Electric lock unit for car charging equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric locking unit for an electric charging device (1, 2, 6, 7, 9) of a motor vehicle, in particular an electric or hybrid vehicle. The locking unit includes an electric motor (3) and a transmission device (4, 5) connected downstream thereof. The locking unit further includes a locking element (6) that can be linearly applied by the transmission device (4, 5) to releasably lock a charging plug (8) in a charging socket (9) of the electric charging device (1, 2, 6, 7, 9). The locking element (6) is provided with at least one stop (10). According to the invention, the stop (10) for the locking element (6) is designed as an elastic end stop buffer (10) that is held in a recess (12) of the locking element (6).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric locking unit for a charging device of a motor vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle, which has an electric motor and a transmission device connected downstream thereof, and further has a locking element, which is applied linearly by the transmission device, for releasably locking a charging plug in a charging socket of the charging device, and which has at least one stop for the locking element.

[0002]

[0002] Charging devices for automobiles, particularly electric or hybrid automobiles, are used to supply electrical energy to one or more batteries present in the automobile. For this purpose, charging infrastructure is generally used, including a charging column with a charging plug connected to an extension cable. During the charging process with electrical energy, the charging plug of the charging column is usually coupled to a charging socket on the automobile and releasably locked. This is secured by an electrically movable locking element.

[0003]

[0003] For example, the high voltages typically used in this location require a lock to prevent health hazards. The lock also ensures that only previously identified users can legitimately draw on the electrical energy provided by the charging column, thus preventing misuse. For this purpose, an authentication check is usually carried out before such a charging process, using an operator's identification and an identification signal. This is described in WO 2010 / 149426 A1 / A1.

[0004]

[0004] According to the prior art CN 2020695855 U, the adjustment of the locking element is carried out by an electric drive consisting of an electric motor and a multi-stage transmission connected downstream thereof. In known teachings, the locking element can be adjusted linearly by a multi-stage transmission actuated via a cam.

[0005] DE 10 2013 008 550 A1 relates to an electromechanical locking unit for a vehicle. It has, inter alia, a mechanical stop assigned to the locking mechanism, which blocks movement at defined end positions. For this purpose, the stop has an elastic element arranged to be mechanically deformed before the defined end position is reached. In this way, movement of the moving element, in particular the locking element, is delayed.

[0006] In accordance with the general teaching of DE 10 2012 022 413 B3, a locking device for locking an electrical plug in a socket is described. The locking device in question can also be used in connection with a charging device for an electric or hybrid vehicle. The locking bolt realized at this time is equipped with a stop that interacts with a driver stop on the driver element. Since the driver stop or driver counter stop is obviously not elastic, the known locking bolt moves against a rigid end stop.

[0007] overview

[0008]

[0007] The technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is to develop such an electric locking unit for a charging device in a motor vehicle so that complete functionality is present and damage to the locking elements, particularly in the area of ​​the stops, is reliably prevented.

[0009]

[0008] In order to solve this technical problem, a typical electric locking unit within the scope of the present invention is characterized in that the stop of the locking element is designed as an elastic end stop buffer which is held in a recess of the locking element.

[0010]

[0009] Thus, according to the invention, a special stop, i.e., an elastic end stop buffer, is used as a stop for the locking element, which, due to its elasticity, essentially absorbs and attenuates voltage peaks when approaching the stop or end stop for the locking element. By additionally mounting the end stop buffer in the recess of the locking element, the end stop buffer can also be provided with a sufficient size for the desired functionality and thus with a damping effect. Mounting the end stop buffer in the recess of the locking element also has the advantage that the overall height of the housing containing the electric locking element can be kept low or is not negatively affected by the provided end stop buffer.

[0011] This is further due to the fact that the recess is typically connected to the locking element via a cantilever, preferably on the head side. As a result, the recess can be set substantially "next to" the locking element, for example, in a free area already reserved inside the housing for receiving an electric locking unit. This facilitates a compact design and also offers the possibility of realizing an end stop buffer that is expandable and of the desired size in order to provide a significant damping path in the area of ​​the end stop of the locking element. This is also due to the fact that end stop buffers are generally made of elastic material, i.e., elastic plastic.

[0012]

[0011] At this point, only individual suitable elastic materials or elastic plastics can be mentioned as examples, using typical elastic materials such as acrylate rubber (ACM), acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM), natural rubber (NR), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), etc.

[0013]

[0012] Since the locking element is typically made from a (thermoplastic) plastic and the recess containing the cantilever beam together with the locking element generally defines a one-piece component, the locking element or the recess and the end stop buffer accommodated therein can essentially be manufactured as a one-piece component. To this end, an end stop buffer made from an elastic plastic can, for example, be formed on top of the thermoplastic material of the recess or manufactured together with the end stop buffer in a two-component injection molding process.

[0014]

[0013] However, in general, the locking element, including the recess and the cantilever beam, is a separate (thermoplastic) component made of plastic, which is separated from it and releasably coupled to an end stop buffer made of elastic material or elastic plastic. For this purpose, the procedure is usually such that the end stop buffer is releasably connected to a web in the recess. In this case, the web can divide the recess approximately in half. In most cases, a horizontal division of the recess is observed here. In addition, the web usually has a receiving slot. In this case, the receiving slot is usually designed to taper in the direction of attachment of the end stop buffer. In most cases, a V-shaped tapered receiving slot is observed here.

[0015] As the locking element moves linearly back and forth, it generally moves against two end stops or counter stops at the end of each path of movement, advantageously realizing two end stop buffers opposite each other with respect to the web, which interact respectively with a counter stop in the housing and a further counter stop in the cover of the housing.

[0016] In this case, the electric locking unit is accommodated in the entire housing, which is designed so that the head side is closed by a cover. As a result, the electric locking unit can actually define a component of the charging device as a single unit or module. In fact, it is the main component. In this case, the design is further selected so that the locking element, which is expandable relative to the housing, can protrude somewhat from the housing in question through the seal and then retract again.

[0017] The two end stop buffers are generally designed to be identical and usually have an annular shape comparable to a "doughnut shape." Furthermore, the two end stop buffers are regularly connected to each other by a connecting web. In this case, the connecting web generally engages in a receiving slot in the web that divides the recess approximately in half.

[0018]

[0017] Particularly good damping behavior is observed with the annular shape of the end stop buffer, which has a central recess bounded by a connecting web joining the two end stop buffers, and which can also accommodate large damping paths. This is because the annular nature of the end stop buffer not only allows for molecular deformation of the end stop buffer made from an elastic material, but also allows the end stop buffer to deform substantially in space or macroscopically or with respect to its external shape, for example, to be nearly "flattened". This is because the annular central recess accommodates the material diverted into the recess when the end stop buffer is compressed.

[0019] In any case, an electric locking unit for a car charging device is provided overall, which combines functional and acoustic advantages. This is because, thanks to the special end stop buffers, the locking element is prevented from moving "hard" at the end of its movement path against the respective counter stop, which interacts with the end stop buffer in the housing or cover. Instead, the interposed end stop buffers ensure a soft impact at the end of the movement path, thereby preventing voltage peaks that could be introduced into the material (made from plastic). This significantly increases the service life and functionality of the locking element.

[0020] Furthermore, the soft approach in the region of the respective counter stops is acoustically optimized, thus minimizing noise generation compared to the prior art. Finally, mounting the end stop buffers in the recesses via cantilevers ensures that the overall height of the locking element is not increased overall. Instead, the recesses, together with the end stop buffers, are accommodated virtually "adjacent" to the locking element in the hollow space of the housing. As a result, the compact design of the electric locking unit according to the invention is not adversely affected overall compared to prior art embodiments. This is an essential advantage. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021]

[0020] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, which show only one exemplary embodiment. [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an electric locking unit according to the present invention together with an electric charging device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an electric locking unit. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows a detail from FIG. 2 in the area of ​​the locking element. Detailed Description

[0022]

[0021] Figure 1 shows an electric locking unit for a charging device in a motor vehicle. For this purpose, the electric locking unit is accommodated in a housing 1, which is the subject of Figure 2 and is in the open state. The housing 1 is usually closed by a cover 2, which is not explicitly shown in Figure 2. Inside the housing 1, an electric motor 3 can be seen, which operates transmissions 4, 5 connected downstream thereof.

[0023] The transmission device 4, 5 consists of a gear wheel 4 meshing with a worm on the output shaft of the electric motor 3 and a crank wheel 5 interacting with a locking element 6. For this purpose, the crank wheel 5 engages with a crank pin in a corresponding pin seat of the locking element 6, thus ensuring that the locking element 6 can perform a linear movement in the linear direction L shown therein, as can be seen in particular in Figure 1. Instead of the crank wheel 5 of the exemplary embodiment presented, other output elements can also be used, for example a toothed rack.

[0024]

[0023] For this purpose, the locking element 6 emerges from the housing 1 more or less in the region of the recess shown, which is closed by a seal pierced by the locking element 6. According to the exemplary embodiment of Fig. 1, the locking element 6 moves into the recess of the charging module 7, so that the charging plug 8 of the charging column infrastructure described at the outset can be releasably locked to the charging socket 9 on the vehicle side. In this case, the charging module 7 and the charging socket 9, together with the electric locking unit or housing 1 including the cover 2 and the locking element 6 movable relative thereto, define the charging devices 1, 2, 6, 7, 9 as a whole. In this case, the electric locking unit or locking actuator realized in this way, together with the cover 2 and the housing 1 including the locking element 6 movable relative to each other, represent the main components of the charging devices 1, 2, 6, 7, 9.

[0025]

[0024] Figure 2 shows the internal structure of the electric locking unit inside the housing 1 with the cover 2 removed. By means of the locking element 6 which is movable in the linear direction L according to the representation in Figure 1, the charging plug 8 is releasably locked in the charging socket 9 of the charging device 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, as previously described. Furthermore, the stops 10 assigned to the locking element 6 are also visible. The stops 10 of the locking element 6 interact in each case with associated counter stops 11 at the ends of the movement path of the locking element 6 in the linear direction L.

[0026]

[0025] From the detailed description of Figure 3, it can be seen that a counter stop 11 is provided inside the housing 1. In contrast, another counter stop 11 is located inside the cover 2 and is shown in Figure 1. In any case, the locking element 6 with the stop 10 can move back and forth between the two counter stops 11 in a linear direction L. As a result, the movement path of the locking element 6 is delimited in a predetermined manner.

[0027] 3, it can be seen that, according to the invention, the stop 10 assigned to the locking element 6 is designed as an elastic end stop buffer 10, which is held in a recess 12 of the locking element 6. In fact, the recess 12 is connected to the locking element 6 via a cantilever beam 13. In other words, the recess 12 also moves in the linear direction L together with the locking element 6, as shown in FIG. 3, but is spaced apart from the pin-shaped extension 6a of the locking element 6, which ultimately ensures a detachable locking of the charging plug 8 in the charging socket 9.

[0028]

[0027] As a result, the recess 12 on the locking element 6 that accommodates the end stop buffer 10 finds space inside the housing 1, specifically in the predetermined hollow space defined by the gearwheel 4 and the crankwheel 5. As a result, its movement in the linear direction L is limited by the end stop buffer 10 of the locking element 6, and the overall height of the housing 1 does not increase. Furthermore, in this example, it can be seen that the locking element 6, including the cantilever beam 13 and the recess 12, as a whole, defines a single piece made of thermoplastic material. According to an exemplary embodiment, the stop buffer 10 is a separate component made of elastic plastic.

[0029] To install the end stop buffer 10, it is detachably connected to the web 14 in the recess 12. In this connection, the web 14 ensures that the recess 12, which is U-shaped in plan view, is divided approximately in half. Furthermore, the web 14 is provided with a receiving slot 15 that is tapered in the installation direction M of the end stop buffer 10. In this case, the receiving slot 15 is designed to taper in a V-shape in the installation direction M.

[0030] It can further be seen that two end stop buffers 10 are realized, opposite each other with respect to the substantially horizontally extending web 14. The two end stop buffers 10 interact with a counter stop 11 in the housing 1 and also with another counter stop 11 shown in FIG.

[0031] The two end stop buffers 10 are designed to be entirely identical and engage in receiving slots 15 of the web 14 by means of a connecting web 10a that joins the end stop buffers. The connecting web 10a between the two end stop buffers 10 begins in each case with a recess 10b in the associated end stop buffer 10. In fact, each end stop buffer 10 according to the exemplary embodiment is designed to be annular in the form of a "doughnut." At its center, this results in the aforementioned recess 10b continuing into the connecting web 10a and into the second end stop buffer 10. The recess 10b allows a large damping path for the end stop buffer 10, since it can flex into the recess 10b during deformation and thus essentially "flatten."

[0032] Explanation of symbols

[0033] 1, 2, 6; 7, 9... Electric locking units for electrical charging devices, 1...Housing, 2…Cover, 3...electric motor, 4, 5...Transmission device, 4...gearwheel, 5...Crankwheel, 6...locking element, 6a...extension part, 7...Charging module, 8...Charging plug, 9...Charging socket, 10...Stops / End Stop Buffers, 10a…Connection Web, 10b...recess, 11...Counter stop section, 12...recess, 13...cantilever beam, 14...Web, 15…receptor slots, L…Linear direction.

Claims

1. An electric locking unit for detachably locking a charging plug (8) to a charging socket (9) of an electric charging device (1, 2, 6, 7, 9), the electric locking unit having an electric motor (3), a transmission device (4, 5) connected downstream thereof, and a locking element (6) having a recess (12) defined via a cantilever beam (13), The transmission device (4, 5) ensures that the locking element (6) can perform a linear movement, 1. A locking unit comprising at least one stop (10) for said locking element (6), said stop (10) being designed as an elastic buffer (10) held in a recess (12) of said locking element (6), said elastic buffer (10) essentially absorbing and attenuating voltage peaks when approaching said stop (10) for said locking element (6).

2. 2. A locking unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic buffer (10) is detachably connected to a web (14) in the recess (12).

3. 3. A locking unit according to claim 2, characterized in that the web (14) divides the recess (12) approximately in half.

4. 4. A locking unit according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the web (14) has a receiving slot (15) tapered in the mounting direction (M) of the elastic buffer (10), the elastic buffer (10) engaging in the receiving slot (15).

5. 5. A locking unit according to claim 4, characterized in that the receiving slot (15) is V-tapered.

6. A locking unit as described in Claim 5, characterized in that the locking element (6) has two elastic buffers (10) facing the web (14).

7. 7. A locking unit according to claim 6, characterized in that the two elastic buffers (10) interact with a counter stop (11) in the housing (1) and with another counter stop (11) in the cover (2) for the housing (1).

8. 8. A locking unit according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the two elastic buffers (10) are of identical design and engage in the receiving slots (15) of the webs (14) by means of connecting webs (10a).

9. A locking unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the recess (12) is set in the locking element (6) inside the housing (1).

10. A locking unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the elastic buffer (10) is made from an elastic material.

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