Charging Door Guide Rail Nesting Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing charging door structures for electric vehicles are prone to interference and damage when automatically opening and closing, especially in autonomous charging systems, as they protrude outside the charging hole and can collide with charging guns.
Innovation Solution
A device featuring a guide rail mounted inside the charging hole, an actuator providing a driving force, and a charging door that moves along this rail to open and close within the hole, preventing interference and enhancing marketability by ensuring a safe entry path for charging guns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the charging door is opened by pivoting outward on a single-axis hinge, then the charging hole is opened, but the charging door protrudes outside the charging hole causing interference with the charging gun and potential damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single-axis hinge rotation to a two-stage movement combining rotation and linear translation along a guide rail. The charging door first rotates around a hinge axis, then translates linearly along the guide rail to retract inside the charging hole, adding a dimensional component to the opening motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging door is designed to be nested within the charging hole when closed, and during opening, it retracts inside the charging hole along the guide rail rather than protruding outward. This nesting approach eliminates interference with the charging gun.
2Reliability
If the charging door is designed to retract inside the charging hole along a guide rail, then interference with charging gun is prevented, but the structure becomes more complex with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the hinge rotation mechanism with the guide rail linear movement into an integrated two-stage opening system. The charging door structure itself incorporates both rotational and translational capabilities, merging multiple functions into a unified mechanism rather than separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rail acts as an intermediary component that enables the charging door to transition from rotational to linear motion. It provides the structural path and constraint necessary for the door to retract inside the charging hole while maintaining controlled movement throughout the opening sequence.
3Manufacturing precision
If a guide rail system with pivoting and linear sections is used, then the charging door can move precisely within the charging hole, but the manufacturing and installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail is segmented into distinct functional sections: a pivoting guide section for rotational movement and a linear guide section for translational movement. This segmentation allows each section to be optimized for its specific function and simplifies the overall manufacturing and assembly process by breaking down the complex guide rail into manageable parts.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution prevents damage to charging door components and improves marketability by ensuring a secure and interference-free opening mechanism for charging guns, enhancing the reliability and safety of the charging process.
Implementation Method 1
a guide roller coupled to the charging door, slidably engaged to the guide rail
Data Source
AI summary
A device configured for opening and closing a charging door may include a guide rail mounted to be long in a charging hole in a longitudinal direction thereof, an actuator configured to provide a driving force, and a charging door engaged to the actuator and configured to be concealed and moved in the charging hole along the guide rail according to the driving force received from the actuator in a state of being closed to open the charging hole.