ELECTRIC POWER CONTROL DEVICE

• US 20150343915A1
• Filed: 05/29/2015
• Published: 12/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: MURAKAMI, Kohzaburoh
• Granted Patent: US 9,744,866 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6395 for wall or panel outlets
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6633 with inductive component, e.g. transformer
• 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

Abstract

An electric power control device has a first connector connected to a second connector provided in a second appliance, and a control circuit provided within a first appliance that exchanges electric power with the second appliance via a harness and connected to the first connector via the harness. The first connector includes a latching solenoid that switches connector connection, i.e., connection between the first and second connectors, between a locked state and an unlocked state. The control circuit outputs a first or second voltage to an operating coil inside the latching solenoid to bring the connector connection into the locked or unlocked state, respectively.

Claims

1. An electric power control device comprising:

a first connector connected to a second connector provided in a second appliance; and

a control circuit provided within a first appliance that exchanges electric power with the second appliance via a harness, the control circuit being connected to the first connector via the harness,

wherein

the first connector includes a latching solenoid that switches connector connection, which is connection between the first and second connectors, between a locked state and an unlocked state, and

the control circuit

outputs a predetermined first voltage to an operating coil inside the latching solenoid to bring the connector connection into the locked state, and

outputs a predetermined second voltage to the operating coil to bring the connector connection into the unlocked state.

2. The electric power control device according to claim 1, wherein

the operating coil is connected between first and second lines provided in the harness,

when a positive voltage as the first voltage is applied to the first line relative to the second line, the connector connection is brought into the locked state,

when a negative voltage as the second voltage is applied to the first line relative to the second line, the connector connection is brought into the unlocked state,

the control circuit has a voltage outputter that outputs one direct-current voltage or two direct-current voltages, the control circuit being operable to output the one direct-current voltage or one of the two direct-current voltages to between the first and second lines while keeping polarity of a voltage on the first line relative to the second line selectively either positive or negative.

3. The electric power control device according to claim 2, wherein

the first connector includes an indicator that indicates whether or not the connector connection is in the locked state, and

the indicator is driven based on a voltage applied between the first and second lines.

4. The electric power control device according to claim 1,

wherein the operating coil has

a set coil that brings the connector connection into the locked state in response to the first voltage being applied between a first line and a reference line inside the harness, and

a reset coil that brings the connector connection into the unlocked state in response to the second voltage being applied between a second line and the reference line inside the harness.

5. The electric power control device according to claim 4,

the first connector includes an indicator that indicates whether or not the connector connection is in the locked state, and

the control circuit drives the indicator by supplying the indicator with the first or second voltage via a third line inside the connector.

6. The electric power control device according to claim 2,

wherein the control circuit detects

whether or not there is an abnormality in the harness,

whether or not there is an abnormality in a circuit within the control circuit itself, or

whether or not there is an abnormality in a circuit inside the first connector based on

a value of a current passing between the first and second lines and

polarity of a voltage applied between the first and second lines.

7. The electric power control device according to claim 4,

wherein the control circuit detects

whether or not there is an abnormality in the harness,

whether or not there is an abnormality in a circuit within the control circuit itself, or

whether or not there is an abnormality in a circuit inside the first connector based on a value of a current passing through the reference line.