Connector assembly used in supplying electricity to a receiver

• US 5,637,977 A
• Filed: 06/13/1994
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukao, Yasuyoshi, Yamada, Shinichi, Saito, Masashi, Sekimori, Toshiyuki, Saijo, Eiji, Itou, Hikaru
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, EDWARD H
• Application Number:
  US08/259,189
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 320/2, 320/5, 320/43, 320/48, 200/51 R, 200/51.09, 439/310
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/65 involving identification of vehicles or their battery types
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/707 interlocked with contact members or counterpart
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• 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

This invention provides a charging apparatus for an electric vehicle which prevents a charging coupling from becoming overheated and melting upon charging. In the charging apparatus, when a lever 33 provided on a supply connector 2 is grasped, the supply connector 2 is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet 1 by a pair of stays 36 connected to the lever 33. A slide switch 42, which serves to open and close a charging circuit in the supply connector 2, is inhibited from being operated by a stopper face on the lever 33 under a normal condition and allowed to be operated when the supply connector 2 is completely fitted to the vehicle inlet 1. When a microswitch 44 associated with the slide switch 42 is turned to ON, a relay 90 in a charger 74 is energized to close the charging circuit, thereby enabling conduction from a power source to a battery.

Claims

1. A connector assembly for supplying electricity from a source to a receiver thereof through a coupling including an inlet on said receiver and a supply connector electrically connected to said source,

said supply connector comprising:

a housing containing supply terminals adapted to be detachably coupled to receiving terminals on said receiver;

a movable member on said housing for displacement of said inlet and supply connector relative to each other between a partial grip position and a complete grip position; and

an enabling connector on said housing including a switch in a circuit effecting an electrical connection between said inlet and said supply connector only when said inlet and supply connector are in said complete grip position.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said housing has a grip member pivotally mounted on said movable member and extending in a direction away from said inlet, whereby pivoting of said grip member pulls said supply connector toward said inlet from said partial grip position to said complete grip position.

3. The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein an enabling portion on said movable member is adapted to prevent said switch from closing said circuit when said movable member is in said partial grip position, said enabling portion adapted to permit said switch to close said circuit when said movable member is in said complete grip position.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said source is a charger and said receiver is a vehicle battery.

5. The connector assembly of claim 1 wherein said circuit has a delay unit which permits conduction of said electricity only after a predetermined interval from movement of said movable member to said complete grip position.

6. The connector assembly of claim 2 wherein said grip member has a slidable lock member therein which elastically contacts said enabling connector and retains said movable member in said complete grip position.

7. The connector of claim 1 wherein said displacement is axial.