Wire housing device, vehicle equipped with the same, and power feeding device

• US 9,073,441 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2009
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Shinji, Ishii, Daisuke
• Primary Examiner(s): WILLIAMS, ARUN C
• Application Number:
  US13/497,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20120262115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,017 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/14 Boost converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/40 using propulsion power supplied by capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/31 Charging columns specially adapted for electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/72 Means for accommodating flexible lead within the holder
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 11/02 using take-up reel or drum
• 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 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells

Abstract

In a cord reel capable of housing a power cord for transmitting electric power from an external power source to a vehicle that can be externally charged, pulling-out of the power cord wound around the cord reel from the cord reel is suppressed based on a temperature of the power cord. This can prevent a hot charging cord from exerting influence on the surroundings, such as breakage of equipment or the like which touches the hot charging cord.

Claims

1. A wire housing device configured to be capable of housing a wire for transmitting electric power from a power source, the wire housing device comprising:

an inhibition unit configured to suppress pulling-out of the wire from the wire housing device in accordance with a temperature of the wire.

2. The wire housing device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a temperature detection unit configured to detect the temperature; and

a control unit configured to control the inhibition unit to suppress pulling-out of the wire from the wire housing device based on the temperature.

3. The wire housing device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the inhibition unit to suppress pulling-out of the wire if the temperature is higher than a first threshold value.

4. The wire housing device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit releases suppression of pulling-out of the wire if the temperature becomes higher than the first threshold value and thereafter becomes lower than a second threshold value which is lower than the first threshold value.

5. The wire housing device according to claim 2, further comprising:

a drum configured wind and house the wire; and

a ratchet mechanism provided to a rotation shaft of the drum,

wherein the inhibition unit includes a rotation suppression device configured to suppress rotation of the drum by operating under control of the control unit and engaging the ratchet mechanism.

6. A vehicle capable of being charged using electric power from an external power source, comprising:

a power receiving wire configured to transmit the electric power from the external power source to the vehicle;

a wire housing device configured to house the power receiving wire; and

an inhibition unit configured to suppress pulling-out of the power receiving wire from the wire housing device based on a temperature of the power receiving wire.

7. The vehicle according to claim 6, further comprising:

a temperature detection unit configured to detect the temperature; and

a control unit configured to control the inhibition unit to suppress pulling-out of the power receiving wire from the wire housing device based on the temperature.

8. The vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the control unit controls the inhibition unit to suppress pulling-out of the power receiving wire if the temperature is higher than a first threshold value.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the control unit releases suppression of pulling-out of the power receiving wire if the temperature becomes higher than the first threshold value and thereafter becomes lower than a second threshold value which is lower than the first threshold value.

10. A power feeding device for transmitting electric power from an external power source, comprising:

a power feeding wire configured to transmit the electric power from the external power source;

a wire housing device configured to house the power feeding wire; and

an inhibition unit configured to suppress pulling-out of the power feeding wire from the wire housing device based on a temperature of the power feeding wire.

11. The power feeding device according to claim 10, further comprising:

a temperature detection unit configured to detect the temperature; and

a control unit configured to control the inhibition unit to suppress pulling-out of the power feeding wire from the wire housing device based on the temperature.

12. The power feeding device according to claim 11, wherein the control unit controls the inhibition unit to suppress pulling-out of the power feeding wire if the temperature is higher than a first threshold value.

13. The power feeding device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit releases suppression of pulling-out of the power feeding wire if the temperature becomes higher than the first threshold value and thereafter becomes lower than a second threshold value which is lower than the first threshold value.