Charging connector

• US 9,263,830 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Daisuke, Sawada, Tsutomu, Tsukamoto, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gushi, Ross
• Application Number:
  US14/613,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20150155656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• 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 includes a connector housing to be fitted to a power receiving connector, a connector case housing the connector housing, a lock arm arranged to be swingable about a swing fulcrum between a lock position and a release position, and a coil spring located toward a power receiving connector away from the swing fulcrum to bias the lock arm toward the lock position. The lock arm is provided with a spring compartment housing the coil spring in a manner such that the periphery of the coil spring is enclosed. The spring compartment is provided, on a bottom portion thereof, with a penetration hole extending in the lock arm.

Claims

1. A charging connector, comprising:

a connector housing to be fitted to a power receiving connector and housing a power supplying terminal to be connected to a power receiving terminal of the power receiving connector;

a connector case housing the connector housing;

a lock arm located in the connector case and arranged to be swingable about a swing fulcrum between a lock position where the lock arm engages with the power receiving connector and a release position where an engagement between the lock arm and the power receiving connector is released; and

a coil spring interposed between an inner surface of the connector case and the lock arm and located toward the power receiving connector away from the swing fulcrum to bias the lock arm toward the lock position,

the lock arm being provided with a spring compartment open to an upper surface of the lock arm and housing the coil spring in a manner such that a periphery of the coil spring is enclosed,

the spring compartment being provided, on a bottom portion thereof, with a penetration hole extending in the lock arm.

2. The charging connector according to claim 1, wherein

the bottom portion of the spring compartment is provided with a projection inserted in the coil spring, and

a peripheral surface of the projection is provided with an edge portion.

3. The charging connector according to claim 1, wherein

the lock arm is provided with a lightening groove in a longitudinal direction of the lock arm, and

the penetration hole communicates with the lightening groove.