Electric motor vehicle service apparatus

Abstract

An electric motor vehicle service apparatus (1) configured to electrically recharge an electric motor vehicle. The electric motor vehicle service apparatus comprises a lower base (2) provided with a plurality of wheels (3), a boxed frame (4) extending above the lower base (2), an electric charging device (5), which is arranged within the boxed frame (4), an electric charging connector (6) which is electrically connected to the electric charging device (5) by means of an electric cable (7) extending outside the boxed frame (7). The electric charging connector (6) is configured to be manually coupled to a charging socket (V) mounted in the electric motor vehicle.

Description

[0001] "ELECTRIC MOTOR VEHICLE SERVICE APPARATUS"

[0002] Cross-Reference to Related Applications

[0003] This patent appl ication claims priority from Italian patent application no . 102023000018144 filed on September 4 , 2023 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference .

[0004] Technical Field

[0005] The present invention relates to an electric motor vehicle service apparatus . In particular, the present invention concerns a service apparatus , which is particularly convenient for car workshops , configured to be moved on a support plane and capable of electrically recharging one or more electric motor vehicles .

[0006] The electric recharging of the battery pack of an electrically driven motor vehicle , hereinafter referred to as an electric motor vehicle , is known to be generally carried out via an electric charging station equipped with charging devices . Charging devices are commonly referred to as "charging columns" as they comprise column-shaped outer frames that are fixed firmly to the ground .

[0007] The Applicant found that in the field of maintenance and / or repair services for electric motor vehicles , in particular in car workshops , critical conditions often occur which do not allow the electric motor vehicle to be moved from the car workshop to a charging station where it can be electrically recharged .

[0008] Such critical conditions may occur, for example , when the battery pack of the motor vehicle is mal functioning or damaged and repair and / or recharging is / are necessary to restore the functioning of the motor vehicle in the car workshop so that it can be tested at the end of the work .

[0009] Furthermore , even when this is possible , this operation requires time and therefore costs , which have a signi ficant impact on the cost of the repair / work .

[0010] Description of the Invention

[0011] The obj ect of the present invention is to provide an electric motor vehicle service apparatus which overcomes the above-described technical drawbacks .

[0012] In accordance with this obj ect , according to the present invention, an electric motor vehicle service apparatus is provided, as defined in the related independent claims , and preferably, but not necessarily, in any one of the claims dependent thereon .

[0013] The claims describe preferred embodiments of the present invention forming an integral part of the present speci fication .

[0014] Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings , which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof , wherein :

[0016] Figure 1 shows an electric motor vehicle service apparatus made according to the teachings of the present invention,

[0017] - Figure 2 is a perspective view of the electric motor vehicle service apparatus shown in Figure 1 ,

[0018] - Figure 3 is a block diagram of the electric motor vehicle service apparatus made according to the teachings of the present invention,

[0019] - Figures 4 and 5 are front and rear perspective views , respectively, with parts removed for clarity, of the electric motor vehicle service apparatus shown in Figure 1 . Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

[0020] With reference to Figure 1 , number 1 indicates , as a whole , an electric vehicle service apparatus . The apparatus 1 is configured to electrically recharge at least one electric battery pack I I of an electric traction system I I I of an electric motor vehicle IV . It is understood that , according to the present invention, an electric motor vehicle IV refers to an electrically driven vehicle such as , for example , a car, a truck, a coach, or any similar vehicle .

[0021] According to the present invention, the electric traction system I I I of the electric motor vehicle IV comprises one or more electric traction motors of the motor vehicle (not shown) , and at least one electric charging socket V, which i s mounted in the electric motor vehicle IV so as to be acces sible from the outside and is electrically connected to the electric battery pack I I via an electrical / electronic system VI occurring in the motor vehicle IV . The electrical / electronic system VI can be configured to provide the electric battery pack I I with either a direct DC or alternating AC electric power supply quantity ( current / voltage ) . The electric battery pack I I may be provided with one or more electric battery modules or packs and is configured to provide the electric power used / managed by the electrical / electronic system VI to control the operation of the electric motors during the traction of the electric motor vehicle IV .

[0022] With reference to Figure 1 , the electric motor vehicle IV may also include an electronic diagnostic connector or port VI I . The electronic diagnostic port VI I can be electrically connected to the electrical / electronic system VI (body computer ) to receive data from the latter . The data may include electrical data relating to the electric battery pack I I . The electrical data may include , for example : electrical information about the electric battery pack ( identi fication code , license plate data, power, and the like ) , diagnostic information relating to the operation of the batteries . The diagnostic information may conveniently include information on the correct functioning and / or information on battery mal function . The diagnostic information may conveniently indicate the mal functioning battery module to identi fy it in relation to other battery modules , and / or diagnostic electrical quantities that characteri ze the battery (module ) mal function such as , for example , the power and / or voltage and / or current and / or similar electrical quantities . Conveniently, the diagnostic connector can be an OBD (On Board Diagnostics ) port occurring in the motor vehicle IV .

[0023] With reference to Figure 1 , the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 is configured in such a way that it is mobile / movable , i . e . , it can be moved on a support plane P . In other words , the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 is not rigidly / stably fixed in an unmovable manner on the support plane P .

[0024] One technical ef fect achieved by the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 is that the operator can freely use and move the apparatus 1 within a car workshop so as to bring it conveniently close to the electric motor vehicles IV in order to recharge them inside the workshop .

[0025] In this way, the electric charging operation is simpli fied as it can be carried out directly in the workshop, without the need to move the electric motor vehicle to a traditional fixed charging station, thereby reducing time and costs . In particular, the operator ( e . g . , the mechanic ) may use a single electric vehicle service apparatus 1 to recharge a plurality of motor vehicles IV ( one after the other ) .

[0026] A further technical ef fect is that the electric charging operation can be carried out in the workshop during service operations such as maintenance and / or repair operations .

[0027] With reference to a preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1-5 , the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 comprises a trolley, i . e . , a lower (plate-like ) base 2 provided with a plurality of support wheels 3 ( four in the example shown) . The wheels 3 are configured in order to be arranged to rest on the plane P and are mechanically coupled to the lower base 2 to rotate so as to allow the movement of the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 on the plane P . Conveniently, the wheels 3 can swivel around respective vertical axes so as to allow the movement of the apparatus 1 in any direction parallel to the support plane P . Advantageously, the wheels 3 can be spherical and mechanically coupled to the lower base 2 so that they can freely rotate around any axis passing through the centre of the spherical wheels so as to allow the movement of the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 on the plane P in any direction .

[0028] The electric vehicle service apparatus 1 further comprises a boxed frame 4 extending above the lower base 2 . The boxed frame 4 can be firmly fixed to the lower base 2 and forms with the latter a closed container .

[0029] The electric vehicle service apparatus 1 also comprises at least one electric charging device 5 , which is arranged within the boxed frame 4 and is configured to provide at least one electric charging quantity (power, voltage or current ) suitable for recharging the electric motor vehicle IV . The electric charging device 5 can be configured to provide an alternating (AC ) and / or direct ( DC ) electric charging quantity . The electric charging device 5 can preferably be provided with a power cable 5a that can be connected to the main electrical network R1 so as to receive the electric power from the network R1 itsel f .

[0030] The electric vehicle service apparatus 1 further comprises one or more electric charging connectors 6 which are electrically connected to the electric charging device 5 via respective electric cables 7 to receive the electric charging quantity . The electric cables 7 extend outside the boxed frame 4 . The electric charging connector 6 is configured such that it is manually coupled to the electric charging socket V of the electric motor vehicle IV in order to recharge the electric battery pack I I .

[0031] According to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 , the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 comprises two electric charging connectors 6 , one of which is configured to supply an alternating current (AC ) electric charging quantity and the other is configured to supply a direct current ( DC ) electric charging quantity .

[0032] The technical ef fect achieved by the two electric charging connectors 6 is to allow the charging of both DC charging and AC charging electric motor vehicles .

[0033] With reference to Figure 3 , the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 includes an electronic control system 8 configured to control the electric charging device 5 during electric charging .

[0034] Conveniently, the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 comprises a user interface device 9 . According to a possible embodiment , the user interface device 9 is configured to allow the user to issue user-commands to the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 . The user interface device 9 can include a control panel , such as a touch screen .

[0035] User-commands may include at least : the selection of the type of electrical power supply to be used to recharge the electric motor vehicle IV ( e . g . , single-phase alternating, three-phase alternating, or direct ) , and / or the electric charging connector 6 to be used, and / or the electric charging power, and / or the electric voltage , and / or the electrical current , and / or the type of electric traction ( e . g . , electric-only or hybrid) , and / or the type of charging ( slow, intermediate or fast ) .

[0036] The electronic control system 8 is configured to control the electric charging device 5 in order to electrically recharge the electric motor vehicle IV at least on the basis of one or more of the user-commands listed above .

[0037] According to a possible embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 3 , the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 also preferably comprises an electronic diagnostic module or device 10 , which is configured so that it can be manually coupled in an easily removable / separable manner to the electronic diagnostic port VI I and communicate ( exchange ) data with the electronic control system 8 . Preferably, the communication between the electronic diagnostic device 10 and the electronic control system 8 is wireless or similar .

[0038] The electronic control system 8 can be conveniently configured to receive electrical data relating to the electric battery pack I I from the electronic diagnostic device 10 . Conveniently, the electronic control system 8 can be configured to automatically select and execute a charging program from a plurality of pre-set electrical charging programs , based on the electrical data . For example , the electronic control system 8 can be configured to automatically set up the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 so as to prepare it for electrical charging of the electric battery pack I I on the basis of the electrical data .

[0039] Conveniently, the electronic control system 8 can be configured to diagnose the electric battery pack I I based on the electrical data received . Conveniently, the electronic control system 8 can be configured to communicate to the user, for example , via the user interface device 9 , diagnostic data obtained on the basis of the electrical data received . The diagnostic data may be indicative of , for example , a mal function condition of the electric battery pack I I , and / or an indication that allows the mal functioning battery module to be identi fied .

[0040] Conveniently, the electronic control system 8 can be configured to automatically stop the electric charging when it determines a mal function condition . Additionally and / or alternatively, the electronic control system 8 may also be configured to generate a warning message , for example via the user interface device 9 , when a mal function condition is determined .

[0041] Conveniently, the electronic control system 8 may be configured to communicate , for example via an SW wireless communication system, to an SR remote server system, for example a cloud server, the electrical data acquired locally by the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 relating to the electric battery pack I I of the electric motor vehicle IV . The SR remote server system may be configured to store the electrical data and / or diagnose the operating status of the electric battery pack I I ( or the individual battery modules ) of the electric motor vehicle IV based on the electrical data received . The remote server system may also communicate to the user the operating status of the electric battery pack I I of the electric motor vehicle IV and / or the history of the stored data relating to the operating status of the electric battery pack I I .

[0042] With reference to the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5 , the electric charging device 5 may conveniently have a modular structure , i . e . , it may consist of one or more modular electric charging elements 12 , each of which is housed firmly, yet in an easily removable / separable manner, within the boxed frame 4 . The modular electric charging element 12 is configured to provide a predetermined electric power . Conveniently, as shown in Figures 4 and 5 , the electrical modules 12 can provide the same power and be inserted into the boxed frame 4 directly above each other . The technical ef fect of the modular structure of the electric charging device 5 is that the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 can be configured as desired depending on the required electrical power .

[0043] With reference to the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5 , the electric charging device 5 may also include an electrical circuit 14 connecting the electric charging modules 12 to each other in order to provide the predefined electrical power . The electrical circuit 14 may comprise plate-like connecting branches made of an electrically conductive material and structured to connect two or more power terminals of the modular electric charging elements 12 together .

[0044] With reference to Figures 4 and 5 , the electronic control system 8 may comprise a modular electronic element 13 which is housed firmly, yet in an easily removable / separable manner, within the boxed frame 4 .

[0045] In use , the operator arranges the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 such that it rests on the surf ace / plane P, connects it electrically to the main electrical network R1 and moves it within the car workshop placing it next to the electric motor vehicle IV to be recharged . The operator may also issue commands and / or select a charging program through the user interface device 9 . The operator may further couple the electronic diagnostic device 10 to the electronic diagnostic port of the electric motor vehicle IV . The electric vehicle service apparatus 1 can receive electrical data from the electronic diagnostic device 10 and perform a diagnosis on the status of the electric battery pack I I . When a mal function status of the electric battery pack I I is detected, the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 can communicate a message to the operator indicating that mal function status .

[0046] The operator may also couple the electrical charging connector 6 to the charging socket V and commands ( activates ) the execution of the electric charging . In this step, the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 can continuously receive electrical data from the electronic diagnostic device 10 so as to monitor the operating status of the electric battery pack I I . When a mal function status of the electric battery pack I I is detected, the electric vehicle service apparatus 1 can activate an automatic safety procedure . The automatic safety procedure may include immediate automatic charging interruption and / or automatic generation of an alert message for the operator . The electric vehicle service apparatus 1 has at least the following advantages .

[0047] The apparatus completely eliminates the need to move the electric motor vehicle out of the car workshop to a charging station for electric charging . The battery pack can thus be reset and recharged at the same time while keeping the motor vehicle in the car workshop .

[0048] The mobility of the apparatus allows the operator ( e . g . , a repairer or maintenance technician) to move it freely within a car workshop .

[0049] The diagnostic operation during the electric charging also allows mal functions to be identi fied and ensures that a charging operation is carried out in complete safety for the operator .

Claims

CLAIMS1. An electric motor vehicle service apparatus (1) configured to electrically recharge at least one electric battery pack that provides electric power supply to an electric traction system of an electric motor vehicle (IV) , said electric motor vehicle service apparatus (1) comprises: a lower base (2) provided with a plurality of wheels (3) , which are configured in order to be arranged to rest on a plane (P) and are mechanically coupled to said lower base (2) to rotate so as to allow the movement of said electric motor vehicle service apparatus (1) on said plane (P) , a boxed frame (4) extending above said lower base (2) , at least one electric charging device (5) , which is arranged within said boxed frame (4) , at least one electric charging connector (6) which is electrically connected to said electric charging device (5) by means of an electric cable (7) extending outside said boxed frame ( 4 ) , the electric charging connector (6) is configured to be manually coupled to a charging socket (V) which is mounted in said electric motor vehicle (IV) and is electrically connected to said electric battery pack (II) .

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an electronic diagnostic device (10) which is coupled in an easily separable manner to an electronic diagnostic port (VII) mounted on board said electric motor vehicle (IV) , and is configured to receive via said electronic diagnostic port (VII) , first data relating to said electric battery pack (ID ,and an electronic control system (8) , which is configured in order to communicate with said electronic diagnostic device (10) so as to receive said first data.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said electronic control system (8) is configured to perform a diagnosis of the operation of said electric battery pack (II) based on said first data.

4. The apparatus according to any of the claims 2 or 3, wherein said electronic control system (8) is configured to automatically interrupt said electric charging of said motor vehicle based on said first data.

5. The apparatus according to any one of the foregoing claims, comprising: a user interface device (9) configured to allow a user to issue electric charging commands, said electronic control system (8) is configured to control said electric charging device (5) based on said electric charging commands.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said user interface device (9) is configured to allow a user to select electric charging data from among a plurality of predetermined charging data, said electronic control system (8) is configured to control said electric charging device (5) to automatically control the electric charging of said electric motor vehicle (IV) , based on the charging data.

7. The apparatus according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein said electric charging device (5) comprises at least one modular electric charging element, which is arranged in a stable but easily removable manner within said boxed frame (4) and is configured to provide a predeterminedelectric charging power.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said electric charging device (5) comprises a plurality of modular electric charging elements (12) , which are configured to provide respective predetermined electric powers, and an electric circuit (14) which electrically connects said modular electric charging elements (12) to each other to cause said electric motor vehicle service apparatus (1) to provide an electric charging power based on said predetermined electric powers.

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