Automotive vehicle charge port with fault interrupt circuit

• US 8,259,423 B2
• Filed: 07/14/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gale, Allan Roy, Degner, Michael W., Chorian, Steven F., Sankaran, Venkateswa Anand
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, DHARTI HARIDAS
• Application Number:
  US12/502,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20110013322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 361/42
• US Class Current: 361/42
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/12 Buck converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• 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 50/52 characterised by DC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• 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: Y04S 10/126 the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

An automotive vehicle includes a charge port integrated with the vehicle. The charge port includes electrical contacts configured to receive electrical power from an electric grid, and a fault interrupt circuit electrically connected with the electrical contacts.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a vehicle including a battery charger and a charge port having (i) electrical contacts configured to receive electrical power from an electric grid and (ii) a fault interrupt circuit electrically connected with the electrical contacts and the battery charger.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle further includes a power storage unit electrically connected with the battery charger.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the power storage unit is a traction battery.

4. A system comprising:

a vehicle including a charge port having (i) electrical contacts configured to receive electrical power from an electric grid and (ii) a fault interrupt circuit electrically connected with the electrical contacts.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the vehicle further includes a power converter and wherein the fault interrupt circuit is electrically connected with the power converter.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the power converter is a battery charger.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the vehicle further includes a power storage unit electrically connected with the power converter.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein the vehicle further includes a power converter and another fault interrupt circuit, and wherein the another fault interrupt circuit is electrically connected with the charge port and the power converter.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the power converter is an inverter.

10. A system comprising:

a vehicle including a power storage unit, a power converter electrically connected with the power storage unit, and a charge port having (i) electrical contacts configured to receive electrical power from a remote power source and (ii) a fault interrupt circuit electrically connected with the power converter and the electrical contacts.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the vehicle further includes another fault interrupt circuit electrically connected with the power converter and charge port.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the power converter is a battery charger.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the power storage unit is a battery.