6] System (100) comprising an electrically powered vehicle (10), a charging adapter (50) and a charging device (30) for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle has a charging socket (12) to which vehicle-side connections (52, 54) of the charging adapter (50) can be connected, wherein the charging device (30) has a charging cable (32) with a charging plug (34) which can be connected to plug-side terminals (56, 58) of the charging adapter (50), wherein the vehicle (10) has a control electronics (20) which is designed to check, when the charging plug (34) is connected to the charging adapter (50) and the charging socket (12), whether the charging plug (34) has a test resistor (40) specific to the charging plug (34), wherein the control electronics (20) is configured to set a predefinable time charging profile for a charging process depending on the presence of the test resistor (40). [7] System according to claim 6, wherein the charging plug (34) has a switch (42) by means of which the test resistor (40) can be switched on, in particular briefly, when connecting the charging plug (34) to the plug-side terminals (56, 58) of the charging adapter (50). [8] System according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the control electronics (20) is configured to control the charging process of the vehicle (10) in such a way as to prevent the charging adapter (50) from heating up to a temperature exceeding a threshold temperature.

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