# US 10,766,379 B2 · Charging apparatus for vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,766,379 B2 - Document ID: US10766379B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/804,926 - Filed: 2017-11-06 - Published: 2018-11-22 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-18 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Motors Corporation - Inventors: In Hwang; SoYeon Park; ByungJoo Lee; Kiwon Kim; Byounghaan Choi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10766379B2 ## CPC - B60L 58/12: responding to state of charge [SoC] - B60L 1/14: to electric lighting circuits - B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles - H01R 13/502: composed of different pieces (H01R13/514 takes precedence) - H01R 13/5213: {Covers} - H01R 13/70: with built-in switch - H01R 13/703: operated by engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, {e.g. dual-continuity coupling part}(H01R13/71 takes precedence) - H01R 13/717: with built-in light source - H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)} - H02J 7/82: Control of state of charge [SOC] - H01R 2201/26: for vehicles - H02J 7/825: {Detection of fully charged condition} - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - Y02T 10/7072: Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors - Y02T 90/12: Electric charging stations - Y02T 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles - B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A charging apparatus for a vehicle includes a housing accommodating a charging portion, a case mounted to the housing, a PCB disposed inside the case and having a light source, a light guide plate configured to guide light emitted from the light source, a reflection plate configured to reflect the light through the light guide plate, a lens coupled to the case to form a region for accommodating the light guide plate and the reflection plate, and a cover hinged to the housing to open or close the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charging apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a housing accommodating a charging portion; a case mounted to the housing; a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) disposed inside the case and having a light source; a light guide plate guiding a light emitted from the light source; a reflection plate reflecting the light through the light guide plate; a lens coupled to the case, the lens and case forming a region for accommodating the light guide plate and the reflection plate in the lens and case; and a cover hinged to the housing to open or close the housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, further including: a switch disposed in the housing to transmit an electrical signal to the PCB, and a hinge pin inserted into the housing to turn on or off the switch by being interlocked with the opening or closing of the cover. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the hinge pin includes an interference portion disposed to a first side of the hinge pin to interfere with the switch, and wherein the switch includes a push portion disposed to a first side of the switch to press an operation button of the switch by the interference portion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the light source is illuminated when the switch is turned on by opening the cover, and is extinguished when the switch is turned off by closing the cover. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when the charging portion is being charged and the charging of the charging portion is completed, a color of the light source is differently emitted. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein, when an abnormality occurs in the charging of the charging portion, the light source is blinked. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the light guide plate includes a pattern formed on a surface of the light guide plate so that the light incident from the light source is uniformly transmitted. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the reflection plate covers a portion of the light guide plate so that a lighting area and a non-lighting area are separated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the reflection plate covers an upper surface, an external side surface and a portion of a lower surface of the light guide plate so that the non-lighting area is partitioned. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lens includes a light diffusing agent mixed resin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lens and the case are coupled by ultrasonic welding configured to waterproof the accommodating region inside the lens and the case formed by the lens and the case. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the lens is disposed to cover the charging portion and is distanced apart from the charging portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the light source includes a plurality of LED light sources disposed at first and second end portions of the PCB. ### Claim 14 A charging apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a cover hinged to a housing; an indicator device having an arc shape with first and second end portions separated apart and disposed in the housing; a switch configured to transmit an electrical signal to the indicator device wherein the indicator device performs a lighting function; and a hinge pin configured to emit a light of the indicator device by turning on the switch and being interlocked with opening of the cover, wherein the indicator device includes, a light source configured to emit the light of different colors depending on when the vehicle is being charged and when the charging of the vehicle is completed, and a lens configured to protect the light source. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 14, wherein the indicator device further includes: a light guide plate including a pattern formed on a surface of the light guide plate to uniformly guide the light emitted from the light source, and a reflection plate configured to cover a portion of the light guide plate to partition a lighting area which the light through the light guide plate reaches. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 15, wherein the reflection plate is disposed between the light guide plate and the lens. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the lens is coupled to a case, and the lens and the case include a region for accommodating the light guide plate and the reflection plate in the lens and the case. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The charging apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the reflection plate is disposed between the light guide plate and the lens.