Angled EV Charger Handle With LED Status and Rotating Latch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing EV charging handles are not compact enough for tight spaces, pose hazards due to projection into traffic paths, and lack visual charging status indicators, especially in low-visibility conditions.
Innovation Solution
A 90-degree angled EV charger handle with a rotating latch, integrated LED lighting, and waterproof design, featuring a compact housing with a charging plug and cable strain relief, providing visual charging status through color and intensity changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a straight charging handle is used, then the charging connection is simple and direct, but the cable insulation ruptures over repetitive usage in tight spaces
Solution Approach 1:
The charging handle is bent at a 90-degree angle instead of being straight, changing the spatial dimension of cable routing. This angular configuration allows the cable to route around obstacles in tight charging spaces without bending the insulation, thereby maintaining cable integrity while preserving ease of connection.
2Ease of operation
If a straight charging handle extends out from the vehicle, then the charging plug is easily accessible, but it projects into the path of active traffic and poses collision hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The charging handle is configured with a 90-degree angle that directs the handle and cable away from the vehicle's side profile toward the rear. This angular repositioning keeps the charging plug accessible for users while preventing projection into active traffic paths, thereby eliminating collision hazards.
3Volume of moving object
If the charging handle is made compact, then it fits tight charging spaces better, but the visual indication of charging status becomes less visible
Solution Approach 1:
The charging handle incorporates LED indicators with different colors (green, yellow, red) at specific locations to indicate charging status. These localized visual elements provide clear status information without requiring the entire handle to be large, thus maintaining compact size while ensuring visibility of charging state.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging handle uses color-changing LED indicators to communicate charging status - green for charging, yellow for paused, red for error. These color changes provide intuitive visual feedback to users without increasing the physical size of the handle, resolving the contradiction between compactness and visibility.
4Reliability
If a rotating latch mechanism is added, then the charging connection is secured more reliably, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging handle incorporates a rotating latch that transitions between locked and unlocked positions. This dynamic mechanism provides secure connection during charging while allowing easy insertion and removal. The rotation-based design achieves reliable security with relatively simple mechanical components.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances safety by reducing cable strain and visibility in traffic, ensuring secure connections, and clearly indicating charging status, thus minimizing collision risks and improving user experience.
Implementation Method 1
The light source may be an LED
Data Source
AI summary
An EV charger handle includes a housing includes an overmold, a thorax, a barrel, and a charging cable insert that is perpendicular to the axis of an EV charging port. The overmold includes a light transmitting assembly and a light source. The EV charger handle includes a charging plug. The charging plug includes a switching grommet, a charging plug mount, a plurality of female 2024/059084 contact pins and a pin restrainer. The charging plug further includes an inner charging plug shell, an outer charging plug shell and a charging plug grommet. The inner charging plug shell is configured to house the switching grommet, the charging plug mount, the female contact pins, and the pin restrainer. The outer charging plug shell is configured to be secured with the inner charging plug shell by the charging plug grommet. The EV charger handle further includes a rotating latch.