The present invention relates to a vehicle for distributed electric charging of electric car batteries and a related management system.

Background Art

In the light of the ever increasing diffusion of electric and hybrid vehicles, the use of charging stations comprising one or more special columns of different types, shapes and sizes for electric charging of electric car batteries is well known.

In particular, the continuous expansion of the electric vehicle market implies an ever increasing need for public access charging stations capable of supporting a fast charging system, with voltages, and above all powers, much higher than those provided by a home electrical system.

Most charging stations are composed of fixed infrastructures, connected to the national power supply mains, on the road or in specially equipped areas, provided by companies producing electricity or distributing electricity services. However, the distribution of electric charging stations is not yet uniform and widespread throughout the territory, sometimes considerably limiting the possibility of moving by means of the electric vehicles.

In addition, generally long charging times, together with a small number of columns, generally result in long waiting times.

In order to overcome these drawbacks, the use of movable charging means is known, which can be used for charging on demand and according to the specific needs of the user.

Typically, such movable charging means consist of vans equipped with pre charged batteries that can be connected to an electric vehicle to charge it. However, such solutions of known type do have clear limitations.

In particular, the transported batteries must be regularly charged and be subject to stringent transport and movement rules. Therefore, the movable charging means themselves require a fixed charging network, i.e. dedicated fixed charging stations, with all the resulting drawbacks in terms of logistics and organization of vehicle charging.

In addition, the use of batteries involves considerable weight and dimensions, limiting the amount of energy that can be delivered by a vehicle that must necessarily maintain small size to move effectively within different contexts and with different traffic conditions.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to devise a vehicle for distributed electric charging that can deliver high amounts of energy, in a short time, while maintaining small size and weight.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a related management system for distributed electric charging effectively throughout the territory.

The above objects are achieved by the present vehicle for distributed electric charging according to claim 1.

The above objects are further achieved by the management system for distributed electric charging according to claim 11.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a vehicle for distributed electric charging and of a related management system, illustrated by way of an indicative, yet non-limiting example, in the accompanying table of drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a general diagram illustrating the vehicle according to the invention. Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to this figure, reference numeral 1 globally indicates a possible embodiment of the vehicle for distributed electric charging according to the invention.

The vehicle 1, with reference to the general structure, may comprise a conventional van provided with a dedicated rear transport housing structure 2. The vehicle 1 is characterized by the fact that it comprises the following combination of technical features:

- at least one reservoir 3 of natural gas, whether in gaseous or liquefied (LNG) form;

- at least one endothermic engine 4 connected to the reservoir 3 and supplied by means of natural gas;

- at least one current generator 5 operationally connected to the endothermic engine 4, and

- at least one supercapacitor 6 for the storage of electric charge generated by the generator 5.

In addition, the vehicle 1 comprises an electronic charging unit 7 operationally connected to the supercapacitor 6 and to the generator 5 and configured to charge the battery of an electric vehicle to be charged.

The electronic charging unit 7 is provided with electrical connection means 8 connectable to the electric vehicle to be charged.

The particular combination of features described above achieves considerable technical advantages.

In particular, the use of the endothermic engine 4 supplied by a natural gas reservoir 3, in combination with the use of the supercapacitor 6 for the storage of the generated electrical charge that can then be used for charging electric vehicles, allows high amounts of energy to be generated and stored in a considerably small volume.

Therefore, the vehicle 1 can be effectively used for fast charging of electric vehicles, while maintaining a size which is small enough to allow effective displacement within different urban and suburban contexts and with different traffic conditions.

In addition, the charge of the supercapacitor 6 occurs and is maintained by means of the endothermic engine 4 and the generator 5.

Therefore, the vehicle 1 does not require stops for charging and can be used to perform multiple fast charge services consecutively on different electric vehicles.

Advantageously, according to a preferred embodiment, the reservoir 3 of natural gas is a reservoir of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

In particular, the use of liquefied natural gas allows the storage and transport of significant amounts of energy inside a reservoir 3 of considerably smaller size than the solutions of known type.

Advantageously, the electrical connection means 8 comprise at least one connector of the fast charge type.

According to a preferred embodiment, shown in the figure, the electrical connection means 8 comprise two fast charge connectors, 800 V and 400 V respectively.

Different solutions cannot however be ruled out wherein the electrical connection means are in different numbers and of different types.

For example, the electrical connection means may comprise one or more AC charging connectors.

In general, the electrical connection means that can be used on the vehicle 1 according to the invention are in accordance with current international standards that can already be used on fixed charging stations.

For example, connections of the J1772 (Type 1), Mennekes (Type 2), GB/T type can be used for AC charging, while connections of the CCS1, CHAdeMO, CCS2, GB/T type can be used for DC charging.

As far as DC charging is concerned, the vehicle 1 according to the invention is capable of managing both fast-charge and super fast-charge.

Still according to a preferred embodiment, the vehicle 1 is provided with an energy recovery system 9 under braking which is operationally connected to the supercapacitor 6.

This allows for an increase in the range of the vehicle 1 in terms of available energy for charging, while at the same time significantly reducing the consumption of natural gas stored inside the reservoir 3.

Preferably, the vehicle 1 comprises a liquid cooling system of the electronic charging unit, typically shared with the cooling system of the thermal motor and of the electric generator.

The housing structure 2 of the vehicle 1 preferably comprises at least one housing structure of the reservoir 3 of natural gas, the endothermic engine 4, the generator 5, the supercapacitor 6 and the electronic charging unit 7.

In addition, the subdivision of the housing structure 2 into multiple dedicated and modular supporting structures cannot be ruled out.

Conveniently, the vehicle 1 may comprise soundproofing means, either passive or active or both, of the housing structure 2. For example, such soundproofing means may comprise an acoustic generator in counter-phase to the noise generated by the endothermic engine 4, so as to cancel out noise itself.

Further, the vehicle 1 is provided with at least one propulsion engine 10 selected from: an electric motor, an endothermic engine connected to the natural gas reservoir 3, an endothermic engine connected to an auxiliary fuel reservoir (such as a natural gas reservoir).

Advantageously, the reservoir of the vehicle 1 itself can be connected to the endothermic engine 4 and used as an auxiliary reservoir for charging. Advantageously, the vehicle 1 comprises at least one telematic unit 11 for the communication with at least one remote management and control unit 12. Furthermore, the vehicle 1 comprises at least one position detection unit 13 which is operationally connected to the telematic unit 11.

In addition, the vehicle 1 comprises at least one charge detection unit of the supercapacitor operationally connected to the telematic unit 11.

This way, it is always possible to collect and monitor at the remote management and control unit 12 also the data related to the position and to the charging state of the vehicle 1.

A further aspect of the present invention relates to a management system for the distributed electric charging that can be employed to manage a plurality of vehicles 1.

In particular, the management system according to the invention comprises a plurality of vehicles 1, at least one central management and control unit 12 operationally connected to the telematic unit 11 of such vehicles 1 , a plurality of movable signaling devices 14 for sending charging requests to the central management and control unit. The movable signaling devices 14 may be composed, e.g., of smart-phones provided with a dedicated software application or with devices integrated into the electric vehicles to be charged or installable aftermarket.

The central management and control unit 12 is configured to carry out the following functions:

- detecting the position of the vehicles 1 determined by means of their respective position detection unit 13;

- detecting the charging requests coming from the movable signaling devices 14;

- managing the charging requests according to the position of the vehicles l;

- monitoring the energy supplied by the vehicles 1 during charging;

- invoicing the cost of the energy absorbed by the vehicle being charged. With reference to the monitoring of the energy supplied, the central management and control unit 12 can be configured to connect to the control unit of the electric vehicle to be charged to manage the charging phases depending on the type of mode used.

Conveniently, the vehicle 1 further comprises a management and control unit 15 operationally connected to the endothermic engine 4, the generator 5, the supercapacitor 6, the electronic charging unit 7 and the telematic unit 11 for the management of the entire charging system.

It has in practice been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects.

In particular, the use of an endothermic engine supplied by a natural gas reservoir, together with the use of a supercapacitor for the storage of the electrical charge generated and then usable to charge the electric vehicles, allows generating and storing high amounts of energy in a considerably reduced volume.

Therefore, the vehicle according to the invention can be effectively used for the fast charge of electric vehicles, while maintaining small dimensions such that it can be moved effectively within different urban and suburban contexts and with different traffic conditions.

In addition, the charge of the supercapacitor is maintained by means of the endothermic engine and the generator.

Therefore, the vehicle according to the invention does not require stops for charging and can be used to perform multiple charging services consecutively on different electric vehicles.