Battery charger having non-contact electrical switch

Abstract

The handle of a charge coupler includes a mechanical latch that securely mechanically locks the handle to the vehicle passively when the handle is manually attached to the vehicle by a human operator to create an electrical connection between the vehicle and the charger. The handle also has an actuator movable by the operator from a deactivated state to a first and a second position activated state. The mechanical latch operates independently of the state of the actuator when the handle is being manually attached but being mechanically released by the actuator when it is moved to its second activated state. A non-contact electrical switch means associated with the actuator breaks the electrical connection when the actuator is moved to the first position activated state before releasing the mechanical latch at said second activated position.

1 . An electric vehicle charge coupler for both mechanically and electrically coupling and decoupling a charger to said vehicle, comprising:
 a handle including a mechanical latch that securely mechanically locks said handle to said vehicle passively when said handle is manually attached to said vehicle by a human operator to create an electrical connection between said vehicle and said charger, said handle also having an actuator movable by said operator from a deactivated state to a first and a second position activated state, said mechanical latch operating independently of the state of said actuator when said handle is being manually attached but being mechanically released by said actuator when it is moved to its second activated state,   a non-contact electrical switch means associated with said actuator to break said electrical connection when said actuator is moved to said first position activated state before releasing said mechanical latch at said second activated position, and   biasing means to automatically move said actuator back to its deactivated state when released by said operator.   
     
     
         2 . The charge coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein said switch means comprises a hall-effect sensor and the activator comprises a dual-mode push button including a magnet to supply magnetic flux to operatively control said hall-effect sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The charge coupler according to  claim 2 , wherein the dual-mode push button includes,
 (i.) a rest position associated with the deactivated state,   (ii.) a first depress position associated with the first position activated state,   (iii) a second depress position associated with the second position activated state,   
       the first depress position having at a first travel distance from the rest position and the second depress position having a second travel distance from the rest position, said second travel distance being greater than said first travel distance in relation to the rest position, said magnetic flux being supplied to the hall-effect sensor when the push button is disposed in the rest position when in said electrical connection and said magnetic flux being removed from affecting the hall-effect sensor when the push button is urged to one of the first depress position and the second depress position. 
     
     
         4 . The charge coupler according to  claim 2 , further including,
 an electrical switching device intermediate the hall effect sensor and the electrical connection.   
     
     
         5 . The charge coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein said switch means comprises an electrical circuit comprising a reed switch and the activator includes a dual-mode push button. 
     
     
         6 . The charge coupler according to  claim 1 , further including,
 a thermal shutdown device for sensing an over-temperature condition in an environment proximate said coupler, and when said over-temperature condition is sensed by said thermal device, said thermal shutdown device is operable to determine an operational state of the electrical connection.   
     
     
         7 . The charge coupler according to  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle includes a connector having a shoulder and the activator engages the mechanical latch so that an end of the mechanical latch disengages from the shoulder so that said coupler is removeably disengageable from said connector. 
     
     
         8 . The charge coupler according to  claim 3 , wherein said electrical connection comprises electrical resistance states, a first resistance state being a low resistance state when said dual-mode push-button is in a rest position and a second resistance state being a high resistance state when said electrical connection is broken. 
     
     
         9 . An electric vehicle charging system comprising:
 a charger being releasably coupled to a power source to provide power means for the charger and at least one power electrical signal; and   a charge coupler for both mechanically and electrically coupling and decoupling said charger to said vehicle, said charge coupler including,
 a handle including a mechanical latch that securely mechanically locks said handle to said vehicle passively when said handle is manually attached to said vehicle by a human operator to create an electrical connection between said vehicle and said charger, said handle also having an actuator movable by said operator from a deactivated state to a first and a second position activated state, said mechanical latch operating independently of the state of said actuator when said handle is being manually attached but being mechanically released by said actuator when it is moved to its second activated state, 
 a non-contact electrical switch means associated with said actuator to break said electrical connection when said actuator is moved to said first position activated state before releasing said mechanical latch at said second activated position, and 
 biasing means to automatically move said actuator back to its deactivated state when released by said operator. 
   
     
     
         10 . The charging system according to  claim 9 , wherein the switch means is a hall-effect sensor and the activator includes a dual-mode push button including a magnet to supply magnetic flux to operatively control the hall-effect sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The charging system according to  claim 10 , wherein the dual-mode push button includes,
 (i.) a rest position associated with the deactivated state,   (ii.) a first depress position associated with the first position activated state,   (iii) a second depress position associated with the second position activated state,   
       the first depress position having at a first travel distance from the rest position and the second depress position having a second travel distance from the rest position, said second travel distance being greater than said first travel distance in relation to the rest position, said magnetic flux being supplied to the hall-effect sensor when the push button is disposed in the rest position when in said electrical connection and said magnetic flux being removed from affecting the hall-effect sensor when the push button is urged to one of the first depress position and the second depress position. 
     
     
         12 . The charging system according to  claim 9 , wherein the switch means includes an electrical circuit having a reed switch and the activator includes a dual-mode push button. 
     
     
         13 . The electrical charging system of  claim 9 , wherein the power source is one of,
 (i.) 120 V AC , and   (ii) 240 V AC .   
     
     
         14 . A method to mechanically and electrically couple and decouple a charger to a vehicle, comprising:
 passively mechanically connecting a mechanical latch in a handle of a charge coupler that mechanically locks the handle to the vehicle when the handle is manually attached by a human operator to said vehicle to create an electrical connection between said charger and said vehicle, said charge coupler being in electrical communication with said charger and said handle including an actuator movable by said operator from a deactivated state to a first and a second position activated state, said mechanical latch operating independently of the state of said actuator when said handle is being manually attached but configurable to be mechanically released by said actuator when it is moved to its second activated state;   partially inducing the activator to the first position activated state to operatively control a non-contact electrical switch means associated with said actuator to break said electrical connection before releasing said mechanical latch at said second activated position; and   completely inducing said activator to the second position activated state such that the mechanical switch engages the mechanical latch to mechanically unlock the handle from the vehicle so that the handle is manually removeable by said operator from the vehicle.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the steps in  claim 14  occur in the order recited. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of partially inducing the activator further includes the switch means being a hall-effect sensor and the activator being a dual-mode push button that includes a magnet that moves with depression of the dual-mode push button. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the steps of the method further include the activator being a dual-mode push button, the dual-mode push button including,
 (i.) a rest position associated with the deactivated state,   (ii.) a first depress position associated with the first position activated state,   (iii) a second depress position associated with the second position activated state,   
       the first depress position having at a first travel distance from the rest position and the second depress position having a second travel distance from the rest position, said second travel distance being greater than said first travel distance in relation to the rest position, said magnetic flux being supplied to the hall-effect sensor when the push button is disposed in the rest position when in said electrical connection and said magnetic flux being removed from affecting the hall-effect sensor when the push button is urged to one of the first depress position and the second depress position. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of partially inducing the activator further includes the switch means being a reed switch and the activator being a dual-mode push button that includes a magnet that moves in a direction of travel associated with depression of the dual-mode push button. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the vehicle comprises one of,
 (i) an electric vehicle, and   (ii) a hybrid electric vehicle.