Charging connector

• US 9,509,095 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2015
• Issued: 11/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ohmura, Takenori, Nakajima, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): GUSHI, ROSS N
• Application Number:
  US14/863,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20160020555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/633 for disengagement only in combination with safety switch H01R13/7132
• 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: 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 in accordance with the present invention includes: connector cases that house a connector fitting portion; a locking arm in which a locking claw retractable from an outer peripheral surface of the connector fitting portion is provided at a tip, and that rocks centering around a shaft core between a locking position and a releasing position; and a coil spring that biases the locking arm toward the locking position. The locking arm includes a lock releasing portion that is inserted into a through hole formed in the connector cases, and with which the locking arm can be operated to the releasing position from an outside of the connector cases.

Claims

1. A charging connector comprising:

a connector case that houses a connector fitting portion that is fitted to a counterpart connector;

a locking arm in which a locking claw retractable from an outer peripheral surface of the connector fitting portion is provided at a tip, and that rocks centering around a rocking shaft between a locking position where the locking claw engages with the counterpart connector and a releasing position where engagement of the counterpart connector and the locking claw is released; and

a biasing member that biases the locking arm toward the locking position, wherein

the locking arm includes a lock releasing portion that is inserted into a through hole formed in the connector case, and with which the locking arm can be operated to the releasing position from an outside of the connector case with the locking arm rocking centering around the rocking shaft and supported by the rocking shaft, and

the locking arm is pivotally supported around the through hole via the lock releasing portion.

2. A charging connector comprising:

a connector case that houses a connector fitting portion that is fitted to a counterpart connector;

a locking arm in which a locking claw retractable from an outer peripheral surface of the connector fitting portion is provided at a tip, and that rocks centering around a rocking shaft between a locking position where the locking claw engages with the counterpart connector and a releasing position where engagement of the counterpart connector and the locking claw is released; and

a biasing member that biases the locking arm toward the locking position, wherein

the locking arm includes a lock releasing portion that is inserted into a through hole formed in the connector case, and with which the locking arm can be operated to the releasing position from an outside of the connector case with the locking arm rocking centering around the rocking shaft and supported by the rocking shaft, and

the lock releasing portion is configured by the rocking shaft of the locking arm.

3. A charging connector comprising:

a connector case that houses a connector fitting portion that is fitted to a counterpart connector;

a locking arm in which a locking claw retractable from an outer peripheral surface of the connector fitting portion is provided at a tip, and that rocks centering around a rocking shaft between a locking position where the locking claw engages with the counterpart connector and a releasing position where engagement of the counterpart connector and the locking claw is released; and

a biasing member that biases the locking arm toward the locking position, wherein

the locking arm includes a lock releasing portion that is inserted into a through hole formed in the connector case, and with which the locking arm can be operated to the releasing position from an outside of the connector case with the locking arm rocking centering around the rocking shaft and supported by the rocking shaft, and

a cap to close the through hole is applied to the through hole.

4. The charging connector according to claim 3, wherein a latching portion is provided at either one of the through hole and the cap, and a latched portion to which the latching portion is latched is provided at the other.