Capacitive AC isolation apparatus for electric vehicle battery charging systems

• US 6,104,161 A
• Filed: 05/10/1999
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Chung, Sung, Hayes, John G., Yi, Kwang, Lansford, Joseph, Marchione, Vito J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Peter S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIBBITS, PIA FLORENCE
• Application Number:
  US09/307,855
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/109, 361/302, 361/321.6, 361/321.2
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0029 with safety or protection devices or circuits

Abstract

AC isolation apparatus, such as is provided by an AC isolation capacitor disposed between unexposed and exposed portions of the chassis of a charging system or an electric vehicle. The AC isolation apparatus or capacitor provides a high impedance at 50/60 Hertz between the electric vehicle and the charging system, thus isolating their respective chassis grounds.

Claims

1. Isolation apparatus for use in a charging system when charging an electric vehicle, comprising:

an AC isolation capacitor coupled between an unexposed portion of a chassis of the charging system and an exposed portion of the chassis of the charging system or electric vehicle.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the AC isolation capacitor comprises a feedthrough AC isolation capacitor that is part of a charge coupler paddle of a charging system for an electric vehicle.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the AC isolation capacitor comprises a high impedance at 50/60 Hertz between the electric vehicle and the charging system.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the AC isolation capacitor reduces the voltage present at the exposed portion of the chassis of the electric vehicle for a given ground current.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein the AC isolation capacitor comprises tubular ceramic capacitor.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the AC isolation capacitor comprises:

a central plastic tube having an axial opening therethrough and having a conductive outer surface that extends part way along the length of the tube;

a capacitive member surrounding the portion of the central plastic tube not covered by the conductive outer surface; and

an outer conductive member surrounding the capacitive member.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 6 further comprising an insulating barrier member disposed adjacent to the outer conductive cylindrical member at an interface between the conductive foil layers and the plurality of wrapped layers of capacitive material.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein the outer conductive cylindrical member is terminated to the capacitive member and the conductive outer surface extends past the insulating barrier member to allow termination to the capacitive member.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein the outer conductive cylindrical member comprises tin plated brass tubing.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein the conductive outer surface comprising a plurality of wrapped conductive foil layers.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein the capacitive member comprises a plurality of wrapped layers of capacitive material.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein a relatively low capacitance value is selected for the AC isolation capacitor.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein the value of the AC isolation capacitor is selected to balance EMI performance and isolation.

14. Apparatus comprising:

a charging system comprising a charge coupler paddle 60 that is inserted into a charge port of an electric vehicle to charge its batteries; and

an AC isolation capacitor coupled between an unexposed portion of a chassis of the charging system and an exposed portion of the chassis of the charging system or electric vehicle that comprises a high impedance at 50/60 Hertz between the electric vehicle and the charging system.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein the AC isolation capacitor comprises:

a central plastic tube having an axial opening therethrough and having a conductive outer surface that extends part way along the length of the tube;

a capacitive member surrounding the portion of the central plastic tube not covered by the conductive outer surface; and

an outer conductive member surrounding the capacitive member.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 15 further comprising an insulating barrier member disposed adjacent to the outer conductive cylindrical member at an interface between the conductive foil layers and the plurality of wrapped layers of capacitive material.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 16 wherein the outer conductive cylindrical member is terminated to the capacitive member and the conductive outer surface extends past the insulating barrier member to allow termination to the capacitive member.

18. The apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein the outer conductive cylindrical member comprises tin plated brass tubing.

19. The apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein the conductive outer surface comprising a plurality of wrapped conductive foil layers.

20. The apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein the capacitive member comprises a plurality of wrapped layers of capacitive material.