# US 2014/0156131 A1 · Plug-in electric vehicle interlock

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- Number: US 2014/0156131 A1
- Document ID: US20140156131A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/177,491
- Filed: 2014-02-11
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2010-06-07
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Inventors: Dale Scott CROMBEZ
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156131A1

## CPC

- B60K 28/10: responsive to conditions relating to the vehicle
- B60L 9/00: Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle (electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53)
- B60L 15/00: Methods, circuits, or devices for controlling the traction-motor speed of electrically-propelled vehicles
- B60L 53/16: Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60L 53/18: Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
- B60W 10/06: including control of combustion engines
- B60W 10/08: including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
- B60W 20/00: Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles {(hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L)}
- B60W 20/50: Control strategies for responding to system failures, e.g. for fault diagnosis, failsafe operation or limp mode
- B60W 30/18054: {at stand still, e.g. engine in idling state (hill holding B60W30/18118)}
- H01H 3/161: {for actuation by moving a closing member, e.g. door, cover or lid (the switch controlling enclosed equipment H01H9/226; switches operated by a removable member, wherein one single insertion movement of a key comprises an unlocking stroke and a switch actuating stroke, e.g. security switch for safety guards H01H27/002)}
- Y02T 10/62: Hybrid vehicles
- 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 90/14: Plug-in electric vehicles
- Y10S 903/93: Conjoint control of different elements
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN 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
- B60W: CONJOINT CONTROL OF VEHICLE SUB-UNITS OF DIFFERENT TYPE OR DIFFERENT FUNCTION; CONTROL SYSTEMS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR HYBRID VEHICLES; ROAD VEHICLE DRIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR PURPOSES NOT RELATED TO THE CONTROL OF A PARTICULAR SUB-UNIT
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

To prevent damage of a vehicle or a cord set used to charge a plug-in electric vehicle when the vehicle is driven away while the cord set is attached, an interlock can be provided to disable the vehicle. Such interlock may be based on a protective door over the charging receptacle being open or detection that a cord set is plugged in. However, in the event that the vehicle is in an activated state, the interlock is prevented from disabling the vehicle according to an embodiment of the disclosure. That is, undesirable disabling of the vehicle is prevented when either there is no indication of a cord set being coupled to the vehicle or the vehicle is in an activated state.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for a plug-in vehicle, comprising:
an electronic control unit coupled to a powertrain of the vehicle and configured to detect a false indication from a cord set indicator associated with a charging cord being coupled to the vehicle while the vehicle is activated such that the vehicle continues to be continuously activated in response to the false indication from the cord set indicator.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a charging access door having an associated switch triggered when the charging access door is closed and wherein the cord set indicator comprises the switch.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic control unit is configured to disable the powertrain when the false indication is not detected and the cord set indicator indicates the charging cord is coupled to the vehicle.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a charging receptacle electronically coupled to the electronic control unit, and wherein the electronic control unit detects whether a plug is coupled with the charging receptacle, the cord set indicator corresponding to whether the plug is coupled with the charging receptacle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises an internal combustion engine and wherein the electronic control unit prevents the internal combustion engine from providing propulsive force to vehicle wheels when the false indication is not detected and the cord set indicator indicates the charging cord is coupled to the vehicle.