Printed circuit board for attachment to charging infrastructures and / or charging sockets for vehicles with electrical energy storage and method therefor

Abstract

A circuit board (5) for attachment to charging infrastructures and / or charging sockets for vehicles with electrical energy storage is proposed. The circuit board (5) contains at least one lighting means (4) and a recess for connecting a charging cable (13). According to the invention, the circuit board (5) contains at least one antenna (6), which can be used for means for logging on (10) of a user. A user must log on to a higher-level system via the login (10) and then connect a charging cable (13) for a charging process in order to carry out a charging process (11) after successful login (10).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to printed circuit boards for attachment to charging infrastructures and / or charging sockets for vehicles with electrical energy storage, as well as a method for operating the printed circuit board.

[0002] Charging infrastructures are used for charging electrical energy storage devices, particularly in the field of electromobility, to provide electrical energy to the energy storage device being charged. Such charging infrastructures are often designed as charging stations or wall boxes. These contain a connection for a charging cable.

[0003] In the case of electromobility, the energy storage units to be charged are located in vehicles. To ensure that the energy provided by the charging infrastructure can be supplied to the vehicle, the vehicle contains a charging socket, which also provides a connection for the charging cable.

[0004] To charge the energy storage device, the charging cable is connected to the charging infrastructure and the charging socket. To bill for a charging session or to assign the vehicle or vehicle owner to a charging session, authentication options are often available at the charging infrastructure or on the vehicle. Without successful authentication, no charging session is possible. Authentication is usually performed via wireless transmission.

[0005] Such authentication is known, for example, from DE 10 2017 125 127 A1. Here, identification is performed at the charging station using a radio receiver, and a charging process is then assigned to the person or vehicle that has been identified.

[0006] It is also known to install lighting to indicate the charging status on the charging infrastructure and / or the vehicle. This allows the current status of the charging process to be visualized, for example, through different colors that the light can assume depending on the charging status.

[0007] Such a status indicator lamp is known, for example, from DE 10 2011 108 817 A1. Here, the lamp is provided at the connection point of the charging infrastructure.

[0008] While the charging cable connection and the lighting arrangement are often close together, the antenna of the radio receiver for authentication is usually located in a different position, which increases the space requirement.

[0009] The object of the present invention is therefore to reduce the space required by the antenna for authentication and the lighting for indicating the charging status in order to keep the space required to a minimum.

[0010] This problem is solved by the features of the main claim.

[0011] For this purpose, a printed circuit board is proposed for accommodating and contacting electrical or electronic components. The circuit board is designed for attachment to charging infrastructure or charging sockets for vehicles with electrical energy storage.

[0012] The circuit board contains at least one light source and a recess for connecting a charging cable. The light source can visually indicate the charging status.

[0013] The circuit board also contains at least one antenna, which can be used for user registration. The user can be a person or a vehicle. A wireless receiver, such as an NFC receiver or an RFID reader, can be used as the user registration device.

[0014] The recess for connecting the charging cable is preferably located in the center of the circuit board, so that the circuit board is arranged around the recess. The circuit board can also be constructed in multiple parts and connected mechanically and / or electrically using appropriate means, e.g., connectors.

[0015] Both the lighting and the means of user registration are controlled by a charging controller, which can be located on the infrastructure side or on the vehicle side.

[0016] A socket can be arranged in the recess of the circuit board for connecting the charging cable. This socket contains contact points for the electrical power supply lines as well as contact points for communication lines. Typically, two to four lines are used for the electrical power supply, depending on whether direct current, alternating current, or three-phase current is used to supply electrical power. Common communication lines include pilot lines and a ground line.

[0017] The contacting options consist of sockets for inserting corresponding pins on the charging cable side or pins for insertion into corresponding sockets on the charging cable side.

[0018] The preferred light source is an LED, as it consumes less energy. However, other electrically operated light sources, such as halogen bulbs, are also conceivable. Multiple light sources can also be used to indicate the charging status.

[0019] The means of user registration can be designed to recognize and read ID transmitters. This can be done using an ID card or smart devices such as mobile phones.

[0020] It is preferably proposed to construct the circuit board in multiple layers, and to arrange and contact the lighting device on an outer layer of the circuit board. It is also preferably proposed to arrange the antenna for the user registration device in an intermediate layer of the circuit board. Such an arrangement offers the advantage that the elements of the circuit board can be arranged in a particularly space-saving manner, and the antenna is arranged separately from the other elements of the circuit board, resulting in less influence on the elements of the circuit board.

[0021] Such a circuit board is then suitable for use as a user registration device through the user registration means, as well as for displaying the charging status of a charging process, since the registration means and the lighting means are arranged on the same circuit board.

[0022] In order to start and carry out a charging process using the circuit board according to the invention, a user must first log in to a higher-level system, e.g. a charging infrastructure.

[0023] To do this, the user must log in via the login. A suitable identification device must be brought close to the antenna of the login device to perform authentication in the higher-level system. The antenna is used to wirelessly read the identification via radio and is controlled by the higher-level system.

[0024] After registration, a charging process can be started via the higher-level system by connecting a charging cable in the recess.

[0025] The successful registration can be signaled via the lights. Further status indicators of the charging process can then also be provided via the lights.

[0026] Further features are shown in the attached drawings. They show: Fig. 1: Front and side view of a printed circuit board according to the invention Fig. 2: Schematic user registration and loading process

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a front view 1 of a printed circuit board 5 according to the invention on the left side of the figure and a corresponding side view 2 of the printed circuit board 5 on the right side.

[0028] The circuit board 5 is arranged in a circle around a recess in the middle, in which a socket 3 is inserted. The socket contains contact options for the lines present in a charging cable 13. For this purpose, the Fig. 5 a variant of a charging process using three-phase voltage.

[0029] Socket 3 contains contacts for the three phases L1, L2, and L3 as power conductors, as well as for a neutral conductor N. Socket 3 also contains contacts for communication, namely two pilot lines ("control pilot" CP and "proximity pilot" PP). Socket 3 also contains a contact for a ground line, which can be used for both the pilot lines and the line lines.

[0030] The circuit board 5 has a multi-layer structure and contains four lamps 4 on the outer layer to indicate the current charging status.

[0031] Furthermore, the circuit board 5 contains an antenna 6 in an intermediate layer. Due to the arrangement in different layers of the circuit board 5, the antenna 6 and the light source 4 do not influence each other.

[0032] Any necessary additional circuitry for the light source 4 and antenna can be arranged on the same circuit board 5, e.g. voltage converter, LED driver, NFC chip, etc.

[0033] Before the charging process 11, according to Fig. 2 a registration 10 is carried out. To do this, the user must complete the registration using the registration means. This is described in Fig. 2 is represented by an identification 12. This must be held close to the antenna 6 in order to be recognized by the higher-level system.

[0034] After the user has registered, the charging process 11 can be carried out by plugging the charging cable 13 into the socket.

[0035] The light source 4 indicates the current status of the charging process 11. The readiness for a charging process 11 or the successful registration 10 can also be indicated via the light source 4.

[0036] The invention is not limited to the features mentioned. Further embodiments are conceivable. Identification can be performed using a smartphone. The antenna can also be designed as a Wi-Fi antenna. Finally, a locking mechanism for connecting the charging cable could be provided. LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS 1 Front view 2 side view 3 bases 4 bulbs 5 circuit board 6 Antenna 10 Registration 11 Charging process 12 Identification 13 charging cables QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2017 125 127 A1

[0005] DE 10 2011 108 817 A1

[0007]

Claims

[1] Printed circuit board (5) for attachment to charging infrastructures and / or charging sockets for vehicles with electrical energy storage, with at least one light source (4), with a recess for connecting a charging cable (13), characterized by , that the circuit board (5) contains at least one antenna (6) which can be used for means for logging on (10) of a user. [2] Printed circuit board (5) according to claim 1, characterized by that in the recess for the connection of a charging cable (13) is designed such that a base (3) can be arranged therein. [3] Printed circuit board (5) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the light source (4) is designed as an LED. [4] Printed circuit board (5) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by that the means for logging on (10) of a user is designed as an NFC receiver. [5] Printed circuit board (5) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized bythat the antenna (6) is arranged in an intermediate layer of the circuit board (5). [6] Printed circuit board (5) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the illuminant is arranged on an outer layer of the circuit board (5). [7] Printed circuit board (5) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by that the circuit board (5) is suitable for use as an application (10) and for use as a display for the charging process of electrical energy storage devices. [8] Method of using a printed circuit board (5) for attachment to charging infrastructures and / or charging sockets for vehicles with electrical energy storage according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that first a user must log in to a higher-level system via a login (10) and then a charging cable (13) is connected for a charging process in order to carry out a charging process (11) after successful registration (10). [9] Method according to claim 8, characterized by that the registration (10) is carried out by means of an identification (12) which must be held near the antenna (6). [10] Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by that the identification (12) is carried out by means of an NFC tag. [11] Method according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized by that the charging cable is connected to the base (3). [12] Method according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized by that the light source (4) signals the current charge level.

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