ELECTRICALLY POWERED VEHICLE INCLUDING A SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATING A CHARGING CABLE FOR A BATTERY POWERING THE MOTOR OF SAID VEHICLE

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric vehicle comprising a system (1) for integrating a battery charging cable (2), said system comprising said cable having a cylindrical, extensible, retractable helical zone (3) to define a storage configuration for said cable, a tubular conduit (4) for housing at least said helical zone, a plug (5) connected to the first end (6) of said helical zone, said plug fitting into the end (7) of said conduit when said cable is placed in said storage configuration, said plug being provided with a locking means (8) in the housing position within said conduit, said system further comprising a push device (9) capable of being actuated to press against the second end (10) of said helical zone and push said first end of the helical zone towards said end of said conduit. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN VEHICLE COMPRISING A SYSTEM FOR INTEGRATING A CABLE FOR RECHARGING A BATTERY SUPPLYING THE MOTOR OF SAID VEHICLE

[0001] The invention relates to an electrically powered vehicle comprising a system for integrating a cable for recharging a battery supplying the engine of said vehicle.

[0002] It is known to produce an electrically powered vehicle comprising a system for integrating a cable for recharging a battery supplying the engine of said vehicle, said system comprising: - said cable having an extensible cylindrical helical zone, said cable being provided with an elasticity allowing said helical zone to be recalled in contraction to define a storage configuration of said cable when it is not in use, - a tubular conduit for housing at least said helical zone when said cable is placed in said storage configuration, said conduit making it possible to ensure protection of at least said zone, - an electrical power supply socket connected at the first end of said helical zone, said socket fitting into the end of said conduit when said cable is placed in said storage configuration, said socket being provided with a locking means in the housing position in said conduit by pressing in tight contact said locking means against said conduit.

[0003] With such an arrangement, the cable can be deployed to adopt a usage configuration allowing the socket to be connected to a generator external to the vehicle, the return of said cable to the storage configuration being assisted by elastic return of the helical zone, the user having to push on the socket to fit it into the end of the conduit.

[0004] However, it may happen that the user, when storing the cable, pushes the plug too far into the conduit, said plug then becoming difficult to extract from said conduit during a new battery charging operation.

[0005] The aim of the invention is to propose an arrangement making it possible to overcome this drawback.

[0006] To this end, the invention proposes an electrically powered vehicle comprising a system for integrating a cable for recharging a battery supplying the engine of said vehicle, said system comprising: - said cable having an extensible cylindrical helical zone, said cable being provided with an elasticity allowing said helical zone to be recalled in contraction to define a storage configuration of said cable when it is not in use, - a tubular conduit for housing at least said helical zone when said cable is placed in said storage configuration, - an electrical power supply socket connected to the first end of said helical zone, said socket fitting into the end of said conduit when said cable is placed in said storage configuration, said socket being provided with a locking means in the housing position in said conduit by pressing in tight contact of said locking means against said conduit, said system further comprising a pusher device capable of being actuated to press at the second end of said helical zone and push said first end of the helical zone towards said end of said conduit.

[0007] With the proposed arrangement, the support provided at the second end of the helical zone causes the turns of said helical zone to tighten against each other, said support being transmitted to the first end of the helical zone and allowing the extraction of a plug that is too far inserted into the conduit.

[0008] According to one embodiment, the helical zone extends partially over the length of the cable, the pusher device comprising a pusher mounted to slide in the conduit, said pusher bearing at the second end of said helical zone, said cable extending beyond said helical zone by a linear zone, said sleeve being provided with an orifice through which said linear zone passes.

[0009] In particular, the pusher device comprises a cylinder for actuating the pusher.

[0010] According to a variant, the pusher device comprises a worm screw and a motor for actuating said screw, said screw cooperating with a nut secured to the pusher to enable it to be actuated.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the blocking means is in the form of a ring made of elastically deformable material mounted around the socket, said ring being able to further provide a protective function against the introduction of fluids into the conduit.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the cable integration system comprises a part of the vehicle bodywork provided with an access orifice to the socket, said access orifice being provided with a hatch operable between a position for masking said socket and a position for unmasking said socket in order to be able to actuate it by traction and extract said cable from the conduit in order to charge the battery.

[0013] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of: [Fig.l] which is a schematic sectional view of a cable integration system according to one embodiment, the cable being shown in the storage configuration, the plug being fitted into the conduit in the storage position (A), in the over-inserted position in the conduit (B) and in the process of being extracted from said conduit under the effect of a thrust produced by the push device (C).

[0014] We now describe, with reference to the figure, an electrically powered vehicle comprising a system 1 for integrating a cable 2 for recharging a battery, not shown, for supplying power to the engine of said vehicle, said system comprising: - said cable having an extensible cylindrical helical zone 3, said cable being provided with an elasticity making it possible to recall said helical zone in contraction to define a storage configuration of said cable when it is not in use, - a tubular conduit 4 for housing at least said helical zone when said cable is placed in said storage configuration, - an electrical power supply socket 5 connected at the first end 6 of said helical zone, said socket fitting into the end 7 of said conduit when said cable is placed in said storage configuration, said socket being provided with a locking means 8 in the housing position in said conduit by pressing in tight contact of said locking means against said conduit, said system further comprising a pusher device 9 capable of being actuated to provide support at the second end 10 of said helical zone and push said first end of the helical zone towards said end of said conduit.

[0015] According to the embodiment shown, the helical zone 3 extends partially over the length of the cable 2, the pusher device 9 comprising a pusher 11 - in particular of cylindrical shape - slidably mounted in the conduit 4, said pusher bearing at the second end 10 of said helical zone, said cable extending beyond said helical zone by a linear zone 12 - that is to say of non-helical shape -, said sleeve being provided with an orifice 13 through which said linear zone passes.

[0016] It will be noted here that, in order to be able to function, such an arrangement requires a possibility of translational mobility of the linear zone 12 along the conduit 4.

[0017] According to the embodiment shown, the pusher device 9 comprises a cylinder 14 for actuating the pusher 11.

[0018] According to a variant not shown, the pusher device 9 comprises a worm screw and a motor for actuating said screw, said screw cooperating with a nut secured to the pusher 11 to enable it to be actuated.

[0019] According to the embodiment shown, the blocking means 8 is in the form of a crown made of elastically deformable material - in particular rubber - mounted around the socket 5.

[0020] According to an embodiment not shown, the system 1 for integrating the cable 2 comprises a part of the bodywork of the vehicle provided with an access orifice to the socket 5, said access orifice being provided with a hatch actuable between a position for masking said socket and a position for unmasking said socket in order to be able to actuate it by traction and extract said cable from the conduit 4 in order to charge the battery.

Claims

Claims

1. Electrically powered vehicle comprising a system (1) for integrating a cable (2) for recharging a battery supplying the engine of said vehicle, said system comprising: - said cable having an extensible cylindrical helical zone (3), said cable being provided with an elasticity making it possible to recall said helical zone in contraction to define a storage configuration of said cable when it is not in use, - a tubular conduit (4) for housing at least said helical zone when said cable is placed in said storage configuration, - an electrical power supply socket (5) connected to the first end (6) of said helical zone, said socket fitting into the end (7) of said conduit when said cable is placed in said storage configuration,said socket being provided with a locking means (8) in the housing position in said conduit by pressing in tight contact said locking means against said conduit, said vehicle being characterized in that said system further comprises a pusher device (9) capable of being actuated to press at the second end (10) of said helical zone and push said first end of the helical zone towards said end of said conduit.,

2. Vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the helical zone (3) extends partially over the length of the cable (2), the pusher device (9) comprising a pusher (11) slidably mounted in the conduit (4), said pusher bearing at the second end (10) of said helical zone, said cable extending beyond said helical zone by a linear zone (12), said sleeve being provided with an orifice (13) through which said linear zone passes.

3. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the pusher device (9) comprises a cylinder (14) for actuating the pusher (11).

4. Vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that the device pusher (9) comprises a worm screw and a motor for actuating said screw, said screw cooperating with a nut secured to the pusher (11) to enable it to be actuated.

5. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the locking means (8) is in the form of a crown made of elastically deformable material mounted around the socket (5).

6. Vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the system (1) for integrating the cable (2) comprises a part of the bodywork of said vehicle provided with an access orifice to the socket (5), said access orifice being provided with a hatch operable between a position for masking said socket and a position for unmasking said socket in order to be able to actuate it in traction and extract said cable from the conduit (4) in order to charge the battery.

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