Charger

Abstract

This charger comprises: an outer case; a frame accommodated in the outer case; a linear guide which is arranged on one surface of the frame and is elongated in the vertical direction; a cable guide which comprises a pulley guide moving in the vertical direction along the linear guide, and a pulley rotatably installed on the pully guide, and guides a charging cable; an upper retractor arranged at the upper portion of the frame and having a spring around which an upper wire connected to the pulley guide is wound; and a lower retractor arranged under the lower portion of the frame and having a spring around which a lower wire connected to the pulley guide is wound.

Description

charger

[0001] The present invention relates to a charger having a charging cable.

[0002] A charger is a device used to charge a battery.

[0003] An example of a charger may be an electric vehicle charger that charges a vehicle such as an electric vehicle, and electrical energy is supplied to the battery of the electric vehicle by connecting a charging connector provided at the end of a charging cable to a connection inlet installed in the electric vehicle.

[0004] To use the charging cable, unwind the coiled charging cable and then pull it out. However, due to its length, the middle part of the pulled-out charging cable may touch the floor. The part that touches the floor may be damaged, such as worn out, through repeated use, and may become contaminated by contaminants on the floor.

[0005] An example of a charging device capable of charging a battery is an electric vehicle charging device disclosed in Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2423210 B (published on July 21, 2022), which includes: a charger providing a plurality of charging cables of different types; a communication-control unit connected to the charger and controlling the charging cables; a motor drive communicating with the communication-control unit; a support which is a fixed structure located on the upper part of the charger; a plurality of electric winches fixed to the support and arranged on the upper part of the charger; and a plurality of spring balancers having one end connected to each of the plurality of electric winches and the other end connected to each of the plurality of charging cables.

[0006] The present embodiment provides a charger that allows a user to withdraw or retract a charging cable with less force.

[0007] The present embodiment provides a charger capable of limiting rapid descent of a charging cable when the charging cable is recovered.

[0008] A charger according to the present embodiment includes an outer case; a frame accommodated inside the outer case; a linear guide disposed on one side of the frame and elongated in a vertical direction; a pulley guide that is elevated in a vertical direction along the linear guide; a cable guide having a pulley rotatably installed on the pulley guide and guiding a charging cable; an upper retractor disposed on an upper portion of the frame and having a spring wound with an upper wire connected to the pulley guide; and a lower retractor disposed on a lower portion of the frame and having a spring wound with a lower wire connected to the pulley guide.

[0009] The linear guide, upper retractor and lower retractor can be placed on the back of the frame.

[0010] The reaction force of the upper retractor and the reaction force of the lower retractor may be different.

[0011] The reaction force of the upper retractor may be less than that of the lower retractor.

[0012] The charger may further include a rear cover, which may cover the linear guide, the cable guide, the upper retractor, and the lower retractor.

[0013] The rear cover can be placed at the rear of the outer case.

[0014] The charger may include a rear guide and a front guide positioned on the upper portion of the frame.

[0015] The height of the front guide may be higher than the height of the rear guide.

[0016] The rear guides can be arranged so that the front guides are inclined in the same direction.

[0017] The upper retractor can be closer to the rear guide than to the front guide.

[0018] According to the present embodiment, the upper wire of the upper retractor and the lower wire of the lower retractor are each connected to a pulley guide, so that the force required to withdraw the charging cable as well as the force required to recover the charging cable can be minimized.

[0019] Additionally, when the upper retractor recovers the charging cable, it can buffer the pulley guide to prevent the lower end of the charging cable from descending abruptly, and minimize damage or breakage that may occur when the lower end of the charging cable descends abruptly.

[0020] Additionally, the hidden cable length of the charging cable can be maximized when the charging cable is not in use, and the length of the exposed cable can be maximized when the charging cable is pulled out.

[0021] Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating a charger according to the present embodiment;

[0022] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a charger according to the present embodiment;

[0023] Figure 3 is a side view showing a charger according to the present embodiment;

[0024] Figure 4 is a side view showing the interior of a charger according to the present embodiment;

[0025] Figure 5 is a diagram showing the outer case and rear cover according to the present embodiment when separated.

[0026] Fig. 6 is a rear view showing a retractor according to the present embodiment;

[0027] Fig. 7 is a side view showing the interior of a retractor according to the present embodiment.

[0028] Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a charger according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a charger according to the present embodiment, FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a charger according to the present embodiment, FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating the inside of a charger according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an outer case and a rear cover according to the present embodiment when separated.

[0030] The charger may include an outer case (1).

[0031] The outer case (1) can form the exterior of the charger.

[0032] The outer case (1) may include a main case (2) and an upper body (3).

[0033] The main case (2) can be formed with a connector holder (6) on which the connector (5) of the charging cable (4) is mounted.

[0034] A connection part (not shown) that is connected to a power supply part placed inside the outer case (1) may be formed at one end of the charging cable (4), and a connector (5) may be formed at the other end of the charging cable (4).

[0035] The connector (5) may be a charging gun or plug that can be connected to a vehicle such as an electric vehicle.

[0036] The connector holder (6) can be formed on at least one of the left and right sides of the case (2).

[0037] The main case (2) can have a display (7) placed on it. The display (7) can be placed on the front of the main case (2).

[0038] The upper body (3) can be placed on top of the main case (2). An opening (8, see Fig. 2) through which a charging cable (4) passes can be formed in the upper body (3).

[0039] The charging cable (4) may be a 500A level cable for charging electric vehicles.

[0040] Depending on whether the charging cable (4) is located inside the charger, it can be divided into an outer cable (4A) that extends outside the charger and an inner cable (4B) that is located inside the charger.

[0041] The outer cable (4A) may be an exposed cable exposed to the outside of the charger. The outer cable (4A) may be defined as the portion from the opening (8) to the connector (5).

[0042] The inner cable (4B) may be a hidden cable covered by the charger.

[0043] The inner cable (4B) can be defined as the portion from the power supply to the opening (8).

[0044] The charger may include a frame (10), a linear guide (20), a cable guide (30), an upper spring device (40), and a lower spring device (50).

[0045] The frame (10) can be accommodated inside the outer case (1).

[0046] A linear guide (20) can be placed on one side of the frame (10). The linear guide (20) can be elongated in the vertical direction (Z).

[0047] The linear guide (20) can be placed on the back of the frame (10).

[0048] The inner cable (4B) can pass through the linear guide (20), and the inner cable (4B) can be reversed by the linear guide (20).

[0049] The inner cable (4B) may be a rear cable (4C) extending approximately in an up-down direction located at the rear of the charger, and the portion from the rear cable to the opening (8) may be an upper cable (4D).

[0050] The rear cable (4C) may be roughly U-shaped.

[0051] It is desirable to position the upper cable (4D) so that it is not bent as much as possible.

[0052] A linear guide (20), a cable guide (30), an upper spring device (40), and a lower spring device (50) can be placed on the rear of the frame (10), and a dispenser or cable management for managing the charging cable (4) can be configured.

[0053] The cable guide (30) may include a pulley guide (32) that moves up and down along the linear guide (20) and a pulley (34.36) that is rotatably installed on the pulley guide (32). The cable guide (30) may guide the charging cable (4).

[0054] The cable guide (30) can bend a portion of the inner cable (4B) into a U shape. The cable guide (30) can be raised by the inner cable (4B).

[0055] A plurality of pulleys (34, 36) may be provided in the pulley guide (32). The plurality of pulleys may include an upper pulley (34) and a lower pulley (36) having a height lower than that of the upper pulley (34).

[0056] The upper pulley (34) and the lower pulley (36) can face each other in the up-down direction (Z).

[0057] A passage may be formed between the upper pulley (34) and the lower pulley (36) through which a portion of the charging cable (4), particularly the inner cable (4B), passes.

[0058] Depending on the height of the cable guide (30), the length of the outer cable (4A) and the length of the inner cable (4B) can be varied.

[0059] When the cable guide (30) approaches the upper position from the middle position, the length of the inner cable (4B), especially the rear cable (4C), can be gradually reduced, and the length of the outer cable (4A) can be gradually increased.

[0060] When the cable guide (30) approaches the lower position from the middle position, the length of the inner cable (4B), especially the rear cable (4C), can gradually increase, and the length of the outer cable (4A) can gradually decrease.

[0061] An upper spring device (40) may be placed on the upper portion of the frame (10). The upper spring device (40) may include an upper wire (42, see FIG. 1) connected to a pulley guide (32).

[0062] The upper part of the frame (10) can be defined as a part located above the center of the vertical direction (Z) of the frame (10).

[0063] The upper spring device (40) can be placed on the back surface of the frame (10).

[0064] The upper spring device (40) can be positioned on the upper side of the cable guide (30) and can be spaced apart from the cable guide (30) in the vertical direction (Z).

[0065] The upper wire (42) can be directed toward the linear guide (20) and can be spaced apart from the linear guide (20) in the front-back direction (X).

[0066] The upper spring device (40) may include a spring around which an upper wire (42) is wound.

[0067] The upper spring device (40) may be a spring device for reducing the pulling load when pulling out the charging cable (4). The user can pull the charging cable (4) from the outside of the charger, and the upper spring device (40) pulls the pulley guide (32) upward, allowing the user to pull the charging cable (4) with less force.

[0068] The upper spring device (40) can function as a damper that limits the rapid descent of the charging cable (4) when the charging cable (4) is withdrawn. The user can withdraw the charging cable (4) from the outside of the charger into the inside of the charger, and the upper spring device (40) can limit the rapid withdrawal of the charging cable (4), and the lower end of the charging cable (4) guided to the cable guide (30) can be lowered at a gentle speed rather than abruptly.

[0069] An example of an upper spring device (40) may be a retractor, and the upper spring device (40) may be an upper retractor including a spring (upper spring) around which an upper wire (42) is wound. The spring (upper spring) may restore the upper wire (42) to its initial position.

[0070] When the upper spring device (40) is a retractor, the force pulling the upper wire (42) and the force with which the upper wire (42) is restored may be the same, and the device may return to its original state when the upper wire (42) is pulled and then released. The retractor may have a cylindrical structure and may be manufactured such that the length of the upper wire (42) is longer than the spring balance. The retractor may require a lot of force (external force) to fully extend the upper wire (42), and the reaction force may also be high.

[0071] Another example of an upper spring device (40) is a spring balancer in which a wire is connected to a drum and a spring is connected to the drum. In the case of a spring balancer, it can be a device with adjustable tension, and if there is no pulling force (external force), it can be restored to its original state by the restoring force of the spring, but if there is a pulling force (external force), it can withstand the pulling force and ensure positional stability. The spring balancer can have a drum-shaped structure by a drum, and the stroke length of the wire can be limited. If the stroke length of the wire is long, the size of the spring balancer can be increased. The spring balancer can be maintained at a constant force by adjusting the rotational speed according to the stroke of the wire wound around the drum and by the shape of the spring. When a force equivalent to the pulling force is applied to the wire, almost no additional external force is required while the wire is unwound to its maximum stroke.

[0072] Hereinafter, the case where the upper spring device (40) is an upper retractor will be described. However, the upper spring device (40) is not limited to being an upper retractor, and it is of course applicable if it has a configuration that can pull the cable guide (30) upward. The upper spring device and the upper retractor are described by using the same drawing reference numeral "40".

[0073] A lower spring device (50) may be placed at the bottom of the frame (10). The lower spring device (50) may include a lower wire (52) connected to a pulley guide.

[0074] The lower part of the frame (10) can be defined as a part located below the center of the vertical direction (Z) of the frame (10).

[0075] The lower spring device (50) can be placed on the back of the frame (10).

[0076] The lower spring device (50) can be positioned on the lower side of the cable guide (30) and can be spaced apart from the cable guide (30) in the vertical direction (Z).

[0077] The lower wire (52) can be directed toward the linear guide (20) and can be spaced apart in the front-back direction (X) of the linear guide (20).

[0078] The lower spring device (50) may include a spring around which a lower wire (52) is wound.

[0079] The lower spring device (50) may be a recovery spring device that allows the charging cable (4) to be recovered into the charger.

[0080] After the user has finished using the charging cable (4), the charging cable (4) can be returned to the charger, and the lower spring device (50) pulls the pulley guide (32) downward, so that the charging cable (4) can be returned to its initial position.

[0081] The lower spring device (50) may be, for example, a retractor, and the lower spring device (50) may include a spring (lower spring) around which a lower wire (52) is wound. The spring (lower spring) may restore the lower wire (52) to its initial position.

[0082] When the lower spring device (50) is a retractor, the force pulling the lower wire (52) and the force with which the lower wire (52) is restored may be the same, and the device may return to its original state when the lower wire (52) is pulled and then released. The retractor may have a cylindrical structure and may be manufactured such that the length of the lower wire (52) is longer than the spring balance. The retractor may require a lot of force (external force) to fully extend the lower wire (52), and the reaction force may also be high.

[0083] The lower spring device (50) can also be a spring balancer, for example, in which a wire is connected to a drum and a spring is connected to the drum. In the case of a spring balancer, it can be a device in which the tension is adjustable, and if there is no pulling force (external force), the device will return to its original state by the restoring force of the spring, but if there is a pulling force (external force), the device can withstand the pulling force and ensure positional stability. The spring balancer can have a drum-shaped structure by the drum, and the stroke length of the wire can be limited. If the stroke length of the wire is long, the size of the spring balancer can be increased. The spring balancer can be maintained at a constant force by adjusting the number of rotations according to the stroke of the wire wound around the drum and by the shape of the spring. When a force equal to the tension is applied to the wire, almost no additional external force is required while the wire is unwound to the maximum stroke of the wire.

[0084] Hereinafter, the lower spring device (50) is described in the case of a lower retractor, but the lower spring device (50) is not limited to an upper retractor, and is applicable to any configuration that can pull the cable guide (30) downward. The lower spring device and the upper retractor are described using the same drawing reference numeral "50".

[0085] The reaction force of the upper retractor (40) and the reaction force of the lower retractor (50) may be different.

[0086] The reaction force of the upper retractor (40) may be less than that of the lower retractor (50). For example, when using (withdrawing) the charging cable (4), the initial user-approved reaction force of the upper retractor (40) may be 3.8 kgf, and when retrieving the charging cable (4), the initial required reaction force of the lower retractor (50) may be 5.3 kgf.

[0087] When there is no external force acting on the charging cable (4), the weight of the inner cable (4B) is A, the force acting on the lower retractor (50) is B, and the force (restoring force) acting on the upper retractor (40) is C, if A+B>C, the charging cable (4) can be recovered and maintained.

[0088] When the external force is F during withdrawal, if F>CBA, the charging cable (4) can be withdrawn and the length of the inner cable (4B) can be reduced. Here, the external force F may be a value obtained by adding the weight of the outer cable (4A) to the force with which the user pulls the charging cable (4).

[0089] In case of recovery of the charging cable (4), if the external force is F', F' <B+A-C이면, 충전 케이블(4)은 회수될 수 있고, 이너 케이블(4B)의 길이는 증대될 수 있다. 여기서, 외부 힘 F'는 사용자가 충전 케이블(4)을 수평 방향으로 회수시키는 힘에서 아우터 케이블(4A)의 무게를 뺀 값일 수 있다.

[0090] The charger can apply support and reaction force to the charging cable (4) by the upper retractor (40) and the lower retractor (50).

[0091] The charger can smoothly move the charging cable (4) by the upper retractor (40) and the lower retractor (50).

[0092] The charger may further include a rear cover (60, see FIG. 3).

[0093] The rear cover (60) can be placed at the rear of the outer case (1).

[0094] The rear cover (60) can cover the linear guide (20), the cable guide (30), the upper spring device (40), and the lower spring device (50).

[0095] The rear cover may include a left rear cover and a right rear cover.

[0096] The left rear cover and the right rear cover can cover the sides of the linear guide (20), the cable guide (30), the upper spring device (40), and the lower spring device (50), respectively.

[0097] The rear cover may include an upper rear cover.

[0098] The upper rear cover can cover the upper side of each of the linear guide (20), the cable guide (30), the upper spring device (40), and the lower spring device (50).

[0099] The rear cover may include a back cover connecting the left rear cover and the right rear cover.

[0100] The back cover can cover the rear of each of the linear guide (20), the cable guide (30), the upper spring device (40), and the lower spring device (50).

[0101] It is also possible for the charger to have at least one of the linear guide (20), the wiper spring device (40), and the lower spring device (50) not placed on the frame (10) but placed on the rear cover (60).

[0102] The charger may include a rear guide (70) and a front guide (80) positioned on the upper part of the frame.

[0103] Each of the rear guide (70) and the front guide (80) may include a bracket mounted on the upper portion of the frame (10) and a pulley rotatably arranged on the bracket to guide the upper cable (4D).

[0104] The rear guide (70) and the front guide (70) can be arranged to be inclined in the same direction.

[0105] The rear guide (70) and the front guide (80) can be spaced apart.

[0106] The height of the front guide (80) may be higher than the height of the rear guide (70).

[0107] The upper spring device (40) can be closer to the rear guide (70) among the front guide (80) and the rear guide (70), as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0108] A portion (4E, see Fig. 1) of the charging cable (4) may be spaced apart from the upper spring device (40) in the left-right direction (Y). The portion (4E) of the charging cable (4) may be an opposing portion facing the side of the upper spring device (40) in the left-right direction (Y), and may be a portion of the rear cable (4C) among the inner cables (2B).

[0109] The charging cable (4) can be guided to the rear guide (70) passing next to the upper spring device (40), as shown in FIG. 4.

[0110] The length of the outer cable (4A) can be minimized by the linear guide (20), the cable guide (30), the upper spring device (40), and the lower spring device (50), and when using the charging cable (4), the weight in the vertical direction (Z) can be reduced according to the variable weight of the charging cable (4).

[0111] The user must support the weight that increases according to the length of use of the charging cable (4), and at the same time, after use of the charging cable (4), the user must return the charging cable (4) to the initially set position to hide the charging cable (4).

[0112] By having the upper wire (42) of the upper spring device (40) pull the pulley guide (32) upward, the user can pull the charging cable (4) with less force, and the pull-out load can be reduced by the upper spring device (40).

[0113] The charging cable (4) can be automatically returned to the initially set position by the lower wire (52) of the lower spring device (50) pulling the pulley guide (32) downward.

[0114] Fig. 6 is a rear view showing a retractor according to the present embodiment, and Fig. 7 is a side view showing the inside of a retractor according to the present embodiment.

[0115] The upper retractor (40) and the lower retractor (50) may be of the same type.

[0116] The retractor may be a spring device in which the force pulling the wire is equal to the force trying to return the wire to its original position after pulling it and then releasing it.

[0117] The retractor may have a wire (42 or 52) wound around the outer circumference of the spring (44).

[0118] An example of a spring (44) may be a plate spring wound in a spiral shape, and may have an overall cylindrical or cylindrical shape.

[0119] The wire (42 or 52) can be wound around the outer periphery of the leaf spring.

[0120] The retractor may further include a holder (46) supporting a spring (44).

[0121] The above description is merely an example of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

[0122] Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of ​​the present invention but to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention is not limited by these embodiments.

[0123] The scope of protection of the present invention should be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical ideas within the scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

Claims

1. Outer case; A frame housed inside the above outer case; A linear guide arranged on one side of the above frame and long in the vertical direction; A pulley guide that moves up and down along the linear guide, and a cable guide that has a pulley rotatably installed on the pulley guide and guides a charging cable; An upper retractor having a spring wound with an upper wire connected to the pulley guide and disposed on the upper part of the frame; and A charger including a lower retractor having a spring wound with a lower wire connected to the pulley guide and disposed at the lower portion of the frame.

2. In paragraph 1, The above linear guide, the upper retractor, and the lower retractor are a charger arranged on the back of the frame.

3. In paragraph 2, A charger in which the reaction force of the upper retractor and the reaction force of the lower retractor are different.

4. In paragraph 2, A charger in which the reaction force of the upper retractor is less than that of the lower retractor.

5. In paragraph 1, A charger further comprising a rear cover covering the linear guide, the cable guide, the upper retractor, and the lower retractor.

6. In paragraph 5, The above rear cover is a charger placed at the rear of the outer case.

7. In paragraph 1, It includes a rear guide and a front guide arranged on the upper part of the above frame, A charger wherein the height of the above front guide is higher than the height of the above rear guide.

8. In paragraph 7, The above rear guide is a charger in which the above front guide is arranged so as to be inclined in the same direction.

9. In paragraph 7, The upper retractor is a charger closer to the rear guide among the rear guides and the front guides.

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