Single electric vehicle charger for electrically connecting to multiple electric vehicles simultaneously while automatically charging the multiple electric vehicles sequentially

• US 8,829,851 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Engie Storage Services NA LLC (ENGIE SA)
• Original Assignee: Green Charge Networks LLC (ENGIE SA)
• Inventors: Prosser, Ronald, Burchett, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US13/066,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20120013298A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 320/104, 320/109, 320/124, 320/162, 320/163
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC 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 53/11 DC charging controlled by the charging station, e.g. mode 4
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0071 with a programmable schedule
• 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: 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 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]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A single electric vehicle charger for electrically connecting to multiple electric vehicles simultaneously while automatically charging the multiple electric vehicles sequentially. The charger includes an AC to DC rectifier, at least one ground fault circuit interrupter, and at least two physical electrical disconnects. The AC to DC rectifier electrically connects to an AC power source and allows DC batteries of the multiple electric vehicles to be charged from the AC power source. The at least one ground fault circuit interrupter is in electrical communication with the AC to DC rectifier and disconnects whenever current becomes unbalanced between an energized conductor and a return neutral conductor. The at least two physical electrical disconnects are in electrical communication with the at least one ground fault circuit interrupter and isolate the multiple electric vehicles that are electrically connected but are not being charged, with only one physical electrical disconnect being closed at any given instant.

Claims

1. A single electric vehicle charger for electrically connecting to multiple electric vehicles simultaneously while automatically charging the multiple electric vehicles sequentially in order to control electric consumption of the single electric vehicle charger to avoid exceeding electric service limitations feeding the single electric vehicle charger, the single electric vehicle charger comprising:

an AC to DC rectifier;

at least two ground fault circuit interrupters; and

at least two physical electrical disconnects;

wherein said AC to DC rectifier is for electrically connecting to an AC power source;

wherein said AC to DC rectifier is for converting AC power to DC power so as to allow DC batteries of the multiple electric vehicles to be charged from the AC power source;

wherein said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters are in electrical communication with said AC to DC rectifier;

wherein said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters are for disconnecting whenever current becomes unbalanced between an energized conductor and a return neutral conductor;

wherein said at least two physical electrical disconnects are in electrical communication with said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters; and

wherein said at least two physical electrical disconnects are for isolating the multiple electric vehicles that are electrically connected but are not being charged, with only one physical electrical disconnect being closed at any given instant so as to allow for the electrically connecting to the multiple electric vehicles simultaneously while automatically charging the multiple electric vehicles sequentially in order to control the electric consumption of the single electric vehicle charger to avoid exceeding the electric service limitations feeding said single electric vehicle charger.

2. The charger of claim 1, further comprising at least two male electric vehicle connectors;

and

wherein said at least two male electric vehicle connectors are for electrically engaging the multiple electric vehicles, respectively, to thereby electrically connect said single electric vehicle charger to the multiple electric vehicles.

3. The charger of claim 2, further comprising a centralized order and control algorithm;

and

wherein said centralized order and control algorithm is for determining an order in which the multiple electric vehicles are to be charged.

4. The charger of claim 1, wherein said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters are electrically connected to said AC to DC rectifier.

5. The charger of claim 4, wherein said at least two physical electrical disconnects are electrically connected to said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters, respectively, so as to also be electrically connected to said AC to DC rectifier.

6. The charger of claim 5, wherein said at least two male electric vehicle connectors are electrically connected to said at least two physical electrical disconnects, respectively.

7. The charger of claim 6, wherein said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters are electrically connected to, and between, said AC to DC rectifier and said at least two physical electrical disconnects, respectively.

8. The charger of claim 7, wherein said at least two physical electrical disconnects are electrically connected to, and between, said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters and said at least two male electric vehicle connectors, respectively.

9. The charger of claim 1, wherein said at least two physical electrical disconnects are electrically connected to, and between, said AC to DC rectifier and said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters, respectively.

10. The charger of claim 9, wherein said at least two male electric vehicle connectors are electrically connected to said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters, respectively;

and

wherein said at least two male electric vehicle connectors are for electrically engaging to said multiple electric vehicles, respectively, to thereby electrically connect said single electric vehicle charger to said multiple electric vehicles.

11. The charger of claim 10, wherein said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters are electrically connected to, and between, said at least two physical electrical disconnects and said at least two male electric vehicle connectors, respectively.

12. The charger of claim 3, wherein said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters are for electrically connecting to the AC power source.

13. The charger of claim 12, wherein said at least two ground fault circuit interrupters are electrically connected to said AC to DC rectifier and to said at least two physical electrical disconnects.

14. The charger of claim 13, wherein said at least two physical electrical disconnects are electrically connected to, and between, said AC to DC rectifier and said at least two male electric vehicle connectors, respectively.

15. The charger of claim 14, wherein said at least two male electric vehicle connectors are electrically connected to said at least two physical electrical disconnects, respectively;

and

wherein said at least two male electric vehicle connectors are for electrically engaging the multiple electric vehicles to thereby electrically connect said single electric vehicle charger to the multiple electric vehicles.