FR3138889A1 - MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A CHARGING INTERFACE SYSTEM ON A STEERING WHEEL RIM, AND PROCESS ON THE BASIS OF SUCH A VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (V) comprising: - a steering wheel rim (J) - a rechargeable battery (B); - a control system (S) signaling different charging statuses during recharging of said battery ; and- a charging interface system. According to the invention, the charging interface system comprises: - a light signaling means (L) on said rim (J), alternately displaying one of several light colors, and/or a state of charge gauge (SOC ) of the traction battery; and- a display control means connected to the control system (S), controlling a display on the light signaling means (L), of a light color corresponding to a current recharge status and/or of said gauge (SOC). The invention also relates to a vehicle (V) and a method based on such a system. Fig. 1

Description

MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING A CHARGING INTERFACE SYSTEM ON A STEERING WHEEL RIM, AND PROCESS ON THE BASIS OF SUCH A VEHICLE

The invention relates to the field of motor vehicles with rechargeable traction batteries, in particular of the PHEV or BEV type. The invention relates more particularly to charging interfaces for these vehicles.

BEV vehicle charging can be carried out according to the types of charging that will be chosen by the user:
- Mode 2: (11kW maximum - Alternating Current - AC): you must use the electronic box integrated into the charging cable, and connect it to a standard domestic socket;
- Mode 3: (22kW maximum - Alternating current - AC): you must use a dedicated cable equipped with type 2 connectors and connect it to a charging station; This terminal integrates control, safety and load regulation/programming functionalities;
- Mode 4: (350kW maximum - Direct current - DC): carried out using so-called “fast” and “very fast” charging stations which deliver direct current at a high power level. These terminals have a charging cable with a specific connector (Type 2 CCS Combo in Europe).

To enable these recharges, BEV vehicles are equipped with an electronic unit for charging socket (BEPR) compatible with mode 2, 3 and 4 charging as well as mode 2 and mode 3 charging cables (sometimes optional for mode 3).

This BEPR interface, located in a charging hatch, includes visual indicators of the charging status, for example "in progress", "completed", "in error", etc.

Thus, in the prior art, the user needs to be close to the open hatch to know what the current status of the recharge is.

An objective of the present invention is to remedy the defects of the prior art, and in particular to propose an interface making it possible to know what the current status of the recharge is when the user is outside the vehicle.

To achieve this objective, the invention proposes a motor vehicle comprising:
- a guide wheel rim for guiding the motor vehicle when it is moving;
- a rechargeable traction battery; And
- a battery monitoring system connected to said traction battery, signaling different charging statuses when recharging the traction battery;
- a charging interface system,
characterized in that the charging interface system comprises:
- a light signaling means arranged on said guide wheel rim, configured to alternately display one of several light colors, and/or a state of charge gauge of the traction battery and
- a display control means connected to the battery control system, the display control means being configured to control a display on the light signaling means, of a light color corresponding to a current recharge status and /or a display of the traction battery state of charge gauge.

Advantageously, the signaling means on the guide rim makes it possible to view the charging status from the outside without needing to be near the vehicle hatch.

According to a variant:
- the light signaling means comprises several signaling elements forming the state of charge gauge of the traction battery; And
- the display control means is configured to control a display of the state of charge gauge by lighting part of said signaling elements.

This makes it easy to display the gauge via a corresponding portion of signaling elements.

According to a variant, the display control means is configured to control:
- a flashing display of a luminous color corresponding to a first recharge status; Or
- a fixed display of the same light color corresponding to a second different charging status.

This allows two different statuses to be signaled using a single color LED.

According to one variant, the light signaling means comprises at least one colored LED.

This makes it possible to signal the charging status remotely with significantly low electrical energy consumption.

According to a variant:
- the light signaling means is configured to alternately display one of four light colors, and
- the display control means is configured to control a display of a luminous color corresponding to a charging status among an initialized charging, a charging in progress, a scheduled charging, a charging cable disconnection, a charging completed, an error refill.

This allows the current charging status variants to be implemented.

According to a variant:
- the initialized recharge corresponds to a fixed white color for a first time;
- charging in progress corresponds to a flashing green color;
- the programmed recharge corresponds to a fixed blue color;
- the disconnection corresponds to a fixed white color for a second time;
- the completed recharge corresponds to a fixed green color; And
- the recharge in error corresponds to a red color.

This makes it possible to match a color code known to certain users.

According to a variant, the guide wheel rim in a reference in space comprising a front-rear axis following a direction of movement of the motor vehicle, a lateral axis perpendicular to the front-rear axis, and a vertical axis perpendicular to the front-rear axis and the lateral axis, and the signaling means is arranged substantially above the guide wheel rim with reference to the vertical axis.

This improves the visibility of the signaling means from outside the vehicle.

According to a variant, the display control means is configured to deactivate the light signaling means when no recharging is in progress.

This makes it possible to signal this status simply and to hide the signaling system during current use of the vehicle.

Another object of the invention relates to an interfacing method for a motor vehicle which comprises:
- a guide wheel rim for guiding the motor vehicle when it is moving;
- a rechargeable traction battery; And
- a battery monitoring system connected to said traction battery, signaling different charging statuses when recharging the traction battery;
the method comprising a light signaling step for displaying, on said guide wheel rim, among several light colors, a light color corresponding to a specific charging status in progress; and/or a traction battery state of charge gauge.

The invention further relates to a computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the interfacing method according to the invention, when said program operates on a computer.

The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which:
- schematically illustrates a motor vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention with the signaling means of the interface system in a first configuration;
- schematically illustrates a motor vehicle according to the preferred embodiment with the signaling means of the interface system in a second configuration;
- schematically illustrates a section along III-III of the ; And
- schematically illustrates the operation of a signaling element of the motor vehicle according to the preferred embodiment.

The invention relates to a charging interface system, implemented in a motor vehicle V.

The vehicle V suitable for the invention comprises, in addition to a guide wheel rim J, a rechargeable traction battery B, and a battery control system S (such as a battery management system abbreviated BMS).

These elements are illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The steering wheel rim J defines a mark comprising a front-rear axis X following a direction of movement of the motor vehicle V, a lateral axis Y perpendicular to the front-rear axis -rear X and to the lateral axis Y. The upward direction is towards the top of figures 1 to 3.

The battery monitoring system S controls and controls the traction battery B. When recharging the traction battery B, the battery monitoring system S can signal different charging statuses, for example;
- an initialized recharge S1;
- a recharge in progress S2;
- a scheduled S3 recharge;
- a S1a charging cable disconnection;
- a completed recharge S4; And
- a reload in S5 error.

We can also define a disabled charging status S0.

According to the invention, the interface system is configured to implement light signaling by LED(s) L or other light device, to display, on said guide wheel rim J, a light color L1 among several light colors possible (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5). The L1 light color displayed corresponds to a specific S1 charging status in progress.

Additionally, the interface system displays a SOC state of charge gauge for traction battery B.

Certain indications accessible in the prior art concern a physical action: a charging cable socket, a connection of the cable to the vehicle on one side, then a connection of the cable to a charging point. The operation is also valid starting with a connection to the charging point then to the vehicle.

The disadvantage of the prior art solution is that it does not indicate the charge level and is not easily visible from the outside.

The invention aims to allow the user located outside his vehicle to simply and easily view the state of charge of his vehicle without necessarily approaching his charging hatch where he plugs in the charging gun. charge.

In the preferred variant, the invention consists of reproducing a current coding of charging status signaling on the rim of the steering wheel J so that the information is visible from the passenger compartment, but also outside the vehicle by also integrating the information from the SOC battery gauge. In our example, each segment (element E1) represents 10% of battery. The reference En designates all of the 9 other segments. Thus, the represents a vehicle with a 100% state of charge, while the represents a vehicle with a 50% state of charge.

The SOC gauge is materialized by a corresponding number of lit segments, the signaling is materialized by color, supplemented if necessary by a display period or a flashing, on one or preferably all segments E1, En.

Preferably, the integration of lighting devices should allow viewing from the passenger compartment, but also outside the vehicle. They are therefore substantially on top of the rim J, with reference to a vertical axis of the vehicle V.

For the elements E1, En, single color LEDs and/or at least one LED of several colors can be provided.

In particular, the light correspondence with the charging statuses is for example as follows:
- the initialized refill S1 corresponds to a fixed white color L1 for a first time t1;
- charging in progress S2 corresponds to a flashing green color L2;
- the programmed recharge S3 corresponds to a fixed blue color L3;
- the disconnection S1a corresponds to a fixed white color L1 for a second time t2;
- the completed recharge S4 corresponds to a fixed green color L4; And
- recharging in S5 error corresponds to a red L5 color.

In the case of disabled charging status S0, the light signaling means L can be deactivated, that is to say the LEDs are off.

A display control means connected to (or forming part of) the battery control system S can be defined. This display control means controls the display of the color corresponding to the current charging status. It also preferably controls the flashing and display periods if applicable.

Furthermore, this display control means controls the display of the SOC gauge.

A corresponding method and program are implemented in a computer-type control system. It can be implemented in a BMS battery management system or in an on-board computer of the motor vehicle.

Claims (10)

Motor vehicle (V) comprising:
- a guide wheel rim (J) for guiding the motor vehicle (V) when it is moving;
- a rechargeable traction battery (B); And
- a battery monitoring system (S) connected to said traction battery (B), signaling different recharge statuses (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5) when recharging the traction battery;
- a charging interface system,
characterized in that the charging interface system comprises:
- a light signaling means (L) arranged on said guide wheel rim (J), configured to alternately display one of several light colors (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5), and/or a status gauge charging (SOC) of the traction battery;
- a display control means connected to the battery control system (S), the display control means being configured to control a display on the light signaling means (L), of a luminous color (L1) corresponding to a current charging status (S1) and/or a display of the state of charge gauge (SOC) of the traction battery. Motor vehicle (V) according to claim 1, in which:
- the light signaling means (L) comprises several signaling elements (E1, En) forming the state of charge gauge (SOC) of the traction battery; And
- the display control means is configured to control a display of the state of charge gauge (SOC) by lighting part of said signaling elements (E1, En). Motor vehicle (V) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the display control means is configured to control:
- a flashing display of a luminous color (L2) corresponding to a first recharge status (S2); Or
- a fixed display of the same light color (L4) corresponding to a second different charging status (S4). Motor vehicle (V) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which:
- the light signaling means (L) is configured to alternately display one of four light colors (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5), and
- the display control means is configured to control a display of a light color (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5) corresponding to a recharge status among an initialized recharge (S1), a recharge in progress (S2 ), a scheduled recharge (S3), a disconnection (S1a) of the charging cable, a completed recharge (S4), an error recharge (S5). Motor vehicle (V) according to claim 4, in which:
- the initialized recharge (S1) corresponds to a fixed white color (L1) for a first time (t1);
- charging in progress (S2) corresponds to a flashing green color (L2);
- scheduled recharge (S3) corresponds to a fixed blue color (L3);
- the disconnection (S1a) corresponds to a fixed white color (L1) for a second time (t2);
- the completed recharge (S4) corresponds to a fixed green color (L4); And
- the recharge in error (S5) corresponds to a red color (L5). Motor vehicle (V) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the display control means is configured to deactivate the light signaling means (L) when no recharging is in progress. Motor vehicle (V) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the guide wheel rim (J) in a reference in space comprising a front-rear axis (X) in a direction of movement of the vehicle automobile (V), a lateral axis (Y) perpendicular to the front-rear axis (X), and a vertical axis (Z) perpendicular to the front-rear axis (X) and the lateral axis (Y) , characterized in that the signaling means is arranged substantially above the guide wheel rim (J) with reference to the vertical axis (Z). Motor vehicle (V) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the display control means is configured to deactivate the light signaling means when no recharging is in progress. Interfacing method for a motor vehicle (V) which comprises:
- a guide wheel rim (J) for guiding the motor vehicle (V) when it is moving;
- a rechargeable traction battery (B); And
- a battery monitoring system (S) connected to said traction battery (B), signaling different recharge statuses (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5) when recharging the traction battery (B);
the method comprising a light signaling step (L) for displaying, on said guide wheel rim (J), among several light colors (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5), a light color (L1) corresponding to a specific charging status (S1) in progress; and/or a state of charge (SOC) gauge for the traction battery. A computer program comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the interfacing method of claim 9 when said program is operating on a computer.