Device for unwinding a motor vehicle charging cable.

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for unwinding a charging cable (2) for a motor vehicle (3), the device (1) comprising a housing (4) designed to be disposed in the vehicle (3) and a retractable charging cable (2) designed to supply a traction battery of the vehicle (3) with a charging current, the device (1) comprising winding means (8) designed to allow the cable (2) to be wound into the housing (4) and unwound from the housing (4), the winding means (8) comprising return means (14) designed to cause the automatic winding of the cable (2), the return means (14) having at least one control (15) activable by a user (16), each designed to activate the automatic winding of the cable (2) by the return means (14) when the control (15) is activated by the user (16). (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Device for unwinding a motor vehicle charging cable.

[0001] The technical field relates to the devices for unwinding a charging cable of a motor vehicle and to motor vehicles having such unwinding devices.

[0002] Electric vehicles are experiencing growing customer interest, while their driving ranges are constantly being improved by car manufacturers. These vehicles draw their electrical energy from onboard batteries, which must be regularly recharged by connecting them to a charging station powered by an electricity distribution network. To this end, the vehicles are generally supplied with a connection device comprising a charging cable suitable for connecting to the charging station and a suitable connector for connecting the charging cable to the batteries. When the vehicle is not connected to a charging station, the charging cable is generally stored in the vehicle for later use.

[0003] Car manufacturers take great care to facilitate the use of their vehicles and seek to maximize available storage space. Thus, storing a charging cable often reduces the available storage space. Furthermore, storing the cable in its case, when one exists, is complicated.

[0004] The spare tire presents a similar problem. When a motor vehicle is equipped with a spare tire, it is generally stored in the trunk, under a floor, or suspended beneath the vehicle. Therefore, in addition to the impact this has on storage space, accessing the spare tire usually requires the trunk to be empty, which can be problematic when it is not.

[0005] On some off-road vehicles, the spare tire is sometimes mounted externally, on the engine hood or on the rear hatch closing the trunk. This type of storage, however, has certain drawbacks, notably that the spare tire is exposed to the elements and that it degrades the vehicle's aerodynamic qualities.

[0006] Thus, there is a need for a solution to facilitate the storage of the charging cable and also to free up the spaces occupied by the charging cable and the spare wheel to offer increased storage space to the vehicle user.

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems described above. In this technical context, one objective of the present invention is to provide a unwinding device to facilitate the storage of the charging cable.

[0008] To this end, the present invention relates to a device for unwinding a charging cable for a motor vehicle, the device comprising a housing designed to be disposed in the vehicle and a retractable charging cable, designed to supply a traction battery of the vehicle with a charging current, the device comprising winding means designed to allow the cable to be wound into the housing and unwound out of the housing, the winding means comprising return means designed to cause the automatic winding of the cable, the return means having at least one control activable by a user, each designed to activate the automatic winding of the cable by the return means, when the control is activated by the user, the winding of the cable being inhibited in the absence of a control.

[0009] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle having at least one unwinding device according to the invention.

[0010] Thus, the unwinding device according to the invention facilitates the storage of the charging cable. Indeed, the winding means, and in particular the retraction means, allow the cable to wind automatically, that is to say, without any user intervention other than by activating a control. Thus, the charging cable is wound automatically and its storage becomes simple. Furthermore, the arrangement of the device in a housing allows the device to be positioned outside of storage spaces.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the unwinding device, the control is located on a cable connection plug.

[0012] Advantageously, a control has a trigger located on the connection plug. Thus, the control is easily accessible and operable.

[0013] According to one possibility of the unwinding device, unwinding the cable requires activation of a command by the user.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the winding means have at least one locking pawl, the control cooperating with each locking pawl to allow the winding and / or unwinding of the cable. Thus, when the cable is unwound, for example to recharge the vehicle, the winding means exert no tension on the cable.

[0015] In one embodiment of the unloading device, the housing includes a compartment designed for storing a spare tire. Thus, the device according to the invention makes it possible to optimize unoccupied spaces to free up storage space.

[0016] According to one possibility, the housing has a hatch allowing the user to access the housing, the hatch having a fixing interface designed to fix one end of the charging cable in the fixing interface.

[0017] According to one possibility, of the vehicle, the housing is located under a front hood of the vehicle.

[0018] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] [Fig.1] represents a perspective view of a vehicle according to the invention equipped with a unwinding device according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a detailed view of a hatch closing the housing of the device in [Fig.1];

[0021] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] represents a cross-sectional view of the housing of the device of [Fig.1]

[0022] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] represents a schematic view of the winding means of the device of the [Fig.l];

[0023] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0024] A cable unwinding device 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, allows a charging cable 2 for a motor vehicle 3, illustrated in [Fig. 1], to be unwound. For this purpose, the charging cable 2 of the device 1 is retractable and is designed to supply a traction battery, not shown, of the vehicle 3 with a charging current. When the device 1 is installed in the vehicle 3, the cable 2 has one end connected to the traction battery of the vehicle 3, optionally via a charger.

[0025] The device 1 includes a housing 4, illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, designed to be disposed in the vehicle 3. In the example illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, the housing 4 has a compartment 5 designed for the storage of a spare wheel 6. In the vehicle 3 illustrated in the figures, the housing 4 is, for example, disposed under a front hood 7 of the vehicle 3, shown transparent in the figures.

[0026] As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the device 1 includes winding means 8 designed to allow the cable 2 to be wound into the housing 4 and the cable 2 to be unwound out of the housing 4. In the example shown in the figures, the winding means 8 include a reel 9. For example, in the vehicle 3 shown in the figures, the reel 9 is located under the compartment 5 of the spare wheel 6. An opening 10 allows the cable 2 to pass into the compartment 5.

[0027] As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the housing 4 has a hatch 11 designed to allow the user access to the housing 4. In this case, the hatch 11 The compartment 4 is integrated into the front hood 7 and / or the vehicle grille 3. In the figures, the hatch 11 is shown in the open position. Advantageously, the hatch 11 includes a mounting interface 12 designed to secure one end of the cable 2, which can be connected to an external charging network, in the mounting interface 12. Advantageously, the mounting interface 12 projects from the hatch 11 so that it is positioned inside the compartment 5 when the hatch 11 is closed. The mounting interface 12 is, in particular, designed to receive a connector 13 provided at the end of the cable 2.

[0028] As illustrated in [Fig. 4], the winding means 8 include return means 14, also illustrated in [Fig. 4], designed to cause the automatic winding of the cable 2. The return means 14 have at least one control 15 activatable by a user 16, each designed to activate the automatic winding of the cable 2 by the return means 14 when the control 15 is activated by the user 16. The return means 14 include, for example, at least one spring, not shown. In the absence of actuation of the control 15, the return means 14 are designed to inhibit the winding of the cable 2.

[0029] In the embodiment illustrated in [Fig.2], the control 15 is arranged on the connector 13 of cable 2. In this case, the control 15 has a trigger 17 arranged on the connector 13.

[0030] Advantageously, in device 1 the unwinding of cable 2 requires activation of control 15 by user 16.

[0031] In one embodiment of the unwinding device 1, the winding means 8 have at least one stop ratchet, not shown, and the control 15 cooperates with each stop ratchet to allow the winding and / or unwinding of the cable 2. According to one possibility, each stop ratchet allows the unwinding of the cable 2 independently of the actuation of the control 15.

[0032] Advantageously, the winding means 8, thanks for example to each stop ratchet, inhibit the winding of the cable 2, when it is unwound and in the absence of the actuation of the control 15.

[0033] Thus, the unwinding device 1 facilitates the storage of the charging cable 2. Indeed, the winding means 8, in cooperation with the retraction means 14, allow for automatic winding, that is to say, without any intervention from the user 16 other than by activating the control 15. Thus, the charging cable 2 is wound up and its storage becomes simple. Furthermore, the arrangement of the device 1 in the housing 4 allows the device 1 to be positioned outside the storage spaces, under the front cover 7.

[0034] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the unwinding device described above, which is given only as an example, but other embodiments may be designed by a person skilled in the art without going outside the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Demands

1. Device (1) for unwinding a charging cable (2) for a motor vehicle (3), the device (1) comprising a housing (4) designed to be disposed in the vehicle (3) and a retractable charging cable (2) designed to supply a traction battery of the vehicle (3) with a charging current, the device (1) comprising winding means (8) designed to allow the cable (2) to be wound into the housing (4) and unwound from the housing (4), the winding means (8) comprising return means (14) designed to cause the automatic winding of the cable (2), the return means (14) having at least one control (15) activable by a user (16), each designed to activate the automatic winding of the cable (2) by the return means (14), when the control (15) is activated by the user (16), the winding of the cable (2) being inhibited in the absence of actuation of a command (15).

2. Unwinding device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the control (15) is disposed on a connection plug (13) of the cable (2).

3. Unwinding device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that a control (15) has a trigger (17) disposed on the connection plug (13).

4. A cable unwinding device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the unwinding of the cable (2) requires the activation of a control (15) by the user (16).

5. Unwinding device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the winding means (8) have at least one stop ratchet, the control (15) cooperating with each stop ratchet to allow winding and / or unwinding of the cable (2).

6. Unwinding device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the housing (4) includes a compartment (5) designed for the storage of a spare wheel (6).

7. A discharging device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the housing (4) has a hatch (11) allowing the user (16) to access the housing (4), the hatch

8.

9. (11) having a fastening interface (12) designed to fix one end of the charging cable (2) in the fastening interface (12). Motor vehicle (3) having at least one unwinding device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Motor vehicle (3) according to claim 8, characterized in that the housing (4) is arranged under a front hood (7) of the vehicle (3).

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