Mechanism for locking and fault detection in the electrical vehicle supply equipment cord reel

• US 10,358,044 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2018
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Konnectronix Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Konnectronix Incorporated
• Inventors: Veiga, Peter, Unetich, Richard, Ray, Frank, Alford, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Kik, Phallaka
• Application Number:
  US15/979,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20180257497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 320109, 320104, 320105, 180313, 180 651, 191 122 R, 191 124, 191 122 A
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 49/06 adapted for multi-purpose use
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/44 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

An electric vehicle charging assembly includes a cord reel, a cord reel locking mechanism, and a master control unit for selectively unlocking the cord reel in response to an authorization signal. The electric vehicle charging assembly monitors the rotational position of the cord reel to prevent unauthorized use, and to record or relay information related to the improper use or malfunction of the electric vehicle charging assembly.

Claims

1. A remote vehicle charging system comprising:

a) a cord reel assembly for selectively providing an electrical cord to facilitate the extension of a vehicle connector;

b) An authorizing device for supplying an authorization signal so as to unlock the cord reel; and

c) a solenoid connected to the cord reel and electrically connected to the authorizing device to prevent the rotation of the cord reel in the absence of an authorization signal; and

d) a control circuit operatively connected to the authorization device and the solenoid for automatically preventing charging through the remote vehicle charging system in the event of a fault event or in the absence of an authorization signal.

2. The remote vehicle charging system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is housed within the remote vehicle charging system for electrically connecting the solenoid with the authorizing device.

3. The remote vehicle charging system of claim 2, wherein the control circuit is a master control unit.

4. The remote vehicle charging system of claim 1 wherein the authorizing device is housed within the remote vehicle charging system.

5. A remote vehicle charging system comprising:

a) a cord reel for selectively providing an electrical cord to facilitate the extension of a vehicle connector;

b) an authorizing device for supplying an authorization signal so as to unlock the cord reel;

c) a control circuit operatively connected to the authorizing device and the solenoid for automatically preventing charging through the remote vehicle charging system in the event of a fault event; and

d) a self-test circuit connected to the control circuit for restarting charging through the remote vehicle charging system upon the automatic detection of a valid electrical connection.

6. The remote vehicle charging system of claim 5, wherein the self-test circuit tests for the presence of a valid electrical connection at a preselected time interval after the connection of a vehicle connector.

7. The remote vehicle charging system of claim 5, wherein the self-test circuit tests for the presence of a valid electrical connection upon reconnection of a vehicle connector.