Granted Patent B2

US 12,330,513 · App. 18/166,702 · Granted Jun 17, 2025

Inventor: Kevin I. Bertness (Batavia, IL)

Assignee: Midtronics, Inc.

B60L3/0046B60L50/60B60L58/10H01R13/6271H01R2201/26

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A battery maintenance system for use in performing battery maintenance on a battery of an electric vehicle comprising:

a battery maintenance device; and

a high voltage connector configured to connect the battery maintenance device to the battery of the electric vehicle, wherein the high voltage connector comprises:

a first connector side coupleable to the battery of the electric vehicle and including a plurality of first type of connector poles and a keying post, wherein the keying post has a distal end that terminates a distance from ends of the first type of connectors;

a second connector side coupleable to the battery maintenance device and including a plurality of second type of connector poles configured to electrically mate with the plurality of first type connector poles of the first connector side, a fuse block including at least one fuse and a removable fuse door having an interlock, a mechanical component configured into a first position and a second position and an electrical switch configured to disconnect and connect voltages from the fuse block;

wherein when the fuse door is removed from the fuse block, the mechanical component is in a first position that blocks the keying post and prevents the first connector side from coupling with the second connector side; and

wherein when the fuse door is in place and covering an interior of the fuse block, the interlock of the fuse door places the mechanical component into a second position to allow the keying post to mate with the second connector side and to activate the electric switch to connect voltages to the fuse block.

2. The battery maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical component of the high voltage connector comprises a spring-loaded plunger.

3. The battery maintenance system of claim 2 , wherein in the first position, the spring-loaded plunger is not depressed and blocks the keying post from being inserted into the second connector side.

4. The battery maintenance system of claim 3 , wherein the fuse door further comprises a tab having an aperture that protrudes from a main panel of the fuse door and is configured to depress the spring-loaded plunger into the second position to allow the aperture of the tab to receive the keying post and activate the electric switch.

5. The battery maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical component of the high voltage connector comprises an arm rotatably mounted to a spring-loaded pin.

6. The battery maintenance system of claim 5 , wherein in the first position, the spring-loaded pin rotates the arm so that a first portion of the arm blocks the keying post from being inserted into the second connector side.

7. The battery maintenance system of claim 6 , wherein the fuse door further comprises a first tab having an aperture and protruding from a main panel of the fuse door and a second tab having a surface and protruding from the main panel of the fuse door.

8. The battery maintenance system of claim 7 , wherein the surface of the second tab is configured to push against a second portion of the arm so that the first portion is moved to allow the aperture of the first tab to receive the keying post and activate the electric switch.

9. The battery maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein the electric switch is configured to be activated to allow voltage from the battery of the electric vehicle into the high voltage connector and is configured to be deactivated to prevent voltage from the battery of the electric vehicle into the high voltage connector.

10. The battery maintenance system of claim 1 , further comprises a latch configured to further secure the first connector side to the second connector side of the high voltage connector.

11. The battery maintenance system of claim 10 , wherein the latch comprises a pair of plates each rotatably coupled to a pair of first pins that protrude outwardly from opposing sides of a carrier housing of the first connector side and a crossbar that couples the pair of plates together, wherein each of the pair of plates includes a slot opening and a slot.

12. The battery maintenance system of claim 11 , wherein the latch further comprises a pair of second pins that protrude outwardly from opposing sides of a carrier housing of the second connector side.

13. The battery maintenance system of claim 12 , wherein to lock the latch from an unlocked position to a locked position comprises inserting the second pins through the slot openings and engaging the slots with the second pins by rotating the crossbar and the pair of plates in a first direction.

14. The battery maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein the first connector side comprises a housing including an outside surface having male threads and wherein the second connector side comprises a housing including an inside surface having female threads, wherein the male threads of the first connector side mate with the female threads of the first connector side to further secure the first connector side to the second connector side of the high voltage connector.

15. The battery maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first type of connector poles coupled to the plurality of second type connector poles are arranged along a single plane.

16. The battery maintenance system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of first type of connector poles coupled to at least some of the plurality of second type connector poles are arranged about a circumference of a circle.

17. A battery maintenance system for use in performing battery maintenance on a battery of an electric vehicle comprising:

a battery maintenance device; and

a high voltage connector configured to connect the battery maintenance device to the battery of the electric vehicle;

wherein when a fuse door is removed from a fuse block of the high voltage connector, a mechanical component in a first position blocks a keying post and prevents a first connector side from coupling with a second connector side of the connector;

wherein when the fuse door is in place and covering an interior of the fuse block, the fuse door places the mechanical component into a second position to allow the keying post to mate with the second connector side and to activate an electric switch to connect voltages to the fuse block.

18. The battery maintenance system of claim 17 , wherein the high voltage connector comprises:

a first connector side coupleable to the battery of the electric vehicle and including a plurality of first type of connector poles and the keying post, wherein the keying post has a distal end that terminates a distance from ends of the first type of connectors; and

a second connector side coupleable to the battery maintenance device and including a plurality of second type of connector poles configured to electrically mate with the plurality of first type connector poles of the first connector side.

19. The battery maintenance system of claim 17 , wherein the mechanical component comprises a spring-loaded plunger.

20. The battery maintenance system of claim 17 , wherein the mechanical component comprises an arm rotatably mounted to a spring-loaded pin.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (400)