METHOD FOR BLOCKING AN AUTOMATIC MANEUVER OF AN ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for blocking an automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a step (E1) of controlling the automatic maneuver by a user; a step (E2) of measuring the force applied to the charging cable by the force sensor during the automatic maneuver; a step (E3) of blocking the automatic maneuver by the automatic maneuver blocking means controlled by the controller when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value. Furthermore, the invention relates to a computer program and a vehicle configured to implement said method. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD FOR BLOCKING AN AUTOMATIC MANEUVER OF AN ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE

[0001] The invention relates to the field of electric or hybrid motor vehicles configured to perform an automatic maneuver.

[0002] Known from the prior art is a patent application EP2718140 which describes a locking device designed to secure a charging cable plug positioned on a charging socket of an electric vehicle. The device comprises a housing comprising at least one movable locking means for mechanically locking the movable part. The movable locking means is capable of having a locking position and an unlocking position. The locking means comprises two force sensors for measuring the force exerted on the locking means. Thus, it is possible to detect when a user forces said charging cable plug to release the charging socket. The transmission of electrical energy is interrupted when the removal of the charging cable plug is forced.Furthermore, the device comprises an electromechanical drive configured to drive said locking means to generate a change of position between the locking position and the unlocking position. However, if the force exerted on the charging cable plug is due to a movement of the vehicle during its recharging with electrical energy, the device allows the unlocking of the electrical plug, but the latter is intended to fall on the ground. This would cause deterioration of the electrical plug, and also of the charging cable connected to it.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to prevent the electrical plug from being pulled out of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle when the latter is in motion.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a method for blocking an automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle, said vehicle comprising a controller, a battery and a charging box comprising an electric charging socket, the charging box being fixed to said vehicle by at least one fixing means, said electric charging socket being configured to receive an electric plug connected to a charging terminal by a charging cable to supply said battery with electrical energy, said fixing means comprising a force sensor configured to measure a force applied to said charging cable when said electric plug is plugged in in said electric charging socket, said controller being configured to communicate with said force sensor, said vehicle comprising a means for blocking the automatic maneuver, remarkable in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of controlling the automatic maneuver by a user; - a step of measuring the force applied to the recharging cable by the force sensor during the automatic maneuver; - a step of blocking the automatic maneuver by the automatic maneuver blocking means controlled by the controller when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the electrical plug and the charging cable to which it is connected are not at risk of being torn off, and consequently of being damaged.

[0006] Advantageously, said vehicle comprises a visual warning means, the method comprising a warning step during which said visual warning means emits at least one light signal when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

[0007] Advantageously, said vehicle comprises an audible warning means, the method comprising an alert step during which said audible warning means emits at least one sound when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

[0008] Thus, the user is able to understand that the vehicle does not respond to the automatic maneuver command because the force exerted is too great, and not because of a malfunction of the vehicle.

[0009] Preferably, said locking means is a braking system.

[0010] The invention also relates to a computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the latter to implement the steps of the method for blocking an automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle previously described.

[0011] Furthermore, the invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle configured to implement said method of blocking the automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle previously described.

[0012] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates, in the form of a flowchart, a method of blocking an automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the electric or hybrid motor vehicle being recharged during the measurement step; - [Fig.3] schematically illustrates the electric or hybrid motor vehicle reloading during the blocking stage.

[0013] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates, in the form of a flowchart, a method for blocking an automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 comprises a controller, a battery and a charging box comprising an electric charging socket 2. The charging box is fixed to the vehicle by means of at least one fixing means. The electric charging socket 2 is configured to receive an electric plug 3 for supplying the battery with electrical energy. The electric plug 3 is connected to an electric charging terminal 4 by a charging cable 5. For example, the electric charging terminal 4 is a public electric charging terminal 4 in a charging station. It may also be the electric charging terminal 4 of an individual.The fastening means comprises a force sensor configured to measure a force applied to the charging cable 5 when said electrical plug 3 is plugged into said electrical charging socket 2, i.e. when the vehicle 1 is being charged. Thus, if said charging cable 5 is pulled, the force applied to said charging cable 5 increases. Furthermore, said vehicle 1 comprises an automatic maneuver blocking means configured to interrupt and prevent automatic maneuvering of the vehicle. Preferably, said blocking means is a braking system. The controller is configured to communicate with said force sensor. When the force measured by the force sensor is greater than a predetermined threshold value, said controller commands a blocking of the automatic maneuvering of said vehicle 1 which will be executed by said automatic maneuver blocking means. The method comprises four steps.During a control step E1, a user commands the vehicle to perform automatic maneuvering, i.e., maneuvering without user assistance, when the vehicle 1 is being recharged. For example, the user can command a movement of a distance of one meter to free up space in the trunk of the vehicle 1 if the user wishes to open and access the interior of said trunk. During a measurement step E2, the force sensor measures the force applied to said charging cable 5. [Fig. 2] schematically illustrates the vehicle 1 being recharged. To power the battery, not shown in [Fig. 2], the vehicle 1 is connected at the electrical charging socket 2 to the electrical charging terminal 4 via the electrical plug 3 and the charging cable 5. The electrical plug 3 is plugged into said electrical charging socket 2.Vehicle 1 is being maneuvered following control step El in the direction indicated by the arrow in the figure. During the measurement step E2, the charging cable 5 is slack. Indeed, the force exerted on the charging cable 5 is less than the predetermined threshold value. During a blocking step E4, the automatic maneuver of the vehicle 1 is blocked when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value. In [Fig. 3], the vehicle 1 is illustrated during the blocking step E4. Indeed, following the automatic maneuver 1 illustrated in [Fig. 2], the charging cable 5 is taut. The force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value. There is therefore a risk of the cable being pulled out, which could damage the electric charging socket 2, the electric charging terminal 4 or said charging cable 5. This is why the automatic maneuver of the vehicle is blocked by said automatic maneuver blocking means. Advantageously, the vehicle comprises a warning means.Preferably, said vehicle comprises a hatch configured to close said charging box and said warning means is positioned at said hatch. The hatch serves mainly to protect said charging box, and consequently the charging socket. Indeed, closing said charging box by the hatch prevents the entry of debris and / or water into said charging box. For example, water infiltration into said charging box causing contact between the water and the charging socket is likely to cause short circuits or even a fire. Preferably, said warning means is a visual warning means and said method comprises a warning step during which said audible warning means emits at least one light signal when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value during the blocking step E3.In an alternative embodiment, said warning means is an audible warning means and the method comprises an alert step during which said audible warning means emits at least one sound when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value during the blocking step E3. Thus, the user is warned that the automatic maneuver is interrupted.

[0014] The invention also relates to a computer program configured to implement said method previously described. Furthermore, the invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle configured to implement said method.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for blocking an automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle (1), said vehicle (1) comprising a controller, a battery and a charging box comprising an electric charging socket (2), the charging box being fixed to said vehicle by at least one fixing means, said electric charging socket (2) being configured to receive an electric plug (3) connected to a charging terminal (4) by a charging cable (5) to supply said battery with electrical energy, said fixing means comprising a force sensor configured to measure a force applied to said charging cable (5) when said electric plug (3) is plugged into said electric charging socket (2), said controller being configured to communicate with said force sensor, said vehicle comprising a means for blocking the automatic maneuver,characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step (El) of controlling the automatic maneuver by a user; - a step (E2) of measuring the force applied to the recharging cable by the force sensor during the automatic maneuver; - a step (E3) of blocking the automatic maneuver by the automatic maneuver blocking means controlled by the controller when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value.,

2. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that said vehicle (1) comprises a visual warning means, the method comprising a warning step during which said visual warning means emits at least one light signal when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

3. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that said vehicle (1) comprises an audible warning means, the method comprising an alert step during which said audible warning means emits at least one sound when the force measured by the force sensor is greater than the predetermined threshold value.

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said blocking means is a braking system.

5. A computer program comprising instructions which, when the

6. program is executed by a computer, causing the latter to implement the steps of the method for blocking an automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4. Electric or hybrid motor vehicle configured to implement said method of blocking the automatic maneuver of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

Images