Power feeding plug locking device

• US 8,753,136 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2011
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Hirashita, Takahiro, Kahara, Keiji, Katagiri, Toshiharu, Nishimoto, Keigo, Inoue, Tomohiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas, Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US13/238,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20120083148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 439/304, 439/352, 439/358, 439/372, 320/109
• US Class Current: 439/304
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• 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 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• 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 power feeding plug locking device that locks a power feeding plug to a power feeding inlet. The power feeding inlet is arranged in a machine including a door that can be locked. The locking device includes a lock mechanism of which operational state is shifted between a lock state and an unlock state. The lock mechanism prohibits removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet in the lock state and allows removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet in the unlock state. An operation unit is operated when switching the operational state of the lock mechanism between the lock state and the unlock state. A door lock state confirmation unit confirms whether the door of the machine is locked. A controller controls the operational state of the lock mechanism based on the operation of operation unit whether the door is locked.

Claims

1. A power feeding plug locking device that locks a power feeding plug to a power feeding inlet, wherein the power feeding inlet is arranged in a machine, the machine including a door that can be locked, the power feeding plug locking device comprising:

a lock mechanism including a lock member that is movable between a lock position and an unlock position and a driving device that is operable to move the lock member between the lock position and the unlock position, wherein the lock mechanism prohibits removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet when the lock member is positioned at the lock position and allows removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet when the lock member is positioned at the unlock position;

a switch which is operable by a user and which, when operated, outputs an operational signal that instructs the driving device to move the lock member between the lock position and the unlock position;

a door lock state confirmation unit that confirms whether the door of the machine is locked and outputs a door lock state signal; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the switch, the door lock state confirmation unit, and the driving device, wherein the controller controls the driving device to move the lock member from the lock position to the unlock position when the controller receives the operational signal from the switch that instructs the driving device to move the lock member to the unlock position and the door lock state signal from the door lock state confirmation unit that indicates a door unlock state of the door of the machine, wherein the operational signal is a signal different from the door lock state signal.

2. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls operation of the lock mechanism if the power feeding plug is connected to the inlet.

3. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, wherein the controller controls the driving device to move the lock member to the lock position when the door of the machine is locked.

4. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, further comprising a lid that opens and closes the inlet, wherein the switch is arranged near a power feeding connector in the inlet and is exposed to the exterior when the lid opens the inlet.

5. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies a user of completion of the operation of the lock mechanism when the lock member is shifted from the lock position to the unlock position or when the lock member is shifted from the unlock position to the lock position.

6. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, further comprising a protector that covers the inlet while exposing a receptacle of the inlet switch is arranged on the protector.

7. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, wherein the power feeding plug includes a hook that can be hooked to the inlet, and the lock member restricts movement of the hook and prohibits removal of the power feeding plug at the lock position, and the lock member permits movement of the hook and allows removal of the power feeding plug at the unlock position.

8. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, wherein the machine includes a communication master that performs wireless communication with a communication terminal carried by a user and verifies the communication terminal, and the door is locked and unlocked when the verification is successful.

9. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, wherein the switch is an unlock switch, and the controller controls the driving device to move the lock member to the unlock position when the door lock state confirmation unit confirms the door unlock state of the door of the machine and the unlock switch is operated.

10. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, wherein the machine is a vehicle, and the door is a vehicle door.

19. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 1, wherein the machine is a vehicle, and the door is a vehicle door.

11. A power feeding plug locking device that locks a power feeding plug to a power feeding inlet, wherein the power feeding inlet is arranged in a machine, the machine including a door that can be locked, the power feeding plug locking device comprising:

a lock mechanism selectively shiftable between a lock state and an unlock state, wherein the lock mechanism prohibits removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet in the lock state and allows removal of the power feeding plug from the inlet in the unlock state;

an unlock switch which, when operated, outputs an operational signal that enables shifting the lock mechanism between the lock state and the unlock state;

a door lock state confirmation unit that confirms whether the door of the machine is locked and outputs a door lock state signal; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the unlock switch, the door lock state confirmation unit, and the lock mechanism,

wherein the controller shifts the lock mechanism between the lock state and the unlock state based on the operation signal from the unlock switch and the door lock state signal from the door lock state confirmation unit, and

wherein the controller shifts the lock mechanism to the unlock state when the door lock state confirmation unit confirms an unlock state of the door of the machine and the unlock switch is operated.

12. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 11, wherein the controller controls operation of the lock mechanism if the power feeding plug is connected to the inlet.

13. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 11, wherein the controller shifts the lock mechanism to the lock state when the door of the machine is locked.

14. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 11, further comprising a lid that opens and closes the inlet, wherein the unlock switch is arranged near a power feeding connector in the inlet and is exposed to the exterior when the lid opens the inlet.

15. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 11, further comprising a notification unit that notifies a user of completion of the operation of the lock mechanism when the lock mechanism is shifted from the lock state to the unlock state or when the lock mechanism is shifted from the unlock state to the lock state.

16. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 11, further comprising a protector that covers the inlet while exposing a receptacle of the inlet to which the power feeding plug is connected, wherein the unlock switch is arranged on the protector.

17. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 11, wherein the power feeding plug includes a hook that can be hooked to the inlet, the lock mechanism includes a lock member that moves between a lock position and an unlock position, the lock member restricts movement of the hook and prohibits removal of the power feeding plug at the lock position, and the lock member permits movement of the hook and allows removal of the power feeding plug at the unlock position.

18. The power feeding plug locking device according to claim 11, wherein the machine includes a communication master that performs wireless communication with a communication terminal carried by a user and verifies the communication terminal, and the door is locked and unlocked when the verification is successful.