JPH0787607A - Charge indicator for electric automobile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a charge indicator for electric automobile which allows easy confirmation of charged state from the outside of a vehicle. CONSTITUTION:Means for indicating the charged state is disposed in the vicinity of power supply section 3 installed on the outside of car body in order to allow confirmation of the charged state from the outside of a vehicle. Since it is not required to confirm the end of charging operation on the charger side or on an instrument panel in the cabin, the confirmation of charged state can be facilitated at the time of charging work. When indicator lamps 6 are employed as the indicating means such that the charged state can be indicated in various types and stages by the indicating colors and states, the confirmation of the charged state can be facilitated furthermore through a simple structure and the charged state can be confirmed in detail.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric vehicle provided with a battery charging connector on the outer surface of a vehicle body, and more particularly to a charging display device for displaying the charging state of a battery by a charging device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, electric vehicles have been attracting attention as a means of pollution-free transportation. In such an electric vehicle, a motor as a power source is driven by a battery.
Since the power consumption and the power consumption of various in-vehicle devices are large, it is necessary to charge the battery with a charging device provided at an appropriate place when traveling a long distance even if a battery having a large capacity is mounted. Therefore, the charging port for charging is provided on the outer surface of the body of the electric vehicle.

The charging work as described above is carried out in a state where the automobile is stopped, but conventionally, whether the charging work is being carried out or whether the charging is completed or not is conventionally carried out from the charging device side, or This is done by observing the display of an indicator or the like provided on an instrument panel provided in the vehicle cabin (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 4-334907).

[0004]

Normally, when charging is performed with all electric systems stopped, it is not possible to check the above indicators, and whether charging is being performed outside the automobile. Since it is difficult to confirm whether or not the charging is completed, the confirmation depends on an indicator or the like on the charging device side. However,
For example, when the indicator on the charging device side is away from the automobile, the above confirmation cannot be easily performed. Further, when the indicator is faulty, the charging state cannot be confirmed at all. After carrying out charging work for a certain time, the electric system of the automobile is turned on and confirmation is made on the display etc. on the instrument panel, and there is a problem that the work is troublesome.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its main purpose is to provide a charging display device for an electric vehicle, which can easily confirm the charging state outside the vehicle. To provide.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a charging status display device for an electric vehicle having a battery charging connector provided on the outer surface of a vehicle body, wherein the charging status of the battery is near the connector. It is achieved by providing a charging state display device for an electric vehicle, characterized in that a means for displaying is provided.

[0007]

By doing so, the charging state can be easily confirmed at the position where the charging operation is performed during the operation. For example, it is not necessary for the driver to always sit in the driver's seat and look at the instrument panel or the like for confirmation. The display means is an indicator lamp, and its display color and display state (lighting /
By making it possible to display the charging status in multiple types and in multiple stages by blinking, etc., the easiness of confirming the charging status can be improved with a simple structure and the charging status can be confirmed in detail.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of an electric vehicle to which the present invention is applied. A power supply unit 3 is provided near the rear wheel 2 of the vehicle body 1 of this automobile. As shown in addition to FIG. 2, the power feeding unit 3 includes a connector 4 provided at a position slightly recessed from the outer surface of the vehicle body 1, and an openable / closable lid 5 provided at a position selectively covering the connector 4. And an indicator lamp 6 provided at a position that is not hidden even when the lid 5 near the connector 4 is closed.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic block circuit diagram of the electric system of the electric vehicle. A motor 11 as a power source of this electric vehicle is connected to a power drive unit 12 and is connected to a battery 15 via a connection device 14 together with a high voltage load 13. The connection device 14 is also connected to a battery charger 16 provided with the connector 4, and the battery charger 16 is selectively connected to the battery charger 1.
It is designed to connect to 5. Connection device 14 described above
The connection state of is controlled by the management ECU 17. The management ECU 17 is connected to a voltmeter 18, an ammeter 19 and a temperature sensor 20 for detecting the load of the battery 15 and appropriately controls the connection device 14 and the like according to the load state and the like.

On the other hand, the management ECU 17 is connected to the open / close switch 21 and the indicator lamp 6 for detecting the open / closed state of the lid 5 of the power feeding section 3 described above. The indicator lamp 6 is selectively lit, blinked, or its display color is changed according to the open / closed state and the charged state of the lid 5.

The procedure of the charging operation in this embodiment will be described below. First, in order to charge the electric vehicle, the lid 5 of the power feeding unit is opened. Then, the indicator lamp 6 blinks red to indicate that the lid 5 is open. Next, when the power supply device is connected and the charging is actually started, the indicator lamp 6 comes on in red. Then, when the charging is finally completed, the indicator lamp 6 comes to light up in green.

Therefore, if the charging is not successful due to a failure of the charging device or an abnormality in the connection state,
The red lamp keeps blinking, and you can confirm that something is wrong. Further, if the lid 5 is opened with the power feeding device detached from the connector 4, the red lamp blinks, so that this can be easily confirmed even if the lid is forgotten to be closed. Furthermore, when the charging is completed, the green lamp is turned on so that the charging state is not unnecessarily long maintained. In addition, for example, if the indicator lamp 6 is compared with the indicator on the charging device side, the confirmation of the charging state becomes more reliable.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the above embodiment shown in FIG.
2 and the detailed description of the same parts as those in FIG. 2 will be omitted. In the present embodiment, the structure is such that the indicator lamp 26 is hidden with the lid 25 closed, and there is no fear that dirt such as dust during traveling will adhere to the indicator lamp and make it difficult to confirm the display. The aesthetics when driving are improved. The other structure is similar to that of the above embodiment.

In the above embodiment, the charging state is displayed by blinking and lighting the indicator lamp or selecting the red lamp and the green lamp. However, how much charging can be done by increasing the display color or devising the blinking interval. Information such as completion may be displayed, and a display capable of displaying numbers or the like may be provided instead of the indicator lamp to display more detailed information.

[0016]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the charging display device for an electric vehicle of the present invention, by providing the display means for displaying the charging state in the vicinity of the power feeding portion provided outside the vehicle body. Since the charging state can be confirmed outside the vehicle and it is not necessary to confirm that the charging is completed on the charging device side or the instrument panel in the vehicle interior, the easiness of confirmation at the time of charging work is improved. Also,
An indicator lamp is used as the display means, and various types of charging states can be displayed in multiple stages depending on the display color and display state, which further improves the ease of checking the charging state with a simple structure and further improves the charging state. You can check in detail. Furthermore,
By detecting the opening and closing of the lid and displaying this as well, it is possible to easily confirm that the lid has not been closed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an appearance of an electric vehicle to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing only a power supply unit of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of an electric system in the electric vehicle of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing a modification of the embodiment shown in FIGS.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 vehicle body 2 rear wheel 3 power supply section 4 connector 5 lid 6 indicator lamp 11 motor 12 power drive unit 13 high voltage system load 14 connection device 15 battery 16 battery charger 17 management ECU 18 voltmeter 19 ammeter 20 temperature sensor 21 open / close switch 25 lid 26 Indicator light

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] August 4, 1994

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0012

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

The procedure of the charging operation in this embodiment will be described below. First, to charge the electric vehicle
Opens the lid 5 of the power feeding unit and connects the power feeding device. Do
The lid 5 is open or the power supply is connected.
The indicator lamp 6 is red to indicate that
Blinks quickly. Next, when you actually start charging,
The data lamp 6 comes on in red. Then, when the charging is finally completed, the indicator lamp 6 comes to light up in green.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 3

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 3]

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A charging status display device for an electric vehicle, wherein a battery charging connector is provided on the outer surface of a vehicle body, wherein the means for displaying the charging status of the battery is provided near the connector. Charge status display device. 2. The display device comprises an indicator lamp, and displays a change in a charging state according to a change in a light emitting state and / or a light emitting color of the indicator lamp.
A charging display device for an electric vehicle according to item 1. 3. The charging connector comprises an openable / closable lid for selectively exposing the connector, further comprising means for detecting opening / closing of the lid, and the display means for opening / closing the lid. The charge display device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, which also displays a state.