JP7480692B2 - Vehicle charging inlet structure - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a charging inlet structure for a vehicle.

A conventional vehicle charging inlet structure is described in Patent Document 1. In this vehicle charging inlet structure, the charging inlet is installed in the front bumper cover of the vehicle, and the charging inlet is opened and closed by a charging lid.

JP 2012-245842 A

Vehicles are equipped with a charging inlet bracket for attaching the charging inlet to the vehicle, but in order to emphasize design, the charging inlet bracket may be fixed to a thin plate rather than to a rigid part such as the body frame. However, in such cases, the charging inlet may become displaced during charging operations, causing the user to feel uncomfortable.

Therefore, the objective of this disclosure is to provide a charging inlet structure for a vehicle in which the charging inlet is less likely to deform during charging operations, even though the charging inlet bracket is fixed to a thin plate.

In order to solve the above problems, the vehicle charging inlet structure of the present invention includes an inlet bracket having multiple legs and used when attaching a charging inlet to a vehicle, a thin plate included in the vehicle body and to which the multiple legs are fastened, and a patch extending along the thin plate, the patch having a first end portion fastened to a first leg portion included in the multiple legs with a first location of the thin plate sandwiched therebetween, and a second end portion fastened to a second leg portion included in the multiple legs and adjacent to the first leg with a second location of the thin plate sandwiched therebetween.

In addition, in the present invention, an inner rib portion may be provided that is arranged on the inside of the vehicle body relative to the third location of the thin plate so as to overlap the third location in the thickness direction of the thin plate, and a third leg portion included in the plurality of legs may be fastened and fixed to the inner rib portion while sandwiching the third location.

In addition, in the present invention, the first leg protrudes upward from the rear and upper side (rear and upper side of the vehicle body) of the plate-shaped main body of the inlet bracket, while the second leg protrudes rearward from the rear and upper side of the main body, and the first leg is integrally formed with the main body, while the second leg is a separate part from the main body and is fastened and fixed to the main body.

According to the charging inlet structure of the present disclosure, a patch (backing plate) is placed along the thin plate, and two adjacent legs of the inlet bracket are fixed to the patch with the thin plate sandwiched between them. Therefore, the thin plate portion where the two adjacent legs are fixed can be reinforced with the patch, and the rigidity of the thin plate portion can be increased. This makes it possible to suppress deformation of the thin plate portion due to the load from the two legs, and suppress deformation (displacement) of the inlet bracket during charging operations, thereby suppressing discomfort felt by the user during charging operations.

1 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle body in which a charging inlet structure according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed, viewed from the rear in the front-rear direction. FIG. 2 is a right side schematic view of the vehicle body as viewed from the right side. 3 is an enlarged side view of the periphery of the charging inlet structure in FIG. 2. 10 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a degree of deformation in the vicinity of a charging inlet structure of a vehicle when a load is applied to the vehicle of a reference example toward the rear side in the front-rear direction. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a degree of deformation in the vicinity of a charging inlet structure of a vehicle when a load is applied to a vehicle of the present disclosure toward the rear in the front-rear direction. FIG. FIG. 6A is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to a reference example, and FIG. 6B is a partially enlarged side view of the periphery of the charging inlet structure in FIG. 6A. 7A is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 6B, and FIG. 7B is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R3 in FIG. 7A, showing an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 7A is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to the present disclosure corresponding to FIG. 6A, and FIG. 7B is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure in FIG. 8(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R3' in (a), showing an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. FIG. 1A is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to a reference example, and FIG. 1B is a schematic enlarged side view of the periphery of a charging inlet structure in FIG. 10A is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 10B, and FIG. 10B is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a region R4 in FIG. 10A, which is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 10A is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to the present disclosure corresponding to FIG. 10A, and FIG. 10B is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure in FIG. 12(b), (b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R4' in (a), and an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 1A to 1C are schematic perspective views illustrating the degree of deformation near the charging inlet structure of a reference example vehicle when a load is applied to the reference example vehicle in the vehicle width direction inward as shown by arrow e in FIG. 1A to 1C are schematic perspective views for explaining the degree of deformation near the charging inlet structure of the vehicle when a load is applied to the vehicle of the present disclosure toward the inside of the vehicle width direction as shown by the arrow e' in FIG. 1A is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to a reference example, and FIG. 1B is a schematic enlarged side view of the periphery of a charging inlet structure in FIG. 16(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. 16(b), and (b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R7 in (a), which is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 16(a) is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to the present disclosure corresponding to FIG. 16(a), and FIG. 16(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure in FIG. 18(b), and (b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R7' in (a), showing an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 1A is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to a reference example, and FIG. 1B is a schematic enlarged side view of the periphery of a charging inlet structure in FIG. 20(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 20(b), and (b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R8 in (a), which is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 20(a) is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to the present disclosure corresponding to FIG. 20(a), and FIG. 20(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure in FIG. 20(a). 22(b), and (b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R8' in (a), showing an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 1A to 1C are schematic perspective views illustrating the degree of deformation near the charging inlet structure of a reference example vehicle when a load is applied to the reference example vehicle downward in the vehicle height direction as shown by arrow h in FIG. 25(a) to 25(c) are schematic perspective views for explaining the degree of deformation near the charging inlet structure of the vehicle when a load is applied to the vehicle of the present disclosure downward in the vehicle height direction as indicated by the arrow h' in FIG. 25(b). 1A is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to a reference example, and FIG. 1B is a schematic enlarged side view of the periphery of a charging inlet structure in FIG. 26(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line E-E in FIG. 26(b), and (b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R11 in (a), and an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 26(a) is a schematic side view of a vehicle according to the present disclosure corresponding to FIG. 26(a), and FIG. 26(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure in FIG. 26(a). 28(b), and (b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the region R11' in (a), showing an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure. 5 is an enlarged side view corresponding to FIG. 3 in a charging inlet structure of a modified example. FIG.

The following describes in detail the embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following, when multiple embodiments or variations are included, it is assumed from the beginning that new embodiments will be constructed by appropriately combining the characteristic parts of those. In the following examples, the same components are given the same reference numerals in the drawings, and duplicated explanations will be omitted. In addition, multiple drawings include schematic diagrams, and the dimensional ratios of the length, width, height, etc. of each component do not necessarily match between different drawings. In addition, when the word "approximately" is used in this specification, it is used in the same sense as the word "roughly speaking," and the requirement of "approximately ~" is met if a person looks roughly ~. For example, the requirement of approximately circular is met if a person looks roughly circular.

In the following description and drawings, the X direction is the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle 40, 140 equipped with the charging inlet structure 1, 101, 201 of the present disclosure and reference examples, the Y direction is the width direction of the vehicle 40, 140, and the Z direction is the height direction of the vehicle 40, 140. The direction of the X direction arrow is from the front to the rear, and the direction of the Z direction arrow is from the bottom to the top in the height direction. The X direction, Y direction, and Z direction are mutually perpendicular. Among the components described below, components that are not described in the independent claim showing the highest concept are optional components and are not essential components.

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a vehicle body 50 of a vehicle 40 in which a charging inlet structure 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is installed, as viewed from the rear side in the X direction, and Figure 2 is a schematic right side view of the vehicle body 50 as viewed from the right side. Also, region R1 shown in Figure 1 is the installation region of the charging inlet structure 1 in the vehicle body 50.

In the plan view of the vehicle as seen from the rear shown in FIG. 1, the charging inlet structure 1 is installed outside the tail lamp installation location 41 in the Y direction and above the tail lamp installation location 41 in the Z direction. In addition, in the side view shown in FIG. 2, the charging inlet structure 1 is installed above the wheel installation location 42 on the vehicle 40 in a position that overlaps with the wheel installation location 42 in the Z direction.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of the charging inlet structure 1 and its surroundings in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the charging inlet structure 1 includes a thin plate 5 that forms part of the vehicle body, an inlet bracket 10 having multiple legs 11-14 fastened to the thin plate 5, a patch (a support member) 20, and an inner frame 30. The thin plate 5, inlet bracket 10, patch 20, and inner frame 30 are made of metal. The thin plate 5 is a sheet metal part that is thinner than the skeletal members of the vehicle body 50. The thin plate 5 forms, for example, the wheel arch of the vehicle 40 (the part where the tires are attached to the vehicle 40).

The inlet bracket 10 has a plate-shaped main body 15, which is provided with an attachment port 16 used to attach a charging inlet (not shown). Substantially all or all of the main body 15 is disposed at a location overlapping with the opening 6 provided in the thin plate 5 in the Y direction, and all of the attachment ports 16 are disposed at locations overlapping with the opening 6 in the Y direction. The multiple legs 11-14 include a front lower leg 11, a first rear upper leg 12, a second rear upper leg 13, and a rear lower leg 14. Each of the legs 11-14 protrudes outward from the outer edge of the main body 15.

In detail, the front lower leg 11 protrudes forward in the X direction from the front and lower side of the main body 15, and the first rear upper leg 12 protrudes upward in the Z direction from the rear and upper side of the main body 15. In addition, the second rear upper leg 13 protrudes rearward in the X direction from the rear and upper side of the main body 15, and the rear lower leg 14 protrudes downward in the Z direction from the rear and lower side of the main body 15.

The inlet bracket 10 includes two parts. The front lower leg 11, the first rear upper leg 12, and the rear lower leg 14 are integral with the main body 15 and are composed of one part. On the other hand, the second rear upper leg 13 is composed of a separate part that is different from the above parts. The second rear upper leg 13 is fastened and fixed to the rear and upper side of the outer surface of the main body 15 below the first rear upper leg 12 by fastening means such as a bolt.

The front lower leg 11 extends from the main body 15 toward the outside of the vehicle body 50 beyond the thin plate 5. The tip 11a of the front lower leg 11 is located toward the outside of the vehicle body 50 beyond the thin plate 5, and overlaps in the Y direction with the inner edge 7 that defines the opening 6 in the thin plate 5. On the other hand, the first rear upper leg 12, the second rear upper leg 13, and the rear lower leg 14 extend from the main body 15 toward the inside of the vehicle body 50 beyond the thin plate 5. The tip 12a of the first rear upper leg 12, the tip 13a of the second rear upper leg 13, and the tip 14a of the rear lower leg 14 are located toward the inside of the vehicle body 50 beyond the thin plate 5, and overlap in the Y direction with the inner edge 7 that defines the opening 6 in the thin plate 5.

The patch 20 is a curved, elongated metallic reinforcing part (backing plate) that is positioned outside the vehicle body 50 relative to the thin plate 5. The patch 20 extends along the inner edge 7 on the vehicle body outer side of the inner edge 7 that defines the opening 6 in the thin plate 5 from a point where it overlaps the tip 12a of the first rear upper leg 12 in the Y direction to a point where it overlaps the tip 13a of the second rear upper leg 13 in the Y direction. Substantially all or all of the patch 20 overlaps the thin plate 5 in the Y direction.

The tip 12a of the first rear upper leg 12 and the first end (upper end) 20a of the patch 20 are fastened and fixed by the same fastening member 51 with the first location of the thin plate 5 sandwiched between them. The tip 13a of the second rear upper leg 13 and the second end (lower end) 20b of the patch 20 are fastened and fixed by the same fastening member 52 with the second location of the thin plate 5 sandwiched between them. The first rear upper leg 12 and the second rear upper leg 13 are adjacent legs. The first rear upper leg 12 is an example of a first leg, and the second rear upper leg 13 is an example of a second leg.

The inner frame 30 is located inside the vehicle body relative to the thin plate 5 and is a component that constitutes the vehicle body frame. The inner frame 30 is thicker than the thin plate 5 and connects, for example, the wheelhouse inner to a frame member installed at the rear of the vehicle body. By placing the inner frame 30, the wheelhouse inner can be connected to the frame member at the rear of the vehicle body with a thick metal portion, making it possible to efficiently transmit load from the wheelhouse inner to the frame member at the rear of the vehicle body. The inner frame 30 is a component that is placed for the purpose of improving the rigidity of the vehicle body 50, etc.

The inner bone 30 has an inner bone portion 31 that is located around the opening 6 of the thin plate 5 and approximately forward of the opening 6 in the X direction. The inner bone portion 31 also includes a rear protruding portion 31a that protrudes rearward in the X direction and overlaps with the tip portion 11a of the front lower leg portion 11 in the Y direction. The rear protruding portion 31a of the inner bone portion 31 and the tip portion 11a of the front lower leg portion 11 are fastened and fixed by the same fastening member 53 with the third point of the thin plate 5 sandwiched therebetween.

Next, the effects of the charging inlet structure 1 of the present disclosure will be described. In detail, the superior load-bearing performance of the charging inlet structure 1 of the present disclosure will be described by comparing it with the charging inlet structure 101 of the reference example.

[Load-bearing performance against load toward rear side in X direction]
Figures 4(a) to 4(c) are schematic perspective views for explaining the degree of deformation near charging inlet structure 101 of vehicle 140 of the reference example when a load is applied to vehicle 140 in the rear direction in the X direction as indicated by arrow a in Figure 4(b). Also, Figures 5(a) to 5(c) are schematic perspective views for explaining the degree of deformation near charging inlet structure 1 of vehicle 40 of the present disclosure when a load is applied to vehicle 40 including the charging inlet structure 1 in the rear direction in the X direction as indicated by arrow a' in Figure 5(b).

Note that Figs. 4(b) and 5(b) show the state before deformation, and Figs. 4(c) and 5(c) show the state after deformation. The charging inlet structure 101 of the vehicle 140 of the reference example differs from the charging inlet structure 1 of the vehicle 40 in that it does not have the second rear upper leg 13, the patch 20, and the rear protrusion 31a of the inner bone portion 31, and that the tip 111a of the front lower leg 111 is located on the inside of the vehicle body relative to the thin plate 5 and is fastened and fixed only to the thin plate 5, but is the same in other respects.

In the charging inlet structure 101 shown in FIG. 4(c), the deformation of the general surface of the upper fastening part of the inlet bracket 110 located in the region R2 surrounded by the dotted closed curve is large, and as a result, the deformation of the inlet bracket 110 toward the rear inside the vehicle, as indicated by the arrow b, is large.

In contrast, in the charging inlet structure 1 of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 5(c), the addition of the second rear upper leg 13 and patch 20, which are separate parts, clamps and fixes the thin plate 5 to the upper and rear sides, thereby suppressing deformation of the general surface of the upper fastening part of the inlet bracket 10, shown in the area R2' surrounded by the dotted closed curve, and as a result, the inlet bracket 10 is also significantly prevented from falling toward the rear inside the vehicle, as shown by the arrow b'.

Therefore, by providing an additional second rear upper leg 13 on the inlet bracket 10, it is possible to prevent the inlet bracket 10 from tipping toward the inside of the vehicle when a front-rear load is applied. In addition, by providing a new patch 20 connecting the upper leg to the rear leg of the inlet bracket 10, it is possible to prevent deformation of the thin plate 5 near the upper leg fastening portion, and reduce the displacement of the inlet bracket 10 toward the rear side inside the vehicle. As a result, it is possible to increase the rigidity of the mounting portion of the inlet bracket 10, which improves the operability of the charging connector and the texture of the charging inlet structure 1.

The explanation of the deformation of the inlet portion when a load is applied to the rear side in the X direction will be further continued. FIG. 6(a) is a schematic side view of a reference example vehicle 140, and FIG. 6(b) is a partially enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of charging inlet structure 101 in FIG. 6(a). FIG. 7(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of line A-A in FIG. 6(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of vehicle 140 cut by XY plane passing through front lower leg portion 111. FIG. 7(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R3 in FIG. 7(a), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of charging inlet structure 101.

Meanwhile, FIG. 8(a) is a schematic side view of the vehicle 40 corresponding to FIG. 6(a), and FIG. 8(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 1 in FIG. 8(a). Also, FIG. 9(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the A'-A' line in FIG. 8(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view when the vehicle 40 is cut in the XY plane passing through the front lower leg portion 11. Also, FIG. 9(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the region R3' in FIG. 9(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 1. Note that in FIGS. 7(a), (b) and 9(a), (b), the solid lines indicate the state before deformation, and the dotted lines indicate the state after deformation after a load is applied to the rear side in the X direction.

Comparing the state shown in FIG. 7(a) with the state shown in FIG. 9(a), the degree of deformation of the inlet bracket 110 of the vehicle 140 of the reference example toward the inside of the vehicle, indicated by arrow c, is greater than the degree of deformation of the inlet bracket 10 of the vehicle 40 of this embodiment toward the inside of the vehicle, indicated by arrow c'. Furthermore, comparing the state shown in FIG. 7(b) with the state shown in FIG. 9(b), the front lower leg 111 of the vehicle 140 of the reference example is more deformed than the front lower leg 11 of the vehicle 40.

Therefore, in addition to preventing the inlet bracket 10 from tipping inward when a front-rear load is applied by adding the second rear upper leg 13, the front lower leg 11 is fastened with the thin plate 5 sandwiched between the front lower leg 11 and the inner bone portion 31, which effectively prevents deformation of the front lower leg 11 and increases the fatigue strength of the front lower leg 11.

Figure 10(a) is a schematic side view of a vehicle 140 of a reference example, and Figure 10(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 101 in Figure 10(a). Figure 11(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of line B-B in Figure 10(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 140 cut on the YZ plane passing through the rear upper leg portion 112. Figure 11(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R4 in Figure 11(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 101.

Meanwhile, FIG. 12(a) is a schematic side view of the vehicle 40 corresponding to FIG. 10(a), and FIG. 12(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 1 in FIG. 12(a). Also, FIG. 13(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the line B'-B' in FIG. 12(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 40 cut in the YZ plane passing through the first rear upper leg portion 12. Also, FIG. 13(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the region R4' in FIG. 13(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 1. Note that in FIGS. 11(a), (b) and 13(a), (b), the solid lines indicate the state before deformation, and the dotted lines indicate the state after deformation after a load is applied to the rear side in the X direction.

As shown in Figures 4(c) and 5(c), the deformation of the upper and rear sides of the inlet bracket 110 is large, while the deformation of the upper and rear sides of the inlet bracket 10 is suppressed to be small. Also, due to this, as shown in the regions R5, R5' surrounded by dotted circles in Figures 11(b) and 13(b), respectively, the deformation of the fastening portion on the lower and rear sides of the inlet bracket 110 is large, while the deformation of the fastening portion on the lower and rear sides of the inlet bracket 10 is small. As a result, the deformation of the inlet bracket 110 in the Y direction inward as indicated by the arrow d is large, while the deformation of the inlet bracket 10 in the Y direction inward as indicated by the arrow d' is suppressed to be small.

Therefore, by installing the additional second rear upper leg 13 on the inlet bracket 10, not only can the inlet bracket 10 be prevented from collapsing toward the inside of the vehicle when a front or rear load is applied, but by providing a new patch 20 connecting the upper leg to the rear leg of the inlet bracket 10, the surface rigidity of the upper mounting part of the inlet bracket 10 can be increased. And not only can deformation of the upper leg fastening part of the inlet bracket 10 be suppressed, but by reducing this deformation, deformation of the lower leg fastening part of the inlet bracket 10 can also be efficiently suppressed, and the fatigue strength of the upper and lower mounting parts of the inlet bracket 10 can be increased.

[Load-bearing capacity against load inward in the Y direction]
Next, the resistance of the charge inlet structure 1 to a load in the Y direction will be described. Figures 14(a) to 14(c) are schematic perspective views for explaining the degree of deformation near the charge inlet structure 101 of the vehicle 140 of the reference example when a load is applied in the Y direction inward as indicated by the arrow e in Figure 14(b) to the vehicle of the reference example. Also, Figures 15(a) to 15(c) are schematic perspective views for explaining the degree of deformation near the charge inlet structure 1 of the vehicle 40 of the present disclosure when a load is applied in the Y direction inward as indicated by the arrow e' in Figure 15(b) to the vehicle 40 including the charge inlet structure 1. Note that Figures 14(b) and 15(b) show a state before deformation, and Figures 14(c) and 15(c) show a state after deformation.

In the charging inlet structure 101 shown in FIG. 14(c), the deformation of the general surface of the upper fastening part of the inlet bracket 110, shown in the region R6 enclosed by the dotted closed curve, is large, and as a result, the deformation of the inlet bracket 110 toward the inside of the vehicle is large.

In contrast, in the charging inlet structure 1 of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 15(c), the addition of the second rear upper leg 13 and patch 20, which are separate parts, clamps and fixes the inlet bracket 10 to the upper and rear sides, thereby suppressing deformation of the general surface of the upper fastening part of the inlet bracket 10, as shown in the area R6' surrounded by the dotted closed curve, and as a result, the inlet bracket 10 is also significantly prevented from collapsing toward the inside of the vehicle.

Therefore, by providing an additional second rear upper leg 13 on the inlet bracket 10, it is possible to prevent the inlet bracket 10 from tipping over toward the inside of the vehicle when an inward load in the Y direction is applied. In addition, by providing a new patch 20 connecting the upper leg to the rear leg of the inlet bracket 10, it is possible to prevent deformation of the thin plate 5, which is the upper leg fastening portion, and reduce the displacement of the inlet bracket 10 toward the rear side inside the vehicle. This makes it possible to increase the rigidity of the mounting portion of the inlet bracket 10, improve the operability of the charging connector, and also improve the texture of the charging inlet structure 1.

The deformation of the inlet portion when a load is applied inward in the Y direction will be further described. Figure 16(a) is a schematic side view of a vehicle 140 of a reference example, and Figure 16(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 101 in Figure 6(a). Figure 17(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of line C-C in Figure 16(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 140 cut in the XY plane passing through the front lower leg portion 111. Figure 17(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R7 in Figure 17(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 1.

Meanwhile, FIG. 18(a) is a schematic side view of the vehicle 40 corresponding to FIG. 16(a), and FIG. 18(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 1 in FIG. 18(a). Also, FIG. 19(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the C'-C' line in FIG. 18(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 40 cut in the XY plane passing through the front lower leg portion 11. Also, FIG. 19(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the region R7' in FIG. 19(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 1. Note that in FIGS. 17(a), (b) and 19(a), (b), the solid lines indicate the state before deformation, and the dotted lines indicate the state after deformation after a load is applied inward in the Y direction.

Comparing the state shown in FIG. 17(b) with the state shown in FIG. 19(b), the degree of deformation of the front fastening portion of the inlet bracket 110 of the vehicle 140 is greater than the degree of deformation of the front fastening portion of the inlet bracket 10 of the vehicle 40. Also, as shown in FIG. 17(a) and FIG. 19(a), the degree of deformation of the inlet bracket 10 indicated by the arrow f' is smaller than the degree of deformation of the inlet bracket 110 indicated by the arrow f.

Therefore, by adding the second rear upper leg 13 to the inlet bracket 10, in addition to preventing the bracket from tipping inward in the Y direction when a load is applied inward, the front lower leg 11 is fastened with the thin plate 5 sandwiched between the front lower leg 11 and the inner bone portion 31, which efficiently prevents deformation of the front lower leg 11 and increases the fatigue strength of the front lower leg 11.

20(a) is a schematic side view of the vehicle 140, and FIG. 20(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 101 in FIG. 20(a). FIG. 21(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of line D-D in FIG. 20(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 140 cut along the YZ plane passing through the rear upper leg portion 112. FIG. 21(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of region R8 in FIG. 21(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 101.

Meanwhile, FIG. 22(a) is a schematic side view of the vehicle 40 corresponding to FIG. 20(a), and FIG. 22(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 1 in FIG. 22(a). Also, FIG. 23(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the D'-D' line in FIG. 22(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 40 cut in the YZ plane passing through the first rear upper leg 12. Also, FIG. 23(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the region R8' in FIG. 23(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 1. Note that in FIGS. 21(a), (b) and 23(a), (b), the solid lines indicate the state before deformation, and the dotted lines indicate the state after deformation after a load is applied inward in the Y direction.

21(b) and 23(b), the degree of deformation of the upper fastening portion of the inlet bracket 110 of the vehicle 140 is greater than the degree of deformation of the upper fastening portion of the inlet bracket 10 of the vehicle 40. As a result, as shown in the region R9 surrounded by a dotted circle in FIG. 21(a) and the region R9' surrounded by a dotted circle in FIG. 23(a), the degree of deformation of the lower portion of the inlet bracket 10 toward the inside of the vehicle body is suppressed more than the degree of deformation of the lower portion of the inlet bracket 110 toward the inside of the vehicle body. The degree of deformation of the inlet bracket 110 toward the inside of the vehicle body shown by the arrow g in FIG. 21(a) is greater than the degree of deformation of the inlet bracket 10 toward the inside of the vehicle body shown by the arrow g' in FIG. 23(a).

Therefore, by providing the additional second rear upper leg 13 on the inlet bracket 10, not only can the inlet bracket 10 be prevented from collapsing toward the inside of the vehicle when a left-right (Y-direction) load is applied, but by providing a new patch 20 connecting the upper leg to the rear leg of the inlet bracket 10, the surface rigidity of the upper mounting part of the inlet bracket 10 can be increased. And not only can deformation of the upper leg fastening part of the inlet bracket 10 be suppressed, but by reducing this deformation, deformation of the lower leg fastening part of the inlet bracket 10 can also be efficiently suppressed, and the fatigue strength of the upper and lower mounting parts of the inlet bracket 10 can be increased.

[Load-bearing capacity against load downward in Z direction]
Next, the resistance of the charge inlet structure 1 to a load applied downward in the Z direction will be described. Figures 24(a) to 24(c) are schematic perspective views for explaining the degree of deformation near the charge inlet structure 101 of the vehicle 140 of the reference example when a load is applied downward in the Z direction as indicated by the arrow h in Figure 24(b) to the vehicle 140 of the reference example. Also, Figures 25(a) to 25(c) are schematic perspective views for explaining the degree of deformation near the charge inlet structure 1 of the vehicle 40 of the present disclosure when a load is applied downward in the Z direction as indicated by the arrow h' in Figure 25(b) to the vehicle 40 including the charge inlet structure 1. Note that Figures 24(b) and 25(b) show a state before deformation, and Figures 24(c) and 25(c) show a state after deformation.

In the charging inlet structure 101 shown in FIG. 24(c), the deformation of the general surface of the upper fastening portion of the inlet bracket 110, indicated by the region R10 enclosed by the dotted closed curve, is large. In addition, the deformation of the upper side of the inlet bracket 110 toward the outside under the vehicle, indicated by the arrow i, is large, and the deformation of the inlet bracket 110 toward the inside under the vehicle, indicated by the arrow j, is also large.

In contrast, in the charging inlet structure 1 of the present disclosure shown in FIG. 25(c), the second rear upper leg 13 and patch 20, which are separate parts, are added to clamp and fix the inlet bracket 10 to the upper and rear sides, thereby minimizing deformation of the general surface of the fastening upper part of the inlet bracket 10, as shown in the region R10' surrounded by the dotted closed curve. In addition, deformation of the upper side of the inlet bracket 110 toward the outside under the vehicle, as shown by the arrow i', is also minimizing deformation of the inlet bracket 110 toward the inside under the vehicle, as shown by the arrow j.

Therefore, by providing a patch 20 that connects the upper leg to the rear leg of the inlet bracket 10, deformation of the thin plate 5 at the upper leg fastening portion can be suppressed, and the displacement of the inlet bracket 10 toward the outside under the vehicle can be reduced. In addition to being able to suppress such deformation, the displacement of the lower side of the inlet bracket 10 toward the inside under the vehicle can also be reduced, which can improve the rigidity of the bracket attachment portion, improve the operability of the charging connector, and improve the texture of the inlet portion.

The deformation of the inlet portion when a load is applied downward in the Z direction will be further described. Figure 26(a) is a schematic side view of the vehicle 140, and Figure 26(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 101 in Figure 26(a). Figure 27(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of line E-E in Figure 26(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 140 cut in the YZ plane passing through the rear upper leg portion 112. Figure 27(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the region R11 in Figure 27(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 101.

Meanwhile, FIG. 28(a) is a schematic side view of the vehicle 40 corresponding to FIG. 26(a), and FIG. 28(b) is a schematic enlarged side view of the peripheral portion of the charging inlet structure 1 in FIG. 28(a). Also, FIG. 29(a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of the E'-E' line in FIG. 28(b), which is a schematic cross-sectional view of the vehicle 40 cut in the YZ plane passing through the first rear upper leg 12. Also, FIG. 29(b) is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the region R11' in FIG. 29(a), which is a schematic enlarged cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of the charging inlet structure 1. Note that in FIGS. 27(a), (b) and 29(a), (b), the solid lines indicate the state before deformation, and the dotted lines indicate the state after deformation after a load is applied downward in the Z direction.

27(b) and 29(b), the degree of deformation of the upper fastening portion of the inlet bracket 110 of the vehicle 140 is greater than the degree of deformation of the upper fastening portion of the inlet bracket 10 of the vehicle 40. As a result, as shown in the region R12 surrounded by a dotted circle in FIG. 29(a) and the region R12' surrounded by a dotted circle in FIG. 23(a), the degree of deformation of the lower portion of the inlet bracket 10 toward the inside of the vehicle body is suppressed more than the degree of deformation of the lower portion of the inlet bracket 110 toward the inside of the vehicle body. The degree of deformation of the inlet bracket 110 toward the inside of the vehicle body shown by the arrows k and l in FIG. 21(a) is greater than the degree of deformation of the inlet bracket 10 toward the inside of the vehicle body shown by the arrows k' and l' in FIG. 23(a).

Therefore, by providing a patch 20 connecting the upper leg to the rear leg of the inlet bracket 10 and increasing the surface rigidity of the mounting portion, deformation of the upper leg fastening portion of the inlet bracket 10 can be suppressed. Furthermore, by suppressing this deformation, deformation of the lower leg fastening portion of the inlet bracket 10 can also be suppressed, improving the fatigue strength of the upper and lower leg fastening portions of the inlet bracket 10.

[Essential configuration of the charging inlet structure 1 of the present disclosure and effects derived from the configuration]
As described above, the charging inlet structure 1 for a vehicle 40 according to the present disclosure includes an inlet bracket 10 having a plurality of legs 11-14 and used when attaching a charging inlet to the vehicle 40, and a thin plate 5 that is included in a vehicle body 50 and to which the plurality of legs 11-14 are fastened. The charging inlet structure 1 also includes a patch 20 that extends along the thin plate 5 and has a first end 20a that is fastened and fixed in a state in which a first location of the thin plate 5 is sandwiched between a first rear upper leg (first leg) 12 that is included in the plurality of legs 11-14, and a second end 20b that is fastened and fixed in a state in which a second location of the thin plate 5 is sandwiched between a second rear upper leg (second leg) 13 that is included in the plurality of legs 11-14 and adjacent to the first rear upper leg 12.

According to the charging inlet structure 1, the patch 20 is arranged along the thin plate 5, and the two adjacent legs 12, 13 of the inlet bracket 10 are fixed to the patch 20 with the thin plate 5 sandwiched between them. Therefore, the thin plate portion where the two adjacent legs 12, 13 are fixed can be reinforced by the patch 20, and the rigidity of the thin plate portion can be increased. Therefore, deformation of the thin plate portion due to the load from the two legs 12, 13 can be suppressed, and deformation (displacement) of the inlet bracket 10 during charging operation can be suppressed, thereby suppressing the user from feeling uncomfortable during charging operation.

[Preferable configuration of charging inlet structure 1 and effects derived from the configuration]
An inner rib portion 31 may be provided that is arranged inside the vehicle body 50 with respect to the third location of the thin plate 5 so as to overlap the third location in the thickness direction (Y direction) of the thin plate 5. A front lower leg portion (third leg portion) 11 included in the plurality of legs 11 to 14 may be fastened and fixed in a state in which the third location is sandwiched between the inner rib portion 31. Here, the inner rib portion 31 may be provided, for example, by extending the existing inner rib 30 to the periphery of the charging inlet structure 1.

According to this configuration, the third leg 11 is fixed to the highly rigid inner bone portion 31 with the thin plate 5 sandwiched between the inner bone portion 31, so deformation around the fastening portion of the third leg 11 can be suppressed when the charging inlet structure 1 receives a load during charging operation. Therefore, deformation (displacement) of the inlet bracket 10 during charging operation can be further suppressed, and discomfort felt by the user during charging operation can be further suppressed.

In addition, the first leg 12 protrudes upward from the rear and upper side of the plate-shaped main body 15 of the inlet bracket 10 (the rear and upper side of the vehicle body 50), while the second leg 13 protrudes rearward from the rear and upper side of the main body 15. The first leg 12 is integrally formed with the main body 15, while the second leg 13 may be a separate part from the main body 15 and fastened to the main body 15.

According to this configuration, by simply adding the second leg 13 and patch 20, which are separate parts, to the charging inlet structure 101 of the reference example (existing), the existing charging inlet structure 101 can be upgraded to the charging inlet structure of the present disclosure, thereby achieving effective reinforcement (improved rigidity). This can also effectively eliminate any discomfort felt by the user during charging operations.

[Modified Charging Inlet Structure]
The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment and its modified examples, and various improvements and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims of the present application and their equivalents.

For example, in the above embodiment, the first rear upper leg (first leg) 12 is a separate part from the plate-shaped main body 15 of the inlet bracket 10, and the first rear upper leg 12 is fixed to the upper and rear side of the main body 15.

However, as shown in FIG. 30, i.e., an enlarged side view of a modified charging inlet structure 201 corresponding to FIG. 3, both the first leg 212 and the second leg 213 may be integral with the plate-shaped main body 215 of the inlet bracket 210.

All of the legs of the inlet bracket may be formed integrally with the plate-shaped main body of the inlet bracket. Alternatively, one or more of the multiple legs of the inlet bracket may be separate parts from the plate-shaped main body of the inlet bracket and fastened to the main body. For example, two or three of the legs of the inlet bracket may be separate parts from the main body of the inlet bracket.

Also, the first leg 12 and the second leg 13 are described as being located on the rear and upper side of the inlet bracket 10. However, the first leg and the second leg may be located anywhere on the inlet bracket; for example, the first leg and the second leg may be located on the front and upper side, the front and lower side, or the rear and lower side.

Also, the inlet bracket 10 has been described as having two additional legs 11, 14 in addition to the first leg 12 and the second leg 13. However, the inlet bracket may have one or three or more legs in addition to the first leg and the second leg, or may have no legs in addition to the first leg and the second leg.

Also, the charging inlet structure 1 has been described as having only one patch 20. However, the inlet bracket may have four or more legs, and the charging inlet structure may have two or more patches that connect adjacent legs.

Also, a case has been described in which one leg 11 included in the inlet bracket 10 is fixed to the inner bone portion 31. However, two or more legs included in the inlet bracket may be fixed to the inner bone portion, or all of the legs of the inlet bracket may not be fixed to the inner bone portion.

Also, a case has been described in which the patch 20 is disposed on the outer side of the thin plate 5, and the first and second legs 12, 13 are disposed on the inner side of the thin plate 5, and the first and second legs 12, 13 and the patch 20 are fastened and fixed by the same fastening means while the thin plate 5 is sandwiched between the first and second legs 12, 13 and the patch 20. However, the patch may be disposed on the inner side of the vehicle than the thin plate, and the first and second legs may be disposed on the outer side of the thin plate, and the first and second legs and the patch may be fastened and fixed by the same fastening means while the thin plate is sandwiched between the first and second legs and the patch.

Also, the charging inlet structure 1 has been described as being installed on the rear side of the vehicle 40. However, the charging inlet structure may be installed anywhere on the vehicle, for example, on the front end of the vehicle, the rear end of the vehicle, or the front side of the vehicle.

1,201 Charging inlet structure, 5 Thin plate, 6 Opening, 7 Inner edge, 10,210 Inlet bracket, 11 Front lower leg (third leg), 11a Tip of front lower leg, 12 First rear upper leg (first leg), 12a Tip of first rear upper leg, 13 Second rear upper leg (second leg), 13a Tip of second rear upper leg, 14 Rear lower leg, 14a Tip of rear lower leg, 15,215 Plate-shaped body of inlet bracket, 16 Mounting port, 20 Patch, 20a First end of patch, 20b Second end of patch, 30 Inner bone, 31 Inner bone portion, 31a Rear protrusion of inner bone portion, 40 Vehicle, 41 Tail lamp installation location, 42 Wheel mounting location, 50 vehicle body, 51, 52, 53 fastening member, 212 first leg, 213 second leg.

Claims (1)

an inlet bracket having a plurality of legs and used when attaching the charging inlet to a vehicle;
A thin plate included in the vehicle body and to which the plurality of legs are fastened and fixed;
a patch having a first end portion fastened to a first leg portion included in the plurality of legs in a state where a first location of the thin plate is sandwiched therein, and a second end portion fastened to a second leg portion included in the plurality of legs and adjacent to the first leg in a state where a second location of the thin plate is sandwiched therein, the patch extending along the thin plate;
A vehicle charging inlet structure comprising: