Charging connector, and charging cable unit

• US 8,215,963 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji, Mori, Shigeo, Tsukamoto, Takashi, Fujitake, Yoshinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US13/120,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20110207358A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 439/34, 439/490, 439/476.1, 439/310
• US Class Current: 439/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• 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: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A charging connector and a charging cable unit that are capable of driving a load while being maintenance-free and simply constructed is provided. The charging cable unit includes: a charging cable that includes a signal line for sending a control signal, and an electric power line for sending electric power, and that is provided for connecting the vehicle and an electric power source when the vehicle is charged; and a charging connector connected to an end of the charging cable. The charging connector includes: an electric power terminal to which electric power is supplied from the electric power line; a signal terminal to which the control signal is transmitted from the signal line; and a lighting capable of being driven by the control signal from the signal line.

Claims

1. A charging connector that connects a vehicle and an electric power source provided outside the vehicle, in order to charge an electric storage device that is mounted in the vehicle, characterized in that:

the vehicle and the electric power source are connected at a time of charging, by a charging cable that includes a signal line for sending a control signal that carries information, and an electric power line for sending electric power; and

the charging connector includes an electric power terminal to which electric power is supplied from the electric power line, a signal terminal to which the control signal is transmitted from the signal line, and a load capable of being driven by the control signal from the signal line; and

wherein

the load includes a lighting that is provided in the connector and that illuminates the connection portion provided in the vehicle.

2. The charging connector according claim 1, further comprising:

a lock button that locks the charging connector to a connection portion that is provided in the vehicle; and

a switch that connects the signal line and the load according to manipulation of the lock button.

3. The charging connector according to claim 2, wherein:

the lock button is capable of being manipulated to a locked state and to a released state; and

the switch connects the signal line and the load when in the released state, and electrically separates the load from the signal line when in the locked state.

4. The charging connector according to claim 1, wherein the lighting includes a light-emitting diode.

5. The charging connector according to claim 1, further comprising a switch that connects the signal line and the load according to presence/absence of alternating current that flows in the electric power line.

6. The charging connector according to claim 5, wherein:

the load includes a display portion that is provided in the charging connector, and that indicates that the charging of the electric storage device is being executed; and

the display portion is switched in state of display by the switch.

7. The charging connector according to claim 6, wherein the display portion includes a light-emitting diode that is connected to the signal line by the switch when alternating current flows in the electric power line.

8. The charging connector according to claim 1, wherein:

the charging connector is constructed so as to be connectable to the connection portion provided in the vehicle;

the load includes a lighting that illuminates the connection portion, and a display portion that displays state of execution of the charging; and

the charging connector further includes a first switch that connects the signal line and the lighting, and a second switch that connects the signal line and the display portion.

9. The charging connector according to claim 8, wherein:

the charging connector further includes a lock button that locks the charging connector to the connection portion;

the first switch connects the signal line and the lighting according to manipulation of the lock button; and

the second switch connects the signal line and the display portion when alternating current is flowing in the electric power line.

10. The charging connector according to claim 9, wherein:

the load includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes that function as the lighting and the display portion;

the first switch is connected to the plurality of light-emitting diodes so as to cause electric current to flow in a first group of at least one light-emitting diode, among the plurality of light-emitting diodes;

the second switch is connected to the plurality of light-emitting diodes so as to cause electric current to flow in a second group of at least one light-emitting diode, among the plurality of light-emitting diodes; and

the first group and the second group share at least one light-emitting diode.

11. The charging connector according to claim 10, wherein:

the plurality of light-emitting diodes are connected in series;

the first switch electrically connects an end of the plurality of light-emitting diodes connected in series to the signal line; and

the second switch electrically connects an intermediate tap of the plurality of light-emitting diodes connected in series, to the signal line.

12. The charging connector according to claim 1, wherein:

the charging connector is connected to an end of the charging cable;

a connection unit for connection to an electric power source is connected to another end of the charging cable; and

a circuit breaker is provided between the charging connector and the connection unit in the charging cable.

13. The charging connector according to claim 12, wherein the circuit breaker includes a signal generation circuit that generates the control signal, and a resistance element that is connected between the signal line and an output of the signal generation circuit.

14. A charging cable unit that connects a vehicle and an electric power source provided outside the vehicle, in order to charge an electric storage device that is mounted in the vehicle, comprising:

a charging cable which includes a signal line for sending a control signal that carries information, and an electric power line for sending electric power, and which is provided for connecting the vehicle and the electric power source at a time of charging the electric storage device; and

a charging connector that is connected to an end of the charging cable, and that is constructed so as to be connectable to a connection portion that is provided in the vehicle, wherein

the charging connector includes an electric power terminal to which electric power is supplied from the electric power line, a signal terminal to which the control signal is transmitted from the signal line, and a load capable of being driven by a signal from the signal line; and

wherein

the load includes a lighting that is provided in the connector and that illuminates the connection portion provided in the vehicle.