AUTOMATIC DISCONNECT DEVICE FOR AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING SOCKET

Abstract

The invention relates to an automatic disconnection device for a male plug (22) intended for charging the batteries of an electric motor vehicle by being connected to a female plug (21) housed in a casing (2) mounted on the vehicle body and connected to a charge controller, characterized in that it comprises thrust means (1) mounted inside the casing (2) and controlled by the charge controller such that, when the batteries are charged, the thrust means (1) are actuated to progressively move the male plug (22) and electrically disconnect it from the female plug. (21) Figure of the abstract (Fig. 2)

Description

Title of the invention: DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY DISCONNECTING A CHARGING SOCKET FOR AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE

[0001] The invention relates, in general, to the field of recharging batteries of electrically powered motor vehicles and is more particularly concerned with a device intended for the automatic disconnection of the charging socket.

[0002] On electrically powered vehicles, a case is provided which is attached and mounted in a hatch provided on the body of the vehicles and in which is integrated a female end piece intended for the connection of a male plug mounted on a gun at the end of the charging cable. This end piece carries pins which project outwards and which, by fitting together, ensure the electrical connection with contacts of complementary profile carried by the charger gun.

[0003] At the end of the charging cycle, the male plug remains mechanically secured to the female end and electrically connected to the internal electrical circuit of the vehicle. However, it turns out that at public highway charging station locations, particularly in urban areas, exceeding the parking time beyond the charging time is often charged at a prohibitive cost in order to encourage the vehicle owner to free up the terminal and move his vehicle.

[0004] The vehicle user must therefore carefully monitor, on site or remotely, the charging program in order to detach the plug in good time before moving his vehicle, which is obviously restrictive.

[0005] Furthermore, once the batteries are charged and pending manual disconnection by this user, the internal electrical circuit of the vehicle remains connected to the external charging system, which can lead to fire risks.

[0006] Patent CN214589486UU describes a charging device comprising a mechanism incorporating a pin and an electromagnet. When the vehicle is started and while the male plug of the charging cable is still connected, the mechanism is activated and the electromagnet pushes the pin which quickly ejects the plug to avoid damage.

[0007] Patent US10399445B2 describes a device intended for motor vehicles to ensure the automatic disconnection and ejection of the charging plug in the event of an electrical problem during battery recharging. According to various embodiments, this device may comprise a solenoid, a piston, a pneumatic cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, a lever, a spring piston and / or any other actuator configured to ensure the ejection of the charging plug.

[0008] However, the devices described in these two documents use means ensuring the sudden ejection of the charging socket essentially in emergency situations and which therefore do not allow its physical integrity to be preserved. In addition, at the end of the ejection, the cable extending the socket is projected at a distance and necessarily comes to rest on the ground, which is not satisfactory for reasons of safety as well as hygiene.

[0009] In this context, the invention sought a technical solution ensuring the only electrical disconnection of the charging socket without causing its complete ejection outside the vehicle housing containing the female end piece.

[0010] This object is achieved according to the invention by means of a device for automatically disconnecting a male plug intended for charging the batteries of an electrically powered motor vehicle by being connected to a female plug housed in a housing mounted on the body of the vehicle and connected to a charge controller, characterized in that it comprises pushing means mounted inside the housing and controlled by the charge controller so that, when the batteries are charged, the pushing means are actuated to gradually move the male plug and electrically disconnect it from the female plug.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the disconnection device of the invention, the pushing means comprise an electric motor coupled to a worm screw integrated into the female socket and which comes into contact with the male socket to ensure its translational movement towards the outside of the housing during disconnection.

[0012] According to a specific embodiment, the length of the worm screw is such that at the end of the disconnection stroke, the male plug remains inside the housing.

[0013] According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the disconnection device comprises an indicator of the end of battery charging.

[0014] According to an advantageous variant embodiment, this indicator comprises at least one LED visible from outside the housing.

[0015] According to another advantageous characteristic of the disconnection device of the invention, the housing comprises a member for locking the male plug in the connection position.

[0016] According to another advantageous variant embodiment, this locking member is associated with a remote terminal for managing the payment of the recharge which only controls the unlocking and actuation of the pushing means after validation of the payment.

[0017] Another object of the invention is an electrically powered motor vehicle equipped with a device as defined above for the automatic disconnection of the male plug of the cable intended for recharging its batteries.

[0018] The pushing means of the device of the invention ensure an automatic and flexible disconnection mode of the male plug which makes it possible to avoid its sudden ejection and harmful damage to the gun and / or the charging cable. Thus, the user of the vehicle can quickly grasp the male plug without effort.

[0019] If applicable, a battery charge indicator will notify the user of the end of the recharge cycle.

[0020] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge on reading the description which follows, with reference to the appended figures, for which:

[0021] [Fig-1] is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of the device of of the invention in the connection position.

[0022] [Fig.2] is a schematic sectional view of the device of [Fig.l] in the de- connection.

[0023] For clarity, identical or similar elements are identified by identical reference signs in the description and in the figures.

[0024] Naturally, the embodiment of the invention illustrated schematically by the figures presented above and described below is given only as a non-limiting example. It is explicitly provided within the scope of the invention that different embodiments can be proposed and combined together to propose others.

[0025] Generally speaking and as illustrated by figures 1 and 2, the body of electrically powered vehicles comprises a housing 2 attached and housed in a hatch and in which a female socket or end piece 21 is integrated. This female socket is intended for the connection of an external male socket 22 mounted on a gun 3 itself connected to the end of a cable 4 for recharging the batteries (not shown).

[0026] Traditionally, the two sockets 21, 22 carry pins 20a, 20b which are substantially parallel and have complementary profiles. These pins project outwards and have electrically conductive surfaces. The mutual interlocking of the female 21 and male 22 sockets ensures, respectively, contact between the pins 20a, 20b and therefore the electrical connection of the sockets and the connection of the charger to the batteries, (not shown) via the cable 4, as illustrated in [Fig.l].

[0027] The housing 2, and indirectly the female socket 22, is connected to an electrical circuit internal to the vehicle comprising, in particular, a charge controller (not shown) such as a multimeter (voltmeter, etc.). Usually, at the end of the charging cycle, the male socket 22 remains mechanically secured to the female socket 21 and is thus electrically connected to the internal electrical circuit of the vehicle and, in particular, to the batteries, pending manual disconnection by the user of the vehicle.

[0028] the invention aims to propose a technical solution allowing the automatic disconnection of the male 22 and female 21 sockets at the end of the charging cycle. To this end, the invention consists of providing the housing 2 with internal thrust means 1 controlled by the charge controller such that, when the batteries are charged, the pushing means are actuated to move the male plug 22 towards the outside of the housing 2.

[0029] The removal of the male plug 22 thus causes the disconnection of the female plug 21, as illustrated by the arrow in [Fig.2] and, at the same time, the opening of the internal electrical circuit and the interruption of recharging.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the thrust means comprise an electric motor 11 coupled to a worm screw 10 integrated into the female socket 21. This worm screw 10 is, during charging, at rest and set back relative to the male socket 22, as illustrated in [Fig.l]. During the disconnection phase and under the action of the motor 11 controlled by the charge controller, the screw 10 comes into rotational contact with the male socket 22 to ensure its progressive displacement in translation towards the outside of the housing 2.

[0031] However, the invention provides that the length of the worm screw is such that at the end of the disconnection stroke, the male plug remains inside the housing to prevent it from being ejected and falling onto the ground with the gun 3 and the cable 4.

[0032] According to a specific embodiment variant (not shown here), the invention provides that the disconnection device comprises an indicator of the end of battery charging. This indicator comprises, for example, one or more LEDs visible from outside the housing 2 and which can change from red during the charging phase to green at the end of charging to signal the release of the male plug 22.

[0033] According to another variant embodiment of the disconnection device of the invention (not shown), the housing 2 comprises a member for locking the male plug 22 in the connection position. This locking member is, for example, associated with a remote terminal for managing the payment of the recharge which only controls the unlocking and actuation of the pushing means 1 after validation of the payment or pre-payment.

Claims

Claims

1. Device for automatically disconnecting a male plug (22) intended for charging the batteries of an electrically powered motor vehicle by being connected to a female plug (21) housed in a housing (2) mounted on the body of the vehicle and connected to a charge controller, characterized in that it comprises pushing means (1) mounted inside the housing (2) and controlled by the charge controller so that, when the batteries are charged, the pushing means (1) are actuated to gradually move the male plug (22) and electrically disconnect it from the female plug. (21)

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said pushing means (1) comprise an electric motor (11) coupled to a worm screw (10) integrated into the female socket (21) and which comes into contact with the male socket (22) to ensure its translational movement towards the outside of the housing (2) during disconnection.

3. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the length of the worm screw (10) is such that at the end of the disconnection stroke, the male plug (22) remains inside the housing (2).

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an indicator of the end of charging of the batteries.

5. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said indicator comprises at least one LED visible from outside the housing (2).

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (2) comprises a member for locking the male plug (22) in the connection position.

7. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said locking member is associated with a remote terminal for managing the payment of the top-up which only controls the unlocking and actuation of the pushing means (1) after validation of the payment.

8. Electrically powered motor vehicle equipped with a device according to one of the preceding claims for the automatic disconnection of the male plug (22) from the cable (4) intended for recharging its batteries.

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