Method and Apparatus for Electric Powered Vehicle Recharging Safety
First Claim
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1. An apparatus comprising:
- a recharging inlet inside an electric powered vehicle (EPV);
a light source coupled to the inside wall of the EPV recharging inlet;
a light detector located within the EPV recharging inlet and positioned between the recharging inlet pins and the light source; and
a plurality of threads around the inside wall of the recharging inlet and positioned between the light source and the light detector,wherein the light detector is configured to detect light from the light source and/or external light,wherein the threads are configured to receive a housing cap that substantially blocks light from the light source and external light from reaching the light detector when the housing cap is properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet, andwherein the threads are configured to allow light from at least one of the light sources and external light to reach the light detector when the housing cap is not properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet.
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Abstract
An apparatus comprising a charging pin in a recharging inlet of an electric powered vehicle (EPV) recharging inlet, a ground pin in the recharging inlet and substantially parallel to the charging pin, a safety pin in the recharging inlet and substantially parallel to the charging pin and the ground pin, an electric power source coupled to the safety pin, and a control circuit coupled to the electric power source and the safety pin, wherein the length of the safety pin extended in the recharging inlet is substantially shorter than the length of the ground pin and longer than the length of the charging pin.
25 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a recharging inlet inside an electric powered vehicle (EPV); a light source coupled to the inside wall of the EPV recharging inlet; a light detector located within the EPV recharging inlet and positioned between the recharging inlet pins and the light source; and a plurality of threads around the inside wall of the recharging inlet and positioned between the light source and the light detector, wherein the light detector is configured to detect light from the light source and/or external light, wherein the threads are configured to receive a housing cap that substantially blocks light from the light source and external light from reaching the light detector when the housing cap is properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet, and wherein the threads are configured to allow light from at least one of the light sources and external light to reach the light detector when the housing cap is not properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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a charging pin in a recharging inlet of an electric powered vehicle (EPV) recharging inlet; a ground pin in the recharging inlet and substantially parallel to the charging pin; a safety pin in the recharging inlet and substantially parallel to the charging pin and the ground pin; an electric power source coupled to the safety pin; and a control circuit coupled to the electric power source and the safety pin, wherein the length of the safety pin extended in the recharging inlet is substantially shorter than the length of the ground pin and longer than the length of the charging pin. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electric powered vehicle (EPV) system component comprising:
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at least one processor coupled to a memory and configured to; receive a signal from a component in a recharging inlet; determine if the signal indicates that a housing cap is not properly mounted on the recharging inlet; and alert a driver if the signal indicates that the housing cap is not properly mounted on the recharging inlet. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification