FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the charging technology of an electric vehicle (EV), and more particularly to a charging pole for the EV and a detecting method thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the sharp increase of gasoline price, more and more attention is attracted to clean energy, especially to the electric vehicle. A charging station is similar to the gasoline station for the automobile, which supplies electrical power for the electric vehicle. Generally speaking, 2 kinds of charging solutions for the electric vehicle are provided, one is to build the charging pole and offer alternative current (AC) or direct current (DC); the other one is to build a cell-replaced station which offers a charged cell to replace the nearly exhausted cell.

At present, the AC charging mode need a longer time to complete charging than the DC mode. For example, AC mode will spend 5-8 hours, and customers can perform the self-help charging on a charging pole at home, in office's park or some public facilities' parks. The DC mode known as a rapid charging, just need less than 3 hours to charge the EV, even near to 18 minutes according to some type cell. As to the cell-replaced station, things will become more complicatedly due to different kinds of cells for EV. As we all know, various EV manufactures provide different cells based on their own standards. So the cell-replaced station shall be able to offer different brand cells for corresponding EVs, what's more, the customers will worry about the quality and duration of the replaced cell; so do the station providers. Fig.1 illustrates the structure of the charging pole according to the prior arts.

The charging poles can be set up beside the indoor parks or outdoor parks, as well as in the professional EV charging station. Take the Fig.1 as an example; such charging pole 100 mainly contains a main switch 102, a contactor 104 and a charging coupler 106, which are connected by the cable in series.

For the AC charging pole, the cable mainly contains L representing the live line, N representing the zero line, and PE representing the ground line. In the embodiment, the skilled in the art know that the cable also contains some other lines, such as communication lines for sending and receiving signals. The charging pole is connected to the electrical power by the cable (L, N, PE), and offers power to the EV when the main switch is on and the plug of EV goes through the coupler and contacts with the contactors. Usually the charging poles are set up nearby the street or beside the park, so customers can easily access to the charging pole and conveniently charge their EVs. When they move their EVs towards the charging pole, they shall stop their EVs nearby for electricity; maybe it's possible to collide with the charging pole by some drivers' mis-operation, even crack the charging pole down and break the power cable. The worst things will be to damage its protection cover and expose the power cable in some conditions such as traffic accidents or construction accidents. The electrical component will be exposed and contactable, and the charging pole will be dangerous to the customers or operators as well as children. Consequently, it becomes an urgent issue to provide a safe charging pole as well as a detecting method for the charging pole, offer a convenient method to make charging procedure under control, reduce the occurrence of electric shock incident, and make sure operation is safe when they perform self-help charging for their EVs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to overcome above mentioned shortcomings of prior arts, and provide a charging pole and a detecting method thereof. By means of a sensor, a safe charging pole and a detecting method thereof are provided.

An object of the present invention is to supply a locking device and a switch with the locking device, by which the mis-operation on the locked switch can be avoided. According to an aspect of the present invention, a charging pole is provided. The charging pole comprises at least one sensor configured to detect the acceleration of the charging pole due to a transient outside force; and the charging pole will be power-off when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the charging pole further comprise a main contactor, a main switch, a charging coupler and a control unit; in which the control unit will instruct the main contactor to break the power contact when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the sensor is an acceleration transducer.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is configured to detect the tilt angle of the charging pole; and the charging pole will be power-off when the angle is beyond a preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the charging pole further comprise a main contactor, a main switch, a charging coupler and a control unit; in which the control unit will instruct the main contactor to break off the power contact when the angle is beyond a preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is a detector for the angle of inclination. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the charging pole further comprises at least another sensor which is configured to detect the tilt angle of the charging pole; and the charging pole will be power-off when the angle is beyond another preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the charging pole further comprise a main contactor, a main switch, a charging coupler and a control unit; in which the control unit will instruct the main contactor to break the power contact when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold or the angle is beyond a preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the charging pole further comprise a main contactor, a main switch, a charging coupler and a control unit; in which the control unit will instruct the main contactor to break the power contact when the angle is not beyond a preset threshold and the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the charging pole further comprises a secondary contactor, which is also controlled by the control unit, and configured to offer auxiliary protection of breaking power when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold or the angle is beyond a preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the charging pole can be connected with a computer which is configured to monitor the operation status of the charging pole.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control unit is connected to the computer.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a detecting method for a charging pole is provided. The method comprises the charging pole will be power-off when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold or the angle is beyond a preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises: detecting the acceleration or tilt angle of the charging pole; submitting the information to the control unit; and instructing the main contactor to break power contact when the acceleration or tilt angle is beyond corresponding threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises instructing the main contactor to break the power contact when the angle is not beyond a preset threshold and the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises offering auxiliary protection of breaking power by the secondary contactor when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold or the angle is beyond a preset threshold.

The charging pole for EVs and a detecting method thereof are provided in the present invention, which contains at least one sensor to detect the acceleration or the tilt angle of the charging pole; once the detecting result is beyond the corresponding preset threshold, the charging pole will be power-off, consequently the charging pole with the sensor will protect customers from being electrical shocked. What's more, it's convenient to remote monitor the status of many charging poles and real-time maintain such charging poles by the charging station.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter of the invention will be explained in more details in the following description with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig.1 illustrates the structure of the charging pole according to the prior arts;

Fig.2 illustrates the block diagram of the charging pole according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig.3 illustrates the block diagram of the charging pole according to another embodiment of the present invention; Fig.4 illustrates the block diagram of the charging pole according to another embodiment of the present invention;

Fig.5 illustrates the flow chart of the detecting method for the charging pole according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The subject matter of the invention will be explained in more details with reference to the figures, in which illustrate the preferred exemplary embodiments. Fig.2 illustrates the structure of the charging pole according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In order to protect customers from danger (for example electric shock), the charging pole comprises at least one sensor which is used to detect the acceleration of the charging pole due to a transient outside force, for example collision caused by the EV driver's mis-operation; and the charging pole will be power-off when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold. In particular, the sensor is an acceleration transducer made from semiconductor.

As shown in Fig.2, the charging pole 200 comprises a main switch 202, a main contactor 204, a charging coupler 206, a sensor 208 and a control unit 210; in which the main switch 202, the main contactor 204 and the charging coupler 206 are connected by cable or lines in series; the sensor 208 and the control unit 210 are electrically linked to the lines between the main switch 202 and the charging coupler 206; moreover, the sensor 208, the control unit 210 and the main contactor 204 can be communicated each other by means of the signal wires (the bold ones shown in Fig.2). When the sensor 208 ( for example, a acceleration transducer) has detected a transient outside force imposed on the charging pole, what's more the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold (for example the acceleration is bigger than 5 m/s ² or more); the control unit 210 will instruct the main contactor 204 to break the power contact of the charging coupler 206.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the sensor is configured to detect the tilt angle of the charging pole; and the charging pole will be power-off when the angle is beyond a preset threshold. For instance, the sensor is a detector for the angle of inclination. When the sensor (a tilt detector) has detected the inclination of charging pole, what's more the tilt angle is beyond a preset threshold (for example the angle threshold is bigger than 5 degree or more according to the actual condition); the control unit will instruct the main contactor to break the power contact when the angle is beyond the preset threshold.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the charging pole further comprises at least two sensors, one of which is configured to detect the tilt angle of the charging pole, and the other of which is configured to detect the acceleration of the charging pole due to a transient outside force. Once the tilt angle or the acceleration is beyond the corresponding threshold, the charging pole will be power-off.

In some specific condition, the control unit will instruct the main contactor to break the power contact when the angle is not beyond a preset threshold and the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold.

Fig.3 illustrates the structure of the charging pole according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig.3, the charging pole 300 further comprises a secondary contactor 305 besides the main switch 302, a main contactor 304, a charging coupler 306, a sensor 308 and a control unit 310, which are similar to the corresponding ones in Fig.2.

The secondary contactor 305 is also controlled by the control unit 310, and configured to offer an auxiliary protection of breaking power when the acceleration or the tilt angle measured by sensor 308 is beyond the corresponding preset threshold.

Fig.4 illustrates the block diagram of the charging pole according to an embodiment of the present invention. The charging pole can be connected with a computer which is configured to monitor the operation status of the charging pole. The skilled in arts will know many charging pole can be linked to a central computer, and the administrator can conveniently monitor the charging poles' status by means of remote monitor. If some charging poles are broken down or cracked down, the provider of the charging station can maintain the charging pole more efficiently.

As shown in Fig.4, the charging pole 400 is similar to the one shown in Fig.3, and the control unit 410 of the charging pole 400 is connected to the computer 411 .

Fig.5 illustrates the flow chart of the detecting method for the charging pole according to an embodiment of the present invention. A detecting method for a charging pole comprises the charging pole will be power-off when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold or the angle is beyond a preset threshold.

As shown in Fig.5, the method 500 mainly comprises the following steps: Step 502, detecting the acceleration or tilt angle of a charging pole. As mentioned previously, in order to protect customers from danger (for example electric shock), the charging pole comprises at least one sensor which is used to detect the acceleration or/and tilt angle of a charging pole due to a transient outside force or some accident; and the charging pole will be power-off if the acceleration or/and tilt angle is beyond the corresponding preset threshold.

Step 504, submitting the information to the control unit. The sensors detect. The sensors of the charging pole transmit the information such as acceleration or/and angle of inclination to the control unit.

Step 506, comparing the acceleration or/and angle of inclination with the corresponding preset threshold. If the acceleration or/and angle of inclination is beyond the preset threshold, go to perform Step 508, otherwise go to Step 510.

Step 508, instructing the main contactor to break power contact when the acceleration or tilt angle is beyond corresponding threshold.

Step 510, maintaining the normal function of the charging pole if no acceleration or tilt angle is bigger than the preset threshold. That's to say, the functions of charging pole is normal and ready to offer power to the EVs. And then go to recycle Step 502, the sensor of the charging pole continues to detect the acceleration or tilt angle.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the detecting method further comprises instructing the main contactor to break the power contact when the angle is not beyond a preset threshold and the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold. In this embodiment, the skilled persons pay more focus on the transient force on the charging pole. The skilled in the arts know that the detecting method also can be modified to keep the main contactor contacted with the power when the angle is not beyond a preset threshold and the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold, for example the collision between the EV and a charging pole lasts a very short time, no outstanding inclination occurs and the powered components are normal as usual. That means the inclination of the charging pole is paid more attention to.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the detecting method further comprises offering auxiliary protection of breaking power by the secondary contactor when the acceleration is beyond a preset threshold or the angle is beyond a preset threshold.

Referring to the description of the exemplary embodiments, those skilled in the arts appreciate the advantages of the present invention:

1 , According to the charging pole for EVs and a detecting method thereof provided in the present invention, the charging pole contains at least one sensor to detect the acceleration or the tilt angle of the charging pole; once the detecting result is beyond the corresponding preset threshold, the charging pole will be power-off, consequently the charging pole with the sensor will protect customers from being electrical shocked.

2, According to the charging pole for EVs and a detecting method thereof provided in the present invention, the charging pole contains at least two sensors, one used to detect the acceleration and the other used to detect the tilt angle of the charging pole; whenever the tilt angle is beyond the preset threshold, even the acceleration is under a preset threshold, the charging pole should be power-off, consequently the charging pole with the sensors will protect customers from being electrical shocked in some specific accidents.

3, According to the charging pole for EVs and a detecting method thereof provided in the present invention, it's convenient for the charging station provider to remote monitor the status of many charging poles and real-time maintain such charging poles.

It will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention is not limited by above embodiments, and the scope described by the claims shall prevail. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that those embodiments should by no means limit the scope of the present invention. Without departing from the spirit and concept of the present invention, any variations and modifications to the embodiments should be within the apprehension of those with ordinary knowledge and skills in the art, and therefore the scope of the present invention includes all the variations similar to the solutions defined in the claims.