PARKING VEHICLE, METHOD FOR PARKING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE AND FOR CHARGING THE BATTERY OF THE ELECTRIC VEHICLE, AND PARKING SPACE SYSTEM

Abstract

A parking vehicle for the transport and parking of an electric vehicle. The parking vehicle has a platform on which the electric vehicle can be parked and has a charging system to charge the electric vehicle. The charging system has an electric energy storage which is connected to a contact system. The charging system is connected to the platform. The parking vehicle is connected to an electric energy supply which is connected to the charging system. The parking vehicle has a charging regulator connected to the charging system. The parking vehicle has a communications device which transmits and receives the data of an external system. The parking vehicle has a control device connected with the communications device. Movement of the parking vehicle is controlled in longitudinal and transverse directions by the control device.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A parking vehicle (1) for transporting and parking of an electric vehicle (2), the parking vehicle comprising: a platform (3) on which the electric vehicle (2) can be parked, a charging system (4) for charging the electric vehicle (2), the charging system (4) having a storage (5) for electric energy and having a contact system (6), the contact system (6) being connected to the storage (5), and the charging system (4) being connected to the platform (3), a connection (7) to connect the parking vehicle (1) to an electric energy supply (8), and the connection (7) being connected to the charging system (4), a charging regulator (9) being connected to the charging system (4), a communications device (10) designed for transmitting and receiving data of at least one external system (11), and a control device (12) connected to the communications device (10), and the parking vehicle (1) being controllable in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction by the controlling device (12).

14. The parking vehicle (1) according to claim 13, wherein the contact system (6) of the charging system (4) is designed as a loading cable (13) which is connected to the storage (5) of the charging system (4).

15. The parking vehicle (1) according to claim 14, wherein the loading cable (13) is designed as an automated charging cable.

16. The parking vehicle (1) according to claim 13, wherein the contact system (6) of the loading system (4) is designed as an inductive charging device (14) which is integrated into the platform (3).

17. The parking vehicle (1) according to claim 13, further comprising a sensor system (15) which detects surrounding data, the sensor system (15) is connected to the control device (12), and the parking vehicle (1) is controllable by the control device (12) based on the detected surrounding data.

18. A method for parking an electric vehicle (2) and for charging a battery of the electric vehicle (2) by a parking vehicle (1) having a platform (3) on which the electric vehicle (2) can be parked, a charging system (4) for charging the electric vehicle (2), the charging system (4) has a storage (5) for electric energy and has a contact system (6), the contact system (6) is connected to the storage (5), and the charging system (4) is connected to the platform (3), a connection (7) for connecting the parking vehicle (1) to an electric energy supply (8), and the connection (7) is connected to the charging system (4), a charging regulator (9) which is connected to the charging system (4), a communications device (10) which is designed for transmitting and receiving data of at least one external system (11), and a control device (12) which is connected to the communications device (10), the parking vehicle (1) is controllable in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction by the controlling device (12), the method comprising: parking the electric vehicle (2) on the platform (3) of the parking vehicle (1), connecting the electric vehicle (2) to the contact system (6), transmitting the positioning data from the external system (11) to the parking vehicle (1), the positioning data is received by the communications device (10), and the positioning data comprising the position of an empty parking place (P1) which has an electric energy supply (8), guiding the parking vehicle (1), via the control device (12), to the position of the empty parking place, parking the parking vehicle (1) in the empty parking place and connecting the parking vehicle with the electric energy supply (8) by the connection (7) such that the electric energy supply (8) supplies the storage (5) of the charging system (4) with the electric energy, supplying energy to the charging system (4) and charging the battery of the electric vehicle (2) with the energy with the contact system (6) of the parking vehicle (1), controlling and monitoring charging of the battery of the electric vehicle (2) with the charging regulator (9), and terminating the charging of the battery of the electric vehicle (2) when the charging regulator (9) recognizes a predetermined charging condition of the battery of the electric vehicle (2).

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising automatically connecting the electric vehicle (2) with the contact system (6).

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising supplying the storage (5) of the charging system (4) with electric energy in a contactless manner.

21. The method according to claim 18, further comprising supplying the storage (5) of the charging system (4) with the electric energy by a plug connection.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising transmitting termination of the charging of the battery of the electric vehicle (2) by the communications device (10) to the external system (11).

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising transmitting, after the termination of the charging of the battery of the electric vehicle (2), additional position data by the external system (11) to the parking vehicle (1), and receiving the additional position data by the communications device (10), and the positioning data containing a position of another empty parking space (P2) without any electric energy supply (8), guiding the parking vehicle (1) to the another position via the control device (12), and positioning the parking vehicle (1) at the another position.

24. A parking space system for parking a plurality of electric vehicles (2), the parking place system (S) having at least two parking vehicles (1) for charging batteries of the plurality of electric vehicles (2), the at least two parking vehicles (1) each having a platform (3) on which one of the plurality of electric vehicles (2) can be parked, respectively, a charging system (4) for respective charging the electric vehicle (2), the charging system (4) having a storage (5) for electric energy and having a contact system (6), the contact system (6) being connected to the storage (5), and the charging system (4) being connected to the platform (3), a connection (7) for connecting the respective at least two parking vehicles (1) to an electric energy supply (8), and the connection (7) being connected to the charging system (4), a charging regulator (9) connected to the charging system (4), a communications device (10) designed for transmitting and receiving data of at least one external system (11), and a control device (12) connected to the communications device (10), and the at least two parking vehicles (1) are each controllable in a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction by the respective controlling device (12).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Based on the following, explained drawings, the different embodiments and details of the invention are described. These show:

[0039] FIG. 1 a schematic presentation of a parking vehicle based on an embodiment, and

[0040] FIG. 2 a schematic presentation of a parking place system based on an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a schematic presentation of a parking vehicle 1 based one embodiment. Presented is the parking vehicle 1 on which an electric vehicle 2 is parked. The parking vehicle 1 is located with the electric vehicle 2 on the parking place P1 with an energy supply 8. Also, an external system 11 is shown, which is a central device, for instance, for parking space monitoring.

[0042] The parking vehicle 1 has a charging system 4, whereby the charging system 4 has a storage 5 for electric energy and a contact system 6. The contact system 6 is connected to the storage 5. Also, the parking vehicle 1 has a connection 7 via which the parking vehicle 1 is connected to the energy supply 8. Furthermore, the parking vehicle 1 has a control device 12, a communication device 10, a charging regulator 9, and a sensor system 15. The charging regulator 9 is connected to the charging system 4. The control device 12 is connected to the communication device 10 and the sensor system 15. The parking vehicle 1 has also an electric drive train which is here not presented. In addition, the parking vehicle 1 has wheels which are here presented just schematically. The control device 12 is connected to the electric drive train and the wheels. The electric drive train can control the wheels and the electric drive train and can, for instance, set the wheels at a steering angle or influence the acceleration of the parking vehicle 1.

[0043] The parking vehicle 1 has a platform 3. The platform 3 is designed in such a way that the electric vehicle 2 can stop on this platform and stay on it. Thus, the electric vehicle 2 can park on the platform 3. The electric vehicle 2 can be transported by the parking vehicle 1 without having to apply its own drive power.

[0044] The contact system 6 of the charging system 4 is designed as a charging cable 13 and as a inductive charging device 14. The electric vehicle 2 is connected to the charging system 4 of the parking vehicle 1 by means of the charging cable 13. Thus, the electric energy of the charging system 4 can be passed via the contact system 6, which is designed as a charging cable 13, to the battery of the electric vehicle 2. This electric energy is provided by the electric energy supply 8. By means of the connection 7, through which the parking vehicle 1 is connected to the energy supply 8, the electric energy is passed to the storage 5 of the charging system 4 and is temporarily stored there. The present electric energy in the storage 5 serves on one hand for charging of the electric vehicle 2, and on the other hand for operating the parking vehicle 1.

[0045] Charging of the battery of the electric vehicle 2 is controlled and monitored by means of the charging regulator 9. For this purpose, the charging regulator 9 is connected to the charging system 4. The charging regulator 9 is integrated into the platform 3 of the parking vehicle 1. The charging regulator 9 controls how much electric energy is passed from the storage 5 of the charging system 4 to the electric vehicle 2.

[0046] The communication device 10 of the parking vehicle 1 serves for the exchange of data between the parking vehicle 1 and the external system 11. This exchange of data 17 is made clear through an arrow. The external system 11 which is designed as central system, can transmit positioning data to the parking vehicle 1. The positioning data can include, for instance, the position of the parking space P1 which has the electric energy supply 8. By means of the communication system 10, the parking vehicle 1 informs the external system 11 when a charging process of the electric vehicle 2 has been successfully completed. This is, for instance, the case when the battery of the electric vehicle is fully charged. If the charging process is completed, the external system 11 can transmit additional positioning data to the parking vehicle 1, which it receives by means of its communication device 10. The parking vehicle 1 can then be moved from the parking space P1 with the electric energy supply 8 to another parking space, at which no electric energy supply is present. Hereby, the parking vehicle 1 is disconnected from the electric energy supply 8 of the parking space P1.

[0047] The parking vehicle 1 can drive automatically or autonomously along its drive route. For this purpose, the parking vehicle 1 has the sensor system 15 and the control device 12. The sensor system 15 can be, for instance, a radar system, a LIDAR system, a camera system, or a combination of these systems. By means of the sensor system 15, surrounding data of the parking vehicle 1 is captured and analyzed. The analysis of the surrounding data can alternatively take place via the control unit 12. Based on the surrounding data, the control unit 12 can guide the parking vehicle along the drive route. For instance, the external system 11 can predetermine a position to which the parking vehicle 1 should drive to. The parking vehicle 1 alone can find its position by means of the sensor system 15. Alternatively or in addition hereto, the external system 11 can predetermine the entire drive route. This drive route pre-determination is sent by the data exchange 17 to the parking vehicle 1 and received by the communication device 10.

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a schematic presentation of a parking place system S in accordance with an embodiment. Four parking spaces P1, P2, P3, P4, are shown. In addition, two parking vehicles 1 are shown, on each is an electric vehicle 2 positioned. A first parking place P1 has an electric energy supply 8. A first parking vehicle 1 is connected to the electric energy supply 8. The electric vehicle 2 is provided with electric energy through the first parking vehicle 1 and the battery of the electric vehicle is charged. The shown parking vehicles 1 and electric vehicles 2, as well as the external system 11, have each the same design as already described in FIG. 1.

[0049] A second electric vehicle 2 is located on a second parking vehicle 1. This second parking vehicle 1 is located on the parking place P2. This one does not have an electric energy supply 8. Thus, the electric vehicle 2, which is located at the parking place P2 and on the second parking vehicle 1, cannot be provided with electric energy.

[0050] Both parking vehicles 1 communicate with the external system 11. A data exchange 17 takes place. When the battery of the electric vehicle 2, which is located on the first parking vehicle 1, shows a predetermined charge state, i.e. fully charged, a signal is sent to the external system 11. The charging state is determined by the charging regulator which is shown in FIG. 1. The external system 11 then sends an additional position to the parking vehicle 1, to which the first parking vehicle 1 should proceed. In this case, it is the position of the fourth parking space P4. The movement of the first parking vehicle 1 is marked here by means of an arrow in the moving direction 16. This means that as soon as the charging process of the electric vehicle 2, which is located on the first parking vehicle 1, is completed, the first parking vehicle 1 is moved along a drive route, by means of its control device, from the first parking space P1 to the fourth parking space P4. Thus, the electric energy supply 8, which is located at the parking space P1, is made available for the electric vehicle 2 which is on the second parking vehicle 1.

[0051] The second parking vehicle 1, on which the electric vehicle 2 is located and which has still to be charged, receives positioning data of the parking place P1 from the external system 11. The second parking vehicle 1 is moved, by means of its control device, along a drive route which is marked by the moving direction arrow 16, from the second parking place P2 to the first parking place P1. The second parking vehicle 1 connects itself, by means of its connection with the electric energy supply 8. Electric energy is passed by the electric energy supply 8 into the storage of the second parking vehicle 1, which is passed by the contact system 6 to the electric vehicle 2. Thus, the battery of the electric vehicle 2 which is located on the second parking vehicle 1, is charged. As soon as the charging process of the electric vehicle 2 which is located on the parking vehicle 1 is finished, a signal is again transmitted to the external system 11. The second parking vehicle 1 is then moved from the first parking place P1 to an empty parking place, on which no electric energy supply 8 is provided, meaning on the second parking place P2 or a third parking place P3.

[0052] Thus, the first parking place P1, which has the electric energy supply 8, can be used by several electric vehicles 2. These are transported, by means of the parking vehicles 1, in each case to the parking place P1 with the electric energy supply 8 and then move away when the charging process is finished. Thus, it is not necessary to provide at each parking place P1, P2, P3, P4 an electric energy supply. Thus, the parking space can be used more efficiently.

[0053] The presented embodiments are here selected examples. For instance, the parking vehicle can also have a chain drive instead of wheels.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0054] 1 Parking Vehicle [0055] 2 Electric Vehicle [0056] 3 Platform [0057] 4 Charging System [0058] 5 Storage [0059] 6 Contact System [0060] 7 Connection [0061] 8 Electric Energy Supply [0062] 9 Charging Regulator [0063] 10 Communications Device [0064] 11 External System [0065] 12 Control Device [0066] 13 Charging Cable [0067] 14 Induction Charging Device [0068] 15 Sensor System [0069] 16 Movement Direction [0070] 17 Data Exchange [0071] P1 Parking Space [0072] P2 Parking Space [0073] P3 Parking Space [0074] P4 Parking Space [0075] S Parking Space System