PLUG-IN ELECTRIC VEHICLE INTERLOCK

• US 20140156131A1
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Published: 06/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: CROMBEZ, Dale Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,108,517 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/10 responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/00 Methods, circuits, or devices for controlling the traction-motor speed of electrically-propelled vehicles
• 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 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/50 Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/18054 at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state hill holding B60W30/18118
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/161 for actuation by moving a closing member, e.g. door, cover or lid the switch controlling enclosed equipment H01H9/226; switches operated by a removable member, wherein one single insertion movement of a key comprises an unlocking stroke and a switch actuating stroke, e.g. security switch for safety guards H01H27/002
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 903/93 Conjoint control of different elements

Abstract

To prevent damage of a vehicle or a cord set used to charge a plug-in electric vehicle when the vehicle is driven away while the cord set is attached, an interlock can be provided to disable the vehicle. Such interlock may be based on a protective door over the charging receptacle being open or detection that a cord set is plugged in. However, in the event that the vehicle is in an activated state, the interlock is prevented from disabling the vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosure. That is, undesirable disabling of the vehicle is prevented when either there is no indication of a cord set being coupled to the vehicle or the vehicle is in an activated state.

Claims

1. A system for a plug-in vehicle, comprising:

an electronic control unit coupled to a powertrain of the vehicle and configured to detect a false indication from a cord set indicator associated with a charging cord being coupled to the vehicle while the vehicle is activated such that the vehicle continues to be continuously activated in response to the false indication from the cord set indicator.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a charging access door having an associated switch triggered when the charging access door is closed and wherein the cord set indicator comprises the switch.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic control unit is configured to disable the powertrain when the false indication is not detected and the cord set indicator indicates the charging cord is coupled to the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a charging receptacle electronically coupled to the electronic control unit, and wherein the electronic control unit detects whether a plug is coupled with the charging receptacle, the cord set indicator corresponding to whether the plug is coupled with the charging receptacle.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine and wherein the electronic control unit prevents the internal combustion engine from providing propulsive force to vehicle wheels when the false indication is not detected and the cord set indicator indicates the charging cord is coupled to the vehicle.