Lock device

• US 8,845,354 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Kurumizawa, Naoto, Kahara, Keiji, Katagiri, Toshiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne, Jean F
• Application Number:
  US13/836,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20130260597A1
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 439/347, 439/372, 439/157, 439/352, 439527-528, 439357-358, 439/304
• US Class Current: 439/347
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

A lock device includes a helical gear driven by a motor. The helical gear is connected to a control shaft by a transmission member. Further, the helical gear is connected to a lid lock bar by a link bar. A coil spring constantly urges the lid lock bar toward a lid lock position.

Claims

1. A lock device that locks a lid and a power supplying plug, wherein the lid protects a power reception connector, the lock device comprising:

a plug restriction member that moves between a plug lock position and a plug unlock position, wherein the plug restriction member restricts removal of the power supplying plug from the power reception connector at the plug lock position, and the plug restriction member permits removal of the power supplying plug from the power reception connector at the plug unlock position;

a lid restriction member that moves between a lid lock position and a lid unlock position, wherein the lid restriction member engages the lid and restricts opening of the lid at the lid lock position, the lid restriction member permits opening of the lid at the lid unlock position, and the lid restriction member is constantly urged toward the lid lock position;

a drive mechanism including a drive source and a rotating body, wherein the drive source generates drive force and rotates the rotating body in first and second directions from a reference position; and

a recovery mechanism connected to or formed integrally with the rotating body to return the rotating body to the reference position when the rotating body rotates in the second direction,

wherein the drive mechanism is directly or indirectly connected to the plug restriction member to move the plug restriction member from the plug unlock position to the plug lock position when the rotating body rotates from the reference position in the first direction,

the drive mechanism is directly or indirectly connected to the lid restriction member to move the lid restriction member from the lid lock position to the lid unlock position against an urging force acting on the lid restriction member when the rotating body rotates from the reference position in the second direction,

when closing the lid with the lid restriction member held at the lid lock position, the lid restriction member engages the closing lid and moves toward the unlock position thereby permitting the lid to close, and

the lid restriction member is formed to be returned to the lid lock position by the urging force at a timing at which the lid reaches a close position.

2. The lock device according to claim 1, further comprising a first transmission member arranged between the drive mechanism and the plug restriction member, wherein:

the rotating body includes a first rotation engagement portion that rotates about an axis of the rotating body,

the first transmission member includes a second rotation engagement portion located in a rotation path of the first rotation engagement portion, and

the plug restriction member moves between the plug lock position and the plug unlock position when the first transmission member moves.

3. The lock device according to claim 1, further comprising a second transmission member arranged between the drive mechanism and the lid restriction member, wherein

the rotating body includes a third rotation engagement portion that rotates about an axis of the rotating body,

the second transmission member includes a fourth rotation engagement portion located in a rotation path of the third rotation engagement portion, and

the lid restriction member moves between the lid lock position and the lid unlock position when the second transmission member moves.

4. The lock device according to claim 2, further comprising a second transmission member arranged between the drive mechanism and the lid restriction member, wherein

the rotating body includes a third rotation engagement portion that rotates about an axis of the rotating body,

the second transmission member includes a fourth rotation engagement portion located in a rotation path of the third rotation engagement portion, and

the lid restriction member moves between the lid lock position and the lid unlock position when the second transmission member moves.

5. The lock device according to claim 2, wherein

the power supplying plug includes a movable hook,

the power reception connector includes a cooperative member that moves in cooperation with the hook and a hook seat, which engages the hook,

the first transmission member rotates integrally with the rotating body when the first rotation engagement portion engages the second rotation engagement portion of the first transmission member, and

the plug restriction member rotates integrally with the first transmission member and moves between the plug lock position, which is located in a movement path of the cooperative member, and the plug unlock position, which is separated from the movement path.

6. The lock device according to claim 1, wherein the recovery mechanism includes:

a first torsion spring;

a first support that supports one or two ends of the first torsion spring, wherein the first support is formed on the rotating body; and

a second support that supports one or two ends of the first torsion spring, wherein the second support is formed on a first immovable portion arranged separately from the rotating body,

wherein the first and second supports support each end of the first torsion spring from the same direction when the rotating body is located at the reference position.

7. The lock device according to claim 5, further comprising a second torsion spring, wherein the second torsion spring includes one end supported by the first transmission member and another end supported by a second immovable portion arranged separately from the first transmission member.

8. The lock device according to claim 1, further comprising a manual operation portion manually operated to rotate the rotating body from outside the lock device.

9. The lock device according to claim 1, wherein the recovery mechanism includes:

a first support including first and second movable ends that are moved when the rotating body rotates;

a second support including first and second immovable ends that are not moved when the rotating body rotates; and

an elastic member including one end, which is supported by one or both of the first movable end of the first support and the first immovable end of the second support, and another end, which is supported by one or both of the second movable end of the first support and the second immovable end of the second support,

wherein when the rotating body rotates in the second direction, distance between the two ends of the elastic member is changed to generate elastic repulsion force that urges the rotating body in the first direction.