Charging batteries of electric vehicles

• US 5,565,755 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 10/15/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arlie L. Keith
• Original Assignee: Arlie L. Keith
• Inventors: Keith, Arlie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Application Number:
  US08/474,291
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/35, 320/36, 320/39, 320/40, 219/202, 219/205, 219/258, 219/386
• US Class Current: 219/202
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/08 Methods and devices for control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/12 Methods and devices for control or regulation
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/64 Optimising energy costs, e.g. responding to electricity rates
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 15/005 dispensed for the electrical charging of vehicles electrical charging as such, B60L50/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/44 Methods for charging or discharging circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/20 Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 : Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 : Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/12 : Precharging analysis, e.g. determining presence of battery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/13 : Fault detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/19 : Charger status, e.g. voltmeter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 320/28 : Regulating transformer, e.g. high leakage, ferro-resonant

Abstract

An electric vehicle having a computer for controlling the charging of its battery includes a probe adapted to connect with a receptacle on a charging station which has a computer for controlling the charging voltage provided over the connection to the vehicle. In response to the vehicle announcing its presence with a broadcast signal, the charge station receptacle may be raised until it senses a laser signal presented by the vehicle to indicate alignment of the receptacle with the vehicle probe. The vehicle and station communicate over a current loop to establish battery type and voltage, method of payment and credit card number, as well as the cost basis for the power. When communications are complete, the system switches over to utilize the same connections for the charging current. The computers include stop modes which they rest in, and to which they return if performance of vehicle and station diagnostics (respectively) indicate inoperability or if other faults occur. The vehicle charges the battery in a short program triggered by a AC voltage zero crossing interrupt, the background program of which determines when charging should cease because the battery is full, a switch has been operated, or because excessive voltage or current has been sensed. The charged voltage is adjusted by motor driven autotransfer in response to a computer servoprogram. Many probe, receptacle and operational details assure safe, easy, automated operation.

Claims

1. A system for charging the batteries of electric vehicles, comprising:

a charge station to which a vehicle may be presented to receive an electric charge, said charge station including a source of charging voltage;

a vehicle charging system including charge control circuits disposed on an electric vehicle that has a battery for supplying motive energy to the vehicle; and

apparatus for establishing a connection between said charge station and said charging system when said vehicle is presented to said station to receive a charge;

wherein the improvement comprises;

a cabin heater operable in response to said charging voltage when said vehicle is connected to said station to heat the interior of said vehicle.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said vehicle provides an operator induced manifestation of the time of day when heating of the vehicle should begin and operates said heater only after said time of day.

3. A method of heating an electric vehicle while it is at a charging station to have its battery charged, comprising:

providing a display requesting an operator to input an indication as to whether cabin heat is required in the vehicle during the time that the vehicle is at a charging station to receive a charge;

in the event that said indication is that cabin heat is required, providing a display requesting an operator to input a manifestation of the time of day at which heating should commence; and

when the vehicle is connected to receive charging voltage for its battery, providing said charging voltage to said heaters in the event that said indication has been provided that heat is required and the current time of day is after the time of day of said manifestation.

4. A system for charging the batteries of electric vehicles connected to said system with power derived from an AC main, comprising:

a charge station to which a vehicle may be presented to receive an electric charge, said charge station including a source of charging voltage which includes an adjustable transformer responsive to said AC main for providing an AC charging voltage suitable to be rectified for charging the batteries of a vehicle connected thereto;

a vehicle charging system including charge circuits disposed on an electric vehicle that has a battery for supplying motive energy to the vehicle, said charge circuits including a rectifier responsive to said AC charging voltage for providing DC power for charging said battery;

apparatus for establishing a connection between said charge station and said charging system when said vehicle is presented to said station to receive a charge thereby to provide said AC charging voltage to said electric vehicle; and

a cabin heater operable in response to said AC charging voltage when said vehicle is connected to said station to heat the interior of said vehicle.

5. A method of heating an electric vehicle, having heaters and a rectifier, while it is at a charging station to have its battery charged, comprising:

providing, to said charging station from said vehicle, battery information indicative of the voltage requirement for charging said battery;

providing a display requesting an operator to input an indication as to whether cabin heat is required in the vehicle during the time that the vehicle is at a charging station to receive a charge;

in the event that said indication is that cabin heat is required, providing a display requesting an operator to input a manifestation of the time of day at which heating should commence; and

when the vehicle is connected to said charging station to receive charging voltage for its battery,

providing, in response to said battery information, an AC charging voltage from said station to said vehicle,

providing said charging voltage to said rectifier to rectify said charging voltage for application to said battery to charge it, and

providing said charging voltage to said heaters in the event that said indication has been provided that heat is required and the current time of day is after the time of day of said manifestation.

6. A method of heating the passenger compartment of an electric vehicle, in which the only source of energy on board said vehicle while said vehicle is in operation is DC electric power from a motive power battery, comprising:

providing an electrically operated passenger compartment heater in said electric vehicle;

in the event that cabin heat is to be provided in said electric vehicle, providing in said electric vehicle a manifestation of the time of day at which heating should commence; and

periodically presenting said vehicle to a charging station for connection to a source of charging voltage for charging said motive power battery; and

providing said charging voltage to said heater in the event that heat is to be provided and the current time of day is after the time of day of said manifestation, only when the vehicle is connected to receive said charging voltage for its battery.