Motor vehicle with plug-in charging device

• US 9,434,265 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: MAN Truck & Bus AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Mayer, Florian, Hessel, Marcel
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US14/202,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20140253035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/14 to electric lighting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/18 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/62 charged by low-power generators primarily intended to support the batteries, e.g. range extenders
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/543 for indicating other states or conditions of the vehicle indicating taxis' state of hire or fare G07B13/045
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle having a storage device for storing electrical energy for an electric machine of the motor vehicle, a charging device having a charging interface for connecting a charging component for externally charging the storage device and a side bodywork section. The side bodywork section includes a vehicle door for opening and closing a person entry region which leads into a driver and/or passenger accommodating space of the motor vehicle. The charging interface is arranged in the lateral direction of the motor vehicle behind the side bodywork section, so that it can be protected by the side bodywork section against environmental influences and/or unauthorized access.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a storage device storing electrical energy for an electric machine of the motor vehicle;

a charging device having a charging interface for connecting the charging device to an external power source for charging the storage device; and

a side bodywork section comprising a vehicle door for opening and closing a person entry region of the motor vehicle, the person entry region leading into a driver accommodating space or a passenger accommodating space of the motor vehicle,

the charging interface arranged in a lateral direction of the motor vehicle behind the side bodywork section, whereby the charging interface is protected against environmental influences and unauthorized access,

wherein the person entry region has a step structure with at least one step facilitating entry of a person into the driver accommodating space or the passenger accommodating space, the step structure has a step offset, and the charging device is installed in the step offset.

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

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the charging device is installed in the lateral direction behind the vehicle door.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the side bodywork section has a through-opening for the charging component.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 4, wherein the through-opening passes through the vehicle door at least in certain sections.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 4, wherein the through opening comprises a gap between a bottom edge of the vehicle door and a step in the person entry region, in a closed state of the vehicle door.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 4, wherein the through-opening permits charging of the storage device when the vehicle door is closed.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle has a display device for visually communicating a state of charge of the storage device.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein the display device comprises at least one of vehicle exterior lighting and vehicle interior lighting.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein the display device comprises a vehicle exterior lighting including at least one of a flashing indicator light device that serves to indicate a direction of travel, a front light, and a rear light of the motor vehicle.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein the display device is installed in a dashboard or on the charging device itself.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electric machine is an electric motor for driving the motor vehicle.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle is one of an electric vehicle, a battery-operated vehicle, a range extender vehicle, and a plug-in hybrid vehicle.