Cap hinge structure of the charging connector, and the charging connector

Abstract

This invention provides a cap hinge structure for a charging connector and a charging connector, which allows the function of the hinge portion to be restored without replacing the entire housing by making the hinge portion a separate part from the housing of the charging connector. [Solution] The charging connector 1 comprises a housing 3 having a mating portion 9 with an opening 13 into which a mating charging connector can be fitted, and a cap 5 that closes the opening 13. The hinge component 7 comprises a main body portion 51 that is attached to the housing 3 of the charging connector 1. The main body portion 51 has a cap connecting portion 53 to which the cap 5 is connected, and a groove portion 55 to which a waterproof O-ring 37 is attached.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cap hinge structure of a charging connector and a charging connector.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a charging connector, there is known one including a housing having a fitting portion formed with a width that allows a mating charging connector to be fitted, and a cap that closes the width (see Patent Document 1). In such a charging connector, when the fitting portion is not in use, the width is closed with the cap so that the mating charging connector is not fitted into the fitting portion.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, in the charging connector as described above, a hinge portion for connecting the cap to the housing is integrally provided on the housing. In such a charging connector, when an excessive force acts on the cap and the hinge portion is deformed or damaged, it is necessary to replace the entire housing in which the hinge portion is integrally provided.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art. And an object of the present invention is to provide a cap hinge structure of a charging connector and a charging connector capable of restoring the function of the hinge portion without replacing the entire housing by making the hinge portion a separate part from the housing of the charging connector.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] A cap hinge structure for a charging connector according to an aspect of the present invention comprises a housing having a fitting portion formed with an opening into which a mating charging connector can be fitted, and a cap that closes the opening, wherein the cap hinge structure for a charging connector comprises a main body portion that is attached to the housing of the charging connector, the main body portion having a cap connecting portion to which the cap is connected, and a groove portion to which an annular sealing member is attached.

[0007] A charging connector according to an aspect of the present invention includes the above-described cap hinge structure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, by making the hinge portion a separate part from the housing of the charging connector, it is possible to provide a cap hinge structure for a charging connector and a charging connector that can restore the function of the hinge portion without replacing the entire housing. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a front view showing an example of a charging connector according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 3A] This is a close-up perspective view of the charging connector housing, seen from the rear, before the hinge components are attached. [Figure 3B] This is a close-up perspective view of the charging connector housing from the rear after the hinge components have been attached. [Figure 4] This is a disassembled perspective view of the charging connector according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view showing the cap and hinge components disassembled. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of the hinge component from the rear. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The cap hinge structure of the charging connector and the charging connector itself according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. Note that the dimensional ratios in the drawings are exaggerated for illustrative purposes and may differ from the actual ratios.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the charging connector 1 according to this embodiment is applied to a vehicle charging section provided in a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. The charging connector 1 is also called a charging inlet and is electrically connected to a power source (not shown) such as a battery or storage battery mounted on the vehicle. The charging connector 1 charges the power source by mating with a mating charging connector (not shown) provided on the power supply equipment.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 to 6, the charging connector 1 comprises a housing 3 as an outer housing, a cap 5, and a hinge component 7 as a cap hinge structure.

[0013] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the housing 3 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin. The housing 3 is provided with a mating portion 9 into which a mating charging connector can be fitted. The mating portion 9 has a mating outer wall 11 that extends in a cylindrical shape along the direction of mating with the mating charging connector. The opening on the mating surface side of the mating outer wall 11 forms an opening 13 into which the mating charging connector is inserted.

[0014] Inside the mating portion 9, an inner wall (not shown) is formed that extends in a cylindrical shape along the mating direction with the mating charging connector. Inside this inner wall, a plurality of terminal housing chambers (not shown) are formed that extend in a cylindrical shape along the mating direction with the mating charging connector. The terminal housing chambers are open on both sides in the longitudinal direction. The opening on one side in the longitudinal direction of the terminal housing chamber constitutes a connection opening into which the mating terminal (not shown) of the mating charging connector is inserted when the mating charging connector is mated to the mating portion 9. The opening on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the terminal housing chamber constitutes an insertion opening into which a charging terminal (not shown) can be inserted into the terminal housing chamber. A charging terminal is housed inside each of the plurality of terminal housing chambers through its insertion opening.

[0015] The charging terminal is electrically connected to the terminal part of an electric wire (not shown) electrically connected to a power source. When a mating charging connector is fitted into the fitting part 9, the charging terminal is electrically connected to the mating terminal of the mating charging connector. Through the electrical connection between the charging terminal and the mating terminal, the power source is charged from the power supply equipment.

[0016] Further, in the housing 3, a housing recess 21 is formed below the fitting part 9 for housing the main body part 51 of a hinge part 7 described later. A locking hole 25 for locking the locking piece 57 of the cap 5 is formed in the bottom part 23 (a flat plate-like part extending in the left-right direction and the up-down direction) of the housing recess 21 (see FIGS. 2, 3A, and 3B).

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, the cap 5 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, for example. The cap 5 includes a plate-like cap main body 41 and a shaft support part 43 provided integrally with the cap main body 41. A gripping part 49 for the user to grip, for example, is provided on the front surface of the cap main body 41. The shaft support part 43 has a cylindrical shape extending in the left-right direction, and a cam surface 45 is formed around the axis of the shaft support part 43 on the outer surface on the side opposite to the side where the cap main body 41 is provided in the shaft support part 43. An axial hole 47 through which an axial support pin 33 described later is inserted is provided in the axial direction of the shaft support part 43 (see FIG. 2). The cap 5 is configured such that the shaft support part 43 is rotatably attached to a support part 61 described later, and the frontage 13 of the fitting part 9 is opened and closed.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the hinge part 7 is made of an insulating material such as synthetic resin, for example. The hinge part 7 includes a main body part 51 attached to the housing 3 of the charging connector 1. The main body part 51 has a cap connection part 53 to which the cap 5 is connected and a groove part 55 to which an annular seal member (for example, an O-ring 37) is attached. The main body part 51 has a locking piece 57 locked to a locking hole 25 formed in the housing 3 of the charging connector 1. A locking protrusion 59 formed of a member continuous with the locking piece 57 is formed at the tip of the locking piece 57.

[0019] The cap connecting portion 53 has a pair of support portions 61 that support the pivot pin 33 and a housing portion 63 that is recessed between the pair of support portions 61. A pivot hole 65 through which the pivot pin 33 is inserted is formed in each of the pair of support portions 61. Further, the pivot pin 33 inserted through the pivot holes 65 of the pair of support portions 61 is prevented from coming off by retaining rings 35 fitted to both ends thereof.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, a driven portion 71 is housed in the housing portion 63. The driven portion 71 includes a biasing member (spring 73) and a driven cam portion (spring holder 75) that is biased in a direction to abut against the cam surface 45 of the pivot portion 43 by the spring 73. Further, a holding portion 67 for mounting and holding the spring 73 is formed inside the housing portion 63 (see FIG. 2). The spring holder 75 attached to the tip of the spring 73 is driven while elastically contacting the pivot portion 43 with its tip as the cap 5 rotates by the elastic repulsive force of the spring 73 housed in the housing portion 63.

[0021] In the charging connector 1 according to the present embodiment, a hinge portion (cap connecting portion 53) for assembling components such as the cap 5 and the pivot pin 33 is a hinge component 7 of a separate component (separate structure). By making the hinge component 7 a separate component from the housing 3, even if an excessive force acts on the cap 5 and the hinge portion (cap connecting portion 53) is deformed or damaged, the function of the hinge portion (cap connecting portion 53) can be restored only by replacing the hinge component 7. For this reason, it is not necessary to replace the entire outer housing (housing 3), and the maintenance cost can be reduced.

[0022] Furthermore, the cap hinge structure (hinge component 7) according to this embodiment has a groove 55 to which a waterproof sealing member (O-ring 37) is attached. When the O-ring 37 is attached to the groove 55, it is possible to ensure waterproofing to the rear of the housing 3. On the other hand, when the O-ring 37 is not attached to the groove 55, moisture can be discharged from the locking hole 25 formed in the bottom 23 of the housing 63, thereby preventing the hinge component 7 and other parts from sticking due to moisture accumulating inside the housing 63 and freezing.

[0023] In conventional charging inlets, the cap is held in place by a hinge portion integrally provided with the outer housing (housing), and this hinge portion had to be made of the same material as the housing. On the other hand, in the charging connector 1 according to this embodiment, the hinge portion is made of a hinge component 7, which is a separate part from the housing 3, making it possible to use a different material for the hinge component 7 than for the housing 3. For example, by using a viscous resin for the hinge component 7, effective crack prevention becomes possible. In addition, materials that are strong against the load from the pivot pin 33, or materials that allow for good sliding of the pivot pin 33, can also be used for the hinge component 7.

[0024] Thus, in the cap hinge structure (hinge component 7) according to this embodiment, the charging connector 1 comprises a housing 3 having a fitting portion 9 with an opening 13 into which a mating charging connector can be fitted, and a cap 5 that closes the opening 13. Cap Hinge Structure The hinge component 7 comprises a main body portion 51 that is attached to the housing 3 of the charging connector 1, and the main body portion 51 has a cap connecting portion 53 to which the cap 5 is connected, and a groove portion 55 to which an annular sealing member (O-ring 37) is attached.

[0025] In this embodiment, the cap hinge structure (hinge part 7) is a separate part (separate structure) from the housing 3. By doing so, even if excessive force is applied to the cap 5 and deformation or damage occurs to the hinge part (cap connecting part 53), the function of the hinge part (cap connecting part 53) can be restored simply by replacing the hinge part 7. Therefore, it becomes unnecessary to replace the entire housing 3, and maintenance costs can be reduced.

[0026] As described above, according to this embodiment, by making the hinge portion a separate part from the housing 3 of the charging connector 1, it is possible to provide a cap hinge structure for the charging connector 1 that allows the function of the hinge portion to be restored without replacing the entire housing 3.

[0027] In the cap hinge structure (hinge component 7) of the charging connector 1, the main body portion 51 may have a locking piece 57 that engages with a locking hole 25 formed in the housing 3 of the charging connector 1.

[0028] According to this embodiment, the fact that the main body portion 51 of the hinge component 7 has a locking piece 57 makes it possible to improve the ease of mounting the hinge component 7 (main body portion 51) to the housing 3.

[0029] Furthermore, the charging connector 1 according to this embodiment includes the aforementioned cap hinge structure (hinge component 7).

[0030] In this embodiment, the hinge portion (cap connecting portion 53) is a separate part (separate structure) from the housing 3. By doing so, even if excessive force is applied to the cap 5 and deformation or damage occurs to the hinge portion (cap connecting portion 53), the function of the hinge portion (cap connecting portion 53) can be restored simply by replacing the hinge part 7. Therefore, it becomes unnecessary to replace the entire housing 3, and maintenance costs can be reduced.

[0031] As described above, according to this embodiment, by making the hinge portion a separate part from the housing 3 of the charging connector 1, it is possible to provide a charging connector 1 that can restore the function of the hinge portion without replacing the entire housing 3.

[0032] Although this embodiment has been described above, this embodiment is not limited to these, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the gist of this embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0033] 1. Charging connector 3 Housing 5 caps 7. Hinge parts 9. Fitting part 13 Frontage 25 Locking holes 37 O-rings 41 Cap body 51 Main body 53 Cap connection part 55 Groove 57 Locking piece

Claims

1. In a cap hinge structure for a charging connector, comprising a housing having a mating portion with an opening into which a mating charging connector can be mated, and a cap that closes the opening, The charging connector comprises a main body that is attached to the housing, The main body is, The cap connecting portion to which the aforementioned caps are connected, It has a groove portion to which an annular sealing member is attached, The structure of the cap hinge part of the charging connector.

2. The main body portion has a locking piece that engages with a locking hole formed in the housing of the charging connector. The cap hinge structure of the charging connector according to claim 1.

3. A charging connector comprising the cap hinge structure described in claim 1 or 2.

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