JP2013081304A - Charger for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a charger for a vehicle which includes a lock mechanism locking a charging connector in the holding state when charging is not conducted and eliminates the complicated work involved with lock releasing and locking operations of the lock mechanism.SOLUTION: A charger for a vehicle includes: a charging connector holding part where a charging connector is engaged with a locking member that is constantly biased in the engagement direction by an elastic member to be held thereon when charging is not conducted; charging authentication means; and electric motor operation means causing the locking member to slide in the non engagement direction in conjunction with the charging authentication means. The locking member has an inclination surface which slides in the non engagement direction following the insertion operation of the charging connector, and the electric motor operation means causes the locking member to return to an engagement position after the locking member is slid in the non engagement direction and a predetermined time elapses.

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle charging device.

In recent years, interest in electric vehicles has increased from the viewpoint of increasing need for oil removal and CO ₂ emission reduction, and the spread of vehicle charging devices has been demanded.

  Generally, a charging device for a vehicle is provided with a charging cable having a charging connector at the tip, and the charging connector is used by being connected to a connector provided on the vehicle at the time of charging. Regarding a charging connector and a charging cable of a vehicle charging device during non-charging, a structure (for example, Patent Document 1) that is held by a connector storage portion and a cable storage basket provided on the outer surface of the vehicle charging device is disclosed. Yes.

  However, among the charging devices for vehicles, those that are installed in outdoor public spaces and are expected to be used in a self-style are designed to prevent the charging connector from being removed from the charging device when not charging to prevent mischief and malfunction. It is preferable to provide a locking mechanism for the charging connector.

  As a charging connector locking mechanism, for example, a conventional connector housing portion may be provided with a door provided with a locking means. However, there is a problem that the unlocking / locking operation associated with the charging operation is complicated.

JP 2010-4731 A

  The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is a vehicle charging device having a lock mechanism that locks the charging connector during non-charging in a holding state, and is associated with the unlocking / locking operation of the locking mechanism An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular charging device that does not require complicated work.

  The vehicle charging device of the present invention made to solve the above problems has a power feeding means in the housing, a charging cable for energizing the power feeding means and the vehicle, a charging connector connected to the vehicle side connection portion, A charging connector holding unit that engages and holds the charging connector during non-charging by a locking member that is constantly urged in an engagement direction by an elastic member, a charging authentication unit, and the charging authentication unit in conjunction with the charging connector holding unit A vehicle charging device including an electric operation means for sliding a locking member in a non-engaging direction, the locking member having an inclined surface that slides in a non-engaging direction according to an insertion operation of the charging connector. The electric operation means is characterized in that the locking member is returned to the engaged position after a predetermined time has elapsed after the locking member is slid in the non-engaging direction.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle charging apparatus according to the first aspect, the locking member includes an operation shaft, and the electric operation means slides the locking member in the non-engagement direction via the operation shaft. It is characterized by making it.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the vehicle charging apparatus according to the second aspect, the locking member comprises a lock pin that slides in a vertical direction, and the electric operation means is substantially horizontal with respect to the lock pin. The electric operation means is arranged at a position, and is characterized in that an operation shaft is operated via a motion transmission member connected to a tip, and a lock pin is slid in a downward direction.

  A charging device for a vehicle according to the present invention includes a charging connector holding portion that engages and holds the charging connector during non-charging by a locking member that is always urged in an engagement direction by an elastic member, and charging authentication means. The vehicle charging device includes an electric operation unit that slides the locking member in a non-engagement direction in conjunction with the charge authentication unit, and the locking member is disengaged according to an insertion operation of the charging connector. The electric operating means is configured to return the locking member to the engaged position after a predetermined time has elapsed after sliding the locking member in the non-engaging direction. is there. According to this structure, the charging connector is locked in the holding state during non-charging, and the charging connector can be easily locked by the electric operation means linked to the user authentication work by the charging authentication means during charging preparation. Can be released. When the electric operation of the electric operation means is stopped, the locking member is urged in the engagement direction by the elastic member and returns to the engagement position, so that the locking operation after removing the charging connector may be unnecessary. it can. Furthermore, since the locking member has an inclined surface that slides in the non-engagement direction according to the insertion operation of the charging connector, even if the locking member is in the engagement position, the insertion operation of the charging connector is not hindered, When returning the charging connector, neither unlocking nor locking operation is required.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the electric operation means cannot be energized in an emergency or the like, the operation shaft formed on the locking member is removed by removing the cover that covers the charging connector holding portion. After being exposed, the operation shaft can be manually operated and unlocked.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, even when a water droplet such as rainwater enters through the lock pin that is a locking member that locks the charging connector in the holding state, the electric operation means is locked. Since it is arranged at a substantially horizontal position with respect to the pin, it is possible to avoid the danger of contact with water droplets. Therefore, according to the structure, it is possible to take effective waterproof and rust prevention measures without providing a special waterproof function for the electric operation means.

It is a whole perspective view of the charging device for vehicles. It is explanatory drawing which shows the charge connector holding part of the state holding the charge connector. (Omit the front side wall) It is explanatory drawing which shows a charging connector and a charging connector holding | maintenance part. (Omit the front side wall) FIG. 3 is a diagram in which a charging connector is removed from FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 and an explanatory diagram when the charging connector is inserted. FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 2, and is an explanatory diagram for releasing the locking of the charging connector. It is a whole perspective view of a locking mechanism. FIG. 8 is a side view of FIG. 7.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown below.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicular charging apparatus of the present invention has a power feeding means inside a column-shaped casing 1, and includes a charging cable 2 for energizing the power feeding means and the vehicle. At the tip of the charging cable 2, there is a charging connector 3 that is connected to a vehicle side connection provided on the vehicle. A charging connector housing space 4 for housing the charging connector 3 in the housing 1 when not in use is formed on the front surface of the housing 1. In addition, the vehicle charging apparatus of the present invention includes a charging authentication means such as a charging system or an authentication key, and the user is authenticated before charging.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the charging connector storage space 4 includes a charging connector holding portion 5 that holds the charging connector 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the charging connector 3 is provided with a charging terminal (not shown) at the distal end, and a base-like end of the connector main body 6 with a square-shaped gripping portion 7 connected thereto. An operation unit linked to the nail is provided in the vicinity of the grip unit. The charging connector holding part 5 is disposed with an inclination so that the insertion / removal direction of the connector body 6 is slightly downward.

  As shown in FIG. 3, an engagement recess 8 is formed in the lower portion of the connector main body 6 to engage a locking member described later.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the charging connector holding portion 5 has a cylindrical tubular receiving portion 9 corresponding to the connector main body 6. A hole 11 through which a lock pin 10 that is a locking member for locking the charging connector 3 enters and exits is provided at the lower portion of the cylindrical receiving portion 9. The hole 11 has a circular shape with the left and right sides cut out, and the lock pin 10 also has a cross-section with the same shape, and thus acts as a detent. In addition, a lock pin holding member (not shown) is disposed at the lower part of the cylindrical receiving portion 9, and guides the lock pin so that it can move in the vertical direction.

  At the lower end of the lock pin 10, a spring 12 is disposed as an elastic member, and the lock pin 10 is constantly urged in the engaging direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, an inclined surface 13 is formed on the upper end portion of the lock pin 10 so as to be pressed in the vertically downward non-engagement direction from the engagement position in accordance with the insertion operation of the charging connector 3. Further, a lateral operation shaft 14 is provided at the center of the lock pin 10 so that manual operation can be performed by a split pin attached to the lower end. The manual operation can be performed by directly operating the lock pin itself by hand without the split pin.

  As described above, the lock pin 10 is always urged in the engagement direction by the spring 12, but as shown in FIG. 6, the downward direction is applied by the sliding operation of the operation unit 16 of the actuator 15 that is an electric operation device. And can be moved from the engagement position in a vertically downward non-engagement direction.

  Hereinafter, a mechanism in which the lock pin 10 slides in the downward direction by the slide operation of the operation unit 16 of the actuator 15 will be described in detail.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the motion transmitting member 17 that transmits the electric motion of the actuator 15 to the lock pin 10 is connected to the operating portion 16 of the actuator 15. It is preferable that the motion transmission member 17 and the operation unit 16 are attached with a backlash so that the actuator 15 is not damaged even when the handling operation of the charging connector is somewhat rough.

  The motion transmission member 17 includes a main body portion 18 and a side plate portion 19. The side plate portion 19 includes an inclined side 20 on which the operation shaft 14 of the lock pin 10 slides, and step portions 21 positioned at both ends of the inclined side 20. 22 is formed. When the operation shaft 14 is locked by the upper step portion 21, the lock pin 10 is in the engagement position, and when the operation shaft 14 is locked by the lower step portion 22, the lock pin 10 is not engaged. In the engaged position.

  In a state where the charging connector 3 at the time of non-charging is held by the charging connector holding portion 5, the actuator 15 is not energized, and as shown in FIG. The biased lock pin 10 is in the engagement position, is engaged with the engagement recess 8 of the charging connector 3, and the charging connector 3 is locked to the charging connector holding portion 5.

  When the charging connector 3 is removed from the charging connector holding unit 5, when the user authentication operation by the charging authentication unit is completed, energization of the actuator 15 is started and the operation unit 16 of the actuator 15 moves toward the lock pin engagement side. The slide operation is performed. In the present embodiment, when energization to the actuator 15 is started, the operation unit 16 of the actuator 15 shown in FIG. 8 is pushed out toward the lock pin 10, and in conjunction with this, the upper stage of the motion transmission member 17 is pushed. The operating shaft 14 that has been locked to the portion 21 slides on the inclined side 20 and moves in the vertical downward direction to the locking position with the lower stepped portion 22 and stops energization. Since the operation shaft 14 is formed integrally with the lock pin 10, the lock pin 10 also slides downward in conjunction with the movement of the operation shaft 14 and moves from the engagement position to the vertical downward non-engagement direction. Moving. As shown in FIG. 6B, the user can remove the charging connector 3 from the charging connector holding portion 5 while the lock pin 10 is in the non-engagement position.

  The actuator 15 is energized for several tens of seconds from when the operating portion 16 of the actuator 15 is pushed out toward the lock pin 10, that is, from when the lock pin 10 moves from the engagement position in the vertically downward non-engagement direction. After a predetermined time, power is supplied again so as to automatically operate in the reverse direction. When energization of the actuator 15 is started, the operation unit 16 of the actuator 15 slides to the lock pin non-engagement side, and is pulled out in the direction opposite to the lock pin 10. The operating shaft 14 that is locked to the lower step 22 slides on the inclined side 20 by the bias of the spring 12 and moves in the vertical upward direction to the locking position with the upper step 21. Power off. Since the operation shaft 14 is formed integrally with the lock pin 10, the lock pin 10 also slides upward in conjunction with the movement of the operation shaft 14, and moves from the non-engagement position to the vertical upward engagement direction. Moving.

  Thus, the lock pin 10 is re-engaged after a predetermined time of about several tens of seconds after the lock pin 10 moves in the vertically downward non-engagement direction from the engagement position and the charge connector 10 can be detached. In order to return to the position, if the user does not remove the charging connector for some reason while the lock pin 10 is in the non-engagement position, authentication is performed again and work is performed. When the charging connector 3 is returned to the charging connector holding portion 5 after the vehicle is charged, the lock pin 10 is inclined to be pressed in the non-engagement direction according to the insertion operation of the charging connector 3 as described above. Since the surface 13 is provided, the insertion operation of the charging connector 3 is not hindered even when the lock pin 10 is in the engaged position.

  According to this structure, since the energization to the actuator 15 is limited to a few seconds during which the actuator 15 is sliding, the electrical load on the actuator 15 can be suppressed, and the power consumption is also minimal. Can be suppressed. In addition, even if the electric operating device uses a solenoid in addition to the actuator, energization is limited to about several tens of seconds of completion of the user's authentication work.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the electric operating means 15 is disposed at a substantially horizontal position with respect to the lock pin 10. With this arrangement, even when a water droplet such as rainwater enters from the hole 11 formed in the lower portion of the cylindrical receiving portion 9, the electric operation means is in a substantially horizontal position with respect to the lock pin. Since it is arranged, it is possible to avoid the risk of contact with a large amount of water droplets. Therefore, according to the structure, an effective waterproofing measure can be taken without providing a special waterproof function for the electric operation means.

  In the present embodiment, the locking member has been described as a lock pin. However, a seesaw-type or rotation-type locking member may be used, and the shape is particularly limited as long as the charging connector is always urged in the locking direction. It is not something. Further, the engaging portion of the locking member in the charging connector may be a side portion or an upper portion other than the lower portion of the charging connector. In the present embodiment, the electric operation device has been described as an actuator, but a solenoid may be used.

  In addition, it is preferable to provide the detection part 23 which detects that the charge connector was mounted in the upper part of the charge connector holding part 5. The detection unit 23 can check the mounting state of the charging connector and use the information for remote monitoring, a display indicating that the charging stand can be used, and the like. Moreover, it is preferable to provide the illumination member which illuminates the inside of a cylinder part in the center of the cylinder part of the charging stand cylindrical receiving part 5. FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Case 2 Charging cable 3 Charging connector 4 Charging connector storage space 5 Charging connector holding | maintenance part 6 Connector main body 7 Grip part 8 Engaging recessed part 9 Cylindrical receiving part 10 Locking pin 11 Hole part 12 Spring 13 Inclined surface 14 Operation shaft 15 Actuator 16 operation part 17 motion transmission member 18 main body part 19 side plate part 20 inclined side 21, 22 step part 23 detection part

Claims (3)

Non-charged by a power supply means in the housing, a charging cable for energizing the power supply means and the vehicle, a charging connector connected to the vehicle-side connecting portion, and a locking member that is always urged in the engaging direction by an elastic member. Vehicle having a charging connector holding portion that engages and holds the charging connector at the time, charging authentication means, and electric operation means that slides the locking member in a non-engagement direction in conjunction with the charging authentication means Charging device for
The locking member has an inclined surface that slides in the non-engaging direction according to the insertion operation of the charging connector,
The vehicle operating apparatus, wherein the electric operating means returns the locking member to the engaged position after a predetermined time has elapsed after sliding the locking member in the non-engagement direction.   The vehicle charging device according to claim 1, wherein the locking member includes an operation shaft, and the electric operation means slides the locking member in the non-engagement direction via the operation shaft. The locking member comprises a lock pin that slides in the vertical direction,
The electric operation means is disposed at a substantially horizontal position with respect to the lock pin,
3. The vehicle charging device according to claim 2, wherein the electric operation means operates an operation shaft via a motion transmission member connected to a tip, and slides the lock pin in a downward direction.

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