Garage and charging connector device thereof

• US 9,561,729 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2013
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Original Assignee: BYD Company Limited
• Inventors: Qi, Tian, Tang, Jinghua
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US14/403,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20150139761A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• 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: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/37 using optical position determination, e.g. using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/12 with mechanical means for shifting or lifting vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 6/42 Devices or arrangements peculiar to garages, not covered elsewhere, e.g. securing devices, safety devices , monitoring and operating schemes; centering devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/631 for engagement only
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A garage and a charging connector device thereof are provided. The charging connector device comprises a plug, a mounting seat and a charging socket. The plug is mounted to the mounting seat. The mounting seat has a guide shaft. The charging socket has a guide sleeve engageable with or disengageable from the guide shaft, and the plug is capable of inserting into or pulling out of the charging socket.

Claims

1. A charging connector device, comprising:

a plug;

a mounting seat for mounting the plug thereto, the mounting seat having a guide shaft; and

a charging socket having a guide sleeve engageable with or disengageable from the guide shaft, the plug being inserted into or pulled out of the charging socket;

wherein the mounting seat has an adjusting device to facilitate an insertion of the plug into the charging socket;

wherein the adjusting device comprises;

a first moveable frame on which the guide shaft is disposed,

a second moveable frame in which the first moveable frame is disposed,

a first elastic member disposed between the first moveable frame and the second moveable frame,

a first linear guide rail on which the first moveable frame is disposed and along which the first moveable frame is moveable in an up-down direction, and

a second linear guide rail on which the second moveable frame is disposed and along which the second movable frame is moveable in a left-right direction.

2. The charging connector device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mounting seat has a fixture groove, and the plug has a fixture for fitting in the fixture groove.

3. The charging connector device as set forth in claim 2, wherein an electromagnet is disposed in the fixture groove, the electromagnet keeps the fixture into the fixture groove by attracting the fixture when the electromagnet is energized, and the electromagnet permits the fixture to disengage from the fixture groove when the electromagnet is deenergized.

4. The charging connector device as set forth in claim 1, further including:

a support frame mounted on the support frame; and

a second elastic member disposed between the second moveable frame and the support frame.

5. The charging connector device as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

the first linear guide rail is disposed on outer side walls of the second moveable frame, and a plurality of the first elastic members are disposed between the second moveable frame and top and bottom surfaces of the first moveable frame respectively, and

the second linear guide rail is disposed on the support frame, and a plurality of the second elastic members are disposed between the support frame and right and left sides of the second moveable frame respectively.

6. The charging connector device as set forth in claim 5, further including:

a holder on which the charging socket is mounted, wherein the holder has a surface facing to the mounting seat, and an axis of the guide sleeve is perpendicular to the surface.

7. The charging connector device as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

the plug has a through hole, the holder has a support column for supporting the plug and capable of being inserted into or being pulled out of the through hole, and an axis of the support column is perpendicular to the surface.

8. The charging connector device as set forth in claim 7, wherein a total number of the guide shaft is two, and the two guide shafts are disposed on the first movable frame and spaced apart from each other.

9. The charging connector device as set forth in claim 1, further including:

a laser ranging sensor mounted on the first movable frame between the two guide shafts.

10. A garage system, comprising:

a plurality of garage units;

a carrier for conveying a vehicle into or out of the garage units; and

a charging connector device including;

a plug;

a mounting seat for mounting the plug thereto, the mounting seat having a guide shaft; and

a charging socket having a guide sleeve engageable with or disengageable from the guide shaft, the plug being capable of being inserted into or pulled out of the charging socket,

wherein the plug and the mounting seat of the charging connector device are disposed on the carrier and the charging socket is disposed at the garage unit.

11. The garage system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the mounting seat has a fixture groove, and the plug has a fixture for fitting in the fixture groove.

12. The garage system as set forth in claim 11, wherein an electromagnet is disposed in the fixture groove, the electromagnet keeps the fixture into the fixture groove by attracting the fixture when the electromagnet is energized, and the electromagnet permits the fixture to disengage from the fixture groove when the electromagnet is deenergized.

13. The garage system as set forth in claim 12, wherein the mounting seat has an adjusting device to facilitate an insertion of the plug into the charging socket.

14. The garage system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the adjusting device comprises:

a first moveable frame on which the guide shaft is disposed;

a second moveable frame in which the first moveable frame is disposed;

a first elastic member disposed between the first moveable frame and the second moveable frame,

a first linear guide rail on which the first moveable frame is disposed and along which the first moveable frame is moveable in an up-down direction; and

a second linear guide rail on which the second moveable frame is disposed and along which the second movable frame is moveable in a left-right direction.

15. The garage system as set forth in claim 14, further including:

a base;

a support frame mounted on the support frame; and

a second elastic member disposed between the second moveable frame and the support frame.

16. The garage system as set forth in claim 15, wherein the first linear guide rail is disposed on outer side walls of the second moveable frame, and a plurality of the first elastic members are disposed between the second moveable frame and top and bottom surfaces of the first moveable frame respectively,

wherein the second linear guide rail is disposed on the support frame, and a plurality of the second elastic members are disposed between the support frame and right and left sides of the second moveable frame respectively.

17. The garage system as set forth in claim 16, further including:

a holder on which the charging socket is mounted, wherein the holder has a surface facing to the mounting seat, and an axis of the guide sleeve is perpendicular to the surface.

18. The garage system as set forth in claim 17, wherein:

the plug has a through hole;

the holder has a support column for supporting the plug and capable of one of being inserted into and being pulled out of the through hole; and

an axis of the support column is perpendicular to the surface.

19. A charging connector device, comprising:

a plug;

a mounting seat for mounting the plug thereto, the mounting seat having a guide shaft; and

a charging socket having a guide sleeve engageable with or disengageable from the guide shaft, the plug being inserted into or pulled out of the charging socket;

wherein the mounting seat has an adjusting device to facilitate an insertion of the plug into the charging socket;

wherein the adjusting device comprises;

a first moveable frame on which the guide shaft is disposed,

a second moveable frame in which the first moveable frame is disposed,

a first elastic member disposed between the first moveable frame and the second moveable frame,

a first linear guide rail on which the first moveable frame is disposed and along which the first moveable frame is moveable in an up-down direction, and

a second linear guide rail on which the second moveable frame is disposed and along which the second movable frame is moveable in a left-right direction;

wherein the mounting seat has a fixture groove, and the plug has a fixture for fitting in the fixture groove; and

wherein an electromagnet is disposed in the fixture groove, the electromagnet keeps the fixture into the fixture groove by attracting the fixture when the electromagnet is energized, and the electromagnet permits the fixture to disengage from the fixture groove when the electromagnet is deenergized.