CHARGER FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20150015202A1
• Filed: 07/03/2014
• Published: 01/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Inventors: IM, Chang Jun, CHOI, Seung Woo
• Granted Patent: US 9,533,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/12 responding to state of charge [SoC]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• 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

Abstract

Provided is a charger for an electric vehicle. The charger for an electric vehicle includes a light emitting unit displaying charging operation information of the charger, a communication unit performing near-field wireless communication with an external device, a guide guiding visible light of the light emitting unit, and a control unit controlling operations of the light emitting unit and the communication unit. The guide includes a reflective layer surrounding a portion of the outside of the guide to reflect the visible light toward the inside of the guide.

Claims

1. A charger for an electric vehicle, the charger comprising:

a light emitting unit displaying charging operation information of the charger;

a communication unit performing near-field wireless communication with an external device;

a guide guiding visible light of the light emitting unit; and

a control unit controlling operations of the light emitting unit and the communication unit,

wherein the guide comprises a reflective layer surrounding a portion of the outside of the guide to reflect the visible light toward the inside of the guide.

2. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the communication unit comprises a transmitting device for transmitting electromagnetic waves for the near-field wireless communication and a receiving device for receiving the electromagnetic waves for the near-field wireless communication, and

the guide guides the electromagnetic waves for the near-field wireless communication, which is emitted from the transmitting device or received into the receiving device.

3. The charger according to claim 2, wherein the guide comprises:

a first guide part extends vertically, the first guide part having a lower end that is disposed above the transmitting device or the receiving device;

a connection part inclinedly extending upward from an upper end of the first guide part; and

a second guide part extending upward from the connection part, the second guide part disposed above the light emitting unit.

4. The charger according to claim 3, wherein the guide comprises:

a first light entrance provided in a lower portion of the first guide part;

a second light entrance provided in a lower portion of the second guide part; and

a third light entrance provided in an upper portion of the second guide part,

wherein the reflective layer is not provided on at least one of the first light entrance, the second light entrance, and the third light entrance.

5. The charger according to claim 4, wherein the electromagnetic waves for the near-field wireless communication is incident from the transmitting device through the first light entrance, or the visible light is irradiated onto the receiving device through the first light entrance,

the visible light irradiated from the light emitting unit is incident through the second light entrance, and

the electromagnetic waves for the near-field wireless communication, which is transmitted from the transmitting device, or the visible light emitted from the light emitting unit is emitted through the third light entrance, or infrared light irradiated from the outside is incident through the third light entrance.

6. The charger according to claim 3, wherein the guide further comprises a third guide part extending from one of the first guide part, the connection part, and the second guide part toward the light emitting unit.

7. The charger according to claim 6, wherein the extension direction of the first guide part is the same as that of the third guide part.

8. The charger according to claim 6, wherein a first light entrance through which the electromagnetic waves for the near-field wireless communication is incident from the transmitting device or irradiated onto the receiving device is provided in a lower portion of the first guide part,

a second light entrance through which the visible light irradiated from the light emitting unit is incident is provided in a lower portion of the third guide part,

a third light entrance through which the electromagnetic waves for the near-field wireless communication, which is transmitted from the transmitting device, or the visible light emitted from the light emitting unit is emitted, or infrared light irradiated from the outside is incident is provided in an upper portion of the second guide part, and

the reflective layer is not provided on at least one of the first, second, and third light entrances.

9. The charger according to claim 2, wherein the electromagnetic waves comprises infrared light.

10. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the first and second guide part extend to be offset from each other.

11. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the guide comprises:

a first guide guiding electromagnetic waves transmitted from the transmitting device; and

a second guide guiding the electromagnetic waves received into the receiving device,

wherein a connection part of the first guide and a connection part of the second guide are away from each other in an upward direction.

12. The charger according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting unit comprises a first light emitting part and a second light emitting part, which are spaced apart from each other, and

the transmitting device and the receiving device are disposed between the first light emitting part and the second light emitting part.