Vehicle inlet for use in charging a battery of an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV)

1. A vehicle inlet for use in charging a battery of an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the vehicle inlet comprising:

a housing comprising a cover moveable between an open and a closed position;

a luminance engine comprising at least one light emitting diode; and

a luminance member configured for attachment to the housing and for cooperation with the luminance engine;

wherein the luminance member is adapted for illumination by the at least one light emitting diode of the luminance engine based on an ambient light level having a value less than a threshold for a predetermined time period, and wherein the luminance member is further adapted for constant illumination by the at least one light emitting diode of the luminance engine when the vehicle is off and the cover has a closed position, in order to act as a visual indicator of a location of the vehicle inlet on the vehicle.

2. The vehicle inlet of claim 1 wherein the luminance member is further adapted for illumination by the at least one light emitting diode of the luminance engine to provide a visual indication to a user when the cover has a position other than the closed position.

3. The vehicle inlet of claim 1 wherein the luminance member comprises a ring of one of a substantially clear polycarbonate material and a translucent polycarbonate material.

4. The vehicle inlet of claim 1 wherein the luminance member comprises a cylinder of one of a substantially clear polycarbonate material and a translucent polycarbonate material, and the luminance member is configured to form substantially a majority of a surface area of a wall of the housing to provide increased visibility of the luminance member when illuminated by the at least one light emitting diode of the luminance engine.

5. The vehicle inlet of claim 1 wherein the luminance engine comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes, each of the diodes configured for emitting light having a different color.

6. The vehicle inlet of claim 5 wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are adapted to provide a visual indication to a user by at least one of flashing and emitting light having different colors, the visual indication representing a battery charging condition of at least one of charging in progress, a level of charge, and charging complete.

7. The vehicle inlet of claim 1 wherein the housing and the luminance member each include a plurality of locations thereon adapted for cooperation with the luminance engine, and wherein the housing and luminance member may each be configured to cooperate with a plurality of luminance engines.

8. A vehicle inlet for use in charging a battery of an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the vehicle inlet comprising:

a housing comprising a cover moveable between an open and a closed position;

a luminance engine comprising at least one light emitting diode; and

a luminance member configured for attachment to the housing and for cooperation with the luminance engine;

wherein the luminance member is adapted for illumination by the at least one light emitting diode of the luminance engine to provide a visual indication to a user when the cover has a position other than the closed position, and wherein the luminance member is further adapted for constant illumination by the at least one light emitting diode of the luminance engine when the vehicle is off and the cover has a closed position, in order to act as a visual indicator of a location of the vehicle inlet on the vehicle.

9. The vehicle inlet of claim 8 wherein the luminance member comprises a cylinder of one of a clear polycarbonate material and a translucent polycarbonate material, and the luminance member is configured to form substantially a majority of a surface area of a wall of the housing to provide increased visibility of the illumination member when illuminated by the at least one light emitting diode of the luminance engine.

10. The vehicle inlet of claim 9 wherein the luminance member is further adapted for illumination by the at least one light emitting diode of the luminance engine based on an ambient light level having a value less than a threshold for a predetermined time period.

11. The vehicle inlet of claim 8 wherein the luminance member comprises a ring of one of a substantially clear polycarbonate material and a translucent polycarbonate material.

12. The vehicle inlet of claim 8 wherein the luminance engine comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes, each of the diodes configured for emitting light having a different color.

13. The vehicle inlet of claim 12 wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are adapted to provide a visual indication to a user by at least one of flashing and emitting light having different colors, the visual indication representing a battery charging condition of at least one of charging in progress, a level of charge, and charging complete.

14. The vehicle inlet of claim 8 wherein the housing and the luminance member each include a plurality of locations thereon adapted for cooperation with the luminance engine, and wherein the housing and luminance member may each be configured to cooperate with a plurality of luminance engines.

15. A vehicle inlet for use in charging a battery of an electric vehicle (EV) or a hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV), the vehicle inlet comprising:

a housing comprising a cover movable between an open and a closed position;

a luminance engine comprising a light emitting diode; and

a luminance ring for attachment to the housing and the luminance engine;

wherein the luminance ring is adapted for illumination by the light emitting diode of the luminance engine based on an ambient light level having a value less than a threshold level, and wherein the luminance ring is further adapted for constant illumination by the light emitting diode of the luminance engine when the vehicle is off and the cover has a closed position, in order to act as a visual indicator of a location of the vehicle inlet on the vehicle.

16. The vehicle inlet of claim 15 wherein the luminance ring is further to be illuminated by the light emitting diode of the luminance engine to provide a visual indication to a user when the cover is open.

17. The vehicle inlet of claim 15 wherein the luminance ring comprises a cylinder of polycarbonate material, and the luminance ring forms most of a surface area of a wall of the housing to provide increased visibility of the luminance ring when illuminated by the light emitting diode of the luminance engine.

18. The vehicle inlet of claim 15 wherein the luminance engine comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes, each of the diodes for emitting light having a different color.

19. The vehicle inlet of claim 18 wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes provide a visual indication to a user by flashing or emitting light having different colors, the visual indication representing a battery charging state of charging in progress, a level of charge, or charging complete.

20. The vehicle inlet of claim 15 wherein the housing and the luminance ring each include a plurality of locations thereon for attachment to the luminance engine, and wherein the housing and luminance ring may each be attached to a plurality of luminance engines.