WALL PLUG SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20150251551A1
• Filed: 01/28/2015
• Published: 09/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: HEIN, David A., MUELLER, Mark Anthony, MENZIES, David, PUSCH, Reinhard, MUELLER, Mary
• Granted Patent: US 9,821,671 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/36 Vehicles designed to transport cargo, e.g. trucks
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/80 Time limits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• 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 53/302 Cooling of charging equipment
• 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

An electric vehicle charging system in described that includes an electrical energy source that includes a base with a plurality of electrical signal connectors to receive a first electrical signal, a second electrical signal and a ground signal, an adapter having a plurality of outlet connectors configured to electrically connect to at least some of the plurality of electrical signal connectors, wherein the adapter can be placed in a plurality of positions on the base to correctly orient the base to any of plurality of outlet connector orientations, and a locking ring adapted to engage the base to removable fix the adapter to the base in one of the four positions. The system can include a thermistor assembly to sense thermal energy in the source and if thermal energy exceeds a threshold to output a signal. The system can include a charging cord for an electric vehicle having a proper orientation when engaging the source, wherein the adapter is in a correct orientation with the base being in the proper orientation when connected to the socket-outlet.

Claims

1. An EVSE cord end comprising:

a base with a plurality of electrical signal connectors to communicate a first electrical signal, a second electrical signal and a neutral signal to a vehicle;

an adapter having a plurality of outlet connectors configured to electrically connect to at least some of the plurality of electrical signal connectors to the base, wherein the adapter can be placed in at least four positions on the base to correctly orient the plurality of outlet connectors to properly plug into a socket-outlet; and

a locking ring adapted to engage the base to removable fix the adapter to the base in one of the four positions.

2. The cord end of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connectors include five connectors with first and second connectors of the five connectors being adapted to deliver the first electrical signal, third and fourth connectors the five connectors being adapted to deliver the second electrical signal and a fifth connector the five connectors being adapted to connect to earth.

3. The cord end of claim 2, wherein the five connectors are positioned in a cross pattern with the fifth connector being in a center of the cross pattern, the first and second connectors being adjacent each other and the third and fourth connectors being adjacent each other.

4. The cord end of claim 3, wherein the first connector and the third connector being on opposite sides of the fifth connector and the second connector and the fourth connector being on opposite sides of the fifth connector.

5. The cord end of claim 4, wherein the adapter includes a first line connector, a second line connector and a ground connector that are configured to connect to three of the five connectors, wherein the first line connector, the second line connector and the ground connector being oriented linearly with the ground line in the center to connect to the fifth connector with the adapter in any of the four positions on the base.

6. The cord end of claim 5, wherein the first line connector and the second line connector connect to opposite electrical polarity in any of the four positions on the base.

7. The cord end of claim 5, further comprising a thermistor assembly to sense thermal energy in the outlet, wherein the thermistor assembly being connected to the base, through the adapter or both.

8. The cord end of claim 7, wherein the thermistor assembly includes a thermistor positioned on the adapter and common terminals on both the adapter and the base.

9. The cord end of claim 1, wherein the base includes a recess in which the plurality of connectors are positioned and is adapted to at least partially receive the adapter.

10. The cord end of claim 1, wherein the base and the adapter are both free from sliding contacts.

11. An electric vehicle charging system comprising:

a source including;

a base with a plurality of electrical signal connectors to receive a first electrical signal, a second electrical signal and a ground signal from the wall adaptor plug;

an adapter having a plurality of outlet connectors configured to electrically connect to at least some of the plurality of electrical signal connectors, wherein the adapter can be placed in a plurality of positions on the base to correctly orient the plurality of outlet connectors; and

a locking ring adapted to engage the base to removable fix the adapter to the base in one of the four positions;

a thermistor assembly to sense thermal energy in the source and if thermal energy exceeds a threshold to output a signal; and

a charging cord for an electric vehicle having a proper orientation when engaging the source, wherein the adapter is in a correct orientation with the socket-outlet

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the thermistor assembly is on the adapter and electrically connected to the base through electrical contacts.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the base includes a recess in which the plurality of connectors are positioned and is adapted to at least partially receive the adapter.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the base includes a recess in which the plurality of connectors are positioned and is adapted to at least partially receive the adapter.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the base and the adapter are both free from sliding contacts.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein electrical signal connectors outnumber the outlet connectors.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein electrical signal connectors are pins and the outlet connectors include sockets adapted to receive the pins and outwardly extending blades to engage the household socket-outlet.

18. A method of using electric vehicle supply equipment comprising:

orienting a wall-plug adapter such that an EVSE housing is oriented with a cord end facing downward, wherein the housing provides up to four orthogonal positions;

joining the adapter into the housing to make electrical contact with a plurality of electrical signal connectors to communicate electrical charging signals to a vehicle, wherein the adapter is correctly connected to a power source in any of the positions of the adapter on the housing;

locking the adapter to the housing;

connecting the adapter to a socket-outlet; and

partially supporting the housing by the housing contacting a fixture below the socket-outlet.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising changing orientation of the wall-plug adapter relative to the housing by undoing a lock, removing the adapter, rotating the adapter, joining the adapter to the housing to make proper electrical connection and re-locking the adapter to the housing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein joining includes mechanically connecting the adapter to the housing and electrically connecting connectors in the adapter to only some of the electrical connectors in the housing;

and sensing thermal energy in the adapter and communicating the sensed thermal energy to circuitry in the electric vehicle supply equipment to control vehicle charging if a thermal threshold is exceeded.