IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,459,394
Granted Patent B2
US 12,459,394 · App. 17/725,489 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Electrical vehicle charging system for preventing of simultaneous closing of outlet contactors

Inventors: Gertjan Koolen (Eindhoven, NL); Jim Van-Der-Heijden (Eindhoven, NL)
Assignee: ABB E-Mobility B.V.
B60L53/67B60L53/14B60L53/60G01R19/0092H02H7/20H02J1/102
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,459,394
App. No.
17/725,489
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for electrical vehicle charging includes a plurality of outlets, at least one parallelization switch, a guarding wire running in parallel along a DC path formed by outlet switches and at least one parallelization switch and comprising a plurality of outlet guarding switches, a plurality of current sensors, a plurality of voltage sources and at least one parallelization guarding switch, and a control device connected to the current sensors. Each voltage source, current sensor and outlet guarding switch is associated to each one outlet. Each outlet guarding switch is associated to one outlet switch. The control device is configured for opening at least one of the outlet switches and/or the at least one parallelization switch when at least one of the current sensors measures a current greater than zero.

Claims (35)

1 . An electrical vehicle charging system, comprising:

a plurality of power stages, each configured for providing electrical energy to charge an electrical vehicle,

a plurality of outlets, each comprising an outlet switch configured for connecting the electrical vehicle to a respective power stage from the plurality of power stages for charging the electrical vehicle,

at least one parallelization switch configured for connecting at least two power stages of the plurality of power stages in parallel,

a guarding wire running in parallel along a direct current (DC) path formed by the outlet switches and the at least one parallelization switch and comprising a plurality of outlet guarding switches, a plurality of current sensors, a plurality of voltage sources and at least one parallelization guarding switch, and

a control device connected to the current sensors,

wherein each one voltage source, each one current sensor and each one outlet guarding switch is associated to each one outlet,

wherein each one outlet guarding switch is associated to each one outlet switch such that switching the outlet switch switches the outlet guarding switch,

wherein the at least one parallelization guarding switch is associated to the at least one parallelization switch such that switching the parallelization switch switches the parallelization guarding switch,

wherein each one voltage source is configured for feeding the guarding wire and thereby the respective current sensor and the respective outlet guarding switch, and

wherein the control device is configured for opening at least one of the outlet switches and/or the at least one parallelization switch when at least one of the current sensors measures a current greater than zero.

2 . The electrical vehicle charging system of claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured for opening all outlet switches and the at least one parallelization switch when at least one of the current sensors measures a current greater than zero.

3 . The electrical vehicle charging system of claim 1 , wherein the voltage sources are configured for feeding the guarding wire with a unique voltage, a unique frequency, a random number generator and/or an unique duty cycle for each outlet.

4 . The electrical vehicle charging system according to claim 3 , wherein the voltage sources are configurable in regard to the unique voltage, the unique frequency and/or the unique duty cycle.

5 . The electrical vehicle charging system according to claim 1 , wherein at least the voltage sources are provided at the outlets.

6 . The electrical vehicle charging system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is configured for closing at least one of the outlet switches and/or the at least one parallelization switch after a pre-defined timespan.

7 . The electrical vehicle charging system of claim 1 , wherein the current sensors each comprises a filter element and/or a qualifier element.

8 . The electrical vehicle charging system according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one current sensor comprises a filter element, and wherein the timespan is greater than a time constant of the filer element.

9 . The electrical vehicle charging system according to claim 1 , wherein each one outlet guarding switch is associated to each one outlet switch via an auxiliary contact and/or a coil of the outlet switch and/or the at least one parallelization guarding switch is associated to the at least one parallelization switch via an auxiliary contact and/or a coil of the parallelization switch.

10 . The electrical vehicle charging system according to claim 1 , wherein each power stage comprises a respective converter.

11 . A method for guarding an electrical vehicle charging system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of power stages, each configured for providing electrical energy to charge an electrical vehicle,

providing a plurality of outlets, each comprising an outlet switch configured for connecting the electrical vehicle to the respective power stage for charging the electrical vehicle,

providing at least one parallelization switch configured for connecting at least two power stages in parallel, and

providing a guarding wire running in parallel along a direct current (DC) path formed by the outlet switches and the at least one parallelization switch and comprising a plurality of outlet guarding switches, a plurality of current sensors, a plurality of voltage sources and at least one parallelization guarding switch,

wherein each one voltage source, each one current sensor and each one outlet guarding switch is associated to each one outlet,

wherein each one outlet guarding switch is associated to each one outlet switch such that switching the outlet switch switches the outlet guarding switch, and

wherein the at least one parallelization guarding switch is associated to the at least one parallelization switch such that switching the parallelization switch switches the parallelization guarding switch,

wherein the method comprises the steps of:

feeding the guarding wire and thereby the respective current sensor and the respective outlet guarding switch by the plurality of voltage sources, and

opening at least one of the outlet switches and/or the at least one parallelization switch when at least one of the current sensors measures a current greater than zero.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising opening all outlet switches and the at least one parallelization switch when at least one of the current sensors measures a current greater than zero.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising feeding the guarding wire with a unique voltage, a unique frequency and/or a unique duty cycle for each outlet.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising configuring the voltage sources in regard to the unique voltage, the unique frequency and/or the unique duty cycle.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising closing at least one of the outlet switches and/or the at least one parallelization switch after a pre-defined timespan.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2022
From: KOOLEN, GERTJAN; VAN-DER-HEIJDEN, JIM
To: ABB E-MOBILITY B.V.
Reel/Frame 059656/0714 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 19204597 · Oct 22, 2019 · regional
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2020079736 · Oct 22, 2020
Related Publication 20220242269A1 · Aug 4, 2022
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