WO2019155410A1

WO2019155410A1 - A recharging device for electric road vehicles

Info

Publication number: WO2019155410A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/051014
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luigi Gozzi
Original assignee: Alfazero S.P.A.
Priority date: 2018-02-09
Filing date: 2019-02-08
Publication date: 2019-08-15
Also published as: CN214543650U

Abstract

Described is a device for recharging (1) for electric road vehicles comprising a box-shaped body (2) forming internally a containment space (V), divided into a fixed part (10), which has constraining means for the fixing to a vertical support, and a movable part (20), hinged to it and rotatably movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration. The recharging device (1) also comprises an electric module (30) for powering and controlling at least one recharging socket (35), entirely contained in the containment space (V) in the closed configuration. The electric module (30) comprises a first plurality of electric devices (31) fixed to the fixed part (10) and a second plurality of electric devices (32) fixed to the movable part (20).

Description

DESCRIPTION

A recharging device for electric road vehicles Technical field

This invention relates to the field of recharging devices for electric road vehicles, with reference in particular to wall-mounted recharging devices, also known as‘wall boxes’.

Background art

The marketing and use of electric road vehicles is rapidly emerging in many countries worldwide, providing new forms of sustainable and clean personal transport.

One of the obstacles to the diffusion of electric vehicles has been, and is still partly the case, the difficulty in obtaining a quick and reliable recharging of the battery when required.

Even though some vehicles are theoretically rechargeable from normal household sockets, this application is not very safe and almost all countries in the world have specific regulations in the sector which require the use of devices which are able to communicate with a control unit on the vehicle to monitor the recharging and guarantee the safety and efficiency.

In a parallel fashion, domestic recharging devices have been developed which can be connected to the electricity network to provide the possibility of domestic recharging of the electric vehicles, in particular with reference to automobiles.

Currently, the most commonly used and widespread recharging systems connect to the vehicle by means of cables and standard connectors and establish a communication with an onboard control unit through a signal circuit with a ‘PWM’ code (pulse-width modulation’), wherein the information is coded in the form of duration in time of each pulse.

In parallel with the signal circuit there is a power circuit, integrated in the same cables and connectors, through which the recharging system sends recharging currents to the vehicle. Currently, the household systems on the market use alternating current recharging currents.

By means of the system described, the unit on the vehicle monitors the trend of the recharging and communicates it to the recharging device, which can adapt the charging currents and suspend the recharging in the case of problems.

This increases the recharging safety and reduces the risks mainly related with lithium batteries, which are known to be easily damaged following recharging problems and giving rise to hazardous events such as fires and explosions in some situations.

The devices which implement this type of recharging are divided into recharging columns and wall-mounted devices (so-called‘wall boxes’).

The wall-mounted devices comprise, in particular, a casing which encloses the electrical part of the device and is fixable to a vertical wall.

They can be powered directly from a domestic or industrial electricity network and have a connector which passes through the casing to connect the electrical part inside to the power supply.

To guarantee access to the inner components the prior art casings have one or more doors or portions which can be opened facing the electrical components to allow maintenance, repair or replacement.

Disadvantageously, the mutual arrangement of the door and the electrical part in the prior art devices does not guarantee an easy and rapid access to all the components and the need to operate on some of these results in partial disassembly of some parts and long operating times by specialised operators.

Disclosure of the invention

In this context, the technical purpose which forms the basis of this invention is to provide a recharging device for electric road vehicles which overcomes at least some of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

More specifically, the aim of this invention to provide a recharging device for electric road vehicles which is able to simplify access to the internal components and their maintenance.

The technical purpose indicated and the aims specified are substantially achieved by a recharging device for electric road vehicles comprising the technical features described in one or more of the appended claims.

Another aim of this invention is to provide a recharging device for electric road vehicles which can improve the safety and the seal of the doors for access to the electrical part.

The dependent claims correspond to possible different embodiments of the invention.

Further features and advantages of the invention are more apparent in the non-limiting description which follows of a preferred embodiment of a recharging device for electric road vehicles.

Brief description of the drawings

The description is set out below with reference to the accompanying drawings which are provided solely for purposes of illustration without restricting the scope of the invention and in which:

- - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a recharging device according to the invention;

- - Figure 2 is a perspective view of the recharging device of Figure 1 in a different configuration of use;

- - Figure 3 shows a detail of the recharging device of Figure 2;

- - Figure 4 is a front view of the recharging device of Figure 2;

- - Figure 5 is a cross-section view of the recharging device of Figure 2.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to the accompanying drawings, a recharging device for electric road vehicles is indicated generically with the numeral 1. This is referred to below with the expression‘recharging device 1 \

The recharging device 1 comprises a box-shaped body 2 with the function of casing for the electrical components. The box-shaped body 2 defines, internally, a containment space‘V’.

The box-shaped body 2 is divided into a fixed part 10 and a movable part 20.

The fixed part 10 of the box-shaped body 2 comprises constraining means configured to fix the recharging device 1 to a vertical support, for example a wall, preferably in a reversible fashion.

The movable part 20 of the box-shaped body 2 is hinged to the fixed part 10 in such a way as to rotate relative to it between a closed configuration, illustrated in Figure 1 , and an open configuration illustrated in Figures 2 to 5.

In the closed configuration, the movable part 20 is positioned in abutment against the fixed part 10 and occludes the containment space‘V’, whilst in the open configuration the movable part 20 disengages an access to the containment space‘V’.

Preferably, the fixed part 10 comprises a substantially flat rear wall 1 1 , having the above-mentioned constraining means in such a way as to be coupled to a vertical support for the recharging device 1. Moreover, the fixed part 10 comprises a side wall 12 surrounding the rear wall 1 1 and preferably perpendicular to it.

In a preferred embodiment, the movable part 20 of the box-shaped body 2 comprises a movable wall 21 substantially flat and parallel to the rear wall 1 1 .

The movable wall 21 is configured to be positioned, in the closed configuration, in contact with the side wall 12, in a position facing the rear wall 1 1.

In the preferred embodiment, both the rear wall 1 1 and the movable wall 21 have a substantially rectangular or, preferably, square shape and have sides of between 420 mm and 430 mm.

Moreover, in the preferred embodiment the side wall 12 has a height of between 155 and 165 mm.

Preferably, the movable part 20 is hinged at a lower portion of the fixed part 10, in particular of a lower side of its rectangular or square plan, in such a way that in the open configuration the movable part 20 is positioned in a lower position with respect to the movable part 20 in the closed configuration.

Advantageously, the movable part 20 configured in this way opens downwards and remains stably in the open position thanks to its weight and the support of the hinge means.

The recharging device 1 comprises at least one hinge 5 for connecting between the fixed part 10 and the movable part 20, preferably it comprises two hinges 5.

Moreover, the recharging device 1 comprises closing means 6, preferably comprising a lock, for example facing the hinge 5 to allow the reversible locking of the movable part 20 in the closed configuration, in contact with the fixed part 10.

Preferably, the fixed part 10 and the movable part 20 have respective coupling surfaces, comprising a seal 23 and a contact surface 13 coupled to the seal 23 so as to seal, in a way impermeable to liquids, the box shaped body 2 in the closed configuration.

More specifically, one between the seal 23 and the contact surface 13 is located on one or other of the movable part 20 or the fixed part 10 whilst the other between the seal 23 and the contact surface 13 is positioned on the other of either the movable part 20 or the fixed part 10.

Preferably, the recharging device 1 also comprises a plurality of first magnetic means 14 fixed to the fixed part 10 and a plurality of second magnetic means 24 fixed to the movable part 20 and associated with the first magnetic means 14 in such a way as to determine a magnetic force for constraining the movable part 20 against the fixed part 10 in the closed configuration.

Both the first magnetic means 14 and the second magnetic means 24 may consist of magnetic materials or ferromagnetic materials or in any case designed to be attracted by magnets, selected and positioned in such a way as to generate the above-mentioned constraining force. In the embodiment illustrated, the first magnetic means 14 comprise ferrous alloy rosettes whilst the second magnetic means 24 comprise permanent magnets.

In an embodiment comprising both the first and second magnetic means 14 and 24 and the seal 23, the first or the second magnetic means 14 or 24 are advantageously positioned close to the seal 23, in particular the first magnetic means 14 in the configuration (illustrated) in which the seal 23 is mounted on the fixed part 10 and the second magnetic means 24 in the equivalent configuration in which the seal 23 is mounted on the movable part 20.

Preferably, the above-mentioned first or second magnetic means 14 or 24 are uniformly distributed along the seal 23 in such a way that the above- mentioned magnetic constraining force causes a substantially uniform pressure distributed on the seal 23, to improve the relative seal, when the box-shaped body 2 is in the closed configuration.

Preferably, the recharging device 1 also comprises a plurality of guides 15 and respective pins 25 reversibly coupled to the guides 15. Each guide 15 is positioned without distinction on either the fixed part 10 or the movable part 20, whilst the respective pin 25 is positioned on the other of either the fixed part 10 or the movable part 20 and facing in such a way as to engage with the respective guide 15 when the movable part 20 is positioned in the closed configuration.

Preferably, each pin 25 is formed by two plates which intersect defining a cross-like shape in plan and have an elongate and pointed shape along their line of intersection, in such a way as to have a punch or wedge-like configuration.

This configuration is arranged in such a way that a pointed portion of each pin 25 engages the respective guide 15 during a closing of the movable part 20.

Advantageously, the guides 15 and the pins 25 are positioned in such a way as to control the mutual engaging between the seal 23 and the contact surface 13 during closing of the movable part 20.

In the preferred embodiment, the recharging device 1 comprises a pin 25 and a respective guide 15 for each first magnetic means 14 and second magnetic means 24.

More specifically, each guide/pin pair is associated with a respective first magnetic means/second magnetic means pair and positioned close to them.

Moreover, in the preferred embodiment, the first magnetic means 14 and the guides 15 and/or pins 25 (that of the two positioned on the fixed part 10) are positioned along the sides of the fixed part 10 which do not have the hinges 5.

In the embodiment illustrated, the recharging device 1 has two of the first magnetic means 14 and respective second magnetic means 24 and two guides 15 and respective pins 25 for each non-hinged side of the fixed part 10.

The recharging device 1 also has at least one recharging socket 35 for electric road vehicles, for example automobiles, preferably installed on the movable part 20 in such a way as to face towards the outside of the box shaped body 2 in the closed configuration.

In the embodiment illustrated, the recharging device 1 has two recharging sockets 35, preferably 2 or 3 according to IEC regulations. Advantageously, having two recharging sockets 35 allows the recharging of two vehicles simultaneously or makes it possible to keep a recharging cable connected to one of the two recharging sockets 35 for recharging vehicles without cable (cable type B) and keeping free the other recharging socket 35 for recharging vehicles which have a cable (cable type A).

The recharging device 1 comprises an electric module 30 for powering and controlling the recharging sockets 35, contained entirely in the containment space ‘V’ when the movable part 20 is in the closed configuration.

A plurality of electrical connectors 36 pass through the rear wall 1 1 for powering the electric module 30. Preferably, the interface between the rear wall 1 1 and the electrical connectors 36 is sealed to guarantee the seal of the box-shaped body 2.

The electric module 30 comprises a first plurality of electrical devices 31 fixed to the fixed part 10, including, for example, the above-mentioned electrical connectors 36, and a second plurality of electrical devices 32 fixed to the movable part 20, including, for example, the same recharging sockets 35.

Advantageously, the first and second plurality of electrical devices 31 and 32 are positioned according to a distribution such that, in the open configuration, the electric module 30 has a single layer of electronic devices individually accessible.

This distribution allows the removal and/or repair of individual components without having to remove other components in order to reach them.

Preferably, at least one hinge 5 for connecting between the movable part 20 and the fixed part 10 defines a channel for one or more electrical connections between the first plurality of electrical devices 31 and the second plurality of electrical devices 32, including one or more power supply cables for powering the recharging sockets 35.

Preferably, the electric module 30 comprises a safety circuit electrically connected to at least a first magnetic means 14 and to a respective second magnetic means 24 associated with it, in such a way that the above-mentioned circuit is closed when the first magnetic means 14 is positioned in contact with the second magnetic means 24 and vice versa. In this way, the above-mentioned safety circuit is open when the movable part is positioned in the open configuration, or when the movable portion 20 is closed incorrectly, so as not to allow a mutual contact between the first magnetic means 14 and the second magnetic means 24.

The electronic module 30 is configured for applying a voltage to the safety circuit for determining the configuration of the movable portion as a function of the relative opening or closing.

Advantageously, the electronic module 30 is also configured to interrupt the electricity supply to the recharging sockets 35 when the safety circuit is open, for example due to an opening by an operator who has not previously switched off the electricity supply, a forced opening, a fault of the plant or an incorrect closing of the box-shaped body.

In the embodiment illustrated a visual output device 37, preferably a two- dimensional screen, is installed on the movable part 10 and connected to the electric module 30 in such a way as to provide a user with information relating to the recharging and/or the recharging device 1.

The invention achieves the set aim by obviating the drawbacks of the prior art. Advantageously, in fact, the distribution of electric devices described allows an easy maintenance and uses the spaces in the containment space of the box-shaped body in an efficient manner.

Claims

1. A recharging device (1 ) for electric road vehicles, comprising a box shaped body (2) forming internally a containment space (V), a fixed part (10) of the box-shaped body (2) being configured for a reversible fixing of the recharging device (1 ) to a vertical support, a movable part (20) of the box-shaped body (2) being hinged to the fixed part (10) and rotatably movable between a closed configuration, wherein the movable part (20) is positioned in contact with the fixed part (10) and occludes the containment space (V), and an open configuration, wherein the movable part (20) disengages an access to the containment space (V);

the recharging device (1 ) comprising an electric module (30) for powering controlling at least one recharging socket (35), the electric module (30) being entirely contained in the containment space (V) when the movable part (20) is in the closed configuration and the electric module (30) comprising a first plurality of electrical devices (31 ) fixed to the fixed part (10) and a second plurality of electrical devices (32) fixed to the moveable part (20); characterised in that the movable part (20) is hinged at a lower portion of the fixed part (10), in such a way that the movable part (20) in the open configuration is positioned in a lower position relative to the movable part (20) in the closed configuration and also being characterised in that the recharging device (1 ) comprises a plurality of first magnetic means (14) fixed to the fixed part (10) and a plurality of second magnetic means (24) fixed to the moveable part (20) and associated with respective first magnetic means (14) in such a way as to determine a force for constraining the moveable part (20) in the closed configuration against the fixed part (10).

2. The recharging device (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second plurality of electrical devices (31 , 32) have a distribution on the fixed and movable parts (10, 20) such as to define, in an open configuration, a single layer of electrical devices individually accessible.

3. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one hinge (5) connecting between the moveable part (20) and the fixed part (10) defines a channel for one or more electrical connections between the first plurality of electrical devices (31 ) and the second plurality of electrical devices (32).

4. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two recharging sockets (35) are installed on the moveable part (20), facing towards the outside of the box-shaped body (2) in the closed configuration.

5. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a visual output device (37), preferably a two- dimensional screen, installed on the moveable part (20).

6. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one hinge (5) connecting between the fixed part (10) and the movable part (20) and closing means (6), preferably comprising a lock, facing the hinge (5) to allow the reversible locking of the moveable part (20) in the closed configuration.

7. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixed part (10) comprises a rear wall (1 1 ) substantially flat, which can be coupled to a vertical support for the recharging device

(I ) by means of the constraining means, and a lateral wall (12) surrounding the rear wall (1 1 ) and preferably perpendicular to the rear wall

(I I ), a plurality of electrical connectors (36) passing through the rear wall (1 1 ) for powering the electric module (30).

8. The recharging device (1 ) according to claim 7, wherein the movable part (20) of the box-shaped body (2) comprises a movable wall (21 ) substantially flat and parallel to the rear wall (1 1 ), configured to move, in the closed configuration, in contact with the lateral wall (12) in a position facing the rear wall (1 1 ).

9. The recharging device (1 ) according to claims 7 and 8, wherein the rear wall (1 1 ) and the movable wall (21 ) have a substantially rectangular shape or, preferably, substantially square with sides of between 420 mm and 430 mm, and the lateral wall (12) has a height of between 155 and 165 mm.

10. The recharging device (1 ) according to claim 9, wherein the fixed part (10) and the movable part (20) have respective coupling surfaces (13, 23) comprising a contact surface (13) and a seal (23) coupled to the contact surface (13) for sealing the box-shaped body (2) in the closed configuration.

1 1. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first or second magnetic means (14, 24) are positioned close to the seal (23), the first magnetic means (14) being uniformly distributed along the seal (23) in such a way that the constraining force causes a reciprocal pressure distributed in a substantially uniform fashion between the seal (23) and the contact surface (13).

12. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a plurality of pins (25) reversibly coupled to respective guides (15), the guides (15) being arranged on one of either the fixed part (10) or the movable part (20), the pins (25) being positioned on the other between the fixed part (10) and the movable part (20) in such a way as to engage with the guides (15) when the movable part (20) is positioned in the closed configuration, the guides (15) and the pins (25) being positioned in such a way as to control the engaging of the seal (23) by the contact surface (13) during a closure of the moveable part (20).

13. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pins (25) have a punch-like configuration positioned in such a way that a pointed portion of the pins (25) engages firstly the guides (15) during a closing of the movable part (20).

14. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a pin (25) and a respective guide (15) for each first magnetic means (14) and second magnetic means (24), the pin (25) and the guide (15) being associated with the first and second magnetic means (14, 24) and located in the vicinity of the first and second magnetic means (14, 24).

15. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixed part (10) has a rectangular or preferably square plan shape, the movable part (20) being hinged at one side of the fixed part (10), the first or second magnetic means (14, 24) and the guides (15) and/or pins (25) being positioned along the other sides of the fixed part (10).

16. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one hinge (5) connecting between the fixed part (10) and the movable part (20) and closing means (6), preferably comprising a lock, facing the hinge (5) to allow a reversible locking of the moveable part (20) in the closed configuration.

17. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the movable part (20) is hinged at a lower portion of the fixed part (10), in such a way that the movable part (20) in the open configuration is positioned lower than the movable part (20) in the closed configuration.

18. The recharging device (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electric module (30) comprises a safety circuit electrically connected to at least a first magnetic means (14) and a respective second magnetic means (24), associated with the first magnetic means (14), in such a way that a physical contact between the first magnetic means (14) and second magnetic means (24) causes a closure of the safety circuit and a physical separation between the first magnetic means (14) and second magnetic means (24) causes an opening of the safety circuit, the electric module (30) being configured to detect the closing and opening of the safety circuit.