Electrical cable and connector assembly with safety pilot line disconnect, especially for electric vehicle

• US 5,346,406 A
• Filed: 04/30/1993
• Issued: 09/13/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Ehrenfels, Alfred L., Hoffman, Ernest G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrams, Neil
• Application Number:
  US08/055,025
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/474, 439/475, 439/152, 439/153, 439/155, 439/879, 439/891, 439/911, 439/923, 439/924
• US Class Current: 439/474
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• 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 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/665 Methods related to measuring, billing or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5804 comprising a separate cable clamping part H01R13/5841 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/633 for disengagement only in combination with safety switch H01R13/7132
• 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

An electrical cable and connector assembly for electrically coupling equipment to a power source, and having an electrical cable with a plurality of power conductors and a pilot conductor releasably coupled to an electrical contact in an electrical connector, so that the pilot conductor releases from the electrical contact of the connector when a mechanical stress or force is applied to the cable. The pilot conductor releases from the contact of the connector prior to damage occurring to the remaining conductors from the stress or force applied to the cable. The power conductors are spirally wrapped about the centrally located pilot conductor so that the power conductors can stretch while the pilot conductor is pulled from its electrical contact upon application of the force or stress on the cable. In another embodiment, a non-conducting line or wire is connected to the ends of one of the conductors so that the stress or force applied to the cable is transmitted to the non-conducting line instead of to any of the conductors. Specifically, the non-conducting line is shorter than the conductors so that when the non-conducting line is stressed, the releasable end of the conductor will disconnect from its contact before stress is transmitted to the conductors.

Claims

1. An electrical cable and connector assembly adapted to be coupled to an electrical device, the combination comprising:

an electrical cable having at least a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor, said conductors having a first end and a second end; and

an electrical connector having a housing, a first contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, a first coupling member for coupling said first end of said first conductor to said first contact member at a first connection point within said housing, a second contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, and a second coupling member for fixedly coupling said first end of said second conductor to said second contact member at a second connection point within said housing,

said second ends of said first and second conductors being coupled to the electrical device housing at a third connection point by a third coupling member and a fourth connection point by a fourth coupling member, respectively, said first conductor having a first length extending between said second connection point of said second conductor and said fourth connection point of said second conductor, said second conductor having a second length extending between said second and fourth connection points of said second conductor, said first length of said first conductor being shorter than said second length of said second conductor between said second and fourth connection points such that a longitudinal tensile force applied to said cable is first transmitted to said first conductor due to its shorter length between said second and fourth connection point, said first conductor being releasably coupled between said first contact member and the electrical device by one of said first and second coupling member for disconnecting electricity between said first contact member and the electrical device upon application of the longitudinal tensile force being transmitted along said cable so that one of said first and second ends of said first conductor releases before damage occurs to said second conductor.

2. An electrical cable and connector assembly adapted to be coupled to an electrical device, the combination comprising:

an electrical cable having at least a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor, said conductors having a first end and a second end, said second conductor being helically wrapped around said first conductor; and

an electrical connector having a housing, a first contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, first coupling means for releasably coupling said first end of said first conductor to said first contact member, a second contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, and second coupling means for fixedly coupling said first end of said second conductor to said second contact member,

said second ends of said first and second conductors being coupled to the electrical device housing, said first conductor being releasably coupled to said first contact member by said first coupling means for disconnecting from said first contact member upon application of a longitudinal force transmitted along said cable, and said second conductor being fixedly coupled to said second contact member by said second coupling means so that said first conductor release from said first contact member before damage occurs to said second conductor.

3. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein

said second conductor is preformed resilient wire with a spring action.

4. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 3, wherein

said first coupling member includes a connector which is frictionally retained on said first contact member until an excessively high axially extending force is applied to said first conductor.

5. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 4, wherein

said connector is a female connector and said first contact member is a pin.

6. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 5, wherein

said pin has ridges.

7. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 6, wherein

said ridges are threads formed on said pin.

8. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 2, wherein

said cable further includes a third electrical conductor with first and second ends, and a fourth electrical conductor with first and second ends, said third and fourth conductors being helically wrapped around said first conductor;

and

said electrical connector further includes a third contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, a fifth coupling member for fixedly coupling said first end of said third conductor to said third contact member, a fourth contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, and a sixth coupling member for fixedly coupling said first end of said fourth conductor to said fourth contact member.

9. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 8, wherein

said second, third and fourth contact members extend farther out of said housing than said first contact member.

10. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 9, wherein

said second, third and fourth contact members are circumferentially arranged around said first contact member.

11. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 10, wherein

one of said second, third and fourth contact meanders is a sleeve shaped contact for receiving a pin contact, while said third and fourth contact members are solid pins for being received in sleeve shaped contacts.

12. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a battery for receiving electrical energy;

an electrical cable having one end electrically coupled to said battery, said cable having at least a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor, each of said conductors having a first end and a second end with said first ends of said electrical conductors being coupled to said vehicle; and

an electrical connector coupled to the other end of said cable, and having a housing, a first contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, first coupling means for releasably coupling said second end of said first conductor to said first contact member at a first connection point, a second contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, and second coupling means for fixedly coupling said second end of said second conductor to said second contact member at a second connection point,

said first conductor having a first length extending between said vehicle and said second connection point of said second conductor, said second conductor having a second length extending between said vehicle and said second connection point of said second conductor, said first length of said first conductor being shorter than said second length of said second conductor between said vehicle and said second connection point such that a longitudinal tensile force applied to said cable is first transmitted to said first conductor due to its shorter length between said vehicle and said second connection point, said first conductor being releasably coupled to said first contact member by said first coupling means for disconnecting from said first contact member upon application of a longitudinal force transmitted along said cable, and said second conductor being fixedly coupled to said second contact member by said second coupling means so that said first conductor releases from said first contact member before damage occurs to said second conductor.

13. An electric vehicle, comprising:

a battery for receiving electrical energy;

an electrical cable having one end coupled to said battery, and having at least a first electrical conductor and a second electrical conductor, each of said conductors having a first end and a second end, said second conductor being helically wrapped around said first conductor; and

an electrical connector coupled to the other end of said cable, and having a housing, a first contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, first coupling means for releasably coupling said first conductor to said first contact member, a second contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, and second coupling means for fixedly coupling said second conductor to said second contact member,

said first conductor being releasably coupled to said first contact member by said first coupling means for disconnecting from said first contact member upon application of a longitudinal force transmitted along said cable, and said second conductor being fixedly coupled to said second contact member by said second coupling means so that said first conductor releases from said first contact member before damage occurs to said second conductor.

14. An electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

said second conductor is preformed resilient wire with a spring action.

15. An electric vehicle according to claim 14, wherein

said first coupling means includes a connector which is frictionally retained on said first contact member until an excessively high axially extending force is applied to said first conductor.

16. An electric vehicle according to claim 15, wherein

said connector is a female connector and said first contact member is a pin.

17. An electric vehicle according to claim 13, wherein

said cable further includes a third electrical conductor with first and second ends, and a fourth electrical conductor with first and second ends, said third and fourth conductors being helically wrapped around said first conductor;

and

said electrical connector further includes a third contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, third coupling means for fixedly coupling said first end of said third conductor to said third contact member, a fourth contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, and fourth coupling means for fixedly coupling said first end of said fourth conductor to said fourth contact member.

18. An electric vehicle according to claim 17, wherein

said second, third and fourth contact members extend farther out of said housing than said first contact member.

19. An electric vehicle according to claim 18, wherein

said second, third and fourth contact members are circumferentially arranged around said first contact member.

20. An electric vehicle according to claim 19, wherein

one of said second, third and fourth contact members is a sleeve shaped contact for receiving a pin contact, while said third and fourth contact members are solid pins for being received in sleeve shaped contacts.

21. An electrical system, the combination comprising:

a female connector having an insulated housing, a pilot contact, at least two sleeve contacts fixedly coupled within said housing, and a solid pin contact fixedly coupled within said housing, said sleeve and pin contacts being circumferentially arranged around the longitudinal axis of said female connector;

a male connector having an insulated housing, a pilot contact, two solid pin contacts, and a sleeve contact, each of said contacts of said male connector projects outwardly from said housing of said male connector and has a terminal portion fixedly coupled to said insulated housing of said male connector and a pin contact portion projecting from said housing of said male connector, said sleeve and pin contacts of said male connector being circumferentially arranged around the longitudinal axis of said male connector for mating with said contacts of said female connector;

an electrical cable having at least a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor and a fourth conductor with each of said conductors having a first end and a second end;

first coupling means for fixedly coupling said first ends of said first and second conductors to said pin contacts of one of said connectors and for fixedly coupling said first ends of said third conductor to said sleeve contact of one of said connectors so that said first ends of said first, second and third conductors are coupled to said one of said connectors at a first connection point;

second coupling means for fixedly coupling said second ends of said first, second and third conductors to an electrical device at a second connection point;

third coupling means for releasably coupling said fourth conductor between said pilot contact of one of said connectors and the electrical device, said fourth conductor having a first length between said first and second connection points, and said first, second and third conductors having lengths between said first and second connection points which are longer than said first length of said fourth conductor to disconnect electricity between said pilot contact of said one of said connectors and the electrical device upon application of a longitudinal force transmitted along said cable so that said third coupling means releases before damage occurs to said first, second and third conductors.

22. An electrical system according to claim 21, wherein

said pin contact of said female connector and said sleeve contact of said male contact being connected to a ground.

23. An electrical system according to claim 22, wherein

said female connector is mounted in a vehicle, and said male connector is electrically coupled to a power source.

24. An electrical cable and connector assembly adapted to be coupled to an electrical device, the combination comprising:

an electrical cable having at least a first electrical conductor, a second electrical conductor and a non-conducting line, said conductors having a first end and a second end, and said non-conducting line having a first end coupled to said first end of said first electrical conductor and a second end coupled to the electrical device; and

an electrical connector having a housing, a first contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, a first releasable connector for releasably coupling said first end of said first conductor to said first contact member at a first connection point within said housing, a second contact member fixedly coupled to said housing, and second coupling member for fixedly coupling said first end of said second conductor to said second contact member at a second connection point within said housing,

said second ends of said first and second conductors being coupled to the electrical device housing at a third connection point and a fourth connection point, respectively, said non-conducting line having a first length extending between said second and fourth connection points of said second conductor, said second conductor having a second length extending between said second and fourth connection points of said second conductor, said first length of said non-conducting line being shorter than said second length of said second conductor between said second and fourth connection points such that a longitudinal tensile force applied to said cable is first transmitted to said non-conducting line due to its shorter length between said second and fourth connection points of said second conductor, said first conductor being releasably coupled to said first contact member by said first releasable connector for disconnecting from said first contact member upon application of the longitudinal tensile force being transmitted along said cable to said non-conductive line so that said first conductor releases from said first contact member before damage occurs to said second conductor.

25. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 24, wherein

said second end of said non-conducting line is coupled to the electrical device via a second releasable connector.

26. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 25, wherein

said second end of said non-conducting line is coupled to said second end of said first electrical conductor.

27. An electrical cable and connector assembly according to claim 25, wherein

said second end of said first electrical connector is coupled to said second releasable connector.