JP2005117776A - Electrical connection structure of electric wheelchair - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the internal short circuit of charging equipment, concerning an electric connection structure for an electric wheelchair. <P>SOLUTION: In the electric connection structure for an electric wheelchair which is so made that a plurality of electrodes provided at the tip exposed part of a connector contact electrically with a plurality of electrodes being charge terminals of the above battery, being made at the bottom of a recess, when a connector provided at the tip of a chord extended from a charger is fitted freely of mounting and removal in the recess of the case for housing a battery for supplying a motor control part with power, an insulating rib is provided between the adjacent electrodes of the above connector. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical connection structure for an electric wheelchair, and more particularly to an electrical connection structure between a charger-side connector and a battery storage case.

As a power source for a motor of an electric wheelchair, a lithium ion battery or a nickel metal hydride battery has been conventionally used as explicitly disclosed in Patent Document 1. Actually, either a lithium ion battery or a nickel metal hydride battery is loaded into a case fixed to the wheelchair frame.
JP 2000-34050 A

  In the above-mentioned electric wheelchair, the lithium ion battery and the nickel metal hydride battery loaded in the case fixed to the frame must be charged. Therefore, when the connector provided at the tip of the cord extending from the charger is detachably inserted into the recess of the case that houses the battery that supplies power to the control unit of the motor, charging is performed. A plurality of electrodes provided in the tip exposure portion are formed by an electrical connection structure formed at the bottom of the recess so as to be in electrical contact with the plurality of electrodes serving as charging terminals of the battery.

  Such charging is normally not a problem, but when the connector is removed from the case with the charger and the AC power supply connected with the completion of charging, a plurality of electrodes provided on the connector tip exposed portion are When touching the metal frame, the internal circuit of the charger is short-circuited. In this case, even if the fuse provided in the internal circuit does not melt and cause damage to the body, it is forced to replace the fuse.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an electric connection structure for an electric wheelchair in which a short circuit on the charger side is not caused.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the technical means taken in claim 1 is as follows: “The connector provided at the tip of the cord extending from the charger is recessed in the case for accommodating the battery for supplying power to the control unit of the motor. A plurality of electrodes provided at a tip exposed portion of the connector are formed at the bottom of the recess so as to be in electrical contact with a plurality of electrodes serving as charging terminals of the battery. In the electric wheelchair electric connection structure, the electric wheelchair electric connection structure in which an insulating rib is provided between the electrodes adjacent to the connector is configured.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the insulating rib is provided between the adjacent electrodes of the connector, when the charger is energized, the connector is removed from the battery storage case. Even if it contacts a conductor, this conductor does not conduct between adjacent electrodes by an insulating rib, and a short circuit inside the charger is prevented.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the battery storage case 10 for an electric wheelchair includes a housing 12. An electrode portion 20 is formed on the bottom surface of the recess 14 of the housing 12. Thus, the electrode unit 20 includes four electrodes arranged at equal intervals: a negative electrode 22, an auxiliary electrode 24, a first positive electrode 26, and a second positive electrode 28. The concave portion 14 of the housing 12 is positioned between the negative electrode 22 and the auxiliary electrode 24, between the auxiliary electrode 24 and the first positive electrode 26, and between the first positive electrode 26 and the second positive electrode 28. On the bottom surface, a groove GR1, a groove GR2, and a groove GR3 are formed, respectively.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows a connection relationship between the nickel metal hydride battery 30 and the charging device 40 when the nickel metal hydride battery 30 is loaded in the housing 12. The nickel metal hydride battery 30 includes a battery cell 32, a protection circuit 34, and a thermistor 36 for battery temperature detection. The positive side of the battery cell 32 is connected to the second positive electrode 28, and the negative side of the battery cell 32 is connected to the negative electrode 22 via the protection circuit 34. The auxiliary electrode 24 and the negative electrode 22 are connected via the thermistor 36.

  The charging device 40 has a well-known structure, and the electrode portion 50 of the connector 42 extending from the charging device 40 has the same structure as the electrode portion 20 of the housing 12, and has four electrodes: The negative electrode 52, the auxiliary electrode 54, the first positive electrode 56, and the second positive electrode 58 are configured. Insulating ribs 42R1 and 42R2 are provided between the negative electrode 52 and the auxiliary electrode 54, between the auxiliary electrode 54 and the first positive electrode 56, and between the first positive electrode 56 and the second positive electrode 58, respectively. And 542R3 are integrally formed with the tip of the connector 42. Accordingly, only the first positive electrode 56 is an idle terminal, and the negative electrode 52, the auxiliary electrode 54, and the second positive electrode 58 are connected to corresponding portions inside the charging device 40. When the electrode portion 50 of the connector 42 on the charging device 40 side is detachably connected to the electrode portion 20 on the housing 12 side in the recess 14 of the housing 12 as shown in the drawing, the charging device 40 side The negative electrode 52, the auxiliary electrode 54, the first positive electrode 56, and the second positive electrode 58 of the electrode portion 50 of the connector 42 are the negative electrode 22, the auxiliary electrode 24, and the first positive electrode 26 of the electrode portion 20 on the housing 12 side. The insulating ribs 42R1, 42R2, and 42R3 of the connector 42 are inserted into the grooves GR1, GR2, and GR3 on the bottom surface of the recess 14 of the housing 12, respectively.

  When the charging device 40 is turned on after such loading, the negative electrode 22, the auxiliary electrode 24, and the second positive electrode 28 of the electrode unit 20 on the housing 12 side are respectively connected to the connector on the charging device 40 side. Through the negative electrode 52, the auxiliary electrode 54, and the second positive electrode 58 of the electrode unit 50, the corresponding portion inside the charging device 40 is energized, and the battery cell 32 is charged.

  After the charging is completed, when the connector 42 is pulled out from the recess 14 of the housing 12 while the charging device 40 is turned on (that is, the charging device 40 is kept energized with a power source not shown), the metal of the wheelchair (not shown) Even if the connector 42 contacts the made frame, the insulating ribs 42R1, 42R2 and 42R3 of the connector 42 are electrically connected between the negative electrode 52 and the auxiliary electrode 54 by the metal frame, and the auxiliary electrode 54 and the first positive electrode 56. And conduction between the first positive electrode 56 and the second positive electrode 58 are prevented, respectively, so that a short circuit of the internal circuit of the charging device 40 is prevented.

  Therefore, in order to prevent conduction between the electrodes, the protrusion degree (front and rear direction in FIG. 1) and height (up and down direction in FIG. 1) of the insulating rib 42R1 (the same applies to 42R2 and 42R3) are determined on both sides. It is necessary to set it larger than the electrode.

  FIG. 3 schematically shows the connection relationship between the lithium ion battery 60 and the charging device 70 when the lithium ion battery 60 is loaded in the housing 12. The lithium ion battery 60 includes a battery cell 62 and a control circuit 64. The positive side of the battery cell 62 is connected to the first positive electrode 26 via the control circuit 64, and the negative side of the battery cell 32 is connected to the negative electrode 22 via the control circuit 64. The auxiliary electrode 24 is connected to the input terminal of the control circuit 64.

  The charging device 70 has a well-known structure, and the electrode portion 80 of the connector 72 extending from the charging device 70 has the same structure as the electrode portion 20 of the housing 12, and has four electrodes: The negative electrode 82, the auxiliary electrode 84, the first positive electrode 86, and the second positive electrode 88 are configured. Thus, only the second positive electrode 88 is an idle terminal, and the negative electrode 82, the auxiliary electrode 84, and the first positive electrode 86 are connected to corresponding parts inside the charging device 70. Then, the electrode unit 80 of the connector 74 on the charging device 70 side is detachably connected to the electrode unit 20 on the housing 12 side in the recess 14 of the housing 12 as shown in the figure, and then the charging device 70 is attached. Is turned on, the negative electrode 22, the auxiliary electrode 24 and the first positive electrode 26 of the electrode unit 20 on the housing 12 side are respectively connected to the negative electrode 82 and the auxiliary electrode of the electrode unit 80 of the connector 72 on the charging device 70 side. Via the 84 and the first positive electrode 86, the corresponding portion inside the charging device 70 is energized, and the battery cell 62 is charged.

  3, the insulating ribs 72R1, 72R2, and 72R3 of the connector 72 are inserted into the grooves GR1, GR2, and GR3 on the bottom surface of the recess 14 of the housing 12, respectively.

  Then, after the charging is completed, when the connector 72 is removed from the recess 14 of the housing 12 while the charging device 70 is turned on (that is, the charging device 70 is kept energized with a power source not shown), the wheelchair (not shown) Even if the connector 72 comes into contact with the metal frame, the insulating ribs 72R1, 72R2 and 72R3 of the connector 72 are electrically connected between the negative electrode 82 and the auxiliary electrode 84 by the metal frame, and the auxiliary electrode 84 and the first positive electrode Since conduction between the electrode 86 and conduction between the first positive electrode 86 and the second positive electrode 88 are blocked, short-circuiting of the internal circuit of the charging device 70 is prevented in advance.

  The charged battery is connected to the motor control unit 100 via the connector 90. That is, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the electrode portion 92 of the connector 90 that is detachably connected to the electrode portion 20 on the housing 12 side in the recess 14 of the housing 12 includes the negative electrode 22 and the auxiliary electrode. The negative electrode 94, the auxiliary electrode 96, and the positive electrode 98 that are always connected to the electrode 24, the first positive electrode 26, and the second positive electrode 28 are included. However, it is possible to energize the motor control device. The auxiliary electrode 96 is an idle terminal at this time.

  It is desirable to provide ribs between the electrodes on the connector 90 side. If there is no rib, it is possible to avoid leakage even if rainwater adheres.

The whole perspective view of the battery storage case for electric wheelchairs concerning the present invention. The figure explaining the connector connection at the time of charging the nickel metal hydride battery loaded in the inside of the housing | casing of the storage case shown in FIG. The figure explaining the connector connection at the time of charging the lithium ion battery with which the inside of the housing | casing of the storage case shown in FIG. 1 was charged. The figure explaining the connector connection at the time of applying the nickel hydrogen battery loaded in the inside of the housing | casing of the storage case shown in FIG. 1 to a motor control apparatus. The figure explaining the connector connection at the time of applying the lithium ion battery with which the inside of the housing | casing of the storage case shown in FIG. 1 was applied to a motor control apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

12 Housing 20 Electrode 22 Negative Electrode 24 Auxiliary Electrode 26 First Positive Electrode 28 Second Positive Electrode GR1 Groove GR2 Groove GR3 Groove 40 Charger 42 Connector 42R1 Insulating Rib 42R2 Insulating Rib 42R3 Insulating Rib 70 Charger 72 Connector 72R1 Insulating Rib 72R2 Insulating rib 72R3 Insulating rib

Claims (1)

When the connector provided at the tip of the cord extending from the charger is detachably inserted into the recess of the case that houses the battery that supplies power to the motor control unit, the connector is provided at the tip exposure portion of the connector. In the electrical connection structure of the electric wheelchair, wherein the plurality of electrodes are formed at the bottom of the recess and are in electrical contact with the plurality of electrodes serving as charging terminals of the battery, between the adjacent electrodes of the connector, Electric wheelchair electrical connection structure with insulating ribs.

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