JPH06290836A - Charging connector for electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a connector, which facilitates the connecting and disconnecting work at night. CONSTITUTION:In a connector housing provided in a charger, the top surface of a grip 2 is projected from the top surface of a main body 1 to form a housing space 7, of which front surface is opened to farm a window hole 8. A lighting means formed of an electric lamp 9, a battery 15, a slide-type switch 16 is housed in this housing space 7. When the switch 16 is turned on, the electric lamp 9 is lighted to emit the light forward through the window hole 8, and the engagement part with a connector housing provided in a car body is lighted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a charging connector for electric vehicles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Practical applications of electric vehicles are expected in the near future. In this case, the problem of charging the battery is indispensable, and among them, the charging connector is one of the important factors for consideration. For example, the work environment for charging is considered as a special situation other than the current gasoline-type automobile. At present, a gas station is provided as a dedicated refueling point, but in the case of an electric vehicle, it is expected that charging work will be performed at each home in addition to the dedicated facility. Therefore, since the charging is performed in each individual environment, the charging connector must be developed in consideration of various working situations. For example, as a local environment, it must be assumed that it will be performed in the garage or at the garden of each home, and in terms of time, nighttime work must be considered.

[0003]

Considering the factors of the working environment or working time as described above, it is most apprehensive that the work must be performed at night, especially in a place without lighting equipment. It is supposed to be. In such a case, it is extremely difficult to connect and disconnect the connectors. Needless to say, when working with a flashlight, work such as joining is a one-handed work, and it is difficult to do.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector that facilitates night work in particular.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a connector which is disposed on each of a vehicle side and a charger side and can be fitted to each other, and at least on the vehicle side and the charger side. Illuminating means for night illumination is incorporated in either one of the connector housings.

[0006]

By turning on the lighting means, the fitting portion of the connector on the vehicle side and the connector on the charger side are illuminated.

[0007]

The effects of the present invention are as follows. Since the connector itself is equipped with lighting means, even in nighttime work where there is no lighting equipment, the work of connecting and disconnecting the connector can be performed quickly and accurately in a bright condition with both hands. Is obtained.

[0008]

Various embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Each of the embodiments illustrates the case where the present invention is applied to the connector on the charger side. First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

The connector on the charger side has a structure in which a hollow grip 2 is continuously provided on the rear surface of a cylindrical body 1, and a cable 4 connected to a charger (not shown) passes through the inside of the grip 2 to form a body 1. It is connected to the terminal 5 housed therein, and is fitted into an unillustrated automobile-side connector housing to connect the terminals to each other so that charging is performed.

An accommodation space 7 for accommodating the illumination means according to the present invention is formed on the upper surface side of the grip 2 so as to protrude above the main body 1, and a window hole 8 is opened in the front surface.

At a position facing the window hole 8 in the accommodation space 7, a light bulb 9 is accommodated in a forward direction, and a + terminal plate connected to a + contact of a base 10 of the light bulb 9 is accommodated behind the light bulb 9. 12 and a terminal plate 13 in which an elongated contact portion is bent at the upper end thereof are mounted with a space in which the battery 15 can be inserted.

A known slide type switch 1 is provided above it.
6, a switch plate 18 is supported slidably in the front-rear direction by projecting the operation convex portion 19 upward from the guide groove 17 opened on the upper surface of the accommodation space 7, and the rear end thereof is the above-mentioned. While being in constant contact with the terminal plate 13, the tip is brought into contact with and separated from the negative contact of the base 10 of the light bulb 9 to open and close the lighting circuit.

Further, a transparent window plate 20 is stretched in a window hole 8 on the front surface of the accommodation space 7, and the battery 1 is provided on the side surface.
An opening / closing lid 21 for replacing 5 is provided.

The first embodiment has such a structure. When the battery 15 is inserted between the ± terminal plates 12 and 13 and the switch 16 is turned on, the light bulb 9 is turned on and the forward direction is passed through the window hole 8. Light is emitted toward the vehicle, and the fitting portion of the automobile side connector housing is illuminated. As a result, both connectors can be engaged and disengaged quickly and accurately.

When the battery 15 is exhausted, the side opening / closing lid 21
Open it and replace it with a new one.

The open / close lid for battery replacement may be provided on the upper surface of the accommodation space 7 like the open / close lid 21a shown in FIG. 3 and opened / closed together with the switch plate 18.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment, in which a lead wire 23 of ± is drawn from the cable 4 connected to the charger, and the lead wire 23 is connected to the terminal plate 12a of the lighting circuit of the electric bulb 9. 13a via male and female connectors 24 and 25, that is, a part of the charging power is used for the power source for lighting a light bulb, which consumes less power than a battery power source. There is an advantage that you need not be careful.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the ± terminal plates 12a and 13a in the second embodiment are molded resin 27.
Is integrally formed with the mounting hole 28 of the light bulb 9 and the female connector 24, and by assembling the components, the assembling work can be simplified.

The fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is a base 1 for a light bulb 9.
A resin plate 3 in which a contact 33 that comes into contact with the positive contact of the base 10 is provided in the center in a metal cylinder 31 that is tightly fitted to the negative contact of 0
2 is provided, and a ± lead wire 2 drawn from the cable 4 is provided in the same manner as in the second and third embodiments.
3 is respectively connected to the contact 33 of the socket 30 and the switch plate 18 by soldering, the switch plate 18 is slid, and the tip thereof is brought into contact with and separated from the metal cylinder body 31 of the socket 30 to turn on the light bulb 9. The circuit is configured to be opened and closed, and the lead wire 23 is directly connected to the switch mechanism without using a connector,
There is an advantage that the number of components can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the upper surface of the grip 2a is kept substantially flush with the upper surface of the main body 1 without protruding above the main body 1, and the above-mentioned The housing 35, which houses the same battery-type lighting means as in the first embodiment, stores the terminal 5 connected to the tip of the cable 4 pulled out from the charger and is fitted into the main body 1 with a transparent resin. The structure is such that the light from the light bulb 9 is emitted forward through the transparent housing 35, and since the light can be emitted along the axis of the main body 1, the mating portion on the mating side is more directly connected. There is an advantage that it is possible to illuminate the light and the light is easier to see, and a protrusion can be eliminated on the upper surface of the grip 2a so that the grip 2a can have a neat appearance.

Of course, also in the fifth embodiment, it is possible to adopt a structure in which a part of the charging power is used as a power source for lighting the electric bulb instead of the battery 15.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the slide type switch 16 is applied to the switch of the lighting circuit of the light bulb 9 is illustrated, but other types of switches such as push button type may be used.

The illuminating means is not limited to being provided in the connector housing on the charger side, but may be provided in the connector housing on the automobile side using the residual power of the battery or the battery in the vehicle as a power source, and of course, it is provided on both. Is also good.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is an external perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention,
(B) is a sectional view thereof.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the illumination means of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of a modified example of the first embodiment.

FIG. 4A is a sectional view of a second embodiment, and FIG. 4B is an exploded perspective view of the illumination means.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of a third embodiment.

FIG. 6A is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment, and FIG. 6B is an exploded perspective view of the illumination means.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a fifth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 2, 2a ... Charger side connector housing (1 ... Main body, 2, 2a ... Grip) 4, 9, 15, 16 ... Illuminating means (4 ... Cable (power supply), 9 ... Light bulb, 15 ... Battery, 16 (Sliding switch)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A connector which is disposed on each of a vehicle side and a charger side and can be fitted to each other, wherein a connector housing on at least one of the vehicle side and the charger side has a lighting for night illumination. A charging connector in an electric vehicle, characterized in that means are incorporated.