ELECTRIC VEHICLE DOCKING CONNECTOR WITH EMBEDDED EVSE CONTROLLER

• US 20140035527A1
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Webasto Charging Systems, Inc. (Webasto Beteiligungs Verwaltung Gbr)
• Original Assignee: Iv, Herman Joseph Steinbuchel, Scott Berman
• Inventors: Hayashigawa, Larry, Flack, Albert Joseph, Steinbuchel, Herman Joseph IV, Soden, David Paul, Bissonette, Michael, Berman, Scott, Norton, Ronald Lee, Zevin, Michael Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 9,308,825 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/527 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/529 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/545 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• 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 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• 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 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A portable electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) kit or system includes a docking connector having a docking head engagable with the charging port of an electric vehicle and a barrel or handle fixed to the docking head and having a barrel electrical connector. An EVSE controller is embedded within the docking connector. An electric power cable has a first connector for engaging the barrel electrical connector and a second connector at an opposite end of the cable for connection to an electrical utility receptacle. The embedded EVSE controller enables the docking connector to function as an EVSE unit.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) kit for charging an electric vehicle through a charging port of the electric vehicle, comprising:

a docking connector comprising;

a head having a head end engagable with the charging port of the electric vehicle, and a barrel comprising a barrel docking end and a barrel cable end, said barrel docking end attached to said head;

a first plurality of conductors extending into said barrel from said barrel cable end and a second plurality of conductors extending into said head from said head end;

an embedded EVSE controller inside said docking connector connected between said first and second pluralities of conductors.

2. The EVSE kit of claim 1 further comprising:

a power cable comprising;

plural cable conductors;

first and second cable ends;

a power-receiving electrical connector on said first cable end connected to said plural cable conductors;

wherein said second cable end of said power cable and said barrel cable end of said barrel are adapted for connection of said plural cable conductors of said cable with said first plurality of said conductors of said barrel.

3. The EVSE kit of claim 2 wherein said second cable end of said power cable and said barrel cable end of said barrel are attached to one another, and said plural cable conductors are connected to said first plurality of conductors of said barrel.

4. The EVSE kit of claim 3 further comprising a flexible strain relief attached to said second cable end of said power cable and attached to said barrel cable end of said barrel.

5. The EVSE kit of claim 2 further comprising:

a first electrical connector on said second cable end connected to said plural cable conductors;

a second electrical connector on said barrel cable end of said barrel connected to said first plurality of conductors of said barrel, said first and second electrical connectors being removably engagable with one another.

6. The EVSE kit of claim 1 wherein said embedded EVSE controller is contained in one of:

(a) said barrel of said docking connector;

(b) said head of said docking connector;

(c) said barrel and said head of said docking connector.

7. The EVSE kit of claim 2 wherein said power-receiving electrical connector on said first cable end is adapted for connection to an AC power outlet.

8. The EVSE kit of claim 7 wherein said power-receiving electrical connector on said first cable end comprises:

plural connector conductors;

an outlet-facing surface;

a proximity sensor adjacent said outlet-facing surface;

a power interrupter switch within said power-receiving electrical connector, said power interrupter switch being connected between said plural connector conductors and said plural cable conductors;

a logic circuit within said power-receiving electrical connector, said logic circuit connected to said proximity sensor and connected to said power interrupter switch.

9. The EVSE kit of claim 8 further comprising a ground fault sensor within said power-receiving connector connected to a pair of said plural connector conductors and having an output connected to said logic circuit, wherein said logic circuit is responsive to said proximity sensor and to said ground fault sensor.

10. The EVSE kit of claim 7 wherein said power-receiving electrical connector on said first cable end comprises:

plural connector conductors;

an outlet-facing surface;

at least one of (a) an insertable post on said outlet-facing surface or (b) a post-receiving hole in said outlet facing surface.

11. The EVSE kit of claim 10 wherein said power-receiving electrical connector further comprises:

at least one of (a) an in-post proximity sensor in the insertable post or (b) an in-hole proximity sensor in the post-receiving hole;

a power interrupter switch within said power-receiving electrical connector, said power interrupter switch being connected between said plural connector conductors and said plural cable conductors;

a logic circuit within said power-receiving electrical connector, said logic circuit connected to said at least one proximity sensor and connected to said power interrupter switch.

12. The EVSE kit of claim 11 wherein said at least one proximity sensor comprises one of:

(a) an electrical sensor, (b) a magnetic sensor, (c) an optical sensor.

13. The EVSE kit of claim 10 wherein said plural electrical conductors of said power-receiving electrical connector comprise conductive prongs, said power-receiving electrical connector further comprising a collapsible insulating skirt surrounding said conductive prongs and having an axial length exceeding a length of said conductive prongs.

14. The EVSE kit of claim 2, wherein:

said power-receiving electrical connector comprises a power interrupter switch connected between said plural connector conductors and said plural cable conductors;

said embedded EVSE controller in said docking connector comprises a ground fault sensor having inputs coupled to said plural cable conductors, and a logic circuit responsive to said ground fault sensor;

said power cable comprises an insulated signal path conductor within said cable, said insulated signal path conductor being coupled at one end to an output of said logic circuit and being coupled at an opposite end to said power interrupter switch.

15. The EVSE kit of claim 2 wherein:

said power cable further comprises;

an outer insulating jacket surrounding said plural cable conductors;

a sheath within said outer insulating jacket surrounding said plural cable conductors and extending between said first and second cable ends;

said embedded EVSE controller comprises;

a sheath sensor coupled to said sheath;

a logic circuit coupled to said sheath sensor.

16. The EVSE kit of claim 15 wherein said embedded EVSE controller further comprises a power interruption switch connected between said first and second pluralities of conductors in said docking connector, and wherein said logic circuit is connected to said power interruption switch.

17. The EVSE kit of claim 15 wherein:

said power-receiving electrical connector comprises a power interrupter switch, said power interrupter switch being connected between said plural connector conductors and said plural cable conductors;

said power cable comprises an insulated signal path conductor within said cable, said insulated signal path conductor being coupled at one end to an output of said logic circuit and being coupled at an opposite end to said power interrupter switch.

18. The EVSE kit of claim 15 wherein said sheath comprises a conductor, and wherein said sheath sensor comprises one of (a) an RF impedance sensor, (b) an electrical resistance sensor.

19. The EVSE kit of claim 18 wherein said cable further comprises a DC return conductor in said cable and having a first end connected to said sheath sensor and a second end connected to an end of said sheath located at said power-receiving electrical connector.

20. The EVSE kit of claim 15 wherein said sheath forms a sealed enclosure adapted to be pressurized, and wherein said sheath sensor comprises a pressure sensor.

21-50. -50. (canceled)