Unit with cap

Abstract

A unit (3) with a cap is provided with an attachment object (2) and a cap (1) detachably attached to an opening portion (21) of the attachment object (2). The cap (1) includes a main body portion (30) that is fitted into the opening portion (21). The attachment object (2) includes an engagement portion (51) that can engage with the main body portion (30), and an actuator portion (50) that can switch the engagement state and the non-engagement state of the engagement portion (51) by displacing the engagement portion (51).

Description

Capped Unit

[0001] The present invention relates to a capped unit including an attachment object and a cap that is removably attached to an opening of the attachment object.

[0002] Charging connectors have been proposed for supplying power from outside the vehicle (charging) a battery mounted on a vehicle such as an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle. This type of connector is generally also called a charging inlet (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-026288

[0004] The conventional charging inlet described above has an opening where terminals are provided and a hinged lid for exposing or sealing the opening as needed. From the perspective of simplifying the charging inlet, it is conceivable to replace the hinged lid with a cap that can be attached and detached to the opening. However, depending on the hardness, elasticity, etc., of the material constituting the cap, the cap may not be properly held in the opening, which may result in the cap unintentionally falling off. For this reason, it is desirable to use a cap for the charging inlet that can be properly held in the opening of the charging inlet while retaining its original functions (e.g., dustproofness, waterproofness, etc.). Furthermore, as can be understood from this description, it is desirable to use a cap that combines the original functions of a cap and the ability to be properly held in the opening of any attachment target for various attachment targets, regardless of the charging inlet.

[0005] One object of the present invention is to provide a capped unit having a cap that can be properly held in the opening of an attachment object while retaining the original function of a cap, and an attachment object to which the cap can be attached.

[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, a capped unit comprises an attachment object and a cap that can be removably attached to an opening of the attachment object, wherein the cap has a main body portion that is fitted into the opening, and the attachment object has an engagement portion that can engage with the main body portion, and an actuator portion that can switch between an engagement state in which the engagement portion engages with the main body portion and a non-engagement state in which the engagement portion does not engage with the main body portion by displacing the engagement portion.

[0007] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a connector and a cap constituting a capped connector according to an embodiment of the present invention are separated. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cap shown in Fig. 1 as seen from the rear. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of part B in Fig. 3.

[0008] A capped connector 3 according to an embodiment of the present invention, including a cap 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1 , the capped connector 3 is composed of the cap 1 and a connector 2 to which the cap 1 is attached. The connector 2 is installed in a vehicle such as a plug-in hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle, and is connected to an electric wire extending from a battery mounted on the vehicle. The connector 2 is also called a charging inlet. By mating a mating connector (a so-called charging gun) with the mating recess 21 of the connector 2 (see FIG. 1 ), power is supplied to the battery from outside the vehicle, thereby charging the battery.

[0009] For the sake of convenience, the following definitions are used for the terms "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," and "lower," as shown in FIG. 1 and elsewhere. The "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "upper-lower direction" are perpendicular to one another. The front-rear direction coincides with the mating direction of the connector 2 and the mating connector (not shown). The front side of the mating direction (the side approaching the mating connector) from the perspective of the connector 2 is referred to as the "front side," and the release side of the mating direction (the side moving away from the mating connector) from the perspective of the connector 2 is referred to as the "rear side." Note that the "front-rear direction," "left-right direction," and "upper-lower direction" are defined merely for the sake of convenience, and do not necessarily correspond to the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and upper-lower direction of the vehicle when the connector 2 is mounted on the vehicle.

[0010] As shown in FIG. 1 , the connector 2 to which the cap 1 is attached includes a pair of left and right terminals 10A, three terminals 10B arranged in a left-right direction, and a housing 20 that accommodates the terminals 10A and 10B. One ends of a pair of left and right electric wires 4A are connected to the pair of left and right metal terminals (female terminals) 10A, respectively. The other ends of the pair of left and right electric wires 4A are connected, for example, to a battery (not shown). One ends of three left and right electric wires 4B are connected to the three left and right metal terminals 10B, respectively. The other ends of the three left and right electric wires 4B are connected, for example, to various control devices (not shown) mounted on a vehicle. In this example, the housing 20 is formed by combining multiple resin parts, but it may also be formed from a single resin part.

[0011] The front end of the housing 20 defines a mating recess 21 that opens forward and is recessed rearward. In this example, the mating recess 21 is a recess having a shape (approximately a figure-8 shape when viewed from the front) in which an upper region has a substantially circular shape when viewed from the front and a lower region has a substantially oblong hole shape that is elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from the front, and are connected in the vertical direction. The housing 20 is provided with a terminal accommodating portion 22A that accommodates a pair of left and right terminals 10A and protrudes forward within the lower region of the mating recess 21. A terminal accommodating portion 22B that accommodates three terminals 10B arranged in the left-right direction and protrudes forward within the upper region of the mating recess 21. By mating a mating connector with the mating recess 21 of the housing 20, a pair of left and right male terminals (not shown) of the mating connector are connected to the pair of left and right terminals 10A, respectively, and power is supplied to the battery from outside the vehicle.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 1, the connector 2 has an actuator unit 50 provided on the upper part of the housing 20. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the actuator unit 50 includes a rod-shaped pin member 51 extending in the vertical direction, a drive unit 52 that adjusts the vertical position of the pin member 51, and a processing unit 53 that activates the drive unit 52 based on signals received from various sensors and the like mounted on the vehicle. The pin member 51 is arranged to be insertable through a through-hole 24 that penetrates in the vertical direction and is provided in the left-right central portion of the upper part of an annular peripheral wall 23 (see also Fig. 1) that defines the fitting recess 21. The drive unit 52 is formed, for example, by an electric actuator. Based on a drive signal from the processing unit 53, which is a microcomputer, the drive unit 52 selectively switches the vertical position of the pin member 51 between a protruding position (the position shown in Figures 3 and 4) in which the lower end of the pin member 51 protrudes downward from the through hole 24, and a retracted position (a position above the protruding position) in which the lower end of the pin member 51 does not protrude downward from the through hole 24.

[0013] The cap 1 is a part that is removably fitted into the mating recess 21 of the housing 20, and by being fitted into the mating recess 21 and covering the opening of the mating recess 21, it serves the functions of protecting the pair of left and right terminals 10 located within the mating recess 21, as well as preventing dust from entering the mating recess 21.

[0014] In this example, the cap 1 is made of elastomer (or rubber) and is an elastically deformable molded body. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cap 1 is composed of a main body 30 that fits into the fitting recess 21 to cover the opening of the fitting recess 21, and an operating part 40 that protrudes forward from the main body 30 and extends outward from the fitting recess 21. However, the cap 1 may also be a rigid member made of a rigid material such as resin.

[0015] 1 to 3, the main body 30 includes a flat lid portion 31 that has a shape (approximately a figure-8 shape) corresponding to the outer circumferential shape of the fitting recess 21 when viewed from the front-to-rear direction and extends in a direction perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, and an annular portion 32 that extends rearward from the entire outer periphery of the lid portion 31. The lid portion 31 and the annular portion 32 each have upper and lower regions that correspond, respectively, to the upper and lower regions of the fitting recess 21. When the cap 1 is attached to the fitting recess 21, the lid portion 31 covers the opening of the fitting recess 21, and the annular portion 32 faces the inner circumferential surface 21a of the opening of the fitting recess 21 (see FIG. 1).

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2 , the annular portion 32 has a plurality of through holes 33 formed therein, penetrating the annular portion 32 in the thickness direction and spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction of the annular portion 32. In this example, three through holes 33 are provided in each of the upper and lower regions of the annular portion 32. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, only the through hole 33 provided in the central portion of the upper portion of the upper region of the annular portion 32 in the left-right direction will be referred to as the “through hole 33A.” As will be described later, in this example, of the plurality of through holes 33 (six), only the through hole 33A is used for engagement with the pin member 51 of the actuator portion 50, and the remaining plurality of through holes 33 (five) are not used for engagement with the pin member 51 of the actuator portion 50. By providing a plurality of through holes 33 in the annular portion 32 in this manner, even if the position of the actuator portion 50 relative to the housing 20 varies depending on the specifications of the connector 2, any one of the through holes 33 can be used for engagement with the pin member 51. This improves the versatility of the cap 1.

[0017] The operating portions 40 are portions that are operated (external forces are applied) by the user's fingers or the like when attaching or detaching the cap 1 to or from the fitting recess 21 of the housing 20. As shown in Fig. 1, the operating portions 40 protrude forward from the front surfaces of the upper and lower regions of the lid portion 31 of the main body 30. In this example, each of the pair of upper and lower operating portions 40 has a cylindrical shape that is elongated in the left-right direction when viewed from the front.

[0018] When fitting the cap 1 into the fitting recess 21 of the housing 20, the user pinches the pair of upper and lower operating portions 40 of the cap 1 with their fingers, and in this state, pushes the cap 1 into the fitting recess 21 (applying a rearward external force to the operating portions 40) so that the annular portion 32 of the main body 30 is inserted into the fitting recess 21 until the outer periphery of the lid portion 31 of the main body 30 abuts against the opening edge of the fitting recess 21. This allows the cap 1 to be fitted into the fitting recess 21 (see FIG. 3).

[0019] On the other hand, when the cap 1 is fitted into the fitting recess 21 of the housing 20, the user can pinch the pair of upper and lower operating parts 40 of the cap 1 with their fingers and, in that state, apply a forward external force to the operating parts 40, thereby removing (separating) the cap 1 from the fitting recess 21.

[0020] When the cap 1 is fitted into the fitting recess 21 of the housing 20, as shown in Fig. 4 , the through hole 33A of the main body 30 of the cap 1 is disposed adjacent to the lower side of the through hole 24 of the housing 20, and the pin member 51 of the actuator unit 50, which is disposed so as to be insertable through the through hole 24, can also be inserted into the through hole 33A. Therefore, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 , when the pin member 51 is in the protruding position, the lower end of the pin member 51 is disposed inside the through hole 33A, and the pin member 51 is engaged with the through hole 33A (i.e., the main body 30). Therefore, when the pin member 51 is in the protruding position, the pin member 51 restricts forward movement of the cap 1 relative to the housing 20, thereby preventing the cap 1 from unintentionally separating from the fitting recess 21. On the other hand, when the pin member 51 is in the retracted position, the lower end of the pin member 51 is located outside the through-hole 33A (above the through-hole 33A), and the pin member 51 is not engaged with the through-hole 33A (i.e., the main body 30). Therefore, when the pin member 51 is in the retracted position, the pin member 51 does not restrict the cap 1 from moving forward relative to the housing 20, so the cap 1 can be separated from the fitting recess 21. Here, the state in which the pin member 51 is in the protruding position corresponds to the "engaged state" of the present invention, and the state in which the pin member 51 is in the retracted position corresponds to the "disengaged state" of the present invention.

[0021] In this example, as described above, the processing unit 53 of the actuator unit 50 selectively switches the vertical position of the pin member 51 between the protruding position and the retracted position by driving the drive unit 52 based on signals from various sensors and the like mounted on the vehicle. Specifically, for example, when the vehicle equipped with the connector 2 is running or stopped, the pin member 51 is in the protruding position (engaged state) to prevent the cap 1 attached to the fitting recess 21 from falling off. When charging is started using the connector 2 (charging inlet), the cap 1 attached to the fitting recess 21 needs to be removed, so the pin member 51 is in the retracted position (disengaged state). When charging is completed and the cap 1 is attached to the fitting recess 21, the pin member 51 is in the protruding position (engaged state) to prevent the cap 1 attached to the fitting recess 21 from falling off.

[0022] As described above, with the capped connector 3 according to this embodiment, the main body 30 of the cap 1 is fitted into the mating recess 21 of the connector 2, thereby sealing the mating recess 21. This allows the cap 1 to fulfill its inherent functions (e.g., dustproofness, waterproofness, etc.). Furthermore, with the cap 1 fitted into the mating recess 21, the actuator 50 of the connector 2 can engage the pin member 51 with the main body 30 (through hole 33A) of the cap 1. In this engaged state, the pin member 51 restricts movement of the cap 1, thereby preventing the cap 1 from unintentionally separating from the mating recess 21. In this way, the capped connector 3 according to this embodiment includes the cap 1 that can be attached with sufficient strength to the mating recess 21 of the connector 2 while retaining the inherent functions of the cap 1, and the connector 2 that includes the cap 1.

[0023] Furthermore, according to the capped connector 3 of this embodiment, the actuator unit 50 displaces the pin member 51 so that the pin member 51 is positioned inside or outside the through hole 33A of the cap 1, thereby making it possible to switch between an engaged state and a disengaged state.

[0024] Furthermore, with the capped connector 3 of this embodiment, when the cap 1 is fitted into the mating recess 21, the user can apply an external force to the operating part 40 protruding from the main body 30 of the cap 1 to separate the cap 1 from the mating recess 21 (for example, by the user pinching the operating part 40 with their fingers and pulling it out in the protruding direction).

[0025] Furthermore, in the capped connector 3 according to this embodiment, the cap 1 has a plurality of through holes 33 in the annular portion 32. As a result, even if the position of the actuator portion 50 varies depending on the specifications of the connector 2, any one of the through holes 33 can be used for engagement with the pin member 51. This improves the versatility of the cap 1.

[0026] Furthermore, in the capped connector 3 according to this embodiment, the actuator unit 50 has a drive unit 52 that switches between an engaged state and a disengaged state, and a processing unit 53 that receives a signal for executing the switching and operates the drive unit 52. This makes it possible to switch between the engaged state and the disengaged state, for example, by setting the state to the engaged state when the automobile equipped with the connector 2 is moving or stopped, setting the state to the disengaged state when charging begins using the connector 2, and setting the state to the engaged state when charging is completed and the cap 1 is attached to the connector 2.

[0027] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be adopted within the scope of the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and modifications, improvements, etc. are possible as appropriate. Furthermore, the material, shape, dimensions, number, location, etc. of each component in the above-described embodiments are arbitrary as long as they can achieve the present invention, and are not limited thereto.

[0028] Here, in the embodiment of the present invention described above, the capped unit (3) is a capped unit (3) comprising an attachment object (2) and a cap (1) that is detachably attached to an opening (21) of the attachment object (2), wherein the cap (1) has a main body portion (30) that is fitted into the opening (21), and the attachment object (2) has an engagement portion (51) that can engage with the main body portion (30), and an actuator portion (50) that can switch between an engagement state in which the engagement portion (51) engages with the main body portion (30) and a non-engagement state in which the engagement portion (51) does not engage with the main body portion (30) by displacing the engagement portion (51).

[0029] According to the capped unit having the above configuration, the main body of the cap is fitted into the opening of the attachment target, thereby sealing the opening. This allows the cap's original functions (e.g., dustproofness, waterproofness, etc.) to be fulfilled. Furthermore, when the actuator of the attachment target engages the engaging portion with the main body of the cap (i.e., when the cap is engaged) while the cap is fitted into the opening, unintentional detachment of the cap from the opening is prevented. In this way, the capped unit of this configuration includes a cap that can be properly held in the opening of the attachment target while maintaining its original function as a cap, and an attachment target to which the cap is attached.

[0030] Furthermore, the main body portion (30) of the cap (1) may have an annular portion (32) facing the inner circumferential surface (21 a) of the opening (21) and a hole portion (33) provided in the annular portion (32), and the actuator portion (50) of the attachment object (2) may be configured such that in the engaged state, the engagement portion (51) is disposed inside the hole portion (33), and in the disengaged state, the engagement portion (51) is disposed outside the hole portion (33).

[0031] According to the capped unit having the above configuration, the actuator portion displaces the engaging portion so that the engaging portion is positioned inside or outside the hole of the cap, thereby making it possible to switch between an engaged state and a disengaged state.

[0032] Furthermore, the cap (1) may further have an operating portion (40) that protrudes from the main body portion (30) and extends outward from the opening (21).

[0033] With the capped unit of the above configuration, when the cap is in an unengaged state, the user can apply an external force to the operating part that protrudes from the main body of the cap to separate the cap from the opening (for example, by the user pinching the operating part with their fingers and pulling it in the protruding direction).

[0034] Furthermore, the actuator unit (50) may have a drive unit (52) that switches between the engaged state and the disengaged state, and a processing unit (53) that receives a signal to perform the switching and operates the drive unit (52).

[0035] In the capped unit having the above configuration, the actuator unit switches between the engaged state and the disengaged state by having the processing unit receive a signal for switching and activate the drive unit. For example, if the attachment target is a charging inlet, by receiving the above-described signals from various sensors mounted on the vehicle or from a control device mounted on the vehicle, it is possible to achieve switching between the engaged state and the disengaged state, such as switching to the engaged state when the automobile equipped with the charging inlet is moving or stopped, switching to the disengaged state when charging begins using the charging inlet, and switching to the engaged state when charging is completed and the cap is attached to the charging inlet, by receiving the above-described signals from various sensors mounted on the vehicle or from a control device mounted on the vehicle.

[0036] Furthermore, the cap (1) may have a plurality of the holes (33) in the annular portion (32).

[0037] According to the capped unit having the above configuration, the cap has a plurality of holes in the annular portion. This allows any one of the holes to be used for engagement with the engaging portion even if the position of the actuator portion varies depending on the specifications of the object to be attached, thereby improving the versatility of the cap.

[0038] This application is based on a Japanese patent application (Patent Application No. 2024-104153) filed on June 27, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0039] The capped unit of the present invention includes a cap that can be properly held in the opening of an attachment object while retaining the original function of a cap, and an attachment object to which the cap is attached. The present invention having this effect can be used, for example, in a charging inlet for an automobile.

[0040] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Cap 2 Connector (attachment object) 3 Capped connector (capped unit) 21 Fitting recess (opening) 21a Opening inner peripheral surface 30 Main body 32 Annular portion 33 Through hole (hole portion) 40 Operation portion 50 Actuator portion 51 Pin member (engagement portion) 52 Drive portion 53 Processing portion

Claims

1. A capped unit comprising an attachment object and a cap that can be removably attached to an opening of the attachment object, wherein the cap has a main body portion that fits into the opening, and the attachment object has an engagement portion that can engage with the main body portion, and an actuator portion that can switch between an engagement state in which the engagement portion engages with the main body portion and a non-engagement state in which the engagement portion does not engage with the main body portion by displacing the engagement portion.

2. A capped unit as described in claim 1, wherein the main body of the cap has an annular portion facing the inner circumferential surface of the opening and a hole portion provided in the annular portion, and the actuator portion to be attached is configured so that in the engaged state, the engaging portion is located inside the hole portion, and in the disengaged state, the engaging portion is located outside the hole portion.

3. A capped unit according to claim 1, wherein the cap further comprises an operating portion that protrudes from the main body portion and extends outward from the opening.

4. A capped unit according to claim 1, wherein the actuator section has a drive section that switches between the engaged state and the disengaged state, and a processing section that receives a signal to perform the switching and activates the drive section.

5. A capped unit according to claim 2, wherein the cap has a plurality of the holes in the annular portion.

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