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US 11,634,041 B2Granted
Access cover detection circuit for electrified vehicle component and corresponding method
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJohn Sturza, Philip Michael Gonzales, Abdul Lateef, Charles Honick, Stephanie Singer, Suriyaprakash Ayyangar Janarthanam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to an access cover detection circuit for an electrified vehicle component and a corresponding method. An exemplary component of an electrified vehicle includes an access cover configured to selectively open and close relative to the component, and a circuit configured to indicate whether the access cover is open. The circuit includes a light sensitive electronic component.
Claims12
A component of an electrified vehicle, comprising:
- an access cover configured to selectively open and close relative to the component;
- and
- a circuit configured to indicate whether the access cover is open, wherein the circuit includes a light sensitive electronic component,
- wherein the light sensitive electronic component is a light dependent resistor,
- wherein the circuit includes a transistor arranged in parallel with the light dependent resistor,
- wherein the transistor is configured to turn on such that a voltage output is detectable when the access cover is closed,
- wherein the transistor is configured to turn off such no voltage is detectable when the access cover is opened, and
- wherein the circuit includes a resistor in series with the light dependent resistor.
5 more elements
An electrified vehicle, comprising:
- a component including an access cover configured to selectively open and close relative to the component, and a circuit configured to indicate whether the access cover is open, wherein the circuit includes a light sensitive electronic component,
- wherein the light sensitive electronic component is a light dependent resistor,
- wherein the circuit includes a transistor arranged in parallel with the light dependent resistor,
- wherein the transistor is configured to turn on such that a voltage output is detectable when the access cover is closed,
- wherein the transistor is configured to turn off such no voltage is detectable when the access cover is opened, and
- wherein the circuit includes a resistor in series with the light dependent resistor.
3 more elements
A method, comprising:
- preventing current from flowing through an electrical connector when a circuit including a light sensitive electronic component indicates an access cover adjacent the electrical connector has opened;
- permitting current to flow through the electrical connector when the circuit indicates the access cover has closed,
- wherein the light sensitive electronic component is a light dependent resistor,
- wherein the circuit includes a transistor arranged in parallel with the light dependent resistor,
- wherein the transistor is configured to turn on such that a voltage output is detectable when the access cover is closed,
- wherein the transistor is configured to turn off such no voltage output is detectable when the access cover is opened, and
- wherein the circuit includes a resistor in series with the light dependent resistor.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.