# US 11,440,424 B2 · Hands free charging system with power loss detection and management

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- Number: US 11,440,424 B2
- Document ID: US11440424B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/016,800
- Filed: 2020-09-10
- Published: 2022-03-10
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-09-10
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Lan Yu; Michael W. Degner
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440424B2

## CPC

- B60L 53/35: Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
- B60L 53/14: Conductive energy transfer
- B60L 53/18: Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/37: using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
- B60L 53/50: Charging stations characterised by energy-storage or power-generation means
- B60L 53/53: Batteries
- B60L 53/55: Capacitors
- B60L 53/60: Monitoring or controlling charging stations
- H01M 10/448: {End of discharge regulating measures}
- H02J 7/02: for charging batteries from AC mains by converters
- H02J 7/345: {using capacitors as storage or buffering devices}
- H02J 7/60: including safety or protection arrangements
- H02J 7/751: {concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries}
- H02J 7/80: including monitoring or indicating arrangements
- H01M 2220/20: Batteries in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- H02J 2207/50: Charging of capacitors, supercapacitors, ultra-capacitors or double layer capacitors
- Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries
- 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
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A hands-free charging system includes a power source and a charging unit electrically connected to the power source. The charging unit includes an energy-storage device and a robotic coupler connectable to a charge port of a vehicle. The charging unit is configured to charge the vehicle with the power source, and the energy-storage device is configured to independently power the robotic coupler irrespective of an energization state of the power source. A controller is programmed to, in response to the power source becoming de-energized during a vehicle charging session, retract the robotic coupler from the charge port using power from the energy-storage device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hands-free charging system comprising:
a power source;
a charging unit electrically connected to the power source and including an energy-storage device and a robotic coupler connectable to a charge port of a vehicle, wherein the charging unit is configured to charge the vehicle with the power source, and the energy-storage device is configured to independently power the robotic coupler irrespective of an energization state of the power source; and
a controller programmed to:
in response to the power source becoming de-energized during a vehicle charging session, retract the robotic coupler from the charge port using power from the energy-storage device, and
in response to the power source becoming re-energized following the robotic coupler being retracted, recouple the robotic coupler to the charge port and resume the vehicle charging session.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The hands-free charging system of claim 1, wherein the robotic coupler is recoupled to the charge port using power from the energy-storage device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The hands-free charging system of claim 1, wherein the robotic coupler includes a connector and an actuator configured to autonomously move the connector into engagement with the charge port.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The hands-free charging system of claim 3, wherein the energy storage device is configured to power the actuator.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The hands-free charging system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further programmed to, in response to the power source becoming de-energized during a vehicle charging session, open the switching arrangement.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The hands-free charging system of claim 1, wherein the energy-storage device is a battery or a capacitor.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The hands-free charging system of claim 1, wherein the power source is a power grid.

### Claim 8

A hands-free charging system comprising:
a power source;
a charging unit electrically connected to the power source and including an energy-storage device and a robotic coupler connectable to a charge port of a vehicle, wherein the charging unit is configured to charge the vehicle with the power source, and the energy-storage device is configured to independently power the robotic coupler irrespective of an energization state of the power source;
an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) connected to the charging unit by a cable, the EVSE including a switching arrangement configured to electrically connect the charging unit to the power source when closed and to electrically disconnect the charging unit from the power source when open; and
a controller programmed to:
in response to the power source becoming de-energized during a vehicle charging session, open the switching arrangement and retract the robotic coupler from the charge port using power from the energy-storage device, and
in response to the power source becoming re-energized following the robotic coupler being retracted, couple the robotic coupler to the charge port using power from the energy-storage device and subsequently close the switching arrangement.

### Claim 9

A hands-free charging system comprising:
a power source;
a robotic coupler including a connector configured to couple with a vehicle charge port, the connector including one or more high-voltage terminals configured deliver power from the power source to the vehicle charge port;
an energy-storage device configured to power the robotic coupler independent of the power source;
an electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) electrically connected to the connector, the EVSE including a switching arrangement configured to electrically connect the one or more high-voltage terminals to the power source when closed and to electrically disconnect the one or more high-voltage terminals from the power source when open;
a controller programmed to:
in response the one or more high-voltage terminals becoming de-energized during a vehicle charging session, opening the switching arrangement and subsequently retract the robotic coupler using power from the energy-storage device to decouple the connector from the charge port, and
in response to the power source becoming re-energized following the robotic coupler being retracted and a charging session being active, couple the robotic coupler to the charge port using power from the energy-storage device and subsequently close the switching arrangement to resume charging.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The hands-free charging system of claim 9, wherein the robotic coupler is extended using power from the energy-storage device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The hands-free charging system of claim 9, wherein the robotic coupler further includes an actuator electrically connected to the energy-storage device.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The hands-free charging system of claim 9 further comprising one or more voltage sensors associated with the one or more high-voltage terminals, wherein the controller is programmed to determine an energization state of the one or more high-voltage terminals based on readings of the one or more voltage sensors.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The hands-free charging system of claim 9, wherein the energy-storage device is a battery.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The hands-free charging system of claim 9, wherein the energy-storage device is a capacitor.