Loading flap device for a motor vehicle, loading device, motor vehicle, arrangement and method

Abstract

The invention relates to a loading flap device (2) for a motor vehicle, comprising a loading flap (9), a fastening device (10) by means of which the loading flap (9) can be held on a component (3) of the motor vehicle so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (12) between a closed position and at least one open position (11), and a drive device (13) by means of which the loading flap (9) can be driven to pivot about the pivot axis (12), wherein, in the closed position, a connection device (5) provided for charging an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle can be covered by the loading flap (9), wherein a position control device (15) coupled to the drive device (13) is provided, by means of which a protective position (16), which is an intermediate position relative to the closed position and the open position (11), into which the loading flap (9) is to be pivoted, can be determined as a random position.wherein the loading flap (9) can be pivoted about the pivot axis (12) into the specific protective position (16) by means of the drive device (13).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a loading flap device for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a charging device for a motor vehicle having such a loading flap device, as well as to a motor vehicle having such a charging device. Furthermore, the invention relates to an arrangement of a loading flap device on a component of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 8, as well as to a method for operating a loading flap device for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 9.

[0002] DE 10 2020 120 242 A1 discloses a mechanism for pivoting a loading flap on a loading trough accommodated or receivable in a body component of a motor vehicle, wherein the mechanism is designed to pivot the loading flap reversibly between a first orientation and a second orientation by superposition of at least two circular rotational movements with different rotation radii, which occur at least temporarily simultaneously, or at least one circular rotational movement, which occurs at least temporarily simultaneously, and at least one linear movement.

[0003] The object of the invention is to provide a loading flap device for a motor vehicle, a loading device for a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle, an arrangement of a loading flap device on a component of a motor vehicle and a method for operating a loading flap device for a motor vehicle, so that wear of the loading flap device can be kept particularly low.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by a loading flap device for a motor vehicle having the features of patent claim 1, by a charging device for a motor vehicle having the features of patent claim 6, by a motor vehicle having a charging device having the features of patent claim 7, by an arrangement of a loading flap device on a component of a motor vehicle having the features of patent claim 8, and by a method for operating a loading flap device for a motor vehicle having the features of patent claim 9. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent patent claims and the description.

[0005] A first aspect of the invention relates to a tailgate device for a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle is designed, for example, as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger car. Preferably, the motor vehicle, particularly in its fully manufactured state, has the tailgate device. The tailgate device can also be referred to as a tailgate system.

[0006] The loading flap device has at least one loading flap. The loading flap can also be referred to as a cover element or simply as a flap. Furthermore, the loading flap device has at least one fastening device, in particular formed separately from the loading flap, by means of which the loading flap can be or is held on a component of the motor vehicle so that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis between a closed position and at least one open position, in particular at least indirectly or directly. This means that the loading flap can be or is fastened to the component by means of the fastening device, wherein the loading flap is or is displaceable about the pivot axis between the closed position and the open position.In other words, the loading flap is to be held or is held by the fastening device between the closed position and the open position about the pivot axis on an outer side, in particular on the outside, of the motor vehicle. The component is thus, for example, a component of the motor vehicle arranged on the outside. The component is, for example, a charging recess, which can also be referred to as a charging pot or charging socket. Alternatively, the component is, for example, a body component of the motor vehicle. In particular, the component is designed separately from the loading flap device. Pivoting can be understood, in particular, as pivoting of the loading flap relative to the component about the pivot axis.Furthermore, pivoting of the loading flap can be understood in particular as pivoting of the loading flap from the open position into the closed position and / or from the closed position into the open position.

[0007] Furthermore, the loading flap device has at least one drive device, for example an electric one, by means of which the loading flap can be or is driven to pivot about the pivot axis, for example to pivot between the closed position and the open position. This means that the pivoting of the loading flap about the pivot axis, for example the pivoting of the loading flap between the closed position and the open position about the pivot axis, can be or is effected by means of the drive device. In other words, it is provided that the loading flap can be or is pivoted about the pivot axis, for example between the closed position and the open position, by means of the drive device.

[0008] In the closed position, a connection device of the motor vehicle, in particular an electrical one, which is provided for charging an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle can be covered or concealed, in particular completely, by means of the charging flap. In other words, in particular with regard to the closed position and the open position exclusively, in the closed position an opening can be covered or concealed, via which opening a connection element, in particular an electrical one, for charging the electrical energy storage device can be connected or is connected or will be connected to the connection device, in particular electrically, preferably directly. This means that, in particular with regard to the open position and the closed position exclusively, in the closed position the connection device or the opening can be closed or is closed by means of the charging flap. Thus, in the closed position, the charging flap in particular is closed.For example, the opening is defined or formed by the tailgate device and / or a charging device of the motor vehicle. The connection device is, for example, part of the charging device of the motor vehicle.

[0009] In the open position, the connection device can be released from the tailgate, in particular completely. In other words, in the open position, the opening of the tailgate is released, in particular completely, in the open position, in particular with reference to the open position and the closed position exclusively. This means that in the open position, the connection device or the opening is not covered. Thus, in the open position, the tailgate, in particular, is open.

[0010] The charging element is, for example, part of an energy supply device that is external to the motor vehicle, in particular electrical, and can also be referred to as an external charging device. The energy supply device is, for example, a charging station, a wall box, or the like. The charging element is, for example, a charging plug. Charging the electrical energy storage device can be understood in particular to mean that the electrical energy storage device can be or is supplied with electrical energy via the connection device, in particular via the charging element, in particular in order to charge the electrical energy storage device. The electrical energy storage device is understood in particular to mean a battery or an accumulator. The electrical energy storage device is preferably designed as an electrical traction storage device.This means that an electric machine can be supplied with energy, particularly energy stored or chemically bound in the electrical energy storage device, by means of the electrical energy storage device in order to drive the motor vehicle. Thus, the motor vehicle is, in particular, an electrically driven motor vehicle. In other words, the motor vehicle is preferably designed as a battery-electric vehicle or as a hybrid vehicle.

[0011] In order to be able to keep wear on the loading flap device particularly low, the loading flap device according to the invention has at least one position control device which is coupled, in particular in a data-transmitting, electrically or electronically and / or mechanically, to the drive device, for example at least indirectly or directly, by means of which a protective position, which is an intermediate position relative to the closed position and the open position, into which the loading flap is to be pivoted, can be or is determined as a random position. In other words, it is provided that by means of the position control device for the loading flap, a target position can be determined, in particular ascertained, as a random position, i.e. randomly, can be determined, in particular ascertained, wherein the target position is the intermediate position or characterizes it.The position control device can thus be understood in particular as a random generator, or the position control device can comprise the random generator. The position control device can also be referred to as a position generation device or a position determination device. Determining the random position or the protective position can be understood in particular as specifying, setting, or determining the random position or the protective position. Determining the protective position or the intermediate position as a random position can be understood in particular as randomly determining the protective position or determining the protective position by means of a random generator. This means in particular that at least one variable required for determining the protective position can be or is generated randomly, for example by means of a random number, by means of the position control device.The random position can also be referred to as a random position. The protective position is preferably a weather-protection position, which can also be referred to as a weather-protection position.

[0012] Furthermore, it is provided that the loading flap can be or is pivoted by means of the drive device about the pivot axis, for example from the open position and / or from the closed position, into the specific, i.e. in particular into the previously determined, protective position or intermediate position. In other words, it is provided that the specific or determined target position of the loading flap can be or is set by means of the drive device as the actual position of the loading flap. This means that the loading flap can be or is pivoted by means of the drive device about the pivot axis as the actual position, i.e. for adapting or changing the actual position, into the, in particular previously determined, target position.Thus, by means of the drive device, the loading flap can actually be moved or pivoted into the protective position previously determined, in particular as a random position.

[0013] The invention is based in particular on the following findings and considerations: Electric vehicles can usually be parked outdoors for several hours during charging, i.e. during a charging process, and can therefore be exposed to the elements. In order to limit the effects of these weather influences, the weather protection position can be moved to, particularly in the case of a vertically opening charging flap system, preferably as soon as the charging plug is plugged into the vehicle, in particular into the connection device. For this purpose, it may be conceivable to move the charging flap to an intermediate position which, depending on the charging plug, is permanently stored in a memory unit. The protective position to be moved to or moved to can thus always be fixed.Alternatively, it is conceivable in principle to have the charging flap move toward the charging plug in the closing direction by storing a fixed position in the memory unit. This could be achieved, for example, by detecting a collision by increasing the power consumption of the drive device, also known as the actuator, at the moment of impact with an obstacle in the form of the charging plug. However, when using identical charging plugs, the same protective position can still be reached every time. Furthermore, moving the charging flap toward the charging plug can lead to an unsatisfactory distortion of the flap system, particularly in charging flap systems without metal-reinforced hinge arms.

[0014] In contrast, by means of the loading flap device according to the invention, the pivoting, in particular moving, of the loading flap into the protective position can be realized by means of the random generator by determining the protective position as a random position. The random generator can generate an absolute position which the loading flap, in particular the electric one, should move to or is moved to, in particular subsequently. This can ensure that the loading flap is not always moved into the same protective position when pivoting into the protective position. This allows different positions to be moved to as the protective position particularly frequently. Due to the random position, the pivoting of the loading flap into the protective position therefore always or at least particularly frequently occurs differently, i.e. in a different way.As a result, wear, particularly on one side, of the loading flap device, for example of a movement mechanism of the loading flap, can be kept particularly low. The wear can occur particularly consistently, whereby local wear peaks that could lead to failures and / or damage can be particularly reliably avoided. Furthermore, the random position also means that any accumulation of dirt can always or at least occur particularly frequently, since different, particularly random, positions can be used as the protective position, which can be particularly susceptible to the penetration of dirt. As a result, the penetration of dirt into the loading flap device can be kept particularly low, or at least the accumulation of a particularly high local concentration of dirt can be particularly reliably avoided.This can, for example, prevent the tailgate from jamming due to dirt. Furthermore, wear on the tailgate mechanism can be significantly reduced due to the particularly low or reduced level of dirt.

[0015] In a further embodiment, it is provided that the position control device is designed as an electronic computing device. This means that the protective position can be determined or is determined as a random position by means of the position control device or the electronic computing devices, wherein at least one control signal can be transmitted or is transmitted to the drive device by means of the electronic computing device, in particular depending on the determined intermediate position or the determined random position, whereby the loading flap can be pivoted or is pivoted about the pivot axis into the determined protective position or the determined random position, in particular depending on the transmitted control signal, by means of the drive device.In other words, it is provided that the determination of the target position can be carried out or is carried out by means of the electronic computing device, wherein by means of the electronic computing device, in particular depending on the determined target position, at least one control signal can be transmitted or is transmitted to the drive device in order to pivot the loading flap into the determined target position by means of the drive device, i.e. to change the actual position of the loading flap in accordance with the determined target position. As a result, the random position can be determined in a particularly low-complexity manner, whereby the loading flap can be pivoted into the random protective position in a particularly low-complexity manner. As a result, wear can be reduced in a particularly low-complexity manner.

[0016] In a further embodiment, it is provided that the random position, the intermediate position, or the protective position is a position to be randomly selected from a plurality of predetermined or predefined positions. This means that, by means of the position control device, a position to be randomly selected or selected from a plurality of predetermined or predefined positions can be determined or is determined as the protective position. In other words, the random position is a, in particular random, selection from a predetermined range of values.Thus, by means of the position control device, one of these positions can be selected, in particular randomly, from the predetermined positions stored, for example, in the electronic computing device, in particular in a memory, and thereby determined as the protective position into which the loading flap can be pivoted, in particular subsequently, about the pivot axis. Thus, in particular in the memory of the electronic computing device, also referred to as the memory area, no fixed storage of the intermediate position is provided. Instead, the random generator can be implemented in an algorithm executed on the electronic computing device, whereby a random absolute position within the defined value range can be generated as the protective position.Position information randomly generated in this way can then be sent to the drive unit (also known as the tailgate actuator), especially as soon as the weather protection position is to be reached, whereupon the drive unit can initiate a movement of the tailgate into this weather protection position. This ensures that the random position is not left to "pure chance" but is a random selection, which means that all potentially possible weather protection positions can be particularly well-suited for weather protection.

[0017] In a further embodiment, it is provided that the tailgate can be pivoted or is pivoted upwards in the vertical direction of the vehicle about the pivot axis in order to pivot from the closed position into the open position, in particular when the tailgate device is installed in the motor vehicle. In other words, at least a partial area of ​​the tailgate is arranged further down in the vertical direction of the vehicle in the closed position than in the open position. The tailgate is therefore a tailgate that can be opened or closed vertically. It is therefore possible to move to the weather protection position by means of the random generator in a particularly wear-effective manner with a tailgate system that opens vertically.

[0018] In a further embodiment, it is provided that in the protective position the charging element connected to the connection device, in particular electrically, can be covered or covered at least partially, in particular predominantly or completely, preferably upwards in the vertical direction of the vehicle, by the charging flap. In other words, in the protective position the charging element connected to the connection device is at least partially, in particular predominantly or completely, covered by the charging flap if the charging element is connected, in particular electrically, preferably directly, to the connection device, and in particular the electrical energy store is supplied with electrical energy via the charging element with the intermediary of the connection device. As a result, the connection device and / or the charging element can be particularly well protected against the effects of the weather or weather influences.

[0019] A second aspect of the invention relates to a charging device for a motor vehicle, wherein the charging device has at least one loading flap device according to the first aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first aspect of the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the second aspect of the invention, and vice versa.

[0020] A third aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle, in particular an electrically driven one, which has at least one charging device according to the second aspect of the invention. Thus, the motor vehicle has, in particular, the charging flap device according to the first aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first and second aspects of the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the third aspect of the invention.

[0021] A fourth aspect of the invention relates to an arrangement of a tailgate device, in particular according to the first aspect of the invention, on a component of a motor vehicle, in particular according to the third aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first, second, and third aspects of the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the fourth aspect of the invention, and vice versa.

[0022] The loading flap device has a loading flap and a fastening device, by means of which the loading flap is held on the component of the motor vehicle so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and at least one open position, in particular one which is different from the closed position. Furthermore, the loading flap device has at least one drive device, by means of which the loading flap can be or is driven to pivot about the pivot axis, for example between the closed position and the open position. In the closed position, a connection device provided or designed for charging an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle is covered, in particular completely, by the loading flap, and in the open position the connection device is exposed by the loading flap, in particular at least partially or completely.

[0023] In order to be able to keep wear of the loading flap device particularly low, at least one position control device coupled to the drive device is provided, by means of which a protective position, in particular different from the open position and the closed position, which is an intermediate position with respect to the closed position and the open position, into which the loading flap is to be pivoted, can be determined or is determined as a random position, wherein the loading flap can be pivoted or is pivoted about the pivot axis into the determined protective position by means of the drive device.

[0024] A fifth aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating a tailgate device, in particular according to the first aspect of the invention, for a motor vehicle, in particular according to the third aspect of the invention. Advantages and advantageous embodiments of the first, second, third, and fourth aspects of the invention are to be regarded as advantages and advantageous embodiments of the fifth aspect of the invention, and vice versa.

[0025] The loading flap device comprises a loading flap and a fastening device, by means of which the loading flap is held on a component of the motor vehicle so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis between a closed position and at least one open position. The loading flap is driven by at least one drive device, in particular electrically, whereby the loading flap is pivoted, for example, by means of the drive device, between the open position and the closed position, in particular automatically. In the closed position, a connection device provided for charging an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle is covered by the loading flap, and in the open position, the connection device is released from the loading flap.

[0026] In order to be able to keep wear of the loading flap device particularly low, according to the invention a protective position, which is an intermediate position with respect to the closed position and the open position into which the loading flap is to be pivoted, is determined as a random position by means of a position control device coupled to the drive device, wherein the loading flap is pivoted about the pivot axis into the determined protective position by means of the drive device.

[0027] The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description as well as the features or combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but - within the scope of the claims - also in other combinations or on their own.

[0028] The invention will now be explained in more detail using a preferred embodiment and with reference to the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of a charging device according to the invention for a motor vehicle; and Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of a charging device according to the invention for a motor vehicle; and Fig. 3 a schematic side view of a charging device according to the invention for a motor vehicle, wherein a charging plug is connected to a connection device of the charging device.

[0029] In the figures, comparable or functionally equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals.

[0030] Fig. Figure 1 shows a schematic front view of a charging device 1 for a motor vehicle. Preferably, the motor vehicle, particularly in its fully manufactured state, has the charging device. The charging device 1 has a loading flap device 2. Thus, Fig. 1 shows, in particular, a schematic front view of an arrangement of the loading flap device 2 on a component 3 of the motor vehicle. The component 3 is in this case a component of the charging device 1, for example, a charging pot 4, which can also be referred to as a charging recess. Fig. 2 shows the charging device 1 or the arrangement of a schematic side view.

[0031] The charging device 1 has a connection device 5, which is designed in particular separately from the charging flap device 2, for charging an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle. The connection device 5 can be understood in particular as a charging connection. In the present case, the connection device 5 is designed for, in particular electrical, connection to a charging element 6, which is designed in particular separately from the charging device 1, in particular the motor vehicle, and which is, for example, a charging plug, in particular a charging plug having a charging cable. The charging element 6 can be plugged into the connection device 5 for electrically charging the electrical energy storage device, and can thereby be connected in particular electrically to the connection device 5. The charging element 6 is, for example, part of a

[0032] Energy supply device, which is, for example, a charging station, a wall box, or the like. For electrically connecting the charging element 6 to the connection device 5, a connecting part 7, for example a plug, of the charging element 6 can be inserted into the connection device 5. In the present case, the charging element 6 has a charging cable, which is connectable or connected, for example, to an electrical energy source of the energy supply device, in particular electrically. The charging element 6 is in Fig. 3 illustrates, in which the charging device 1 or the arrangement and the charging element 6 are shown in a schematic side view.

[0033] The loading flap device 2 has a loading flap 9 and a fastening device 10, which is formed in particular separately from the loading flap 9, by means of which the loading flap 9 can be or is held on the component 3, for example directly, so as to be pivotable between a closed position and at least one open position 11 about a pivot axis 12. The fastening device 10 is designed, for example, as a hinge arm or, for example, has at least the hinge arm. Furthermore, the loading device 1, in particular the loading flap device 2, has a drive device 13, by means of which the loading flap 9 can be or is driven to pivot, for example, between the closed position and the open position 11, about the pivot axis 12. The drive device 13 can be referred to as an actuator. For example, the drive device 13 is designed as an electric machine. Fig. 1 and in Fig. 2, the loading flap device 2 is in the open position 11. The closed position is in Fig. 2 by means of a dashed line 14, in the closed position, the connection device 5 can be concealed by means of the loading flap 9 or from the loading flap 9, in particular completely, that is to say can be closed or locked by means of the loading flap 9. As in Fig. 1, in the present case the component 3 delimits an opening 3a at least partially, in particular completely, in which the connection device 5 is arranged. In the closed position, this opening 3a is closed, in particular completely, by means of the charging flap 9. As a result, the charging element 6, in particular the connecting part 7, cannot be connected or coupled to the connection device 5 in the closed position, whereby charging of the electrical energy store is not possible, in particular in the closed position. This means that in the closed position, the connection of the charging element 6 to the connection device 5 or the charging of the electrical energy store is not possible. In the open position 11, the connection device 5 or the opening 3a can be or is released, in particular at least partially or completely, by the charging flap 9.Thus, in the open position 11, the opening 3a of the charging flap 9 is not closed. In the open position 11, the charging element 6 can be connected, in particular electrically, to the connection device 5, in particular via the connecting part 7, in order to charge the electrical energy storage device. Thus, in the open position 11, the electrical energy storage device can be charged.

[0034] In order to minimize wear on the loading device 1, in particular on the loading flap device 2, the loading device 1, in particular on the loading flap device 2, has a position control device 15 coupled to the drive device 13, by means of which a protective position 16, which is an intermediate position relative to the closed position and the open position 11, into which the loading flap 9 is to be pivoted, can be determined or is determined as a random position. Furthermore, it is provided that the loading flap 9 can be pivoted or is pivoted by means of the drive device 13 about the pivot axis 12 into the protective position 16, in particular a previously determined one.As a result, the pivoting of the loading flap 9, for example, from the open position 11 into the protective position 16, can occur at least partially stochastically and thus in a particularly varied manner, whereby the fastening device 10, in particular a movement mechanism to be effected or effected by the fastening device 10 for the pivoting, is subjected to particularly varied loads. In particular, one-sided or monotonous wear can be avoided. Thus, the durability of the loading flap device 2 can be significantly increased. In particular, the safety against damage to the loading flap device 2 can be significantly increased.

[0035] In the present case, the term "random position" does not mean that the protective position 16 and the pivoting of the loading flap 9 into the protective position 16 are completely arbitrary, but rather that boundary conditions are provided which limit the random determination of the intermediate position. Thus, as already mentioned, the protective position 16 is always an intermediate position relative to the open position 11 and the closed position. This means that in the protective position 16, the loading flap 9 is opened less wide than in the open position 11. Furthermore, in the protective position 16, protection of the loading device 1, in particular the connecting device 5, or of the loading element 6 connected to the connecting device 5, can be effected or is effected, in particular against weather influences.These boundary conditions ensure that the pivoting into the protective position 16 may be somewhat stochastic and thus particularly varied, but can nevertheless be carried out in a feasible manner. In particular, in the protective position 16, it is possible for the charging element 6 to be connected to the connection device 5, whereby the electrical energy storage device can be charged, particularly in the protective position 16.

[0036] In the exemplary embodiment, the position control device 15 is designed as an electronic computing device 17. The electronic computing device 17 is designed, for example, as a control unit. This control unit is, for example, a control unit that performs a charging function of the motor vehicle, in particular of the electrical energy storage device, i.e., is responsible for this charging function. Furthermore, in the present case, the random position or the protective position 16 is a position to be randomly selected or chosen from several predefined positions.Thus, for example, a plurality of potential protective positions 16 are stored in a memory of the electronic computing devices 17, wherein one of these stored protective positions 16 can be selected randomly, i.e. as a random position, by means of the electronic computing device 17, into which the loading flap 9 can be pivoted by means of the drive device 13 about the pivot axis 12, for example from the open position 11, and for example after the loading element 6 has been connected to the connection device 5, into the selected protective position 16.

[0037] For example, the position control device 15, in particular the electronic computing device 17, comprises at least one random number generator. For example, a number is assigned to each protective position 16 stored in the memory. For example, a random number is determined using the random number generator to select the protective position 16. Thus, depending on the determined random number, one of the stored protective positions 16 can be selected, in particular if the determined random number corresponds to the number assigned to the respective stored protective position 16. Thus, the protective position 16 can be approached within a specific value range.

[0038] For example, the charging device 1 has at least one detection device by means of which the charging element 6 connected by means of the connection device 5, and in particular the connection of the charging element 6 to the connection device 5, can be detected or is detected. For example, the detection device is coupled to the position control device 15, whereby the protective position 16 can be determined upon detection of the charging element 6 or upon detection of the connection of the charging element 6 by means of the position control device 15. Thus, as soon as the charging element 6 is plugged into the motor vehicle, in particular in the next step, the electronic computing device 17 can move to a position in the form of the protective position 16 within the specific value range.

[0039] In the present case, in the protective position 16, the charging element 6 connected to the connection device 5 can be covered or covered at least partially, in particular predominantly or completely, by the charging flap 9. This is particularly well Fig. 3. In this example, the cover is applied from above, vertically along the vehicle's perimeter. This provides particularly effective weather protection.

[0040] In the exemplary embodiment, the tailgate 9 is pivoted upward about the pivot axis 12 in the vehicle's vertical direction 18 in order to pivot from the closed position to the open position 11. Thus, a direction of movement of the tailgate 9 when pivoting the tailgate 9 from the closed position to the open position 11 has at least one component pointing upward in the vehicle's vertical direction 18, in particular a vectorial component. In the present case, the tailgate device 2 is therefore a vertically opening tailgate system.

[0041] In the exemplary embodiment, a stop element 19 is arranged on the loading flap 9, via which the loading flap 9 acts upon the loading element 6 in the event of a collision. This prevents damage to the loading flap 9 and / or the loading element 6 in the event of such a collision. In the present case, the stop element 19 is arranged on a side of the loading flap 9 facing away from the fastening device 10. List of reference symbols 1 charging device 2 tailgate device 3 Component 3a Opening 4 charging pot 5 Connection device 6 Charging element 7 Connecting part 8 charging cables 9 Tailgate 10 Fastening device 11 Disclosure 12 swivel axis 13 Drive device 14 Line 15 Position control device 16 Protective position 17 electronic computing device 18 Vehicle vertical direction 19 Stop element

Claims

[1] A loading flap device (2) for a motor vehicle, comprising a loading flap (9), a fastening device (10) by means of which the loading flap (9) can be held on a component (3) of the motor vehicle so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (12) between a closed position and at least one open position (11), and a drive device (13) by means of which the loading flap (9) can be driven to pivot about the pivot axis (12), wherein in the closed position a connection device (5) provided for charging an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle can be covered by the loading flap (9) and in the open position (11) the connection device (5) can be released from the loading flap (9), characterized bya position control device (15) coupled to the drive device (13), by means of which a protective position (16), which is an intermediate position relative to the closed position and the open position (11) into which the loading flap (9) is to be pivoted, can be determined as a random position, wherein the loading flap (9) can be pivoted about the pivot axis (12) into the determined protective position (16) by means of the drive device (13). [2] Loading flap device (2) according to claim 1, characterized by that the position control device (15) is designed as an electronic computing device (17). [3] Loading flap device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the random position is a position to be selected at random from several given positions. [4] Loading flap device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the loading flap (9) is to be pivoted upwards around the pivot axis (12) in the vertical direction (18) of the vehicle in order to pivot from the closed position into the open position (11). [5] Loading flap device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that in the protective position (16) a charging element (6) connected to the connecting device (5) can be at least partially covered by the charging flap (9). [6] Loading device (1) for a motor vehicle, with a loading flap device (2) according to one of the preceding claims. [7] Motor vehicle with a charging device (1) according to claim 6. [8] Arrangement of a loading flap device (2) on a component (3) of a motor vehicle, in which the loading flap device (2) has a loading flap (9), a fastening device (10) by means of which the loading flap (9) is held on the component (3) of the motor vehicle so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (12) between a closed position and at least one open position (11), and a drive device (13) by means of which the loading flap (9) can be driven to pivot about the pivot axis (12), wherein in the closed position a connection device (5) provided for charging an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle is covered by the loading flap (9) and in the open position (11) the connection device (5) is released from the loading flap (9), characterized bya position control device (15) coupled to the drive device (13), by means of which a protective position (16), which is an intermediate position relative to the closed position and the open position (11) into which the loading flap (9) is to be pivoted, can be determined as a random position, wherein the loading flap (9) can be pivoted about the pivot axis (12) into the determined protective position (16) by means of the drive device (13). [9] Method for operating a loading flap device (2) for a motor vehicle, in which the loading flap device (2) has a loading flap (9) and a fastening device (10), by means of which the loading flap (9) is held on a component (3) of the motor vehicle so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (12) between a closed position and at least one open position (11), wherein the loading flap (9) is driven by means of a drive device (13) and, in the closed position, a connection device (5) provided for charging an electrical energy storage device of the motor vehicle is covered by the loading flap (9) and, in the open position (11), the connection device (5) is released from the loading flap (9), characterized bythat by means of a position control device (15) coupled to the drive device (13), a protective position which is an intermediate position with respect to the closed position and the open position (11) into which the loading flap (9) is to be pivoted is determined as a random position, wherein the loading flap (9) is pivoted about the pivot axis (12) into the determined protective position (16) by means of the drive device (13).

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