Actuator with clutch and overload protection

Abstract

The application discloses an actuator with clutch and overload protection structure, comprising a driving mechanism, a first gear assembly connected with the driving mechanism, a locking mechanism and a third gear assembly connected with the locking mechanism, wherein a second gear assembly is arranged between the first gear assembly and the third gear assembly, power is unidirectionally transmitted from the driving mechanism to the locking mechanism, a clutch yoke capable of cutting off the transmission of the second gear assembly is arranged between the second gear assembly and the third gear assembly, an unlocking assembly is arranged between the clutch yoke and the locking mechanism, and pulling the unlocking assembly can respectively contact and drive the clutch yoke and the third gear assembly to move. The clutch structure designed in the multi-stage transmission gear can realize motor protection of the electronic lock under overload condition, improve the reliability of the electronic lock, increase the holding force of the lock rod of the actuator, and solve the problem that the lock rod is not retracted due to stress after being locked.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of connectors, and more specifically to an actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure for use in electric vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, the industry has gained a deeper understanding of related products and has placed higher demands on product quality and user experience. To ensure the safety and reliability of the charging process for new energy vehicles and prevent situations such as live plugging and unplugging (which may cause arcing of the charging plug and socket, leading to contact erosion), the national standard GB_T 20234.1-2023 Electric Vehicle Conductive Charging Connection Device Part 1: General Requirements clearly stipulates that AC charging sockets with an A rating of 16A or higher should be equipped with electronic lock devices, making electronic locks an important component of vehicle charging sockets. However, due to the limited understanding of new energy vehicle charging scenarios in the early stages, most electronic locks on the market currently suffer from poor reliability and poor user experience, which are becoming increasingly prominent pain points.

[0003] Most electronic locks on the market have low actuation force (low anti-interference force of the locking rod). Under extreme conditions such as external interference or icing of the locking rod, they may not lock properly, which may prevent new energy vehicles from charging. Their short lifespan and low reliability will increase the maintenance cost of new energy vehicles and the user experience. When there are no obvious defects in the socket assembly, the electronic lock may not work properly, which may lead to the replacement of the charging socket assembly of new energy vehicles, resulting in user complaints. In addition, there is the problem of excessive pulling force when manually unlocking in an emergency, which reduces the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to design a completely new protective structure based on existing technology and in accordance with national standards, to ensure that the charging plug will not fall off during charging and to guarantee its locking performance.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure includes a drive mechanism and a first gear assembly connected to the drive mechanism, a locking mechanism, and a third gear assembly connected to the locking mechanism. A second gear assembly is disposed between the first gear assembly and the third gear assembly, and power is transmitted unidirectionally from the drive mechanism to the locking mechanism. A clutch fork capable of stopping the transmission of the second gear assembly is disposed between the second gear assembly and the third gear assembly. An unlocking component is disposed between the clutch fork and the locking mechanism. Pulling the unlocking component can respectively contact and drive the clutch fork and the third gear assembly to move.

[0006] In this scheme, the locking action of the locking mechanism is completed by the drive mechanism driving the gear assembly to complete the power transmission. In this process, the power can only be gradually transmitted to the locking mechanism in one direction through the drive mechanism. The locking mechanism cannot transmit the force back to the drive mechanism.

[0007] During the locking process, the clutch fork and unlocking assembly do not participate in the interaction between the gear assemblies; they are interconnected yet independent structures. Only during the unlocking process, by manually pulling the unlocking assembly, does it engage in the movement between the second and third gear assemblies.

[0008] In the above technical solution, the second gear assembly includes a shaft that axially passes through the helical gear and the spur gear. The helical gear meshes with the third gear assembly, and the spur gear meshes with the first gear assembly. The top of the helical gear is provided with an external spline, and the center of the spur gear is an internal spline. The helical gear and the spur gear mesh axially through the splines.

[0009] In the above technical solution, a spring is sleeved on the shaft, and one end of the spring contacts the bottom end of the helical gear.

[0010] In the above technical solution, the spur gear and helical gear can be separated after being connected, and the separated helical gear can be reconnected to the spur gear under the action of the spring.

[0011] In the above technical solution, the unlocking component includes a slider and a pull rod connected to each other, and the slider can contact the clutch fork and the locking mechanism respectively along the pulling direction.

[0012] In the above technical solution, the locking mechanism is provided with a groove, and the slider corresponding to the groove is provided with a boss, which can move and rotate in the groove.

[0013] In the above technical solution, along the direction of slider movement, the slider sequentially pulls the clutch fork and the locking mechanism to move.

[0014] In the above technical solution, a spring is sleeved on the pull rod, one end of the spring is in contact with the slider, and the slider can be reset under the action of the spring.

[0015] In the above technical solution, the locking and unlocking actions of the actuator are as follows: The drive mechanism drives the first gear assembly to move, and transmits power to the third gear assembly through the second gear assembly. The locking mechanism extends under the drive of the third gear assembly to lock. After locking, manually pull the slider. The slider first contacts the clutch shift fork, causing the clutch shift fork to rotate. The clutch shift fork then enters the second gear assembly, pressing against the spur gear and separating its internal spline from the external spline of the helical gear. As the slider continues to move and comes into contact with the locking mechanism, it causes the third gear assembly and helical gear on the locking mechanism to rotate in the opposite direction, thus unlocking the locking mechanism. After unlocking, the slider and clutch fork automatically reset under the action of the spring, and the central internal spline of the spur gear re-engages with the external spline, waiting for the next locking.

[0016] In the above technical solution, the locking mechanism includes a locking pin, the third gear assembly includes a rack, and the extension and retraction direction of the locking pin is consistent with the movement direction of the rack after engagement.

[0017] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This application utilizes a motor-driven locking function and a multi-stage gear transmission structure to provide a sufficiently large locking force within a compact space. This solves the problem of insufficient locking force leading to locking failure in existing technologies. Specifically: This solution addresses the issue of unstable output torque during motor manufacturing, which causes deviations between the output load of the electronic lock transmission system and the theoretical value, resulting in overload and damage to the internal transmission mechanism. This solution solves the problem of uncontrollable (too small) retaining force of current electronic lock levers; This solution solves the problem of uncontrollable (too large) manual unlocking force in existing electronic locks; The clutch structure designed in this application for multi-stage transmission gears can solve the problem of protecting the motor and transmission system when the electronic lock encounters overload, as well as reduce the non-functional load of the transmission system, increase the service life of the electronic lock, and improve the reliability of the electronic lock. This application solution increases the locking lever holding force of the actuator by using both manual unlocking and electric locking functions, thus solving the problem that the locking lever will not retract due to force after locking. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this embodiment; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission mechanism; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the clutch mechanism; Figure 4 and Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the locking structure; Wherein: 1 is the housing, 2 is the top cover, 3 is the DC motor, 4 is the worm gear, 5 is the worm wheel shaft, 6 is the clutch gear assembly, 6.1 is the metal shaft, 6.2 and 6.6 are the retaining rings, 6.3 is the clutch spring, 6.4 is the helical gear, 6.5 is the spur gear, 7 is the clutch shift fork, 8 is the locking rod, 8.1 is the rack, 8.2 is the groove, 9 is the sealing cover, 10 is the sealing ring, 11 is the slider, 12 is the return spring, and 13 is the pull rod. Detailed Implementation

[0019] All features disclosed in this specification, or all steps in all disclosed methods or processes, may be combined in any way, except for mutually exclusive features and / or steps.

[0020] Any feature disclosed in this specification (including any appended claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by other equivalent or similar features for a similar purpose, unless specifically stated otherwise. That is, unless specifically stated otherwise, each feature is merely one example of a series of equivalent or similar features.

[0021] In this embodiment, the first gear assembly consists of a worm 4 and a worm wheel shaft 5, the second gear assembly is a clutch gear assembly 6, the third gear assembly is a rack 8.1, and the locking mechanism is a locking rod 8.

[0022] like Figure 1 As shown, the protective structure in this embodiment mainly consists of a housing 1, a top cover 2, a DC motor 3, a worm gear 4, a worm wheel shaft 5, a clutch gear assembly 6, a clutch shift fork 7, and a locking rod 8. A sealing ring 10 and a sealing cover 9 are provided on the locking rod 8. The specific structure is as follows: the output shaft of the DC motor 3 is connected to the worm gear 4, and the DC motor 3 drives the worm gear 4 to rotate. The worm gear 4 transmits power to the clutch gear assembly 6 through the worm wheel shaft 5. The clutch gear assembly meshes with the rack of the locking rod 8, thereby driving the locking rod 8 to extend and retract axially.

[0023] like Figure 3 As shown, the clutch gear assembly 6 includes a metal shaft 6.1, a helical gear 6.4 fitted onto the metal shaft 6.1, and a spline axially arranged on the upper end face of the helical gear 6.4, which connects to a spur gear 6.5. The helical gear 6.4 is fixedly connected to the spur gear 6.5 via the spline. Two retaining rings 6.2 and 6.5 are provided on the metal shaft 6.1, allowing the two gears to rotate synchronously around the metal shaft 6.1 between the retaining rings 6.2 and 6.5. Under the action of external force, the spur gear 6.5 and the spline can be separated and engaged.

[0024] To achieve the locking function of locking lever 8, such as Figure 4As shown, one end of the locking rod 8 is connected to a rack 8.1, which meshes with the helical gear 6.4 in the clutch gear assembly 6. The rotation of the helical gear 6.4 drives the extension and retraction of the locking rod 8.

[0025] In this embodiment, the entire operation of the locking lever 8 is as follows: the DC motor 3 drives the worm gear 4 to rotate, the worm gear 4 drives the worm wheel shaft 5 that meshes with it to rotate, one end of the worm wheel shaft 5 meshes with the spur gear 6.5 in the clutch gear assembly 6, driving the spur gear 6.5 to rotate, the spur gear 6.5 drives the helical gear 6.4 to rotate synchronously through a spline connection, and the helical gear 6.4 meshes with the rack 8.1, thereby driving the rack 8.1 to move in the horizontal direction, thereby realizing the extension and retraction action of the locking lever 8 driven by the rack 8.1.

[0026] In this embodiment, the locking and unlocking functions of the locking rod 8 are both achieved by the DC motor 3 driving all the gears to rotate for power transmission, which can complete the locking function of the locking rod 8. However, the DC motor 3 cannot drive the worm gear to rotate in reverse to achieve the unlocking function. Therefore, this embodiment adds a manual unlocking function.

[0027] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, a clutch fork 7 is provided. The clutch fork 7 is a structure independent of the locking lever 8. The clutch fork 7 is located inside the housing 1 and can move in a certain direction under the action of external force.

[0028] To achieve clutch engagement, the clutch fork 7 is positioned between the helical gear 6.4 and the spur gear 6.5. Under normal circumstances, the clutch fork 7 does not physically contact the helical gear 6.4 and the spur gear 6.5. When needed, the clutch fork 7 inserts between the helical gear 6.4 and the spur gear 6.5, using a boss on the clutch fork 7 to push the spur gear 6.5 upwards, disengaging it from the spline. In this state, there is no power transmission between the helical gear 6.4 and the spur gear 6.5, and the unlocking function can begin.

[0029] To enable the movement of the clutch shift fork 7, a slider 11 is provided inside the housing 1. The clutch shift fork 7 is connected to the slider 11, and a pull rod 13 is connected to the slider 11. The pull rod 13 is used to pull the slider 11 to move, and the slider 11 drives the clutch shift fork 7 to move in the direction pulled by the pull rod 13, so that the clutch shift fork 7 enters between the helical gear 6.4 and the spur gear 6.5, thereby realizing the engagement and disengagement of the helical gear 6.4 and the spur gear 6.5.

[0030] To enable manual unlocking, slider 11 needs to contact rack 8.1, thereby moving rack 8.1 and retracting locking lever 8. The specific structure is as follows: like Figure 4 As shown, a groove 8.2 is provided on the rack 8.1, and a boss corresponding to the groove 8.2 is provided on the slider 11. There is a travel distance between the boss on the slider 11 and the table surface of the groove 8.2, which is the movement distance of the clutch shift fork 7.

[0031] The entire unlocking process is as follows: When slider 11 is pulled, the distance between its boss and the surface of groove 8.2 allows clutch fork 7 to insert into helical gear 6.4 and spur gear 6.5, thereby disengaging spur gear 6.5. Without the locking action of spur gear 6.5, the meshing rack 8.1 and helical gear 6.4 can rotate freely. When groove 8.2 contacts slider 11, slider 11 drives rack 8.1 and helical gear 6.4 to rotate, thus pulling lock lever 8 to retract, completing the unlocking function of lock lever 8. After unlocking, release pull rod 13, and all structures can be reset under the action of return spring 12 and clutch spring 6.3.

[0032] To ensure that the helical gear 6.4 and spur gear 6.5 can be reset properly, a clutch spring 6.3 is fitted under the helical gear 6.4 on the metal shaft 6.1. When the clutch fork 7 disengages from the spur gear 6.5, the clutch spring 6.3 pushes the helical gear 6.4 upward, so that the spline of the helical gear 6.4 is reconnected with the spur gear 6.5 and locked.

[0033] To achieve the reset of the clutch shift fork 7, a reset spring 12 is fitted onto the pull rod 13. The housing 1 and the slider 11 limit the reset spring 12, thereby using the elastic force of the reset spring 12 to reset the pulled slider 11. This allows the clutch shift fork 7 to disengage from the helical gear 6.4 and the spur gear 6.5 and reset. After reset, as... Figure 5 As shown.

[0034] In this embodiment, the manual unlocking force and the locking lever push-out force can be finely adjusted by adjusting the strength of the clutch spring 6.3. With the use of a softer spring, the clutch structure can be engaged or disengaged with a smaller manual unlocking pull force. At the same time, the clutch structure can disengage when encountering a smaller interference force, thereby providing better protection for the DC motor 3 and all transmission structures.

[0035] In this embodiment, the entire power transmission includes three stages. The first stage is a worm gear drive. Because it is driven by a motor, it has a self-locking characteristic. Only the DC motor 3 can drive the subsequent transmission components and the locking rod 8 through the worm gear and worm. The locking rod 8 cannot reverse drive the gear and worm gear when the clutch gear assembly 6 is engaged, which increases the locking force of the locking rod.

[0036] This invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The invention extends to any new feature or combination disclosed in this specification, as well as any new method or process step or combination disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure, comprising a drive mechanism and a first gear assembly connected to the drive mechanism, a locking mechanism and a third gear assembly connected to the locking mechanism, characterized in that: A second gear assembly is provided between the first gear assembly and the third gear assembly, allowing power to be transmitted unidirectionally from the drive mechanism to the locking mechanism. A clutch fork capable of disengaging the transmission of the second gear assembly is provided between the second gear assembly and the third gear assembly. An unlocking component is provided between the clutch shift fork and the locking mechanism. Pulling the unlocking component can contact and drive the clutch shift fork and the third gear assembly to move.

2. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second gear assembly includes a shaft that axially passes through a helical gear and a spur gear. The helical gear meshes with a third gear assembly, and the spur gear meshes with a first gear assembly. The end of the helical gear is connected to the spur gear via a spline.

3. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: A spring is fitted onto the shaft, and one end of the spring contacts the bottom end of the helical gear.

4. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 3, characterized in that: The spur gear and helical gear can be separated after being connected, and the separated helical gear can be reconnected to the spur gear under the action of the spring.

5. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The unlocking assembly includes a slider and a lever connected to each other, the slider being able to contact the clutch fork and the locking mechanism respectively along the pulling direction.

6. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: The locking mechanism is provided with a groove, and the slider corresponding to the groove is provided with a boss, which can move in the groove.

7. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: Along the direction of slider movement, the slider sequentially pulls the clutch fork and locking mechanism to move.

8. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 5 or 7, characterized in that: A spring is fitted onto the pull rod, and one end of the spring contacts the slider, which can be reset under the action of the spring.

9. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 1, characterized in that... The locking and unlocking actions of the actuator are as follows: The drive mechanism drives the first gear assembly to move, and transmits power to the third gear assembly through the second gear assembly. The locking mechanism extends under the drive of the third gear assembly to lock. After locking, manually pull the slider. The slider first contacts the clutch shift fork, causing the clutch shift fork to rotate. The clutch shift fork then enters the second gear assembly, pressing against the spur gear and separating it from the spline of the helical gear. As the slider continues to move and comes into contact with the locking mechanism, it causes the third gear assembly and helical gear on the locking mechanism to rotate in the opposite direction, thus unlocking the locking mechanism. After unlocking, the slider and clutch fork automatically reset under the action of the spring, and the center through hole of the spur gear re-engages with the spline, waiting for the next locking.

10. An actuator with a clutch and overload protection structure according to claim 1 or 9, characterized in that: The locking mechanism includes a locking pin, and the third gear assembly includes a rack. The extension and retraction direction of the locking pin is consistent with the movement direction of the rack after engagement.

Images