Charging port heater

Abstract

An assembly includes a movable door assembly and a heating element. The movable door assembly is configured to be disposed on an exterior of a vehicle. The heating element is coupled to the movable door assembly, and is configured to receive energy from a battery disposed on the vehicle and to heat at least a portion of the movable door assembly.

1 . A heated energy port assembly comprising:
 a housing configured to be coupled to a surface of a vehicle;   a movable door assembly coupled to the housing and configured to move from a closed position in which the movable door assembly forms a closed compartment with the housing and an open position in which the movable assembly moves at least partially away from the housing to expose the contents of the housing; and   a heating element coupled to the energy port assembly, the heating element configured to heat at least a portion of the energy port assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller and a temperature sensor, the controller configured to provide heat to the movable door assembly via the heating element responsive to an input from the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller and a charging sensor, the controller configured to provide heat to the movable door assembly via the heating element responsive to an input from the charging sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an opening when the movable door is in the open position, and wherein a seal is disposed at least partially around a periphery of the opening when the movable door is in the closed position. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is disposed on at least one of the housing or the movable door. 
     
     
         6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the housing includes an opening when the movable door is in the open position, and wherein the heating element at least partially surrounds the periphery of the opening when the movable door is in the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the movable door has a door rear face and a door front face, the door front face faces an outside of the vehicle and the door front face and the door rear face are oriented away from each other, wherein the heating element is disposed along at least one of the door front face or the door rear face. 
     
     
         8 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the housing has a housing rear face and a housing front face, the housing front faces an outside of the vehicle, and the housing rear face and the housing front face are oriented away from each other, wherein the heating element is disposed along at least one of the housing rear face or the housing front face. 
     
     
         9 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the heating element is integrated in at least one of the housing or the movable door. 
     
     
         10 . A heated energy port assembly comprising:
 a housing configured to be disposed along an exterior of a vehicle, the housing defining a cavity configured to accept an external power source for insertion into a port disposed within the cavity;   a movable door assembly comprising a movable door coupled to the housing;   a seal interposed between the movable door and the housing; and   a heating element coupled to at least one of the housing, the movable door, or the seal, the heating element configured to heat at least a portion of the at least one of the housing, the movable door, or the seal.   
     
     
         11 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element comprises a positive thermal coefficient (PTC) material. 
     
     
         12 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller and a temperature sensor, the controller configured to provide heat to the at least one of the housing, the movable door, or the seal via the heating element responsive to an input from the temperature sensor. 
     
     
         13 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising a controller and a charging sensor, the controller configured to provide heat to the at least one of the housing, the movable door, or the seal via the heating element responsive to an input from the charging sensor. 
     
     
         14 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the housing or the movable door comprises an integrated PTC element. 
     
     
         15 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the housing has a housing front face and the movable door has a door rear face, the housing front face is oriented toward an outside of the vehicle and the door rear face is oriented toward the housing front face, wherein the heating element is disposed along at least one of the housing front face or the door rear face. 
     
     
         16 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the housing has a housing rear face and the movable door has a door front face, the housing front face is oriented toward an outside of the vehicle and the housing rear face is oriented away from the housing front face, wherein the heating element is disposed along at least one of the housing rear face or the door front face. 
     
     
         17 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element includes a resistive wire element integrated into at least one of the housing or movable door. 
     
     
         18 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element is configured to receive energy from a battery disposed on the vehicle. 
     
     
         19 . The heated energy port assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the heating element is configured to receive energy via a charging cable. 
     
     
         20 . A heated energy port assembly comprising:
 a housing configured to be disposed along a vehicle, the vehicle having at least a top, a bottom, and a side connecting the top and bottom, the housing disposed along the side of the vehicle, the housing defining a cavity configured to accept an external power source for insertion into a port disposed within the cavity;   a movable door assembly comprising a movable door coupled to the housing;   a seal interposed between the movable door and the housing; and   a heating element coupled to at least one of the housing, the movable door, or the seal, the heating element configured to heat at least a portion of the at least one of the housing, the movable door, or the seal.