Electric charging device for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric charging device for a motor vehicle (1), the electric charging device being equipped with a movable locking element (7). The locking element (7) is designed to releasably lock a charging plug (4) in a charging socket (3) or vice versa, and an electromotive drive (8) is also provided for adjusting the locking element (7) at least to the "locked" and "unlocked" positions thereof. The locking element (7) is guided outwards through a seal (11) in the region of an opening (12) in a housing (9). According to the invention, the seal (11) is in the form a flexible tubular covering (11) which at least partly surrounds the locking element (7).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Electric charging device of a motor vehicle

[0003] The invention relates to an electric charging device for a motor vehicle, with a movable locking element which is designed to releasably lock a charging plug in a charging socket, or vice versa, and with an electric motor drive for adjusting the locking element at least to its "unlocked" and "locked" positions, wherein the locking element is guided to the outside through a seal in the area of ​​an opening in a housing.

[0004] Electric charging devices for motor vehicles are typically used to charge a vehicle's own battery or accumulator (or multiple accumulators) with electrical energy via an electric charging infrastructure. The energy storage system implemented in this way is generally used to power the vehicle, either solely in the case of an electric vehicle or in conjunction with an additional (combustion) engine in the case of a hybrid vehicle. However, such an electric charging device can also be used to charge a conventional battery, or any energy storage device, that is not suitable for propulsion.

[0005] Electric vehicle charging infrastructure generally uses charging stations, which are equipped with a cable and a corresponding charging plug. The charging plug is inserted into the vehicle's charging socket. To prevent unauthorized disconnection of the electrical connection between the charging plug and the charging socket, the charging plug is locked in the socket of the charging device. This is achieved by a locking mechanism that is adjustable via an electric motor. In the "unlocked" position, the charging plug can be pulled out of the charging socket. Conversely, the "locked" position means that the charging plug is locked in the charging socket and an electric charging process is initiated.This may require prior authorization verification or, more generally, communication between the user wishing to charge and the charging station or the charging infrastructure in general. The reverse process is also possible. In this case, the charging station is equipped with a charging socket, while the vehicle has the corresponding charging plug. In this case as well, a locking mechanism is activated between the charging socket and the charging plug to initiate the electrical charging process.

[0006] Since the charging socket, typically located on or in the vehicle and usually behind a charging flap, is exposed to environmental conditions and especially contaminants such as dust, rain, etc., there is a risk that water and dust will penetrate the housing for the electric motor drive, and especially the electric motor drive itself, through the necessary opening in the charging plug and the charging socket, which is traversed by the locking element. To prevent this, the housing is designed to accommodate the electric motor drive, and a seal is provided in the area of ​​an opening in the housing. The housing accommodates at least the electric motor drive and partially the locking element within its interior.

[0007] Such an electric charging device is described in the prior art of DE 20 2013 009 554 A1. The overall approach here is that a locking unit and an actuator define a single, integrated, and sealed unit. Furthermore, a housing for the electric motor drive is provided, which has a seal through which the locking element extends. This design has proven successful in principle.

[0008] Independently of this, EP 3 729 566 B1 describes a locking device for an electric charging device of a motor vehicle, and in particular of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle. In this case, too, a movable locking element is implemented, which is designed to releasably lock a charging plug in a charging socket of the electric charging device. In the known teaching, the locking element can additionally be adjusted to a third position, "self-locked," beyond the "locked" position.

[0009] The current state of the art has generally proven effective, but still offers room for further improvements. Depending on the housing's position, including the electric motor drive it contains, and despite the provided seal around the housing opening, there remains a risk of water entering the housing through the opening created by the locking element. The same applies to any dust or other contaminants. This impairs the operation of the electric motor drive.

[0010] In principle, it is even possible, and potentially a prerequisite, for water and possibly dirt to penetrate a gap between the seal and the locking element, so that during adjustment movements the locking element (usually made of plastic) is damaged. This leads to an increased risk of failure and possibly to permanent damage to the locking device implemented in this way. This results in costly repairs and at least a temporary total breakdown of the vehicle equipped with this device, because in such a case, recharging the vehicle's own battery or energy storage unit is no longer possible. The invention aims to remedy this situation. The invention addresses the technical problem of further developing such an electric charging device for a vehicle in such a way that permanently reliable operation with a long service life is achieved.

[0011] To solve this technical problem, an electrical charging device of the generic type within the scope of the invention is characterized in that the seal is designed as a flexible hose sheath that at least partially encloses the locking element. That is, the hose sheath covers the locking element almost completely (except for a head area).

[0012] In contrast to the prior art defined in DE 20 2013 009 554 A1, the flat seal according to the invention is designed as a flexible hose sheath which at least partially encloses the locking element. Typically, the flexible hose sheath leaves at least the head region of the locking element free. In this way, the head region of the locking element can fulfill its original locking function. This function consists of engaging with aligned bores between the charging plug inserted into the charging socket and the charging socket itself when the locking element is in the "locked" state, thus preventing the charging plug from being pulled out of the charging socket.

[0013] Before the charging station enters the "locked" position, an authorization check or communication between a user wishing to charge and the charging station or charging infrastructure may occur. In this case, the charging station is equipped with the charging plug, which is inserted into the vehicle's charging socket and locked in place using the locking mechanism. The reverse process is also possible. In this case, the charging station is equipped with a charging socket, while the vehicle has the corresponding charging plug. Here, too, a locking mechanism engages between the charging socket and the charging plug to initiate the charging process. In the "unlocked" state, the locking mechanism is retracted, allowing the charging plug to be removed from the charging socket.Since the charging socket, typically located on or in the vehicle and usually behind a charging flap, is exposed to environmental conditions and especially contaminants such as dust, rain, etc., there is a risk that water and dust could penetrate the housing through the opening in the charging plug and socket, which is traversed by the locking element. This could then reach and damage the electric motor. To prevent this, the housing, which is generally media-tight and encloses the electric motor, is provided, along with a hose sheath that seals the opening in the housing for the locking element. The housing contains the electric motor and, in part, the locking element.

[0014] In general, the design is furthermore such that the flexible hose sheath is connected to the housing at the base or covers the opening in the housing and extends to the head area, so that any contaminants cannot penetrate the interior of the housing through the opening when the locking element moves. The flexible hose or the flexible hose sheath surrounding the locking element, as implemented according to the invention in this context, ensures that the opening in the housing through which the locking element passes does not represent an entry point for any moisture or dirt, and furthermore, the seal, as a flexible hose sheath, follows and can follow the movements of the locking element into its "unlocked" and "locked" positions. For this purpose, the flexible hose sheath is largely designed as a cylindrical sheath that surrounds the locking element up to the head area.

[0015] To further ensure and facilitate ventilation of the housing interior during the actuation of the locking element, the hose sheath is additionally equipped, and in an advantageous embodiment, with at least one pressure-equalizing lamella. This lamella is preferably located at the base of the locking element.

[0016] The invention is based on the premise that the housing contains the electric motor drive and is generally designed to be completely media-tight. Consequently, the positioning movements of the locking element to assume its "unlocked" and "locked" positions correspond to pressure fluctuations inside the otherwise closed housing. According to the invention, these pressure fluctuations can be compensated for by the lamella on the hose sheath. For this purpose, the lamella is preferably arranged at the base of the locking element or rests against it. This is because the head of the locking element is generally free of the flexible hose sheath to ensure the desired locking and unlocking of the charging plug relative to the charging socket.

[0017] The lamella not only rests against the base of the locking element, but completely encloses the cylindrical locking element at its base. This allows pressure equalization between the interior of the housing and the ambient air to occur via the lamella. In the case of negative pressure inside the housing, the lamella is slightly lifted from its contact with the locking element or a base guiding the locking element, allowing the positively pressurized ambient air to flow into the housing. Alternatively, in the case of positive pressure inside the housing, this pressure lifts the lamella until a corresponding pressure equalization between the ambient air and the pressure inside the housing is achieved.

[0018] To further enhance the pressure-equalizing effect, several lamellae are typically incorporated. These lamellae are arranged so that they surround the locking element concentrically and at axially spaced intervals. It has proven particularly advantageous if the multiple lamellae are not only ring-shaped but also equidistant from one another, meaning they are evenly spaced along their axis.

[0019] The hose sheathing itself is usually designed as a bellows. Rubber-like plastics have proven particularly suitable for this purpose. In fact, elastomeric plastics such as EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber), NR (natural rubber), or similar elastomeric plastics can be used.

[0020] The hose sheath, or the bellows typically provided at this point, is equipped with at least two axially spaced parallel folds. Furthermore, the hose sheath usually has at least one molded-on mounting flange at its base. Generally, two diametrically opposed mounting flanges are provided. The flexible hose sheath can be secured to the housing using these two mounting flanges. The flexible hose sheath is attached to the locking element by having an annular mounting rib at its top. The design is further such that, when installed, the mounting rib engages in an annular mounting groove in the locking element.This allows the flexible hose covering to be detachably coupled to the locking element via the fastening rib, ensuring that the flexible hose covering follows and can follow the positioning movements of the locking element.

[0021] Considering that the housing generally features a base or ring guide for the typically cylindrical locking element in the area of ​​the opening through which the locking element passes, it becomes clear that the flexible hose wrapping ensures a perfect seal of the housing. The ring guide for the locking element first minimizes any tilting movements of the locking element. Furthermore, the ring guide allows for particularly precise positioning of the opening for the locking element. Finally, the flexible hose wrapping not only covers the opening in the ring guide for receiving the locking element, but can also extend to and guide the opening up to the base of the ring guide.This allows the single or multiple lamellae for pressure equalization to be positioned at the base of the ring guide and to perform the desired movement relative to the ring guide for venting or de-ventilating the housing interior. This is where the main advantages lie.

[0022] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing that illustrates only one embodiment; the drawing shows:

[0023] Fig. 1 shows a general overview of the electrical charging device according to the invention.

[0024] Fig. 2 shows the housing including locking element and flexible hose covering according to the invention in a perspective view and

[0025] Fig. 3 shows the flexible hose covering in a longitudinal section view.

[0026] The figures depict an electric charging device for a motor vehicle 1, which is only indicated in Fig. 1. In fact, only the outer shell of the body of the motor vehicle 1 is visible, and only schematically. The electric charging device consists of a charging socket 3 inserted into an opening 2 of the motor vehicle 1 and a charging plug 4 that can be inserted into it. According to this embodiment, the charging socket 3 is therefore a component of the motor vehicle 1, whereas the charging plug 4 belongs to a charging infrastructure that is not specified in detail and is explained in the introductory section.

[0027] Once the charging plug 4 has been inserted into the charging socket 3, it can be locked in the charging socket 3. This is necessary to ensure safe power transmission from the charging infrastructure to the vehicle's onboard energy storage system. For this purpose, openings 5 ​​and 6 are provided in the charging socket 3 and the charging plug 4, respectively. When the charging plug 4 is inserted into the charging socket 3, the opening 6 in the charging plug 4 and the opening 5 in the charging socket 3 can be aligned and are locked together by a locking element 7. The locking element 7 moves into its "locked" position. Conversely, when the locking element 7 moves into its "unlocked" position, the charging plug 4 can be removed from the charging socket 3.

[0028] To effect the described movement and adjustment of the locking element 7, an electric motor drive 8 is implemented. The electric motor drive 8 is housed in a corresponding casing or drive housing 9. The locking element 7 is also at least partially located within the drive housing 9. The detailed design of the electric motor drive 8 can be implemented as described in principle in EP 3 729 566 B1, which was referenced earlier. That is, the electric motor drive 8 typically comprises an electric motor and a meshing output gear, the rotary movements of which are converted into linear movements of the locking element 7.

[0029] The charging socket 3 may, in turn, have its own separate housing or socket housing 10. In principle, the drive housing 9 for accommodating the electric motor drive 8 and the socket housing 10 for accommodating the charging socket 3 can also be wholly or partially combined or merged into one another. However, in the exemplary embodiment, both housings 9 and 10 are spatially and functionally separate from each other.

[0030] It can be seen that the cylindrical locking element 7, according to the exemplary embodiment, is guided outside the drive housing 9 by a seal 11 in the area of ​​an opening 12 or housing opening of the housing 9 or drive housing 9. This becomes clear in detail with reference to Fig. 2. This illustration also makes it clear that the locking element 7 has a base-side ring guide 13 in the area of ​​the opening 12 in the housing 9. In the exemplary embodiment, the ring guide 13 is a hollow cylindrical section that is integrally formed on the upper side of the housing 9 to guide the locking element 7 and defines the opening 12 for receiving and guiding the locking element 7.

[0031] That is, the locking element 7 is guided through the seal 11 in the area of ​​the opening 12 of the housing 9 to the outside of the housing 9. For this purpose, according to the exemplary embodiment, the seal 11 is a flexible hose covering 11 that at least partially encloses the locking element 7. In fact, according to the exemplary embodiment, the flexible hose covering 11 is equipped as a bellows with at least two axially spaced parallel folds 11a, 11b. It can be seen that the flexible hose covering 11 completely encloses the locking element 7 except for a free head area 7a.

[0032] Furthermore, a comparison of Figures 2 and 3 reveals that the two parallel folds 11a, 11b of the bellows-type hose sheath 11 have different diameters Di, D2. In fact, the lower bellows 11a has a larger diameter D2 compared to the second, upper bellows 11b, which is arranged axially above and spaced apart from it, and has the corresponding diameter Di. This allows the two bellows 11a, 11b to be easily folded over one another like an accordion when the locking element 7 is in its retracted position, corresponding to the "unlocked" functional position.

[0033] A further special feature of the invention is that the overall cylindrical flexible hose covering 11 is equipped with at least one lamella 14. The lamella 14 can be seen particularly clearly in Fig. 3. According to the exemplary embodiment, several lamellae 14 are provided, which surround the locking element 7 concentrically and in an axial arrangement at a distance from each other. That is, the lamellae 14 are each oriented in an annular shape relative to the centrally arranged locking element 7 and are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction. An equidistant arrangement is usually used here, meaning that the lamellae 14 are arranged at equal intervals in the relevant axial direction A. As shown in Fig. 3, the individual lamellae 14 have a triangular cross-section. In this way, the lamellae 14 can be used for pressure equalization with their tips resting against the locking element 7 relative to the axial direction A, as shown in the illustration in Fig.3 can be moved up or down.

[0034] A slight movement of the lamellae 14 with their respective tips pointing upwards corresponds to a negative pressure within the media-tight housing 9, causing air to flow into the interior of the housing 9 from the outside to equalize the pressure. Conversely, a downward movement of the tip of the respective lamella 14 corresponds to air flowing outwards from the interior of the housing 9 to relieve any positive pressure inside the housing 9.

[0035] To secure the bellows or flexible hose sheath 11 to the housing 9, two diametrically opposed mounting flanges 15 are provided at the base, according to the exemplary embodiment. These mounting flanges 15 can be used to secure the flexible hose sheath 11 to the housing 9 using, for example, screws or pins. The overall design is such that the flexible hose sheath 11, with its internally provided lamellae 14 for pressure equalization, rests against the ring guide 13 for the locking element 7. That is, the lamellae 14 circularly enclose the ring guide 13, which is integrally formed with the housing 9.

[0036] Furthermore, the flexible hose sheath 11 is equipped with a fastening rib 16 at its head end. The fastening rib 16 engages in an annular fastening groove 17 in the locking element 7, which defines the head region 7a located above it. Since the locking element 7 is pin-shaped or cylindrical, the annular fastening groove 17 is a circular groove. Similarly, the fastening rib 16 engaging in the circular groove or the annular fastening groove 17 is also circularly shaped at the head end of the flexible hose sheath 11.

[0037] The housing 9 is made of plastic and is specifically designed as an injection-molded plastic part. Furthermore, the design is such that the housing 9 is hermetically sealed except for the opening 12, so that movements of the locking element 7 relative to the housing 9 can lead to the previously described overpressure or underpressure inside the housing 9. The flexible hose sheath 11 is made of an elastomeric plastic. According to the exemplary embodiment, the housing 9 and the flexible hose sheath 11 are connected to each other, for example, by a mechanical coupling of the opposing mounting flanges 15 to the housing 9. However, it is also possible to produce the flexible hose sheath 11 and the housing 9 as a single piece. In this case, the flexible hose sheath 11 is, for example, molded or injection-molded onto the housing 9.In either case, the flexible hose sheath 11 ensures that the locking element 7 can perform the necessary positioning movements while simultaneously protecting the interior of the housing 9 from any ingress of moisture, dirt, etc. This is where the main advantages lie. Reference numeral list.

[0038] Motor vehicle 1 Opening 2 Charging socket 3 Charging plug 4 Openings 5, 6 Locking element 7 Head area 7a Drive 8 Drive housing 9 Housing 10 Seal 11 Hose covering 11 Bellows 11a Bellows 11b Openings 12 Ring guide 13 Lamella 14

[0039] Mounting flanges 15 Mounting rib 16 Mounting groove 17

[0040] Direction A

[0041] Diameter Di, D2

Claims

Patent claims 1. Electric charging device of a motor vehicle (1) , with a movable locking element (7) which is provided for releasably locking a charging plug (4) in a charging socket (3), or vice versa, and with an electric motor drive (8) for adjusting the locking element (7) at least to its positions “unlocked” and “locked”, wherein the locking element (7) is guided outwards through a seal (11) in the area of ​​an opening (12) of a housing (9), characterized in that the seal (11) is designed as a flexible hose covering (11) which at least partially encloses the locking element (7).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible hose covering (11) leaves at least one head area (7a) of the locking element (7) free.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flexible hose covering (11 ) is equipped with at least one lamella (14) for pressure equalization, wherein the lamella (14) is preferably provided on the foot side of the locking element (7).

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that several lamellae (14) are provided which surround the locking element (7) concentrically and in an axially spaced arrangement.

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the flexible hose covering (11 ) is designed as a bellows (11 ). ig according to claim 5, characterized in that the bellows (11 ) has at least two axially spaced parallel folds (11a, 11b).

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the flexible hose covering (11) has at least one integrally formed mounting flange (15) at the foot end.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that two diametrically opposed mounting flanges (15) are provided.

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the flexible hose covering (11) has an annular fastening rib (16) at the head end.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the fastening rib (16) engages in a fastening groove (17) in the locking element (7) when assembled.

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