Device for automatic positioning of a charge plug

1 : A device for automatic positioning of a charge plug, arranged on a movable arm of a ground station, into a socket of a vehicle unit of an electric vehicle arranged thereabove,

wherein a control unit is provided, which is designed and configured to control the movement of at least one of: the movable arm and the charge plug, and a sensor device communicating with the control unit for detecting the positioning of the charge plug relative to the socket is provided, wherein

the sensor device is designed and configured such that an alignment of the charge plug relative to the socket is detectable and the control unit is designed and configured to perform automatic positioning of the charge plug relative to the socket on the basis of the detected alignment.

2 : The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is a magnetic sensor device.

3 : The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the sensor device comprises at least two magnets and at least two Hall sensors, wherein the magnets and the Hall sensors are arranged such that a predefined position of the charge plug relative to the socket is detectable by means of the magnetic sensor device of a magnet-Hall sensor pair.

4 : The device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein precisely two magnets are arranged on the charge plug and precisely two Hall sensors are arranged on the socket.

5 : The device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the magnets are arranged at a first distance from one another and the Hall sensors are arranged at a second distance from one another.

6 : The device as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the magnets have an opposing polarity to one another, wherein the Hall sensors are bipolar, analog Hall sensors.

7 : The device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a ferromagnetic plate for amplifying the magnetic field is arranged behind each Hall sensor.

8 : The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the charge plug includes a circular head end, wherein the components of the magnetic sensor device, which are arranged on the charge plug, are arranged symmetrically to a center point or the pivot point of the charge plug.

9 : The device as claimed in claim 8 , wherein

the movable arm is movable within a predefined virtual range of motion, wherein the predefined virtual range of motion has a cross section of 300×300 mm.

10 : The device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein

the control device is designed and configured for processing signals of the magnetic sensor device.

11 : The device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein

at least one of: the ground station and the vehicle unit include communication devices for data transmission, wherein the data transmission preferably includes a wireless data transmission.

12 : A method for automatic positioning of a charge plug, arranged on a movable arm of a ground station, in a socket of a vehicle unit of an electric vehicle arranged thereabove, comprising the following steps:

detecting an alignment of the charge plug relative to the socket by means of a magnetic sensor device; and

automatically positioning the charge plug by means of a control unit on the basis of the detected alignment.

13 : The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein

the step of detecting comprises a step of moving the arm until sufficient magnet-Hall sensor pairs are detected by means of the magnetic sensor device to determine a unique position of the charge plug in relation to the socket, and wherein the step of automatic positioning comprises a step of moving the charge plug out of the unique position into the socket.

14 : The method as claimed in claim 13 , wherein the step of detecting comprises a step of calculating a function of motion, on the basis of a detected magnet-Hall sensor pair, wherein the function of motion preferably-includes a circular line.

15 : The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein two magnets having opposing polarity directions are arranged on the charge plug and two bipolar analog Hall sensors are arranged on the vehicle unit, comprising the following steps:

moving the arm until a first magnet-Hall sensor pair is detected,

calculating a circular line on the basis of the first magnet-Hall sensor pair

moving the arm along the circular line, until a second magnet-Hall sensor pair is detected,

determining the center point of the circular head end,

moving the arm until a third magnet-Hall sensor pair is detected,

determining an approach angle and calculating the position of a further magnet-Hall sensor pair,

moving the arm until the calculated position of the further magnet-Hall sensor pair is reached,

verifying the prior magnet-Hall sensor pairs,

moving the charge plug into a predefined plugging-in position and inserting the charge plug into the socket.

16 : A computer program product, comprising commands which, upon the execution of the program by a computing unit, prompt it to carry out the steps of:

detect an alignment of the charge plug relative to the socket by means of a magnetic sensor device; and

automatically position the charge plug by means of a control unit on the basis of the detected alignment.