Method for closing a loading hatch

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for closing a charging flap, comprising the steps of: receiving (S2) a closing instruction from a user via an input device on which a physical and / or virtual closing button is held down; determining (S3) that no charging plug is in a charging socket associated with the charging flap as a first condition; determining (S4) that the input device is in a predetermined area around the charging flap as a second condition; and closing (S5) the charging flap by operating an actuator motor when at least the first and second conditions are met, as long as the closing button is pressed (S6) and the charging flap has not yet reached its closed position (S8).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for closing, in particular for emergency closing, a loading flap of a motor vehicle.

[0002] Motor vehicles are known from the prior art in which a charging flap automatically opens and closes to cover and expose a charging socket. For example, the charging flap opens automatically when an impending charging process is detected and closes after the charging plug is disconnected.

[0003] Furthermore, it is known to provide an anti-pinch device in such an automatically operated charging flap, which interrupts the closing process so that a finger could not be pinched.

[0004] If a sensor used to determine the charging flap position fails or malfunctions, the closing process of the charging flap cannot be successfully completed because an anti-pinch protection system that relies on this sensor prevents the charging flap from closing, so that the vehicle may not be put into driving readiness due to the open charging flap.

[0005] In such a case, the vehicle would then break down due to the failure or fault in the sensors used to detect the charging flap position.

[0006] WO 2024 / 037 225 A1 concerns a procedure for closing a charging port, whereby the procedure determines that no charging plug is in a charging socket associated with the charging port and that a user's body part is outside a specified area around the charging port. If both conditions are met, the charging port is closed.

[0007] From JP 2020 - 127 329 A a method for closing a loading flap is known in which it is determined that a vehicle key or key fob is outside a predetermined area around the loading flap and then the loading flap is closed after a predetermined time has elapsed.

[0008] German patent DE 10 2019 103 040 A1 relates to a method for automatically closing a charging port flap a few seconds after a person has unplugged the charging connector. Alternatively, the person can also activate a capacitive sensor to close the charging port flap.

[0009] From WO 2022 / 064 064 A1 a method for closing a charging flap is known, wherein after determining that no charging plug is in a charging socket, the charging flap is closed.

[0010] German patent DE 10 2018 003 563 A1 relates to a method for closing a charging port flap, whereby a camera system determines that no charging plug is in a charging socket associated with the flap. Furthermore, the camera system determines that a person is moving away from the vehicle with a charging plug. If both conditions are met, the charging port flap closes automatically.

[0011] It is an object of the present invention to at least partially eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages. This object is achieved by a method according to claim 1 and a motor vehicle according to claim 4. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the invention, a method for closing a charging port is provided. The method comprises the following steps: receiving a closing instruction from a user via an input device on which a physical and / or virtual closing button is pressed and held; determining, as a first condition, that no charging plug is located in a charging socket associated with the charging port; determining, as a second condition, that the input device is located within a predetermined area around the charging port; and closing the charging port by operating an actuator motor when at least the first and second conditions are met, as long as the closing button is pressed and the charging port has not yet reached its closed position.This offers the advantage that the user can close the charging port cover themselves, particularly in the event of a failure of the sensor used to detect the cover's position, thus preventing the vehicle from breaking down. Since this closing of the charging port cover can be performed by the user independently of the malfunctioning sensor, the procedure ensures that the user is near the charging port cover with the input device, thereby preventing anyone from trapping their fingers in the closing mechanism. Furthermore, the closing process only continues as long as the closing button is held down. This procedure thus constitutes an emergency closing method, which, especially in the case of automatically closing / opening charging port covers, prevents breakdowns due to defective sensors.The basic principle of the invention is based on the operating action “hold to close” for closing the loading flap in conjunction with the presence of the person closing the loading flap in the immediate vicinity of the loading flap.

[0013] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the closed position of the loading flap is determined when a closing force applied by the actuator exceeds a predetermined limit, a predetermined time period has elapsed, the loading flap has traveled a predetermined distance, and / or the actuator has completed a certain number of revolutions. In the event of a failure of the sensor for detecting the loading flap position, this provides an alternative means of determining whether the loading flap is fully closed or not.

[0014] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the following step is performed after receiving the closing instruction: checking whether sensors prevent the automated closing of the loading flap, and implementing the closing instruction only if a fault occurs during automated closing. This prevents the user from using this type of loading flap closing as a standard procedure. In this way, the method provides a true emergency closing procedure that can only be used if the automatic closing of the loading flap actually no longer functions. During automatic closing of the loading flaps, the closed state of the loading flaps is detected by sensors or a sensor system for recognizing the loading flap position, so that the actuator is stopped as soon as the closed state is reached. This protects the actuator and prevents it from becoming strained after the loading flap has already closed.During emergency closing, the malfunctioning sensors make it less possible to determine precisely when the loading flap is fully closed. This results in the actuator being subjected to higher stress at the end of the closing process, because, for example, the actuator continues to run briefly even though the loading flap's end stop has already been reached. This leads to increased wear on the actuator.

[0015] If the charging flap control unit detects such a fault condition, the user will be informed, for example, via a corresponding message on a vehicle screen (e.g., a CID) and / or their smartphone. In this context, the user will be informed about the emergency closing function of the charging flap, allowing them to continue driving without significant delay.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention provides a motor vehicle with a charging socket that can be covered by a charging flap and a control unit that performs such a method.

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawing. This drawing illustrates the following: Fig. Figure 1 shows a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] The following procedure is stored in a memory and is executed on a control unit which is integrated into a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car.

[0019] The vehicle is powered purely electrically, at least temporarily; that is, it is a plug-in hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle. The vehicle's traction battery can be charged via a charging socket using an external energy source, in particular a charging station, for which a charging plug from the energy source or a charging plug from a connecting cable to the energy source is connected to the charging socket.

[0020] The charging port can be covered by a charging flap, which either conceals or exposes it. The charging flap opens and closes automatically. A control unit determines whether a charging process is imminent, and if so, the charging flap opens automatically via an actuator. After the charging process is complete and the charging plug is disconnected, the charging flap closes automatically via the actuator. To prevent fingers or other objects from being pinched when the charging flap closes, an anti-pinch device is provided. This device is controlled by a sensor that detects the charging flap's position.

[0021] According to the invention, a method is provided which, bypassing the sensors used to detect the charging flap position, particularly in the event of a sensor malfunction, enables user-initiated closing of the charging flaps. This method can be provided in parallel with the automatic closing of the charging flap described above, so that the user always has the option of performing user-initiated closing of the charging flap. This method can also be provided as an emergency closing method, which can only be performed by the user if a sensor malfunction occurs.

[0022] Fig. Figure 1 shows a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method starts at step S1 and proceeds to step S2.

[0023] Step S2: In step S2, it is determined whether a closing instruction has been issued by the user. If not, the procedure returns to step S1. If a closing instruction has been issued, the procedure continues to step S3.

[0024] A locking instruction is given when the user presses a physical and / or virtual lock button on an input device. Examples of input devices would be a key fob or car key fob, or a smartphone or mobile phone, whereby the key fob usually has a physical lock button and a smartphone has a virtual lock button, for example as a button to be pressed within a vehicle app.

[0025] This locking instruction is transmitted to the vehicle, for example via radio signals, UWB (ultra-wideband) or a mobile communication connection, and received there by the control unit.

[0026] Step S3: In step S3, it is determined whether the charging plug is inserted into the charging socket. If so, the process returns to step S1, so that no closing is initiated despite a closing instruction. If no charging plug is in the charging socket, the process continues to step S4. The absence of the charging plug in the charging socket is therefore a prerequisite.

[0027] Step S4: In step S4, it is determined whether the input device, and thus the user, is located within a predefined area of ​​the loading flap. If so, the procedure proceeds to step S5. If not, the procedure returns to step S1. This predefined area is the immediate vicinity of the loading flap, i.e., in its immediate surroundings. For example, the input device is considered to be within the predefined area if it is within a radius of, say, 2 or 3 meters around the loading flap. The presence of the input device within the predefined area around the loading flap is therefore a second requirement.

[0028] Even in today's vehicles, it's possible to determine the location of an input device relative to the vehicle. Therefore, existing sensors are used for this purpose. For example, the location of a key fob is determined wirelessly via several antennas installed in the vehicle. These antennas use triangulation to determine the key fob's position relative to the vehicle and thus relative to the charging port. Smartphones are located, for example, via Bluetooth using UWB (ultra-wideband) antennas. However, satellite navigation-based smartphone tracking is also conceivable.

[0029] Step S5: In step S5, the actuator for closing the loading flap is operated; that is, if it is still stationary, it is started, and if it is already operating, it continues to operate. After a short time interval, a brief closing movement of the loading flap, or a certain number of revolutions of the actuator, the procedure proceeds to step S6.

[0030] Step S6: In step S6, it is checked whether the closing instruction is still present, i.e., whether the closing button of the input device is still pressed. If this is not the case, the procedure continues to step S7. If this is the case, the procedure continues to step S8.

[0031] Step S7: In step S7, the closing process of the charging flap is either terminated or the charging flap is fully reopened by the actuator. This ensures that the charging flap remains closed only as long as the closing button is pressed. This allows the user to stop the closing process at any time by releasing the closing button. After step S7, the procedure returns to step S1.

[0032] Step S8: In step S8, it is checked whether the charging flap is already fully closed. If so, the procedure continues to step S9, where the actuator is stopped. If not, the procedure returns to step S5 and the actuator continues to operate.

[0033] The loop of steps S5, S6 and S8 runs so quickly, of course, that the actuator runs continuously and smoothly as long as the closing button remains pressed and the charging flap is not yet completely closed, and that step S7 is reached quickly enough when the user releases the closing button.

[0034] In step S8, for example, it can be determined that the charging flap is completely closed when the charging flap has moved a predetermined distance, when a predetermined time period has elapsed, when the actuator has been operated a certain number of revolutions and / or when a force acting on the actuator exceeds a predetermined limit.

[0035] Step S9: In step S9, the charging flap is completely closed and the actuator can be stopped.

[0036] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawing and the preceding description, this illustration and description are to be understood as exemplary and not as limiting, and it is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiment. The mere fact that certain features are mentioned in various dependent claims is not intended to imply that a combination of these features could not also be advantageously used.

Claims

[1] Method for closing a loading hatch, comprising the steps: Receiving (S2) a closing instruction from a user via an input device on which a physical and / or virtual closing button is held down; Determine (S3) that no charging plug is in any of the charging sockets assigned to the charging flap as a first requirement; Determine (S4) that the input device is located within a specified area around the charging port as a second requirement, and Closing (S5) of the loading flap by operating an actuator motor when at least the first and second conditions are met, as long as the closing button is pressed (S6) and the loading flap has not yet reached its closed position (S8). [2] Method according to claim 1, wherein it is determined that the closed position of the loading flap is reached when a closing force to be applied by the actuator exceeds a predetermined limit, a predetermined time period has elapsed, the loading flap has traveled a predetermined distance and / or the actuator has run a certain number of revolutions. [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein after receiving the closing instruction the following step is carried out: Check if sensors are preventing the charging port flap from closing automatically, and Only execute the closing instruction if an error occurs during automated closing. [4] Motor vehicle with a charging socket which can be covered by a charging flap, and a control device which performs a method according to one of claims 1 to 3.

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