Actuator and lock device

Abstract

To provide an actuator and a lock device capable of protecting a lock pin and an actuator body at a lock position.SOLUTION: The housing 11 of the actuator 10 has a container shape with an open upper surface. The projection hole 12 is a tubular through hole that projects outward from the housing 11. The lock pin 13 is a substantially rod-shaped portion disposed so as to be able to advance and retreat toward the outside via the projection hole 12. The stopper 14 is a member that is built in the projection hole 12 and has a predetermined thickness along the axial direction of the lock pin 13. The stopper 14 has a stopper inner surface 141 facing radially inward and a stopper outer surface 142 facing radially outward. The stopper inner surface 141 is not in contact with the lock pin 13 at normal times when no external force is applied to the lock pin 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4B

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an actuator and a locking device. [Background technology]

[0002] Electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles are equipped with large on-board batteries to generate driving force. To charge the on-board battery, an external connector connected to an external power source must be connected to a vehicle-side connector provided on the vehicle. In addition, a locking mechanism is provided to prevent the external connector and vehicle-side connector from accidentally disconnecting while they are connected.

[0003] When charging an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid vehicle, the vehicle is first parked near a charging facility, and the charging facility's external connector is connected to the vehicle's connector. The external connector and the vehicle's connector are then locked using a locking mechanism. Power is then supplied from the external power source to the vehicle's battery, charging it.

[0004] When charging is complete, release the locking mechanism and then remove the external connector from the vehicle-side connector.

[0005] Furthermore, as described in Patent Document 1, a locking device equipped with a locking member has also been developed to prevent the locking mechanism from being inadvertently released. In the locking device described in Patent Document 1, the locking member and a lock actuator that operates the locking member are provided on the vehicle body. The vehicle body side connector has a locking portion. The cable side connector has an engaging portion that can engage with the locking portion. When the engaging portion is in an engaged position where it is engaged with the locking portion, removal of the cable side connector is restricted. Furthermore, when the locking member is in the locked position, movement of the engaging portion from the engaged position to the disengaged position is restricted. On the other hand, when the locking member is in the unlocked position, movement of the engaging portion between the engaged position and the disengaged position is permitted. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-181985 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, the locking device described in Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in terms of protecting the lock actuator from damage.

[0008] Specifically, when the lock pin is in the locked position, if the operating knob (release button) on the cable connector is forcibly operated to forcefully move the engagement part in the release direction, excessive stress is applied to the lock pin, which may result in deformation or damage to the lock pin or the actuator body.

[0009] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an actuator and a locking device that can protect the lock pin and the actuator body in the locked position from damage. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] An actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing having a through hole, a lock pin arranged so as to be able to advance and retreat toward the outside via the through hole, and a stopper built into the through hole and having a predetermined thickness along the axial direction of the lock pin, wherein the stopper has a stopper inner surface facing radially inward and opposite the lock pin, and a stopper outer surface facing radially outward, wherein the stopper inner surface is not in contact with the lock pin in normal times when no external force is acting on the lock pin, and the stopper outer surface is in surface contact with the through hole inner surface, which is the surface facing inward of the through hole.

[0011] In the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the through hole is a protruding hole that protrudes from the housing toward the outside.

[0012] In the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, a seal member is disposed inside the through hole on a side closer to the housing than the stopper.

[0013] In the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the stopper is disposed inside the through hole by press-fitting.

[0014] In the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the stopper is made of metal.

[0015] In the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the stopper in the axial direction of the lock pin is 0.5 mm or more.

[0016] In the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the stopper in the axial direction of the lock pin is 0.8 mm or more.

[0017] In the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the thickness of the stopper in the axial direction of the lock pin is 1.0 mm or more.

[0018] In the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention, the stopper has a generally annular shape with the lock pin passing through the inside thereof.

[0019] The present invention also provides a locking device for locking an exterior connector and a vehicle-side connector, the locking device comprising an exterior engagement portion arranged on the exterior connector, a vehicle body-side locking portion arranged on the vehicle-side connector, and the actuator of the present invention, wherein the exterior engagement portion engages with the vehicle body-side locking portion and the lock pin of the actuator extends near the exterior engagement portion, thereby entering a locked state. [Effects of the Invention]

[0020] According to the actuator of the present invention, when an external force is applied to the lock pin, the lock pin comes into contact with the inner surface of the stopper. As a result, the stopper supports the middle portion of the lock pin, and it is possible to alleviate bending stress acting on the through hole of the actuator, etc. Furthermore, when an external force is applied to the lock pin, the outer surface of the stopper and the inner surface of the through hole are in surface contact, which distributes the stress transmitted from the outer surface of the stopper to the inner surface of the through hole, thereby preventing deformation or damage to the through hole.

[0021] According to the locking device of the present invention, the lock pin of the actuator extends near the exterior engaging portion, restricting movement of the exterior engaging portion and preventing the locking state of the locking device from being inadvertently released, thereby preventing the exterior connector and the vehicle connector from being inadvertently separated while charging the rechargeable battery installed in the vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1A] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a non-connected state in the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] 1A and 1B are side views showing a connected state and an unlocked state in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1C] 1A and 1B are side views showing a connected state and a locked state in an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing an actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 3]1 is an exploded perspective view showing an actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4A] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4B] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing an actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a protrusion hole of the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a protrusion hole of the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an external force is acting on a lock pin of the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a protrusion hole of an actuator according to a comparative example. [Figure 7B] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a protrusion hole of the actuator according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 10 is a graph showing the effect of an actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same components are generally designated by the same reference numerals, and repeated description will be omitted. In the following description, the up, down, front, back, left, and right directions are used for convenience of explanation. The left and right directions refer to the directions in which the vehicle-exterior connector 22, which will be described later, is inserted into and removed from the vehicle-side connector 21. Furthermore, the left side is the vehicle exterior, and the right side is the vehicle interior.

[0024] A locking device 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A to 1C. Figure 1A is a side view showing a disconnected state. Figure 1B is a side view showing a connected state and an unlocked state. Figure 1C is a side view showing a connected state and a locked state. Here, the connected state is a state in which the vehicle-side connector 21 and the vehicle-exterior connector 22 are electrically connected. The disconnected state is a state in which the vehicle-side connector 21 and the vehicle-exterior connector 22 are not electrically connected. The locked state is a state in which the engagement between a vehicle-body-side latching portion 24 and a vehicle-exterior engaging portion 25 (described later) is locked by a lock pin 13.

[0025] 1A, the locking device 20 is a device that locks the exterior connector 22 and the vehicle-side connector 21. The locking device 20 mainly comprises an exterior engagement portion 25 disposed on the exterior connector 22, a vehicle body-side locking portion 24 disposed on the vehicle-side connector 21, and an actuator 10. As will be described later, when the vehicle-side connector 21 and the exterior connector 22 are connected, the exterior engagement portion 25 engages with the vehicle body-side locking portion 24, and the lock pin 13 of the actuator 10 extends near the exterior engagement portion 25, preventing the exterior engagement portion 25 from coming off, thereby establishing a locked state.

[0026] The vehicle-side connector 21 is a connector provided on a vehicle body 23 for charging a battery (not shown) mounted on a vehicle 30. The vehicle-side connector 21 has a vehicle-body-side locking portion 24 formed near its upper end. The vehicle-body-side locking portion 24 is a protrusion that protrudes upward. The side of the vehicle-body-side locking portion 24 facing the vehicle-exterior engaging portion 25 is an inclined surface that slopes upward and to the right. Here, the vehicle 30 is equipped with a rechargeable battery for generating driving force, and is, for example, an EV (Electric Vehicle), a PHV (Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle), or the like.

[0027] The exterior connector 22 is a connector provided at the end of a cable extending from a power supply facility (not shown) installed outside the vehicle to supply power to a battery mounted on the vehicle 30. The exterior connector 22 has an exterior engagement portion 25 and a knob 26.

[0028] The exterior engaging portion 25 is an engaging portion disposed on the upper right end portion of the exterior connector 22. The exterior engaging portion 25 is rotatable around its left end portion as a rotation center. The exterior engaging portion 25 is biased clockwise by a spring or the like (not shown).

[0029] The knob 26 is provided so as to be able to be pushed into the exterior connector 22. The knob 26 and the exterior engagement portion 25 are configured to move in conjunction with each other. That is, while the user is not operating the knob 26, the exterior engagement portion 25 is in the state shown in FIG. 1A. On the other hand, when the user pushes the knob 26, the exterior engagement portion 25 rotates counterclockwise and tilts, that is, tilts upward toward the right.

[0030] The actuator 10 is a device disposed near the vehicle-side connector 21 on the vehicle body 23 side. As will be described later, the actuator 10 has a lock pin 13. The lock pin 13 is movable back and forth in the left-right direction. When the lock pin 13 extends to the left, it enters a locked state that prevents the vehicle-exterior engaging portion 25 from disengaging. On the other hand, when the lock pin 13 moves to the right, it enters an unlocked state that allows the vehicle-exterior engaging portion 25 to disengage. The actuator 10 moves the lock pin 13 in the left-right direction using the driving force of a motor (not shown) built into the actuator 10, based on instructions from a calculation control unit such as a CPU (not shown here).

[0031] 1B, when the user inserts the exterior connector 22 into the vehicle-side connector 21, the exterior engaging portion 25 engages with the vehicle-side locking portion 24. As described above, the left side surface of the vehicle-side locking portion 24 is an inclined side surface. Furthermore, the exterior engaging portion 25 is biased clockwise. Therefore, when the exterior connector 22 is inserted into the vehicle-side connector 21, the exterior engaging portion 25 inclines along the inclined side surface of the vehicle-side locking portion 24 and then engages with the vehicle-side locking portion 24.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 1C , after the exterior engaging portion 25 engages with the vehicle body-side locking portion 24, the lock pin 13 moves leftward based on a user operation or an instruction from the calculation control unit. This places the lock device 20 in a locked state. In the locked state, the left side of the lock pin 13 is disposed immediately above and adjacent to the exterior engaging portion 25. Therefore, even if a user erroneously presses the knob 26, causing the exterior engaging portion 25 to rotate counterclockwise and attempt to lift the tip of the exterior engaging portion 25, the lock pin 13 holds down the exterior engaging portion 25, preventing the exterior engaging portion 25 from lifting. Therefore, even if such an erroneous operation occurs, the engagement between the vehicle body-side locking portion 24 and the exterior engaging portion 25 is maintained. This prevents the lock device 20 from being unintentionally released from its locked state. This prevents the exterior connector 22 and the vehicle-side connector 21 from being unintentionally separated while a rechargeable battery installed in the vehicle 30 is being charged.

[0033] As will be described later, even if an external force acts to lift the left end of the lock pin 13 upward as the vehicle exterior engagement portion 25 attempts to rise, the actuator 10 has a built-in stopper 14, which will be described later, so deformation or damage to the actuator 10 due to such external force is prevented.

[0034] In this locked state, the vehicle battery installed in the vehicle 30 is charged. After this charging is completed, the lock pin 13 moves to the right based on the user's operation or an instruction from the calculation control unit. This places the lock device 20 in the unlocked state shown in FIG. 1B. In this state, when the user presses the knob 26, the vehicle exterior engaging portion 25 rotates counterclockwise, thereby disengaging the vehicle exterior engaging portion 25 from the vehicle body side locking portion 24. Furthermore, when the user pulls the vehicle exterior connector 22 to the left, the connection between the vehicle side connector 21 and the vehicle exterior connector 22 is released. This allows the vehicle 30 to travel.

[0035] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the actuator 10. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the actuator 10. The area surrounded by the dotted line in Fig. 3 shows an enlarged view of the stopper 14.

[0036] The actuator 10 mainly comprises a housing 11, a protruding hole 12, a lock pin 13, and a stopper 14. As described above, the actuator 10 can be in a locked state and an unlocked state.

[0037] Referring to Figure 3, housing 11 is the main body of actuator 10 and has a container-like shape with an open top. The open top of housing 11 is covered with a lid member 16. A drive mechanism (not shown) for moving lock pin 13 is disposed inside housing 11. The drive mechanism includes, for example, a motor, gears, etc. Housing 11 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin containing glass fiber.

[0038] The protrusion hole 12 is a cylindrical portion that protrudes outward from the housing 11. The protrusion hole 12 is a member that is integrally continuous with the housing 11. The protrusion hole 12 and the housing 11 are formed, for example, by injection molding. The protrusion hole 12 has a seamless, undivided structure. The protrusion hole 12 has, for example, a substantially cylindrical shape. The interior of the protrusion hole 12 communicates with the interior of the housing 11. The protrusion hole 12 corresponds to the through hole in this embodiment. The protrusion hole 12 has a protrusion hole inner surface 121 and a protrusion hole outer surface 122, and a protrusion hole groove portion 123 is formed in the protrusion hole outer surface 122. The specific configuration of the protrusion hole 12 will be described later with reference to FIG. 4A etc.

[0039] The lock pin 13 is a generally cylindrical part that is disposed so as to be able to advance and retreat toward the outside via the protrusion hole 12. As the material of the lock pin 13, for example, a highly rigid metal such as SUS is adopted.

[0040] The first seal member 15 is disposed inside the projection hole 12. The second seal member 17 is disposed outside the projection hole 12. An O-ring or the like is used as the first seal member 15 and the second seal member 17. The first seal member 15 and the second seal member 17 will be described later with reference to FIG. 4A etc.

[0041] The stopper 14 is incorporated into the protrusion hole 12 and is a member having a predetermined thickness along the axial direction of the lock pin 13. The stopper 14 has a generally annular shape, through which the lock pin 13 passes. Referring to the area surrounded by the dotted line in FIG. 3 , the stopper 14 has a stopper inner surface 141 facing radially inward and opposing the side surface of the lock pin 13, and a stopper outer surface 142 facing radially outward. The generally annular shape of the stopper 14 allows the stopper 14 to firmly hold the lock pin 13 when an external force is applied to the lock pin 13. In addition, the opposing ends of the stopper outer surface 142 are slightly protruded radially outward to form protrusions 143.

[0042] The stopper 14 is made of a highly rigid metal such as SUS. Because the stopper 14 is made of metal, the middle portion of the lock pin 13 can be firmly held by the stopper 14 when an external force is applied to the lock pin 13. Furthermore, wear and damage to the lock pin 13 and the stopper 14 due to contact between them can be prevented.

[0043] Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional view showing the actuator 10. Fig. 4B is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the actuator 10. Figs. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views taken along the AA section line in Fig. 2. The AA section line is a cross section including the up-down direction and the left-right direction. The same applies to the subsequent cross-sectional views.

[0044] 4A and 4B, the protrusion hole 12 has a protrusion hole inner surface 121 and a protrusion hole outer surface 122. The protrusion hole inner surface 121 is a side surface facing radially inward of the protrusion hole 12. The protrusion hole outer surface 122 is a surface facing radially outward of the protrusion hole 12. The protrusion hole groove portion 123 is a portion of the protrusion hole outer surface 122 that is recessed radially inward. A second seal member 17 is disposed in the protrusion hole groove portion 123. The second seal member 17 is a member that improves sealing with other components that constitute the vehicle 30 and prevents moisture from entering, on the radially outer side of the protrusion hole 12.

[0045] The first seal member 15 and the stopper 14 are disposed inside the projection hole 12. Inside the projection hole 12, the first seal member 15 is disposed on the side closer to the housing 11 than the stopper 14, i.e., on the right side. The stopper 14 can prevent the first seal member 15 from coming off the projection hole 12.

[0046] The first seal member 15 is disposed in a first enlarged diameter portion 125 formed inside the projection hole 12. The outer portion of the first seal member 15 contacts the first enlarged diameter portion 125, and the inner portion of the first seal member 15 contacts the side surface of the lock pin 13. This seals the gap between the projection hole 12 and the lock pin 13, preventing moisture from entering the housing 11 through the gap between them.

[0047] The stopper 14 is disposed inside the projection hole 12 to the left of the first seal member 15. The stopper 14 is a member that prevents the first seal member 15 from coming out of the projection hole 12. The stopper inner surface 141 is not in contact with the lock pin 13 in normal times when no external force is acting on the lock pin 13. The stopper outer surface 142 is in surface contact over almost the entire surface with the projection hole inner surface 121, which is the surface facing inward of the projection hole 12. As will be described later, when an external force acts on the lock pin 13, the deformed lock pin 13 comes into surface contact with the stopper inner surface 141 of the stopper 14.

[0048] The thickness L10 of the stopper 14 in the axial direction of the lock pin 13 is preferably 0.5 mm or more, more preferably 0.8 mm or more, and particularly preferably 1.0 mm or more. By doing so, as will be described later, even if an external force acts to lift the left end of the lock pin 13 upward, the stopper 14 supports the middle portion of the lock pin 13, preventing deformation and damage of the projection hole 12.

[0049] 5A is a cross-sectional view showing the protrusion hole 12 of the actuator 10. FIG. 5B is a perspective view showing the protrusion hole 12 of the actuator 10.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 5A, the left end of the projection hole 12 is a projection hole expanded diameter portion 124. The projection hole expanded diameter portion 124 has a first expanded diameter portion 125 and a second expanded diameter portion 126. The first expanded diameter portion 125 is a portion where the left side of the projection hole inner surface 121 is expanded in diameter. The second expanded diameter portion 126 is a portion where the projection hole inner surface 121 is further expanded in diameter to the left of the first expanded diameter portion 125. A step portion 127 is formed between the first expanded diameter portion 125 and the second expanded diameter portion 126. The step portion 127 forms a surface facing the left side.

[0051] The diameter L11 of the second enlarged diameter portion 126 is slightly shorter than the diameter L12 of the stopper 14. By doing so, when the stopper 14 is housed in the projection hole 12, the stopper outer surface 142 of the stopper 14 is brought into close contact with the second enlarged diameter portion 126 of the projection hole 12, and the position of the stopper 14 can be firmly fixed inside the projection hole 12. Furthermore, the stopper 14 is disposed inside the projection hole 12 by press-fitting. This also makes it possible to further firmly fix the stopper 14 at a predetermined position inside the projection hole 12.

[0052] The stopper 14 is a member formed by punching a metal plate made of stainless steel or the like. Therefore, the outer peripheral portion 144 on the right side of the stopper 14 has a rounded shoulder shape. On the other hand, a slight burr is formed toward the left on the outer peripheral portion 145 on the left side of the stopper 14. Therefore, when the stopper 14 is press-fitted into the second enlarged diameter portion 126 of the projection hole 12, the rounded shoulder shape of the outer peripheral portion 144 of the stopper inner surface 141 makes the press-fitting easier. Furthermore, once the press-fitting is complete, the burr formed on the outer peripheral portion 145 of the stopper 14 bites into the inner surface of the second enlarged diameter portion 126, preventing the stopper 14 from coming loose.

[0053] 5B, openings 128 are formed by penetrating the protrusion holes 12 at the portions where the second enlarged diameter portions 126 are formed. The openings 128 are formed at opposing portions of the protrusion holes 12. The protrusions 143 of the stopper 14 shown in FIG. 3 are housed in the openings 128. In this way, the position of the stopper 14 inside the protrusion holes 12 can be more firmly fixed.

[0054] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an external force is acting on the lock pin 13 of the actuator 10. As shown in FIG.

[0055] In the locked state shown in FIG. 1C, if the user mistakenly operates knob 26, the tip of outer engaging portion 25 rises, generating an external force that tries to push lock pin 13 up from below.

[0056] 6, such external force is indicated by an arrow. When such an external force acts, the left end portion of lock pin 13 is deformed upward. As a result of this deformation, the middle portion of lock pin 13 comes into contact with stopper inner surface 141 of stopper 14.

[0057] As described above, the stopper 14 is a member having a thickness equal to or greater than a predetermined thickness along the axial direction of the lock pin 13. Therefore, when the lock pin 13 is deformed, the stopper inner surface 141 of the stopper 14 comes into surface contact with the lock pin 13 over a wide area. As a result, the stress caused by the deformation of the lock pin 13 is alleviated by the stopper 14, which has a predetermined thickness. Therefore, the stress caused by the lock pin 13 due to an external force is prevented from being directly transmitted to the projection hole 12, and deformation and damage to the projection hole 12 can be prevented.

[0058] 7A, if the stopper 14 does not have a predetermined thickness or more (for example, if the thickness L10 of the stopper 14 is about 0.1 to 0.3 mm), when an external force indicated by the arrow acts on the lock pin 13, the stopper outer surface 142 of the stopper 14 will sharply bite into the projection hole inner surface 121, causing damage such as cracks Cr in the projection hole inner surface 121. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7B, if the stopper 14 has a predetermined thickness or more, the stopper outer surface 142 and the projection hole inner surface 121 are in surface contact over a wide area, which distributes the stress transmitted from the stopper outer surface 142 to the projection hole inner surface 121, thereby preventing deformation and damage of the projection hole 12.

[0059] Fig. 8 is a graph showing the relationship between the thickness L10 of stopper 14 and the withstand load. In the graph of Fig. 8, the horizontal axis represents the thickness L10 of stopper 14, and the vertical axis represents the withstand load at that thickness L10. Note that the withstand load refers to a load that will not cause deformation or damage to protrusion hole 12 when an upward external force (arrow in Figs. 6, 7A, and 7B) is applied to the tip of lock pin 13.

[0060] Here, the tensile strength of the resin constituting the protrusion hole 12 is set to 140 MPa, and further, by setting the safety factor to 1.3, the tensile strength of the resin constituting the protrusion hole 12 is conveniently set to 110 MPa (=N / mm 2 ) The material constituting the stopper 14 is stamped SUS304, and the material constituting the lock pin 13 is machined SUS303. Furthermore, the diameter L12 of the stopper 14 is set to 7.3 mm, and the thickness L10 of the stopper 14 in the axial direction is varied between 0 mm and 2.0 mm. The diameter L12 of the stopper 14 is then multiplied by the thickness L10 to calculate the projected area between the stopper outer surface 142 and the projection hole inner surface 121. Furthermore, the projected area is multiplied by the tensile strength of the resin, which is calculated for convenience, to calculate the load-bearing capacity between the stopper outer surface 142 and the projection hole inner surface 121. Figure 8 shows a graph of the calculation results.

[0061] According to regulations relating to vehicle safety, the load resistance between the stopper outer surface 142 and the projection hole inner surface 121 must be 330N or more.

[0062] As described above, the thickness L10 of the stopper 14 in this embodiment is, for example, 0.5 mm or more, 0.8 mm or more, or 1.0 mm or more. As can be seen from the graph, when the thickness L10 of the stopper 14 is 0.5 mm, the load capacity is approximately 400 N, which satisfies the safety regulations. When the thickness L10 of the stopper 14 is 0.8 mm, the load capacity is approximately 600 N. This corresponds to approximately 1.5 times the safety regulations, ensuring a sufficient margin relative to the safety regulations. When the thickness L10 of the stopper 14 is 1.0 mm, the load capacity is approximately 800 N. This corresponds to more than twice the safety regulations, ensuring a sufficient margin relative to the safety regulations.

[0063] For this reason, in this embodiment, by setting the thickness L10 of the stopper 14 to 0.5 mm or more, 0.8 mm or more, or 1.0 mm or more, it is possible to obtain a load-bearing capacity that fully satisfies safety regulations, and it is possible to significantly reduce the bending stress acting on the lock pin and prevent damage to the lock pin, stopper, and protrusion hole.

[0064] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these and can be modified within the scope of the present invention. In addition, the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0065] For example, in the description with reference to Figure 3 etc., the lock pin 13 and the stopper 14 are housed in the protruding hole 12, but this is not limited to this. A simple through hole may also be used as long as it has a shape that allows the stopper 14 having a predetermined thickness L10 to be housed therein.

[0066] For example, in the description with reference to Fig. 4B, one stopper 14 is provided in the protrusion hole 12, but multiple stoppers 14 may be provided stacked in the thickness direction. When multiple stoppers 14 are provided, the total thickness of the multiple stoppers 14 is set to, for example, 0.5 mm or more, 0.8 mm or more, or 1.0 mm or more.

[0067] 3, the shape of the stopper 14 may be other than a substantially circular ring. For example, the lock pin 13 may have a square cross section, and the stopper 14 may have a rectangular ring shape. The upper half of the stopper 14 may also have a substantially circular ring shape. In this way, the lock pin 13 can be supported by the stopper 14 having a substantially circular ring-shaped upper half.

[0068] 5A, the stopper 14 can also be fixed by a method other than press-fitting. For example, the stopper 14 can be fixed to the second enlarged diameter portion 126 of the projection hole 12 by fitting, adhesive, or the like.

[0069] 3, materials other than metal may be used as the material for lock pin 13 and stopper 14. For example, highly rigid resin may be used as the material for lock pin 13 and stopper 14.

[0070] 1A to 1C, the insertion / removal direction of the exterior connector 22 and the protruding direction of the lock pin 13 are both the left-right direction. However, the insertion / removal direction of the exterior connector 22 and the protruding direction of the lock pin 13 can be made different from each other. For example, the insertion / removal direction of the exterior connector 22 can be made the left-right direction, and the protruding direction of the lock pin 13 can be made the up-down direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 10...actuator, 11...housing, 12...projection hole, 121...projection hole inner surface, 122...projection hole outer surface, 123...projection hole groove portion, 124...projection hole enlarged diameter portion, 125...first enlarged diameter portion, 126...second enlarged diameter portion, 127...step portion, 128...opening, 13...lock pin, 14...stopper, 141...stopper inner surface, 142...stopper outer surface, 143...projection portion, 144...outer periphery, 145...outer periphery, 15...first seal member, 16...cover member, 17...second seal member, 20...locking device, 21...vehicle-side connector, 22...vehicle-exterior connector, 23...vehicle body, 24...vehicle-body-side locking portion, 25...vehicle-exterior engaging portion, 26...knob, 30...vehicle

Claims

1. a housing having a through hole; a lock pin disposed so as to be able to advance and retreat toward the outside through the through hole; a stopper that is incorporated in the through hole and has a predetermined thickness along the axial direction of the lock pin, The stopper has a stopper inner surface facing radially inward and facing the lock pin, and a stopper outer surface facing radially outward, The inner surface of the stopper is not in contact with the lock pin in normal times when no external force is acting on the lock pin, the outer surface of the stopper is in surface contact with the inner surface of the through hole, which is the surface facing inward of the through hole; An actuator characterized by:

2. The through hole is a protruding hole that protrudes from the housing toward the outside.

2. The actuator according to claim 1.

3. a seal member is disposed inside the through hole on a side closer to the housing than the stopper; 3. The actuator according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The stopper is disposed inside the through hole by press-fitting.

3. The actuator according to claim 1 or 2.

5. The stopper is made of metal.

3. The actuator according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The thickness of the stopper in the axial direction of the lock pin is 0.5 mm or more.

3. The actuator according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The thickness of the stopper in the axial direction of the lock pin is 0.8 mm or more.

3. The actuator according to claim 1 or 2.

8. The thickness of the stopper in the axial direction of the lock pin is 1.0 mm or more.

3. The actuator according to claim 1 or 2.

9. The stopper has a generally annular shape through which the lock pin passes.

3. The actuator according to claim 1 or 2.

10. A locking device that locks an exterior connector and a vehicle-side connector, an exterior engaging portion disposed on the exterior connector; a vehicle body side latching portion disposed on the vehicle side connector; The actuator according to claim 1 or 2, The vehicle exterior engaging portion engages with the vehicle body side locking portion, and the lock pin of the actuator extends near the vehicle exterior engaging portion, thereby entering a locked state. A locking device characterized by:

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