Charging Socket Sliding Cover for Contaminant and Shock Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Publicly installed electric vehicle charging sockets are prone to damage, leading to exposure of the plug jack, which allows contaminants like moisture and dust to enter, and poses a risk of electric shock, especially when not protected by a dust cover, and also poses a risk to small children.
Innovation Solution
A charging socket design featuring an outer shell, a sliding cover, and a base with elastic elements and baffles that swing to cover the plug connecting part, along with a liftable dust cover to prevent contamination and access, ensuring safety and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a dust cover is provided to cover the charging socket, then protection against contaminants is improved, but the device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates due to additional manual intervention required
Solution Approach 1:
The charging socket automatically opens the protective cover when a charging plug is inserted and automatically closes it when the plug is removed, eliminating the need for manual operation. The system uses the charging plug itself as the actuating force to trigger the opening and closing actions, making the device serve itself without external intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective cover is pre-positioned to cover the charging socket before any charging operation begins. The cover is designed to be ready in advance, automatically moving into the protective position before contamination can occur, and into the open position before the charging plug needs to be inserted.
2Ease of operation
If the charging socket is left exposed for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of electric shock and contaminant entry
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover transitions from a static fixed cover to a dynamic movable cover that automatically adjusts its position based on charging operations. The cover moves between closed (protective) and open (accessible) states automatically, providing safety when needed and accessibility when required, without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The charging socket system automatically manages its own protective covering without requiring user action. The system detects the presence or absence of a charging plug and autonomously opens or closes the protective cover, ensuring safety is maintained while accessibility is provided when needed.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a fixed protective cover is used, then protection against contaminants and electric shock is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to manual opening and closing required
Solution Approach 1:
The charging socket automatically opens the protective cover when a charging plug is inserted and automatically closes it when the plug is removed, eliminating the need for manual operation. The system uses the charging plug itself as the actuating force to trigger the opening and closing actions, making the device serve itself without external intervention.
4Ease of operation
If the sliding cover automatically opens when charging plug is inserted, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional mechanisms required
Solution Approach 1:
The charging plug serves multiple functions: it provides electrical connection for charging and simultaneously acts as the actuating force to open the protective cover. The single actuating rod mechanism handles both the cover opening and the connection guidance, reducing overall system complexity while achieving automatic operation.
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 design effectively prevents external contaminants and unauthorized access, ensuring the charging socket's normal operation and safety by providing a protective mechanism that automatically covers the plug jack when not in use.
Implementation Method 1
the base having two elastic elements spaced above the plug connecting part
Data Source
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AI summary
A charging socket, comprising sequentially an outer shell, a sliding cover, and a base, the sliding cover being provided on the front surface of the base and sliding up and down relative to the base, wherein the front surface of the base has two elastic elements spaced above the plug connecting part and two baffles covering at least a part of the plug connecting part. The sliding cover has an inserting hole corresponding to the plug connecting part, an actuating part is provided on the rear surface of the sliding cover located above the inserting hole and connected to the two elastic elements to push the two baffles to swing in opposite directions simultaneously.