Automotive electric charging cable support.

Abstract

The invention relates to a support (1) for an electric charging cable (2) of a motor vehicle, the cable being provided at its ends with two electrical connectors (3, 4), a first connector (3) being intended to be plugged into the vehicle and a second connector (4) being intended to be plugged into the charging station, these connectors (3, 4) being provided in their rear part opposite the plugging area with a gripping area (32, 42) having a generally substantially cylindrical shape, characterized in that the support (1) comprises a main body (5) forming a first channel in which the gripping area (32) of the first connector (3) is held, the main body (5) being extended at its rear end opposite the plugging area of ​​the first connector (3) by a branch (6) extending transversely to the gripping area (32),the arm supporting a secondary part (7) of the support (1) forming a second channel in which the gripping area (42) of the second connector (4) is held, the second channel being provided with a lateral opening (8) and elastically deformable walls allowing the gripping area (42) of the second connector (4) to be clipped into the second channel by passing through the lateral opening (8). Figure of the abstract: Figure 2,

Description

Title of the invention: Support for an electric charging cable of a motor vehicle.

[0001] The present invention relates to a support for an electric charging cable for a motor vehicle, the cable being provided at its ends with two electrical connectors. An electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle has a charging port. To charge the battery, an electrical cable is connected by one of its connectors to the vehicle's charging port and by its other connector to a fixed charging station located in a parking lot, garage, or on a public road.

[0002] Handling the cord poses several problems:

[0003] During charging, the cable usually drags on the ground between the charging station and the vehicle, resulting in soiling. The user gets dirty picking up the cable and soils the vehicle when putting it back in.

[0004] In order to keep it clean and to prevent part of the cord from dragging on the ground, it is very often wrapped around the vehicle's electrical socket or the open flap giving access to the socket, which risks damaging the latter by the overhang and the stress due to the weight of the cord.

[0005] In addition, since the end connectors are completely free from each other, handling the cord is sometimes tricky for transport, connection or storage in a vehicle trunk.

[0006] The invention aims to overcome all or part of the previous drawbacks by providing a charging cable for a battery of an electric and / or hybrid vehicle which avoids dirt and is particularly ergonomic to use.

[0007] To this end, the invention relates to a support for an electric charging cable of a motor vehicle, the cable being provided at its ends with two electrical connectors, a first connector being intended to be plugged into the vehicle and a second connector being intended to be plugged into the charging station, these connectors being provided in their rear part opposite the plugging area with a gripping area having a generally substantially cylindrical shape, characterized in that the support comprises a main body forming a first channel in which the gripping area of ​​the first connector is held, the main body being extended at its rear end opposite the plugging area of ​​the first connector by a branch extending transversely to the gripping area, the branch supporting a secondary part of the support forming a second channel in which the gripping area of ​​the second connector is held,the second chute being equipped with a lateral opening and elastically deformable walls, allowing the gripping area of ​​the second connector to be clipped into the second channel by passing through the side opening.

[0008] Other advantageous features of the invention are defined below.

[0009] The main body consists of two half-shells assembled along a median joint plane, of which a lateral half-shell supports the arm () and the secondary part of the support.

[0010] The lateral opening of the second chute is oriented on the corresponding half-shell in the opposite direction to the median joint plane allowing the two half-shells to be connected.

[0011] The two half-shells are fixed together by a series of clips distributed along the contact edges of the half-shells.

[0012] The main body has lateral openings formed respectively on each half-shell while the secondary part also has a lateral opening arranged on the corresponding half-shell opposite the lateral opening.

[0013] The first chute and the second chute are arranged so that the gripping areas of the first connector and the second connector () are oriented at an angle between 0° and 30°.

[0014] The invention also relates to a device for charging an electric vehicle comprising a charging cord support according to any one of the preceding claims and a cord having at its ends two electrical connectors, a first connector of which is intended to be plugged into the vehicle side and a second connector of which is intended to be plugged into the charging station side, these connectors having in their rear part opposite the plugging area a gripping area having a generally substantially cylindrical shape.

[0015] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description of a non-limiting example of the invention, and in light of the accompanying drawings.

[0016] [Fig-1] represents the electrical charging cord support according to the invention, in gripping situation, with the two end connectors and the conductive cable linking the two connectors hooked onto the support.

[0017] [Fig.2] is a view of the charging cord support of [Fig.1], shown only with the end connectors.

[0018] [Fig.3] is another view of the charging cord support of [Fig.2], representing the opposite side.

[0019] [Fig.4] is a view of the charging cord support of [Fig.3] shown without the end connectors.

[0020] [Fig.5] is a view of a first part only of the charging cord support of [Fig.4],

[0021] [Fig.6] is a view of a second part only of the charging cord support of [Fig.4], complementary to the first part.

[0022] Figures 1 and 2 show the charging cable support 1 of a rechargeable electric vehicle according to the invention. Prior to describing the support, some characteristics of the cable are indicated below.

[0023] The cable 2 is conventionally provided at its ends with two electrical connectors, a first connector 3 on the vehicle side and a second connector 4 on the charging station side. These connectors 3, 4 are conventionally provided with a front portion 31, 41 intended to be connected to the corresponding socket on the vehicle or to the charging station. This front portion 31, 41 extends at the rear into a gripping area 32, 42 having a generally cylindrical shape. This gripping area 32, 42 is inclined downwards relative to the front portion 31, 41 at an angle of approximately 30 to 45°. The term "downwards" refers to the conventional orientation of the connector when plugged into the vehicle's charging socket or the charging station. Similarly, the expressions "front" and "rear" are to be interpreted with regard to the direction of connection of the connector, towards the front.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the support 1 of the invention is adapted for holding and transporting an electric vehicle charging cable 2. The cable 2 is provided at its ends with two electrical connectors 3, 4. A first connector 3 is intended to be plugged into the charging socket of an electric vehicle. A second connector 4 is intended to be plugged into a charging station of a fixed installation. These connectors 3, 4 are provided in their rear portion opposite the plugging area with a gripping area 32, 42 having a generally cylindrical shape.

[0025] As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the support 1 comprises a main body 5 forming a first channel in which the gripping area 32 of the first connector 3 is retained. The main body 5 is extended at its rear end opposite the connection area of ​​the first connector 3 by a branch 6 extending transversely across the gripping area 32. The branch 6 supports a secondary portion 7 of the support 1 forming a second channel in which the gripping area 42 of the second connector 4 is retained. The second channel is provided with a lateral opening 8 and elastically deformable walls allowing the gripping area 42 of the second connector 4 to be clipped into the second channel by passing through the lateral opening 8. The lateral opening 8 extends longitudinally along the longitudinal direction of the channel constituting the secondary portion 7.

[0026] With reference to Figures 5 and 6, the main body 5 consists of two half-shells 51, 52 assembled along a median parting line. A lateral half-shell 51 supports the arm 6 and the secondary part 7 of the support 1 ([Fig.5]).

[0027] The lateral opening 8 of the second chute is oriented on the corresponding half-shell (of the secondary part 7) in the opposite direction to the median joint plane allowing the two half-shells 51, 52 to be connected, as can be seen in [Fig.5].

[0028] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the two half-shells 51, 52 are fixed together by a series of complementary clips 9 made up of two complementary parts fitting one inside the other. These clips 9 are arranged on the contact edges of the half-shells 51, 52. Each pair of clips 9 comprises a clip with a flexible, deformable pad disposed on one of the half-shells, this clip snapping into a corresponding recess formed on the other half-shell.

[0029] With reference to Figures 5 and 6, the half-shells 51, 52 of the main body 5 have lateral perforations 10 formed respectively on each half-shell 51, 52. The secondary part 7 also has a lateral perforation 11 arranged on the corresponding half-shell 51 of the main part 5, opposite the lateral opening 8 ([Fig. 5]). These perforations extend over a significant portion of the outer surface of the gripping areas 32, 42. They lighten the support 1, save material, and provide flexibility to the channels surrounding the connectors 3, 4. They also help to make the gripping areas 32, 42 more visible through the support 1.

[0030] The first and second chutes are arranged so that the respective gripping areas 32, 42 of the first connector 3 and the second connector 4 are oriented at an angle between 0° and 30°. In other words, the longitudinal directions of the first and second chutes are substantially parallel, with an angle between 0° and 30°, typically an angle of the order of 10-15° creating a forward separation of the connectors 3, 4.

[0031] Of course, the invention is not limited to the modes or variants of embodiment described above and includes all technical equivalents of these means.

Claims

Demands

1. Support (1) for an electric charging cable (2) of a motor vehicle, the cable being provided at its ends with two electrical connectors (3, 4), a first connector (3) being intended to be plugged into the vehicle side and a second connector (4) being intended to be plugged into the charging station side, these connectors (3, 4) being provided in their rear part opposite the plugging area with a gripping area (32, 42) having a generally substantially cylindrical shape, characterized in that the support (1) comprises a main body (5) forming a first channel in which the gripping area (32) of the first connector (3) is held, the main body (5) being extended at its rear end opposite the plugging area of ​​the first connector (3) by a branch (6) extending transversely to the gripping area (32),the arm supporting a secondary part (7) of the support (1) forming a second channel in which the gripping area (42) of the second connector (4) is held, the second channel being provided with a lateral opening (8) and elastically deformable walls allowing the gripping area (42) of the second connector (4) to be clipped into the second channel by passing through the lateral opening (8), the main body (5) being made up of two half-shells (51, 52) assembled along a median parting line, of which a lateral half-shell (51) supports the arm (6) and the secondary part (7) of the support, the main body (5) having lateral perforations (10) formed respectively on each half-shell (51, 52) while the secondary part (7) also has a lateral perforation (11) disposed on the corresponding half-shell (51) opposite the lateral opening (8).

2. Support (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the lateral opening (8) of the second chute is oriented on the corresponding half-shell (52) in the opposite direction to the median joint plane allowing the two half-shells (51, 52) to be connected.

3. Support (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two half-shells (51, 52) are fixed together by a series of clips (9) distributed along the contact edges of the half-shells (51, 52).

4. Support (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first chute and the second chute are arranged so that the gripping areas (32, 42) of the first connector (3) and the second connector (4) are oriented at an angle between 0° and 30°.

5. A charging device for an electric vehicle comprising a charging cord (1) support (2) according to any one of the preceding claims and a cord having at its ends two electrical connectors (3, 4) of which a first connector (3) is intended to be plugged into the vehicle side and a second connector (4) is intended to be plugged into the charging station side, these connectors (3, 4) having in their rear part opposite the plugging area a gripping area (32, 42) having a generally substantially cylindrical shape.