Motor vehicle with a connection device

Abstract

A motor vehicle with a traction battery and a connection device. The traction battery can be connected to an energy source external to the vehicle for recharging. In this case, the connection device has an electrical charging cable and a rotatably mounted cable reel for taking up the charging cable. The charging cable be guided in a longitudinal beam of the motor vehicle configured as a hollow profile.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising: a traction battery and a connection device, by which the traction battery can be connected to an energy source external to the vehicle for recharging, wherein the connection device includes an electrical charging cable and a rotatably mounted cable reel for taking up the charging cable, wherein the charging cable is guided in a longitudinal beam of the motor vehicle configured as a hollow profile, wherein the longitudinal beam is designed as a front longitudinal beam and the cable reel is arranged in a radiator tank of the motor vehicle.

2. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection device includes a spring-loaded winding-up mechanism for the automatic winding up of the charging cable on the cable reel and a locking mechanism for the reversible releasable locking of the winding-up mechanism and/or for the reversible releasable retaining of the charging cable in various winding states.

3. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection device includes a motor-driven winding-up mechanism for the automatic winding of the charging cable onto the cable reel.

4. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a heat conductive cooling mechanism connected to the cable reel, preferably comprising a circulation of coolant.

5. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a heat conductive cooling mechanism connected to the charging cable, preferably comprising a circulation of coolant.

6. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the charging cable can accept a flow of liquid and is connected to the circulation of coolant of the motor vehicle.

7. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor vehicle has a retaining mechanism for holding a charging plug of the charging cable in a stowed position, from which the charging plug may be removed for connecting to the energy source external to the vehicle.

8. A motor vehicle comprising: a traction battery and a connection device, by which the traction battery can be connected to an energy source external to the vehicle for recharging, wherein the connection device includes an electrical charging cable and a rotatably mounted cable reel for taking up the charging cable, wherein the charging cable is guided in a longitudinal beam of the motor vehicle configured as a hollow profile, wherein the longitudinal beam is designed as a rear longitudinal beam and the cable reel is arranged in a spare tire cavity of the motor vehicle.

9. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connection device includes a spring-loaded winding-up mechanism for the automatic winding up of the charging cable on the cable reel and a locking mechanism for the reversible releasable locking of the winding-up mechanism and/or for the reversible releasable retaining of the charging cable in various winding states.

10. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connection device includes a motor-driven winding-up mechanism for the automatic winding of the charging cable onto the cable reel.

11. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the motor vehicle has a heat conductive cooling mechanism connected to the cable reel, preferably comprising a circulation of coolant.

12. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the motor vehicle has a heat conductive cooling mechanism connected to the charging cable, preferably comprising a circulation of coolant.

13. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 12, wherein the charging cable can accept a flow of liquid and is connected to the circulation of coolant of the motor vehicle.

14. The motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the motor vehicle has a retaining mechanism for holding a charging plug of the charging cable in a stowed position, from which the charging plug may be removed for connecting to the energy source external to the vehicle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention shall be described. For this, there are shown:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic and excerpted lateral view of a front region of a vehicle structure with a front longitudinal beam, through which a charging cable is guided; and

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic top view of the vehicle structure of FIG. 1.

(4) The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each time represent individual, separately considered features of the invention, which further develop the invention independently of each other and therefore are to be viewed individually or in any other combination than the one shown as being part of the invention. Furthermore, the described embodiments may also be supplemented by other of the already described features of the invention.

(5) In the figures, elements of identical function are provided with the same reference numbers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(6) FIG. 1 shows a schematic and excerpted lateral view of a front region of a frame and bodywork structure of a motor vehicle 1. The structure or the motor vehicle 1 comprises a front longitudinal beam 2 extending in the lengthwise direction of the vehicle as well as a radiator tank 3, which is arranged as usual at the front end in front of a passenger compartment of the motor vehicle 1. In the present instance, the motor vehicle 1 furthermore has a connection device 4, comprising a charging cable 5 and a rotary mounted cable reel 6. A piece of the charging cable 5 is wound up in the present case on the cable reel 6 and shall therefore be called the rolled-up section 7 in the following. Another piece of the charging cable, which is not rolled up on the cable reel 6, shall be called the unrolled section 8. The cable reel 6 is mounted firmly on the vehicle and connected to the charging cable 5 in such a way that the cable cannot be removed completely from the cable reel 6 by unwinding or rolling off. The connection device 4 is thus part of the motor vehicle 1.

(7) At a free end of the charging cable 5 facing away from the cable reel 6 there is provided a charging plug 9, which serves for making an electrical contact between the charging cable and an energy source external to the vehicle, such as a charging station. On the vehicle side, the charging cable 5 is electrically connected to a traction battery of the motor vehicle 1, not shown here, so that it can be charged via the charging cable 5.

(8) Contrary to this arrangement, it is often provided at present that a cable not secured to the vehicle is used for the connecting of a vehicle to the charging station. For example, separate cables with lengths of 2.5 m or 7 m are offered for this. The drawback is that, when not in use, the cable needs to be carried along or stowed for example in a trunk, which reduces the usable trunk space. Furthermore, such separate cables often do not have the optimal length for connecting the vehicle to the respective charging station, without the cable lying on the ground outside the vehicle, for example, or being placed under mechanical tensile load.

(9) The connection device 4 fixed to the vehicle which is presently proposed has the benefit that an external cable handling is no longer necessary and in each case, an optimally fitting length of the charging cable 5 is pulled out, i.e., can be unwound from the cable reel 6, even for different distances or different relative arrangements between the motor vehicle 1 and the particular charging station.

(10) So that no trunk space is occupied by this charging cable 5, which is nevertheless always carried along as part of the motor vehicle 1, it is proposed to arrange the cable reel 6 [in] the radiator tank 3.

(11) In one region or piece of the front longitudinal beam 2 configured as a hollow profile there is provided a through opening 10. The charging cable 5 is guided out from the cable reel 6 through this through opening 10 into an interior space of the front longitudinal beam 2. Moreover, the unrolled section 8 is guided in the front longitudinal beam 2 in the direction of the front of the motor vehicle 1.

(12) The charging cable 5 for example may be guided out at an end face 11 from the front longitudinal beam 2. Alternatively, for example, a recess may be provided in a side wall 12 of the front longitudinal beam 2, through which the charging cable 5 can be guided. Advantageously, an opening for the charging cable 5 provided in the end face 11 or the side wall 2 can be dimensioned such that the charging plug 9 cannot be pulled [back] through it into the interior region of the front longitudinal beam 2. In addition or alternatively, an additional structural element may be provided for this, which covers an interior region of the motor vehicle 1, i.e., hidden from the user, who manipulates the charging plug 9 from outside the motor vehicle 1 for the connection to the charging station.

(13) The charging plug 9 in the present case may be guided to the outside, for example, in the region of a radiator grille of the motor vehicle 1. Preferably, when not in use, it can be secured in a stowed position in a retaining mechanism provided there.

(14) For the cooling of the charging cable 5, the motor vehicle 1 may have a cooling mechanism, not shown here.

(15) FIG. 2 shows a schematic top view of the structures and components already represented in FIG. 1. Thus, the same explanation given in connection with FIG. 1 applies accordingly.

(16) Unlike what is represented here, it is likewise possible to guide the charging cable 5 through a rear longitudinal beam of the motor vehicle 1. In this case, the cable reel 6 may be arranged, for example, in a spare tire cavity, beneath a rear seat bank, in a side pocket or on the inside on a rear side paneling of the motor vehicle 1.

(17) On the whole, the examples show how a motor vehicle 1 can be provided according to the invention with a safely and reliably manipulated charging cable 5 in a space-efficient arrangement.