Charging device for a high-voltage battery of a motor vehicle, charging assembly and method for operating a charging assembly

• US 8,890,477 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Thmmes, Marco, Felkel, Thomas, Abl, Reiner
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOATENG, ALEXIS ASIEDUA
• Application Number:
  US14/110,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20140091763A1
• Time in Patent Office: 963 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/109, 320/107, 320/134, 320/136, 320/137, 320/127, 320/128, 320/160, 320/163, 320/164, 320/165, 320/148, 320/149, 320/132, 320/138, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.2, 307/10.3, 307/10.4, 307/10.8
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/16 responsive to fault current to earth, frame or mass with balanced or differential arrangement H02H3/26 ; monitoring earth connection H02H5/105
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/167 combined with other earth-fault protective arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/332 with means responsive to dc component in the fault current
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/04 Regulation of charging current or voltage
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging device installed in a motor vehicle is connected via a connection device to an AC mains. The connection device includes a residual current circuit breaker incapable of detecting at least one residual current type, in particular a DC residual current. A communication signal is transmitted between a control unit on the side of the charging device and a control unit on the side of the connection device. A residual current detector in the charging device detects a residual current of the undetected residual current type and transmits a residual current signal indicating the residual current to the charging-device-side control unit, which then modifies and/or interrupts the communication signal based the residual current signal so as to cause the charging device to be disconnected from the AC mains.

Claims

1. A charging assembly comprising:

a connection device comprising a residual current circuit breaker which is unable to detect a residual current of at least one residual current type,

a charging device for a high-voltage battery of a motor vehicle, wherein the charging device is connected via the connection device to an AC mains and comprises a residual current detection device for detecting a residual current of the at least one residual current type that is not detected by the residual current circuit breaker,

a charging device-side control unit,

a connection-device-side control unit, and

at least one communication link for transmitting between the charging device-side control unit and the connection-device-side control unit a communication signal when the connection device is connected to the charging device,

wherein the residual current detection device is configured to transmit a residual current signal indicative of the residual current to the charging-device-side control unit, with the charging-device-side control unit being configured to modify and/or interrupt the communication signal in response to the residual current signal so as to cause the charging device to be disconnected from the AC mains, wherein the connection-device-side control unit is configured to open the residual current circuit breaker when the communication signal is absent or has been modified, thereby disconnecting the charging device from the AC mains.

2. The charging assembly of claim 1, wherein the charging device is installed in the motor vehicle.

3. The charging assembly of claim 1, wherein the residual current is a DC residual current.

4. The charging assembly of claim 1, wherein the residual current detection device is constructed as a residual current monitor.

5. The charging assembly of claim 1, wherein the residual current detection device is configured to detect a plurality of residual current types.

6. A method for operating a charging assembly for a high-voltage battery of a motor vehicle, wherein the charging assembly comprises a charging device unable to detect a residual current of at least one residual current type and a connection device, the method comprising:

measuring a residual current within the charging device, and

when a residual current of the at least one residual current type that cannot be detected by a residual current circuit breaker is present, modifying or interrupting a communication signal, thereby causing a connection-device-side control unit to open the residual current circuit breaker and disconnect the charging device from a power mains.