Lid anti-freeze mechanism

Abstract

This lid freeze prevention mechanism comprises a recessed portion (14) inside which a charging port is disposed, and a lid (16) for opening and closing an opening (1410) of the recessed portion (14), and is provided with a heater (18) that heats an opening outer peripheral portion (56) of an outer panel (12) surrounding the opening (1410) on the outside of the opening (1410) by passing electricity to the opening outer peripheral portion (56), the passage of electricity to the heater (18) being controlled by a heat generation control unit (42). In the event that an outer surface (1602B) of the lid (16) and an outer surface (1202) of the outer panel (12) are covered with a layer of ice and the lid (16) is frozen, the temperature of the opening outer peripheral portion (56) is raised by the heat generated by the heater (18), thereby allowing the layer of ice to be reliably melted, which is advantageous in terms of reliably unfreezing the lid (16) in a low-temperature environment.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lid anti-freeze mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Electric vehicles that are driven solely by a motor, or electric vehicles that are driven by a motor such as plug-in hybrid vehicles that can be externally charged or externally powered, are provided with a power outlet for charging the battery. Furthermore, vehicles powered by internal combustion engines are provided with a fuel filler port for filling with fossil fuel. The power supply port and fuel supply port are disposed inside recesses formed in the outer panels that form the vehicle body, and the opening of the recesses is opened and closed by a lid. In such vehicles, when it snows or rains in a low-temperature environment, the moisture between the edge of the lid and the edge of the opening freezes, making it difficult to open and close the lid. Therefore, a lid anti-freeze mechanism has been proposed that includes a heater that heats at least one of the edge of the opening or the edge of the lid, thereby removing the freezing between the edge of the lid and the edge of the opening, thereby enabling the lid to be opened and closed (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 6417861 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In low-temperature environments, for example, even at temperatures below 0°C, supercooled rain (freezing rain) may adhere to the vehicle body and freeze, forming a layer of ice (a phenomenon known as freezing rain). In this case, a layer of ice forms over a wide area on the outer surface of the lid and the outer surface of the outer plate around the opening, resulting in the lid and the outer plate being covered with a layer of ice. In this case, although the heating by the heater of the above-mentioned conventional technology can break the ice between the edge of the lid and the edge of the opening, it is difficult to melt the layer of ice that widely covers the lid and the outer panel, and there is a concern that the lid may become unable to be opened or closed, so some kind of improvement is required. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a lid anti-freeze mechanism that is advantageous in reliably defrosting the lid in a low-temperature environment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to achieve the above object, one embodiment of the present invention is a lid anti-freeze mechanism comprising a recess formed in an outer plate constituting a vehicle body, with at least one of a fuel filler port or a charging port located inside, and a lid that opens and closes the opening of the recess, characterized in that it comprises a heater that is located on the outer periphery of the opening of the outer plate surrounding the opening outside and that heats the outer periphery of the opening when current is applied, and a heat generation control unit that controls the flow of current to the heater. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the central axis of the opening intersects the vertical direction, the heater comprises a first heater arranged on the upper part of the outer periphery of the opening located above the opening, and a second heater arranged separately from the first heater and on the lower part of the outer periphery of the opening located below the opening, and the heat generation control unit independently controls the supply of electricity to the first heater and the second heater. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention further includes an outside air temperature detection unit that detects the outside air temperature and a lower temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the lower part of the outer periphery of the opening where the second heater is provided, and the heat generation control unit turns on the first heater when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is below a first predetermined temperature at which the lid is expected to freeze, turns on the second heater when the temperature of the lower part of the outer periphery of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit is below the first predetermined temperature or below a second predetermined temperature that is lower than the first predetermined temperature, and stops turning on the first heater and the second heater when the first heater and the second heater are turned on and the temperature of the lower part of the outer periphery of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit is above a third predetermined temperature at which the lid is expected to unfreeze. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention further includes an outside air temperature detection unit that detects the outside air temperature, and a lower temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of the lower part of the outer periphery of the opening where the second heater is provided, and the heat generation control unit turns on the first heater when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is below a first predetermined temperature at which the lid is expected to freeze, turns on the first heater and the second heater when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is below a second predetermined temperature that is even lower than the first predetermined temperature, and stops turning on the first heater and the second heater when the first heater and the second heater are turned on and the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is above a third predetermined temperature at which the lid is expected to unfreeze. In addition, one embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the heat generation control unit stops the flow of electricity to the first heater and the second heater when the first heater and the second heater are energized and the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is higher than the first predetermined temperature and is equal to or higher than a fourth predetermined temperature at which the lid is expected to be unfrozen. In one embodiment of the present invention, the heater temperature when the first heater is energized is higher than the heater temperature when the second heater is energized. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a charging device is provided which includes a recess in which a charging port is placed and a lid which opens and closes the opening of the recess, and a heater is provided which heats the outer periphery of the opening by passing electricity through the outer periphery of the opening in the outer plate surrounding the opening, and the passage of electricity to the heater is controlled by a heat generation control unit. Therefore, if the outer surface of the lid and the outer surface of the outer panel are covered with a layer of ice and the lid freezes, the heat generated by the heater can be used to raise the temperature of the outer periphery of the opening, thereby reliably melting the ice layer, which is advantageous for reliably unfreezing the lid in a low-temperature environment. In addition, by providing a first heater located at the top of the outer periphery of the opening, which is located above the opening, and a second heater located separately from the first heater and located at the bottom of the outer periphery of the opening, which is located below the opening, and having the heat generation control unit independently control the power supply to the first heater and the second heater, it is possible to melt the ice at the bottom of the outer periphery of the opening by using the water from the ice at the top of the outer periphery of the opening melted by the first heater by powering the first heater before the second heater, which is advantageous in terms of saving power by suppressing the power supply to the second heater. Furthermore, by providing an outside air temperature detection unit and a lower temperature detection unit, the heat generation control unit can accurately start the flow of electricity to the first heater based on the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit, accurately start the flow of electricity to the second heater based on the temperature of the lower part of the outer periphery of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit, and accurately stop the flow of electricity to the first and second heaters, which is more advantageous in reliably unfreezing the lid while reducing power consumption of the first and second heaters. In addition, providing an outside air temperature detection unit and a lower temperature detection unit is advantageous in that the heat generation control unit can accurately start and stop the flow of electricity to each of the first and second heaters based on the outside air temperature, and can accurately stop the flow of electricity to the first and second heaters based on the temperature of the lower part of the outer periphery of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit, which is more advantageous in reducing power consumption of the first and second heaters. In addition, if the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 and is equal to or higher than the fourth predetermined temperature T4 at which the lid is expected to be unfrozen, the heat generation control unit can stop power supply to the first heater and the second heater, which can utilize the high outside air temperature to unfroze the lid, thereby being advantageous in reducing power consumption by the first heater and the second heater. Furthermore, if the heat generation control unit is configured to make the heater temperature of the first heater higher when it is energized than the heater temperature of the second heater when it is energized, the water from the ice on the upper periphery of the opening that has been melted by the first heater can be used to efficiently melt the ice on the lower periphery of the opening, which is advantageous in reducing the power consumption of the second heater. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a lid anti-freeze mechanism according to a first embodiment, as viewed from the vehicle width direction. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lid anti-freeze mechanism of FIG. 1 taken along a plane perpendicular to the vehicle longitudinal direction. [Figure 3] 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system of the lid anti-freeze mechanism according to the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the lid anti-freeze mechanism according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the lid anti-freeze mechanism according to the second embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the lid anti-freeze mechanism according to the third embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the lid anti-freeze mechanism according to the fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the lid anti-freeze mechanism of the present invention is described as being applied to a vehicle equipped with a charging port, such as an electric vehicle powered only by a motor, or a plug-in hybrid vehicle capable of external charging or external power supply.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 1, the lid anti-freeze mechanism of this embodiment is composed of a recess 14, a lid 16, a heater 18, and, as shown in FIG. 3, an outside air temperature detection unit 24, a lower temperature detection unit 26, an operation switch 28, a power source 30, a control device 40, etc.

[0010] 1, the recess 14 is formed in an outer plate 12 that constitutes the car body 10, and in this embodiment, the recess 14 is formed in a portion of the outer plate 12 that constitutes one side surface in the vehicle width direction of the car body 10. Note that the recess 14 may be provided in the front or rear of the car body 10, and the position of the recess 14 is not limited. The recess 14 includes a bottom wall 1402 that is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a peripheral wall 1404 that rises from the periphery of the bottom wall 1402 and connects to the outer panel 12 . In this embodiment, when viewed from the vehicle width direction, the opening 1410 of the recess 14 has an elongated oval shape extending in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle and faces outward in the vehicle width direction; in other words, the central axis of the opening 1410 intersects with the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, a lid accommodating recess 58 is provided around the entire periphery of the opening 1410 at the end of the peripheral wall 1404 on the opening 1410 side, and an annular seal member 44 is provided around the entire periphery of an intermediate bottom wall 5802 of the lid accommodating recess 58.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 1, inside recess 14, first charging port 46 and second charging port 48 are provided on bottom wall 1402 and aligned in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle. The first charging port 46 is a location where a normal charging gun for normal charging is connected, and the second charging port 48 is a location where a rapid charging gun for rapid charging is connected. Waterproof and dustproof connector caps 50 and 52 are provided on the first and second charging ports 46 and 48 via hinges so as to be able to be opened and closed.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the lid 16 opens and closes the opening 1410 of the recess 14, and includes a lid main body 1602 that has an elliptical shape with the same contour as the opening 1410. If the surface of the lid body 1602 facing the recess 14 is called the inner surface 1602A and the opposite side is called the outer surface 1602B, a lid edge portion 1604 is provided that stands up from the outer peripheral edge of the lid body 1602 toward the inner surface 1602A of the lid body 1602. In this embodiment, the lid 16 is connected at a location near one end of the lid body 1602 in the longitudinal direction via a hinge 54 to a peripheral wall 1404 of the recess 14 located at the front of the vehicle. The lid 16 is configured to be able to swing around the rotation axis of the hinge 54 extending in the vertical direction between an open position in which the opening 1410 shown in Figure 1 is opened and a closed position in which the opening 1410 is closed as shown in Figure 2. An upright piece 1610 is provided that stands up from a portion of an inner surface 1602A of the lid body 1602 located inside the lid edge portion 1604 on the opposite side to the hinge 54 . This upright piece 1610 has a locking hole 1612 that engages with and disengages from a locking claw 1420 provided on the peripheral wall 1404, and when the locking claw 1420 engages with the locking hole 1612, the lid 16 is locked in a closed position that closes the opening 1410. In addition, when the lid 16 is in a locked state, the part of the lid 16 opposite the hinge 54 is pushed toward the recess 14 to release the lock and swing the lid 16 slightly toward the open position, and a release mechanism (not shown) is provided in the recess 14 to allow the lid 16 to swing to the open position. As shown in Figure 1, if the portion of the outer panel 12 surrounding the opening 1410 outside the opening 1410 is defined as the opening outer periphery 1202 of the outer panel 12, as shown in Figure 2, when the lid 16 is in the closed position where the lid 16 is accommodated in the lid accommodating recess 58, the outer surface 1602B of the lid main body 1602 and the opening outer periphery 56 extend on approximately the same plane. Also, as shown in Figure 2, when the lid 16 is in the closed position, the lid edge 1604 abuts against the sealing member 44 without any gaps, thereby sealing the lid 16 and the recess 14 and providing dustproof and waterproof protection for the first charging port 46 and the second charging port 48 inside the recess 14.

[0013] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heater 18 is disposed on the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening of the outer plate 12 and heats the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening when energized. In this embodiment, the heater 18 includes a first heater 20 and a second heater 22. The first heater 20 is disposed above the opening outer periphery 56 located above the opening 1410, and is provided in a band-shaped region of approximately uniform width that extends along the contour of the upper half of the opening 1410. The second heater 22 is arranged separately from the first heater 20 and is located at the bottom of the opening outer periphery 56 located below the opening 1410, and is arranged in a band-shaped region of approximately uniform width extending along the outline of the lower half of the opening 1410. As shown in FIG. 2, the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are positioned at the edge of the opening 1410, in other words, at a location away from the sealing member 44, thereby protecting the sealing member 44 from the heat generated by the first heater 20 and the second heater 22. The first and second heaters 20, 22 may be provided on the outer surface 1202 side of the outer panel 12, but providing the first and second heaters 20, 22 on the inner surface 1204 side of the outer panel 12, as shown in Figure 2, is advantageous in terms of protecting the first and second heaters 20, 22 from sunlight, precipitation, and snow. The first and second heaters 20, 22 can be made of various conventionally known heating elements that generate heat when electricity is passed through them, such as an insulating coated heating wire bent in a zigzag pattern or a sheet-shaped heater (planar heating element).

[0014] Next, the configuration of the control system will be described with reference to FIG. The outside air temperature detection unit 24 detects the outside air temperature and supplies the detected outside air temperature to the control device 40. The outside air temperature detection unit 24 is provided at an appropriate location on the vehicle body 10, such as near the front bumper (not shown). As the outside air temperature detection unit 24, various conventionally known temperature sensors such as a thermistor can be used.

[0015] The lower temperature detector 26 detects the temperature of the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening and supplies the temperature of the lower part to the control device 40 . In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the lower temperature detection unit 26 is attached by overlapping it on the surface of the second heater 22 located opposite the outer panel 12, but the lower temperature detection unit 26 only needs to be able to detect the temperature of the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56, and can be attached at any location, such as at the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 near the second heater 22. As with the outside air temperature detection unit 24, various conventionally known temperature sensors such as a thermistor can be used as the lower temperature detection unit 26.

[0016] The operating switch 28 is a switch that the user turns on to activate the lid anti-freeze mechanism when freezing of the lid 16 is expected, such as during snowfall or rainfall in a low-temperature environment, and is provided in an appropriate location such as the dash panel inside the vehicle cabin. In the following explanation, freezing of the lid 16 refers to a state in which a layer of ice forms on the outer surface 1602B of the lid 16 (lid main body 1602) and the outer surface 1202 of the outer panel 12 around the opening 1410, covering the lid 16 and the outer panel 12 with a layer of ice, making it difficult to open and close the lid 16. The power source 30 supplies power to the first and second heaters 20, 22 to energize them and cause them to generate heat, and is configured, for example, by an auxiliary battery mounted on the vehicle.

[0017] The control device 40 is configured to include a ROM that stores and remembers the control program, a RAM as an operating area for the control program, a storage unit such as an EEPROM that stores various data in a rewritable manner, an interface unit that interfaces with peripheral circuits, etc. The control device 40 is connected to an outside air temperature detection unit 24, a lower temperature detection unit 26, an operation switch 28, the first heater 20, the second heater 22, and a power source 30. By executing a control program, the control device 40 functions as a heat generation control unit 42 that controls the energization of the heater 18. In the present embodiment, the energization of the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 is independently controlled. Specifically, when the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature T1 (Tout ≤ T1) at which freezing of the lid 16 is assumed, the heat generation control unit 42 energizes the first heater 20. Further, the heat generation control unit 42 may energize the second heater 22 when the temperature TU at the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit 26 is equal to or lower than the first predetermined temperature T1 (TU ≤ T1), or may energize the second heater 22 when the temperature TU is equal to or lower than a second predetermined temperature T2 lower than the first predetermined temperature T1 (TU ≤ T2, T2 < T1). In addition, when the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized and the temperature TU at the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit 26 is equal to or higher than a third predetermined temperature T3 (TU ≥ T3) at which release of freezing of the lid 16 is assumed, the heat generation control unit 42 stops the energization of the first heater 20 and the second heater 22. The third predetermined temperature T3 is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 and the second predetermined temperature T2 (T3 > T1, T3 > T2). Further, the heat generation control unit 42 may make the heater temperature during energization of the first heater 20 the same as the heater temperature during energization of the second heater 22, or may make the heater temperature during energization of the first heater 20 higher than the heater temperature during energization of the second heater 22.

[0018] Next, the operation of the lid freezing prevention mechanism of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4. First, when freezing of the lid 16 is predicted, such as during snowfall or rainfall in a low-temperature environment, the driver of the vehicle turns on the operation switch 28 (step S10). Note that the lid freezing prevention mechanism may operate in any of the cases when the vehicle is running, stopped, or parked.

[0019] When the operation switch 28 is turned on, the heat generation control unit 42 determines whether or not the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is less than or equal to a first predetermined temperature T1 (Tout ≦ T1) at which freezing of the lid 16 is assumed (step S12). The first predetermined temperature T1 is not limited, but for example, it is a temperature around 0°C to 0°C. If the determination in step S12 is negative, the following processing is skipped and the process ends. If the determination in step S12 is affirmative, the heat generation control unit 42 energizes the first heater 20 (step S14). As a result, when the first heater 20 generates heat, the temperature of the upper part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening located above the opening 1410 rises, and eventually, the ice layer formed between the upper part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening and the upper part of the lid 16 melts. The water from the melted ice layer travels along the outer surface 1602B of the lid 16 and the outer peripheral portions 56 of both sides of the lid 16 and flows downward, and eventually reaches the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening. When the melted water reaches the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening and the temperature TU of the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening rises, the ice layer formed between the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening and the lower part of the lid 16 will melt.

[0020] Next, the heat generation control unit 42 determines whether or not the temperature TU of the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit 26 is less than or equal to a second predetermined temperature T2 (TU ≦ T2, T2 < T1) that is lower than the first predetermined temperature T1 (step S16). In step S16, the heat generation control unit 42 may determine whether or not the temperature TU of the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit 26 is less than or equal to the first predetermined temperature T1 (TU ≦ T1). If the determination in step S16 is negative, since the water melted by the heat generation of the first heater 20 reaches the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening and the temperature TU of the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening has risen, and the ice layer formed between the lower part of the outer peripheral portion 56 of the opening and the lower part of the lid 16 has melted and the freezing of the lid 16 has been released, the process proceeds to step S22 to stop the energization of the first heater 20. If step S16 is positive, it is assumed that the ice has not melted sufficiently due to the heat generated by the first heater 20, or that even when the water melted by the heat generated by the first heater 20 reaches the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56, the temperature TU of the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 is still low, and a layer of ice has formed at least over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56. Therefore, the heat generation control unit 42 energizes the second heater 22 in addition to energizing the first heater 20, and the layer of ice formed under the lid 16 and under the opening outer periphery 56 is melted by the heat generated by the second heater 22 (step S18).

[0021] Next, the heat generation control unit 42 determines whether the temperature TU of the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 detected by the lower temperature detection unit 26 while the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized is equal to or higher than the third predetermined temperature T3 (TU≧T3) at which the lid 16 is expected to be unfrozen (step S20). If step S20 is negative, it is assumed that the layer of ice formed on the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening periphery 56 has not yet melted, so the process returns to step S20 and the first and second heaters 20, 22 continue to be energized. If step S20 is positive, it is assumed that the layer of ice formed over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 has been melted by the heat generated by the second heater 22, and the lid 16 has been unfrozen. Therefore, the power to the first and second heaters 20, 22 is stopped (step S22), and the series of operations is terminated.

[0022] According to this embodiment, there is provided a recess 14 in which the first and second charging ports are arranged, and a lid 16 that opens and closes an opening 1410 of the recess 14, and a heater 18 that heats the opening outer periphery 56 of the outer panel 12 that surrounds the opening 1410 by passing electricity through the opening outer periphery 56 outside the opening 1410, and the passage of electricity to the heater 18 is controlled by a heat generation control unit 42. Therefore, if the outer surface 1602B of the lid 16 and the outer surface 1202 of the outer panel 12 are covered with a layer of ice and the lid 16 freezes, the heat generated by the heater 18 can be used to raise the temperature of the opening outer periphery 56, thereby reliably melting the ice layer, which is advantageous for reliably unfreezing the lid 16 in a low-temperature environment. Furthermore, when the heater 18 is provided on the edge of the lid 16 as in the conventional method, it is necessary to wire a cable to supply power to the heater 18 between the vehicle body 10 and the swinging lid 16, which makes the wiring complicated and also has the disadvantage of requiring a lot of effort to wire the cable. In contrast, in this embodiment, there is no need for cable wiring to the lid 16, which is advantageous in simplifying wiring and facilitating work when installing the first and second heaters 20, 22 on the outer periphery 56 of the opening of the outer panel 12. Furthermore, if the heater 18 is provided on the edge of the lid 16 as in the conventional case, there is a concern that the heat from the heater 18 will deteriorate the sealing member 44 provided on the edge of the opening 1410. However, in this embodiment, the first and second heaters 20, 22 are positioned on the edge of the opening 1410, while the first and second heaters 20, 22 are positioned away from the sealing member 44, which is advantageous in protecting the sealing member 44 from the heat of the heater 18.

[0023] In addition, in this embodiment, the central axis of the opening 1410 intersects with the vertical direction, and the heater 18 comprises a first heater 20 arranged at the top of the opening outer periphery 56 located above the opening 1410, and a second heater 22 arranged separately from the first heater 20 and at the bottom of the opening outer periphery 56 located below the opening 1410, and the heat generation control unit 42 independently controls the power supply to the first heater 20 and the second heater 22. Therefore, by energizing the first heater 20 before the second heater 22, the water from the ice on the upper part of the opening outer periphery 56 that has been melted by the first heater 20 can be used to melt the ice on the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56, which is advantageous in terms of saving power by reducing the power consumption of the second heater 22.

[0024] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first heater 20 is energized accurately based on the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24, the second heater 22 is energized accurately based on the temperature TU of the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 detected by the lower temperature detection unit 26, and the first and second heaters 20, 22 are stopped accurately, which is more advantageous in terms of reliably unfreezing the lid 16 while reducing power consumption of the first and second heaters 20, 22.

[0025] Furthermore, if the heat generation control unit 42 makes the heater temperature of the first heater 20 when powered higher than the heater temperature of the second heater 22 when powered, the water from the ice on the upper part of the opening outer periphery 56 melted by the first heater 20 can be used to efficiently melt the ice on the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56, which is advantageous in reducing the power consumption of the second heater 22. It goes without saying that the above-mentioned effect achieved by making the heater temperature of the first heater 20 when powered on higher than the heater temperature of the second heater 22 when powered on is also achieved in the second to fourth embodiments described below.

[0026] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the following embodiments, the basic configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and only the control of the first and second heaters 20, 22 by the heat generation control unit 42 differs from that of the first embodiment, so the following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment. The second embodiment is a modified example of the first embodiment, and differs from the first embodiment in that the heat generation control unit 42 stops the power supply to the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 when the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized, the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1, and is equal to or higher than the fourth predetermined temperature T4 at which the lid 16 is expected to be unfrozen (Tout≧T4>T1).

[0027] The following description will be made with reference to the flowchart in FIG. In FIG. 5, the same steps as those in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same step numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted. That is, the processes from step S10 to step S18 are the same as those in FIG. In step S24, it is determined whether at least one of the following conditions is met: (1) when the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized, the temperature TU of the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 detected by the lower temperature detection unit 26 is equal to or higher than the third predetermined temperature T3 (TU≧T3) at which the lid 16 is expected to be unfrozen; and (2) when the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized, the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 and is equal to or higher than the fourth predetermined temperature T4 (Tout≧T4>T1) at which the lid 16 is expected to be unfrozen. If step S24 is negative, i.e., if neither of the above conditions (1) nor (2) is met, it is assumed that the layer of ice formed over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 has not yet melted, so the process returns to step S24 and the first and second heaters 20 and 22 continue to be energized. If step S24 is positive, that is, either one of the above conditions (1) or (2) is met. That is, if the condition (1) (TU≧T3) is met, the layer of ice formed on the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 due to the heat generated by the second heater 22 will have melted. If the condition (2) (Tout≧T4>T1) is met, the layer of ice formed on the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 will be melted by the outside air temperature being equal to or higher than the fourth predetermined temperature T4. Therefore, when either of the above conditions (1) or (2) is met, it is assumed that the layer of ice formed over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 melts, and the lid 16 is unfrozen, so the power to the first and second heaters 20, 22 is stopped (step S26), and the series of operations is terminated.

[0028] According to the second embodiment, needless to say, the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved. When the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 and not less than the fourth predetermined temperature T4 at which the lid 16 is assumed to be defrosted (Tout≧T4>T1), the energization of the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 is stopped. Therefore, it is possible to defrost the lid 16 by using the high outside air temperature, which is advantageous for suppressing the power consumption of the first heater 20 and the second heater 22.

[0029] (Third Embodiment) Next, the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The third embodiment is different from the first and second embodiments in that the heat generation control unit 42 starts energization of the first and second heaters 20 and 22 based on the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24. That is, when the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is not more than the first predetermined temperature T1 at which the lid 16 is assumed to be frozen (Tout≦T1), the power generation control unit energizes the first heater 20. When the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is not more than the second predetermined temperature T2 which is lower than the first predetermined temperature T1 (Tout≦T2, T2<T1), the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized. When the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized and the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is not less than the third predetermined temperature T3 at which the lid 16 is assumed to be defrosted (Tout≧T3), the energization of the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 is stopped.

[0030] Hereinafter, the description will be made with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 6. First, when the driver of the vehicle turns on the operation switch 28 (step S30), the heat generation control unit 42 determines whether or not the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is not more than the first predetermined temperature T1 at which the lid 16 is assumed to be frozen (step S32). If the determination in step S32 is negative, the following processing is skipped and the process ends. If the determination in step S32 is affirmative, the heat generation control unit 42 energizes the first heater 20 (step S34). As a result, when the first heater 20 generates heat, the ice layer formed across the upper part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening and the upper part of the lid 16 melts, and the melted water travels along the outer surface 1602B of the lid 16 and the outer periphery 56 of the opening on both sides of the lid 16. Eventually, when it reaches the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening and the temperature TU of the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening rises, the melting of the ice layer formed across the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening and the lower part of the lid 16 is the same as in the first and second embodiments.

[0031] Next, the heat generation control unit 42 determines whether or not the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is equal to or lower than a second predetermined temperature T2 (Tout≦T2, T2<T1) which is lower than the first predetermined temperature T1 (step S36). If the determination in step S36 is negative, since the water melted by the heat generation of the first heater 20 reaches the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening, the temperature TU of the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening rises, and the ice layer formed across the lower part of the outer periphery 56 of the opening and the lower part of the lid 16 melts to release the freezing of the lid 16, the process proceeds to step S42 to stop the energization of the first and second heaters 20 and 22. If the determination in step S36 is affirmative, since the outside air temperature Tout is as low as equal to or lower than the second predetermined temperature T2, it is assumed that an ice layer is formed across the lower part and the lower part of the outer periphery 56 despite the heat generation of the first heater 20. Therefore, the heat generation control unit 42 energizes the second heater 22 in addition to the energization of the first heater 20 to melt the ice layer formed across the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the outer periphery 56 by the heat generation of the second heater 22 (step S38).

[0032] Next, the heat generation control unit 42 determines whether or not the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is equal to or higher than a third predetermined temperature T3 (Tout≧T3) at which the release of the freezing of the lid 16 is assumed while the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized (step S40). If step S40 is negative, it is assumed that the layer of ice formed on the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening periphery 56 has not yet melted, so the process returns to step S40 and the first and second heaters 20, 22 continue to be energized. If step S40 is positive, it is assumed that the layer of ice formed over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 has been melted by the heat generated by the second heater 22, and the lid 16 has been unfrozen. Therefore, the power to the first and second heaters 20, 22 is stopped (step S42), and the series of operations is terminated.

[0033] According to the third embodiment, not only can the same effects as those of the first embodiment be achieved, but it is also advantageous in accurately starting the supply of electricity to each of the first and second heaters 20, 22 based on the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24, and accurately stopping the supply of electricity to the first and second heaters 20, 22 based on the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24, which is more advantageous in reducing power consumption of the first and second heaters 20, 22.

[0034] (Fourth embodiment) Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. The fourth embodiment is a modified example of the third embodiment, and differs from the third embodiment in that the heat generation control unit 42 stops the power supply to the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 when the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized and the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 and is equal to or higher than the fourth predetermined temperature T4 at which the lid 16 is expected to be unfrozen.

[0035] The following description will be made with reference to the flowchart in FIG. In FIG. 7, the same steps as those in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same step numbers, and the description thereof will be omitted. That is, the processes from step S30 to step S38 are the same as those in FIG. In step S44, it is determined whether at least one of the following conditions is met: (1) when the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized, the temperature TU of the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 detected by the lower temperature detection unit 26 is equal to or higher than the third predetermined temperature T3 (TU≧T3) at which the lid 16 is expected to be unfrozen; and (2) when the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 are energized, the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 and is equal to or higher than the fourth predetermined temperature T4 (Tout≧T4>T1) at which the lid 16 is expected to be unfrozen. If step S44 is negative, i.e., if neither of the above conditions (1) nor (2) is met, it is assumed that the layer of ice formed over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 has not yet melted, so the process returns to step S44 and the first and second heaters 20, 22 continue to be energized. If step S44 is positive, that is, if either of the above conditions (1) or (2) is met, the layer of ice formed over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 has been melted by the heat generated by the second heater 22, or the layer of ice formed over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 has been melted by the outside air temperature Tout that is equal to or higher than the fourth predetermined temperature T4. Therefore, it is assumed that the layer of ice formed over the lower part of the lid 16 and the lower part of the opening outer periphery 56 has melted and the lid 16 has been unfrozen, so the power to the first and second heaters 20, 22 is stopped (step S46), and the series of operations is terminated.

[0036] According to the fourth embodiment, not only can the same effects as those of the third embodiment be achieved, but also when the outside air temperature Tout detected by the outside air temperature detection unit 24 is higher than the first predetermined temperature T1 and is equal to or higher than the fourth predetermined temperature T4 at which the lid 16 is expected to be unfrozen (Tout≧T4>T1), the power supply to the first heater 20 and the second heater 22 is stopped.Therefore, when the high outside air temperature can be used to unfreeze the lid 16, the first and second heaters 20, 22 are stopped, which is advantageous in reducing power consumption.

[0037] In the flowcharts of FIGS. 4 to 7, the case where the lid 16 is unfrozen and the heater 18 is deenergized after the operation switch 28 is turned on has been described. However, if it is desired to continue unfreezing the lid 16 for a long period of time, for example, while the vehicle is parked, stopped, or in motion, the series of processes in the flowcharts of Figures 4 to 7 may be periodically repeated. In this case, in order to prevent waste of power supply 30, for example, the above series of processes may be forcibly terminated when the remaining amount of power supply 30 falls below a predetermined value, or a timer may be used to measure the time during which the above series of processes are repeatedly executed, and the above series of processes may be forcibly terminated when the measured time exceeds a predetermined time.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the present invention has been described as being applied to a vehicle having a charging port, but the present invention can of course also be applied to gasoline vehicles, diesel vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and plug-in hybrid vehicles having a fuel filler port, in which case the lid opens and closes the opening of the recess in which the fuel filler port is located.

[0039] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to such examples. It is clear that a person skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications or alterations within the scope of the claims, and it is understood that these also naturally fall within the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the components of the above-described embodiments may be combined in any manner without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0040] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2023-208166) filed on December 11, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 10. Body 12 Outer Panel 1202 Exterior 1204 Interior 14 Recess 1402 Bottom wall 1404 Peripheral wall 1410 Aperture 1420 Locking Claw 16 Lid 1602 Lid body 1602A inner surface 1604B Exterior 1604 Lid edge 1610 Standing piece 1612 Lock hole 18 Heater 20 First heater 22 Second heater 24 Outside temperature detector 26 Lower temperature detection unit 28 Operation switch 30 power supply 40 Control device 42 Heating control unit 44 Sealing material 46 1st charging port 48 2nd charging port 50 Connector cap 52 Connector cap 54 Hinge 56 Opening periphery 58 Lid receiving recess 5802 Intermediate bottom wall

Claims

1. A lid anti-freeze mechanism including a recess formed in an outer plate constituting a vehicle body, in which at least one of a fuel filler port and a charging port is disposed, and a lid that opens and closes an opening of the recess, a heater that is disposed on the outer periphery of the opening of the outer plate surrounding the opening outside the opening and that heats the outer periphery of the opening when energized; a heat generation control unit that controls the energization of the heater; A lid anti-freeze mechanism comprising:

2. The central axis of the opening intersects with the vertical direction, the heater includes a first heater disposed on an upper portion of the outer periphery of the opening located above the opening, and a second heater provided separately from the first heater and disposed on a lower portion of the outer periphery of the opening located below the opening, the heat generation control unit independently controls the energization of the first heater and the energization of the second heater; 2. The lid anti-freeze mechanism according to claim 1.

3. an outside temperature detection unit that detects the outside temperature; a lower temperature detector that detects the temperature of a lower portion of the outer periphery of the opening where the second heater is provided, The heat generation control unit energizing the first heater when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature at which freezing of the lid is expected; energizing the second heater when the temperature of the lower portion of the outer periphery of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit is equal to or lower than the first predetermined temperature or equal to or lower than a second predetermined temperature that is lower than the first predetermined temperature; and stopping the power supply to the first heater and the second heater when the temperature of the lower part of the outer periphery of the opening detected by the lower temperature detection unit is equal to or higher than a third predetermined temperature at which the lid is expected to be unfrozen.

3. The lid anti-freeze mechanism according to claim 2.

4. an outside temperature detection unit that detects the outside temperature; a lower temperature detector that detects the temperature of a lower portion of the outer periphery of the opening where the second heater is provided, The heat generation control unit energizing the first heater when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is equal to or lower than a first predetermined temperature at which freezing of the lid is expected; When the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is equal to or lower than a second predetermined temperature that is lower than the first predetermined temperature, the first heater and the second heater are energized; When the first heater and the second heater are energized and the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is equal to or higher than a third predetermined temperature at which the lid is expected to be unfrozen, energization of the first heater and the second heater is stopped.

3. The lid anti-freeze mechanism according to claim 2.

5. the heat generation control unit stops the energization of the first heater and the second heater when the outside air temperature detected by the outside air temperature detection unit is higher than the first predetermined temperature and is equal to or higher than a fourth predetermined temperature at which the lid is expected to be unfrozen, while the first heater and the second heater are energized; 5. The lid anti-freeze mechanism according to claim 3 or 4.

6. a heater temperature when the first heater is energized is higher than a heater temperature when the second heater is energized; 6. The lid anti-freeze mechanism according to claim 5.

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