Automatic vehicle charging device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a charging device for a vehicle, which includes a locking unit (1) and a charging plug socket (2). The locking unit (1) includes a motor-driven device for adjusting a latching element (5), which is configured to detachably lock a charging plug (6) to the charging plug socket (2). The locking unit (1) and the charging plug socket (2) are detachably connected via at least two connection aids (7, 8). According to the present invention, each of the two connection aids (7, 8) is designed as a respective combination with the latching element (8) that mates with the latching element (7).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric charging device for a motor vehicle having a locking unit and a charging plug socket, wherein the locking unit has a motor drive for adjusting a latching element, and the latching element is further provided for releasably locking a charging plug in the charging plug socket, and the locking unit and the charging plug socket are releasably connected to each other via at least two connection aids.

[0002]

[0002] Electric charging devices for automobiles are used to supply power to an accumulator placed inside the automobile. This applies in particular to accumulators of electric or hybrid automobiles. This usually relies on a charging infrastructure including charging stations that provide the necessary power. For the charging process using electric power, a charging plug on the charging station side is generally coupled to a charging plug socket on the automobile side and releasably locked. This is ensured by a latching element.

[0003]

[0003] At this point, high voltages are generally used, so locking with the aid of a latching element is necessary, for example, to prevent health hazards. In addition, the lock ensures that only previously identified and authorized users can legitimately draw power provided by the charging station, preventing misuse. For this reason, an authentication check is usually carried out before such a charging process, involving the identification of the operator and the exchange of identification signals, as essentially described in WO 2010 / 149426 A1.

[0004]

[0004] The prior art according to DE 10 2011 050 783 A1 describes a locking device that connects to a plug and locks the charging plug. For this purpose, the locking device is equipped with a locking latch that can releasably engage with the charging plug. The housing of the locking device consists of two housing containers that are attached to each other via a clip connection consisting of a spring tab and a wedge-shaped protrusion that mechanically cooperates with the housing containers.

[0005]

[0005] DE 10 2015 10108 831 A1 describes a locking system for a charging plug. The system implements a locking or latching element housed in an adapter element. A transmission element is arranged between the adapter element and a locking drive, and the locking drive transmits the moving force generated by the locking drive to the locking element. The adapter element is designed in at least two parts and includes a base element and a bayonet connection. In other words, in the prior art, the charging plug socket on one side and the locking unit on the other side are typically mechanically and rigidly connected, for example, by screws.

[0006] In the general prior art according to DE 102018 114 205 A1, the connection of the locking unit or lock actuator with the associated charging plug socket is effected inter alia via a connection and / or connecting aid as described in claim 8. The connecting aid is used to connect the associated housing of the lock actuator on the one hand and the charging plug socket on the other hand. Further details regarding the connecting aid remain open.

[0007] In principle, the prior art has demonstrated a self-contained and modular design of a locking unit or locking actuator with a latching element that can impact the locking unit or locking actuator on the one hand and the charging plug socket on the other. This allows both elements or units to be variably positioned within the area of ​​the body opening that accommodates the charging plug socket, simplifying overall assembly within this area. However, in this case, screw connections or at most connection aids according to the general prior art described in DE 102018 114 205 A1 are primarily used, so screw assembly is often difficult due to limited installation conditions. Furthermore, screw assembly makes it difficult to repair or replace the locking unit or locking actuator, for example. This is an improvement that the present invention seeks to achieve. Summary of the Invention

[0008]

[0008] The present invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a charging device for motor vehicles so that assembly is simplified and in particular subsequent revisions and even replacement of individual components can be carried out without difficulty.

[0009]

[0009] In order to solve this technical problem, a general charging device for a motor vehicle included in the scope of the present invention is characterized in that two connection aids for releasably coupling the lock unit to the charging plug socket are designed as a detent element and a mating detent element, respectively.

[0010]

[0010] It is therefore clear that, in contrast to the prior art, the present invention does not rely on a permanent connection between the locking unit, on the one hand, and the charging plug socket, on the other hand. Rather, according to the present invention, the locking unit and the charging plug socket are releasably connected to one another, particularly by relying on a detent element and a mating detent element. That is, the releasable connection is a detent mechanism. Such a detent mechanism can be easily re-released, for example, to replace or modify the locking unit. Furthermore, according to the present invention, assembly of the locking unit on the charging plug socket is simplified, since only a detent connection between the detent element and the mating detent element needs to be made, and no complex screw connection is required. Furthermore, within the scope of the present invention, the detent connection can be made manually, for example, by an assembler, without tools. Finally, there is no need to purchase or ship unnecessary screws separately. This is a major advantage.

[0011]

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment, the detent element is arranged on the charging plug socket and the mating detent element is arranged on the locking unit, or vice versa. That is, it is also possible to proceed so that the mating detent element is arranged on the charging plug socket and the detent element is realized on the locking unit. In most cases, several detent elements / mating detent elements are provided to provide a non-tilting and tilt-free connection of the locking unit to the charging plug socket. Here, a pair of detent elements and mating detent elements has typically proven to be successful.

[0012]

[0012] The detent element and the mating detent element each advantageously represent integral components of the charging plug socket housing, on the one hand, and the lock unit housing, on the other hand. The housing in question was generally a plastic housing that can be manufactured in a plastic injection molding process. Because the detent element and the mating detent element are each designed as integral components of the housing in question, both the detent element and the mating detent element can be integrated into the plastic injection molding process of the housing in question, making their manufacture and definition particularly cost-effective.

[0013]

[0013] The present invention further proposes that the mating detent element can be designed as a detent spring, and the detent element can be designed as a detent pin that interacts with the detent spring. This allows the detent spring to be a component of the detent receptacle for the detent pin. That is, to connect the locking unit to the charging plug socket, the detent pin is inserted into the detent receptacle, and the detent spring, as a component of the detent receptacle, together with the detent hook in or on the detent pin, ensures the desired detent connection. In principle, this can also be reversed, with the detent spring being a component of the detent pin and the detent hook being realized in the detent receptacle. In any case, both the detent spring and the detent hook, together with the detent receptacle and the detent pin, can be integrated into the respective manufacturing processes of the housings during plastic injection molding, on the one hand as integral components of the charging plug socket housing, and on the other hand as integral components of the latching unit housing.

[0014] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the detent receptacle and the detent pin are substantially rectangular in cross section. The rectangular and corresponding design of the detent receptacle and the detent pin in cross section, on the one hand, allows both elements to engage without tilting, and on the other hand, ensures a rotatably fixed and aligned connection between the latching unit and the charging plug socket. In this connection, the detent receptacle is typically designed as a cubic cup-shaped receptacle, i.e., defines a cubic cup. The detent pin is therefore a cubic detent pin. The cubic cup-shaped receptacle on the one hand and the cubic detent pin on the other hand are adapted to each other in terms of size and their respective contours and cross-sectional design in order to be able to form the desired releasable detent connection.

[0015]

[0015] The detent spring is usually a wall component of the cubic cup-shaped receptacle mentioned above. In most cases, the wall component of the cubic cup-shaped receptacle is an outward-facing wall component, i.e., a wall component accessible from the outside. Such a shape is advantageously recommended when the detent spring is provided with a disassembly element. With the help of the disassembly element, the detent spring can be removed from the detent pin or the detent hook arranged on the detent pin, and the detent connection between the locking unit and the charging plug socket can be easily removed and released.

[0016]

[0016] For this purpose, the disassembly element is typically a disassembly tab connected to a detent spring. This disassembly tab can be easily manually pressed by an assembler to release the detent connection between the lock unit and the charging plug socket. For this purpose, the disassembly tab typically has an engagement opening into which, for example, a screwdriver, a rod, or other commonly accessible or available tool can be inserted. That is, according to the present invention, no special tools are required to remove the detent connection between the lock unit and the charging plug socket.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, a seal is provided between the locking unit and the charging plug socket. Such a seal is typically a rubber or elastomer seal that serves two functions. First, the seal ensures that any gap between the locking unit and the charging plug socket is sealed from environmental influences. This is important because the latching element moves back and forth within this area, allowing dirt or moisture to penetrate and potentially disrupt the function of the latching element. This is all the more true since the latching element is typically made of plastic.

[0018]

[0018] Secondly, the rubber seal maintains the releasable detent connection between the locking unit and the charging plug socket under tension in the installed state, for example to compensate for play between the detent spring and the detent hook, or between the detent receptacle and the detent hook, and of course also provides a sealing effect.

[0019]

[0019] As a result, it is possible to provide an automobile charging device that is more advantageous than the prior art in terms of manufacturing technology, assembly technology, and noise. Indeed, the releasable detent connection between the lock unit and the charging plug socket greatly simplifies assembly and also opens up the possibility of disassembly and modification. Furthermore, since no additional screw tightening is required, this means that there is (no longer) a need to purchase screws for assembly, and therefore assembly and manufacturing are simplified compared to the prior art. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020]

[0020] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to only one drawing showing an exemplary embodiment. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an electrical charging device according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a detail of FIG. 1 seen in the X direction. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0021]

[0021] The figure shows a charging device for an automobile. The charging device is essentially two-part, having a lock unit 1 and a charging plug socket 2. The lock unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2 are modularized and self-standing, independent of each other. The lock unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2 operate in a joined state and are shown in an exploded view in FIG. 1 in a separated position. The joint between the lock unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2 is indicated by a double arrow in FIG. 1. The lock unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2 both have plastic housings 3, 4, specifically, the lock unit housing 3 on the one hand and the charging plug socket housing 4 on the other hand.

[0022] The locking unit 1 is internally provided with a motor drive (not shown in detail) for adjusting the latching element 5. The latching element 5 is a plastic locking pin, which can releasably lock a charging plug 6 inserted into the charging plug socket 2 to the charging plug socket 2. This applies both when the locking unit 1 is mated and when the charging plug socket 2 is mated. The motor drive for the latching element 5 can thereby be configured and operated as described in detail in the general prior art according to DE 102018 114 205 A1.

[0023] The locking unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2 are releasably connected to one another via at least two connection aids 7, 8. According to the invention, the two connection aids 7, 8 are a detent element 7 and a mating detent element 8, respectively. Indeed, according to an exemplary embodiment, this connection is provided with a pair of a detent element 7 and a mating detent element 8. That is, there are two detent elements 7 and two mating detent elements 8, each located on the edge of their associated housing 4, 3. The mating detent elements 8 are thereby designed as detent receptacles 8. In this way, the locking unit 1 on the one hand and the charging plug socket 2 on the other hand are coupled to one another by a releasable detent connection. The releasable detent connection can be released again if necessary, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0024]

[0024] Accordingly, in this embodiment, the detent element 7 is designed to be arranged on the charging plug socket 2, and the mating detent element 8 is arranged on the locking unit 1. In principle, this can also be reversed. In addition, a mixed configuration is also conceivable, in which one of the two detent elements 7 is arranged on the charging plug socket 2 and the other on the locking unit 1. The same applies to the mating detent element 8.

[0025]

[0025] The detent element 7 and the mating detent element 8 are, on the one hand, integral components of the above-mentioned charging plug socket housing 4, and, on the other hand, integral components of the locking unit housing 3, respectively. Indeed, according to this embodiment, the detent element 7 is formed on the charging plug socket housing 4, and the mating detent element 8 is formed on the locking unit housing 3. That is to say, to realize the detent element 7 and the mating detent element 8, the operations can in each case be reverted to the plastic injection molding operations for the manufacture of the associated housings 3, 4.

[0026] According to this embodiment, the detent element 7 is designed as a detent pin 7. In contrast, the mating detent element 8 or detent receptacle 8 has a detent spring 8a, which interacts with the detent pin 7 or detent hook 9, which is provided on the detent pin 7 and is merely shown. In principle, however, the detent spring 8a could also be provided with a detent hook 9 as a component of the mating detent element 8, in which case it would engage in an associated hook recess in the detent pin 7. In any case, the detent connection between one detent element 7 or detent pin 7 and the other mating detent element 8 or its detent spring 8a can be disengaged and released by elastically pivoting the detent spring 8a as a component of the mating detent element 8, in particular in a transverse direction Q compared to the longitudinal direction L in which the latching unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2 are joined to one another.

[0027] The possible pivoting movement of the detent spring 8a as a component of the mating detent element 8 in the transverse direction Q can best be understood on the basis of FIG.

[0028] It can be seen that the detent element or detent pin 7 on the one hand and the mating detent element or detent receptacle 8 on the other hand each have a substantially rectangular cross section. In fact, the mating detent element or detent receptacle 8 is a cubic cup-shaped receptacle 8, while the detent pin 7 is designed as a cubic detent pin 7. The respective cubic designs of the detent receptacle 8 on the one hand and the detent pin 7 releasably engaging therewith on the other hand ensure a positionally accurate and tilt-free connection between the locking unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2. In addition, this design is such that the detent spring 8a is a wall component of the detent receptacle or cubic cup-shaped receptacle 8. In fact, the detent spring 8a is designed as a wall component of the outward-facing wall of the cubic cup-shaped receptacle 8. This allows the detent spring 8a to be easily acted upon from the outside and moved in the transverse direction Q to release the detent connection. The substantially rectangular cuboid shape of the detent pin 7 and mating detent element 8 in cross section represents a preferred but merely exemplary shape of the detent pin 7 and mating detent element 8. Other shapes are possible, for example circular shapes.

[0029] In this regard, the detent spring 8a is provided with a disassembly element 10, the shape of which can be seen particularly in Figure 2. In the exemplary embodiment, the disassembly element 10 is a disassembly tab 10 connected to the detent spring 8a. The disassembly tab 10 has an engagement opening 10a extending perpendicular to a plane spanning the front-rear direction L and the left-right direction Q.

[0030]

[0030] As a result, for example, a screwdriver blade 11 can be engaged in the engagement opening 10a of the disassembly tab 10 from above in such a vertical plane and directly pivot the detent spring 8a in order to release the detent connection between the locking unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2. Instead of the screwdriver blade 11 shown in Figure 2, other operating elements can of course also be used to appropriately impact the disassembly tab 10. No special tools are required in this connection.

[0031] This simple disassembly is further facilitated by the fact that mating detent elements or detent receptacles 8 in the form of cuboid cup-shaped receptacles 8 project beyond the respective side walls 3a, 3b of the lock unit housing 3, with the outwardly facing wall components carrying disassembly tabs 10. Disassembly tabs 10 are thereby formed on the detent springs 8a which, together with the detent receptacles or mating detent elements 8, form an integral component of the plastic lock unit housing 3.

[0032]

[0032] Additionally, a seal 12 is provided between the locking unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2. In the exemplary embodiment, the seal 12 is a rubber seal or an elastomer seal. With its help, the mating tolerance between the detent element 7 and the mating detent element 8 can be compensated for in each case. Furthermore, the seal 12 ensures that the gap between the locking unit housing 3 and the charging plug socket housing 4 is closed. At the same time, with the help of the seal 12, the locking unit 1 is acoustically isolated from the charging plug socket 2, and the charging plug socket 2 is generally firmly connected to the vehicle body (not shown).

[0033]

[0033] Finally, as can be seen from the figure, the two detent elements 7, together with their associated mating detent elements 8, substantially straddle a common, mainly horizontal plane in which the latch element 5 is also located. This plane is parallel to the plane spanned by the longitudinal direction L and the transverse direction Q. In other words, the latch element 5 is substantially located on the connection line between the two mating detent elements 8, so that the two detent elements 7 remain joined between the latching unit 1 and the charging plug socket 2. As a result, any torque acting on the latch element 5 when the charging plug 6 is releasably locked to the charging plug socket 2 is directly absorbed and supported by the detent element 7 or the mating detent element 8.

[0034] Explanation of symbols

[0035] Lock unit 1, Charging plug socket 2, Lock unit housing 3, Housing 3,4, Latching element 5, Charging plug 6, Detent element 7, Detent pin 7, Cuboid detent pin 7, Connection aids 7,8, Interlocking detent elements 8, Detent Receptacle 8, Cuboid cup receptacle 8, Detent spring 8a, Detent hook 9, Disassembly tab 10, Screwdriver blade 11, Seal 12, Transverse direction Q, Longitudinal direction L.

Claims

1. An electric charging device for a motor vehicle, comprising a lock unit (1) and a charging plug socket (2), The locking unit (1) has a motor-driven device for adjusting a latching element (5), and the latching element (5) is provided for releasably locking a charging plug (6) to the charging plug socket (2), and the locking unit (1) and the charging plug socket (2) are detachably connected to each other via at least two connection aids (7, 8). said two connecting aids (7, 8) are respectively designed as a detent element (7) and a mating detent element (8); the detent element (7) and the mating detent element (7) have a substantially rectangular cross section in a transverse direction (Q) relative to a longitudinal direction (L) in which the locking unit (1) and the charging plug socket (2) are joined together; 1. The device according to claim 1, wherein one of the detent element (7) and the mating detent element (7) is designed in the shape of a cubic cup, and the other of the detent element (7) and the mating detent element (7) is designed in the shape of a cubic shape that releasably engages with the cubic cup shape.

2. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the detent element (7) is arranged on the charging plug socket (2) and the mating detent element (8) is arranged on the locking unit (1), or the mating detent element (8) is arranged on the charging plug socket (2) and the detent element (7) is arranged on the locking unit (1).

3. 3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the detent element (7) and the mating detent element (8) are integral components of the charging plug socket housing (4) and the locking unit housing (3).

4. 4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the detent element (7) is designed as a detent pin (7) and the mating detent element (8) is designed as or has a detent spring (8a) which interacts with the detent pin (7).

5. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the detent spring (8a) is a component of a detent receptacle (8) for the detent pin (7).

6. 6. A device according to any one of claims 4 to 5, characterized in that the detent spring (8a) is attached to a wall component of the detent receptacle (8), in particular an outward-facing wall component, whereby the detent spring (8a) can be easily acted on from the outside and moved in the transverse direction (Q).

7. Device according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the detent spring (8a) is equipped with a disassembly element (10).

8. 8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the disassembly element (10) is designed as a disassembly tab (10) connected to the detent spring (8a).

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by a seal interposed between the locking unit and the charging plug socket.

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