US 11,691,529 B2
Systems and methods for automated electrical connector positioning for electric vehicle charging
Thomas A. Fuhlbrigge, Ellington, CT (US); Gregory A. Cole, West Hartford, CT (US); William J. Eakins, Coventry, CT (US); Stefan Rakuff, Windsor, CT (US); Harshang Shah, Bloomfield, CT (US); Sangeun Choi, Simbury, CT (US); and Martin Krucinski, Glastonbury, CT (US)
Assigned to ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed by ABB Schweiz AG, Baden (CH)
Filed on Sep. 23, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/579,342.
Prior Publication US 2021/0086641 A1, Mar. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. B60L 53/35 (2019.01); B60L 53/36 (2019.01); B60L 53/66 (2019.01); B60L 53/16 (2019.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); G05B 15/02 (2006.01)
CPC B60L 53/35 (2019.02) [B60L 53/16 (2019.02); B60L 53/36 (2019.02); B60L 53/66 (2019.02); H02J 7/0045 (2013.01); G05B 15/02 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An automatic charging device for an electric vehicle (EV), the device comprising:
a charger link having distal and proximal ends;
a charger-side electrical connector operably coupled to the charger link proximal the distal end thereof, the charger-side electrical connecter configured to mate with an EV-side electrical connector;
an actuator operably coupled to the charger link proximal the proximal end thereof for moving the charger link distal end toward the EV-side electrical connector;
at least one sensor for providing at least one signal representative of a position of the EV-side electrical connector in a charging environment;
a controller in communication with the actuator and the at least one sensor, the controller configured to:
determine, based on the at least one signal, receipt of the EV-side electrical connector to a charging zone of the charging environment; and
actuate, using the actuator, the charger-side electrical connector from an initial position outside of the charging zone to a final position inside of the charging zone, the final position corresponding to the charger-side electrical connector matingly engaged with the EV-side electrical connector; and
a memory configured to store operational data associated with performance by the controller of the determining receipt of the EV-side electrical connector and the actuating the charger-side electrical connector,
wherein the controller is further configured to analyze the operational data stored in the memory to determine, based on the stored operational data, whether or not an opportunity exists to optimize the performance by the controller of one or more of determining receipt of the EV-side electrical connector and actuating the charger-side electrical connector; and
if the opportunity exists, then:
updating calibration data for use in the performance by the controller of one or more of determining receipt of the EV-side electrical connector and actuating the charger-side electrical connector,
else:
labelling the stored operational data in the memory as a successful operational sequence.