CHARGING DEVICE FOR ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE INCORPORATING THE SAME

• US 20130257374A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: TAMAKI, Kenji, ICHIKAWA, Hiroki, ONOZUKA, Tadashi
• Application Number:
  US13/834,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257374A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/12 Bikes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/126 Scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/16 on motorcycles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/02 Flexible line connectors without frictional contact members
• 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging device for an electrically driven motorcycle includes a base member which is mounted on a vehicle body of the electrically driven motorcycle; and a charging member which is mounted on the base member and which includes a charging port operable to be selectively connected with a connector of a charging cable extended from an external charger. The charging member provided with the charging port is mounted on the base member such that a position and a direction of the charging port are selectively changeable with respect to the vehicle body. Such charging device enhances convenience in charging an electrically driven vehicle.

Claims

1. A charging device for an electrically driven vehicle comprising a vehicle body;

said charging device comprising a charging port mounted on said vehicle body of the electrically driven vehicle;

wherein said charging port is mounted on said vehicle body in a manner such that a direction of the charging port is adjustably changeable with respect to the vehicle body.

2. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a base member mounted on the vehicle body; and

a charging member mounted on the base member and comprising said charging port;

wherein the charging member is mounted on the base member in a manner such that said charging member is pivotally movable in at least one of a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, a lateral direction of the vehicle body, and both of the longitudinal and lateral directions of the vehicle body.

3. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the charging member is mounted such that the direction of the charging member is changeable with respect to the base member.

4. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the base member is mounted on the vehicle body in a pivotally movable manner about an axis which intersects a surface of the vehicle body on which the base member is mounted.

5. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the base member is mounted on the vehicle body in a pivotally movable manner about an axis which intersects a surface of the vehicle body on which the base member is mounted.

6. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a bearing structure;

wherein the charging port is mounted on the bearing structure such that the direction of the charging port with respect to the vehicle body is changeable via said bearing structure mounted thereon.

7. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said base member comprises a bearing structure;

wherein the charging member is mounted on the bearing structure such that the direction of the charging member with respect to the vehicle body is changeable via said bearing structure mounted thereon.

8. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said base member comprises a bearing structure;

wherein the charging member is mounted on the bearing structure such that the direction of the charging member with respect to the vehicle body is changeable via said bearing structure mounted thereon.

9. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising a spherical member;

wherein the charging member is operatively mounted on said spherical member, and the bearing structure is a spherical bearing structure which supports the spherical member.

10. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a restricting member which restricts movement of the charging port to limit the position and the direction of the charging port.

11. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a restricting member which restricts movement of the charging port to limit the position and the direction of the charging port.

12. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a restricting member which restricts movement of the charging port to limit the position and the direction of the charging port.

13. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a restricting member which restricts movement of the charging port to limit the position and the direction of the charging port.

14. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the charging port is arranged on a center line of the vehicle body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, as viewed in a top plan view.

15. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the charging port is arranged on a center line of the vehicle body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, as viewed in a top plan view.

16. The charging device for an electrically driven vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the charging port is arranged on a center line of the vehicle body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, as viewed in a top plan view.

17. A charging device for an electric motorcycle having a frame assembly, said charging device comprising

a base member mounted on said frame assembly;

and

a charging member having a charging port, said charging member being rotatably mounted on the base member;

wherein the charging member is mounted on the base member such that said charging member is pivotally movable in one of a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, a lateral direction of the vehicle body, and the longitudinal and lateral directions of the vehicle body.

18. A charging device for an electric motorcycle according to claim 17, wherein the charging port is arranged on a center line of the vehicle body along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, as viewed in a plan view;

and wherein said charging port is operatively connected with a battery supported by the frame assembly.

19. An electric vehicle comprising

a vehicle body;

a battery supported by the vehicle body; and

a plurality of charging devices arranged in a spaced manner on a center line of the vehicle body along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, as viewed in a plan view;

wherein each of said plurality of charging devices comprises

a base member mounted on said frame assembly; and

a charging member having a charging port, said charging member being rotatably mounted on the base member; and

wherein each of the charging devices is electrically connected with said battery.

20. An electric vehicle according to claim 19, wherein each of said charging devices comprises a restricting member which restricts a position and a direction of the charging port.