Electronic lock for a charging station and charging station

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an electronic lock for a charging base, comprising a cover and a shell, a lock rod and a circuit are contained in the shell, an electronic lock interfitting part is arranged on the outside of the cover, the electronic lock interfitting part is configured to be able to interfit with the external shape of the charging base, wherein a plurality of terminals are arranged in the electronic lock interfitting part, the terminals are electrically connected with the circuit, wherein the plurality of terminals can be connected with the low-voltage output end of the charging base when the electronic lock interfitting part interfits with the charging base, thereby realizing the electrical connection between the electronic lock and the charging base. The present disclosure also relates to a charging base comprising the above-mentioned electronic lock. The electronic lock according to the present disclosure reduces the number of wire harnesses near the charging base, reduces the product and material costs, and in addition, since the electronic lock and the charging base are fast plug-in connected, if a wire fault occurs in subsequent use, it can be quickly replaced, facilitating maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an electronic lock for a body-side charging dock for an electric vehicle and a charging dock including the electronic lock. Background Technology

[0002] The charging dock at the vehicle end is a crucial external connection device for electric vehicles. Typically, it contains both high-voltage and low-voltage cable terminals for connection to external charging heads. Currently, the electronic lock on charging docks on the market uses four or five wire harnesses welded inside the lock body. These harnesses extend from the lock and connect to a low-voltage connector, which is mated with the low-voltage connector at the vehicle end to establish circuitry and signals. This results in a large number of wire harnesses around the charging dock, with thick cables and long harnesses. Assembling all the cables into a single unit is extremely difficult and cumbersome. During assembly, the harnesses can become tangled and twisted, potentially causing short circuits or breakage, impacting production efficiency and delivery time. In severe cases, it can reduce safety and reliability, even directly affecting the safety of the charging process. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to address at least one aspect of the aforementioned problems and defects existing in the prior art.

[0004] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an electronic lock for a charging dock is provided, comprising a cover and a housing, the housing accommodating a locking lever and a circuit, characterized in that an electronic lock mating part is provided on the exterior of the cover, the electronic lock mating part being configured to mate with the external shape of the charging dock, wherein the electronic lock mating part is provided with a plurality of terminals, the terminals being electrically connected to the circuit, wherein the plurality of terminals are capable of being connected to the low-voltage output terminal of the charging dock when the electronic lock mating part is mated with the charging dock, thereby realizing the electrical connection between the electronic lock and the charging dock.

[0005] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the terminal includes a plurality of metal pins electrically connected to the circuit, wherein the plurality of metal pins are capable of being connected to the low-voltage output terminal of the charging dock when the electronic lock mating part is mated with the charging dock.

[0006] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the electronic lock mating part is disposed at the end of the electronic lock opposite to the locking lever, wherein the electronic lock mating part includes a main body and a mating part, the metal pin is disposed in the mating part, the main body is configured to mate with the external shape of the charging dock, the mating part surrounds the metal pin and is configured to be able to be inserted into the interior of the charging dock to facilitate connection of the metal pin to a low-voltage output terminal within the charging dock.

[0007] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the main body of the electronic lock mating part is generally cubic, and the mating part is disposed on the side of the main body near the lock bar, wherein the mating part is a sleeve and the sleeve is configured to be parallel to the extension direction of the lock bar.

[0008] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the main body and the mating part of the electronic lock mating part are integrally formed with the cover of the electronic lock.

[0009] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the end of the electronic lock near the locking lever is provided with a fixing part on the housing for fixing the electronic lock to the charging base.

[0010] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the fixing part of the electronic lock is fixed to the charging base by screws.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the fixing part has two fixing parts disposed on the housing of the electronic lock, located on both sides of the lock rod.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, each of the fixing portions includes a collar and a guide rib, the guide rib extending on the housing and passing through the collar.

[0013] According to another aspect of this disclosure, a charging dock is provided, comprising a front bracket and a rear cover, wherein the front bracket houses a circuit board having a low-voltage output terminal, characterized in that the rear cover includes a charging dock mating portion leading to the low-voltage output terminal, and the charging dock further includes the aforementioned electronic lock, wherein when the electronic lock is assembled to the charging dock, the electronic lock mating portion is mating with the charging dock mating portion of the charging dock, such that the terminal of the electronic lock is connected to the low-voltage output terminal of the charging dock.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the charging dock mating part includes a through hole aligned with the low-voltage output terminal. When the electronic lock is assembled to the charging dock, the electronic lock mating part can be inserted into the through hole, such that the metal pins of the electronic lock are connected to the low-voltage output terminal of the charging dock.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, a guide sleeve is provided around the through hole of the rear cover. The guide sleeve includes a first guide sleeve portion located at an end inside the rear cover and a second guide sleeve portion extending to the outside of the rear cover. The inner diameter of the first guide sleeve portion is the same as the outer diameter of the mating portion of the electronic lock, so that the mating portion and the first guide sleeve portion can fit tightly together. The inner diameter of the second guide sleeve portion is larger than the outer diameter of the mating portion of the electronic lock, so that there is a gap between the second guide sleeve portion and the mating portion of the electronic lock.

[0016] According to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, a sealing ring is provided between the second guide sleeve portion and the mating portion of the electronic lock.

[0017] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the low-voltage output terminal includes a metal clip, the metal clip being configured to align with the metal pin in the electronic lock mating part when the electronic lock mating part mates with the charging dock mating part of the charging dock, such that the metal pin can be inserted into the metal clip and clamped.

[0018] According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the front support of the charging base is further provided with a tapered protrusion, the tapered protrusion being configured to be inserted into the collar of the fixing part of the electronic lock during assembly of the electronic lock, wherein the free end of the tapered protrusion has an internal thread adapted to receive the screw.

[0019] The advantages of the electronic lock according to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure are that it reduces the number of wire harnesses near the charging dock. Since the electronic lock and the charging dock are plugged in, the processes such as wire harness terminal crimping and wire harness assembly connectors are reduced, thus reducing the cost of the product. In addition, the number of wire harness parts in the electronic lock is reduced, thus reducing material costs. Furthermore, since the electronic lock and the charging dock are quick-connected, if a wiring failure occurs during subsequent use, it can be quickly replaced, which is convenient for maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To make the objectives, features, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, the disclosure will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, wherein:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an electronic lock according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a charging dock including an electronic lock according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0023] Figure 3 This is a detailed view of the mating area of ​​an electronic lock and a charging dock according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0024] While this disclosure will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings containing preferred embodiments, it should be understood before this description that those skilled in the art can modify the disclosure described herein to obtain the technical effects of this disclosure. Therefore, it should be understood that the above description is a broad disclosure to those skilled in the art and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0025] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth for ease of explanation to provide a full understanding of the embodiments disclosed herein. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses are illustrated to simplify the figures.

[0026] According to the general concept of this disclosure, an electronic lock for a charging dock is provided, comprising a cover and a housing, wherein the housing houses a locking lever and a circuit. The cover has an electronic lock mating part externally disposed thereon, the electronic lock mating part being configured to mate with the external shape of the charging dock. The electronic lock mating part has a plurality of terminals electrically connected to the circuit. When the electronic lock mating part mates with the charging dock, the plurality of terminals are connected to the low-voltage output terminal of the charging dock, thereby achieving an electrical connection between the electronic lock and the charging dock.

[0027] Based on the general concept of this disclosure, a charging dock is also proposed, comprising a front bracket and a rear cover, wherein the front bracket houses a circuit board having a low-voltage output terminal, characterized in that the rear cover includes a charging dock mating portion leading to the low-voltage output terminal, and the charging dock further includes the aforementioned electronic lock, wherein when the electronic lock is assembled to the charging dock, the electronic lock mating portion can mate with the charging dock mating portion of the charging dock, such that the terminal of the electronic lock is connected to the low-voltage output terminal of the charging dock.

[0028] In the electronic lock according to the embodiments of this disclosure, the number of wiring harnesses near the charging base is reduced. Since the electronic lock and the charging base are plugged in, the processes such as crimping the wiring harness terminals and assembling the wiring harness connectors are reduced, thus reducing the cost of the product. In addition, the reduction of wiring harness parts in the electronic lock also reduces material costs. Furthermore, since the electronic lock and the charging base are connected by a quick-connect, if a wiring fault occurs during subsequent use, it can be quickly replaced, which facilitates maintenance.

[0029] Figure 1This is a perspective view of an electronic lock according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] As shown in the figure, the electronic lock 100 for charging dock 200 disclosed herein includes a cover 300 and a housing 400. The housing 400 houses a locking lever 700 and a circuit. An electronic lock mating part 500 is provided on the outside of the cover 300. The electronic lock mating part 500 is configured to mate with the external shape of the charging dock 200. The electronic lock mating part 500 is provided with a plurality of metal pins 510, which are electrically connected to the circuit. When the electronic lock mating part 500 mates with the charging dock 200, the plurality of metal pins 510 can be connected to the low-voltage output terminal 230 of the charging dock 200, thereby realizing the electrical connection between the electronic lock 100 and the charging dock 200.

[0031] Typically, the 510 has four metal pins: two power supply terminals and two signal terminals. These are used to power the electronic lock and output the lock status, respectively. However, those skilled in the art will know that the number of metal pins is not limited to four, but can be more or less than four.

[0032] The electronic lock mating part 500 is disposed at the end of the electronic lock 100 opposite to the locking lever 700. The electronic lock mating part 500 includes a main body 520 and a mating part 530. The metal pin 510 is disposed in the mating part 530. The main body 520 is configured to mate with the external shape of the charging base 200. The mating part 530 surrounds the metal pin 510 and is configured to be able to be inserted into the interior of the charging base 200 to help the metal pin 510 connect to the low-voltage output terminal 230 inside the charging base 200.

[0033] Normally, the locking lever 700 of the electronic lock 100 is located at one end of the electronic lock 100 and passes through the front bracket 210 of the charging base 200. The electronic lock mating part 500 is located at the end opposite to the locking lever 700, which can simultaneously fix the front bracket 210 and the rear cover 220 of the charging base 200. In this way, after the electronic lock 100 is assembled, it can also help the front bracket 210 and the rear cover 220 of the charging base 200 to cooperate and prevent them from unintentionally disengaging.

[0034] The main body 520 of the electronic lock mating part 500 is generally cubic, and the mating part 530 is disposed on the side of the main body 520 near the lock rod 700. The mating part 530 is a sleeve 531, which is configured to be parallel to the extending direction of the lock rod 700.

[0035] This arrangement makes the overall shape of the electronic lock 100 approximately hook-shaped, which is beneficial for fixing the electronic lock 100 to the charging base 200.

[0036] The main body 520 and the mating part 530 of the electronic lock mating part 500 are integrally formed with the cover 300 of the electronic lock 100. Typically, the cover 300 and the outer shell 400 of the electronic lock 100 are made of plastic; integrally forming these components facilitates product manufacturing.

[0037] The electronic lock 100 has a fixing part 410 on the housing 400 near the locking rod 700, which is used to fix the electronic lock 100 to the charging base 200. Specifically, the electronic lock is fixed near the front bracket 210 of the charging base 200.

[0038] The fixing part 410 of the electronic lock 100 is fixed to the charging base 200 by screws 800.

[0039] The fixing part 410 has two fixing parts 410, which are disposed on the outer shell 400 of the electronic lock 100 and located on both sides of the locking rod 700.

[0040] Each of the fixing parts 410 includes a collar 411 and a guide rib 412, the guide rib 412 extending on the housing 400 and passing through the collar 411.

[0041] Those skilled in the art will know that the above-described fixing method is merely an example and is not limited to just one fixing method, but can be any fixing method known in the art.

[0042] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a charging dock 200 including an electronic lock 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] As shown in the figure, the charging dock 200 of this disclosure includes a front bracket 210 and a rear cover 220. The front bracket 210 houses a circuit board 211, which has a low-voltage output terminal 230. The rear cover 220 has a through hole 240 aligned with the low-voltage output terminal 230. The charging dock 200 is as follows: Figure 1 The exemplary embodiment of the electronic lock 100 shown has an electronic lock mating part 500 that, when assembled to the charging base 200, can mate with the through hole 240 of the rear cover 220 of the charging base 200, such that the metal pin 510 of the electronic lock 100 is connected to the low-voltage output terminal 230 of the charging base 200.

[0044] The rear cover 220 has a guide sleeve 250 around the through hole 240. The guide sleeve 250 includes a first guide sleeve portion 251 located at the end inside the rear cover 220 and a second guide sleeve portion 252 extending to the outside of the rear cover 220. The inner diameter of the first guide sleeve portion 251 is the same as the outer diameter of the mating part 530 of the electronic lock 100, so that the mating part 530 and the first guide sleeve portion 251 can fit tightly together. The inner diameter of the second guide sleeve portion 252 is larger than the outer diameter of the mating part 530 of the electronic lock 100, so that there is a gap between the second guide sleeve portion 252 and the mating part 530 of the electronic lock 100.

[0045] A sealing ring 900 is provided between the second guide sleeve portion 252 and the mating portion 530 of the electronic lock 100.

[0046] Because the diameters of the first guide sleeve portion 251 and the second guide conduit portion 252 are different, a shoulder is formed at the connection between the first guide sleeve portion 251 and the second guide sleeve portion 252. This shoulder acts as a stop for the sealing ring 900, preventing the sealing ring 900 from shifting when the sleeves of the guide sleeve 250 and the mating part 530 of the electronic lock 100 move relative to each other.

[0047] The low-voltage output terminal 230 includes a metal sleeve 231. The metal sleeve 231 is configured to align with the metal pin 510 in the electronic lock mating part 500 when the electronic lock mating part 500 mates with the through hole 240 of the rear cover 220 of the charging base 200, so that the metal pin 510 can be inserted into the metal sleeve 231 and clamped.

[0048] The charging base 200 is provided with a tapered protrusion 212 on its front bracket 210. The tapered protrusion 212 is configured to be inserted into the collar 411 of the fixing part 410 of the electronic lock 100 when the electronic lock 100 is assembled. The free end of the tapered protrusion 212 has an internal thread, which is suitable for receiving the screw 800.

[0049] Those skilled in the art will know that the tapered protrusion 212 on the front bracket 210 is merely an example and is not limited to the above-described form. Rather, it can be any form, as long as it can cooperate with the fixing part 410 of the electronic lock 100 to achieve fixation.

[0050] Furthermore, those skilled in the art will know that the specific forms of the electronic lock mating part and the charging base mating part are not limited to the forms described above. For example, the electronic lock mating part may have a through hole and a sleeve, and the charging base mating part may have multiple metal pins. The mating part of the charging base may be inserted into the through hole of the electronic lock mating part, as long as the electronic lock mating part and the charging base mating part can be mated and an electrical connection is achieved between the terminals of the electronic lock and the low-voltage output terminal of the charging base. In addition, the shapes of the terminals and the sleeve are not limited to the specific forms described above, but can be any possible forms that can achieve an electrical connection.

[0051] The electronic lock according to the exemplary embodiments of this disclosure reduces the number of wire harnesses near the charging dock. Since the electronic lock and the charging dock are plug-in connected, the processes such as wire harness terminal crimping and wire harness assembly connectors are reduced, thus reducing the cost of the product. In addition, the number of wire harness parts in the electronic lock also reduces material costs. Furthermore, since the electronic lock and the charging dock are quick-connected, if a wiring failure occurs during subsequent use, it can be quickly replaced, facilitating maintenance.

[0052] Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments described above are exemplary and can be improved upon. The structures described in the various embodiments can be freely combined without causing structural or principle conflicts, thereby achieving more types of electronic locks while solving the technical problems of this disclosure.

[0053] After a detailed description of the preferred embodiments of this disclosure, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims, and that this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. It should be noted that the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the words "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. An electronic lock (100) for a charging station (200), characterized in that, The electronic lock (100) comprises a cover (300) and a shell (400), the shell (400) contains a lock rod (700) and a circuit, the outside of the cover (300) is provided with an electronic lock interworking part (500), the electronic lock interworking part (500) is configured to be able to interwork with the external shape of the charging base (200), wherein a plurality of terminals are arranged in the electronic lock interworking part (500), the terminals are electrically connected with the circuit, wherein the plurality of terminals can be connected with the low-voltage output end (230) of the charging base (200) when the electronic lock interworking part (500) interworks with the charging base (200), so as to realize the electrical connection between the electronic lock (100) and the charging base (200).

2. The electronic lock (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that The terminals comprise a plurality of metal pins (510), the metal pins (510) are electrically connected with the circuit, wherein the plurality of metal pins (510) can be connected with the low-voltage output end (230) of the charging base (200) when the electronic lock interworking part (500) interworks with the charging base (200).

3. The electronic lock (100) according to claim 2, characterized in that The electronic lock interworking part (500) is arranged at the end of the electronic lock (100) opposite to the lock rod (700), wherein the electronic lock interworking part (500) comprises a main body part (520) and an interworking part (530), the metal pins (510) are arranged in the interworking part (530), the main body part (520) is configured to interwork with the external shape of the charging base (200), the interworking part (530) surrounds the metal pins (510) and is configured to be inserted into the inside of the charging base (200) so as to help the metal pins (510) to be connected with the low-voltage output end (230) in the charging base (200).

4. The electronic lock (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that The main body part (520) of the electronic lock interworking part (500) is generally cubic, the interworking part (530) is arranged on the side of the main body part (520) close to the lock rod (700), wherein the interworking part (530) comprises a sleeve (531) arranged in parallel with the extension direction of the lock rod (700).

5. The electronic lock (100) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that The main body part (520) and the interworking part (530) of the electronic lock interworking part (500) are integrally formed with the cover (300) of the electronic lock (100).

6. The electronic lock (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that A fixing part (410) is arranged on the shell (400) of the electronic lock (100) at the end close to the lock rod (700), for fixing the electronic lock (100) on the charging base (200).

7. The electronic lock (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that The fixing part (410) of the electronic lock (100) is fixed with the charging base (200) by a screw (800).

8. The electronic lock (100) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that The fixing part (410) has two fixing parts (410) arranged on the shell (400) of the electronic lock (100) and located on both sides of the lock rod (700).

9. The electronic lock (100) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that Each of the fixing portions (410) comprises a collar (411) and a guide rib (412) extending on the housing (400) and passing through the collar (411).

10. A charging station (200) characterized by, The charging base (200) comprises a front support (210) and a rear cover (220), wherein the front support (210) accommodates a circuit board (211) therein, the circuit board (211) is provided with a low-voltage output end (230), the rear cover (220) comprises a charging base mating portion, the charging base mating portion leads to the low-voltage output end (230), and the charging base (200) further comprises the electronic lock (100) according to any one of claims 1-9, when assembled to the charging base (200), the electronic lock mating portion (500) can be mated with the charging base mating portion of the charging base (200), so that the terminals of the electronic lock (100) are connected with the low-voltage output end (230) of the charging base (200).

11. The charging station (200) of claim 10, characterized in that, The terminals comprise a plurality of metal pins (510), the charging base mating portion comprises a through hole (240) aligned with the low-voltage output end (230), and when the electronic lock (100) is assembled to the charging base (200), the electronic lock mating portion (500) can be inserted into the through hole (240), so that the metal pins (510) of the electronic lock (100) are connected with the low-voltage output end (230) of the charging base (200).

12. The charging station (200) of claim 11, characterized in that, The periphery of the through hole (240) of the rear cover (220) is provided with a guide sleeve (250), the guide sleeve (250) comprises a first guide sleeve portion (251) at the inner end of the rear cover (220) and a second guide sleeve portion (252) extending to the outside of the rear cover (220), wherein the inner diameter of the first guide sleeve portion (251) is the same as the outer diameter of the mating portion (530) of the electronic lock (100), so that the mating portion (530) and the first guide sleeve portion (251) can be tightly fitted, and the inner diameter of the second guide sleeve portion (252) is larger than the outer diameter of the mating portion (530) of the electronic lock (100), so that there is a gap between the second guide sleeve portion (252) and the mating portion (530) of the electronic lock (100).

13. The charging station (200) of claim 12, characterized in that, A sealing ring (900) is arranged between the second guide sleeve portion (252) and the mating portion (530) of the electronic lock (100).

14. The charging station (200) according to any one of claims 10-13, characterized in that, The terminals comprise a plurality of metal pins (510), the low-voltage output end (230) comprises a metal clamping sleeve (231) arranged to be aligned with the metal pins (510) in the electronic lock mating portion (500) when the electronic lock mating portion (500) is mated with the charging base mating portion of the charging base (200), so that the metal pins (510) can be inserted into the metal clamping sleeve (231) and clamped.

15. The charging station (200) according to any one of claims 10-13, characterized in that, The shell (400) of the electronic lock (100) is provided with a fixing part (410), the fixing part (410) comprises a sleeve ring (411), the fixing part (410) is fixed with the charging seat (200) through a screw (800), and a conical protrusion (212) is further arranged on a front support (210) of the charging seat (200), the conical protrusion (212) is arranged to be capable of being inserted into the sleeve ring (411) of the fixing part (410) of the electronic lock (100) when the electronic lock (100) is assembled, wherein the inside of the free end of the conical protrusion (212) has an internal thread, and is adapted to receive the screw (800).

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