Self powered electric vehicle charging connector locking system

• US 8,025,526 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Issued: 09/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chargepoint, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Coulomb Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Hagenmaier, Carl F. Jr., Matsuno, Craig T., Baxter, David, Tormey, Milton T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Khiem
• Application Number:
  US12/764,845
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/133, 439/135, 439/148, 439/304, 439/347, 439/372, 439/528, 320/107, 320/108, 320/109, 320/111
• US Class Current: 439/528
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• 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: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• 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 self powered electric vehicle charging connector locking system for locking and unlocking a charging connector of an electric vehicle charging cord includes an electric vehicle charging station and an electric vehicle charging connector locking holster. The electric vehicle charging station includes an electricity control device to energize and de-energize the charging cord to control a supply of electricity available to flow through the charging cord. Current does not flow through the charging cord when it is de-energized and some amount of current is capable of flowing through the charging cord when it is energized. The electric vehicle charging connector locking holster includes a charging connector locking holster inlet to receive the charging connector of the charging cord and a locking unit to lock the charging connector in the locking holster when it is inserted into the charging connector locking holster inlet and unlock the charging connector from the locking holster responsive to the charging cord becoming energized.

Claims

1. A self powered electric vehicle charging connector locking system for locking and unlocking a charging connector of an electric vehicle charging cord, comprising:

an electric vehicle charging station including an electricity control device to energize and de-energize the charging cord to control a supply of electricity available to flow through the charging cord, wherein no amount of current flows through the charging cord when it is de-energized and some amount of current is capable of flowing through the charging cord when it is energized; and

an electric vehicle charging connector locking holster including,

a charging connector locking holster inlet to receive the charging connector of the charging cord, and

a locking unit coupled to the charging connector locking holster inlet, the locking unit to,

lock the charging connector in the locking holster when it is inserted into the charging connector locking holster inlet, and

unlock the charging connector from the locking holster responsive to the charging cord becoming energized.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle charging connector locking holster is located remotely from the electric vehicle charging station.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging connector remains locked in the locking holster without drawing power while the charging cord is de-energized.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the locking holster further includes a connector sensing mechanism to indicate to the electric vehicle charging station that the charging connector is inserted into the charging connector locking holster inlet.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle charging station further includes,

one or more control modules to control operation of the electricity control device to cause the control device to energize and de-energize the charging connector.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more control modules are further to determine when the charging connector has been removed from the locking holster and consequently cause the control device to de-energize the charging connector.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more control modules are further to perform an authorization procedure responsive to receiving a request to use the electric vehicle charging station and consequently cause the control device to energize the charging connector responsive to a successful authorization.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the charging connector is initially plugged and locked in a charging connector locking holster inlet of the locking holster, and wherein the charging connector and the charging connector locking holster inlet are SAE J1772 compliant.

8. A method for a self powered electric vehicle charging connector locking system, wherein a charging connector of a charging cord of an electric vehicle charging station is initially locked in an electric vehicle charging connector locking holster, the method comprising:

energizing the charging cord to allow electricity to flow from the charging station to the locking holster causing the locking holster to unlock the charging connector from the locking holster;

detecting that the charging connector has been removed from the locking holster; and

de-energizing the charging cord to prevent electricity from flowing from the charging station through the charging cord.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting that the charging connector has been inserted into an electric vehicle charging inlet of an electric vehicle; and

energizing the charging cord to allow electricity to flow from the charging station to the electric vehicle to allow charging.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting that the charging connector has been removed from the electric vehicle charging inlet; and

de-energizing the charging cord to prevent electricity from flowing from the charging station through the charging cord.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein prior to energizing the charging cord to unlock the charging connector from the locking holster, the following operations are performed:

receiving a request to use the charging station; and

authorizing the request.

13. An electric vehicle charging connector locking holster, comprising:

a charging connector locking holster inlet to receive a charging connector of a charging cord of an electric vehicle charging station; and

a locking unit coupled to the charging connector locking holster inlet, the locking unit to lock and unlock the charging connector,

wherein the unlocking of the charging connector is activated through power received from the electric vehicle charging station through the charging cord.

14. The electric vehicle charging connector locking holster of claim 13, wherein the locking of the charging connector is activated upon the charging connector being inserted into the charging connector locking holster inlet, wherein the locking unit does not use electrical power to lock the charging connector in the locking holster.

15. The electric vehicle charging connector locking holster of claim 13, further comprising:

a connector sensing mechanism to indicate to the electric vehicle charging station when the charging connector is inserted into the charging connector locking holster inlet.

16. The electric vehicle charging connector locking holster of claim 13, wherein the charging connector locking holster inlet is SAE J1772 compliant.

17. An electric vehicle charging station, comprising:

a charging cord terminating with a charging connector, wherein the charging connector is adapted to be plugged into an electric vehicle charging inlet of an electric vehicle when charging that electric vehicle and is adapted to be plugged and locked into a charging connector locking holster inlet of a locking holster when not in use;

an electricity control device coupled with the charging cord to energize and de-energize the charging cord to control a supply of electricity available to flow through the charging cord, wherein no amount of current flows through the charging cord when it is de-energized and some amount of current is capable of flowing through the charging cord when it is energized; and

one or more control modules to,

receive a request to use the electric vehicle charging station, and

cause the electricity control device to energize the charging cord to unlock the charging connector from the charging connector locking holster inlet of the locking holster.

18. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 17, wherein the locking holster is attached to the electric vehicle charging station.

19. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 17, wherein the one or more control modules are further operative to:

detect when the charging connector is removed from the charging connector locking holster inlet of the locking holster, and responsive to that detection, cause the electricity control device to de-energize the charging cord.

20. The electric vehicle charging station of claim 19, wherein the one or more control modules are further operative to:

detect when the charging connector is inserted into an electric vehicle charging inlet of an electric vehicle, and responsive to that detection, cause the electricity control device to energize the charging cord to allow for charging that electric vehicle.