Robotic EV Charging Port Re-Detection for Vertical Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic charging systems face challenges in accurately inserting the charging connector into the charging port when the port's position shifts vertically due to door opening, trunk operation, or vehicle height adjustments during the charging process, potentially leading to failed connections or damage to vehicle components.
Innovation Solution
The automatic charging system employs a position information acquisition device, such as a camera, and a detection device to continuously monitor the charging port's position, pausing the charging operation and re-acquiring position information if any vertical displacement is detected, ensuring the connector is inserted based on the latest position data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the charging robot uses initial position information to insert the charging connector, then the charging operation can start quickly, but the insertion may fail or cause damage if the charging port position shifts vertically
Solution Approach 1:
The detection device performs preliminary detection of the charging port position before the charging robot attempts insertion. This preliminary action ensures that the position information is current and accurate, preventing insertion failures while minimizing time loss by only triggering re-detection when position changes are detected
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback monitoring of the charging port position during the charging preparation phase. When the detection device detects a vertical position change, it provides feedback to pause the charging operation and trigger new position information acquisition, ensuring the robot always uses up-to-date position data for insertion
2Measurement precision
If the system continuously monitors charging port position, then insertion accuracy is maintained, but the system complexity and detection requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The detection device is configured to monitor only the vertical position of the charging port, focusing detection resources on the specific dimension that affects insertion accuracy. This localized monitoring approach maintains measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of comprehensive multi-dimensional tracking
Solution Approach 2:
The charging vehicle itself provides the detection function through its existing structure and sensors, eliminating the need for separate complex detection equipment. The vehicle's door opening/closing sensors and height adjustment sensors are utilized to detect charging port position changes, making the system self-monitoring without adding external complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An automatic charging system includes: a vehicle driven by power; a charger having a charging cable having a charging connector; a position information acquisition device for obtaining position information of a charging port of the vehicle; a charging robot having a robot arm; and a detection device, which detects an operation of the charging port displaced in a vertical direction. Further, the charging robot insert the charging connector into the charging port based on the position information, and in a case where the detection device detects the operation of the charging port displaced in the vertical direction during a time period from when the position information acquisition device acquires the position information to when the insertion of the charging connector into the charging port is completed, the acquisition of the position information by the position information acquisition device is newly done again.