Power feeder

Abstract

To provide a power feeder which is compact, whose terminal hardly smears, and which is quite convenient for use.SOLUTION: There is provided a power feeder X including a power feed part 1 that feeds electric power, a cover part 2 that covers the power feed part 1, and an attachment part 3 that is attached to a columnar member. The cover part 2 can change conditions between an open condition in which the power feed part 1 is open and a closed condition in which the power feed part is covered. The power feed part 1 includes a power feed terminal 12 that is a terminal through which power is fed, and a projection 13 that is disposed outside the power feed terminal 12 and juts out from a surface encompassing an end surface of the power feed terminal 12. In the closed condition, the cover part 2 and projection 13 are water-tightly interconnected via a packing Q.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a power supply device that is intended to be attached mainly to a handlebar portion of a saddle-ride vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] It is common to install electronic devices on the handlebars of saddle-riding vehicles and ride while looking at maps, etc. However, such usage can easily put a strain on the electronic devices, making them prone to running out of charge. For this reason, a power supply device that uses the power source of the saddle-riding vehicle to supply power to the electronic devices is described in, for example, Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-159677 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, since saddle-ride vehicles are basically used in environments exposed to rain, it is preferable that the power supply terminal is waterproof. The cover described in Patent Document 1 waterproofs the terminal opening by protecting it like an umbrella through a snap-fit ​​engagement. The same document also states that the power supply terminal may be protected by directly inserting a rubber plug into the terminal opening.

[0005] However, protection by simple snap-fit ​​engagement has limitations in terms of waterproofing, as water can seep in through gaps and water can adhere to the terminals when the cover is opened. Furthermore, if a rubber plug, which may get wet in the rain, is directly inserted, there is a possibility that dirt adhering to the rubber plug may cause a short circuit and break the plug.

[0006] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a power supply device that is compact, has terminals that are less likely to get dirty, and is highly convenient to use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention, which solves the above-mentioned problems, is a power supply device including a power supply unit that supplies electricity, a covering portion that covers the power supply unit, and an attachment portion that is attached to a pillar material, wherein the covering portion is switchable between an open state in which the power supply unit is exposed and a closed state in which the power supply unit is covered, and the power supply unit has a power supply terminal that is a terminal for supplying power, and a protrusion that is provided on the outside of the power supply terminal and protrudes from a surface that includes an end face of the power supply terminal, and when in the closed state, the covering portion and the protrusion are connected watertightly via a packing portion, or a saddle-ride vehicle provided with a power supply device. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a power supply device that is compact yet ensures watertightness and whose terminals are less likely to get dirty, and a saddle-ride vehicle that allows the user to easily supply power to electronic devices while riding.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the protrusion is a surrounding protrusion that surrounds the periphery of the power supply terminal, and the covering portion is provided with a fitting protrusion that can be fitted into the surrounding protrusion. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a power feeder that can maintain watertightness without touching the power feed terminal, and whose terminals are less likely to become dirty.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the engagement projection is provided on the inside of the covering portion, and the packing portion is provided by being wrapped around the engagement projection. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a power supply device that is simple in configuration, easy to use, and highly watertight.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the covering portion slides on a circumferential surface of a housing of the power supply portion to switch between the open state and the closed state. With this configuration, the door can be opened and closed easily by a sliding action, which further enhances convenience for the user.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the covering portion and the protruding portion is provided with an elastic packing surface that acts as the packing portion. This configuration simplifies the configuration and provides a more compact power supply design.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the power supply unit has a light emitting unit that emits light when the covering unit is in the open state. With this configuration, even if the power supply unit is not visible due to the covering or the like during use, it is easy to supply power to the electronic device, thereby improving convenience. Effect of the Invention

[0013] The present invention, which solves the above problems, can provide a power supply device that is compact, has terminals that are less likely to get dirty, and is highly convenient to use. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are side views of a power feeder according to a first embodiment of the present invention in an open state and a closed state. [Diagram 2] 1A and 1B are front views of a power feeder according to a first embodiment of the present invention in an open state and a closed state. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the power supply unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention in an open state. [Figure 4] 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an end portion of a housing and a covering portion of the power supply unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the power supply unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. [Figure 6] 11A and 11B are perspective views of a power feeder according to a second embodiment of the present invention in an open state and a closed state. [Figure 7] 6A and 6B are schematic cross-sectional views of a power feeder according to a second embodiment of the present invention in an open state and a closed state. [Figure 8] 11A and 11B are a side view and a cross-sectional view of a power supply unit according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a closed state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] Hereinafter, a power supply device according to each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The description will be made in detail in the order of the configuration of the embodiment, the implementation method, and other examples. Note that the following embodiments are merely examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. In addition, the word "substantially" in the application documents is a concept that includes shapes that follow with chamfering or rounding, and elements that make up the shape that have been deformed or changed in length within a range that does not impede the purpose of the configuration.

[0016] First Embodiment As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the power supply device X includes a power supply unit 1 that supplies power, a covering unit 2 that is provided so as to cover a portion of the power supply unit 1, a packing unit Q that connects the power supply unit 1 and the covering unit 2 watertightly, a mounting unit 3 for mounting the power supply unit 1 to a pillar material such as a handlebar of a saddle-ride vehicle, and a light-emitting unit F for illuminating a portion of the power supply unit 1. In addition, the covering part 2 can move while rotating and sliding relative to the power supply part 1. In this specification, the state in which the covering part 2 completely covers the power supply terminal 12 described below is referred to as the “closed state”, and the state in which the covering part 2 is open and exposes the power supply terminal 12 to the outside is referred to as the “open state”. Furthermore, in the following description, the direction in which covering portion 2 is provided with respect to power supply portion 1 in the open state is referred to as the forward direction, and the direction in which mounting portion 3 is provided is referred to as the downward direction.

[0017] The power supply unit 1 has a power supply housing 11 for storing electronic components inside the power supply unit 1, a power supply terminal 12 provided on an end face of the power supply housing 11 into which an electronic device is inserted to supply power, and a protrusion 13 provided near the power supply terminal 12 and protruding toward the outside.

[0018] Power supply housing 11 is provided so as to have a cylindrical shape with a polygonal cross section, and in the embodiment, the cross section is a chamfered flat rectangular shape, and is provided so as to be longer than the face having power supply terminal 12. Power supply housing 11 is formed as a single unit by injection molding or the like, and is preferably made of a waterproof plastic such as ABS or PE. The power supply housing 11 has a contact portion 111 and a connection protrusion 112 in addition to the main body portion described above.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 4, the contact portion 111 is a set of faces that are cut out to correspond to the internal shape of the covering portion 2 so that the covering portion 2 can be fitted therein. The contact portion 111 is composed of a plurality of surfaces provided so as to surround the periphery of the power supply housing 11 or the protruding portion 13. The surfaces are provided perpendicular to the protruding direction of the protruding portion 13, and include a first vertical surface 111a provided below the power supply terminal 12, a second vertical surface 111b provided on the left and right side surfaces, and a third vertical surface 111c provided above the power supply terminal 12. The height of the first vertical surface 111a and the height at which the third vertical surface 111c is provided are approximately the same as the height at which the power supply housing 11 is provided, and the second vertical surface 111b is provided integrally with the power supply housing 11 so as to have a step as viewed from the first vertical surface 111a. The contact portion 111 further includes a step surface 111d connecting the first vertical surface 111a and the second vertical surface 111b, which makes it easier to slide and fit in, and also improves waterproof performance by making the shape complex.

[0020] The connection protrusion 112 is a cylindrical protrusion integrally provided on each of the left and right side surfaces of the power supply housing 11, and is provided near the third vertical surface 111c and the protruding portion 13. The inner circumferential surface of this protrusion is engaged with a connection hole 213 described later, allowing the covering portion 2 to slide and rotate for engagement.

[0021] The power supply terminal 12 is a terminal into which an electronic component is inserted to charge the electronic component, and in this embodiment, is assumed to be a port of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) terminal. The power supply terminal 12 has a power supply terminal body 121 to which power is actually supplied, a plug-in surface 122 which is an end surface of the plug of the power supply terminal body 121, and a power supply circuit 123 which supplies power to the power supply terminal body 121. In the following description, the surface including the plug-in surface 122 will be referred to as the terminal surface.

[0022] The power supply terminal body 121 is provided behind the plug-in surface 122 and has at least a conductive part that supplies a positive voltage or a negative voltage and a grounded conductive part, and is also provided with a conductive part that exchanges information as necessary.

[0023] The power supply circuit 123 is a circuit including conductors that supply a predetermined voltage to the aforementioned conductive parts, and incorporates a converter that adjusts the voltage, etc. as necessary, a regulator, a fuse, etc. (not shown). All of these are incorporated inside the power supply housing 11, and one end of the power supply circuit 123 is connected to the battery of the saddle-ride vehicle. Here, a part of the power supply circuit 123 is provided so as to protrude from the rear end of the power supply housing 11. It is preferable that a removable connection terminal (e.g., an SAE terminal, not shown) is provided midway in the protruding part so that the connection with the battery can be changed as desired.

[0024] Furthermore, a light-emitting portion F is provided on a part of the power supply terminal 12 to make it easier to see the plug-in surface 122 covered by the covering portion 2. The light-emitting portion F is incorporated into a part of the power supply circuit 123, and is composed of a light-emitting portion body F1 that actually emits light, a resistor F2, and a switch portion F3 that controls the flow of electricity to the light-emitting portion body F1.

[0025] The light emitting unit body F1 is a member that emits light when electricity is applied and is selected from a light bulb, an LED, etc. The light emitting unit body F1 is preferably attached inside the power supply terminal 12 to improve visibility, but may be provided on the terminal surface near the plug-in surface 122. Moreover, the resistor F2 is connected in series to the light-emitting body F1, and the light-emitting body F1 and the resistor F2 are connected in parallel to the power supply terminal body 121 as shown in FIG.

[0026] The switch portion F3 is provided so as to protrude from the terminal surface and is configured to break a circuit when pressed, and is preferably a so-called break contact tact switch. Electrically, the switch section F3 is electrically connected to the power supply terminal body 121 of the power supply circuit 123 and the light-emitting section body F1, and when the covering section 2 is in the closed state, it cuts off the electrical connection of the power supply circuit 123, preventing the use of power when not in use.

[0027] The protrusion 13 is a member provided so as to protrude from the terminal surface in the vicinity of the power supply terminal body 121, and is provided integrally with the power supply housing 11. In the embodiment, it is formed as a surrounding protrusion 131 that protrudes so as to surround the end face of the power supply terminal body 121 and the periphery of the switch portion F3.

[0028] The protruding height of the surrounding protrusion 131 is set to be at least higher than the protruding height of the switch portion F3, and is further set to be approximately the same as or shorter than the length of the connection hole 213 described later, to facilitate installation.

[0029] The covering part 2 is a member provided at the end of the power supply housing 11 for switching between an open state and a closed state, and has a covering part main body 21 that covers the power supply terminal 12, and a mating protrusion 22 that abuts against the protrusion 13 when in the closed state.

[0030] The covering body 21 has an umbrella portion 211 that covers the terminal surface from above in the open state, side wall portions 212 that protrude downward from the underside of the left and right sides of the umbrella portion 211, and a connection hole 213 that is provided at a predetermined position of the side wall portion 212 and engages with the connection protrusion 112.

[0031] Umbrella portion 211 has an external appearance of a generally quadrangular pyramid shape, and the lower surface is hollowed out to a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape, making it a bowl-shaped member overall. The shape of the inner circumference of the hollowed-out surface is set to be generally the same as or slightly larger than the shape of the outer circumference of surrounding protrusion 131, and the depth of the hollow is deeper than protrusion 13. In this way, umbrella portion 211 is fitted into power supply housing 11.

[0032] The side walls 212 are thin plate members that protrude from the end faces of the umbrella portion 211 and are provided so as to face each other in the left-right direction. The width between the two side walls 212 is set to be approximately the same as or slightly smaller than the width of the outer circumferential surface of the protruding portion 13. This allows the protruding portion 13 to be sandwiched and firmly fixed. The protruding ends of the side wall 212 are provided to abut against the first vertical surface 111a, the second vertical surface 111b, and the step surface 111d, respectively, thereby improving watertightness. Also, because the step surface 111d is provided, the umbrella portion 211 can be guided to the correct position even with the engagement method of the present invention.

[0033] The connection hole 213 is an oblong hole that is long in the vertical direction and is provided in approximately the center of the side wall portion 212, and is designed so that the connection protrusion 112 can slide inside. A step is provided at the end of the oblong hole of the connection hole 213 so that the connection protrusion 112 can be temporarily locked. The distance from the bottom end of connection hole 213 to umbrella portion 211 is set to be longer than the distance from connection protrusion 112 to the end face of protrusion 13, thereby allowing rotation around the connection hole. In addition, the distance from the upper end to the lower end of the connection hole 213 is set to be shorter than the height of the mating protrusion 22 and the protruding portion 13, so that the end face of the mating protrusion does not come into contact with the terminal surface when mated.

[0034] The mating projection 22 has a mating projection main body 221 which protrudes from the bottom surface of the hollowed-out portion of the umbrella portion 211 and is integral therewith, and a packing portion Q which makes the mating projection main body 221 watertight when mated, so that it can be fitted into the surrounding protrusion portion 131.

[0035] The mating projection main body 221 is a protruding portion that is smaller than the hollowed-out shape of the umbrella portion 211. It is preferable that the distance from the hollowed-out inner peripheral surface to the outer peripheral surface of the mating projection main body 221 is always constant. In FIG. 5(a), the end face of the umbrella portion 211 and the end face of the mating projection main body 221 are arranged to be on approximately the same plane, making it easy to insert vertically into the gap between the umbrella portion 211 and the mating projection main body 221 and easy to fit even if the packing portion Q is present. In FIG. 5(b), the end face of the mating protrusion main body 221 is located closer to the bottom than the end face of the umbrella portion 211, so that even when exposed to a crosswind in the open state, it is possible to prevent dirt and the like from adhering to the end face of the mating protrusion main body 221.

[0036] The packing part Q is an elastic ring-shaped member that is supported and fixed in a state where it is wound around the outer circumferential surface of the mating projection main body 221. In the closed state, the packing part Q is in watertight contact with the mating projection main body 221 and the protrusion 13 at the same time, thereby preventing the inflow of water into the power supply terminal. 5(a), the packing part Q is wrapped around the outer periphery of the mating projection main body 221, and its position is maintained by abutting against a step extending near the bottom of the mating projection main body 221. Also, in FIG. 5(b), the packing part Q is maintained in position by the bottom surface of the umbrella part 211, preventing water from entering the inside of the power supply housing 11.

[0037] The packing part Q may be made of any elastic material such as rubber or silicon, as long as it is watertight. The engaging projection body 221 or the protruding part 13 itself may be made of an elastic material, and the contacting surface may be made into the packing surface. The packing part Q may be wrapped around the outer circumference of the protruding part 13.

[0038] The mounting portion 3 is a component connected to the power supply housing 11, and includes a C-shaped elastic C-part 31 in a side view and a ring-shaped ring part 32 provided opposite to the outer circumferential surface of the C-part 31. This allows the mounting portion 3 to be mounted on a pillar material (such as a bar) of the saddle-ride vehicle M. C portion 31 has elasticity and the width of the cut is smaller than the bar to which it is attached, and ring portion 32 is formed integrally with C portion 31 so as to have a larger curvature than C portion 31. On the other hand, the form of attachment portion 3 may be any as long as it can be attached to the bar, and is not limited to this.

[0039] A method for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Fig. 1. The present invention is carried out by a user who attaches a power feeder X in a closed state to a saddle-ride vehicle M. The method for carrying out the present invention is an example, and the method for carrying out the present invention is not limited to this, and the order of the steps may be changed.

[0040] First, the user attaches the power supply device X to the saddle-ride vehicle M. More specifically, the power supply device X is fixed by pressing the notch of the C portion 31 against a pillar material (cylindrical bar) of the saddle-ride vehicle M. At this time, the power supply device X can be fixed more firmly by passing a wire, string, or the like through the ring portion 32. Additionally, the user connects the power supply circuit 123 to the battery of the saddle riding vehicle M. At this time, it is preferable to connect the power supply circuit 123 via an SAE terminal provided midway.

[0041] Next, the user opens the covering part 2 to expose the power supply terminal 12. That is, the user slides the covering part main body 21 forward, then rotates it around the lower end of the connection hole 213, and engages it with the connection hole 213 to open it. At this time, it can be fixed at any position by the side wall portion 212 supporting the protruding portion 13. When the switch portion F3 is in the open state, the switch portion F3 is in the connected state and the light emitting portion main body F1 emits light.

[0042] Finally, the user connects the electronic device to be powered to the power supply terminal. In this case, the protrusion 13 and the covering part 2 obstruct visibility, but since the light emitting part body F1 emits light, it is easy to connect the electronic device. This allows the use of a power supply device that is compact, the terminals are less likely to get dirty, and is highly convenient to use.

[0043] Second Embodiment A power feeder X according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 6 and 7. Configurations similar to those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0044] The power supply device X includes a power supply unit 1 for supplying power, a covering unit 2 for covering a power supply terminal 12, an attachment unit 3 for attaching the power supply unit 1 to a pillar material, and a packing unit Q for making the power supply terminal 12 watertight. The power supply unit 1 also includes a power supply housing 11, a power supply terminal 12, and a protrusion 13.

[0045] The power supply housing 11 is a hollow C-shaped part that is provided so as to have a generally disk-like shape with a hole when connected to the mounting part 3, and a post material is fitted into the hole for mounting. The power supply housing 11 is also provided so as to be slidable with the covering part 2 fitted into it by the abutment part 111.

[0046] The abutment portion 111 is a surface that is cut into the power supply housing 11, and the depth of the cut is set to be approximately the same as the thickness of the covering portion 2, thereby preventing the side wall portion 212 from protruding outside the power supply housing 11. In addition, the connecting protrusion 112 provided on the abutment portion 111 or the protrusion 13 engages with the connecting hole 213 provided in the covering portion 2, thereby making it possible to move the covering portion 2 only in the circumferential direction while restricting the radial movement of the covering portion 2.

[0047] The power supply housing 11 has a terminal protrusion 113 that limits the movement of the covering part 2, which slides in the circumferential direction, in the open state, making the component less likely to break. The terminal protrusion 113 is provided integrally with the power supply housing 11, and is preferably approximately the same as the protruding height of the covering part 2.

[0048] The power supply terminal 12 has a power supply terminal body 121, a plug-in surface 122, and a power supply circuit 123, and may further be provided with a light-emitting section F. On the outer peripheral surface of the power supply terminal 12, the terminal surface or plug-in surface 122 is provided facing radially inward. In the embodiment, two power supply terminals 12 are provided with a gap between them, but three or more power supply terminals may be provided. An end of the power supply circuit 123 protrudes from the side surface of the power supply housing 11 and connects to an external battery (not shown).

[0049] The protrusion 13 is a portion that protrudes from the periphery of the power supply terminal 12, and includes a surrounding protrusion 131 that surrounds the power supply terminal 12, and an external protrusion 132 that protrudes outward from the circumferential outside of the surrounding protrusion 131. In the embodiment, the protrusion 13 is an elastic member that is attached to a gap provided in the periphery of the power supply terminal in the power supply housing 11, and the upper surface thereof acts as a packing surface (packing portion Q) that comes into contact with the covering portion 2. Various methods may be used for attachment, such as fitting or pasting with an adhesive.

[0050] The surrounding protrusion 131 is a protruding portion that rises so as to surround the insertion surface 122. The upper surface of the surrounding protrusion 131 on the side away from the terminal protrusion 113 is provided so as to rise gently as it moves away from the terminal protrusion 113. This allows the covering part 2 to be moved to the locking position while sliding, which increases convenience. On the other hand, this part may be provided with a step, which can more reliably ensure watertightness.

[0051] The external protrusion 132 is a protruding portion that protrudes from the surrounding protrusion 131 and rises above the outer circumferential surface of the power supply housing 11. The external protrusion 132 is provided along the side closest to the terminal protrusion 113, thereby restricting the position of the covering part 2 in the closed state and preventing parts from coming off.

[0052] The covering part 2 is a thin plate member having a curved shape corresponding to the periphery of the side surface of the power supply housing 11. A connection hole into which the connection protrusion 112 can be fitted is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the covering part 2, so that the covering part 2 can slide on the power supply housing 11 from the terminal protrusion 113 to the position where it abuts against the abutment part 111 that is the furthest from the terminal protrusion 113. The covering part 2 has a covering part main body 21, a limiting protrusion 23 that is provided at the end on the side of the terminal protrusion 113 and limits the sliding position, and a knob part 24 that the user can pinch to slide.

[0053] The covering body 21 is a thin plate arranged to describe the curved surface as described above, and has an elastic curved body 214 and a side wall portion 212 arranged to protrude from the end portion on the side surface of the curved body 214.

[0054] Side wall portion 212 is a member extending radially inward from the side end of curved body 214, and is provided so as to cover the entire protrusion 13 in cooperation with curved body 214. Since the radius of curvature of the lower end portion of side wall portion 212 is the same as the radius of curvature of abutting portion 111, covering portion 2 slides on abutting portion 111. The curved body 214 is a thin plate member bent in the long axis direction, and its radius of curvature is smaller than that of the power supply housing 11, so that the end on the knob side is always biased toward the inner periphery of the power supply housing 11.

[0055] The limiting protrusion 23 is an L-shaped member in cross section that protrudes radially inward, and is arranged so that its inner protruding height is approximately the same as the protruding height of the external protrusion 132 and its outer protruding height is approximately the same as the protruding height of the terminal protrusion 113, thereby abutting against the above-mentioned two members to restrict movement.

[0056] The gripping portion 24 is a part that is pinched and slid to slide the covering portion 2 during use, and in this embodiment, is provided as a protrusion that protrudes radially outward from the end of the curved body 214 so as to be symmetrical with respect to the limiting protrusion 23. Here, the length from the limiting protrusion 23 to the knob portion 24 is shorter than the length from the terminal protrusion 113 to the portion where the power supply terminal extends radially and intersects with the outer peripheral surface of the power supply housing 11, thereby making it easy to attach electronic devices.

[0057] The mounting part 3 is provided so as to be connected to the power supply housing 11 and form a circular hole on the inside. The mounting part 3 and the power supply housing 11 are provided so that the distance between them during mounting can be adjusted by, for example, a screw member, so that they can be fixed to a pillar material by inserting an elastic sheet on the inside.

[0058] The method of using the present invention will be described in detail below. Explanations of parts that overlap with the first embodiment will be omitted. The present invention is used by a user who uses a power supply device X.

[0059] A user attaches the power feeder X to the saddle riding vehicle M and opens the covering portion 2. That is, the user opens the cover by pinching tab 24 and applying force in the direction of terminal protrusion 113. In the open state, the inner surface of curved body 214 acts on external protrusion 132, which is an elastic member and has a large frictional force, and is thereby locked in place. The user then attaches the electronic device to the power supply terminal 12 and uses it.

[0060] In the closed state, the protrusion 13, which also serves as the packing portion Q, abuts against the end of the curved body 214, which is biased radially inward, making the space in which the power supply terminal 12 is located watertight.

[0061] Third Embodiment Hereinafter, the power supply device according to the third embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 8. Since this embodiment is almost the same as the second embodiment, a description of parts other than those different from the second embodiment will be omitted. FIG. 8(a) is a side view of the embodiment, in which the dashed line portion indicates an inner portion that is not actually visible, and FIG. 8(b) is a schematic cross-sectional view.

[0062] The power supply housing 11 has a rail portion 114, which is a recess or hole formed along the outer circumferential surface of the side surface. The rail portion 114 engages with a rail protrusion 215 provided on the inside of the side wall portion 212, thereby allowing the covering portion 2 to slide on the rail.

[0063] The rail portion 114 is provided along the circumferential direction of the power supply housing 11 from near the protrusion 13 toward a direction away from the power supply terminal 12, and is provided so that the power supply terminal 12 is completely exposed when in the open state. Furthermore, a continuous recess is provided radially inward at the end of the rail portion 114 near the protrusion 13, allowing the covering portion 2 to slide here as well. The length of the recess is greater than the thickness of the packing portion Q, and its radial extension line in plan view intersects with the protrusion 13.

[0064] The protrusion 13 is provided with a surrounding protrusion 131 so as to surround the periphery of the power supply terminal 12. In the embodiment, a further protrusion is provided so as to surround the surrounding protrusion 131, thereby forming a plurality of steps. Preferably, the corners of the steps are approximately right angles.

[0065] A packing part Q is attached to the radially inner surface of the curved body 214. The packing part Q in the embodiment is provided so as to be deformed by being pressed. The maximum thickness of the packing part Q before deformation is preferably set to be approximately the same as or slightly longer than the distance from the outer circumferential surface of the power supply housing to the curved body 214 in the open state, so that the packing part Q can be held in a predetermined position by the pressing force even in the open state.

[0066] A method of use when a user opens and closes the power feeder X according to this embodiment will be described below. When the user changes from the open state to the closed state, the covering part 2 is slid along the rail portion 114, and when it is positioned directly above the protrusion 13, the curved body 214 is pressed radially inward to fit the packing part Q into the protrusion 13. At this time, the packing part Q presses against the corner of the step of the protrusion 13, so that the packing part Q is deformed to be watertight and adheres closely to the protrusion 13. Note that the user can change the power supply device X from the closed state to the open state by performing the reverse operation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] X power supply 1 Power supply unit 11 Power supply housing 111 Contact part 112 Connection protrusion 113 Terminal projection 114 Rail section 12 Power supply terminal 121 Power supply terminal body 122 Insertion surface 123 Power Supply Circuit F Light-emitting unit F1 Light emitting unit body F2 resistance F3 Switch section 13 Protrusion 131 Encirclement Salient 132 External protrusion 2 Covering part 21 Covering body 211 Umbrella section 212 Side wall 213 Connection hole 214 Curved surface 215 Rail protrusion 22 Engagement process 221 Main body of the joint projection 23 Limiting protrusion 24 Knob Q Packing Part 3 Mounting part 31 C section 32 Ring section M Saddle ride vehicle

Claims

1. A power feeder including a power supply unit that supplies electricity, a covering unit that covers the power supply unit, and a mounting unit that is attached to a columnar member, wherein the covering unit is provided so as to be switchable between an open state in which the power supply unit is exposed and a closed state in which the power supply unit is covered, the power supply unit has a power supply terminal that is a terminal for supplying power, and a protruding portion that is provided outside the power supply terminal and is provided so as to protrude from a surface including an end surface of the power supply terminal, and when in the closed state, the covering unit and the protruding portion are watertightly connected via a packing portion.

2. The protruding portion is an encircling protruding portion that surrounds the periphery of the power supply terminal, and the covering unit is provided with a fitting protrusion that can be fitted into the encircling protruding portion. The power feeder according to Claim 1.

3. The fitting protrusion is provided inside the covering unit, and the packing portion is provided by being wound around the fitting protrusion. The power feeder according to Claim 2.

4. The covering unit has an umbrella portion that covers the power supply terminal in the closed state, and a side wall portion that protrudes laterally from the umbrella portion, the side wall portion includes a connection hole that engages with the power supply unit, and the covering unit slides with respect to the power supply unit within the range of the connection hole. The power feeder according to Claim 1.

5. At least one of the covering unit or the protruding portion is provided with an elastic packing surface that acts as the packing portion. The power feeder according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.

6. The power supply unit has a light emitting portion that emits light when the covering portion is in the open state. The power feeder according to any one of Claims 1 to 4.

7. A straddle-type vehicle to which the power feeder according to any one of Claims 1 to 4 is attached.

Images