CHARGING VEHICLE AND METHOD FOR CHARGING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Abstract

A charging vehicle (1) for charging an electric vehicle (2) has a charging system (3), a charging regulator (4), a control device (5) and a contact system (6). The charging system (3) is connected to the charging regulator (4) and the contact system (6). The contact system (6) serves to supply the charging vehicle (1) with electric energy. The charging system (3) is a contactless charging system (3). The charging vehicle (1) can be controlled by the control device (5) in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and can be positioned, by the control device (5), into a charging position (7).

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. A charging vehicle (1) for charging an electric vehicle (2), the charging vehicle comprising: a charging system (3), a charging regulator (4), a control device (5), a contact system (6), the charging system (3) being connected to the charging regulator (4) and the contact system (6), the contact system (6) supplying the charging vehicle (1) with electric energy, the charging system (3) being a contactless charging system (3), the charging vehicle (1) being controllable by the control device (5) in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, the charging vehicle being positionable in a charging position (7) by the control device (5), the charging vehicle (1) being dimensioned such that the charging vehicle (1) is drivable underneath the electric vehicle (2) to be charged, and the charging vehicle (1) does not exceed a maximum height of up to 4.33 inches (110 mm).

11. The charging vehicle (1) according to claim 10, further comprising a communication device (8) which transmits and receives data and is connected to the control device (5).

12. The charging vehicle (1) according to claim 11, wherein the control device (5) controls the charging vehicle (1) based on the data received from the communication device (8).

13. The charging vehicle (1) according to claim 11, further comprising a sensor system (9) for detecting surrounding data of the charging vehicle (1), and the sensor system (9) is connected to the control device (5).

14. The charging vehicle (1) according to claim 13, wherein the control device (5) controls the charging vehicle (1) based on the surrounding data detected by the sensor system (9) for detecting surrounding data of the charging vehicle (1).

15. The charging vehicle (1) according to claim 11, wherein the control device (5) is connected to the charging system (3) and controls the charging system (3).

16. A method for charging an electric vehicle (2) by a charging vehicle (1) having a charging system (3), a charging regulator (4), a control device (5) and a contact system (6), the charging system (3) is connected to the charging regulator (4) and the contact system (6), the contact system (6) supplies the charging vehicle (1) with electric energy, the charging system (3) is a contactless charging system (3), the charging vehicle (1) is controllable by the control device (5) in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction, the charging vehicle is positionable in a charging position (7) by the control device (5), the charging vehicle (1) is dimensioned such that the charging vehicle (1) is drivable underneath the electric vehicle (2) to be charged, and the charging vehicle (1) does not exceed a maximum height of up to 110 mm, the method comprising: guiding the charging vehicle (1), via the control device (5), towards the charging position (7) based on at least one of surrounding data and data received via the communication device (8); positioning the charging vehicle (1) with the control device (5) in the charging position (7) underneath the electric vehicle (2) to be charged based on at least one of the surrounding data and the data received via the communication device (8); establishing, via the contact system (6), a connection between the charging vehicle (1) and an electric energy supply (10) to pass electric energy to the charging vehicle (1); transferring the electric energy via the charging system (3) into the electric vehicle (2) without contact to charge the electric vehicle (2); monitoring charging of the electric vehicle (2) with the charging regulator (4); terminating charging of the electric vehicle (2) when the electric vehicle reaches a certain charging state; disconnecting, via the contact system (6), the connection between the charging vehicle (1) and the electric energy supply (10) to terminate passage of the electric energy to the charging vehicle (1); and guiding, via the control device (5), the charging vehicle (1) away from the charging position (7) based on at least one of the surrounding data and the data received via the communication device (8).

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising initiating, via the control device (5), the positioning of the charging vehicle (1) at the charging position (7) based on the data received via the communication device (8).

18. A charging vehicle for supplying electrical energy to an electric vehicle, the charging vehicle comprises: a charging system which is directly connected to a charging regulator and a contact system; the contact system being configured to releasably connect the charging system to an electrical energy supply to supply the charging system with the electrical energy; a control device for adjusting acceleration of the charging vehicle and controlling longitudinal and transverse movement of the charging vehicle to guide the charging vehicle into and away from a charging position directly below the electric vehicle such that the charging system is connectable to the electrical energy supply, via the contact system, to supply the charging vehicle with the electrical energy when the charging vehicle is positioned in the charging position; the charging vehicle is dimensioned with a maximum height dimension of 4.33 inches (110 mm) such that, in the charging position, the charging vehicle is vertically spaced by a gap from the electric vehicle; and the charging system comprises an induction coil such that when the charging vehicle is in the charging position beneath the electric vehicle, the electric energy is passed inductively from the charging system to the electric vehicle across the gap therebetween.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Based on the following drawings, different embodiments and details of the invention are further described. These show:

[0040] FIG. 1 a schematic presentation of the charging vehicle which that performs a charging process, in accordance with an embodiment, and

[0041] FIG. 2 a schematic presentation of the charging vehicle in accordance with the embodiment as in FIG. 1

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0042] FIG. 1 shows a schematic presentation of the charging vehicle 1, which performs a charging process in accordance with one embodiment. The charging vehicle 1 has a charging system 3, a charging regulator 4, a control device 5, a contact system 6, a sensor system which is not shown here, and a communication device not shown here. The charging system 3 is connected to the contact system 6 and to the charging regulator 4. The control device 5 is connected to the charge controller 4, to the charging system 3, to the contact system 6 and to the communication device and the sensor system. This is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. The charging vehicle 1 also has wheels in order to be able to move along a road surface. In addition the charging vehicle 1 has an electric drive train. This is connected to the charging system 3. The charging vehicle 1 is designed with a low profile, so that it can drive underneath the electric vehicle 2 shown here.

[0043] As here presented, the charging vehicle 1 is located at a charging position 7. At this charging position 7, it is possible for the charging vehicle 1 to charge the battery of an electric vehicle 2. For this purpose, the charging system 3 is designed in such a way that it can carry out a contactless charging process of the electric vehicle 2. The charging system 3 thus has an inductive coil.

[0044] The charging vehicle 1 is connected to the electric energy supply 10 by means of the contact system 6. This can be for instance a plug-power outlet-system. Hereby, the contact system 6 is for instance designed as a plug which can be connected to a power outlet which can provide electric energy. This connection of the contact system 6 with the electric energy supply 10 can for instance take place fully automatically. As soon as the charging vehicle 1 arrives at the charging position 7 and is positioned there, the contact system 6 automatically connects to the electric energy supply 10. The charging vehicle 1 is supplied with electrical energy via the electric energy supply 10. This energy is temporarily stored in an electric energy storage of the charging system 3. The electric energy serves on one hand to supply the charging vehicle 1 and on the other hand to charge the electric vehicle 2.

[0045] The charging regulator 4 monitors the charging of the electric vehicle 2, as well as the charging of the charging system 3. The charging regulator 4 therefore regulates how much energy is passed into the electric energy storage of the charging system 3 and how much energy of this charging system 3 is passed to the electric vehicle 2. The charging regulator 4 thus also monitors a charging state of the battery of the electric vehicle 2. As soon as the charging state of the electric vehicle 2 reaches a predetermined value, which is determined by the charging regulator 4, the charging process of the electric vehicle 2 is terminated.

[0046] The control device 5 of the charging vehicle 1 serves to control the charging vehicle 1 in a longitudinal direction and a transversal direction, as well as influence acceleration of the charging vehicle 1. The control device 5 can thus set a steering angle of the wheels of the charging vehicle 1. In addition, the control device 5 can control the contact system 6 in such a way that it establishes disconnects from the electric energy supply 10.

[0047] If the electric vehicle 2 shown here needs to be charged by the charging vehicle 1, the charging vehicle 1 is now guided to the charging position 7 by means of the control device 5, based on data of the sensor system or by data of the communications device, and is positioned there. The charging vehicle 1 drives autonomously or automatically. The drive route of the charging vehicle 1 can be predetermined by the central device and transmitted to the control device 5 of the charging vehicle 1 by means of the communication device. As an alternative to this, the charging vehicle 1 can determine its drive route itself by using surroundings data from the sensor system, the surroundings data being transmitted to the control device 5 of the charging vehicle 1. A combination of both options is also possible. As soon as the charging vehicle 1 is positioned at the charging position 7, the control device 5 of the charging vehicle 1 controls the contact system 6 to connects itself to the electric energy supply 10. When this has happened, the control device 5 starts the contactless charging of the electric vehicle 2 by means of the charging system 3. This is monitored by the charging regulator 4. As soon as a predetermined charging state is reached, this being determined by the charging regulator 4, the charging process of the electric vehicle 2 is terminated. The charging vehicle 1 can then be moved away from the charging position 7 and from the electric vehicle 2 by means of the control device 5. The charging vehicle 1 can then be moved to another electric vehicle and can charge it in the same manner.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a schematic presentation of the charging vehicle 1 according to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1. Here it is shown again in more detail how the different components of the charging vehicle 1 are connected to one another. The control unit 5 is connected to the sensor system 9, to the communications unit 8, to the charging system 3, to the charging regulator 4, and the contact system 6. In addition, the charging system 3 is connected to the contact system 6 and to the charging regulator 4.

[0049] The connection between the control device 5 and the sensor system 9, the communication device 8, the charging regulator 4, the charging system 3, and the contact system 6, can either be wired or wireless. The connection between the contact system 6 and the charging system 3 is wired. More precisely, the contact system 6 is connected to the electric energy storage of the charging system 3. A data exchange takes place between the control device 5, the sensor system 9, the communication device 8, the charging regulator 4, the charging system 3, and the contact system 6. The control device 5 can control all of the systems connected to it.

[0050] The charging vehicle 1 shown here and the method shown here can be used, for example, in a parking garage or in a parking lot. In this case, a plurality of electric vehicles 2 can be charged one after another, so that it is not necessary to provide a charging station to which all the electric vehicles 2 can or must connected. The charging vehicle 1 can hereby drive from a charged electric vehicle 2 to the electric vehicles 2 which need to be charged. Thus, the infrastructure within the parking garage or parking lot can be designed with lesser cost. It is also advantageous that the electric vehicle 2 itself does not need have any intelligence to connect itself to a charging station. Obviously, several charging stations 1 can be provided for each parking garage or parking lot, so that several electric vehicles 2 can be charged simultaneously.

[0051] The examples presented here are selected only as examples. For instance, a charging vehicle might not have a sensor system, Also, the control device can be connected to fewer systems and can therefore also control fewer systems than shown in FIG. 2.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0052] 1 Charging Vehicle [0053] 2 Electric Vehicle [0054] 3 Charging System [0055] 4 Charging Regulator [0056] 5 Control Device [0057] 6 Contact System [0058] 7 Charging Position [0059] 8 Communication Device [0060] 9 Sensor System [0061] 10 Electric Energy Supply