Patent ID: 8172599

Claim:
A charge cord lock system for a vehicle having a rechargeable battery, the charge cord lock system comprising: a vehicle structure defining a charging receptacle; a charge cord assembly having a charge plug configured to be slidably received in the charging receptacle, the charge plug including a retention recess recessed into a side of the charge plug, the retention recess defining a retention flange; a cord lock including a catch mounted to a plunger, the plunger mounted to an actuator that is configured to selectively move the plunger toward and away from the charging receptacle, the catch configured to be engageable with the retention flange when the plunger is in an extended position to prevent removal of the charge plug from the charging receptacle and not engageable with the retention flange when the plunger is in a retracted position; and a controller in communication with a vehicle door lock/unlock request mechanism and the actuator, the controller configured to cause the actuator to move the plunger to the retracted position when a door unlock signal is received from the lock/unlock request mechanism and to cause the actuator to move the plunger to the extended position when a door lock signal is received from the lock/unlock request mechanism.