DC pin protection on charging inlet

Abstract

A charging port 200 suitable for use in a vehicle, the charging port 200 comprises a two part inlet 110 comprising an AC inlet 120 for receiving an AC connection plug, and a DC inlet 130 for receiving

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to DC pin protection on charging inlet. Aspects of the invention relate to a charging port for use in a vehicle, and a vehicle comprising the charging port. BACKGROUND It is known to provide one or more charging ports for vehicles such as automobiles to charge a battery or an electrical system of the vehicle. For example, it is known to provide cars which are at least partially driven by an electric motor powered by an electrical battery. For example, Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles (PHEVs) are well known. Such vehicles typically comprise a charging port for a user to connect a charging cable or plug to the vehicle, to thereby charge the vehicle battery. It is known to provide direct current, DC, or alternating current, AC, chargers with corresponding AC and / or DC charging inlets to charge vehicles. In some vehicles, the vehicle charging port may comprise an inlet for connecting to a DC plug and an inlet for connecting to an AC plug, each inlet comprising respective DC and AC electrical pins, and a user has a choice between DC charging which is typically faster than AC charging, or AC charging which may be more convenient and may include, for example, home charging systems. A charging system including a charging port with both AC and DC inlets should ensure that when one of the inlets is used, the other inlet is protected. In particular, various international charging standards mandate a requirement for DC pin protection, particularly in relation to direct contact risks and environmental exposure. In some systems, when AC charging is used, the DC pins are not used, and therefore should be protected from environmental exposure. In some systems, when DC pins are used, the DC plug connects to both the AC inlet and the DC inlet and thereby protects both inlets when connected. As AC charging may be relatively slow (in some cases a vehicle is left AC charging overnight), it is important to ensure protection of the DC inlet is robust during AC charging. It is known to provide mechanisms for protecting the DC inlet when using an AC charging plug. For example, a hingeable cap may be provided to cover the DC inlet, or a removable stopper may be provided which may be inserted and removed by the user to respectively protect or access the DC inlet. However, such systems depend on user action to correctly cover or uncover the DC inlet, and may be cumbersome for the user. In addition, there may be a risk of a user forgetting to return the DC inlet protection means after using the DC charger. Further, a user must manually remove the DC inlet protection means before using a DC charging plug, and therefore a speed of the process of charging using a DC charger may be reduced. It is an aim of the present invention to address one or more of the disadvantages associated with the prior art. In particular, it is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved means for protecting a DC inlet when an AC charging inlet of a two-part charging port is in use. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Aspects and embodiments of the invention provide a charging port for use in a vehicle, and a vehicle comprising the charging port, as claimed in the appended claims. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a charging port for use in a vehicle. The charging port comprises: a two-part inlet comprising an AC inlet for receiving an AC connection plug, and a DC inlet for receiving a DC connection plug; and a protective member configured to move from a closed state to an open state in dependence on insertion of the DC connection plug into the DC inlet. In the closed state, the protective member is configured to substantially seal the DC inlet to thereby protect the DC inlet against an external environment, and wherein in the open state, the protective member is received within the DC inlet. Advantageously, user action isn’t required to move the protective member out of the way of the DC inlet when the DC connection plug is inserted. User convenience is thereby increased. In some examples, during the insertion of the DC connection plug into the DC inlet, the DC connection plug pushes the protective member inside the DC inlet. The protective member is received within the DC inlet and therefore requires less exterior space compared to prior art systems in which protective members extend outwardly from the inlet. In some examples, in use, the AC connection plug uses only the AC inlet. In some examples, in use, the DC connection plug uses DC inlet and at least a portion of the AC inlet. Advantageously, when the DC connection plug is in use, both the DC and AC inlet are at least partially protected by the DC connection plug. Advantageously, by providing the protective member on the DC charging inlet, the DC charging inlet is protected during AC charging without unnecessarily large protective structures. The charging port comprises biasing means configured to bias the protective member toward the closed state so as to return the protective member to the closed state when the DC connection plug is not inserted in the DC inlet. Advantageously, the protective member is biased to close, so no user input is required to move the protective member to the closed position, and the closed position is ensured even if user would otherwise forget to return the protective member to the closed position after use of the DC inlet. Further, the closed position is maintained despite environmental conditions such as wind or presence of water, which may exert forces on the protective member. The DC inlet comprises: a cavity formed by an interior wall of the DC inlet, the cavity comprising an opening at a first end of the cavity; and a DC electrical pin extending through a substantially central portion of the cavity from a second end of the cavity distal to the opening, wherein the DC electrical pin is configured to electrically connect to the DC connection plug and to receive DC electrical energy from the DC connection plug. In some examples, an end of the DC electrical pin provided at the opening is protected against the external environment. Advantageously, the protective member may be provided to surround the end of the DC electrical pin without covering the end of the DC electrical pin, and a size of the protective member may be reduced. The protective member comprises a first portion configured to extend from proximal to the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening toward a centre of the opening to substantially cover the opening in the closed position, and a second portion configured to contact the DC electrical pin; the second portion extends from an edge of the first portion proximal to the centre of the opening; and the first portion is semi-rigid or rigid, and the second portion is flexible. Advantageously, the second portion of the protective member may more securely contact the DC electrical pin and ensure a closer fit with the DC electrical pin, thus more effectively preventing environmental exposure of the DC inlet, such as preventing ingress of dust or moisture into the DC inlet. In some examples, the protective element comprises a single body substantially corresponding to a shape of the opening; and the protective element is configured to substantially seal the opening in the closed state, and to move to a position proximal to the second end of the cavity in the open state in dependence on the insertion of the DC connection plug. Advantageously, by conforming to the shape of the opening, the protective member may effectively seal the opening and protect the DC inlet. Advantageously, a singularly formed protective member may be simple to manufacture. In some examples, the first portion of the protective member is formed to be substantially O-shaped and comprises a central hole arranged to surround the DC electrical pin; and the second portion of the protective member is configured to extend from an inner edge of the first portion toward the DC electrical pin. Advantageously, the protective member may be suitable for use with typical DC charging ports, and the second portion of the protective member may closely contact the DC electrical pin to thereby effectively seal the opening of the DC inlet. In some examples, the charging port comprises a guiding means for maintaining a position of the protective member to be in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin. Advantageously, the protective member may move evenly between the closed position and the open position, and a potential for the protective member becoming stuck or lodged inside the cavity may be reduced. Further, wear on the protective member and / or the interior walls of the inlet may be reduced as a force from the biasing means is applied equally across the surface of the protective member, In some examples, the guiding means comprise at least one channel in the interior wall of the DC inlet to receive a portion of the protective member to maintain a lateral position of the protective member; and the protective member comprises at least one fin, flange or protrusion configured to engage with the at least one channel to maintain the lateral position of the protective member. In some examples, the biasing means comprises a plurality of biasing means arranged to be evenly distributed around the cavity to apply a biasing force to the protective member in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin from the second end of the cavity toward the first end of the cavity, such that the biasing force is equally applied across the protective member to maintain a position of the protective element to be in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin during movement of the protective member between the closed state and the open state. Advantageously, a stability of the protective member during movement is improved and wear on the protective member may be evenly distributed across the protective member. In some examples, the protective member comprises a plurality of protective elements, each protective element hingeably connected to the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening; wherein the plurality of protective elements are configured to extend substantially perpendicularly from the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening toward the electrical pin to collectively surround the DC electrical pin in the closed state; and wherein in the open state, the plurality of protective elements are received within the cavity. Advantageously, each protective element may be individually moved by the insertion of the DC connection plug. Further, the protective elements may be hinged proximal to the opening such that the protective elements are received within the DC inlet proximal to the opening and thus do not travel a length of the cavity of the DC inlet. In some examples, the biasing means comprises a respective biasing means for each of the plurality of protective elements. Advantageously, each protective element is returned to the closed position when the DC connection plug is removed. In some examples, the plurality of protective elements each correspond to a section of an O-shape, the O-shape corresponding to a shape of the opening; and for each of the plurality of protective elements, the first portion comprises a section of the O-shape extending from the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening toward the centre of the opening, and the second portion extends from an edge of the first portion proximal to the centre of the opening. In some examples, each protective element of the plurality of protective elements is configured to overlap with adjacent protective elements. Advantageously, the overlap of the protective elements with adjacent protective elements improves the sealing of the opening by the protective elements, and the protective elements have improved resistance to external forces such as wind. In some examples, each protective element comprises a first radial edge and a second radial edge, each radial edge extending from the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening toward the centre of the opening; and wherein the first radial edge and the second radial edge comprise complimentary stepped structures such that a first radial edge of a first protective element is configured to overlap with a second radial edge of a second protective element. Advantageously, each protective element supports the adjacent protective elements to improve the sealing of the DC inlet. In some examples, the interior wall of the DC inlet comprises a recess configured to receive the protective member in the open state. Advantageously, the protective member is received out of the way of the DC connection plug in the open state such that the protective member does not interfere with the secure fit of the DC connection plug with the DC inlet. In some examples, when the protective member comprises the single body, the recess is provided at the second end of the DC inlet distal to the opening, and when the protective member comprises the plurality of protective elements, the recess comprises a plurality of recesses provided proximal to the hingeable connection of the plurality of protective elements to the interior wall of the DC inlet. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle comprising the charging port according to any disclosure herein. Within the scope of this application it is expressly intended that the various aspects, embodiments, examples and alternatives set out in the preceding paragraphs, in the claims and / or in the following description and drawings, and in particular the individual features thereof, may be taken independently or in any combination. That is, all embodiments and / or features of any embodiment can be combined in any way and / or combination, unless such features are incompatible. The applicant reserves the right to change any originally filed claim or file any new claim accordingly, including the right to amend any originally filed claim to depend from and / or incorporate any feature of any other claim although not originally claimed in that manner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One or more embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A shows a line drawing showing a front view of a charging port according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 1B shows a line drawing showing a cross-section of the charging port of Figure 1A; Figure 2A shows a line drawing showing a front view of a charging port according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2B shows a line drawing showing a cross-section of the charging port of Figure 2A; Figure 3A shows a line drawing showing a front view of a charging port according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3B shows a line drawing showing a cross-section of the charging port of Figure 3A; Figure 3C shows a line drawing showing a protective member of the charging port of Figures 3A and 3B; Figure 3D shows a line drawing showing an overlap of adjacent protective elements of the protective member of the charging port of Figures 3A-3C; and Figure 4 shows a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present disclosure relates to a charging port for use with a vehicle. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a charging port including a two-part inlet comprising an AC inlet for receiving an AC connection plug and a DC inlet for receiving a DC connection plug. Various examples of the present disclosure disclose a charging port comprising a protective member configured to move between a closed state in which the protective member substantially seals the DC inlet and an open state in which the protective member is received within the DC inlet, where the protective member is configured to move from the closed state to the open state in dependence on an insertion of a DC connection plug into the DC inlet. The charging port disclosed herein may be installed for use in charging a vehicle such as the type discussed above which are at least partially driven by an electric motor or powered by an electric battery. However, the present disclosure should not be limited thereto, and the present invention may be applied to any suitable vehicle. Figure 1A shows a line drawing showing a front view of a charging port 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The charging port 100 of Figure 1A comprises a two-part inlet 110 including an AC inlet 120 and a DC inlet 130. The charging port 100 of Figure 1A further comprises a hingeable cover 140 configured to cover the two-part inlet 110 to protect the two-part inlet 110 against environmental exposure and to open in response to user action. In some examples, the hingeable cover 140 may be similar to a typical hingeable flap or cover used in conventional petrol or diesel vehicles to cover a fuel cap. The charging port 100 of Figure 1A is shown with the hingeable cover 140 in an open state such that the two-part inlet 110 is visible and accessible. The two-part inlet 110 comprises the AC inlet 120 and the DC inlet 130. The AC inlet 120 may comprise one or more AC electrical pins configured to engage and electrically connect with an AC connection plug in order to receive AC electrical energy and charge the vehicle. The AC connection plug may be provided to engage with only the AC inlet 120 and to not engage with or cover the DC inlet 130. Thus, the DC inlet 130 may require protection against environmental exposure during AC charging when the hingeable cover 140 is open and the DC inlet 130 is exposed. The charging port 100 according to the present disclosure comprises one or more protective members to cover, seal and / or protect the DC inlet 130. For example, the one or more protective members may be configured to protect the DC inlet 130 against an ingress of dust, dirt or moisture into the DC inlet 130. The DC inlet 130 may comprise one or more DC electrical pins 150 configured to engage and electrically connect with a DC connection plug in order to receive DC electrical energy and charge the vehicle. For example, the DC inlet 130 may comprise an opening 133 into which a DC connection plug may be inserted. In some examples, the DC inlet 130 may comprise a female-type connector configured to connect with a male-type connector of the DC connection plug. In some examples, when the DC connection plug is inserted into the DC inlet 130, the DC connection plug may also engage with or cover at least a portion of the AC inlet 120 and thereby also protect the AC inlet 120. The DC inlet 130 may be configured such that when the AC inlet 120 is in use and engaged with an AC connection plug, the DC electrical pin 150 of the DC inlet 130 is not powered. Therefore, in some examples, the DC inlet 130 should be protected from external environmental exposure, but protecting the DC electrical pin 150 with respect to direct electrical contact with an external environment or person may be considered to a lesser degree. The AC inlet 120 and the DC inlet 130 of Figure 1A are shown to each comprise a plurality of substantially circular cavities each comprising a central electrical pin. In some examples, there are two DC openings arranged side by side, as shown in Figure 1A, each opening of the DC inlet 130 being substantially O-shaped, with a ring-shaped opening surrounding the DC electrical pin 150 provided in a central portion of each opening. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the AC inlet 120 and the DC inlet 130 may take any suitable shape. Further, any suitable number of AC inlets 120 and DC inlets 130 may be provided. It should be understood that the size, shape and number of AC inlets 120 and DC inlets 130 may correspond to any suitable national or international standard inlet designs. The DC electrical pin 150 may be configured to engage and electrically connect with a DC connection plug in order to receive DC electrical energy and charge the vehicle. The DC electrical pin 150 may comprise any suitable type of electrical connectors or circuitry to receive electrical energy. In some examples, the electrical pin 150 may be additionally configured so as to output electrical energy, such as in a vehicle-to-load system in which the vehicle may output electrical power to one or more external devices. In some examples, the DC electrical pin 150 may comprise a cap or protected end at an end of the DC electrical pin 150 proximal to (that is, at) the opening of the DC inlet 130. The DC electrical pin 15 may comprise electrical connectors along a length of the DC electrical pin 150 housed within the DC inlet 130. Figure 1B shows a line drawing illustrating a cross-section of the charging port 100 of Figure 1A in a plane orthogonal to the view of Figure 1A and across a line joining the two DC openings shown in Figure 1A. That is, a bottom portion of Figure 1B may be considered to correspond to the front of the charging port 100 of Figure 1A in a section comprising the DC inlet 130, while portions of the charging port 100 of Figure 1B above the bottom portion may be considered as being internal to the charging port 100, or behind the front face of the DC inlet 130 of the charging port 100 shown in Figure 1A. Figure 1B shows an example where the hingeable cover 140 is in the closed position and the charging port 100 is thus protected. The hingeable cover 140 of Figure 1B comprises a hinge 141 and a cover 142, wherein the cover 142 is configured to rotate about the hinge 141 to thereby open and close the charging port 100. The cover 142 may be configured to enclose both the AC inlet 120 and the DC inlet 130. Figure 1B also illustrates an interior structure of the DC inlet 130. In particular, Figure 1B shows that the DC inlet 130 comprises an annular cavity 131 defined by one or more interior walls 132 of the DC inlet 130, having an opening 133 at a first end of the cavity 131 and being enclosed by interior walls 132 at a second end 134 of the cavity 131. The one or more interior walls 132 may be considered to comprise a single wall section which surrounds the cavity, or a plurality of wall sections which surround the cavity in combination, depending on the shape of the DC inlet 130. The DC inlet 130 comprises the DC electrical pin 150 provided in a substantially central portion of the cavity 131. That is, with respect to Figure 1B, it can be seen that the DC electrical pin 150 is surrounded by a cavity 131 on either side, which in consideration of Figure 1A, corresponds to the substantially cylindrically shaped cavity 131 in which the DC electrical pin 150 extends through a substantially central part of the cavity 131 from the second end 134 of the cavity 131 to the opening 133. As shown in Figure 1B, the DC electrical pin 150 may comprise one or more electrical contacts 151 at a portion of the DC electrical pin 150 provided in the interior of the DC inlet 130, although the present invention is not limited thereto. The charging port 100 of Figures 1A and 1B may comprise a protective member configured to substantially seal the DC inlet 130 in a closed state, and to be received within the DC inlet 130 in an open state, as will be explained below with reference to Figures 2A-3D. It should be understood that in use, the charging port 100 of Figures 1A and 1B may be provided on a vehicle and may be configured to receive electrical energy to thereby power the vehicle or recharge a vehicle system or battery, using one or more of the AC inlet 120 and the DC inlet 130. Figure 2A shows a charging port 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in which a protective member 210 is provided to substantially seal the DC inlet 130 to thereby protect the DC inlet 130 against exposure to an external environment. The charging port 200 of Figure 2A is similar to the charging port 100 of Figure 1A and also comprises a two-part inlet 110, comprising an AC inlet 120 and a DC inlet 130, and a hingeable cover 140. The two-part inlet 110, the AC inlet 120, the DC inlet 130, the hingeable cover 140 and the DC electrical pin 150 may be the same as those described with respect to Figures 1A and 1B, and therefore a detailed description of said parts is omitted with respect to Figure 2A. The charging port 200 of Figure 2A comprises the protective member 210. The protective member 210 of Figure 2A is configured to protect and / or seal each opening of the DC inlet 130 a closed position as shown in Figure 2A. The protective member 210 is further configured to move from the closed position to an open position in which the DC connection plug can be inserted into the DC inlet 130. The protective member 210 of Figure 2A is shown to comprise a first portion 211 having a shape substantially corresponding to the opening of the DC inlet 130. In the example of Figure 2A, the shape of the opening of the DC inlet 130, and of the protective member 210, is O-shaped, or disc-shaped with a central open portion or hole in which the DC electrical pin 150 is received. However, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the protective member 210 may be shaped to correspond to a shape of the DC inlet 130, which may be different in some examples. The protective member 210 may comprise a first portion 211 and a second portion 212. The first portion is provided to substantially cover the opening 133 of the DC inlet 130 and extends from an interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 toward a central portion of the opening 133 of the DC inlet 130. The first portion 211 may be formed of rigid or semi-rigid material, and may be impermeable so as to effectively protect the interior of the DC inlet 130 against exposure to an external environment For example, the protective member 210 may seal the DC inlet 130 against an ingress of dust, dirt or moisture when in the closed position. For example, the first portion 211 may be formed of a suitable plastic. In the example of Figure 2A, the first portion 211 is formed of a single body corresponding to the shape of the opening 133 of the DC inlet 130. However, the first portion 211 may alternatively be formed of a plurality of portions which cumulatively correspond to the shape of the opening 133 of the DC inlet 130. The protective member 210 of Figure 2A also comprises the second portion 212, which is provided on an edge of the first portion 211 of the protective member proximal to the DC electrical pin 150. The second portion 212 may be formed of a semi-rigid of flexible material, such as rubber, and may be provided to closely contact the DC electrical pin 150. The second portion 212 may be formed of a material that is able to flex so as to ensure a close contact with the surface of the DC electrical pin 150 around an edge of the DC electrical pin 150. In some examples, the second portion 212 may comprise a plurality of sections arranged to surround the DC electrical pin 150. For example, the second portion 212 may comprise four sections equally distributed around the perimeter of the DC electrical pin 150. A division of the second portion 212 into a plurality of sections may improve the freedom of the second portion 212 to flex and may enable a closer fit with the DC electrical pin 150. Alternatively, the second portion 212 may be formed as a single section. It should be understood that the second portion 212 is optional, and that the protective member 210 may be formed of a single body configured to extend from proximal to the interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 and to contact or extend proximal to the DC electrical pin 150. Figure 2B shows a cross-section of the charging port 200 of Figure 2A. Figure 2B shows the movement of the protective member 210 between the closed position 221 and the open position 222 as shown by arrow 220. The protective member 210 in the open position 222 may be received within the DC inlet 130. In some examples, the protective member 210 in the open position 222 may be received within the DC inlet 130 proximal to the second end 134 of the DC inlet 130, such that the DC inlet 130 is able to receive the DC connection plug. Figure 2B shows the protective member 210 in both the closed state 221 where the protective member 210 is provided proximal to the opening 133 of the DC inlet 130 as well as in the open state 222 where the protective member 210 is received at the second end 134 of the DC inlet 130, but it should be understood that the protective member 210 is provided in only one of the open state 222 or the closed state 221 at a time and moves between states depending on whether the DC connection plug is inserted, as will be discussed below. The protective member 210 may be configured to move from the closed state 221 to the open state 222 in dependence on an insertion of the DC connection plug into the DC inlet. That is, when the DC connection plug is pushed into the DC inlet by a user or otherwise, the DC connection plug may exert a force on the protective member 210 which moves the protective member 210 to an inside of the DC inlet 130. Advantageously, the protective member 210 does not need to be manually moved out of the way before inserting the DC connection plug, but may be moved from the closed state 221 to the open state 222 as the DC connection plug is inserted into the DC inlet 130. In some examples, the DC inlet 130 may comprise a recess in which to receive the protective member 210 in the open state 222. In some examples, the recess may be provided at the second end 134 of the DC inlet 130. In some examples, the charging port 200 may comprise one or more biasing means 230 configured to bias the protective member 210 toward the closed state 221. The biasing means 230 may comprise means such as a spring to exert a biasing force on the protective member 210 to bias the protective member 210 toward the closed state 221. The biasing force may be exerted in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin 150. In some examples, the biasing means 230 may comprise one or more springs extending at least partially between the second end 134 of the DC inlet 130 and the opening 133 of the DC inlet 130. The biasing means 230 may be compressed when the DC connection plug is inserted into the DC inlet 130, and may act to return the protective member 210 to the closed state 221 when the DC connection plug is removed from the DC inlet 130. In the example of Figure 2B, the biasing means 230 comprise a plurality of biasing means provided to extend from the second end 134 of the DC inlet 130 to the protective member 210, wherein the biasing means 230 are provided proximal to the interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130. It should be understood that the biasing means 230 may be configured to provide a biasing force sufficient to return the protective member 210 to the closed state 221 when the DC connection plug is removed from the DC inlet 130, but insufficient to cause the DC connection plug to be ejected from the DC inlet 130. Thus, in use, a user may insert the DC connection plug into the DC inlet 130 and the protective member 210 may be moved from the closed state 221 to the open state 222 by the insertion of the DC connection plug, and then the user may remove the DC connection plug and the protective member 210 may be returned to the closed state 221 by the action of the biasing means 230. Advantageously, the biasing force applied by the biasing means 230 ensures that the DC inlet 130 is protected by the protective member 210 when not in use. Further, the biasing means 230 ensure both that the protective member 210 is returned to the closed state after removal of the DC connection plug, and also maintain the closed state despite external forces such as wind acting against the protective member 210. In some examples, the biasing means 230 may be configured to apply a biasing force equally across a surface of the protective member 210 so as to maintain the protective member 210 in a position substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin 150 as the protective member 210 is moved between the open state 222 and the closed state 221. For example, the biasing means 230 may comprise a plurality of biasing means 230 such as springs, although it should be understood that a single biasing means 230 may be provided in some examples. The plurality of biasing means 230 may be provided equally around the cavity 131 of the DC inlet 130 so as to provide a biasing force evenly distributed across the protective member 210. Consequently, the protective member 210 may be maintained to be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin 150 during the movement of the protective member 210 between the open state 221 and the closed state 222. Advantageously, the protective member 210 may be prevented from sticking during the movement, and wear on the protective member 210 over time may be reduced and may further be evenly distributed across the protective member 210. In some examples, the charging port 200 may comprise guiding means for guiding the protective member 210 during the movement 220 between the open state 221 and the closed state 222. The guiding means may be configured to maintain the protective member 210 to be substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin 150 during the movement 220. For example, the guiding means may comprise one or more channels in the interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 to receive a portion of the protective member 210 to maintain a lateral position of the protective member 210. Further, the protective member 210 may comprise at least one fin, flange or protrusion configured to engage with the at least one channel to maintain the lateral position of the protective member 210 during the movement 220 between states. In one example, the charging port 200, or more specifically the DC inlet 130 may comprise one or more grooves in the interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 configured to accommodate both one or more guiding means and the biasing means 230. For example, the DC inlet 130 may comprise one or more grooves, in each of which a protrusion of the protective member 210 is received, and the biasing means may comprise one or more springs each also received in the one or more groove and configured to connect to the protective member 210 proximal to the groove to bias the protective member 210 toward the closed state. Figure 3A shows a charging port 300 according to another example of the present invention. The charging port 300 of Figure 3A is similar to the charging ports 100, 200 of Figures 1A and 2A and also comprises a two-part inlet 110, comprising an AC inlet 120 and a DC inlet 130, and a hingeable cover 140. The two-part inlet 110, the AC inlet 120, the DC inlet 130, the hingeable cover 140 and the DC electrical pin 150 may be the same as those described with respect to Figures 1A and 1B, and therefore a detailed description of said parts is omitted with respect to Figure 3A. The charging port 300 of Figure 3A also comprises a protective member 310, similar to the charging port 200 of Figure 2A, but in Figure 3A, the protective member 310 is formed of a plurality of individually hinged protective elements. The example of Figure 3A shows 4 protective elements, numbered 1-4, provided on each part of the DC inlet 130, but this is an example only, and any number of protective elements may be provided. For example, the number of protective elements provided may depend on at least one of a shape or size of the opening of the DC inlet 130, a material of the protective member, a choice of hinging mechanism or a type of biasing means used. In some examples, the number of protective elements may be 2, 4, 6 or 8, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and any number of protective elements may be used. The protective member 310 of Figure 3A is also configured to substantially seal an opening 133 of the DC inlet 130 in a closed position as shown in Figure 3A, and to be received within the DC inlet 130 in an open position 322 as shown in Figure 3B. Each of the protective elements of the protective member 310 comprises a first portion 311 and a second portion 312. As with the charging port 200 and protective member 210 of Figures 2A and 2B, the first portion 311 of the protective member 310 of Figure 3A is configured to extend from an interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 toward a centre of the opening 133 of the DC inlet 130. The first portion 311 may be formed of a rigid or semi-rigid material such as a plastic. The first portion 311 may be formed to be impermeable. The first portion 311 of each protective element may be shaped so as to cumulatively substantially correspond to a shape of the opening 133, which in Figure 3A is substantially O-shaped. Therefore, the first portion 311 of each protective element may be shaped as a segment of the O-shape, such that the first portion 311 of all of the plurality of protective elements cumulatively correspond to the shape of the opening 133. The second portion 312 may be similar to the second portion 212 of Figure 2A, and may be formed of a flexible or semi-rigid material such as rubber, and may be configured to extend from an edge of the first portion 311 to closely contact the DC electrical pin 150. Each protective element of the protective member 310 may be independently connected to the interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 via a hingeable connection 330. The hingeable connection 330 may comprise a hinge. The hingeable connection 330 may also comprise a biasing means to bias the protective member 310 to the closed state. For example, the hingeable connection 330 may comprise a spring-loaded hinge. Alternatively, the hingeable connection 330 and the biasing means may be separately constructed. In some examples, a separate biasing means may be provided for each protective element. Figure 3B shows a cross-section of the charging port 300 of Figure 3A. Figure 3B shows the movement of the protective member 310 between the closed position 321 and the open position 322 as shown by arrow 320. The protective member 310 in the open position 322 may be received within the DC inlet 130. For example, the protective member 310 may pivot or rotate about the hingeable connection 330 when the DC connection plug is inserted into the DC inlet 130 and exerts a force on the protective member 310, and may be received inside the DC inlet 130. In the open state 322, the protective member 310 may be received in an area proximal to the interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130. In some examples, the DC inlet 130 may comprise one or more recesses to receive the protective member 310 in the open state 322. For example, a recess may be an area of the interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 which is adapted with a volume for receiving the protective member 310. The protective member 310, or each protective element thereof, may be biased to return to the closed state by the hingeable connection 330 or by a biasing means. Thus, as in Figure 2A, when a DC connection plug is inserted into the DC inlet 130 by a user or otherwise, the protective member 310 or the protective elements thereof may be acted on by the DC connection plug and may be received within the DC inlet 130 (the open state). When the DC connection plug is subsequently removed, the protective member 310 or the protective elements thereof may be biased to return to the closed state and substantially seal the opening of the DC inlet 130. Figure 3C shows a closer view of the protective member 310 of Figures 3A and 3B. As can be seen in Figure 3C, the protective member 310 comprises a plurality of protective elements, each comprising a first portion 311 and a second portion 312. Each protective element is connected to an interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 proximal to the opening 133 via a hinge 330. However, it should be understood that the connection of each of the protective elements may be provided on or proximal to an external surface of the DC inlet 130, and the present disclosure should not be limited to the connection being provided on the interior wall 132. For example, the connection may be provided in any suitable location such that the protective element may rotate about the connection to move between the closed state and the open state. The second portions 312 are configured to closely contact the DC electrical pin 150 and together with the first portions 311, thereby effectively seal the opening 133 of the DC inlet 130 in the closed state. As with Figure 2, it should be understood that the second portion 312 is optional, and the protective member 311 may be formed of only the first portion(s) 311. In some examples, each protective element may comprise a single body shaped as a portion of the shape of the opening 133, and configured to substantially cover a portion of the opening 133. For example, each protective element may extend from the interior wall 132 of the DC inlet 130 to contact or extend proximal to the DC electrical pin 150. Figure 3D shows a line drawing showing an overlap of adjacent protective elements of the protective member 310 according to an example of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3D, in some examples, protective elements may be configured to overlap with adjacent protective elements. Each protective element comprises a first radial edge 315a, 316a and a second radial edge 315b, 316b, said radial edges extended from an outer edge of the first portion 311 to an inner edge of the first portion 311 proximal to the DC electrical pin 150. Each radial edge has a stepped structure 314 configured to engage with a corresponding structure of a radial edge of an adjacent protective element. For example, the first radial edge 315a of a first protective element 310a may have a stepped structure in which an upper portion extends beyond a lower portion toward a second protective element 310b. A second radial edge 316b of the second protective element 310b may have a corresponding stepped structure in which a lower portion extends further toward the first protective element 310a than an upper portion. The first radial edge 315a of the first protective element 310a may therefore have a corresponding shape to the second radial edge 316b of the second protective element 310b, and the first and second protective elements 310a, 310b may overlap along a boundary therebetween. The overlap of adjacent protective elements contributes to an improved sealing of the DC inlet 130 by the protective member 310. For example, if a force from an external source is exerted on the first protective element 310a, the overlap with the second protective element 310b means that the second protective element 310b, and optionally a second biasing means associated with the second protective element 310b, may contribute to a resistance of the first protective element 310a against the external force. Figure 4 illustrates a vehicle 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle 400 comprises a charging port 100, 200, 300 as illustrated in any of Figures 1 to 3. The vehicle may in some examples comprise an automobile configured to at least partial operate on electrical energy, and configured to receive electrical energy through the charging port 100, 200, 300. It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A charging port for use in a vehicle, the charging port comprising:a two part inlet comprising an AC inlet for receiving an AC connection plug, and a DC inlet for receiving a DC connection plug; anda protective member configured to move from a closed state to an open state in dependence on insertion of the DC connection plug into the DC inlet;wherein in the closed state, the protective member is configured to substantially seal the DC inlet to thereby protect the DC inlet against an external environment, and wherein in the open state, the protective member is received within the DC inlet, the charging port comprising biasing means configured to bias the protective member toward the closed state so as to return the protective member to the closed state when the DC connection plug is withdrawn from the DC inlet and maintain the protective member in the closed state when the DC connection plug is not inserted in the DC inlet, wherein the DC inlet comprises:a cavity formed by an interior wall of the DC inlet, the cavity comprising an opening at a first end of the cavity; anda DC electrical pin extending through a substantially central portion of the cavity from a second end of the cavity distal to the opening, wherein the DC electrical pin is configured to electrically connect to the DC connection plug and to receive DC electrical energy from the DC connection plug, wherein the protective member comprises a first portion configured to extend from proximal to the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening toward a centre of the opening to substantially cover the opening in the closed position, and a second portion configured to contact the DC electrical pin;wherein the second portion extends from an edge of the first portion proximal to the centre of the opening; andwherein the first portion is semi-rigid or rigid, and the second portion is flexible.

2. The charging port according to claim 1, wherein the protective element comprises a single body substantially corresponding to a shape of the opening; andwherein the protective element is configured to substantially seal the opening in the closed state, and to move to a position proximal to the second end of the cavity in the open state in dependence on the insertion of the DC connection plug.

3. The charging port according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the first portion of the protective member is formed to be substantially O-shaped and comprises a central hole arranged to surround the DC electrical pin; andwherein the second portion of the protective member is configured to extend from an inner edge of the first portion toward the DC electrical pin.

4. The charging port according to any of claims 2 or 3, comprising a guiding means for maintaining a position of the protective member to be in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin.

5. The charging port according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the biasing means comprises a plurality of biasing means arranged to be evenly distributed around the cavity to apply a biasing force to the protective member in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin from the second end of the cavity toward the first end of the cavity, such that the biasing force is equally applied across the protective member to maintain a position of the protective element to be in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the DC electrical pin during movement of the protective member between the closed state and the open state.

6. The charging port according to claim 1, wherein the protective member comprises a plurality of protective elements, each protective element hingeably connected to the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening;wherein in the closed state the plurality of protective elements are configured to extend substantially perpendicularly from the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening toward the electrical pin to collectively surround the DC electrical pin; andwherein in the open state, the plurality of protective elements are received within the cavity.

7. The charging port according to claim 6, wherein the biasing means comprises a respective biasing means for each of the plurality of protective elements.

8. The charging port according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the plurality of protective elements each correspond to a section of an O-shape, the O-shape corresponding to a shape of the opening; andwherein, for each of the plurality of protective elements, the first portion comprises a section of the O-shape extending from the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to theopening toward the centre of the opening, and the second portion extends from an edge of the first portion proximal to the centre of the opening.

9. The charging port according to claim 8, wherein each protective element of the plurality of protective elements is configured to overlap with adjacent protective elements.

10. The charging port according to claim 9, wherein each protective element comprises a first radial edge and a second radial edge, each radial edge extending from the interior wall of the DC inlet proximal to the opening toward the centre of the opening; andwherein the first radial edge and the second radial edge comprise complimentary stepped structures such that a first radial edge of each protective element is configured to overlap with a second radial edge of each adjacent protective element.

11. The charging port according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the interior wall of the DC inlet comprises a recess configured to receive the protective member in the open state.

12. A vehicle comprising the charging port according to any preceding claim.

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