A control system 400 controls the opening of a vehicle charge port cover 200, or a vehicle fuel tank cover, and includes one or more controllers. The controller receives status data indicative of a current operational status of the vehicle. The status signal may relate to one of: ignition, gear selector, parking brake, driver seat sensor, vehicle speed, vehicle door opening or vehicle door lock. The controller determines a parking status of the vehicle in dependence on the status data, and outputs a cover opening signal to instruct the cover to be opened in dependence on the parking status. An actuator 300 opens the cover upon receiving a cover opening signal from the control system. The controller may output the cover opening signal in dependence on a received signal, indicative of a current location of the vehicle. The controller may output the cover opening signal in dependence on route planning information received from a vehicle navigation system. The controller may output a signal to instruct the cover to be closed in dependence on a connection signal, output from the control system, when a connector sensor 210 detects a presence of a charging connector in a charge port, or a fuel nozzle in a fuel tank, of the vehicle. The controller may output the cover closing signal in dependence on a cover status period signal, provided by a timer 450, and indicative of a time period that has lapsed since outputting the cover opening signal.
AUTOMATED CHARGE PORT OR FUEL TANK COVER
AUTOMATISIERTER LADEANSCHLUSS ODER KRAFTSTOFFTANKDECKEL
PORT DE CHARGE AUTOMATISÉ OU COUVERCLE DE RÉSERVOIR DE CARBURANT
2023-08-02
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
European Patent Office | 2018
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