Charging stand

Abstract

To provide a charging stand capable of detecting a disconnection in a power path through simple operation.SOLUTION: The charging stand can activate a locking mechanism that mechanically locks a charging connector and an inlet by energizing a lock solenoid when the charging connector is connected to the inlet of an electric vehicle. The charging stand includes a first switch that is turned off in accordance with operation of an operating part by a user, a second switch that is mechanically turned on when the charging connector is connected to the inlet and is mechanically turned on when the charging connector is held by the holding part of the charging stand, and a control device that, when it is detected that the first switch is on and the second switch is on, compares the voltage with a threshold of the lock solenoid to determine whether a power path to the lock solenoid is broken.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging stand.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a battery control device that determines whether either a disconnection failure of a voltage detection line or a short-circuit failure of a discharge switch has occurred and separates the cause of the failure.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, control for switching a plurality of switches between on and off at a complex timing is required, and the operation for detecting a failure is complicated.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a charging stand capable of detecting that a power path is disconnected with a simple operation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention includes a charging connector connected to an inlet of an electric vehicle for supplying power to the electric vehicle, and a control device for controlling energization of a lock solenoid included in the charging connector. The charging connector includes a lock solenoid that is energized when the charging connector is connected to the inlet, an electric circuit in which a switch is provided in a power path from a power source to the lock solenoid, and an operation unit that is operated by a user when the connection to the inlet is released. The control device is a charging stand that operates a lock mechanism for mechanically locking the charging connector and the inlet by a magnetic field generated when the lock solenoid is energized when the charging connector is connected to the inlet. The switch includes a first switch that is turned on when the operation unit is not operated and turned off in response to operation of the operation unit, and a second switch that is connected in series with the first switch, is mechanically turned on when the charging connector is connected to the inlet, and is mechanically turned on even when the charging connector is held by a holding unit of the charging stand in a state where the connection to the inlet is released. The control device determines whether there is a disconnection in the power path by comparing the voltage of the lock solenoid with a threshold value when it is detected that the first switch is on and the second switch is on.

Advantages of the Invention

[0007] In the present invention, it is possible to detect that the power path is disconnected with a simple operation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, a charging stand according to an embodiment of the present invention will be specifically described. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a charging stand according to an embodiment. The charging stand 1 is provided in a power supply facility that supplies power from an external power source to an electric vehicle. For example, when the external power source is a DC power source, the charging stand 1 that supplies the power of the DC power source is a rapid charging stand. The charging stand 1 includes a charging connector 2, a charging cable 3, and a control device 4.

[0011] The charging connector 2 is connected to the inlet of the electric vehicle. When the charging stand 1 is a rapid charging stand, the charging connector 2 is configured as a DC charging connector. The charging connector 2 is a part grasped by the user. Connection to the inlet is performed while the charging connector 2 is grasped by the user, and disconnection from the inlet is also performed while the charging connector 2 is grasped by the user. The charging connector 2 supplies power to the electric vehicle while being connected to the inlet. The charging connector 2 includes a lock solenoid 11, an electric circuit 12 that forms a power path from the power supply 5 to the lock solenoid 11, and an operation unit that is operated by the user when disconnecting from the inlet.

[0012] The lock solenoid 11 is a solenoid for operating a lock mechanism that mechanically locks the charging connector 2 and the inlet of the electric vehicle. When the charging connector 2 is connected to the inlet, the lock solenoid 11 is energized, and a magnetic field is generated by the lock solenoid 11. The lock mechanism operates to mechanically lock the charging connector 2 and the inlet by the magnetic field generated by the energized lock solenoid 11. For example, the lock mechanism is provided on the inlet side of the electric vehicle and has a locking portion that locks to the locked portion of the charging connector 2 when the lock solenoid 11 is energized. The locking portion of the lock mechanism operates to lock to the locked portion by the magnetic field generated by the lock solenoid 11 during energization. When the energization of the lock solenoid 11 is released, the locking portion of the lock mechanism operates to release the mechanical lock.

[0013] The electric circuit 12 is a circuit electrically connected to the power supply 5. The electric circuit 12 includes a first switch 21 and a second switch 22 in the power path from the power supply 5 to the lock solenoid 11. The first switch 21 and the second switch 22 are connected in series. The first and second switches 21, 22 switch between the connected state and the disconnected state of the power path by switching between the on and off states.

[0014] The first switch 21 is a switch that is turned off by the operation of the user who grips the charging connector 2. The first switch 21 turns off (opens) in response to the operation unit being operated by the user, and turns on (closes) when the operation unit is not operated. The first switch 21 is normally on.

[0015] The second switch 22 is a switch that is mechanically turned on by connection to the inlet when the charging connector 2 is connected to the inlet. The second switch 22 turns on (closes) in response to the charging connector 2 being connected to the inlet, and turns off (opens) when the charging connector 2 is disconnected from the inlet. The second switch 22 is normally off.

[0016] The operation unit of the charging connector 2 is a part that is operated by the user when the connection between the charging connector 2 and the inlet is released. For example, the operation unit is constituted by a button for connection release. In the charging connector 2, the first switch 21 turns off when the operation unit consisting of the connection release button is operated by the user. While the operation unit is being pressed, the first switch 21 is in the off state. The operation unit is configured to be in a state of being pressed by the user until the charging connector 2 is disconnected from the inlet.

[0017] The charging cable 3 is a cable that connects the main body of the charging stand 1 and the charging connector 2. When the charging stand 1 is a rapid charging stand, the charging cable 3 is configured as a DC charging cable. The charging cable 3 includes an electric circuit that electrically connects the lock solenoid 11 and the power supply 5.

[0018] The control device 4 controls the energization of the lock solenoid 11. The control device 4 includes a microcomputer 41 having a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and an input / output interface. The control device 4 performs signal processing according to a program stored in advance in the ROM. Signals from various sensors provided in the charging stand 1 are input to the control device 4. The control device 4 executes various controls based on the signals input from the various sensors.

[0019] For example, when the charging connector 2 is connected to the inlet of the electric vehicle, the control device 4 executes lock control to operate the lock mechanism. The lock control electrically connects the power supply 5 and the lock solenoid 11, and operates the locking portion of the lock mechanism by the magnetic field generated when the lock solenoid 11 is energized, and mechanically locks the charging connector 2 and the inlet. When executing the lock control, the control device 4 outputs a drive signal from the microcomputer 41 to the switching element 42. The switching element 42 is provided between the power supply 5 and the lock solenoid 11. When the switching element 42 is turned on by the microcomputer 41, the power path from the power supply 5 to the lock solenoid 11 is connected.

[0020] In the charging stand 1 configured as described above, it is desirable to detect a disconnection fault in the power path (energization wiring) from the power supply 5 to the lock solenoid 11. However, since the power path to the lock solenoid 11 is provided with a first switch 21 that is opened by a user operation, there is a possibility that it cannot be distinguished whether it is a disconnection fault in the power path or an opening of the first switch 21 in response to a user operation, and an abnormality cannot be detected. Therefore, the charging stand 1 is configured to be able to distinguish between a disconnection fault in the power path to the lock solenoid 11 and an opening of the first switch 21 in response to an operation of the operation unit by the user.

[0021] The control device 4 is configured to know the state of the first switch 21 and the state of the second switch 22. The charging stand 1 includes a first monitor circuit 31 that monitors the state of the first switch 21 and a second monitor circuit 32 that monitors the state of the second switch 22.

[0022] The first monitor circuit 31 outputs a first monitor signal indicating that the first switch 21 is in the on state or the off state to the microcomputer 41 of the control device 4. The first monitor circuit 31 includes a first sensor that detects the state of the first switch 21. The first sensor detects whether the state of the first switch 21 is on or off. The first monitor circuit 31 outputs the state of the first switch 21 detected by the first sensor to the microcomputer 41 as the first monitor signal.

[0023] The second monitor circuit 32 outputs a second monitor signal indicating that the second switch 22 is in the on state or the off state to the microcomputer 41 of the control device 4. The second monitor circuit 32 includes a second sensor that detects the state of the second switch 22. The second sensor detects whether the state of the second switch 22 is on or off. The second monitor circuit 32 outputs the state of the second switch 22 detected by the second sensor to the microcomputer 41 as the second monitor signal.

[0024] The microcomputer 41 grasps the states of the first switch 21 and the second switch 22 based on the first monitor signal and the second monitor signal input from the first monitor circuit 31 and the second monitor circuit 32. When the control device 4 detects that the first switch 21 is on and the second switch 22 is on, it compares the voltage of the lock solenoid 11 with a threshold value to determine whether there is a disconnection in the power path from the power supply 5 to the lock solenoid 11. In this case, even when the charging connector 2 is not connected to the inlet of the electric vehicle, the control device 4 is configured to be able to detect a disconnection failure in the energizing wiring to the lock solenoid 11.

[0025] The second switch 22 is configured to turn on even when the charging connector 2 is not connected to the inlet of the electric vehicle, when the charging connector 2 is returned to the holding part of the charging stand 1. In other words, the charging connector 2 and the holding part of the charging stand 1 are provided with a mechanism that turns on the second switch 22 when the charging connector 2 is returned to the holding part of the charging stand 1 even if the charging connector 2 is not connected to the electric vehicle. The second switch 22 is mechanically turned on by the contact between the charging connector 2 and the holding part when the charging connector 2 is held by the holding part of the charging stand 1 even when the connection between the charging connector 2 and the inlet is released. The second switch 22 turns on when the charging connector 2 is connected to the inlet by the user, and also turns on when the charging connector 2 is returned to the holding part of the charging stand 1 by the user.

[0026] When the charging connector 2 that was connected to the inlet is returned to the holding part of the charging stand 1, the second switch 22 turns on. Therefore, when the charging stand 1 is not charging the electric vehicle, the control device 4 recognizes that the first switch 21 is on and the second switch 22 is on. When both the first switch 21 and the second switch 22 are on, the control device 4 compares the voltage of the output state monitor 43 with the threshold value to determine the presence or absence of a disconnection. The voltage of the output state monitor 43 has a correlation with the voltage of the lock solenoid 11. When the control device 4 determines that the voltage of the output state monitor 43 is lower than the threshold value, it determines that the voltage of the output state monitor 43 is LO and determines that it is normal. When the control device 4 determines that the voltage of the output state monitor 43 is equal to or higher than the threshold value, it determines that the voltage of the output state monitor 43 is HI, determines that there is a disconnection, and notifies an abnormality.

[0027] As described above, according to the embodiment, it is possible to determine whether or not the power path to the lock solenoid 11 is disconnected, and the disconnection can be detected. When the charging connector 2 is returned to the holding portion of the charging stand 1, the second switch 22 is turned on, and the microcomputer 41 may turn on the switching element 42, so that a simple configuration can be achieved. As a result, it is not necessary to perform control for switching the switch and the switching element on or off at a complicated timing, so that the disconnection failure of the power path can be detected by a simple operation.

[0028] Note that the first switch 21 and the second switch 22 may be connected to the energization path of the lock solenoid 11 and the microcomputer 41, respectively, using a switch having 2a contacts or 2b contacts. The control device 4 grasps the on and off states of the first switch 21 and the second switch 22 by a circuit connected to the microcomputer 41.

Explanation of Signs

[0029] 1 Charging stand 2 Charging connector 3 Charging cable 4 Control device 5 Power supply 11 Lock solenoid 12 Electric circuit 21 First switch 22 Second switch 31 First monitor circuit 32 Second monitor circuit 41 Microcomputer

Claims

【Claim 1】 A charging connector connected to an inlet of an electric vehicle and supplying power to the electric vehicle, A control device for controlling energization of a lock solenoid included in the charging connector, Comprising: The charging connector, A lock solenoid that is energized when the charging connector is connected to the inlet, An electric circuit in which a switch is provided in a power path from a power source to the lock solenoid, An operation unit that is operated by a user when the connection to the inlet is released, Having: The control device is a charging stand that operates a lock mechanism for mechanically locking the charging connector and the inlet by a magnetic field generated when the lock solenoid is energized when the charging connector is connected to the inlet, The switch, A first switch that is turned on when the operation unit is not operated and turned off in response to operation of the operation unit, Connected in series with the first switch, mechanically turned on when the charging connector is connected to the inlet, and mechanically turned on also when the charging connector is held by a holding unit of the charging stand even in a state where the connection to the inlet is released. A second switch, When the control device detects that the first switch is on and the second switch is on, the control device compares the voltage of the lock solenoid with a threshold value to determine whether there is a disconnection in the power path A charging stand characterized by the above.

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