JPH0765900A - Charge connector for electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a charge connector for an electric automobile wherein both connectors in imperfect fitting can be easily recognized. CONSTITUTION:When pressing in a power supply connector 2 is ceased before leading to a perfect fitting of the power supply connector 2 to a vehicle side connector 1, by energizing force of a coil spring 20, the power supply connector 2 is pressed back to a half fitting condition, and in this condition, the power supply side connector is temporarily held by engaging a plunger ball with an engaging recessed part. Consequently, not leading to the perfect fitting condition is recognized by an operator, and the power supply connector 2, since it is temporarily held, is prevented from coming off from the vehicle connector 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a charging connector for an electric vehicle, and avoids connecting the connector in an incompletely fitted state.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, from the viewpoint of environment and energy, the practical use of electric vehicles is expected. In this case, the problem of charging the battery is indispensable, and the charging connector is one of the important issues to be considered. This connector consists of a vehicle-side connector that is fixed to the automobile side and a power-source-side connector that is connected to the power-source side. However, since charging work is performed with a relatively large current, both connectors are completely fitted. It is necessary to energize in a state, that is, when the terminals are completely in contact with each other.

[0003]

In the actual charging operation, an operator grips the power source side connector and press-fits it to the vehicle side connector. In this case, it is difficult to understand the connection state even if both connectors are in the incompletely mated state only by performing the press-fitting. Therefore, it is determined whether the incompletely mated state or the completely mated state. Is difficult. If you can not visually check the incomplete mating state,
It is difficult for the operator to recognize whether or not the current can be energized.

The present invention has been devised and devised in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a charging connector for an electric vehicle which can easily recognize that both connectors are in an incompletely fitted state. Is to provide.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To achieve the above object, the structure of the present invention is an electric device which inserts a power source side connector into a vehicle side connector and holds both connectors in a completely fitted state to permit energization. In a vehicle charging connector, a biasing mechanism that biases the power source side connector in the return direction when the power source side connector is inserted, and the power source side connector when the power source side connector is returned by this biasing mechanism And a locking mechanism for temporarily holding it.

[0006]

According to the above construction, when the charging operation is performed, the power supply side connector is fitted into the vehicle side connector to be in a completely fitted state, and the energization is allowed in this state. However, if the insertion is stopped before reaching the completely fitted state, the power source side connector is returned by the urging mechanism and locked by the locking mechanism at the temporarily fitted half-fitting position. Therefore, when the completely fitted state is not reached, both connectors are pulled apart to the half fitted position.

[0007]

The effects of the present invention are as follows. When both connectors do not reach the completely mated state, that is, when they are incompletely mated, they are returned to the half mating position where they are temporarily held. The operator can easily recognize that the complete fitting state has not been reached. Further, in the case of an incompletely fitted state, it is returned to the half-fitted position and locked by the locking mechanism, so that the power supply side connector can be prevented from coming off from the vehicle side connector.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The charging connector of this example comprises a vehicle side connector 1 and a power source side connector 2. First, the vehicle-side connector 1 will be described. Inside the cylindrical connector housing 3, a charging terminal 5 connected to a battery 4 and a signal terminal 6 for detecting a charging status are incorporated. Has been. In addition, a bracket 7 is provided on the upper surface of the connector housing 3.
The flip-up lid 8 is attached through the opening, the opening surface of the connector housing 3 can be opened and closed, and the seal ring 9 attached to the inner surface of the connector housing 3 can seal the opening surface. A torsion spring 11 is wound around the attachment shaft 10 of the flip-up lid 8 to urge the flip-up lid 8 in the opening direction. Although not shown in detail, the flip-up lid 8 is provided with stopper means so that the open position thereof is restricted to an angular position orthogonal to the connector housing 3.

On the other hand, below the connector housing 3, a lock mechanism for holding the flip-up lid 8 in a closed state is provided. In this lock mechanism, an operation shaft 13 having a built-in return spring 12 is installed laterally and pushably, and a stopper shaft 14 is arranged so as to be orthogonal to the operation shaft 13, and a pawl of the flip-up lid 8 is provided. It can be engaged with and disengaged from the piece 15. Although the stopper shaft 14 is not shown in detail, the stopper shaft 14 is vertically inserted into a groove (not shown) formed in the operation shaft 13, and the projecting shaft 17 formed on the outer surface of the stopper shaft 14 penetrates the operation shaft 13. It is linked to the formed cam groove 18. As a result, when the operation shaft 13 is pushed in, the stopper shaft 14 is moved to the cam groove 1
It can be raised and lowered by the guiding action of 8.

A ridge 70 is provided in the lower rear part of the connector housing 3 along its axial direction. The ridge 70 has an engagement groove 80 of the power supply side connector 2 which will be described later.
For fitting the power source side connector 2 into the vehicle side connector 1 by engaging with (see FIG. 9) and locking both connectors 1 and 2 in a semi-fitted state for temporary holding. Is. Guide grooves 74a, 74 for engaging a plunger ball 84, which will be described later, are provided on both side surfaces of the protrusion 70.
b is provided separately on the front side and the back side, and the engaging recessed portion 72 is provided between the guide grooves 74a and 74b at a position corresponding to a half-fitting position where the connectors 1 and 2 are temporarily locked. It is recessed (see FIG. 9).

Next, the power supply side connector 2 will be described. The housing 19 of the power supply side connector 2 is formed in a double cylindrical shape consisting of an outer housing 19b and an inner housing 19a, and a gap is urged between them. The coil spring 20 functioning as a mechanism is elastically mounted so as to be able to come into contact with the opening edge of the vehicle side connector 1, thereby assisting the separating operation of the power source side connector 2 from the vehicle side connector 1. That is, when the power supply side connector 2 is inserted into the vehicle side connector 1, it is urged in the returning direction. The urging force in the returning direction is the guide groove 74 described above.
The action on the power source side connector 2 starts from the position where a and the plunger ball 84 described later are engaged. An engaging groove 80 that engages with the above-described protrusion 70 is provided along the axial direction on the lower side of the outer housing 19b (see FIG. 9). At a position of the engagement groove 80 corresponding to the above-mentioned temporarily held semi-fitting state, a tubular portion 81 is provided on both sides in a direction substantially orthogonal to the engagement groove 80. The coil springs 82 are housed, and the plunger balls 84 held at these ends are respectively engaged with the engaging grooves 80.
It is pressed against the groove side of. The plunger ball 84, which functions as this locking mechanism, is guided by being engaged with the guide grooves 74a and 74b of the above-described protrusion 70 when the connectors 1 and 2 are inserted, and is retained in the engaging recess 72. Both connectors 1 and 2 are held at the half-fitting position where they are temporarily held. Further, inside the inner housing 19a, terminals corresponding to the charging terminal 5 and the signal terminal 6 of the vehicle-side connector 1 are incorporated, respectively, and are connected to the power source side via the cables 23, respectively.

A flip-up lid 24 for opening and closing the opening surface of the outer housing 19b is attached to the upper surface of the outer housing 19b. That is, the flip-up lid 2
4 is rotatably supported around a support pin 26 by a bearing portion 25 formed on the upper surface of the outer housing 19b, and the torsion spring 2 is attached to the support pin 26.
7 is wound around and biases the flip-up lid 24 in the returning direction (the direction in which the housing 19 is closed). A lock piece 28 for holding the flip-up lid 24 in the open position is provided on the upper surface of a main body 29 that is connected to the rear portion of the housing 19. The lock piece 28 can be locked and disengaged with the locking edge 30 of the flip-up lid 24 at the tip end thereof, and is also assembled to the main body 29 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction. Further, the lock piece 28 is urged by a spring 31 arranged at the rear portion thereof in a direction to engage with the flip-up lid 24.

At the rear portion of the main body 29, a grip shaft 32 extends in the axial direction for fitting operation to the vehicle side connector 1. A lever 33 for facilitating the fitting operation of both connectors 1 and 2 is provided at the base of the grip shaft 32.
It is attached around the rotating shaft 34 so that it can be grasped and operated.
A torsion spring 35 is wound around the rotary shaft 34 to urge the lever 33 in the opening direction. A pair of stays 36 forming a fitting assisting unit together with the lever 33 are linked to the lever 33. That is, the lever 33 is bent in a substantially L shape, and the bent portion is connected to the stay 36 side by the connecting pin 37.

Both stays 36 are shown in FIGS. 5 (A) to 5 (C).
As shown in FIG. 5, the outer 19b and the inner 19a are respectively inserted into the left and right sides of the gap between the housings. Further, hooking holes 38 are opened in a long hole shape at their tip portions, respectively, and can be hooked by a pair of projections 39 protruding to the outer surface of the housing 3 of the vehicle-side connector 1. Furthermore, in order to prevent the stays 36 and the protrusions from interfering with each other when fitting the connectors 1 and 2,
As shown in FIG. 5 (A), the front end side is always formed to be widened, and both of the above-described hooking holes 38 are fitted into the guide protrusion 40 formed on the inner wall surface of the outer housing 19b. (See FIG. 7). However, when the levers 33 are gripped and the stays 36 retract,
Along with this, the tip end side opening edge of the hooking hole 38 is forcibly deformed in the concave direction along the inclined surface 41 formed at the tip of the guide convex portion 40, thereby closely contacting the outer surface of the vehicle side connector 1. Come to do. Further, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, in a state where both connectors 1 and 2 are fitted to a half-fitting position (semi-fitting state), that is, in the engaging recess 72 of the protrusion 70, the plunger ball is inserted. When both the connectors 1 and 2 are temporarily held by the mooring of the 84, and the stays 36 are concavely deformed at this time, the hooking holes 38 and the projections 39 of the vehicle-side connector 1 are aligned.

A slide switch 42 for opening and closing a charging circuit (described below) shown in FIG. 8 is arranged on the upper surface of the grip shaft 32. The slide switch 42 has a slide body 43 inside the grip shaft 32, and a pressing plate 45 is attached to a lower surface of the slide body 43 toward a micro switch 44 which constitutes a part of a charging circuit.
When the slide switch 42 is operated to the on position (the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2, the state shown in FIG. 6B), the contact 46 of the micro switch 44 is pressed.

The charging circuit will now be described with reference to FIG. 8. A charging control unit 48 (for example, a relay circuit) for controlling the opening / closing of the charging circuit between the power source side connector 2 and the charger power source 47. Is intervening. When the switch 42 is operated to the on position (the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2, the state shown in FIG. 6B) and the micro switch 44 is turned on, the micro switch 44 causes the charging control unit 48 to operate. On the other hand, an output signal for opening and closing is issued through the power supply 47 for supply, and the microswitch 44
The charging current is allowed to be supplied from the charger power supply 62 only when the battery is closed, and the charging circuit is prohibited from being in the conductive state when the battery is open.

In the present example, the slide switch 42 is in the ON position (the position indicated by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 2, FIG.
(B)), OFF position (FIG. 1, FIG. 2, solid line, FIG. 6)
(See (A)) and a return position (see FIGS. 3 and 6C) are set. At both of the on and off positions, the slide switch 42 is operated at these positions as follows. It is held. As shown in FIG. 6, a through hole 49 is formed in the slide body 43 of the slide switch 42 in the radial direction.
The balls 51, which are accommodated in 0 and held at their ends, are pressed against the inner wall of the grip shaft 32. On the other hand, recesses 52 are formed on the inner wall of the grip shaft 32 at a position corresponding to both on and off positions of the slide switch 42, and the balls 51 are moored in these recesses 52 so that the slide switch 42 can be moved to both sides. Held in position. Further, a push-out spring 53 is attached to the rear portion of the slide body 43, and acts to displace the slide switch 42 from the return position to the off position. However, the ball 51 and the recess 5
Since the engaging force with 2 is set to be stronger than the spring force of the push-out spring 53, the slide switch 42 does not move from the off position to the on-position by the push-out spring 53 alone, but is fixed by the operator. It is possible to dissociate the ball 51 and the recess 52 by the above pushing operation force.

By the way, the slide switch 42 cannot be operated to the ON position unless both connectors 1 and 2 are completely fitted. That is, the end of the lever 33 on the side of the rotation center and the surface facing the pressing plate 45 of the slide switch 42 is the first stopper surface 54, and is pressed while the lever is gripped to a predetermined angle. The slide switch 42 is prohibited from being brought into contact with the plate 45 and operated to the ON position.

Further, the grip shaft 32 is provided horizontally with a lever lock plate 55 for holding the lever 33 in a gripped state during charging operation along the axial direction. The lever lock plate 55 has an escape hole 56 on the upper surface so as not to interfere with the slide body 43, and the tip portion is bent downward and a holding hole for inserting and holding a part of the lever 33 therein. 57 is open. Lever 33
On the side, the lower side of the first stopper surface 54 is cut out in a stepwise manner, and the portion where the first stopper surface 54 is formed is an insertion portion 58 that can be inserted into the holding hole 57. The lower step surface serves as a second stopper surface 61, which restricts the forward movement of the pressing plate 45 unless the lever 33 is operated to be gripped to the completely fitted position. On the other hand, the rear end of the lever lock plate 55 is pushed by the spring 59, and the whole is biased in the forward direction. However, as shown in FIG. 1, the lever lock plate 55 is also always in contact with the first stopper surface 54 and its forward movement is restricted, but the lever 33 is gripped to the completely fitted position and the first operation is performed.
When the stopper surface 54 directly faces the holding hole 57, the holding hole 57
Thus, the insertion portion 58 is inserted, and the lever 33 is held in the gripped state. Reference numeral 60 is a lamp that lights up when the charging circuit is turned on.

Next, the operation and effect of this embodiment configured as described above will be specifically described. First, when the operating shaft 13 of the vehicle-side connector 1 is pushed, the protruding shaft 17 is displaced along the cam groove 18 and the stopper shaft 14 is lowered. Then, the stopper shaft 1
4 and the claw piece 15 of the flip-up lid 8 are disengaged,
The flip-up lid 8 is flipped up by the torsion spring 11 and held in the open position above. On the other hand, the flip-up lid 24 of the power supply side connector 2 is lifted to the open position against the torsion spring 27, and the lock piece 28 is operated to engage with the locking edge 30 of the flip-up lid 24. 24
Is left open.

After the above work, the grip shaft 32 is gripped, the inner housing 19a of the power source side connector 2 is made to face the housing 3 of the vehicle side connector 1, and the state is pushed in as it is. When pushed in to a predetermined depth, the projection 70 of the vehicle side connector 1 is engaged with the engagement groove 80 of the power supply side connector 2, and the plunger ball 84 clamps the projection 70 and engages with the guide groove 74a. At this time, the coil spring 20 makes the vehicle-side connector 1
Abutting the opening edge of the power source side connector 2 and starting to urge the power source side connector 2 in the returning direction. When the plunger ball 84 is further pushed against the urging force, the plunger ball 84 slides along the ridge 70 while being engaged with the guide groove 74a of the ridge 70. Then, the plunger ball 84 is anchored in the engagement recess 72 at the half-fitting position, and the power supply side connector 2 is temporarily held against the biasing force of the coil spring 20 (see FIG. 9). Further, at this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, the ends of both stays 36 are in an expanded state, so that the stays 36 and the protrusions of the vehicle-side connector 1 do not interfere with each other.

Next, when the levers 33 are gripped and the stays 36 are retracted, the opening edges of the hooking holes 38 are brought into sliding contact along the inclined surfaces 41 of the guide projections 40, so that the stays 36 are gradually deformed. And fits into the vehicle side projection 39. If the lever 33 is further grasped and operated, the stays 36 are further retracted, so that the pulling force acts on the vehicle-side connector 1. As a reaction force, the power supply side connector 2 is pushed and fitted against the biasing force of the coil spring 20, and finally the terminals of both connectors 1 and 2 are in a completely fitted state where they are properly fitted to each other. During this time, the plunger ball 84
Is disengaged from the engaging recess 72, and is further displaced to the inner side of the protrusion 70 while sandwiching the guide groove 74b on the inner side of the protrusion 70. The urging force of the coil spring 20 continues to act, but the complete fitting state is not released unless the lever 33 returns.

As shown in FIG. 1, both balls 51 of the slide switch 42 are fitted into the recess 52 and the pressing plate 45 is in contact with the first stopper surface 54 of the lever 33 until the completely fitted state is reached. , Slide switch 4
No. 2 is prohibited from being operated to the ON position, so that it is possible to avoid a situation in which energization is accidentally started. Also,
Similarly, the forward end of the lever lock plate 55 is restricted by the tip end portion thereof coming into contact with the first stopper surface 54.

When the completely fitted state is reached, as shown in FIG. 2, the holding hole 57 of the lever lock plate 55 and the insertion portion 58 of the lever 33 are fitted together, so that the lever lock plate 55 is moved forward by the spring 50. , Insertion part 5
8 is inserted into the holding hole 57. This allows lever 3
Since 3 is held in a gripped state, lever 3
Avoided by the hassle of continuing to hold 3.

When the lever 33 is in the completely fitted state, the second stopper surface 61 is also displaced to a height position that allows the forward movement of the pressing plate 45. Therefore, in this state, the slide switch 42 is operated to the off position. When the ball 51 is advanced to the ON position, the balls 51 are fitted into the recesses 52 corresponding to the ON position and are held at this position. By increasing the urging force of the push-out spring 53 and operating the lever 33 to the completely fitted position, the slide switch 42 is interlocked with the device of the lever 33 to move from the off position to the on position (see FIG. 2). (From the position indicated by the solid line to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line)
May be moved to. In this case, the moderation mechanism including the spring 50, the ball 51, and the recess 52 is unnecessary. Thus, when the slide switch 42 is displaced to the ON position, the pressing plate 45 pushes the contact 46 of the micro switch 44, so that the charging control unit 48 closes the charging circuit and the battery 4 of the automobile is energized.

If the push-fitting of the power source side connector 2 is stopped before the two connectors 1 and 2 reach the completely fitted state, the power source side connector 2 is half-fitted as shown in FIG. 4 due to the biasing force of the coil spring 20. It is pushed back to the perfect state. That is, the plunger ball 84 slides toward the return direction of the protrusion 70 while being engaged with the guide groove 74b, and is temporarily held by the mooring of the plunger ball 84 and the engaging recess 72 at the half-fitting position. (See Figure 9). Since the engagement force between the plunger ball 84 and the engagement recess 72 is set to be stronger than the biasing force of the coil spring 20, the power source side connector 2 is detached from the vehicle side connector 1 only by the biasing force of the coil spring 20. There is no such thing. In this way, when both connectors 1 and 2 are returned to the half-fitted state, the operator returns the power-source-side connector 2 to the half-fitted position or the lever 3
Since it is possible to recognize that the connectors 1 and 2 have not reached the completely fitted state by the opened state of 3, the lever 33 is again gripped and operated to push the power supply side connector 2 into the vehicle side connector 1 as described above. Then, both connectors 1 and 2 may be brought into a completely fitted state.

When charging is completed after both connectors 1 and 2 are completely fitted, the slide switch 42 is moved backward to the return position (see FIG. 3). As a result, the pressing plate 45 is separated from the micro switch 44 and the power supply to the charging circuit is stopped. In addition, the slide switch 42
Is retracted to the return position, the lever lock plate 55 retracts against the spring 59. Along with this, the insertion portion 58 of the lever 33 comes out from the holding hole 57, so that the lever 33 automatically returns by the spring force of the torsion spring 35. Therefore, the power supply side connector 2
When the pull-out operation is performed, the power supply side connector 2 is biased in the returning direction by the coil spring 20, and when both stays 36 move forward, the stays 36 return in the reverse order to the above, and the plunger ball 84 also returns along the guide groove 74b. In the semi-fitted state, the plunger ball 84 is moored in the engaging recess 72 of the ridge 70 and temporarily held. However, the plunger ball 84 and the engaging recess 72
Can be disengaged, and the plunger ball 84 is guided by the guide groove 74a by the urging force of the coil spring 20 in the returning direction.
The ridge 70 and the engaging groove 80 are disengaged from each other while engaging with each other. In this way, when the engagement with the vehicle side connector 1 is released, the power source side connector 2 is completely removed.

Thus, in this example, both connectors 1, 2 are
Connector does not reach the fully mated state, the power supply side connector 2
Is pushed back to the half-fitted state and temporarily held, so that the operator recognizes that the fully-fitted state has not been reached. Therefore, the worker will repeat the push-fitting operation to the completely fitted state again. Further, since the power supply side connector 2 is temporarily held in the half-fitted state, the power supply side connector 2 is prevented from coming off the vehicle side connector 1, and the push-fitting operation can be performed again as it is, so that the workability is improved. Further, since the energization is allowed only after the terminals of both connectors 1 and 2 are completely connected to each other, the energization is not allowed at the half-fitting position, so that the energization due to an erroneous operation can be prevented. In addition, since current cannot be allowed unless the connectors 1 and 2 are in a completely fitted state, that is, in a state in which both connectors 1 and 2 cannot move, there is no possibility that the terminals will be displaced during energization. Is also planned. Further, since the lamp is lit during this period, it is possible to make the worker or the like recognize that the battery is being charged.

The present invention can be modified in various ways,
For example, the following modifications are possible. Although the stopper surface is formed on the lever 33 in this example, the stopper surface may be formed at another place or may be formed by another method. The point is that the location / method may be such that the operation of the slide switch to the ON position is always prohibited, and the operation at the time of complete fitting is detected and the operation is permitted.
Further, the coil spring 20 is configured to exert an urging force when the plunger ball 84 is engaged with the guide groove 74a. For example, the coil spring 20 immediately urges in the returning direction from the position where the connectors 1 and 2 are fitted together. May be applied, or the biasing force may be applied from a position where both connectors 1 and 2 are temporarily held and in a semi-fitted state. Furthermore, in this example, the half-fitted position is
Although it is set to the position where the two terminals are in contact with each other, it can be arbitrarily set regardless of the contact state of the terminals, for example, to the non-contact position.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state before fitting.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a completely fitted state.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a returned state of the slide switch.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a half-fitted state.

5 (A) is a normal plan view, (B) is a partially deformed plan view of the stay 36, and FIG. 5 (C) is a partially cutaway plan view of the connector.

FIG. 6A is a cross-sectional view of a slide switch showing an off position, FIG. 6B shows an on position, and FIG.

[FIG. 7] (A) is an expanded state, and (B) is an enlarged cross-sectional view around the guide protrusion showing the recessed deformation state.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing a charging circuit.

FIG. 9 is a bottom partial cross-sectional view showing a half-fitted state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Vehicle side connector 2 ... Power source side connector 20 ... Coil spring (biasing mechanism) 70 ... Projection 72 ... Engagement recess (locking mechanism) 82 ... Coil spring (locking mechanism) 84 ... Plunger ball (locking mechanism) )

Front Page Continuation (72) Inventor Hikaru Ito 1-14 Nishisuehiro-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Inc. (72) Inventor Shigekazu Wakata 1-1-14 Nishisuehiro-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie Sumitomo Wiring Systems (72) Inventor Tsutomu Tanaka 1-14 Nishisuehiro-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie Sumitomo Wiring Systems Co., Ltd. (72) Tadashi Miyazaki 1-1-14 Nishisuehiro-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie Sumitomo Electric Co., Ltd. Within

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A charging connector for an electric vehicle in which a power supply side connector is inserted into a vehicle side connector to hold both connectors in a completely fitted state to permit energization, and the connector is returned when the power supply side connector is inserted. And an engaging mechanism for urging the power source side connector by the urging mechanism to temporarily hold the connector at the half-fitting position when the connector is returned. Automotive charging connector.