AUTOMATIC CHARGING DEVICE FOR CONDUCTIVELY CHARGING BATTERY-ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Abstract

An arrangement for establishing a plug-in connection between an energy charging station and a vehicle in order to transmit energy into an energy storage device of the vehicle includes: a first plug-in device which is connectable or connected to the energy charging station; and a second plug-in device which is connectable or connected to the vehicle, the second plug-in device having at least one signal transmitting unit. The first plug-in device has at least one signal receiving unit for receiving at least one signal of the at least one signal transmitting unit. The at least one signal receiving unit and the at least one signal transmitting unit are arranged on the first and the second plug-in device and arranged with respect to one another such that the at least one received signal is provided for orienting and/or positioning the first plug-in device with respect to the second plug-in device.

Description

Claims

1. An arrangement for establishing a plug-in connection between an energy charging station and a vehicle in order to transmit energy into an energy storage device of the vehicle, comprising: a first plug-in device which is connectable or connected to the energy charging station; anda second plug-in device which is connectable or connected to the vehicle,the second plug-in device comprising at least one signal transmitting unit,wherein the first plug-in device comprises at least one signal receiving unit configured to receive at least one signal of the at least one signal transmitting unit, wherein the at least one signal receiving unit and the at least one signal transmitting unit are arranged on the first and the second plug-in device and configured with respect to one another such that the at least one received signal is provided for orienting and/or positioning the first plug-in device with respect to the second plug-in device, andwherein, at least for establishing the plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in device, a line-of-sight connection and/or a signal connection is formed between the at least one signal receiving unit and the at least one signal transmitting unit.

2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal transmitting unit comprises at least one light source configured to transmit the at least one signal.

3. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the at least one signal transmitting unit comprises a second light source configured to transmit a second signal, andwherein the first and the second light sources are arranged at a distance from one another in the at least one signal transmitting unit.

4. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the at least one light source has a circular contour in cross section or a punctiform contour in cross section.

5. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the at least one light source is divided by a diaphragm in cross section into a first and a second light circle or light point.

6. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the second plug-in device comprises a second and a third signal transmitting unit.

7. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third signal transmitting units are arranged on the second plug-in device.

8. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal comprises at least one light beam, and/or the at least one signal transmitting unit is configured and/or is activatable so as to transmit the at least one light beam with different wavelength and/or with different frequency.

9. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal receiving unit comprises a camera whose light sensitivity is adjustable, and/or the at least one signal transmitting unit comprises at least one light source whose luminous flux is adjustable.

10. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first and the second plug-in device comprise plug regions configured to establish the plug-in connection, which plug regions are configured so as to be at least partially cylindrical with respect to one another to ensure a selective resilience in the-establishing the plug-in connection and/or after completion of establishing the plug-in connection.

11. A method for establishing a plug-in connection between an energy charging station and a vehicle in order to transmit energy into an energy storage device of the vehicle with the arrangement of claim 1, comprising: connecting a first plug-in device to the energy charging station; andconnecting a second plug-in device to the vehicle,the second plug-in device comprising at least one signal transmitting unit,wherein the first plug-in device comprises at least one signal receiving unit configured to receive at least one signal of the at least one signal transmitting unit, wherein the at least one signal receiving unit and the at least one signal transmitting unit are arranged on the first and the second plug-in device and configured with respect to one another such that the at least one received signal is processed for orienting and/or positioning the first plug-in device with respect to the second plug-in device, andwherein, at least for establishing the plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in device, a line-of-sight connection and/or a signal connection is formed between the at least one signal receiving unit and the at least one signal transmitting unit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a wireless communication is established between a transmitting/receiving unit of the vehicle and a transmitting/receiving unit of the charging station, and/orwherein a request by the vehicle for charging of the energy storage device of the vehicle is made via the transmitting/receiving unit of the vehicle to the transmitting/receiving unit of the charging station; and/orwherein the request is confirmed and a charging point is assigned by the energy charging station; and/orwherein the first plug-in device is provided at the energy charging station, nd the second plug-in device is provided on the vehicle at the charging point of the energy charging station.

13. The method claim 11, wherein the at least one signal transmitting unit is activated and at least one signal is transmitted, and/orwherein the at least one transmitted signal is received by the at least one signal receiving device and/orwherein a position of the second plug-in device is determined by processing the at least one received signal, and/orwherein the first plug-in device is oriented and/or positioned with respect to the determined position of the second plug-in device until a defined position of the first plug-in device with respect to the second plug-in device is achieved, and/orwherein the plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in device is established by plugging the first plug-in device into the second plug-in device, wherein a line-of-sight connection and/or a signal connection is formed between the at least one signal receiving unit and the at least one signal-transmission unit, at least to establish the plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in device.

14. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the energy comprises electrical energy.

15. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein, at least for establishing the plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in device, the line-of-sight connection and/or the signal connection is formed between the at least one signal receiving unit and the at least one signal transmitting unit until the establishing of the plug-in connection is complete.

16. The arrangement of claim 2, wherein the at least one light source comprises at least one infrared light source.

17. The arrangement of claim 3, wherein the second light source comprises a second infrared light source, and wherein the distance comprises a defined light source distance.

18. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the first and the second light circle or light dot are arranged at a distance from one another.

19. The arrangement of claim 18, wherein the distance comprises a defined diaphragm distance.

20. The arrangement of claim 6, wherein the first, second, and third signal transmitting units are arranged at a distance from one another in order to determine a position of the first plug-in device with respect to the second plug-in device by triangulation and/or in order to orient and/or position the first plug-in device with respect to the second plug-in device.