Charging cable

Abstract

A charging cable including a rectifier, a first connector element, and a second connector element. The first connector element is designed for connection to a vehicle-external energy source and the second connector element is designed for connection to a charging socket of a motor vehicle with an electrical traction energy accumulator. An alternating current supplied at the first connector element is convertible by the rectifier into a direct current deliverable at the second connector element. The first connector element is detachably fastened on the charging cable via an interface of the charging cable.

Claims

1. A charging cable, comprising: a rectifier, a first connector element, and a second connector element, wherein the first connector element is designed for connection to a vehicle-external energy source and the second connector element is designed for connection to a charging socket of a motor vehicle with an electrical traction energy accumulator, wherein an alternating current supplied at the first connector element is convertible by the rectifier into a direct current deliverable at the second connector element, wherein the first connector element is connectable, at a first end of the first connector element, to the vehicle-external energy source and wherein the first connector element is detachably fastened, at a second end of the first connector element, on the charging cable via an interface of the charging cable.

2. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the first connector element has at least one resistor as a resistance code, wherein the rectifier is operable in dependence on the resistance value of the at least one resistor.

3. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the interface is a coupling.

4. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the interface is arranged on the first connector element.

5. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the interface is arranged on a receptacle section of the charging cable, which accommodates a protective circuit, is integrated into the charging cable, and is permanently connected to the second connector element.

6. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the interface is arranged on the second connector element.

7. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the rectifier is arranged in a housing of the second connector element.

8. The charging cable according to claim 7, wherein at least one means for electrical disconnection and/or at least one electrical safety circuit are arranged in the housing of the second connector element.

9. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the rectifier includes semiconductor components made of silicon carbide and/or gallium nitride.

10. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein at least one temperature sensor is arranged in each case on the first connector element and/or the second connector element, wherein the rectifier is operable in dependence on at least one temperature measured by the temperature sensors.

11. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the charging cable includes at least one signal line, via which at least one item of charging information is transmittable between a charging unit attached to the first connector element and the rectifier, wherein the rectifier is operable in dependence on the charging information.

12. The charging cable according to claim 1, wherein the rectifier includes at least one current measuring means for measuring at least one current flowing through the charging cable and/or at least one voltage measuring means for measuring at least one voltage value of the alternating current and/or the direct current.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages and details of the invention result from the exemplary embodiments described hereafter and on the basis of the drawings. In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a first exemplary embodiment of a charging cable according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a second exemplary embodiment of a charging cable according to the invention, and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic circuit diagram of a third exemplary embodiment of a charging cable according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) A first exemplary embodiment of a charging cable 1 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The charging cable 1 comprises a first connector element 2, which is designed for connection to a vehicle-external energy source. The vehicle-external energy source can be a charging column, a wall box, or an outlet of an alternating current network. The charging cable 1 furthermore comprises a second connector element 3, which is designed for connection to a charging socket of a motor vehicle comprising an electrical traction energy accumulator. The second connector element 3 is embodied in this case in such a way that it is connectable to a charging socket of the motor vehicle designed for direct current charging, for example, or to a section of a charging socket of the motor vehicle designed for direct current charging, respectively. The second connector element can be embodied, for example, as a CHAdeMO plug or as a CCS plug.

(6) Furthermore, the charging cable 1 comprises a rectifier 5, which is arranged either in a receptacle section 6 of the charging cable 1 comprising a housing 25 or in the interior of a housing 7 of the second connector element 3. The rectifier 5 is used to rectify an alternating current or an AC voltage, respectively, supplied via the first connector element 2 into the charging cable 1, so that a traction energy accumulator of a motor vehicle attached to the second connector element 3 can be charged via the generated direct current or via the generated DC voltage, respectively.

(7) The receptacle section 6 is connected to the first connector element 2 and the second connector element 3 in each case via a cable section 8. The cable sections each comprise multiple conductors or leads, which are enclosed by a common, insulating cladding. The number of the leads can conform in this case to the embodiment of the first connector element 2 and/or as to whether direct current or one-phase or multiphase alternating current is transmitted via the respective cable section 8. The receptacle section 6 furthermore comprises a means 9, embodied, for example, as a transformer or as a DC voltage converter, for electrical disconnection, and also a safety circuit 10, which can interrupt the electrical connection between the first connector element 2 and the second connector element 3, for example, upon the occurrence of an excessively high current in the charging cable 1. For example, a current limiting circuit and/or a FI switch or a fuse can be used as a safety circuit.

(8) Furthermore, the charging cable 1 comprises an interface 11 designed as a coupling comprising two coupling sections 26, via which the first connector element 2 is detachably fastened on the charging cable 1. The interface can be arranged on the receptacle section 6, as shown in FIG. 1. In this case, one coupling section 26 is arranged on the receptacle section and one coupling section 26 is arranged on the cable section 8 connected to the first connector element 2. Alternatively thereto, the interface 11 can also be arranged at the position identified by the line 12 on the first connector element 2. In this case, one coupling section 26 is arranged on the first connector element 2 and one coupling section 26 is arranged on the cable section 8. It is furthermore possible that the interface 11 is alternatively arranged at the position identified by the line 13 on the second connector element 3, wherein one coupling section 26 is arranged on the second connector element 3 and one coupling section 26 is arranged on the cable section 8.

(9) Connector elements 2 embodied in various fashions can be detachably connected to the charging cable 1 via the interface 11. This enables a connection of the charging cable 1 to various types of alternating current sources and/or alternating current networks. A connection to a two-phase or three-phase alternating current source can take place, for example, via a first connector element 2 embodied as a CEE plug. Alternatively, a connection to a one-phase alternating current source can be performed, for example, using a further first connector element 27 embodied as a grounded pin plug. The further first connector element 27 is connected for this purpose via a cable section 8 to a coupling section 26 and can be connected instead of the first connector element 2 via the interface 11 to the charging cable 1, so that the charging cable 1 can be used for charging via a one-phase alternating current source connectable to the further connector element 27.

(10) A second exemplary embodiment of a charging cable 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2. In this exemplary embodiment, the rectifier 5 is arranged in the interior of the housing 7 of the second connector element 3. Furthermore, the means for electrical disconnection 9 and the electrical safety circuit 10 are arranged in the housing 7 of the second connector element 3. The interface 11 is arranged at the position marked by the line 13 on the second connector element. Alternatively, in this exemplary embodiment an arrangement of the interface 11 at the position marked by the line 12 on the first connector element 2 is possible.

(11) Due to the detachable connection of the first connector element 2 or of the first connector element 2 and the cable section 8, respectively, it is made possible for various first connector elements 2 to be connected to the second connector element 3 or to the cable section 8 and the second connector element 3, respectively. This enables a matching first connector element to be selected in dependence on an available charging option and detachably fastened on the charging cable via the interface 11.

(12) The first connector element 2 furthermore comprises a resistor 14 as a resistance code. The resistance value of the resistor 14 can be read out, for example, by a control unit of the rectifier 5 via at least one signal line of the cable section 8, wherein the rectifier 5 can be operated in dependence on this resistance value. This enables, for example, upon the use of a first connector element 2, which is designed for connection to a one-phase alternating current network, the rectifier to be operated in accordance with a one-phase rectification. The first connector element 2 can be embodied in this case, for example, as a grounded pin plug, wherein this embodiment is associated with a specific resistance value of the resistor 14. Accordingly, further embodiments of the connector element 2 can also be coded via other resistance values of the resistor 14, which enable, for example, a connection to two-phase or three-phase alternating current networks. Accordingly, in these cases the rectifier 5 can be operated for rectification of a two-phase or three-phase alternating current, respectively.

(13) Furthermore, a temperature sensor 15 is arranged in the first connector element 2 and a temperature sensor 31 is arranged in the second connector element 3, wherein the rectifier is operable in dependence on at least one temperature measured by one of the temperature sensors 15, 31. For example, it is possible that if a temperature value measured by one of the temperature sensors 15, 31 exceeds a temperature measured value, a current flowing through the charging cable 1 is reduced and/or switched off by activation of the rectifier 5, so that damage or wear to the charging cable 1, in particular the first connector element 2 and/or the second connector element 3, can be avoided. The rectifier 5 comprises a current measuring means 16 and a voltage measuring means 17, which are used for measuring a current flowing through the charging cable 1 or for measuring at least one voltage value of the alternating current and/or the direct current, respectively. Upon the occurrence of an excessively high voltage or an excessively high current, an adaptation of the operation of the rectifier 5 can take place and/or switching off of the rectifier 5 can be performed.

(14) A schematic circuit diagram of a third exemplary embodiment of a charging cable 1 is illustrated in FIG. 3, which is used for connection to a one-phase alternating current source. The rectifier 5 integrated into the housing 7 of the second connector element 3 comprises a control unit 18, which is embodied as a microcontroller and is connected to a rectifier unit 19. The rectifier unit 19 is used for rectifying a one-phase AC voltage, which is transmitted from the first connector element 2 via the cable section 8 to the second connector element 3. For this purpose, the cable section 8 comprises a first line 26 for the neutral conductor (N), a second line 27 for the phase of the alternating current (L1), and a third line 28 for the ground conductor (PE). In the case of a charging cable 1 designed for connection to a two-phase or three-phase alternating current source, it is possible that in addition a further conductor is provided in each case for a second phase and a third phase of a three-phase alternating current.

(15) The alternating current transmitted from the first connector element 2 to the rectifier 5 is converted by the rectifier unit 19 of the rectifier 5 into a direct current. The rectifier unit 19 is connected with its DC voltage side to two contacts 20 (DC+ and DC−) of the second connector element 3 provided for the connection of the charging cable 1 to the charging socket of a motor vehicle. To achieve the smallest possible size of the rectifier 5, the rectifier unit 19 comprises semiconductor components made of silicon carbide and/or gallium nitride.

(16) The rectifier 5 furthermore comprises a circuit 21 for fault current measurement and a circuit 22, which is used for the power supply of the control unit 18. The resistor 14 provided in the first connector element 2 for the resistance code of the type of the first connector element 2 and the temperature sensor 15 provided in the first connector element 2 are also each connected via a signal line 29 of the cable section 18 via the interface 11 to the control unit 18. Furthermore, a ground line 30 (GND) and two further signal lines 23, 24 (CP_in and PRX) are provided. The signal line 23 can be used for communication between the control unit 18 and a charging station connected to the first connector element 2. For example, for this purpose items of charging information can be transmitted between the control unit 18 and the charging station, as are provided in international standards. The signal line 24 can be used, for example, via a resistance code, to obtain items of information with respect to a maximum permissible current strength for the first connector element 2 or the cable section 8. For transmitting corresponding items of information, the control unit 18 is connected to contacts (CP_out, PRX_out) of the contacts 20 provided for the signal transmission.

(17) A temperature of the second connector element 3 can be measured by the control unit 18 via a temperature sensor 31. In the event of an excessively high measured temperature of the second connector element 3 or an excessively high temperature of the first connector element 2 measured via the temperature sensor 15, a reduction and/or shutdown of a current transmitted via the charging cable 1 can be carried out by activating the rectifier unit 19. To avoid excessively high current strengths, the rectifier 5 furthermore comprises three fuses F1, F2, and F3.

(18) In dependence on the type of the first connector element 2 determinable via the resistance value of the resistor 14, the rectifier 5 can be operated by the control unit 18 by an activation of the rectifier unit 19. A possibly provided second phase and/or a possibly provided third phase of an alternating current source can be connected via additional contacts (not shown) of the interface 11 to the alternating current side of the rectifier unit 19 in each case, so that upon connection of the first connector element 2 to a charging station, which provides a two-phase or a three-phase alternating current, a rectification of all phases of the alternating current can take place.