Electroluminescent EV Charging Cable for Night Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Charging cables for electric vehicles are prone to tripping hazards in low light conditions, lack intuitive charging status indication, and pose safety risks due to unsupervised charging environments.
Innovation Solution
A portable charging light-emitting cable with electroluminescent wires integrated into the existing cable structure, featuring a transparent outer sleeve, wear-resistant and waterproof layers, and tensile structures for enhanced durability and visibility, allowing for color-changing light emission to indicate charging status.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If charging cables are used in low light conditions, then charging function is provided, but tripping hazards and safety risks occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies electroluminescent wires that emit light in different colors to indicate charging status. During charging, the cable emits warning light to prevent tripping and indicate active charging state. When fully charged, the light color changes to provide visual feedback. This resolves the safety issue by making the cable visible in low light conditions while conveying charging information.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging cable is designed to perform multiple functions: power transmission, charging status indication, and safety warning through light emission. The electroluminescent wires are integrated into the cable structure to provide both functional and safety-related benefits simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate indicator devices.
2Loss of information
If charging status is indicated only by instruments, then charging information is provided, but observation is inconvenient and not intuitive
Solution Approach 1:
Different colors of electroluminescent wires indicate different charging statuses. For example, red may indicate charging in progress while green indicates fully charged. This visual color-coding system provides intuitive, immediate feedback that is easily observable from a distance, eliminating the need to closely examine instrument displays.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging status indication function is merged directly into the cable structure through integrated electroluminescent wires. The indicator is no longer a separate instrument that requires attention but is embedded in the cable itself, providing continuous visual feedback as part of the charging process.
3Reliability
If electroluminescent wires are added to charging cable, then visibility and safety are improved, but cable structure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electroluminescent wires are merged with the existing cable structure by integrating them into the insulation layer or arranging them along the cable surface. This integration approach adds the light-emitting function without requiring a completely separate structural system, thus limiting the increase in complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The electroluminescent wires serve multiple purposes: providing visibility in low light, indicating charging status through color changes, and warning of active charging. By consolidating these functions into a single component integrated into the cable, the patent avoids the complexity that would arise from adding separate devices for each function.
4Illumination intensity
If light emission is used for charging indication, then visibility is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The electroluminescent wires can be activated periodically or only when needed (e.g., when charging is active or in low light conditions) rather than continuously. This periodic activation reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining adequate visibility and charging status indication when required.
Solution Approach 2:
The brightness or illumination intensity of the electroluminescent wires can be adjusted based on ambient light conditions or charging status. By varying the light emission parameters dynamically, the system maintains adequate visibility while consuming less energy when full illumination is not required.
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 cable provides safe, intuitive charging status observation at night, reduces tripping hazards, and extends service life with low energy consumption and high shock resistance, enabling convenient and safe charging with a 10,000-hour light-emitting life.
Implementation Method 1
electroluminescent wires, a filling layer and an outer protective sleeve, where the power configuration wires are evenly arranged around the signal wire; at least more than two electroluminescent wires are mutually helically twisted with the power configuration wires
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a portable charging light-emitting cable for new energy vehicles, including power configuration wires, a signal wire, electroluminescent wires, a filling layer and an outer protective sleeve. The power configuration wires are evenly arranged around the signal wire. At least more than two electroluminescent wires are mutually helically twisted with the power configuration wires in the same number of groups around an outer wall of the signal wire into a cable shape. Each electroluminescent wire is arranged between two adjacent power configuration wires. According to the present invention, the electroluminescence technology is incorporated into light-emitting charging cables. While charging, cables emit light evenly, which is suitable for charging observation at night, and rich colors are provided to play a warning role to prevent accidents. During the light-emitting process, light-emitting wires do not generate any heat, and energy consumption is extremely low.