Charging connector

• US 8,206,171 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems Limited (Sumitomo Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichio, Toshifumi, Osawa, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US13/031,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20110212645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 490 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/350, 439/352, 439/353
• US Class Current: 439/352
• 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: H01R 13/502 composed of different pieces H01R13/514 takes precedence
• 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 2201/26 for 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 connector (10) has a fitting (13) connectable to a vehicle-side connector (50) and a main body (11) with a forward opening (11A) to accommodate the fitting (13) so that a front end of the fitting (13) projects forward from the opening (11A). A lever (14) including an arm (14C) extends from the interior of the main body (11) to the front end of the fitting (13) to hold the vehicle-side connector (50) and the fitting (13) in a connected state. A protective wall (11B) extends forward from the opening (11A) of the main body (11) and covers the arm (14C) between the fitting (13) and itself. A lock (31) is at a front end of the lever (14) and has a lock projection (14A) that projects toward the fitting (13) and a reinforcement (14B) the projects toward a side opposite to the fitting (13).

Claims

1. A charging connector connectable to a vehicle-side connector connected to a battery in a vehicle when the battery is to be charged, comprising:

a fitting connectable to the vehicle-side connector;

a case including an opening that is open forward and adapted to accommodate the fitting therein in a state where a front end of the fitting projects forward from the opening;

a lever including an arm adapted to hold the vehicle-side connector and the fitting in a connected state;

at least one protective wall extending forward from the opening of the case and at least partly covering the arm from outside; and

a lock provided at a front end portion of the lever, the lock including a locking claw projecting substantially toward the fitting and at least one reinforcement projecting toward a side substantially opposite to the fitting.

2. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein the arm extends from the interior of the case to the front end of the fitting.

3. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein the protective wall extends substantially forward from the opening of the case to at least partly cover the arm from a side opposite the fitting.

4. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein the lock is displaceable between a locking position where the lock and a lockable portion provided on the vehicle-side connector are in a locked state and an unlocking position where the locked state is canceled.

5. The charging connector of claim 4, wherein outer edges of the reinforcement and the protective wall are aligned and be flush with each other at the unlocking position.

6. The charging connector of claim 5, further comprising a shock absorbing member contacting the lever at the locking position.

7. The charging connector of claim 5, further comprising a biasing member constantly biasing the lock toward the locking position.

8. The charging connector of claim 7, wherein a biasing force of the biasing member swiftly moves the lever from the unlocking position to the locking position when the unlocking portion is released at the unlocking position.

9. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein the protective wall extends to the front end of the lever and covers the reinforcement.

10. The charging connector of claim 9, wherein the protective wall has a hole into for receiving the reinforcement.

11. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein the lever is displaceable in a seesaw manner with a lever pivot portion arranged at an intermediate position of the arm.