Plug conversion adaptor

• US 8,378,628 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji, Itagaki, Kenji, Sasaki, Masaru, Ang, Wanleng, Murasato, Kenji, Mizutani, Atsushi, Yamamoto, Yukihiro, Sawada, Hiroki, Kikuchi, Taira, Kataoka, Yoshikazu, Ieda, Shingo, Fujitake, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US13/120,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20110300753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 439/620.21
• US Class Current: 320/109
• 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 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• 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: H01R 13/665 with built-in electronic circuit H01R13/70, H01R13/719 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• 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

Abstract

A conversion adaptor enables utilization of a standardized charge cable used when a power storage device mounted on an electrically-powered vehicle is charged by a power source provided outside of the vehicle as a universal cable for transmitting electric power to electric loads having different plug shapes that are respectively standardized from one region to another. Conversion adaptor includes a primary side connector unit configured to be connectable to a connector of charge cable, a secondary side connector unit configured so as to have a plug of an electric load, such as a home electric appliance, connected thereto, and a manipulating unit for manipulating a CCID of charge cable so that relays are switched off when connector of charge cable is connected to first connector unit.

Claims

1. A plug conversion adaptor for enabling utilization of a standardized charge cable used when a power storage device mounted on an electrically-powered vehicle is charged by a power source provided outside of the vehicle as a universal cable for transmitting electric power to an electric load having a plug differently formed according to regionally different standards, said charge cable including a power cutoff device configured to be controllable by a controller mounted on said electrically-powered vehicle, comprising:

a first connector unit configured to be connectable to a connector of said charge cable;

a second connector unit configured to receive the plug of said electric load; and

a manipulating unit for manipulating said power cutoff device to shift to a non-cutoff state when the connector of said charge cable is connected to said first connector unit.

2. The plug conversion adaptor according to claim 1, wherein

said power cutoff device includes

a relay provided in an electric power line;

and

an EVSE controller configured to generate a standardized pilot signal and output the generated pilot signal to said electrically-powered vehicle by way of said charge cable,

said manipulating unit includes

a resistor circuit connected to a control pilot line to which said pilot signal is transmitted, and configured to be able to change a potential of said pilot signal; and

a controller for controlling said resistor circuit so as to change the potential of said pilot signal to be different to a potential thereof in a disconnected state when the connector of said charge cable is connected to said first connector unit, and

said EVSE controller switches on said relay upon detection of the potential change of said pilot signal resulting from the connection of the connector of said charge cable to said first connector unit.

3. The plug conversion adaptor according to claim 2, wherein

said charge cable further includes a signal generator for generating a connection signal indicating the connection state of said connector, and

said controller receives said connection signal, and determines whether or not the connector of said charge cable is connected to said first connector unit based on the connection signal thereby received.

4. The plug conversion adaptor according to claim 2, wherein

said controller determines whether or not the connector of said charge cable is connected to said first connector unit based on whether or not said pilot signal is detected.

5. The plug conversion adaptor according to claim 1, further comprising a current detector for detecting a current inputted from said first connector unit, wherein

said manipulating unit manipulates said power cutoff device so as to shift to a cutoff state in response to detection of an overcurrent based on the current detected by said current detector.

6. The plug conversion adaptor according to claim 1, wherein

said charge cable further includes a lock mechanism for locking the connection of said connector, and

said manipulating unit manipulates said power cutoff device so as to shift to a cutoff state when the lock by said lock mechanism is released.

7. The plug conversion adaptor according to claim 1, further comprising a switch which can be turned on/off by a user, wherein

said manipulating unit manipulates said power cutoff device so as to shift to the non-cutoff state when the connector of said charge cable is connected to said first connector unit and said switch is turned on.

8. The plug conversion adaptor according to claim 1, further comprising a relay configured to enable electric power inputted from said first connector unit to be cut off, wherein

said manipulating unit switches on said relay when the connector of said charge cable is connected to said first connector unit.