DESC:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to an electric charger and more particularly, relates to an Electric Vehicle (EV) charger with a provision for performing maintenance and installation operations.

BACKGROUND

Electrical Vehicles (EVs) have gained widespread popularity in the last few years and significant growth and development are still being witnessed in their realm. The EVs are required to be charged frequently, for continuous operation. For charging EVs, electrical chargers are installed at different locations including, but not limited to, roads and existing refuelling stations. The existing electrical chargers include a housing and a front cover attached to the housing. The housing is adapted to accommodate multiple components including, but not limited to, a charging unit adapted to be accessed by a user to charge the EVs.

The existing electrical chargers require periodic maintenance for repair and/or servicing. For maintenance, the front cover is opened by a maintenance operator to access the multiple components installed in the housing. The components which are not essential for the maintenance operation, are also exposed by opening the front cover, so the maintenance operator is required to handle all the components even which are not essential. This requires more time and effort for the maintenance of the existing electrical chargers. Thus, an overall cost associated with the maintenance is also increased. Further, the maintenance operator may not attach the front cover to the housing, properly. This leads to an ingress of foreign particles such as water, dust, and moisture inside the existing electrical charger, which may affect the functionality of the multiple components. The entry of the foreign particles also causes the malfunctioning and/or failure of the components of the existing electrical charger.

Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned problems, there is a need to provide an electrical charger that can eliminate one or more above-mentioned problems associated with existing electrical chargers.

SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts, in a simplified format, that are further described in the detailed description of the invention. This summary is neither intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the invention and nor is it intended for determining the scope of the invention.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electric vehicle (EV) charger is disclosed. The EV charger may include a front cover and a back cover coupled to the front cover. The back cover may include a plurality of walls and at least one door. The plurality of walls forms an enclosed portion to accommodate a charging unit of the EV charger, and at least one wall from among the plurality of walls may include at least one opening to access the enclosed portion. The at least one door is adapted to conceal the at least one opening. The at least one door is adapted to be moved to access the enclosed portion through the at least one opening.

To further clarify the advantages and features of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which is illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an electric vehicle (EV) charger installed on a wall, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

Figure 2 illustrates a partially exploded view of the electric vehicle (EV) charger, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Further, skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the drawings are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the flow charts illustrate the method in terms of the most prominent steps involved to help to improve understanding of aspects of the present invention. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the drawings by conventional symbols, and the drawings may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the drawings with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skilled in the art to which this invention belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

The term “some” as used herein is defined as “none, or one, or more than one, or all.” Accordingly, the terms “none,” “one,” “more than one,” “more than one, but not all” or “all” would all fall under the definition of “some.” The term “some embodiments” may refer to no embodiments or to one embodiment or to several embodiments or to all embodiments. Accordingly, the term “some embodiments” is defined as meaning “no embodiment, or one embodiment, or more than one embodiment, or all embodiments.”

The terminology and structure employed herein is for describing, teaching and illuminating some embodiments and their specific features and elements and does not limit, restrict or reduce the spirit and scope of the claims or their equivalents.

More specifically, any terms used herein such as but not limited to “includes,” “comprises,” “has,” “consists,” and grammatical variants thereof do NOT specify an exact limitation or restriction and certainly do NOT exclude the possible addition of one or more features or elements, unless otherwise stated, and furthermore must NOT be taken to exclude the possible removal of one or more of the listed features and elements, unless otherwise stated with the limiting language “MUST comprise” or “NEEDS TO include.”

Whether or not a certain feature or element was limited to being used only once, either way, it may still be referred to as “one or more features” or “one or more elements” or “at least one feature” or “at least one element.” Furthermore, the use of the terms “one or more” or “at least one” feature or element do NOT preclude there being none of that feature or element, unless otherwise specified by limiting language such as “there NEEDS to be one or more . . . ” or “one or more element is REQUIRED.”

Unless otherwise defined, all terms, and especially any technical and/or scientific terms, used herein may be taken to have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skills in the art.

Reference is made herein to some “embodiments.” It should be understood that an embodiment is an example of a possible implementation of any features and/or elements presented in the attached claims. Some embodiments have been described for the purpose of illuminating one or more of the potential ways in which the specific features and/or elements of the attached claims fulfil the requirements of uniqueness, utility, and non-obviousness.

Use of the phrases and/or terms such as but not limited to “a first embodiment,” “a further embodiment,” “an alternate embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “multiple embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “other embodiments,” “further embodiment”, “furthermore embodiment”, “additional embodiment” or variants thereof do NOT necessarily refer to the same embodiments. Unless otherwise specified, one or more particular features and/or elements described in connection with one or more embodiments may be found in one embodiment, or may be found in more than one embodiment, or may be found in all embodiments, or may be found in no embodiments. Although one or more features and/or elements may be described herein in the context of only a single embodiment, or alternatively in the context of more than one embodiment, or further alternatively in the context of all embodiments, the features and/or elements may instead be provided separately or in any appropriate combination or not at all. Conversely, any features and/or elements described in the context of separate embodiments may alternatively be realized as existing together in the context of a single embodiment.

Any particular and all details set forth herein are used in the context of some embodiments and therefore should NOT be necessarily taken as limiting factors to the attached claims. The attached claims and their legal equivalents can be realized in the context of embodiments other than the ones used as illustrative examples in the description below.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of an electric vehicle (EV) charger 100 installed on a wall 200, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to Figure 1, the electric vehicle (EV) charger 100 is adapted to charge an electric vehicle 300 including, but not limited to, a two-wheeler vehicle, a three-wheeler vehicle, and a four-wheeler vehicle. The EV charger 100 may be deployed to enable a user to charge the electric vehicle 300. The EV charger 100 is a standalone unit installed on a platform such as the wall 200, so that the user may easily access the EV charger 100.

The EV charger 100 may be connected to a power source adapted to supply electrical power to the electric vehicle 300. Herein, a battery of the electric vehicle 300 may be charged by connecting the electric vehicle 300 to the EV charger 100. Further, the electric vehicle 300 may include, but is not limited to, an electric machine powered by the battery through various converters such as a DC-DC converter and an inverter. Constructional and operational details of the EV charger 100 are explained in subsequent paragraphs with reference to Figure 2.

Figure 2 illustrates a partially exploded view of the electric vehicle (EV) charger 100, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The EV charger 100 may include, but is not limited to, a front cover 102, a back cover 104 coupled to the front cover 102, a sealing member 106, and a cover member 108. The back cover 104 may be embodied as a housing adapted to accommodate a charging unit 120 of the EV charger 100. The charging unit 120 may include a plurality of components including, but not limited to, a Residual Current Device (RCD) and a charging terminal. Herein, a plug may be connected to the charging terminal for charging the EV vehicle 300.

The back cover 104 may include a plurality of walls 110, a base (not shown), and at least one door 112. The base and the plurality of walls 110 may be attached to form an enclosed portion. The enclosed portion may be adapted to accommodate the plurality of components of the charging unit 120. In an embodiment, the base may include a first face and a second face opposite to the first face may be adapted to mount the EV charger 100 on the wall 300. Herein, the EV charger 100 may be fixed with the wall 200 by mounting the first face on the wall 200 via a plurality of fasteners. Further, the second face may be adapted to support the charging unit 120 installed on the back cover 104. In a non-limiting embodiment, the back cover 104 may have, but is not limited to, a cuboidal shape, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In another embodiment, the back cover 104 may have any shape, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The base and the plurality of walls 110 may be formed as an integral part by using an injection molding process. In the illustrated embodiment, the plurality of walls 110 may include four walls adapted to be attached with each other and the base to form the enclosed portion. In another embodiment, the plurality of walls 110 may include more than four walls. In one more embodiment, the plurality of walls 110 may include less than four walls. In an embodiment, the back cover 104 may be formed of a polymeric material, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In another embodiment, the back cover 104 may be formed of a metallic material, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

At least one wall from among the plurality of walls 110 may include at least one opening 122 to access the enclosed portion. In an embodiment, more than one opening 122 may be formed on more than one wall 110, respectively. A maintenance operator may access the charging unit 120 through the at least one opening 122. The at least one opening 122 may allow the maintenance operator to access only a limited number of components, so the maintenance operator may only access the components which are essential for the maintenance of the EV charger 100.

If only essential components may be accessed through the at least one opening 122 for the maintenance, then a risk associated with the falling of the components while accessing by opening the front cover 102, is eliminated. Thus, this limited access may improve the safety of the EV charger 100. The limited access to essential components may also require less time and effort for the maintenance of the EV charger 100. Further, a risk associated with the improper fixing of the front cover 102 is eliminated, as the maintenance operator may access the charging unit 120 through the at least one opening 122 without opening the front cover 102.

The sealing member 106 may be attached on a periphery 114 defining the at least one opening 122. The back cover 104 may include a recess formed along the periphery 114 and adapted to accommodate the sealing member 106. The sealing member 106 may be attached on the periphery 114 via the plurality of fasteners. The plurality of fasteners may be embodied as a plurality of chemical fasteners including, but not limited to, adhesives and glue. The sealing member 106 may have a shape identical to a shape of the periphery 114. The sealing member 106 may be embodied as a Silicone gasket, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the gasket may be formed of a polymeric material. In another embodiment, the gasket may be formed of Silicon.

The at least one door 112 is adapted to conceal the at least one opening 122. The at least one door 112 may be adapted to be moved to access the enclosed portion through the at least one opening 122. The at least one door 112 may be positioned over the sealing member 106 attached on the periphery 114 defining the at least one opening 122. Thus, the sealing member 106 may be secured between the periphery 114 and the at least one door 112 to form a sealed surface therebetween. The sealed surface may prevent an ingress of foreign particles into the EV charger 100. In an embodiment, the foreign particles may include, but not limited to, water, dust, and moisture, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The at least one door 112 may be detachably mounted on the periphery 114 via a plurality of fasteners. The plurality of fasteners may include, but is not limited to, a plurality of screws and/or a plurality of hinges. In the illustrated embodiment, the at least one door 112 may be detachably mounted, via the plurality of screws, on the periphery 114 to conceal the at least one opening 122. In an embodiment, more than one door 122 may conceal more than one opening 122 formed on more than one wall from among the plurality of walls 110.

The at least one door 112 may include a first set of holes 116 adapted to receive the plurality of screws. Further, the periphery 114 defines a second set of holes 118 adapted to be aligned with the first set of holes 116 to receive the plurality of screws therethrough when the at least one door 112 is positioned on the at least one opening 122. In one embodiment, the at least one door 112 may be formed of a polymeric material. In another embodiment, the at least one door 112 may be formed of a metallic material.

The cover member 108 may be adapted to be positioned on the at least one door 112 to conceal the at least one door 112. The cover member 108 may have a shape identical to a shape of the at least one door 112, such that the cover member 108 may properly conceal the at least one door 112 and the plurality of screws positioned in the at least one door 112. The cover member 108 may be positioned on the at least one door 112 via the plurality of fasteners. The plurality of fasteners may include, but is not limited to, snap locks and screws. In the illustrated embodiment, the cover member 108 may be snap-fitted to the at least one door 112. In one embodiment, the cover member 108 may be formed of a polymeric material. In another embodiment, the cover member 108 may be formed of a metallic material.

In an embodiment, the at least one door 112 may also be referred to as an inner service door, and the cover member 108 may be referred to as an outer service door. The cover member 108 is required to be opened to access the at least one door 112. Further, the at least one door 112 may be opened for accessing the enclosed portion. The at least one door 112 and the cover member 108 may protect the sealing member 106 from deterioration due to impact the of sunlight radiation. Furthermore, the cover member 108 may be designed with respect to back cover 104 to achieve an aesthetic surface. The opening of the at least one door 112 may provide limited access to the enclosed portion of the back cover 104 without opening the whole EV charger 100.

The front cover 102 may be adapted to provide an access to the charging unit 120. The front cover 102 may be coupled to the back cover 104 to secure the charging unit 120 installed in the back cover 104. The front cover 102 may be coupled to the back cover 104 via the plurality of fasteners. The plurality of fasteners may include, but is not limited to, adhesives and screws, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In an embodiment, the front cover 102 may be snap-fitted to the back cover 104. The front cover 102 may have a shape identical to a shape of the back cover 104, such that the front cover 102 may be properly coupled to the back cover 104.

The front cover 102 may include a cavity 124 adapted to expose the charging unit 120, such that the plug may be connected to the charging unit 120 through the cavity 124. The front cover 102 may have, but is not limited to, a cuboidal shape, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In another embodiment, the front cover 102 may have any other shape, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the front cover 102 may be formed of a polymeric material. In another embodiment, front cover 102 may be formed of a metallic material.

As would be gathered, the present disclosure offers the EV charger 100 for charging electric vehicles 300. The EV charger 100 may include the at least one door 112 concealing the at least one opening 122 formed on at least one wall from among the plurality of walls 110. Thus, the charging unit 120 may only be accessed by opening the at least one door 112 without removing the front cover 102 from the back cover 104.

The implementation of the at least one opening 122 and the at least one door 112, may provide limited access to the charging unit 120, so that there is no gap between the front cover 102 and the back cover 104. Then, the foreign particles may not enter the EV charger 100, so the risk associated with damage to the charging unit 120 due to the entry of foreign particles is eliminated. This improves the overall functionality of the EV charger 100. Further, the opening of the at least one door 112 also saves cost, time, and effort associated with the maintenance of the EV charger 100, which is more convenient for repair and servicing.

Therefore, the electric vehicle (EV) charger 100 of the present disclosure is operationally effective, flexible in implementation, cost-effective, compact, and convenient.

While specific language has been used to describe the present subject matter, any limitations arising on account thereto, are not intended. As would be apparent to a person in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The drawings and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment.
,CLAIMS:1. An electric vehicle (EV) charger (100) comprising:
a front cover (102);
a back cover (104) coupled to the front cover (102) and comprising:
a plurality of walls (110) forming an enclosed portion to accommodate a charging unit (120) of the EV charger (100), wherein at least one wall (110) from among the plurality of walls (110) comprises at least one opening (122) to access the enclosed portion; and
at least one door (112) adapted to conceal the at least one opening (122), wherein the at least one door (112) is adapted to be moved to access the enclosed portion through the at least one opening (122).

2. The EV charger (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a sealing member (106) attached to a periphery (114) defining the at least one opening (122), wherein the sealing member (106) is adapted to be secured between the periphery (114) and the at least one door (112) to form a sealed surface therebetween.

3. The EV charger (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the back cover (104) comprises a recess formed along the periphery (114) and adapted to accommodate the sealing member (106).

4. The EV charger (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sealing member (106) is attached on the periphery (114) via a plurality of fasteners.

5. The EV charger (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sealing member (106) is embodied as a Silicone gasket.

6. The EV charger (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one door (112) is detachably mounted, via a plurality of screws, on the periphery (114) to conceal the at least one opening (122).

7. The EV charger (100) as claimed in claim 6, wherein:
the at least one door (112) comprises a first set of holes (116) adapted to receive the plurality of screws; and
the periphery (114) defines a second set of holes (118) adapted to be aligned with the first set of holes (116) to receive the plurality of screws therethrough when the at least one door (112) is positioned on the at least one opening (122).

8. The EV charger (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a cover member (108) adapted to be positioned on the at least one door (112) to conceal the at least one door (112).

9. The EV charger (100) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cover member (108) is adapted to be snap-fitted to the at least one door (112).

10. The EV charger (100) as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the cover member (108) and the at least one door (112) is formed of one of a metallic material and a polymeric material.