JPH1118306A - Connector for charging electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a connector for charging an electric vehicle which allows charging-related information to be communicated, without being affected by noise and can properly cope with a defective mounting of itself. SOLUTION: A connector is provided with device arrangement chambers 19, wherein a light-emitting device 17 and a photodetector 18 are located. Meanwhile, a power receiving section of an electric vehicle is provided with a light- emitting device 24 and a photodetector 25 located so as to correspond to the devices 17, 18. The devices 17, 18 of the connector are normally in a cut-off state due to a sidewall 19C of the device arrangement chambers 19 and cannot receive or send an optical signal. Once the connector is mounted on the power- receiving section, a light-emitting port 40 and a light incident port 41 formed in the device arrangement chambers 19 are connected through a prism 42, and then an optical signal from the light emitting device 17 is cast on the photodetector 18. By the emission of the optical signal from the light-emitting device 17, it can be detected that the connector has been mounted on the power receiving section.

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 charging an electric vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to charge an electric vehicle, a charging connector connected to a power supply for external charging is attached to a power receiving portion of the electric vehicle to transmit power to a power storage device of the electric vehicle. At this time, it is preferable to control the charging while monitoring the state of charge of the power storage device and the like, so that it is necessary to exchange information between the electric vehicle and the external charging power supply. As a communication means for this purpose, a wireless communication system has been conventionally studied. In this technique, a communication antenna is built in a charging connector, and an antenna is also arranged in a power receiving section of an electric vehicle, and wireless communication is performed between the two antennas at a high frequency of, for example, 900 MHz band.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned radio communication system has various drawbacks, such as the Radio Law, so that the transmission output cannot be set large, and is disadvantageous in that it is susceptible to noise. In particular, when the charging method for an electric vehicle employs an electromagnetic induction method in which a high-frequency current flows through a primary coil provided on a connector side to transmit power to a secondary coil on the electric vehicle side, the communication frequency and the Although the transmission frequency is different, the transmitted power is orders of magnitude larger, so that the noise from the charging inverter device cannot be ignored and malfunctions are a concern. Moreover, in designing the wireless communication circuit, it is necessary to experimentally determine not only the shape and arrangement of the antenna on the connector side but also the shape and arrangement of the antenna on the electric vehicle side and proceed with the design, and the man-hour is considerable. It becomes something.

On the other hand, in order to avoid the above disadvantage, for example, optical communication using an optical communication element can be considered. However, before information about charging is exchanged between the optical communication elements,
It is preferable to confirm that the charging connector has been attached to the power receiving unit.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to adopt an optical communication system, which makes it possible to transmit information stably without being affected by noise.
In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide an electric vehicle charging connector which can cope with a poor mounting of the connector.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an electric vehicle charging connector according to claim 1 is for charging a power storage device of an electric vehicle, and converts information into an optical signal. A light-emitting element and a light-receiving element for transmitting and receiving the light-receiving element, so that information regarding charging can be transmitted and received to and from the optical communication element of the mating connector, and an optical signal is not always transmitted and received between the light-emitting element and the light-receiving element. It is characterized in that it is cut off and a bypass for transmitting and receiving an optical signal is formed between the light emitting element and the light receiving element when the connector is attached to the mating connector.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electric vehicle charging connector according to the first aspect, further comprising a blocking member for partitioning the light emitting element and the light receiving element so as not to directly transmit and receive an optical signal. A light emission port that emits an optical signal from the light emitting element in a direction that intersects the mounting direction to the connector,
Forming a light entrance through which an optical signal to the light receiving element is incident;
The light emission port and the light incidence port are characterized in that they are connected by an optical path for guiding an optical signal provided in the mating connector in a state where the connector has been mounted on the mating connector.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electric vehicle charging connector according to the first aspect, wherein a partition wall having a through hole for optical communication is provided between the light emitting element and the light receiving element. Always provide an opening and closing member that closes the through hole,
A feature is that the opening / closing member is displaced so as to open the through hole by being pushed by the mating connector when the connector is mounted on the mating connector.

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, information is exchanged between the present connector and the mating connector via an optical signal. For this reason, it is possible to perform stable communication that is less susceptible to noise as compared with the wireless communication system. In addition, since there is no legal regulation by the Radio Law or the like, the degree of freedom in design is high, and the circuit design cost can be significantly reduced as compared with the wireless communication circuit. In addition, the connection between the light emitting element and the light receiving element provided in this connector is switched from the cutoff state to the connection state by bypass with the operation of mounting the connector, so that the light signal from the light emitting element is received when the connector is mounted. It can be detected by being projected on the element. In other words, the light emitting element and the light receiving element can be used not only for transmitting and receiving information regarding charging but also for detecting the mounting of the connector, so that the manufacturing cost of the entire connector can be reduced.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the direction of the light emitting port and the light incident port is in a direction intersecting with the mounting direction of the connector, and therefore, only when the connector is completely mounted. Both face the light path, and both do not face the light path when the connector is in a half-mounted state. That is, an optical signal can be transmitted and received between the light emitting element and the light receiving element only when the connector is completely mounted. This makes it possible to detect a state in which the connector is completely mounted and a state in which the connector is half-mounted, separately.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the connector is mounted on the mating connector, the opening / closing member is pushed by the mating connector, the through hole is switched from the closed state to the open state, and the optical signal from the light emitting element is received by the light receiving element. , And it can be detected that the connector is attached.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

<First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. A power receiving unit 30 that opens outward is formed on the outer surface of the body of the electric vehicle,
The open surface can be opened and closed by a lid 35. The secondary unit 20 is arranged inside the power receiving unit 30, and a charging connector 10 to be described later can be inserted and attached here along the direction of arrow A. The secondary unit 20 is configured by winding a secondary coil 22 around a secondary core 21 made of, for example, ferrite, and an output terminal of the secondary coil 22 is a power storage device for powering an electric vehicle. It is connected to a charging circuit 32 for charging the battery 31 (only shown in FIG. 5), and can rectify the high-frequency electromotive force induced in the secondary coil 22 to charge the power battery 31. Note that, as shown in FIG.
A charge state detection circuit 33 is connected to 2 so that the charge state of the power battery 31 can be detected.

The secondary core 21 has an L-shape as viewed from the side as shown in FIG. 1, but has an L-shape along the mounting direction A (left-right direction in FIG. 1) of the charging connector 10. The horizontal side is a cylindrical portion 21A having a circular cross section, and the vertical side of an L-shape perpendicular to the horizontal portion is a rectangular column portion 21B having a rectangular cross section. Further, the tip end surface (joining surface) of the cylindrical portion 21A intersects perpendicularly with the mounting direction A of the charging connector 10, and the side surface (joining surface) of the prismatic portion 21B is also the same with respect to the mounting direction A. So that they intersect vertically.
The secondary coil 22 is configured by, for example, winding a litz wire a plurality of times in a single-layer winding, and is provided on a cylindrical portion 21A of the secondary core 21 along the mounting direction A,
Accordingly, the winding axis of the coil is in the mounting direction A of the charging connector 10. The above-described secondary core 21 and secondary coil 22 are housed in a protective case 23 made of synthetic resin, and the protective case 23 is fixed to the power receiving unit 30. The protective case 23 has openings 23A and 23B for exposing the distal end surface of the cylindrical portion 21A of the secondary core 21 and the side surface of the distal end portion of the prismatic portion 21B, and the distal end of the cylindrical portion 21A is opened. It slightly protrudes from 23A.

On the other hand, the charging connector 10 includes a primary core 11 and a primary coil 12, which are provided on the handle 1.
3 are housed in a connector housing 14. This charging connector 10 is connected to an inverter device 2 using a commercial power supply 1 as a power source, as shown in FIG. 5, and a high-frequency current flows through the primary coil 12 by the inverter device 2. The inverter device 2 can control a voltage applied to the primary coil 12 by an inverter control circuit 3 as described later. Primary core 1
The connector housing 14 has the same shape as the secondary core 21 and has a cylindrical section 11A having a circular cross section that extends along the front-rear direction of the connector housing 14 (the mounting direction of the charging connector 10). , And the prism 11B extends downward. Further, the tip end surface (joining surface) of the cylindrical portion 11A of the primary core 11 also intersects perpendicularly with the mounting direction A of the charging connector 10, and the side surface (joining surface) of the prismatic portion 11B is also formed. Similarly, it intersects perpendicularly with the mounting direction A. The primary coil 12 is configured by winding a litz wire around the cylindrical portion 11A a plurality of times in a single layer, similarly to the above-described secondary coil 22, and the coil winding axis is similar to the secondary unit 20. The charging connector 10 has a configuration along the mounting direction A. The charging connector 10 is housed in a protective case 15 and fixed to the connector housing 14 similarly to the secondary unit 20, and a part of the primary core 11 is exposed through openings 15A and 15B provided in the protective case 15. doing.

Guide projections 16 are provided on both right and left sides of the connector housing 14 near the front end, and guide grooves 36 are formed on the inner surface of the power receiving portion 30 so as to correspond to the two guide projections 16. The tip of the guide groove 36 is inclined obliquely downward. Although not specifically shown,
A lock mechanism for mechanically locking the charging connector 10 in the power receiving unit 30 is provided to prevent accidental detachment when the charging connector 10 is mounted.

In the charging connector 10, a pair of element disposition chambers 19, 19 whose front faces are open are formed side by side below the front face of the connector housing 14 as shown in FIGS. An infrared light emitting element 17 and a light receiving element 18 (not shown in FIG. 3) corresponding to the connector-side optical communication elements are mounted on the walls 19A, 19A so as to face forward. The two elements 17 and 18 are arranged in the element placement chamber 1
An optical signal can be transmitted to and received from an optical communication element provided in the power receiving unit 30 through an open part in front of the optical receiver 9. Further, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, between the two elements 17 and 18, the element arrangement chambers 19 and
It is blocked by a side wall 19C between 19 (corresponding to the "blocking member" of the present invention), so that it is impossible to directly transmit and receive an optical signal. Further, a light emission port 40 for emitting an optical signal to the outside is formed in a portion of the bottom wall 19B of the element arrangement chamber 19 facing the light emitting element 17 so as to penetrate therethrough. A light incident port 41 through which an optical signal is incident from the outside is formed through the portion facing the light receiving element 18.

On the other hand, the inner wall 30 of the power receiving section 30
A is provided with a pair of rectangular tube-shaped element housing cylinders 37, 37 extending forward, and a light emitting element 24 and a light receiving element 25 corresponding to an electric vehicle-side optical communication element are arranged therein. When the charging connector 10 is properly mounted on the power receiving unit 30, the respective element housing cylinders 37, 37 are inserted into the element placement chambers 19, 19, and the light emitting element 24 is connected to the light receiving element 18 of the charging connector 10. The light receiving element 25 faces the light emitting element 17 of the charging connector 10 (see FIGS. 6 and 8). The bottom wall 30 </ b> B of the inner bottom of the power receiving unit 30 has an element housing cylinder 37.
A prism 42 corresponding to an optical path is buried in the front side of. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, when the connector 10 is properly mounted on the power receiving unit 30, the prism 42 has the light emission port 40 and the light incidence port 41 at both left and right ends thereof.
And have come to face. Thereby, a bypass for transmitting and receiving an optical signal is formed between the light emitting element 17 and the light receiving element 18 of the charging connector 10.

Electrically, as shown in FIG. 5, the light emitting element 24 and the light receiving element 25 of the electric vehicle are connected to a charging state detecting circuit 33, and light from the charging connector 10 is described later. The light receiving element 25 receives the signal, detects the state of charge of the power battery 31, and drives the light emitting element 24 accordingly, thereby outputting an optical signal to the charging connector 10 side. Further, the light emitting element 17 and the light receiving element 18 on the connector side are connected to the inverter control circuit 3, and the optical signal received by the light receiving element 18 is photoelectrically converted and given to the inverter control circuit 3, so that the power battery 31 is charged. The inverter 3 is used by the circuit 3 so that it can be performed properly.
Is controlled.

This embodiment has the above configuration, and its operation will be described below. To charge the electric vehicle, the lid 35 of the power receiving unit 30 is opened, and the tip of the charging connector 10 is inserted therein. Then, the distal end surface of the cylindrical portion 11A of the primary core 11 of the charging connector 10 abuts against the distal end side surface of the prismatic portion 21B of the secondary core 21, and the distal end surface of the cylindrical portion 21A of the secondary core 21 contacts the primary core 11A. And the two cores 11 and 21 form a closed-loop magnetic circuit having a square frame shape. At this time, at the inner bottom of the power receiving unit 30, as shown in FIGS.
The element housing cylinders 37, 37 enter the element arrangement chambers 19, 19, and the elements 17, 18 on the connector side and the elements 24, 25 on the power receiving unit 30 approach each other and face each other. When a charging start switch (not shown) is turned on in this state, the CPU of the inverter control circuit 3 first enters the mounting state diagnosis mode, and causes the light emitting element 17 to output a test optical signal. Then
This is emitted to the outside of the lower surface of the connector 10 through the light emission port 40 of the element arrangement chamber 19 (see the dotted arrow in FIG. 7). Here, when the connector 10 is in a properly mounted state with respect to the power receiving unit 30, the light emitting port 40 and the light
Since the prism 42 faces 1, the optical signal emitted outward from the lower surface is guided by the prism 42, returned to the light receiving element 18, and projected. As a result, the light receiving element 1
8, an electric signal is output to the inverter control circuit 3, and based on this, the inverter control circuit 3 detects that the connector 10 is in a properly mounted state, and allows the charging operation to be continued,
Subsequently, the mode is switched to the charging mode.

However, the charging connector 10 is connected to the power receiving unit 3.
0, the light emission port 40
And since the light entrance 41 and the prism 42 do not face each other,
The optical signal is not fed back to the light receiving element 18. In this state, when the CPU of the inverter control circuit 3 counts a predetermined time, it is recognized that there is an abnormality in the mounting state, and a warning lamp (not shown) is turned on to start the charging operation. Interrupt. Thereby, before applying a large voltage for power supply to the primary coil 12, it is possible to take predetermined measures such as resetting the charging connector 10 to the power receiving unit 30, for example. The optical signal for the test is also projected on the light receiving element 25 of the power receiving unit 30 and the electrical signal is also output to the charging state detection circuit 33. As long as the content of the optical signal is for the test, the charging is performed. The state detection circuit 33 remains in the standby state.

When the mode is switched to the charging mode, an optical signal of information relating to charging is emitted from the light emitting element 17 and enters the light receiving element 25. Then, an electric signal is output from the light receiving element 25 to the charge state detection circuit 33, based on which the charge state detection circuit 33 detects the charge state of the power battery 31. Then, an electric signal corresponding to the state of charge is output to the light emitting element 24 to output an optical signal, which is incident on the light receiving element 18 of the charging connector 10 and converted into an electric signal. Then, the signal is given to the inverter control circuit 3 and is grasped as the state of charge of the power battery 31. The transmission and reception of the information on the state of charge is performed, for example, by converting the charge capacity measured from the terminal voltage of the battery into a digital value and transmitting the digital value by a general serial communication method. The inverter control circuit 3 controls the output voltage or the like, for example, according to the charge capacity of the power battery 31, so that the battery 31 is appropriately charged. When the charging of the power battery 31 is completed, this is detected by the charging state detection circuit 33, and the optical signal from the light emitting element 24 is given to the light receiving element 18 on the charging connector 10 side. A stop signal is output to the device 2 to end the charging operation.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the charging connector 10 side and the electric vehicle side are configured to transmit and receive information regarding charging by optical communication via infrared rays. It is difficult to receive and stable communication can be performed. In addition, since there is no legal regulation by the Radio Law or the like, the degree of freedom in design is high, and the circuit design cost can be significantly reduced as compared with the wireless communication circuit. Furthermore, according to the present embodiment, the light emitting element 17 and the light receiving element 18 of the charging connector can be used not only for transmitting and receiving information regarding charging, but also for detecting mounting of the connector, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the entire connector. Can be. In addition, in the present embodiment, the charging connector 1
Since the direction of the light emission port 40 and the light incidence port 41 provided in the direction 0 intersects the connector mounting direction, only when the connector 10 is completely mounted, the light emission port 40 and the light Both the entrances 41 face the prism 42, and it is possible to detect that the connector 10 is completely mounted.

<Second Embodiment> FIGS. 9 and 10 show a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the configuration of the bypass between the elements 17 and 18, and is otherwise the same.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the device arrangement chamber 50 of the charging connector 10 according to the present embodiment in a plane cross section. The element arrangement chamber 50 is a horizontally long flat space whose front is open. A partition wall 52 (corresponding to a blocking member) is formed at the center of the back wall 51 in the lateral direction (vertical direction in FIG. 9) toward the opening. The light emitting element 17 and the light receiving element 18 are mounted on both sides of the back wall 51 partitioned by the partition wall 52 so as to face forward.

On the other hand, an element housing tube 53 protrudes from the inner wall 30A at the inner bottom of the power receiving unit 30.
Has a flat shape that can be fitted into the element arrangement chamber 50,
An element placement chamber 50 is provided on the inner surface 53A of the element housing cylinder 53.
A light-emitting element 24 and a light-receiving element 25 are arranged in correspondence with the two elements 17 and 18 therein. Then, for example, a metal foil 54 is laid on the inner surface of the element housing tube 53 to be in a mirror surface state.

The operation of this embodiment is as follows.
When the charging connector 10 is not attached to the power receiving unit 30, the light signal from the light emitting element 17 is cut off by the partition wall 52 and is not projected to the light receiving element 18 as shown in FIG.
However, as shown in FIG. 10, the charging connector 10 is attached to the power receiving unit 30, and the element housing cylinder 53 is
0, the light signal from the light emitting element 17 is reflected by the metal foil 54 in the element housing cylinder 53, passes over the partition wall 52, is projected on the light receiving element 18, and indicates that the connector 10 is mounted. Can be detected.

<Other Embodiments> The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition to the following, various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) In the first embodiment, the light path is constituted by the prism 42. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an optical fiber may be used.

(2) A bypass may be formed without an optical path. FIGS. 11 and 12 show a specific example thereof, which is provided with a partition wall 60 between the light-emitting element 17 and the light-receiving element 18 and the partition wall 6.
A space 61 that opens forward is formed in the space 0, and a slide plate 63 is accommodated in the space 61 together with the coil spring 62, and the slide plate 63 normally projects forward of the element arrangement chamber 69 (FIG. 11). This slide plate 6
3 and the partition wall 60, communication holes 64 and 65 which are aligned with each other in a state where the slide plate 63 is pushed into the back side,
Penetration is formed on a line connecting between 7 and 18. And
When the connector 10 is mounted on the power receiving unit 30, as shown in FIG. 12, the slide plate 63 is pushed by the element housing cylinder 66 of the power receiving unit 30, and the communication holes 64 and 65 are aligned, and the
A bypass through which the optical signal passes is formed between 7 and 18.

(3) In each of the above embodiments, an example is shown in which the present invention is applied to a charging connector of an induction charging system in which power is transmitted in a non-contact manner using electromagnetic induction. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The optical communication system of the present invention can also be applied to a charging system of a type in which power is transmitted by contacting a terminal fitting on the unit side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a power receiving unit and a charging connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the charging connector.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view showing the element arrangement chamber.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the same system.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an element arrangement chamber in a state where the connector is mounted.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the element disposition chamber with the connector mounted.

FIG. 9 is a plan sectional view of an element disposition chamber showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional plan view of the element disposition chamber with the connector mounted.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional plan view of an element arrangement chamber showing a modification.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional plan view of the element disposition chamber with the connector mounted.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 connector (electric vehicle charging connector) 17 light emitting element 18 light receiving element 24 light emitting element (optical communication element of mating connector) 25 light receiving element (optical communication element of mating connector) 30 power receiving unit (mating connector) DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 31 ... Power battery (power storage device) 40 ... Light emission port 41 ... Light incidence port 42 ... Prism (light path) 52 ... Partition wall (blocking member) 54 ... Metal foil 60 ... Partition wall 64 ... Communication hole (bypass) 65 … Communication hole (bypass)

Claims (3)

[Claims] The present invention relates to charging a power storage device of an electric vehicle, comprising a light emitting element and a light receiving element for transmitting and receiving information as an optical signal, and relating the charging to an optical communication element of a mating connector. While transmitting and receiving information, the light emitting element and the light receiving element are always shut off so that no optical signal is transmitted and received, and between the light emitting element and the light receiving element as the connector is attached to the mating connector. A connector for charging an electric vehicle, wherein a bypass for transmitting and receiving an optical signal is formed in the connector. 2. A blocking member for partitioning the light emitting element and the light receiving element so that an optical signal cannot be directly transmitted and received between the light emitting element and the light receiving element. A light emission port for emitting an optical signal,
Forming a light entrance through which an optical signal is incident on the light receiving element, wherein the light emission opening and the light entrance are provided on the mating connector in a state where the connector mounting with the mating connector is completed. The electric vehicle charging connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is connected by an optical path for guiding a signal. 3. A partition wall having a through hole for optical communication is provided between the light emitting element and the light receiving element, and an opening / closing member for always closing the through hole is provided on the partition wall. 2. The electric vehicle charging connector according to claim 1, wherein the opening / closing member is displaced so as to be pushed by the mating connector to open the through hole when the connector is attached to the connector.