Electric vehicle charging handle, light pipe therefor, and associated light visibility enhancing method

• US 10,355,427 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2019
• Issued: 07/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Xianzhen, Du, Lili, Zhang, Haidong, Yang, Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): Breval, Elmito
• Application Number:
  US16/269,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20190173241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 159 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/22 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings, e.g. dichroic reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7172 Conduits for light transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A light pipe is for an EV charging handle. The EV charging handle includes a housing having a thru hole, and a light source coupled to the housing. The light pipe includes a body structured to be coupled to the light source in order to transmit light from the light source through the thru hole of the housing, the body having a first side portion having a first interior surface having a first surface roughness, and a second side portion extending from the first side portion, the second side portion having a second interior surface having a second surface roughness greater than the first surface roughness in order to increase a visibility range with which the light is transmitted through the thru hole of the housing.

Claims

1. A method of enhancing light visibility comprising the steps of:

providing a housing having a thru hole;

providing a light source coupled to said housing;

providing a light pipe comprising a body coupled to said light source, said body comprising a first side portion having a first interior surface having a first surface roughness, and a second side portion extending from said first side portion, said second side portion having a second interior surface having a second surface roughness greater than the first surface roughness;

energizing said light source in order to transmit light;

reflecting the light off of the first interior surface; and

reflecting the light off of the second interior surface in order to increase a visibility range with which the light is transmitted through the thru hole of said housing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of reflecting the light off of the first interior surface further comprises specular reflection.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of reflecting the light off of the second interior surface further comprises diffuse reflection.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first interior surface and the second interior surface each have a centrally disposed plane and a plurality of peak portions each spaced a distance from the centrally disposed plane;

and wherein the average of the distances of the peak portions from the centrally disposed plane of the first interior surface is less than 0.8 micrometers; and

wherein the average of the distances of the peak portions from the centrally disposed plane of the second interior surface is greater than 0.8 micrometers.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first interior surface and the second interior surface each have a centrally disposed plane and a plurality of peak portions each spaced a distance from the centrally disposed plane;

and wherein the average of the distances of the peak portions from the centrally disposed plane of the first interior surface is less than 0.8 micrometers.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the average of the distances of the peak portions from the centrally disposed plane of the second interior surface is greater than 0.8 micrometers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the second side portion is disposed perpendicular to the first side portion.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said body further comprises a third side portion extending from and being disposed perpendicular to said second side portion;

and wherein said third side portion has a third interior surface having a third surface roughness less than the second surface roughness.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said body is a unitary component made from a single piece of material.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second surface roughness is greater than the first surface roughness in order to increase the visibility range with which the light is transmitted through the thru hole of said housing when the light is viewed from a relative observation point external said housing.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said housing has an edge portion defining the thru hole;

and wherein said light pipe generally extends from said light source to the edge portion.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said light pipe is disposed internal with respect to said housing.