Vehicle Charging Plug Lock Segmentation for Communication Stability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle charging apparatuses lack communication between the charging facility and the vehicle during charging, and fail to prevent disconnection of communication when the charging plug is unlocked, leading to potential safety issues and interrupted charging processes.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle charging apparatus that includes a communication device capable of maintaining communication sessions across the OSI reference model layers, allowing for secure communication between the charging facility and the vehicle, and a charge controller that suspends charging when the unlocking operation is detected during charging, ensuring safe and uninterrupted charging by managing the communication layers and physical connection states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the charging plug is unlocked during charging to allow user access, then the ease of operation is improved, but the communication connection between vehicle and charging facility may be disconnected, worsening the reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the locking mechanism into two independent functions: a first lock that secures the charging plug to the vehicle, and a second lock that secures the charging plug to the charging facility. This segmentation allows the first lock to be released for user access while the second lock maintains the communication connection, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and communication reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controller as an intermediary that manages the dual-lock mechanism. The controller coordinates the release of the first lock while maintaining the second lock engagement, ensuring that communication connectivity is preserved even when the charging plug is partially accessed. This intermediary control prevents direct disconnection and maintains system reliability.
2Reliability
If the charging plug is securely locked to prevent disconnection, then the reliability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates as users cannot access the plug during charging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the locking function into two separate locks: the first lock maintains secure connection between the charging plug and vehicle, while the second lock maintains connection with the charging facility. This segmentation enables selective release of the first lock for user access while preserving the second lock's secure connection, thus maintaining reliability while improving operability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic lock management where the locking state can change during charging operations. The controller dynamically adjusts which lock is engaged based on operational needs - allowing the first lock to be released for user access while keeping the second lock engaged to maintain communication and power connection stability.
3Reliability
If communication is maintained during unlocking operations, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional lock mechanisms and control logic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the locking system into two distinct locks with separate control functions. This modular approach, while adding components, organizes the complexity into manageable, independent units that can be controlled separately, making the overall system more reliable through dedicated functions for each lock.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the controller universal by having it manage both lock mechanisms and communication protocols through a single control unit. This multi-functionality consolidates control logic, reducing the need for separate dedicated controllers for each function, thereby managing device complexity while maintaining communication reliability during unlocking operations.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
A vehicle charging apparatus (40) mounted on a vehicle for charging an on- vehicle battery (60) from an external power supply (14), with a charging plug (20) connected to the vehicle, includes a communication device (42) that is configured to perform communication with a charging facility (10) providing the external power supply (14) with the charging plug (20) connected and locked to the vehicle. The communication device (42) prohibits disconnection of the communication when an unlocking operation to unlock the charging plug (20) is executed during charging from the external power supply (14) to the on- vehicle battery (60).