System monitoring power connector and cable health

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339786-A1
Application number	US-201615078304-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 23, 2016
Priority date	Mar 23, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of protecting an electric vehicle (EV) charger connector from excessive heat includes monitoring the internal temperature of an electrical connector, the electrical connector having pilot and pilot return signal lines, reducing a voltage between the pilot and pilot return signal lines in response to the internal temperature exceeding a first threshold, and reducing charging current provided through the electrical connector in response to the change in voltage so that the internal temperature exceeding the first threshold will result in a reduction of charging current through the connector.

First claim

1 . A method of electric vehicle (EV) electrical connector monitoring, comprising:
monitoring the internal temperature of an electrical connector, the electrical connector having pilot and pilot return signal lines; reducing a voltage between the pilot and pilot return signal lines in response to the internal temperature exceeding a first threshold; and reducing charging current provided through the electrical connector in response to the change in voltage; wherein the charging current is reduced in response to the internal temperature exceeding the first threshold.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of reducing the charging current comprises stopping the charging current.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of changing the voltage between the pilot and pilot return signal lines comprises electrically shorting the pilot and pilot return lines together.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the shorting is made in response to a thermostat closing.

5 . The method of claim 1 further comprises opening a switch that is electrically connected in series with either one of the pilot line or pilot return line.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the switch is a normally-closed thermostat.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
further reducing the voltage between the pilot and pilot return signal lines in response to the internal temperature exceeding a second threshold.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the further reducing step comprises electrically shorting the pilot and pilot return lines together.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the further reducing step comprises opening a switch disposed in series with one of the pilot and pilot return lines.

10 . (canceled)

11 . (canceled)

12 . A method of protecting an EV charger connector from excessive heat, comprising:
monitoring the internal temperature of an electrical connector, the electrical connector housing a pilot line, pilot return signal line, and first and second power lines; and switching on an over-temperature alarm circuit connected between the first and second power lines in response to the temperature exceeding a first threshold; wherein the internal temperature exceeding the first threshold will result in an alarm indication.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the switching step comprises tripping a thermostat.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the over-temperature alarm circuit comprises an LED light encompassed by the electrical connector.

15 . (canceled)

16 . (canceled)

17 . A battery monitoring apparatus, comprising:
first and second pilot lines in an electrical connector; first and second power lines in the electrical connector; and a thermostat electrically coupled to at least one of the first pilot line, second pilot line, first power line and second power line and disposed in the electrical connector.

18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the thermostat is electrically coupled between the first and second pilot lines.

19 . (canceled)

20 . (canceled)

21 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the thermostat is connected in series with one of first and second pilot lines and the thermostat is a normally-closed thermostat.

22 . (canceled)

23 . The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising an excessive heat alarm.

24 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the thermostat is electrically coupled between the first and second power lines and the thermostat is a normally-open thermostat.

25 . The apparatus of claim 24 , further comprising:
a thermal alarm connected in series with the thermostat; wherein closing of the thermostat at a pre-determined temperature results in activation of the thermal alarm as powered by the first and second power lines.

26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , further comprising:
a second thermostat electrically coupled between the first and second pilot lines and configured to close at a second predetermined temperature.

27 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein power to at least one of the first and second power lines is switched off in response to closing of the second thermostat across the first and second pilot lines.

28 - 37 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Dickinson Blake Edward
• Hori Bradford M
• Dresselhaus Daniel D

Classifications

• B60L11/187 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60L11/1809

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title

• H02J7/0026

  Electricity · mapped topic

• B60L3/04 Primary

  Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions (protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H) · CPC title