Charging connector for electric vehicle

• US 5,906,500 A
• Filed: 10/03/1997
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshioka, Nobuaki, Kakuta, Naoki
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Byrd, Eugene G.
• Application Number:
  US08/943,522
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 439/310, 439/138, 439/352, 439/372, 439/136, 439/142, 439/357, 439/34, 439/35, 439/131
• US Class Current: 439/310
• 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 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/637 by fluid pressure, e.g. explosion
• 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

Abstract

In a charging connector for an electric vehicle for charging a power receiving connector coupled with a power supplying connector, the power supplying connector includes an outer housing to be coupled with said power receiving connector; an inner housing to be slidably mounted on the front half and housing a plurality of terminals; and an air cylinder mounted inside said outer housing inside the rear half of said outer housing and a piston connected to the rear end of said inner housing. Whereby the inner housing is driven toward said power receiving connector by the operation of said air cylinder so that said terminals are connected to corresponding terminals of said power receiving connector. In such a configuration, since the advancing drive of an inner housing in which terminals are housed is carried out using the air cylinder, a small number of components can be used and the piston has only to be connected to the rear end of the inner housing, thus simplifying the production cost and reducing the production cost.

Claims

1. A charging connector for an electric vehicle for charging a power receiving connector coupled with a power supplying connector, wherein said power supplying connector comprises:

an outer housing to be coupled with said power receiving connector;

an inner housing to be slidably mounted on the front half and housing a plurality of terminals; and

an air cylinder mounted inside the rear half of said outer housing and having a piston whose main shaft is connected to the rear end of said inner housing, whereby said inner housing is driven toward said power receiving connector by the operation of said air cylinder so that said terminals are connected to corresponding terminals of said power receiving connector.

2. A charging connector for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said inner housing is provided with a rear holder covering an opening of its rear end through which said main shaft is coupled with said inner housing.

3. A charging connector for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a return spring arranged between a front wall of said air cylinder and said piston shaft and serving to urge said piston shaft toward the side opposite to said inner housing.

4. A charging connector for an electric vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a return spring arranged between a front wall of said air cylinder and said piston shaft and serving to urge said piston shaft toward the side opposite to said inner housing.

5. A charging connector for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said air cylinder is provided with a pair of approximate switches for determining the stroke of said piston or said inner housing.

6. A charging connector for an electric vehicle according to claim 2, wherein said air cylinder is provided with a pair of approximate switches for determining the stroke of said piston or said inner housing.

7. A charging connector for an electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said air cylinder is provided with a pair of approximate switches for determining the stroke of said piston or said inner housing.

8. A charging connector for an electric vehicle according to claim 4, wherein said air cylinder is provided with a pair of approximate switches for determining the stroke of said piston or said inner housing.