CHARGING PLUG

Abstract

A charging plug for a charging cable for an electric vehicle is disclosed. The charging plug includes a charge indicator provided on the charging plug. The charge indicator is configured such that it indicates a charging progress. The charging plug is used, e.g., in connection with a charging station for an electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A charging plug for a charging cable for an electric vehicle, comprising: a charge indicator provided on a portion thereof.

2. The charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the charge indicator is configured such that it indicates a charging progress.

3. The charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the charge indicator comprises a display including at least one of a loading bar and a percentage indication.

4. The charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the charge indicator comprises an indication for energy in kWh transmitted via the charging plug.

5. The charging plug according to claim 1, wherein a supply of the charge indicator with electric energy takes place conductively or inductively.

6. The charging plug according to claim 5, wherein a conductive supply of the charge indicator with electric energy takes place via a control pilot (CP) line, a phase conductor or an additional electrical line.

7. The charging plug according to claim 5, wherein an inductive supply of the charge indicator with electric energy takes place via a secondary conductor inductively coupled to a primary conductor.

8. The charging plug according to claim 3, wherein at least one of: the charge indicator further comprises a light-emitting diode, and the display is structured flat or bent or has a bent covering.

9. The charging plug according to claim 8, wherein the light-emitting diode is connected directly to an inductively coupled secondary conductor.

10. A charging cable, comprising: a charging plug including a charge indicator provided on the charging plug.

11. A charging station for an electric vehicle, comprising: a charging cable including a charging plug, the charging plug including a charge indicator provided on the charging plug.

12. The charging station according to claim 11, wherein charge indicator comprises a display including at least one of a loading bar and a percentage indication, and wherein a supply of the charge indicator with electric energy takes place conductively or inductively.

13. The charging cable according to claim 10, wherein the charge indicator comprises a display including at least one of a loading bar and a percentage indication.

14. The charging cable according to claim 10, wherein the charge indicator further comprises an indication for energy in kWh transmitted via the charging plug.

15. The charging cable according to claim 10, wherein the charge indicator is supplied with electric energy conductively via a control pilot (CP) line, a phase conductor or an additional electrical line.

16. The charging cable according to claim 10, wherein the charge indicator is supplied with electric energy inductively via a secondary conductor inductively coupled to a primary conductor.

17. The charging cable according to claim 16, wherein the charge indicator further comprises a light-emitting diode, and wherein the light-emitting diode is connected directly via a ballast resistor to the secondary conductor.

18. The charging plug according to claim 7, wherein the secondary conductor is a wire.

19. The charging plug according to claim 7, wherein the primary conductor is a phase conductor or a neutral conductor.

20. The charging plug according to claim 9, wherein the light-emitting diode is connected via a ballast resistor to the inductively coupled secondary conductor.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] There it shows, in each case schematically,

[0022] FIG. 1 a charging plug according to the invention on a charging cable according to the invention,

[0023] FIG. 2 a plan view of the charging plug according to the invention in the region of the charge indication.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] According to the FIGS. 1 and 2, a charging plug 1 according to the invention, which can be arranged on a charging cable 2 according to the invention of a charging station 10 which is not shown in more detail, and can be used for charging an electric vehicle 3, comprises a charge indicator 4, in particular on a back of the charging plug 1. The charge indicator 4 can comprise, for example, a display 5 with a loading bar 6, a loading circle not referred to in more detail, or a percentage indicator 7. By way of the loading bar 6 or the percentage charge indicator 7, but also by way of the loading circle a charging progress can be visually understood comparatively easily and intuitively. In the simplest form, the charge indicator 4 can also obviously comprise only a light-emitting diode 8, which changes for example from red to green from a predefined charging state of a battery in the electric vehicle 3.

[0025] According to FIG. 2, the loading bar 6, the percentage charge indicator 7 and the light-emitting diode 8 are cumulatively arranged in the display 5, wherein it is obviously also conceivable that these are provided alternatively.

[0026] In addition to this, the charge indicator 4 can comprise an indicator 9, via which the energy transmitted to the electric vehicle 3 via the charging plug 1 is indicated in kilowatt hours. By way of this, it is possible for a user, for example, to easily understand and estimate the amount of electric energy transmitted to the electric vehicle 3, whether the transmitted quantity of energy is sufficient for reaching a predefined destination or generally for the onward journey. A visually simple cost control is also possible here because of this. According to FIG. 2, the amount of energy transmitted to the electric vehicle 3 is 9 kWh.

[0027] The electrical supply of the charge indicator 4 can take place conductively or inductively, wherein, for example, a conductive supply of the charge indicator 4 with electric energy can take place, for example, by way of a CP line, a phase conductor or an additional electrical line in the charge cable 2 which is not defined or referred to in more detail. By way of a CP line, signals for example, are exchanged between the electric vehicle 3 and the charging station 10.

[0028] An inductive supply of the charge indicator 4 with electric energy can take place, for example, by way of a secondary conductor, namely for example, a wire, that is inductively coupled to a primary conductor, namely a phase conductor or a neutral conductor. For this purpose, a wire can be provided which surrounds the phase conductor in the charging cable 2 or in the charging plug 1 and because of this utilises an inductive energy transmission to the wire for the electric energy supply of the charge indicator 4. The wire of the winding of the secondary conductor runs parallel to the primary conductor, for example, to the phase or neutral conductor, so that an inductive coupling is possible. In order to improve the coupling, a ferrite core can be utilised about which the winding of the secondary conductor is passed/wound.

[0029] Advantageously, the secondary conductor (coil) for the energy supply of the display 5 is situated in the charging plug 1 and not in a separate electronic box.

The current flowing through the primary conductor induces a voltage which in turn causes the LED 8 to flicker. The advantage here is that the quicker the electric vehicle 3 is charging, the quicker the LED 8 flickers. Thus, one would have, for a few cents, a charge indicator 4 directly in the charging plug 1 without external cabling or additional energy source. By way of this, one, as user or as third party, would directly have an indication whether the electric vehicle 3 is still being charged.

[0030] Regardless of the selected type of charge indicator 4, such a charge indicator 4 allows a user to visually easily and intuitively understand a charging progress without a separate indicating device having to be provided, for example, on the charging station 10, or an app having to be installed for this purpose. For controlling the charge indicator 4, an electronic device can be provided, for example, which is installed under the charge indicator 4 in the charging plug 1.

[0031] Here, the display 5 can be formed flat or bent, wherein in particular the bent design or a bent covering with a transparent cover represents a particularly attractive design possibility. A bent display 5, flush with the surface, can merge into the surface of the charging plug 2 surrounding the display 5. Such a charging plug 1 according to the invention can be connected to a charging station 10 via a charging cable 2 according to the invention, wherein the charging station 10 can be, for example, a part of a central charging infrastructure having multiple charging cables 2. Obviously, such a charging cable 2 with such a charging plug 1 according to the invention can also be realised as a detachable or portable charging cable 2, which can be carried along, for example, in the electric vehicle 3.

[0032] In addition, the display 9 can be embodied as a so-called e-ink display, so that the value of the charged kWh is/remains visible even after the charging operation after the energy supply has already been disconnected. The indicator 9 would be reset again at the next charging operation. Should the charging point fail or no current flow, this becomes noticeable immediately by the absent illumination or the absent output on the indicator 9.

[0033] By way of the indicator 9 or the display or a different-colour LED, the user could also be informed regarding error statuses.

[0034] In addition to this, price information (prior to and during the charging operation), the maximum possible charging current or maintenance information (charging point not available) can also be indicated via the indicator 9.