Vehicle charging device

Abstract

To provide a vehicle charging device capable of properly fitting a connector to an inlet of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A vehicle charging device 1 includes a connector 5 having a groove portion 51 guided by a linear protrusion 260 of an inlet 210, a support member 6, a connecting mechanism 7, an arm having a first end connected to the support member and a second end supported rotatably, a first drive mechanism that moves the arm in a first direction, a second drive mechanism that moves the arm in a second direction, a third drive mechanism that rotates the arm, a fourth drive mechanism that changes the angle of the connector, a sensor that detects the inlet, and a control unit, and the control unit controls the first drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism, the third drive mechanism, and the fourth drive mechanism on the basis of the calculated position of the protrusion, and fits the connector to the inlet along the first direction L while inserting the protrusion 260 of the inlet into the groove portion 51 of the connector.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 14

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle charging device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are charging devices that charge vehicles. The vehicle charging system disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a power supply fitting and is provided with a power supply device installed in a parking space for the vehicle. The vehicle charging system has an insertion / removal direction moving part that fits the power supply fitting into the power receiving fitting of the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-26379 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] There may be variation in the vehicle's stopping position, vehicle orientation, etc. There is a need for technology that allows the connector to be properly mated with the vehicle inlet even in the presence of such variation.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle charging device that can properly fit a connector to an inlet of a vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The vehicle charging device of the present invention includes a connector having a groove portion guided by a linear protrusion of an inlet arranged in a vehicle and fitting into the inlet, a support member, a coupling mechanism that couples the connector and the support member and allows a change in the attitude of the connector, an arm having a first end coupled to the support member and a second end rotatably supported thereon and that moves the support member up and down by rotating, a first drive mechanism that moves the arm in a first horizontal direction, a second drive mechanism that moves the arm in a second horizontal direction, a third drive mechanism that rotates the arm, and an angle of the connector with respect to the first direction. the control unit calculates positions of the protrusion in the first direction, the second direction, and the up-down direction based on information obtained from the sensor, and the control unit controls the first drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism, the third drive mechanism, and the fourth drive mechanism based on the calculated positions of the protrusion, to fit the connector to the inlet along the first direction while inserting the protrusion of the inlet into the groove of the connector. Effect of the Invention

[0007] In the vehicle charging device according to the present invention, the control unit calculates the positions of the protrusions in the first direction, the second direction, and the up-down direction based on information acquired from the sensors. The control unit controls the first drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism, the third drive mechanism, and the fourth drive mechanism based on the calculated positions of the protrusions, and fits the connector into the inlet along the first direction while inserting the protrusions of the inlet into the grooves of the connector. The vehicle charging device according to the present invention has the advantage that the connector can be properly fitted into the inlet of the vehicle. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle charging device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle charging device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vehicle charging device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of the vehicle charging device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a vehicle charging device according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of the inlet being scanned by the sensor. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the inlet being scanned by the sensor. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a bottom view of the inlet being scanned by the sensor. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view showing the pitch angle. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the inlet being scanned by the sensor. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a front view showing the roll angle. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the inlet according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the inlet and connector. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the inlet and connector. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram of a vehicle charging device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing scan lines according to the second modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating scan lines according to a third modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining one scan. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating the next scan. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a diagram showing detected points including erroneously detected points. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, a vehicle charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment. In addition, the components in the following embodiments include those that a person skilled in the art can easily imagine or that are substantially the same.

[0010] [Embodiment] An embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 14. This embodiment relates to a vehicle charging device. Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 are perspective views of a vehicle charging device according to an embodiment, Fig. 4 is a side view of a vehicle charging device according to an embodiment, Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a vehicle charging device according to an embodiment, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 are side views of an inlet scanned by a sensor, Fig. 8 is a bottom view of an inlet scanned by a sensor, Fig. 9 is a side view showing a pitch angle, Fig. 10 is a bottom view of an inlet scanned by a sensor, Fig. 11 is a front view showing a roll angle, Fig. 12 is a bottom view of an inlet according to an embodiment, and Figs. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views of an inlet and a connector.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment is placed on a floor 100 of a parking space where a vehicle is parked. The vehicle charging device 1 has a housing 2. The housing 2 is fixed to the floor 100. The housing 2 has a sliding cover 2a and a rotating cover 2b. The covers 2a and 2b cover the devices housed in the internal space of the housing 2 from above.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 2, the vehicle charging device 1 has a sliding body 3 arranged inside the housing 2. The sliding body 3 is a plate-shaped base member and is movable in a first direction L and a second direction W relative to the housing 2. The first direction L and the second direction W are horizontal directions. When the floor surface of the floor portion 100 is inclined, it is preferable that the first direction L and the second direction W are parallel to the floor surface of the floor portion 100.

[0013] The first direction L corresponds to the front-rear direction of the vehicle 200 to be charged. The second direction W corresponds to the width direction of the vehicle 200. The vehicle 200 is positioned at a charging position where it is charged by the vehicle charging device 1 while moving forward or backward along the first direction L. In the illustrated vehicle charging device 1, the first direction L is the longitudinal direction of the housing 2. The second direction W is the lateral direction of the housing 2 and is perpendicular to the first direction L.

[0014] The vehicle charging device 1 includes a sensor 4, a connector 5, a support member 6, a connecting mechanism 7, and an arm 8. The vehicle charging device 1 further includes a first drive mechanism 10, a second drive mechanism 20, a third drive mechanism 30, and a fourth drive mechanism 40.

[0015] 4, the connector 5 is fitted into an inlet 210 disposed in the vehicle 200. The inlet 210 is disposed at the bottom of the vehicle 200. The connector 5 is fitted into the inlet 210, thereby being connected to a battery of the vehicle 200.

[0016] The sensor 4 is used to detect the position of the inlet 210. The sensor 4 may be a distance measuring sensor, a sensor that captures an image and detects an object in the image, or other position detection sensor. The sensor 4 may include a plurality of sensors with different detection methods. The sensor 4 in this embodiment is a laser sensor that detects the distance to a reflecting object by using a laser light. The sensor 4 emits a laser light in a predetermined direction and receives the laser light reflected by the object.

[0017] The sensor 4 is disposed on the sliding body 3 and moves together with the sliding body 3. The sensor 4 illustrated in FIG. 2 has a first sensor 4A, a second sensor 4B, and a third sensor 4C. The three sensors 4A, 4B, and 4C are arranged in this order in the second direction W. The second sensor 4B emits laser light toward the upper side in the vertical direction Z. The vertical direction is a direction perpendicular to both the first direction L and the second direction W, and corresponds to the vehicle vertical direction of the vehicle 200. The first sensor 4A and the third sensor 4C emit laser light in an oblique direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction Z.

[0018] The connector 5 is a charging connector that charges the battery of the vehicle 200. The connector 5 has a terminal for charging. The vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment is configured so that the position of the connector 5 can be moved in a first direction L, a second direction W, and an up-down direction Z.

[0019] The first driving mechanism 10 is a mechanism for moving the connector 5 in the first direction L. The first driving mechanism 10 has a first motor 11 and a gear 12, and is provided on the sliding body 3. The gear 12 is disposed on the output shaft of the first motor 11 via a reduction gear, and meshes with a rack gear disposed on a plate-shaped intermediate body that supports the sliding body 3 below the sliding body 3 so that the sliding body 3 can slide in the first direction L. The first motor 11 can move the sliding body 3 in the first direction L relative to the intermediate body by rotating forward and reverse.

[0020] The second drive mechanism 20 is a mechanism that moves the connector 5 in the second direction W. The second drive mechanism 20 has a second motor 21 and a gear 22, and is provided on the intermediate body. The gear 22 is disposed on the output shaft of the second motor 21. The gear 22 meshes, via a reduction gear, with a rack gear that is disposed on the housing 2 that supports the intermediate body slidably in the second direction W. The second motor 21 can move the intermediate body in the second direction W by rotating forward and backward.

[0021] The third drive mechanism 30 is a mechanism for moving the connector 5 in the up-down direction Z. The connector 5 is connected to the sliding body 3 via an arm 8, a support member 6, and a connecting mechanism 7. The arm 8 is a plate-shaped member and has a first end 81 and a second end 82. The first end 81 is connected to the support member 6. The second end 82 is supported rotatably with respect to the sliding body 3. In other words, the arm 8 is rotatable around the second end 82 as the center of rotation. The arm 8 moves the support member 6 up and down by rotating.

[0022] The vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment has a first arm 8A and a second arm 8B. The first arm 8A and the second arm 8B extend in a first direction L and face each other in a second direction W. Second ends 82 of the two arms 8A and 8B are connected to each other via a shaft. Therefore, the two arms 8A and 8B rotate in conjunction with each other.

[0023] The support member 6 is connected to a first end 81 of the first arm 8A and a first end 81 of the second arm 8B. The support member 6 is a plate-shaped member and extends in the second direction W. The support member 6 is journaled by the first end 81 of the arm 8 so as to be rotatable relative to the arm 8.

[0024] The connecting mechanism 7 connects the connector 5 and the support member 6, and is configured to allow a change in the posture of the connector 5. As shown in FIG. 3, the connecting mechanism 7 has a universal joint 71 and a spring 72. The universal joint 71 and the spring 72 are disposed between the support member 6 and the connector 5, and extend in a first direction L. One ends of the universal joint 71 and the spring 72 are connected to the support member 6, and the other ends of the universal joint 71 and the spring 72 are connected to the connector 5.

[0025] A bearing may be disposed between the universal joint 71 and the connector 5. In this case, the bearing allows the connector 5 to rotate about the central axis in the first direction L. When a bearing is provided, the connector 5 is rotatable relative to the universal joint 71.

[0026] The universal joint 71 of this embodiment allows the connector 5 to change in posture in two rotational directions. More specifically, the universal joint 71 allows the connector 5 to rotate about a central axis Wx in the second direction W. The universal joint 71 further allows the connector 5 to rotate about a central axis Zx in the up-down direction Z. The universal joint 71 is, for example, a cross joint.

[0027] The spring 72 includes a first spring 72A and a second spring 72B. The first spring 72A and the second spring 72B are disposed on both sides in the second direction W with the universal joint 71 therebetween. The first spring 72A and the second spring 72B apply a spring force to the connector 5 to return the connector 5 to a neutral position in the rotational direction.

[0028] The third driving mechanism 30 moves the connector 5 in the vertical direction Z by rotating the arm 8. As shown in FIG. 2, the third driving mechanism 30 has a third motor 31, a first gear 32, and a second gear 33. The first gear 32 is disposed on the output shaft of the third motor 31. The second gear 33 is connected to a shaft connecting the two arms 8A, 8B, and meshes with the first gear 32. The third motor 31 rotates forward and backward to rotate the arm 8.

[0029] The fourth drive mechanism 40 is configured to change the angle θ of the connector 5. The angle θ is an inclination angle of the connector 5 with respect to the first direction L. The fourth drive mechanism 40 has a fourth motor 41, a first sprocket 42, and a pair of second sprockets 43. The first sprocket 42 is disposed on the output shaft of the fourth motor 41. The second sprocket 43 is disposed coaxially with the shaft connecting the arms 8A and 8B, and rotates relative to the shaft. An endless chain is wound around the first sprocket 42 and the second sprocket 43. A third sprocket 44 is disposed on the support member 6. An endless chain is wound around the second sprocket 43 and the third sprocket 44. The fourth motor 41 rotates forward and backward to rotate the support member 6 relative to the arms 8A and 8B. The rotation of the support member 6 changes the angle θ of the connector 5.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 2, a cover 61 is fixed to the support member 6. The cover 61 covers the end of the connecting mechanism 7 on the support member 6 side. As shown in Fig. 3, a U-shaped abutment member 52 is fixed to the connector 5. The abutment member 52 abuts against the cover 61 and is supported by the cover 61. The drive of the connector 5 is restricted by the cover 61 and the abutment member 52. This restriction structure transmits a force in the mating direction to the connector 5, for example, when the connector 5 is mated with the inlet 210, while allowing the connector 5 to change in position.

[0031] 4, the vehicle charging apparatus 1 fits the connector 5 to the inlet 210 of the vehicle 200. As described below, the vehicle charging apparatus 1 detects the position and attitude of the inlet 210 before fitting the connector 5 to the inlet 210. The vehicle charging apparatus 1 fits the connector 5 to the inlet 210 while controlling the position and attitude of the connector 5 based on the detection result.

[0032] FIG 5 shows a block diagram of the vehicle charging device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG 5, the vehicle charging device 1 has a control unit 50. The control unit 50 controls the sensor 4 and acquires the detection result of the sensor 4. The control unit 50 also controls the first drive mechanism 10, the second drive mechanism 20, the third drive mechanism 30, and the fourth drive mechanism 40. The control unit 50 calculates the position and attitude of the inlet 210 based on the detection result of the sensor 4.

[0033] FIG. 6 shows the sensor 4 scanning the inlet 210 in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 6, the inlet 210 has a base 220 and a fitting portion 230. The base 220 is a portion that is fixed to the vehicle 200 and has a substantially flat plate shape. The fitting portion 230 protrudes downward in the up-down direction Z from the base 220. The fitting portion 230 has an opening into which the connector 5 is inserted. A terminal is housed inside the fitting portion 230. The fitting portion 230 in this embodiment has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0034] Between the lower surface 220a of the base 220 and the lower surface 230a of the fitting portion 230, there is a step in the vertical direction Z. The control unit 50 calculates the position of the fitting portion 230 and the position of the protrusion 260 described later based on this step. As shown in FIG. 6, the control unit 50 causes the sensor 4 to emit a laser light LB while moving the sliding body 3 in the first direction L. The sensor 4 emits the laser light LB at each position at equal intervals along the first direction L, for example, and measures the distance to the target object. FIG. 6 shows the laser light LB1 emitted from the second sensor 4B. The direction in which the laser light LB1 is emitted by the second sensor 4B is the vertical direction Z.

[0035] 7 shows the laser light LB2 emitted from the first sensor 4A and the third sensor 4C. The laser light LB2 is emitted in a direction inclined with respect to the vertical direction Z. A part of the laser light LB2 is reflected by the inlet 210 toward the first sensor 4A and the third sensor 4C. Another part of the laser light LB2 is reflected in a direction different from the sensor 4.

[0036] The vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment has a first sensor 4A, a second sensor 4B, and a third sensor 4C. As a result, as shown in Fig. 8, the inlet 210 can be scanned along three lines L1, L2, and L3 that are different in position in the second direction W. The three lines L1, L2, and L3 are, for example, arranged at equal intervals.

[0037] The control unit 50 detects the position of the end 240 based on the detection result of the sensor 4. The end 240 is an end of the fitting portion 230 in the first direction L. As shown in Fig. 11, the end 240 has an opening 230b into which the connector 5 is inserted. The control unit 50 determines that a point where the distance detected by the sensor 4 changes significantly is the end 240.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 8, a position 241 of the end 240 intersecting with the first line L1, a position 242 of the end 240 intersecting with the second line L2, and a position 243 of the end 240 intersecting with the third line L3 are acquired. The control unit 50 calculates, for example, the coordinate values ​​of the positions 241, 242, and 243 in each of the directions L, W, and Z. The control unit 50 calculates the yaw angle α of the inlet 210 based on the coordinate values ​​of the positions 241, 242, and 243. The yaw angle α is the rotation angle of the vehicle 200 and the inlet 210 about a line in the vertical direction Z as the rotation center. The yaw angle α is also the inclination angle of the end 240 with respect to the second direction W.

[0039] The control unit 50 also calculates a pitch angle β of the inlet 210 based on the detection result of the sensor 4. As shown in Fig. 9, the pitch angle β is an inclination angle of the inlet 210 with respect to the first direction L. The pitch angle β is also a rotation angle of the vehicle 200 and the inlet 210 about a line in the second direction W as the rotation center.

[0040] 10 shows a line W1 scanned along the second direction W. The control unit 50 scans the inlet 210 with the sensor 4 along the line W1. The position of the line W1 in the first direction L is set based on, for example, the detected positions 241, 242, and 243. The line W1 is set so as to intersect with the fitting portion 230. The control unit 50 moves the sliding body 3 in the second direction W while causing the sensor 4 to scan the inlet 210.

[0041] The control unit 50 calculates an end 250 of the inlet 210 based on the scan result along the line W1. The end 250 is an end of the fitting portion 230 in the second direction W. At the end 250, a step exists between the lower surface 230a and the base portion 220. The control unit 50 determines a point where the distance detected by the sensor 4 changes significantly as the end 250. The control unit 50 acquires a position 251 of the end 250 intersecting with the line W1. The control unit 50 calculates, for example, the coordinate values ​​of the position 251 in each of the directions L, W, and Z.

[0042] The control unit 50 also calculates a roll angle γ of the inlet 210 based on the detection result of the sensor 4 along the line W1. As shown in Fig. 11, the roll angle γ is an inclination angle of the inlet 210 with respect to the second direction W. The roll angle γ is also a rotation angle of the vehicle 200 and the inlet 210 about a line in the first direction L as a rotation center.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 12, a linear protrusion 260 is disposed on the inlet 210. The protrusion 260 extends along an insertion direction Ins in which the connector 5 is inserted into the inlet 210. The insertion direction Ins is, for example, the vehicle front-rear direction of the vehicle 200. The insertion direction Ins is also the axial direction of the fitting portion 230. The opening 230b opens toward the insertion direction Ins. The protrusion 260 protrudes downward from the lower surface 220a of the base 220. The protrusion 260 extends from the end 240 of the fitting portion 230 in a direction away from the fitting portion 230.

[0044] The protrusion 260 of this embodiment has an uneven shape in which the convex portions 260a and the concave portions 260b are alternately arranged along the insertion direction Ins. The convex portions 260a protrude toward both sides in the width direction Wd. The width direction Wd is a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction Ins and corresponds to the second direction W. The width direction Wd is, for example, the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 200.

[0045] 3 and other drawings, the connector 5 has a groove 51 guided by the protrusion 260. The groove 51 is disposed on a top surface 5a of the connector 5. The top surface 5a is a surface that faces the inlet 210 in the vertical direction Z. The connector 5 fits into the fitting portion 230 while sliding the top surface 5a over the lower surface 220a of the inlet 210.

[0046] The groove portion 51 has a first groove portion 51a extending linearly along the first direction L and a tapered second groove portion 51b. The width of the first groove portion 51a corresponds to the width of the protrusion 260. When the protrusion 260 is inserted into the first groove portion 51a, the connector 5 is guided into the opening 230b of the fitting portion 230 along the insertion direction Ins.

[0047] The second groove portion 51b is continuous with the first groove portion 51a and has a tapered shape in which the width narrows toward the first groove portion 51a along the first direction L. The second groove portion 51b is disposed on the tip side of the first groove portion 51a in the insertion direction Ins. The second groove portion 51b guides the tip 260c of the protrusion 260 into the first groove portion 51a. The spread angle of the second groove portion 51b is determined according to the maximum allowable value of the yaw angle α of the inlet 210. In other words, the second groove portion 51b is configured to accommodate the protrusion 260 and guide the protrusion 260 into the first groove portion 51a even when the yaw angle α is the set maximum value.

[0048] The second groove portion 51b has an entrance portion 51c that opens toward the first direction L. The width of the second groove portion 51b is maximum at the entrance portion 51c. The groove portion 51 has a central axis Cx. When the connecting mechanism 7 is in a neutral state, the central axis Cx extends in the first direction L.

[0049] The control unit 50 calculates the coordinate values ​​of the protrusion 260 based on the coordinate values ​​of the positions 241, 242, and 243 of the fitting unit 230, the coordinate value of the position 251, and the pitch angle β of the inlet 210. The control unit 50 calculates, for example, the position of the tip 260c of the protrusion 260. The control unit 50 calculates the target position and target angle of the connector 5 based on the coordinate values ​​of the protrusion 260.

[0050] The target position of the connector 5 is, for example, a target position in each of the first direction L, the second direction W, and the up-down direction Z. The target position of the connector 5 may be a target position of a predetermined portion of the connector 5. The predetermined portion of the connector 5 is, for example, the position of the central axis Cx of the second groove portion 51b. The predetermined portion may be a portion where the inlet portion 51c and the central axis Cx intersect.

[0051] The position of the connector 5 in the first direction L is controlled by a first drive mechanism 10. The position of the connector 5 in the second direction W is controlled by a second drive mechanism 20. The position of the connector 5 in the vertical direction Z is controlled by a third drive mechanism 30 and a fourth drive mechanism 40.

[0052] The target angle of the connector 5 is a target value of the angle θ of the connector 5. The target angle of the connector 5 is determined so that the top surface 5a of the connector 5 can be in surface contact with the lower surface 220a of the inlet 210. The angle θ of the connector 5 is controlled by the fourth driving mechanism 40.

[0053] The control unit 50 sets command values ​​for each of the first drive mechanism 10, the second drive mechanism 20, the third drive mechanism 30, and the fourth drive mechanism 40 based on the target position and target angle of the connector 5. The first motor 11 of the first drive mechanism 10 rotates by a drive signal corresponding to the command value, and moves the sliding body 3 to the target position in the first direction L. The second motor 21 of the second drive mechanism 20 rotates by a drive signal corresponding to the command value, and moves the sliding body 3 to the target position in the second direction W.

[0054] The third motor 31 of the third drive mechanism 30 rotates by a drive signal corresponding to the command value, and moves the support member 6 to a target position in the vertical direction Z. The fourth motor 41 of the fourth drive mechanism 40 rotates by a drive signal corresponding to the command value, and sets the angle θ of the connector 5 to a target angle.

[0055] FIG. 13 shows the connector 5 positioned at the target position. The inlet 210 shown in FIG. 13 has a yaw angle α and is inclined with respect to the first direction L and the second direction W. The inlet 51c of the groove 51 is positioned at the tip 260c of the protrusion 260. The inlet 51c faces the protrusion 260 in the first direction L. The inlet 51c also faces the opening 230b of the fitting portion 230. The connector 5 is positioned such that the central axis Cx of the groove 51 and the central axis of the protrusion 260 intersect at the inlet 51c. In FIG. 13, the connector 5 is in contact with the lower surface 220a of the base 220. That is, the angle θ of the connector 5 coincides with the pitch angle β of the inlet 210.

[0056] The control unit 50 moves the connector 5 from the state shown in FIG. 13 in the first direction L toward the fitting portion 230. The protrusion 260 enters the second groove portion 51b of the connector 5. When the connector 5 further moves toward the fitting portion 230, the protrusion 260 is guided into the first groove portion 51a as shown in FIG. 14. The protrusion 260 guides the groove portion 51 to change the attitude of the connector 5. More specifically, the protrusion 260 rotates the connector 5 so that the direction of the central axis Cx of the groove portion 51 coincides with the insertion direction Ins. The vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment allows the connector 5 to rotate by the universal joint 71 of the connection mechanism 7.

[0057] The connector 5 is inserted into the opening 230b of the fitting portion 230 while being guided by the protrusion 260. The vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment further allows the connector 5 to follow the fitting portion 230 as the connector 5 fits into the fitting portion 230. The control unit 50 releases the brake of the second motor 21 when fitting the connector 5 into the fitting portion 230. If the second motor 21 has an electromagnetic brake, the electromagnetic brake is released. This allows the movement of the sliding body 3 in the second direction W.

[0058] The protrusion 260 moves the connector 5 and the sliding body 3 in the second direction W while guiding the connector 5, and causes the connector 5 to follow the fitting portion 230. It is preferable that the protrusion 260 guides the connector 5 until the terminal of the connector 5 fits with the terminal of the inlet 210. The protrusion 260 may guide the connector 5 until the connector 5 is completely fitted into the fitting portion 230.

[0059] When the fitting of the connector 5 to the inlet 210 is completed, the control unit 50 starts charging the battery of the vehicle 200. When charging is completed, the control unit 50 detaches the connector 5 from the inlet 210. In this case, the control unit 50 moves the connector 5 along the first direction L to pull out the connector 5 from the fitting portion 230. At this time, the control unit 50 moves the connector 5 in the first direction L with the brake of the second motor 21 released. This allows the connector 5 to be smoothly detached from the inlet 210.

[0060] When the connector 5 is detached from the inlet 210, the control unit 50 moves the connector 5 to the initial position. The initial position is a position where each part including the connector 5 is accommodated inside the housing 2 and covered by the covers 2a and 2b.

[0061] The means by which the second drive mechanism 20 makes the connector 5 follow the fitting portion 230 is not limited to releasing the brake. For example, the second drive mechanism 20 may have a second motor 21, a ball screw driven by the second motor 21, and a spring. The ball screw extends in the second direction W. The second motor 21 moves the slide body 3 in the second direction W by rotating in the forward direction and the reverse direction. The spring is interposed between the ball screw and the slide body 3 or between the second motor 21 and the slide body 3, and allows the slide body 3 to move relative to the ball screw. With this configuration, it is possible to swing the slide body 3 in the second direction W by the external force that the connector 5 receives from the inlet 210.

[0062] As described above, the vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment includes the connector 5, the support member 6, the coupling mechanism 7, the arm 8, the first drive mechanism 10, the second drive mechanism 20, the third drive mechanism 30, the fourth drive mechanism 40, the sensor 4, and the control unit 50. The connector 5 fits into the inlet 210 arranged on the vehicle 200. The connector 5 has a groove portion 51 guided by a linear protrusion 260 of the inlet 210. The coupling mechanism 7 couples the connector 5 and the support member 6, and allows the connector 5 to change its posture. The arm 8 has a first end portion 81 coupled to the support member 6 and a second end portion 82 supported rotatably. The arm 8 moves the support member 6 up and down by rotating.

[0063] The first driving mechanism 10 is a mechanism that moves the arm 8 in a horizontal first direction L. The second driving mechanism 20 is a mechanism that moves the arm 8 in a horizontal second direction W. The third driving mechanism 30 is a mechanism that rotates the arm 8. The fourth driving mechanism 40 rotates the support member 6 so as to change the angle of the connector 5 with respect to the first direction L. The sensor 4 is a sensor that detects the inlet 210. The first direction L and the second direction W are perpendicular to each other.

[0064] The control unit 50 calculates the position of the protrusion 260 in the first direction L, the second direction W, and the up-down direction Z based on the information acquired from the sensor 4. The control unit 50 controls the first drive mechanism 10, the second drive mechanism 20, the third drive mechanism 30, and the fourth drive mechanism 40 based on the calculated position of the protrusion 260, and fits the connector 5 to the inlet 210 along the first direction L while inserting the protrusion 260 of the inlet 210 into the groove portion 51 of the connector 5. The vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment can fit the connector 5 to the inlet 210 appropriately.

[0065] The control unit 50 of this embodiment calculates the yaw angle α, pitch angle β, and roll angle γ of the inlet 210 based on information obtained from the sensor 4. The control unit 50 controls the first drive mechanism 10, the second drive mechanism 20, the third drive mechanism 30, and the fourth drive mechanism 40 based on the calculated position of the protrusion 260, the yaw angle α, the pitch angle β, and the roll angle γ. This enables highly accurate fitting control.

[0066] The first direction L in this embodiment corresponds to the front-rear direction of the vehicle 200, and is the fitting direction of the connector 5 to the inlet 210. The second direction W corresponds to the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 200. The second drive mechanism 20 has a second motor 21 that moves the arm 8 in the second direction W, and is configured to allow the connector 5 to move in the second direction W while following the inlet 210 when the connector 5 is fitted to the inlet 210. With this configuration, the connector 5 can be properly fitted to the inlet 210.

[0067] The second motor 21 of the present embodiment has a brake. The control unit 50 releases the brake of the second motor 21 when the connector 5 is mated with the inlet 210. This allows the connector 5 to be smoothly mated with the inlet 210.

[0068] The vehicle charging device 1 does not need to scan in the second direction W. In this case, the position of the inlet 210, the yaw angle α, the pitch angle β, and the roll angle γ are calculated based on the results of the scan in the first direction L.

[0069] In the vehicle charging device 1, the number, arrangement, and angle of the sensors 4 are not limited to the illustrated number, arrangement, and angle. For example, the vehicle charging device 1 can obtain the position of the protrusion 260, and the yaw angle α, roll angle γ, and pitch angle β of the inlet 210 by at least one sensor 4.

[0070] [First Modification of the Embodiment] A first modified example of the embodiment will be described. FIG. 15 is a diagram of a vehicle charging device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. The vehicle charging device 1 of the first modified example has a reflective member 270 arranged in the inlet 210. The reflective member 270 has a reflective property of reflecting at least the laser beams LB1 and LB2. The reflective member 270 is configured to reflect the laser beams LB1 and LB2 toward the incident direction of the laser beams LB1 and LB2 to the reflective member 270. The reflective member 270 illustrated is a reflective tape having an adhesive tape.

[0071] The reflecting member 270 has a first reflecting member 270A, a second reflecting member 270B, and a third reflecting member 270C. The first reflecting member 270A is disposed on the lower surface 230a of the fitting portion 230. The first reflecting member 270A is disposed in the vicinity of the end 240 on the lower surface 230a. Thus, the detection accuracy when the sensor 4 scans along the lines L1, L2, and L3 is improved. For example, the amount of light received by the sensor 4 when scanning the first reflecting member 270A is greater than the amount of light received by the sensor 4 when scanning a portion other than the first reflecting member 270A. Thus, the end 240 can be detected based on both the change in the detection distance by the sensor 4 and the change in the amount of light received by the sensor 4. This improves the detection accuracy of the end 240.

[0072] The first reflecting member 270A extends from one end to the other end of the lower surface 230a in the width direction Wd. This improves the detection accuracy when the sensor 4 scans along the line W1. For example, the end 250 of the fitting portion 230 can be determined based on both the change in the detection distance by the sensor 4 and the change in the amount of light received by the sensor 4.

[0073] The second reflecting member 270B and the third reflecting member 270C are disposed at the base 220 of the inlet 210. The second reflecting member 270B and the third reflecting member 270C are disposed on both sides in the width direction Wd with the protrusion 260 therebetween. The two reflecting members 270B, 270C are disposed at positions symmetrical with respect to the central axis 260x of the protrusion 260. The control unit 50 of the first modified example sets a scanning line W2 so as to intersect with the two reflecting members 270B, 270C. This improves the detection accuracy for detecting the position of the protrusion 260.

[0074] [Second Modification of the Embodiment] A second modified example of the embodiment will be described. Fig. 16 is a diagram showing scan lines according to the second modified example of the embodiment. The vehicle charging device 1 of the second modified example scans a plurality of lines L1, L2 along a first direction L by one sensor 4. The lines L1, L2 are set at different positions in a second direction W.

[0075] The control unit 50 positions the sensor 4 on the first line L1 and scans the inlet 210 while moving the sensor 4 toward one side in the first direction L. Next, the control unit 50 positions the sensor 4 on the second line L2 and scans the inlet 210 while moving the sensor 4 toward the other side in the first direction L. This detection operation makes it possible to reduce the number of sensors 4 required. Also, it becomes possible to scan more lines with the same number of sensors 4, improving the detection accuracy of the end 240.

[0076] [Third Modification of the Embodiment] A third modified example of the embodiment will be described below. Fig. 17 is a diagram for explaining a scan line according to the third modified example of the embodiment, Fig. 18 is a diagram for explaining one scan, Fig. 19 is a diagram for explaining the next scan, and Fig. 20 is a diagram for showing detected points including erroneously detected points.

[0077] The control unit 50 according to the third modified example of the embodiment sets a plurality of scanning lines Sci (i=1, 2, 3, ...) extending in the first direction L. The sensor 4 detects the end 240 of the fitting portion 230 by scanning along the plurality of lines Sci. The end 240 has a linear shape intersecting with the first direction L. The plurality of lines Sci are disposed at equal intervals in the second direction W. An interval ΔS between the plurality of lines Sci in the second direction W is set so that a target number Nt of lines Sci intersects with the end 240 of the fitting portion 230. In other words, the interval ΔS is set so that the number of points for detecting the end 240 is equal to or greater than the target number Nt.

[0078] Here, the target number Nt is, for example, an integer equal to or greater than three. The target number Nt may be four or may be five. In the case of the scan shown in FIG. 17, the interval ΔS is set so that five lines Sci intersect with the end 240. By scanning along the multiple lines Sci, multiple points Dj (j=1, 2, 3, ...) are detected as the end 240. In FIG. 17, the end 240 is detected at five points from point D1 to point D5 as a result of the scan.

[0079] The scanning interval ΔS is determined based on the set distance Ws in the second direction W. The set distance Ws is, for example, shorter than the width Wt of the fitting portion 230. The set distance Ws is determined so as to ensure appropriate accuracy in detecting the position and inclination of the end portion 240. The scanning interval ΔS is a value obtained by equally dividing the set distance Ws. The interval ΔS in FIG. 17 is a length obtained by equally dividing the set distance Ws into four. In other words, within the range of the set distance Ws, scanning is performed along five lines Sci.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 17, a plurality of lines Sci (i=1, 2, 3, ...) including a target number Nt are set in the vehicle charging equipment 1. The position of the line Sci is a position based on the position of the vehicle charging equipment 1, for example, a fixed position. The control unit 50 executes scanning along the plurality of lines Sci by at least one sensor 4. When the number of sensors 4 is one, the control unit 50 executes scanning from Sc1 to Sc2, Sc3, ..., Sci in order, for example. When the number of sensors 4 possessed by the vehicle charging equipment 1 is two, the control unit 50 executes scanning of two lines of the plurality of lines Sci in one scanning operation.

[0081] When there are multiple sensors 4, the interval between two adjacent sensors 4 is determined according to the interval ΔS. Assume that there are two sensors 4 and ten lines Sci (i=10). In this case, the interval between the two sensors 4 is determined so that lines Sc1 and Sc6 can be scanned simultaneously, for example, as shown in FIG. 18. In other words, the interval between the two sensors 4 is set to five times the scan interval ΔS. In FIG. 18, the end 240 is not detected by the line Sc1, and point D4 is detected by scanning the line Sc6.

[0082] When one scan is completed, the control unit 50 moves the sensor 4 in the second direction W to perform the next scan. The next scan is performed, for example, on lines Sc2 and Sc7 as shown in FIG. 19. The end 240 is not detected on line Sc2, and point D5 is detected by scanning line Sc7. In the same manner, scanning is performed sequentially on lines Sci3 and Sc8, lines Sc4 and Sc9, and lines Sc5 and Sc10. The movement direction of the sensor 4 in all scans is the same direction in the first direction L. This suppresses deterioration of positional accuracy due to backlash of the first driving mechanism 10, etc.

[0083] The control unit 50 ends the process of detecting the end portion 240 when, for example, scanning of all the lines Sci has been performed. Note that the condition for ending the process of detecting the end portion 240 is not limited to the process of scanning all the lines Sci. The control unit 50 may end the process of detecting the end portion 240 when the number of points at which the end portion 240 is detected reaches a required number.

[0084] The control unit 50 verifies whether the point detected as the end 240 satisfies a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition is a condition for checking whether a location other than the end 240 has been erroneously detected as the end 240. There may be a step due to other devices or members near the inlet 210 in the vehicle 200. When this step is erroneously detected as the end 240, it is desirable to be able to eliminate the erroneously detected point.

[0085] The predetermined condition includes a condition that the detected points are on the same line. This determination is made by calculation based on the coordinate values ​​of each detected point in the first direction L, the coordinate values ​​in the second direction W, and the coordinate values ​​in the up-down direction Z. The method of calculating the line is arbitrary. For example, the line may be found by the least squares method from all detected points. In this case, it may be determined whether each point is on the calculated line based on the distance between the calculated line and each point.

[0086] For example, the straight line may be found from the detected points excluding the target point. In this case, it may be determined whether the target point is on the calculated straight line based on the distance between the calculated straight line and the target point.

[0087] The control unit 50 may re-execute the scan of the end 240 when it is determined that any of the detected points are not on the same line. The control unit 50 may extract the points determined to be on the same line when it is determined that any of the detected points are not on the same line. In this case, the control unit 50 may calculate the position of the end 240 based on the extracted points. It is preferable that the number of points determined to be on the same line is three or more. The line Sci illustrated in FIG. 17 is set so that five points of the end 240 can be detected so that a sufficient number of points can be secured on the same line even if there is a false detection.

[0088] The control unit 50 calculates the edge line of the end 240 based on the multiple points determined to be on the same line. The control unit 50 of the third modified example calculates the edge line based on the coordinate values ​​of two points at both ends among the multiple points determined to be on the same line. With reference to FIG. 17, a method of calculating the edge line will be described. As shown in FIG. 17, it is assumed that five points from point D1 to point D5 are calculated as the end 240. When it is determined that all points from point D1 to point D5 are on the same line, the control unit 50 calculates the edge line of the end 240 based on the points D1 and D5 at both ends. The control unit 50 calculates the straight line of the edge line of the end 240 based on the coordinate values ​​of the points D1 and D5 in the first direction L, the coordinate values ​​in the second direction W, and the coordinate values ​​in the up-down direction Z. By using the points D1 and D5 at both ends, the calculation accuracy of the edge line is improved.

[0089] FIG. 20 shows a state where another device 280 is erroneously detected as the end 240. Point D6 is a point where a step of the other device 280 is erroneously detected as the end 240. The position of point D6 is shifted from the edge of the end 240. In this case, in the linear approximation, five points D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5 excluding point D6 are dominant and a straight line is determined. As a result, it is determined that point D6 is not on the calculated straight line. The control unit 50 selects points D1 and D5 at both ends from the five points excluding point D6 among the detected points D1 to D6, and calculates an edge line based on points D1 and D5.

[0090] When the step of detecting the end 240 is completed, a step of detecting the end 250 of the fitting portion 230 is executed by scanning in the second direction W. The step of detecting the end 250 may be the same as that in the above embodiment.

[0091] The control unit 50 calculates the coordinate value of the protrusion 260 based on the calculated position of the end portion 240 and the calculated position of the end portion 250. The method of calculating the coordinate value of the protrusion 260 may be the same as that of the above embodiment. According to the third modification, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy of the end portion 240. As a result, the accuracy of detecting the position and attitude of the inlet 210 is also improved.

[0092] As described above, the fitting portion 230 of the inlet 210 has a linear end 240 that intersects with the first direction L. The sensor 4 detects the end 240 of the fitting portion 230 by scanning along a plurality of lines Sci (i=1, 2, 3, ...) extending in the first direction L. The plurality of lines Sci are arranged at equal intervals in the second direction W. The interval ΔS between the plurality of lines Sci in the second direction W is set so that at least three lines Sci intersect with the end 240 of the fitting portion 230. The control unit 50 calculates the position of the protrusion 260 based on the detected position of the end 240. With this configuration, the detection accuracy of the end 240 is improved.

[0093] The control unit 50 of the third modified example extracts a plurality of points on the same line from the point Dj (j=1, 2, 3, ...) detected by the sensor 4 as the end 240 of the fitting portion 230. The control unit 50 calculates the position of the end 240 of the fitting portion 230 based on the coordinate values ​​of both ends of the extracted plurality of points. By using such a calculation method, the position and inclination of the end 240 can be calculated with high accuracy. Note that the position of the end 240 calculated here may be a tentative position. In this case, the position of the end 240 may be finally determined based on the position of the end 250 detected by scanning in the second direction W.

[0094] The contents disclosed in the above-mentioned embodiments and modifications can be implemented in appropriate combinations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0095] 1: Vehicle charging device 2: housing; 2a, 2b: cover; 3: slide body 4: sensor, 4A: first sensor, 4B: second sensor, 4C: third sensor 5: Connector 6: Support member 7:Connection mechanism 8: arm, 8A: first arm, 8B: second arm 10: first driving mechanism, 11: first motor, 12: gear 20: second drive mechanism; 21: second motor; 22: gear 30: third drive mechanism, 31: third motor, 32: first gear, 33: second gear 40: fourth drive mechanism, 41: fourth motor, 42: first sprocket 43: second sprocket, 44: third sprocket 50: Control unit 51: groove portion, 51a: first groove portion, 51b: second groove portion, 52: contact member 61: Cover 71: Universal joint 72: spring, 72A: first spring, 72B: second spring 81: First end, 82: Second end 200: vehicle, 210: inlet, 220: base, 230: fitting portion 240: end, 241,242,243: position 250: End, 260: Protrusion 270: Reflective member; 280: Other device L1: First line, L2: Second line, L3: Third line W1, W2: Line LB, LB1, LB2: Laser light Nt: Target number Sci:Line L: First direction, W: Second direction, Z: Vertical direction Wx: Central axis in the second direction, Zx: Central axis in the vertical direction Ws: set distance, Wt: width of mating part α: yaw angle, β: pitch angle, γ: roll angle θ: Connector angle ΔS: Interval

Claims

1. a connector having a groove portion guided by a linear protrusion of an inlet disposed in a vehicle and fitted to the inlet; A support member; a connecting mechanism that connects the connector and the support member and allows the connector to change its posture; an arm having a first end connected to the support member and a second end rotatably supported thereon, the arm rotating to raise and lower the support member; a first drive mechanism that moves the arm in a first horizontal direction; a second drive mechanism that moves the arm in a second horizontal direction; a third drive mechanism that rotates the arm; a fourth drive mechanism that rotates the support member so as to change an angle of the connector with respect to the first direction; A sensor for detecting the inlet; A control unit; Equipped with the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other, the control unit calculates a position of the protrusion in the first direction, the second direction, and a vertical direction based on information acquired from the sensor; The control unit controls the first drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism, the third drive mechanism, and the fourth drive mechanism based on the calculated position of the protrusion, and fits the connector to the inlet along the first direction while inserting the protrusion of the inlet into the groove of the connector. A vehicle charging device comprising:

2. The control unit calculates a yaw angle, a pitch angle, and a roll angle of the inlet based on information acquired from the sensor, The control unit controls the first drive mechanism, the second drive mechanism, the third drive mechanism, and the fourth drive mechanism based on the calculated position of the protrusion, the yaw angle, the pitch angle, and the roll angle. The vehicle charging device according to claim 1 .

3. the first direction corresponds to a front-rear direction of the vehicle and is a fitting direction of the connector with respect to the inlet, The second direction corresponds to a vehicle width direction of the vehicle, The second drive mechanism has a motor that moves the arm in the second direction, and is configured to allow the connector to move in the second direction while following the inlet when the connector is mated with the inlet. The vehicle charging device according to claim 1 .

4. the motor of the second drive mechanism has a brake; The control unit releases the brake of the motor of the second drive mechanism when the connector is mated with the inlet. The vehicle charging device according to claim 3 .

5. The inlet has a fitting portion that fits with the connector, The fitting portion has a linear end portion intersecting the first direction, The sensor detects the end of the fitting portion by scanning along a plurality of lines extending in the first direction; The lines are arranged at equal intervals in the second direction, the intervals between the plurality of lines in the second direction are set so that at least three of the lines intersect with the end of the fitting portion; The control unit calculates a position of the protrusion based on the detected position of the end portion. The vehicle charging device according to claim 1 .

6. The control unit extracts a plurality of points on a straight line from a point detected by the sensor as the end of the fitting portion, The control unit calculates the positions of the ends of the fitting portion based on the coordinate values ​​of both ends of the extracted multiple points. The vehicle charging device according to claim 5.

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