Charging system

• US 8,779,721 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2012
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hamauzu, Akira
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAMADAN, RAMY O
• Application Number:
  US13/419,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20120235639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 439/188
• US Class Current: 320/109
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0046 relating to electric energy storage systems, e.g. batteries or capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 43/16 on motorcycles or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 11/10 characterised by the engine being over or beside driven rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2202/00 Motorised scooters
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 2204/00 Adaptations for driving cycles by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0036 using connection detecting circuits H02J7/0034 takes precedence
• 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

In a charging system, an interlock switch is configured to be turned on when a power switch of a vehicle body is turned off and turned off when the power switch is turned on is disposed between a negative terminal of a battery and a second negative input portion. A first positive output portion and a second positive output portion are connected to each other with a coil of a relay circuit installed in the charger body interposed therebetween. A relay switch of the relay circuit in which on and off operations are switched by the coil is connected to the first positive output portion.

Claims

1. A charging system, comprising:

a charger connector having a positive output section and a negative output section;

a charger body;

vehicle-body charging connector having a positive input section and a negative input section configured to be connected to a positive terminal and a negative terminal of a battery installed in a vehicle body,

wherein the negative input section includes a first negative input portion and a second negative input portion and a first interlock switch interlocked with a power switch, wherein the first interlock switch is configured to be turned on when the power switch of the vehicle body is turned off and turned off when the power switch is turned on, the first interlock switch being disposed between the negative terminal of the battery and the second negative input portion,

wherein the positive output section includes a first positive output portion connected to the positive input section and a second positive output portion connected to the second negative input portion, the first positive output portion and the second positive output portion being connected to each other with a coil of a relay circuit installed in the charger body interposed therebetween, and a normally opened relay switch of the relay circuit in which on and off operations are switched by the coil is connected to the first positive output portion, and

wherein when the power switch is turned off and the charger connector and the vehicle-body charging connector are connected to each other, current from the battery is applied to the coil through the positive input section and the first positive output portion and the second negative input portion and the second positive output portion to turn on the normally opened relay switch.

2. The charging system according to claim 1,

wherein a cover section, configured to prevent contact between the positive input section and the negative input section, and an external conductor, is disposed on the vehicle-body charging connector.

3. The charging system according to claim 1,

wherein the vehicle-body charging connector is disposed obliquely downward in the vehicle body at a left side of a leg shield disposed in front of a seat.

4. The charging system according to claim 1,

wherein a second interlock switch interlocked with the power switch, which is configured to be turned on when the power switch of the vehicle body is turned off and turned off when the power switch is turned on, is disposed between the negative terminal of the battery and the first negative input portion.

5. The charging system according to claim 1,

wherein the vehicle-body charging connector comprises a female connector and the charger connector comprises a male connector.

6. The charging system according to claim 5,

wherein the vehicle-body charging connector includes a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening into which the first positive output portion, the second positive output portion, and the negative output section of the charger connector are insertable,

wherein the positive input section, the first negative input portion, and the second negative input portion are disposed on innermost sides of the first opening, the third opening, and the second opening, respectively;

and

wherein a restriction member, configured to restrict contact between the second negative input portion and the first negative input portion, and the external conductor is disposed around an inside of an inlet of each of the second opening and the third opening.

7. The charging system according to claim 6,

wherein the restriction member comprises an insulating member or spring member.

8. A charging system, comprising:

charger connector means having a positive output section and a negative output section, for connecting to and charging a battery;

charger body means for housing charger components therein;

vehicle-body charging means for receiving the charger connector means therein, said vehicle-body charging means including a positive input section and a negative input section connected to a positive terminal and a negative terminal of the battery;

wherein the negative input section includes a first negative input portion and a second negative input portion, and a first interlock means interlocking with a power switch means, said first interlock means for being turned on when the power switch means is turned off and for being turned off when the power switch means is turned on, the first interlock means being disposed between the negative terminal of the battery and the second negative input portion,

wherein the positive output section includes a first positive output portion connected to the positive input section and a second positive output portion connected to the second negative input portion, the first positive output portion and the second positive output portion being connected to each other with a coil means of a relay circuit means installed in the charger body means interposed therebetween, and a normally opened relay switch of the relay circuit means in which on and off operations are switched by the coil means is connected to the first positive output portion, and

wherein when the power switch means is turned off and the charger connector means and the vehicle-body charging connector means are connected to each other, current from the battery is applied to the coil means through the positive input section and the first positive output portion and the second negative input portion and the second positive output portion to turn on the normally opened relay switch.

9. The charging system according to claim 8, further comprising:

cover means for preventing contact between the positive input section and the negative input section, and an external conductor, is disposed on the vehicle body charging connector means.

10. The charging system according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle-body charging connector means is disposed obliquely downward in the vehicle body at a left side of a leg shield disposed in front of a seat.

11. The charging system according to claim 8, further comprising:

second interlock means for being interlocked with the power switch means, said second interlock means being turned on when the power switch means is turned off and turned off when the power switch means is turned on, said second interlock means being disposed between the negative terminal of the battery and the first negative input portion.

12. The charging system according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle-body charging means comprises female connector means for connecting to a male connector means, and wherein the charger connector means comprises the male connector means.

13. The charging system according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle-body charging connector means includes a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening into which the first positive output portion, the second positive output portion, and the negative output section of the charger connector means are insertable,

wherein the positive input section, the first negative input portion, and the second negative input portion are disposed on innermost sides of the first opening, the third opening, and the second opening, respectively, and

wherein restriction means, for restricting contact between the second negative input portion and the first negative input portion, and the external conductor is disposed around an inside of an inlet of each of the second opening and the third opening.

14. The charging system according to claim 13, wherein the restriction means comprises an insulating member or a spring member.