JP5387024B2 - Vehicle charging cable - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle charging cable, and more particularly to a vehicle charging cable including a leakage detector.

  An electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, or the like that travels using a rotating electrical machine is equipped with a chargeable / dischargeable power storage device. Then, for example, power is supplied from the power storage device to perform powering, and regenerative energy is returned to the power storage device during braking. As described above, the power storage device charges and discharges according to the operation of the vehicle, but it is convenient to receive power supply from the outside when the amount of charge decreases. A vehicle charging cable is used to supply power from an external power source to a power storage device mounted on the vehicle. In some cases, the vehicle is charged using, for example, a commercial AC power source, and the vehicle charging cable used at that time needs to be provided with a leakage detector at a certain distance from the power outlet due to legal regulations and the like.

  As a technique related to the present invention, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a charging device for an electric vehicle. Here, a charging device for charging the battery of an electric vehicle including a battery, an inverter connected to the battery, and an AC motor connected to the inverter using an external power source is disclosed. And it is described that it has the charge relay which connects an electric vehicle and an external power supply, the earth-leakage circuit breaker provided between a charge relay and an external power supply, and the control means which controls opening and closing of a charge relay. In addition, the earth leakage breaker forces the detector to detect a short circuit in the charging circuit, the earth leakage relay to interrupt the charging circuit when a short circuit is detected by the detector, and the charging circuit to be forced prior to the closing operation of the charging relay. And a short-circuit means for short-circuiting. Further, it is stated that the control means prohibits the closing operation of the charging relay when the leakage relay is not cut off even if the charging circuit is short-circuited by the short-circuiting means.

JP-A-11-205909

  As described above, in Patent Document 1, a leakage breaker, in other words, a leakage detector is equipped with a detector, a leakage relay, a short-circuit means, and the like, and may be heavier than a cable. For this reason, for example, in a vehicle that can be supplied with power from an external power source, when the charging place is determined to be, for example, a home, a cable having a leakage detector is stored and taken out from the trunk room of the vehicle one by one. If this is the case, the weight of the leakage detector may be a burden for carrying the vehicle charging cable.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a charging cable for a vehicle that is easy to carry.

The vehicle charging cable according to the present invention has one end connected to a power supply side connector provided at the connection port for external power supply so that it can be fitted, and the other end provided a leakage detection side connector, A cable that is connected to a vehicle-side connector portion that can be connected to a charging port that is opened when charging while the vehicle is stopped, and a cable-side connector provided at the other end is connected to be able to be fitted to a leakage detection-side connector, cable-side connector have a shape to prohibit the engagement of the power connector, the vehicle-side connector unit is characterized that you supply commercial AC power to the vehicle.

  Further, in the vehicle charging cable according to the present invention, the external power connection port is a household power outlet, and the cable side connector is a plug-in terminal that prohibits fitting with the plug of the household power outlet. It is preferable to have.

  In the vehicle charging cable according to the present invention, it is preferable to include a disconnection prevention lock mechanism for preventing disconnection between the cable and the leakage detection unit.

  In the vehicle charging cable according to the present invention, it is preferable that the cable side connector and the leakage detection side connector have a waterproof mechanism.

  According to the vehicle charging cable configured as described above, the cable has one end detachably connected to the other end of the leakage detection unit, and the prohibiting mechanism for prohibiting the connection of the cable to the external power supply connection port. Thereby, while being able to isolate | separate an electrical leakage detection part and a cable, it can prevent that a cable is connected with respect to the connection port for external power supplies without passing through an electrical leakage detection part.

In embodiment which concerns on this invention, it is a figure explaining a mode when charging to a vehicle from an external power supply using the charging cable for vehicles. In embodiment which concerns on this invention, it is a figure which shows the procedure of the handling of the charging cable for vehicles at the time of charging a vehicle. In embodiment which concerns on this invention, it is a figure which shows the procedure of the handling of the charging cable for vehicles at the time of finishing charge of a vehicle.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, a hybrid vehicle in which a rotating electrical machine and an engine are mounted as a vehicle will be described, but an electric vehicle or the like that does not have an engine may be used. For example, it may be a fuel cell vehicle. In the following description, the charging port structure is provided on the vehicle body on the right rear side of the vehicle, but may be provided on an appropriate portion of the vehicle body other than this. Further, in this description, specific shapes, materials, numerical values, directions, and the like are examples for facilitating understanding of the present invention, and can be appropriately changed according to the use, purpose, specification, and the like.

  Below, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the same element in all the drawings, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted. In the description in the text, the symbols described before are used as necessary.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the vehicle 4 is charged from an external power source using the vehicle charging cable 40.

  Although not shown, the vehicle 4 is a hybrid vehicle equipped with a rotating electrical machine, an engine, a power storage device, and the like. The vehicle 4 is a right-hand drive vehicle, and a charging port structure 10 is provided on the rear side on the same side as the right door 6 on which the driver gets on and off, that is, on the right rear vehicle body 8. In FIG. 1, the charging port lid 12 which comprises the charging port structure 10 is shown.

  Although not shown in FIG. 1, the fuel filler structure is provided at a position symmetrical to the position where the charging port structure 10 is disposed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 4. In other words, in the vehicle 4, the fuel filler structure and the charging port structure 10 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. By arranging in this way, it is possible to reduce recognition errors between the fuel filler port and the charging port, and to improve the convenience of the charging operation for the driver.

  FIG. 1 further shows the charging port structure 10 in an enlarged manner, and shows a state where the vehicle charging cable 40 is connected thereto. Here, the charging port structure 10 is a structure provided with the charging port 20 for connecting an external commercial power supply, for example, in order to charge the electrical storage apparatus mounted in the vehicle 4. When charging the vehicle 4, the vehicle 4 is moved to a place where there is an appropriate external power source connection port 30 and stopped, and the vehicle charging cable 40 loaded in the trunk room of the vehicle 4 is taken out. An external power supply connection port 30 and a charging port 20 provided inside the charging port structure 10 of the vehicle 4 are connected to each other using a vehicle charging cable 40.

  As described above, the charging port structure 10 has the charging port lid 12 closed when the vehicle 4 does not require charging, and the charging port 20 is covered with the right rear vehicle body 8 so that the vehicle 4 is covered. The charging port lid 12 is opened for the first time when charging is stopped and the charging port 20 is exposed to the outside.

  Note that the enlarged view of the charging port structure 10 in FIG. 1 shows a state in which the charging port lid 12 is opened for the charging operation. Here, a charging port 20 and a charging port cover 16 are provided in a recessed area 14 provided on the inner side of the right rear vehicle body 8, and the charging port cover 16 that normally closes and covers the charging port 20 is opened for charging. The state is shown.

  An external power supply connection port 30 shown in FIG. 1 is a connection port to which commercial AC power from an external power supply is supplied. As shown in FIG. 1, the external power supply connection port 30 has insertion ports as a total of three connection terminals including two terminals for AC power and a ground terminal. As the external power source connection port 30, a household power outlet of a general household AC 100V or AC 200V can be used. Further, in a commercial facility such as a power supply stand, a power supply outlet for AC 100V or AC 200V can be used.

  The vehicle charging cable 40 includes a vehicle-side connector portion 42, a cable 48, a leakage detector 50, and a plug 52.

  The cable 48 includes a cable-side connector 49 at one end and is connected to the vehicle-side connector portion 42 at the other end, and is a power cable for transmitting commercial AC power as charging power from the external power source to the vehicle 4. . The cable 48 includes a power line for AC power transmission and a ground line inside, and has a structure in which the whole is covered with an insulating covering material while being insulated from each other, and is insulated to withstand transmission of charging power. Has performance. That is, in the above example, the insulation structure has an AC 100V or 200V and can withstand high power transmission at high speed charging, for example. The length of the cable 48 is set to be sufficient to connect the charging port 20 of the vehicle 4 and the external power supply connection port 30 when charging the vehicle 4. For example, the length is set to a length of several meters or a few tens of meters.

  The cable side connector 49 is a connector member that is provided at one end of the cable 48 and is fitted and connected to a leakage detection side connector 53 described later. The cable-side connector 49 is a connector member having an insertion port having a shape different from that of the insertion port corresponding to a total of three connection terminals of the commercial power supply 2 terminal and the ground terminal of the external power supply connection port 30. The cable-side connector 49 is normally sealed with a waterproof member, and the insertion port is capped. When charging, the cap is opened and fitted to the leakage detection-side connector 53.

  The vehicle-side connector portion 42 is a structural portion that is connected to the other end of the cable 48 and has a mechanism that is connected to the charging port 20 of the charging port structure 10 of the vehicle 4 by a user operation. The vehicle-side connector portion 42 includes a distal end side connection port portion 44 and a handle portion 46 that is integrated with the connection port portion 44 and is gripped by the user.

  The connection port portion 44 is a connection portion that is fitted into the charging port 20 of the vehicle 4 and connected to the power line and the ground line inside the cable 48. Actually, a signal line for operating various components provided in the handle portion 46 is also connected to the connection port portion 44 via the charging port 20 of the vehicle 4. In addition to the ground line, a connection structure for several signal lines is provided. The plurality of lines are connected at once by fitting the connection port portion 44 of the vehicle-side connector portion 42 into the charging port 20 of the charging port structure 10 of the vehicle 4.

  The handle portion 46 is a portion provided with a grip portion or the like so as to be easily gripped when the connection port portion 44 of the vehicle side connector portion 42 is fitted into the charging port 20 of the vehicle 4. 48 is a member arranged between Further, a locking mechanism is provided so that the fitting is not released, and a detection mechanism for detecting whether the fitting is performed reliably is also provided. Further, an illumination unit can be provided for convenient charging at night.

  As described above, the handle portion 46 is provided with various components, which require driving power and control signals, and therefore, as described above, a plurality of signal lines for these components are provided. It is pulled out from the handle portion 46 to the connection port portion 44. Then, the power line and the ground line that pass through the inside of the cable 48 pass through the inside of the handle portion 46 and are connected to the corresponding connection terminals of the connection port portion 44.

  The plug 52 is an outlet member that can be connected to the external power supply connection port 30. In the above example, since the external power supply connection port 30 has insertion ports corresponding to a total of three connection terminals of the commercial AC power 2 terminal and the ground terminal, the plug 52 is used for the commercial AC power. It is possible to use one having an insertion-shaped terminal corresponding to a total of three connection terminals including two terminals and a ground terminal.

  The leakage detector 50 is a device that detects a leakage of the cable 51 provided between the plug 52 and a circuit that interrupts power transmission when there is a leakage. The leakage detector 50 is obliged to be connected to the cable in accordance with safety regulations. Here, a combination of the leakage detector 50, the plug 52, and the cable 51 is referred to as a leakage detector. The leakage detector 50 may be heavier than the cable 48, the vehicle-side connector 44, and the like, and is an inconvenient device to carry.

  When the leakage detector 50 is provided, it is preferably disposed at a position close to the external power supply connection port 30. Therefore, the leakage detector 50 is provided in the range of a predetermined cable length from the plug 52. The range of the predetermined cable length is set according to safety regulations when indicated.

  The earth leakage detection side connector 53 is a connector member that is provided at the other end of the earth leakage detector 50 and has an insertion-shaped terminal corresponding to the insertion port of the cable side connector 49. In addition, when the leakage detection side connector 53 is fitted to the cable side connector 49, the leakage detection side connector 53 is twisted in the direction of arrow A with respect to the cable side connector 49. A known detachment prevention locking mechanism is provided to prevent detachment. Further, the leakage detection side connector 53 is normally capped with a plugged terminal with a waterproofed member, and can be fitted to the cable side connector 49 by opening the cap during charging. In the above description, the cable side connector 49 has the insertion port and the leakage detection side connector 53 has the insertion-shaped terminal. However, the leakage detection side connector 53 has the insertion port, and the cable side The connector 49 may have a plug-in terminal.

  Then, the effect | action of the charging cable 40 for vehicles which consists of the said structure is demonstrated with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a procedure for handling the vehicle charging cable 40 when charging the vehicle 4. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for handling the vehicle charging cable 40 when charging of the vehicle 4 is completed. When charging the vehicle 4, as shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 4 is first stopped in the vicinity of the external power supply connection port 30 (S2).

  The charging port lid 12 provided in the right rear vehicle body 8 of the vehicle 4 is opened (S4). Next, the charging port lid 16 is opened to expose the charging port 20 (S6). Subsequently, the vehicle charging cable 40 is carried from the trunk or the like of the vehicle 4 and the plug 52 is inserted into the insertion port of the external power supply connection port 30 (S8). Further, the leakage detection side connector 53 and the cable side connector 49 are fitted and connected, and the leakage detection side connector 53 is twisted and locked in the direction of arrow A (S10). And the vehicle side connector part 44 connected to the other end of the cable 48 is connected to the charging port 20 (S12). Thereafter, an operation to start charging the vehicle 4 is performed.

  After the charging of the vehicle 4 is completed, the vehicle-side connector portion 44 is removed from the charging port 20 as shown in FIG. 3 (S14). Next, the charging port lid 16 is closed and the charging port 20 is sealed and covered (S16). Subsequently, the charging port lid 12 is closed, and the charging port lid 12 and the right rear body 8 are integrated in appearance (S18). Further, the leakage detection side connector 53 and the cable side connector 49 are unlocked and disconnected (S20). Then, only the cable 48 having the other end connected to the vehicle-side connector 44 is stored in the trunk of the vehicle 4 (S22).

  As described above, the leakage detector 50 and the cable 48 connected to the vehicle-side connector 44 can be separated by attaching and detaching the leakage detection-side connector 53 and the cable-side connector 49. As a result, the leakage detector 50 can be kept connected to the external power supply connection port 30 via the cable 51 and the leakage detection connector 53, so that the cable 48 separated from the leakage detector 50 can be Can be easily carried around.

  The cable-side connector 49 connected to one end of the cable 48 is a connector member that has an insertion port but does not have an insertion terminal, and therefore cannot be directly connected to the external power supply connection port 30. Thereby, it can prevent starting charging without going through the electric leakage detector 50. In addition, the leakage detection side connector 53 provided at the other end of the leakage detector 50 has an insertion terminal corresponding to the cable side connector 49 having an insertion port having a shape different from that of the external power supply connection port 30. It can be prevented from being inserted into the external power supply connection port 30.

  4 Vehicle, 6 Right door, 8 Right rear body, 10 Charging port structure, 12 Charging port lid, 14 Recessed area, 16 Charging port lid, 20 Charging port, 30 External power supply connection port, 40 Vehicle charging cable, 42 Vehicle side Connector part, 44 Connection port part, 44 Vehicle side connector part, 44 Vehicle side connector, 46 Handle part, 48 Cable, 49 Cable side connector, 50 Leakage detector, 51 Cable, 52 Plug, 53 Leakage detection side connector.

Claims (4)

A leakage detector that is connected to a power supply side connector provided at one end of the connection port for external power supply and can be fitted, and a leakage detection side connector is provided at the other end;
A cable whereas the end connected to the vehicle-side connector portion connectable to the charging port to open during the charge of stopping the vehicle, the cable-side connector provided on the other end is connected in a fit and leakage detection connector,
With
Cable-side connector have a shape to prohibit the engagement of the power connector,
Vehicle-side connector portion, vehicular charging cable characterized that you supply commercial AC power to the vehicle. The vehicle charging cable according to claim 1 ,
The connection port for external power is a household power outlet.
The vehicle-side charging cable, wherein the cable-side connector has an insertion-shaped terminal that prohibits fitting with an insertion port of a household power outlet. In the vehicle charging cable according to claim 1 or 2 ,
A charging cable for a vehicle, comprising a disconnection prevention lock mechanism for preventing disconnection between a cable and a leakage detector. In the vehicle charging cable according to any one of claims 1 to 3 ,
The vehicle-side charging cable, wherein the cable-side connector and the leakage detection-side connector have a waterproof mechanism.

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