Charge Adapter Splitting One EV Plug Across Multiple Charge Ports
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrified vehicles are limited to charging through a single coupler, leading to extended charging times when only a single charge plug is available at a charging station, as they typically require separate charging stations for each partition of their traction battery pack.
Innovation Solution
A charging system with an electrical divider system that partitions the traction battery pack into separately chargeable and electrically isolated partitions, allowing a single charge adapter to connect to multiple charge ports and split the charge current evenly between them, enabling simultaneous charging through multiple interfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a single coupler is used for charging, then the charging system is simple, but the charging time is extended when only a single charge plug is available
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is divided into multiple electrically isolated partitions, each with its own charge port assembly. This segmentation allows independent charging of each partition, enabling parallel charging operations that reduce total charging time while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The charge adapter serves multiple functions by enabling a single EVSE to charge multiple battery partitions simultaneously. It acts as a multi-plug device that can connect to multiple charge ports, providing universal charging capability across different partition configurations and reducing the need for multiple separate charging stations
2Productivity
If multiple charge port assemblies are provided for each partition, then simultaneous charging is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charge adapter serves as an intermediary device between the EVSE and multiple charge port assemblies. It simplifies the connection architecture by providing a single point of attachment to the EVSE while distributing connections to multiple partitions, thereby enabling parallel charging without proportionally increasing EVSE complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The charge adapter contains multiple charge couplers nested within a single housing structure. Each charge coupler corresponds to a specific partition, allowing the adapter to function as a compact multi-functional unit that reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate charging devices for each partition
3Adaptability or versatility
If the battery pack is partitioned into separately chargeable units, then charging flexibility is improved, but the electrical isolation requirements increase system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The battery pack is segmented into electrically isolated partitions with dedicated charge port assemblies for each. This physical and electrical segmentation provides charging flexibility allowing selective charging of individual partitions or groups, while the modular design keeps electrical isolation management systematic rather than chaotic
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical divider system can dynamically transition between coupled and decoupled states based on charging requirements. This dynamic reconfiguration capability allows the system to adapt electrical connectivity in real-time, providing flexibility for different charging scenarios while maintaining manageable complexity through controlled state transitions
Data Source
AI summary
Electrified vehicle charging systems may be equipped with multiple charging interfaces. An exemplary charging system may include a charge adapter for allowing a single charge plug/connector/coupler to be split into multiple charge plugs/connectors/couplers for simultaneously utilizing each charging interface for charging a traction battery pack of the electrified vehicle. Use of the charge adapter can reduce charging times when only a single charge plug is available at a charging station.