Vehicle chargeport closure

• US 9,969,279 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Southey, Bruce, Murray, Andrew John
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US15/370,205
• Publication Number:
  US 20170197515A1
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 296 9722
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/05 Inlet covers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/053 with hinged connection to the vehicle body
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric 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 two part closure for a combo chargeport for use on an electric vehicle is provided. The closure comprises: an inner part including a dust cover for a DC chargeport; and an outer part configured to cover the AC chargeport. The inner and outer parts are hingeably attached to the vehicle such that the closure can be closed with a single action.

Claims

1. A two-part closure for a combo chargeport for use on an electric vehicle and comprising:

an inner part including a dust cover for the DC chargeport; and

an outer part configured to cover the AC chargeport, wherein the inner and outer parts are hingeably attached to the vehicle such that the closure can be opened by a user with a single action.

2. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer parts are hingeably attached to the vehicle such that the closure can be opened for AC charging in a single action.

3. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer parts are hingeably attached to the vehicle such that the closure can be opened for DC charging in a single action.

4. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the inner part comprises an inner substantially planar door, and wherein the outer part comprises an outer substantially planar door.

5. The closure according to claim 4, wherein a primary surface of the inner and outer substantially planar doors is configured to match contours of a vehicle exterior when the inner and outer substantially planar doors are in a closed position.

6. The closure according to claim 5, wherein the primary surface of the inner substantially parallel planar door comprises an A-surface section and a B-surface section.

7. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the closure is provided on an exterior of the vehicle.

8. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the outer part is substantially planar and is configured to at least partly cover the inner part when the closure is closed.

9. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the dust cover is provided on a secondary surface of the inner part and wherein the dust cover comprises a plurality of protrusions that extend substantially orthogonally from the secondary surface of the inner part.

10. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the dust cover is provided on a secondary surface of the inner part and wherein the secondary surface is substantially parallel to a primary surface of the inner part.

11. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the inner part further comprises a first fastener configured to hold the inner part in a closed position, and wherein the outer part further comprises a second fastener configured to hold the outer part in a closed position.

12. The closure according to claim 11, wherein the first fastener is a push-push latch.

13. The closure according to claim 12, wherein the first fastener incorporates a captive button.

14. The closure according to claim 11, wherein the first and second fasteners are positioned one above the other.

15. The closure according to claim 11, wherein the first and second fasteners are positioned at opposite sides of the closure.

16. The closure according to claim 11, wherein the second fastener for the outer part comprises a dimple on a primary surface of the outer part, a protrusion on a secondary surface on the outer part and a recess on the primary surface of the inner part.

17. The closure according to claim 11, wherein the combo chargeport is provided in a mounting surface which is substantially parallel to a vehicle exterior, and wherein the first fastener for the inner part comprises a dimple on the primary surface of the inner part, a protrusion on a secondary surface of the inner part and a recess on the mounting surface of the port.

18. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer parts are hingeably attached to the vehicle using a single hinge axis.

19. The closure according to claim 1, wherein the inner and outer parts are hingeably attached to the vehicle using two separate hinges applied to opposite sides of the closure.

20. A closure for a combo chargeport comprising first and second chargeports for use on an electric vehicle, comprising:

an inner part including a dust cover for the first chargeport; and

an outer part configured to cover the second chargeport, wherein the inner and outer parts are hingeably attached to the vehicle such that the closure can be opened by a user for charging with the first chargeport in a single action and closed by a user with a single action.