cap assembly

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a cover assembly. The cover assembly includes a housing, a cover body and a flip member. The housing has a cavity. The cover body is movable relative to the housing between an open position in which the cover body exposes the cavity and a closed position in which the cover body covers the cavity. The flip member is connected to the cover body and is configured to drive movement of the cover body relative to the housing between the open position and the closed position. The cover body is pivotably connected to the flip member, and pivotal movement of the cover body relative to the flip member can trigger movement of the cover body relative to the housing. The cover assembly provided by the present disclosure can have a majority of the area of the cover body as a pressable area for a user to press, thereby facilitating user operation to improve user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicles, and more particularly to cover assemblies for charging ports or refueling ports. Background Technology

[0002] A vehicle's fuel filler cap or charging port cap is used to open and close the vehicle's fuel filler or charging port. The fuel filler cap or charging port cap is movably mounted on the vehicle body. The cap has a closed position that covers the fuel filler or charging port and an open position that exposes the fuel filler or charging port, and it can move between these two positions. Normally, the fuel filler cap or charging port cap is in the closed position. When refueling or charging is needed, the user needs to press a specific area of ​​the cap to trigger it to move from the closed position to the open position. Summary of the Invention

[0003] After in-depth research, the inventors discovered that in existing fuel filler caps or charging port caps, the area of ​​this specific region is too small, making it difficult for users to locate it accurately. Furthermore, to achieve effective triggering, the pressure applied by the user at different points within this specific region is inconsistent, resulting in a poor user experience. Therefore, there is a need in the industry to improve fuel filler caps or charging port caps to facilitate user operation and enhance the user experience.

[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to address at least one aspect of the aforementioned problems and / or defects existing in the prior art.

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a cover assembly is provided for a charging port or a refueling port, the cover assembly including a housing, a cover body, and a flip-top member. The housing has a cavity. The cover body is movable relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the cover body covers the cavity, and in the open position the cover body exposes the cavity. The flip-top member is connected to the cover body and configured to actuate the cover body relative to the housing between the open position and the closed position. The cover body is pivotally connected to the flip-top member, and pivoting movement of the cover body relative to the flip-top member triggers movement of the cover body relative to the housing.

[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover includes a triggering part for triggering movement of the cover relative to the housing, wherein pivoting movement of the cover relative to the flip-top member can trigger movement of the triggering part relative to the housing.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the cover is provided with the trigger portion near the first end, and the cover is pivotally connected to the flip cover member near the second end.

[0008] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover assembly may further include: a pivot axis, wherein the cover body is pivotally connected to the flip cover member via the pivot axis; wherein, relative to the flip cover member, the cover body is pivotable about the pivot axis between a closed position and a triggered position, wherein in the closed position, the cover body abuts against the flip cover member to hold the cover body fixed relative to the flip cover member, and in the triggered position, movement of the trigger portion of the cover body triggers movement of the cover body from the closed position to the open position.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover assembly may further include: a reset member disposed on the pivot axis and abutting between the cover body and the flip-top member; wherein the reset member is configured to provide a spring force when the cover body is in the triggered position, such that the cover body is restored from the triggered position to the closed position after the pressing force applied to the cover body is removed.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover assembly may further include: the reset member is further configured to provide a spring force when the cover is in the closed position, such that the cover remains fixed relative to the flip-top member.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover assembly may further include: the cover body being divided into a pressable region and a non-pressable region by the orthographic projection of the pivot axis onto the cover body, wherein the area of ​​the pressable region is larger than the area of ​​the non-pressable region.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover assembly may further include: in the non-pressed area, the cover body has a first surface facing the flip member, and the flip member has a second surface facing the cover body; in the closed position, the first surface abuts against the second surface; and in the triggered position, the first surface separates from the second surface.

[0013] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover assembly may further include: a micro switch disposed at the bottom wall of the cavity; wherein the trigger portion extends from the inside of the cover toward the bottom wall of the cavity; and wherein, in the closed position, the trigger portion does not trigger the micro switch, while in the triggered position, the trigger portion triggers the micro switch.

[0014] According to another exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the cover assembly may further include: a micro switch disposed at the trigger portion; wherein the trigger portion extends from the inside of the cover toward the bottom wall of the cavity; and wherein, in the closed position, the micro switch is away from the bottom wall of the cavity and is not triggered, while in the triggered position, the micro switch is close to or in contact with the bottom wall of the cavity and is triggered.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the flip cover member has a first connecting portion, a curved portion, a straight portion, and a second connecting portion, wherein the first connecting portion is connected to the second connecting portion sequentially via the curved portion and the straight portion; wherein the flip cover member is pivotally connected to the cover body via the first connecting portion, and the flip cover member is pivotally connected to the housing via the second connecting portion.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, in the closed position, the first connecting portion abuts against the bottom wall of the cavity.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cover assembly may further include: a power device mounted to the housing; and a drive shaft connected to the second connection portion of the flip cover member; wherein the drive shaft is configured to be driven by the power device to rotate, thereby causing the flip cover member to rotate about the drive shaft, and thereby causing the cover to move relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position.

[0018] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the housing may further include: a component opening that extends through the housing and communicates with the cavity; wherein the flip-top component passes through the component opening and is connected to the cover.

[0019] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the housing may further include a working opening that extends through the housing and communicates with the cavity for mounting a vehicle's charging port or refueling port.

[0020] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the cover may include: an inner cover, an outer cover, and a sealing ring. The inner cover is located inside the cover and is pivotally connected to the flip-top member; the trigger portion is disposed on the inner cover. The outer cover is located outside the cover and its outer periphery extends beyond the outer periphery of the inner cover. The sealing ring is arranged around the inner cover to seal the gap between the outer periphery of the inner cover and the sidewall of the cavity.

[0021] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the cover assembly is used for a vehicle's charging port or refueling port.

[0022] The cover assembly provided in this disclosure has a cover body pivotally connected to a flip cover member near one end and movable relative to the flip cover member between a closed position and an triggered position, such that a large portion of the cover body can be used as a pressable area for user pressing, thereby facilitating user operation and improving user experience.

[0023] Other objects and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, and will help to provide a comprehensive understanding of the disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a perspective structural schematic diagram of a cover assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cover is in the closed position;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a perspective structural diagram of a cover assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cover is in the open position;

[0026] Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram showing the cover assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 4A This is a side view showing a cover assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cover is in the closed position;

[0028] Figure 4B yes Figure 4A A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0029] Figure 5A This is a side view showing a cover assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cover is in the triggered position;

[0030] Figure 5B yes Figure 5A A magnified view of a portion of the image;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a side view showing a cover assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cover is in the open position;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a side view showing a cover assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cover is in the closed position;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a side view showing a cover assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cover is in the triggered position;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a side view showing a cover assembly according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein the cover is in the open position. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The technical solutions of this disclosure will be further described in detail below through exemplary embodiments and in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that although terms indicating direction, such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," and "right," are used in this disclosure to describe various example structural parts and elements, their use is merely for ease of explanation and is based on the example orientations shown in the accompanying drawings. Since the exemplary embodiments described in this disclosure can be arranged in different orientations, these terms indicating direction are for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting. Where possible, the same or similar reference numerals used in this disclosure refer to the same or similar components.

[0036] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth for ease of explanation to provide a full understanding of the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure. However, it will be apparent that one or more exemplary embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses are illustrated to simplify the figures.

[0037] Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to a cover assembly for a charging port or fuel filler neck of a vehicle.

[0038] Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a perspective structural schematic diagram showing the cover assembly 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, wherein, Figure 1 The cover 11 in the cover assembly 10 is shown to be in the closed position P1. Figure 2 The cover 11 in the cover assembly 10 is shown in the open position P2. Figure 3 This is an exploded structural diagram showing the cover assembly 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. (See attached diagram.) Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the cover assembly 10 includes components such as a cover body 11, a housing 12, a flip-top member 13, and a power unit 14. The housing 12 can be installed in a vehicle and connected to a charging port or fuel filler cap in the vehicle. The flip-top member 13 is installed in the housing 12, and one end of the flip-top member 13 is connected to the cover body 11, while the other end is connected to the power unit 14. The power unit 14 is installed in the housing 12 and is capable of driving the flip-top member 13 to move, thereby causing the cover body 11 relative to the housing 12 to move (e.g., ...). Figure 1 (As shown) Closed position P1 and (as shown) Figure 2 The cover 11 moves between the open position P1 and the closed position P2. In the closed position P1, the cover 11 covers the charging port or oil filling port provided in the housing 12. In the open position P2, the cover 11 exposes the charging port or oil filling port provided in the housing 12.

[0039] like Figures 2 to 3As shown, the cover assembly 10 also includes a microswitch 16. According to this disclosure, a controller in the vehicle can be configured to automatically move the cover 11 from its closed position P1 to its open position P2 after sensing that the microswitch 16 has been triggered, so that the charging gun or refueling nozzle can be inserted into the charging port or refueling port within the housing 12. The controller in the vehicle can also be configured to automatically move the cover 11 from its open position P2 back to its closed position P1 after sensing that the charging gun or refueling nozzle has been removed from the charging port or refueling port within the housing 12.

[0040] The user triggers the micro switch 16 by pressing the cover 11. For this purpose, the cover 11 can also switch between a closed position P1 and a triggered position P3. In the closed position P1, the cover 11 covers the charging port or filler neck located within the housing 12, and the micro switch 16 is not triggered. In the triggered position P3, the cover 11 covers the charging port or filler neck located within the housing 12, and the micro switch 16 is triggered.

[0041] According to the design concept of this disclosure, the cover 11 is pivotally connected to the flip-top member 13, and the pivoting movement of the cover 11 relative to the flip-top member 13 can trigger the movement of the cover 11 relative to the housing 12. That is, the cover 11 is configured to pivot relative to the flip-top member 13 to achieve switching between the closed position P1 and the triggered position P3. Specifically, the cover 11 is connected to the flip-top member 13 in a pivotable manner relative to the flip-top member 13 via a pivoting mechanism. In the normal state, the cover 11 is in the closed position P1. When pressure is applied to the cover 11, the cover 11 pivots relative to the flip-top member 13 from the closed position P1 to the triggered position P3, in which the microswitch 16 is triggered so that the controller in the vehicle controls the cover 11 to begin moving from its closed position P1 to its open position P2. According to this disclosure, the cover 11 also includes a triggering part 119 for triggering the movement of the cover 11 relative to the housing 12. The pivoting movement of the cover 11 relative to the flip cover member 13 can trigger the movement of the triggering part 119 relative to the housing 12, so that the triggering part 119 triggers the micro switch 16, thereby causing the cover 11 to move relative to the housing 12 from its closed position P1 to its open position P2.

[0042] Figure 4A , Figure 5A and Figure 6 These are side views showing the cover assembly according to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Figure 4A In the middle, the cover 11 is in the closed position P1, Figure 5A In the middle, the cover 11 is in the trigger position P3, in Figure 6 In the middle, the cover 11 is in the open position P2. For clarity, Figure 4A , Figure 5Aand Figure 6 The cover 11 and housing 12 are partially cut open to reveal the internal structure of the cover assembly, particularly the mating relationship between the cover 11, the flip-top component 13, and the micro switch 16. Furthermore, Figure 4B and Figure 5B They are Figure 4A and Figure 5A A magnified view of a portion of the image.

[0043] For ease of description and explanation, this article, for example, see [reference needed]. Figures 1 to 6 The cover assembly 10 has a height direction H, a length direction L, and a width direction W. It should be noted that... Figure 4A , Figure 5A , Figure 6 And what will be described later Figures 7 to 9 In the diagram, the height direction H represents the vertical direction of the paper, the length direction L represents the horizontal direction of the paper, and the width direction W represents the direction perpendicular to the paper's entry and exit points. Additionally, as... Figure 2 As shown, the direction in which the cover 11 moves relative to the housing 12 from the closed position P1 to the open position P2 is the first moving direction (i.e., clockwise in the figure) R1, while the direction in which the cover 11 moves relative to the housing 12 from the open position P2 back to the closed position P1 is the second moving direction (i.e., counterclockwise in the figure) R2. Those skilled in the art should understand that this disclosure is not limited to the first moving direction being clockwise as shown in the figure, and the first moving direction can also be set to counterclockwise according to actual needs.

[0044] According to this disclosure, see Figures 1 to 6 In the cover assembly 10, the housing 12 has a working area and a mating area. Within the working area, the housing 12 has a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape and includes a bottom wall 121 and side walls 122 extending from the periphery of the bottom wall 121. The bottom wall 121 and side walls 122 together define a cavity 120 with a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape. The housing 12 has working openings 123 and 124 penetrating the bottom wall 121 for mounting a vehicle's charging port or refueling port. For example, in the case of an electric vehicle, one of the working openings 123 and 124 is used to mount a fast-charging port, and the other is used to mount a slow-charging port. The housing 12 also has a component opening 125 penetrating the bottom wall 121 for the flap member 13 to pass through. The component opening 125 is located on the side of the cavity 120 near the mating area. Furthermore, within the working area, one end of the flap member 13 is connected to the cover 11. Within the mating area, the power unit 14 is mounted to the housing 12, and the other end of the flip cover member 13 is connected to the power unit 14.

[0045] According to this disclosure, see Figures 1 to 6In the cover assembly 10, the cover body 11 has a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape, and has an inner side facing the cavity 120 of the housing 12 and an outer side opposite to the inner side. Simultaneously, the cover body 11 extends in the length direction L from a first end 11a to a second end 11b opposite to the first end 11a. According to this disclosure, the cover body 11 includes a trigger portion 119 for triggering a micro switch 16 near the first end 11a, the trigger portion 119 extending from the inner side of the cover body 11. The cover body 11 includes a pivot connection portion 118 near the second end 11b, the pivot connection portion 118 extending from the inner side of the cover body 11. It should be noted that, in the illustrated embodiment, the trigger portion 119 and the pivot connection portion 118 are arranged near the opposite first end 11a and second end 11b of the cover body 11, respectively. However, in other embodiments, the trigger portion may also be located in other areas of the cover, such as near the pivot connection portion or in the general central area of ​​the cover.

[0046] According to this disclosure, see Figures 3 to 6 The cover 11 is pivotally connected to the flip cover member 13 at the pivot connection 118 via a pivoting mechanism in a manner that allows it to pivot relative to the flip cover member 13. Specifically, the pivoting mechanism includes a pivot shaft 17 and a reset member 18. The pivot connection 118 of the cover 11 is formed with a first through hole 1180 through which the pivot shaft 17 passes (e.g., ...). Figure 3 As shown), the first connecting portion 131 of the flip member 13 (which will be described in detail below) is formed with a second through hole 1310 through which the pivot shaft 17 passes (as shown). Figure 3 (As shown). Pivot shaft 17 passes through first through hole 1180 and second through hole 1310 to connect cover 11 and flip cover member 13, and cover 11 is pivotable about pivot shaft 17 relative to flip cover member 13. Reset member 18 is disposed at one end of pivot shaft 17 and abuts between cover 11 and flip cover member 13 and provides elasticity to maintain the relative positional relationship between them.

[0047] According to this disclosure, the reset member 18 is configured at least to provide a spring force when the cover 11 is in the triggered position P3, such that the cover 11 returns from the triggered position P3 to the closed position P1 after the pressure applied to the cover 11 is removed. That is, after the pressure applied to the cover 11 is removed, the reset member 18 provides a spring force to the cover 11, such that the cover 11 can pivot about the pivot axis 17 from the triggered position P3 back to the closed position P1 under the action of this spring force. The reset member 18 can also be configured to provide a certain spring force when the cover 11 is in the closed position P1, to maintain the cover 11 relative to the flip member 13 in the closed position P1.

[0048] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the reset member 18 is a torsion spring, which includes a main body and a first arm and a second arm extending to the main body. The first arm and the second arm are capable of approaching or moving away from each other in the circumferential direction of the main body to provide elastic force. Specifically, the main body of the torsion spring is sleeved at the end of the pivot shaft 17, the first arm of the torsion spring abuts against the cover 11, and the second arm of the torsion spring abuts against the flip cover member 13.

[0049] It should be noted that the exemplary embodiment shown in the figure is only schematically illustrating the pivotable connection between the cover 11 and the flip cover member 13 about a pivot axis. Those skilled in the art should understand that this disclosure is not limited to this connection method, and other connection methods can be designed according to actual needs, as long as the cover 11 can move relative to the flip cover member 13 between the closed position P1 and the triggered position P3.

[0050] According to the design concept of this disclosure, the cover 11 is pivotally connected to the flip cover member 13 about a pivot axis 17. Thus, with the orthographic projection of the pivot axis 17 onto the cover 11 as the boundary, the cover 11 can be divided into a pressable area S1 and a non-pressable area S2, as shown below. Figure 1 As shown. The pressable area S1 is the area from the projection of the pivot 17 onto the cover 11 toward the first end 11a of the cover 11 (i.e., Figure 1 The left side region of the cover 11), applying pressure to the pressable area S1 can effectively trigger the micro switch 16; while the non-pressable area S2 is the region from the projection of the pivot 17 onto the cover 11 toward the second end 11b of the cover 11 (i.e., Figure 1 Applying pressure to the non-pressable area S2 (the right side region of the cover 11) will not effectively trigger the micro switch 16. Because the pivot 17 is located close to the second end 11b of the cover 11, the area of ​​the pressable area S1 is much larger than the area of ​​the non-pressable area S2; for example, the area of ​​the pressable area S1 can occupy approximately 80% of the total area of ​​the cover 11. Thus, the cover assembly provided by this disclosure offers users a larger pressable area, facilitating customer operation.

[0051] More specifically, Figure 4B and Figure 5B They were displayed respectively Figure 4A and Figure 5A A magnified view of a section located near pivot axis 17. (See image.) Figure 4B and Figure 5B As shown, in the non-pressing area S2, the cover 11 has a first surface 110 facing the flip-top member 13, and the flip-top member 13 has a second surface 130 facing the cover 11. When the cover 11 is in the closed position P1, as... Figure 4BAs shown, under the elastic force of the reset member 18, the first surface 110 abuts against the second surface 130 to maintain the relative positional relationship between the cover 11 and the flip-top member 13. When the cover 11 is in the triggered position P3, as... Figure 5B As shown, overcoming the elastic force of the reset member 18, the first surface 110 has pivoted around the pivot axis 17 by a certain angle relative to the second surface 130, thus separating from the second surface 130.

[0052] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, see Figures 2 to 6 The micro switch 16 is disposed on the bottom wall 121 of the housing 12. Specifically, the micro switch 16 is installed in a recess or slot formed in the bottom wall 121. A trigger part 119 for triggering the micro switch 16 is disposed on the inner side of the cover 11 and is located on the cover 11 at a position corresponding to the micro switch 16. When the cover 11 is in the closed position P1, as... Figure 4A As shown, the trigger 119 is away from the micro switch 16 and does not trigger the micro switch 16. When the cover 11 is in the trigger position P3, as... Figure 5A As shown, the head of the trigger portion 119 enters the recess or slot, contacts and triggers the micro switch 16. It should be noted that, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the micro switch 16 is not limited to a contact-type micro switch; for example, it can also be a proximity-type micro switch. In the case of a proximity-type micro switch, the trigger portion 119 only needs to approach the micro switch 16 to trigger it, without necessarily needing to contact it. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the micro switch 16 is centrally positioned in the width direction W of the bottom wall 121 and close to the first end 11a of the cover 11 in the length direction L of the bottom wall 121. However, the specific position of the micro switch 16 in the bottom wall 121 can be adjusted according to design requirements. For example, the micro switch 16 can be set at any other position on the bottom wall 121, as long as it does not interfere with the normal operation of other components (e.g., charging port or refueling port).

[0053] Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 These are side views showing the cover assembly 10 according to another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 7 In the middle, the cover 11 is in the closed position P1, Figure 8 In the middle, the cover 11 is in the trigger position P3, in Figure 9 In the middle, the cover 11 is in the open position P2. Figures 7 to 9 The exemplary embodiments shown are in accordance with Figures 1 to 6 The exemplary embodiments shown are basically the same, the only difference being the specific installation location of the micro switch. Figures 7 to 9 Use and Figures 1 to 6 The same reference numerals are used in the accompanying drawings. Figures 7 to 9In the exemplary embodiment shown, the micro switch 16 is directly mounted on the trigger portion 119 of the cover 11, more specifically on the head of the trigger portion 119. When the cover 11 is in the closed position P1, as... Figure 7 As shown, the microswitch 16 installed at the trigger part 119 is away from the bottom wall 121 and is not triggered. When the cover 11 is in the trigger position P3, as... Figure 8 As shown, the micro switch 16 is triggered by abutting against the bottom wall 121. It should be noted that, according to embodiments of this disclosure, the micro switch 16 is not limited to a contact-type micro switch; for example, it can also be a proximity-type micro switch. In the case of a proximity-type micro switch, the micro switch 16 only needs to be near the bottom wall 112 to be triggered, without necessarily needing to contact the bottom wall 112. The advantage of this exemplary embodiment is that it avoids creating recesses or slots on the bottom wall 121 for mounting the micro switch 16, thus maintaining the integrity of the bottom wall as much as possible and preventing accidental operation by the user attempting to touch the recesses or slots.

[0054] According to this disclosure, such as Figure 3 As shown, the cover 11 may further include an inner cover 111 and an outer cover 112 connected together. The inner cover 111 is disposed on the side of the cover 11 facing the housing 12, and the outer cover 112 is disposed on the side of the cover 11 facing away from the housing 12. A trigger portion 119 and a pivot connection portion 118 are both disposed on the inner cover 111. Specifically, the trigger portion 119 is disposed near a first end of the inner cover 111, and the pivot connection portion 118 is disposed near a second end of the inner cover 111 opposite to the first end. Furthermore, both the trigger portion 119 and the pivot connection portion 118 extend from the inner cover 111. That is, the trigger portion 119 and the pivot connection portion 118 can be integral with the inner cover 111. According to this disclosure, the outer periphery of the outer cover 112 extends beyond the outer periphery of the inner cover 111. That is, the size of the outer cover 112 is larger than the size of the inner cover 111, and the outer cover 112 covers the inner cover 111. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the outer cover 112 and the inner cover 111 are snap-fitted together. In other exemplary embodiments, the outer cover 112 and the inner cover 111 may be joined by means of adhesive, welding, or other methods. Furthermore, the cover body 11 also includes a sealing ring 113. The sealing ring 113 is arranged around the inner cover 111 to achieve a seal between the outer periphery of the inner cover 111 and the side wall 122 of the housing 12. However, in other exemplary embodiments, depending on design requirements, the inner cover 111 and the outer cover 112 may also be integral.

[0055] According to this disclosure, such as Figure 3As shown, the flip cover component 13 is a single piece and has a first connecting portion 131, a curved portion 132, a straight portion 133, and a second connecting portion 134. The first connecting portion 131 is pivotally connected to the cover 11 (more specifically, the inner cover 111), and the second connecting portion 134 is pivotally connected to the housing 12. The first connecting portion 131 is connected to the second connecting portion 134 sequentially via the curved portion 132 and the straight portion 133. As described above, the first connecting portion 131 has a second through hole 1310 through which the pivot shaft 17 passes. The second connecting portion 134 has a third through hole 1340 through which the drive shaft 15, which cooperates with the power unit 14, passes. Furthermore, during the movement of the cover 11 from the closed position P1 to the open position P2, or from the open position P2 to the closed position P1, the curved portion 132 of the flip cover component 13 moves through the component opening 125 of the housing 12. Furthermore, according to the design concept of this disclosure, the first connecting portion 131 of the flip cover member 13 is also designed such that when the cover 11 is in the closed position P1, the first connecting portion 131 of the flip cover member 13 moderately abuts against the bottom wall 121 of the housing 12. Through this design of the first connecting portion 131, when the controller in the vehicle controls the cover 11 to automatically move from its open position P2 back to its closed position P1, the first connecting portion 131 of the flip cover member 13 moderately abuts against the bottom wall 121 of the housing 12, acting as a stop point. In this way, it is possible to avoid setting stop points (e.g., support posts below the edge of the cover 11) that restrict the movement of the cover 11 in the desired pressable area of ​​the cover 11, which can expand the area of ​​the pressable area of ​​the cover 11 and improve the user's pressing feel.

[0056] According to this disclosure, such as Figure 3 As shown, the power unit 14 drives the flip cover member 13 via the drive shaft 15. Specifically, the drive shaft 15 is connected to the second connecting portion 134 of the flip cover member 13. The drive shaft 15 is configured to be driven by the power unit 14 to rotate, thereby causing the flip cover member 13 to rotate about the drive shaft 15, and thus causing the cover 11 to move relative to the housing 12 between a closed position P1 and an open position P2. According to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in this disclosure, see, for example, the following examples... Figure 2 During the process of the cover 11 moving from the closed position P1 to the open position P2 relative to the housing 12, the flip cover member 13 rotates about the drive shaft 15 in a first rotation direction (i.e., clockwise in the figure) R1. During the process of the cover 11 moving from the open position P2 to the closed position P1 relative to the housing 12, the flip cover member 13 rotates about the drive shaft 11 in a second rotation direction opposite to the first rotation direction R1 (i.e., counterclockwise in the figure) R2.

[0057] According to this disclosure, components such as the flip cover, pivot shaft, and drive shaft can be made of materials with high strength and resistance to elastic deformation, such as metal or metal insert injection molding. This ensures that the flip cover and the cover itself are not prone to vibration during the opening or closing process.

[0058] It should be noted that, in addition to the components and / or structures described and illustrated above, the cover assembly provided in this disclosure may also include other components and / or structures necessary to achieve its function and / or role. For the sake of brevity, these components and / or structures are not described and illustrated herein.

[0059] Although this disclosure has been described for the foregoing in conjunction with exemplary embodiments, various alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and / or substantially equivalents, whether known or currently or soon to be foreseen, will likely be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, the technical effects and / or technical problems described in this disclosure are exemplary and not limiting; therefore, the technical content of this disclosure may be used to solve other technical problems and have other technical effects. Accordingly, the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure described above are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this disclosure. The solutions described in the various exemplary embodiments can be freely combined without causing structural or principled conflicts. The scope of protection of this disclosure is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A cover assembly, comprising: A housing having a cavity; A cover, movable relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position the cover covers the cavity, and in the open position the cover exposes the cavity; and A flip-top component connected to the cover body, and the flip-top component being configured to move the cover body relative to the housing between an open position and a closed position; The cover is pivotally connected to the flip-top component, and the pivoting movement of the cover relative to the flip-top component can trigger the movement of the cover relative to the housing.

2. The cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The cover includes a triggering part for triggering movement of the cover relative to the housing, and the pivoting movement of the cover relative to the flip-top member can trigger the movement of the triggering part relative to the housing.

3. The cover assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein, The cover has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, the cover is provided with the trigger part near the first end, and the cover is pivotally connected to the flip cover member near the second end.

4. The cover assembly as claimed in claim 3, further comprising: A pivot axis, wherein the cover is pivotally connected to the flip-top member via the pivot axis; Wherein, relative to the flip-top component, the cover body is pivotable about the pivot axis between the closed position and the triggered position. In the closed position, the cover body abuts against the flip-top component to keep the cover body fixed relative to the flip-top component. In the triggered position, the movement of the trigger portion of the cover body triggers the movement of the cover body from the closed position to the open position.

5. The cover assembly as claimed in claim 4, further comprising: A reset member is disposed on the pivot shaft and abuts between the cover and the flip cover member; The reset member is configured to provide a spring force when the cover is in the triggered position, so as to restore the cover from the triggered position to the closed position after the pressing force applied to the cover disappears.

6. The cover assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The reset member is also configured to provide a spring force when the cover is in the closed position, so that the cover remains fixed relative to the flip-top member.

7. The cover assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein, The cover is divided into a pressable area and a non-pressable area by the orthographic projection of the pivot axis onto the cover, and the area of ​​the pressable area is larger than the area of ​​the non-pressable area.

8. The cover assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein, In the non-pressing area, the cover has a first surface facing the flip-top member, and the flip-top member has a second surface facing the cover; In the closed position, the first surface abuts against the second surface; At the trigger position, the first surface is separated from the second surface.

9. The cover assembly of claim 4, further comprising: A microswitch is disposed on the bottom wall of the cavity; The trigger portion extends from the inside of the cover toward the bottom wall of the cavity; and In the closed position, the triggering part does not trigger the micro switch, while in the triggered position, the triggering part triggers the micro switch.

10. The cover assembly of claim 4, further comprising: A micro switch, wherein the micro switch is disposed at the trigger portion; The trigger portion extends from the inside of the cover toward the bottom wall of the cavity; and In the closed position, the micro switch is away from the bottom wall of the cavity and is not triggered, while in the triggered position, the micro switch is close to or in contact with the bottom wall of the cavity and is triggered.

11. The cover assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The flip-top component has a first connecting portion, a curved portion, a straight portion, and a second connecting portion, wherein the first connecting portion is connected to the second connecting portion sequentially via the curved portion and the straight portion; The flip-top component is pivotally connected to the cover via the first connecting portion, and the flip-top component is pivotally connected to the housing via the second connecting portion.

12. The cover assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein, In the closed position, the first connecting portion abuts against the bottom wall of the cavity.

13. The cover assembly of claim 11, further comprising: A power unit is mounted to the housing; as well as A drive shaft, the drive shaft being connected to the second connecting portion of the flip cover component; The drive shaft is configured to be driven to rotate by the power unit, thereby causing the flip cover component to rotate around the drive shaft, and thus causing the cover to move between an open position and a closed position relative to the housing.

14. The cover assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The housing further includes: a component opening that penetrates the housing and communicates with the cavity; The flip-top component is connected to the cover body through the component opening.

15. The cover assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The housing further includes a working opening that extends through the housing and connects to the cavity for installing the vehicle's charging port or refueling port.

16. The cover assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The cover includes: The inner cover is located inside the cover body and is pivotally connected to the flip cover component; the triggering part is disposed on the inner cover. An outer cover, located outside the cover body, with its outer periphery extending beyond the outer periphery of the inner cover; and A sealing ring, arranged around the inner cover, is used to seal the gap between the outer periphery of the inner cover and the side wall of the cavity.

17. The cover assembly as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The cover assembly is used for the vehicle's charging port or refueling port.

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