Electric charging device, electric connection device, system and method for charging a battery of a vehicle

• US 10,017,062 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2014
• Issued: 07/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Kufner, Annika Carolin, Kilic, Ahmet, Sengebusch, Falco
• Primary Examiner(s): Riyami, Abdullah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Burgos-Guntin, Nelson R
• Application Number:
  US15/110,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20160332525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 439345, 439310, 439259, 310109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/36 by positioning the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric charging device, to a charging system, to a method for charging a battery of a vehicle, and to an electric connection device of a vehicle for charging a battery of the vehicle. The electric charging device comprises the following: a lifting device (11) to which a charging head (12) is coupled, wherein the charging head (12) has a first plurality of first electric contacts (14) on a first surface (13) of the charging head (12), at least some of said contacts being connectable to an energy source in order to charge the battery; and an actuator (16) by means of which the lifting device (11) can be actuated such that the charging head (12) can be at least partly moved in a first direction (R1) that is substantially perpendicular to the first surface (13). The lifting device (11) is further designed such that the charging head (12) can be moved in a second direction (R2) along a stop surface (U, P) by continuing to actuate the lifting device (11) by means of the actuator (16) upon striking the stop surface (U, P) in the first direction (R1).

Claims

1. An electric charging device (10) for charging a battery of a vehicle, the charging device comprising:

a lifting device (11), to which a charging head (12;

12′

) is coupled;

the charging head (12;

12′

) having a first plurality of first electric contacts (14;

14-1, 14-2, 14-3) at or on a first surface (13) of the charging head (12;

12′

), wherein the first plurality of first electric contacts are in the form of lamellae which are parallel to one another and are perpendicular to the first surface, wherein at least some of first electric contacts are configured to be connected to an energy source for the purpose of charging the battery; and

an actuator (16) which is configured to actuate the lifting device (11) in such a manner that the charging head (12;

12′

) can be moved at least partially in a first direction (R1) which is substantially perpendicular to the first surface (13);

the lifting device (11) also being configured such that, upon striking a stop surface (U, P) in the first direction (R1), the charging head (12;

12′

) can be moved in a second direction (R2) along the stop surface (U, P) by continued actuation of the lifting device (11) by the actuator (16).

2. The electric charging device (10) as claimed in claim 1, at least one of the lamellae having a different length in comparison with remaining lamellae.

3. The electric charging device (10) as claimed in claim 1, the charging head (12) being coupled to the lifting device (11) via a first arm (21);

a first end of the first arm (21) being coupled to the charging head (12) via a first spring (31); and

a second end of the first arm being coupled to the lifting device (11) via a second spring (32).

4. The electric charging device (10) as claimed in claim 1, the actuator (16) and the lifting device (11) being formed in such a manner that the lifting device (11) can be actuated by the actuator (16) causing a linear movement (LB) of a slide (20) of the lifting device (11).

10. The electric charging device (10) as claimed in claim 1, at least one of the lamellae being arranged in a manner offset from remaining lamellae in a direction (R2) along the lamellae.

11. The electric charging device (10) as claimed in claim 1, at least one of the lamellae having a different length in comparison with remaining lamellae, and at least one of the lamellae being arranged in a manner offset from remaining lamellae in a direction (R2) along the lamellae.

5. An electric connection device (110;

110′

) of a vehicle for charging a battery of the vehicle, the connection device comprising;

a receiving head (112;

112′

) which has a second plurality of second electric contacts (114;

114-1, 114-2, 114-3) at or on a second surface (113) of the connection device (110;

1101 wherein the second plurality of second electric contacts are formed parallel to one another and are perpendicular to the second surface;

a guide device (118;

118′

) for receiving a charging head (12;

12′

) which is placed against the connection device (110;

110′

) and which moves substantially parallel to the second surface (113) and for guiding the moving charging head (12;

12′

) and the receiving head (112;

112′

) into a predetermined positional relationship with respect to one another;

wherein, if the charging head (12;

12′

) and the receiving head (112;

112′

) are substantially in the predetermined positional relationship with respect to one another, the battery of the vehicle can be charged via the second electric contacts (114;

114-1, 114-2, 114-3).

6. The connection device (110) as claimed in claim 5, the second electric contacts (114;

114-1, 114-2, 114-3) being arranged at a distance from one another in a direction parallel to the second surface (113).

7. The connection device (110) as claimed in claim 5, the receiving head (112;

112′

) being movable with respect to the vehicle and being connected to the vehicle via at least one spring (104); and

the at least one spring (104) exerting a restoring force in the event of deflections of the receiving head (112;

112′

) from a position of rest.

8. A charging system for charging a battery of a vehicle, having:

an electric charging device (10) installed outside the vehicle;

the charging device comprising;

a lifting device (11), to which a charging head (12;

12′

) is coupled;

the charging head (12;

12′

) having a first plurality of first electric contacts (14;

14-1, 14-2, 14-3) at or on a first surface (13) of the charging head (12;

12′

), wherein the first plurality of first electric contacts are in the form of lamellae which are parallel to one another and are perpendicular to the first surface, wherein at least some of first electric contacts are configured to be connected to an energy source for the purpose of charging the battery; and

an actuator (16) which is configured to actuate the lifting device (11) in such a manner that the charging head (12;

12′

) can be moved at least partially in a first direction (R1) which is substantially perpendicular to the first surface (13);

the lifting device (11) also being configured such that, upon striking a stop surface (U, P) in the first direction (R1), the charging head (12;

12′

) can be moved in a second direction (R2) along the stop surface (U, P) by continued actuation of the lifting device (11) by the actuator (16); and

an electric connection device (110;

110′

) formed on the vehicle, the connection device comprising;

a receiving head (112;

112′

) which has a second plurality of second electric contacts (114;

114-1, 114-2, 114-3) at or on a second surface (113) of the connection device (110;

110′

);

a guide device (118;

118′

) for receiving a charging head (12;

12′

) which is placed against the connection device (110;

110′

) and which moves substantially parallel to the second surface (113) and for guiding the moving charging head (12;

12′

) and the receiving head (112;

112′

) into a predetermined positional relationship with respect to one another;

wherein, if the charging head (12;

12′

) and the receiving head (112;

112′

) are substantially in the predetermined positional relationship with respect to one another, the battery of the vehicle can be charged via the second electric contacts (114;

114-1, 114-2, 114-3);

the charging head (12;

12′

) of the charging device (10) being configured such that the charging head can be inserted into the guide device (118;

118′

) of the connection device (110;

110′

), and the first electric contacts (14;

14-1, 14-2, 14-3) being configured to be at least partially placed against the second electric contacts (114;

114-1, 114-2, 114-3) for the purpose of charging the battery.

9. A method for charging a battery of a vehicle, the method comprising:

actuating a lifting device (11) by means of an actuator (16)

in such a manner that a charging head (12;

12′

) connected to the lifting device (11) moves at least partially in a first direction (R1) which is substantially perpendicular to a first surface (13) of the charging head (12;

12′

), a first plurality of first electric contacts (14;

14-1, 14-2, 14-3) being formed at the first surface (13), which contacts are at least partially connected to an energy source, wherein the first plurality of first electric contacts are in the form of lamellae which are parallel to one another and are perpendicular to the first surface, and

in such a manner that, if the charging head (12;

12′

) strikes a stop surface (U, P) in the first direction (R1), the charging head (12;

12′

) moves in a second direction (R2) along the stop surface (U, P);

guiding the charging head (12;

12′

) moving along the stop surface (U, P) into a predefined charging position with respect to a receiving head (112;

112′

) having second electric contacts (114;

114-1, 114-2, 114-3) by means of a guide device (118;

118′

); and

charging the battery of the vehicle from the energy source via the first and second electric contacts (14, 114;

14-1, 14-2, 14-3, 114-1, 114-2, 114-3).