Self powered electric vehicle charging connector locking system

• US 8,460,028 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2011
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chargepoint, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Chargepoint, Inc.
• Inventors: Tormey, Milton T., Matsuno, Craig T., Hagenmaier, Carl F. Jr., Baxter, David
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KHIEM M
• Application Number:
  US13/246,744
• Publication Number:
  US 20120135626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/133, 439/135, 439/148, 439/304, 439/347, 439/372, 439/528, 320/107, 320/108, 320/109, 320/111
• US Class Current: 439/528
• 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 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• 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

A self powered electric vehicle charging connector locking system for locking and unlocking a charging connector of an electric vehicle charging cord includes an electric vehicle charging station and an electric vehicle charging connector locking holster. The charging station includes an electricity control device to energize and de-energize the charging cord to control a supply of electricity available to flow through the charging cord. Current does not flow through the charging cord when it is de-energized and some amount of current is capable of flowing through the charging cord when it is energized. The locking holster includes a charging connector locking holster inlet to receive the charging connector of the charging cord and a locking unit to lock the charging connector in the locking holster when it is inserted into the locking holster inlet and unlock the charging connector from the locking holster responsive to the charging cord becoming energized.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an electricity control device to control a supply of electricity available to flow through an electric vehicle charging cord that is attached to an electric vehicle charging station; and

an electric vehicle charging connector locking holster that is configured to,

lock a charging connector of the electric vehicle charging cord in the locking holster when the charging connector is inserted into the locking holster, and

unlock the charging connector from the locking holster in response to electricity flowing through the electric vehicle charging cord.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle charging connector locking holster is located remotely from the electric vehicle charging station.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle charging connector locking holster is attached to the electric vehicle charging station.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the charging connector remains locked in the locking holster without drawing electricity when electricity is not flowing through the electric vehicle charging cord.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locking holster includes a connector sensing mechanism to indicate to the electric vehicle charging station that the charging connector is inserted into the locking holster.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electricity control device is included in the electric vehicle charging station.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the electric vehicle charging station includes one or more control modules that are adapted to control operation of the electricity control device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more control modules are further adapted to determine when the charging connector has been removed from the locking holster and consequently cause the control device to stop the supply of electricity available to flow through the electric vehicle charging cord.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the one or more control modules are further adapted to perform an authorization procedure in response to receiving a request to use the electric vehicle charging station and consequently cause the control device to allow electricity to flow through the electric vehicle charging cord in response to successful authorization.

10. A method for a self powered electric vehicle charging connector locking system, wherein a charging connector of a charging cord that is attached to an electric vehicle charging station is initially locked in an electric vehicle charging connector locking holster, the method comprising:

causing the locking holster to unlock the charging connector from the locking holster by energizing the charging cord;

detecting that the charging connector has been removed from the locking holster; and

in response to the detection that the charging connector has been removed from the locking holster, de-energizing the charging cord.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting that the charging connector has been inserted into an electric vehicle charging inlet of an electric vehicle; and

in response to the detection that the charging connector has been inserted into the electric vehicle charging inlet, energizing the charging cord to allow the electric vehicle to be charged.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

detecting that the charging connector has been removed from the electric vehicle charging inlet; and

in response to the detection that the charging connector has been removed from the electric vehicle charging inlet, de-energizing the charging cord.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein prior to energizing the charging cord to unlock the charging connector from the locking holster, performing the following operations:

receiving a request to use the charging station; and

authorizing the request.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the charging connector is initially plugged and locked in a charging connector locking holster inlet of the locking holster, and wherein the charging connector and the charging connector locking holster inlet are SAE J1772 compliant.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

an electric vehicle charging connector locking holster that is configured to,

lock a charging connector of an electric vehicle charging cord in the locking holster when the charging connector is inserted into the locking holster, and

unlock the charging connector from the locking holster in response to electricity flowing through the electric vehicle charging cord.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a connector sensing mechanism adapted to indicate to an electric vehicle charging station when the charging connector is inserted into the electric vehicle charging connector locking holster.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electric vehicle charging connector locking holster is SAE J1772 compliant.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electric vehicle charging connector locking holster is located remotely from an electric vehicle charging station that is attached to the electric vehicle charging cord.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electric vehicle charging connector locking holster is attached to an electric vehicle charging station that is attached to the electric vehicle charging card.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the electric vehicle charging connector locking holster is configured to lock the charging connector of the electric vehicle charging cord without drawing electricity.