JP2022002462A - Power conditioner for electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a power conditioner for an electric vehicle capable of protecting a connector from wind and rain while maintaining usability.SOLUTION: A power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle is provided with a connector holder housing 20 having a receiving recess that supports a tip of a connector 15, and a cover 50 covering the receiving recess. The cover has a side wall extending forward from the receiving recess, a top wall provided at an upper end of the side wall, and a front wall. The front wall opens/closes an opening divided by a front end of the side wall and a front end of the top wall. Regarding the cover, the receiving recess can be visually recognized from diagonally above when the front wall is open in a state in which the connector is not housed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a power conditioner for an electric vehicle.

Patent Document 1 discloses a charging device for an electric vehicle provided with a storage portion for storing a power feeding connector on the side surface of the charging device main body. In the storage portion, the insertion port for inserting the power supply connector is exposed on the front surface (see Patent Document 1 and FIG. 2).
Patent Document 2 discloses a wall-mounted charging device holder having a front panel in front of the connector holder and a cable holder in the rear. The connector is attached to the connector holder provided in the charging device holder through the opening provided in the front panel (see Patent Document 2 and FIG. 10).

A vehicle charging device that incorporates a structure aimed at preventing mischief has also been proposed.
Patent Document 3 discloses a vehicle charging device capable of preventing mischief with respect to a connector (see Patent Document 3, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4).
Patent Document 4 discloses a charging station for an electric vehicle provided with a movable restraining means (cover) that ensures user workability and prevents equipment damage due to mischief or carelessness (Patent Document 4, Patent Document 4). See FIGS. 2 and 7).

JP 2012-244873 JP 2016-32365 Patent No. 5842225 JP-A-2010-259277

In recent years, there has been an increasing need for a power conditioner for an electric vehicle, which has a function of charging a power storage device for driving an electric vehicle and a function of discharging the power storage device of the electric vehicle to a load or a system outside the vehicle. On the other hand, sufficient studies have not been made on the compatibility of usability and waterproofness of power conditioners for electric vehicles.

One aspect of the present invention provides a power conditioner for an electric vehicle capable of protecting a connector from wind and rain while maintaining usability.

The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention includes a connector holder having a receiving recess for supporting the tip of the connector and a cover for covering the receiving recess, and the cover is in front of the receiving recess. It has an extended side wall, a top wall provided at the upper end of the side wall, and a front wall, and the front wall opens and closes an opening partitioned by a front end of the side wall and a front end of the top wall. The cover is configured so that the receiving recess can be visually recognized from diagonally above when the front wall is open without accommodating the connector.

Here, the power conditioner for an electric vehicle may have a function of charging the power storage device of the electric vehicle and a function of discharging the power storage device of the electric vehicle to a load or a system outside the vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this. .. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle may be a so-called EV charger having a function of charging a power storage device of the electric vehicle.

The electric vehicle may be an electric vehicle without an engine, or may be a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that also uses an engine.

According to the above aspect, it is possible to protect the connector, which is an important component as a contact point with the electric vehicle, from wind and rain while maintaining the usability of the power conditioner for the electric vehicle.

It is a perspective view which shows the power conditioner for an electric vehicle. It is a perspective view which shows the cover. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the positional relationship between a cover and a receiving recess in a state where a connector is not housed. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the state which the connector is housed. It is a schematic cross-sectional view which shows the state which the connector is housed and the front wall is opened. It is a perspective view which shows the modification of the cover.

It is assumed that power conditioners for electric vehicles are often installed outdoors. Until now, sufficient studies have not been made on protecting connectors, which are important parts for contact with electric vehicles, from wind and rain.

In addition to protecting the connector from wind and rain, it is also required to protect the connector from salt damage in areas near the sea.

The power conditioner for an electric vehicle devised by the present inventors includes a connector holder having a receiving recess for supporting the tip of the connector and a cover for covering the receiving recess, and the cover is in front of the receiving recess. It has an extended side wall, a top wall provided at the upper end of the side wall, and a front wall, and the front wall opens and closes an opening partitioned by a front end of the side wall and a front end of the top wall. The cover is configured so that the receiving recess can be visually recognized from diagonally above when the front wall is open without accommodating the connector.

Many power conditioners for electric vehicles hold or store the cable and the connector at the end of the cable in a structure provided on the side of the housing, similar to a refueling machine at a gas station. The cover having the above configuration is specialized for covering the receiving recess of the connector holder and can be made into a compact size.

Since the cover having the above structure has a simple structure, it can be formed of a metal plate. For example, the cover may be formed of a stainless steel metal plate having excellent corrosion resistance and strength. The compact size of the cover requires less metal plate and can reduce weight and cost increases.

If the receiving recess of the connector holder is difficult to see due to some structure covering the receiving recess of the connector holder, the user has to complicate the work of storing the heavy cable and the connector. In the structures disclosed in Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4 described above, the housing top wall and the cover are present on a virtual straight line from diagonally above. Therefore, in order to visually recognize the receiving recess supporting the tip of the connector, the user needs to look from the front in the horizontal direction in a bent posture. In the structures of Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4, a design is conceivable in which the position of the receiving recess that supports the tip of the connector is raised so that the user does not have to bend down. However, such a design is not practical because the task of accommodating heavy cables and connectors is a significant burden on the user.
The power conditioner for an electric vehicle having the above configuration devised by the present inventors is configured so that the receiving recess can be visually recognized from diagonally above when the front wall of the cover is open without accommodating the connector. Therefore, the receiving recess of the connector holder can be set at a relatively low position. The user can easily visually recognize the receiving recess without bending over and attach the connector in a state where the burden on the user is small. In this way, the connector, which is an important component as a contact point with the electric vehicle, can be protected from wind and rain and salt damage by the cover while maintaining the usability of the power conditioner for the electric vehicle.

The cover may be configured so that the operation unit provided on the connector can be visually recognized from diagonally above when the front wall is open with the connector housed.

The operation unit may be, for example, a release button or a trigger, but is not limited thereto. With the above configuration, usability is maintained when the connector is taken out from the cover in addition to when the connector is stored in the cover.

The front wall may be rotatably supported by the top wall.

For example, if the upper end of the front wall is rotatably supported by the front end of the top wall, gravity acts in the direction in which the front wall naturally closes. Therefore, the mechanism for preventing the front wall from opening unintentionally can be omitted or simplified.

The top wall may have a horizontal portion extending substantially horizontally, and the front wall may be supported in a posture substantially parallel to the horizontal portion when the front wall is opened.

With the above configuration, when the front wall is opened, the user does not have to continue to support the front wall. The front wall maintains an almost horizontal posture due to its own weight.

The cover may be fixed to the side surface of the housing of the power conditioner for an electric vehicle, and the front wall is an opening defined by the side surface of the housing, the front end of the side wall, and the front end of the top wall. May be opened and closed.

With the above configuration, by making the side surface of the housing function as a part of the cover, the amount of materials such as a metal plate required for forming the cover can be reduced, and the increase in weight and cost can be suppressed.

The power conditioner for an electric vehicle may issue a message urging the front wall to be closed while the connector is housed in the cover and the front wall is opened.

With the above configuration, it is possible to reduce the risk that the power conditioner for an electric vehicle is left with the front wall of the cover open and the connector is exposed to wind and rain or salt damage.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a power conditioner for an electric vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings.

The power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle shown in FIG. 1 houses a charge / discharge unit for converting electric power and a fan unit for cooling in a housing. A display panel 11 including a display screen 12 and various operation buttons is provided on the front surface 10a of the housing. Further, a handle 14 for opening the door at the time of maintenance is provided on the front surface 10a.

A connector holder housing 20 and a cover 50 are provided on the side surface 10b (left side in the present embodiment) of the housing. In FIG. 1, the cover 50 is shown by a broken line to show the structure inside the cover 50, but the structure inside the cover 50 is not actually visible in this way. The connector holder housing 20 has a receiving recess (described later) inside thereof, and holds the tip of the connector 15. The connector 15 has, for example, an operation unit 16 such as a release button on its upper surface.

The connector 15 is provided at the tip of the cable 13. The cable 13 may extend outward from the side surface 10b of the housing and be hung around a cable hook provided on the connector holder housing 20 or the like.
The height from the ground (the installation surface of the power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle) to the connector holder housing 20 may be about 1 meter (m).

The rear end of the cover 50 is connected to the connector holder housing 20. For example, the cover 50 may be formed of a stainless steel plate having excellent corrosion resistance and strength, and the rear end of the cover 50 may be welded to the connector holder housing 20 (made of metal). Alternatively, the cover 50 and the connector holder housing 20 may be integrally formed of a metal plate (they may be formed as a single cover).

The front end of the cover 50 is formed so that the front end thereof does not protrude forward from the front surface 10a of the housing of the power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle. The cover 50 covers up to the vicinity of the rear end of the grip portion of the connector 15 (near the front surface 10a of the housing). The lower side of the cover 50 extends substantially horizontally. The lower side of the cover 50 may extend on an extension of the lower side of the connector holder housing 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cover 50 has a side wall 50b, a top wall 50c provided at the upper end of the side wall 50b, and a front wall 50a. The front wall 50a opens and closes an opening partitioned by the side surface 10b (see FIG. 1) of the housing of the power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle, the front end of the side wall 50b of the cover 50, and the front end of the top wall 50c.

In this embodiment, the upper end of the front wall 50a is rotatably supported by two hinges 52 at the front end of the top wall 50c. The number of hinges 52 is not limited to two. The means for rotatably supporting the front wall 50a to the top wall 50c is not limited to the hinge 52.

The front wall 50a has a knob (tab) 51 formed by bending a metal plate forming the front wall 50a at its lower end. Instead of such a knob 51, a separate handle may be attached to the front wall 50a.

As described above, in the cover 50 of the present embodiment, the lower side of the side wall 50b extends in the substantially horizontal direction. The upper side of the side wall 50b has an inclined portion extending diagonally upward from the rear end of the side wall 50b, and a horizontal portion extending from the front end of the inclined portion to the front end of the side wall 50b. The horizontal portion 50c1 of the top wall 50c is connected to the horizontal portion of the side wall 50b. The inclined portion 50c2 of the top wall 50c is connected to the inclined portion of the side wall 50b. By providing the inclined portion 50c2, the size (volume) of the cover 50 is made compact.

The cover 50 of the present embodiment has a top wall 50c having an inclined portion 50c2, so that the height is lowered toward the rear, but the shape of the cover is not limited to this. The shape of the cover 50 may be different from that shown in FIG. 2 as long as the receiving recess, which will be described later, is arranged behind the cover 50 and on the lower side of the cover 50 so as not to protrude from the lower side of the side wall 50b. ..

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the cover 50 and the connector holder housing 20 in a state where the connector is not housed. A receiving recess 20a for supporting the tip of the connector is formed in the connector holder housing 20. The receiving recess 20a is open forward in the horizontal direction. An elastic holder formed of a cushioning material such as rubber and receiving the tip of the connector 15 may be attached to the receiving recess 20a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the receiving recess 20a is arranged behind the cover 50 and below the cover 50 so as not to protrude from the lower side of the side wall 50b. The front end of the top wall (horizontal portion 50c1) is located at a position sufficiently higher than the receiving recess 20a. There are no obstacles blocking the view on the virtual straight line from the front end of the top wall 50c1 to the receiving recess 20a. Therefore, when the user rotates the front wall 50a of the cover 50 to open it, or when the front wall 50a is in the open state, the receiving recess 20a can be visually recognized from diagonally above as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. .. The user can easily visually recognize the receiving recess 20a without bending over and attach the connector removed from the electric vehicle (not shown).
The angle between the virtual straight line connecting the front end of the horizontal portion 50c1 of the top wall 50c and the rear end of the inclined portion 50c2 and the horizontal direction is preferably 20 ° or more, and more preferably 30 ° or more.

The front wall 50a is rotated by about 270 ° and is supported in a posture substantially parallel to the horizontal portion 50c1 of the top wall. The front wall 50a maintains a substantially horizontal posture due to its own weight. Therefore, when the front wall 50a is opened, the user does not have to continue to support the front wall 50a (the hand can be released from the front wall 50a).

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector 15 is housed and the front wall 50a is closed. Gravity acts on the front wall 50a in the direction of naturally closing. Therefore, the mechanism (clip or hook) for preventing the front wall 50a from being unintentionally opened can be omitted or simplified.

The lower end of the connector 15 and the cable extending from the connector 15 may protrude from the lower sides of the front wall 50a and the side wall 50b. On the other hand, the receiving recess 20a does not protrude from the lower sides of the front wall 50a and the side wall 50b. In other words, in the closed state, the lower end (lower side) of the front wall 50a is located below the receiving recess 20a and completely covers the horizontal front of the receiving recess 20a. The lower side of the side wall 50b is located below the receiving recess 20a and always covers the receiving recess 20a.
The dimensions of each wall are, for example, the height of the front wall 50a is 260 to 280 mm (mm), and the length of the horizontal portion 50c1 of the top wall 50c from the front end to the connection point with the inclined portion 50c2 is 190 to 190. It can be 210 mm. The inclination angle of the inclined portion 50c2 with respect to the horizontal portion 50c1 can be 55 to 65 °. As described above, the height from the ground (the installation surface of the power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle) to the connector holder housing 20 (the height to the center of the receiving recess 20a) can be about 1 m. The front wall 50a has a height of about twice that of the connector holder housing 20.

Although not shown, the cover 50 may have a bottom wall connected to the lower end of the side wall 50b. The bottom wall is provided so as not to interfere with the connector 15 and the cable when the connector 15 is housed.

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector 15 is housed and the front wall 50a is opened. There are no obstacles blocking the view on the virtual straight line from the front end of the top wall 50c1 to the connector 15. The user can easily see the operation unit 16 (see FIG. 1) of the release button provided on the connector 15 from diagonally above. The user can operate the release button to receive the connector 15 and remove it from the recess 20a. In this way, in addition to when the connector 15 is housed in the cover 50, usability and operability when the connector 15 is taken out from the cover 50 are also maintained.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.

For example, the power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle may be configured to emit a message urging the front wall 50a to be closed while the connector 15 is housed in the cover 50 and the front wall 50a is opened. The cover 50 may be provided with a sensor that detects that the front wall 50a is open. The message may be shown on the display panel 11 and may be uttered through the speaker. By doing so, the risk that the power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle is left with the front wall 50a of the cover 50 opened and the connector 15 is exposed to wind and rain or salt damage can be reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the upper end (upper side) of the front wall 50a is rotatably supported by the front end of the top wall 50c. Alternatively, the side side of the front wall 50a may be rotatably supported by the front end of the side wall 50b.

In the above-described embodiment, the opening defined by the entire front end of the side wall 50b of the cover 50 and the entire front end of the top wall 50c is opened and closed by the front wall 50a. Alternatively, the opening partitioned by a part of the front end of the side wall 50b of the cover 50 and a part of the front end of the top wall 50c may be opened and closed by the front wall 50a. The front wall 50a may have an openable / closable portion and a fixed portion. The position and opening area of the opening opened / closed by the front wall 50a may be set within a range in which the visibility of the receiving recess 20a and the connector operating portion 16 can be ensured.

In the above-described embodiment, the receiving recess 20a is formed in the connector holder housing 20 (the connector holder housing 20 corresponds to the connector holder). Alternatively, the connector holder housing 20 is omitted, and an elastic holder or a metal holder having a receiving recess 20a is installed behind and below the cover 50 (the elastic holder or the metal holder corresponds to the connector holder). You may. The receiving recess 20a may be an opening formed in an elastic plate or a metal plate (that is, it may be a receiving recess having no bottom).

In the above-described embodiment, the cover 50 is made of a metal plate that cannot be seen through. Alternatively, a portion of the cover 50 may be made of a transparent material. Hereinafter, the case where the front wall is formed of a transparent material will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this form.

In the cover 50 shown in FIG. 6, the front wall 60 has a fluoroscopic portion 55. The fluoroscopic unit 55 may be, for example, a transparent resin plate or a flexible transparent resin sheet. When the fluoroscopic portion 55 is formed of a transparent resin plate, its upper end (upper side) may be rotatably supported by the top wall 50c. Alternatively, the fluoroscope 55 may slide horizontally like a curtain. The fluoroscopic unit 55 may have a stopper 57 below the fluoroscopic unit 55 to prevent the fluoroscopic unit 55 from unintentionally opening. The stopper 57 may be, for example, a metal weight or a magnet that attracts to the side wall 50b or the side surface 10b.

When the see-through portion 55 is formed of a transparent resin sheet having flexibility, the upper end (upper side) of the see-through portion 55 may be supported by the top wall 50c via a clip 56 or the like. Alternatively, the fluoroscope 55 may slide horizontally like a curtain while being partially elastically deformed. The user flips (elastically deforms) the flexible fluoroscopic portion 55 to a necessary extent and takes out the housed connector 15. When the user releases the fluoroscope 55, the fluoroscope 55 naturally closes the opening of the cover 50 by the action of the stopper 57.

Similar to the above-described embodiment, the front wall 60 has a lower end (lower side) thereof located below the receiving recess 20a and covers the horizontal front of the receiving recess 20a in the closed state.

According to the cover 50 shown in FIG. 6, when the front wall 60 is closed without accommodating the connector 15, the user can visually recognize the receiving recess 20a from diagonally above through the fluoroscopic portion 55. In other words, the user can visually recognize the receiving recess 20a from diagonally above through the fluoroscopic portion 55 not only when the front wall 60 is open but also when the front wall 60 is closed. Further, when the front wall 60 is closed with the cover 50 accommodating the connector 15, the user can visually recognize the operation unit 16 (see FIG. 1) provided in the connector 15 from diagonally above through the fluoroscopic unit 55. Since the inside can always be seen through, usability and operability are maintained when the connector 15 is housed in the cover 50 and when the connector 15 is taken out from the cover 50.

If the cover 50 has an internal structure display unit and the user can visually recognize the internal structure including the receiving recess 20a and the operation unit 16 of the connector 15, a structure that does not open or close the front wall of the cover 50 may be adopted. .. The internal structure display unit may be a fluoroscopic unit 55 as shown in FIG.

For example, the user can attach / detach the connector 15 through the opening formed in the bottom of the cover 50 while visually recognizing the receiving recess 20a and the operating portion 16 of the connector 15 through the fluoroscopic portion 55. Alternatively, the user may attach / detach the connector 15 through the opening or the opening / closing door provided in the side wall 50b or the top wall 50c while visually recognizing the receiving recess 20a and the operation portion 16 of the connector 15 through the fluoroscopic portion. good.

The internal structure display unit may be configured by using a mirror instead of the fluoroscopic unit 55, or may be configured by using an imaging unit.

By adopting a structure that does not open and close the front wall in this way, the risk that the power conditioner 10 for an electric vehicle is left unattended with the front wall of the cover 50 open and the connector 15 is exposed to wind, rain, and salt damage can be reduced. ..

10 Power conditioner for electric vehicles 15 Connector 20 Connector holder housing 20a Receiving recess 50 Cover 55 Perspective part (internal structure display part)

Claims (8)

A connector holder with a receiving recess that supports the tip of the connector,
A cover that covers the receiving recess is provided.
The cover has a side wall extending forward from the receiving recess, a top wall provided at the upper end of the side wall, and a front wall.
The front wall opens and closes an opening partitioned by the front end of the side wall and the front end of the top wall.
The cover is a power conditioner for an electric vehicle configured so that the receiving recess can be visually recognized from diagonally above when the front wall is open without accommodating the connector. The electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cover is configured so that an operation unit provided on the connector can be visually recognized from diagonally above when the front wall is open with the connector housed. Power conditioner. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front wall is rotatably supported by the top wall. The electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the top wall has a horizontal portion extending substantially horizontally, and when the front wall is opened, the front wall is supported in a posture substantially parallel to the horizontal portion. Power conditioner for. The cover is fixed to the side surface of the housing of the power conditioner for an electric vehicle.
The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front wall opens and closes an opening defined by a side surface of the housing, a front end of the side wall, and a front end of the top wall. .. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the connector is housed in the cover and a message prompting the user to close the front wall is issued in a state where the front wall is opened. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least a part of the cover is made of a transparent material. A connector holder with a receiving recess that supports the tip of the connector,
A cover that covers the receiving recess is provided.
The cover has a side wall extending forward from the receiving recess, a top wall provided at the upper end of the side wall, and a front wall.
The cover is a power conditioner for an electric vehicle having an internal structure display unit.

Images