Diagnostic receptacle for electric vehicle supply equipment

• US 9,283,852 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Original Assignee: Schneider Electric USA, Inc. (Schneider Electric SE)
• Inventors: Jefferies, Kevin M., Edwards, Benjamin W., White, Matthew L., Filippenko, Konstantin Alexander, Weiler, Richard Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCANDREW, CHRISTOPHER P
• Application Number:
  US13/467,952
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 324/511
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/005 Testing of electric installations on transport means
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/58 Testing of lines, cables or conductors testing of electric windings G01R31/72
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/66 Testing of connections, e.g. of plugs or non-disconnectable joints testing for incorrect line connections G01R31/55
• 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

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer-readable media provide electric supply equipment 200 configured to perform diagnostics. The electric supply equipment 200 may include a receptacle 210 for forming a closed circuit loop. The electric supply equipment 200 includes a connector 203 for charging devices, such as electric vehicles 101. The connector 203 may include one or more conductors, some of which may be wrapped with insulation. When the connector 103, 203 is not used for charging, the connector 203 may be connected to a receptacle 210 of the electric supply equipment 200. Thus, the electric supply equipment 200, via the receptacle 210, may form a closed loop circuit with the conductors. Further, the electric supply equipment 200 may include a diagnostic unit 250 for performing diagnostic tests on the conductors. In particular, the diagnostic unit 250 may access ends of the conductors via the receptacle 210.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by electric vehicle supply equipment configured to provide electric power to an electric vehicle, whether a connector of the electric vehicle supply equipment is electrically connected to a receptacle of the electric vehicle supply equipment;

obtaining, by the electric vehicle supply equipment, electrical measurements at an end of one or more conductors accessible via the connector;

determining a status of the one or more conductors based on the obtained electrical measurements; and

indicating whether the electric vehicle supply equipment is available for use.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting whether the connector of the electric vehicle supply equipment is electrically connected to the receptacle of the electric vehicle supply equipment comprises:

closing a switch in the connector after the connector is electrically connected to the receptacle; and

detecting, by the electric vehicle supply equipment, whether the switch is closed.

3. Electric vehicle supply equipment, comprising:

a control box comprising control electronics configured to control whether current passes through a plurality of power lines;

a connector comprising a first end and a second end, the second end being configured to connect to an inlet of an electric vehicle;

a cable extending from a first part of the control box to a first end of the connector and comprising the plurality of power lines, wherein the plurality of power lines are configured to connect to an electric power source and provide electricity through the cable to the first end of the connector to supply electric power to an electric vehicle;

a receptacle located on a second part of the control box and configured to electrically connect to the connector through the second end of the connector; and

a diagnostic unit configured to perform a diagnostic test on a particular conductor within the connector when the connector is electrically connected to the receptacle.

4. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, wherein the particular conductor comprises any one of a plurality of conductors accessible via the receptacle of the electric vehicle supply equipment, the plurality of conductors comprising the plurality of power lines, a proximity line, a control pilot line, and a ground line.

5. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3,

wherein the diagnostic unit is configured to generate a stimulus and transmit the stimulus onto the particular conductor within the connector when the connector is electrically connected to the receptacle, and

wherein the diagnostic test comprises measuring one of a continuity of the particular conductor, a resistance or impedance of the particular conductor, a capacitance between the particular conductor and another conductor, a leakage current of the particular conductor, a pulse width or frequency of a pulse width modulated signal on the particular conductor, a time between transmission and reception of a reflected signal transmitted on the particular conductor, a time to open or close a contactor, or a contact resistance of the particular conductor.

6. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, further comprising:

an output device configured to indicate a status of the electric vehicle supply equipment based on results of the diagnostic test,

wherein the diagnostic test comprises determining whether the particular conductor is damaged or whether an insulation of the particular conductor is damaged.

7. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, further comprising:

the control electronics configured to control whether current passes through the plurality of power lines,

wherein the diagnostic unit is electrically connected to the control electronics.

8. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, further comprising:

a monitoring circuit configured to detect a voltage at an end of the particular conductor,

wherein the voltage is controlled by the diagnostic unit, and

wherein the diagnostic unit is configured to determine whether the monitoring circuit is functioning properly.

9. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, wherein the diagnostic unit is configured to distinguish a case in which the connector is electrically connected to an electric vehicle and a case in which the connector is electrically connected to the receptacle of the electric vehicle supply equipment.

10. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3,

wherein the particular conductor has a first end coupled to the first part of the control box and a second end electrically connected to the connector, and

wherein the receptacle is further configured to electrically connect to the particular conductor through the connector.

11. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, further comprising:

a proximity circuit configured to detect whether the connector is electrically connected to the receptacle, wherein the proximity circuit comprises a switch configured to close while the connector is electrically connected to the receptacle.

12. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 11, wherein the switch is actuated by one of:

a mechanical device configured to close the switch when conductive contact points of the connector physically contact conductive contact points of the receptacle;

or

a manual device configured to close the switch in response to a user'"'"'s action in addition to moving the connector so that the conductive contact points of the connector physically contact the conductive contact points of the receptacle.

13. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3, wherein the connector comprises one or more conductive contact points and the receptacle comprises one or more conductive contact points arranged to electrically connect to each of the conductive contact points of the connector, respectively.

14. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 3,

wherein the connector allows access to an end of each of the plurality of power lines, a proximity line, a control pilot line, and a ground line, and

wherein the receptacle comprises a plurality of conductive contact points arranged to electrically connect to each of the accessible ends, respectively.

15. Electric vehicle supply equipment, comprising:

a control box comprising control electronics configured to control whether current passes through a plurality of power lines, the plurality of power lines configured to supply electric power to an electric vehicle, each of the power lines having a first end electrically coupled to an electric power source;

a connector comprising a first end and a second end, the second end being configured to electrically connect a second end of each of the plurality of power lines to an electric vehicle;

a cable extending from a first part of the control box to a first end of the connector;

a receptacle located on a second part of the control box and configured to directly and electrically connect to the second end of the connector; and

a diagnostic unit electrically connected to the receptacle and configured to perform a diagnostic test on a particular conductor within the connector when the connector is electrically connected to the receptacle,

wherein the particular conductor comprises any one of a plurality of conductors accessible via the receptacle, the plurality of conductors comprising the plurality of power lines, a proximity line, a control pilot line, and a ground line.

16. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 15,

wherein the particular conductor has a first end electrically connected to the control electronics and a second end electrically connected to the connector,

wherein the receptacle is configured to electrically connect to the particular conductor through the connector.

17. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 15, wherein the diagnostic test comprises determining whether the particular conductor is in an exposed or unexposed state.

18. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 15, wherein the diagnostic unit comprises diagnostic electronics that are electrically isolated from the plurality of power lines.

19. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 15, further comprising:

an output device configured to indicate a status of the electric vehicle supply equipment based on results of the diagnostic test,

wherein the diagnostic test comprises determining whether the particular conductor is damaged or whether an insulation of the particular conductor is damaged.

20. The electric vehicle supply equipment of claim 19, wherein the output device comprises one of an audible alarm, a light, a mechanical sign, or a display.