Portable electric vehicle recharging device

• US 9,153,980 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2012
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Restrepo, Carlos Eduardo, Salas, Luis F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fantu, Yalkew
• Application Number:
  US13/446,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20130271075A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• 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 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5841 allowing different orientations of the cable with respect to the coupling direction
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/30 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/065 with built-in electric apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0047 with monitoring or indicating devices or circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0049 Detection of fully charged condition
• 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

An electrical vehicle recharging device includes an electric vehicle connector. The electric vehicle connector complies with the SAE J1772 standard and includes a first end configured to be coupled to a receptacle on an electric vehicle to recharge the batteries of that vehicle and a second end that includes a handle. The device also include a charger housing that is positioned immediately next to and coupled to the electric vehicle connector and includes an electric vehicle charging circuit positioned within the charger housing. The device further includes a power cable having a first end and a distal second end. The first end of the power cable is coupled to the electric vehicle charging circuit and the second end is coupled to an electrical plug configured to be removably coupled to a surface-mounted electrical receptacle to provide a source of power to the device for recharging the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle recharging system comprising:

an electric vehicle connector comprising;

a first end configured to be coupled to a receptacle on an electric vehicle; and

a second end coupled to a first rotating connector;

a charger housing coupled to a second rotating connector and comprising an electric vehicle charging circuit disposed within the charger housing,

wherein the first rotating connector is coupled to the second rotating connector to rotatably couple the charger housing to the electric vehicle connector;

a power cable comprising a first end and a distal second end, the first end of the power cable coupled to the electric vehicle charging circuit of the charger housing; and

an electrical plug coupled to the second end of the power cable.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the charger housing comprises a first end and an opposing second end,

wherein the first end of the charger housing is coupled to the second rotating connector, and

wherein the second end of the charger housing is coupled to the first end of the power cable.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle charging circuit comprises:

a controller;

a contactor circuit communicably coupled to the controller; and

a ground fault circuit interrupter circuit communicably coupled to the controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the charger housing comprises:

a top end;

a bottom end; and

a plurality of sides extending from the top end and the bottom end,

wherein the top end, bottom end, and plurality of sides define a cavity within which the electric vehicle charging circuit is disposed.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the top end is adjustable from an open position to a closed position to provide access to the cavity.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the charger housing further includes a plurality of visual indicators positioned along an outer surface of the charger housing.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical plug comprises a NEMA class 1 configuration male plug.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical plug comprises a NEMA class 5 configuration male plug.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical plug is configured to be removably coupled to a 110 VAC surface-mounted plug receptacle.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical plug is configured to be removably coupled to a 220 VAC surface-mounted plug receptacle.

11. An electric vehicle recharging system comprising:

an electric vehicle connector comprising;

a first end comprising a terminal interface comprising a plurality of conductive terminals configured to be coupled to a receptacle on an electric vehicle; and

a second end comprising a handle;

a charger housing rotatably coupled to the electric vehicle connector using a rotating joint mechanism, wherein the charger housing comprises an electric vehicle charging circuit disposed within the charger housing;

a power cable comprising a first end and a distal second end, the first end of the power cable coupled to the electric vehicle charging circuit; and

an electrical plug coupled to the second end of the power cable.

12. The system of claim 11,

wherein the rotating joint mechanism comprises:

a first rotating connector coupled to the second end of the electric vehicle connector, the first rotating connector comprising a first aperture providing a passageway through the first rotating connector;

a second rotating connector coupled to the charger housing, the second rotating connector comprising a second aperture providing a passageway through the second rotating connector; and

wherein the rotating joint mechanism further comprises a pin disposed though the first aperture and the second aperture, the charger housing being rotatable about the pin with respect to the electric vehicle connector.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the electrical plug is selected from the group consisting of NEMA class 1 male plugs, NEMA class 2 male plugs, NEMA class 5 male plugs, NEMA class 6 male plugs, NEMA class 14 male plugs, NEMA class L5 male plugs, NEMA class L6 male plugs, and NEMA class L14 male plugs.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the charger housing comprises a first end and an opposing second end, wherein the first end of the charger housing is rotatably coupled to the second end of the electric vehicle connector via the rotating joint mechanism, and wherein the second end of the charger housing is coupled to the first end of the power cable.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the electric vehicle charging circuit comprises:

a controller;

a contactor circuit electrically coupled to the controller;

a ground fault circuit interrupter circuit electrically coupled to the controller; and

a current sensor circuit electrically coupled to the controller.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the electric vehicle charging circuit further comprises a control pilot connection electrically coupled at one end to the controller and at an opposing end to the electric vehicle connector.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the charger housing comprises a plurality of exterior surface walls, the walls defining an inner cavity of the charger housing.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the electric vehicle charging circuit is coupled to the charger housing and disposed within the inner cavity.

19. The system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of light emitting visual indicators disposed along an exterior surface of the charger housing, wherein each of the light emitting visual indicators provides a visual indication of a status of the electric vehicle recharging system.

20. An electric vehicle recharging system comprising:

an electric vehicle connector comprising;

a first end comprising a terminal interface, wherein the terminal interface comprises a plurality of conductive terminals configured to be coupled to a receptacle on an electric vehicle; and

a second end comprising a handle;

a charger housing rotatably coupled to and positioned adjacent to the electric vehicle connector, wherein the charger housing comprises an electric vehicle charging circuit disposed within the charger housing;

a plurality of light emitting visual indicators disposed along an exterior surface of the charger housing, wherein each of the light emitting visual indicators provides a visual indication of a status of the electric vehicle recharging system;

a power cable comprising a first end and a distal second end, the first end of the power cable coupled to the electric vehicle charging circuit; and

an electrical plug coupled to the second end of the power cable.