Electric vehicle charging

Abstract

A handle for connecting a charging cable to an electric vehicle comprises a body 220 for handling by a user, a connector 210 to couple to the charging port on a vehicle, and a light source 230. The light may be arranged to point forwards relative to the handle, or forwards and downwards onto the ground (figure 3A). The light might be located in a projection 222, in a recess 480 and out via a reflector 492 (figure 4), or behind a light tube 635 (figure 6) which extends through the connector in parallel to the pins 612 of the connector. The light is preferably powered by a battery, and comprises control circuitry including the ability to remotely activate and deactivate the light source, or when the handle is moved. The light serves to illuminate as a torch or flashlight might to allow operation in the dark.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to electric vehicle charging. Some relate to an electric vehicle charging handle. BACKGROUND Electric vehicles, such as electric cars, electric bikes, electric trucks and electric boats are becoming more common around the world. Electric vehicle charging systems are therefore also becoming more widespread. Currently, the charging cables of electric vehicle charging systems represent a trip hazard for pedestrians and the user of the charging cable. The user of the cable could also trip on other items around the car such as luggage for loading into the vehicle. Furthermore, the charging handles of electric vehicle charging systems can sometimes be difficult to insert into the charge port of a vehicle, particularly for those with poor eyesight. BRIEF SUMMARY According to various, but not necessarily all, examples there is provided an electric vehicle charging handle comprising: a body configured to be handled by a user; a connector configured to couple to a charge port on an electric vehicle; and a light source. The electric vehicle charging handle may be configured such that light emitted from the light source is directed in a substantially forward direction, such that in use an area in front of the connector is illuminated. The electric vehicle charging handle may be configured such that light emitted from the light source is directed in a direction between forward and downward, such that in use the ground in front of the connector is illuminated. The electric vehicle charging handle may further comprise a projection which extends outwardly from the body. The light source may be located on the projection or inside the projection. The light source may be located within a recess inside the projection. The electric vehicle charging handle may further comprise a battery. The light source may be powered by the battery. The battery may be located within the body. The battery may be a button cell. The light source may comprise an LED. The light source may comprise a lens for focusing the light. The electric vehicle charging handle may be waterproof. The body may comprise a recess for locating the light source. The light source may be located in the recess. The electric vehicle charging handle may further comprise a reflector configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source. The reflector may be adjustable between an operating position and a retracted position. In the operating position the reflector may be configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source in a substantially forward direction. The light source may form part of a light module, and the light module may be adjustable between an operating position and a retracted position. In the operating position the light module may project outwardly from the body. In the retracted position, the light module may be located at least partially in the recess in the body. The electric vehicle charging handle may comprise a light tube. The light tube may be configured to direct light emitted from the light source out of an opening in the outer surface of the electric vehicle charging handle. The opening in the outer surface of electric vehicle charging handle may be an opening through the connector. The light source may be located at a proximal end of the light tube inside the body. A distal end of the light tube may be located in the opening in the outer surface of the electric vehicle charging handle. The distal end of the light tube may be positioned between two pins of the connector. The electric vehicle charging handle may further comprise illumination control circuitry configured to activate or deactivate the light source. The illumination control circuitry may comprise a mechanical switch configured to activate or deactivate the light source when actuated. The mechanical switch may include a flexible cover, the flexible cover being configured to deform when pressed by a user, such that the user can actuate the mechanical switch by pressing the flexible cover. The illumination control circuitry may comprise an electronic touch-sensitive switch configured to activate or deactivate the light source when touched by a user. The illumination control circuitry may comprise a movement sensor, which is configured to activate the light source once the electric vehicle charging handle is moved. The movement sensor may be a tilt switch. The illumination control circuitry may comprise a controller, the controller including a transceiver and the controller being configured to activate or deactivate the light source based on a signal received at the transceiver. The illumination control circuitry may be further configured to adjust the intensity of the light source. The illumination control circuitry may be further configured to adjust the color of the light source. According to various, but not necessarily all, examples there is provided an electric vehicle charging system, the electric vehicle charging system comprising: an electric vehicle charging handle according to any of the preceding paragraphs; and a power cable. The electric vehicle charging system may further comprise a plug for coupling to a power source. The electric vehicle charging handle may comprise illumination control circuitry configured to activate or deactivate the light source, the illumination control circuitry comprising a controller, and the controller including a transceiver. The controller may be configured to activate or deactivate the light source based on a signal received at the transceiver. The electric vehicle charging system may include a remote control, the remote control being configured to send a signal to the transceiver. The electric vehicle charging system may include a charging station comprising a socket for receiving the plug, and the remote control may form part of the charging station. The remote control may be a handheld electronic communications device. According to various, but not necessarily all, examples there is provided an electric vehicle charging cable apparatus, the electric vehicle charging cable apparatus comprising: an electric vehicle charging handle according to any of the preceding paragraphs; and a power cable. The electric vehicle charging system may further comprise a plug for coupling to a power source. According to various, but not necessarily all, examples there is provided examples as claimed in the appended claims. While the above examples of the disclosure and optional features are described separately, it is to be understood that their provision in all possible combinations and permutations is contained within the disclosure. It is to be understood that various examples of the disclosure can comprise any or all of the features described in respect of other examples of the disclosure, and vice versa. Also, it is to be appreciated that any one or more or all of the features, in any combination, may be implemented by / comprised in / performable by an apparatus, a method, and / or computer program instructions as desired, and as appropriate. BRIEF DESCRIPTION Some examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows an exemplar electric vehicle charging cable apparatus; Fig. 2A shows a side view of a first example electric vehicle charging handle; Fig. 2B shows a front view of a first example electric vehicle charging handle; Fig. 3A shows a side view of a second example electric vehicle charging handle; Fig. 3B shows a front view of a second example electric vehicle charging handle; Fig. 4 shows a simplified cross-sectional view of a third example electric vehicle charging handle; Fig. 5 shows a partially see-through side view of a fourth example electric vehicle charging handle; Fig. 6 shows a front view of a fifth example electric vehicle charging handle; Fig. 7A shows a plan view of the fifth example electric vehicle charging handle; Fig. 7B shows a cross-sectional view of the fifth example electric vehicle charging handle along the line D-D of Fig. 7A; Fig. 8 schematically shows a controller; and Fig. 9 schematically shows a controller and a remote control. The figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features and views of the figures can be shown schematically or exaggerated in scale in the interest of clarity and conciseness. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the figures can be exaggerated relative to other elements to aid explication. Similar reference numerals are used in the figures to designate similar features. For clarity, all reference numerals are not necessarily displayed in all figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the disclosure relate to an electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 for use in an electric vehicle charging system. Examples of electric vehicle charging handles 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 according to the disclosure are shown in Figs. 2A to 7B. The electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 is for coupling an electric vehicle charging cable to a charge point on an electric vehicle. The electric vehicle could for instance be an electric bike, an electric car, an electric truck, or an electric boat. An electric vehicle charging system includes an electric vehicle charging cable apparatus, and may also include an electric vehicle charging station. Fig. 1 illustrates an exemplar electric vehicle charging cable apparatus 100. The electric vehicle charging cable apparatus 100 includes an electric vehicle charging handle 110, a power cable 120, and a plug 130. The power cable 120 has a first end 121 and a second end 122. The first end 121 is coupled to the plug 130, and the second end 122 is coupled to the electric vehicle charging handle 110. The plug 130 is for coupling to a power source (not shown). The power source could be an electric grid (i.e., a mains power supply - not shown), or the power source could be a charging station (not shown) which is connected to the electric grid or a power generator. The charging station could otherwise be referred to as a charge point or electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). The charging station may include a socket for receiving the plug 130. The charging station may also include an AC to DC converter and / or charge circuitry configured to control the charge supplied to an electric vehicle (not shown) via the power cable 120. The plug 130 includes a body 132 configured to be handled by a user and a connector 134 configured to couple to the power source. It is to be appreciated that any suitable type of connector 134 could be used, such as an IEC 62196 type 2 connector, an SAE J1772 connector, an SAE J1772 combined charging system (CCS) connector, a SAE J3068 connector, a NACS connector, a CHAdeMO connector, an I EC 62196-3 CCS combo 2 connector, an IEC 62196-3 CCS connector, a GB / T 20234.2 connector, a GB / T 20234.3 connector, an NACS connector, a ChaoJi connector, other proprietary electric vehicle connector, or combinations thereof. The connector could alternatively be an AC mains power plug, such as any of IEC TR 60083 World Plug Types A to O. In some examples the plug 130 may include a removable cover 136 for protecting the connector 134 when not in use. In some examples, the electric vehicle charging cable apparatus 100 might not include a plug 130. For example, the electric vehicle charging station could be configured to permanently couple to the first end 121 of the power cable 120, so that the power cable 120 is permanently attached to the electric vehicle charging station. The electric vehicle charging handle 110 includes a body 112 configured to be handled by a user, and a connector 114 configured to couple to a charge port (not shown) on an electric vehicle (not shown). In some examples, the electric vehicle charging handle 110 includes a removable cover 116 for protecting the connector 114 when not in use. The electric vehicle charging handle 110 further includes an inlet 118 for receiving the second end 122 of the power cable 120. The electric vehicle charging handle 110 of the apparatus 100 of Fig. 1 could be replaced by the electric vehicle charging handles 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 shown in Figs. 2A to 7B, which are described in further detail below. Figs. 2A and 2B illustrate a first electric vehicle charging handle 200 according to the disclosure, which is hereafter referred to as the first charging handle 200. The first charging handle 200 may form part of an electric vehicle charging system including a power cable, such as the power cable 120 of Fig. 1. Similarly to the electric vehicle charging handle 110 of Fig. 1, the first charging handle 200 includes a body 220 configured to be handled by a user and a connector 210 configured to couple to a charge port (not shown) on an electric vehicle (not shown). The body 220 may be made from a plastics material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). In the example of Figs. 2A and 2B, the body 220 has an elongated shape, which could also be described as a bent cylinder shape. The body 220 includes a forward portion 250 and a rearward portion 260. The forward direction in each of the examples described herein is defined by arrow labelled x in Figs. 2A, 3A, 4, 5, 7A and 7B. The forward portion 250 is shown to the left of the broken line 50 in Fig. 2A, and the rearward portion 260 is shown to the right of the broken line 50 in Fig. 2A. In this example, the forward end of the connector 210 also defines the forward end 252 of the first charging handle 220. In this example, the rearward portion 260 is bent relative to the forward portion 250. More particularly, the rearward portion 260 is bent in a downward direction relative to the forward portion 250. The downward direction is an opposite direction to the arrow y of Fig. 2A. In some examples, such as the example of Fig. 2A, the rearward portion 260 includes one or more curved sections for accommodating the fingers of a user. In the example of Figs. 2A and 2B, the rear end 262 of the first charging handle 200 includes an inlet 240 for receiving an end of a power cable. As shown in Fig. 2B, the connector 210 may include pins 212. To ensure the clarity of Fig. 2B, only one of the seven pins 212 is labelled in Fig. 2B. The pins 212 project outwardly from a base of the connector 210 in a forward direction (i.e., the direction of the arrow labelled x in Figs. 2A, 3A, 4, 5, 7A and 7B). The pins 212 are configured to locate in a corresponding recess in a corresponding charge port (not shown) on an electric vehicle (not shown). It is to be appreciated that many different types of connectors 210 with a variety of pin 212 layouts and numbers of pins 212 could be used in place of the example connector 210 of Figs. 2A and 2B. The example connector 210 of Figs. 2A and 2B is the IEC 62196 type 2 connector. Examples of alternative connectors 114 include a SAE J1772 connector, SAE J1772 combined charging system (CCS) connector, SAE J3068 connector, NACS connector, CHAdeMO connector, IEC 62196-3 CCS combo 2 connector, IEC 62196-3 CCS, GB / T 20234.2 connector, GB / T 20234.3 connector, NACS connector, ChaoJi connector, other proprietary electric vehicle connectors, or combinations thereof. The connector 210 may provide AC or DC power. In this example, the connector 210 forms part of the forward portion 250 of the first charging handle 200. In some examples, the first charging handle 200 includes a latch (not shown). The latch is configured to secure the first charging handle 200 to an electric vehicle when the connector 210 is inserted into the charge port of the electric vehicle. A release button (not shown) may also be included to unsecure the latch when removing the handle from the charge port. The first charging handle 200 includes a light source 230. In this example, first charging handle 200 is configured such that light emitted from the light source 230 is directed in a substantially forward direction (i.e., substantially the direction of the arrow labelled x in Figs. 2A, 3A, 4, 5, 7A and 7B). The first charging handle 200 and the light source 230 are thus configured to illuminate the area ahead of the connector 210, which facilitates the insertion of the connector 210 into the charge port of an electric vehicle. The first charging handle 200 can be used to illuminate the charge port, and can also illuminate items in the surrounding area by directing the first charging handle 200 towards the items. Fig. 2A illustrates the beam of light 270 emitted by the light source 230. In some examples, the light source 230 includes one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). The light source 230 may also include a lens for focusing the light, in order to provide a focused beam of light 270. As shown in Fig. 2A and 2B, the first charging handle 200 includes a projection 222 which extends outwardly from the body. In this example the projection 222 is integrally formed with the body 220. In the example of Figs. 2A and 2B, the light source 230 is located inside the projection 222. The light source 230 may be located within a recess inside the projection 222. As also shown in Figs. 2A and 2B, in this example the light source 230 emits light from the front face of the projection 222. In this example, the projection 222 extends outwardly from an upper face of the body 220, and may be located at the top of the body 220. The upward direction in each of the examples described herein is defined by the arrow labelled y in Figs. 2A to 6. The upward or downward direction can also be defined by reference to the connector 210. The pins 212 of the connector are arranged to match the recesses in a charge port of an electric vehicle. A connector 210 therefore includes upper pins and lower pins, to match the upper and lower recesses of a charge port of an electric vehicle, which are fixed in orientation. For instance, it is known that the uppermost two pins in an I EC 62196 type 2 connector are proximity pilot and control pilot pins. The first charging handle 200 may be waterproof. In other words, the first charging handle 200 may be sealed to prevent water ingress. In some examples, the light source 230 is powered by a battery (not shown). The battery is coupled to the light source 230. The use of a battery provides significant advantages. Using power from the battery, the light source 230 does not require power from the power cable and connector 310, thereby reducing the risk of interruptions of the power supply to the electric vehicle, and simplifying the design of the first charging handle 200. The battery may be located within a cavity in the body 220 of the first charging handle 200. The cavity may have a removable cover with an O-ring. The removable cover with the O-ring allows replacement of the cell and maintains a seal to prevent water ingress into the cavity. The battery could be a button cell, such as a CR2302 cell. Figs. 3A and 3B illustrate a second electric vehicle charging handle 300 according to the disclosure, which is hereafter referred to as the second charging handle 300. The second charging handle 300 is similar to the first charging handle 200, but includes a number of differences as outlined in the following two paragraphs. The projection 322 extends outwardly from a lower face of the body 320, rather than the top of the body 220 as in the first charging handle 200. The lower face of the body 320 could also be referred to as the underside of the body 320. Rather than being integrally formed with the body 220 as in the first charging handle 200, the projection 322 is fastened to the body 320. The projection 322 may be fastened to the body using adhesive or a fastener such as a screw. Furthermore, the light source 330 is located on the projection 322 of the second charging handle 300, rather than inside the projection 222 as in the first charging handle 200. As best illustrated best by the beam of light 370 shown in Fig. 3A, the second charging handle 300 is configured such that light emitted from the light source 330 is directed in a direction between downward (i.e., the opposite of the direction of the arrow labelled y in Figs. 2A to 6) and forward (i.e., the direction of the arrow labelled x in Figs. 2A, 3A, 4, 5, 7A and 7B). The light source 330 and the second charging handle 300 are thus configured to illuminate the ground forward of the handle 300, in order to alert a user to any obstacles on the ground. In other examples, second charging handle 300 may be configured such that light emitted from the light source 330 is directed in a substantially downward direction (i.e., substantially the opposite of the direction of the arrow labelled y in Figs. 2A to 6). Fig. 4 illustrates a third electric vehicle charging handle 400 according to the disclosure, which is hereafter referred to as the third charging handle 400. Fig. 4 is a simplified cross-sectional drawing illustrating the light source 430 within the body 420 of the third charging handle 400. For simplicity, no other elements inside the body 420 are shown in Fig. 4. The third charging handle 400 is similar to the first charging handle 200, but includes a number of differences as outlined in the following five paragraphs. The body 420 of the third charging handle 400 comprises a recess 480 for locating the light source 430, rather than a projection 222 as described in relation to the first charging handle 200. In this example, the recess 480 is located in an upper face of the body 420. In other examples, the recess 480 could be located in a lower face of the body 420. The light source 430 of the third charging handle 400 is located within the recess 480 in the body 420. The third charging handle 400 further comprises a reflector 490 configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source 430. The third charging handle 400 is configured such that light emitted from the light source 430 is directed in a substantially forward direction via reflections from the reflector 490, such that in use an area in front of the connector 410 is illuminated. The reflector 490 includes a mirrored surface 492. The mirrored surface 492 faces at least partially towards the body 420. The beam of light 470 emitted from the light source 430 and reflected of the mirrored surface 492 is shown in Fig. 4 The reflector 490 may be adjustable between an operating position and a retracted position. In the operating position the reflector 490 may be configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source 430 in a substantially forward direction. The reflector 490 is shown in the operating position in Fig. 4. In the retracted position (not shown in Fig. 4), the reflector 490 may be substantially flush with the outer surface of the body 420. In this example, the reflector 490 is attached to the body 420 with a hinge 494. The reflector 490 can be rotated about the hinge 494 to move between the operating position and the retracted position. In some examples, the reflector 490 may be resiliently biased to the operating position, for instance by a spring. In such examples, the reflector 490 may include a catch to secure the reflector 490 against the body in the retracted position. In other examples, the reflector 490 could include a motor to adjust the reflector 490 between the operating position and the retracted position. It is to be appreciated that in some examples the adjustment of the reflector 490 between an operating position and a retracted position may work differently to the examples described, for instance the reflector 490 might not be resiliently biased, might not include a motor, and / or might not include a catch. The third charging handle 400 may include a switch 496 configured to, when actuated by a user, cause the reflector 490 to move from the operating position to the retracted position and / or from the retracted position to the operating position. Using the examples in the paragraph above, when actuated, the switch 496 could cause the catch to release the reflector 490 from the retracted position. Alternatively, the switch 496 could cause the motor to adjust the reflector 490 between the operating position and the retracted position. Fig. 5 illustrates a fourth electric vehicle charging handle 500 according to the disclosure, which is hereafter referred to as the fourth charging handle 500. Fig. 5 is a partially transparent side view of the fourth charging handle 500. A recess 580 within the fourth charging handle 500 handle is shown with broken lines, to demonstrate that this element would not normally be visible from this side view. No other internal elements are shown in Fig. 5. The fourth charging handle 500 is similar to the first charging handle 200, but includes a number of differences as outlined in the following five paragraphs. The body 520 of the fourth charging handle 500 comprises a recess 580 for locating the light source 530, rather than a projection 222 as described in relation to the first charging handle 200. In this example, the recess 580 is located in an upper face of the body 520. In other examples, the recess 580 could be located in a lower face of the body 520. The fourth charging handle 500 is configured such that light emitted from the light source 530 is directed in a substantially forward direction, such that in use an area in front of the connector 510 is illuminated. In this example, the light source 530 forms part of a light module 590. In some examples, the light module 590 includes both the light source 530 and a battery for powering the light source 530. The light module 590 may be adjustable between an operating position and a retracted position. In the operating position the light module 590 projects outwardly from the body 520, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The light module 590 may be configured to direct light in a substantially forward direction in the operating position. The beam of light 570 emitted in the operating position is shown in Fig. 5. In the retracted position (not shown in Fig. 5), the light module 590 is located at least partially in the recess 580 in the body 520. In the retracted position, the outer face of the light module 590 may be substantially flush with the outer surface of the body 520. In this example, the light module 590 is attached to the body 520 with a hinge 594. The light module 590 can be rotated about the hinge 594 to move between the operating position and the retracted position. In some examples, the light module 590 may be resiliently biased to the operating position, for instance by a spring. In such examples, the light module 590 may include a catch to secure the light module 590 in the recess 580 in the retracted position. In other examples, the light module 590 could include a motor to adjust the light module 590 between the operating position and the retracted position. It is to be appreciated that in some examples the adjustment of the light module 590 between an operating position and a retracted position may work differently to the examples described, for instance the light module 590 might not be resiliently biased, might not include a motor, and / or might not include a catch. The fourth charging handle 500 may include a switch (not shown) configured to, when actuated by a user, cause the light module 590 to move from the operating position to the retracted position and / or from the retracted position to the operating position. Using the examples in the paragraph above, when actuated, the switch could cause the catch to release the light module 590 from the retracted position. Alternatively, the switch could cause the motor to adjust the light module 590 between the operating position and the retracted position. Figs. 6, 7A and 7B illustrate a fifth electric vehicle charging handle 600 according to the disclosure, which is hereafter referred to as the fifth charging handle 600. Fig. 6 is a front view of the fifth charging handle 600. Fig. 7A is a view from directly above the fifth charging handle 600, and Fig. 7B is a cross sectional view along the Line D-D of Fig. 7A. The fifth charging handle 600 is similar to the first charging handle 200, but includes a number of differences as outlined in the following five paragraphs. In this example, the fifth charging handle 600 does not include a projection 222 as described in relation to the first charging handle 200. As illustrated best in Fig. 7B, the fifth charging handle 600 includes a light tube 635. The light tube 635 is configured to direct light out of an opening in the outer surface of the fifth charging handle 600. The light tube 635 may comprise a channel, and at least one open end for emitting light transmitted through the channel. The channel may be lined with a reflective material and / or include optical fibers. In the example of the fifth charging handle 600, the light tube 635 extends through the connector 610. The light tube 635 may extend through the connector 610 in a dimension that is substantially parallel to the length dimension of the pins 612. For clarity, only one of the pins 612 of the connector 610 is labelled in Fig. 6. The fifth charging handle 600 is configured such that light emitted from the light source 630 of the fifth charging handle 600 is directed in a substantially forward direction, such that in use an area in front of the connector 610 is illuminated. More particularly, the light tube 235 of the fifth charging handle 600 is arranged to direct the light emitted from the light source 630 in a substantially forward direction. The light source 630 of the fifth charging handle 600 is located at an end of the light tube 635. The light source 630 may be located inside the body 620 of the fifth charging handle 600. The distal end 636 (i.e., the opposite end of the light tube 635 to the light source 630) of the light tube is located in the opening in the outer surface of the fifth charging handle 600. The light emitted from the light source 630 is transmitted from the end of the light tube 635 that is proximal to the light source 630 to the open distal end 636 of the light tube 635, and then out of the opening in the outer surface of the fifth charging handle 600. In this example, the distal end 636 of the light tube 635 is a front end of the light tube 635. The distal end 636 of the light tube 635 may be located in an opening in the front face of the connector 610, as shown for instance in Fig. 6. The distal end 636 of the light tube 635 may be positioned between two of the pins 612 of the connector 610. In the example shown in Fig 6, the connector 610 is an IEC 62196 Type 2 connector, and the distal end 636 of the light tube 635 is positioned between the proximity pilot and control pilot pins. In the example of the fifth charging handle 600, the light source 630 is powered by a battery 680. In this example the battery 680 is located inside the body 620 of the fifth charging handle 600. The battery 680 could be a button cell, such as a CR2302 cell. The fifth charging handle 600 further includes a strain relief sleeve 642, which is located in the inlet 640 of the fifth charging handle 600. The strain relief sleeve 642 is configured to prevent excessive bending of the power cable adjacent to the inlet 640. Any of the light sources 230, 330, 430, 530, 630 described herein may include one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs). The light source(s) 230, 330, 430, 530, 630 may also include a lens for focusing the emitted light. Illumination control In some examples, the electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 includes illumination control circuitry (not shown) configured to activate or deactivate the light source 230, 330, 430, 530, 630. For the avoidance of doubt, when activated, the light source 230, 330, 430, 530,630 emits light. When deactivated, the light source 230, 330, 430, 530, 630 does not emit light. The electric vehicle charging handle could for instance be the first charging handle 200 with light source 230, the second charging handle 300 with light source 330, the third charging handle 400 with light source 430, the fourth charging handle 500 with light source 530, or the fifth charging handle 600 with light source 630. The first charging handle 200 with light source 230 is used as an example below. The illumination control circuitry is operationally coupled to the light source 230. Any number or combination of intervening elements can exist between the illumination control circuitry and the light source 230 (including no intervening elements). In some examples the illumination control circuitry includes a mechanical switch (not shown) configured to activate or deactivate the light source 230 when actuated. The mechanical switch may be actuatable by pressure applied by a user. The mechanical switch may be waterproof (i.e., may be sealed to prevent water ingress). For instance, the mechanical switch may include a flexible cover, the flexible cover being configured to deform when pressed by a user, such that the user can actuate the mechanical switch by pressing the flexible cover. The flexible cover is configured to provide a seal to prevent water ingress into the body 220 or mechanical switch. The flexible cover may be substantially flush with the outer surface of the body 220. It is to be appreciated that the waterproofing of the mechanical switch could be implemented differently. For instance, the mechanical switch might not include a flexible cover. In some examples, flexible cover may be made form an elastomeric material. In other examples, the flexible cover may be a thinned section of material, the thinned section of material being made from the same material as adjacent areas of the outer surface of the body, but being a thinner layer of that same material. In other words, the thinned section of material is thinner than the surrounding surface material of the body 220, and thus can be flexed by a user. Additionally or alternatively to the mechanical switch, the illumination control circuitry could include an electronic touch-sensitive switch (not shown). The electronic touch sensitive switch may be configured to activate or deactivate the light source when touched by a user. Additionally or alternatively to the mechanical switch and / or the electronic touch-sensitive switch, the illumination control circuitry could comprise a movement sensor (not shown). The movement sensor could be a tilt switch, such as a mercury switch, a ball-in-cage switch, or a force balance sensor. The movement sensor is configured to activate the light source 230 once the first charging handle 200 is moved. For example, when a user picks up the first charging handle 200, the light source 230 is activated. The movement sensor may also be configured to deactivate the light source if the first charging handle 200 has not been moved for a predetermined period of time, such as 5 seconds. Additionally or alternatively to the mechanical switch and / or movement sensor, the illumination control circuitry may comprise a controller 80. An example controller 80 is shown schematically in Fig. 8. The controller 80 may be implemented in hardware alone, have certain aspects in software including firmware alone or can be a combination of hardware and software (including firmware). The controller 80 may be implemented using instructions that enable hardware functionality, for example, by using executable instructions of a computer program in a general-purpose or special-purpose processor 82 that may be stored on a computer readable storage medium (disk, memory etc.) to be executed by such a processor 82. The processor 82 is configured to read from and write to the memory 84. The processor 82 may also comprise an output interface via which data and / or commands are output by the processor 82 and an input interface via which data and / or commands are input to the processor 82. The memory 84 stores a computer program 86 comprising computer program instructions (computer program code) that controls the operation of the controller 80 when loaded into the processor 82. The computer program instructions, of the computer program 86, provide the logic and routines that enables the controller 80 to perform the actions described herein. The processor 82 by reading the memory 84 is able to load and execute the computer program 86. The computer program 86 may arrive at the controller 80 via any suitable delivery mechanism. The delivery mechanism may be, for example, a machine readable medium, a computer-readable medium, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, a computer program product, a memory device, a record medium such as a Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) or a Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) or a solid state memory, an article of manufacture that comprises or tangibly embodies the computer program 86. Although the memory 84 is illustrated as a single component / circuitry it may be implemented as one or more separate components / circuitry some or all of which may be integrated / removable and / or may provide permanent / semi-permanent / dynamic / cached storage. Although the processor 82 is illustrated as a single component / circuitry it may be implemented as one or more separate components / circuitry some or all of which may be integrated / removable. The processor 82 may be a single core or multi-core processor. The controller 80 comprises at least one transceiver that is under control of the processor 82. The at least one transceiver may comprise any suitable means for receiving and / or transmitting information. The delivery mechanism may be a signal configured to reliably transfer the computer program 86. The controller 80 may propagate or transmit the computer program 86 as a computer data signal. The at least one transceiver may comprise one or more transmitters and / or receivers. The at least one transceiver may enable a wireless connection between the controller 80 and the light source 230 and / or between the controller 80 and a remote control 90. The wireless connection could be via short-range radio communications such as WiFi or Bluetooth, for example, or over long-range cellular radio links or any other suitable type connection. The controller 80 is configured to activate or deactivate the light source 230 based on a signal received at the transceiver of the controller 80. The signal causes the controller 80 to activate or deactivate the light source 230. As illustrated in the example of Fig. 9, the signal 1010 could be received from a remote control 90, which is operationally coupled to the controller 80. The signal 1010 from the remote control 90 can contain instructions to activate or deactivate the light source 230. Any number or combination of intervening elements can exist between the controller 80 and the remote control 90 (including no intervening elements). In some examples, the illumination control circuitry is also configured to send diagnostic information to the remote control 90. The diagnostic information may for example indicate the status of the light source 230 or the status of the battery. The battery may be operationally coupled to the controller 80. Any number or combination of intervening elements can exist between the illumination control circuitry and the battery (including no intervening elements). The signal from the controller containing diagnostic information is illustrated by the arrow 1012 of Fig. 9. The remote control 90 may include user input circuitry such as buttons or a touch display. The remote control 90 may be an electronic communications device such as a personal computer. The remote control 90 may be a portable electronic communications device such as a handheld electronic communications device or a wearable electronic communications device. The remote control 90 may be configured for mobile cellular communication. The remote control 90 may be a smartphone, a smartwatch, or another type of portable personal computer. For instance, a user could provide an input to an application on their smartphone, which causes the smartphone to send a signal to the controller 80 to activate or deactivate the light source 230. In some examples, the remote control 90 could form partofan electric vehicle charging station. For instance, a user could activate a push button on the charging station to cause the remote control 90 of the charging station to send a signal to the controller 80 to activate or deactivate the light source 230. In some examples, the illumination control circuitry is also configured to adjust the intensity of the light source 230 and / or to adjust the color of the light source. In other words, based on a user input, the illumination control circuitry causes the color and / or intensity of the light source 230 to change. There is thus described an electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 and an electric vehicle charging system with a number of advantages. The electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 facilitates the insertion of the connector 210, 310, 410, 510, 610 into the charge port of an electric vehicle, which can be difficult, particularly in poor lighting conditions. It has been found that locations for electric vehicle charging stations, such as car parks, driveways or garages are often dimly lit, which makes the insertion of the connector 210, 310, 410, 510, 610 even more difficult. Electric vehicles also often cast a large shadow, which adds yet further difficulties and safety issues. The electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 can be operated with one hand, freeing the other hand to carry out other tasks, such as removing the cover on the charge port of the electric vehicle. The electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 is not limited to lighting the charge port of an electric vehicle during insertion of the connector 210, 310, 410, 510, 610 but can also be used to illuminate other areas simply by directing the charging handle. This means that fewer light fixtures are required in the vicinity of the electric vehicle charging station when using the electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 thereby providing a significant energy and cost saving for the electric vehicle charging station, and also reducing light pollution. Safety is also improved, by alerting the user to any potential trip hazards around the vehicle, such as power cables, baggage, curbs, or other vehicles. Furthermore, other road users are alerted to the presence of the user of the electric vehicle charging handle 200, 300, 400, 500, 600. Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, the body may be differently shaped, different types of connector may be used, or the body may be made from a different material. The location of the light source could be modified. The electric vehicle charging handle could include multiple light sources, for instance both the light sources 230, 330 of Figs. 2A to 3B could be integrated into the same charging handle. A different power source for the light source could be used. The light source may be directly powered and / or controlled by the charge station via the power cable. The electric vehicle charging handle could include any one of or any combination of the types of illumination control circuitry described herein. References to ‘computer-readable storage medium’, ‘computer program product’, ‘tangibly embodied computer program’ etc. or a ‘controller’, ‘computer’, ‘processor’ etc. should be understood to encompass not only computers having different architectures such as single / multi- processor architectures and sequential (Von Neumann) / parallel architectures but also specialized circuits such as field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), application specific circuits (ASIC), signal processing devices and other processing circuitry. References to computer program, instructions, code etc. should be understood to encompass software for a programmable processor or firmware such as, for example, the programmable content of a hardware device whether instructions for a processor, or configuration settings for a fixed-function device, gate array or programmable logic device etc. The term ‘comprise’ is used in this document with an inclusive not an exclusive meaning. That is any reference to X comprising Y indicates that X may comprise only one Y or may comprise more than one Y. If it is intended to use ‘comprise’ with an exclusive meaning then it will be made clear in the context by referring to “comprising only one...” or by using “consisting”. In this description, the wording ‘connect’, ‘couple’ and ‘communication’ and their derivatives mean operationally connected / coupled / in communication. It should be appreciated that any number or combination of intervening components can exist (including no intervening components), i.e., so as to provide direct or indirect connection / coupling / communication. Any such intervening components can include hardware and / or software components. As used herein, the term "determine / determining" (and grammatical variants thereof) can include, not least: calculating, computing, processing, deriving, measuring, investigating, identifying, looking up (for example, looking up in a table, a database or another data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, "determining" can include receiving (for example, receiving information), accessing (for example, accessing data in a memory), obtaining and the like. Also, "determine / determining" can include resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like. In this description, reference has been made to various examples. The description of features or functions in relation to an example indicates that those features or functions are present in that example. The use of the term ‘example’ or ‘for example’ or ‘can’ or ‘may’ in the text denotes, whether explicitly stated or not, that such features or functions are present in at least the described example, whether described as an example or not, and that they can be, but are not necessarily, present in some of or all other examples. Thus ‘example’, ‘for example’, ‘can’ or ‘may’ refers to a particular instance in a class of examples. A property of the instance can be a property of only that instance or a property of the class or a property of a sub-class of the class that includes some but not all of the instances in the class. It is therefore implicitly disclosed that a feature described with reference to one example but not with reference to another example, can where possible be used in that other example as part of a working combination but does not necessarily have to be used in that other example. Although examples have been described in the preceding paragraphs with reference to various examples, it should be appreciated that modifications to the examples given can be made without departing from the scope of the claims. Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described above. Although functions have been described with reference to certain features, those functions may be performable by other features whether described or not. Although features have been described with reference to certain examples, those features may also be present in other examples whether described or not. The term ‘a’, ‘an’ or ‘the’ is used in this document with an inclusive not an exclusive meaning. That is any reference to X comprising a / an / the Y indicates that X may comprise only one Y or may comprise more than one Y unless the context clearly indicates the contrary. If it is intended to use ‘a’, ‘an’ or ‘the’ with an exclusive meaning then it will be made clear in the context. In some circumstances the use of ‘at least one’ or ‘one or more’ may be used to emphasise an inclusive meaning but the absence of these terms should not be taken to infer any exclusive meaning. The presence of a feature (or combination of features) in a claim is a reference to that feature or (combination of features) itself and also to features that achieve substantially the same technical effect (equivalent features). The equivalent features include, for example, features that are variants and achieve substantially the same result in substantially the same way. The equivalent features include, for example, features that perform substantially the same function, in substantially the same way to achieve substantially the same result. In this description, reference has been made to various examples using adjectives or adjectival phrases to describe characteristics of the examples. Such a description of a characteristic in relation to an example indicates that the characteristic is present in some examples exactly as described and is present in other examples substantially as described. The above description describes some examples of the present disclosure however those of ordinary skill in the art will be aware of possible alternative structures and method features which offer equivalent functionality to the specific examples of such structures and features described herein above and which for the sake of brevity and clarity have been omitted from the above description. Nonetheless, the above description should be read as implicitly including reference to such alternative structures and method features which provide equivalent functionality unless such alternative structures or method features are explicitly excluded in the above description of the examples of the present disclosure. Whilst endeavoring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features believed to be of importance it should be understood that the applicant may seek protection via the claims in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and / or shown in the drawings whether or not emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle charging handle comprising:a body configured to be handled by a user;a connector configured to couple to a charge port on an electric vehicle; anda light source.

2. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle charging handle is configured such that light emitted from the light source is directed in a substantially forward direction, such that in use an area in front of the connector is illuminated.

3. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 1, wherein the electric vehicle charging handle is configured such that light emitted from the light source is directed in a direction between forward and downward, such that in use the ground in front of the connector is illuminated.

4. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electric vehicle charging handle further comprises a projection which extends outwardly from the body, and wherein the light source is located on the projection or inside the projection.

5. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electric vehicle charging handle further comprises a light tube, the light tube being configured to direct light emitted from the light source out of an opening in the outer surface of the electric vehicle charging handle.

6. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 5, wherein the opening is an opening through the connector.

7. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the body comprises a recess for locating the light source.

8. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 7, wherein the light source is located in the recess in the body, and the electric vehicle charging handle further comprises a reflector configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source.

9. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 8, wherein the reflector is adjustable between an operating position and a retracted position, and wherein in the operating position the reflector is configured to reflect the light emitted from the light source in a substantially forward direction.

10. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 7, wherein the light source forms part of a light module, and the light module is adjustable between an operating position and a retracted position, wherein in the operating position the light module projects outwardly from the body, and in the retracted position the light module is located at least partially in the recess in the body.

11. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electric vehicle charging handle further comprises a battery, and the light source is powered by the battery.

12. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 11, wherein the battery is located within the body.

13. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

14. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the light source comprises a lens for focusing the light.

15. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the electric vehicle charging handle further comprises illumination control circuitry configured to activate or deactivate the light source.

16. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 15, wherein the illumination control circuitry comprises a mechanical switch configured to activate or deactivate the light source when actuated.

17. An electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 15, wherein the illumination control circuitry comprises an electronic touch-sensitive switch configured to activate or deactivate the light source when touched by a user.

18. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of claims 15 to 17, wherein the illumination control circuitry comprises a movement sensor, which is configured to activate the light source once the electric vehicle charging handle is moved.

19. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of claims 15 to 18, wherein the illumination control circuitry comprises a controller, the controller including a transceiver and the controller being configured to activate or deactivate the light source based on a signal received at the transceiver.

20. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of claims 15 to 19, wherein the illumination control circuitry is further configured to adjust the intensity of the light source.

21. An electric vehicle charging handle according to any of claims 15 to 20, wherein the illumination control circuitry is further configured to adjust the color of the light source.

22. An electric vehicle charging system, the electric vehicle charging system comprising:an electric vehicle charging handle according to any of the preceding claims; anda power cable.

23. An electric vehicle charging system according to claim 22, wherein the electric vehicle charging handle is an electric vehicle charging handle according to claim 19, and the electric vehicle charging system includes a remote control, the remote controlbeing configured to send a signal to the transceiver, the signal including instructions to activate or deactivate the light source.

24. An electric vehicle charging system according to claim 23, wherein the electric 5 vehicle charging system includes a charging station comprising a socket for receiving the plug, and wherein the remote control forms part of the charging station.

25. An electric vehicle charging system according to claim 23, wherein the remote control is a handheld electronic communications device.10Application No: GB2314666.5Examiner:Mr Chris MorrisClaims searched: 1-4, (11-25 in part) Date of search: 18 March 2024Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17Documents considered to be relevant:Category Relevant to claims Identity of document and passage or figure of particular relevance X 1-4,11-25 CN207834675 U (AIA ELECTRIC) Whole document (machine trans.), see attached abstract X 1-4, 11-25 CN218966711 U (GUOYAN ELECTRIC) Whole document (machine trans ), see attached abstract X 1-4, 11-25 CN208548534 U (FAW VOLKSWAGEN) Whole document (machine trans.), see attached abstract X 1-4, 11-25 JP2008210621 A (KANSAI ELECTRIC) Whole document (machine trans.), see attached abstract X 1-4, 11-25 WO2014 / 196149 Al (PANASONIC IP) Whole document (machine trans.), published abstract A - WO2023 / 030758 Al (BOSCH) Whole document (machine trans.), published abstract A - DE102013208995 Al (VOLKSWAGEN) Whole document (machine trans.)Categories:v Au Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive step A Document indicating technological background and / or state of the art. Y Document indicating lack of inventive step if combined with one or more other documents of same category. p Document published on or after the declared priority date but before the filing date of this invention. & Member of the same patent family E Patent document published on or after, but with priority date earlier than, the filing date of this application.Field of Search:Search of GB, EP, WO &US patent documents classified in the following areas of the UKCX :Worldwide search of patent documents classified in the following areas of the IPC_____________B60L; F21V; H01R; H05B________________________________________The following online and other databases have been used in the preparation of this search reportSEARCH-PATENTInternational Classification:Subclass Subgroup Valid From B60L 0053 / 16 01 / 01 / 2019 F21V 0023 / 06 01 / 01 / 2006 H01R 0013 / 717 01 / 01 / 2006 H05B 0047 / 175 01 / 01 / 2020 H05B 0047 / 19 01 / 01 / 2020

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