Method and device for connecting a connector of an electric vehicle charger to a socket on an electric vehicle

Abstract

1. A method and device for connecting a connector of an electric vehicle charger to a socket on an electric vehicle, comprising: Step A determines the expected location and orientation of the socket; Step B: moving the connector in the direction of the expected position of the socket; Step C: positioning the connector adjacent to its intended socket location while having at least one angular rotation about an axis that is not parallel to the direction of inherent movement relative to the mutual orientation of the connector and socket, along which the centerlines of the pins and holes of at least two pin-and-hole mating pairs coincide; Step D, removing the angular difference between the assumed position and orientation and the actual position and orientation; and E. connecting the connector and the socket by performing a specific movement toward each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a device for connecting a connector of an electric vehicle charger to a socket on an electric vehicle. A device for this purpose is technically known, for example, from international patent application PCT / NL2020 / 050266 from the same applicant.

Background Art

[0002] The charging cable of a charger for charging an electric vehicle generally comprises a connector, also called a plug or a coupler, for insertion into a socket provided on the electric vehicle. These connectors can be of the multi-pole type, i.e., designed to establish a plurality of connections when connected to the socket. These connections can be used for AC or DC power connections for charging (discharging) the vehicle battery and / or for data exchange between the charger and the vehicle, in particular the vehicle's battery management system. The connector and the socket can include a pin-and-hole connection, and both the connector and the socket can have a combination of both pins and holes.

[0003] Connectors and sockets for charging electric vehicles are standardized. The currently commonly used types are described in standards such as IEC62196 and SAEJ1772. The types of connectors and sockets in these standards are called CCS-1, CCS-2, type-1, type-2, type-3, CHAdeMO, and GB / T (also described in GB / T20234.3). Other standardized EV charging connectors include, for example, the newly defined ChaoJi connector intended for use in China and Asian regions, Euro-Din compliant with DIN VDE 0623-589 used on low-voltage vehicles such as forklifts, and the future HPCCV connector intended for use on large electric vehicles such as trucks and buses. In particular, CCS-2 type connectors and sockets are popular in Europe. In addition to the multi-pole electrical connection, the connector and socket establish a mechanical connection to ensure that the correct poles are paired correctly and maintain the engagement of the electrical connection during charging. To maintain the mechanical connection, the connector has a tight-fitting portion that clamps the connector into the socket. The above-mentioned standards as well as the connectors and sockets are particularly intended for placement inside the vehicle body or within the vehicle or on the vehicle body or on the vehicle chassis, and are usually placed on the side of the vehicle or, in some cases, on the top of the vehicle.

[0004] These connectors are not particularly intended for use below the vehicle, i.e., in contact with or integrated into the vehicle bottom, or within or in contact with its chassis. Therefore, the method (according to the present invention) may not clearly intend a connection below the vehicle and / or in contact with the vehicle bottom or chassis.

[0005] A connector compliant with the standard can have a chamfered portion for guidance and a "play" fitting portion at the first stage of insertion into the socket. Still, inserting a standard electric vehicle connector into a socket is, in most cases, a high-precision operation that requires accurate positioning of the connector to be inserted. Also, in actual situations, unexpected posture (position / rotation) changes of the socket on the vehicle may occur during the insertion process (such as people coming in and out, loading and unloading of cargo, wind load, etc.).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0006] One object of the present invention is to reduce the need for a very accurate posture estimation method that is complex and consequently expensive, and / or to reduce the need for a very accurate robot that has the same drawbacks of being complex and expensive despite the uncertainty of the position and orientation of the socket and the connector. The present invention further aims to provide a more tolerant countermeasure against unexpected movements during the insertion process, more specifically during the final stage of the insertion process (after the last posture estimation). Generally, one object of the present invention is to provide a useful alternative to the current state of the art.

MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0007] The present invention relates to connecting a connector of an electric vehicle charger to a socket on an electric vehicle having an assumed position and orientation, wherein the connector and the socket each have a plurality of poles that can be electrically connected to each other by establishing a connection pair of conductive pins and holes, the connector includes pins, the socket includes associated holes, and / or the connector includes holes and the socket includes associated pins, each pin-and-hole pair has a center line extending axially from the center of the pin or the hole, the center lines are parallel to each other, and the connector and the socket can be connected by a single unique movement towards each other.

[0008] This unique movement has a direction parallel to the direction of the center line of the pin and the hole, and the mutual orientation of the connector and the socket where the center lines of the respective pins and holes of at least two pin-and-hole connection pairs coincide. The connector and the socket each include a housing, and the housings of the connector and the socket can be connected by the unique movement towards each other. The connector and / or the socket includes a mechanical guide protruding in a direction parallel to the direction of the center line rather than at the end of the pin.

[0009] The directions and orientations mentioned above apply to the last part of establishing a physical connection where at least a part of the housings of the connector and the socket are in contact with each other.

[0010] The above specifications comply with the above regulations, but the present invention is not limited to these specifications.

[0011] The method according to the present invention Step A of determining the assumed position and orientation of the socket; Step B of moving the connector in the direction of the assumed position of the socket using an automated actuator and / or manipulator; Step C of positioning the connector adjacent to the assumed socket position of the connector using one or the automated actuator and / or manipulator while having at least one angular rotation about an axis not parallel to the direction of the unique movement with respect to the mutual orientation of the connector and the socket where the center lines of the respective pins and holes of at least two pin-and-hole connection pairs coincide; Step D of removing the angular difference between the assumed position and orientation and the actual position and orientation; Step E of connecting the connector and the socket using one or the automated actuator and / or manipulator by performing the unique movement towards each other.

[0012] Steps A through E can also be referred to as an insertion sequence.

[0013] In this application, as in other applications, an axis that is not parallel to a certain direction means that there is an angle with an absolute value greater than zero between the axis and the direction. As a result, not being parallel is not a negative definition, but rather the exclusion of a set of directions that are parallel (including the coinciding direction).

[0014] By the method according to the present invention, it is not necessary to simultaneously perform the six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) alignment required before performing the specific movement for connecting the connector and the socket, and the benefit is provided that it can be aligned step by step. This coupling procedure is performed so as to guide regardless of whether the shape of the connector is designed for alignment, particularly for that purpose.

[0015] In the state-of-the-art method, an attempt is made to align the entire connector at once and insert it, and it is necessary to simultaneously aim at many locations within the specific boundaries of the connector or the socket exactly, and to simultaneously align larger surfaces within the specific boundaries of the connector or the socket that are not small surfaces or lines or points.

[0016] By applying an intentional rotational misalignment, the procedure can start by, for example, aiming a part of the connector, such as an edge, at a predetermined location of the socket that can be an edge, for example, or between the slits or gaps of the socket. In other words, the method can include, as one step, positioning a part of the connector between the geometric boundaries of the vehicle socket. Such slits or gaps can themselves be relatively wide with respect to the protrusions of the connector and do not attempt to accurately aim within the gaps at other locations (i.e., parts of the socket), so even with misalignment, there are fewer constraints and the remaining constraints can tolerate a greater error, making the first part of the positioning possible. Alternatively, the method is considered to remove the intentional misalignment by partially fitting the connector and socket such that the convex hulls partially overlap in contact and then aligning the centerlines of the pin-and-hole pairs. The misalignment or bias can be designed according to the geometric shapes and approach angles of the connector and socket, that is, in addition to the intentional rotational misalignment, there can also be an intentional translational misalignment applied in one direction to facilitate the insertion sequence with rotational misalignment.

[0017] When a part of the connector enters the slit or gap, the movement of the connector is restricted by the shape of the vehicle socket and the shape of the connector. This simplifies the alignment of the remaining degrees of freedom that may be assisted by mechanically guiding the surfaces of the connector and socket.

[0018] In the sense of the present invention, adjacent is understood to mean having a mutual distance of less than 10 cm, preferably and / or generally less than 5 mm, and more preferably being in contact by mechanical contact.

[0019] In the first embodiment of the present invention, steps D and E can be performed continuously. That is, removing the angular difference between the assumed position and orientation and the actual position and orientation can be done before connecting the connector and the socket by performing the inherent movement towards each other. In this embodiment, step D can be performed by the automated actuator and / or the manipulator.

[0020] Step D can be triggered by detecting that the connector has contacted the socket, or by determining or detecting that the minimum distance between a part of the connector and a part of the socket has reached a predetermined threshold value, such as less than 5 mm or more, especially less than 1 mm.

[0021] This can be done, for example, when information about mechanical contact is obtained, or when it is known from (updated) camera information that the alignment is within a specific boundary, or when the connector is in, for example, a slit or gap of the socket, or in contact with a known or defined part of the socket that can act as a reference from that point and is partially positioned.

[0022] The connector can then be rotated towards the aligned orientation when it is partially positioned within the socket. Complete positioning (and connection to the socket) within the socket is not yet possible at this stage due to the intentional misalignment, but can be done when the aligned orientation is reached.

[0023] In an alternative embodiment, steps D and E are performed at least partially simultaneously, in particular by applying a force and / or torque in the direction of the inherent movement towards each other for at least one direction component.

[0024] This is preferably performed while applying a force and / or torque having at least one directional component corresponding to the intrinsic movement, but it is not necessarily required to do so.

[0025] The method according to the present invention actively rotates the connector by performing a manipulation that rotates the connector. including causing.

[0026] In yet another preferred embodiment of the method according to the present invention, when it is shown that, as a result of the angular rotation, a suitable portion of the connector first protrudes in the direction of the socket to serve as a reference for further connection movement by fitting with the socket, the angular rotation is performed about an axis perpendicular to the direction of the intrinsic movement towards each other.

[0027] Step D can then be performed, for example, while the connector is rotating around one or more contact points or lines of contact with the socket. These one or more contact points can be lines (connected by virtual lines) and can change - especially gradually - during steps D and E.

[0028] Step D is by an active rotational manipulation of the connector, for example by an actuator or by a robot (part). Perform. Ability The dynamic rotational manipulation is to be understood as applying a torque or force that directly causes rotation.

[0029] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the connector is arranged adjacent to the assumed position of the socket while also undergoing translation in addition to the intentional rotation. Depending on the shape of the connector and / or the socket, intentional translation over a predetermined direction and distance can assist in further alignment and positioning of the connector and the socket.

[0030] The assumed position and orientation can be determined, for example, when there is a predetermined charging location where the vehicle is parked, or more specifically, for example, when the vehicle has an automatic parking functionality and parking is performed automatically, based on data derived from a fixed parking position, the known geometric shape of the vehicle, and a reproducible and sufficiently accurate parking. Alternatively, the data can be provided from the vehicle, and the data can be data from parking sensors that can also be used for automatic parking purposes. The sensor can further include a camera on the vehicle or on the charging facility and / or on the manipulator for the connector, and / or contact sensors on the connector and / or on the socket or coupled to the connector and / or the socket can be used.

[0031] In yet another embodiment, the assumed position and orientation of the socket are re - determined or recalculated during the insertion sequence, and the movement can be adjusted based on the updated information of the assumed position.

[0032] The present invention can be applied in combination with a CCS connector, and the angular rotation is between 0 degrees and 20 degrees, particularly between 1 degree and 5 degrees and more specifically about 3 degrees, or between 12 degrees and 18 degrees and more specifically about 15 degrees, around a rotation axis parallel to the connection line between the ends of the DC charging pins of the CCS connector. The present invention is also applicable when the connector is a Type - 1 connector, a Type - 2 connector, a CHAdeMO connector, a GB / T connector, a Euro - DIN connector, or when the connector is a ChaoJi connector or an HPCCV connector.

[0033] Generally, a part of the connector body can protrude within or onto the convex hull (bounding box) of the socket before rotating to reach the final alignment. This protrusion restricts at least one degree of freedom of movement and at least partially restricts the movement of the connector.

[0034] The present invention relates to a device for performing the above method, which is a manipulator for moving a connector of an electric vehicle charger with the socket on the electric vehicle in a hypothetical position and orientation, and the device includes a manipulator adapted to move the connector. Such a manipulator can be, but is not limited to, the device described in International Patent Application No. PCT / NL2020 / 050266 from the same applicant incorporated herein by reference.

[0035] The manipulator can be adapted to move the connector with at least 3 degrees of freedom, preferably at least 4 degrees of freedom, more preferably at least 5 degrees of freedom, and the manipulator can be provided with compliance in at least all degrees of freedom in which the manipulator is not adapted to move the connector. The compliance can be, but is not limited to, the type disclosed in International Patent Application No. PCT / NL2020 / 050266 from the same applicant.

[0036] The manipulator for moving the connector can be configured to perform a shape-following movement for directing the connector in the insertion direction. This can be both passive and active. In a passive embodiment, the manipulator can include a passive compliance assembly (e.g., a spring assembly) designed to appropriately eliminate an intentional misalignment or, in particular, an intentional misrotation. This embodiment can be applied when there is a relatively small misalignment of several degrees, for example, up to a maximum of 5 degrees, and the compliance passively eliminates the misalignment.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0037] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following drawings.

Figure 1a

Figure 1b

Figure 2a

Figure 2b

Figure 3a

Figure 3b

Figure 4a

Figure 4b

Figure 4c

Figure 4d

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0038] Figures 1a and 1b show a connector 1 of an electric vehicle charger connectable to a socket 2 on an electric vehicle (not shown) having an assumed position and orientation (the positions and orientations shown), the connector 1 and the socket 2 being electrically multipole connectable to each other by establishing a connection pair with conductive pins 3 and holes 4. In the case shown, the connector is of the CCS2 standard type including holes 4, the socket includes the associated pins 3, each pin has a center line 6 extending axially from the center of the pin, each hole has a center line 5 from the hole, the center lines 6 (of all the pins 3) are parallel to each other, the center lines 5 (of all the holes 4) are parallel to each other, the connector 1 and the socket 2 are connectable by a single specific movement towards each other, this movement having a direction 7 parallel to the directions of the center lines 5, 6 of the pins 3 and holes 4 and the relative orientations of the connector 1 and the socket 2 where the center lines 5, 6 of the pins 3 and holes 4 of at least two pin-and-hole connection pairs coincide. The connector 1 and the socket 2 each include a housing 8, 9, the housings 8, 9 of the connector and the socket being connectable by the said specific movement 7 towards each other and including mechanical guides 10, 12 protruding 11 beyond the ends of the pins in a direction parallel to the directions of the center lines 5, 6.

[0039] The relative orientations of the connector 1 and the socket 2 are "aligned", that is, when the connector is moved in the direction 7, the connector and the socket are connected, in other words, the connector is inserted.

[0040] Figure 1b shows a cross-sectional view corresponding to line A-A' of Figure 1a and is taken exactly in the front plane of the socket 2 which is the part of the socket surrounding the DC pins. The DC pins are slightly recessed compared to the AC pins, and the AC pins are recessed from the front face. The connector is in the position of Figure 1a, that is, the projection 10 extends into the slit or gap 12 of the socket. In this case, the projection 10 and the slit or gap 12 cooperating with the projection 10 form a mechanical guide for positioning the connector 1 and the socket 2 relative to each other.

[0041] In Figure 1b, it can be clearly seen that in order to connect the connector 1 and the socket 2, it is necessary to insert the projection 10 of the connector inside the geometric boundary of the socket formed by the edges of the slit or gap 12. Detail B shows that the tolerance ranges 13, 14 for establishing the connection are very small, as can be seen from the overall geometric shape of the corresponding oval parts of the connector 1 and the socket surrounding the DC charging pins 15, 16. These small tolerance ranges and complex positioning requirements are an obstacle to the automation of the connection, coupling, or insertion of the connector 1 and the socket 2, imposing restrictions on the applicable technology and the speed at which the connector 1 and the socket 2 can be manipulated.

[0042] The method according to the present invention eliminates these drawbacks, as will become apparent from Figures 2a, 2b and 3a, 3b, where the same CCS2 connector and socket are connected, taking into account step C of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 2a shows the connector 1 and the socket 2 from Figures 1a and 1b, but here they are displaced by an angular rotation α of 3 degrees about an axis 15 perpendicular to the direction of the unique movement, with respect to the mutual orientation of the connector 1 and the socket 2 such that the center lines of the respective pins and holes of at least two pin-and-hole connection pairs coincide.

[0044] Figure 2b also shows a cross-section on line A-A' in this case, where a small part of the projection 10 is inside the geometric boundary of the socket 2. This effect is obtained by displacing the connector 1 by an angle α greater than 3 degrees. As can be seen in Figure 2b, there is a relatively much larger receiving space with a larger tolerance range around the projection 10 of the connector 1. This makes it easier to position the connector 1 relative to the socket 2, and thus less stringent requirements are set, enabling the automation of the operation.

[0045] Figures 3a and 3b show another configuration of the same connector 1 and socket 2, where there is a 15-degree misalignment β. It can be visually recognized in the figure that the tolerance ranges 18 and 19 are much larger than the tolerance ranges 13, 14 in Figure 1b.

[0046] The examples given above show the effective angles for the CCS2 connector. Other combinations of connectors and sockets may have different optimal angles. However, since the connector is coupled to the charger, and the charger can be equipped with a connector manipulator adjusted to the specific connector, this is not actually a problem. The operating range for any type of connector and socket can be predetermined along with one or more optimal misalignment angles.

[0047] In all embodiments within the scope of the present invention, the possible (which can be synonymous with "assumed to be") positional and orientation uncertainties of the socket with respect to the connector (or the connector with respect to the socket) are the reasons for adding intentional misalignment. Both the uncertainty and the angle for which this misalignment has a beneficial effect can have ranges, and this misalignment can be selected considering the possible positional uncertainties and directions. This means that even if the estimation of the socket position is worst, this misalignment is still within the range that facilitates the connection between the connector and the socket.

[0048] Figure 4a shows a cross-sectional view of a situation where the connector 1 has an unintentional rotation around the axis 20 in a direction parallel to the center line of the pins and holes. This direction of rotation is called roll, and the misalignment shown in the figure is 3 degrees. In part E, it can be visually recognized that the connector 1 and the socket 2 are in contact due to the misalignment. In this orientation, if the pin and hole contour lines are not accurately set, it may not even be possible to connect the connector and the socket because the remaining part of the connector may abut against the socket.

[0049] Figure 4b shows the situation from Figure 4a again, having 5 unintentional rolls and 3 intentional rotations around axis 25 from left to right in the figure, called pitch. From the figure, it seems that the connector is no longer in contact with the socket, and the connector and the socket can be connected by moving the connector in direction 20 shown in Figure 4a.

[0050] Figure 4c shows a 3 - degree unintentional rotational misalignment around the axis in the up - down direction 21 of the figure, called yaw, with respect to the relative orientation of connector 1 and socket 2 where the center lines of each of the pins and holes of at least two pin - and - hole connection pairs coincide. The clearances 23, 24 are shown, imposing restrictions on the positioning of connector 1 within the socket.

[0051] Figure 4d shows the situation from Figure 4c again, having a 3 - degree unintentional yaw and a 3 - degree intentional pitch added. As can be seen from a small part 10 of the connector 1 within the socket, the strictness of the restrictions on the positioning of connector 1 within the socket is relaxed, and thus a larger tolerance range is added, making the connection easier. The effect of adding an intentional pitch to the unintentional yaw can be visually recognized compared to Figure 4c.

[0052] The examples given are only examples and do not limit the scope of protection defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a connector of an electric vehicle charger to a socket on an electric vehicle having a supposed position and orientation, comprising: - The connector and the socket each have: - A plurality of poles electrically connectable to each other by establishing a connection pair of conductive pins and holes, wherein the connector includes pins, the socket includes associated holes, and / or the connector includes holes and the socket includes associated pins; - Each pin-hole pair has a center line extending axially from the center of the pin or the hole, and the center lines are parallel to each other; - The connector and the socket are connectable by a single unique movement towards each other, the movement having: - A direction parallel to the direction of the center lines of the pins and holes; - The mutual orientation of the connector and the socket such that the center lines of the respective pins and holes of at least two pin-hole connection pairs coincide; - The connector and the socket each have a housing, and the housings of the connector and the socket: - Are connectable by the unique movement towards each other; - Include mechanical guides protruding in a direction parallel to the direction of the center lines beyond the ends of the pins; The method is characterized by having the following steps. Step A: Determining the supposed position and orientation of the socket; Step B: Moving the connector in the direction of the supposed position of the socket using an automated actuator or manipulator; Step C: Positioning the connector at a position adjacent to the supposed position of the socket while having at least one intentional angular rotation with respect to the socket using the automated actuator or the manipulator, the intentional angular rotation being greater than zero, and the direction of the unique movement being relative to the mutual orientation of the connector and the socket such that the center lines of the respective pins and holes of at least two pin-hole connection pairs coincide; Step D: Rotating the connector using the automated actuator or the manipulator to remove the intentional angular rotation between the supposed position and the adjacent position. Step E: Connecting the connector and the socket using the automated actuator and / or the manipulator by performing the specific movement towards each other.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein steps D and E are performed continuously.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein step D is triggered by detecting that the connector has contacted the socket or by determining or detecting that the minimum distance between a part of the connector and a part of the socket has reached a predetermined threshold value of less than 5 mm.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the predetermined threshold value is less than 1 mm.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein steps D and E are performed at least partially simultaneously while applying a force and / or torque having at least a component in the direction of the specific movement.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the angular rotation is performed about an axis perpendicular to the direction of the specific movement towards each other.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein step D is performed while the connector is rotating around one or more contact points or contact lines with the socket.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein step C includes partially aligning and partially bringing into mutual contact the connector and the socket.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein in step D, it is rotationally actuated by guiding the connector and the socket.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, including the step of arranging the connector adjacent to the assumed position of the socket while undergoing at least one rotational misalignment and also a translational misalignment.

11. The assumed position and orientation are the fixed parking position and known geometric shape of the vehicle for charging purposes, data provided by the vehicle, one or more sensors and / or cameras, and are determined based on the data obtained therefrom. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the assumed position and orientation of the socket are redetermined or recalculated between steps A and E, and the movement is adjusted.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the connector is a CCS connector, and the angular rotation is between 0 degrees and 20 degrees around an axis of rotation parallel to a connection line between ends of DC charging pins of the CCS connector.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the angular rotation is between 1 degree and 5 degrees around an axis of rotation parallel to a connection line between ends of DC charging pins of the CCS connector.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the angular rotation is about 3 degrees around an axis of rotation parallel to a connection line between ends of DC charging pins of the CCS connector.

16. A device for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, a manipulator for moving a connector of an electric vehicle charger in a state where a socket on the electric vehicle is in an assumed position and orientation, the manipulator being adapted to move the connector.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein the manipulator is adapted to move the connector with at least 1 degree of freedom.

18. The device according to claim 16, wherein the manipulator is adapted to move the connector with at least 3 degrees of freedom.

19. The device according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein the connector is suspended from the manipulator using compliance with at least 1 degree of freedom.

20. The device according to any one of claims 16 to 19, further comprising a compliance having a spring assembly.

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