JPH0660978U - Connector with electromagnetic lock - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a connector with an electromagnetic lock equipped with an electromagnetic lock device that can lock a mating connector in a fitted state without being particularly conscious of the mating connector and can also release the mating connector. An electromagnetic lock device 30 is attached to an outer housing 20, an electromagnet 31 and a permanent magnet 32 are provided in the electromagnetic lock device 30, and the permanent magnet 32 is provided while the electromagnet 31 is energized.
The magnetic force of is configured to be canceled. A latch 34 that locks and unlocks the mating connector according to the presence or absence of this energization is attached.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an electromagnetic lock connector provided with an electromagnetic lock device that locks a mating connector in a fitted state, and more particularly to an electromagnetic lock connector that is preferably used when charging a battery built in an electric vehicle. .

[0002]

[Prior art]

 A connector provided with a locking device that locks the mated connector so that the mated connector does not come off is known. Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-50981 discloses, as an example of a connector provided with this locking device, a connector provided with a locking device for locking a mating connector by mechanically manually operating a latch member. Has been done.

By the way, in recent years, electric vehicles have been developed which run using an internal battery as a power source. When charging the battery built into this electric vehicle, the connector attached to this electric vehicle and the external charging connector are fitted together, and the charging switch is fitted with these connectors fitted together. Is charged and charging is performed. Since there is a risk of electric shock if the mated connectors come off during charging, it is necessary to lock these connectors during charging. As a locking method, for example, the above-mentioned Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-50981. It is conceivable to use the locking device disclosed in.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 As described above, the locking device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 2-50981 is a type that locks a mating connector that has been fitted by mechanically and manually operating it. For this reason, if this locking device is used in the connector of an electric vehicle, it is necessary to operate the locking device to lock the mating connector and the switch operation to turn on the charging switch, which makes the charging operation troublesome. There's a problem. Further, there is a problem in that not only the operation of turning off the charging switch but also the operation of releasing the lock device are required even after charging is completed, which is troublesome.

In view of the above circumstances, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electromagnetic lock connector provided with an electromagnetic lock device that locks and unlocks a mating connector without being particularly conscious of it.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The connector with an electromagnetic lock of the present invention for achieving the above object is (1) housing (2) contacts attached to this housing (3) mating connector attached to this housing, fitted with the above housing (4) Depending on whether or not the electromagnet is energized, the locked position for locking the mating connector to the housing or the unlocking of the mating connector is released. It is characterized in that it is provided with a lock member that is held in a position.

[0007]

[Action]

 When the mating connector is fitted into the housing of the connector with an electromagnetic lock of the present invention and electricity is applied through the contact, the electromagnet is also energized. The energization of the electromagnet holds the lock member in the lock position, so that the mating connector is locked in the housing. In addition, if the energization is not performed through the contact, the electromagnet is not energized, whereby the lock member is held at the release position and the lock of the mating connector is released. As described above, in the connector with the electromagnetic lock of the present invention, the lock member is held in the locked position by the energization via the contact, and the lock member is held in the unlocked position without the energization, so that the contact is held. It is possible to easily lock and unlock the mating connector by controlling the presence or absence of energization via the.

[0008]

【Example】

 An embodiment of a connector with an electromagnetic lock according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a connector with an electromagnetic lock of the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line AA of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a partly cutaway view taken along the line BB of FIG. . Here, an example in which a connector with an electromagnetic lock is attached to an electric vehicle and used to charge a battery built in the electric vehicle is shown. When charging, an electromagnetic lock connector and an external charging connector (not shown) are fitted, and then the charging switch 60 (see FIG. 4) provided on the charging stand body (not shown) is turned on. Then, the charging of the battery is started, and the charging connector is locked to the outer housing of the connector with the electromagnetic lock. When the charging switch 60 (see Fig. 4) is turned off, charging is stopped and the charging connector is unlocked, so that the electromagnetic lock connector and the external charging connector (not shown) can be disconnected. It is configured to be able to.

The connector 10 with an electromagnetic lock is provided with an outer housing 20 and an inner housing 40 mounted in the outer housing 20 via a welded portion 41. The outer housing 20 is an electric vehicle. It is attached to a vehicle body (not shown) via a packing 11. An electromagnetic lock device 30 described later is attached to the outer housing 20, and the charging connector (not shown) is locked to the outer housing 20 of the connector 10 with the electromagnetic lock by the electromagnetic lock device 30. Further, in order to prevent dust and water from entering the inside of the electromagnetic lock connector 10, the lid 50 that covers the opening 21 of the external housing 20 uses the spring 51 to mount the electromagnetic lock device housing 33, which will be described later. Is attached to. The lid 50 includes a cover 52, a rubber seal 53, and a fixing plate 54 that fixes the rubber seal to the cover 52. When charging is performed, the lid 50 is removed from the opening 21 and a charging connector (not shown) is fitted from the right side of the paper surface of FIG. 1 as shown in FIG. After that, as described above, when the charging switch 60 (see FIG. 4) is turned on, charging of the battery is started and the charging connector is locked to the outer housing of the connector with the electromagnetic lock. A power contact 42 through which a current for charging a battery flows, and a signal contact 43 through which a current for checking a charge amount and a current for lighting a lamp indicating that electricity is flowing are attached. The electric wire 42 a connected to the power contact 42 is fixed to the inner housing by a binding band 44. A waterproof rubber seal 45 is stretched on the outer wall surface of the inner housing.

The electromagnetic lock device 30 includes an electromagnet 31 attached to the outer housing 20 via the attachment portion 12 and a permanent magnet 32 fixed to an end of the electromagnet 31. During energization, the magnetic force of the electromagnet 31 and the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 32 cancel each other. Further, inside the electromagnetic lock device housing 33, a metal latch 34 having a cylindrical protrusion 34a is attached, and the latch 34 is strongly attracted to the permanent magnet 32. The metal block 34b is formed. The latch 34 may be made of resin and only the block 34b may be made of metal. A spring 35 is attached to the protruding portion 34a of the latch 34. An end portion 35a of the spring 35 is biased by a spring force so as to always contact the outer housing 20, and an end portion 35b is indicated by an arrow C. It is urged by the spring force in the direction indicated by the arrow. Further, since the tip of the end portion 35b is bent at a substantially right angle and is in contact with the latch 34, a force in the direction indicated by the arrow C acts on the latch 34. Since the force with which the permanent magnet 32 attracts the latch 34 is larger than the force acting on the latch 34 in the direction indicated by the arrow C, the tip 34c of the latch 34 is opened when the electromagnet 31 is not energized. The latch 34 is held at a position (release position) where it does not project into the opening 13, and a locked portion (not shown) of the charging connector can be inserted into the opening 13. On the other hand, since the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 32 is canceled while the electromagnet 31 is energized as described above, the spring force of the spring 35 causes the latch 34 to rotate a little in the direction indicated by the arrow C around the protrusion 34a. As a result, the tip portion 34c of the ratchet 34 projects into the opening 13 and is held at the lock position shown by the broken line 36, and the locked portion (not shown) of the charging connector inserted into the opening 13 is locked. To do. As a result, a charging connector (not shown) is locked in the outer housing 20 of the electromagnetic lock connector 10, and this state is maintained while the electromagnet 31 is energized.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, description will be given of an electric circuit in which a charging switch, which also functions as a switch for charging a battery built in an electric vehicle and a switch for energizing an electromagnet, is formed. FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing an outline of the electric circuit of the electromagnetic lock connector of the present embodiment and the electric circuit between the charging connector and the charging stand fitted with the electromagnetic lock connector.

Circuits 61a and 61b connected to the signal contacts 43 (see FIG. 2) are formed in these electric circuits, and a charging switch 60 is provided in a charging stand body (not shown). The charging switch 60 also serves as a switch for the electromagnet 31. Therefore, when the connector 10 with electromagnetic lock (see FIG. 1) and the charging connector are fitted and the charging switch 60 is turned on, charging of the battery is started and the electromagnet 31 is energized. The energization of the electromagnet 31 cancels the magnetic force of the permanent magnet 32, and the latch 34 (see FIG. 1) is held at the lock position, so that the charging connector is locked to the outer housing 20 (see FIG. 1). After the battery is charged, the electrification of the electromagnet 31 is stopped by turning off the charging switch 60, so that the latch 34 (see FIG. 1) is attracted by the permanent magnet 32 and the latch 34 is released. It is held by and the lock of the charging connector is released. As a result, the connector with the electromagnetic lock and the external charging connector can be separated from each other.

As described above, in the electromagnetic lock connector 10 of this embodiment, when the charging connector is fitted to the electromagnetic lock connector 10 and the charging switch is turned on, charging is started and the electromagnetic lock is generated. Since the charging connector is configured to be locked in the outer housing 20 of the connector 10 with lock, the charging connector can be securely locked by simply turning on the charging switch, and the charging connector is fitted to each other. By preventing the connector from disconnecting during charging, it is possible to prevent an electric shock accident. Further, the latch 34 for locking the charging connector is installed in the electromagnetic lock device housing 33, and the electromagnet 31 and the permanent magnet 32 for driving the latch 34 are installed in the outer housing 20 to lock the mating connector. Since the latch 34 for shutting down and the magnet for driving the latch 34 are attached to separate housings, the waterproof structure is easy. Also, when the power is stopped during charging, the lock is released and the connector can be removed.

In this embodiment, the permanent magnet and the electromagnet are combined to energize the electromagnet to cancel the magnetic force of the permanent magnet to drive the latch and lock the mating connector, but the present invention is not limited to this. The latch may be driven by utilizing the repulsive force of the magnet.

[0015]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, the connector with an electromagnetic lock of the present invention is provided with the lock member that is held at the lock position or the release position, respectively, depending on whether the electromagnet energized by the energization via the contact is energized. Therefore, when electricity is passed through the contact, the mating connector is locked in the mated state, and when this electricity is stopped, the lock of the partner connector is released. In this way, the mating connector is locked and unlocked depending on the presence / absence of the current through the contact, so that the partner connector can be locked and unlocked without any particular concern. In addition, it is possible to prevent an accident such as electric shock due to the connector being accidentally detached during energization.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a connector with an electromagnetic lock according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view on arrow AA of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an electric circuit diagram of the connector with an electromagnetic lock shown in FIG. 1 and a schematic diagram of an electric circuit of a charging switch.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Connector with Electromagnetic Lock 20 External Housing 30 Electromagnetic Lock Device 31 Electromagnet 32 Permanent Magnet 34 Latch 35 Spring

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A housing, a contact attached to the housing, an electromagnet attached to the housing, which is energized by passing electricity through the contact when a mating connector is fitted in the housing, and the electromagnet. And a lock member that is held at a lock position that locks the mating connector to the housing or a release position that unlocks the mating connector, respectively, depending on whether or not the electromagnetic field is energized. Connector with lock.