POWER CORD PLUG HAVING BREAKAWAY AND CONDUCTOR ISOLATION FEATURE
A power cord assembly includes a charging plug. The charging plug includes a housing having a plug end configured to interface with a charging port of an electric vehicle and a cord end; and a charging interface position at the plug end of the housing. The power cord assembly includes a power cord extending through the cord end of the housing and coupled to the charging interface. The power cord includes wires, the wires including a conductor having a breakaway joint along a length between a first portion and a second portion of the conductor. The power cord assembly includes one or more insulators disposed along the length of the conductor. Upon failure of the conductor at the breakaway joint, the insulators are configured to separate such that a free end of the first portion of the conductor is covered.
1 . A power cord assembly comprising:
a charging plug including:
a housing having a plug end configured to interface with a charging port of an electric vehicle and a cord end; and
a charging interface position at the plug end of the housing;
a power cord extending through the cord end of the housing and coupled to the charging interface, the power cord including a plurality of wires, each of the plurality of wires including:
a conductor having a breakaway joint along a length thereof between a first portion of the conductor and a second portion of the conductor, the first portion connected to a power source and the second portion connected to the charging interface; and
one or more insulators disposed along the length of the conductor;
wherein upon failure of the conductor at the breakaway joint, the one or more insulators are configured to separate such that a free end of the first portion of the conductor is covered.
2 . The power cord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the one or more insulators include a first insulator disposed along a portion of the first portion, a second insulator disposed along a portion of the second portion such that a gap is present between the first insulator and the second insulator, and a third insulator extending between the first insulator and the second insulator across the gap and around the breakaway joint.
3 . The power cord assembly of claim 2 , wherein upon failure of the conductor at the breakaway joint, the third insulator is configured to detach from the second insulator and remain attached to the first insulator.
4 . The power cord assembly of claim 2 , wherein the third insulator has a bellows shape or an accordion shape.
5 . The power cord assembly of claim 4 , wherein the third insulator is compressed between the first insulator and the second insulator.
6 . The power cord assembly of claim 5 , wherein the third insulator is configured to expand upon failure of the breakaway joint and separation of the first portion and the second portion of the conductor.
7 . The power cord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the breakaway joint has a lower tensile strength than the first portion of the conductor and the second portion of the conductor.
8 . The power cord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the breakaway joint comprises a crimp or a reduction in the cross-sectional area of the conductor.
9 . The power cord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the breakaway joint includes an electrical splice connector having a first end crimped to the first portion and an opposing second end crimped to the second portion.
10 . The power cord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the breakaway joint includes a soldered joint connecting the first portion and the second portion.
11 . The power cord assembly of claim 1 , wherein the charging plug includes a divider disposed within the housing, the divider defining a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots receiving one of the plurality of wires.
12 . The power cord assembly of claim 11 , wherein the breakaway joint is positioned between the divider and the plug end of the housing.
13 . The power cord assembly of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of slots has an angled edge, wherein, upon failure of the breakaway joint, the angled edge is configured to sever the insulator into a first insulator portion around the first portion of the conductor and a second insulator portion around the second portion of the conductor, and wherein the first insulator portion extends past the free end of the first portion of the conductor.
14 . A power cord assembly comprising:
a power cord configured to extend into a charging plug and couple to a charging interface thereof, the power cord including a plurality of wires, each of the plurality of wires including:
a conductor having a breakaway joint along a length thereof between a first portion of the conductor and a second portion of the conductor, the first portion configured to connect to a power source and the second portion configured to connect to the charging interface; and
one or more insulators disposed along the length of the conductor;
wherein upon failure of the conductor at the breakaway joint, the one or more insulators are configured to separate such that a free end of the first portion of the conductor is covered.
15 . The power cord assembly of claim 14 , wherein the one or more insulators include a first insulator disposed along a portion of the first portion, a second insulator disposed along a portion of the second portion such that a gap is present between the first insulator and the second insulator, and a third insulator extending between the first insulator and the second insulator across the gap and around the breakaway joint.
16 . The power cord assembly of claim 15 , wherein upon failure of the conductor at the breakaway joint, the third insulator is configured to detach from the second insulator and remain attached to the first insulator.
17 . The power cord assembly of claim 16 , wherein the third insulator is compressed between the first insulator and the second insulator, and wherein the third insulator is configured to expand upon failure of the breakaway joint and separation of the first portion and the second portion of the conductor.
18 . The power cord assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a divider configured to be disposed within the charging plug, the divider defining a plurality of slots, each of the plurality of slots receiving one of the plurality of wires, wherein the breakaway joint is positioned between the divider and the plug end of the housing, wherein each of the plurality of slots has an angled edge, wherein, upon failure of the breakaway joint, the angled edge is configured to sever the insulator into a first insulator portion around the first portion of the conductor and a second insulator portion around the second portion of the conductor, and wherein the first insulator portion extends past the free end of the first portion of the conductor.
19 . A power cord assembly comprising:
a charging plug including:
a housing having a plug end configured to interface with a charging port of an electric vehicle and a cord end; and
a charging interface position at the plug end of the housing;
a power cord extending through the cord end of the housing and coupled to the charging interface, the power cord including a plurality of wires, each of the plurality of wires including:
a conductor having a breakaway joint along a length thereof between a first portion of the conductor and a second portion of the conductor, the first portion connected to a power source and the second portion connected to the charging interface;
a first insulator disposed along a portion of the first portion;
a second insulator disposed along a portion of the second portion such that a gap is present between the first insulator and the second insulator; and
a third insulator extending between the first insulator and the second insulator across the gap and around the breakaway joint
wherein upon failure of the conductor at the breakaway joint, the first insulator and the third insulator are configured to separate from the second insulator such that a free end of the first portion of the conductor is covered.
20 . The power cord assembly of claim 19 , wherein the third insulator is compressed between the first insulator and the second insulator, and wherein the third insulator is configured to expand upon failure of the breakaway joint and separation of the first portion and the second portion of the conductor.