US 2014/0232338 A1 · POWER CONDUIT, CHARGING DEVICE, AND METHOD OF CHARGING A POWER STORAGE DEVICE

Abstract

A power conduit for charging a power storage device of a vehicle includes an output terminal and locking mechanism operatively disposable in one of an engaged and a disengaged position. The locking mechanism locks the output terminal to the vehicle when the locking mechanism is in the engaged position and unlocks the output terminal when in the disengaged position. The power conduit includes a controller including a memory device configured to store a plurality of computer-executable instructions and a processor coupled to the memory device. The instructions configure the processor to receive an identifier associated with one of the vehicle and a user of the vehicle, and generate and transmit an unlocking signal to cause the locking mechanism to be in the disengaged position upon one of a determination that the identifier was received and a determination that a predetermined charge state of the power storage device has been reached.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A power conduit for charging a power storage device of a vehicle, said power conduit comprising:

an output terminal;
a locking mechanism operatively disposable in one of an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein said locking mechanism is configured to lock said output terminal to the vehicle when said locking mechanism is disposed in the engaged position and configured to unlock said output terminal from the vehicle when said locking mechanism is in the disengaged position;
and
a controller operatively coupled to said locking mechanism, said controller comprising:
a memory device configured to store a plurality of computer-executable instructions;
and
a processor coupled to said memory device, wherein, when executed by said processor, the computer-executable instructions configure said processor to:
receive an identifier associated with one of the vehicle and a user of the vehicle;
and
generate and transmit an unlocking signal to cause said locking mechanism to be in the disengaged position upon one of a determination that the identifier was received and a determination that a predetermined charge state of the power storage device has been reached.

7 more elements

A charging device for use in charging a power storage device of a vehicle through a power conduit that includes an output terminal and a locking mechanism operatively disposable in one of an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to lock the output terminal of the power conduit to the vehicle when the locking mechanism is in the engaged position and configured to unlock the output terminal from the vehicle when the locking mechanism is in the disengaged position, said charging device comprising:

a memory device configured to store a plurality of computer-executable instructions;
and
a processor coupled to said memory device, wherein, when executed by said processor, the computer-executable instructions configure said processor to:
receive an identifier associated with one of the vehicle and a user of the vehicle;
and
transmit an unlocking signal to the power conduit to cause the locking mechanism to be in the disengaged position upon one of a determination that the identifier was received and a determination that a predetermined charge state of the power storage device has been reached.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Power conduit, charging device, and method of charging a power storage device

Life of this patent

Power conduit, charging device, and method of charging a power storage device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20