Method and apparatus for electric powered vehicle recharging safety
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a recharging inlet inside an electric powered vehicle (EPV);
a light source coupled to the inside wall of the EPV recharging inlet;
a light detector located within the EPV recharging inlet and positioned between recharging inlet pins and the light source; and
a plurality of threads around the inside wall of the recharging inlet and positioned between the light source and the light detector,wherein the light detector is configured to detect light from the light source and/or external light,wherein the threads are configured to receive a housing cap that substantially blocks light from the light source and external light from reaching the light detector when the housing cap is properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet, andwherein the threads are configured to allow light from at least one of the light sources and external light to reach the light detector when the housing cap is not properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus comprising a recharging inlet inside an electric powered vehicle (EPV), a light source coupled to the inside wall of the EPV recharging inlet, a light detector located within the EPV recharging inlet and positioned between recharging inlet pins and the light source, and a plurality of threads around the inside wall of the recharging inlet and positioned between the light source and the light detector, wherein the light detector is configured to detect light from the light source and/or external light, wherein the threads are configured to receive a housing cap that substantially blocks light from reaching the light detector when the housing cap is properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet and are configured to allow light from the light sources and/or external light to reach the light detector when the housing cap is not properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet.
27 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An apparatus comprising:
-
a recharging inlet inside an electric powered vehicle (EPV); a light source coupled to the inside wall of the EPV recharging inlet; a light detector located within the EPV recharging inlet and positioned between recharging inlet pins and the light source; and a plurality of threads around the inside wall of the recharging inlet and positioned between the light source and the light detector, wherein the light detector is configured to detect light from the light source and/or external light, wherein the threads are configured to receive a housing cap that substantially blocks light from the light source and external light from reaching the light detector when the housing cap is properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet, and wherein the threads are configured to allow light from at least one of the light sources and external light to reach the light detector when the housing cap is not properly mounted onto the EPV recharging inlet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 16)
-
-
9. An electric powered vehicle (EPV) comprising:
-
a recharging inlet; a light source coupled to the inside wall of the recharging inlet; a light detector located within the recharging inlet and positioned between recharging inlet pins and the light source; and a plurality of threads around the inside wall of the recharging inlet and positioned between the light source and the light detector, wherein the light detector is configured to detect light from the light source and/or external light, wherein the threads are configured to receive a housing cap that substantially blocks light from the light source and external light from reaching the light detector when the housing cap is properly mounted onto the recharging inlet, and wherein the threads are configured to allow light from at least one of the light sources and external light to reach the light detector when the housing cap is not properly mounted onto the recharging inlet. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
17. An apparatus comprising:
-
a recharging inlet, wherein the recharging inlet has an inside wall and a plurality of recharging inlet pins; a light source coupled to the inside wall of the recharging inlet; a light detector located within the recharging inlet and positioned between the recharging inlet pins and the light source; and a plurality of threads around the inside wall of the recharging inlet and positioned between the light source and the light detector, wherein the light detector is configured to detect light from the light source and/or external light, wherein the threads are configured to receive a housing cap that substantially blocks light from the light source and external light from reaching the light detector when the housing cap is properly mounted onto the recharging inlet, and wherein the threads are configured to allow light from at least one of the light sources and external light to reach the light detector when the housing cap is not properly mounted onto the recharging inlet. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification