Charge port lock assembly for a vehicle

• US 8,944,477 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2010
• Issued: 02/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Proefke, David T., Farah, Andrew J., Biondo, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US12/911,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20120098278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 292/144, 439/34, 439/345, 439/147.X, 439/352, 320/109.X
• US Class Current: 292/144
• 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: 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: Y10T 292/1021 Motor

Abstract

A charge port lock assembly for use with a charge receptacle on a vehicle having a rechargeable battery. The charge port lock assembly may include an actuator assembly including an actuator energizable to retract the post to a retracted position and to move to an extended rest position and a partially retracted rest position; a charge port door that covers the charge receptacle and a has a door ejection spring; a charge door lock assembly that releases the charge port door when the post is in the fully retracted position and retains the charge port door in the closed position when the post is in the other positions; a cord lock assembly that retains a charge cord assembly in the charge receptacle when the post is in the extended rest position and releases the charge cord assembly in the other positions. The controller energizes the actuator.

Claims

1. A charge port lock assembly for use with a charge receptacle on a vehicle having a rechargeable battery, the charge port lock assembly comprising:

an actuator assembly including an actuator having a post extending therefrom, the actuator energizable to retract the post to a fully retracted position and to move to an extended rest position and a partially retracted rest position after being energized;

a charge port door configured to selectively cover access to the charge receptacle and a door ejection spring configured to bias the charge port door toward an open position;

a charge door lock assembly configured to release the charge port door when the post is in the fully retracted position and to retain the charge port door in the closed position when the post is in the extended rest position and the partially retracted rest position;

a cord lock assembly configured to retain a charge cord assembly in the charge receptacle when the post is in the extended rest position and release the charge cord assembly when the post is in the partially retracted rest position and the fully retracted position; and

a controller for selectively energizing and de-energizing the actuator.

2. The charge port lock assembly of claim 1 including a door release cable having a first end movable with the post and a second end connected to the charge door lock assembly.

3. The charge port lock assembly of claim 2 wherein the charge port door includes a door retention flange having a door retention cutout, and the charge door lock assembly includes a pin carrier attached to the second end of the door release cable, a door lock pin telescopically slidable in the pin carrier and a lock pin spring mounted between the pin carrier and the door lock pin biasing the door lock pin toward the door retention flange, wherein when the post is in the extended rest position or the partially retracted rest position and the charge port door is closed, the door lock pin is engaged in the retention cutout thereby retaining the charge port door in the closed position.

4. The charge port lock assembly of claim 3 wherein the door lock pin includes a sloped insertion ramp facing toward the charge port door, and the door lock pin is configured to slide into the pin carrier against the bias of the lock pin spring when the door retention flange engages the sloped insertion ramp as the charge port door is being moved toward a closed position.

5. The charge port lock assembly of claim 1 including a cord release cable having a first end movable with the post and a second end connected to the cord lock assembly.

6. The charge port lock assembly of claim 5 wherein cord lock assembly includes a pin carrier attached to the second end of the cord release cable, a door lock pin telescopically slidable in the pin carrier, a lock pin spring mounted between the pin carrier and the door lock pin biasing the door lock pin away from the second end of the cable, and a retention flange mounted adjacent to the door lock pin and fixed relative to the vehicle, wherein when the post is in the extended rest position the door lock pin prevents a retainer arm on the charge cord assembly from releasing from a catch on the retention flange, and when the post is in the partially retracted rest position, the door lock pin does not prevent the retainer arm on the charge cord assembly from releasing from the catch on the retention flange.

7. The charge port lock assembly of claim 6 wherein the retention flange includes a sloped insertion ramp that is configured to be engageable with the retainer arm to cause the retainer arm to slide up the sloped retention surface and push the door lock pin against the bias of the lock pin spring to allow the retainer arm to engage the catch when the post is in the extended rest position.

8. The charge port lock assembly of claim 7 including a charge port door release button in communication with the controller, the controller configured to energize and de-energize the actuator when the charge port door release button is actuated.

9. The charge port lock assembly of claim 1 including a charge port door release button in communication with the controller, the controller configured to energize and de-energize the actuator when the charge port door release button is actuated.

10. The charge port lock assembly of claim 9 including a vehicle door lock/unlock switch configured to communicate with the controller.

11. The charge port lock assembly of claim 1 wherein the actuator is a bi-stable actuator that toggles between the extended rest position and the partially retracted rest position after being energized and de-energized.

12. The charge port lock assembly of claim 1 wherein the actuator is controllable to move to the fully retracted position when the actuator is energized with a first polarity and is controllable to move to the extended rest position when the actuator is energized with a second, opposite polarity.

13. The charge port lock assembly of claim 12 wherein the actuator assembly includes a return spring configured to bias the post into the partially retracted rest position after de-energizing the actuator when the post is in the fully retracted position.

14. A charge port lock assembly for use with a charge receptacle on a vehicle having a rechargeable battery, the charge port lock assembly comprising:

an actuator assembly including an actuator having a post extending therefrom, the actuator energizable to retract the post to a fully retracted position and to move to an extended rest position and a partially retracted rest position after being energized;

a charge port door configured to selectively cover access to the charge receptacle and a door ejection spring configured to bias the charge port door toward an open position;

a charge door lock assembly configured to release the charge port door when the post is in the fully retracted position and to retain the charge port door in the closed position when the post is in the extended rest position and the partially retracted rest position;

a cord lock assembly configured to retain a charge cord assembly in the charge receptacle when the post is in the extended rest position and release the charge cord assembly when the post is in the partially retracted rest position and the fully retracted position;

a controller for selectively energizing and de-energizing the actuator;

a cord release cable having a first end movable with the post and a second end connected to the cord lock assembly; and

wherein the cord lock assembly includes a pin carrier attached to the second end of the cord release cable, a cable lock pin telescopically slidable in the pin carrier, a lock pin spring mounted between the pin carrier and the cable lock pin biasing the cable lock pin away from the second end of the cable, and a retention flange mounted adjacent to the cable lock pin and fixed relative to the vehicle, wherein when the post is in the extended rest position the cable lock pin prevents a retainer arm on the charge cord assembly from releasing from a catch on the retention flange, and when the post is in the partially retracted rest position, the cable lock pin does not prevent the retainer arm on the charge cord assembly from releasing from the catch on the retention flange.

15. The charge port lock assembly of claim 14 wherein the retention flange includes a sloped insertion ramp that is configured to be engageable with the retainer arm to cause the retainer arm to slide up the sloped retention surface and push the cable lock pin against the bias of the lock pin spring to allow the retainer arm to engage the catch when the post is in the extended rest position.

16. The charge port lock assembly of claim 15 including a charge port door release button in communication with the controller, the controller configured to energize and de-energize the actuator when the charge port door release button is actuated.

17. The charge port lock assembly of claim 14 including a door release cable having a first end movable with the post and a second end connected to the charge door lock assembly.

18. The charge port lock assembly of claim 17 wherein the charge port door includes a door retention flange having a door retention cutout, and the charge door lock assembly includes a pin carrier attached to the second end of the door release cable, a door lock pin telescopically slidable in the pin carrier and a lock pin spring mounted between the pin carrier and the door lock pin biasing the door lock pin toward the door retention flange, wherein when the post is in the extended rest position or the partially retracted rest position and the charge port door is closed, the door lock pin is engaged in the retention cutout thereby retaining the charge port door in the closed position.

19. The charge port lock assembly of claim 14 wherein the actuator is a bi-stable actuator that toggles between the extended rest position and the partially retracted rest position after being energized and de-energized.

20. The charge port lock assembly of claim 14 wherein the actuator is controllable to move to the fully retracted position when the actuator is energized with a first polarity and is controllable to move to the extended rest position when the actuator is energized with a second, opposite polarity.