CHARGING INLET DEVICE

• US 20110287649A1
• Filed: 05/13/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: KURUMIZAWA, Naoto, KATAGIRI, Toshiharu, KAHARA, Keiji
• Granted Patent: US 8,698,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/304
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/68 Off-site monitoring or control, e.g. remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/02 for antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/167 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for supporting the interoperability of electric or hybrid vehicles, i.e. smartgrids as interface for battery charging of electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 30/14 Details associated with the interoperability, e.g. vehicle recognition, authentication, identification or billing

Abstract

A locking device for a power feeding plug installed in a vehicle. The vehicle includes an inlet that receives the power feeding plug to charge a battery, which powers a motor. A door antenna transmits a verification signal to an electronic key. The locking device includes a lock bar moved between lock and unlock positions. The lock bar blocks the power feeding plug, which is attached to the inlet, when located at the lock position to prohibit removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet. An inlet antenna transmits the verification signal to an area that includes the inlet. The inlet antenna and door antenna are arranged at different locations. A controller moves the lock bar when verification of the electronic key is accomplished in response to the verification signal from the inlet antenna.

Claims

1. A charging inlet device installed in a communication device, wherein the communication device includes a battery and an inlet, which receives a power feeding plug to charge the battery, and wherein the communication device transmits a wireless verification signal to an electronic key and permits or performs an operation when verification of the electronic key is accomplished, the charging inlet device comprising:

a lock mechanism that prevents removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet, wherein the lock mechanism performs at least one of a locking operation and an unlocking operation on the power feeding plug when the verification of the electronic key through a wireless verification signal is accomplished; and

an inlet antenna arranged near the inlet and transmitting the wireless verification signal to an area near the inlet.

2. The charging inlet device according to claim 1, wherein

the lock mechanism includes a mechanical component, which is movable to perform the locking operation and the unlocking operation, and a case, which accommodates the mechanical component;

and

the inlet antenna is accommodated in the case.

3. The charging inlet device according to claim 1, wherein

the communication device includes a further antenna that is communicable with the electronic key, and

the inlet antenna communicates with the electronic key in a communication mode that differs from that of the further antenna so that communication between the electronic key and the inlet antenna is distinguishable from communication between the electronic key and the further antenna.

4. The charging inlet device according to claim 1, further comprising an operation unit that is operated when starting the verification through wireless communication between the inlet antenna and the electronic key.

5. The charging inlet device according to claim 4, wherein the operation unit is an unlock switch operated to perform the unlocking operation with the lock mechanism.

6. The charging inlet device according to claim 4, wherein the lock mechanism alternately performs the lock operation and the unlock operation whenever the operation unit is operated.

7. The charging inlet device according to claim 1, wherein

the communication device is an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, and

the inlet is connected to the battery which powers the motor for driving vehicle wheels.

8. A locking device for a power feeding plug installed in a vehicle, wherein the vehicle includes a battery, a motor driven by the battery, an inlet that receives the power feeding plug to charge the battery, a door antenna that transmits a verification radio wave signal to an electronic key, and a door locked or unlocked when authorized radio wave communication is performed between the electronic key and the door antenna, the locking device comprising:

a movable member moved between a lock position and an unlock position, wherein the movable member is located to interfere with the power feeding plug, which is connected to the inlet, upon removal of the power feeding plug when located at the lock position to prohibit removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet, and wherein the movable member is moved to a position at which the movable member does not interfere with the power feeding plug when located at the unlock position to permit removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet;

an inlet antenna that transmits the verification radio wave signal to a local communication area including the inlet, wherein the inlet antenna and the door antenna are arranged at different locations; and

a controller that moves the movable member when verification of the electronic key is accomplished in response to the verification radio wave signal from the inlet antenna.

9. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein the inlet antenna includes a communication area separated from that of the door antenna.

10. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein the inlet antenna and the door antenna transmit the verification radio wave signal at different timings.

11. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein the verification radio wave signal transmitted from the inlet antenna and the verification radio wave signal transmitted from the door antenna have different data structures.

12. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein the inlet antenna and the door antenna transmit the verification radio wave signal at different frequencies.

13. The locking device according to claim 8, further comprising a case that accommodates the movable member, wherein the case includes an outer surface in which a lock lever port is formed to receive a lock lever of the power feeding plug, and the movable member blocks the lock lever in the lock lever port at the lock position.

14. The locking device according to claim 8, wherein the inlet antenna forms the local communication area that is dedicated for the inlet near the inlet.