Electrified vehicle with electrical power outlet

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11142072-B2
Application number	US-201916596142-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2019
Priority date	Oct 8, 2019
Publication date	Oct 12, 2021
Grant date	Oct 12, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle includes a power-electronics converter and an electrical outlet in electric communication with the power-electronics converter and configured to power external loads. The vehicle includes at least one electrical outlet including at least a first socket configured to power a first category of external loads and a second socket configured to power a second category of external loads. The vehicle is configured to only power one of the first and second loads at a time. This may be accomplished using physical features or electronically.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a power-electronics converter; and
an electrical outlet in electric communication with the power-electronics converter and configured to power external loads, the electrical outlet including:
a first socket configured to power a first category of external loads, the first socket having receptacles arranged to receive prongs of a first type of connector that is associated with the first category of external loads, and
a second socket configured to power a second category of external loads, the second socket having receptacles arranged differently than the first socket to receive prongs of a second type of connector that is associated with the second category of external loads, wherein the first and second sockets are positioned on the outlet to overlap such that only one of the first and second connectors can be plugged into the outlet at a time to prevent the power-electronics converter from powering the first and second categories of external loads simultaneously.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the receptacles of the first socket are arranged in a standardized configuration as recognized by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), and the receptacles of the second socket are arranged in a non-standardized configuration.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the receptacles of the first socket are arranged in a NEMA 5 configuration and the first type of connector is a NEMA 5 connector.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the first category of external loads includes power tools and the second category of external loads includes buildings.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising:
a first set of wires connecting between the power-electronics converter and the first socket; and
a second set of wires connecting between the power-electronics converter and the second socket.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first socket is circumscribed by the second socket.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the receptacles of the first socket is within five millimeters of at least one of the receptacles of the second socket.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sockets overlap such that at least one of the receptacles of the second socket is covered by the first connector when received in the first socket and such that at least one of the receptacles of the first socket is covered by the second connector when received in the second socket.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first socket includes three receptacles, and the second socket includes four receptacles.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the outlet further includes a sensor configured to detect the presence of one of the first and second connectors in their respective socket.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a traction battery;
an electric machine;
a power-electronics converter configured to transfer power between the traction battery and the electric machine; and
an electrical outlet in electric communication with the power-electronics converter and configured to power external loads, the electrical outlet including:
a National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) 5 socket configured to power loads of remote devices, and
a unique socket configured to power a building, wherein the NEMA 5 socket and the unique socket are positioned on the outlet to overlap such that only one plug is receivable into the outlet at a time to prevent the power-electronics converter from powering remote devices and buildings simultaneously.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the NEMA 5 socket is circumscribed by the unique socket.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the NEMA 5 socket includes three receptacles, and the unique socket includes four receptacles.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein two of the four receptacles are line receptacles.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the NEMA 5 socket is grounded to the vehicle, and the unique socket is grounded to earth.

16. A vehicle comprising:
traction battery;
an electric machine;
a power-electronics converter configured to transfer power between the traction battery and the electric machine;
a first outlet configured to power a building with the converter;
a second outlet configured to power a remote device with the converter;
a controller programmed to,
responsive to a plug being inserted into the first outlet, de-energize the second outlet and connect the first outlet to earth ground, and
responsive to the plug being removed from the first outlet, energize the second outlet and connect the second outlet to vehicle ground.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 further comprising switching circuitry between the converter and the outlets and including at least one switch, wherein the controller opens the switch to de-energize the second outlet.

18. The vehicle of claim 16 further comprising:
circuitry including line, neutral, and ground between the converter and the outlets; and
a first switch electrical connecting the neutral to the ground when closed, wherein the controller commends the first switch closed to connect the second outlet to vehicle ground and commends the first switch open to connect the first outlet to earth ground.

19. The vehicle of claim 18 further comprising a second switch on the line and configured to energize the second outlet when closed and de-energize the second outlet when open.

20. The vehicle of claim 16 further comprising a sensor configured to output a signal to the controller indicative of a plug being inserted into the first outlet.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Bhat Krishna Prasad
• Degner Michael W
• Zou Ke
• Lu Xi

Classifications

• Y04S10/126

  the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G] · CPC title

• Y02T90/16

  Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T10/72

  Electric energy management in electromobility · CPC title

• Y02E60/00

  Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation · CPC title

• H01R13/74

  Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel · CPC title