Charging equipment for electric vehicles

Abstract

To provide an electric vehicle charging device which facilitates securing of an installation space.SOLUTION: An electric vehicle charging device 1 comprises a housing 2 which stores inside thereof a plurality of charging units converting electric power input from an external power source into electric power for charging an electric vehicle. The housing 2 has: a first housing section 210 which stores the plurality of charging units in a manner that aligns the same in a horizontal direction; a second housing section 211R which is arranged on one side in the horizontal direction of the first housing section 210 and stores a filter device to remove noise in the electric power to be input from the external power source to the plurality of charging units; and a third housing section 211L which is arranged on the other side in the horizontal direction of the first housing section 210 and stores an output control device controlling the electric power output from the plurality of charging units to an electric vehicle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a charging device for charging an electric vehicle such as an electric car. [Background technology]

[0002] In the vehicle charging device disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, a control device required for charging an electric vehicle is housed inside a housing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-186398 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When installing the above-mentioned automobile charging device in a parking lot or the like, securing the installation space becomes an issue.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In consideration of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a charging device for electric vehicles that can easily secure an installation space. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The charging device for an electric vehicle according to the present invention is an electric vehicle charging device including a housing that houses therein a plurality of charging units that convert power input from an external power source into power for charging an electric vehicle. The housing includes a first housing portion that houses the plurality of charging units lined up in a row in the left-right direction, a second housing portion that is disposed on one left-right side of the first housing portion and houses a filter device for removing noise from the power input from the external power source to the plurality of charging units, and a third housing portion that is disposed on the other left-right side of the first housing portion and houses an output control device that controls the power output from the plurality of charging units to an electric vehicle. Effect of the Invention

[0007] In the electric vehicle charging device according to the present invention, the housing includes a first housing portion and second and third housing portions disposed on both the left and right sides of the first housing portion. The first housing portion accommodates a plurality of charging units aligned in a row in the left-right direction. The second housing portion accommodates a filter device, and the third housing portion accommodates an output control device. Since the plurality of charging units, devices related to the power input to the charging units, and devices related to the power output from the charging units can be accommodated together in the first to third housing portions aligned in the left-right direction in this manner, the housing can be made compact. Furthermore, since the plurality of charging units are accommodated in a row in the left-right direction in the first housing portion, the housing can be made thinner in the front-rear direction. As a result, it is easy to ensure installation space. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an electric vehicle charging device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram of an electric vehicle charging device according to an embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of a housing provided in the electric vehicle charging device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of the housing as viewed from an angle different from that in FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 13 is a bottom view showing a partial configuration of the housing as viewed from below. FIG. [Figure 6] 11 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the periphery of a joint between a second housing section and a stand section in the housing. FIG. [Figure 7] 13 is a perspective view showing the lower portion of the second housing part and the mounting part. FIG. [Figure 8] 8 is a perspective view showing the configuration shown in FIG. 7, viewed from an angle different from that in FIG. [Figure 9] 4 is a perspective view showing a lower portion of the second housing portion. FIG. [Figure 10]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the right side portion of the stand and the installation portion. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a portion of a housing according to a second comparative example. [Figure 14] 13 is a side view showing a schematic view of the periphery of a joint between a second housing section and a stand section in a housing according to a second comparative example, as viewed from the width direction of the housing. FIG. [Figure 15] 13 is a front view showing a schematic view of the periphery of a joint between a second housing section and a stand section in a housing according to a second comparative example, as viewed from the depth direction of the housing. FIG. [Figure 16] 13 is a front view showing a schematic view of the periphery of a joint between a second housing section and a stand section in the housing according to the embodiment, as viewed from the depth direction of the housing. FIG. [Figure 17] 1 is a side view of an electric vehicle charging device according to an embodiment, viewed from the left side. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a rear view of the electric vehicle charging device according to the embodiment, showing the attachment and detachment direction of the charging connector. [Figure 19] 11A and 11B are diagrams showing scenes of maintenance, inspection, and other work performed on the first housing part. [Figure 20] 13A and 13B are diagrams showing scenes of maintenance and inspection work for the second and third housing parts and the fourth housing part. [Figure 21] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing an example of an installation layout of an electric vehicle charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an installation layout of an electric vehicle charging device according to an embodiment of the present invention; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an electric vehicle charging device 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "charging device 1") according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. For convenience of explanation, the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions appropriately indicated in each drawing are defined as the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions of the charging device 1, and the positions and orientations of the components will be described. In addition, the scale of each drawing has been appropriately changed for convenience of explanation. Also, in each drawing, some symbols may be omitted to make the drawing easier to see.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a charging device 1 according to this embodiment. The charging device 1 is a device for charging electric vehicles such as electric cars and plug-in hybrid cars. The charging device 1 is a charger that is installed, for example, in a private facility or a public facility along a public road and used by users. As an example, the charging device 1 is a two-vehicle charging type that can charge two electric vehicles simultaneously. A quick charging method is adopted as the charging method of the charging device 1. Note that when the charging device 1 is installed, for example, in a parking lot of an apartment building, a normal charging method may be adopted. The electric vehicle is not limited to an automobile, and may be a motorcycle.

[0011] The charging device 1 includes a housing 2 that houses a plurality of charging units 30 that convert power input from an AC power source 200, which is an external power source, into power for charging an electric vehicle. The housing 2 is in the shape of a thin box with a front-rear dimension set sufficiently smaller than the left-right and up-down dimensions. In the housing 2, as an example, the left-right and up-down dimensions are set to be substantially equal, and the front-rear dimension is set to a fraction (for example, about a quarter) of each of the left-right and up-down dimensions. The front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction are mutually orthogonal. A plurality of spaces S1 to S4 (see FIG. 2; reference numerals are omitted in other figures than FIG. 2) are formed inside the housing 2. Electrical devices required for charging an electric vehicle are housed in the spaces S1 to S4, separated according to their respective functions.

[0012] Operation boxes 4R and 4L are attached to the upper part of both sides in the left and right direction of the housing 2. These operation boxes 4 are formed in a box shape. They house devices necessary for operating the charging device 1. On the outer side in the left and right direction of each operation box 4, a display panel 41 that displays the usage status of the charging device 1, an operation instruction picture 42 that explains the procedure for operating the charging device 1, an operation button 43 for operating the charging device 1, a card reader 44 for payment, etc. are provided. These constitute an operation unit 15 of the charging device 1, which will be described later. In addition, on both sides in the left and right direction at the top of the housing 2, a connector holder 50 that holds a charging connector 5 is attached to the lower side of each operation box 4R and 4L. One end of a charging cable 6 is connected to the left and right charging connectors 5 (only one charging connector 5 is shown in FIG. 1), and the other end of the charging cable 6 is connected to the lower surface of the operation box 4R and 4L, respectively.

[0013] 2 shows a block diagram of the charging device 1. As an example, the charging device 1 is a charger that charges an electric vehicle by a rapid charging method, and has a power conversion unit 3 that converts AC power input from an AC power source 200 such as a commercial power source into high-output DC power. The charging device 1 supplies the high-output DC power output from the power conversion unit 3 to a battery (not shown) mounted on the electric vehicle via a charging connector 5. As a result, the charging device 1 is configured to be able to shorten the charging time compared to a normal charging method that charges with the same output as a commercial power source or the like.

[0014] The power conversion section 3 of this embodiment is composed of four charging units 30 connected in parallel. Each charging unit 30 has a rectifier circuit 30A, a boost circuit 30B, and a converter circuit 30C. The rectifier circuit 30A rectifies and outputs AC power supplied from the AC power source 200. The boost circuit 30B boosts and outputs the power output from the rectifier circuit 30A. The converter circuit 30C converts and controls the power output from the boost circuit 30B to a charging voltage. In this way, each charging unit converts the power input from the input side into high-output DC power. Each charging unit 30 is arranged in a first space S1 provided inside the housing 2 because circuit components such as semiconductor elements and coils that constitute the rectifier circuit 30A, the boost circuit 30B, and the converter circuit 30C generate heat during operation. The first space S1 is formed inside the first housing section 210 provided in the center of the housing 2.

[0015] The charging device 1 includes an output control unit 8 that controls the power output from the charging unit 30, and a charging control unit 9 that controls charging with the power output from the charging unit 30. These control units have a control device equipped with at least one processor (CPU), and are configured to be able to communicate with each other using a predetermined communication standard such as CAN communication.

[0016] An input control device that controls the power supplied (input) from the AC power source 200 is connected to the input side of the charging unit 30 in a broad sense. As an example, a leakage current shielding unit 10A is provided between the AC power source 200 and the charging unit 30. The leakage current shielding unit 10A is configured with a known leakage current shield. The leakage current shielding unit 10A is usually in an ON state that opens the primary side circuit, but has a function of turning OFF and closing the primary side circuit when an overcurrent or leakage current is detected in the primary side circuit. In addition, a noise-cutting capacitor (not shown) is connected between the AC power source 200 and the leakage current shielding unit 10A. Furthermore, a filter device 10B for removing noise from the power input to the multiple charging units 30 is connected between the leakage current shielding unit 10A and the charging unit 30.

[0017] The input control device including the leakage current shielding unit 10A is disposed in a third space S3 provided adjacent to the first space S1 in the left-right direction inside the housing 2. This third space S3 is formed inside the second housing 211R disposed on one side (here, the right side) in the left-right direction with respect to the first housing 210. In addition to the leakage current shielding unit 10A and the filter device 10B, a DB unit 11 is disposed in the third space S3. The DB unit 11 is connected between the charging unit 30 and the charging connector 5 of the operation box 4R on the right side of the housing 2 on the output side (secondary side) of the charging unit 30. The DB unit 11 is configured with a reverse current prevention circuit including a plurality of diodes, and has a function of preventing a reverse current flow between the charging unit 30 and the battery of the electric vehicle.

[0018] The output control unit 8 is connected to the output side of the charging unit 30 and controls the power output from the charging unit 30. For example, the output control unit 8 controls the ON / OFF of the relay unit 12 based on a signal from the charging control unit 9, thereby supplying the power output from each charging unit 30 to the charging connectors 5 of the left and right operation boxes 4R and 4L. When the relay unit 12 is in the ON state, it relays the power supply from the corresponding charging unit 30. When the relay unit 12 is in the OFF state, it blocks the power supply from the corresponding charging unit 30. In this way, the power supplied to the left and right charging connectors 5 can be controlled by the control of the output control unit 8. The output control unit 8 and the relay unit 12 constitute an output control device 13 that controls the power output from the multiple charging units 30 to the electric vehicle. In addition, the output control unit 8 monitors the internal temperature of the charging unit 30 and the operation of the intake fan based on signals from various sensors mounted on the charging unit 30. The output control unit 8 and the relay unit 12 are disposed in a fourth space S4 provided adjacent to the first space S1 in the left-right direction on the opposite side of the third space S3 inside the housing 2. The fourth space S4 is formed inside the third housing 211L disposed on the other side (here, the left side) in the left-right direction with respect to the first housing 210. In addition to the output control unit 8, the fourth space S4 accommodates a DB unit 11. The DB unit 11 in the fourth space S4 is connected between the charging unit 30 and the charging connector 5 of the operation box 4L on the left side of the housing 2 on the output side of the charging unit 30, and prevents a reverse current from flowing between the charging unit 30 and the battery of the electric vehicle.

[0019] Furthermore, the relay unit 12 in the fourth space S4 and the DB unit 11 arranged in the third space S3 are electrically connected by a wiring 14, and a current output from the relay unit 12 in the fourth space S4 is input to the DB unit 11 in the third space S3 via the wiring 14. This wiring 14 generates heat when current is applied, and so is routed to the third space S3 through the second space S2 provided above the first space S1 inside the first housing 210.

[0020] The power output from the third space S3 and the fourth space S4 of the housing 2 is supplied to the charging connector 5 via the charging cable 6 connected to the left and right operation boxes 4R, 4L. A charging control unit 9 and an operation unit 15 are arranged in each of these operation boxes 4R, 4L. The charging control unit 9 is configured to be able to communicate with the electric vehicle using a predetermined communication means such as CAN communication. The charging control unit 9 receives a control signal from the electric vehicle via the charging connector 5 connected to the charging plug of the electric vehicle. The signal received from the electric vehicle includes a command value for the charging current and a signal related to the start or end of charging. The charging control unit 9 receives a signal transmitted from the electric vehicle, determines the power output from the charging device 1 based on the received signal, and controls the start and end of charging. The charging control unit 9 is connected to the operation unit 15. The operation unit 15 is configured to include the above-mentioned display panel 41, the picture 42 showing the operation instructions, the operation button 43, the card reader 44, and the like (see FIG. 1). The charge control unit 9 and the operation unit 15 are disposed in the operation boxes 4R and 4L, and are partitioned from the third space S3 and the fourth space S4 in which the DB unit 11 is housed. This makes it possible to suppress the transfer of heat generated by the diodes constituting the DB unit 11 to the charge control unit 9 and the operation unit 15.

[0021] As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the housing 2 includes a skeleton 21 that is substantially U-shaped (a square shape with an open upper side) when viewed from the front-rear direction. As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of design panels 22 to 28 that form the design surface of the housing 2 are attached to the skeleton 21. These design panels 22 to 28 are formed, for example, by NC processing or bending processing of a sheet metal material. These design panels 22 to 28 are fixed to the skeleton 21 by, for example, screws. Note that Fig. 1 shows the front (front) side of the housing 2, but the rear side of the housing 2 is provided with design panels 24 to 28 similar to the design panels 24 to 28.

[0022] The above-mentioned skeleton 21 includes the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, a stand 212, a pair of front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213, a pair of front and rear panel support parts 214, an upper panel support part 215, and a pair of left and right mounting parts 216. The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, the stand 212, the front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213, the front and rear panel support parts 214, the upper panel support part 215, and the left and right mounting parts 216 are all made of, for example, sheet metal material. The space between the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L in the skeleton 21 is covered with design panels 22-28. The design panels 22-28 and the stand 212 form the first housing part 210. The space inside the first housing 210 is divided into upper and lower parts by a partition (not shown), with the lower space being the first space S1 and the upper space being the second space S2. Four charging units 30 are disposed in the first space S1. The second space S2 is used as a wiring housing section, in which the wiring 14 is housed (wired).

[0023] 3 to 9, the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are each formed in a hollow rectangular column shape (long box shape) extending in the vertical direction, and constitute both sides in the width direction of the housing 2. The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are formed by joining together a plurality of sheet metal panels formed through NC processing or bending processing by means of welding, bolt fastening, or the like. The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are basically of the same configuration except that they are formed in a symmetrical shape in the left-right direction.

[0024] The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L have a front wall 2111 and a rear wall 2112 (see Figs. 8 and 9) arranged to face each other in the front-rear direction, an outer wall 2113 and an inner wall 2114 arranged to face each other in the left-right direction, and an upper wall 2115 and a lower wall 2116 (see Fig. 9) arranged to face each other in the up-down direction. As shown in Fig. 9, the inner wall 2114 is arranged inside the outer wall 2113 in the left-right direction, and the lower wall 2116 extends from the lower end of the inner wall 2114 to the outside in the left-right direction. The front wall 2111, the rear wall 2112, and the outer wall 2113 extend downward beyond the inner wall 2114 and the lower wall 2116. As a result, a stepped portion 2117 is formed at the lower end of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. This step 2117 is formed by a corner between the inner wall 2114 and the lower wall 2116, and is disposed above and spaced apart from the installation surface of the housing 2.

[0025] A fixing piece 2118 extending outward in the front-rear direction is formed on the inner side in the left-right direction at each lower end of the front wall 2111 and the rear wall 2112. A bolt insertion hole BH1 penetrating each fixing piece 2118 in the up-down direction is formed in each fixing piece 2118. In addition, a slit S cut toward the upper side is formed near the center in the left-right direction at each lower end of the front wall 2111 and the rear wall 2112. The fixing piece 2118 and the slit S correspond to a mounting portion 216 described later.

[0026] 3 to 6 and 10, the stand 212 is formed in a generally long frame box shape extending in the left-right direction, and constitutes the bottom of the first housing 210. On the upper surface of the stand 212, as shown in Fig. 3, the above-mentioned multiple charging units 30 (four in this example) are placed. These charging units 30 are in the shape of vertically long rectangular parallelepipeds, and are accommodated in the first housing 210 in a state of being lined up in a row in the left-right direction.

[0027] The above-mentioned stand 212 is configured by joining together a plurality of sheet metal panels formed through NC processing or bending processing by means of welding, bolt fastening, etc. The stand 212 has a front wall 2121 and a rear wall 2122 arranged opposite each other in the front-rear direction, an upper wall 2123 connecting the upper ends of the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 in the front-rear direction, and a pair of front and rear lower walls 2124 extending inward (toward the center) in the front-rear direction from the lower ends of the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122. Note that in this embodiment, the lower wall 2124 is divided into front and rear, but the front and rear lower walls 2124 may be configured to be connected together as one unit.

[0028] A number of circular through holes TH1 are formed in the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 in a row in the left-right direction, and a number of rectangular through holes TH2 are formed in the upper wall 2123 in a row in the left-right direction. The number of through holes TH2 formed in the upper wall 2123 is arranged below the number of charging units 30. In addition, a pair of left and right cutouts NT are formed in the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 in a row in the left-right direction. The left and right cutouts NT are cut out from the lower side and have a rectangular shape when viewed from the front-rear direction. The left and right cutouts NT are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the stand part 212 in the left-right direction. These cutouts NT are cutouts into which the left and right forks of a forklift are inserted when the charging device 1 is transported by the forklift.

[0029] Between the left and right notches NT formed in the front wall 2121 and the left and right notches NT formed in the rear wall 2122, fork abutment plates 2125 serving as abutment surfaces for the left and right forks are respectively bridged. The left and right fork abutment plates 2125 are formed by bending a metal plate into a U-shaped cross section. These fork abutment plates 2125 are arranged with the lower side open when viewed from the front-rear direction, and are joined to the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 by means of welding or the like. Each fork abutment plate 2125 has a plurality of (here, three) circular through holes TH3 formed in a line in the front-rear direction, penetrating each fork abutment plate 2125 in the up-down direction. The through holes TH1, TH2, and TH3 form an intake port for guiding cooling air (outside air) to the charging unit 30.

[0030] The front and rear lower walls 2124 extending from the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 are divided in the left-right direction at the location where the left and right cutouts NT are formed. In each lower wall 2124, a plurality of (three in this example) bolt insertion holes BH2 are formed aligned in the left-right direction, penetrating each lower wall 2124 in the up-down direction. A bolt (not shown) is inserted into each of these bolt insertion holes BH2, and the mounting unit 212 can be fastened (bolted) to the installation surface of the housing 2 using these bolts. During this fastening work, for example, a tool is engaged with each of the bolts through a plurality of through holes TH1 formed in the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122. When the installation of the charging device 1 on the installation surface is completed, these bolts are covered by the design panel 28 shown in FIG. 1, and therefore cannot be seen from outside the charging device 1.

[0031] Both left and right ends of the stand 212 and the lower ends of the second and third housings 211R, 211L are fixed to each other via the mounting parts 216 shown in Figs. 3 to 8 and 10 to 12, respectively. As a result, the lower ends of the second and third housings 211R, 211L are connected to each other in the left and right direction via the left and right mounting parts 216 and the stand 212. The left and right mounting parts 216 are formed by molding a sheet metal material through NC processing or bending processing, and are formed into the same shape, but are arranged in opposite positions to each other in the left and right direction. The left and right mounting parts 216 are fixed to the lower ends of the second and third housings 211R, 211L by means of welding or the like.

[0032] 7, 8, 10 to 12, each mounting portion 216 has a flat base portion 2161 extending in the front-rear direction, and walls 2162, 2163 extending upward from both left and right ends of the base portion 2161, and the left and right cross-sectional shape is a U-shape that is open upward. The base portion 2161 of each mounting portion 216 is disposed in contact with the installation surface of the housing 2. A plurality of water drainage holes DH (here, a pair of front and rear holes) are formed in the bent portion between the base portion 2161 and the wall portion 2162.

[0033] As shown in Figs. 3 to 8, each mounting portion 216 protrudes outward from both front-rear side surfaces of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, respectively, and is formed as a protruding portion 216A. Each protruding portion 216A includes both front-rear end portions of the base portion 2161 of each mounting portion 216. Front and rear fixing pieces 2118 formed at the lower end portions of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are superimposed on the upper surfaces of both front-rear end portions of each base portion 2161. In addition, wall portions 2162, which are part of each mounting portion 216, are inserted into front and rear slits S formed at the lower end portions of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L.

[0034] A bolt insertion hole BH3 is formed in each of the protruding portions 216A of the mounting parts 216. These bolt insertion holes BH3 vertically penetrate both front-rear end portions of the base 2161. These bolt insertion holes BH3 are arranged coaxially with the bolt insertion holes BH1 formed in the front and rear fixing pieces 2118. Bolts (not shown) are inserted into the bolt insertion holes BH1, BH3, and the mounting parts 216 are fastened (bolted) to the installation surface of the housing 2 using the bolts.

[0035] 10 to 12, a flat first extension portion 2165 extends upward from a middle portion in the front-rear direction of the wall portion 2163. The dimension in the front-rear direction of this first extension portion 2165 is set to be smaller than the dimension in the front-rear direction of the wall portion 2163. The first extension portion 2165 of each mounting portion 216 is interposed between the second and third housing portions 211R, 211L and the stand portion 212, respectively.

[0036] In addition, a through hole TH4 is formed in the center of the first extension portion 2165, penetrating the first extension portion 2165 in the left-right direction. This through hole TH4 has an elongated rectangular shape with the longitudinal direction as viewed from the left-right direction. This through hole TH4 is used as a wiring hole through which the wiring connecting the AC power supply 200 and the earth leakage shielding portion 10A is inserted. A bent portion BP bent inward in the left-right direction is formed at the lower edge of this through hole TH4. This bent portion BP has a function of supporting the above-mentioned wiring from the lower side, for example. Note that the above-mentioned wiring may not be inserted through the through hole TH4. In that case, for example, the above-mentioned wiring is extended in the vertical direction on the outside of the left-right direction with respect to the wall portion 2162 of the installation portion 216, and the above-mentioned wiring is tied to the installation portion 216 using a cable band not shown. Specifically, the above-mentioned wiring is tied to the wall portion 2162 using a cable band inserted into any of the multiple cable band holes UH shown in FIG. 11.

[0037] A second extension portion 2166 extends from the upper end of the first extension portion 2165 toward the upper surface side (inner side in the left-right direction) of the stand portion 212. This second extension portion 2166 corresponds to the "upper surface fastening portion" in the present invention. This second extension portion 2166 is formed in a flat plate shape with the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction and the plate thickness direction being the up-down direction. This second extension portion 2166 is overlapped from above with both ends in the left-right direction of the upper wall 2123 of the stand portion 212. On the upper surface of the second extension portion 2166 of each mounting portion 216, a step portion 2117 formed at the lower end of the second and third housing portions 211R, 211L is placed. Specifically, the step portion 2117 abuts (engages) against the upper surface of the outer part in the left-right direction of the second extension portion 2166, and the step portion 2117 engages with the upper surface of the stand portion 212 via the second extension portion 2166.

[0038] At both ends in the front-rear direction of the second extending portion 2166, a pair of front and rear bolt insertion holes BH4 are formed, which penetrate the second extending portion 2166 in the up-down direction. Although not shown, a pair of front and rear bolt insertion holes are formed in the upper wall 2123 of the mounting portion 212 at positions facing the front and rear bolt insertion holes BH4. Bolts (not shown) are inserted from above into the front and rear bolt insertion holes BH4 formed in the second extending portion 2166 and the front and rear bolt insertion holes formed in the upper wall 2123. These bolts are screwed into a pair of front and rear weld nuts WN1 (see FIG. 5) welded to the lower surface of the upper wall 2123. As a result, the second extending portion 2166 is fastened (bolted) to the upper surface of the mounting portion 212.

[0039] Further, a pair of front and rear upward protrusions 2167 extend upward from both front and rear ends of the second extension portion 2166. The outer left and right ends of the upper protrusions 2167 of each mounting portion 216 are in contact with the inner walls 2114 of the second and third housing portions 211R, 211L from the inside in the left and right direction, and are joined to the inner walls 2114 by means of welding or the like. These upper protrusions 2167 are formed with female thread portions SP into which screws (not shown) are screwed to fasten the design panel 24 or the design panel 25 to the housing 2.

[0040] 7, 8, and 10 to 12, a pair of front and rear side fastening portions 2168 extend from both front and rear end portions of the first extending portion 2165 toward both sides in the front and rear direction of the stand portion 212. The front and rear side fastening portions 2168 are overlapped from the inside in the front and rear direction with the left and right end portions of the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 of the stand portion 212. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, a bolt insertion hole BH5 penetrating the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 in the front and rear direction is formed in the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 at the locations where the front and rear side fastening portions 2168 are overlapped.

[0041] 7, 8, 11, and 12, the front and rear side fastening parts 2168 are formed with bolt insertion holes BH6 penetrating the front and rear side fastening parts 2168 in the front-rear direction. Bolts (not shown) are inserted from the outside in the front-rear direction into the bolt insertion holes BH5 formed in the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 and the bolt insertion holes BH6 formed in the front and rear side fastening parts 2168. These bolts are screwed into a pair of front and rear weld nuts WN2 (see FIG. 11) welded to the inner surfaces in the front-rear direction of the front and rear side fastening parts 2168. As a result, the first extension part 2165 is fastened (bolted) to both sides in the front-rear direction of the stand part 212.

[0042] As described above, in this embodiment, the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212 are firmly connected via the left and right mounting parts 216. In addition, in this embodiment, the upper parts of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are connected in the left-right direction by a pair of front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213. The front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213 are manufactured by molding a sheet metal material through NC processing or bending processing, and have an elongated shape with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction. The front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213 have a cross-sectional shape that is approximately U-shaped with the outer side in the front-rear direction open when viewed from the left-right direction. Both ends in the left-right direction of each upper reinforcement part 213 are fixed to the outer ends in the front-rear direction of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L by means of bolt fastening or the like.

[0043] These upper reinforcing parts 213 regulate the relative displacement of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. These upper reinforcing parts 213 effectively reinforce the housing 2, particularly when the charging device 1 is hoisted by a crane. That is, a plurality of hoists (not shown) are attached to the upper ends of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L instead of the plurality of bolts 7 shown in FIG. 1, and the housing 2 is hoisted by a crane using the hoists and wires (not shown). At this time, a load is applied to the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L in a direction approaching each other in the left-right direction, but the load is supported by the front and rear upper reinforcing parts 213. This prevents deformation of the housing 2 with a simple configuration.

[0044] The front and rear panel support parts 214 are respectively bridged between the left-right center part of each upper reinforcement part 213 and the left-right center part of the stand part 212. The front and rear panel support parts 214 are manufactured by molding a sheet metal material through NC processing or bending processing, and are long in the vertical direction. The front and rear panel support parts 214 are generally U-shaped in cross section with the outer side in the front-rear direction open when viewed from the vertical direction. The upper end part of each panel support part 214 is fixed to the front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213 by means such as bolt fastening. The lower end part of each panel support part 214 is fixed to both ends in the front-rear direction of the stand part 212 by means such as bolt fastening. The front and rear panel support parts 214 and the front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213 are respectively screwed to the design panels 24, 25 shown in FIG. 1.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, the upper panel support part 215 is bridged between the upper ends of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. The upper panel support part 215 is manufactured by forming a sheet metal material through NC processing and bending processing, and has an elongated shape with the left-right direction as the longitudinal direction. The upper panel support part 215 has a cross section of a substantially U-shape with the upper side open when viewed from the left-right direction. Both ends in the left-right direction of the upper panel support part 215 are fixed to the upper end surfaces of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, respectively, by means of bolt fastening or the like. The design panels 22, 23 shown in Fig. 1 are screwed to the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, respectively.

[0046] (Operation Procedure) Next, the operating procedure of the electric vehicle charging device 1 will be described. Fig. 17 shows the left side of the housing 2 of the electric vehicle charging device 1. As shown in this figure, the operation unit 15 provided on the left side of the housing 2 has an operation box 4L fixed to the left side of the housing 2. As described above, the charging cable 6 extends from the underside of the operation box 4L, and the charging connector 5 provided at the tip of the charging cable 6 is held by the connector holder 50. The connector holder 50 is provided at a height below the operation unit 15 on the rear surface of the housing 2.

[0047] Here, the connector holder 50 is formed in a rectangular box shape that opens on the outer side in the left-right direction of the housing 2 (left side in FIG. 17), and has a connector support part (not shown) capable of supporting the charging connector 5 on the inside. The charging connector 5 is held by the connector holder 50 by inserting the tip of the charging connector 5 through the opening 52 of the connector holder 50. As described above, in this embodiment, the operation surface of the operation unit 15 including the display panel 41 and the like is arranged facing the left-right direction of the housing 2 (left direction in FIG. 17). When the user operates the electric vehicle charging device 1, as shown in FIG. 18, the user operates the operation unit 15 with the spaces on both the left and right sides of the housing 2 as operation spaces Q. Furthermore, the user can grip the charging connector 5 from the position of the operation space Q and attach / detach the charging connector 5 to / from the connector holder 50 with the left-right direction as the attachment / detachment direction.

[0048] As shown in Figs. 1 and 17, the housing 2 has a hook-shaped cable holding portion 54 on a side surface in the front-rear direction. The cable holding portion 54 hooks and holds the middle portion of the charging cable 6, thereby enabling the charging cable 6 to be held along the side surface in the front-rear direction of the housing 2. That is, the housing 2 can hold the charging cable 6 along a side surface different from the side surface (both left and right sides) on which the operation surface of the operation unit 15 is provided. Therefore, when the user moves the charging connector 5 to the position of the power supply plug of the electric vehicle, the charging cable 6 can be routed without stepping on the charging cable 6. In this embodiment, the two cable holding portions 54 are fixed to the design panels 24, 25 that form the front surface (front face) of the first housing portion 210, respectively.

[0049] (Maintenance and inspection procedures) Next, there will be described procedures for maintaining and inspecting the electric vehicle charging equipment 1. The maintenance and inspection of the electric vehicle charging equipment 1 is performed through first to third opening and closing means D1, D2, and D3 provided on the side surface of the housing 2.

[0050] As shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 19, the first opening / closing means D1 is composed of design panels 24, 25, and 28 provided on the side surfaces in the front-rear direction of the first housing part 210. A worker can access the inside of the first housing part 210 by removing the design panels 24, 25, and 28 screwed to the skeleton part 21 of the housing 2 from the front (front) side or rear side of the first housing part 210 (see Fig. 19). From this first opening / closing means D1, the work of inspecting or replacing the charging unit 30 can be performed. In particular, the replacement work of the charging unit 30 involves moving the charging unit 30, which is a large and heavy object, so it is necessary to secure a sufficient working space. For this reason, as shown in Figs. 19, 21(A), and 21(B), it is preferable that at least one of the side surfaces in the front-rear direction of the housing 2 is arranged facing the parking space P for the electric vehicle. This allows the parking space P to be used as a working space A1 for maintenance of the first housing part 210, etc. The first opening / closing means may be configured as an openable / closable door portion.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 14, and FIG. 17, the second opening / closing means D2 is provided at the lower part of the side surface in the left and right direction of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. As an example, the second opening / closing means D2 is configured as a door part. An operator can open the door part of the second opening / closing means D2 from the left and right outside of the housing 2 to access the inside of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. In addition to the connection work of the input terminal for receiving electricity performed when installing the electric vehicle charging device 1 and the operation of the earth leakage shield (10A), the second opening / closing means D2 can be used to perform software update work on the control board of the output control unit 8. In this embodiment, the input terminal and the earth leakage shield are operated through the second opening / closing means D2 of the second housing part 211R on the right side, and the control board of the output control unit 8 can be operated through the second opening / closing means D2 of the third housing part 211L on the left side. The second opening / closing means D2 (door) of the second housing 211R is configured to open rearward around a hinge (rotating shaft) provided on the rear end side of the second housing 211R. The second opening / closing means D2 (door) of the third housing 211L is configured to open rearward around a hinge provided on the rear end side of the third housing 211L. In this manner, both the second opening / closing means D2 of the second and third housings 211R, 211L are configured to open rearward. Therefore, even if the rear side of the electric vehicle charging device 1 is placed close to a building or the like, it is easy to perform work by opening the second opening / closing means D2, and workability can be improved.

[0052] As described above, the second opening / closing means D2 is disposed at the lower part of the left and right side of the housing 2, so that the worker needs to work in a crouched position. For this reason, it is preferable to configure the door part of the second opening / closing means D2 to open and close toward the parking space P side of the electric vehicle, as shown in Fig. 20. This makes it easier to use the parking space P as well as the work space A2 on both the left and right sides of the housing 2 as a work space for maintenance of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, thereby improving workability. The second opening / closing means D2 may be configured of a panel member screwed to the side of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L.

[0053] As shown in Figs. 1, 3, 17 and 19, third opening / closing means D3 are provided on the left and right side surfaces of the left and right operation boxes 4R, 4L as the fourth housing parts. As an example, the third opening / closing means D3 is configured as a door part. An operator can open the door part of the third opening / closing means D3 from the left and right outside of the housing 2 to access the inside of the operation boxes 4R, 4L. Through this second opening / closing means D2, an operator can inspect the operation part 15 and the charging control part 9, and detach the charging cable from the output terminal when replacing the charging cable 6. The third opening / closing means D3 may be configured as a panel member screwed to the side surfaces of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L.

[0054] As described above, in order to operate the electric vehicle charging equipment 1 for a long period of time, it is necessary to secure installation space taking into consideration not only the area occupied by the housing 2, but also operation space for the user and work space for maintenance, etc.

[0055] 21(A) and 21(B), in this embodiment, the spaces on both the front and rear sides of the housing 2 are used as a work space A1 for maintenance or the like for the first housing unit 210, and the spaces on both the left and right sides of the housing 2 are used as a work space A2 for maintenance or the like for the second and third housing units 211R, 211L and the operation boxes 4R, 4L. In addition, the spaces on both the left and right sides of the housing 2 are also used as an operation space Q for the user to operate the operation unit 15.

[0056] In this way, in the electric vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment, compared to a conventional structure in which a work space for maintenance and a user's operation space are concentrated in the front-rear direction of the housing, the work space and operation space according to various uses are also distributed in the left-right direction of the housing. Therefore, the required installation space can be reduced in the front-rear direction, and the installation space can be secured even in a layout in which the rear side of the housing 2 is close to the wall 60 of the building or a layout in which two parking spaces P are provided on both the front and rear sides of the housing 2.

[0057] Incidentally, when the front-rear side of the housing 2 is arranged facing the parking space, it is necessary to arrange a protective barrier 62 (see FIG. 21(A)) between the housing 2 and the parking space P. Here, when an operation unit is provided on the front-rear side of the housing, it is necessary to secure an operation space for the user between the housing 2 and the barrier 62, so the installation space becomes large in the front-rear direction. In contrast, in this embodiment, the spaces on both the left and right sides of the housing 2 become the operation space Q, so the distance between the front-rear side of the housing 2 and the barrier 62 (and thus the parking space P) can be set small. In addition, the layout is such that the barrier 64 (see FIG. 21(B)) for protecting the user is also arranged on both the left and right sides of the housing 2. Therefore, the installation space of the housing 2 does not expand in the front-rear direction.

[0058] (Installation layout variations) Next, with reference to FIG. 22, a variation of the installation layout of the electric vehicle charging device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in this figure, the box-shaped operation boxes 4R, 4L of the operation unit 15 are fixed to the upper part of the left and right side surfaces of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. However, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of hollow box-shaped housings are connected to form the housing 2, and inside each housing, electrical devices necessary for charging the electric vehicle are housed separately for each predetermined function. The operation boxes 4R, 4L as the fourth housing part are provided with the functions of the operation unit 15 operated by the user and the charging control unit 9 in an integrated manner. Therefore, it is possible to arrange the operation boxes 4R, 4L separately from the housing 2 equipped with the charging unit 30 according to the conditions of the installation location.

[0059] 22 shows an example in which the operation boxes 4R, 4L fixed to both the left and right sides of the housing 2 are provided separately from the housing 2. As shown in this figure, the operation boxes 4R, 4L are each fixed to a long, columnar stand 70 including a connector holder 50 and a cable holding portion 54. In this case, one end of the charging cable 6 is connected to an output terminal (not shown) inside the second and third housing portions 211R, 211L, passes underground of the installation surface of the housing 2, and is connected to the operation boxes 4R, 4L from inside the stand 70.

[0060] (Action and Effects) Next, the operation and effects of this embodiment will be described.

[0061] In the electric vehicle charging device 1 configured as above, the housing 2 includes a first housing section 210 and second and third housing sections 211R, 211L arranged on both the left and right sides of the first housing section 210. The first housing section 210 accommodates a plurality of charging units 30 aligned in a row in the left-right direction. The second housing section 211R accommodates a filter device 10B, and the third housing section 211L accommodates an output control device 13. Since the first to third housing sections 210, 211R, 211L aligned in the left-right direction can accommodate a plurality of charging units 30, devices related to the power input to the charging units 30, and devices related to the power output from the charging units 30, respectively, the housing 2 can be made compact. In addition, since the first housing section 210 accommodates a plurality of charging units 30 aligned in a row in the left-right direction, the housing 2 can be made thin in the front-rear direction. As a result, it is easy to ensure an installation space for the charging device 1.

[0062] In addition, both sides in the left-right direction of the housing 2 are composed of second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are each formed in a hollow column shape extending in the up-down direction of the housing 2. An installation part 216 is fixed to the lower end of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. Each installation part 216 protrudes outward from both side surfaces in the front-rear direction of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, and the protruding part 216A is bolted to the installation surface of the housing 2. This makes it easier to ensure earthquake resistance even if the housing 2 is thin in the front-rear direction.

[0063] In other words, since it becomes easier to ensure earthquake resistance as described above, it becomes easier to make the housing 2 thinner in the front-rear direction, and it becomes easier to secure installation space for the charging device 1 in a parking lot, etc. This makes it possible to optimally install the charging device 1 in a narrow space between a parking space in a parking lot and a building, etc.

[0064] Moreover, each of the mounting parts 216 has a flat base 2161 extending in the front-rear direction, and walls 2162, 2163 extending upward from both left and right ends of the base 2161, and has a left-right cross-sectional shape that is U-shaped and open upward. These mounting parts 216 have high strength against a front-rear load applied to the housing 2 during an earthquake, etc., making it even easier to ensure earthquake resistance.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the first housing 210 has a base 212 that constitutes a bottom portion, and a plurality of charging units 30 are placed on the base 212. Here, the second and third housings 211R, 211L arranged on the left and right of the first housing 210 are fixed to the base 212 via the mounting portion 216. As described above, the mounting portion 216 has a protruding portion 216A that fixes the housing 2 to an installation surface. In this manner, in the electric vehicle charging device 1, the connecting portion that connects the first to third housings 210, 211R, 211L and the fixing portion that fixes the housing 2 connected to them to an installation surface are integrally provided on the mounting portion 216. As a result, the number of parts can be reduced, and the first to third housings 210, 211R, 211L can be easily positioned.

[0066] Further, each of the mounting parts 216 has a flat first extension part 2165 interposed between the lower end of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212, and a second extension part 2166 extending from the upper end of the first extension part 2165 to the upper surface side of the stand part 212 and bolted to the upper surface of the stand part 212. This allows the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212 to be firmly connected via the left and right mounting parts 216. As a result, it becomes easier to ensure the connection strength between the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212 against a left-right load applied to the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L during an earthquake or the like.

[0067] Further, each of the mounting parts 216 extends to both sides in the front-rear direction of the stand part 212 and has a pair of front and rear side fastening parts 2168 fastened with bolts to both sides in the front-rear direction of the stand part 212. This makes it possible to more firmly connect the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212 via the left and right mounting parts 216. As a result, it becomes easier to ensure the connection strength between the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212 against a left-right load applied to the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L during an earthquake or the like.

[0068] Further, a step-like step 2117 that engages with the upper surface of the stand 212 via the second extension 2166 is formed at the lower end of the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L. This step 2117 is supported from below by the stand 212 via the second extension 2166. As a result, even if a load in the left-right direction is applied to the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L, the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L are less likely to tilt inward in the left-right direction. In other words, when the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L try to tilt inward in the left-right direction, the step 2117 receives an upward reaction force from the stand 212 via the second extension 2166, thereby suppressing the tilt. As a result, it becomes easier to ensure the strength of the housing 2 against the left-right load applied to the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L during an earthquake or the like.

[0069] The stand 212 also has a front wall 2121 and a rear wall 2122 arranged opposite to each other in the front-rear direction, and front and rear bottom walls 2124 extending inward in the front-rear direction from the lower ends of the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122. These bottom walls 2124 are configured to be bolted to the installation surface of the housing 2. When the installation of the charging device 1 on the installation surface is completed, the bolt-fastened portions of these bottom walls 2124 are covered by the design panel 28 shown in FIG. 1 and cannot be seen from outside the charging device 1. This makes it easier to prevent, for example, theft of the charging device 1.

[0070] That is, in the above embodiment, the design panel 28 is disposed as a screen panel member covering the front-rear side surface of the stand unit 212. However, in a large charging device, the fixing portion between the housing of the device and the installation surface is often disposed inside such a screen panel member. In such a case, the dimensions of the fixing portion affect the external size of the housing and the installation space of the device, so that if the earthquake resistance performance of the device is prioritized, there are cases where it is not possible to downsize the device or ensure the installation space. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the installation portion 216 is fixed to the lower end portions of the second and third housing units 211R and 211L, respectively, and protrudes outward from both sides of the design panel 28 of the first housing unit 210. Therefore, the dimensions of the protruding portions of the installation portion 216 prevent the external size of the housing 2 from increasing in the front-rear direction, making it easier to ensure the installation space.

[0071] Additionally, the upper portions of the second and third housing portions 211R, 211L are connected in the left-right direction by front and rear upper reinforcing portions 213. As a result, for example, when the charging device 1 is hoisted by a crane, the inward load in the left-right direction applied to the second and third housing portions 211R, 211L can be supported by each upper reinforcing portion 213. As a result, deformation of the housing 2 can be effectively prevented with a simple configuration.

[0072] The above-mentioned effects will be further explained below with reference to Figs. 13 to 18. Figs. 13 to 15 are schematic diagrams of a first comparative example. In this first comparative example, the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212 are directly fastened to each other using a pair of front and rear bolts B and nuts N (not shown in Fig. 13), and the left and right mounting parts 216 are omitted. The front and rear bolts B and nuts N are arranged with the left and right direction as the axial direction.

[0073] In this first comparative example, against a load FX in the front-rear direction applied to the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, the fastening strength of the front and rear bolts B and nuts N and the shear strength of the bolts B ensure the connection strength between the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212. Also, against a load FY in the left-right direction applied to the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, the tensile strength of the front and rear bolts B ensures the connection strength between the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212. The arrow SF shown in FIG. 14 indicates the shear force applied to the bolt B, and the arrow TF shown in FIG. 15 indicates the tensile force applied to the bolt B.

[0074] However, in this first comparative example, even if the fastening strength between the bolt B and the nut N is increased, there is a risk that the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L may move in the front-rear direction relative to the stand part 212 by an amount corresponding to a clearance between the insertion hole of the bolt B in the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L and the stand part 212 and the bolt B. After the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L move relative to the stand part 212, the strength of the housing 2 (the natural frequency of the housing 2) decreases.

[0075] In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 16, the reinforcing portion 2162 of the mounting portion 216 fixed to the lower ends of the second and third housing portions 211R, 211L is fastened to the upper surface of the stand portion 212 by a bolt B2 and a weld nut WN whose axial direction is the up-down direction. In this configuration, the above-mentioned movement can be prevented by the tensile strength of the bolt B2. Note that B1 shown in Fig. 16 is a bolt that fastens the mounting portion 216 to the installation surface.

[0076] Moreover, in this embodiment, the step 2117 formed at the lower end of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L is supported on the upper surface of the stand part 212 via the second extension part 2166 of the installation part 216, so that the movement of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L due to the load FY in the left-right direction can also be effectively suppressed. That is, in this embodiment, in addition to the strength of the bolt, the reaction force to the upward side that the step part 2117 receives from the upper surface of the stand part 212 can suppress the left-right vibration of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. This makes it possible to effectively suppress the movement of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L due to the load FY in the left-right direction.

[0077] In the above embodiment, if the problem that the invention aims to solve is understood as "making it easy to secure installation space," the problem can also be solved by the following configuration: "An electric vehicle charging device comprising a housing that houses a plurality of charging units that convert power input from an external power source into power for charging an electric vehicle, wherein the housing houses the plurality of charging units lined up in a row in the left-right direction, and the left-right sides of the housing are provided with an operation unit that can be operated by a user."

[0078] That is, the installation space of the electric vehicle charging device 1 needs to take into consideration the installation area of ​​the housing that houses the charging units, the user's operation space, and the work space for maintenance and inspection. According to the above configuration, the multiple charging units 30 are housed inside the housing 2 in a state of being lined up in a row in the left-right direction. In addition, an operation unit 15 that can be operated by the user is provided on the left-right side surface of the housing 2. As a result, the multiple charging units 30 and the operation unit 15 are arranged in a row in the left-right direction, so that the entire device is made thinner and lower in the front-rear direction, making it easier to ensure the installation space.

[0079] Furthermore, the operation unit 15 is provided on both the left and right side surfaces of the housing 2, and is configured to be capable of charging two electric vehicles. That is, in the housing 2, the configuration of the charging device for two vehicles is integrally provided side by side in the left-right direction. This makes it possible to collectively install charging equipment that can accommodate two electric vehicles in one location, making it easy to secure installation space. Furthermore, by arranging the operation unit 15 at positions spaced apart in the left-right direction, it becomes easy to secure the distance between the two electric vehicles during charging.

[0080] In addition, since the operation surface of the operation unit 15 is disposed in the left-right direction of the housing, the space on the left or right side of the housing 2 becomes the user's operation space. As a result, the housing 2 in which the charging unit 30 is housed and the user's operation space are arranged side by side in the left-right direction, so that the installation space in the front-rear direction can be minimized, making it easy to secure the installation space.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the electric vehicle charging device 1 has a charging cable 6 extending from the operation unit 15 (operation boxes 4R, 4L), a connector holder 50 provided below the operation unit 15, and a cable holding portion 54 provided on a side surface in the front-rear direction of the housing 2. Here, the connector holder 50 holds the charging connector 5 provided at the end of the charging cable 6 with the left-right direction of the housing 2 being the attachment / detachment direction. In addition, the cable holding portion 54 is configured to be able to hold the charging cable 6 along the side surface in the front-rear direction of the housing 2. Therefore, the charging cable 6 is held in the housing 2 at a position that avoids the operation space of the operation unit 15.

[0082] 18, the user can remove the charging connector 5 from the connector holder 50 while remaining in the operation space, and move the charging connector to the vehicle's power plug without stepping on the charging cable 6. This prevents the user from stepping on the charging cable during charging, and reduces wear on the charging cable.

[0083] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the operation unit 15 is fixed to the upper part of the left and right side surfaces of the housing 2, and has operation boxes 4R, 4L protruding from the side surfaces. Therefore, in the electric vehicle charging device 1, the operation unit 15 is disposed at a position protruding from the side surface of the housing 2, and a space is formed below the operation unit 15. As a result, even a user sitting in a wheelchair can operate the operation unit 15 by moving his / her body close to it, which improves convenience for the wheelchair user.

[0084] In this embodiment, the operation unit 15 is housed in the operation boxes 4R, 4L configured separately from the housing 2, so that the operation boxes 4R, 4L can be separated from the housing 2, and the housing 2 including the charging unit 30 and the user's operation unit 15 can be arranged separately, as shown in Fig. 22 as an example. This allows the layout when installing the operation unit to be appropriately changed depending on the conditions of the installation location, making it easy to secure the installation space.

[0085] In the above embodiment, if the problem that the invention aims to solve is understood as "making it easy to secure installation space," the problem can also be solved by the following configuration: "An electric vehicle charging device comprising a housing that houses a plurality of charging units that convert power input from an external power source into power for charging an electric vehicle, the housing houses the plurality of charging units lined up in a row in the left-right direction, the housing has a first opening / closing means provided on a side surface in the front-rear direction and a second opening / closing means provided on a side surface in the left-right direction, and the electric vehicle charging device is configured so that the inside of the housing can be accessed from the first and second opening / closing means."

[0086] That is, the installation space of the electric vehicle charging device 1 needs to take into consideration the installation area of ​​the housing that houses the charging unit, the user's operation space, and the work space for maintenance and inspection. According to the above configuration, the housing 2 has a first opening / closing means D1 provided on a side surface in the front-rear direction and a second opening / closing means D2 provided on a side surface in the left-right direction, and is configured so that the inside of the housing 2 can be accessed from the first and second opening / closing means D1, D2. Therefore, by performing work for maintenance and inspection inside the housing 2 from the first and second opening / closing means D1, D2, the necessary work space can be distributed in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the housing 2. As a result, the work space for maintenance and inspection is not concentrated in one place, making it easy to secure the installation space.

[0087] In this embodiment, the operation unit 15 is provided on the left and right side surfaces of the housing 2, so that the operation space of the operation unit 15 and the work space for maintenance and inspection via the second opening / closing means D2 share the same space. In this way, the operation space and the work space for maintenance and inspection can be efficiently arranged around the housing 2, making it easy to secure the installation space.

[0088] Furthermore, the operation unit 15 has operation boxes 4R, 4L fixed to the left and right side surfaces of the housing 2, and the operation boxes 4R, 4L are provided with third opening / closing means D3 that allows access to the inside. Therefore, the work space for maintenance and inspection of the operation unit 15 is also provided by sharing the same space as the operation space for the operation unit 15 and the work space for maintenance etc. via the second opening / closing means D2. This makes it even easier to secure the installation space.

[0089] In addition, in the electric vehicle charging device 1 of this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 21(A) and 21(B), the front-rear side of the housing 2 is arranged facing the parking space P, so that the installation layout can be optimized in consideration of securing the installation space and the workability of maintenance, etc. That is, since the front-rear side of the housing 2 is arranged facing the parking space P, the work space for maintenance, etc. via the first opening / closing means D1 and the parking space for the electric vehicle can be shared in the same space, so that the installation space can be easily secured. Furthermore, the second opening / closing means D2 provided at the bottom of the housing 2 is configured as a door portion, so that it can be easily opened and closed, and the work space for maintenance, etc. can be extended to the parking space P side. This reduces the burden on the worker when working in a crouched-down position, and improves the workability of maintenance, etc.

[0090] [supplementary explanation] In the above embodiment, the upper reinforcement parts 213 are provided on the front and rear sides of the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L, connecting the upper parts of the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L in the left-right direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the design panels 22 and 23 shown in FIG. 1 may be configured to double as the upper reinforcement parts.

[0091] In the above embodiment, the stand unit 212 includes front and rear bottom walls 2124 extending inward in the front-rear direction from the lower ends of the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122, and these bottom walls 2124 are fastened with bolts to the installation surface of the housing 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the front and rear bottom walls extending outward in the front-rear direction from the lower ends of the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 may be fastened with bolts to the installation surface of the housing 2.

[0092] In the above embodiment, the left and right mounting parts 216 have a cross-sectional shape that is U-shaped and open upward, but this is not limited to this. For example, the left and right mounting parts 216 may have a cross-sectional shape that is L-shaped.

[0093] In the above embodiment, the housing 2 of the electric vehicle charging device 1 is configured to include the first to third housing parts 210, 211R, and 211L, but this is not limited thereto. As long as a plurality of charging units can be arranged side by side in the left-right direction, the number of housing parts can be appropriately changed as necessary.

[0094] In the above embodiment, the operation surfaces of the operation unit 15 are provided on the outer left and right side surfaces of the operation boxes 4R, 4L, but this is not limiting, and the operation surfaces may be provided on the front and rear side surfaces of the operation boxes 4R, 4L.

[0095] In addition, the present invention can be implemented in various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 1. Electric vehicle charging equipment 2. Chassis 28 Design panels (panel components for privacy) 210 First housing section 211R Second housing part 211L Third housing part 212 Mounting section 216 Installation section 216A Protruding Part 2161 Base 2162 Wall section 2163 Wall section 2165 First extension part 2166 Second extension part 3 Charging unit 13 Output control device 10B Filter device

Claims

1. A charging device for an electric vehicle, comprising a housing that houses a plurality of charging units that convert electric power input from an external power source into electric power for charging an electric vehicle, The housing includes: a first housing portion that houses the plurality of charging units in a line aligned in the left-right direction; a second housing portion that is disposed on one side of the first housing portion in a left-right direction and that houses a filter device for removing noise from power input from the external power source to the plurality of charging units; a third housing portion arranged on the other left-right side of the first housing portion and housing an output control device that controls the power output from the multiple charging units to the electric vehicle.

2. The second and third housing portions are each formed into a hollow columnar shape extending in the vertical direction, the housing includes mounting portions fixed to lower ends of the second and third housing portions, respectively; 2. The charging device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the mounting portion protrudes outward from both front and rear side surfaces of the second and third housing portions, and the protruding portions are fastened to installation surfaces of the housings by bolts.

3. 3. The charging device for an electric vehicle as described in claim 2, wherein the mounting portion has a flat base portion extending in the front-rear direction and wall portions extending upward from both left and right ends of the base, and the left and right cross-sectional shape is a U-shape that is open upward.

4. the first housing portion has a base portion that configures a bottom portion of the first housing portion and on which the charging units are placed, 4. The charging device for an electric vehicle according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second and third housings are fixed to the stand via the installation portion.

5. 5. The electric vehicle charging device according to claim 4, wherein the mounting portion has a flat first extension portion interposed between the second and third housing portions and the base portion, respectively, and a flat second extension portion extending from an upper end of the first extension portion to the upper surface side of the base portion and bolted to the upper surface of the base portion.

6. 6. The electric vehicle charging device according to claim 5, wherein a stepped portion is formed at the lower end of each of the second and third housing portions and engages with the upper surface of the stand portion via the second extension portion.

7. The front and rear sides of the stand are covered with privacy panel members, A charging device for an electric vehicle as described in any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the mounting portion protrudes outward from both sides of the privacy panel member, and the protruding portions are bolted to the installation surface of the housing.

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