Charging lid opening and closing device for electric vehicle

• US 6,194,854 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1999
• Issued: 02/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sone, Toshihiro, Ozawa, Akira, Shimada, Michio, Uchibori, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): IP, SHIK LUEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/391,512
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/280, 318/283-293, 318/560-587, 318/140-150, 320/2, 320/48, 320/27, 320/21, 235/381, 235/380, 439/34, 439/246-248, 180/65.1, 180/279
• US Class Current: 318/280
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/30 Constructional details of charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/35 Means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/38 specially adapted for charging by inductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/67 Controlling two or more charging stations
• 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

When a charging lid is manually opened or closed, a rotatable shaft is rotated thereby. At this time, a second rotary member rotates about the rotatable shaft and moves axially along the rotatable shaft. Balls are released from engagement recesses defined in the second rotary member, disengaging a first rotary member from the second rotary member. The charging lid can thus easily manually be opened or closed. When the rotatable shaft is rotated a given angle, a sensor detects the angular displacement of the rotatable shaft and outputs a detected signal. In response to the detected signal, a motor is energized to rotate the rotatable shaft to forcibly open or close the charging lid.

Claims

1. A charging lid opening and closing device for opening and closing a charging lid which protects a receiving coupler on an electric vehicle which is powered by electric energy supplied from a battery, comprising:

a motor energizable in response to a lid opening/closing command signal;

a clutch mechanism operatively connected between a rotatable shaft of the charging lid and a drive shaft of the motor, for transmitting rotation of said drive shaft to said rotatable shaft, and disconnecting said drive shaft and said rotatable shaft from each other and allowing only said rotatable shaft to rotate when an external force greater than a predetermined level is applied to said charging lid in order to open or close the charging lid;

detecting means for detecting when said charging lid is opened or closed a predetermined angle and outputting a detected signal; and

control means for energizing said motor to rotate said drive shaft in a direction to open or close said charging lid in response to the detected signal from said detecting means.

2. A charging lid opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein said clutch mechanism comprises:

a first rotary member;

a second rotary member;

a presser for pressing said first rotary member and said second rotary member against each other; and

a plurality of balls disposed between and engageable with said first rotary member and said second rotary member, for transmitting rotation of said first rotary member to said second rotary member;

at least one of said first rotary member and said second rotary member being displaceable toward and away from the other of said first rotary member and said second rotary member, the arrangement being such that said balls can be released out of engagement with said one of said first rotary member and said second rotary member when the external force greater than the predetermined level is applied to said charging lid in order to open or close the charging lid.

3. A charging lid opening and closing device according to claim 2, wherein said rotatable shaft has an engagement surface which is engaged by said second rotary member, said second rotary member being displaceable in axial directions of said rotatable shaft.

4. A charging lid opening and closing device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said first rotary member and said second rotary member has a plurality of engagement recesses, said balls being releasably engageable in said engagement recesses, the arrangement being such that said balls can be released from said engagement recesses when the external force greater than the predetermined level is applied to said charging lid in order to open or close the charging lid, and said balls can engage in closest ones of said engagement recesses when said motor is energized.

5. A charging lid opening and closing device according to claim 4, wherein said engagement recesses are defined at spaced intervals smaller than spaced intervals between said balls positioned around a central axis of said first rotary member or said second rotary member.

6. A charging lid opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means comprises:

a dog rotatable in unison with said rotatable shaft; and

a sensor for detecting when said dog has been angularly moved a predetermined angle.