Front trunk for an electric vehicle

Abstract

A trunk (10) arranged under a front hood (1) of an electric vehicle, comprising a cleaning device (3) for a charging cable (9) having a charging plug at both ends, fastening means (7) for a charging cable (9) having a charging plug at both ends and a drain (6) for dirty water, wherein the trunk (10) comprises a plastic tray (2) and the cleaning device (3) and the fastening means (7) are arranged at the same height on an inner wall of the plastic tray (2) and the drain (6) is located in a base of the plastic tray (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a trunk under the front hood (“frunk”, short for “front trunk”) of an electric vehicle and a method for cleaning and storing a charging cable in the frunk.

[0002] Electric vehicle batteries are typically charged using charging cables connected to an external charging device, such as a charging station. In some electric vehicles, one end of the charging cable is permanently attached to the vehicle's battery, while others use a cable with connectors at both ends for connecting to a charging port on the vehicle and the charging device. When not in use, the charging cable is stored in the vehicle. A charging cable with connectors at both ends then lies loose and unsecured inside the vehicle and can shift. Using the charging cable in bad weather can cause it to become dirty. When the charging cable is returned to the vehicle after charging, water and dirt can enter the vehicle's interior and be distributed throughout the vehicle by the shifting cable.

[0003] Cleaning devices for charging cables that can be used outside the vehicle are already known. For example, CN 2 05 253 602 U discloses a cleaning device for a vehicle's charging cable and a vehicle with the cleaning device. The cleaning device is adapted to be attached to the charging cable and comprises: a housing and an inner cleaning core. The inner cleaning core is located inside the housing and is in contact with the charging cable. The cleaning core includes a brush or sponge for cleaning the charging cable.

[0004] There are also electric vehicles where a charging cable connected to the vehicle's energy storage system is wound up on a reel inside the vehicle, and where, to charge the energy storage system, one end of the charging cable is pulled out and connected to the charging station.

[0005] From DE 10 2014 215 668 A1, a vehicle is known with a body that has at least one body opening which can be closed by a body flap. A charging cable, which is electrically connected to the vehicle's storage device, is held in a cable receptacle provided inside the body when not in use and can be pulled out of the body opening for use. The charging cable is designed as a flexible ribbon cable, at least in the area that can be received by the cable receptacle, and can be routed between an edge of the body opening and the body flap. Inside the body, a cable cleaning device for the ribbon cable is provided, in which a first wiper lip is arranged on the upper side of the ribbon cable and a second wiper lip is arranged on the underside of the ribbon cable.In the direction of insertion, behind the wiper lips, a brush is provided on both the top and underside of the ribbon cable to clean any remaining fine dirt particles. The ribbon cable is guided vertically through the cable cleaning device so that dirt particles can fall by gravity onto a dirt collection tray within the device.

[0006] DE 10 2011 121 303 A1 relates to a motor vehicle with an energy storage device that can be charged via a charging cable permanently installed in the vehicle and equipped with a connector plug. The charging cable can be pulled out of the vehicle from its storage position to connect to an external power source. The charging cable is routed from a cable storage unit, from the fixed installation point along a substantially straight path to a deflection point, then deflected at least once by an angle between 90° and 180° and routed along another substantially straight path to the connector plug. The cable can be pulled out of its storage position against a restoring force.

[0007] DE 20 2020 105 380 U1 discloses a drainage system for a vehicle, comprising a drain located within a vehicle substrate and having a base, a plurality of openings defined and configured by the base to allow liquid to flow through the drain, a cap feature operatively coupled to the drain and having an upper platform and a side wall that generally extends downwards from the upper platform to define a recess, and a cutout defined and configured by the cap feature to allow liquid to flow through the cap feature, wherein the side wall and the upper platform define the cutout such that the cutout extends through a section of the side wall and a section of the upper platform.

[0008] DE 10 2016 011 587 A1 relates to a cleaning device for an electrical cable with a retaining element having a material recess for the passage of the electrical cable, wherein a wall defining the material recess completely surrounds the electrical cable. At least one cleaning element is arranged within the material recess, which, when the electrical cable is inserted, is in mechanical contact with a sheath surface of the electrical cable, and the retaining element is movable with the cleaning element relative to the electrical cable in the axial direction of the electrical cable.

[0009] DE 10 2020 208 899 B3 provides a reel with a housing and a cable element, with which a cable element can be transported and stored cleanly and in a space-saving manner, and used in accordance with regulations. The housing comprises a first housing part and a second housing part arranged at least partially within the first housing part. The first housing part comprises a circumferential wall of the housing, and the second housing part comprises a first side wall, an opposing second side wall, and a winding device. The second housing part with the winding device is rotatable about an axis relative to the first housing part, so that the cable element can be wound onto and unwound from the winding device. The housing has a receptacle for a first end of the cable element on the inner side of one of the side walls and an opening in the other side wall for removing the first end of the cable element.The conductor is arranged in a wound-up state on the winding device between the receiver and the opening.

[0010] Against this background, the invention aims to provide a device and a method for cleaning a charging cable with plugs at both ends of dirt and water and storing it safely.

[0011] The problem is solved according to the invention by a device having the features of claim 1 and a method having the features of claim 8. Embodiments and further developments of the invention are set out in the dependent claims, the description and the illustrations.

[0012] The invention relates to a trunk ("frunk") located under the hood of an electric vehicle, comprising a cleaning device for a charging cable with a charging plug at both ends, fastening means for a charging cable with a charging plug at both ends, and a drain for dirty water. In one embodiment, the fastening means comprise two adjacent plastic tabs between which the charging cable can be clamped and thus secured.

[0013] The frunk comprises a plastic tub, and the cleaning device and fastening means are arranged on an inner wall of the plastic tub, and the drain is located in a base of the plastic tub.

[0014] The cleaning device and the fastening elements are arranged at the same height on the inner wall of the plastic tub. In another embodiment, a downward-pointing hook is arranged below the cleaning device and the fastening elements on the inner wall of the plastic tub.

[0015] In one embodiment, a cleaning device for a charging cable with connectors at both ends, which is not permanently connected to the electric vehicle's energy storage system ("loose charging cable"), is integrated in an upper area of ​​the frunk. A drain is provided in the lower area of ​​the frunk through which the water removed during cleaning of the loose charging cable can flow away and be drained from the vehicle.

[0016] In one embodiment, the inner wall of the plastic tray, on which the cleaning device, the fastening means, and optionally the downward-pointing hook are arranged, is the inner wall of the plastic tray closest to a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle (the inside of the rear wall of the plastic tray). In another embodiment, the inner wall is the inner wall of the plastic tray furthest from a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle (the inside of the front wall of the plastic tray). In yet another embodiment, the inner wall is the inside of a side wall of the plastic tray.

[0017] In one embodiment, the cleaning device comprises two adjacent plastic struts, on the inner surfaces of which facing each other, cleaning elements are arranged. In another embodiment, the cleaning elements are brushes, sponges, or rubber lips.

[0018] In one embodiment, the cleaning device is detachably connected to the wall of the plastic tub. In another embodiment, the cleaning device is hooked into a recess at the upper edge of a wall of the plastic tub. In a further embodiment, the cleaning device is snapped into an opening in a wall of the plastic tub. This allows the cleaning device to be removed from the frunk and used for cleaning outside the vehicle. This embodiment also facilitates the replacement of the cleaning elements, as the entire cleaning device can simply be replaced if necessary.

[0019] The invention also relates to a method for cleaning and storing a charging cable having a charging plug at each end in the frunk according to the invention. The charging cable is completely removed for the charging process and, after completion of the charging process, cleaned by means of the cleaning device integrated in the frunk and then attached to the integrated fastening point in the frunk.

[0020] In this process, a vertically held first end of a charging cable with a charging plug at both ends is guided below the charging plug between the plastic struts of the cleaning device and pulled through to the charging plug at a second end of the charging cable. Subsequently, the charging cable is wound up between the cleaning device and the fastening means, and the first end of the charging cable is fixed by the fastening means.

[0021] To clean the cable, hold one end vertically and insert it between the plastic ridges of the cleaning device below the first charging plug, then pull it through to the second charging plug. This removes dirt and water from the cable, allowing it to drain away through the drain located below the cleaning device.

[0022] After cleaning, one end of the charging cable remains between the plastic struts of the cleaning device and is thus secured. The charging cable is then wound up between the cleaning device and the fastening elements (charging cable holder). The other end of the charging cable is then secured by the fastening elements. If a frunk design with a downward-pointing hook located below the cleaning device and the fastening elements on the inner wall of the plastic tray is used, the charging cable can be guided over the hook during winding and thus additionally secured.

[0023] Among the advantages of the frunk according to the invention is that a loose charging cable can be cleaned with the integrated cleaning device and stored in a charging cable holder, thus preventing it from slipping. Further advantages and embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the description and the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The invention is schematically illustrated with reference to embodiments in the drawings and is further described with reference to the drawings. It shows: Fig. 1 schematically a top view of an embodiment of the frunk according to the invention; Fig. 2 schematically a longitudinal section of an embodiment of the frunk according to the invention; Fig. 3 schematically a top view of an embodiment of the frunk according to the invention with a fixed charging cable; Fig. 4 schematically shows a section of a top view of another embodiment of the frunk according to the invention.

[0025] Fig. Figure 1 schematically shows a top view of an embodiment of the frunk 2 according to the invention. The outer wall of the frunk 2 is formed by a plastic tray arranged under the front hood 1 of an electric vehicle. A cleaning device 3 for a charging cable 9 is arranged on a rear inner wall (facing away from the front of the vehicle) of the plastic tray within the frunk 2. The cleaning device 3 comprises two plastic struts 4, on the inner surfaces of which, facing each other, cleaning elements 5 are arranged, which may be, for example, brushes, sponges, or rubber lips. A drain 6 is located below the cleaning device 3, through which dirty water can be discharged from the frunk 2. In one embodiment, the drain 6 has a strainer. Furthermore, a holder 7 for a charging cable 9 is arranged on the rear inner wall of the plastic tray at the same level as the cleaning device 3.

[0026] Fig. Figure 2 schematically shows a longitudinal section of an embodiment of the frunk 2 according to the invention, with a cleaning device 3 arranged on the rear inner wall of the plastic tub and a drain 6 in the bottom of the plastic tub. In the illustrated embodiment, an additional downward-pointing hook 8 is arranged on the rear inner wall of the plastic tub in a position below the cleaning device 3 and the bracket 7, around which a charging cable 9 can be guided to further secure it.

[0027] Fig. Figure 3 schematically shows a top view of an embodiment of the frunk 2 according to the invention with a fixed charging cable 9. The charging cable 9 is guided through the cleaning device 3 and the holder 7 and is held and fixed there.

[0028] Fig.Figure 4 schematically shows a section of a top view of another embodiment of the frunk 2 according to the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the cleaning device 3, comprising two plastic struts 4 with cleaning elements 5, is detachably connected to the frunk 2, for example, by being hooked into a recess at the upper edge of the rear wall of the plastic tub or by being snapped into an opening in the rear wall of the plastic tub. The cleaning device 3 can thus be removed from the frunk 2 and used for cleaning outside the vehicle. This embodiment also facilitates the replacement of the cleaning elements 5, since the entire cleaning device 3 can simply be replaced if necessary. Reference symbol list 1 Front hood 2 plastic tubs 3 Cleaning device 4 plastic bridges 5 cleaning element 6 Procedure 7. Charging cable holder 8 hooks 9 charging cables 10 Frunk

Claims

[1] A trunk (10) arranged under a front hood (1) of an electric vehicle, comprising a cleaning device (3) for a charging cable (9) having a charging plug at both ends, fastening means (7) for a charging cable (9) having a charging plug at both ends and a drain (6) for dirty water, wherein the trunk (10) comprises a plastic tray (2) and the cleaning device (3) and the fastening means (7) are arranged at the same height on an inner wall of the plastic tray (2) and the drain (6) is located in a base of the plastic tray (2). [2] Trunk (10) according to claim 1, wherein a downward-pointing hook (8) is arranged on the inner wall of the plastic tub (2) below the cleaning device (3) and the fastening means (7). [3] Trunk (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner wall is the inner wall of the plastic tub (2) closest to a passenger cell of the electric vehicle. [4] Trunk (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner wall is the inner wall of the plastic tub (2) furthest from a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle. [5] Trunk (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cleaning device (3) comprises two adjacent plastic struts (4) on the inner sides of which cleaning elements (5) are arranged. [6] Trunk (10) according to claim 5, wherein the cleaning elements (5) are brushes, sponges or rubber lips. [7] Trunk (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cleaning device (3) is detachably connected to the wall of the plastic tub (2). [8] Method for cleaning and storing a charging cable (9) having a charging plug at each end in a trunk (10) arranged under a front hood (1) of an electric vehicle according to one of the preceding claims, in which a vertically held first end of a charging cable (9) having a charging plug at both ends is guided below the charging plug between the plastic ribs (4) of the cleaning device (3) and pulled through to the charging plug at a second end of the charging cable (9), then the charging cable (9) is wound up between the cleaning device (3) and the fastening means (7) and the first end of the charging cable (9) is fixed by the fastening means (7).

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