EV Charging Port Display With Guided Lighting and Status Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing display systems for electric vehicle charging ports, such as those described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-43744, fail to provide clear and immediate recognition of the connector position and charging status, especially in varying lighting conditions, making it difficult for workers to easily locate the connector and understand the charging state.
Innovation Solution
A charging port display device with a display controller and multiple light emitters arranged around the connector, capable of guiding the line of sight to the connector, displaying different colors and patterns to indicate the connector's position, charging status, and potential issues, using a light transmission suppressing structure to enhance visibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a simple illumination is provided near the connector, then the connector position can be recognized, but the visibility is insufficient in all lighting environments (nighttime and daytime)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs multiple light emitters that can emit different colors of light (white, yellow, red, blue) to indicate various charging states and conditions. The display controller selectively activates specific light emitters based on the charging status, enabling the system to convey different information through color variations. This resolves the contradiction by providing not only sufficient illumination intensity but also environmental adaptability through color-coded status indication that remains visible and distinguishable across different lighting conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements blinking patterns for light emitters to indicate specific charging states (e.g., blinking white light for connection standby, blinking yellow for charging disabled). This periodic action enhances visibility and recognition of connector position and status by creating dynamic visual signals that stand out against static background lighting, thereby improving both illumination effectiveness and environmental adaptability.
2Loss of information
If multiple light emitters are arranged around the connector, then the connector position and charging status can be clearly recognized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the light emitter array and control system to serve multiple functions simultaneously: indicating connector position, displaying charging status (charging in progress, fully charged, charging disabled), and providing visual alerts. By consolidating these multiple information-carrying functions into a single integrated display system, the patent reduces overall device complexity while preventing information loss. The display controller manages all light emitters centrally, coordinating their activation patterns to convey comprehensive charging information without requiring separate indicator systems for each function.
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
The system significantly improves the visibility of the connector position and charging status, allowing workers to easily recognize the connector's location and charging conditions, both day and night, through guided illumination and color-coded displays.
Implementation Method 1
the display includes a plurality of light emitters at or adjacent to the connector within the space
Data Source
AI summary
A charging port display device includes a display in a power receiver on an outer left wall of a vehicle and to which electric power is supplied from an external power supply, and a charging port display controller to controls the display. The power receiver openably/closably covers, with a lid, a recess portion in which a connector to be connected to a charging plug from the external power supply is installed. The display device includes a lid opening/closing switch to detect opening of the lid. The display includes light emitters at or adjacent to the connector to emit light within the recess portion. The light emitters perform a guidance display mode to guide a line of sight of a worker around the vehicle to the connector by changing a light emission amount of the light emitters, when opening of the lid is detected by the switch.