CHARGING INLET LID STRUCTURE

• US 20160137081A1
• Filed: 11/18/2015
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: KATAGIRI, Yusuke, TAKAHASHI, Akira
• Granted Patent: US 9,895,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging inlet lid structure of a vehicle includes a normal charging inlet and a quick charging inlet in a recess portion for charging, and a first lid and a second lid for the recess portion. One of the normal charging inlet and the quick charging inlet is provided at one side of the recess portion and the other of the normal charging inlet and the quick charging inlet is provided at the other side of the recess portion. The first lid and the second lid are provided so as to slide from totally closed positions where the first lid and the second lid totally close the recess portion in directions in which the first lid and the second lid move away from each other and can be opened and closed independently of each other.

Claims

1. A charging inlet lid structure of a vehicle, comprising:

a recess portion for charging;

a normal charging inlet which is provided in the recess portion and to which a normal charging connector is connected;

a quick charging inlet which is provided adjacent to the normal charging inlet within the recess portion and to which a quick charging connector is connected;

a first lid which opens and closes one side of the recess portion; and

a second lid which opens and closes the other side of the recess portion, wherein

one of the normal charging inlet and the quick charging inlet is provided at the one side of the recess portion and the other of the normal charging inlet and the quick charging inlet is provided at the other side of the recess portion, and

the first lid and the second lid are provided so as to slide from totally closed positions where the first lid and the second lid totally close the recess portion in directions in which the first lid and the second lid move away from each other and can be opened and closed independently of each other.

2. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 1, wherein

one of the first lid and the second lid is provided so as to slide into an inner side of a vehicle body.

3. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 2, wherein

the normal charging inlet and the quick charging inlet are arranged in a front-to-rear direction of the vehicle,

the one of the first lid and the second lid is disposed forwards in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle,

the other of the first lid and the second lid which is disposed rearwards in the front-to-rear direction is provided so as to slide to an outer side of the vehicle body, and

a posture of the other of the first lid and the second lid is inclined relative to a surface of the vehicle body so that a space defined between the surface and the other of the lids becomes wider towards the rear in the front-to-rear direction in a state that the other of the lids caused to slide to the outer side of the vehicle body.

4. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 1, wherein

a plurality of guide rails which guide the first lid and the second lid are provided in an interior of the recess portion,

each of the first lid and the second lid includes a first arm and a second arm which are disposed at an interval in a sliding direction of each of the first lid and the second lid and which can move along the corresponding guide rail, and

each of the guide rails includes a first groove portion with which the first arm is brought into engagement and a second groove portion with which the second arm is brought into engagement, the first groove portion and the second groove portion being formed so as to face in opposite directions.

5. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 2, wherein

a plurality of guide rails which guide the first lid and the second lid are provided in an interior of the recess portion,

each of the first lid and the second lid includes a first arm and a second arm which are disposed at an interval in a sliding direction of each of the first lid and the second lid and which can move along the corresponding guide rail, and

each of the guide rails includes a first groove portion with which the first arm is brought into engagement and a second groove portion with which the second arm is brought into engagement, the first groove portion and the second groove portion being formed so as to face in opposite directions.

6. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 3, wherein

a plurality of guide rails which guide the first lid and the second lid are provided in an interior of the recess portion,

each of the first lid and the second lid includes a first arm and a second arm which are disposed at an interval in a sliding direction of each of the first lid and the second lid and which can move along the corresponding guide rail, and

each of the guide rails includes a first groove portion with which the first arm is brought into engagement and a second groove portion with which the second arm is brought into engagement, the first groove portion and the second groove portion being formed so as to face in opposite directions.

7. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 1, further comprising:

a lock mechanism which restricts the sliding of the first lid and the second lid, wherein

the first lid includes a first flange portion which projects towards the second lid and which is formed with a first through hole formed at a distal end portion thereof,

the second lid includes a second flange portion which projects towards the first lid and which is formed with a second through hole at a distal end portion thereof,

the first lid flange portion and the second flange portion overlap each other so that the first through hole and the second through hole communicate with each other when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions, and

the lock mechanism includes a locking pin which can be inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions.

8. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 2, further comprising:

a lock mechanism which restricts the sliding of the first lid and the second lid, wherein

the first lid includes a first flange portion which projects towards the second lid and which is formed with a first through hole formed at a distal end portion thereof,

the second lid includes a second flange portion which projects towards the first lid and which is formed with a second through hole at a distal end portion thereof,

the first lid flange portion and the second flange portion overlap each other so that the first through hole and the second through hole communicate with each other when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions, and

the lock mechanism includes a locking pin which can be inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions.

9. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 3, further comprising:

a lock mechanism which restricts the sliding of the first lid and the second lid, wherein

the first lid includes a first flange portion which projects towards the second lid and which is formed with a first through hole formed at a distal end portion thereof,

the second lid includes a second flange portion which projects towards the first lid and which is formed with a second through hole at a distal end portion thereof,

the first lid flange portion and the second flange portion overlap each other so that the first through hole and the second through hole communicate with each other when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions, and

the lock mechanism includes a locking pin which can be inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions.

10. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 4, further comprising:

a lock mechanism which restricts the sliding of the first lid and the second lid, wherein

the first lid includes a first flange portion which projects towards the second lid and which is formed with a first through hole formed at a distal end portion thereof,

the second lid includes a second flange portion which projects towards the first lid and which is formed with a second through hole at a distal end portion thereof,

the first lid flange portion and the second flange portion overlap each other so that the first through hole and the second through hole communicate with each other when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions, and

the lock mechanism includes a locking pin which can be inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions.

11. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 5, further comprising:

a lock mechanism which restricts the sliding of the first lid and the second lid, wherein

the first lid includes a first flange portion which projects towards the second lid and which is formed with a first through hole formed at a distal end portion thereof,

the second lid includes a second flange portion which projects towards the first lid and which is formed with a second through hole at a distal end portion thereof,

the first lid flange portion and the second flange portion overlap each other so that the first through hole and the second through hole communicate with each other when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions, and

the lock mechanism includes a locking pin which can be inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions.

12. The charging inlet lid structure according to claim 6, further comprising:

a lock mechanism which restricts the sliding of the first lid and the second lid, wherein

the first lid includes a first flange portion which projects towards the second lid and which is formed with a first through hole formed at a distal end portion thereof,

the second lid includes a second flange portion which projects towards the first lid and which is formed with a second through hole at a distal end portion thereof,

the first lid flange portion and the second flange portion overlap each other so that the first through hole and the second through hole communicate with each other when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions, and

the lock mechanism includes a locking pin which can be inserted into the first through hole and the second through hole when the first lid and the second lid are both in their totally closed positions.