Automatic sensor-activated opening mechanism for charging port and charging dock using it

Abstract

This utility model discloses an automatic sensing opening mechanism for a charging interface and a charging base using the same. The automatic sensing opening mechanism of the charging base includes a charging interface, a driving unit, a sensing unit, and a control unit. The charging interface includes a movable cover plate and a fixed end plate fixed to the front end of the charging device. The driving unit includes a fixed shell and a driving force fixed to the fixed shell. The fixed shell is located on one side of the fixed end plate, and the driving force can output reciprocating motion with its output end connected to the movable cover plate. The sensing unit is connected to the outer wall of the fixed shell, and its sensor is aligned with the insertion / removal path of the charging gun and the movement path of the movable cover plate. The control unit is electrically connected to the driving force and the sensor, and commands the driving force to move according to the sensor signal, causing the movable cover plate to move to close or open. This utility model features automatic sensing opening and closing, improving the user experience and is suitable for unmanned charging gun automatic charging scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of charging docks, and in particular to an automatic sensing opening mechanism for the charging interface and a charging dock using the same. Background Technology

[0002] Charging equipment is a crucial component of new energy vehicles, such as charging docks installed on vehicles and charging guns connected to power supply equipment. Charging guns are plugged into the charging interface of the vehicle's charging dock to perform charging and discharging operations. To protect the safety of the charging interface, it is usually covered, and the cover is manually opened during charging. However, this has two drawbacks: First, manually opening and closing the cover is cumbersome for users, resulting in a poor user experience, and accidental operation or excessive force can easily damage the cover and the charging interface. Second, manual opening has poor application adaptability and is unsuitable for unmanned charging gun automatic charging scenarios. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address one or more of the aforementioned problems, this utility model provides an automatic sensing opening mechanism for the charging interface and a charging dock using the same.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, the automatic sensing opening mechanism for the charging interface includes: a charging interface, a driving part, a sensing part, and a control part.

[0005] The charging interface includes a movable cover plate and a fixed end plate that is fixedly connected to the front end of the charging device. The movable cover plate moves back and forth under the driving power of the drive unit, so that the charging port of the fixed end plate is closed or opened.

[0006] The drive unit includes a fixed housing and a drive power fixedly connected to the fixed housing. The fixed housing is located on one side of the fixed end plate. The drive power can output reciprocating motion and the output end is connected to the moving cover plate.

[0007] The sensing part is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the fixed shell. The sensor of the sensing part is facing the insertion and removal path of the charging gun and the movement path of the moving cover, thereby detecting the insertion and removal proximity signal of the charging gun and the action signal of the moving cover.

[0008] The control unit's circuit board is fixed inside the housing. The circuit board is electrically connected to the drive power and the sensor. The control unit commands the drive power to move based on the sensor signal, causing the movable cover to move to close or open.

[0009] This automatic sensing mechanism for the charging interface enables automatic opening and closing of the cover. Its advantages are: First, automatic opening and closing simplifies operation, improves user experience, eliminates human error, effectively protects electrical components within the charging interface, and extends service life. Second, automatic opening and closing offers high application adaptability, making it suitable for unmanned charging gun scenarios. Third, the control unit monitors the insertion and removal distance of the charging gun to confirm charging intent and confirms whether opening and closing have occurred by monitoring the movement of the cover. This secondary confirmation makes the action more reliable and trustworthy, reduces equipment damage caused by erroneous actions, improves failure resistance, and gives the product good environmental adaptability.

[0010] In some implementations, the driving force is a linear reciprocating motion device, which performs linear extension and retraction motion, thereby causing the cover plate to slide open or close; the linear reciprocating motion device is a cylinder or a servo electric cylinder.

[0011] In some embodiments, the driving power is a drive motor, and the drive unit also includes a rotating shaft rotatably connected to the front end of the fixed shell. The drive motor is connected to the rotating shaft through a fixed angle rotating component. The coupling end on one side of the moving cover is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft. When the drive motor is started, the moving cover is rotated back and forth by a set angle to achieve rotational closing or rotational opening of the cover.

[0012] In some implementations, the driving power is a servo motor fixedly connected to the inner cavity of the fixed housing;

[0013] Alternatively, a fixed-angle rotation component may include a fixed-angle transmission gear set, which may include intermeshing incomplete gears and complete gears.

[0014] In some implementations, the connecting seats on both sides of the fixed housing are fixedly connected to the vehicle sheet metal by threaded parts;

[0015] The cover plate may have a cushioning gasket made of elastic material inside.

[0016] In some implementations, the sensor is an infrared ranging sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination of an infrared ranging sensor and an ultrasonic sensor.

[0017] In some implementations, during the opening process, the sensor detects the proximity of the charging gun and triggers an opening signal, and the sensor detects the movement of the movable cover and triggers an opening confirmation signal, thereby achieving secondary detection of the opening process.

[0018] During the closing process, the sensor detects that the charging gun has moved to a set distance and triggers a closing signal. The sensor also detects the movement of the moving cover and triggers a confirmation closing signal, thus achieving secondary detection of the closing process.

[0019] In some implementations, when the driving power cannot be started, applying force to the movable cover can cause the movable cover to disengage from the charging port or close the charging port, thus enabling manual opening and closing of the cover.

[0020] In some embodiments, the control unit also includes a low-voltage sensor fixedly connected to the rear end plate of the fixed housing. The inner end of the low-voltage sensor is electrically connected to a circuit board and the outer end is electrically connected to the vehicle controller via a cable. The vehicle controller processes the sensor's detection signal and controls the movement of the drive power.

[0021] Alternatively, the control unit's circuit board may have a built-in chip, which independently processes the sensor's detection signals and controls the movement of the drive power.

[0022] A charging dock includes any of the opening mechanisms described above, and the charging dock is any one of the Chinese national standard, European standard, Japanese standard, and American standard charging docks. Its advantages are: the charging dock with this design automatically senses and opens and closes the lid, improving the user experience and making it suitable for unmanned charging gun automatic charging scenarios. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the automatic sensing and opening mechanism of the charging interface in the closed state according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a three-dimensional representation of the automatic sensing mechanism for opening the charging port when the cover is open.

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the drive unit shown;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a charging stand according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Charging interface 1, fixed end plate 10, charging port 100, moving cover plate 11, coupling end 12, buffer sealing gasket 13;

[0028] Drive unit 2, fixed housing 21, side ear plate 211, side ear seat 212, connecting seat 213, drive power 22, rotating shaft 23, fixed angle rotation assembly 24, fixed angle transmission gear set 240, steering bevel gear set 241, multi-stage speed regulating gear set 242, first rotating shaft 243, second rotating shaft 244.

[0029] Sensing unit 3, sensing base 30, sensor 31;

[0030] Control unit 4, circuit board 41, low-voltage sensor 42;

[0031] Opening mechanism 00, charging base body 01, plug-in terminal 011. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "up," and "down" used in the following description refer to the directions in the accompanying drawings, while the terms "inner" and "outer" refer to the directions toward or away from the geometric center of a specific component, respectively.

[0033] Figures 1 to 4 The diagram schematically illustrates an automatic sensing opening mechanism for a charging interface and a charging dock using the same, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] like Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the automatic sensing opening mechanism for the charging interface includes: a charging interface 1, a driving unit 2, a sensing unit 3, and a control unit 4.

[0035] The charging interface 1 includes a movable cover plate 11 and a fixed end plate 10 fixedly connected to the front end of the charging device. The movable cover plate 11 moves back and forth under the driving force 22 of the driving part 2, so that the charging port 100 of the fixed end plate 10 is closed or opened.

[0036] The drive unit 2 includes a fixed housing 21 and a drive power 22 fixedly connected to the fixed housing 21. The fixed housing 21 is located on one side of the fixed end plate 10. The drive power 22 is capable of outputting reciprocating motion and its output end is connected to the movable cover plate 11. The reciprocating motion is preferably a linear sliding cover or a circumferentially rotating flip cover.

[0037] The sensing unit 3 is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the fixed housing 21. The sensor 31 of the sensing unit 3 is directly facing the insertion and removal path of the charging gun and the movement path of the moving cover 11, thereby detecting the insertion and removal proximity signal of the charging gun and the action signal of the moving cover 11.

[0038] The circuit board 41 of the control unit 4 is fixed inside the fixed housing 21. The circuit board 41 is electrically connected to the drive power 22 and the sensor 31. The control unit 4 commands the drive power 22 to move according to the signal of the sensor 31, so that the movable cover 11 moves to close or open.

[0039] The working process of this lid-opening mechanism is as follows:

[0040] Pre-test process: Before use, sensor 31 detects whether the moving cover 11 at the charging port 100 is closed, processes the signal and enters the charging standby state.

[0041] When in standby charging state: Sensor 31 detects the approaching distance of the charging gun and triggers the opening signal when it reaches a certain distance;

[0042] Opening process: The drive power 22 moves the movable cover 11 to expose the charging port 100. The movable cover 11 is detected by the sensor 31 again and triggers a confirmation signal to open the cover.

[0043] Charging process: The charging gun covers the entire process and remains at the detection position of sensor 31, keeping the cover open.

[0044] Charging complete: When the charging gun is pulled out, it gradually moves away from sensor 31, and triggers the cover closing signal when it reaches a certain distance.

[0045] Closing process: The driving force 22 moves the movable cover 11 toward the charging port 100 and closes the charging port 100. The movable cover 11 is then detected by the sensor 31 to trigger a confirmation closing signal.

[0046] During the opening process, sensor 31 detects the charging gun approaching a set distance and triggers an opening signal. Sensor 31 also detects the movement of the movable cover 11 and triggers a confirmation signal to open the cover, thus achieving secondary detection of the opening process.

[0047] During the closing process, sensor 31 detects that the charging gun has moved to a set distance and triggers a closing signal. Sensor 31 also detects the movement of the movable cover plate 11 and triggers a confirmation closing signal, thereby achieving secondary detection of the closing process.

[0048] The automatic sensing opening and closing mechanism of this charging interface achieves automatic opening and closing of the cover. Its advantages are: First, automatic opening and closing simplifies user operation, improves user experience, eliminates human error, effectively protects the cover and electrical components inside the charging interface, and extends service life; Second, automatic opening and closing offers high application adaptability, making it suitable for unmanned charging gun automatic charging scenarios; Third, the control unit 3 uses sensor 31 to monitor the insertion and removal distance of the charging gun to confirm the charging intention, and monitors the movement of the movable cover 11 to confirm whether opening and closing has occurred. This secondary confirmation makes the sensing opening mechanism more reliable and trustworthy, reduces equipment damage caused by erroneous actions, improves failure resistance, and gives the product good environmental adaptability.

[0049] Preferably, the movable cover 11, the driving unit 2, and the sensing unit 3 can be disposed on the left, right, and lower sides of the charging port 100. The advantage of this arrangement is that it can be applied to more application scenarios.

[0050] Furthermore, the driving force 22 is a linear reciprocating motion device, which performs linear telescopic motion to drive the cover plate 11 to slide open or close; the linear reciprocating motion device is a cylinder or a servo electric cylinder. Its advantages are: the structure is simple and the operating position is precise.

[0051] Furthermore, the driving power 22 is a drive motor, and the drive unit 2 also includes a rotating shaft 23 rotatably connected to the front end of the fixed housing 21. The drive motor directly drives the rotating shaft 23 through a coupling or is connected to the rotating shaft 23 through a fixed angle rotation assembly 24. The coupling end 12 on one side of the movable cover plate 11 is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 23. When the drive motor starts, the movable cover plate 11 reciprocates and rotates at a set angle to achieve rotational closing or rotational opening of the cover. Its advantages are: the structure is simple and the overall size is small.

[0052] Preferably, the optimal rotation angle of the movable cover 11 is 180°, which has the following advantages: the flip-top position of this setting facilitates the arrangement of other components and charging operations.

[0053] Preferably, the rotating shaft 23 has cut surfaces on both sides in the middle to form anti-rotation sections, and the coupling end 12 has an anti-rotation hole in the middle that matches the anti-rotation sections. The anti-rotation sections are installed in the anti-rotation holes with the same diameter. The beneficial effect is that this anti-rotation setting can achieve a reliable and stable connection position, maintain the set rotation angle for a long time, and prevent rotation angle deviation.

[0054] Preferably, the rotating shaft 23 has a pin structure, with one end of the positioning plate fitting against the side ear seat 212 and the other end fixedly connected by a locking piece. Its advantages are: the structure is simple and easy to assemble.

[0055] Preferably, a buffer gasket 13 made of elastic material is installed in the middle annular groove of the movable cover plate 11. The buffer gasket 13 is slightly larger than the outline size of the charging port 100. Its beneficial effect is that the buffer gasket 13 can effectively protect the charging port 1 and avoid impact damage.

[0056] Preferably, the driving power 22 is a servo motor fixedly connected to the inner cavity of the fixed housing 21; its advantages are: the movement is smooth and the rotation accuracy is high.

[0057] Furthermore, the fixed-angle rotation component 24 includes a fixed-angle transmission gear set 240, which includes a partially meshed gear and a fully meshed gear. The partially meshed gear rotates one revolution, while the fully meshed gear can only rotate a set angle, thereby causing the rotating shaft 23 and the connected movable cover plate 11 to reciprocate between the set position and the position where it contacts the charging port 100. The beneficial effect is that this arrangement can effectively control the size of the rotation angle, avoiding interference from over-rotation or under-rotation.

[0058] Preferably, the driving bevel gear of the steering bevel gear set 241 is fixed on the output shaft of the drive motor and its driven bevel gear is connected to one end of the first rotating shaft 243.

[0059] The incomplete gear fixing shaft of the fixed angle transmission gear set 240 is sleeved at the other end of the first rotating shaft 243 and its complete gear fixing shaft is sleeved at one end of the second rotating shaft 244.

[0060] The first gear of the multi-stage speed-regulating gear set 242 is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the fixed housing 21, and the third rotating shaft of the intermediate gear is fixedly connected to the fixed shaft 244. The last gear is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 23. The beneficial effect is that this arrangement can further and more effectively control the smoothness of the rotational movement and the accuracy of the rotational position.

[0061] Furthermore, the fixed shell 21 is a rectangular shell with a hollow inner end, and its front end side ear plate 211 and side ear seat 212 are fixedly connected to the rotating shaft 23.

[0062] The connecting seats 213 on both sides of the fixed housing 21 are fixedly connected to the vehicle sheet metal by threaded parts; the positioning protrusion at the lower end of the fixed housing 21 is connected to the housing positioning groove of the charging device. Its advantages are: this configuration facilitates assembly and has a small overall size.

[0063] Furthermore, the sensing unit 3 also includes a sensing base 30 integrally connected to the outside of the fixed housing 21. The sensor 31 is fixed in the mounting groove at the front end of the sensing base 30 and its connecting wire passes through the rear end of the sensing base 30 and enters the inner cavity of the fixed housing 21 to electrically connect to the circuit board 41.

[0064] Alternatively, sensor 31 can be an infrared ranging sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination of both. Its advantages are: this sensor 31 configuration reduces interference and ensures accurate operation.

[0065] Furthermore, when the drive power 22 fails to start, a force is applied to the movable cover 11, which can disengage the movable cover 11 from the charging port 100 or close the charging port 100, thus enabling manual opening and closing of the cover. Its beneficial effect is that this mechanism allows for manual opening when the drive unit 2 fails, thus providing both manual and automatic opening methods. In the event of automatic opening failure, manual opening is possible, improving resilience and giving the product good environmental adaptability.

[0066] Preferably, the control unit 4 further includes a low-pressure sensor 42 fixedly connected to the rear end plate of the fixed housing 21. The inner end of the low-pressure sensor 42 is electrically connected to the circuit board 41, and the outer end is electrically connected to the vehicle controller via a cable. The vehicle controller processes the detection signal from the sensor 31 and controls the movement of the drive power 22. Preferably, the circuit board 41 of the control unit 4 has a built-in chip, and the circuit board 41 independently processes the detection signal from the sensor 31 and controls the movement of the drive power 22. Its advantages are: high control accuracy and fast and reliable processing speed.

[0067] like Figure 4 As shown, a charging dock includes any of the above-mentioned opening mechanisms 00, and the charging dock is any one of the Chinese standard, European standard, Japanese standard and American standard charging docks.

[0068] The plug-in terminal 011 of the charging base body 01 extends into the charging port 100. Its advantages are: the charging base with this design automatically senses when opening and closing the cover, improving the user experience and making it suitable for unmanned charging gun automatic charging scenarios.

[0069] The above descriptions are merely some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the inventive concept of this utility model, and all such modifications and improvements fall within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A charging interface automatic induction uncovering mechanism, characterized in that, Includes: a charging interface (1), a driving unit (2), a sensing unit (3), and a control unit (4); The charging interface (1) includes a movable cover plate (11) and a fixed end plate (10) fixedly connected to the front end of the charging device. The movable cover plate (11) moves back and forth under the driving power (22) of the driving part (2), so that the charging port (100) of the fixed end plate (10) is closed or opened. The drive unit (2) includes a fixed shell (21) and a drive power (22) fixedly connected to the fixed shell (21). The fixed shell (21) is located on one side of the fixed end plate (10). The drive power (22) can output reciprocating motion and its output end is connected to the moving cover plate (11). The sensing part (3) is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the fixed shell (21). The sensor (31) of the sensing part (3) is facing the insertion and removal path of the charging gun and the moving path of the moving cover (11), thereby detecting the insertion and removal proximity signal of the charging gun and the action signal of the moving cover (11). The circuit board (41) of the control unit (4) is fixed inside the fixed shell (21). The circuit board (41) is electrically connected to the driving power (22) and the sensor (31). The control unit (4) commands the driving power (22) to move according to the signal of the sensor (31), so that the movable cover (11) moves to close or open.

2. The decap mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The driving force (22) is a linear reciprocating motion device. The driving force (22) moves linearly and extends and retracts, thereby driving the cover plate (11) to slide open or slide close. The linear reciprocating motion device is a cylinder or a servo electric cylinder.

3. The decap mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The driving power (22) is a drive motor. The drive unit (2) also includes a rotating shaft (23) rotatably connected to the front end of the fixed shell (21). The drive motor is connected to the rotating shaft (23) through a fixed angle rotating component (24). The coupling end (12) on one side of the moving cover plate (11) is fixedly connected to the rotating shaft (23). When the drive motor is started, the moving cover plate (11) is rotated back and forth at a set angle to achieve rotational closing or rotational opening.

4. The decap mechanism of claim 3, wherein, The driving power (22) is a servo motor fixedly connected to the inner cavity of the fixed shell (21); Alternatively, the fixed-angle rotating component (24) may include a fixed-angle transmission gear set (240), which may include intermeshing incomplete gears and complete gears.

5. The decap mechanism of claim 4, wherein, The connecting seats (213) on both sides of the fixed shell (21) are fixedly connected to the vehicle sheet metal by threaded parts; Alternatively, the movable cover plate (11) may be provided with a buffer gasket (13) made of elastic material.

6. The decap mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The sensor (31) is an infrared ranging sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a combination of an infrared ranging sensor and an ultrasonic sensor.

7. The lid-opening mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the opening process, the sensor (31) detects the proximity of the charging gun and triggers the opening signal. The sensor (31) also detects the movement of the moving cover (11) and triggers the confirmation signal, thereby achieving secondary detection of the opening process. During the closing process, the sensor (31) detects that the charging gun has moved to a set distance and triggers the closing signal. The sensor (31) also detects the movement of the moving cover (11) and triggers the confirmation closing signal, thereby realizing secondary detection of the closing process.

8. The decap mechanism of claim 1, wherein, When the driving power (22) cannot be started, a force is applied to the movable cover (11), which can cause the movable cover (11) to disengage from the charging port (100) or close the charging port (100), thus realizing manual opening and closing of the cover.

9. The decap mechanism of claim 1, wherein, The control unit (4) also includes a low-pressure sensor (42) fixedly connected to the rear end plate of the fixed housing (21). The inner end of the low-pressure sensor (42) is electrically connected to the circuit board (41) and the outer end is electrically connected to the vehicle controller via a cable. The vehicle controller processes the detection signal of the sensor (31) and controls the movement of the driving power (22). Alternatively, the circuit board (41) of the control unit (4) may have a built-in chip, and the circuit board (41) may independently process the detection signal of the sensor (31) and control the movement of the drive power (22).

10. A charging station, characterized in that, Includes the opening mechanism (00) as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and the charging base is any one of the Chinese standard, European standard, Japanese standard and American standard charging bases.

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