Electrified vehicle and charging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10889193-B2
Application number	US-201816217811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2018
Priority date	Dec 12, 2018
Publication date	Jan 12, 2021
Grant date	Jan 12, 2021

Abstract

An electrically-propelled vehicle includes a traction battery and a conductive charging pad disposed beneath the vehicle and electrically coupled to the battery. The charging pad is configured to transfer power from at least one contact extension disposed at a charge station to charge the battery. A height from ground of the charging pad is configured to cause electrical engagement of the contact extension as a result of the vehicle entering a parking space proximate the charge station.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrically-propelled vehicle comprising:
a traction battery; and
a conductive charging pad disposed beneath the vehicle and electrically coupled to the battery to transfer power from at least one contact extension disposed at a charge station, wherein a height from ground of the charging pad is configured to cause electrical engagement of the contact extension as a result of the vehicle entering a parking space proximate the charge station, and wherein the at least one contact extension includes a cap portion arranged to hinge to an open position when engaged with the charging pad to expose a conductive tip of the contact extension that passes electrical charge.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the height from ground of the charging pad is less than an extension height of the at least one contact extension, and the contact extension includes a flexible portion adapted to deflect during engagement with the charging pad.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an articulable cover disposed about the charging pad wherein the articulable cover is urged to an open position exposing the charge pad as a result of the vehicle entering the parking space proximate the charge station.

4. The vehicle of claim 3 wherein the at least one contact extension includes an engagement feature configured to force the articulable cover toward the open position as the vehicle converges upon the charge station.

5. The vehicle of claim 3 further comprising a charging interface module programmed to issue a command to move the articulable cover toward the open position in response to the vehicle converging to within a predetermined proximity to the charge station.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising a charging interface module programmed to detect a vehicle proximity to the charge station and in response to the vehicle proximity less than a predetermined distance while a battery state of charge is less than a charge threshold, issue a charge initiation request to the charge station.

7. The vehicle of claim 6 wherein the charging interface module is further programmed to issue a signal to request an amount of power desired to be supplied by the charge station.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the charging pad includes a plurality of grooves each configured to receive a conductive tip of at least one contact extension for passing charge to the traction battery.

9. A charging station for an electrified vehicle comprising:
a power inlet;
a frame configured to secure to a parking barrier; and
a plurality of contact extensions protruding from the frame and electrically coupled to the power inlet, wherein each of the contact extensions is flexible and adapted to deflect in response to engagement with a charging pad disposed on an underside of the electrified vehicle, wherein at least one of the contact extensions includes a cap portion arranged to hinge to an open position when engaged with the charging pad to expose a conductive tip of the contact extension that passes electrical charge.

10. The charging station of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of contact extensions includes a protective cover arranged to articulate to an open position when engaged with the charging pad to expose a conductive tip of the contact extension that passes electrical charge to the electrified vehicle.

11. The charging station of claim 9 further comprising a stationary pusher element configured to press against an articulable cover of the charging pad when the electrified vehicle converges upon the charging station thereby urging the articulable cover towards an open position to expose the charging pad.

12. The charging station of claim 11 further comprising a connecting portion extending between the stationary pusher element and the frame, wherein the connecting portion extends beneath the parking barrier such that a weight of the parking barrier secures the charging station.

13. The charging station of claim 9 further comprising a charge controller programmed to monitor a motive state of the electrified vehicle, and in response to a detection of a change from stationary motive state to a drive-enabled motive state, terminate an active charge procedure.

14. A vehicle comprising:
a propulsion system powered by a traction battery;
a conductive charging pad electrically coupled to the battery; and
a controller programmed to
detect a proximity of the vehicle to a charge station, and
in response to detecting electrical contact between the charging pad and a contact extension of the charging station, issue a request to initiate a charge procedure,

wherein electrical contact is caused as a result of the vehicle entering a parking space proximate the charge station, and wherein the charging pad includes a plurality of grooves configured to receive a conductive tip of the contact extension for passing charge to the traction battery.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 further comprising an articulable cover disposed about the charging pad wherein the articulable cover is urged to an open position exposing the charge pad as a result of the vehicle entering the parking space proximate the charge station.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the contact extension includes an engagement feature configured to force the articulable cover toward the open position as the vehicle converges upon the charge station.

17. The vehicle of claim 15 wherein the controller is further programmed to issue a command to move the articulable cover toward the open position in response to the proximity of the vehicle to the charge station being less than a threshold.

18. The vehicle of claim 14 wherein a height from ground of the charging pad is less than an extension height of the contact extension, and the contact extension includes a flexible portion adapted to deflect during contact with the charging pad.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Westfall Christopher Robert
• Munukur Rathi Kannan
• Bell Christopher W
• Gibeau John Paul

Classifications

• H02J2105/37

  exchanging power with electric vehicles [EV] or with hybrid electric vehicles [HEV] · CPC title

• Y02T90/16

  Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60L53/60

  Monitoring or controlling charging stations · CPC title

• H02J7/342

  The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging (with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/68) · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title