ELECTRIC VEHICLE SUPPLY EQUIPMENT WITH TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED CURRENT

• US 20170066340A1
• Filed: 11/18/2016
• Published: 03/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto Charging Systems, Inc. (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Flack, Albert Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,981,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• 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 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

In electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), interruption of charging due to overheating is prevented by adjusting the pulse duty cycle on the control pilot conductor communicating the maximum allowed current level to the electric vehicle, the adjustment being performed whenever the EVSE temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature below the maximum operating temperature as a function of the approach of the temperature to the maximum operating temperature.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) system for charging an electric vehicle, comprising:

a utility connector comprising a first pair of power conductors;

a docking connector comprising a second pair of power conductors, said docking connector being engagable with a charging port of an electric vehicle;

a pair of contactors between said first and second pairs of power conductors;

a processor and a memory accessible by said processor, said pair of contactors under control of said processor;

a control pilot conductor extending through said docking connector;

a pulse generator coupled to said control pilot conductor and having a pulse duty cycle controlled by said processor;

a temperature sensor having an output representative of a present temperature, said output coupled to said processor;

said memory containing;

(a) a nominal pulse duty cycle corresponding to a nominal value of maximum allowable current, (b) a predetermined threshold temperature, said processor programmed to reduce the pulse duty cycle of said pulse generator from said nominal pulse duty cycle by a reduction factor that is a function of an increase of said present temperature above said predetermined threshold temperature.

2. The EVSE system of claim 1 wherein said function is a proportional function.

3. The EVSE system of claim 1 wherein said memory further contains a maximum operating temperature.

4. The EVSE system of claim 3 wherein said reduction factor is a function of the closeness of said present temperature to said maximum operating temperature.

5. The EVSE system of claim 3 wherein said predetermined threshold temperature is in a range of 10% to 30% of said maximum operating temperature.

6. The EVSE system of claim 1 wherein the electric vehicle responds to a change in pulse duty cycle by changing current draw accordingly.

7. An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) system, comprising:

a utility connector comprising a first pair of power conductors;

a docking connector comprising a second pair of power conductors, said docking connector being engageable with a charging port of an electric vehicle;

a pair of contactors between said first and second pairs of power conductors;

a processor and a memory accessible by said processor, said pair of contactors under control of said processor;

a control pilot conductor extending through said docking connector;

a pulse generator coupled to said control pilot conductor and having a pulse duty cycle controlled by said processor;

a temperature sensor having an output representative of a present temperature, said output coupled to said processor;

said memory storing;

(a) a nominal pulse duty cycle corresponding to a nominal value of maximum allowable current, (b) a maximum operating temperature, said processor programmed to reduce the pulse duty cycle of said pulse generator from said nominal pulse duty cycle by a reduction factor that is a function of the closeness of said present temperature to said maximum operating temperature, whenever said present temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature.

8. The EVSE system of claim 7 wherein said function is a proportional function.

9. The EVSE system of claim 7 wherein said predetermined threshold temperature is in a range of 10% to 30% of said maximum operating temperature.

10. The EVSE system of claim 7 wherein the electric vehicle responds to a change in pulse duty cycle by changing current draw accordingly.