Portable charging cable with in-line controller

• US 9,533,599 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2015
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto Charging Systems, Inc. (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Aerovironment
• Inventors: Soden, David Paul, Flack, Albert Joseph, Steinbuchel, Herman Joseph IV, Hayashigawa, Larry, O'Donnell, Brendan Francis, Wong, Francis Patrick, Barrosa, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): CAVALLARI, DANIEL J
• Application Number:
  US14/875,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20160031335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/10 by alarm
• 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 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/60 Monitoring or controlling charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/62 in response to charging parameters, e.g. current, voltage or electrical charge
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/66 Data transfer between charging stations and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/25 by controlling the electric load
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00
• 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 30/12 : Remote or cooperative charging

Abstract

A portable electric vehicle support equipment (EVSE) unit is formed as a cord of plural insulated conductors and a flexible outer sheath enclosing said plural insulated conductors. The cord includes an EVSE docking connector on a docking end of the cord and a utility plug on a utility end of the cord, said cord being divided into a docking section terminated at said docking connector and a utility section terminated at said utility connector. The cord further includes an in-line EVSE controller and a housing enclosing said controller, said housing sealed with said flexible outer sheath and disposed at an intermediate section of said cord between said docking and utility sections.

Claims

1. An EVSE cord comprising:

plural insulated conductors and a flexible outer sheath enclosing said plural insulated conductors,

an EVSE docking connector on a docking end of the cord and a utility plug on a utility end of the cord,

an in-line EVSE controller coupled between said docking and utility ends;

a control pilot conductor in said docking connector, wherein said in-line EVSE controller comprises;

a microprocessor comprising a serial port;

an analog buffer coupled between said microprocessor and said control pilot conductor;

a pulse generator coupled to said control pilot conductor and having a duty cycle controlled by said microprocessor; and

a temperature sensor having a temperature output coupled to said microprocessor, said temperature output representing a present temperature.

2. The EVSE cord of claim 1 wherein said in-line EVSE controller is connected in “

series between conductors of said docking connector and conductors of said utility plug.

3. The EVSE cord of claim 1 wherein said duty cycle signifies a maximum current draw by an EV coupled to said EVSE cord.

4. The EVSE cord of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to halt charging current flow through said EVSE cord whenever said present temperature exceeds a maximum operating temperature.

5. The EVSE cord of claim 1 wherein said microprocessor is programmed to adjust said duty cycle in response to said present temperature exceeding a predetermined threshold temperature less than a maximum operating temperature.

6. The EVSE cord of claim 1 further comprising a memory coupled to said microprocessor, said memory storing:

(a) a nominal pulse duty cycle corresponding to a nominal value of maximum allowable current, (b) a predetermined threshold temperature, (c) a maximum operating temperature and (d) a set of program instructions executable by said microprocessor, upon said present temperature exceeding said predetermined threshold temperature, to reduce the pulse duty cycle of said pulse generator from said nominal pulse duty cycle to an adjusted pulse duty cycle by a reduction factor that is a function of the closeness of said present temperature to said maximum operating temperature.

7. The EVSE cord of claim 6 wherein said function is a proportional function.

8. The EVSE cord of claim 6 wherein said predetermined threshold temperature is in a range of 10% to 30% of said maximum operating temperature.

9. An EVSE cord comprising:

plural insulated conductors and a flexible outer sheath enclosing said plural insulated conductors;

an EVSE docking connector on a docking end of the cord and a utility plug on a utility end of the cord;

an in-line EVSE controller;

a control pilot conductor in said cord, wherein said in-line EVSE controller comprises;

a microprocessor comprising a serial port;

an analog buffer coupled between said microprocessor and said control pilot conductor; and

a serial bus connected between said serial port and said control pilot conductor.