FR3037449A1 - DEVICE FOR ELECTRICAL CABLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a reel (7) for electric cable (6) comprising a rotationally fixed drum (82) for receiving the cable, and a cable guide (84) rotatable about the axis (86) of the drum.

Description

B14153 - DD16193 1 ELECTRIC CABLE FEEDER DEVICE FIELD This description relates generally to electrical connection systems. The present disclosure relates more particularly to a storage device or reel of an electric cable and more particularly applies to a charging electrical connection system of a motor vehicle battery or the like. BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART Recharging the battery or batteries of a motor vehicle is generally done by connecting a battery charger contained in the vehicle to a source of electrical energy, for example an electricity distribution network or a photovoltaic installation. For this, a cable connects the charger to a charging station supplied with electricity.

When the cable is not used, ie it does not connect any charger to the network, it needs to be stored. For this, usually provides a cable reel or a box in which the cable is loose or coiled by hand on the vehicle side or charging station side.

There is a need for improvement of electrical cable storage devices, especially for electrical connection systems applied to electric vehicle charging. SUMMARY One embodiment aims to overcome some or all of the disadvantages of current electrical cable storage devices. One embodiment provides a solution particularly suited to a fixed charging station. One embodiment provides a system particularly suitable for storing a cable of several meters. One embodiment provides a particularly simple system of use. One embodiment provides an automatic system requiring no external energy input to the system for storing the cable. Thus, an embodiment provides an electric cable reel comprising: a fixed rotating drum for receiving the cable; and a wire guide movable in rotation about the axis of the drum. According to one embodiment, the cable guide is at a radial position greater than the diameter of the drum. According to one embodiment, the diameter of the drum is at least 10 times greater than the diameter of the cable. According to one embodiment, the reel further comprises a housing, walls of the housing surrounding the drum with a gap chosen according to the diameter of the cable. According to one embodiment, the reel further comprises a spring driving the cable guide in rotation to rewind the cable, the spring being armed during unwinding of the cable. According to one embodiment, the surface of the drum is conical, pointing away from the cable guide.

According to one embodiment, the cable guide is movable in translation in a movement back and forth in the direction of the drum axis. According to one embodiment, the drum is movable in axial translation in a back and forth motion. According to one embodiment, the movement back and forth arms a spring during unwinding of the cable. According to one embodiment, the cable is a battery charging cable of an electric vehicle.

An embodiment provides an electrical connection system, comprising: an electrical cable; and a reel. According to one embodiment, the cable has a length of between about 4 meters and about 9 meters and a section of between about 0.5 cm2 and about 1.5 cm2. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These features and advantages, as well as others, will be set forth in detail in the following description of particular embodiments in a non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying figures in which: FIGS. 1A and 1B show, very schematically, an embodiment of an electrical connection system for the motor vehicle load and such a vehicle, respectively deployed cable and stored cable; Figure 2 is a schematic and functional view of an embodiment of a cable reel device of the electrical connection system; Figures aA and 3B are schematic perspective views partially illustrating the reel device respectively deployed cable and coiled cable; and FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an electrical connection system in an exemplary environment.

Detailed Description The same elements have been designated with the same references in the various figures. For the sake of clarity, only the elements that are useful for understanding the described embodiments have been shown and will be detailed. In particular, the management of the recharging of a vehicle battery has not been detailed, the embodiments described being compatible with the usual solutions. In addition, the realization of the electric cable itself has also not been detailed, the 10 embodiments described being again compatible with the usual cables. In the following description, when reference is made to absolute position qualifiers, such as the terms "forward", "backward", "up", "down", "left", "right", etc. , or relative, such as the terms "above", "below", "upper", "lower", etc., or with qualifiers for orientation, such as the terms "horizontal", "vertical", etc., reference is made to the orientation of the figures or to a connection system in a normal position of use. Unless otherwise stated, the terms "approximately", "substantially", and "in the order of" mean within 10% or 100%, preferably 5% or 50%. This description refers to an example of application to the storage of an electric cable for charging an electric vehicle. However, the embodiments that will be described apply more generally to the storage of any electrical cable for which similar problems arise. The described embodiments apply, for example, to the realization of a storage device energy supply facility side, that is to say, charging station side, whether in a public area or at home of the user. According to another example of application, the cable storage device is on the vehicle side.

3037449 B14153 - DD16193 5 Among the constraints generated by the application to the charging of an electric vehicle are: a long cable length, that is to say a length of up to ten meters, which generates a weight 5 not negligible for the cable, which usually poses a problem for the user; a desire to recharge said fast, that is to say with a current of several tens of amperes, requiring a section of conductors of several millimeters square (typically of the order of 6 = 2), participating in increasing the weight of the cable; a need to store the cable in such a way that it does not become entangled in order to facilitate subsequent uses; a need for a compact system. FIGS. 1A and 1B show, very schematically, an embodiment of an electrical connection system for charging a battery of a motor vehicle and such a vehicle, respectively deployed cable and stored cable. An electric or hybrid vehicle 1 comprises one or more batteries 12 for supplying the energy necessary for its propulsion. These batteries 12 are connected to one or more load management and control devices (charger) 14 for controlling the charging of the batteries when they are connected to an electricity supply installation 3. The installation 3 may be a public charging station of the service station type, a domestic installation (for example at the vehicle user's residence), etc. On the installation side 3, there is provided a system 5 for the electrical connection of the power source to the charger 14 of the vehicle 1. The connection system 5 comprises an electric cable 6 and a device 7 for storing the cable. A first end (not visible in FIGS. 1A and 1B) of the cable is connected, in practice permanently, to the installation 3. A second end (free) of the cable 6 terminates with a plug (or socket) 62 connecting to a plug (or plug) 16 on the charger side 14.

When recharging the vehicle 1 (FIG. 1A), the cable 6 is stretched out at least partially from the device 7. Between refills (FIG. 1B), the cable 6 is stored in the device 7.

FIG. 2 is a schematic and functional view of an embodiment of the device 7 for storing the cable 6. In this embodiment, the device 7 comprises: a housing 72 intended to protect the mechanism inside the reel and in which the cable 6 is fully housed 10 when stored; a reel 8, provided with a drum 82 fixed in rotation around which the cable 6 is intended to be wound to be stored; a cable guide 84, rotatable about the axis 86 of the drum 82. In the example of Figure 2, the cable guide 84 is in the form of a member rotating around the drum 82 at a radial distance constant of the axis 86 of the drum, and guiding the cable 6. This element is for example an eyelet 842, carried by the free end of a radial rod 844 at the top of the drum 82, the rod 844 being rotatable around the axis 86. Assuming the cable 6 initially wound up, when the user pulls on the free end of the cable, for example on the plug 62 or on a handle 63 carrying the plug 62 at its end, it drives the guide 84 rotates as the cable unrolls the drum 82. In the embodiment of Figure 2, the rotation of the cable guide 84 facilitates the unwinding and, at the same time, a spring 88. The rewinding of the cable 6 takes place under the action of the spring 88 which, by driving the The cable 84 rotating in the opposite direction of its rotation during unwinding, causes the winding of the cable around the drum 82. The cable storage can be triggered simply by the fact that the user releases the traction on the cable. Preferably, however, a non-return mechanism is provided in order to require user action to initiate spring rewinding. An advantage already apparent from the above description is that providing a fixed drum avoids the need for sliding or rotating contacts at the fixed end of the cable (charging station side). Indeed, with a rotating drum, the cable is twisted and eventually break if it does not provide rotating contacts. Such contacts increase the complexity, the risks of failure and the cost. The failure of the rotating contacts can lead to safety risks, for example fire triggering if a power contact becomes too resistive, or electrification of a user if there is no more connection of the contact. Earth. Here, the cable can simply emerge from the housing through the bottom thereof to be connected to the power supply facility. Preferably, the diameter of the drum is always greater than ten times the diameter of the cable to limit twisting of the cable during unwinding. For example, a drum diameter of 20 cm gives rise to a rotation of the cable on itself for about 60 cm of unwinding length if, during the pull of the user, the rotation of the cable is not possible. . Preferably, the handle 63 is a sheath free to rotate relative to the cable 6 and the plug 62. This allows to unwind the cable and rewind without twisting.

The operation of the reel described above is similar to the operation of a fishing reel. Figures aA and 3B are schematic perspective views partially illustrating the reel respectively deployed cable and coiled cable.

In the example of Figures aA and 3B, it is assumed that the cable guide 842 'is an orifice in a front wall 72' of the housing 7 of the reel, the bottom of the drum 82 'being carried by a bottom 72 "of this housing The front wall 72 'is rotated about the axis of the drum and this rotation thus causes the orifice 842', in Figures aA and 3B a spring 88 is illustrated in the manner of a spiral spring being armed by the rotation of the front wall 72 'of the housing during the unwinding of the cable In the example of Figures aA and 3B, the drum 82' has a conical shape, pointing towards the bottom 72 "of the housing , 5 so that the cable is naturally placed at the bottom of the reel, turn against turn. The slope of the cone allows the cable to slide towards the bottom of the reel by its mass and the spring forcing the winding prevents this mass effect does not lead the cable towards the ground.

In a preferred embodiment, the cable is wound without overlapping, i.e. the length of the cable 6 is selected as a function of the diameter (if any, variable for a conical drum) and the axial length. drum. In this case, the housing 72 is preferably dimensioned so that the gap between the drum and an inner wall of the housing is slightly greater than the diameter of the cable to ensure a lack of overlap of the turns. Preferably, the surface of the drum 82, especially in an embodiment where it is fixed, is smooth in order to minimize the friction of the cable 6. As has been discussed in connection with FIG. 2, when the user pulls the cable 6, it is carried out by rotating the drive guide 842 '. The spring 88, fixed on the one hand on the fixed drum (or on a support of the drum) and on the other hand on the cable guide, is armed by the unwinding. According to another embodiment not shown, the reel is devoid of rewinding spring. In this case, rewinding is performed, for example, by rotating the cable guide with a crank.

According to yet another embodiment, a manual rewind crank is combined with a rewinding assist spring, relieving the user. Depending on the force of the spring 88, it can be provided to add to the reel a braking system during rewinding 3037449 B14153 - DD16193 9 to avoid a whipping effect if the user abruptly drops the cable and / or a system locking the unwound cable. The radial position of port 842 'or eyelet 842 of the cable guide is greater than the diameter of the drum to facilitate rewinding. In a variant where the cable must be wound with overlapping turns, provision may be made, in order to facilitate the winding of the cable 6 and to prevent the turns from accumulating on a reduced height of the drum 82, that the cable guide 84 and or the drum 82 is movable in axial translation in a reciprocating movement, driven, for example by the spring 88 or by a separate spring armed, too, during the unwinding of the cable. According to a particular embodiment, the diameter of the drum 82 or 82 'is between about 20 and about 60 cm. Still as a particular embodiment, the cable has a length of between about 4 meters and about 9 meters. The section of the cable is, for example, between about 0.5 cm 2 and about 1.5 cm 2. Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an electrical connection system in an exemplary environment. It is assumed the case of a power supply installation 3 type battery charging station of a motor vehicle requiring a cable 6 of several meters. The inner end (not visible in Figure 4) of the cable 6 is connected to a device 32 for managing the power supply. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the storage device 7 is placed approximately perpendicular to the wall of the installation 3, that is to say with the axis of the approximately horizontal drum, preferably horizontal. The orifice 842 'serving as a cable guide, formed in the front wall 72' of the housing, faces a user U to allow the user to easily grasp the handle 63. Various embodiments have been described. Various variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, the practical implementation of the embodiments which have been described is within the abilities of those skilled in the art from the functional indications given above.

Claims (12)

REVENDICATIONS1. An electric cable reel (7) (6) comprising: a rotationally fixed drum (82, 82 ') for receiving the cable; and a cable guide (84, 842 ') rotatable about the drum axis (86). 2. Dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the cable guide (84, 842 ') is at a radial position greater than the diameter of the drum (82, 82'). The dispenser of claim 1 or 2, wherein the diameter of the drum (82, 82 ') is at least 10 times greater than the diameter of the cable. The dispenser of any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a housing (7), walls of the housing surrounding the drum (82, 82 ') with a spacing selected according to the diameter of the cable (6). . A dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a spring (88) driving the cable guide (84, 842 ') in rotation to rewind the cable, the spring being cocked during unwinding of the cable. 20 The dispenser of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the surface of the drum (82 ') is tapered, pointing away from the cable guide (842'). 7. A dispenser according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cable guide (84, 842 ') is reciprocably movable in a reciprocating motion in the direction of the drum axis (86) ( 82, 82 '). 8. Dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the drum (82, 82 ') is movable in axial translation in a back and forth motion. 30 9. Dispenser according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the reciprocating movement arms a spring during unwinding of the cable. 3037449 B14153 - DD16193 12 10. Reel according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the cable (6) is a battery charging cable of an electric vehicle. 11. System (5) for electrical connection, comprising: 5 an electric cable (6); and a reel (7) according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The system of claim 11, wherein the cable (6) has a length of between about 4 meters and about 10 meters and a section of between about 0.5 cm2 and about 1.5 cm2.