ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INTERFACE

• US 20160280084A1
• Filed: 03/26/2015
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Proterra Operating Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Proterra AG
• Inventors: SHARTZER, Samuel, CHIRMULAY, Neeraj, DOLLAR, Gordon, McGRATH, Seamus, SHAH, Keyur
• Granted Patent: US 10,377,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/02 with ice-removing device
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 5/42 for collecting current from individual contact pieces connected to the power supply line
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/32 by charging in short intervals along the itinerary, e.g. during short stops
• CPC Class Codes: B60M 1/36 Single contact pieces along the line for power supply
• 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

Abstract

An electric vehicle charging system includes a charging interface positioned on an external surface of the electric vehicle and one or more electrodes positioned on the charging interface. The charging system may also include a heating system positioned on the charging interface. The heating system may be configured to heat at least a portion of the charging interface. The charging system may also include a control system configured to selectively activate the heating system based at least on one or more ambient conditions.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a charging interface on an external surface of the electric vehicle;

one or more electrodes on the charging interface;

a heating system attached to the charging interface and configured to heat at least a portion of the charging interface when the electric vehicle is in motion; and

a control system configured to selectively activate the heating system to heat the portion of the charging interface, based at least on one or more ambient conditions, before the vehicle connects with the charging station.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the heating system includes one or more electrically resistive heating elements.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein at least one heating element of the one or more heating elements is positioned under an electrode of the one or more electrodes.

4. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the heating system includes a conduit configured to circulate a fluid heated by one or more heat producing components of the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 4, wherein the one or more heat producing components include at least one of an electric motor or an inverter.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the one or more ambient conditions includes detecting the presence of accumulated ice on the charging interface.

7. The vehicle of claim 6, wherein the control system is configured to detect the presence of accumulated ice based at least on a rate of temperature change of the charging interface.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control system is adapted to activate the heating system when the ambient temperature is below a threshold value and a windshield wiper of the electric vehicle is on.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle is an electric bus and the charging interface is positioned on a roof of the bus.

10. A method of operating an electric vehicle, the electric vehicle including a charging interface with a heating system, the charging interface being configured to connect with a charging station to charge the electric vehicle, comprising:

monitoring an ambient temperature; and

activating the heating system when the electric vehicle is in motion to heat at least a portion of the charging interface before the vehicle connects with the charging station when the monitored ambient temperature is below a threshold value.

11. The method of claim 10, further including determining if ice is present on the charging interface, and deactivating the heating system based on the determination that ice is not present.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining if ice is present includes determining if ice is present based on a rate of temperature change of the charging interface.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein activating the heating system includes activating the heating system when the ambient temperature is below the threshold value and when a windshield wiper of the electric vehicle is on.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein activating the heating system includes (a) heating the portion of the charging interface to a first temperature when the monitored ambient temperature is below the threshold value, and (b) heating the portion to a second temperature higher than the first temperature when the electric vehicle is proximate the charging station.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein activating the heating system includes heating the portion using an electrically resistive heating element.

16. An electric bus, comprising:

a body having a roof;

a charging interface positioned on the roof, the charging interface being configured to connect with a charging station to charge the electric bus;

a heating system positioned on the charging interface and configured to heat at least a portion of the charging interface when the bus is in motion; and

a control system configured to detect the presence of snow or ice on the charging interface and selectively activate the heating system to heat the charging interface before the bus connects with the charging station.

17. The bus of claim 16, wherein the heating system includes one or more electrically resistive heating elements.

18. The bus of claim 16, wherein the heating system includes a conduit with fluid heated by cooling at least one of an electric motor or an inverter.

19. The bus of claim 16, wherein the control system is configured to activate the heating system when the ambient temperature is below a threshold value and a windshield wiper of the bus is on.

20. The bus of claim 16, wherein the control system is configured to detect a presence of snow or ice on the charging interface based on a rate of temperature change of the charging interface.