Charging connector for a vehicle

Abstract

A charging connector of a vehicle is provided, which is coupled to a charging inlet portion of an electric vehicle. The charging connector includes an outlet terminal portion electrically connected to an inlet terminal portion installed inside the inlet charging portion, a housing configured to provide an accommodation space in which the outlet terminal portion is accommodated, a coupling space coupled to the inlet terminal portion, and a rear retainer installed at one side of the housing to prevent the outlet terminal portion from being separated. The outlet terminal portion includes a plurality of charging terminals coupled to the inlet terminal portion, and a guard rib extending in a radial direction from an outside of the charging terminals, the guard rib having a distal end supported at one side of the rear retainer to prevent the charging terminals from being separated, thereby facilitating assembly and providing improved durability and safety.

Description

[0001] Cross-references to related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0064059, filed on May 18, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This invention relates to a charging connector for a vehicle, and more specifically, to a charging connector for a vehicle that is coupled to a charging port of an electric vehicle and used to charge the electric vehicle. Background Technology

[0004] Recently, with environmental issues becoming a major concern, environmentally friendly vehicles have gained significant attention due to their energy-saving and pollution-preventing properties. Consequently, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, biodiesel vehicles, and electric vehicles have attracted interest as alternatives to vehicles powered by existing internal combustion engines.

[0005] Among them, the most technologically active vehicle type is the electric vehicle, which uses electricity as its driving force. Based on the method of using electrical energy and the ratio of electricity used as driving force, electric vehicles are classified into EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs. Each of the EVs and PHEVs is equipped with both fast-charging and slow-charging sections to receive electricity from external sources.

[0006] There are limitations here. Because high voltage is generated in the fast charging section and the slow charging section to charge the electric vehicle, the fixing force of the terminal section is reduced due to the repeated separation of the vehicle's charging inlet section and the charging section, which reduces electrical safety. In addition, in order to install the outlet terminal in the correct position, there are limitations that reduce manufacturability and productivity. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned limitations, the present invention provides a vehicle charging connector in which the charging terminal installed inside the vehicle charging connector is easy to install and is also stably secured, thereby improving the product's durability and safety.

[0008] This invention provides a charging connector for a vehicle, coupled to an inlet charging section of an electric vehicle. The charging connector includes: an outlet terminal portion electrically connected to an inlet terminal portion mounted inside the inlet charging section; a housing configured to provide a receiving space and a coupling space coupled to the inlet terminal portion, the outlet terminal portion being received within the receiving space; and a rear retainer mounted on one side of the housing to prevent separation of the outlet terminal portion.

[0009] The outlet terminal portion includes: a plurality of charging terminals coupled to the inlet terminal portion; and a protective rib extending radially from the outside of the charging terminals and having a distal end supported on one side of the rear retainer to prevent the charging terminals from separating.

[0010] The housing may have a first connection hole, allowing multiple charging terminals to be mounted in a predetermined pattern. The rear retainer may include a body disposed outside the receiving space and an extension having a second connection hole extending into the receiving space to communicate with the first connection hole. In the outlet terminal portion, the charging terminals may be configured to pass through the first and second connection holes. The distal end of the protective rib may be supported on the distal end of the extension and disposed within the receiving space.

[0011] The protective rib may include: a connecting end protruding along the outer peripheral surface of each of the charging terminals; a plurality of resilient cantilevers spaced apart from the connecting end by a predetermined distance to extend in the extension direction; and a support end that bends from the distal end of each of the resilient cantilevers and is configured to face the extension portion, wherein the outlet terminal portion may pass through a second connecting hole and be disposed in a receiving space.

[0012] The flexible cantilever can extend from the connection end, wherein the flexible cantilever can have an inclined surface that extends from the outer peripheral surface of the charging terminal and is thus gradually spaced apart in the radial direction.

[0013] The rear retainer may include: a protective rib extending from the body to the outside of the receiving space to protect the distal end of the housing; and a coupling rib extending to the outside of the receiving space and having a hook-shaped protrusion at its distal end for hooking and securing to a coupling groove defined in the receiving space. Attached Figure Description

[0014] The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

[0015] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a charging connector for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Exploded 3D diagram;

[0017] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A perspective view of the outlet terminal section;

[0018] Figure 4 This shows the assembly of the outlet terminal section. Figure 2A three-dimensional view of the state of the rear retainer;

[0019] Figure 5 It is shown Figure 4 Three-dimensional images from different directions;

[0020] Figure 6 This is a perspective view showing the post-retention state according to another embodiment;

[0021] Figure 7 It is shown in Figure 4 A three-dimensional view of the assembled shell.

[0022] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Exploded 3D diagram;

[0023] Figure 9 It is along Figure 7 A sectional view taken along direction VII-VII; and

[0024] Figure 10 This is a view illustrating a method for assembling the outlet terminal to the rear retainer. Detailed Implementation

[0025] In the following, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations are omitted so as not to obscure the essential points of the invention.

[0026] Furthermore, for ease of description, the direction in which the vehicle's inlet charging section and the charging connector are coupled to each other is defined as the extension direction, and the direction intersecting the extension direction is defined as the radial direction.

[0027] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a charging connector for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Decomposed 3D diagram, Figure 3 yes Figure 2 A perspective view of the outlet terminal section. Figure 4 This shows the assembly of the outlet terminal section. Figure 2 A three-dimensional view of the state of the rear retainer. Figure 5 It shows Figure 4 Three-dimensional images from different directions, Figure 6 This is a perspective view showing the state of the retainer after application according to another embodiment. Figure 7 It shows the housing assembled in Figure 4 A 3D diagram of the state in the middle. Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Decomposed 3D diagram, Figure 9 It is along Figure 7 The cross-sectional view taken in direction VII-VII. Figure 10This is a view showing the method of assembling the outlet terminal to the rear retainer.

[0028] Reference Figures 1 to 10 The charging connector 10 for a vehicle, coupled to the inlet charging section of the electric vehicle of the present invention, includes: an outlet terminal portion 100 electrically connected to an inlet terminal portion mounted inside the inlet charging section; a housing 200 providing a receiving space 210 for accommodating the outlet terminal portion 100 and a coupling space 220 coupled to the inlet terminal portion; and a rear retainer mounted on one side of the housing 200 to prevent separation of the outlet terminal portion 100. The outlet terminal portion 100 is provided with: a plurality of charging terminals 110 coupled to the inlet terminal portion; and a protective rib 120 extending radially from the outside of the charging terminals 110 and having a distal end supported on one side of the rear retainer 300 to prevent separation of each of the charging terminals 110.

[0029] The vehicle's charging connector 10 connects to an external device and is coupled to an inlet charging section located in the electric vehicle to supply external power for charging the battery. Here, the charging connector is configured such that the outlet terminal portion 100 and the inlet terminal portion installed inside the inlet charging section are stably connected to each other.

[0030] The outlet terminal portion 100 is provided with a plurality of charging terminals 110 coupled to the inlet terminal portion and protective ribs 120 extending to the outside of the charging terminals 110, and is mounted through the housing 200. One side of the outlet terminal portion 100 is connected to an external device via a wire, and the other side contacts the inlet terminal portion installed inside the inlet charging section to achieve electrical connection.

[0031] The charging terminal 110 passes through the first connection hole 212 and is positioned above the coupling space 220 and the receiving space 210, such that one end of the terminal 110 is located inside the housing 200 and electrically connected to an external power source via a wire, while the other end is located inside the coupling space 220 and electrically connected to the inlet terminal portion. Here, multiple charging terminals 110 are respectively installed at pre-designed positions and are integrally connected to the inlet terminal portion.

[0032] The protective rib 120 extends to the outside of each of the charging terminals 110, so that the outlet terminal portion 100 is prevented from contacting the rear retainer 300, and the other end of the charging terminal 110 is positioned in the coupling space 220 at a pre-designed length to prevent movement in the extension direction, thereby providing better electrical stability.

[0033] Specifically, the protective rib 120 is provided with a connecting end 121 extending and protruding along the outer peripheral surface of the charging terminal 110, a plurality of elastic cantilever arms spaced at a predetermined distance from the connecting end 121 to extend in the extending direction, and a support end 123 bent from the distal end of each of the elastic cantilever arms 122 and arranged parallel to the extending direction.

[0034] Here, the connection end 121 protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the charging terminal 110 and is supported on one side of the support surface 211. The first connection hole 212 is defined in the support surface, and the support end 123 is supported at the distal end of the extension 320. The extension 320 defines the second connection hole 321 to securely fix the charging terminal 110 in a predetermined position, thereby ensuring better electrical safety and reliability by utilizing the inlet terminal portion.

[0035] Therefore, the connecting end 121 and the supporting end 123 can be arranged parallel to the extension direction to ensure the fixing force in the extension direction.

[0036] The elastic cantilever 122 extends from the connecting end 121 along the extending direction. Here, the elastic cantilever 122 may have an inclined surface 1221, thereby gradually spaced apart from the outside of the charging terminal 110 in the radial direction. Therefore, since the elastic cantilever 122 has elasticity in the radial direction when the part connected to the connecting end 121 is fixed, the elastic cantilever 122 elastically deforms to minimize interference with the second connecting hole 321 when the charging terminal 110 passes through the second connecting hole 321, and also returns to its original position after passing through the second connecting hole 321. Therefore, the elastic cantilever 122 is hooked and fixed to the distal end of the second connecting hole 321 to facilitate the assembly of multiple charging terminals 110.

[0037] In other words, the outlet terminal portion 100 is provided with protective ribs 120, which can be elastically deformed to make it easier to install multiple charging terminals 110. Furthermore, since no separate installation process and adjustment of the installation position are required, the production process is simplified, workability is improved, and the productivity of the product is significantly increased.

[0038] Furthermore, the outlet terminal portion 100 is supported on one side of the housing 200 and one side of the rear retainer 300 to increase the fixing force in the extending direction of the charging terminal 110, thereby providing electrical stability. Moreover, even when the inlet charging portion and the charging connector 10 for the vehicle are repeatedly disassembled, the outlet terminal portion 100 will maintain the fixing force at a predetermined level or higher, thereby improving the reliability of the product.

[0039] The coupling space 220 at one end of the outlet terminal portion 100 is further defined on one side of the housing 200, and the receiving space 210 at the other end of the outlet terminal portion 100 is defined on the other side of the housing 200. The coupling space 220 and the receiving space 210 are mounted to be separated by a support surface 211 that contacts the connection end 121, such that the portion connected to the external device and the device connected to the inlet charging portion are separated from each other.

[0040] Here, each of the charging terminals 110 passing through a first connection hole 212 is defined in a support surface 211, such that each of the plurality of charging terminals 110 has a pre-designed pattern. In this case, the size of the first connection hole 212 is smaller than the size of the connection end 121, such that the connection end 121 is supported on the support surface 211.

[0041] Furthermore, the coupling groove 213 and the guide protrusion 214 of the coupling position of the guide rear retainer 300 are provided in the receiving space 210. The rear retainer 300 is coupled to the coupling groove 213, so that the rear retainer 300 can be easily coupled in a snap-fit ​​manner. In addition, a plurality of charging terminals 110 that are mainly fixed to the rear retainer 300 are integrally provided at a designated position, thereby preventing the inlet charging section and the vehicle's charging connector 10 from being incorrectly coupled to each other.

[0042] Here, the coupling grooves 213 can be arranged in at least one pair facing each other. The guide protrusions 214 can be arranged in three regularly spaced pieces, and the charging terminals 110 can extend in the extension direction and be positioned correctly without being vertically inverted. Furthermore, the guide grooves 313 defined in the rear retainer 300 can move along the guide protrusions 214, so that the guide protrusions 214 can be easily coupled.

[0043] Furthermore, when multiple guide protrusions 214 are provided, the rotational force generated relative to the central axis of the housing 200 can be counteracted when the inlet charging portion and the charging connector 10 for the vehicle are separated from each other, so as to minimize possible deformation, damage, etc. in the inlet terminal portion and the outlet terminal portion 100.

[0044] The rear retainer 300 has a body 310 disposed on one side of the receiving space 210 and an extension 320, wherein a second connection hole 321 is defined extending from the body 310 to communicate with the first connection hole 212. Therefore, the rear retainer 300 is disposed outside the opening surface of the receiving space 210 to protect the charging terminal 110 disposed in the receiving space 210, and is also disposed facing the support surface 211 to more securely fix the charging terminal 110.

[0045] The main body 310 is disposed outside the opening surface of the receiving space 210 and extends along the outer peripheral surface in the extension direction to provide a protective rib 311 outside the receiving space 210 to protect the distal end of the housing 200, and also extends in the extension direction to provide a coupling rib 312 inside the receiving space 210 so that the rear retainer 300 can be easily coupled and secured to the housing 200.

[0046] Here, the coupling protrusion 3121, which is hooked and fixed to the coupling groove 213, is located at the far end of the coupling rib 312. The coupling groove 213 of the coupling protrusion 3121 is hooked and fixed in the receiving space 210 to prevent the coupling structure from being exposed to the outside.

[0047] Therefore, during the production process, it is necessary to prevent the charging terminal 110 from being damaged due to operator negligence and to prevent the fixing force of the charging terminal 110 from decreasing due to repeated use, so as to improve the durability of the product and ensure electrical safety.

[0048] Furthermore, the guide groove 313 is defined on one side of the body 310 to correspond to the guide protrusion 214, so that the rear retainer 300 and the housing 200 can be easily coupled to each other, and is also hooked and fixed to the guide protrusion 214 to counteract rotational forces, thereby minimizing damage to the charging terminal 110.

[0049] The extension portion 320 extends from one side of the main body 310 along the extending direction of the receiving space 210. Here, a second connecting hole 321 having the same pattern as the first connecting hole 212 is defined within the extension portion 320, such that the outlet terminal portion 100, which is mainly fixed to the rear retainer 300, is integrally coupled to the housing 200.

[0050] In this case, the size of the second connecting hole 321 is equal to or greater than the size of the portion of the elastic cantilever 122 where the multiple support ends are connected to each other in an elastically deformable manner. Here, the portion of the elastic cantilever 122 where the multiple support ends are connected to each other in a state of returning to their initial position has a small size such that the support end 123 supports the distal end of the second connecting hole 321.

[0051] In addition, such as Figure 5 As shown, the rear retainer 300 of the extension portion 320 according to the embodiment has a cylindrical shape and is thus coupled by the elastic deformation of the elastic cantilever 122 in one direction. However, the rear retainer 1300 of the extension portion 1320 according to another embodiment is cut in the extension direction in which the charging terminal 110 is coupled. Therefore, when the charging terminal 110 is inserted, the extension portion 1320 also elastically deforms radially together with the elastic cantilever 122 to reduce the insertion / extraction force, thereby reducing worker fatigue.

[0052] Here, the degree or number of cuts of the extension 1320 can be varied according to the design, and such variation corresponds to the obvious problems of the present invention.

[0053] Therefore, in the charging connector 10 for vehicles according to the present invention, a plurality of charging terminals 110 are inserted into the rear retainer 300 to initially fix the charging terminals 110, and the charging terminals 110 and the rear retainer 300 are integrally coupled to the housing 200 to simplify the production process and thereby improve productivity.

[0054] Furthermore, various structures are provided to prevent movement of the charging terminal 110, ensuring the stability and reliability of the charging connector 10 for vehicles with an inlet charging section. Additionally, potential damage to the vehicle's charging connector 10 during repeated disassembly is minimized, and reduced fixing force is prevented, thereby improving durability and stability.

[0055] As described above, various effects can be expected in accordance with the technical problem of the present invention, including the following facts. However, the present invention does not need to achieve all of the following effects.

[0056] The charging connector of the present invention can be assembled into the housing with multiple charging terminals installed in the rear retainer, thereby simplifying the production process and improving product productivity by reducing worker fatigue.

[0057] In addition, protective ribs arranged in the radial direction can be provided on the outlet terminal section, so that multiple charging terminals are stably fixed to the rear retainer, and the charging terminals protrude a pre-designed length in the coupling space to improve electrical stability with the inlet terminal section.

[0058] Here, the protective ribs can be configured as multiple flexible cantilever arms extending from the outside of the charging terminal, allowing workers to easily secure the outlet terminal portion to the rear retainer without performing a separate process, and a guide protrusion protruding to guide the installation position of the rear retainer can be provided in the receiving space to maximize the effect of improving product productivity.

[0059] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above by way of example, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and any appropriate modifications that can be made within the scope described in the claims are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A charging connector for a vehicle, which is coupled to an inlet charging portion of an electric vehicle, the charging connector comprising: an outlet terminal portion electrically connected to an inlet terminal portion installed inside the inlet charging portion; a housing configured to provide a coupling space accommodating one end of the outlet terminal portion, an accommodation space accommodating the other end of the outlet terminal portion, and a first connection hole formed in a support surface separating the coupling space and the accommodation space, such that the outlet terminal portion is installed in a predetermined pattern; a rear retainer including a main body disposed outside the accommodation space and an extension portion extending from the main body into the accommodation space, the extension portion having a second connection hole communicating with the first connection hole to prevent the outlet terminal portion from being separated, wherein the outlet terminal portion includes: a plurality of charging terminals installed to pass through the first connection hole and the second connection hole and coupled to the inlet terminal portion; and a protection rib extending in an extension direction from an outside of the charging terminals and having a distal end supported at one side of the extension portion of the rear retainer to prevent the charging terminals from being separated, wherein the protection rib includes: a connection end protruding along an outer peripheral surface of each of the charging terminals; a plurality of elastic cantilever arms spaced apart from the connection end by a predetermined distance and extending in a radial direction; and a support end bent from a distal end of each of the elastic cantilever arms and disposed to face the extension portion, wherein the outlet terminal portion passes through the second connection hole and is disposed in the accommodation space.

2. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein, the elastic cantilever arms extend from the connection end portion, wherein the elastic cantilever arms have inclined surfaces extending from the outer peripheral surface of the charging terminals so as to be gradually spaced apart in the radial direction.

3. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein, the rear retainer includes: a protection rib extending from the main body to an outside of the accommodation space to protect a distal end of the housing; and a coupling rib extending to an outside of the accommodation space and provided with a hook-shaped protrusion at a distal end thereof so as to be hooked and fixed to a coupling groove defined in the accommodation space.

Images