Portable charger

• US 9,515,424 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LSIS Co. Ltd. (LS Corporation)
• Inventors: Im, Chang Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US14/307,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20150024632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 320/111
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/00 Electric devices on electrically-propelled vehicles for safety purposes; Monitoring operating variables, e.g. speed, deceleration or energy consumption methods or circuit arrangements for monitoring or controlling batteries or fuel cells B60L58/00
• 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 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• 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

Abstract

Provided is a portable charger connected to a wall electric power source and configured to supply an electric power from the wall electric power source to a load. The portable charger includes a plug, an electric wire, a switch, a first detection unit, a second detection unit, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to supply an electric power through the electric wire to the load when the plug is plugged in the socket and to cut off the supply of the electric power flowing through the electric wire by controlling the switch on the basis of the user'"'"'s approach that is detected by the first detection unit, and the tensile force that is detected by the second detection unit while the electric power is being supplied.

Claims

1. A portable charger connected to a wall electric power source and configured to supply an electric power from the wall electric power source to a load, the portable charger comprising:

a plug inserted in a socket that is installed in the wall electric power source;

an electric wire connecting the plug and the load to supply an electric power from the wall electric power source to the load;

a switch disposed between the plug and the electric wire;

a first detection unit configured to detect a stress applied to the plug or a touch on the plug;

a second detection unit disposed in the electric wire and configured to detect a variation of a tensile force applied to the electric wire; and

a control unit configured to supply an electric power through the electric wire to the load when the plug is plugged in the socket and to allow the electric power supplied to the load to be cut off by controlling the switch based on the detected stress, the detected touch and the detected variation of the tensile force while the electric power is being supplied to the load.

2. The portable charger according to claim 1, wherein the first detection unit comprises at least one of a pressure switch and a touch sensor,

wherein the pressure switch is disposed in the plug and performs a switch operation according to a pressure caused by grasping of the plug, and the touch sensor is disposed in the plug and detects whether an external object touches the plug.

3. The portable charger according to claim 1, wherein the second detection unit comprises a strain gauge of which a resistance value increases according to a tensile force applied to the electric wire.

4. The portable charger according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the switch to be opened when detecting at least one condition among a condition that the plug is grasped, a condition that the plug is touched, and a condition that a tensile force greater than a certain level is applied to the electric wire.