Modular vehicle system, electric vehicle and module for connecting to an electric vehicle
First Claim
1. A modular vehicle system, for an electric vehicle, having at least:
- an on-board power supply system for energy supply of an electric drive unit of the vehicle,a control device,an interface connected to the on-board power supply system, anda first locking device arranged at the interface;
the system comprising an electrical energy supplying module having;
a module electric arrangement,a module control,a connecting element, which is connectable to the interface to allow an electrical connection of the module electric arrangement with the on-board power supply system for supplying electrical energy to replenish the on-board power supply system, anda second locking device, arranged at the connecting element, formed for engagement with the first locking device;
the system further comprising an electrically operable locking drive, arranged at one of the locking devices to move at least one of the locking devices at least from a free position to a locking position;
whereinthe control device of the electric vehicle and the module control of the module are configured to communicate with each other using the interface in a compatibility mode upon connection of said connecting element of the module with the interface of the electric vehicle to determine an electrical compatibility of the electric vehicle with the module,during the compatibility mode, at least one electric operating parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the module electric arrangement is compared with at least one electric compatibility parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the on-board power supply system to determine whether a safe electrical operation of the electric vehicle with the module is possible, and whereinin case that the electric operating parameter corresponds to the electric compatibility parameter, an activation signal is sent to the at least one electrically operable locking drive to move at least one of the locking devices from the free position to the locking position, so as to lock the module with the vehicle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a modular vehicle system, having an electric vehicle (2, 2′), in particular a lightweight electric vehicle, and at least one module (3, 120) which can be connected to the electric vehicle (2, 2′). The electric vehicle (2, 2′) has at least one on-board power supply system (13, 101) for supplying energy to an electrical drive unit (114), one or more interfaces (4, 114) which are connected to the on-board power supply system (13, 101) and are intended for connecting at least one module (3, 120), and a first locking means (9) which is arranged on the interface (4, 4′, 114). The at least one module (3, 120) has at least one electrical arrangement, a connecting element (6, 6′, 121) which can be connected disconnectably to the interface (4, 4′, 114) and has the purpose of connecting the electrical arrangement to the on-board power supply system (13, 101), and a second locking means (11) which is arranged on the connecting element (6, 6′, 121) and which is designed to engage with the first locking means (9). In order to provide a modular vehicle system (1) which has increased operational reliability and in which the connection to a module (3, 120) can be made in a particularly easy and secure fashion such that it is protected against intervention by unauthorized persons, at least one of the locking means (9, 11) can be moved between a free position and a locking position, wherein in the free position the connecting element (6, 6′, 121) can be disconnected from the interface (4, 4′, 114), and in the locked position the connecting element (6, 6′, 121) is mechanically locked to the interface (4, 4′, 114).
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A modular vehicle system, for an electric vehicle, having at least:
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an on-board power supply system for energy supply of an electric drive unit of the vehicle, a control device, an interface connected to the on-board power supply system, and a first locking device arranged at the interface; the system comprising an electrical energy supplying module having; a module electric arrangement, a module control, a connecting element, which is connectable to the interface to allow an electrical connection of the module electric arrangement with the on-board power supply system for supplying electrical energy to replenish the on-board power supply system, and a second locking device, arranged at the connecting element, formed for engagement with the first locking device; the system further comprising an electrically operable locking drive, arranged at one of the locking devices to move at least one of the locking devices at least from a free position to a locking position;
whereinthe control device of the electric vehicle and the module control of the module are configured to communicate with each other using the interface in a compatibility mode upon connection of said connecting element of the module with the interface of the electric vehicle to determine an electrical compatibility of the electric vehicle with the module, during the compatibility mode, at least one electric operating parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the module electric arrangement is compared with at least one electric compatibility parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the on-board power supply system to determine whether a safe electrical operation of the electric vehicle with the module is possible, and wherein in case that the electric operating parameter corresponds to the electric compatibility parameter, an activation signal is sent to the at least one electrically operable locking drive to move at least one of the locking devices from the free position to the locking position, so as to lock the module with the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19)
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10. An electric vehicle having at least:
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an on-board power supply system for power supply of an electric drive unit, a control device, configured for communication with a module control of an electrical energy supplying module, an interface connected to the on-board power supply system for connection to a connecting element of the module for supplying electrical energy to replenish the on-board power supply system, and a first locking device arranged at the interface, formed for engagement with a second locking device arranged at the connecting element, wherein an electrically operable locking drive is arranged at least at one of the locking devices to move at least one of the locking devices at least from a free position to a locking position, and wherein the control device of the electric vehicle is configured to communicate with the module control of the module using the interface in a compatibility mode upon connection of said connecting element of the module with said interface of the electric vehicle, wherein during said compatibility mode at least one electric operating parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the module is compared with at least one electric compatibility parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the on-board power supply system to determine whether a safe electrical operation of the electric vehicle with the module is possible, and in case that the electric operating parameter corresponds to the electric compatibility parameter, an activation signal is sent to the at least one electrically operable locking drive to move at least one of the locking devices from the free position to the locking position and thus to lock the module with the vehicle.
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11. An electrical energy supplying module for connection to an electric vehicle having at least:
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a module electric arrangement for connection to an on-board power supply system of the electric vehicle, a module control, which is configured to communicate with a control device of the electric vehicle, a connecting element, connectable to an interface of the electric vehicle for supplying electrical energy to replenish the on-board power supply system, and a second locking device arranged at the connecting element, formed for engagement with a first locking device arranged at the interface of the vehicle, wherein an electrically operable locking drive is arranged at one of the first and second locking devices to move at least one of the locking devices at least from a free position to a locking position, and wherein the module control is further configured to communicate with the control device of the electric vehicle using the interface in a compatibility mode upon connection of said connecting element of the module with said interface of the electric vehicle, wherein during said compatibility mode at least one electric operating parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the module is compared with at least one electric compatibility parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the on-board power supply system to determine whether a safe electrical operation of the electric vehicle with the module is possible, and in case that the electric operating parameter corresponds to the electric compatibility parameter, an activation signal is sent to the at least one electrically operable locking drive to move at least one of the locking devices from the free position to the locking position and thus to lock the module with the vehicle.
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12. A method for connecting an electric vehicle to an electrical energy supplying module, wherein
the electric vehicle comprises: -
at least an on-board power supply system, an interface connected to the on-board power supply system, and a first locking device arranged at the interface; and the electrical energy supplying module comprises at least; a module electric arrangement, a connecting element, and a second locking device, arranged at the connecting element, which is formed for engagement with the first locking device, wherein an electrically operable locking drive is arranged at one of the first and second locking devices to move at least one of the locking devices at least from a free position to a locking position, and wherein upon connection of said connecting element of the module with the interface of the electric vehicle for supplying electrical energy to replenish the on-board power supply system, at least one electric operating parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the module electric arrangement is compared with at least one electric compatibility parameter comprising at least a voltage or current of the on-board power supply system to determine whether a safe electrical operation of the electric vehicle with the module is possible, and in case that the electric operating parameter corresponds to the electric compatibility parameter, an activation signal is sent to the at least one electrically operable locking drive to move at least one of the locking devices from a free position to a locking position and thus to lock the module with the vehicle.
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13. A modular vehicle system, comprising:
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an electric vehicle, having at least; a control device, an interface for connection of an electrical energy supplying module, a first locking device arranged at the interface, and a flexible connection cable, arranged between the interface and the electric vehicle; the system comprising the electrical energy supplying module, having at least; a module control, which is configured to communicate with the control device of the vehicle, a connecting element, connectable to the interface of the electric vehicle to allow an electrical connection between the module and the vehicle for supplying electrical energy to an on-board power supply system of the vehicle, and a second locking device arranged at the connecting element, formed for engagement with the first locking device; the system comprising an electrically operable locking drive at one of the locking devices to move at least one of the locking devices from a free position to a locking position;
whereinupon connection of the connecting element of the module with the interface of the vehicle by a user, the locking devices remain in the free position, the module control sends an identification signal to the control device of the vehicle using the interface, the control device upon reception of said identification signal compares the identification signal with at least one compatibility parameter comprising at least a voltage or current to determine whether a safe electrical operation of the electric vehicle with the module is possible, and only in case that the identification signal corresponds to the compatibility parameter, an activation signal is sent to the at least one electrically operable locking drive to move at least one of the locking devices from a free position to a locking position and thus to lock the module with the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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20. The modular vehicle system according to claim wherein said module is a battery charger.
Specification