Charging Cable Connector for Connecting an Electric Vehicle to a Charging Station

• US 20120119702A1
• Filed: 01/26/2012
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: innogy SE (E.ON SE)
• Original Assignee: RWE AG
• Inventors: Gaul, Armin, Diefenbach, Ingo
• Granted Patent: US 8,723,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/60 using power supplied by batteries in combination with fuel cells B60L50/75
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for 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 90/12 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

The invention relates to a plug device for a charging cable for connecting an electric vehicle to a charging station, comprising a housing, electrical contacts associated with the housing for connecting to a connecting device in the charging station or in the electric vehicle, and a coding means arranged in the housing for the value of the amperage which may be transmitted via the charging cable. The invention further relates to a system consisting of a charging cable and a charging station and/or an electric vehicle as well as a charging cable equipped with the plug device.

Claims

1. Plug device for connecting an electric vehicle on a vehicle side via a charging cable to a charging station on a charging side, comprising

a housing,

electrical connection contacts for connecting to a connecting device in the charging station or in the electric vehicle,

a coding means arranged in the housing for the value of the amperage which may be transmitted via the charging cable,

a temperature detection means arranged in the region of the housing,

an evaluation device for calculating a temperature-corrected coding value and

a communication means for the transmission thereof to a charging current control device.

2. Plug device according to claim 1, wherein the coding means and the temperature detection means are assigned to a common evaluation device.

3. Plug device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection means contains a thermoelement.

4. Plug device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection means is arranged in the housing.

5. Plug device according to claim 1, wherein the temperature detection means is a temperature-dependent electrical resistor, in particular a thermistor.

6. Plug device according to claim 5, wherein the thermistor has a positive temperature coefficient.

7. Plug device according to claim 5, wherein the thermistor has a negative temperature coefficient.

8. Plug device according to claim 5, wherein the coding means is an ohmic resistor.

9. Plug device according to claim 8, wherein the thermistor is arranged in parallel with the ohmic resistor.

10. Plug device according to claim 8, wherein the thermistor is arranged in series with the ohmic resistor.

11. Plug device according to claim 8, wherein a specific ohmic resistance value is assigned to each value for a permissible amperage of the charging cable.

12. Plug device according to claim 11, wherein the ohmic resistance values and the temperature characteristic curves of the circuit device consisting of the thermistor and ohmic resistor in each case are selected and synchronised with one another, such that in each case non-overlapping regions result for different amperage values.

13. Plug device according to claim 1 further comprising a control line/pilot signal line, by means of which the temperature-corrected coding value may be transmitted to the charging control device on the vehicle side.

14. Plug device according to claim 13, wherein the coding means is arranged between a pilot signal connector and a protective earth conductor of the pilot signal line.

15. Plug device according to claim 13, wherein the coding means is arranged between two connectors of the pilot signal line.

16. Plug device according to claim 13, wherein the coding means is associated with a plug-present connector.

17. Charging cable equipped with a plug device according to claim 1.

18. System, comprising a charging cable including a plug device according to claim 1 and an electric vehicle comprising a receiving device, in particular a plug socket, for the housing of the plug device.

19. System comprising of a charging cable including a plug device according to claim 1, and a charging station comprising a receiving device in particular a plug socket, for the housing of the plug device.

20. System of claim 18 wherein the temperature detection means is arranged in a connection device, in particular in the plug socket of the electric vehicle.

21. System of claim 19 wherein the temperature detection means is arranged in a connection device, in particular in the plug socket of the charging station.

22. System according to claim 19, wherein the charging station comprises current detection means for, in particular, phase-related detection of the current used by the electric vehicle.

23. System according to claim 19, wherein the current detection means is assigned to an energy meter.

24. System according to claim 19, wherein the charging station comprises means for, in particular, phase-related detection of the power value used by the electric vehicle.