Automatic power line disconnect apparatus

• US 9,685,734 B1
• Filed: 03/17/2016
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kussmaul Electronics LLC
• Original Assignee: Kussmaul Electronics Co., Inc. (Mission Critical Electronics LLC)
• Inventors: Nugent, Jr., Thomas H.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US15/073,404
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 439188, 439159, 439160, 439489
• 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 3/04 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: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/635 by mechanical pressure, e.g. spring force
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6683 with built-in sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7031 Shorting, shunting or bussing of different terminals interrupted or effected on engagement of coupling part, e.g. for ESD protection, line continuity
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7038 making use of a remote controlled switch, e.g. relais, solid state switch activated by the engagement of the coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7132 having ejecting mechanisms
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A power line disconnect apparatus includes a housing; an electrical connector that projects from a surface of a connector plate coupled to the housing, the electrical connector configured to receive a plug of a power cable; an ejector pin configured to project through a first aperture in the connector plate and eject the plug from the electrical connector; a microswitch configured to activate and deactivate a power circuit associated with the power cable; and a sensor pin configured to project through a second aperture in the connector plate, the sensor pin having a sensor pin extension, the sensor pin extension configured to control the microswitch.

Claims

1. A power line disconnect apparatus comprising:

a housing;

an electrical connector that projects from a surface of a connector plate coupled to the housing, the electrical connector configured to receive a plug of a power cable;

an ejector pin configured to project through a first aperture in the connector plate and eject the plug from the electrical connector;

a microswitch configured to activate and deactivate a power circuit associated with the power cable;

a sensor pin configured to project through a second aperture in the connector plate, the sensor pin having a sensor pin extension, the sensor pin extension configured to control the microswitch; and

a sensor pin guide configured to constrain movement of the sensor pin, the sensor pin guide having a side opening, the sensor pin extension projecting laterally from the sensor pin through the side opening to contact a microswitch arm of the microswitch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an ejector arm configured to push the ejector pin outward away from the connector plate when a vehicle coupled to the apparatus is started.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sensor pin is configured to depress inward when the plug is inserted over the electrical connector to the connector plate, and project outward when the plug is pulled away from the connector plate.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ejector arm is pivotally mounted on a support bracket by a pin.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ejector arm is coupled to one or more tension springs that provide a force on the ejector arm in a direction of the electrical connector.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a male connector having one or more male connector contacts that are longer than a maximum projection of the sensor pin.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fault indicator coupled to a normally closed (NC) contact of the microswitch, the fault indicator configured to indicate when a fault occurs in the power circuit.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a power indicator coupled to a normally open (NO) contact of the microswitch, the power indicator configured to indicate when the apparatus operates normally.

9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the electrical connector is a male connector having one or more male connector contacts that are longer than a maximum projection of the sensor pin.

10. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a fault indicator coupled to a normally closed (NC) contact of the microswitch, the fault indicator configured to indicate when a fault occurs in the power circuit.

11. A vehicle comprising:

an engine;

a power line disconnect apparatus attached to a surface of the vehicle, the power line disconnect apparatus comprising;

a housing;

an electrical connector that projects from a surface of a connector plate coupled to the housing, the electrical connector configured to receive a plug of a power cable;

an ejector pin configured to project through a first aperture in the connector plate and eject the plug from the electrical connector;

a microswitch configured to activate and deactivate a power circuit associated with the power cable and the vehicle;

a sensor pin configured to project through a second aperture in the connector plate, the sensor pin having a sensor pin extension, the sensor pin extension configured to control the microswitch; and

a sensor pin guide configured to constrain movement of the sensor pin, the sensor pin guide having a side opening, the sensor pin extension projecting laterally from the sensor pin through the side opening to contact a microswitch arm of the microswitch.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the power line disconnect apparatus further comprises an ejector arm configured to push the ejector pin outward away from the connector plate when the engine is started.

13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the sensor pin is configured to depress inward when the plug is inserted over the electrical connector to the connector plate, and project outward when the plug is pulled away from the connector plate.

14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the ejector arm is pivotally mounted on a support bracket by a pin.

15. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the ejector arm is coupled to one or more tension springs that provide a force on the ejector arm in a direction of the electrical connector.

16. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the electrical connector is a male connector having one or more male connector contacts that are longer than a maximum projection of the sensor pin.

17. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the power line disconnect apparatus further comprises a fault indicator coupled to a normally closed (NC) contact of the microswitch, the fault indicator configured to indicate when a fault occurs in the power circuit.

18. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the power line disconnect apparatus further comprises a power indicator coupled to a normally open (NO) contact of the microswitch, the power indicator configured to indicate when the apparatus operates normally.

19. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the electrical connector is a male connector having one or more male connector contacts that are longer than a maximum projection of the sensor pin.

20. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the power line disconnect apparatus further comprises a fault indicator coupled to a normally closed (NC) contact of the microswitch, the fault indicator configured to indicate when a fault occurs in the power circuit.