COUPLING SYSTEM FOR AN ELECTRIFIED VEHICLE

Abstract

A coupling system includes a vehicle cable having a plug configured to engage a vehicle charging port of a plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle, an electrical outlet configured to receive a plug of an AC powered appliance, a voltage converter, an energy store, and a controller configured to provide power from the vehicle charging port to the electrical outlet. The controller may provide a signal to the charging port of a connected electrified vehicle identifying the coupling system as a charging station to enable the electrified vehicle to provide power to the charging port. The controller may control the voltage converter to charge the energy store using power form a connected electrified vehicle. The controller may control the voltage converter and energy store to stabilize power from the vehicle provided to the electrical outlet.

Claims

1. A coupling system for an electrified vehicle having a traction battery configured to power an electric machine, the system comprising: an electrical socket configured to receive an appliance plug configured to connect an appliance to a household electrical outlet; a vehicle cable having a vehicle plug configured to connect to an external charging port of the electrified vehicle; a voltage converter; and a controller configured to generate a signal on the vehicle cable that causes the electrified vehicle to provide an AC vehicle power at the charging port in response to connecting the vehicle plug to the charging port, wherein the voltage converter is powered by the traction battery and converts vehicle voltage to an AC appliance voltage corresponding to household electrical outlet voltage at the electrical socket.

2. The coupling system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to transmit a communication signal to the electric vehicle via the vehicle plug that identifies the coupling system as a vehicle charging station.

3. The coupling system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle plug comprises a plurality of electrical conductors including a proximity pilot signal conductor, a control pilot signal conductor, at least two active conductors, and a ground conductor.

4. The coupling system of claim 1 further comprising an energy store electrically connected to the voltage converter.

5. The coupling system of claim 4 wherein the energy store comprises a rechargeable battery.

6. The coupling system of claim 4 wherein the energy store comprises at least one capacitor.

7. The coupling system of claim 4 wherein the voltage converter comprises a bi-directional AC/DC converter to transfer power between the energy store and the AC line

8. The coupling system of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to generate an AC connection voltage in the vehicle plug powered by the energy store via the voltage converter in response to connection of the vehicle plug to the charging port.

9. The coupling system of claim 4 wherein the controller controls the voltage converter to supply power from the energy store to the electrical socket in response to the AC appliance voltage being outside a predetermined range of a nominal AC appliance voltage.

10. The coupling system of claim 4 wherein the controller is configured to charge the energy store using power supplied via the vehicle cable.

11. The coupling system of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to provide a signal to the vehicle cable requesting modification of AC power provided to the charging port in response to deviation of the AC appliance voltage exceeding a corresponding threshold.

12. A coupling system comprising: a vehicle cable having a plug configured to connect to a charging port of an electrified vehicle; an electrical outlet configured to receive a plug of an AC-powered device, the electrical outlet electrically coupled to the vehicle cable to receive power from the electrified vehicle; an energy store; and a controller powered by the energy store, the controller configured to generate a signal on the vehicle cable to request the electrified vehicle to apply AC power to the charging port.

13. The coupling system of claim 12 further comprising a voltage converter coupled to the controller, the electrical outlet, the vehicle cable, and the energy store.

14. The coupling system of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to control the voltage converter to charge the energy store using power supplied via the vehicle cable.

15. The coupling system of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to control the voltage converter to transfer power between the energy store and the electrical outlet in response to variation of voltage at the electrical outlet exceeding an associated threshold.

16. The coupling system of claim 13 wherein the signal generated by the controller identifies the coupling system to the vehicle as a charging station.

17. The coupling system of claim 13 wherein the controller is configured to generate a signal on the vehicle capable to modify power supplied to the charging port in response to voltage at the electrical outlet being outside of a predetermined target range of a target voltage.

18. A coupling system comprising: a housing; a cable extending from the housing and having a plug configured to connect to a charging port of an electrified vehicle; an electrical outlet secured to the housing and configured to receive a plug of an AC-powered device, the electrical outlet configured to receive power via the cable; a rechargeable battery disposed within the housing; a voltage converter disposed within the housing; and a controller disposed within the housing and powered by the rechargeable battery, the controller configured to generate a first signal on the cable identifying the coupling system as a vehicle charging station, and a second signal on the cable requesting power to be supplied from the charging port, the controller further configured to control the voltage converter to control voltage provided to the electrical outlet from the cable.

19. The coupling system of claim 18 wherein the controller is further configured to supply power from the rechargeable battery to the electrical outlet via the voltage converter in response to electrical outlet voltage being outside a predetermined range of a target voltage.

20. The coupling system of claim 19 wherein the controller is further configured to control the voltage converter to charge the rechargeable battery.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an electric vehicle connected to a charging station in accordance with the prior art.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of an electric vehicle, a coupling system according to the disclosure, and a connected appliance.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] As required, detailed embodiments of the claimed subject matter are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely representative and the claimed subject matter may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the claimed subject matter.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an electric vehicle 50, in this case a passenger vehicle, which is connected to a charging station 30 of a smart grid. A charging cable 33 which is fixedly connected to the charging station 30 includes a flexible line 34 and a vehicle plug 35, which is coupled to a charging port 51 of the electric vehicle 50. The charging station 40 is in this case configured for a Mode 3 charging process, and the vehicle plug 35 is a Type 1, wherein the functional principle can of course also be transferred to a Type 2 plug. In total, five conductors 14-18 are provided within the charging cable 33 and lead to corresponding contacts in the vehicle plug 35, namely a proximity pilot signal conductor 14, a control pilot signal conductor 15, two active conductors 16, 17 and a PE (also referred to as a ground) conductor 18.

[0030] The active conductors 16, 17 and the PE conductor 18 are routed substantially through the charging station 30, wherein they nevertheless can be interrupted by contactors within a switch 32. The switch 32 is driven by a controller 31 (which generally has one or more integrated circuits). Furthermore, the controller 31 is nevertheless also connected to the proximity pilot signal conductor 14 and the control pilot signal conductor 15. Via the control pilot signal conductor 15, the controller 31 provides a control pilot signal (CP signal) for the electric vehicle 50 and a digital communication signal in accordance with the standard ISO15118-20. For example, the controller 31 can query the present state of the electric vehicle 50 via the control pilot signal conductor 15, for example whether the electric vehicle is ready for charging, is already fully charged or the like. At the same time, the controller 31 makes available, via the proximity pilot signal conductor 14, a proximity pilot signal (PP signal). On the side of the electric vehicle 50, the proximity pilot signal conductor 14 and the control pilot signal conductor 15 are connected to a charging controller 53, which queries the proximity pilot signal and receives the control pilot signal and the high-level communication signal. The charging controller 53 in addition drives a converter 52 (which, inter alia, transforms and rectifies the alternating current transmitted via the charging cable 33) and a vehicle battery 54 of the electric vehicle 50.

[0031] The controller 31 can, as part of the smart grid, control both charging of the electric vehicle and interim discharge, i.e. a return feed of energy into the grid. By virtue of the latter, load peaks within the grid can be mitigated or managed. Whether this is necessary is not decided by the controller 31 itself but rather it receives corresponding control signals from a master charging controller 40, which is illustrated purely schematically here and is generally far removed from the charging station 30. The communication between the master charging controller 40 and the charging station 30 can take place wirelessly, as indicated here, but it would of course also be possible for there to be a wired communication. If the master charging controller 40 requests interim discharge of the electric vehicle 50, the controller 31 of the charging station 30 signals this to the electric vehicle 50 by means of the digital communication signal. Thereupon, the converter 52 (bi-directional onboard charger) synchronizes to the voltage U and provides power to the grid (if further conditions allow for this).

[0032] FIG. 2 again shows the electric vehicle 50 from FIG. 1, which nevertheless in this case is not connected to a charging station 30. Instead, a coupling system 1 according to the disclosure is connected to the charging port 51 via a vehicle plug 7. The vehicle plug 7 is connected to a housing 9 of the coupling system 1 via a flexible line 6 of a connecting cable 5. In turn, the proximity pilot signal conductor 14, the control pilot signal conductor 15, the active conductors 16, 17 and the PE conductor 18 are arranged within the connecting cable 5. A controller 10, which is connected to the proximity pilot signal conductor 14 and the control pilot signal conductor 15, is arranged within the housing 9. In this case, said controller can communicate with the charging controller 53 via the control pilot signal conductor 15, wherein, firstly, a control pilot signal (low level) is transmitted and secondly a digital communication signal, for example in accordance with the standard ISO 15118-20. The active conductors 16, 17 and the PE conductor 18 are routed through the housing 9 to an appliance socket 13 on the outside. The appliance socket 13 corresponds in terms of design and configuration to a socket outlet of a household grid, for example a Schuko socket outlet of a 230 V grid. The active conductors 16, 17 can be interrupted via a protective device 23 e.g. if an overcurrent or a residual current is established.

[0033] In order to ensure an operation of the coupling system 1 and in particular of the controller 10 which is independent of the electric vehicle 50 (as well as grid-independent), a rechargeable battery 11 acting as an energy store is provided within the housing 9. This rechargeable battery is connected to the active conductors 16, 17 via a bi-directional AC/DC converter 20, wherein the connection can be interrupted by a switch 22 in the event of an emergency. The bi-directional AC/DC converter 20 is controlled by the controller 10, as is the switch 22.

[0034] While controller 10 is illustrated as a single controller, controller 10 generally represents one or more controllers or control modules that may include integrated circuits and/or logic, micro-controllers, and programmable microprocessor-based controllers that perform various functions and algorithms based on stored program instructions that may be stored in a non-transitory storage medium accessible by the controller.

[0035] An appliance 25, in this case a rotary hammer drill, which is intended for connection to the household grid is coupled to the appliance socket 13 via a power cable 26 and a power plug 27. The power plug 27 in this case is a standardized Schuko plug. To enable operation of the appliance 25 on an appropriate AC appliance voltage U.sub.2, energy is withdrawn from the vehicle battery 54, with the result that the coupling system 1 and the electric vehicle 50 together form an energy supply system 100 for the appliance 25. The controller 10 communicates with the charging controller 53 via the control pilot signal line 15, the vehicle plug 7 and the charging port 51, to be precise by means of the digital communication signal. This communication signal is not to be distinguished by the charging controller 53 from a signal which it would receive when the electric vehicle 50 is connected to a charging station 30, which requests a temporary discharge, i.e. a feed of energy into the grid. To this extent, the charging controller 53 does not need to be specially adapted to the coupling system 1 or tuned thereto. In addition, the controller commands to generate, at the vehicle plug 7, more precisely between the active conductors 16, 17, an AC connection voltage U.sub.3 whose characteristic corresponds to the household grid. In order to generate the AC connection voltage U.sub.3, the controller 10 drives the bi-directional AC/DC converter 20 to invert a voltage present at the battery 11 and apply it between the active conductors 16, 17. The converter 52 detects the AC connection voltage U.sub.3 and synchronizes to it.

[0036] By virtue of the provided AC power of the converters 20 and 52 the appliance 25 can be operated. The controller 10 in this case monitors the AC appliance voltage U.sub.2 and a second alternating current I.sub.2 flowing via the line conductor 16 to the appliance socket 13. The latter can be at least temporarily identical to the first alternating current I.sub.1. The controller 10 in this case attempts to keep the AC appliance voltage U.sub.2 within a setpoint value range (for example 230 V±23 V rms value). In the case of interim load peaks of the appliance 25, the AC appliance voltage U.sub.2 can under certain circumstances fall below the setpoint value range. This can be counteracted by the controller 10 in two ways, wherein the procedures described below are normally used in combination. Firstly, the controller 10 can request an increase in the first alternating current I.sub.1 via the digital communication signal. In this case, the controller 10, the charging controller 53 and the vehicle battery 54 form parts of a first control loop, which, however, responds comparatively slowly and imprecisely and therefore on its own normally only roughly stabilizes the AC appliance voltage U.sub.2. Secondly, energy can be withdrawn from the battery 11 via the bi-directional AC/DC converter 20 and fed into the line conductor 16 in the form of a third alternating current I.sub.3. In this case, the controller 10, the bi-directional AC/DC converter 20 and the battery 11 form parts of a second control loop, which responds much more quickly and precisely than the first control loop. When the power withdrawal by the appliance 25 decreases again, the battery 11 can be charged by means of rectified AC voltage, which is tapped off between the active conductors 16, 17. For this the bi-directional AC/DC converter is operated in reverse to feed energy back into the battery 11.

[0037] The controller 10 monitors a state of charge of the battery 11 and checks whether this state of charge falls below a preset minimum value. If it does, no more energy is withdrawn from the battery 11 even if this means an impairment or even a deactivation of the appliance 25. By maintaining the minimum value it is ensured that the controller 10 remains functional and that the AC connection voltage U.sub.3 can be generated when the vehicle plug 7 is (newly) connected to a charging port 51

[0038] While representative embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the claimed subject matter. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments that may not be explicitly described or illustrated.