FR2766950A1 - Electrical power outlet for recharging batteries of electric vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

The electrical power outlet has an electrical socket (2) housed inside a box (1) with a door (3) that is opened to gain access to the electrical socket. A passage (14) in the bottom of the door allows the door to be closed when a connecting cable is plugged into the socket. An interlock circuit prevents delivery of energy unless the door is closed and locked. Includes differential current circuit breaker to protect against electric shock and pilot wire ensuring vehicle is present before current is delivered.

Description

 The present invention relates to an electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles comprising a box connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity.

 It will mainly find its application in the field of transport for electric vehicles since it allows the recharging of the accumulators of these vehicles.

 Electric vehicles are becoming an increasingly popular means of transport, especially in large urban centers. This type of locomotion generally requires an installation for the accumulation of electrical energy on board vehicles in the form of a battery.

 Current batteries have limited autonomy and must be recharged regularly. This is why it is known to provide electrical energy recharging installations which are in the form of boxes supplied by the electrical network and making it possible to deliver electricity by means of an electrical outlet placed in the box.

 In addition, electric vehicles may have to receive an additional charge during the journey. This additional recharging can be carried out via a box, placed at a strategic location on a course.

 Current boxes allow recharging of electrical energy but have several drawbacks and in particular do not provide great safety in use.

 The boxes generally have a door which gives access to the elements of the electrical installation and in particular to the connection socket. These devices allow access to electrical elements to any user. This freedom of access can be particularly dangerous because the boxes deliver support significant electrical powers.

 Furthermore, recharging can be carried out while leaving the door open. The operation of the installation is therefore absolutely not protected.

 Given the frequent use of the box and the dangers posed by electrical energy, current boxes do not guarantee user safety.

 Current boxes also have the disadvantage of not being upgradeable.

 Indeed, they do not have a means of automatic management of safety and operation. In particular, it is not possible to authorize the delivery of energy only under certain security conditions and prior payment. Current installations are therefore limited to manual operation which does not allow them to be integrated into an automated system.

 The present invention aims to remedy the drawbacks of current boxes and firstly aims to enhance the security of energy delivery devices.

 For this, it has the advantage of authorizing the delivery of electricity only if specific safety conditions are met. Thus, it is not possible, according to the invention, to carry out a delivery of electrical energy when the cabinet door is open. The installation can only operate with the door closed to avoid any inadvertent manipulation by the user when charging is in progress.

 The electrical energy delivery device presented here also provides restricted access to the box so that the user can make the connections necessary for delivery without having to access the electrical devices contained in the box. The invention thus provides great safety in use.

 Another object of the invention is to allow numerous evolutions in the operation of the electrical energy delivery device.

 It has the advantage of comprising means for automating the management of the delivery box, such as an electronic card or connections to control devices.

 You can order the delivery of electrical energy, for example, from an electronic payment terminal, which authorizes delivery only under certain conditions and in particular payment conditions.

 The presence of an electronic card also allows automated management of security conditions and data management, for example with regard to the state of charge of the vehicles. The electronic card also makes it possible to manage any operating anomalies such as emergency stops or power cuts by the circuit breaker.

 The invention also aims to allow easy installation of delivery devices. These have the advantage of being able to integrate into a public energy delivery installation such as an electric vehicle rental fleet. It is also possible to use the delivery device according to the invention in a purely private setting.

 Other objects and advantages will appear during the following description, which is however given only for information.

The present invention relates to an electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, characterized by the fact it has - an electrical outlet placed inside the cabinet, - a door closing and locking the cabinet and allowing
access to the electrical outlet, - means for detecting the opening of the door, - means for cutting off the electrical supply circuit making it possible to authorize the supply of energy only when the door is closed and locked for conditional delivery of electrical energy ensuring secure use.

The invention will be better understood on seeing the drawing boards located in the annex and which include
- Figures 1 to 3 showing particular embodiments of the invention,
- Figure 4 showing an embodiment of electrical connections between the constituent elements of the invention.

 The electrical energy delivery device according to the invention firstly comprises a box (1) containing various constituent elements of the device.

 Various designs are possible for the box (1) but it will preferably be produced in a parallelepiped form. Its dimensions will be variable and adapted to the size of the elements to be integrated into its interior volume. We could for example make a box (1) in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with a height of 400 millimeters, a width of 300 millimeters and a depth of 215 millimeters.

 The box (1) will for example consist of metal sheet plates treated anti-corrosion and may be protected by a polyester coating. It can also be made of all other materials, such as special worked plastics.

 To allow the closing of the interior volume of the box (1), a door (3) constitutes one of the faces of the box (1). This door (3) will preferably be made in dimensions and in a material similar to those of the box (1).

 In a particular embodiment, the box (1) comprises a partitioned interior volume (13) completely independent of the rest of the box. The partitions can be made with stainless steel or special plastic plates. Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the partitioned interior volume (13).

 The partitioned interior volume (13) is accessible from the outside via a hatch (4) preferably rectangular and formed on one of the faces of the box (1) or on the door (3).

 A clearance (14) in the lower part of the hatch (4) as illustrated in FIG. 1 can be made in order to allow the passage of a connection wire (10) in the partitioned interior volume (13).

 The door (3) and the hatch (4) are provided with closing and locking means, such as a key lock. Locking can also be achieved using a controlled system using an electromagnet conditioning the locking.

 The electrical energy delivery device according to the invention also comprises an electrical outlet (2) placed inside the box and according to a possible embodiment of the invention, a connection wire (10) connected to a male outlet (11).

 In the particular embodiment where the box (1) has a partitioned interior volume (13), the electrical outlet is placed there and fixed by any current means in order to be accessible by the hatch (4). This positioning is illustrated in Figure 1.

 According to a first possibility, the socket (2) is connected to the electrical supply circuit and constitutes the connection means allowing the delivery of electricity.

 According to a second possibility, the socket (2) is not connected to the electrical circuit and only serves as a base for storing a connection wire (10) having a male socket (11), as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Different models of electrical sockets can be used for the socket (2) and in particular an IEC socket, a "Marshal" socket, a 10/16 A socket or even a socket
Standardized framatome for electric vehicle.

 The present invention also comprises means (5) for detecting the opening of the door (3). These means (5) may be constituted by a position sensor of the current type, for example of the capacitive type. The sensor will be placed in the box (1) near the inside of the door (3) when the door is closed. On opening, the sensor will detect that the door (3) is no longer nearby and will transmit the opening information in the form of an electrical signal.

 In the particular embodiment where the electrical energy delivery device has a hatch (4), it is possible to add to it means (7) for detecting the opening of the hatch (4). For example, these means (7) will be produced in the same way as the means (5) for detecting the opening of the door (3).

 The invention also includes cut-off means (6) for opening the electrical supply circuit.

 These cut-off means (6) are connected to the means (5) for detecting the opening of the door (3) and possibly to the means (7) for detecting the opening of the hatch (4). It is thus possible to cut the supply circuit if the door (3) or the hatch (4) is not closed and locked.

 The breaking means (6) may be constituted by a contactor (6) of the current type as illustrated in FIG. 4.

 According to the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, an emergency stop push button (8) is fixed on one of the outer faces of the box. This push button (8) constitutes a switch connected to the electrical supply circuit in order to allow the total stopping of energy delivery in the event of an emergency.

 According to the example in FIG. 4, the detection means (5, 7) and the push button (8) are connected in the same electrical circuit managing the safety devices. This circuit can in particular be supplied by means of a transformer (16) of the current type.

 The electrical energy delivery device can also include an individual energy meter (9) installed inside the box (1). We can use an individual energy meter of current design and connect it to the power supply circuit in order to know precisely the electricity consumption.

 One of the external faces of the box (1) may also include indicators for signaling an electrical charge state. These indicators make it possible to know the state of charge of the vehicle and in particular to know if it is usable.

 The electrical energy delivery device can also include an electronic card making it possible to manage the internal security of the box. This electronic card placed in the box (1) can also provide the interface between the box (1), the device to be powered (in particular an electric vehicle) and a computerized data management system. A standard card, sold commercially, may be used.

 In a particular embodiment, the connection between the electronic card and the device to be supplied consists of a pilot wire (18). The pilot wire (18) is an electrical wire of current design which is connected during delivery to the device to be supplied so that it ensures the passage of information in particular on the electrical state of charge of the device . The pilot wire (18) may be integrated into the connection wire (10) or into the electric wire secured to the vehicle and allowing its connection to the delivery device.

 The pilot wire (18) will most often be connected to a box (15) ensuring its supply. The box (15) will then ensure the connection of the pilot wire (18) with the rest of the circuit or with the electronic card.

 The electronic card may be of current design and receive signals from the pilot wire (18), means for detecting the opening of the door (3) and the hatch (4). It can also deliver control and data signals to the breaking means (6), to a data information management system.

 The electronic card can also be linked to an electronic payment terminal (12). This will be of current design and preferably conforms to the specifications established by the technical services of Electricité de France. It can be used for vehicle rental management by constituting the payment point and authorizing the delivery of vehicles via the electronic card.

 The delivery authorization will be carried out in particular by means of an electromagnet locking system which locks the door (3) and the hatch (4).

 One can also use a plug (2) of a particular type and for example a Framatome / Souriau plug which releases or blocks the male plug (11) according to the command of an electromagnet.

 The device will generally have a 25 amp magneto-thermal circuit breaker (17) fitted with a differential unit of less than 30 milliamps. It may also include a fuse box of current design. These elements will be placed inside the box but not in the partitioned interior volume (13). They will be placed upstream in the electrical supply circuit, at the interface between the general electrical network and the electrical energy delivery device.

 The present invention is particularly evolutive and allows numerous variants of applications.

 It is here chosen to describe its operation in the context of an electric vehicle rental system.

 In this specific case illustrated in FIG. 3, the electrical energy delivery device could be connected to a payment terminal (12). The person wishing to rent a vehicle will place their order and payment via the electronic payment terminal (12). If this operation is validated (correct order and payment made), the electronic payment terminal (12) authorizes the rental.

 In the case where several electrical energy delivery devices are connected to a single electronic payment terminal (12), this will indicate to the user the delivery device to be used preferentially chosen according to the state of charge of the batteries of the electric vehicle connected to it.

 The state of charge of batteries can be communicated to the electronic payment terminal (12) by the pilot wire (18) and via the electronic card.

 The user travels to the designated electric vehicle. This is in the initial state connected to the electrical energy delivery device which recharges it.

This connection is made either by connecting the connection wire (10) to the vehicle via the male plug (11) or by connecting an electric wire secured to the vehicle on the electrical socket (2).

 For the load to be effective, it is necessary that the door (3) and the hatch (4) are closed and locked and that the emergency stop button has not been used.

 To take possession of the vehicle, the user must disconnect it from the electrical energy delivery device. To do this, it opens the hatch (4) by means of a key unless the opening is controlled by an electromagnet, in which case it is the electronic control terminal (12) which opens the hatch (4).

 As soon as the hatch (4) is opened, the delivery of electrical energy is interrupted: the means (7) for detecting the opening of the hatch (4) transmit an opening signal to the electronic card which reflects it in cut-off command from the supply circuit to the cut-off means (6).

 The user can therefore access the partitioned interior volume (13) without any risk.

 According to a first mode of connection of the vehicle, the male plug (11) of the connection wire (10) is removed from the plug of the electric vehicle. The male plug (11) is then fixed in the rest position on the electrical plug (2), as shown in Figure 2. The user can then close the hatch (4) and take possession of the vehicle.

 According to another mode of connection of the vehicle, the electrical wire secured to the vehicle is disconnected from the electrical outlet (2) and the hatch (4) is closed.

 After using the electric vehicle, it is necessary to reconnect it to the electric energy delivery device in order to renew the charge of the batteries.

 This is done in reverse of the operations necessary to disconnect the vehicle, either by the connection wire (10), or by connecting an electric wire secured to the vehicle on the electrical outlet (2).

 Charging can only resume when the hatch (4) is closed and locked.

 Electric charge status indicator lights will allow the user to view the charge required. The individual energy meter (9) will make it possible to know precisely the electricity consumption.

 Throughout the use of the electrical energy delivery device, opening the door (3), the hatch (4) or pressing the emergency stop button (8) will stop delivery.

 The various information concerning the load of the vehicle and the incidents which have occurred such as the emergency stop can be memorized by the electronic card and transmitted to a computerized data management system.

Claims (10)

 1. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, characterized by the fact it has - an electrical outlet (2) placed inside the box  (1), - a door (3) closing and locking the box (1) and  allowing access to the electrical outlet (2), - means (5) for detecting the opening of the door (3), - means (6) for cutting off the supply circuit  electric allowing to authorize the supply of energy only when the door (3) is closed and locked for a conditional delivery of electric energy ensuring secure use.  2. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 1 , characterized in that it has - a partitioned interior volume (13) separate from the others  elements of the box (1) in which the socket is fixed  electric (2), - a hatch (4) closing the partitioned interior volume (13)  and allowing access to the electrical outlet (2).  3. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 2 , characterized in that it comprises means (7) for detecting the opening of the hatch (4) making it possible to authorize the supply of energy only when the hatch (4) is closed and locked.  4. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a pilot wire (18) making it possible to detect the connection of a vehicle so as to authorize the supply of energy only in the presence of a vehicle.  5. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that an emergency stop push button (8) is fixed on one of the external faces of the box (1) to allow the total stopping of energy delivery in the event of an emergency .  6. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 1 , characterized by the fact that an individual energy meter (9) is installed inside the box (1) and connected to the electrical circuit in order to know precisely the electrical energy consumption.  7. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 1 , characterized in that - it has a connection wire (10) connected to the circuit  supply and comprising a male plug (11) allowing  delivery of electricity, - that the connection wire (10) outside the delivery period  is stored by fitting its male plug (11) on the  electrical outlet (2).  8. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 1 , characterized in that the electrical outlet (2) is connected to the supply circuit and allows the delivery of energy by plugging in the device to be supplied.  9. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 4 , characterized by the fact that it has an electronic card allowing the management of the internal security of the box (1) and the interface between the elements of the box (1) and a computerized data management system, the electronic card being able to be connected to the pilot wire (18) in order to allow data communication between the device to be supplied and the box (1).  10. An electrical energy delivery device intended in particular to deliver the energy necessary for recharging the accumulators of electric vehicles and comprising a box (1) connected to the electrical network and allowing connection and supply of electricity, according to claim 3 , characterized by the fact - that it is connected to an electronic payment terminal  authorizing or not the delivery, - that the hatch (4) is locked by a  locking system by electromagnet controlled by the  electronic payment terminal.