Electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) assembly convertible between a cord set and a charge station

• US 9,296,303 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2014
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Mueller, Mark Anthony, Hein, David A., Mueller, Mary, Topolewski, John N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rossoshek, Helen
• Application Number:
  US14/289,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20150054461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• 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

An EVSE assembly convertible between a charge cord and a charge station includes a charge unit having a connector of a first type, a charge station sub-assembly having a connector of a second type, and a cord set sub-assembly having a connector of the second type. The connector of the charge station sub-assembly is hard-wired to an (240V) electrical circuit. The charge unit electrically connects to the charge station sub-assembly while the connectors of the charge unit and the charge station sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a (240V) charge station. The cord set sub-assembly further includes a power plug connectable to (one of a 120V and 240V) electrical outlet. The charge unit electrically connects to the cord set sub-assembly while the connectors of the charge unit and the cord set sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a (120V or 240V) cord set.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle supply equipment assembly comprising:

a charge unit having a first connector of a first type and a control box connected to the first connector;

a charge station sub-assembly having a second connector of a second type and a charge station housing a receiving portion configured to physically receive therein the control box of the charge unit; and

a cord set sub-assembly having a third connector of the second type;

wherein the first connector of the charge unit and the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly directly connect to one another upon the control box of the charge unit being physically received within the receiving portion of the charge station housing, the charge unit being electrically connected to the charge station sub-assembly while the first connector of the charge unit and the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a charge station;

wherein the charge unit electrically connects to the cord set sub-assembly while the first connector of the charge unit and the third connector of the cord set sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a cord set.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a second cord set sub-assembly having a fourth connector of the second type;

wherein the charge unit electrically connects to the second cord set sub-assembly while the first connector of the charge unit and the fourth connector of the second cord set sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a second cord set.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the charge station housing is fixedly mounted to an exterior wall of an edifice and the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly is hard-wired to an electrical circuit at a mounted portion of the wall, the charge unit being electrically connected to the electrical circuit while the charge unit and the charge station sub-assembly form the charge station.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the cord set sub-assembly further includes a power plug connectable to an electrical outlet, the charge unit being electrically connected to the electrical outlet while the power plug is connected to the electrical outlet and while the charge unit and the cord set sub-assembly form the cord set.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein:

the electrical outlet is one of a 120V and a 240V electrical outlet and the cord set is one of a 120V and a 240V cord set.

8. The assembly of claim 7 further comprising:

a second cord set sub-assembly having a fourth connector of the second type, wherein the charge unit electrically connects to the second cord set sub-assembly while the first connector of the charge unit and the fourth connector of the second cord set sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a second cord set;

the second cord set sub-assembly further including a second power plug connectable to a second electrical outlet, the charge unit being electrically connected to the second electrical outlet while the second power plug is connected to the second electrical outlet and while the charge unit and the second cord set sub-assembly form the second cord set;

wherein the second electrical outlet is the other one of a 120V and a 240V electrical outlet and the second cord set is the other one of a 120V and a 240V cord set.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the first connector of the first type corresponds with each of the second and third connectors of the second type such that the first connector is enabled to connect to and disconnect from each of the second and third connectors one at a time, the first connector is disabled from connecting to another connector of the first type, and each of the second and third connectors is disabled from connecting to another connector of the second type.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein:

the charge unit further includes a charge cord and a charge handle sequentially connected in series to the control box.

3. The assembly of a wherein:

the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly is hard-wired to an electrical circuit, the charge unit being electrically connected to the electrical circuit while the charge unit and the charge station sub-assembly form the charge station.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein:

the electrical circuit is a 240V electrical circuit and the charge station is a 240V charge station.

11. An electric vehicle supply equipment assembly comprising:

a charge unit having a first connector of a first type and a control box connected to the first connector;

a charge station sub-assembly having a second connector of a second type, the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly being hard-wired to an electrical circuit, the charge station sub-assembly further having a charge station housing having a receiving portion configured to physically receive therein the control box of the charge unit; and

a first cord set sub-assembly having a third connector of the second type and a first power plug connectable to a first electrical outlet;

wherein the first connector of the charge unit and the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly directly connect to one another upon the control box of the charge unit being physically received within the receiving portion of the charge station housing, the charge unit being electrically connected to the electrical circuit while the first connector of the charge unit and the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a charge station;

wherein the charge unit electrically connects to the first electrical outlet while the first power plug of the cord set sub-assembly is connected to the electrical outlet and the first connector of the charge unit and third connector of the cord set sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a first cord set.

12. The assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the first electrical outlet is one of a 120V and a 240V electrical outlet and the first cord set is one of a 120V and a 240V cord set.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein:

the electrical circuit is a 240V electrical circuit and the charge station is a 240V charge station.

14. The assembly of claim 11 further comprising:

a second cord set sub-assembly having a fourth connector of the second type and a second power plug connectable to a second electrical outlet;

wherein the charge unit electrically connects to the second electrical outlet while the second power plug of the second cord set sub-assembly is connected to the second electrical outlet and the first connector of the charge unit and the fourth connector of the second cord set sub-assembly are connected to one another to thereby form a second cord set.

15. The assembly of claim 14 wherein:

the first electrical outlet is one of a 120V and a 240V electrical outlet and the first cord set is one of a 120V and a 240V cord set;

the second electrical outlet is the other one of a 120V and a 240V electrical outlet and the second cord set is the other one of a 120V and a 240V cord set; and

the electrical circuit is a 240V electrical circuit and the charge station is a 240V charge station.

16. The assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the first connector of the first type corresponds with each of the second and third connectors of the second type such that the first connector is enabled to connect to and disconnect from each of the second and third connectors one at a time, the first connector is disabled from connecting to another connector of the first type, and each the second and third connectors is disabled from connecting to another connector of the second type.

17. The assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the charge unit further includes a charge cord and a charge handle sequentially connected in series to the control box.

18. The assembly of claim 11 wherein:

the charge station sub-assembly is configured to automatically disconnect the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly from the electrical circuit while the first connector of the charge unit is disconnected from the second connector of the charge station sub-assembly.