Charging port for a motor vehicle

Abstract

2.1 Such a charging connection device with a vehicle-mounted charging connection block in the ready-to-use state, which has at least two different charging connections, at least one of which can be closed by means of a cover which is movably mounted relative to the charging connection block between a closed position closing the at least one charging connection and an open position releasing the charging connection, is known. 2.2 According to the invention, the cover is guided in a parallel displacement on two opposite sides in a guide track between the closed position and the open position, wherein the guide tracks are arranged in a fixed position relative to the charging connection block, and a drive device is provided which displaces the cover between the closed position and the open position by means of tensile and compressive rigid drive transmission elements. 2.3 Application for passenger cars with battery-electric drive

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a charging connection device for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a charging connection device is known from DE 10 2020 006 569 A1. The known charging connection device has a charging connection cover designed as a roller blind, which is slidably mounted to cover a charging connection.

[0002] DE 10 2018 204 840 A1 discloses a charging interface unit for a vehicle. It is provided with a flap that can be opened or closed by a user to allow or prevent access to the charging interface. Furthermore, the charging interface is provided with a cover that can be moved in front of the charging interface from one side to protect it from contamination.

[0003] Another charging connector device is known from DE 10 2021 109 283 A1. The cover is pivotally mounted relative to the charging connector and is opened or closed depending on the closure or release of a recess in which the charging connector block is arranged on the body side of the motor vehicle.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a charging connection device of the type mentioned at the outset which enables or prevents access to the charging connection regardless of whether the charging connection block is completely covered or exposed.

[0005] This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. As a result, the closing or opening of the charging connection is independent of whether or not a closing part is additionally present to cover the entire charging connection block. The solution according to the invention enables the cover to be moved between the closed position and the open position in a space-saving and particularly safe and stable manner. The solution according to the invention is particularly advantageously suitable for charging battery-electric motor vehicles, wherein a charging connection block has both a charging connection that can be operated with direct current and a charging connection that can be operated with alternating or three-phase current. This enables rapid charging in addition to charging with three-phase or alternating current at household sockets or on-site wall boxes. Usually, either one or the other charging connection is required for a charging process.To increase the safety of a charging process, according to the invention the charging connection not required for the charging process is closed by means of the cover or is already closed by the cover at the beginning of the charging connection. The solution according to the invention is suitable both for motor vehicles with a purely battery-electric drive and for hybrid motor vehicles in which the drive is provided by an internal combustion engine and additionally by a battery-electric drive. In both variants, the charging connection block of the charging connection device according to the invention is preferably housed in the region of an outer vehicle contour in a vehicle-side charging recess which can be closed by a cover flush with the vehicle's outer skin. However, the solution according to the invention is also suitable for charging connection devices that are accessible from the vehicle side without being closable by a corresponding recess cover.The drive device is preferably implemented in the form of an electric motor, which, via a suitable gear, transmits corresponding drive forces to the drive transmission members, which in turn move the cover in the guide tracks. Threaded cables laid along the guide tracks or flexible racks can be provided as drive transmission members. Alternatively, the drive transmission members, as listed below, are formed by several dimensionally stable slats connected to one another in the manner of a chain. These slats extend transversely between the opposing guide tracks and can be displaced parallel to the cover in the guide tracks. The slats are articulated to one another.

[0006] According to the invention, the drive transmission members are designed as dimensionally stable slats that are articulated to one another transversely to their direction of displacement via articulated axes. On the articulated axes, guide pins are provided on opposite sides that project outwardly beyond the side edges of the slats and are guided for linear movement in the guide tracks. If the articulated axes are not designed as virtual, but as physical axes or shafts, these axes or shafts can be easily extended beyond the side edges of the slats and thus form the outwardly projecting guide pins with their opposite end regions. It is also advantageously possible to form the guide pins integrally with the slats. The articulated axes are also advantageously integral sections of the slats.

[0007] In an embodiment of the invention, the guide tracks have at least one curvature, preferably at an angle of 90°, and the drive transmission members are designed to be flexible enough so that the drive transmission members can be guided in a linearly movable manner along the at least one curvature. The at least one curvature enables particularly space-saving accommodation of the guide tracks and the drive transmission members, so that the charging connection device can be designed compactly. In a further embodiment of the invention, the opposing guide tracks flank the slats on the opposite side edges, and the guide tracks are designed as guide channels with guide grooves open toward the side edges of the slats, in which the guide pins are received.The guide channels are fixed and thus mounted in a stationary manner and are open towards the opposite sides facing each other, so that the slats extending between the opposite guide channels can be accommodated flush between the guide channels and guided in the guide channels by means of their guide pins.

[0008] In a further embodiment of the invention, a sealing element is mounted on the cover so as to be movable to a limited extent between a sealing position resting on the charging port and a release position spaced apart from the charging port. This achieves particularly secure closure of the charging port when the cover is in the closed position. This makes it possible to achieve a moisture-tight closure of the charging port by the cover when the sealing element is in the sealed position. The sealing element is held on the cover and is thus moved together with the cover between the closed position and its open position. When the cover is in the closed position, the sealing element is transferred into the sealing position by being moved to a limited extent relative to the cover.

[0009] In a further embodiment of the invention, a mechanical guide for the sealing element is provided in the cover to move the sealing element between the sealing position and the release position. The sealing element itself preferably has an elastically flexible sealing surface, in particular formed from an elastomer material, which presses against the charging port in the sealing position.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, the positive guide is permanently spring-loaded toward the release position. This design ensures that the positive guide is always inevitably moved back to the release position or held in this release position without the application of external force.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, a sealing drive member is provided, which is coupled to the positive guide in order to transfer the sealing element from the release position to the sealing position. The sealing drive member interacts with the positive guide, with the coupling between the sealing drive member and the positive guide being implemented mechanically.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the invention, the sealing drive element is coupled to the drive device for the cover in such a way that the sealing drive element is activated as soon as the cover reaches its closed position. In the opposite manner, the sealing drive element is also reactivated when the cover leaves its closed position. This is because the sealing element must then be moved from the sealed position back to the released position.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the invention, the sealing drive element and the positive guide are designed as interconnected guide rails, with the guide rails being movable orthogonally to each other. This design creates a double guide rail, with a movement of one guide rail leading to an orthogonal movement of the other guide rail.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, the sealing drive member is designed as a guide rail with at least one guide rail running at an angle to a direction of movement of the sealing drive member, and the guide rail of the positive guide for the sealing element has at least one guide rail element that interacts positively with the guide rail. Preferably, the guide rail is designed as a guide rail groove, and the guide rail element is designed as a guide pin that engages in the guide rail groove.

[0015] In a further embodiment of the invention, the slotted guide of the positive guide for the sealing element is firmly connected to the sealing element and, together with the sealing element, can be linearly displaced transversely to a direction of movement of the cover. For this purpose, the cover preferably has a linear guide fixedly arranged on an inner side of the cover, along which the sealing element can be moved relative to the corresponding charging port in the closed position of the cover.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, the slotted guide of the sealing drive element is held on a front slat adjacent to the cover. The sealing drive element is thus moved by the slats serving as drive transmission elements, with the slotted guide of the sealing drive element being arranged directly on the front slat immediately adjacent to the cover. Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the claims. A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below and illustrated with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a charging connection device according to the invention with a cover for a charging connection, which is in its closed position, Fig. 2 the charging connection device according to Fig. 1 with the cover in its open position exposing the charging port, Fig. 3 a side view of the charging connection device according to Fig. 1, Fig. 4 a side view of the charging connection device according to Fig. 2, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 the representations according to the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, but in a partially cutaway view, Fig. 7 shows an enlarged longitudinal section through the charging connection device according to the Fig. 1 to 6 at the level of a guide channel for the cover, Fig. 8 a representation similar Fig. 7 in a section plane showing the cover cut, Fig. 9a a section through a partial area of ​​drive transmission elements in the form of lamellae for the charging connection device according to the Fig. 1 to 8, Fig. 9b a front view of the cutout according to Fig. 9a, where the Fig. 9a and Fig. 9b shows the slats in a curved section, Fig. 10a and Fig. 10b Representations analogous to the Fig. 9a and Fig. 9b, but in a straight section of the lamellae, Fig. 11 shows an enlarged sectional view of the charging connection device according to Fig. 8 in the closed position of the cover, in which a sealing element located inside the cover is in its sealing position, and Fig. 12 the representation according to Fig. 11, but with the sealing element in its release position.

[0017] A charging connection device in accordance with Fig. 1 to 12 comprises a charging connection block 1, which, in its fully assembled state, is arranged in the area of ​​a body-side charging recess of a motor vehicle. The charging recess is positioned on the outside of the vehicle to allow easy access to the charging connection block 1 by an operator. The charging connection device is provided for electrically charging an electrical energy storage device for a drive system of the motor vehicle. The charging recess can be closed by a cover in the form of a flap or the like.

[0018] The charging connection block 1 has two charging connections 2, 3, which, when the charging connection block 1 is mounted on the vehicle, are shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are positioned one above the other. The charging connection 2 is formed by a charging socket which is designed for charging with alternating or three-phase current. The charging connection 3 located underneath is designed for electrical charging with direct current. Both charging connections 2 and 3 are designed as charging sockets into which a corresponding charging plug can be inserted, which can be connected to a charging station or other power supply device via a charging cable. In a manner not shown in detail, the charging connections 2 and 3 are connected in the ready-to-use state via electrical lines to a vehicle-side power storage device, in particular to a rechargeable battery pack. The charging connection block 1 forms a dimensionally stable housing in which the charging connections 2 and 3 are accommodated.

[0019] In order to be able to close the charging port 3 when the charging port 3 is not required for a charging process, a cover 4 is provided which can be switched between an open position according to Fig. 2 and a closed position according to Fig. 1 is guided in a displaceable manner. In the open position, the cover 4 completely exposes the charging port 3, as Fig. 2 can be easily removed. In the closed position according to Fig. 1, the cover 4 covers the charging port 3 so that the charging port 3 is not accessible.

[0020] For its movement between the closed position and the open position, the cover 4 is guided on opposite sides in two fixed guide channels 5, which are arranged stationary relative to the charging connection block 1. The guide channels 5 form guide tracks in the sense of the invention. The guide channels 5 are aligned parallel to each other and are L-shaped in side view (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). The two guide tracks 5 have an upper end region on opposite sides of the charging connector 3 and are guided downwards from there parallel to a front surface of the charging connector block 1. Below the charging connector block 1, both guide channels 5 are curved backwards by 90° parallel to each other and merge into a straight guide region extending orthogonally backwards ( Fig. 3 and Fig. 4).

[0021] As shown by the Fig. 5 to 7, the cover, which is designed as a cuboid housing shell open towards the front surface of the charging connection block 1, has on opposite longitudinal sides two bearing pins 10 which are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction and project outwards laterally and are guided in a linearly movable manner in corresponding guide grooves of the guide channels 5. The cover 4 is accordingly guided in a longitudinally displaceable manner in the guide section of the guide channels 5 running parallel to the front surface of the charging connection block 1, so that a longitudinal displaceability of the cover 4 between the closed position and the open position (see Fig. 3 and Fig. 4) is guaranteed.

[0022] To move the cover 4 between the open position and the closed position, a drive device is provided which has an electric motor drive 7. The electric motor drive 7 is connected via a drive pinion to a dimensionally stable rack 8, which is guided longitudinally displaceably in a linear guide (not further specified) parallel to the lower guide sections of the guide channels 5. The rack 8 is connected at its end to a chain of slats 6 arranged one behind the other ( Fig. 5 and Fig. 6), which serve as drive transmission elements within the meaning of the invention. The rack 8 can also be formed integrally with a rearmost slat adjacent to the drive 7. The guide channels 5 then necessarily also form the linear guide for the rack 8 or the toothing formed on the rearmost slat, which forms the rack. The slats 6 (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 and 9a to 10b) are each dimensionally stable and extend transversely between the opposite guide channels 5 over a width that corresponds to the distance between the opposite guide channels 5. The slats 6 are connected to one another via articulated axes 9 in the manner of an articulated chain. The articulated axes 9 are designed as identical cylindrical and rectilinear rod profiles that extend across the entire width of the slats 6 and protrude outwards on opposite long sides beyond side edges of the slats 6. The articulated axes can also be one-piece components of the slats. The outwardly projecting front end regions of the articulated axes 9 form guide pins in the sense of the invention, which, analogous to the bearing pins 10 of the cover 4, are guided in the guide grooves of the guide channels 5 for parallel displacement.The slats 6 are provided on their inner side facing the charging connection block 1 with integrally formed receptacles (not further designated) in which the hinge axes 9 are held. By means of the hinge axes 9 and the mounting of these hinge axes 9 in the opposite guide channels 5, a continuous slat chain is formed for the slats 6, which extends between the cover 4 and the rear rack 8 and, due to their flexibility, can be guided along the rectangular curvature of the guide channels 5. The slats 6 are designed such that they preferably form a closed surface in the linear guide sections of the guide channels 5 (see . Fig. 10a and Fig. 10b). The slats 6 are connected to the cover 4 via a front slat. This front slat is guided by opposing, lateral guide pins 10a in a longitudinal groove 11 of the respective side wall of the cover 4, allowing limited longitudinal displacement. At the rear, a rearmost slat 6 is coupled to the rack 8 or forms the rack. The limited displacement of the front slat relative to the cover 4 results in an additional function, described in more detail below.

[0023] Each guide channel 5 forms a guide groove 12 in which the bearing pins 10 of the cover 4 and the guide pins of the joint axes 9 of the slats 6 are guided for parallel displacement. The guide grooves 12 are open to an inner side and thus to the cover 4 in order to accommodate the bearing pins 10 and the guide pins. Preferably, the joint axes 9 are integrally formed on the respective slats 6, so that each joint axis with its opposing guide pins and the associated slat 6 form a single-piece component, preferably made of plastic.

[0024] In order to enable particularly secure closure of the charging port 3 when the cover 4 is in the closed position, a sealing element 13 is assigned to the inside of the cover 4, which can fully cover a front side of the charging port 3 and has an elastically flexible surface. The elastically flexible surface is held on a plate-shaped section of a dimensionally stable support part 14, which is mounted so as to be movable to a limited extent relative to the cover 4. For this purpose, the cover 4 has a linear guide 16 on its inside, which is provided with link grooves in which link pins 15 of the support part of the sealing element 13 are guided for linear displacement. The linear guide 16 is fastened to the inside of the cover 4.

[0025] The guide pins 15 are also guided in guide guides 18 of a sealing drive member 17. The guide guides 18 are formed by guide sections inclined at approximately 45° relative to a direction of movement of the cover 4, which continue on both sides into end sections guided parallel to the direction of movement of the cover 4. The sealing drive member 17 is fixedly connected to a front-side slat 6, which in turn is arranged so as to be movable to a limited extent relative to the cover 4 via the guide pin 10a and the longitudinal groove 11 in the cover 4.

[0026] The sealing drive element 17 with its slotted guides 18 on the one hand and the limited linear movement of the sealing element 13 via the linear guides 16 and the slotted pins 15 on the other hand result in a double slotted guide as a positive guide for the sealing element 13. The limited relative movement of the slats 6 relative to the cover 4 enables the activation of this positive guide as soon as the cover 4 is moved into its closed position, in which the upper bearing pins 10 of the cover 4 abut in the guide grooves 12 of the guide channels 5. The slats 6 can continue to travel over a limited distance when the cover 4 reaches the closed position. This follow-on movement leads to the positively controlled displacement of the sealing element 13 from the release position according to Fig. 12 into the sealing position according to Fig. 11.

[0027] A return spring, not shown in the drawings, acts permanently on the support part of the sealing element 13 to hold the sealing element 13 in the release position as long as the cover 4 has not reached its closed position at the upper end of the guide channels 5.

[0028] The slats 6 are moved by means of the electric motor drive 7 and the rack 8 depending on the direction of rotation of the electric motor drive 7, which inevitably moves the cover 4 toward its closed position or toward its open position. The activated electric motor drive 7 also causes the slats 6 to move slightly further when the cover 4 reaches the closed position, resulting in the relative movement between the slats 6 and the cover 4 already in the closed position. This presses the sealing element 13 against the front of the charging port 3.

[0029] pressed. The forced guidance formed by the double slotted guide is self-locking, so that the sealing element 13 remains in its sealing position as long as the electric motor drive 7 is not driven in the opposite direction of rotation. As soon as a drive in the opposite direction of rotation occurs, the sealing element 13 moves away from the charging port 3 again. This is supported by the previously described return spring, which is effective between the inside of the cover 4 and the sealing element 13. The double slotted guide also contributes to the

[0030] The sealing element is moved back into its release position within the cover 4. The cover 4 can then be moved into the open position.

Claims

[1] Charging connection device for a motor vehicle with a charging connection block (1) which is fixed to the vehicle in the ready-to-use state and which has at least two different charging connections (2, 3), of which at least one charging connection (3) can be closed by means of a cover (4) which is mounted so as to be movable relative to the charging connection block (1) between a closed position closing the at least one charging connection (3) and an open position releasing the charging connection (3), wherein a drive device is provided which displaces the cover (4) between the closed position and the open position by means of drive transmission elements which are rigid in tension and compression, characterized bythat the cover (4) is guided on two opposite sides in a guide track each so as to be displaceable in parallel between the closed position and the open position, wherein the guide tracks are arranged stationary to the charging connection block (1), and that the drive transmission members are designed as dimensionally stable slats (6) which are articulated to one another transversely to their direction of displacement via hinge axes (9), and that on the hinge axes (9) on opposite sides there are provided guide pins which project outwards over side edges of the slats (6) and which are guided so as to be linearly movable in the guide tracks. [2] Charging connection device according to claim 1, characterized by that the guide tracks have at least one curvature, preferably at an angle of 90°, and that the drive transmission members are designed to be flexible such that the drive transmission members can be guided in a linearly movable manner along the at least one curvature. [3] Charging connection device according to claim 1, characterized by that the opposite guide tracks flank the slats (6) on the opposite side edges, and that the guide tracks are designed as guide channels (5) with guide grooves (12) open towards the side edges of the slats (6), in which the guide pins are received. [4] Charging connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a sealing element (13) is mounted on the cover (4) so ​​as to be movable to a limited extent between a sealing position resting on the charging connection (3) and a release position spaced apart from the charging connection (3). [5] Charging connection device according to claim 4, characterized by that a mechanical forced guide for the sealing element (13) is provided in the cover (4) in order to displace the sealing element (13) between the sealing position and the release position. [6] Charging connection device according to claim 5, characterized by that the forced guidance is permanently spring-loaded in the direction of the release position. [7] Charging connection device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized by that a sealing drive member (17) is provided which is coupled to the positive guide in order to transfer the sealing element (13) from the release position into the sealing position. [8] Charging connection device according to claim 7, characterized by that the sealing drive member (17) is coupled to the drive device for the cover (4) such that the sealing drive member (17) is activated as soon as the cover (4) reaches its closed position. [9] Charging connection device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by that the sealing drive member (17) and the forced guide are designed as mutually coupled slotted guides, wherein the slotted guides are movable orthogonally to one another. [10] Charging connection device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized by that the sealing drive member (17) has a link guide with at least one link track running inclined to a direction of movement of the sealing drive member (17), and that the link guide of the positive guide for the sealing element (13) has at least one link element that interacts positively with the link track. [11] Charging connection device according to claim 10, characterized by that the slotted guide of the positive guide for the sealing element (13) is firmly connected to the sealing element (13) and can be displaced linearly together with the sealing element (13) transversely to a direction of movement of the cover (4). [12] Charging connection device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized by that the link guide of the sealing drive member (17) is held on a front-side slat (6) adjoining the cover (4).

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