REDUCED EXPOSURE SECONDARY COIL AUTOMOBILE

Abstract

A motor vehicle (V) comprises: - a rechargeable battery, - a rear axle (TR) located upstream of a rear floor (PR), - right (L1) and left (L2) side members placed in the right and left sections of the rear floor and compressible in the event of a rear-end collision, and - a secondary coil (BS) installed on the outer face (FE) of the rear floor (PR) downstream of the rear axle (TR), and responsible for converting electrical energy, transferred by induction by a charging robot temporarily placed beneath it, into charging current for the battery. Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: AUTOMOBILE WITH REDUCED EXPOSURE SECONDARY COIL Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to motor vehicles comprising a rechargeable battery, and more specifically to the recharging of such batteries. Prior art

[0002] Some motor vehicles include a battery, called the main (or traction) battery, which is rechargeable during a charging phase according to a mode 2 or 3 when they are temporarily coupled to an external power source.

[0003] Here, "main (or traction) battery" means a battery responsible for supplying electric current to at least one electric motive machine forming part of the powertrain (or PWM) of its vehicle.

[0004] It is noted that Mode 2 charging is achieved by connecting vehicle charging equipment to an external power source in the form of a wall outlet, with a current generally between 8 A and 13 A, at an alternating voltage of 220 V AC. It is also noted that Mode 3 charging is achieved by connecting vehicle charging equipment to an external power source in the form of a specific wallbox, with a current generally between 16 A and 32 A, at an alternating voltage of 220 V AC, in single-phase or three-phase.

[0005] Generally, the charging equipment is the charging connector to which a power supply connector of a charging cable has been previously and temporarily coupled by the vehicle user, previously connected by this user to the external power source.

[0006] In order for the vehicle user to be able to choose between Mode 2 and Mode 3 charging, it is essential that they have a first charging cable adapted to Mode 2 and a second charging cable adapted to Mode 3. These first and second charging cables are generally stored in the vehicle's trunk, which permanently occupies part of the cargo space and requires the user to remember to keep them easily accessible at all times (which is not always easy). Furthermore, when charging is carried out outdoors in bad weather, removing the charging cable from the trunk and replacing it requires opening and closing the trunk twice and potentially handling objects inside, which increases the user's inconvenience and can lead to moisture and dirt buildup in the trunk.

[0007] It has been proposed to install a secondary coil on the outer face of the front protective plate, located under the front engine compartment. This coil would convert electrical energy, transferred by induction by a charging robot temporarily placed beneath it, into charging current for the main (or traction) battery. While this eliminates the need for a charging cable, such an installation is not always feasible due to the often significant space required on the front protective plate and / or its configuration.In addition, the front protective plate is quite exposed to dirt, impacts (especially with stones) and friction (especially on sidewalks or bollards fixed to the ground), and therefore it happens relatively frequently that the charging efficiency is reduced or that the secondary coil is damaged and consequently can no longer function normally, or even becomes unusable.

[0008] The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation. Presentation of the invention

[0009] It proposes in particular for this purpose a motor vehicle comprising a rechargeable battery, a rear axle located downstream of a front end of the motor vehicle and upstream of a rear floor, and right and left longitudinal members placed respectively in right and left parts of the rear floor and compressible in the event of a shock suffered by the rear.

[0010] This motor vehicle is characterized by the fact that it also includes a secondary coil installed on an external face of the rear floor downstream of the rear axle, and responsible for transforming electrical energy, transferred by induction by a charging robot placed temporarily below it, into charging current for the battery.

[0011] Thanks to the invention, not only is it no longer absolutely necessary to have charging cables in the vehicle, which avoids monopolizing cargo space and increasing user inconvenience and the deposition of moisture and / or dirt in the rear trunk in bad weather, but also the reductions in charging efficiency are less frequent and the risk of damage to the secondary coil is reduced.

[0012] The motor vehicle according to the invention may include other features which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

[0013] - its right and left side rails can be compressed up to a certain area transverse to the rear floor in case of a rear-end collision. In this case, its secondary coil can be installed on the external face of the rear floor between the rear axle and the transverse area;

[0014] - its secondary coil can be installed on the external face of the rear floor in a position centered with respect to a median longitudinal plane of the motor vehicle, located equidistant from the right and left side members;

[0015] - its secondary coil can be adapted for charging in mode 2 and mode 3;

[0016] - its battery can be suitable for supplying electrical energy to a motive machine electric motor belonging to a powertrain of the motor vehicle and responsible for driving at least some of the rear wheels in rotation. Brief description of the figures

[0017] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings (one of which was obtained using CAD / CAM (“Computer-Aided Design / Computer-Aided Manufacturing”)), on which:

[0018] [Fig-1] illustrates schematically and functionally, in a top view, a parking facility comprising a driving surface with three parking spaces, in one of which a motor vehicle according to the invention has just parked, the battery of which must be recharged by induction using a charging robot, and

[0019] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates, in a bottom view, part of an example embodiment of a rear part of an example of a motor vehicle according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0020] The invention aims in particular to provide a motor vehicle V comprising a battery BR intended to be recharged at least by induction using a secondary battery BS with reduced exposure.

[0021] In what follows, the motor vehicle V is considered, by way of non-limiting example, to be a car, as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig. 1]. But the invention relates to any motor vehicle comprising a rechargeable battery and a rear floor located downstream of a rear axle.

[0022] Furthermore, in the following, by way of non-limiting example, vehicle (automobile) V is considered to include an all-electric powertrain. However, the vehicle could include a plug-in hybrid powertrain, that is, one comprising at least one internal combustion engine and at least one electric motor coupled to at least one rechargeable battery.

[0023] It should be noted that in what follows and precedes, the terms "upstream" and "downstream" are understood in relation to the front end of vehicle V. Consequently, a first element located downstream of a second element is further from the front end than the latter, and conversely a first element located upstream of a second element is closer to the front end than the latter.

[0024] Figure 1 schematically represents an example of an installation IN constituting a parking lot comprising a driving surface with three parking spaces EPj (j = 1 to 3). As illustrated, this installation IN is equipped with a charging system SR comprising at least one BF base and one RR charging robot interconnected by an AC power cable.

[0025] In the example illustrated in [Fig. 1], the IN installation is equipped with only one SR charging system. However, the IN installation could be equipped with several SR charging systems. Furthermore, in the example illustrated in [Fig. 1], the SR charging system comprises only one RR charging robot connected to its BF base via an AC power cable. However, the SR charging system can comprise several (at least two) RR charging robots connected to its BF base via associated power cables.

[0026] The RR charging robot includes in particular means of movement arranged to enable it to move towards the vehicle V to precisely position a predefined place which it includes below a target place defined in relation to this vehicle V.

[0027] The RR charging robot also includes a primary circuit responsible for transferring by induction electrical energy produced from a current supplied by the AC power cable (connected to the BF base).

[0028] The primary circuit is coupled to a power supply source from the base BF via the AC power cable, and is responsible for recharging the rechargeable battery BR of a vehicle (here V), once the charging robot RR has positioned itself precisely under this vehicle V so that its predefined location is placed at the target location of the vehicle V. For example, the predefined location can be the center of the primary coil BP of the primary circuit, and the target location can be placed at the center of a secondary coil BS of a secondary circuit of the vehicle V (which will be discussed later).

[0029] The primary coil BP of the primary circuit is generally associated with a capacitor and supplied with current by the AC power cable when it is required to transfer electrical energy by induction to the secondary coil BS of the secondary circuit. It is preferably located on the upper (external) face of an upper wall of the charging robot RR.

[0030] As illustrated at least partially in Figures 1 and 2, a vehicle V, according to the invention, includes in particular a rear axle TR, a rear floor PR, right side members L1 and left side members L2, in addition to its powertrain (or powertrain), its rechargeable battery BR and its secondary coil BS.

[0031] The BR battery is called the main (or traction) battery because it is responsible for supplying electrical current to at least one electric motor that is part of the powertrain. Preferably, this main BR battery is suitable for Mode 2 and Mode 3 charging (and possibly Mode 4 charging). However, it could also be suitable for Mode 2 charging (and possibly Mode 4 charging) or for Mode 3 charging (and possibly Mode 4 charging).

[0032] For example, this main battery BR may include electrical energy storage cells, possibly electrochemical (e.g., lithium-ion (or Li-ion) or Ni-MH or Ni-Cd type). Also, for example, the main battery BR may be of the low-voltage type (typically 450 V by way of illustration). But it could also be of the medium-voltage or high-voltage type.

[0033] The rear floor PR delimits in particular the lower part of the rear trunk (or similar), and is therefore located in the rear part of the vehicle V (which is furthest downstream from the front end of the vehicle V).

[0034] The rear axle TR is located downstream of the front end of the vehicle V and upstream of the rear floor PR. It includes, in particular, wheels which are driven in rotation by the GMP.

[0035] As illustrated in [Fig.2], the right side members (or small side members) L1 and left L2 are placed respectively in the right and left parts of the rear floor PR. They are arranged so as to be compressible in the event of an impact suffered by the rear of the vehicle V.

[0036] According to the invention, the secondary coil BS is installed on the outer face FE of the rear floor PR (facing the road and therefore opposite the passenger compartment of the vehicle V), downstream of the rear axle TR. This secondary coil BS is responsible for converting electrical energy, transferred by induction by the charging robot RR temporarily placed beneath it (BS), into charging current for the main battery BR. It should be noted that the secondary coil BS is part of a secondary circuit of the vehicle V and is, for example, connected to a capacitor.

[0037] Thanks to the presence of this secondary coil BS (and its secondary circuit), it is no longer absolutely necessary to have a first charging cable adapted to mode 2 and / or a second charging cable adapted to mode 3 in the vehicle V. This avoids permanently monopolizing part of the rear trunk's cargo space and, when charging is carried out outdoors in bad weather, avoids increasing user inconvenience and the accumulation of moisture and / or dirt in the trunk. Furthermore, since the outer face FE of the rear floor PR is significantly less exposed to dirt, impacts, and friction than the outer face of the front protective plate (located under the front engine compartment), reductions in charging efficiency will be less frequent and less severe, as will the risk. Damage to the secondary BS coil will be significantly reduced. Furthermore, installation of the secondary BS coil is facilitated on the rear floor because it is less cluttered than the front protective plate and generally has a substantially flat area with a larger surface area than the front protective plate.

[0038] It will be noted, as illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.2], that the right side members L1 and left side members L2 can be compressed up to a transverse zone ZT of the rear floor PR in the event of an impact suffered by the rear of the vehicle V. It will be understood that this transverse zone ZT is located at a distance of from the rear end of each right side member L1 or left side member L2, along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V (perpendicular to the transverse direction of the latter (V)), and therefore in the event of a rear impact a right side member L1 or left side member L2 is arranged to deform by compression over a distance which is less than or equal to, in order to dampen the impact.

[0039] Given this compressibility, it is particularly advantageous to install the secondary coil BS, as illustrated, on the outer face FE of the rear floor PR between the rear axle TR and the transverse area ZT. This makes the probability of damage to the secondary coil BS in the event of a rear-end collision low, or even very low, which allows it to continue to be used after a rear-end collision to recharge the main battery BR.

[0040] It should also be noted, as illustrated (but not limited to) in Figures 1 and 2, that the secondary coil BS can be installed on the outer face FE of the rear floor PR in a position centered with respect to the vehicle's median longitudinal plane V, which is located equidistant from the right side members L1 and L2. This prevents the probability of damage to the secondary coil BS from varying significantly depending on whether the rear impact is to the right or left. However, it is possible to consider offsetting the center of the secondary coil BS to the right or left with respect to the median longitudinal plane.

Claims

Claims

1. Motor vehicle (V) comprising a rechargeable battery (BR), a rear axle (TR) located downstream of a front end of said motor vehicle (V) and upstream of a rear floor (PR), and right (L1) and left (L2) longitudinal members placed respectively in right and left parts of said rear floor (PR) and compressible in the event of an impact suffered by the rear, characterized in that it further comprises a secondary coil (BS) installed on an external face (FE) of said rear floor (PR) downstream of said rear axle (TR), and responsible for transforming electrical energy, transferred by induction by a recharging robot (RR) temporarily placed below it (BS), into recharging current for said battery (BR), said right (L1) and left (L2) longitudinal members being compressible up to a transverse zone (ZT) of said rear floor (PR) in the event of an impact suffered by the rear,and in that said secondary coil (BS) is installed on said external face (FE) of the rear floor (PR) between said rear axle (TR) and said transverse zone (ZT).,

2. Motor vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that said secondary coil (BS) is installed on said external face (FE) of the rear floor (PR) in a position centered relative to a median longitudinal plane of said motor vehicle (V), located at an equal distance from said right (L1) and left (L2) side members.

3. Motor vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said secondary coil (BS) is suitable for recharging in mode 2 and mode 3.

4. Motor vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said battery (BR) is suitable for supplying electrical energy to an electric motor machine belonging to a powertrain of said motor vehicle (V) and responsible for rotating at least wheels of said rear axle (TR).

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