CHARGING PORT DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• US 20150197157A1
• Filed: 06/05/2013
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Mitsuba Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakajima, Tsuyoshi, Maruyama, Tsuyoshi, Senda, Hiroyuki
• Granted Patent: US 9,446,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• 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 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6397 with means for preventing unauthorised use
• 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 lock mechanism, when a restricting member is being moved to a predetermined position which corresponds to one of a locked state or an unlocked state, imparts a torque, using a motor, to move the restricting member from an inner-side position near the predetermined position to the predetermined position using a toggle spring disposed between the restricting member and a vehicle body side.

Claims

1. A charging port device for an electric vehicle, comprising:

a charging port having an engaged part configured to engage an engaging part of a charging connector, and receive power from an external power supply being supplied to the charging port when in an engaged state; and

a lock mechanism including a restricting member moveable in a locking direction and an unlocking direction to regulate release of the engaging part, the lock mechanism being locked when the engaging part and the engaged part are in an engaged state, and the restricting member is moved in the locking direction to restrict the engaged state between the engaging part and the engaged part from being released, and the lock mechanism being unlocked, when the restricting member is moved in the unlocking direction, which is opposite the locking direction, enabling a release operation,

the lock mechanism, when the restricting member is being moved to a predetermined position which corresponds to one of a locked state or an unlocked state, imparts a torque, using a motor, to move the restricting member from an inner-side position near the predetermined position, to the predetermined position using a toggle spring disposed between the restricting member and a vehicle body side.

2. The charging port device for an electric vehicle disclosed in claim 1, wherein

the lock mechanism is configured to control the motor so that there is an overlap between a first region, in which the torque from the motor acts when the restricting member is being moved to the locked state, and a second region, in which the torque from the motor acts when the restricting member is being moved to the unlocked state, and

the lock mechanism includes a dead zone, in which the restricting member is not moved by a spring force from the toggle spring, is formed at a position that overlaps with a region in which the first region and the second region overlap.

3. The charging port device for an electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the dead zone is formed at a position such that there is more overlap in the region on the locking-state side of a neutral position of the restricting member than in the region on the unlocking-state side of the neutral position.

4. The charging port device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the restricting member is a swing arm configured to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state by turning.

5. The charging port device for an electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the restricting member is a swing arm configured to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state by turning.

6. The charging port device for an electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the restricting member is a swing arm configured to switch between the locked state and the unlocked state by turning.