ELECTRICAL CABLE ASSEMBLY FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20150035483A1
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Published: 02/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Mueller, Mark Anthony, Hein, David A., Mueller, Mary, Anglin, Aric Henderson
• Granted Patent: US 10,046,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• 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: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• 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

An electrical cable assembly is provided with an electrical connector sized to be received into an electrical outlet. A cable is in electrical communication with the electrical connector. A lockable connector is in electrical communication with the cable. An adapter receptacle is sized to receive the lockable connector for electrical communication with the lockable connector. The lockable connector is lockable within the adapter receptacle. A vehicle connector assembly is in electrical communication with the adapter receptacle and is sized to be received by a vehicle receptacle to convey current to the vehicle receptacle.

Claims

1. An electrical cable assembly comprising:

an electrical connector sized to be received into an electrical outlet;

a cable in electrical communication with the electrical connector;

a lockable connector in electrical communication with the cable;

an adapter receptacle sized to receive the lockable connector for electrical communication with the lockable connector, wherein the lockable connector is lockable within the adapter receptacle; and

a vehicle connector assembly in electrical communication with the adapter receptacle and sized to be received by a vehicle receptacle to convey current to the vehicle receptacle.

2. The electrical cable assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the adapter receptacle and the lockable connector comprises conductive pins.

3. The electrical cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the lockable connector is interchangeable within the adapter receptacle.

4. The electrical cable assembly of claim 1 wherein the lockable connector is further defined as a first lockable connector;

wherein the cable is further defined as a first cable;

wherein the electrical connector is further defined as a first electrical connector sized to be received into a first electrical outlet; and

wherein the electrical cable assembly further comprises;

a second lockable connector sized to be received within the adapter receptacle for electrical communication with the adapter receptacle, wherein the second lockable connector is lockable within the adapter receptacle;

a second cable in electrical communication with the second lockable connector; and

a second electrical connector in electrical communication with the second cable, the second electrical connector being sized to be received into a second electrical outlet that is different than the first electrical outlet.

5. The electrical cable assembly of claim 4 wherein the first cable has a different diameter than the second cable to convey different alternating currents.

6. The electrical cable assembly of claim 1 further comprising an in-line cable control box.

7. The electrical cable assembly of claim 6 wherein the adapter receptacle is oriented upon the in-line cable control box.

8. The electrical cable assembly of claim 6 wherein the adapter receptacle is further defined as a header on the in-line cable control box.

9. An electric vehicle supply equipment comprising the electrical cable assembly of claim 1.

10. An interchangeable electrical cable assembly comprising:

an adapter receptacle;

a first lockable connector sized to be received within the adapter receptacle for electrical communication with the adapter receptacle, wherein the first lockable connector is lockable within the adapter receptacle;

a first cable in electrical communication with the first lockable connector;

a first electrical connector in electrical communication with the first cable, the first electrical connector being sized to be received into a first electrical outlet;

a second lockable connector sized to be received within the adapter receptacle for electrical communication with the adapter receptacle, wherein the second lockable connector is lockable within the adapter receptacle;

a second cable in electrical communication with the second lockable connector;

a second electrical connector in electrical communication with the second cable, the second electrical connector being sized to be received into a second electrical outlet that is different than the first electrical outlet; and

a controller in electrical communication with the adapter receptacle and the converter, the controller being configured to determine a voltage of an input alternating current.

11. The interchangeable electrical cable assembly of claim 10 wherein at least one of the adapter receptacle and the first lockable connector comprises conductive pins.

12. The interchangeable electrical cable assembly of claim 10 wherein at least one of the adapter receptacle and the second lockable connector comprises conductive pins.

13. The interchangeable electrical cable assembly of claim 10 wherein the first lockable connector and the second lockable connector are interchangeable with the adapter receptacle.

14. The interchangeable electrical cable assembly of claim 10 wherein the first cable has a different diameter than the second cable to handle different alternating currents.

15. The interchangeable electrical cable assembly of claim 10 further comprising an in-line cable control box.

16. The interchangeable electrical cable assembly of claim 15 wherein the controller is oriented within the in-line cable control box.

17. The interchangeable electrical cable assembly of claim 15 wherein the adapter receptacle is oriented upon the in-line cable control box.

18. An electric vehicle supply equipment comprising:

a vehicle connector assembly sized to be received by a vehicle receptacle to convey current to the vehicle receptacle; and

the interchangeable electrical cable assembly of claim 10 in electrical communication with the controller.

19. An electrical cable assembly comprising:

a vehicle connector assembly sized to be received by a vehicle receptacle to convey current to the vehicle receptacle;

a cable in electrical communication with the vehicle connector assembly;

a housing; and

an adapter receptacle oriented upon the housing in electrical communication with the cable, the adapter receptacle being sized to receive an electrical connector for the input alternating current.