Charging stations for use in charging electrically powered vehicles and related methods

• US 9,090,172 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ranga, Swamy Muddaiah, Pugliese, Heather Ellen, Rivers, Cecil Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMAR, AHMED H
• Application Number:
  US13/355,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20130187599A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• 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: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Charging stations for use in charging an electrically powered vehicle and related methods are disclosed. One example charging station includes a housing having an interior. The housing is configured to enclose at least one vehicle charging component and defines a receptacle opening. The charging station further includes a first receptacle configured to receive a charging connector. The receptacle includes a front portion and a back portion. The back portion of the first receptacle includes a first drain port configured to permit a fluid flow to drain from the first receptacle. The first receptacle is configured to be positioned at least partially within the first receptacle opening, such that the back portion of the first receptacle is positioned within the first enclosure. The first enclosure defines a first drain opening configured to permit fluid from the first receptacle to an exterior of said first enclosure.

Claims

1. A charging station for use in charging an electrically powered vehicle, said charging station comprising:

a housing having an interior, said housing configured to enclose at least one vehicle charging component and defining a first receptacle opening;

a first receptacle configured to receive a charging connector, the receptacle including a front portion and a back portion, said back portion of said first receptacle including a first drain port configured to permit a fluid flow to drain from said first receptacle; and

a first enclosure substantially surrounding said first receptacle opening and configured to seal said first receptacle opening, said first receptacle configured to be positioned at least partially within said first receptacle opening, such that said back portion of said first receptacle is positioned within said first enclosure, said housing defining a first drain opening configured to permit a fluid flow from said first receptacle to an exterior of said first enclosure.

2. The charging station of claim 1, further comprising a charging conduit having a charging connector, said charging connector configured to be received in said first receptacle and at least partially within said first enclosure.

3. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said housing defines a horizontal axis, and wherein said first receptacle has a longitudinal axis in parallel with said horizontal axis.

4. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said housing defines a vertical center axis, and wherein said first receptacle has a longitudinal axis disposed at an angle with respect to said vertical center axis of said housing.

5. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said first enclosure includes a bottom wall configured to bias a fluid flow toward and through said first drain opening.

6. The charging station of claim 5, wherein said housing defines a vertical center axis and a horizontal axis, and wherein said bottom wall of said first enclosure is angled between about 10 degrees to about 50 degrees above the horizontal axis of said housing to bias a fluid flow toward and through said first drain opening.

7. The charging station of claim 5, wherein said first enclosure is in sealing contact with said housing, said bottom wall of said first enclosure substantially aligned with said first drain opening.

8. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said enclosure includes a wire opening;

further comprising a grommet disposed at least partially within said wire opening and configured to substantially seal said wire opening with at least one wire extending therethrough.

9. The charging station of claim 1, wherein said enclosure includes a wire opening, and wherein said first receptacle includes at least one wire extending through said wire opening;

further comprising a grommet disposed at least partially within said wire opening and configured to substantially seal said wire opening with said at least one wire extending therethrough.

10. The charging station of claim 1, further comprising a second receptacle having a front portion and a back portion, said back portion of said second receptacle including a second drain port;

and

a second enclosure substantially surrounding a second receptacle opening defined in said housing and configured to seal said second receptacle opening, said second receptacle configured to be positioned at least partially within said second receptacle opening, such that said back portion of said second receptacle is positioned within said second enclosure, said housing defining a second drain opening configured to permit a fluid flow from said second receptacle to an exterior of said second enclosure.

11. The charging station of claim 10, wherein said first receptacle and said second receptacle are positioned on opposite sides of said housing.

12. A charging station for use in charging an electrically powered vehicle, said charging station comprising:

a housing having an interior, said housing configured to enclose at least one vehicle charging component and defining a receptacle opening extending through a sidewall of said housing; and

an enclosure positioned at least partially within said interior of said housing and substantially surrounding said receptacle opening, said enclosure configured to seal said receptacle opening, said receptacle opening configured to receive a receptacle at least partially therein, such that a back portion of the receptacle is positioned within said enclosure, said housing defining a first drain opening configured to permit a fluid flow within said enclosure to an exterior of said enclosure.

13. The charging station of claim 12, wherein said enclosure is in sealing contact with said housing, said enclosure having a bottom wall substantially aligned with said drain opening.

14. The charging station of claim 12, wherein said enclosure includes a bottom wall configured to bias a fluid flow toward and through said drain opening.

15. The charging station of claim 12, wherein said enclosure is formed integrally with at least a portion of said housing.

16. The charging station of claim 12, wherein said enclosure includes a wire opening positioned at a top portion of said enclosure.

17. A method of fabricating a charging station for charging an electrically powered vehicle, said method comprising:

providing a housing having an interior and defining a receptacle opening and a drain opening, the receptacle opening configured to receive a receptacle;

providing an enclosure configured to substantially surround the receptacle opening and to seal the receptacle opening;

positioning a receptacle at least partially within the receptacle opening such that the back portion of the receptacle is disposed within the enclosure, wherein the drain opening is configured to permit a fluid flow from the receptacle to exit the enclosure; and

coupling the receptacle to the housing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein positioning the receptacle at least partially within the receptacle opening includes orienting the receptacle substantially in parallel with a horizontal axis defined by the housing.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the enclosure includes a bottom wall configured to bias a fluid flow toward and through the drain opening.