METHOD FOR LOCKING A CONNECTOR ARRANGED ON A CHARGING CABLE TO A MATING CONNECTOR, AND CHARGING STATION FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD

Abstract

A method for locking a connection between a connector and a mating connector arranged on an electric vehicle is disclosed. The connector is arranged on a charging cable connected to a charging post of a charging station, such as a charging cable fixedly connected to a charging post of a charging station. The connector is associated with a first locking element, and the mating connector is associated with a second locking element, wherein the first locking element and the second locking element cooperate to lock the connection between the connector and the mating connector, and each have an activated state and a deactivated state. The method includes operating the first locking element associated with the connector in an activated state in a first operating mode of the charging station to lock the connection between the connector and the mating connector when the second locking element associated with the mating connector is activated. The method further includes operating the first locking element associated with the connector in a deactivated state in a second operating mode of the charging station to unlock the connection between the connector and the mating connector when the second locking element associated with the mating connector is activated. Additionally described is a charging station which is suitable and set up for carrying out the method.

Claims

1. A method for locking a connection between a connector and a mating connector arranged on an electric vehicle, wherein the connector is arranged on a charging cable connected to a charging post of a charging station, wherein the charging cable is fixedly connected to the charging post of the charging station, wherein the connector is associated with a first locking element, and the mating connector is associated with a second locking element, wherein the first locking element and the second locking element cooperate to lock the connection between the connector and the mating connector and each have an activated state and a deactivated state, comprising: operating the first locking element associated with the connector in the activated state in a first operating mode of the charging station to lock the connection between the connector and the mating connector when the second locking element associated with the mating connector is activated; and operating the first locking element associated with the connector in the deactivated state in a second operating mode of the charging station to unlock the connection between the connector and the mating connector when the second locking element associated with the mating connector is activated.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first locking element is activated and/or deactivated electromotively or electromagnetically.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the first operating mode of the charging station a charging process of the electric vehicle takes place, and wherein in the second operating mode of the charging station the charging process of the electric vehicle does not take place.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transitioning from the activated state of the first locking element to the deactivated state of the first locking element depending on a measurement of electrical variables in the connector and/or in the charging post of the charging station.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transitioning from the activated state of the first locking element to the deactivated state of the first locking element via an actuator driven by a magnetic field generated by a charging current.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a control signal for deactivating the first locking element associated with the connector from the charging post via a line configured for power transmission or a separate signal line of the charging cable.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first locking element associated with the connector comprises a receiving opening arranged in a housing of the connector, wherein the receiving opening comprises a closable edge region along its circumference, and wherein the second locking element associated with the mating connector has a displaceable pin which, in the activated state, engages the receiving opening of the first locking element.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein for unlocking the connector and the mating connector, the closable edge region of the receiving opening opens or is opened to an opening distance that exceeds a diameter of the displaceable pin so that the pin can be moved out of the receiving opening in the deactivated state of the first locking element.

9. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the closable edge region of the receiving opening is closed or narrowed via a lockable bridge, which is rotatably or displaceably mounted in the housing in the deactivated state of the first locking element.

10. A charging station for an electric vehicle with a charging post and a charging cable connected to the charging post, wherein the charging cable is fixedly connected to the charging post, and a connector arranged on the charging cable, wherein the connector is configured to establish a locked connection to a mating connector of the electric vehicle, and for this purpose has a first activatable and deactivatable locking element configured to cooperate with a second activatable and deactivatable locking element of the mating connector for the purpose of the locking operation, wherein the charging station is configured and set up in a first operating mode to operate the first activatable and deactivatable locking element associated with the connector in an activated state to lock the connection between the connector and mating connector when the second activatable and deactivatable locking element of the mating connector is activated, and wherein the charging station is configured and set up in a second operating mode to operate the first activatable and deactivatable locking element associated with the connector in a deactivated state to unlock the connection between the connector and the mating connector when the second activatable and deactivatable locking element of the mating connector is activated, wherein the charging station comprises a control unit configured to actuate the connector, which control unit is configured to lock the connection between the connector and the mating connector by a method according to claim 1.

11. The charging station as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first activatable and deactivatable locking element associated with the connector comprises a receiving opening arranged in a housing of the connector and has a closable edge region along a periphery of the receiving opening, and in the first operating mode of the charging station is configured to at least partially enclose a second locking element configured as a pin, in its activated state in such a way that movement of the activated second activatable and deactivatable locking element out of the receiving opening is suppressed.

12. The charging station as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first activatable and deactivatable locking element in the deactivated state is configured and set up to open a previously closed edge region of the receiving opening or to increase an opening distance of a previously not completely closed edge region such that the opening distance exceeds a diameter of the second locking element designed as the pin.

13. The charging station as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first locking element comprises a bridge that is rotatably or slidably mounted in the housing in the deactivated state of the first activatable and deactivatable locking element.

14. The charging station as claimed in claim 10, wherein the first activatable and deactivatable locking element comprises an electromotive drive or an electromagnetic release device.

15. The charging station as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a measuring device connected to the control unit, the measuring device configured to detect electrical variables, wherein the control unit is configured and set up to operate the charging station in the first operating mode or in the second operating mode depending on the detected electrical variables.

16. The charging station as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a signaling device configured to indicate a currently present operating mode of the charging station.

17. The charging station as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a lockable emergency switch configured to set the charging station into the second operating mode to unlock a connection between the connector and mating connector when the second activatable and deactivatable locking element of the mating connector is activated.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0025] The disclosure is illustrated below with the aid of figures, which show:

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a conventional connector;

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates an operating principle of a conventional locking of a connection between connector and mating connector;

[0028] FIG. 3 illustrates a charging station for an electric vehicle according to the disclosure in one embodiment;

[0029] FIG. 4a illustrates a view of a locked connection between connector and mating connector in a first embodiment of the method according to the disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 4b illustrates a view of an unlocked connection between connector and mating connector from FIG. 4a in the first embodiment of the method according to the disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 5a illustrates another view of the locked connection between connector and mating connector from FIG. 4a;

[0032] FIG. 5b illustrates another view of the unlocked connection between connector and mating connector from FIG. 4b.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The disclosure relates to a method for locking a connection between a connector of a charging station and a mating connector of an electric vehicle. The connector is arranged at one end of a charging cable connected to a charging post of the charging station. In particular, the method aims to establish a locked connection between the connector and the mating connector in a first operating mode of the charging station and to establish an unlocked connection between the connector and the mating connector in a second operating mode of the charging station. In particular, the charging cable may be a charging cable fixedly connected to the charging station. The disclosure further relates to a charging station comprising a charging post, a charging cable connected to the charging post, and a connector arranged on the charging cable, which charging station is suitable and set up for carrying out the method.

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a charging station 36 according to the disclosure for an electric vehicle 34. The charging station 36 comprises a charging post 30 and a charging cable 31 fixedly connected to the charging post 30. The charging cable 31 fixedly connected to the charging post 30 is screwed at one end inside a housing of the charging post 30 in the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3. It is thus connected fixedly (in the sense of being non-detachable or not readily detachable) to the charging post 30. The charging cable 31 has a connector 10 at its other end, which is designed or otherwise configured to be connected to a complementary mating connector 20 of the EV 34. Via the connection between connector 10 and mating connector 20, a charging current can flow during a charging process of the EV 34 to charge an energy storage device 35 of the EV 34 to a target value. The charging station 36 additionally comprises a measuring device 33 for detecting electrical variables associated with the charging process, for example a voltage of the energy storage device 35 or a charging current, and a control unit 32 connected to the measuring device 33.

[0035] In one embodiment, the charging station 36 can be operated in two operating modes via the control unit 32. In this case, a charging process of the EV 34 takes place in a first operating mode of the charging station 36. In the first operating mode, the connector 10 is connected to the mating connector 20 in a locked manner. For this purpose, a first locking element 11 of the connector 10 and a second locking element 21 of the mating connector 20 are each present in the activated state (see FIGS. 4a and 5a). Disconnection of the connection between connector 10 and mating connector 20 in the first operating mode of the charging station 36 is thus reliably prevented. Arcing due to an unintentional disconnection and a resulting damage to components of the charging station 36 and/or the EV 34 is thus prevented. When the charging process is complete, the charging station 36 is operated in the second operating mode by the control unit 32. Here, the first locking element 11 of the connector 10 is in its deactivated state, whereby the connection between the connector 10 and mating connector 20 is unlocked (see FIGS. 4b and 5b). Disconnection of the connection between the connector 10 and the mating connector 20 is thus made possible even when the second locking element 21 of the mating connector 20 is activated. In one embodiment, the control unit 32 is designed or otherwise configured and set up to operate the charging station 36 in the first operating mode or in the second operating mode depending on the electrical variables detected via the measuring device 33.

[0036] FIGS. 4a, 4b, 5a, and 5b show views of a lockable connection between a connector 10 and a mating connector 20 established using an embodiment of the method of the disclosure, moreover established with a connector 10 of the charging station 36 according to the disclosure as per FIG. 3. Here, FIGS. 4a and 5a show the locked state of the connection, while FIGS. 4b and 5b illustrate the unlocked state of the connection. In addition, FIGS. 4a and 4b show the connection from a side view, while FIGS. 5a and 5b show the corresponding connection in a plan view. In the following, the operating principle of an embodiment of the method for producing a locked or unlocked connection is explained with reference to FIGS. 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b.

[0037] During a charging process of the EV 34, the charging station 36 is in the first operating mode. Accordingly, the first locking element 11 of the connector 10 as well as the second locking element 21 of the mating connector 20 are each present in their activated state. The first locking element 11 of the connector 10 includes a receiving opening 12, the second locking element 21 includes an axially displaceable pin 22, which is driven via an electromagnetically acting actuator 23. An edge region 14 of the receiving opening 12 running along a circumference of the receiving opening 12 is closed via a locked bridge 15. To close the receiving opening 12, the bridge is fixed in position on a housing 13 of the connector 10 via locking means 16. In the locked state of the connection, the pin 22 engages through the closed receiving opening 12 and thus prevents a relative movement of the connector 10 in relation to the mating connector 20. Disconnection of the connection is thus not possible, which is illustrated schematically by the crossed-out arrow in the connector 10 in FIG. 4a.

[0038] An imminent completion of the charging process is determined by the charging station 36, for example, on the basis of electrical variables associated with the charging process, which are detected by the measuring device 33 and evaluated by the control unit 32. In one embodiment, the charging station 36 can determine here whether a previously specified target value for an energy storage 35 of the EV 34 has been reached. If completion of the charging process is identified by the charging station 36, the charging station 36 switches to the second operating mode under control of the control unit 32. In the second operating mode, a charging current flowing through the charging cable 31 is limited to a small value, possibly to OA. At the same time, the locking element 11 of the connector 10 is set to a deactivated state via the control unit 32. In the example shown in FIGS. 4b, 5b, the locking means 16 on one side of the bridge 15 is released, which is symbolized by an open circle in FIG. 5b. In the deactivated state of the first locking element, the bridge 15 is mechanically connected to the housing 13 of the connector 10 at one end only. The connection is designed to be rotatable. In the event of a relative movement of the connector 10 and the mating connector 20, for example in response to an attempt to disconnect the connection, the bridge 15 flips outwards and releases the edge region 14 of the receiving opening 12 to one side, down to the opening distance d. The opening distance d is selected here to exceed a diameter of the pin 22. The second locking element 21 of the mating connector 20, which second locking element is designed as a pin 22, can thus be moved out of the receiving opening 12 of the connector 10 even when the second locking element 21 is in the activated state. The connection is unlocked and disconnection between the connection between connector 10 and the mating connector 20 is made possible, which is symbolized in FIG. 4b by an arrow on the connector 10 pointing away from the mating connector 20.