Charging connector accommodation apparatus for use in truck-type electric vehicle

• US 9,333,868 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Imamura, Isahiro, Kobayashi, Masanori, Kawahara, Tatsuaki, Miyashita, Kenshiro, Uchida, Takanobu, Yakata, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Rodas, Richard Isla
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Dung V
• Application Number:
  US14/039,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20140091761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109, 701/22, 439/660, 439/662, 363/146
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0239 Electronic boxes
• 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 accommodation apparatus for use in a truck-type or pickup-type electric vehicle includes a box body having an opening facing an outside of a vehicle body and an opening facing an inside of the vehicle body, and a lid member. The box body includes a frame body, and a center panel disposed inside the frame body. A bent edge folded toward the outside and joined to the frame body is provided at the center panel. A highly rigid frame section enhanced in rigidity by the bent edge is disposed is provided more outward to the outside than the center panel, and a hollow frame section having rigidity lower than that of the highly rigid frame section is disposed is provided more inward to the inside than the center panel of the box body.

Claims

1. A charging connector accommodation apparatus for use in a truck-type or pickup-type electric vehicle having a drive motor and a drive battery configured to supply electric power to the drive motor, the charging connector accommodation apparatus comprising:

a box body having a first opening opened to an outside of a vehicle body and a second opening opened to an inside of the vehicle body; and

a lid member, capable of being opened and closed, configured to cover the first opening, wherein

the box body includes;

a frame body made of a plurality of panels and formed into a frame shape, one end of the frame body defining the first opening and another end of the frame body defining the second opening; and

a center panel disposed inside the frame body at a position between the first opening and the second opening, the center panel has

a bent edge, at a peripheral end thereof, folded toward the first opening and joined to an inner peripheral face of the frame body,

the frame body and the center panel form,

a highly rigid frame section which is enhanced in rigidity by virtue of the bent edge and in which a connection port portion of a charging connector is disposed is provided more outward to the outside of the vehicle body than the center panel of the box body, and

a hollow frame section which has rigidity lower than that of the highly rigid frame section against a load input from the outside of the vehicle body and in which a cable side portion of the charging connector is disposed is provided more inward to the inside of the vehicle body than the center panel of the box body.

2. The charging connector accommodation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of panels of the frame body are a front panel positioned on a front side of the vehicle body, a rear panel positioned on a rear side of the vehicle body, an upper panel positioned on an upper side, and a lower panel positioned on a lower side,

the front panel includes:

a front panel body section;

an extension section which extends from the front panel body section to the inside of the vehicle body and a height of which is lower than that of the front panel body section; and

a mounting section which extends from the extension section to the front side of the vehicle body and which is secured to a vehicle-body outer side face of a side member, and

the rear panel includes;

a rear panel body section;

an extension section which extends from the rear panel body section to the inside of the vehicle body and a height of which is lower than that of the rear panel body section; and

a mounting section which extends from the extension section to the rear side of the vehicle body and which is secured to the vehicle-body outer side face of the side member.

3. The charging connector accommodation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

an upward bent edge is formed at a vehicle-body outer side end of the upper panel, and

a flange section configured to cover the upward bent edge from the outside of the vehicle body is provided on the lid member.

4. The charging connector accommodation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the center panel includes a lower portion and an upper portion,

an upper side of the lower portion has a shape tilted to the inside of the vehicle body, and

the charging connector is mounted on the lower portion.

5. The charging connector accommodation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the box body is mounted on a vehicle-body outer side face of a side member in a space formed between a rear face of a cabin of the vehicle below a loading platform and a rear tire.

6. The charging connector accommodation apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the rear panel is formed with a bead section, and

a height of the bead section is the same as a height of the charging connector.