POWER SUPPLY CONNECTION FOR ARRANGEMENT IN THE REGION OF AN OUTER CONTOUR OF AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE, AND ELECTRIC VEHICLE

Abstract

A power supply connection for arrangement in the region of an outer contour of a motor vehicle, in particular of an electric vehicle, having a power supply opening associated with a housing mounted on the vehicle in a ready-to-operate functional state. The power supply opening can be closed by a closing cover mounted movably on the vehicle between an open position and a closed position and actuated by an electrically activatable control device coupled to a capacitive sensor system in order to allow the closing cover to be opened and/or closed depending on a gesture control operation by a person in the region of the power supply opening. The closing cover is of an electrically conductive design and is electrically coupled to the capacitive sensor system.

Claims

1. A power supply connection for arrangement in the region of an outer contour of a motor vehicle, in particular of an electric vehicle, having a power supply opening which is associated with a housing mounted on the vehicle in the ready-to-operate functional state and which can be closed by a closing cover which is mounted movably on the vehicle between an open position and a closed position and can be actuated by means of an electrically activatable control device which is coupled to a capacitive sensor system in order to allow the closing cover to be opened and/or closed depending on a gesture control operation by a person in the region of the power supply opening, wherein the closing cover is of electrically conductive design and is electrically coupled to the capacitive sensor system.

2. The power supply connection according to claim 1, wherein the closing cover has a carrier part and an outer panel fastened to the outer side of the carrier part, and the outer panel is of electrically conductive design.

3. The power supply connection according to claim 1, wherein the closing cover is permanently coupled to the capacitive sensor system via at least one electrical conductor.

4. The power supply connection according to claim 1, wherein the closing cover consists of a conductive thermoplastic material.

5. The power supply connection according to claim 4, wherein the closing cover consists of a blend based on polyamide and polyphenyl ether or of a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

6. The power supply connection according to claim 1, wherein an electrical coupling between the electrically conductive closing cover and the capacitive sensor system, has a metal pushbutton which is mounted on the vehicle-side housing and bears in a permanently spring-elastic manner against an inner side of the closing cover in the closed position of the closing cover.

7. The power supply connection according to claim 1, wherein an electronic control unit is associated with the capacitive sensor system, said electronic control unit evaluating changes in an electric field in the region of an outer side of the closing cover and also initiating a control function, in particular activating the electrical control device of the closing cover, depending on a result of the evaluation.

8. The power supply connection according to claim 1, wherein an outer side of the closing cover is provided with an electrically conductive layer.

9. An electric vehicle having a power supply connection according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Further advantages and features of the invention can be found in the claims and in the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention which are illustrated using the drawings, in which

[0016] FIG. 1 schematically shows a subregion of an outer contour of an electric vehicle having a power supply connection closed by a closing cover according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0017] FIG. 2 schematically shows a section through the power supply connection along section line II-II in FIG. 1; and

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration analogously to section line II-II in FIG. 1 of a further embodiment of a power supply connection according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] An electric vehicle in the form of a passenger car has an outer skin 1 of a vehicle body, which outer skin forms an outer contour of the electric vehicle. With reference to FIG. 1, the outer skin 1 of the vehicle body is shown in the region of a front left-hand-side wing 2 and also in the transition region to a front side door 3. The electric vehicle has an electric traction drive which is supplied with power by a vehicle battery. In order to charge the vehicle battery, the electric vehicle has a power supply connection with comprises a power charging socket, not designated in any detail. The power charging socket, which is not designated in any detail, is diagrammatically indicated with reference to FIG. 2. The power supply connection is provided in the region of a cutout 4 in the outer skin 1 of the vehicle body. The cutout 4 forms a power supply opening. The power supply opening is closed by a closing cover 5, also referred to as a charging flap. The closing cover 5 is mounted movably on the vehicle between the closed position, illustrated in FIG. 1, and an open position opening the power supply opening and therefore also the power charging socket. In the closed position, the closing cover 5, by way of its outer contour, terminates flush and in alignment with the outer skin 1 of the vehicle body.

[0020] In order to move the closing cover 5 between the closed position and the open position, control kinematics, not illustrated in any detail, are provided, these being actuated by an electrically activatable control device. Owing to activation of the control device, the control kinematics move the closing cover 5 from the closed position to the open position, and back. The control kinematics and therefore also the electrically activatable control device have an associated electric actuating drive which is not illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 and which drives the control kinematics and therefore the closing cover 5 in the event of a corresponding displacement movement.

[0021] The control device for actuating the actuating drive and therefore for moving the closing cover 5 can be activated by gesture control from an outer side of the closing cover 5 and therefore from an outer side of the outer skin 1 of the vehicle body. Firstly, a capacitive sensor system 8 is provided for this purpose. The capacitive sensor system 8 is arranged on the vehicle and fixedly connected to a housing 6 of the power supply connection which is fixedly connected to corresponding vehicle parts on the inner side of the cutout 4 and therefore of the power supply opening. The closing cover 5 is mounted movably between the closed position and the open position relative to the housing 6.

[0022] The closing cover 5 has a carrier part 7 and also an outer panel fixedly connected to the carrier part 7. The outer panel of the closing cover 5 is of electrically conductive design and electrically coupled to the capacitive sensor system 8 via an electrical conductor 9. The electrical conductor 9 is merely schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 in order to symbolize an electrical connection between the sensor system 8 and the outer panel of the closing cover 5. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the outer panel consists of a conductive thermoplastic material. In the present case, the outer panel of the closing cover 5 is produced either as a blend on a polyamide basis and a polyphenyl ether basis or from a blend of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene. The outer side of the outer panel is painted in accordance with the painting of the outer skin 1 of the vehicle body.

[0023] Owing to the electrical connection of the outer panel of the closing cover 5 to the capacitive sensor system 8 via the at least one electrical conductor 9, the electric field generated by the capacitive sensor system 8 is amplified and according to FIG. 2 moved outward to the outer side of the outer panel of the closing cover 5. On the basis of the illustration of the electric field E in FIG. 2 using dash-dotted lines, it can be seen that an electric field is produced over the total outside dimensions of the closing cover 5 with the capacitive sensor system activated, said electric field necessarily changing as an object or limbs of a person approaches/approach in the direction of the outer side of the outer panel 5. This field change is detected via the capacitive sensor system 8 and evaluated by means of an electronic control unit S which is coupled to the capacitive sensor system 8.

[0024] When a respective operator uses their hand to make a gesture in the region of the closing cover 5, which is in its closed position, on the outer side of the outer skin 1 of the vehicle body, i.e. in front of the outer side of the outer panel of the closing cover 5, the electronic control unit S can detect the corresponding field change signals of the sensor system 8, evaluate them and drive the actuating drive A for the control kinematics of the closing cover 5 in order to move the closing cover 5 from the closed position to the open position.

[0025] In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, functionally identical parts and portions are provided with the same reference signs, with the addition of the letter a. In order to avoid repetition, reference is additionally made to the description relating to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 3 also shows a sectional illustration in the region of a power supply connection analogously to FIG. 1. The closing cover 5a also has an outer panel, which is fixedly connected to a carrier part 7a, in the embodiment according to FIG. 3 too. The outer panel is produced from a conductive thermoplastic material analogously to the outer panel of the closing cover 5 according to FIG. 2. The outer panel of the closing cover 5a is also coupled to a capacitive sensor system 8a via an electrical conductor 9a to 13a. The electrical conductor has a metal pushbutton 10a, 11a, 13a which enters a receptacle 12a in the region of an inner side of the outer panel of the closing cover 5a, provided that the closing cover 5a is in its closed position. For this purpose, the metal pushbutton 11a, 10a, 13a has a metal piston 11a which is provided with a head and can be displaced in a linearly movable manner in a metal cylinder 10a or a cylinder 10a that is electrically conductive in some other way. The piston 11a has pressure permanently applied to it in the direction of the outer panel of the closing cover 5a by a metal helical compression spring 13a, and therefore the piston 11a of the metal pushbutton rests permanently in the receptacle 12a of the outer panel in the closed position of the closing cover 5a. Since the outer panel is electrically conductive, an electrically conductive connection between the outer panel and the cylinder 10a is produced by the metal pushbutton. The cylinder 10a of the metal pushbutton is in turn coupled to the capacitive sensor system 8a via an electrical wire 9a or another electrical conductor. The electrical coupling of the sensor system 8a to the electrically conductive outer panel of the closing cover 5a leads, analogously to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, to the formation an electrostatic field E in the region of the outer side of the outer panel of the closing cover 5a in the ready-to-operate functional state of the power supply connection, as a result of which the same control functions can be achieved as in the embodiment according to FIG. 2. The sensor system 8a is also coupled to an electronic control unit analogously to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, which control unit is in turn operatively connected to an actuating drive for the closing cover 5a in order to achieve a desired actuating function.

[0026] The power supply connection according to FIGS. 1 and 2 and also the power supply connection according to FIGS. 1 and 3 can each be assembled as a preassembled structural unit and can be prepared to be ready to function, in order to then be able to be mounted on the vehicle in the region of the cutout 4 in the outer skin 1 of the vehicle body in the ready-to-function preassembly state.