Energy supply system for a motor vehicle and motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an energy supply system (1) for a motor vehicle and to a motor vehicle comprising the energy supply system (1). By means of the energy supply system (1), an electrical coupling (4) for the transfer of electrical energy between an on-board battery (3) of the motor vehicle and an end-user-specific electrically operated device (5) can be established in its intended installation position. The energy supply system (1) comprises: a plug connection arrangement (7) with a plug connection element (8); a display (9) integrated into the plug connection element (8); a control unit (10); and a sensor system (11) configured to detect an operating parameter set with an operating parameter of the energy supply system (1) relevant for the transfer of electrical energy and to provide it to the control unit (10).The control unit (10) is configured to assign a maximum energy supply power to the connector element (8) based on the recorded set of operating parameters and to control the display (9) to show a supply indicator (13) that corresponds to the assigned maximum energy supply power.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an energy supply system for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle equipped with such an energy supply system.

[0002] The further development of purely electric vehicles has led to traction batteries with particularly high electrical charging capacities, up to 100 kilowatt-hours and more. Today, it is possible to supply energy stored on board, i.e., in the traction battery, to electrical devices not belonging to the vehicle. For this purpose, modern vehicles have an energy supply system that allows electrical energy from the traction battery to be supplied via an electrical coupling element, enabling its use by a device not belonging to the vehicle.

[0003] CN 1 15 817 184 A discloses a system in which a remaining driving range is displayed when electrical energy is drawn from a traction battery of a motor vehicle.

[0004] WO 2018 / 038 306 A1 discloses a monitoring system for electric vehicle batteries with an intelligent battery sensor module and an LED module, wherein the system is designed in such a way that a required amount of energy (SoC), a current charging state and a maximum state of charge of the electric vehicle battery can be easily identified with the naked eye from the outside by means of luminous color control by the LED module.

[0005] Furthermore, US 2009 / 0174365A1 discloses a system for grid-controlled charging of electric vehicles, which includes charging transmission equipment that is networked.

[0006] The object of the invention is to create a way to deliver electrical energy, which can be provided by means of an on-board infrastructure of a motor vehicle, to a plug connection element for operating a device external to the vehicle in a particularly safe and efficient manner.

[0007] This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Further possible embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims, the description, and the figures. Features, advantages, and possible embodiments set forth in the description for one of the subject matter of the independent claims are to be regarded, at least analogously, across categories and embodiments as features, advantages, and possible embodiments of the respective subject matter of the other independent claims, as well as of any possible combination of the subject matter of the independent claims, optionally in conjunction with one or more of the dependent claims.

[0008] According to the invention, an energy supply system and a motor vehicle incorporating the energy supply system are proposed. In its intended installation position, the energy supply system forms an integral part of the motor vehicle. The energy supply system is designed such that, in its intended installation position, an electrical connection for transferring electrical energy between the vehicle's on-board battery and an end-user-specific electrically operated device can be established. The motor vehicle incorporating the energy supply system also has a traction battery, meaning that the motor vehicle is a purely electric or hybrid-electric vehicle. The vehicle's traction battery can be used as the on-board battery.

[0009] The energy supply system comprises a plug-in connection arrangement, which includes a plug-in element. Furthermore, the energy supply system includes a display integrated into the plug-in element, as well as a control unit and sensors. The sensors are configured to detect a set of operating parameters relevant to the transmission of electrical energy within the energy supply system and to provide this information to the control unit. According to the invention, the control unit is configured to assign a maximum energy supply power to the plug-in element based on the detected set of operating parameters. Furthermore, according to the invention, the control unit is configured to drive the display to generate a supply indicator, the supply indicator corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply power.

[0010] This allows a user who wishes to connect their end-user-specific electrically operated device to the vehicle's on-board or traction battery via the connector to see directly at the connector element whether the electrical power provided by the energy supply system is sufficient to operate the device. For example, the energy supply system may specify a maximum permissible energy supply power, which could be the maximum energy supply power. Operating the end-user-specific device means, for example, directly operating an electrical component of the device, such as an electric motor, while the vehicle's on-board or traction battery is being discharged.Furthermore, operating the end-user-specific device means that a battery of the end-user-specific device is charged while the vehicle's on-board or traction battery is being discharged.

[0011] In another possible embodiment of the energy supply system, the control unit is configured to drive the display to show a power indicator that corresponds to the electrical power currently supplied via the connector. In this way, the user, who has connected their electrical device to the vehicle's on-board battery via the electrical coupling, can see directly at the connector how much electrical power is currently being transferred to their device via the energy supply system's connector.

[0012] According to another possible embodiment, the connector arrangement of the energy supply system has two or more connector elements. This allows the user to connect a corresponding number of end-user-specific electrical devices to the vehicle's on-board or traction battery.

[0013] In a possible further development of the energy supply system, wherein the connector assembly comprises two or more connector elements, one of the connector elements is configured as a socket, in particular as a standardized household socket. Alternatively or additionally, one or more of the connector elements is configured as a standardized charging connector element for connecting the vehicle's traction battery to a charging energy supply network. It is understood that the socket or the standardized household socket is a different connector element than the standardized charging connector element. The standardized charging connector element is, in particular, arranged on an exterior part of the vehicle, whereas the connector element configured as the socket or household socket is, in particular, arranged inside the vehicle.Since the energy supply system includes at least one socket, in particular a standard household socket, the user is able to connect their device(s) to the vehicle's on-board or traction battery using standardized plug elements, such as a grounded plug. Since the energy supply system includes a standardized charging connector, the user can use this – for example, a vehicle charging socket – to connect additional devices, especially those with higher power consumption.

[0014] In another possible embodiment of the energy supply system, the sensor system includes a power sensor, which detects the electrical power currently supplied by the connector as one of the operating parameters. In this case, the control unit assigns the maximum energy supply power to the corresponding connector based on the detected operating parameter set, which includes the electrical power currently supplied by the connector. This ensures that the connector is not overloaded.

[0015] In the case that the energy supply system has two or more connector elements and the sensor system includes the power sensor, another possible embodiment provides that the control unit is configured to distribute a predetermined total energy supply power among the connector elements based on a number of connector elements in conjunction with the electrical power supplied at each connector element.If the total power supply capacity is, for example, 3600 watts, and a device with a rated power of 1500 watts is connected to one of the sockets, the control unit assigns a maximum power supply capacity of 2100 watts to each of the remaining sockets to which no device is connected. The display shows the power supply level corresponding to the assigned maximum power supply capacity of 2100 watts. The user can therefore see directly from the other two sockets that they can connect a device with a rated power of 2100 watts or less to one of them.Assuming the user connects a device with a nominal power of 2100 watts to one of the two connectors, the control unit assigns the remaining connector a maximum power supply of 0 watts, with the display showing the corresponding 0-watt power supply level. The user thus understands that they cannot connect another device to the vehicle's traction battery without first disconnecting one of the other two devices from the vehicle's battery.

[0016] In another possible embodiment, the sensor system of the energy supply system includes a temperature sensor, by means of which the operating temperature of the (respective) plug connector element can be detected as a further operating parameter of the operating parameter set.

[0017] If the temperature sensor detects that the current operating temperature of the corresponding connector is too high, the control unit assigns a correspondingly lower maximum power supply to that connector. For example, an undesirable increase in the operating temperature of the connector can occur if an unfavorably high contact resistance develops when the device is coupled to the connector. By reducing the maximum power supply in such a case, further heating of the connector is prevented. This constitutes a safety measure, particularly a fire protection measure.

[0018] In a possible further development of the energy supply system, it is envisaged that the display integrated into the connector element will have one or more of the following display elements: - a text display by means of which the display corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity can be shown in a character-based representation, in particular in numerical form, - a bar segment display with two or more discrete bar segments, by means of which the display corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity can be shown by illuminating and / or filling in a number of bar segments corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity, - a continuously variable bar display by which the display corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity can be shown by illuminating and / or filling in a length portion of the bar display corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity, - a color gradient display by which the display corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity can be shown by displaying a color corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity.

[0019] The text display allows the user to directly read the available power at the corresponding connector without having to decipher color codes or similar indicators. The color gradient display is specifically designed to use commonly used signal or warning colors, particularly a traffic light system.

[0020] In another possible embodiment of the power supply system, the connector and / or the display and / or the control unit are networked using Power Line Communication (PLC) for data and / or control signal transmission. This makes the power supply system particularly simple in design, and the need for special network cables is eliminated, since Power Line Communication transmits the data and control signals via the existing electrical conductors (cables, busbars, etc.). Of course, it is also possible to network the connector and / or the display and / or the control unit in other ways, for example, via a wireless data and / or control signal transmission connection (e.g., WLAN, Bluetooth, etc.).

[0021] Further features of the invention may become apparent from the following description of the figures and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features shown below in the description of the figures and / or in the figures themselves, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0022] The drawing shows in Fig. 1 a schematic view of an on-board energy supply system of a motor vehicle and Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 each a schematic view of two connector elements with different embodiments of a display of the energy supply system.

[0023] The following section describes an energy supply system 1 and a motor vehicle (not shown) comprising the energy supply system 1 together. Identical or functionally equivalent elements are designated with the same reference numerals in the figures.

[0024] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic view of the energy supply system 1 on board the motor vehicle. Only the motor vehicle's electrical power network 2 is schematically indicated, into which a traction battery 3 of the motor vehicle is integrated, or which contains the traction battery 3. By having the traction battery 3, the motor vehicle is designed as a purely electric or hybrid-electric vehicle. Fig. Figure 1 shows the energy supply system 1 in its intended installation position, with – merely by way of example – two electrical couplings 4 for transferring electrical energy between the traction battery 3 and a respective end-user-specific electrically operated device 5. The energy supply system 1 comprises a plug connection arrangement 7, which has a plug connection element 8, in this case a plurality of plug connection elements 8. In the present example, the plug connection elements 8 are each designed as a socket 6, which is in particular a standard household socket. Not shown in the figures, but certainly possible, are embodiments of the energy supply system 1 in which one of the plug connection elements 8 or two or more of the plug connection elements are designed as a standardized charging plug connection element.

[0025] In Fig. Figure 1 further shows that the energy supply system 1 has a display 9 integrated into each connector 8. In addition, the energy supply system 1 has a control unit 10, sensors 11, and – according to the present example – a voltage converter 12.

[0026] The sensor 11 is configured to detect an operating parameter set, including an operating parameter relevant for the transmission of electrical energy from the energy supply system 1, and to provide this data to the control unit 10. In this example, the sensor 11 includes a power sensor (not shown) which detects the electrical power currently supplied by the connector 8 as the first operating parameter in the set. The sensor 11 also includes a temperature sensor (not shown) which detects the operating temperature of the corresponding connector 8 as the second operating parameter in the set. Specifically, the sensor 11 includes one power sensor and one temperature sensor for each connector 8.

[0027] The control unit 10 is configured to assign a maximum energy supply power to the respective connector element 8 of the connector assembly 7 based on the detected operating parameter set – in this case, based on the respective current power and operating temperature of the corresponding connector element 8. Furthermore, the control unit 10 is configured to display a supply indicator 13 on the respective display 9 (see Fig. 2 to Fig. 5) to control, which corresponds to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity. In the present example, the control unit 10 is also configured to control the respective display 9 to show a power indicator 14, which corresponds to the current electrical power supplied by means of the corresponding connector element 8.

[0028] The connector elements 8 and / or the displays 9 and / or the control unit 10 are networked together for data and / or control signal transmission, in this example by means of Power Line Communication (PLC). The sensors 11 and / or the voltage converter 12 are also integrated into this network. In an alternative embodiment of the energy supply system 1, the network comprising the connector elements 8 and / or the displays 9 and / or the control unit 10 and / or the sensors 11 and / or the voltage converter 12 can be implemented using a data and / or control signal transmission bus system already present in the vehicle.

[0029] According to the present example, the control unit of the energy supply system 1 is also configured to distribute a predetermined total energy supply power among the connector elements 8 based on a certain number of connector elements in conjunction with the electrical power supplied to each connector element 8. For this purpose, for example, a control signal transmission connection is provided between the voltage converter 12 and the control unit 10, so that the control unit 10 can control the voltage converter 12 accordingly.

[0030] In order to enable a user of the energy supply system 1 or the motor vehicle to easily read or recognize directly at the respective connector element 8 to what extent the corresponding end-user-specific device 5 can be supplied with electrical power by means of the energy supply system 1, it is provided in the present example that the displays 9 integrated into the connector elements 8 each have a text display 15 and / or a bar segment display 16 and / or a continuous bar display 17 and / or a color gradient display 18.

[0031] This shows Fig. 2. An embodiment of the plug-in connectors 8 and the displays 9, each comprising the text display 15. The text display 15 can be used to show the information corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity in a character-based representation, in particular (as in Fig. 2 shown) in numerical form. Assume that the energy supply system 1 has the two in Fig. 2 shown connector elements 8, wherein the in Fig. When the end-user-specific device 5 is connected to the connector 8 shown on the left, the power indicator 14 is displayed on the left display 9 during operation of the energy supply system 1. It can be seen that – for example only – 1000 watts are supplied to the end-user-specific device 5. The display 9 of the Fig. The power supply indicator 13 is shown on the right-hand connector 8, displaying 2600 watts in this specific example. This means that as long as the end-user-specific device 5 is connected to the left-hand connector 8, another end-user-specific device 5 can be connected to the right-hand connector 8, which will then be supplied with a maximum of 2600 watts.

[0032] In Fig. Figure 3 shows two connector elements 8 of the energy supply system 1, with the displays 9 each having a bar segment display 16. Each bar segment display 16 has two or more – here eight – bar segments 19, of which in Fig. 3. For clarity, not all are labelled with the corresponding reference symbol. The availability indicator 13 and the performance indicator 14 can be displayed using bar segment display 16 and bar segment display 19, respectively. Thus, in Fig. 3. As can be seen on the left-hand side of the connector element 8, it is evident – ​​by way of example only – that five of the eight bar segments 19 are illuminated and / or filled, which means that five-eighths of the total energy supply power is delivered to the device 5 connected to this connector element 8. Accordingly, the supply indicator 13 of the Fig. 3 of the connector elements 8 shown on the right, three of the eight bar segments 19 are illuminated and / or filled, which means that the user has the option of connecting another device 5 to this connector element, whereby three eighths of the total energy supply power can then be supplied to this other device.

[0033] The displays 9 of the in Fig. The four connector elements 8 of the energy supply system 1 shown each have a continuously variable bar display 17. The continuously variable bar displays 17 allow the availability indicator 13 and the power indicator 14 to be displayed. The right-hand connector element 8 has a... Fig. 4. It can be seen that the device 5 connected to the connector 8 consumes a large part of the total energy supply power by indicating that a large part of the stepless bar display 17 is illuminated and / or filled. For the left connector 8, in Fig. 4 to recognize that a length portion of the stepless bar display 17 is illuminated and / or filled, namely exactly such a length portion that is not illuminated or filled in the left stepless bar display 17, i.e. in the power display 14.

[0034] In the Fig.The displays 9 of the 5 shown connector elements 8 each feature the color gradient display 18. The availability indicator 13 or power indicator 14 is shown here by displaying a color corresponding to the maximum energy availability assigned to the respective connector element 8. Different colors are represented in the present drawings by different hatching.

[0035] The energy supply system 1 and the motor vehicle each demonstrate a way in which the task explained at the beginning, namely to create a way to deliver electrical energy, which can be provided by means of an on-board infrastructure of a motor vehicle, to a plug connection element for operating a device external to the vehicle, in a particularly safe and efficient manner, is solved. Reference symbol list 1 Energy supply system 2 electrical power network 3 traction batteries 4 electrical coupling 5 end-user-specific device 6 sockets 7 Plug connection arrangement 8 plug connector elements 9 Display 10 Control unit 11 Sensors 12 voltage converters 13. Deployment notification 14 Performance indicator 15 Text display 16 bar segment display 17 stepless bar display 18 color gradient display 19 bar segment QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

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

[0000] CN 1 15 817 184 A

[0003]

Claims

[1] Energy supply system (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein the energy supply system (1) in its intended installation position enables an electrical coupling (4) for the transfer of electrical energy between an on-board battery (3) of the motor vehicle and an end-user-specific electrically operable device (5), wherein the energy supply system (1) comprises: - a plug connection arrangement (7) with a plug connection element (8), - a display (9) integrated into the connector element (8), - a control unit (10), - a sensor system (11) configured to detect an operating parameter set with an operating parameter of the energy supply system (1) relevant for the transmission of electrical energy and to provide it to the control unit (10), wherein the control unit (10) is configured to - to assign a maximum energy supply power to the plug-in element (8) based on the recorded set of operating parameters, - to control the display (9) to show a provision indicator (13) that corresponds to the assigned maximum energy provision capacity. [2] Energy supply system (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the control unit (10) is configured to control the display (9) to show a power indicator (14) that corresponds to an electrical power currently provided by means of the plug connector element (8). [3] Energy supply system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the plug connection arrangement (7) has two or more plug connection elements (8). [4] Energy supply system (1) according to claim 3, characterized by, that one of the connector elements (8) is designed as a socket (6), in particular as a standardized household socket, and / or one of the connector elements (8) is designed as a standardized charging connector element for coupling a traction battery (3) of a motor vehicle with a charging energy supply network. [5] Energy supply system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the sensor (11) has a power sensor by means of which an electrical power currently provided by means of the plug connection element (8) can be detected as an operating parameter of the operating parameter set. [6] Energy supply system (8) according to claim 5 with reference to claim 3, characterized by, that the control unit (10) is configured to distribute a predetermined total energy supply power to the connector elements (8) based on a number of connector elements in conjunction with the electrical power supplied at each of the connector elements (8). [7] Energy supply system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the sensor (11) has a temperature sensor by means of which an operating temperature of the plug connector element (8) can be detected as an operating parameter of the operating parameter set. [8] Energy supply system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the display (9) integrated into the connector element (8) has one or more of the following display elements (15, 16, 17, 18): - a text display (15) by means of which the availability display (13) corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity can be shown in a symbolic representation, in particular in numerical form, - a bar segment display (16) with two or more discrete bar segments (19) by means of which the provision indicator (13) corresponding to the assigned maximum energy provision capacity can be displayed by illuminating and / or filling in a number of bar segments (19) corresponding to the assigned maximum energy provision capacity, - a continuous bar display (17) by means of which the availability indicator (13) corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity can be displayed by illuminating and / or filling in a length portion of the bar display (17) corresponding to the assigned maximum energy supply capacity, - a color gradient display (18) by means of which the provision indicator (13) corresponding to the assigned maximum energy provision capacity can be displayed by showing a color corresponding to the assigned maximum energy provision capacity. [9] Energy supply system (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the connector element (8) and / or the display (9) and / or the control unit (10) are networked together by means of Powerline Communication for data and / or control signal transmission. [10] Motor vehicle with an energy supply system (1) designed according to any of the preceding claims.

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