Electric vehicle docking connector with embedded EVSE controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9308825-B2
Application number	US-201213980854-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 18, 2012
Priority date	Jan 19, 2011
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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;
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; and
wherein the EVSE controller is configured to:
monitor a sensed utility supply voltage;
determine whether the sensed utility voltage is closer to a first level or a second level;
establish an allowable voltage range based upon which level is determined for the sensed utility voltage;
set a maximum current limit in accordance with the allowable voltage range based upon a predetermined correlation;
adjust a control pilot pulse duty cycle to a level corresponding the maximum current limit;
monitor a current flow and the sensed utility voltage;
generate a fault alarm and trouble code if the current flow is above the maximum current limit; and
generate a fault alarm and trouble code if the sensed voltage utility voltage deviates outside the allowable range.

2. The EVSE kit of claim 1 , wherein the EVSE controller is further configured to:
a) perform a handshake with the electric vehicle using a prescribed handshake protocol via a control pilot conductor after a docking connector has been inserted into the charging port of the EV;
b) set the duty cycle of the control pilot generator to a predetermined maximum allowable current draw;
c) compare a sample of a present temperature inside the EVSE to a predetermined threshold temperature;
d) allow the predetermined maximum allowable current draw if the sample of the present temperature inside the EVSE is below the predetermined threshold temperature;
e) compare the sample of the present temperature inside the EVSE with a maximum allowable operating temperature;
f) reduce the duty cycle by a factor proportional to at least one of: (1) either the ratio between the sample of the present temperature and the maximum allowable operating temperature; or (2) the difference between the sample of the present temperature and the maximum allowable operating temperature if the sample of the present temperature is less than the maximum operating temperature; and
g) halt charging if the sample of the measured temperature exceeds the maximum operating temperature.

3. An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) kit for charging an electric vehicle through a charging port of the electric vehicle, comprising an EVSE controller configured to:
a) monitor a sensed utility supply voltage;
b) determine whether the sensed utility voltage is closer to a first level or a second level;
c) establish an allowable voltage range based upon which level is determined for the sensed utility voltage;
d) set a maximum current limit in accordance with the allowable voltage range based upon a predetermined correlation;
e) adjust a control pilot pulse duty cycle to a level corresponding the maximum current limit;
f) monitor a current flow and the sensed utility voltage;
g) generate a fault alarm and trouble code if the current flow is above the maximum current limit; and
h) generate a fault alarm and trouble code if the sensed voltage utility voltage deviates outside the allowable range.

4. The EVSE kit of claim 3 , wherein the EVSE controller is configured to establish an allowable voltage range of ±10%.

5. The EVSE kit of claim 4 wherein the first level is 120 VAC, and the second level is 240 VAC.

6. A method for an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) controller in an EVSE kit for charging an electric vehicle through a charging port of the electric vehicle, the method comprising:
a) monitoring a sensed utility supply voltage;
b) determining whether the sensed utility voltage is closer to a first level or a second level;
c) establishing an allowable voltage range based upon which level is determined for the sensed utility voltage;
d) setting a maximum current limit in accordance with the allowable voltage range based upon a predetermined correlation;
e) adjusting the control pilot pulse duty cycle to a level corresponding the maximum current limit;
f) monitoring a current flow and the sensed utility voltage;
g) generating a fault alarm and trouble code if the current flow is above the maximum current limit; and
h) generating a fault alarm and trouble code if the sensed voltage utility voltage deviates outside the allowable range.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the EVSE controller is configured to establish an allowable voltage range of ±10%.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the first level is 120 VAC, and the second level is 240 VAC.

9. An electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) kit for charging an electric vehicle (EV) through a charging port of the electric vehicle, comprising an EVSE controller configured to:
a) perform a handshake with the electric vehicle using a prescribed handshake protocol via a control pilot conductor after a docking connector has been inserted into the charging port of the EV;
b) set the duty cycle of the control pilot generator to a predetermined maximum allowable current draw;
c) compare a sample of a present temperature inside the EVSE to a predetermined threshold temperature;
d) allow the predetermined maximum allowable current draw if the sample of the present temperature inside the EVSE is below the predetermined threshold temperature;
e) compare the sample of the present temperature inside the EVSE with a maximum allowable operating temperature;
f) reduce the duty cycle by a factor proportional to at least one of: (1) either the ratio between the sample of the present temperature and the maximum allowable operating temperature; or (2) the difference between the sample of the present temperature and the maximum allowable operating temperature if the sample of the present temperature is less than the maximum operating temperature; and
g) halt charging if the sample of the measured temperature exceeds the maximum operating temperature.

10. The EVSE kit of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined threshold temperature is 70 degrees C. and the maximum operating temperature is 85 degrees C.

11. The EVSE kit of claim 10 , wherein reducing the duty cycle is performed by reducing the control pilot pulse duty cycle by a factor F, so that the duty cycle is changed from the current duty cycle D by multiplying D by (1-F), wherein F depends upon the present temperature.

12. The EVSE kit of claim 11 , wherein F is the sample of the present temperature less the predetermined threshold temperature, divided by, the maximum operating temperature less the predetermined threshold temperature.

13. The EVSE kit of claim 9 , wherein reducing the duty cycle is performed by reducing the control pilot pulse duty cycle by a factor F, so that the duty cycle is changed from the current duty cycle D by multiplying D by (1-F), wherein F depends upon the present temperature.

14. The EVSE kit of claim 13 , wherein F is the sample of the present temperature less the predetermined threshold temperature, divided by, the maximum operating temperature less the predetermined threshold temperature.

15. A method for an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) controller in an EVSE k

Assignees

• Hayashigawa Larry
• Flack Albert Joseph
• Steinbuchel Iv Herman Joseph
• Soden David Paul
• Berman Scott
• Norton Ronald Lee
• Zevin Michael Thomas
• Bissonette Michael
• Aerovironment Inc

Inventors

• Hayashigawa Larry
• Flack Albert Joseph
• Steinbuchel Iv Herman Joseph
• Soden David Paul
• Berman Scott
• Norton Ronald Lee
• Zevin Michael Thomas
• Bissonette Michael

Classifications

• B60L2240/36

  Temperature of vehicle components or parts · CPC title

• Y02T10/7088

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B60L11/1846

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60L11/1861

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60L2240/547

  Voltage · CPC title