JP5640220B2 - Outlet plug of vehicle charging cable - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an outlet plug of a vehicle charging cable used for charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle.

  Charging a plug-in hybrid vehicle, an electric vehicle, or the like is performed by connecting a charging stand and a vehicle with a vehicle charging cable. There are two types of vehicle charging cables: a type that is integrated with a charging stand (stand integrated cable) and a type that can be carried on a vehicle (portable cable).

  All the vehicle charging cables are common in that they have a connector for connection with the vehicle at one end. On the other hand, the other end of the vehicle charging cable is drawn into the charging stand by the stand-integrated cable and cannot be removed by the user. There is an outlet plug that plugs into the outlet tap. In addition to the charging stand, the power source may be a normal outdoor outlet tap installed outdoors in a general home.

Since a large current flows through the vehicle charging cable while the vehicle is being charged, there is a risk of electric shock if the outlet plug is accidentally pulled out. Therefore, there is a demand for an outlet plug having a structure capable of instantaneously interrupting energization by opening an internal contact before the outlet plug is completely pulled out for the safety of the user.
For this purpose, it is preferable to mechanically link the linear movement by plugging in and pulling out the outlet plug and the contact opening mechanism, and when the outlet plug is pulled out, the tip is the outlet connection surface. A structure in which an insertion detecting portion that is urged outward by an elastic means to protrude and is pushed inward when an outlet plug is inserted is promising.

  In devices used in the home, an outlet plug has been developed that detects an abnormality in the insertion of the outlet plug and stops energization when a predetermined condition is met (Patent Document 1). However, if this structure is adopted for the outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable, when the outlet plug is plugged into the outlet tap outdoors in the rain, water droplets attached to the insertion detector may enter the outlet plug. It is necessary to provide a waterproof function at the site. For example, as a structure for waterproofing the part, a structure in which the entire outer periphery of the insertion detection unit is covered with rubber packing or the like can be considered.

  However, in the outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable, it is necessary to accurately detect the insertion position of the insertion detection unit in order to ensure that the contact is reliably inserted by the linear momentum of the plug plug insertion and removal. From this point of view, the rubber packing is required to be made of rubber having a softness that does not hinder the movement of the insertion detection unit.

  On the other hand, the outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable also needs to have a function of preventing water from entering from the peripheral edge of the outlet connection surface into the outlet plug.

In this case, with a structure that prevents inundation with two members, a soft rubber packing suitable for waterproofing of the insertion detection part and a rubber packing suitable for waterproofing from the peripheral part of the outlet connection surface to the inside of the outlet plug, There is a possibility that a gap may be formed at the joint of different members due to deterioration over time, and there is a problem that water may enter from the joint.
Also, when covering both the peripheral edge of the outlet connection surface and the tip of the insertion detection unit with a soft rubber packing suitable for waterproofing the insertion detection unit, the rubber packing is a resin cover that constitutes the outlet plug body. There is a problem in that the inner cover of the resin cover is weakened due to inward bending when being pinched and fixed, and the peripheral edge of the outlet connection surface cannot be secured. On the other hand, when a rubber packing having a high elasticity (spring constant) suitable for the outlet connection surface is used, the movement of the insertion detection unit is hindered, and there is a problem that the detection accuracy of the insertion detection unit is lowered.

JP-A-10-275673

  An object of the present invention is an outlet plug disposed at an end portion of a vehicle charging cable, which has a function of preventing water from entering from the peripheral edge of the outlet connection surface, and a function of preventing water from entering from the insertion detector. It is to provide an outlet plug of a cable for charging a vehicle that satisfies the requirements at the same time.

  The outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable of the present invention made to solve the above problems is an outlet plug disposed at the end of the vehicle charging cable, and is connected to an outlet connection surface provided at one end of the outlet plug body. Comprises a waterproof member that integrally forms a protrusion that covers the insertion detector, and a flat portion that waterproofs the outlet connection surface, and the elasticity of the peripheral portion of the flat portion of the waterproof member It is characterized by having a structure that is higher than the elasticity of the protruding portion.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable according to the first aspect, the reinforcing member is brought into contact with the flat portion of the waterproof member.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable according to the second aspect, the reinforcing member that abuts against the flat surface portion is provided on the inner side of the surface member constituting the outlet connecting surface and the case of the outlet plug. The waterproof member has a flat portion sandwiched between and supported by the front surface member and the back surface member.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable according to the second or third aspect, the flat surface portion has an upright side at a peripheral portion, and the flat surface portion surrounded by the upright side of the reinforcing member And the upright side is disposed in contact with the inner surface of the case of the outlet plug.

  An outlet plug of a vehicle charging cable according to the present invention is an outlet plug disposed at an end portion of the vehicle charging cable, and an insertion detecting portion is formed on an outlet connection surface provided at one end of the outlet plug body. A waterproof member integrally formed with a protruding portion that covers the insertion detection portion and a flat portion that waterproofs the outlet connection surface, and the elasticity of the peripheral portion of the flat portion of the waterproof member is higher than the elasticity of the protruding portion. By adopting such a structure, it is possible to effectively avoid flooding the periphery of the insertion detector and the outlet connection surface with a single waterproof member.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the reinforcing member is brought into contact with the flat surface portion of the waterproof member, the single waterproof member can be controlled by suppressing the bending of the flat surface portion regardless of the waterproof mechanism having a complicated structure. Thus, flooding can be effectively avoided by appropriate elasticity with respect to the periphery of the insertion detector and the outlet connection surface.

  According to invention of Claim 3, the reinforcement member contact | abutted to this plane part consists of the surface member which comprises an outlet connection surface, and the back surface member located inside the case of an outlet plug, and this waterproof member is a plane. By sandwiching and supporting the portion between the front surface member and the back surface member, it is possible to suppress the displacement of the waterproof member due to the movement of the insertion detection unit and to exhibit the waterproof function more effectively.

According to invention of Claim 4, this plane part has a standing side in a peripheral part,
By fitting the flat surface portion surrounded by the upright side of the reinforcing member and placing the upright side in contact with the inner surface of the case of the outlet plug, the peripheral portion of the waterproof member is supported with high elasticity. The flat part and the protruding part are less likely to bend, and within one member, the part that exhibits the waterproof property by effectively exerting the elasticity of the waterproof member, and the deflection of the waterproof member due to external pressure with high elasticity are effectively The part which suppresses and exhibits waterproofness can be provided simultaneously.

It is an external appearance perspective view which shows the outlet plug main body of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view of the case which comprises an outlet plug main body. It is internal structure explanatory drawing of an outlet plug main body. It is a view sectional view of an outlet plug main part. It is a figure explaining the internal mechanism of an outlet plug main part. It is explanatory drawing of an outlet connection surface. It is composition explanatory drawing of an outlet connection surface. FIG. 6 is a structural explanatory view of a rubber member 9. It is a rear view of the rubber member 9 fitted with the back member 10.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an outlet plug body provided at one end of a vehicle charging cable 16. Although not shown, a connector for connection to the automobile is formed at the other end of the vehicle charging cable 16. The end face of one end of the outlet plug body 1 is an outlet connection face 2, and is provided with two energizing plugs 3, one ground plug 4, and an insertion detection unit 5. The insertion detection unit 5 will be described later. A front end portion 52 covered with a rubber member 9 that is a waterproof member is projected.
The power plug 3 and the ground plug 4 are fixed inside the outlet plug body 1 and are inserted into the outlet tap on the power source side, but the insertion detection unit 5 is connected to the outlet connection surface 2 of the outlet plug body 1. It is what appears. An energization indicator lamp 6 and a test button 7 are provided on the upper surface of the outlet plug body 1. The test button 7 is a button for testing whether or not the leakage trip mechanism operates normally.

  The outlet plug main body 1 has a contact insertion mechanism that interlocks with the movement of the insertion detection unit 5, a leakage detection mechanism, and the like in a resin case 11 having a vertically divided structure shown in FIGS. Yes. A circular cylindrical portion 15 is formed at one end of the case 11, and a groove portion 14 for mounting a surface member constituting the outlet connection surface 2 is formed at the periphery of the inner surface of the cylindrical portion located at the tip portion. Yes. The other end of the outlet plug body 1 is formed with a cable lead-out portion 13 for pulling out the vehicle charging cable 16, and the cable lead-out portion 13 is waterproofed by a ring-shaped packing 13a. In addition, a packing 12 is applied to the joint portions of the side surfaces of the resin case 11 having a vertically divided structure to provide waterproofing.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the insertion detection unit 5 includes a main body 51 positioned inside the outlet plug main body 1 and a rod-shaped tip 52 protruding from the outlet connection surface 2. The main body 51 is always urged outward by an elastic means such as a coil spring, and the tip 52 protrudes from the outlet connection surface 2 when the outlet is pulled out.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a link mechanism and a rotating body 17 as a contact input mechanism are provided at the base end of the main body 51 of the insertion detector 5. When the outlet plug is inserted, the insertion detection unit 5 is pushed inward and the rotating body 17 rotates in a predetermined direction, and the contact is closed in conjunction with this. On the other hand, when the outlet plug is pulled out, the distal end portion of the insertion detection unit 5 protrudes outward from the outlet connection surface 2, and the insertion detection unit 5 moves to the left. Rotate in the direction to open the contact. In this way, the contacts are turned on and off in conjunction with the movement of the insertion detector 5.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the present embodiment, a surface member 8 constituting the outlet connection surface 2 is provided on one end face of the outlet plug body 1. A rubber member 9 is provided in contact with the back surface of the surface member 8 as a waterproof member for waterproofing the outlet connection surface, and a back member 10 is further provided in contact with the back surface of the rubber member 9.
The rubber member 9 has a flat portion 91 having substantially the same shape as the outlet connection surface 2, a protruding portion 92 that covers the insertion detecting portion 5, and an upright side portion 93 a that is formed on the peripheral edge portion 93 of the flat portion 91. In addition, as will be described later, it is composed of a single member having high elasticity that does not hinder the movement of the insertion detector 5.

The front surface member 8 and the back surface member 10 are not supported by the front surface member 8 and the back surface member 10 because the peripheral edge portion 93 is strongly supported from both sides by the front surface member 8 and the back surface member 10 by sandwiching the flat surface portion of the rubber member 9. Compared to the case, it functions as a reinforcing member that increases the elasticity (apparent spring constant) of the peripheral edge portion 93.
That is, the rubber member 9 can exhibit an appropriate elasticity (apparent spring constant) with respect to the pressure when fitting the cylindrical portion 15 of the case 11 with the above configuration.
Further, the front surface member 8 and the back surface member 10 can effectively exert the waterproof function of the rubber member 9 by suppressing the displacement of the flat surface portion 91 at the periphery of the protruding portion 92 due to the movement of the insertion detecting portion 5. I have to.
In the present embodiment, the rubber member 9 is provided with the front surface member 8 and the back surface member 10 in close contact with each other, and a screw insertion hole is formed in the substantially central portion of the rubber member 9 and the back surface member 10. The member 9 and the back surface member 10 are fixed to the front surface member 8 with screws inserted from the back surface member 10 side, thereby improving the adhesion of the three members.

  The surface member 8 is formed with a hole 21 formed in the outlet connection surface 2 so as to project the tip 52 of the insertion detection unit 5 covered with the bellows-shaped projection 92 of the rubber member 9. In addition, when the rubber member 92 is contracted, the rubber member 92 has a size capable of absorbing the bending (spreading) of the bellows.

The front member 8 and the back member 10 are preferably formed of a resin such as polycarbonate, for example, but the material is not limited as long as it has a considerable degree of rigidity. For example, a hard rubber or the like is used. May be.
In addition, two energizing plugs 3, one earth plug 4, and a hole through which the insertion detector 5 is inserted are formed so as to correspond to each shape. As shown in FIG. 7, a protruding portion 81 having a shape corresponding to the groove portion 14 formed inside the case 11 is formed on the periphery of the surface member 8. Further, the surface member 8 has a thickness such that when the rubber member 92 contracts, the protruding tip portion of the rubber member 92 is located on the same plane as the outlet connection surface 2.

  The material of the rubber member 9 is not limited as long as the rubber member 9 has a softness that does not hinder the movement of the insertion detection unit 5. For example, a soft elastomer (rubber) such as ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) is used. ). The type of elastomer (rubber) is not particularly limited, and any of thermoplastic elastomer and thermosetting elastomer (rubber) can be employed.

  The rubber member 9 is made of a single material. Therefore, it is preferable that the rubber member 9 is formed of a soft elastomer or the like that is optimal for the protruding portion 92 that covers the distal end portion 52 of the insertion detecting portion 5.

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the flat portion 91, insertion holes 91 a through which the two current plugs 3 and one ground plug 4 are inserted are formed so as to correspond to the shape of each plug. The plug insertion hole 91a has a tapered shape that narrows toward the outside, thereby ensuring adhesion with each plug and improving the waterproof performance.

  The protruding portion 92 is configured to be extendable and contractible by a bellows structure having a plurality of stepped portions, and covers the distal end portion 52 of the insertion detecting portion 5 inserted from the back surface side.

  On the back side of the flat portion 91, a protrusion 95 is formed at a position adjacent to the insertion hole 91a through which the two power plugs 3 are inserted, so that an insulation distance can be secured.

  The back member 10 is made of, for example, polyethylene terephthalate, and is formed so that two current plugs 3, one ground plug 4, and a hole through which the insertion detector 5 is inserted correspond to each shape. .

  Further, the peripheral portion 93 of the flat portion 91 is provided with a raised portion 93a raised toward the back surface side, and a convex portion 94 is formed along the outer surface of the raised portion 93a. Further, the back surface member 10 has substantially the same shape as a recess formed by being surrounded by the standing side portion 93a of the rubber member 9, and is fitted along the inner periphery of the recess.

As described above, since the rubber member 9 is made of a soft elastomer or the like, when the elasticity (apparent spring constant) of the standing side portion 93a is insufficient, the cylindrical portion 15 of the case 11 is fitted from the vertical direction of the rubber member 9. There is a possibility that the rubber member 9 curves without being able to counteract the pressure at the time of insertion, the inner surface of the case 11 cannot be pressed with an appropriate elasticity (apparent spring constant), and the waterproof function may be reduced. .
On the other hand, in this invention, the structure which fits the back surface member 10 is employ | adopted along the inner periphery of the recessed part formed surrounded by the standing edge part 93a of the rubber member 9 which is a waterproof member. As a result, the peripheral edge portion 93 can increase the elasticity (apparent spring constant) by the back surface member 10 from the inner peripheral side of the recess as compared with the case where the back surface member 10 is not fitted. 93a is imparted with the same characteristics as rubber having a strong elasticity (apparent spring constant), and can also resist the pressure when the cylindrical portion 15 of the case 11 is fitted from the vertical direction of the rubber member 9.
With the above-described configuration, the vertical side portion 93a made of the same member is employed while adopting a soft elastomer or the like that is optimal for covering the rubber member 9 with the protruding portion 92 that covers the distal end portion 52 of the insertion detecting portion 5. It is possible to exhibit a high elasticity (apparent spring constant) and to waterproof the outlet connection surface 2 with a single rubber member 9. Moreover, the convex part 94 improves the adhesiveness with the inner surface of the circular cylinder part 15 formed in the case 11, and is aiming at the improvement of waterproof performance.

In the above-described embodiment, the back surface member 10 is fitted and reinforced inside the recess formed by being surrounded by the upright side portion 93a raised on the back surface side of the flat surface portion 91, but the upright portion 93a. May be formed on the surface side of the rubber member 9, and only the surface member 10 may be used as the reinforcing member. In this case, the back member 10 can be omitted.
Moreover, it is good also as a structure which abbreviate | omits the surface member 8, form the outlet connection surface 2 as the rubber member 9, and fit the back surface member 10 on the back surface of the rubber member 9 as a reinforcement member similarly to the said embodiment. In this case, the connection surface on the outlet tap side and the outlet connection surface 2 are in close contact with each other, so that a further waterproof effect can be obtained.

  Furthermore, the end face of one end of the outlet plug body 1 may be formed only by the rubber member 9. In this case, it is possible to obtain a structure in which the elasticity (apparent spring constant) of the peripheral portion 93 is increased by giving the flat portion of the rubber member 9 and the peripheral portion 93 to a considerable thickness. Further, the rubber member 9 has a structure in which the elasticity (spring constant) of the peripheral portion 93 is increased by two-color molding of the flat portion and its peripheral portion 93 as a material having high elasticity (spring constant) with respect to the protruding portion 92. May be.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outlet plug main body 2 Outlet connection surface 21 Hole 3 Current plug 4 Ground plug 5 Insertion detection part 51 Main body part
52 Front end portion 6 Energizing indicator lamp 7 Test button 8 Surface member 81 Overhang portion 9 Rubber member 91 Flat portion 91a Insertion hole 92 Protruding portion 93 Peripheral portion 93a Standing side portion 94 Protruding portion 95 Protrusion 10 Back surface member 11 Case 12 Packing 13 Cable Drawer 14 Groove 15 Tube 16 Vehicle charging cable 17 Rotating body

Claims (4)

An outlet plug arranged at the end of the vehicle charging cable,
An insertion detection part is formed on the outlet connection surface provided at one end of the outlet plug body,
A protrusion that covers the insertion detector;
Provided with a waterproof member that integrally forms a flat part that waterproofs the outlet connection surface,
An outlet plug for a vehicle charging cable, characterized in that the elasticity of the peripheral edge of the flat part of the waterproof member is higher than the elasticity of the protruding part. 2. The outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable according to claim 1, wherein a reinforcing member is brought into contact with the flat portion of the waterproof member. The reinforcing member that comes into contact with the flat portion is a surface member that constitutes an outlet connection surface;
It consists of a back member located inside the case of the outlet plug,
The outlet plug of the vehicle charging cable according to claim 2, wherein the waterproof member is supported by sandwiching a flat portion between the front surface member and the back surface member. The flat portion has an upright side at the peripheral edge,
The reinforcing member is fitted to the flat portion surrounded by the upright side,
The outlet plug for a vehicle charging cable according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the upright side is disposed in contact with an inner surface of a case of the outlet plug.

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