Charging adapter for charging a vehicle battery

Abstract

A charging adapter (110) for charging a vehicle battery (100) is described. The charging adapter (110) includes a support (115) and a charging coil (120) attached to the support (115) to generate an AC charging current in response to a charging magnetic field. The charging adapter (110) also includes a rectifier (125) attached to the support (115) and configured to generate a rectified charging current based on the AC charging current. The charging adapter (110) also includes a positive contact (111) attached to the support (115) and a negative contact (112) attached to the support (115) configured to fit over a positive terminal (101) and a negative terminal (102) of the vehicle battery (100). The charging adapter (110) also includes wiring portions (121, 122) configured to conduct the rectified charging current to the positive contact (111) and the negative contact (112).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging adapter that enables a vehicle battery to be charged in an efficient, accurate, and convenient manner.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles usually have a vehicle battery, particularly a lead-acid battery, configured to store electrical energy for powering the electrical consumption parts of the vehicle. Here, vehicle batteries (particularly lead starter batteries) usually have relatively rapid self-discharge. This can lead to accelerated degradation in the case of relatively long discharges and / or deep discharges of the battery. For this reason, vehicle batteries, particularly lead-acid batteries, need to be charged as fully as possible to extend the battery life.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] This specification addresses the technical problem of enabling efficient, accurate, and convenient charging of a vehicle battery (particularly during vehicle manufacturing and / or during storage of the vehicle battery).

Means for Solving the Problems

[0004] This problem is solved by the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are described, inter alia, in the dependent claims. It should be noted that the additional features of the patent claims dependent on the independent patent claim can form an independent invention independent of the combination of all the features of the independent patent claim, even without the features of the independent patent claim or only in combination with some of the features of the independent patent claim, and it can be the subject of an independent patent claim, a divisional application, or a later application. This also applies to the technical teachings described in the specification, which can form an invention independent of the features of the independent patent claim.

[0005] According to one aspect, a charging adapter for charging a vehicle battery is described. The charging adapter may be configured to charge a 12V vehicle battery, a lead-acid battery, and / or a starter battery for a (motor vehicle) vehicle. The vehicle battery may have, for example, a storage capacity of 50 Ah or more. The charging adapter can be formed as a pluggable carrier (cap) that can be fitted (plugged) onto the upper surface and / or lid of the vehicle battery. At this time, for example, the contacts of the charging adapter can be formed so that the contacts can be fitted onto the corresponding electrodes on the upper surface and / or lid of the vehicle battery to hold the charging adapter on the upper surface and / or lid of the vehicle battery.

[0006] The charging adapter has a support. The support can be formed as a plate, particularly a rigid plate (the plate covers, for example, at least part or all of the upper surface and / or lid of the vehicle battery). Alternatively, the support can be formed as a film, particularly an adhesive film (the film can be placed or adhered onto the upper surface or lid of the vehicle battery). Various components of the charging adapter can be integrated together via the support.

[0007] Furthermore, the charging adapter has a charging coil attached to the support and configured to generate an AC charging current in response to a charging magnetic field. The charging magnetic field can be generated, for example, by an inductive charger, which usually has a coil complementary to the charging coil of the charging adapter. The charging magnetic field can be, for example, an alternating field with a frequency in the range of 30 kHz to 120 kHz in the charging field.

[0008] The charging coil has a flat coil and is in particular a flat coil. One or more windings of the charging coil can here be arranged parallel to the support of the charging adapter (and / or parallel to the upper surface of the vehicle battery and / or the lid part). In particular, the charging coil can be arranged on the support such that an inductive charger configured to generate a charging magnetic field can be placed on the support for charging the vehicle battery (as a result, an AC charging current is induced in the charging coil). Alternatively or additionally, the charging coil can be arranged on the support such that the coupling coefficient between the coil of the inductive charger and the charging coil is maximized when the inductive charger is placed on the support. In this way, a convenient and energy-efficient vehicle battery charging process can be enabled.

[0009] The charging adapter is attached to the support and has a rectifier (for example, a switched rectifier and / or a diode rectifier) configured to generate a charging current rectified based on the AC charging current. Furthermore, the charging adapter has a charging controller configured to set, in particular to adjust (to respective target values), the charging current and / or the charging voltage (in the vehicle battery) during the charging process of the charging battery (when the charging adapter is fitted onto the vehicle battery). In this way, a particularly reliable charging process for the charging battery can be enabled.

[0010] Moreover, the charging adapter has a positive contact attached to the support and a negative contact attached to the support, which are configured to be fitted into the positive and negative poles of the vehicle battery (in order to connect the charging adapter to the vehicle battery to conduct electricity). The contacts and the electrodes can be formed complementary to each other.

[0011] The charging adapter also has a wiring section configured to guide the rectified charging current to the positive contact and the negative contact. The rectified charging current produced by the rectifier can then be guided, via the wiring section and the contacts, to the electrodes of the vehicle battery to be charged. Here, at least one of the wiring sections can be provided with a safety device, in particular a fuse. In this way, a particularly safe charging process can be enabled.

[0012] Thus, by describing a charging adapter that can be placed on top of a vehicle battery to charge the vehicle battery, a highly reliable and convenient charging process can be enabled.

[0013] The positive contact and / or the negative contact of the charging device can be slidably disposed on a support. In other words, the positive contact and / or the negative contact can be disposed on the support such that the distance between the positive contact and the negative contact can be changed. In particular, the positive contact and / or the negative contact can be slidably disposed on the support along a rail. Accordingly, the charging adapter can be formed such that the distance between the contacts and / or the distance between the positions of the contacts can be changed. In this way, the charging adapter can be conveniently adapted to various types of vehicle batteries.

[0014] The charging adapter can have a display section (in particular a display). Furthermore, the charging adapter can have a control unit configured to acquire data regarding the temperature of the vehicle battery, data regarding the charging current, and / or data regarding the battery voltage. The data can be provided via one or more sensors of the charging adapter (for example, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, and / or a temperature sensor). Furthermore, the control unit can be configured to display the acquired data on the display section. In this way, the user can monitor the charging process in a particularly reliable and convenient manner.

[0015] The charging adapter can have a communication unit, which is configured to transmit data regarding the vehicle battery (to be charged) and / or data regarding the charging process of the vehicle battery via a communication connection, in particular, via a wireless communication connection. In particular, data regarding the temperature of the vehicle battery, data regarding the charging current, and / or data regarding the battery voltage can be transmitted via the communication connection. In this way, the convenience of the charging process can be enhanced. In particular, it can be made possible to remotely monitor the charging process.

[0016] The control unit of the charging adapter can be configured to acquire distance information regarding a set distance between the positive contact and the negative contact. Furthermore, the control unit can be configured to operate the charging process of the vehicle battery, which is assumed to be either attached or inserted with the charging adapter, according to the distance information. In this way, the charging process for various types of vehicle batteries can be made possible in a highly reliable and convenient manner.

[0017] In yet another aspect, a (road) motor vehicle (in particular, a passenger car, a commercial vehicle, or a bus) having the charging adapter described in this specification is described.

[0018] In yet another aspect, a charging rack (Laderegal) having a placement surface for a number of vehicle batteries to be charged and a corresponding number of charging adapters is described. Furthermore, one or more inductive chargers can be arranged in the charging rack.

[0019] It should be noted that the devices and systems described in this specification can be used not only alone but also in combination with other devices and systems described in this specification. Furthermore, any aspects of the devices and systems described in this document can be combined with each other in various ways. In particular, the characterizing parts of the claims can be combined with each other in various ways.

[0020] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on examples.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1a

Figure 1b

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] As described at the beginning, this specification addresses the problem of enabling efficient and convenient charging of vehicle batteries. In this regard, FIG. 1a shows an exemplary vehicle battery 100, particularly a lead-acid battery and / or a starter battery and / or a 12V battery. The battery 100 has a positive electrode 101 and a negative electrode 102, which are usually disposed on the upper surface of the casing 105 of the battery 100. The electrodes 101, 102 are usually connected to the conductive wires of the vehicle's electrical system.

[0023] Furthermore, FIG. 1a shows an exemplary charging adapter 110 provided with a support 115. On the support 115, a positive contact 111 is disposed (particularly attached) in a form (conductively) connected to the positive electrode 101 of the battery 100. Furthermore, on the support, a negative contact 112 is disposed (particularly attached) in a form (conductively) connected to the negative electrode 102 of the battery. In particular, the charging adapter 110 can be fitted onto the corresponding electrodes 101, 102, whereby the charging adapter 110 may be formed to be held on the battery 100.

[0024] At least one of the contacts 111, 112 may be slidable, for example, slidably attached to the support 110 along a rail 116. In this way, it is possible to adapt the charging adapter 110 to batteries 110 of various dimensions and / or various types of batteries 110.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 1b, the charging adapter 110 has a charging coil 120 formed for inductive energy transmission. The charging coil 120 can be flatly disposed on the support 115 of the charging adapter 110. The charging coil 120 can be configured to generate a current (alternating current) in response to a charging magnetic field. The induced current can be converted into a (rectified) charging current for charging the vehicle battery 110 through a rectifier 125. The rectified charging current can be led to the contacts 111 and 112 via the wiring portions 121 and 122 and then to the vehicle battery 110.

[0026] Therefore, the charging adapter 110 can be configured to receive electrical energy from the charger 150 via the charging coil 120 and deliver it to the contacts 111 and 112 to charge the vehicle battery 110.

[0027] Therefore, a charging adapter 110 for charging a battery 100 (such as a lead-acid battery or a lithium-ion battery) will be described. This charging adapter is formed, for example, as a fitting mount (cap) for placement on the battery 100. With this charging adapter 110, inductive energy transmission from the charger 150 to the vehicle battery 100 becomes possible.

[0028] The charging adapter 110 can be used to charge the battery 100 at the end of battery manufacturing and / or during storage of the battery 100 (without electrically contacting the charger 150). Alternatively or additionally, the charging adapter 110 can be used to charge the battery 100 in a warehouse (such as at a vehicle dealership). At this time, the charging adapter 110 can be used to charge various batteries 100. The charging adapter 110 can also be used to charge the battery 100 during the transportation process as needed.

[0029] The charging adapter 110 may be formed as a flat coil stack provided with a diode connection and / or a rectifier 125. In this case, the stack can have the size of the lid 106 of the battery 100. The charging adapter 110 can have a charging controller 126 in order to regulate the charging process, in particular the charging current. The support 115 of the charging adapter 110 may be formed as a flexible film that can be adhesively bonded onto the lid 106 of the battery 100 if necessary (for example, as an identification label for the type of battery).

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1b, the conductor tracks 121, 122 between the rectifier 115 and the contacts 111, 112 may be formed as a safety device (fuse) 127. In this way, a short circuit during the charging process can be prevented with high reliability.

[0031] The distance between the contacts 111, 112 may be formed to be variable or changeable. In this way, the charging adapter 110 can be adapted to various battery sizes. The distance between the contacts 111, 112 here gives an indication of the battery size. For example, the control unit 130 of the charging adapter 110 may be configured to obtain the set distance of the contacts 111, 112. Then, the charging process of the battery 100 can be carried out according to the set distance of the contacts 111, 112.

[0032] The charging adapter 110 may be formed as a battery electrode cover that is used not to cover the entire lid 106 of the battery 100, but only the area around the electrodes 101, 102 of the battery 100. In this way, a particularly compact charging adapter 110 can be provided.

[0033] The charging adapter 110 has a display unit 128, and this display unit is configured to display, for example, the temperature of the battery 100, the charging current, and / or the battery voltage. Further, data regarding the charging process (e.g., charging current, battery voltage, and / or temperature) can be stored in a storage unit (not shown) and / or transmitted via the wireless data communication unit 129. Thus, for example, the quality of the charging process can be monitored and / or verified.

[0034] To charge a plurality of vehicle batteries 100, a charging rack may be provided that includes a plurality of inductive energy transfer devices 150 (each having one transmission coil for one or more charging adapters 110 according to the power specifications). In that case, the vehicle battery 100 is installed in the charging rack together with the charging adapter 110 and can be charged as needed.

[0035] The charging adapter 110 described in this specification enables efficient and accurate charging of the vehicle battery 100. Thus, a low state of charge and / or deep discharge can be avoided, so that the life of the vehicle battery 100 can be extended. The handling of the battery 100 during manufacturing, transportation, and / or storage can be simplified. If necessary, charging of one or more batteries 100 during transportation (e.g., environmental power generation (energy harvesting) in commercial vehicles or trains, etc.) can be enabled. Further, reliable and efficient monitoring of the battery 100 (especially in the storage state) can be enabled.

[0036] The present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. In particular, it should be noted that the specification and drawings are only intended to illustratively and understandably show the principles of the proposed methods, devices, and systems. Although this application relates to the invention described in the claims, it also includes the following from other viewpoints. [1]. A charging adapter (110) for charging a vehicle battery (100), a support (115), a charging coil (120) attached to the support (115) and configured to generate an AC charging current in response to a charging magnetic field, a rectifier (125) attached to the support (115) and configured to generate a rectified charging current based on the AC charging current, a positive contact (111) attached to the support (115) and a negative contact (112) attached to the support (115), which are configured to be fitted into the positive electrode (101) and negative electrode (102) of the vehicle battery (100), a wiring portion (121, 122) configured to guide the rectified charging current to the positive contact (111) and negative contact (112), and the charging adapter (110) having the above. [2]. The charging adapter (110) according to 1 above, wherein the charging adapter (110) is formed as a mountable carrier that can be fitted into the lid portion (106) of the vehicle battery (100). [3]. The charging adapter (110) according to 1 or 2 above, wherein the support (115) is formed as a film, particularly as an adhesive film. [4]. The charging adapter (110) according to 1 or 2 above, wherein the support (115) is formed as a plate, particularly as a rigid plate. [5]. The positive contact (111) and / or negative contact (112) are slidably disposed on the support (115), and / or The positive contact (111) and / or negative contact (112) are disposed on the support (115) such that the distance between the positive contact (111) and negative contact (112) can be changed, and / or The positive contact (111) and / or negative contact (112) are slidably disposed on the support (115) on a rail (116). The charging adapter (110) according to any one of 1 to 4 above. [6]. The charging coil (120) has a flat coil, particularly is a flat coil, and / or The charging coil (120) is disposed on the support (115) such that an inductive charger (150) configured to generate a charging magnetic field can be placed on the support (115) for charging the vehicle battery (100), and / or The charging coil (120) is arranged on the support (115) such that the coupling coefficient between the coil of the inductive charger (150) and the charging coil (120) is maximized when the inductive charger (150) is placed on the support (115). The charging adapter (110) according to any one of 1 to 5 above. [7]. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of 1 to 6 above, having a display unit (128), acquiring data regarding the temperature of the vehicle battery (100), data regarding the charging current, and / or data regarding the battery voltage, and displaying the data by the display unit (128), and having a control unit (130) configured as such. The charging adapter (110). [8]. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of 1 to 7 above, having a charging controller (126) configured to set, in particular, adjust the charging current and / or the charging voltage during the charging process of the vehicle battery (100). [9]. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of 1 to 8 above, having a communication unit (129), the communication unit being configured to transmit data regarding the vehicle battery (100) and / or data regarding the charging process of the vehicle battery (100) via a communication connection, in particular, via a wireless communication connection.

[10] . The charging adapter (110) according to any one of 1 to 9 above, having a control unit (130), the control unit acquiring distance information regarding the set distance between the positive contact (111) and the negative contact (112), and operating the charging process of the vehicle battery (100) to which the charging adapter (110) is attached according to the distance information. The charging adapter (110) configured as such.

[11] . The charging adapter (110) according to any one of 1 to 10 above, wherein at least one of the wiring parts (121, 122) is provided with a safety device (127), in particular a fuse.

[12] . The charging adapter (110) according to any one of 1 to 11 above, configured to charge a 12V vehicle battery (100), and / or configured to charge a lead-acid battery (100), and / or configured to charge a starter battery (100). The charging adapter (110).

Claims

1. A charging adapter (110) for charging a vehicle battery (100), a support (115), a charging coil (120) attached to the support (115) and configured to generate an AC charging current in response to a charging magnetic field, a rectifier (125) attached to the support (115) and configured to generate a rectified charging current based on the AC charging current, a positive contact (111) attached to the support (115) and a negative contact (112) attached to the support (115), which are configured to be fitted into the positive pole (101) and negative pole (102) of the vehicle battery (100), a wiring portion (121, 122) configured to guide the rectified charging current to the positive contact (111) and negative contact (112), and the charging adapter (110) having the above.

2. The charging adapter (110) according to Claim 1, wherein the charging adapter (110) is formed as a mountable carrier that can be fitted into the lid portion (106) of the vehicle battery (100).

3. The charging adapter (110) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the support (115) is formed as a film.

4. The charging adapter (110) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the support (115) is formed as a plate.

5. The positive contact (111) and / or negative contact (112) is slidably disposed on the support (115), and / or The positive contact (111) and / or negative contact (112) is disposed on the support (115) such that the distance between the positive contact (111) and the negative contact (112) can be changed, and / or The plus contact (111) and / or the minus contact (112) are arranged on the support (115) so as to be slidable on the rail (116). The charging adapter (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The charging coil (120) has a flat coil and / or The charging coil (120) is arranged on the support (115) so that an inductive charger (150) configured to generate a charging magnetic field can be placed on the support (115) for charging the vehicle battery (100), and / or The charging coil (120) is arranged on the support (115) such that the coupling coefficient between the coil of the inductive charger (150) and the charging coil (120) is maximized when the inductive charger (150) is placed on the support (115). The charging adapter (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, having a display unit (128), acquiring data on the temperature of the vehicle battery (100), data on the charging current, and / or data on the battery voltage, and displaying the data by the display unit (128). The charging adapter (110) having a control unit (130) configured as such. The charging adapter (110).

8. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The charging adapter (110) having a charging controller (126) configured to set or adjust the charging current and / or the charging voltage during the charging process of the vehicle battery (100).

9. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, A charging adapter (110) having a communication unit (129), the communication unit being configured to transmit data regarding the vehicle battery (100) and / or data regarding the charging process of the vehicle battery (100) via a communication connection.

10. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, having a control unit (130), the control unit acquiring distance information regarding a set distance between the positive contact (111) and the negative contact (112), and operating the charging process of the vehicle battery (100) to which the charging adapter (110) is attached according to the distance information the charging adapter (110) being configured.

11. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein at least one of the wiring parts (121, 122) is provided with a safety device (127).

12. The charging adapter (110) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, being configured to charge a 12V vehicle battery (100) and / or being configured to charge a lead-acid battery (100) and / or being configured to charge a starter battery (100) the charging adapter (110).

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