Scalable fast charging station for electric vehicles

Abstract

With the spread of EVs, a large-scale quick charging station is required, but it is desired to develop a quick charging station with high expandability that can suppress initial investment and cope with an increase in demand.SOLUTION: In a quick charging station capable of charging any of a plurality of charging vehicle compartments from a plurality of quick charging devices, a large number of circuits are formed in advance in order to enhance expandability, and can be easily connected to an unused circuit at the time of extension.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a novel rapid charging station for electric vehicles (EVs and PHVs). [Background technology]

[0002] Electric vehicles, which are fuel-efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly, are rapidly becoming more popular. Battery capacity is increasing every year, and everyday use of EVs means that there is little risk of running out of battery power. However, when driving long distances, charging is required along the way to your destination, which means that quick charging stations are needed along major roads.

[0003] In such a quick charging station, it is desirable to install multiple quick chargers to enable efficient charging. However, in conventional quick charging stations where multiple quick chargers are installed, each quick charger can only charge vehicles parked in the compartment it covers, and cannot charge vehicles parked in compartments covered by other quick chargers. This drawback becomes more pronounced as the number of quick chargers increases. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The present invention aims to enhance the scalability of an invention previously filed (Patent Application No. 2023-212436), which first outputs the output from each rapid charging device to a bus line, and then enables charging of a vehicle parked in any compartment through that bus line. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In a configuration previously applied for (Patent Application No. 2024-084344), the output busbars from multiple quick chargers are first collected in a cubicle, and by operating a selection switch on a distribution board inside the cubicle, charging can be performed using any of the charging cables to multiple charging compartments.When the quick charge station is opened, many busbars and charging cable output lines are installed in advance so that more quick chargers and charging compartments can be added in the future.When more quick chargers or charging compartments are added due to an increase in charging demand, the new quick chargers and charging cables can be easily connected to the output ends of the busbars and charging cables that have been prepared in advance. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The present invention allows the number of rapid charging devices and the number of rapid charging compartments to be increased in stages in response to increased demand for rapid charging, thereby having the significant effect of being able to respond to increased demand while reducing initial investment. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] shows an example of the circuit configuration of a rapid charging station that is the basis of the present invention. The outputs of two rapid charging devices CG1 and CG2 are first output to the respective buses BUS1 and BUS2, and by selectively turning on selection switches 1A to 2D, charging can be performed from either of the two rapid charging devices anywhere in four charging compartments A to D. [Figure 2] 1 shows an example of a circuit of the present invention that allows rapid charging in any of six charging compartments using two rapid charging devices. [Figure 3]is a system diagram of the quick charging station of the present invention, showing a cubicle containing a distribution board equipped with bus bars, charging cables, and charging circuit selection switches so that charging can be performed in all charging compartments from multiple charging devices, and a quick charging management device CPU. Communication line A transmits signals from a vehicle detection device that detects the date and time an electric vehicle (hereinafter referred to as EV) enters any of the compartments to the quick charging management device, and communication line B allows the quick charging management device to determine the charging order based on the information from communication line A and operate and control the corresponding charging circuit selection switches. The bus bar in the distribution board is connected to multiple quick charging devices, and output terminals for charging cables to multiple charging compartments are provided. An operation and display stand is also provided in the charging compartment so that users can operate the charging system and pay for the charges. [Figure 4] shows the circuit configuration of the charging circuit selection switchboard of the present invention installed in the cubicle. The quick charger and individual busbars are connected via connection terminals B1, B2, and B3, and these busbars are connected to charging cables CBLA to CBLF from compartment A to compartment F via selection switches indicated by 1A to 3F. The charging cable to the operation display stand installed in each compartment is connected via output terminals OAT to OFT on the switchboard. In this diagram, the connection terminals of the selection switches that connect the busbars and charging cables are indicated by circles. In the present invention, these connection points are designed to be easily connected like a socket. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of a power supply panel for selecting a charging circuit according to the present invention, which is capable of charging from up to three rapid chargers in any of up to six charging compartments, and shows a case in which two rapid chargers are used to charge four charging compartments when the rapid charge station is first installed. [Figure 6] shows the location of the selection switch for adding another quick charger to the quick charging station in Figure 5, increasing the number of charging compartments to six. [Figure 7] This is an example where three quick chargers are used to charge eight charging compartments, and one quick charger is responsible for charging four charging compartments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Example]

[0008] Figure 1 shows a circuit configuration in which the outputs of two rapid chargers CG1 and CG2 can be used to charge any of the EVs in four compartments A to D. However, the figure shows an imbalanced case in which two EVs, EV1 and EV2, are in charging compartments A and B, with charging cables SA and SB connected to EV1 and EV2, and no EVs are in charging compartments C and D. In this invention, even in this case, the rapid charge management device CPU turns on charge selection switches 1A and 2B, allowing EV1 and EV2 to be rapidly charged by each of the two rapid chargers.

[0009] Conventional quick chargers were often only capable of charging one EV per unit, which meant that even if there were two charging compartments and both had EVs in them, the EV that arrived later could only be charged once the first EV had finished charging, which was a drawback.

[0010] However, thanks to technological innovation, fast chargers have now been developed that can charge two or more EVs simultaneously. However, while such fast chargers can charge at full power when only one EV is being charged, they halve the charging power when two EVs are being charged at the same time.

[0011] In a quick charging station using the circuit configuration of the present invention shown in Figure 1, if two EVs are using a quick charger capable of charging two EVs simultaneously, they will be connected to one of the quick chargers regardless of which of the four charging compartments they are in, and will be able to charge at full power.If three EVs arrive, the first EV will be charged at full power, and the second and third EVs will be charged at half power, in order of arrival.When all four charging compartments are filled with EVs, all compartments will be able to charge simultaneously at half the output of the quick charger, so no EVs will have to wait to be charged.

[0012] In the example above, we explained a case where two quick chargers can charge four charging compartments, but to achieve even greater efficiency, the number of charging compartments can be increased as shown in Figure 2. In other words, if a quick charging station is equipped with two quick chargers that can charge two EVs simultaneously and six charging compartments, up to four of the EVs can be charged simultaneously at half of the quick chargers, but the EVs parked in the remaining two charging compartments will have to wait to be charged.

[0013] Even in this case, when charging is completed in one of the four compartments, the quick charging station of the present invention will operate the charging circuit selection switch to supply charging power to the EV in the charging compartment with the next highest charging priority, as determined by the quick charging management device. In this way, EVs can be quick charged in a rational order, regardless of which vacant charging compartment they are parked in.

[0014] Figure 3 shows the specific configuration of the above-mentioned quick charging station. The output from the quick charging device is connected to the busbar of the distribution board inside the cubicle. Many charging cables are output from the distribution board and connected to operation and display stands installed in the charging compartment. When a charging cable from the operation and display stand is connected to an EV in the compartment, the date and time is detected by a vehicle detection device installed in the charging compartment and sent via a communication line to the quick charging management unit CPU. The quick charging management unit CPU determines the charging order of the EVs using its algorithm and activates a selection switch to start charging in each compartment according to the charging order.

[0015] The present invention makes more effective use of the basic inventions (Patent Application Nos. 2023-212436 and 2024-084344) that have the above-mentioned characteristics. The key point of the invention is that, as described below, a large number of busbars and output terminals for charging cables are prepared in advance in the distribution board to be installed in the cubicle.

[0016] That is, in the present invention, when a quick charging station of the present invention is first established, a large number of busbars and output charging cables for the distribution panel to be installed in the cubicle are prepared in advance in anticipation of future expansion. In this way, one quick charging device is initially installed and three charging compartments are created, and then, if another quick charging device is installed according to demand, increasing the number of charging compartments to, for example, five, all that is required is to connect the power supply cable of the new quick charging device to the unused busbar, and then connect the charging cable in the unused distribution panel to the charging cable for the new charging compartment.

[0017] In practice, adding a quick charger or a charging compartment must be done without interrupting the operation of the quick charge station. This invention focuses on this point. Specifically, as shown in Figure 4, connection points B1, B2, B3, etc. are socket-type outlets to connect the output of the newly added quick charger to an unused bus bar installed in advance inside the cubicle of this invention. In this way, the output cable of the quick charger can be easily connected to the bus bar inside the distribution panel, just like connecting the output cable to an EV.

[0018] With the same idea in mind, a socket-type connection was adopted that allows for one-touch connection between the unused charging cable in the distribution board and the connection point OA to OF of the charging cable to the newly constructed charging compartment.

[0019] In the present invention, the busbar connected to the quick charger and the charging cable to the charging compartment in the distribution board inside the cubicle are connected by operating a selection switch for the circuit to supply power in response to a command from the quick charge management device. However, this selection switch can be installed when adding a charging compartment or quick charger and does not need to be installed in advance. However, to complete the addition work safely and in the shortest time possible, the selection switch also needs to be easily installable in the distribution board. In the present invention, a detachable connection method such as a socket type may also be used here.

[0020] In this invention, when adding new quick chargers or charging compartments, a rational charging order must be determined. The quick charger CPU, which plays this role, must be able to accommodate such additions. A previously filed patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-212436) describes an algorithm for determining the power receiving order. The key point is that the algorithm determines charging priorities based on the number of quick chargers (same as the number of buses) installed in the quick charging station of this invention and the number of electric vehicles (EVs) that can be simultaneously charged by each, taking into account factors such as the date and time the EV entered the charging compartment. Charging power is then supplied to the EVs according to this order. One way to achieve this is to initially set the maximum number of quick chargers and charging compartments for the quick charging station, and then reset the respective numbers to manage unused buses and charging compartments after the additions.

[0021] Figure 5 shows the circuit configuration when this quick charging station is initially set up with two quick charging devices, CG1 and CG2, and four charging compartments. Of the three buses prepared in advance in this charging station, buses BUS1 and BUS2 are connected to the two quick charging devices, and a total of eight selection switches, 1A to 1D and 2A to 2D, are installed.

[0022] Figure 6 shows the circuit configuration when one more quick charger is added due to increased charging demand. The additional quick charger is connected to the unused BUS3 at connection point B3, and the charging cables from the newly installed charging compartments E and F are connected to the charging cable connection terminals OET and OFT for compartments E and F on this circuit. A total of 10 quick chargers will be installed, with selection switches 3A to 3F, 1E, 1F, 2E, and 2F. [Example]

[0023] Figure 7 shows the circuit configuration for three quick chargers that can charge eight charging compartments. If three units were to supply charging power to all of the charging compartments, 24 selection switches would be required in the distribution panel, so this example shows each quick charger supplying charging power to only four of the eight charging compartments.

[0024] This has the advantage of significantly reducing the number of selection switches. The present invention also has the advantage that various configurations can be adopted depending on how the selection switches are installed, as described above. In any case, because a socket-type connection method is used to allow for easy connection at each connection point when new connections are required for expansion or circuit changes, the present invention has a significant effect in that expansion work can be carried out without shutting down an operating quick charging station.

[0025] As shown in Figure 7, to make a quick charging station more convenient, it is best to set the number of charging compartments to be greater than the number of compartments that can be simultaneously charged in all compartments. From this perspective, if this quick charging station is opened with more charging compartments than the number of compartments that can be simultaneously charged by the quick chargers, as shown in Figures 2 and 7, and then quick chargers are added, the construction work can be completed simply by connecting the power cables of the new quick chargers to the unused busbars in the cubicles. [Industrial Applicability]

[0026] The present invention dramatically improves the rapid charging infrastructure for EVs, which are expected to increase in number, and is clearly of great industrial value.

Claims

1. a rapid charging station comprising a plurality of rapid charging devices, charging compartments for more than the plurality of rapid charging devices, outputs from each of the plurality of rapid charging devices, a plurality of busbars connecting the plurality of outputs, a plurality of selection switches for supplying charging power from the busbars to any of the charging compartments, a rapid charging management device for controlling the opening and closing of the selection switches, and charging cables for supplying the outputs of the selection switches to the plurality of charging compartments, wherein the busbars, selection switches, rapid charging management device, and charging cables output to each charging compartment are all stored together in a distribution board within a cubicle; and the rapid charging station is characterized in that the connection between the output from each rapid charging device and the busbar provided in the power supply board within the cubicle, and / or the connection between the charging cable provided in the distribution board and the charging cable to the charging compartment are configured to be easily detachable.

2. The quick charging station according to claim 1, wherein the structure for easily connecting the output from each quick charging device to a bus bar provided in a power supply panel in the cubicle, and the connection between the charging cable provided in the power distribution panel and the charging cable to the charging vehicle compartment is a socket type that collectively connects the charging power line and the communication line.

3. The quick charging station according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the connection between the multiple busbars provided in the cubicle and the multiple selection switches that can selectively connect the charging cables that can supply power from the multiple busbars to all of the charging compartments is made detachable so that the charging power line and the communication line are connected together.

4. The quick charging station according to claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein the number of bus bars, charging cables and selection switches provided in the switchboard is set to a maximum in advance, and when the quick charging station is opened, only a portion of the bus bars, charging cables and selection switches are used, and the quick charging station is configured to have expandability so that unused bus bars, charging cables and selection switches can be used when quick charging devices or charging compartments are added later according to charging demand.

5. In the quick charging station of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, the quick charging management device that controls the power supply to the charging compartments is a device that determines the charging order based on the date and time when it detects that an electric vehicle EV has entered one of the installed charging compartments or the date and time when a charging cable output from an operation display stand provided in the charging compartment is connected to the EV, and has the function of operating a selection switch that connects a quick charging device that can be charged and the charging cable to the charging compartment based on the charging order, and when quick charging devices or charging compartments are added, the number of quick charging devices and the number of charging compartments managed by the quick charging device are changed.

6. The quick charging station according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the number of charging cables output from the switchboard is greater than the number of EVs that can be simultaneously charged by the installed quick charging device.

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