Locking device for locking electrical plugs

• US 9,337,580 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2013
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temtec Fahrzeugtechnik Entwicklungsgesellschaft Mbh
• Original Assignee: Temtec Fahrzeugtechnik Entwicklungsgesellschaft Mbh
• Inventors: Temmesfeld, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US14/441,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20150295355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 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 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• 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: H01R 13/6395 for wall or panel outlets
• 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 locking device for locking electrical plugs in sockets has a rotational track element which can be driven by a motor and on which a guide track is provided around the axis of rotation thereof, said guide track being provided with a plurality of track sections that have different pitches. A sliding element has a track engagement part that engages in the guide track and that can be displaced parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotational track element by rotation of the rotational track element.

Claims

1. Locking device for locking electrical plugs in sockets, comprising:

a motor,

a rotary element which can be set in rotation by the motor,

a slide element which is operatively connected to the rotary element,

at least one locking bold which can be moved by the slide element between an unlocking position and a locking position in which the plug is locked relative to the socket,

wherein the rotary element is formed as a rotary link element which comprises a guide link which is arranged around a rotational axis thereof and comprises a plurality of link portions which have different inclinations, and in that the slide element comprises a ling engagement part which engages in the guide link and can move in parallel with the rotational axis of the rotary link element by rotating the rotary link element.

2. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein the motor consists of a geared motor which comprises a planetary gear train for reducing the motor speed.

3. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein a rotary free-wheel is provided between the motor and the rotary link element and decouples the rotational movement of the motor from that of the rotary link element over a predetermined free-wheeling angular range.

4. Locking device according to claim 3, wherein the rotary free-wheel comprises a rotatable entraining element which can be driven by the motor and comprises at least one entraining stop which can be brought into entraining engagement with a counter-stop of the rotary link element at either end of the free-wheeling angular range.

5. Locking device according to claim 4, wherein the entraining element is arranged within the rotary link element at least in part.

6. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein the guide link of the rotary in element comprises at least one non-inclined zero-lift portion which extends at right angles to the rotational axis.

7. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein the motor, entraining element and rotary link element are arranged in succession along a common rotational axis.

8. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein the rotary link element is connected to an emergency rotary element for manually rotating the rotary link element.

9. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein the slide element can be moved in parallel with the rotational axis of the rotary link element.

10. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein the slide element is arranged so as to be adjacent to the motor.

11. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein the slide element comprises at least one locking-bolt guide link, and in that the locking bolt is movably mounted relative to the slide element and is in engagement with the locking-bolt guide link such that the locking bolt can be moved in and out of locking engagement with the plug or the socket by a movement of the slide element.

12. Locking device according to claim 1, wherein at least one locking bolt is rigidly attached to the slide element.