MOUNTING SYSTEM FOR CHARGING EQUIPMENT

• US 20140145676A1
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Venkataraman, Ganesh, Legato, John, Harmin, Michelle, Thimma, Pradeep
• Granted Patent: US 9,325,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/40 related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• 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 surface-mountable electric vehicle charging station is disclosed. The charging station includes a housing, a first mounting member having a first coupling portion and a first locking portion, including a first locking aperture therethrough, and a second mounting member having a second coupling portion coupleable to the first coupling portion to prevent a movement of the housing in one of a first and a second direction. The second mounting member also includes a second locking portion with a latch surface. One of the mounting members is coupleable to the housing, and the other mounting member is coupleable to the mounting surface. A lock member is disposed in the first locking aperture, movable between a first disengaged position and a second engaged position. The lock member cooperates with the latch surface in the second engaged position, to prevent a movement of the housing in a third direction.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle charging station, mountable to a mounting surface, said charging station comprising:

a electric vehicle charging station housing;

a first mounting member comprising a first coupling portion and a first locking portion, said first locking portion defining a first locking aperture therethrough;

a second mounting member comprising a second coupling portion configured to be removably coupled to said first coupling portion and to thereby prevent a movement of said electric vehicle charging station housing in at least one of a first direction and a second direction, said second mounting member further comprising a second locking portion defining a latch surface thereon;

wherein one of said first and second mounting members is configured to be fixedly coupled to said housing, and the other of said first and second mounting members is configured to be fixedly coupled to the mounting surface; and

a lock member configured to be operatively disposed in said first locking aperture, comprising a moveable latching member arranged for movement relative to said latch surface between a first disengaged position and a second engaged position, said moveable latching member further arranged and disposed to cooperate with said latch surface when in said second engaged position, to operatively prevent a movement of said electric vehicle charging station housing in a third direction.

2. charging station of claim 1, wherein said first latching surface is further arranged and disposed, when in said first dis-engaged position, to allow the movement of said housing in at least one of the first and the second direction.

3. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said first and said second directions are generally opposite each other.

4. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said first mounting member further comprises a coupling aperture, sized and disposed to operatively receive the second locking portion therethrough.

5. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said second latching surface is oriented substantially orthogonal to said second mounting member.

6. The charging station of claim 1 wherein said one of said first and second mounting members is configured to be fixedly coupled to said housing using fasteners.

7. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said other of said first and second mounting members is configured to be fixedly coupled to the mounting surface using fasteners.

8. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said first mounting member further comprises a support member defined thereon sized and disposed to operatively cooperate with said housing to prevent a movement of said housing in said first direction.

9. The charging station of claim 8, wherein said second mounting member additionally comprises a support aperture defined therethrough sized and disposed to operatively receive said support member.

10. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said second mounting member further comprises a support member defined thereon sized and disposed to operatively cooperate with said housing to prevent a movement of said housing in said first direction.

11. The charging station of claim 10, wherein said first mounting member additionally comprises a support aperture defined therethrough sized and disposed to operatively receive said support member.

12. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said first mounting member defines at least one first coupling aperture defined therethrough, and the second mounting member comprises a corresponding at least one second coupling member defined thereon;

wherein said first coupling aperture is sized and disposed to operatively receive the second coupling member, to couple the first and second mounting members; and

wherein

said first coupling aperture and said second coupling member are arranged to cooperatively prevent a movement of the housing in at least one of the first direction and the second direction.

13. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said electric vehicle charging station housing defines a mounting portion thereon, operative to receive at least one of said mounting member and said second mounting member.

14. A mounting system for removably mounting an electric vehicle charging station housing to a mounting surface, said mounting system comprising:

a first mounting member comprising a first coupling portion and a first locking portion, said first locking portion defining a first locking aperture therethrough;

a second mounting member comprising a second coupling portion configured to be removably coupled to said first coupling portion, and to operatively prevent a movement of said electric vehicle charging station housing in at least one of a first direction and a second direction, said second mounting member further comprising a second locking portion defining a latch surface thereon;

wherein one of said first and second mounting members is configured to be fixedly coupled to the electric vehicle charging station housing, and the other of said first and second mounting members is configured to be fixedly coupled to the mounting surface; and

a lock member configured to be operatively disposed in said first locking aperture comprising a moveable latching member arranged for movement relative to said latch surface between a first disengaged position and a second engaged position, said moveable latching member further arranged and disposed to cooperate with said latch surface when in said second engaged position, to operatively prevent a movement of the electric vehicle charging station housing in a third direction.

15. The mounting system of claim 14, wherein said first latching surface is further arranged and disposed, when in said first dis-engaged position, to allow the movement of the electric vehicle charging station in the first direction.

16. The mounting system of claim 14, wherein said first and said second directions are substantially orthogonal to each other.

17. The mounting system of claim 14, wherein said first mounting member further comprises a coupling aperture, sized and disposed to operatively receive the second locking portion therethrough.

18. The mounting system of claim 14, wherein said first mounting member defines at least one first coupling aperture defined therethrough, and the second mounting member comprises a corresponding at least one second coupling member defined thereon;

wherein said first coupling aperture is sized and disposed to operatively receive the second coupling member, to couple the first and second mounting members; and

wherein

said first coupling aperture and said second coupling member are arranged to cooperatively prevent a movement of the housing in at least one of the first direction and the second direction.

19. The mounting system of claim 14, wherein said first mounting member further comprises a support member defined thereon sized and disposed to operatively cooperate with said housing to prevent a movement of said housing in said first direction.

20. The mounting system of claim 19, wherein said second mounting member additionally comprises a support aperture defined therethrough sized and disposed to operatively receive said support member.