Cover assembly and vehicle comprising a cover assembly

Abstract

This utility model relates to a cover assembly, the cover assembly comprising: a base fixedly mounted on a vehicle; a cover rotatably mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a first rotation axis between an open position and a closed position; an actuator for providing rotational drive power; a drive member rotatably and fixedly connected to the actuator and the cover; and a friction assembly comprising a friction pad and an elastic biasing member, the elastic biasing member being compressed between the drive member and the actuator to push the friction pad toward the drive member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to cover assemblies, and more particularly to cover assemblies for charging ports or fuel fillers in vehicles. This utility model also relates to vehicles including cover assemblies. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of electric vehicles, charging ports have become an important part of the vehicle's electrical system. To ensure the normal use of the vehicle and the safety of the occupants, the charging port area is often equipped with an openable cover to cover the charging port when not charging, so as to prevent the external environment from affecting the charging port.

[0003] However, in existing technologies, cover assemblies typically rely on mechanical springs or simple pivot mechanisms to open and close, lacking effective automatic control and steady-state holding functions. During vehicle operation, if the cover is not fully closed or is accidentally opened, the charging port may be exposed to the external environment, making it susceptible to contaminants such as rainwater, mud, and dust. This can lead to corrosion of the charging contacts, increased contact resistance, and even serious consequences such as short circuits or fires. Furthermore, an open cover during driving may violently shake, detach, or impact the vehicle body under airflow, damaging the vehicle's appearance and aerodynamic characteristics, causing safety hazards and increased energy consumption, while also potentially generating wind noise, affecting the driving experience.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a simpler cover assembly with higher reliability, safety, and automatic control capabilities. This cover assembly can reliably control the opening and closing of the charging cover when the vehicle is stationary or in motion, and provide holding torque when closed or open to prevent the cover from being accidentally opened or closed due to external forces, thereby improving the charging safety and user experience of the entire vehicle. Utility Model Content

[0005] In order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art, this utility model provides a cover assembly that is simpler and has higher reliability, safety and automatic control capabilities.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a cover assembly is provided, the cover assembly comprising: a base fixedly mounted on a vehicle; a cover rotatably mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a first rotation axis between an open position and a closed position; an actuator for providing rotational drive power; a drive member rotatably and fixedly connected to the actuator and the cover; and a friction assembly comprising a friction pad and an elastic biasing member, the elastic biasing member being compressed between the drive member and the actuator to push the friction pad toward the drive member.

[0007] In a first aspect of the present invention, the drive member includes: a drive shaft rotatably and fixedly connected to an actuator; and a collar disposed adjacent to the drive shaft, wherein the friction pad is configured to be pressed against the collar by the resilient biasing member.

[0008] In a first aspect of the present invention, the driving member further includes a pivot portion extending from the collar in a direction opposite to the driving shaft, the pivot portion passing through a pivot hole between the base and the cover, and being rotatably and fixedly connected to the cover.

[0009] In a first aspect of the present invention, the cover assembly further includes a housing for receiving the drive member, the drive member being connected to the actuator through a hole in the housing, and the resilient biasing member being located between the drive member and the housing.

[0010] In a first aspect of the present invention, the friction pad has a protrusion extending radially outward from the body, the protrusion being configured to be received in a sidewall groove of the base and / or a groove of the housing.

[0011] In an embodiment of the first aspect of this utility model, the elastic biasing member includes at least one of the following: a spring; an elastic washer; a stamped body.

[0012] In a first aspect of the present invention, the outer casing includes an inner cylinder portion extending axially along the second rotation axis, and the elastic biasing member can be sleeved on the inner cylinder portion; and optionally, the outer casing also includes an outer cylinder portion extending axially along the second rotation axis, forming an annular storage space for accommodating the spring between the inner cylinder portion and the outer cylinder portion.

[0013] In a first aspect of the present invention, the cover assembly further includes a second friction plate disposed between the drive member and the base.

[0014] In a first aspect of the present invention, the cover assembly further includes a torsion spring having two legs arranged at an obtuse angle, the two legs being fixedly connected to the base and the drive member, respectively.

[0015] In a first aspect of the present invention, the driving member includes a protrusion extending radially outward from the collar, a through hole being provided in the protrusion, and one leg of the torsion spring being fixedly connected to the through hole.

[0016] In a first aspect of this utility model, when the cover is in the closed position, the two legs of the torsion spring have a first included angle; when the cover is in the open position, the two legs of the torsion spring have a second included angle smaller than the first included angle.

[0017] In a first aspect of the present invention, the cover assembly further includes a follower member, which is rotatably and fixedly connected to the cover, and the drive member engages with the follower member.

[0018] In a first aspect of the present invention, the driving member includes a driving gear, the driven member includes a driven gear meshing with the driving gear, the driven gear having teeth only on a portion of its circumference, and / or the driving gear having teeth only on a portion of its circumference.

[0019] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a cover assembly is disclosed, the cover assembly comprising: a base fixedly mounted on a vehicle; a cover rotatably mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a first rotation axis between an open position and a closed position; an actuator for providing rotational drive power; a driven gear rotatably and fixedly connected to the cover; a gear drive member including a drive gear for meshing with the driven gear, and the gear drive member being connected to the actuator to be driven to rotate about a second rotation axis parallel to the first rotation axis; and a friction assembly including a friction pad and an elastic biasing member, the elastic biasing member being compressed between the driven gear and the actuator to push the friction pad toward the driven gear.

[0020] In a second aspect of the present invention, the cover assembly further includes a torsion spring having two legs arranged at an obtuse angle, the two legs being fixedly connected to the base and the driven gear, respectively.

[0021] According to a third aspect of the present invention, a cover assembly is provided, the cover assembly comprising: a base fixedly mounted on a vehicle; a cover rotatably mounted on the base and rotatable relative to the base about a first rotation axis between an open position and a closed position; a pivot shaft rotatably connecting the cover to the base; and a friction assembly comprising a friction pad and an elastic biasing member, the elastic biasing member being compressed to push the friction pad toward the pivot shaft.

[0022] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is provided, the vehicle including the cover assembly described in the first, second or third aspects above.

[0023] The foregoing description of this utility model is not intended to represent every embodiment or aspect of this disclosure. Rather, the foregoing description merely provides examples of some novel concepts and features set forth herein. The foregoing features and advantages, as well as other features and accompanying advantages, will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims, based on the following detailed description of illustrative examples and representative models for carrying out this disclosure. Furthermore, this disclosure expressly includes any and all combinations and sub-combinations of the elements and features set forth above and below. Attached Figure Description

[0024] This disclosure will be more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly is in a closed state;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly is in an open state;

[0027] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly is in an open state;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly is in a closed state and the housing and actuator are omitted;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along a plane passing through both the rotation axis X and the rotation axis Y.

[0030] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a rotating shaft, a driven gear, a gear drive, and a friction assembly;

[0031] Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the gear drive, spring, and housing are shown from another angle.

[0032] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly is in a closed state and the housing and actuator are omitted;

[0033] Figure 9This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly is in a closed state, and the housing, actuator, spring, and friction plate are omitted; and

[0034] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly is in an open state, and the housing, actuator, spring, and friction plate are omitted.

[0035] In different accompanying drawings, the same parts are represented by the same reference numerals. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only, and the parts in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or its use. This disclosure is readily embodied in many forms. Representative examples of this disclosure are shown in the accompanying drawings and will be described in detail herein; it is to be understood that these embodiments are provided as examples of the principles of the disclosure and not as limitations on the broad aspects of this disclosure. Furthermore, the drawings are generally schematic and not necessarily drawn to scale. Some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show detail of particular components. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but are merely intended to teach those skilled in the art a representative basis for using this disclosure in various ways. For this purpose, elements and limitations described, for example, in the abstract, background, utility model description, description of drawings, and detailed description sections but not expressly set forth in the claims, should not be incorporated, individually or jointly, by implication, inference, or otherwise, into the claims.

[0037] Certain terms may be used for reference only in the following description and are therefore not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “above” and “below” refer to orientations in the referenced figures. Terms such as “front,” “rear,” “front,” “rear,” “left,” “right,” “rear,” “side,” “up,” “down,” “top,” and “bottom” describe the orientation and / or position of parts of a component or element within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference, as will become clear from the text describing the component or element in question and the associated figures.

[0038] Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third" may be used to describe individual components. These terms are used to describe the accompanying drawings and do not represent a limitation on the scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Additionally, the teachings may be described herein in the form of functional and / or logical block components and / or various processing steps.

[0039] For the purposes of this detailed description, unless otherwise stated, the singular includes the plural, and vice versa; the words “and” and “or” shall be both conjunctions and adversative conjunctions; the words “any” and “all” shall both mean “any and all”; and the words “including,” “contains,” “has,” etc., shall each mean “including but not limited to.” Furthermore, approximate words such as “about,” “almost,” “basically,” “roughly,” “approximately,” etc., each may be used herein in the meaning of, for example, “within, close to, or almost,” or “within 0% to 5% of,” or “within acceptable manufacturing tolerances,” or any logical combination thereof.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a cover assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly 1000 is in a closed state. Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a cover assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly 1000 is in an open state. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cover assembly 1000 includes a cover 1 and a base 2. The base 2 is fixedly mounted to, for example, a vehicle. The cover 1 is movable relative to the base 2, thereby the cover 1 having a certain position relative to the base 2. Figure 2 The opening position shown and as Figure 1 The indicated closing position.

[0041] In one embodiment of this utility model, the cover 1 rotates relative to the base 2. For example... Figure 2 As shown, during the rotation of cover 1 from the open position to the closed position, cover 1 rotates along the closing direction R1; during the rotation of cover 1 from the closed position to the open position, cover 1 rotates along the opening direction R2. In one embodiment, actuator 3 is connected to a control device (e.g., a vehicle controller) not shown and is able to receive signals from the control device to drive cover 1 to rotate, thereby electrically controlling the opening or closing of cover 1.

[0042] Figure 3 This is an exploded perspective view of a cover assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the structure of the cover assembly 1000 in more detail. Figure 3As shown, the base 2 includes a main body 21 and a side portion 22. The main body 21 is aligned with the charging port or refueling port area of ​​the vehicle. An opening 23 is provided on the main body 21 for mounting the charging port or refueling port. The cover 1 includes a cover body 11 and a hinge portion 12. The cover body 11 is curved and can cover the opening 23 on the main body 21. The cover 1 can cover the opening 23 when in the closed position or expose the opening 23 when in the open position, allowing the operator to charge or refuel. In one embodiment of this invention, the hinge portion 12 is a gooseneck structure. The hinge portion 12 is attached to the cover body 11 at one end and has a pivot hole 123 at the other end for rotatable connection with the base 2. The side portion 22 is located on one side of the main body 21, and the cover 1 is rotatably mounted to the base 2 at the side portion 22.

[0043] Continue to refer to Figure 3 The cover assembly 1000 further includes a pivot 4, which passes through a through hole in the base 2 and is inserted into a pivot hole 123 in the cover 1, thereby allowing the cover 1 to rotate relative to the base 2. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pivot 4 defines a rotation axis X (see...). Figure 5 The cover 1 is rotatable relative to the base 2 about a rotation axis X. The side 22 of the base 2 is also provided with a through hole 221 for the shaft 4 to be inserted through. In one embodiment of the present invention, the shaft 4 has at least a two-section structure, including a non-circular locking portion 41 with a smaller external dimension. The pivot hole 123 of the cover 1 has a shape complementary to the shape of the locking portion 41, such that the locking portion 41 can be rotatably locked into the pivot hole of the cover 1, thereby rotatably locking the shaft 4 to the cover 1. The shaft 4 also includes a non-circular locking portion 42 with a larger external dimension, the locking portion 42 being, for example, triangular, quadrilateral, pentagonal, etc., for rotatably and fixedly connected to the driven gear 5, as will be described below.

[0044] The cover assembly 1000 further includes a driven gear 5, the driven gear 5 having a central opening 51 complementary in shape to the locking portion 42 for rotatably locking with the locking portion 42 of the rotating shaft 4. The driven gear 5 also has teeth 52 extending in a circumferential direction. In one embodiment of the present invention, the teeth 52 are distributed only on a portion of the circumference, for example, on... Figure 3 In this configuration, there are four teeth 52, and for example, the central angle formed by these teeth 52 is approximately 108 degrees. The remaining portion of this circumference may be toothless. Therefore, the driven gear 5 can also be referred to as a gear sector. This structure saves material on the driven gear 5 and reduces costs. Furthermore, since the remaining portion is toothless, the driven gear 5 can disengage from the gear drive 6 in the toothless circumference, ensuring safety.

[0045] Continue to refer to Figure 3 The cover assembly 1000 further includes a gear drive 6, which is connected to the actuator 3 so that the actuator 3 drives the gear drive 6 to rotate. The gear drive 6 is also configured to mesh with the driven gear 5, so that the rotation of the gear drive 6 drives the driven gear 5 to rotate in the opposite direction. In this way, by controlling the actuator 3 to rotate in different directions, the cover 1 can be electrically controlled to open or close. In one embodiment of the present invention, the side portion 22 of the base 2 is also provided with a boss 222 extending in a direction parallel to the rotation axis X. The gear drive 6 is rotatably mounted on the boss 222, and the rotation axis formed by the gear drive 6 coincides with the central axis of the boss 222, referred to herein as the rotation axis Y. That is, the gear drive 6 and the driven gear 5 form a standard meshing transmission pair, the meshing form is external meshing, and the rotation axis Y of the gear drive 6 and the rotation axis X of the driven gear 5 are arranged parallel to each other. Therefore, when the actuator 3 drives the gear drive 6 to rotate, the gear drive 6 drives the driven gear 5 to rotate in the opposite direction through gear meshing.

[0046] Combined reference Figure 7 The gear drive component 6 includes a drive shaft 61 and a drive gear 63 located at both ends, and a collar 62 located in the middle. The drive shaft 61 is used to connect to the actuator 3. The drive shaft 61 includes splined teeth 611 for rotatably and fixedly connected to the actuator 3. Those skilled in the art will understand that the drive shaft 61 can adopt other structures for rotatably and fixedly connected to the actuator 3. Similar to the driven gear 5 described above, the drive gear 63 has teeth 631 extending in a circumferential direction. In one embodiment of the present invention, the teeth 631 are only distributed on a portion of the circumference, for example, the teeth 631 are... Figure 3 The seven teeth 631, for example, form a central angle of approximately 270 degrees, while the rest of the circumference is toothless. Therefore, the drive gear 63 can also be referred to as a gear sector. This structure saves material and reduces cost. Furthermore, since the remaining portion is toothless, the drive gear 63 can disengage from the driven gear 5 in the toothless circumference, ensuring safety. The drive gear 63 also includes a centrally located hole 632, through which the gear drive 6 is rotatably mounted on the boss 222 when the gear drive member 6 is installed. The collar 62 extends radially outward from the drive shaft 61, and preferably fits tightly against the drive gear 63 to reduce the length of the gear drive member 6.

[0047] Continue to refer to Figure 3The cover assembly 1000 further includes a housing 9 for receiving the gear drive 6 and driven gear 5, etc. In one embodiment of the present invention, the cover assembly 1000 further includes a friction assembly configured to provide damping or retaining force to hold the cover 1 in place. Reference Figure 3 The friction assembly includes a friction plate 7 and an elastic biasing member 8 disposed between the gear drive 6 and the housing 9. In one embodiment of the present invention, the friction plate 7 and the elastic biasing member 8 pass through the drive shaft 61 of the gear drive 6. The elastic biasing member 8 is disposed between the friction plate 7 and the housing 9, biasing the friction plate 7 toward the gear drive 6, thereby causing the friction plate 7 to abut against the collar 62 of the gear drive 6. In one embodiment of the present invention, the elastic biasing member 8 is a spring, particularly a helical compression spring. In one embodiment of the present invention, the friction plate 7 includes a generally annular body 71 in which a through hole 72 is formed, through which the friction plate 7 passes to the gear drive 6. In one embodiment of the present invention, the side portion 22 of the base 2 is further provided with a recessed groove 223 on the side wall, the groove 223 extending in a direction parallel to the rotation axis Y. In one embodiment of this utility model, the friction plate 7 further includes a protrusion 73 extending radially outward from the body 71. When the cover assembly 1000 is installed, the protrusion 73 of the friction plate 7 is received in the groove 223, so that the friction plate 7 is circumferentially locked and cannot rotate about the rotation axis Y. Thus, the friction plate 7 is rotatably locked or rotationally limited, and therefore can only move axially along the rotation axis Y. It is understood that a groove may also be provided in the housing 9 for receiving the protrusion 73 of the friction plate 7. Figure 6 As shown, the driven gear 5 may optionally include a mark 521 on the end face of the tooth 52 for indicating the correct installation position of the driven gear 5.

[0048] Continue to refer to Figure 3 In one embodiment of this utility model, the cover assembly 1000 may optionally include another friction plate 10, which has a structure substantially the same as the friction plate 7. The other friction plate 10 is sleeved on the boss 222 and abuts against the drive gear 63. The other friction plate 10 is used to reduce the friction and wear of the gear drive member 6 on the base 2, thereby further improving the service life of the cover assembly 1000.

[0049] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the cover assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, taken along a plane passing through both the rotation axis X and the rotation axis Y. Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing a rotating shaft 4, a driven gear 5, a gear drive 6, and a friction assembly. Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing the gear drive 6, spring 8, and housing 9 from another angle. Figure 5 and 7 As shown, the outer casing 9 includes an inner cylinder portion 91 extending axially around the rotation axis Y. When the cover assembly 1000 is installed, the spring 8 can be sleeved on the inner cylinder portion 91 at one end to help improve the positional stability of the spring 8 and prevent the spring from moving. In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the outer casing 9 further includes an outer cylinder portion 92 extending outside the inner cylinder portion 91 around the rotation axis Y, forming an annular storage space between the outer cylinder portion 91 and the inner cylinder portion 92, in which the spring 8 can be stored, which can further improve the positional alignment performance of the spring 8 and further prevent the spring 8 from moving.

[0050] refer to Figure 6-7 The spring 8 is preferably a flat-end compression spring, with its end face 81 being ground flat or smooth. The flat, ground ends of the spring 8 allow it to fully conform to the surface to which it is to be installed, improving its axial stability under compression, preventing tilting or rolling, and promoting uniform force distribution. Therefore, by employing a flat-end compression spring design, the friction assembly, including the spring 8 and the friction plate 7, can apply a uniform axial thrust to the gear drive 6, helping to hold the gear drive 6 in a constant position, thereby keeping the cover 1 in the open or closed position. Furthermore, the flat end face 81 of the spring 8 helps increase its contact area with the friction plate 7, further contributing to increased friction.

[0051] It should be noted that the spring 8 can continuously provide pressure to the friction plate 7. Even if the friction plate 7 becomes thinner due to wear, the presence of the spring 8 can still provide a large pressure, thereby enabling the friction plate 7 to maintain a large friction force.

[0052] It should be understood that, such as Figure 3The illustrated embodiment describes a relatively preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a gear drive 6 can be configured as a drive member, rotatably and fixedly connected to an actuator 3, and the other end of the drive member can be rotatably and fixedly connected to a cover 1 as a pivot 4. Thus, the drive member is rotatably and fixedly connected to the actuator and the cover as a single component. The friction assembly includes a friction plate and an elastic biasing member, which is compressed between the drive member and the actuator to push the friction plate toward the drive member. It should be understood that the driven gear 5 is an example of a driven member, rotatably and fixedly connected to the cover, and the drive member engages with the driven member. It is also conceivable that the cover assembly is a cover assembly that is only manually opened and closed, so the friction assembly can be applied to the pivot that pivotally connects the cover and the base to impede the movement of the pivot.

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, the driving member includes: a drive shaft rotatably and fixedly connected to an actuator; and a collar disposed adjacent to the drive shaft, wherein the friction pad is configured to be pressed against the collar by the elastic biasing member. In one embodiment of the present invention, the spring 8 is one embodiment of the elastic biasing member; more specifically, the elastic biasing member may include at least one of the following: a spring; an elastic washer; a stamped body, etc.

[0054] It should be understood that the friction assembly, including the spring 8 and the friction plate 7, can also be disposed between the housing 9 and the driven gear 5 to apply axial thrust to the driven gear 5, which helps to hold the driven gear 5 in a constant position, thereby holding the cover 1 in the open or closed position, which will not be described in detail here.

[0055] When the cover 1 is in the closed position, it needs to be kept stable in this position to prevent it from opening due to external factors such as vehicle vibration, uneven road surfaces, or strong winds. It is especially important to prevent the cover 1 from opening accidentally while the vehicle is in motion, as this can create negative pressure on the cover 1, particularly during acceleration, thus applying an opening force. Therefore, it is necessary that when the cover 1 is in the closed position, it is held in the closed state with a certain retaining force. Using a cover assembly 1000 according to an embodiment of this application, the spring 8 is compressed between the housing 9 and the gear drive 6. The end face 81 of the spring 8 axially pushes the friction plate 7 against the gear drive 6, thereby applying an axial thrust to the gear drive 6. Since the gear drive 6 is engaged with the driven gear 5, this axial thrust further acts on the driven gear 5, creating a resistance torque in the meshing contact, thereby suppressing the rotation of the driven gear 5. Therefore, when the cover 1 is closed, it obtains a holding torque generated by the frictional damping and the spring preload. This holding torque can effectively prevent the cover 1 from being accidentally opened due to external disturbances such as vehicle bumps, vibrations or wind, thereby improving the working stability and reliability of the cover assembly 1000.

[0056] In one embodiment of this invention, the friction plate 7 and / or friction plate 10 are made of hard, wear-resistant materials such as 45# steel, stainless steel, copper, and glass fiber, and preferably their surfaces are sandblasted. In one embodiment of this invention, the driven gear 5 and the gear drive component 6 are made of metal or high-strength plastic, preferably the gear drive component 6 is made of glass fiber reinforced nylon composite material, preferably PA6-GF30. In one embodiment of this invention, the gear drive component 6 is integrally formed as a single piece.

[0057] Figure 8 This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly 1000 is in a closed state and the housing 9 and actuator 3 are omitted. Figure 9 This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly 1000 is in a closed state, and the housing 9, actuator 3, spring 8 and friction plate 7 are omitted. Figure 10 This is a perspective view of a portion of a cover assembly 1000 according to another embodiment of the present invention, wherein the cover assembly 1000 is in an open state, and the housing 9, actuator 3, spring 8 and friction plate 7 are omitted. Figure 8-10 The embodiments are the same as those described above. Figure 1-7 The embodiments are basically the same, and the differences will be mainly described below.

[0058] refer to Figure 8-10The gear drive component 6 further includes a radially outwardly extending tab 64. In one embodiment of the present invention, the tab 64 extends radially outwardly from the collar 62. In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the tab 64 extends radially outwardly from the circumferential portion of the drive gear 63 where there are no teeth 631. A through hole 641 is provided in the tab 64. The cover assembly 1000 further includes a torsion spring 11, which includes two legs 111 and 112 extending tangentially from both ends of the helical body. In one embodiment of the present invention, the legs 111 and 112 are arranged at an obtuse angle, preferably about 150 degrees. In one embodiment of the present invention, the side portion 22 of the base 2 is further provided with a recess 224 for receiving the legs 112 of the torsion spring 11, thereby fixing the torsion spring 11 at one end to the base 2 via the legs 112. The other leg 111 of the torsion spring 11 is fixed to the through hole 641 of the protrusion 4.

[0059] When in such a situation Figure 8-9 In the closed state shown, the torsion spring 11 is preloaded to a greater extent, meaning the angle between the outriggers 111 and 112 is significantly reduced, for example, from approximately 150 degrees in the natural state to approximately 90 degrees. Therefore, the torsion spring 11 has a greater outward expanding force or torque. Figure 9 As shown, the torsion spring 11 has a large restoring force or restoring torque that causes the gear drive 6 to rotate counterclockwise about the rotation axis Y. Since the driven gear 5 meshes with the gear drive 6, the tendency of the gear drive 6 to rotate counterclockwise about the rotation axis Y will cause the driven gear 5 to rotate clockwise about its rotation axis X to further close the cover 1. That is, when the cover 1 is in such a state... Figure 8-9 In the closed state, the torsion spring provides a holding torque to prevent the cover 1 from being opened. Therefore, when the cover 1 is in the closed position, the cover 1 is held in the closed state with a certain holding force, and both the friction assembly including the spring 8 and the friction plate 7 and the torsion spring 11 can provide a holding force or holding torque to keep the cover 1 in the closed state.

[0060] like Figure 10 As shown, when the cover 1 is in the open state, relative to Figure 8-9 In the closed state shown, the driven gear 5 rotates counterclockwise by a certain angle, for example, about 108 degrees. Correspondingly, the gear drive 6 rotates clockwise by a corresponding angle. At this time, the angle between the support legs 111 and 112 is reduced to a smaller extent, for example, from about 150 degrees in the natural state to about 120 degrees. Therefore, the torsion spring 11 has a relatively small outward expanding force or torque. Figure 10 As shown, the torsion spring 11 has a restoring force or restoring torque that causes the gear drive 6 to rotate clockwise about the rotation axis Y (and Figure 8-9 Compared to the torque in the closed position, the restoring force or restoring torque is smaller. Since the driven gear 5 meshes with the gear drive 6, the tendency of the gear drive 6 to rotate clockwise about the rotation axis Y causes the driven gear 5 to rotate counterclockwise about its rotation axis X to further open the cover 1. In one embodiment of this invention, when the cover 1 is in the closed position, the torsion spring 11 is preloaded to a greater extent to provide a larger restoring torque; when the cover 1 is in the open position, the torsion spring 11 is preloaded to a lesser extent to provide a smaller restoring torque.

[0061] In short, when cover 1 is in such a state Figure 10 In the open position shown, the torsion spring provides a holding torque to prevent the cover 1 from being closed. Therefore, in conjunction with... Figure 1-7 In the discussed embodiment, when the cover 1 is in the open position, the cover 1 is held in the open state with a certain holding force, and both the friction assembly including the spring 8 and the friction plate 7 and the torsion spring 11 can provide holding force or holding torque so that the cover 1 is held in the open state.

[0062] Therefore, in Figure 8-10 In the illustrated embodiment, on one hand, the friction assembly including the spring 8 and the friction plate 7 provides frictional braking to provide holding force or holding torque; on the other hand, the torsion spring 11, being compressed during both opening and closing, provides restoring force or restoring torque. These two aspects work together to reliably hold the cover 1 in the open or closed state. In practical use, a higher holding force or torque is typically required when the cover 1 is closed to prevent it from being accidentally opened and causing danger.

[0063] It should be understood that when the friction assembly, including the spring 8 and the friction plate 7, is disposed between the housing 9 and the driven gear 5, the torsion spring 11 can also be fixedly connected between the base 2 and the driven gear 5 by two legs to apply an additional holding torque to the driven gear 5, which helps to hold the driven gear 5 in a constant position, thereby holding the cover 1 in the open or closed position.

[0064] In one embodiment of this utility model, a sensor or micro switch is provided on the base 2. When the cover 1 rotates a short distance from the open position along the closing direction R1, the cover 1 causes the sensor or micro switch to change its state, thereby transmitting a signal that the cover 1 is to be closed. The control device can receive the signal to instruct the actuator 3 to drive the cover 1 to rotate, thereby electrically controlling the cover 1 to close.

[0065] By adopting the cover assembly according to this utility model, which has higher reliability, safety and automatic control capabilities, the cover assembly can reliably control the opening or closing of the charging cover when the vehicle is stationary and in motion, and provide holding torque in specific states, preventing the cover from being accidentally opened or closed due to external forces, thereby improving the charging safety of the whole vehicle and the user experience.

[0066] The foregoing description is illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or use. The broad teachings of this disclosure can be implemented in various forms. Therefore, while this disclosure includes specific examples, its true scope should not be so limited, as other modifications will become apparent upon examination of the drawings, description, and appended claims. For example, unless otherwise specifically stated, the size, shape, position, or orientation of various components may be varied as needed and / or desired, provided that such variations do not substantially affect their intended function. Unless otherwise specifically stated, directly connected or contacting components may have intermediate structures arranged between them, provided that such variations do not substantially affect their intended function. Unless otherwise specifically stated, the function of one element may be performed by two elements, and vice versa. The structure and function of one embodiment may be adopted in another embodiment. All advantages are not necessarily present simultaneously in a particular embodiment. Each feature unique compared to the prior art, individually or in combination with other features, should also be considered as the applicant's separate description of further utility models, including structural and / or functional concepts embodied by such features. It should be understood that one or more steps within the method may be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without altering the principles of this disclosure. Furthermore, while each of the embodiments described above is described as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with reference to any embodiment of this disclosure may be implemented in any of the features of other embodiments and / or combined with features of any of other embodiments, even if such combinations are not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and substitutions of one or more embodiments for each other remain within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A cover assembly, characterized in that, The cover assembly includes: A base, which is fixedly installed on the vehicle; A cover, which is rotatably mounted on the base and is rotatable relative to the base about a first axis of rotation between an open position and a closed position; A pivot shaft that rotatably connects the cover to the base; and A friction assembly comprising a friction pad and an elastic biasing member, the elastic biasing member being compressed to push the friction pad toward the rotating shaft.

2. A cover assembly, characterized in that, The cover assembly includes: A base, which is fixedly installed on the vehicle; A cover, which is rotatably mounted on the base and is rotatable relative to the base about a first axis of rotation between an open position and a closed position; An actuator is used to provide the power for rotary drive; A drive element, which is rotatably and fixedly connected to the actuator, and which is also rotatably and fixedly connected to the cover; A friction assembly comprising a friction pad and an elastic biasing member, the elastic biasing member being compressed between the drive member and the actuator to push the friction pad toward the drive member.

3. The cover assembly according to claim 2, wherein, The driving component includes: A drive shaft, which is rotatably and fixedly connected to the actuator; and A collar is disposed adjacent to the drive shaft, and the friction pad is configured to be pressed against the collar by the elastic biasing member.

4. The cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The drive unit also includes a pivot portion extending from the collar in the opposite direction to the drive shaft. The pivot portion passes through a pivot hole between the base and the cover and is rotatably and fixedly connected to the cover.

5. The cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The cover assembly also includes a housing for accommodating the drive member, which is connected to the actuator through a hole in the housing, and the resilient biasing member is located between the drive member and the housing.

6. The cover assembly according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein, The cover assembly also includes a housing, and the friction pad has a protrusion extending radially outward from the body, the protrusion being configured to be received in a sidewall groove of the base and / or a groove of the housing.

7. The cover assembly according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein, The elastic biasing member includes at least one of the following: a spring; an elastic washer; a stamped body.

8. The cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The outer casing includes an inner cylindrical portion extending axially along the second rotation axis, and the resilient biasing member can be sleeved on the inner cylindrical portion; and optionally... The housing also includes an outer cylindrical portion extending axially along the second rotation axis, forming an annular storage space between the inner cylindrical portion and the outer cylindrical portion for accommodating the spring.

9. The cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The cover assembly further includes a second friction plate disposed between the drive member and the base.

10. The cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The cover assembly also includes a torsion spring having two legs set at an obtuse angle, the two legs being fixedly connected to the base and the drive member, respectively.

11. The cover assembly according to claim 10, wherein, The drive element includes a tab extending radially outward from the collar, with a through hole provided in the tab, and one leg of the torsion spring is fixedly connected to the through hole.

12. The cover assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 11, wherein, When the cover is in the closed position, the two legs of the torsion spring have a first included angle; when the cover is in the open position, the two legs of the torsion spring have a second included angle smaller than the first included angle.

13. The cover assembly according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, The cover assembly further includes a follower that is rotatably and fixedly connected to the cover, and the drive member engages with the follower.

14. The cover assembly according to claim 13, wherein, The driving member includes a driving gear, the driven member includes a driven gear that meshes with the driving gear, the driven gear having teeth only on a portion of its circumference, and / or the driving gear having teeth only on a portion of its circumference.

15. A cover assembly, characterized in that, The cover assembly includes: A base, which is fixedly installed on the vehicle; A cover, which is rotatably mounted on the base and is rotatable relative to the base about a first axis of rotation between an open position and a closed position; An actuator is used to provide the power for rotary drive; Driven gear, the driven gear being rotatably and fixedly connected to the cover; A gear drive, comprising a drive gear for meshing with the driven gear, and the gear drive is connected to the actuator to be driven to rotate about a second rotation axis, the second rotation axis being parallel to the first rotation axis; A friction assembly comprising a friction plate and an elastic biasing member, the elastic biasing member being compressed between the driven gear and the actuator to push the friction plate toward the driven gear.

16. The cover assembly according to claim 15, wherein, The cover assembly also includes a torsion spring having two legs set at an obtuse angle, the two legs being fixedly connected to the base and the driven gear, respectively.

17. A vehicle, characterized in that, The vehicle includes a cover assembly according to any one of the preceding claims.

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