ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A HOUSING INCLUDING A CHARGING CABLE AND A SHUTTER

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) comprising a battery, a charging hatch and a housing (1), said charging hatch having a first opening (6), said housing (1) having a retractable charging cable (2) for charging said battery, characterized in that said housing (1) has a shutter (3), said shutter (3) having a second opening, said charging cable (2) passing through said second opening, said housing (1) being capable of having two configurations: a first configuration in which said charging cable (2) is stored in said housing (1); a second configuration in which said charging cable (2) is partially outside said housing (1), said shutter (3) closing said first opening (6).The invention also relates to a method for extending said charging cable (2) and a method for storing said charging cable (2). Figure 1.

Description

Title of the invention: ELECTRIC OR HYBRID MOTOR VEHICLE WITH INCLUDED HOUSING INCLUDES A CHARGING CABLE AND A SHUTTER

[0001] The invention relates to electric or hybrid motor vehicles, and more particularly to means of recharging these vehicles.

[0002] Prior art is known a patent application DE102011116746 which describes a An electric or hybrid motor vehicle includes an electrical energy storage device. The vehicle has a charging cable for connecting the electrical energy storage device to an external charging station. At one end of the charging cable, there is a coupling unit, such as a plug. This coupling unit connects the charging cable to the external charging station. The electrical energy storage device is connected to an electrical energy storage unit, such as a battery, to transfer electrical energy from the device to the battery. This electrical energy is then distributed to the vehicle's electric motor to power it. The charging cable is housed in a compartment located on one of the rear sides of the vehicle.The compartment has an opening, which can be closed by a flap. To recharge the vehicle's battery, the flap must be opened, and the charging cable must be inserted through the opening. Once charging is complete, the charging cable is inserted through the opening again and fully retracted into the compartment until the next charging session. The flap is then closed again to protect the opening. However, there is a drawback. The flap allows the opening to be opened and closed when the charging cable needs to be inserted or inserted before and after charging. However, the opening is not protected while the vehicle is charging.Indeed, the charging cable partially obstructs the opening, but only partially. Therefore, impurities such as dust, or fuel residue (in the case of a hybrid vehicle where the charging port and fuel tank access are located in the same place), can enter and become lodged in the compartment. accumulate. In the long run, this could prevent the charging cable from being stored in the said housing.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by proposing an electric charging cable comprising a shutter preventing the entry of impurities and debris into a housing intended for the storage of said charging cable.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising a battery, a charging port and a housing, said charging port having a first opening, said housing having a retractable charging cable for charging said battery, characterized in that said charging cable has a shutter, said shutter having a second opening, said charging cable passing through said second opening, said charging cable being capable of having two configurations: - a first configuration in which said charging cable is stored in said housing, the shutter being positioned inside said housing; - a second configuration in which said charging cable is partially outside said housing, said charging cable passing through said first opening and said shutter closing said first opening.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, impurities and debris that may be found near said reloading hatch cannot enter said housing.

[0006] Advantageously, said obturator comprises a central part and a lateral part, said central part having a first stiffness value, said lateral part having a second stiffness value, said second stiffness value being strictly less than the first stiffness value.

[0007] Thus, said shutter fits easily into said first opening without damaging it.

[0008] Advantageously, said second opening has a circular shape and a diameter between 2 mm and 10 mm.

[0009] Preferably, said housing has a circular cross-section and said shutter has a circular shape.

[0010] This configuration allows easy movement of the shutter in said housing when the charging cable is moved.

[0011] Advantageously, the first opening has a diameter between 1 cm and 5 cm and said shutter has a diameter identical to the diameter of said first opening.

[0012] Advantageously, said housing has a diameter between 5 cm and 10 cm.

[0013] Preferably, said charging cable has one end, said end having a tip, said shutter being disposed at a distance between 45 cm and 300 cm of said nozzle.

[0014] The invention also relates to a method for removing the charging cable from the battery of the electric or hybrid motor vehicle described above, and said method comprises the following steps: - a step involving the opening of said reloading hatch; - a step of stretching said charging cable through said first opening; - a step of inserting said shutter into said first opening.

[0015] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for storing the battery charging cable of the previously described electric or hybrid motor vehicle, and said method comprises the following steps: - a step of removing said shutter by applying a force to said shutter towards said housing; - a step of folding the charging cable back into said housing.

[0016] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates an electric or hybrid motor vehicle in a first configuration according to one embodiment of the invention; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates the electric or hybrid motor vehicle in a second configuration; - [Fig.3] schematically illustrates an axial section of the obturator.

[0017] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a vehicle 100, an electric or hybrid automobile comprising a battery, a charging port, and a housing 1. The charging port has a first opening 6. For clarity, the battery and the charging port are not shown. Preferably, the housing 1 has a diameter between 2 cm and 10 cm. Furthermore, the housing 1 includes a retractable charging cable 2 necessary for charging the battery. This charging cable 2 is integrated into the vehicle 100. The charging cable 2 has a shutter 3. The shutter 3 has a second opening. The charging cable 2 is inserted into this second opening. The vehicle 100 is capable of two configurations. Figure 1 illustrates the vehicle 100 in a first configuration. The charging cable 2 is fully retracted into the housing 1.The charging cable 2 passes through the second opening, the shutter 3 being located inside the housing 1. The charging cable 2 has one end, said end having a fitting 5. Preferably, said shutter 3 is disposed at a distance between 45 cm and 300 cm from said fitting 5. To proceed with charging the vehicle battery 100, . Two steps are required. During an opening step, the electric charging hatch is opened by a user of vehicle 100. The charging hatch can be opened by any known means, mechanical or electrical. Once the charging hatch is open, the user has access to the first opening 6. During a stretching step, the charging cable 2 is pulled from the housing 1 by the user so that the charging cable 2 is partially outside the housing 1. Finally, during an insertion step, the shutter 3 is inserted into the first opening 6. Thus, the first opening 6 is closed. The user can then proceed to recharge the battery of vehicle 100. When the process is complete, the vehicle is in the second configuration.

[0018] In [Fig. 2], the vehicle 100 is shown in a second configuration. The Vehicle 100 is ready to be recharged. The charging port (not shown) is open. The first opening 6 is therefore accessible. The charging cable 2 is partially outside of housing 1. The connector 5 is also shown outside of vehicle 100. The shutter 3 is inserted into the first opening 6 so that said first opening 6 is completely sealed. Thus, no impurities can enter housing 1. Preferably, said first opening 6 has a diameter between 1 cm and 5 cm, and said shutter 3 has a diameter identical to the diameter of said first opening 6 in order to allow the complete sealing of said first opening 6. Storing said charging cable 2 involves two steps. During a retraction step, the user exerts force on said shutter 3 towards housing 1. In other words, the user pushes on said shutter 3.Thus, the shutter 3 retracts into said housing 1. During a folding step, said charging cable 2 is inserted into said housing 1 for storage.

[0019] Figure 3 illustrates an axial section of the shutter 3. The shutter 3 has a second opening 4, into which the charging cable 2 is inserted. Advantageously, this second opening 4 has a circular shape with a diameter between 2 mm and 10 mm. Preferably, the shutter 3 has a circular cross-section, and the housing 1 also has a circular cross-section. The shutter 3 has a central portion 3a and a lateral portion 3b. The central portion 3a has a first stiffness value. The lateral portion 3b has a second stiffness value. The second stiffness value is lower than the first stiffness value. In mechanics, stiffness is defined as resistance to elastic deformation. Thus, the stiffer a material is, the greater the force required to deform it. When a material resists deformation, it is described as rigid.Conversely, flexibility is a characteristic indicating a material's ability to deform. Thus, the lateral part 3b is more flexible than the central part 3a. that the shutter 3 fits easily into said first opening 6, without damaging it.

Claims

Demands

1. Electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) comprising a battery, a charging hatch and a housing (1), said charging hatch comprising a first opening (6), said housing (1) comprising a retractable charging cable (2) for charging said battery, characterized in that said charging cable (2) comprising a shutter (3), said shutter (3) comprising a second opening (4), said charging cable (2) passing through said second opening (4), said charging cable (2) being capable of having two configurations: - a first configuration in which said charging cable (2) is stored in said housing (1), the shutter (3) being positioned inside said housing (1);- a second configuration in which said charging cable (2) is partially outside said housing (1), said charging cable (2) passing through said first opening (6) and said shutter (3) closing said first opening (6).;

2. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 characterized in that said shutter (3) comprises a central part (3a) and a lateral part (3b), said central part (3a) having a first stiffness value, said lateral part (3b) having a second stiffness value, said second stiffness value being strictly less than the first stiffness value.

3. Vehicle (100) according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that said second opening (4) has a circular shape and a diameter between 2 mm and 10 mm.

4. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that said housing (1) has a circular cross-section and said shutter (3) has a circular shape.

5. Vehicle (100) according to claim 4 characterized in that the first opening (6) has a diameter between 1 cm and 5 cm and said shutter (3) has a diameter identical to the diameter of said first opening (6).

6. Vehicle (100) according to claim 4 or 5 characterized in that said housing (1) has a diameter between 5 cm and 10 cm.

7. Vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that said charging cable (2) comprises a end, said end comprising a nozzle (5), said shutter (3) being disposed at a distance between 45 cm and 300 cm from said nozzle (5).

8. Method for removing the charging cable (2) from the electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step involving the opening of said reloading hatch; - a step of stretching said charging cable (2) through said first opening (6); - a step of inserting said shutter (3) into said first opening (6).

9. A method for storing the charging cable (2) of the electric or hybrid motor vehicle (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of withdrawing said shutter (3) by applying a force to said shutter (3) towards said housing (1); - a step of folding the charging cable (2) into said housing (1).

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