Charging port structure

• US 9,381,820 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2013
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sakata, Kazuo, Yamamaru, Junichi, Sekido, Kiyohito, Matano, Shinichi, Onishi, Masahiro, Kawasaki, Kyouhei
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks, E Turner
• Application Number:
  US14/411,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20150191093A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,056 Days
• Field of Search: 296/97.22, 296/193.11, 296/146.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/053 with hinged connection to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0576 with actuator fixed to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/12 by confirmation, e.g. of the input
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0092 with use of redundant elements for safety purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/66 Arrangements of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid 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 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging port structure is provided to prevent unauthorized access. The charging port structure includes a charging port, a port lid, a port lid lock mechanism, a body opening lid, a body opening lid lock mechanism, an electric unlocking mechanism and a manual unlocking structure. The port lid opens and closes a front opening of a port housing having the charging port. The port lid lock mechanism maintains the port lid in a closed state. The body opening lid opens and closes a vehicle body opening. The body opening lid lock mechanism maintains the body opening lid in a closed state. The body opening lid lock mechanism is unlocked from inside a passenger compartment. The electric unlocking mechanism unlocks the port lid lock mechanism. The manual unlocking structure enables the port lid lock mechanism to be unlocked by a manual operation from the vehicle body opening.

Claims

1. A charging port structure comprising:

a charging port provided inside a port housing in an electric vehicle;

a port lid capable of opening and closing a front opening of the port housing;

a port lid lock mechanism maintains the port lid in a closed state;

a vehicle body opening provided in a vehicle body surface in a vicinity of the front opening of the port housing having the charging port;

a body opening lid capable of opening and closing the vehicle body opening;

a body opening lid lock mechanism maintains the body opening lid in a closed state, the body opening lid lock mechanism being unlocked by an operation from inside a passenger compartment;

an electric unlocking mechanism unlocking the port lid lock mechanism by an electric actuator; and

a manual unlocking structure provided inside of the vehicle body opening and enabling the port lid lock mechanism to be unlocked by a manual operation from the vehicle body opening.

2. The charging port structure according to claim 1, wherein

the port lid lock mechanism is provided inside the port housing;

and

the manual unlocking structure is provided to the port housing and configured as an access opening for enabling access to the port lid lock mechanism, and the access opening is set in a region not directly visible from the vehicle body opening.

3. The charging port structure according to claim 2, further comprising

a lid member capable of opening and closing the access opening.

4. The charging port structure according to claim 2, wherein

at least a portion of the port lid lock mechanism protrudes to the outside of the port housing from the access opening.

5. The charging port structure according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle body opening is configured as a compartment opening of a drive source compartment in which a drive source is disposed;

and

the body opening lid is configured as a hood for opening and closing the compartment opening.

6. The charging port structure according to claim 5, wherein

the port housing is disposed in a front end of the electric vehicle;

and

the electric unlocking mechanism is disposed in a region further toward the front of the vehicle than a visible range of view obtainable when looking into the compartment opening.

7. The charging port structure according to claim 3, wherein

at least a portion of the port lid lock mechanism protrudes to the outside of the port housing from the access opening.

8. The charging port structure according to claim 2, wherein

the vehicle body opening is configured as a compartment opening of a drive source compartment in which a drive source is disposed;

and

the body opening lid is configured as a hood for opening and closing the compartment opening.

9. The charging port structure according to claim 8, wherein

the port housing is disposed in a front end of the electric vehicle;

and

the electric unlocking mechanism is disposed in a region further toward the front of the vehicle than a visible range of view obtainable when looking into the compartment opening.

10. The charging port structure according to claim 3, wherein

the vehicle body opening is configured as a compartment opening of a drive source compartment in which a drive source is disposed;

and

the body opening lid is configured as a hood for opening and closing the compartment opening.

11. The charging port structure according to claim 10, wherein

the port housing is disposed in a front end of the electric vehicle;

and

the electric unlocking mechanism is disposed in a region further toward the front of the vehicle than a visible range of view obtainable when looking into the compartment opening.

12. The charging port structure according to claim 4, wherein

the vehicle body opening is configured as a compartment opening of a drive source compartment in which a drive source is disposed;

and

the body opening lid is configured as a hood for opening and closing the compartment opening.

13. The charging port structure according to claim 12, wherein

the port housing is disposed in a front end of the electric vehicle;

and

the electric unlocking mechanism is disposed in a region further toward the front of the vehicle than a visible range of view obtainable when looking into the compartment opening.

14. A charging port structure comprising:

a charging port provided inside a port housing in an electric vehicle;

a port lid capable of opening and closing a front opening of the port housing;

a port lid lock mechanism maintains the port lid in a closed state, the port lid lock mechanism including an engaging part that engages a part of the port lid to maintain the port lid in the closed state, the port lid lock mechanism further including a manual operation part that disengages the engaging part to release the port lid;

a vehicle body opening provided in a vehicle body surface in a vicinity of the charging port;

a body opening lid capable of opening and closing the vehicle body opening;

a body opening lid lock mechanism maintains the body opening lid in a closed state, the body opening lid lock mechanism being unlocked by an operation from inside a passenger compartment;

an electric unlocking mechanism unlocking the port lid lock mechanism by an electric actuator; and

a manual unlocking structure enabling the port lid lock mechanism to be unlocked by a manual operation from the vehicle body opening, the manual unlocking structure enabling access to the manual operation part to unlock the port lid locking mechanism by manual operation of the manual operation part from the vehicle body opening.