Motor vehicle with inductive charging system

Abstract

Motor vehicle with an inductive charging device configured to charge a traction battery of the motor vehicle in conjunction with an external inductive charging device, with at least one sensor, depending on the sensor signal of which, in conjunction with a sensor signal of at least one external sensor, an actual relative position between the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device or an actual relative position between the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device can be determined, in order to approximate the respective actual relative position towards a respective target relative position, wherein the sensor or sensors,Depending on whose sensor signal, in conjunction with the sensor signal of the or any vehicle-external sensor(s), the actual relative position between the vehicle and the vehicle-external inductive charging device, or the actual relative position between the vehicle's inductive charging device and the vehicle-external inductive charging device, can be determined, spatially separated from the vehicle's inductive charging device and installed at a distance from the vehicle's inductive charging device.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle with an inductive charging device according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] WO 2024 / 038 056 A1 discloses a motor vehicle with an inductive charging device configured to charge the vehicle's traction battery in conjunction with an external inductive charging device. The external inductive charging device is also referred to as a stationary inductive charging device, and the vehicle's inductive charging device is also referred to as a mobile inductive charging device. For effective inductive charging, it is important to align the vehicle's inductive charging device precisely with the external inductive charging device. To this end, WO 2024 / 038 056 A1 proposes that the vehicle have a primary sensor unit and a secondary sensor unit. The primary sensor unit is mechanically connected to and / or integrated into the vehicle's inductive charging device, i.e., the mobile charging device.The secondary sensor unit is spaced apart from the primary sensor unit. The arrangement and integration of a sensor unit into the vehicle's inductive charging system is disadvantageous because the sensor unit's functionality is limited in this position, and it is difficult to determine the actual relative position between the vehicle (and thus the vehicle's inductive charging system) and the external inductive charging device.

[0003] US 2020 / 0 307 403 A1 discloses further state of the art for inductive charging of a motor vehicle.

[0004] The object of the invention is to create a motor vehicle with an inductive charging device in which the actual relative position between the motor vehicle and thus the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device can be determined simply and accurately.

[0005] This problem is solved by a motor vehicle according to claim 1.

[0006] According to the invention, the sensor or sensors, depending on whose sensor signal in conjunction with the sensor signal of the sensor or sensors external to the motor vehicle the actual relative position between the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device can be determined, are spatially separated from the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle and installed in the motor vehicle at a distance from the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle.

[0007] The present invention proposes that the sensor or sensors, depending on whose sensor signal in conjunction with the sensor signal of the sensor or sensors external to the motor vehicle the actual relative position between the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device can be determined, be spatially separated from the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle.

[0008] The vehicle according to the invention therefore does not have a sensor that is part of or integrated into the vehicle's inductive charging device, and on the basis of which the actual relative position between the vehicle and the external inductive charging device, or the actual relative position between the vehicle's inductive charging device and the external inductive charging device, is determined. This allows for a more precise determination of the respective actual relative position. Furthermore, the number of vehicle sensors required to determine the respective actual relative position is reduced compared to the prior art.

[0009] Preferably, the sensor(s) of the motor vehicle, based on whose sensor signal the actual relative position between the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device, or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device, can be determined, is integrated into a front bumper or spoiler of the motor vehicle, or into an exterior mirror of the motor vehicle. These positions of the respective sensor(s) of the motor vehicle, based on whose sensor signal the respective actual relative position is determined, are particularly suitable for highly accurate determination of the actual relative position.

[0010] Preferably, the sensor or sensors of the motor vehicle, depending on whose sensor signal the actual relative position between the motor vehicle and the inductive charging device external to the motor vehicle or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device of the motor vehicle and the inductive charging device external to the motor vehicle can be determined, is designed and configured as a UWB sensor to receive the sensor signal of the sensor or sensors external to the motor vehicle and / or to send its sensor signal to the sensor or sensors external to the motor vehicle.The invention is particularly useful when both the vehicle's sensors and the external sensors used to determine the actual relative position between the vehicle and the external inductive charging device, or the actual relative position between the vehicle's inductive charging device and the external inductive charging device, are UWB sensors, i.e., ultra-wideband sensors. The UWB antennas of such UWB sensors can then communicate and exchange data without restriction to determine the actual relative position between the vehicle's inductive charging device and the external inductive charging device.

[0011] Preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims and the following description.

[0012] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawing, without being limited thereto. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 A schematic view of a motor vehicle according to the invention.

[0013] Fig. Figure 1 shows a highly schematic representation of a motor vehicle 10, which has an inductive charging device 11 for charging a traction battery 12 of the motor vehicle 10. The inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 is, in particular, a charging pad. To charge the traction battery 12, the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 interacts with an external inductive charging device 13, which is embedded in a roadway 14, for example, in the area of ​​a parking lot. The inductive charging device 13 is, in particular, a charging pad.

[0014] For efficient inductive charging, the inductive charging device 11 of the vehicle 10 must be precisely aligned with the external inductive charging device 13. Therefore, for efficient inductive charging, the actual relative position between the vehicle 10, and thus its inductive charging device 11, and the external inductive charging device 13 should correspond to a target relative position.

[0015] To determine the actual relative position of the motor vehicle 10 to the external charging device 13, and thus of the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 to the external inductive charging device 13, both the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13 have at least one sensor 15. Depending on the sensor signals of sensors 15 and 16, the actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10, and thus its inductive charging device 11, and the external inductive charging device 13 can be determined in order to approximate the actual relative position towards the target relative position, in particular to bring the actual relative position into conformity with the target relative position.

[0016] In particular, it is provided that the vehicle-external inductive charging device 13 has four vehicle-external sensors 16 and that the vehicle 10 has two sensors 15, depending on whose sensor signals the actual relative position between the vehicle 10 and the vehicle-external inductive charging device 13 or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device 11 of the vehicle 10 and the vehicle-external inductive charging device 13 can be determined.

[0017] The actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10 or the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13 is preferably defined by a distance between the motor vehicle 10 or the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13 in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle 10, by a distance between the motor vehicle 10 or the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13 in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle 10, and by an angle between an axis of the motor vehicle 10 extending preferably in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle or the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and a reference axis of the external inductive charging device 13.

[0018] Each sensor 15 of the motor vehicle 10, whose sensor signal, in conjunction with the sensor signal of each external sensor 16, determines the actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13, or between the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13, is spatially separated from the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and installed at a distance from the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10. The communication between the sensors 15 and 16 is therefore not affected by the inductive charging device 11.

[0019] In Fig. 1 The respective sensor 15 is installed in a front section 17 of the motor vehicle 10, either in a front bumper 18 of the motor vehicle 10 or in a front spoiler 19 of the motor vehicle 10.

[0020] The reference number 15' indicates Fig. 1 an alternative positioning of the respective sensor 15 of the motor vehicle, depending on whose sensor signal the actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10 and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device 13 or between the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device 13 can be determined, namely in the area of ​​an exterior mirror 20.

[0021] Sensors 15 and 16 are UWB sensors, i.e., ultra-wideband sensors.

[0022] Then, if the sensor 15 of the motor vehicle 10, on the basis of whose sensor signal, in conjunction with the sensor signal of the sensor 16 of the external motor vehicle, the actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13 or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13 is determined, is installed in the area of ​​the front bumper 18 or the front spoiler 19 or the exterior mirror 20, the UWB antennas of the sensors 15, 16, which are designed as UWB sensors, can communicate wirelessly and exchange data without hindrance, so that with a small number of sensors 15,16 the actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10 and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device 13 or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device 13 can be determined with high accuracy.

[0023] Each sensor 15 of the motor vehicle, preferably designed as a UWB sensor, is configured to transmit its sensor signal to each external sensor 16 and to receive corresponding sensor signals from each external sensor 16. This is visualized by the double arrow 22.

[0024] Furthermore, each sensor 15 of the motor vehicle 10 is configured to determine the actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10 and the inductive charging device 13 external to the motor vehicle, or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the inductive charging device 13 external to the motor vehicle, and to provide the respective actual relative position to a control device 21 of the motor vehicle.

[0025] Communication between the sensor(s) 15 of the motor vehicle 10 and the control unit 21 is wired, preferably via a fiber optic cable as indicated by the double arrow 23. The sensor(s) 15 of the motor vehicle 10 thus preferably exchanges signals with the control unit 21 of the motor vehicle 10 via a fiber optic cable. In this way, the actual relative position determined by the respective sensor 15 can be provided to the control unit 21 within a very short time, ensuring that, while the motor vehicle 10 is in motion, the actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10, and thus its inductive charging device 11, and the external charging device 13 can be approximated to the target relative position using the control unit 21.This data exchange between sensor 15 of the motor vehicle 10 and the control unit 21 of the motor vehicle 10 can also take place via a CAN data bus of the motor vehicle 10.

[0026] The motor vehicle 10 according to the invention therefore has the inductive charging device 11, which is in particular a charging plate or charging coil. This charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 interacts with the external charging device 13, which is in particular another charging plate or charging coil, to inductively charge the traction battery 12 of the motor vehicle 10.

[0027] In order to align the motor vehicle 10 and thus its inductive charging device 11 with high precision to the external charging device 13, and thus to bring the actual relative position between the charging devices 11, 13 into conformity with a target relative position, the motor vehicle 10 has at least one, preferably two, sensors 15 which are spatially separated from the charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and are installed at defined positions on the motor vehicle, namely either in the area of ​​the front bumper 18 or the front spoiler 19 or the exterior mirrors 20. The sensors 15 of the motor vehicle 10 exchange data with the control unit 21 of the motor vehicle 10 via fiber optic cables and with the external sensors 16 wirelessly via a UWB connection.

[0028] The data exchanged between the sensors 15 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external sensors 16 include data on the distance between the motor vehicle 10 or the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13 in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle 10, on the distance between the motor vehicle 10 or the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13 in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle 10, and on the angle between the axis of the motor vehicle 10 or the inductive charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10, which preferably extends in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and the reference axis of the external inductive charging device 13. These data serve to determine the actual relative position between the motor vehicle 10 and the external inductive charging device 13.the charging device 11 of the motor vehicle 10 and the external charging device 13.

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle (10), with an inductive charging device (11) which is configured to charge a traction battery (12) of the motor vehicle (10) in conjunction with an external inductive charging device (13), with at least one sensor (15), depending on whose sensor signal in conjunction with a sensor signal of at least one vehicle-external sensor (16) an actual relative position between the vehicle (10) and the vehicle-external inductive charging device (13) or an actual relative position between the vehicle's inductive charging device (11) and the vehicle-external inductive charging device (13) can be determined, in order to approximate the respective actual relative position towards a respective target relative position depending on this, characterized by , that The sensor (15) or each sensor, depending on whose sensor signal in conjunction with the sensor signal of the sensor (16) external to the motor vehicle, the actual relative position between the motor vehicle (10) and the external inductive charging device (13) or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device (11) of the motor vehicle and the external inductive charging device (13) can be determined, is spatially separated from the inductive charging device (11) of the motor vehicle (10) and installed in the motor vehicle (10) at a distance from the inductive charging device (11) of the motor vehicle (10). [2] Motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the sensor or each sensor (15) of the motor vehicle (10), depending on whose sensor signal the respective actual relative position can be determined, is integrated into a front bumper (18) or a front spoiler (19). [3] Motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the or each sensor (15) of the motor vehicle (10), depending on whose sensor signal the respective actual relative position can be determined, is integrated into an exterior mirror (20) of the motor vehicle (10). [4] Motor vehicle (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the or each sensor (15) of the motor vehicle (10), depending on whose sensor signal the actual relative position between the motor vehicle (10) and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device (13) or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device (11) of the motor vehicle and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device (13) can be determined, is equipped to receive the sensor signal of the or each motor vehicle-external sensor (16). [5] Motor vehicle (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by, that the or each sensor (15) of the motor vehicle (10), depending on whose sensor signal the actual relative position between the motor vehicle (10) and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device (13) or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device (11) of the motor vehicle and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device (13) can be determined, is equipped to send its sensor signal to the or each motor vehicle-external sensor (16). [6] Motor vehicle (10) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by , that the or each sensor (15) of the motor vehicle (10) is configured to determine the respective actual relative position depending on its sensor signal sent to the or each motor vehicle external sensor (16) and / or depending on the sensor signal received by the or each motor vehicle external sensor (16). [7] Motor vehicle (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized bya control device (21) which is configured to receive from the sensor or each sensor (15) of the motor vehicle (10) the actual relative position between the motor vehicle (10) and the inductive charging device (13) external to the motor vehicle or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device (11) of the motor vehicle and the inductive charging device (13) external to the motor vehicle and to approximate the respective actual relative position in the direction of the respective target relative position. [8] Motor vehicle (13) according to claim 7, characterized by , that the control device (21) is connected to the sensor or sensors (15) of the motor vehicle (10), depending on whose sensor signal the respective actual relative position can be determined, via a fiber optic cable (23). [9] Motor vehicle (13) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by, that the sensor (15) of the motor vehicle (11), depending on whose sensor signal the actual relative position between the motor vehicle (10) and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device (13) or the actual relative position between the inductive charging device (11) of the motor vehicle and the motor vehicle-external inductive charging device (13) can be determined, is designed as a UWB sensor.

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