JP2018029417A - Charging system for electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charging system for an electric vehicle having a lock/unlock function of a charge connector and a changeover function of an operation mode, and capable of dissolving a restriction on a switch layout on an instrument panel and a remote control key, and improving a convenience by preventing an incorrect operation of a switch.SOLUTION: In the case where an ignition switch 13 is ON and in the case where a charge connector 6 is not connected (S2, 4 Yes), an operation mode changeover control is executed to change an operation mode (S3) at each pushing operation of multi-function switches 15 and 18. In the case where the ignition switch 13 is turned off but the charge connector 6 is connected (S2, 4 No), a lock-unlock control is executed on condition that an ordinary switch operation of a short time period is executed to switch the charge connector 6 between lock and unlock (S5 and 6) at each the depressing operation of the multi-function switches 15 and 18. In the case of the long depression in the switch operation, the operation mode switching control is executed (S5 and 3).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a charging system for an electric vehicle, and more particularly to a charging system for charging an in-vehicle battery by connecting a charging connector of an external power source to a charging port of the vehicle.

In this type of electric vehicle charging system, a function of locking the charging connector connected to the charging port is provided to prevent mischief such as the charging connector being pulled out during charging.
For example, in the charging system described in the patent document, the charging connector connected to the charging port can be locked or unlocked according to the operation of the connector lock / unlock switch provided on the instrument panel of the driver's seat or the remote control key. It has become. The charging connector is locked / unlocked based on a plurality of preset operation modes. For example, in the off mode, the charging connector is locked or unlocked according to the switch operation as described above. It is automatically locked in conjunction with the connection of the charging connector, and automatically unlocked in conjunction with the completion of charging. In the lock mode, it is automatically locked in conjunction with the connection of the charging connector, and unlocked in response to the switch operation.

  In order to switch the operation mode, an operation mode changeover switch is provided in parallel with the connector lock / unlock switch on the instrument panel and the remote control key. For example, when charging at a place where there is no possibility of mischief such as a home garage, the off mode is selected, and when charging is completed, the auto mode is selected when charging at a charging station that needs to give charge to the following car. Etc., the lock mode is selected when charging in a place where there is a possibility of mischief.

Japanese Patent No. 5812186

  However, the instrument panel is equipped with a number of switches for various purposes, and the remote control keys are miniaturized, so both have a connector lock / unlock switch and an operation mode switch There were restrictions on the switch layout. In addition, there is a possibility that the driver may make an erroneous operation when using the two types of switches, and there is room for improvement in terms of convenience.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve such problems. The object of the present invention is to provide a lock / unlock function for the charging connector and a function for switching the operation mode. An object of the present invention is to provide a charging system for an electric vehicle that can eliminate restrictions on the switch layout on the remote control key and can improve the convenience by preventing erroneous operation of the switch.

  In order to achieve the above object, a charging system for an electric vehicle according to the present invention includes a connector locking mechanism capable of locking the charging connector when the charging connector from an external power source is connected to the charging port of the electric vehicle, and an input An input means that can be operated, and when the ignition switch of the electric vehicle is turned on and when the charging connector is not connected to the charging port, the connector lock mechanism is locked / unlocked according to the operation of the input means. When the ignition switch is switched off and the charging connector is connected to the charging port, the lock / locking mechanism that locks / unlocks the connector locking mechanism according to the operation of the input means is switched. An unlock control means is provided (claim 1).

  According to the charging system for an electric vehicle configured as described above, the two functions of the lock / unlock operation of the connector lock mechanism and the operation mode switching operation related to the lock / unlock are integrated into a single input means. . Therefore, restrictions on the switch layout can be eliminated, and the driver does not have to use the two types of switches separately, so that an erroneous operation is prevented in advance.

  As another aspect, the input unit is configured as a push-type switch, and the lock / unlock control unit may be configured such that the ignition switch is turned off and the charging connector is connected to the charging port. When the operation on the push switch is a long press, the operation mode is preferably switched in accordance with the operation of the push switch.

According to this aspect, even after the ignition switch is turned off and the charging connector is connected to the charging port, it is possible to switch to a desired operation mode if the driver intentionally presses and holds the push switch.
As another aspect, the battery pack further includes a lid locking mechanism that locks the charging lid provided in the charging port in a closed position, and the lock / unlock control means is configured such that the ignition switch is turned off and the charging lid is When the mechanism is closed by locking the mechanism, the lid lock mechanism is preferably unlocked according to the operation of the input means (claim 3).

  According to this aspect, in the closed state of the charging lid, the lid locking mechanism is unlocked according to the operation of the input means, and the charging lid can be opened. Thus, since the input means has a function of opening the charging lid, a dedicated lid opening switch for unlocking the charging lid can be omitted, and it is not necessary to use the input means and the lid opening switch separately.

As another aspect, it is preferable that the input means is provided at a position where a driver seated in a driver seat of the electric vehicle can operate.
According to this aspect, the input means is provided at a position that can be operated by the driver seated in the driver's seat. For example, when the input means is provided on the instrument panel, restrictions on the switch layout on the instrument panel are eliminated. .

As another aspect, it is preferable that the input means is provided on a remote control key that can be carried by the driver.
According to this aspect, restrictions on the switch layout on the remote control key are eliminated.

  According to the charging system for an electric vehicle of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate restrictions on the switch layout on the instrument panel and the remote control key while having the lock / unlock function of the charging connector and the switching function of the operation mode. Convenience can be improved by preventing erroneous operation of the switch.

1 is an overall configuration diagram illustrating a charging system for an electric vehicle according to an embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the light extinction state of the lamp | ramp of a multifunction switch. It is explanatory drawing which shows the lamp display of a multifunction switch according to operation mode switching operation in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the switch function switching routine which main ECU of 1st Embodiment performs. It is a flowchart which shows the switch function switching routine which main ECU of 2nd Embodiment performs. It is explanatory drawing which shows the lamp | ramp display of a multifunction switch according to the operation mode switching operation and lock / unlock operation in 2nd Embodiment.

[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of an electric vehicle charging system embodying the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a charging system for an electric vehicle according to the present embodiment.
A port housing portion 2 is recessed in a vehicle body outer surface 1 a of an electric vehicle 1 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as a vehicle), and a charging port 3 is provided in the port housing portion 2. The port housing portion 2 is provided with a charging lid 4 that can be opened and closed around a hinge 4a, and the charging port 3 in the port housing portion 2 is exposed or concealed to the outside in accordance with the opening and closing of the charging lid 4. Yes. The charging lid 4 in the closed position is locked by the lid lock mechanism 5 and is restricted from being opened (may be expressed as locking of the charging lid 4). When the lid lock mechanism 5 is unlocked, the charging lid 4 is manually opened. (It may be expressed as unlocking of the charging lid 4).

  When the charging port 3 is exposed to the outside by opening the charging lid 4, a charging connector 6 from an external power source installed in a charging stand or the like can be connected. When the charging connector 6 is connected to the charging port 3, the engaging mechanisms 3a and 6a provided in the charging port 3 and the charging connector 6 are engaged with each other to hold the charging connector 6 in a connected state. When the release lever 6 b of the charging connector 6 is operated, the engagement mechanisms 3 a and 6 a are disengaged, and the charging connector 6 can be pulled out from the charging port 3.

  Further, a connector lock mechanism 7 is attached to the engagement mechanism 3a on the charging port 3 side, and this connector lock mechanism 7 plays a role of forcibly holding the engagement of the engagement mechanisms 3a and 6a. That is, when the connector locking mechanism 7 is locked in a state where the charging connector 6 is connected to the charging port 3 (engagement state of the engagement mechanisms 3a, 6a) (hereinafter, it may be expressed as a lock of the charge connector 6). Even if the release lever 6b is operated, the engagement of the engagement mechanisms 3a and 6a is maintained so that the charging connector 6 cannot be pulled out. Further, when the connector lock mechanism 7 is unlocked (hereinafter sometimes referred to as unlocking of the charging connector 6), the engagement mechanisms 3a and 6a are disengaged in accordance with the operation of the release lever 6b and charged. The connector 6 can be pulled out. The engagement mechanism 3 a on the charging port 3 side is provided with a connector connection sensor 8 to detect the connection of the charging connector 6 to the charging port 3.

In addition, as a concrete structure of the above lid lock mechanism 5, engagement mechanism 3a, 6a, and connector lock mechanism 7, the thing of patent document 1 is employable, for example.
When the charging connector 6 is connected to the charging port 3, power is supplied from the external power source to the charging port 3 via the charging connector 6, and the power is AC-DC by an inverter (not shown) mounted on the electric vehicle 1. The in-vehicle battery is charged after conversion.

The overall control of the charging system of the present embodiment is executed by the main ECU 11 (electronic control device), and the authentication ECU 12 plays an auxiliary role. These ECUs 11 and 12 are composed of an input / output device, a storage device (ROM, RAM, nonvolatile RAM, etc.), a central processing unit (CPU), and the like.
The input side of the main ECU 11 is connected to the connector connection sensor 8, the ignition switch 13, the lid opening switch 14, and the multi-function switch 15 (input means, pressing switch) of the vehicle 1, and the authentication ECU 12. ing. The lid opening switch 14 and the multi-function switch 15 are provided on the instrument panel so that the driver sitting on the driver's seat can operate.

Further, the lid lock mechanism 5 and the connector lock mechanism 7 described above are connected to the output side of the main ECU 11, and these lock mechanisms 5, 7 are operated based on commands from the main ECU 11.
As shown in FIG. 1, the lid opening switch 14 and the multi-function switch 15 are push-type switches, and the multi-function switch 15 is provided with a lamp 15a whose display color changes depending on the operation state. The lid opening switch 14 is a switch for opening the closed charging lid 4, and the lid lock mechanism 5 is driven from the locked state to the unlocked state by the main ECU 11 receiving the operation signal, and the charging lid 4 is manually operated. Can be opened.

  The multi-function switch 15 is a lock / unlock operation of the connector lock mechanism 7 (corresponding to the connector lock / unlock switch of the technique of Patent Document 1) and an operation mode switching operation related to the lock / unlock of the connector lock mechanism 7. It has two types of functions (corresponding to the operation mode changeover switch of the technique of Patent Document 1). Although details will be described later, the main ECU 11 determines which operation should be considered based on the situation at the time when the multi-function switch 15 is operated (operation state of the ignition switch 13 or the like). When it is regarded as a lock / unlock operation of the connector lock mechanism 7, the lamp 15a of the multi-function switch 15 is turned off as shown in FIG. 2, and the operation signal is input every time the multi-function switch 15 is pressed. The main ECU 11 switches the connector lock mechanism 7 between lock and unlock (lock / unlock control described later). Note that the lamp 15a of the multifunction switch 15 is turned off even during charging.

  As the operation mode, three types of an off mode, an auto mode, and a lock mode are set. When it is regarded as an operation mode switching operation by the main ECU 11, every time the multi-function switch 15 is pressed as shown in FIG. 3, the operation mode is sequentially switched by the main ECU 11 that has input the operation signal (described later). Operation mode switching control). In synchronization with the switching of the operation mode, the lamp 15a of the multi-function switch 15 is switched to green in the off mode, to yellow in the auto mode, and to orange in the lock mode, so that the currently selected operation mode is changed to the driver. Can be recognized.

  Note that the content of each operation mode is the same as that of the technique of Patent Document 1, for example. In the off mode, it is locked or unlocked according to the operation of the multi-function switch 15, and in the auto mode, it is automatically locked in conjunction with the connection of the charging connector 6 to the charging port 3, and is automatically unlocked in conjunction with the completion of charging. In the lock mode, the lock is automatically locked in conjunction with the connection of the charging connector 6 and unlocked according to the operation of the multi-function switch 15.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the charging system is provided with a remote control key 16 carried by the driver, and the remote control key 16 is also provided with the lid opening switch 17 and the multifunction switch 18 as described above. Since the functions of the switches 17 and 18 are the same as those of the switches 14 and 15 provided in the driver's seat, the description thereof will not be repeated. Alternatively, a lock / unlock operation and an operation mode switching operation by the multi-function switch 18 are executed, and the display of the lamp 18a is switched in synchronization with the operation mode.

The remote control key 16 is also provided with a door lock / unlock switch of the vehicle 1, but the description and illustration are omitted because it is not related to the characteristic part of the present invention.
The switch operation of the remote control key 16 is transmitted to the main ECU 11 after being authenticated by the authentication ECU 12. That is, when the lid opening switch 17 or the multifunction switch 18 of the remote control key 16 is operated, an operation signal corresponding to the operation is transmitted from the remote control key 16 and at the same time an ID code unique to the vehicle is transmitted. Each time the authentication ECU 12 receives the ID code together with the operation signal, the authentication ECU 12 compares the ID code with the normal ID and transmits the operation signal to the main ECU 11 on condition that the ID code matches the normal ID.

Next, determination processing of the main ECU 11 when the multifunction switches 15 and 18 of the instrument panel and the remote control key 16 are operated will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a switch function switching routine executed by the main ECU 11. The main ECU 11 always executes the routine at predetermined control intervals while the vehicle 1 is stopped, regardless of the operation state of the ignition switch 13. The main ECU 11 when executing this routine functions as the lock / unlock control means of the present invention.

  First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the multi-function switches 15 and 18 of the instrument panel or the remote control key 16 are operated. If No (No), the routine is once terminated. When the determination in step S1 becomes Yes (positive), the process proceeds to step S2, and it is determined whether or not the ignition switch 13 is turned on. When the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to step S3, and after executing the operation mode switching control, the routine is terminated. As described above, in the operation mode switching control, each time the multi-function switches 15 and 18 are pressed, the operation mode is switched in the order of the off mode, the auto mode, and the lock mode.

If the determination in step S2 is No, the process proceeds to step S4. Based on the detection information from the connector connection sensor 8, it is determined whether the charging connector 6 is not connected. If the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to step S3.
Further, when the determination in step S4 is No, the process proceeds to step S5, and it is determined whether or not the pressing operation of the multi-function switches 15 and 18 determined in step S1 is a long press. When the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to step S3. . If it is determined that the switch operation is normal for a short time and No is determined in step S5, the routine is terminated after the lock / unlock control is executed in step S6. As described above, in the lock / unlock control, the connector lock mechanism 7 is switched between lock and unlock each time the multi-function switches 15 and 18 are pressed.

  In the charging operation, the ignition switch 13 is turned off and the charging connector 6 is connected to the charging port 3. At this time, the charging connector 6 is automatically locked in the auto mode and the lock mode. Therefore, there is a possibility that the charging connector 6 is locked / unlocked by the driver. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for the driver's switch operation by the lock / unlock control. Conversely, before this point, there is no possibility that the charging connector 6 is locked / unlocked, but the operation mode switching control is continued as much as possible in order to secure a room for the driver to switch the operation mode. It is desirable.

  As described above, when the ignition switch 13 is turned on and when the charging connector 6 is not connected, the operation mode switching control is executed, so that the driver presses the multi-function switches 15 and 18. The operation mode can be changed arbitrarily. Therefore, for example, when charging at a place where there is no possibility of mischief such as a home garage, select the off mode, select the auto mode when charging at a charging station that needs to give charge to the following car when charging is completed, Even in a garage, the lock mode can be selected when charging in a place where there is a possibility of mischief.

  Further, when the ignition switch 13 is turned off and the charging connector 6 is connected, the lock / unlock control is executed on condition that the switch operation is normal (other than the long press operation). Therefore, the driver can arbitrarily lock and unlock the charging connector 6 by pressing the multifunction switches 15 and 18. For example, in the off mode, the driver can lock the charging connector 6 by connecting the charging connector 6 and operating the switch. it can.

  Switching from the operation mode switching control to the lock / unlock control is a timing at which the ignition switch 13 is turned off and the charging connector 6 is connected, in other words, the charging connector 6 may be locked / unlocked by the driver. It is executed at the optimal timing. Therefore, the driver performs a switch operation for locking / unlocking the charging connector 6 after ensuring that there is room for the driver to arbitrarily switch the operation mode by continuing the operation mode switching control to the maximum. In this case, the lock / unlock of the charging connector 6 according to the switch operation can be reliably executed by the lock / unlock control.

  Thus, the functions of the connector lock / unlock switch and the operation mode changeover switch of the technique of Patent Document 1 are integrated into a single multifunction switch 15, 18. Accordingly, restrictions on the switch layout on the instrument panel of the driver's seat and the remote control key 16 can be eliminated, and the driver does not need to use the two types of switches. be able to.

On the other hand, when the ignition switch 13 is turned off and the charging connector 6 is connected, the lock / unlock control is executed in the normal short-time switch operation, but the operation mode switching control is executed in the long press operation. Is done. Generally, after the operation mode is selected, the charging connector 6 is connected and the charging operation is started. However, there is a case where the driver reconsiders and switches the operation mode after the connection of the charging connector 6. In such a case, the driver can switch to a desired operation mode by intentionally pressing the multifunction switches 15 and 18 for a long time. Thus, the convenience can be further enhanced by leaving room for switching the operation mode even after the charging connector 6 is connected.
[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in another electric vehicle 1 charging system will be described.

  The difference from the first embodiment is that the function of the lid opening switch 14 is added to the multifunction switches 15 and 18 described in the first embodiment, and the lid opening switch 14 of the instrument panel and the remote control key 16 is omitted. It is in. For this reason, since the overall configuration of the charging system shown in FIG. 1 is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, the description of the common parts is omitted and the differences will be described mainly.

As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, only the multifunction switches 15 and 18 are provided on the instrument panel of the driver's seat and the remote control key 16. The lid lock mechanism 5 is provided with a lid opening / closing sensor 21 for detecting opening / closing of the charging lid 4, and the detection information is input to the main ECU 11.
The multi-function switches 15 and 18 have a function of unlocking the lid lock mechanism 5 and opening the charging lid 4 in addition to the functions of locking and unlocking the connector lock mechanism 7 and switching the operation mode ( Charging lid opening control described later).

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a switch function switching routine executed by the main ECU 11. The difference from the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is the addition of steps S11 and S12. The main ECU 11 when executing this routine functions as the lock / unlock control means of the present invention.
If any one of the multifunction switches 15 and 18 is operated in step S1 and it is determined in step S2 that the ignition switch 13 is turned on, operation mode switching control is executed in step S3. When the determination in step S2 is No, the process proceeds to step S11, and it is determined whether or not the charging lid 4 is closed by the lock of the lid lock mechanism 5. When the determination in step S11 is Yes, the process proceeds to step S12, the charge lid opening control is executed, and the routine is terminated. In the charging lid opening control, the multifunction switches 15 and 18 function as the lid opening switch 14 of the first embodiment, and the lid locking mechanism 5 is unlocked in response to the pressing operation, so that the charging lid 4 can be opened. .

  If the determination of No is made in step S11 based on the opening of the charging lid 4, the subsequent processing is the same as in the first embodiment, and the charging connector 6 is not connected or the charging connector 6 is connected. If the switch operation is long-pressed, the operation mode switching control is executed in step S3. If the charging connector 6 is connected and a normal short-time switch operation is performed, the lock / unlock operation is performed in step S6. Perform lock control.

  As described above, the multi-function switches 15 and 18 according to the present embodiment have a function of opening the charging lid 4 in addition to a function of lock / unlock operation and an operation mode switching operation. Therefore, the lid opening switch 14 of the instrument panel and the remote control key 16 can be omitted as compared with the first embodiment, so that restrictions on the switch layout can be further eliminated. In the first embodiment, the driver needs to use the multifunction switch 15 and the lid opening switch 14 properly. However, since the necessity is eliminated, it is possible to more reliably prevent erroneous operation and improve convenience. .

During the control by the main ECU 11 described above, for example, the lamps 15a and 18a of the multifunction switches 15 and 18 are switched as follows.
During the execution of the charging lid opening control, as shown in FIG. 2, the lamps 15a and 18a of the multifunction switches 15 and 18 are turned off, so that the driver can recognize that the opening operation of the charging lid 4 is necessary. During execution of the operation mode switching control, the operation mode is sequentially switched every time the multi-function switches 15 and 18 are pressed as shown in FIG. 6, and the lamps 15a and 18a flash in synchronization with the operation mode switching. The state is switched in order of green, yellow, and orange. Therefore, the driver can recognize the currently selected operation mode based on the display colors of the lamps 15a and 18a, and can recognize that the operation mode can be switched based on the blinking state.

  During execution of the lock / unlock control, the lamps 15a and 18a are lit in display colors corresponding to the determined operation mode as shown in FIG. 6, and the driver determines the operation mode and performs the lock / unlock control. Can be recognized. In this state, when the charging connector 6 is locked by a switch operation or the like, the lamps 15a and 18a are switched to red, and when the charging connector 6 is unlocked, it returns to the color before locking (green, yellow, orange). It is. Accordingly, the driver can recognize the current lock / unlock state of the charging connector 6.

However, the switching of the lamp display of the multifunction switches 15 and 18 is an example, and the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the lamp display may be switched in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
This is the end of the description of the embodiment, but the aspect of the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, in the above embodiment, both the instrument panel of the driver's seat and the switch of the remote control key 16 are the multi-function switches 15, 18, but only one of them may be used.

  In the above embodiment, the multi-function switches 15 and 18 are pressed. However, the input means of the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a seesaw switch that automatically returns to the original position may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric vehicle 3 Charging port 4 Charging lid 5 Lid lock mechanism 6 Charging connector 7 Connector lock mechanism 11 Main ECU (lock / unlock control means)
13 Ignition switch 14,17 Lid open switch 15,18 Multi-function switch (input means)
16 Remote control keys

Claims (5)

A connector locking mechanism capable of locking the charging connector when the charging connector from the external power source is connected to the charging port of the electric vehicle;
Input means capable of input operation;
When the ignition switch of the electric vehicle is turned on and when the charging connector is not connected to the charging port, the operation mode related to locking / unlocking of the connector locking mechanism is switched according to the operation of the input means, A lock / unlock control means for locking / unlocking the connector lock mechanism in accordance with an operation of the input means when the ignition switch is turned off and the charging connector is connected to the charging port; An electric vehicle charging system. The input means is configured as a push switch,
The lock / unlock control means is configured such that, even when the ignition switch is turned off and the charging connector is connected to the charging port, when the operation on the pressing switch is a long press, the pressing switch The electric vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein the operation mode is switched in accordance with the operation of the electric vehicle. A lid locking mechanism for locking the charging lid provided in the charging port in a closed position;
The lock / unlock control means unlocks the lid lock mechanism according to the operation of the input means when the ignition switch is turned off and the charging lid is closed by the lock of the lid lock mechanism. The charging system for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the charging system is an electric vehicle. 4. The electric vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is provided at a position where a driver who is seated in a driver seat of the electric vehicle can operate. 5. 5. The electric vehicle charging system according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is provided on a remote control key that can be carried by the driver. 6.

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