Charging cable storage box

Abstract

To provide a charging cable storage box that allows the control box of an EV charging cable to be used while exposed, and also prevents theft of the charging cable during charging. [Solution] In a charging cable storage box B for storing an EV charging cable L equipped with a charging connector at one end, a power plug P at the other end, and a control box A with a built-in current value control device in the middle, the charging cable storage box comprises a housing body 1 having an opening and an opening / closing door 2 having a locking function that is attached to the opening of the housing body 1 so as to be openable and closable. The housing body 1 is provided with a large hole 11 that is sized for the control box to pass through and an opening cover material 1 that covers a part of the large hole 11, and the opening cover material 12 is attached to the periphery of the large hole 11 from the inside of the housing body 1 to form a cable insertion hole H1 that is not sized for the control box to pass through.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging cable storage box for storing an EV charging cable.

Background Art

[0002] When charging an electric vehicle using a household power supply in a general household or the like, the power supply and the electric vehicle are connected using an EV charging cable. This EV charging cable needs to be long enough to connect a house or charging equipment to an automobile. However, since it needs to be stored compactly when not in use, it is common to install a charging cable storage box in a house or garage and store the cable in a wound state (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

[0003] On the other hand, many original EV charging cables have a control box (a device for controlling the current value flowing through the cable) near the power plug. However, since the charging cable storage boxes of Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a structure in which the control box is arranged inside the storage box, there is a problem that when the storage box is installed at a position away from the household power supply, the control box cannot be taken out of the storage box for use.

[0004] In addition, since charging the EV takes time, it was necessary to wait for a long time until charging was completed with the connector attached to the EV. However, when the EV was left in a charged state for a long time at night or the like, there was a risk that the charging cable of the charging cable storage box of Patent Documents 1 and 2 would be stolen. On the other hand, a structure in which a cable insertion hole is provided in a part of the cable storage box so that charging can be performed with the opening / closing door closed is also known (see Patent Document 3). However, this storage box also has a problem that the control box cannot be taken out for use.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the above-mentioned prior art, and in summary, it aims to provide a charging cable storage box that allows the control box of an EV charging cable to be used with the cable exposed, and also prevents theft of the charging cable during charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] As a means of solving the above problems, the present inventor has provided a charging cable storage box B for storing an EV charging cable L equipped with a charging connector at one end, a power plug P at the other end, and a control box A with a built-in current value control device in the middle, comprising a housing body 1 having an opening and an opening / closing door 2 having a locking function that is attached to the opening of the housing body 1 so as to be openable and closable, while the housing body 1 is provided with a large hole 11 that is sized for the control box to pass through, and an opening cover material 12 that closes a part of the large hole 11, and the opening cover material 12 is attached to the periphery of the large hole 11 from the inside of the housing body 1 to form a cable insertion hole H1 that is not sized for the control box to pass through (the effects will be described later).

[0008] In this invention, the opening cover material 12 is made from a plate material that is larger than the large hole 11 of the housing body 1, and a notch hole 12a corresponding to the diameter of the cable is formed in a part of the peripheral edge of the plate material. By attaching the opening cover material 12 to the housing body 1 with the cable inserted into the notch hole 12a, a cable insertion hole H1 of the minimum size can be formed.

[0009] In the present invention, by fixing the opening cover material 12 and the inner wall of the housing body 1 with screws from the inside of the housing body 1, it is possible to create a structure in which the opening cover material 12 is difficult to remove from the outside of the housing body 1, while the opening cover material 12 can be attached and detached from the inside of the housing body 1.

[0010] In this invention, the housing body 1 is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped, an opening / closing door 2 is placed on the front side, and a large hole 11 is formed on the bottom or rear side, thereby reducing the distance between the power plug and the household power supply (or the ground) and minimizing the length of the exposed EV charging cable L.

[0011] In this invention, a recess 13 can be formed in the opening edge of the housing body 1 located inside the opening door 2, or in the peripheral edge of the opening door 2, so that when the opening door 2 is closed, the recess 13 becomes a cable insertion hole H2 that is not large enough for the control box to pass through. As a result, if charging is performed with the opening door 2 closed, even if the opening cover material 12 comes off, the control box A cannot be pulled out of the housing body 1, thereby enhancing the theft prevention effect of the charging cable L during EV charging. Furthermore, the length of the cable that comes out of the housing body 1 can be adjusted to minimize the length of the exposed cable. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] In this invention, the control box can be used by bringing it out through a large hole formed in the main body of the housing, and by adopting a structure in which an opening cover material is attached from the inside of the housing to close the large hole, if charging is performed with the opening door closed, the control box located on the outside cannot be pulled into the storage box, thus preventing theft of the charging cable during EV charging. In addition, since the opening cover material is attached from the inside of the main body of the housing, it is not possible to remove the opening cover material from the outside when the opening door is closed, providing excellent theft prevention for the charging cable. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1]This is an overall perspective view showing a charging cable storage box according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (a) the state after the cable has been attached, and (b) the state when the cable is attached. [Figure 2] This is an explanatory diagram showing the opening cover material of the charging cable storage box according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (a) the state when installed, (b) the state of the inside of the housing after installation, and (c) the state of the outside of the housing after installation. [Figure 3] (a) is an overall perspective view and (b) is a perspective view of the bottom of the charging cable storage box according to the first embodiment of the present invention, showing the door closed. [Figure 4] This is an overall perspective view showing a charging cable storage box according to a second embodiment of the present invention, (a) the state after the cable has been attached, and (b) the state when the cable is attached. [Figure 5] This is a rear perspective view showing a charging cable storage box according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] "First Embodiment" A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In the figures, the part indicated by the numeral B is a charging cable storage box, the part indicated by the numeral 1 is the main housing, the part indicated by the numeral 2 is an opening / closing door, the part indicated by the numeral L is an EV charging cable, the part indicated by the numeral P is a power plug, and the part indicated by the numeral A is a control box.

[0015] "Configuration of the charging cable storage box" [1] Basic configuration of the charging cable storage box The basic configuration of the charging cable storage box B of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the charging cable storage box B of this embodiment has an opening / closing door 2 with a locking function attached to the opening of the housing main body 1 so as to be freely opened and closed, and the housing main body 1 is fixed between the left and right support columns C and arranged at a predetermined height. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1(b) and 2(a), a large hole 11 having a size allowing the control box to pass through is formed in the bottom surface of the housing main body 1, and an opening cover material 12 that closes a part of the large hole 11 is attached to the peripheral edge of the large hole 11 from the inside of the housing main body 1 as shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 2(b)(c) to form a cable insertion hole H1 having a size not allowing the control box to pass through.

[0016] Thus, an EV charging cable L provided with a charging connector (not shown) at one end, a power plug P at the other end, and a control box A having a current value control device built therein can be stored with the control box A taken out of the housing main body 1. Specifically, with the opening cover material 12 shown in FIGS. 1(b) and 2(a) removed, the control box A is inserted through the large hole 11 and taken out of the housing main body 1, and then, as shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 2(b)(c), the opening cover material 12 is attached so that the control box A cannot be pulled into the housing main body 1.

[0017] By making the control box A unable to be pulled into the housing main body 1 as described above, even when the charging connector is attached to the EV and charged for a long time, the cable cannot be pulled from the charging connector side to remove the EV charging cable L from the charging cable storage box B, so cable theft can be prevented. Further, by providing the opening / closing door 2 with a locking function, when charging is performed with the opening / closing door 2 shown in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b) closed and locked, the opening cover material 12 cannot be removed from the inside of the housing main body 1, so the anti-theft effect can be further enhanced.

[0018] [2] Regarding the housing main body [2-1] Overall shape of the housing main body Next, the components of the charging cable storage box B will be described. Regarding the overall shape of the housing body 1, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), a rectangular parallelepiped shape having left and right side surfaces, an upper surface, a bottom surface, and a back surface is adopted. An opening is formed on the front side of the housing body 1, and an opening / closing door 2 is attached to the opening on the front side. Regarding the overall shape of the housing body 1, as long as it has a cable storage portion inside and an opening for attaching the opening / closing door 2 on any surface, in addition to the cubic shape, for example, shapes such as a polygonal cylinder type, a cylindrical type, an elliptical cylinder type, a semi-cylindrical type, etc. can be adopted. Also, the dimensions of the height, width, and depth of the housing body 1 can be appropriately changed according to the length of the EV charging cable L, the shape of the connector, etc.

[0019] [2-2] Material of the housing body Regarding the material of the housing body 1, in the present embodiment, it is composed of aluminum parts. However, as long as it is a material having durability and weather resistance outdoors, metal materials such as iron and stainless steel other than aluminum, plastic materials such as polypropylene, polyamide, and FRP, or composite materials such as laminated plates can also be used, and partially different materials can also be used.

[0020] [2-3] Large hole of the housing body Regarding the large hole 11 of the housing body 1, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1(b) and 2(a), it is formed on the bottom surface. Thereby, the distance between the power plug and the household power supply (or the ground) can be reduced, and the length of the exposed EV charging cable L can be minimized. It is more preferable that the large hole 11 of the housing body 1 is formed closer to the back on the bottom surface. Also, regarding the shape of the large hole 11 of the housing body 1, it is not particularly limited as long as it is a size and shape through which the control box A can pass. In the present embodiment, it is a rectangular shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the control box A.

[0021] [2-4] Opening cover material In this embodiment, the opening cover material 12 is made of a plate material larger than the large hole 11 in the housing body 1, as shown in Figure 2(a), and a notch hole 12a corresponding to the diameter of the cable is formed in a part of the peripheral edge of this plate material. As a result, as shown in Figure 1(a), by attaching the opening cover material 12 to the housing body 1 with the cable inserted into the notch hole 12a, a cable insertion hole H1 of the minimum size can be formed. In this embodiment, the notch hole 12a is made into a small hole into which the cable is inserted and attached, but the shape of the notch hole 12a is not particularly limited.

[0022] Furthermore, regarding the overall shape of the opening cover material 12, in this embodiment it is rectangular to match the large hole 11 formed in the housing body 1, but it is not particularly limited. Regarding the means for forming the cable insertion hole H1, means other than forming a notched hole 12a in the opening cover material 12 can be used, for example, a gap for inserting a cable can be formed by fixing a flat plate opening cover material 12 slightly offset from the large hole 11. The shape of the cable insertion hole H1 is not particularly limited as long as it is a size that the control box A cannot pass through.

[0023] In this embodiment, the opening cover material 12 is made of the same aluminum as the housing body 1, but it is also possible to use a different metal material or plastic material than the housing body 1. It is desirable that the opening cover material 12 be made of a hard material that is resistant to damage from external forces, but if the opening cover material 12 is fixed by adhesive or the like, an elastomer material can be used for part or all of it.

[0024] In this embodiment, the opening cover material 12 is fixed to the inner wall (bottom surface) of the housing body 1 by screwing it in with screws N from the inside of the housing body 1, as shown in Figures 2(a), (b), and (c). This makes it difficult for the opening cover material 12 to come off from the outside of the housing body 1, while allowing it to be attached and removed from the inside of the housing body 1. Other means of attaching the opening cover material 12 can also be used, such as fitting, locking, screwing, bonding, welding, or riveting.

[0025] [2-5] recess In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1(a), a recess 13 is formed on the opening edge (front side of the bottom surface) of the housing body 1, which is located inside the opening door 2, so that when the opening door 2 is closed, as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the recess 13 becomes a cable insertion hole H2 that is not large enough for the control box to pass through. As a result, if charging is performed with the opening door 2 closed, even if the opening cover material 12 is removed by external force, the control box A cannot be pulled out of the housing body 1, thereby enhancing the theft prevention effect of the charging cable L. In this embodiment, the recess 13 is formed over the entire opening edge of the bottom surface of the housing body 1, but it is also possible to form the recess 13 only in part.

[0026] Regarding the recess 13 formed in the housing body 1, it can also be formed on the side or top surface other than the bottom surface, as long as it is on the opening edge of the housing body 1 located inside the opening door 2. Alternatively, instead of forming the recess 13 in the housing body 1, the recess 13 can be formed on the periphery of the opening door 2, so that when the opening door 2 is closed, the recess 13 becomes a cable insertion hole H2 that is not large enough for the control box to pass through. The arrangement and shape of the recess 13 are not particularly limited as long as a cable insertion hole H2 that is not large enough for the control box to pass through can be formed, but it is necessary to prevent the opening cover material 12 from being removed by reaching inside the housing body 1.

[0027] [2-6] Hook section and connector holder A hook portion (not shown) for winding and storing an EV charging cable L can be provided inside the housing body 1. The shape and arrangement of the hook portion can be any known form as appropriate. A connector holder (not shown) for attaching and storing a charging connector can also be provided inside the housing body 1, and a known form can also be used for this as appropriate.

[0028] [3] Regarding opening and closing doors Regarding the opening / closing door 2, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1(a) and 2(a), it is attached to the opening on the front side of the housing body 1 by a hinge member T so that it can be opened and closed. The shape and mounting structure of the opening / closing door 2 can be appropriately adopted from known storage box forms. Regarding the material of the opening / closing door 2, in this embodiment the same metal material as the housing body 1 is used, but a different material can also be used.

[0029] Furthermore, regarding the locking mechanism 21 of the opening / closing door 2, in this embodiment a mechanical lock mechanism is used as shown in Figures 1(a) and 3(a), but an electronic lock mechanism can also be used as long as it is capable of both unlocking and locking. While it is preferable that the lock mechanism be integrated with the opening / closing door 2, a separate lock mechanism (for example, a padlock) can also be used. In this embodiment, one lock mechanism is provided, but multiple lock mechanisms can be provided as needed.

[0030] [4] About the support posts Regarding the support columns C, in this embodiment, a rectangular column type is used as shown in Figure 1(a), but the shape is not particularly limited and a cylindrical type can also be used. Also, in this embodiment, the support columns C are fixed along the left and right sides of the housing body 1, but they can also be attached to the bottom surface of the housing body 1 as legs. Furthermore, in this embodiment, there are two support columns C on the left and right, but there can be one or three or more. Regarding the means of installing the support columns C, the ground contact portion of the support columns C can be fixed to the ground by anchors or embedding. In addition, the support columns C can be omitted if there is another means of positioning the housing body 1 at a predetermined height (for example, when fixing it to a building or other equipment).

[0031] "Second Embodiment" A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 4(a)(b) and 5, a large hole 11 is formed in the rear part of the housing body 1, and an opening cover material 12 is attached to the periphery of the large hole 11 in the inner wall of the rear part to constitute a charging cable storage box B. This allows the EV charging cable L to be attached with the control box A exposed to the outside, as in the first embodiment, and reduces the distance between the power plug and the household power supply (or the ground), minimizing the length of the exposed EV charging cable L. It is more preferable that the large hole 11 of the housing body 1 be formed closer to the bottom surface of the rear part. Other aspects are the same as in the first embodiment.

[0032] Furthermore, regarding the arrangement of the large holes 11 formed in the housing body 1, it is preferable to form them on the back or bottom of the cubic housing body 1 as in this embodiment and the first embodiment, but depending on the arrangement of the household power supply (the relative positional relationship between the household power supply and the charging cable storage box B), they can also be formed on the side or top of the housing body 1. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 1. Main unit 11 Large hole 12. Opening cover material 12a Notch 13 recess 2 Opening and closing doors B Charging Cable Storage Box A control box L EV charging cable P Power plug H Cable insertion hole

Claims

1. A charging cable storage box for an EV charging cable, which has a charging connector at one end, a power plug at the other end, and a control box with a built-in current value control device in the middle, The system comprises a housing body having an opening, and an opening / closing door with a locking function that is attached to the opening of the housing body so as to be able to open and close, A charging cable storage box comprising a housing body having a large opening sized for the passage of a control box, and an opening cover material that covers a portion of the large opening, wherein the opening cover material is attached to the periphery of the large opening from the inside of the housing body to form a cable insertion hole sized not for the passage of the control box.

2. The charging cable storage box according to claim 1, wherein the opening cover material is made of a plate material larger than the large hole in the housing body, a notch hole corresponding to the diameter of the cable is formed in a part of the peripheral edge of the plate material, and the opening cover material is attached to the housing body with the cable inserted into the notch hole.

3. The charging cable storage box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the opening cover material and the inner wall of the housing body are fixed together by screws from the inside of the housing body.

4. The charging cable storage box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing body is shaped like a rectangular parallelepiped, has an opening / closing door on the front side, and has a large hole formed on the bottom or back side.

5. A charging cable storage box according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a recess is formed in the opening edge of the housing body on which the opening / closing door is located, or in the peripheral edge of the opening / closing door, and when the opening / closing door is closed, the recess becomes a cable insertion hole of a size that does not allow passage through the control box.

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