Battery charging apparatus and method for charging electric vehicle

• US 9,815,377 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2015
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wu, E-In
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US14/791,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20170008411A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 320109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/70 Interactions with external data bases, e.g. traffic centres
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• 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 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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

Abstract

A battery charging apparatus for charging an electric vehicle is described. The battery charging apparatus includes a charging body, a robot arm, and a feeding coupler. The charging body defines a receiving portion. The robot arm is movably coupled to a sidewall of the receiving portion and received in receiving portion. The feeding coupler is coupled to the robot arm and used to supply electric power to the electric vehicle. The robot arm is capable of extending from the receiving portion for coupling the feeding coupler to an electric vehicle. A battery charging method for charging an electric vehicle having a receiving coupler is also described.

Claims

1. A battery charging apparatus for charging an electric vehicle, comprising:

a charging body defining a receiving portion;

a robot arm movably coupled to a sidewall of the receiving portion, and received in the receiving portion, wherein the robot arm comprises a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and a fourth arm, a first end portion of the first arm is rotatably coupled with a sidewall of the receiving portion about a first axis, a first end portion of the second arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the first arm about a second axis, the second axis is substantially parallel to the first axis, a first end portion of the third arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the second arm about a third axis, and the third axis is substantially parallel to the first axis, a first end portion of the fourth arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the third arm about a fourth axis, and the fourth axis is substantially vertical to the first axis; and

a feeding coupler coupled to the fourth arm and configured to supply electric power to the electric vehicle; and

wherein the robot arm is capable of extending from the receiving portion for coupling the feeding coupler to an electric vehicle.

2. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a protective door, wherein the protective door is movably coupled to the charging body and positioned adjacent to the receiving portion for closing the receiving portion.

3. The battery charging apparatus of claim 2, wherein the protective door is configured to coil or roll up.

4. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the robot arm further comprises a fifth arm, a first end portion of the fifth arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the fourth arm about a fifth axis, and the fifth axis is substantially vertical to the fourth axis.

5. The battery charging apparatus of claim 4, wherein the robot arm further comprises a sixth arm, the sixth arm is fixedly coupled to a second portion of the fifth arm, the feeding coupler is positioned on an end portion of the sixth arm and positioned away from the fifth arm.

6. The battery charging apparatus of claim 5, wherein the robot arm further comprises an elastic member, the elastic member is movably sleeved on the sixth arm and resist with the feeding coupler.

7. The battery charging apparatus of claim 1, wherein the battery charging apparatus further comprises a controller for controlling the robot arm to couple the feeding coupler with a receiving coupler of the electric vehicle.

8. The battery charging apparatus of claim 7, wherein the battery charging apparatus further comprises a camera unit coupled to the controller, the camera unit is positioned on an end surface of the feeding coupler and positioned away from the robot arm.

9. A battery charging apparatus for charging an electric vehicle comprising:

a charging body defining a receiving portion;

a robot arm movably coupled to a sidewall of the receiving portion, and received in the receiving portion, wherein the robot arm comprises a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and a fourth arm, a first end portion of the first arm is rotatably coupled with a sidewall of the receiving portion about a first axis, a first end portion of the second arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the first arm about a second axis, the second axis is substantially parallel to the first axis, a first end portion of the third arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the second arm about a third axis, and the third axis is substantially parallel to the first axis, a first end portion of the fourth arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the third arm about a fourth axis, and the fourth axis is substantially vertical to the first axis;

a feeding coupler coupled to the fourth arm and configured to supply electric power to the electric vehicle;

a protective door movably coupled to the charging body; and

a controller electrically coupled to the robot arm and the protective door; and

wherein the protective door is controlled by the controller for being opened or closed, and the robot arm is capable of extending from the receiving portion for coupling the feeding coupler to an electric vehicle.

10. The battery charging apparatus of claim 9, wherein the protective door is configured to coil or roll up.

11. The battery charging apparatus of claim 9, wherein the robot arm further comprises a fifth arm, a first end portion of the fifth arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the fourth arm about a fifth axis, and the fifth axis is substantially vertical to the fourth axis.

12. The battery charging apparatus of claim 11, wherein the robot arm further comprises a sixth arm, the sixth arm is fixedly coupled to a second portion of the fifth arm, the feeding coupler is positioned on an end portion of the sixth arm and positioned away from the fifth arm.

13. The battery charging apparatus of claim 12, wherein the robot arm further comprises an elastic member, the elastic member is movably sleeved on the sixth arm and resist with the feeding coupler.

14. A battery charging method for charging an electric vehicle having a receiving coupler, comprising:

providing an electronic charging apparatus having a receiving portion and a protective door with a robot arm moveably within the receiving portion, the robot arm having a feeding coupler at an end of the robot arm configured to mate with the electrical power receiving coupler of the electric vehicle, the robot arm having a retracted position in which the robot arm is within the electronic charging apparatus, wherein the robot arm comprises a first arm, a second arm, a third arm, and a fourth arm, a first end portion of the first arm is rotatably coupled with a sidewall of the receiving portion about a first axis, a first end portion of the second arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the first arm about a second axis, the second axis is substantially parallel to the first axis, a first end portion of the third arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the second arm about a third axis, and the third axis is substantially parallel to the first axis, a first end portion of the fourth arm is rotatably coupled with a second end portion of the third arm about a fourth axis, and the fourth axis is substantially vertical to the first axis;

storing the robot arm in the receiving portion in the retracted position with the protective door closed;

in response to the electric vehicle moving into proximity to a charging station;

opening the protective door;

extending the robot arm from the retracted position to bring the feeding coupler to a position spaced from the receiving coupler of the electric vehicle;

recalling from a memory a location of the receiving coupler of the electric vehicle;

visually confirming that the feeding coupler can connect to the receiving coupler;

issuing a warning in response to lack of visual confirmation;

moving, in response to visual confirmation and based on the location recalled from the memory, the robot arm to bring the feeding coupler into engagement with the receiving coupler to power the electric vehicle; and

retracting the robot arm into the retracted position.