Methods and apparatus for indicating charging status of a vehicle
First Claim
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1. A motor vehicle comprising:
- an electric drive system including at least one electric traction motor and an energy storage device;
an adjustable-height suspension;
a charging monitor configured to monitor charging of the energy storage device from an external electrical supply;
a control unit configured to control a height of said suspension to vary a vehicle height of the motor vehicle in dependence on the charging monitor;
a fluid reservoir in communication with said suspension; and
a compressor operable to fill the fluid reservoir;
wherein the control unit is configured to;
lower said suspension to lower the vehicle height during charging of the energy storage device; and
raise said suspension to raise the vehicle height when charging of the energy storage device is complete, wherein raising said suspension to raise the vehicle height when charging of the energy storage device is complete comprises operating the compressor to fill the fluid reservoir to raise said suspension during charging of the energy storage device, and terminating charging of the energy storage device after the fluid reservoir has been filled by an amount that has returned the vehicle height to a pre-set level.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle (1) having an electric drive system including an electric traction motor (11) and an energy storage device (13). The vehicle (1) also has an adjustable-height suspension (7) to allow the height (h) of the vehicle (1) to be adjusted. A monitor (21) is provided for monitoring charging of the energy storage device (13) from an external electrical supply. A control unit (27) is provided for adjusting the height of the suspension (7) in dependence on the monitor (21). Aspects of the present invention also relate to a charging indicator system (3); and a method of indicating the charging status of a vehicle energy storage device (13).
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A motor vehicle comprising:
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an electric drive system including at least one electric traction motor and an energy storage device; an adjustable-height suspension; a charging monitor configured to monitor charging of the energy storage device from an external electrical supply; a control unit configured to control a height of said suspension to vary a vehicle height of the motor vehicle in dependence on the charging monitor; a fluid reservoir in communication with said suspension; and a compressor operable to fill the fluid reservoir; wherein the control unit is configured to; lower said suspension to lower the vehicle height during charging of the energy storage device; and raise said suspension to raise the vehicle height when charging of the energy storage device is complete, wherein raising said suspension to raise the vehicle height when charging of the energy storage device is complete comprises operating the compressor to fill the fluid reservoir to raise said suspension during charging of the energy storage device, and terminating charging of the energy storage device after the fluid reservoir has been filled by an amount that has returned the vehicle height to a pre-set level. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of indicating a charging status of a vehicle energy storage device of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
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monitoring the charging status of the vehicle energy storage device; and adjusting a height of a suspension system to vary a vehicle height of the motor vehicle in dependence on the charging status, comprising lowering the height of the suspension system to lower the vehicle height during charging of the vehicle energy storage device, and increasing the height of the suspension system to raise the vehicle height when charging of the vehicle energy storage device is complete, wherein increasing the height of the suspension system to raise the vehicle height when charging of the energy storage device is complete comprises operating a compressor to fill a fluid reservoir in communication with said suspension system to increase the height of the suspension system during charging of the energy storage device, and terminating charging of the energy storage device after the fluid reservoir has been filled by an amount that has returned the vehicle height to a pre-set level.
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14. A control unit for a motor vehicle, the control unit configured to control a height of an adjustable-height suspension of the motor vehicle to vary a vehicle height of the motor vehicle in dependence on a control signal received by the control unit, the control signal being indicative of charging of an energy storage device of the motor vehicle by an external electrical supply,
wherein the control unit is configured to lower said suspension to lower the vehicle height during charging of the energy storage device and to raise said suspension to raise the vehicle height when charging of the energy storage device is complete, wherein raising said suspension to raise the vehicle height when charging of the energy storage device is complete comprises operating a compressor to fill a fluid reservoir in communication with said suspension to raise said suspension during charging of the energy storage device, and terminating charging of the energy storage device after the fluid reservoir has been filled by an amount that has returned the vehicle height to a pre-set level.
Specification