MOTOR VEHICLE INCLUDING A DOMESTIC SOCKET DEVICE

Abstract

Motor vehicle (1) comprising: - an electric motor, - an energy storage battery suitable for powering this electric motor, - a current converter configured to transform the current from the battery into a domestic current, - a domestic socket device (2) coupled to the domestic current from the converter by an electric cable (3), this socket device (2) and the electric cable (3) being configured so that the socket device (2) is removable from a first position (P1) fixed to the vehicle (1), to a second movable position (P2) distant from the first position (P1). Figure 1.

Description

Title of the invention: MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A DOMESTIC SOCKET DEVICE

[0001] The invention applies to the general field of sharing electrical energy between the battery of a parked motor vehicle and household objects consuming electrical energy used outside the vehicle and connected to this battery. For example, nomadic leisure activities (camping, beaches, etc.), and the proliferation of utility or recreational objects operating with electrical energy, give rise to a strong tendency to share energy between the electrical storage devices of motor vehicles when they are parked and these objects. This solution makes it possible, in particular, by using a cord connected to the vehicle battery, to electrically power or recharge an object from a mains current, for example an electric bicycle or various other objects used outside the vehicle such as electric tools or an electric cooking plate, an electric oven, this list not being exhaustive.

[0002] This field is known to those skilled in the art under the abbreviation "V2L" for the English expression "Vehicle to Load" or "car-to-object", meaning a technology making it possible to power these electrical household objects by the battery of an electrically powered vehicle.

[0003] In particular, these vehicles have a fixed domestic-style socket, for example secured to the vehicle body and electrically coupled to the vehicle's battery via a current or voltage converter. The user therefore connects his domestic electrical object directly to this socket or via an electrical extension cord that he owns.

[0004] Throughout the text of this document, a domestic socket will be understood to mean a socket which corresponds to a standardized format according to the terrestrial electrical network of the country or region in question, and which also corresponds to a voltage or current profile which also meets this standardization, i.e. the user expects to have a predefined voltage or current. This standardization also corresponds to the characteristics delivered by the terrestrial electrical network of the country or region in question. This domestic socket is also usually called a "mains socket". For example, in France, this standardization corresponds to a sinusoidal voltage of 220 to 230V between a phase and a neutral, and with or without an earth connection. In France, a three-phase domestic socket is also available for higher power ratings (32 Amps for example).The plug size can also vary depending on the amperage, for example between 16 Amps (the most common including portable tools) and . 32 Amps (oven, welding machine, heater). These sockets therefore fall within the definition of domestic sockets. These concepts are perfectly well known to those skilled in the art and will not be detailed further.

[0005] For example, a so-called "cigarette lighter" socket on a vehicle dashboard is not a domestic socket even if it does correspond to a standard, because it does not deliver the voltage or current of the standard of a terrestrial electrical network. Typically, the user of such a cigarette lighter socket will expect to have a direct voltage of 12V which is unrelated to the sinusoidal voltage of 220 to 230V between a phase and a neutral.

[0006] This arrangement creates a number of problems for the user, the main one being that, apart from using a vacuum cleaner to clean the interior of the vehicle, many of these objects have a use remote from the vehicle requiring the extension cord to be reused. This extension cord must already be possessed, but also stored in the vehicle, somewhere, with the constant risk of forgetting to store it and no longer having it when it is needed. Other various situations encourage the user to have this extension cord, for example if one wants to use a DIY tool without the risk of damaging the bodywork of the vehicle.

[0007] The object of the invention is to remedy this problem. To this end, the invention relates to a motor vehicle comprising: - an electric motor, - an energy storage battery capable of powering this electric motor, - a current converter configured to transform the battery current into household current, - a domestic socket device coupled to the domestic current of the converter by an electric cable, this socket device and the electrical cable being configured so that the socket device is removable from a first position fixed to the vehicle, to a second movable position distant from the first position.

[0008] Thus, the electric cable replaces the extension cord of the prior art, but it is still electrically connected to the current converter so that it cannot be lost and also allows the domestic socket device to have several positions of use, at least one of which is far from the vehicle body. The user no longer needs an extension cord and the assembly (socket device and electric cable) is perfectly integrated into the vehicle.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the invention, the socket device comprises several sockets corresponding to several domestic socket standards.

[0010] According to one embodiment of the invention, the current converter is configured to supply household current suitable for the standard household outlet used.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle comprises a housing suitable for housing the electric cable if the socket device is in the first position.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the invention, this housing is further configured to house the gripping device in its first position.

[0013] According to one embodiment of the invention, this vehicle comprises a means for locking the gripping device in the housing.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the invention, this housing is configured so that the socket device is accessible from outside the vehicle.

[0015] According to one embodiment of the invention, the electric cable is a cable wound on itself in helical spirals, so that the electric cable has a length that can be extended by elasticity of shape.

[0016] According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the vehicle comprises a means for winding the electric cable.

[0017] According to this variant, the socket device comprises the means for winding the electric cable.

[0018] Other features and advantages will appear on reading the following description of a particular, non-limiting embodiment of the invention, given with reference to Figures 1 and 2:

[0019] [Fig-1]: represents a diagram of a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the invention,

[0020] [Fig.2]: represents a diagram of a vehicle according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0021] These figures disclose a motor vehicle 1 comprising: - an electric motor machine, for example driving the vehicle wheels via a transmission, - an energy storage battery capable of powering this electrical motor machine, for example via an inverter, - a current converter configured to transform the battery current into domestic current, for example a direct current / alternating current converter, - a domestic socket device 2 coupled to the domestic current of the converter by an electric cable 3, for example this electric cable 3 directly connects the converter to the socket PR1, PR2 of the socket device 2, this socket device 2 and the electric cable 3 being configured so that the socket device 2 is removable from a first position PI fixed to the vehicle 1, to a second mobile position P2 distant from the first position PI.

[0022] Thus the cable 3 has a sufficient length so that the second position P2 either distant from the first position PI, or for example distant from the body of the vehicle. For example this cable 3 can be deployed between the two positions PI, P2.

[0023] It will be noted that according to the invention the socket device 2 is indeed part of the vehicle 1 and therefore cannot be outside this vehicle 1, but any user or person skilled in the art will agree that if the socket device 2 is in its second position P2, distant from the first position PI, it visually appears “outside the vehicle 1” in the sense that this socket device 2 becomes mobile and therefore movable far from the vehicle or on the contrary movable in the passenger compartment.

[0024] This vehicle 1 is for example a vehicle with 100% electric drive, or with hybrid drive (electric and fuel), these architectures are very well known to those skilled in the art and will not be presented further, but however this specifies the technical field of the battery according to the invention: It is a battery with sufficient energy capacity to move the vehicle 1, and which is therefore different from a so-called service battery with a much lower voltage and capacity and suitable for only powering computers or starting means of an internal combustion engine. Such a service battery would be discharged too quickly if it were connected to a domestic object, even if this is technically possible.

[0025] For example and as illustrated, the socket device 2 comprises several sockets PR1, PR2 corresponding to several domestic socket standards. This may correspond to standards of different countries or regions, or several types of sockets for the same country or region. Reference will be made to the definition previously given with regard to the domestic socket.

[0026] The current converter is for example configured to supply the domestic current adapted to the standard domestic socket used PR1, PR2 if the current is different. For example, one of the domestic sockets can conform to the American standard (110V, 60 Hz), and the other domestic socket conform to the French and European standard (220V, 50Hz). Each of the sockets comprises for example a means for detecting the presence of a plug and depending on the location of the plug, the socket device 2 sends a command to the current converter indicating to it which current profile is expected. But other means are suitable for detecting and controlling the converter, well known to those skilled in the art, such as for example using a frequency or amplitude modulated carrier signal, frequency multiplexing, or any other technique passing through the existing conductors of sockets PR1, PR2.Likewise, controlling a current converter is something very well known to those skilled in the art, and will not be detailed further here.

[0027] Advantageously, the vehicle comprises a housing 4 suitable for housing the electric cable 3 if the socket device 2 is in the first position PI, which makes it possible to easily store the electric cable 3 in a safe environment, i.e. without risk of damaging the electric cable 3. This electric cable 3 is for example any, in the form of a cable having sufficient flexibility to be folded back on itself or coiled in the housing 4.

[0028] This housing 4 is for example further configured to house the gripping device 2 in its first position PI. Thus the gripping device 2 can be fixed in this housing 4, this housing 4 corresponding to the first position 1.

[0029] This vehicle possibly comprises a means for locking the socket device 2 in the housing 4. This locking means makes it possible, for example, to avoid vibration noises from the socket device 2 in the housing 4 when the vehicle 1 is moving. But this locking device 4 can also prevent the socket device 2 from being removed from the first position 1 if the vehicle 1 is moving, or if the battery charge is not sufficient, or even more simply if the user has not authorized the use of the socket device 2, such as in unattended parking situations, for example. This locking means can also be configured to mask the domestic sockets PR1, PR2 so that, even in the first position PI, the socket device 2 cannot be used by a third person.For example, the locking means comprises a hatch, the opening of which is subject to user authorization, this hatch closing the housing 4 and thus making the sockets PR1, PR2 inaccessible. This locking means is, for example, controlled by a vehicle computer, called the vehicle's "supervisor", and capable of receiving and processing all the information necessary for the implementation of such a method.

[0030] The housing 4 opens for example onto the outside of a body of the vehicle 1, so that the socket device 2 is accessible from outside the vehicle. In the figures, this housing 4 is an open housing integrated into the body of the vehicle, its opening being flush with the body. Thus the socket device 2 is accessible from outside the vehicle 1, but other annoyances are conceivable, for example this housing 4 can be integrated into a signal light.

[0031] But this is not obligatory, this housing 4 can for example open into the passenger compartment of the vehicle and only be accessible via one of the openings (door, tailgate, trunk, removable glazing) of the vehicle, this opening in fact locking access to the sockets PR1, PR2.

[0032] The electric cable 3 of [Fig.l] is a cable wound on itself in helical spirals, so that the electric cable 3 has a length that is extensible by elasticity of shape, this cable 3 then forming a helical spring. But as a variant and as illustrated in [Fig.2], the vehicle comprises a means 5 for winding the electric cable 3, and of course for unwinding it. These winding means are diverse and perfectly known to those skilled in the art and will not be detailed further. This winding means 5 is for example housed in the gripping device 2, but could just as easily be housed in the housing 4, or even a combination of the two.

[0033] The gripping device 2 according to the invention may comprise various means such as: - fuses and / or circuit breakers to protect the user or the converter against improper use of the household object or if the latter is defective, - controllable contactors so as to turn off the domestic sockets PR1, PR2 when not in use. These contactors are for example controlled by the voltage converter or by the computer of the vehicle described above, these contactors being able to be redundant with the control of the current converter comprising its own contactors, but alternatively these controllable contactors are for example manually controllable by being accessible from the outside of the socket device 2 only if the socket device 2 is removed from the housing 4 or whatever its position if it is desired to authorize the use of this socket device 2 including in its first position PI, - a sealing system preventing any intrusion of water or dust into the domestic socket device 2: For example, hinged shutters with a means of returning to the closed position on the domestic sockets PR1, PR2, well known to those skilled in the art and similar to domestic sockets for an environment outside homes, but this is only one possible example and these shutters can for example be replaced by plugs, or even be the hatch previously described.

Claims

Claims

1. Motor vehicle (1) comprising: - an electric motor, - an energy storage battery suitable for powering this electric motor, - a current converter configured to transform the current from the battery into a domestic current, - a domestic socket device (2) coupled to the domestic current from the converter by an electric cable (3), characterized in that this socket device (2) and the electric cable (3) are configured so that the socket device (2) is removable from a first position (PI) fixed to the vehicle (1), to a second movable position (P2) distant from the first position (PI).

2. Electric vehicle according to claim 1, the socket device (2) comprising several sockets (PR1, PR2) corresponding to several domestic socket standards.

3. Vehicle according to claim 2, the current converter being configured to supply the domestic current adapted to the standard domestic socket used (PR1, PR2).

4. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, the vehicle comprising a housing (4) suitable for housing the electric cable (3) if the socket device (2) is in the first position (PI).

5. Vehicle according to claim 4, this housing (4) being further configured to house the gripping device (2) in its first position (PD-

6. Vehicle according to claim 5, comprising means for locking the engagement device (2) in the housing (4).

7. Vehicle according to one of claims 5 to 6, this housing (4) being configured so that the socket device (2) is accessible from outside the vehicle.

8. Vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, the electric cable (3) being a cable wound on itself in helical spirals, so that the electric cable (3) has a length extensible by elasticity of shape.

9. Vehicle according to one of claims 1 to 7, the vehicle comprising a winding means (5) for the electric cable (3).

10. Vehicle according to claim 9, the gripping device (2) comprising the winding means (5) of the electric cable (3).

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