JP5652210B2 - Vehicle charging unit structure - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention belongs to a technical field related to a vehicle charging unit structure including a charging port to which a charging plug connected to an external power source is connected in order to charge a battery mounted on the vehicle with an external power source.

  Some vehicles, such as electric vehicles, are equipped with a battery for driving a vehicle driving motor, and this battery can be charged by an external power source such as a household power source. Thus, a vehicle that can be charged by an external power source is provided with a charging port for charging, and a charging plug connected to the external power source is connected to the charging port, The battery is charged by the external power source.

  As the arrangement of the charging port, the rear part of the front fender (for example, see Patent Document 1) and the lower part of the front pillar (for example, see Patent Document 2) are known.

JP 2010-166756 A JP 2010-023636 A

  By the way, the charging port is usually covered with a lid member. However, when the charging port and the lid member are disposed on the front fender or the front pillar, in particular, in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the lid is covered at such a location. Since the member is not present, the lid member is conspicuous, and the appearance design of the vehicle is deteriorated. In addition, when the charging port is provided in the front fender, it is necessary for the vehicle occupant to bend down when trying to connect the charging plug to the charging port, and there is a problem in the accessibility of the charging plug. . In addition, when the charging port is provided in the front pillar, the front pillar is usually formed with a hole through which a member constituting the charging port is inserted. There is a problem that the vehicle performance at the time is lowered.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a point, and an object of the present invention is to impair the design of the appearance of the vehicle and the performance of the vehicle at the time of a vehicle collision with the charging port to which the charging plug is connected. There is no attempt to arrange the charging plug in a position where the accessibility of the charging plug is good.

  In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, in order to charge a battery mounted on a vehicle with an external power source, a vehicle charging unit having a charging port to which a charging plug connected to the external power source is connected. For the structure, the charging port includes, on the side of the vehicle, a front door, a front fender disposed on the front side of the front door, and a front pillar disposed so as to connect the front fender and the roof panel. It was set as the structure arrange | positioned in the site | part enclosed by.

  That is, in a portion surrounded by the front door, the front fender, and the front pillar in the side portion of the vehicle, for example, a substantially triangular decorative plate may be provided when the charging port is not provided. Even if a lid member covering the charging port is provided, there is no discomfort in appearance and the lid member does not stand out. Further, even if a hole through which a member constituting the charging port is inserted is formed in the vehicle body corresponding to the above part, there is almost no influence on the vehicle body performance at the time of the vehicle collision, and the charging port is configured at the time of the vehicle collision. The member to be damaged is hardly damaged. Furthermore, by providing the charging port at the above-mentioned site, it becomes possible to connect the charging plug to the charging port in a substantially upright position without the vehicle occupant bending down, making the charging plug accessible. Become good.

  Further, when a vehicle having an internal combustion engine is remodeled into an electric vehicle, a charging port is provided in a portion surrounded by the front door, the front fender, and the front pillar in the side portion of the vehicle, and is fixed to the portion. What is necessary is just to change a decorative board into a cover member, and modification to an electric vehicle can be performed easily.

  In the vehicle charging unit structure, a door mirror is disposed at substantially the same height position as the charging port in the vicinity of the front end of the front door, and the charging plug has a charging plug in a vehicle width direction in plan view. It is preferable to be configured to be connected to the charging port in a state in which the vehicle extends inwardly toward the rear side of the vehicle.

  Thus, even when the occupant opens the front door while the charging plug is connected to the charging port, interference between the door mirror of the front door and the charging plug can be prevented as much as possible.

  In a plan view, the inclination angle of the charging plug connected to the charging port with respect to the vehicle width direction is such that the door mirror of the fully opened front door does not contact the charging plug connected to the charging port. It is preferable that the angle is set.

  By doing in this way, even if the front door is fully opened when the charging plug is connected to the charging port, interference between the door mirror and the charging plug can be reliably prevented.

  The vehicle charging unit structure preferably further includes a lid member that covers the charging port, and the lid member is pivotally supported by the front pillar so as to be opened and closed.

  This allows the lid member to be opened above the charging port. As a result, interference between the opened lid member and the door mirror can be prevented, and even if the lid member is opened in the rain, the opened lid member can prevent raindrops from adhering to the charging port. it can.

  As described above, according to the vehicle charging unit structure of the present invention, the charging port to which the charging plug is connected is disposed at the site surrounded by the front door, the front fender, and the front pillar on the side of the vehicle. Thus, the charging port can be disposed at a position where the design of the external appearance of the vehicle and the vehicle body performance at the time of the vehicle collision are not impaired and the access of the charging plug is good.

It is a side view which shows the principal part of the electric vehicle to which the charging part structure for vehicles concerning the embodiment of the present invention was applied, and shows the state where the left front door is fully closed and the left door mirror is in the storage position. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view corresponding to line II-II in FIG. 1, showing a state in which the left front door is fully closed and the left door mirror is in the deployed position. It is a side view which shows a charging part and its circumference | surroundings in the state without a left front door. It is the IV-IV sectional view taken on the line of FIG. FIG. 3 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing a state in which the left front door is fully opened and the left door mirror is in the unfolded position.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a main part of an electric vehicle 1 (hereinafter also referred to as a vehicle 1) to which a vehicle charging unit structure according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In FIG. 1, 2 is a left front door provided on the left side of the vehicle 1, and 3 is a left front fender disposed on the front side of the left front door 2 on the left side of the vehicle 1. Reference numeral 4 denotes a left front pillar arranged to connect the left front fender 3 and a roof panel (not shown). Hereinafter, the front, rear, left, right, upper and lower of the vehicle 1 are simply referred to as front, rear, left, right, upper and lower, respectively. 1 to 3 and 5, the front side of the vehicle 1 is indicated by an arrow Fr.

  The vehicle 1 is configured to run by a motor. The motor is disposed in a motor room (corresponding to an engine room of a vehicle having an internal combustion engine) at a front portion of the vehicle 1 and is mounted on a lower side of the vehicle room floor of the vehicle 1 (for example, lithium). Driven by a secondary battery such as a battery). The upper side of the motor room is covered with a bonnet 5.

  The left front fender 3 is located on the left side of the motor room and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction from the front end of the vehicle to immediately before the left front door 2. Further, the left front pillar 4 is located on the upper side toward the vehicle rear side along the upper edge portion of the left front door 2 so as to connect the rear end upper portion of the left front fender 3 and the left front end portion of the roof panel. It extends at an angle.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a left door mirror 7 is provided near the front end of the left front door 2 (substantially the same height as a charging port 21 described later). Rotation about an axis extending in the vertical direction between a retracted position in which the body reflecting surface 7a (see FIG. 2) faces inward in the vehicle width direction and a deployed position (usage position) in which the reflecting surface 7a faces rearward It is an electric retractable type. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the left front door 2 is fully closed and the left door mirror 7 is in the retracted position, and FIG. 2 shows a state in which the left front door 2 is fully closed and the left door mirror 7 is in the deployed position. Show. In FIG. 2, details inside the left door mirror 7 are omitted.

  The right side of the vehicle 1 is provided with a right front door, a right front fender, and a right front pillar, similar to the left side of the vehicle 1, and the positional relationship thereof is the same as that of the left side. Further, a right door mirror having the same configuration as that of the left door mirror 7 is provided on the right front door (the same position as the left door mirror 7 of the left front door 2).

  A portion surrounded by the left front door 2, the left front fender 3, and the left front pillar 4 at the left side portion of the vehicle 1 (the front portion of the left door mirror 7) is charged with the battery by an external power source outside the vehicle. It is set as the charging part 11 for this. In the present embodiment, the external power source is a household power source of 100 V to 200 V, but may be a quick charger having a higher voltage than the household power source.

  A substantially triangular lid member 12 that can be opened and closed is disposed on the outermost side of the charging unit 11 so as to cover a charging port 21 described later. The lid member 12 also serves as a decorative board (garnish), and is opened only when charging the battery, and is fully closed otherwise, so that the appearance of the charging unit 11 is good. It is to make. In the right side portion of the vehicle 1, the portion surrounded by the right front door, the right front fender, and the right front pillar (the same portion as the charging portion 11 in the left side portion of the vehicle 1) has a substantially triangular shape. The board is fixed. Thereby, when the lid member 12 is fully closed, there is no difference in appearance between the left and right sides of the vehicle 1.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a left hinge pillar 8 that supports an opening / closing hinge portion of the left front door 2 is disposed inside the lid member 12 and the front end portion of the left front door 2 in the vehicle width direction. The left hinge pillar 8 extends upward from a front end portion of a left side sill (not shown) extending in the front-rear direction and is connected to the front end portion of the left front pillar 4. 3, the illustration of the left front door 2 is omitted, and the lid member 12 is opened so that the left hinge pillar 8 (an outer panel 8a described later) can be seen.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the left front pillar 4 includes an outer panel 4a on the vehicle outer side, an inner panel 4b on the vehicle inner side, and a reinforcement 4c disposed between the outer panel 4a and the inner panel 4b. . The left hinge pillar 8 also includes an outer panel 8a outside the vehicle, an inner panel 8b inside the vehicle, and a reinforcement 8c disposed between the outer panel 8a and the inner panel 8b. The outer panel 4a, inner panel 4b, and reinforcement 4c of the left front pillar 4 are integrally formed with the outer panel 8a, inner panel 8b, and reinforcement 8c of the left hinge pillar 8, respectively.

  The outer surface of the outer panel 8 a of the left hinge pillar 8 is located on the inner side in the vehicle width direction with respect to the outer surface of the outer panel 4 a of the left front pillar 4 and the outer surface of the left front fender 3. When the lid member 12 is fully closed and the left front door 2 is in the fully closed state, the outer surface of the lid member 12, the outer surface of the left front door 2, the outer surface of the left front fender 3, and The outer surface of the outer panel 4a of the left front pillar 4 is connected smoothly without unevenness.

  The lid member 12 is pivotally supported by the left front pillar 4 so as to be opened and closed. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, one end portion of the support arm 13 is fixedly attached to the lid member 12, and the other end portion of the support arm 13 is located inside the outer panel 4 a of the left front pillar 4. A support member 14 fixed to the surface is rotatably attached via a support shaft 15. A through hole 8d through which the support arm 13 passes is formed in the outer panel 8a of the left hinge pillar 8. Further, the boundary between the reinforcement 4c of the left front pillar 4 and the reinforcement 8c of the left hinge pillar 8 penetrates to avoid interference with the support arm 13 when the lid member 12 is fully closed. A hole 8e is formed.

  The lid member 12 is biased to rotate in the opening direction by a biasing member (not shown) (for example, a torsion coil spring provided around the support shaft 15). The rotation of the lid member 12 by the urging member is regulated by, for example, the support arm 13 coming into contact with the upper edge of the through hole 8d, and this regulation state (that is, the lid member 12 is completely opened). ) Is located on the side of the portion extending from the upper rear end of the left front fender 3 to the lower end of the left front pillar 4 and extends upwardly inclined toward the rear as viewed from the left side of the vehicle 1. It is in a state (see FIGS. 3 and 4). When the lid member 12 is in the fully closed state, the lid member 12 is locked in the closed state by a lock mechanism (not shown). This lock is released by the occupant operating a release lever provided on the side of the driver's seat of the vehicle 1, and the lid member 12 is opened by this release. Such an opening / closing mechanism of the lid member 12 has the same configuration as the well-known opening / closing mechanism of the lid that covers the fuel supply port of the vehicle having the internal combustion engine.

  The charging unit 11 is provided with a charging port 21 to which a charging plug 41 (see FIG. 5) connected to the external power source via a power cable is connected. That is, the charging port 21 is disposed at a portion surrounded by the left front door 2, the left front fender 3, and the left front pillar 4 on the left side portion of the vehicle 1. Further, the left door mirror 7 is disposed at substantially the same height as the charging port 21 in the vicinity of the front end of the left front door 2.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the charging port 21 includes a cylindrical member 22 formed of an insulating resin. A flange portion 22 a is integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 22. The inner hole of the cylindrical member 22 is a fitting hole 22b into which the cylindrical tip portion 41a (see FIG. 5) of the charging plug 41 is fitted. Inside the fitting hole 22b, when the tip portion 41a of the charging plug 41 is fitted into the fitting hole 22b, a plurality of resin-made pins into which cylindrical terminals provided inside the tip portion 41a enter. (Five) sleeves 23a to 23e are provided. The sleeves 23a and 23b are respectively connected to the positive and negative power supply terminals of the charging plug 41, the sleeve 23c is connected to a grounding terminal, and the sleeves 23d and 23e are connected to signal terminals. The inner diameters (outer diameters) of the sleeves 23a, 23b, and 23c are larger than the inner diameters (outer diameters) of the sleeves 23d and 23e. In FIG. 2, the description of the sleeves 23a to 23e is omitted.

  Although not shown, male plugs that are electrically connected to the female plugs provided at the respective terminals of the charging plug 41 are provided inside the sleeves 23a to 23e. A power cable is connected to the male plugs in the sleeves 23a and 23b, a ground cable is connected to the male plug in the sleeve 23c, and a signal line is connected to the male plugs in the sleeves 23d and 23e. The ground cable is connected to the inner panel 8b of the left hinge pillar 8 or the like (any grounded body member may be used). The power cable and the signal line extend from the through hole (not shown) provided in the inner panel 8b of the left hinge pillar 8 into the passenger compartment and descend to the passenger compartment floor, and then extend forward on the passenger compartment floor. It enters the motor room through a through hole provided in the panel. An in-vehicle charger and a controller for controlling the in-vehicle charger are provided in the motor room, and the power cable and the signal line are connected to the in-vehicle charger and the controller, respectively. Then, the on-vehicle charger boosts the power from the external power source input via the charging plug 41 and the power cable so as to be a voltage suitable for charging the battery, and charges the battery.

  The opening on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the fitting hole 22b of the cylindrical member 22 is opened or closed by a circular inner lid 25 that can be freely opened and closed. The inner lid 25 is rotatably attached to the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 22 and is urged to rotate in the opening direction by an urging member (not shown). On the other hand, a claw member 26 is rotatably attached to a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical member 22 that is opposed to the attachment portion of the inner lid 25 in the radial direction. The claw member 26 is attached to the inner lid 25. The closed state of the inner lid 25 is maintained by engaging with the provided engaging projection 25a. The claw member 26 is urged so as to rotate inward in the radial direction of the cylindrical member 22 by an urging member (not shown). And when a passenger | crew connects the charging plug 41 to the charging port 21 in order to charge the said battery (that is, when fitting the front-end | tip part 41a of the charging plug 41 in the fitting hole 22b of the cylindrical member 22), By pushing the claw member 26 radially outward of the cylindrical member 22, the inner lid 25 can be opened. Further, when the inner lid 25 is closed after the charging of the battery is completed and the charging plug 41 is removed from the charging port 21, the claw member 26 is formed in a cylindrical shape by the engagement protrusion 25 a of the closed inner lid 25. When the member 22 is pivoted radially outward and the inner lid 25 is completely closed, the claw member 26 pivots radially inward of the tubular member 22 and engages with the engaging protrusion 25a. It becomes a state. Thus, the lid member 12 can be closed after the inner lid 25 is closed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the cylindrical member 22 is attached and fixed to a bracket 31 by a flange portion 22 a, and the bracket 31 is attached and fixed to the outer panel 8 a of the left hinge pillar 8. Thereby, the cylindrical member 22 is attached and fixed to the left hinge pillar 8 via the bracket 31. The outer panel 8a and the reinforcement 8c of the left hinge pillar 8 are formed with through holes 8f and 8g into which the bracket 31 is fitted, respectively.

  As described above, the axial center C of the cylindrical member 22 attached and fixed to the left hinge pillar 8 is inclined and extended rearward in the vehicle width direction in plan view. The inclination angle of the axis C in the plan view with respect to the vehicle width direction is defined as θ. In the state where the tip portion 41a of the charging plug 41 is fitted in the fitting hole 22b of the cylindrical member 22 (the state where the charging plug 41 is connected to the charging port 21), the axial center of the cylindrical tip portion 41a is In agreement with the axis C of the cylindrical member 22, the charging plug 41 also extends while inclining rearward in the vehicle width direction in plan view (see FIG. 5). That is, the charging port 21 is configured to be connected to the charging port 21 in a state in which the charging plug 41 is inclined and extended rearward in the vehicle width direction in plan view.

  The inclination angle of the charging plug 41 connected to the charging port 21 in the plan view with respect to the vehicle width direction coincides with the inclination angle θ of the axis C. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the left front door 2 is fully opened and the left door mirror 7 is in the unfolded position. As shown in FIG. 5, the inclination angle of the charging plug 41 (that is, the inclination angle θ of the axis C) is such that the left door mirror 7 of the left front door 2 that is fully opened is not limited to the retracted position but is in the deployed position. Even if it exists, it sets to the angle which does not contact | abut the charge plug 41 connected to the charge port 21. FIG. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, only when the left door mirror 7 is in the retracted position, the left door mirror 7 is not in contact with the charging plug 41 even when the left front door 2 is fully opened. The inclination angle θ may be set. Alternatively, the inclination angle θ is set so that the left door mirror 7 in the unfolded position does not come into contact with the charging plug 41 when the left front door 2 is opened by a predetermined opening (for example, the minimum angle at which an occupant can get on and off). May be.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, the charging port 21 to which the charging plug 41 is connected is surrounded by the left front door 2, the left front fender 3, and the left front pillar 4 on the left side of the vehicle 1 (charging unit 11). ), The charging unit 11 can be made to have the same appearance as the decorative plate on the right side portion of the vehicle 1 by the lid member 12 that also serves as the decorative plate, and the appearance of the decorative plate at the portion is Since the process is a process often performed in a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, even if the cover member 12 also serving as a decorative plate is provided, there is no discomfort in appearance and the cover member 12 does not stand out. Further, the outer panel 8a and the reinforcement 8c of the left hinge pillar 8 are formed with through holes 8f and 8g into which the bracket 31 is fitted. The positions of these through holes 8f and 8g are determined at the time of the collision of the vehicle 1. It is a position that has little influence on the vehicle body performance, does not impair the vehicle body performance when the vehicle 1 collides, and the cylindrical member 22 constituting the charging port 21 is damaged when the vehicle 1 collides. There is almost nothing. Further, the height of the charging unit 11 is such that the charging plug 41 can be connected to the charging port 21 in a substantially upright posture even if the passenger of the vehicle 1 does not bow down. Good. Therefore, the charging port 21 can be disposed at a position where the design of the appearance of the vehicle 1 and the vehicle performance at the time of the collision of the vehicle 1 are not impaired and the charging plug 41 is easily accessed.

  Further, when a vehicle having an internal combustion engine is converted into an electric vehicle, a portion surrounded by a left front door, a left front fender, and a left front pillar (or a right side portion of the vehicle) on the left side portion of the vehicle. The portion surrounded by the right front door, the right front fender, and the right front pillar) is used as the charging unit 11, and the charging port 21 is provided in the portion, and the decorative plate fixed to the portion is changed to the lid member 12. It can be easily modified to an electric vehicle.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the axial center C of the cylindrical member 22 is viewed in a plan view so that the left door mirror 7 of the left front door 2 that is fully opened does not contact the charging plug 41 connected to the charging port 21. Thus, even if the occupant opens the left front door 2 when the charging plug 41 is connected to the charging port 21, the left side door 2 is opened on the left side. Interference between the door mirror and the charging plug 41 can be reliably prevented. In addition, when the charging plug 41 is connected to the charging port 21, the passenger of the vehicle 1 can open the left front door 2 to get on and off, and put in and out things, improving the convenience of the passenger. Can be made.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the lid member 12 is pivotally supported by the left front pillar 4 so as to be openable and closable, so that the lid member 12 opens to the upper side of the charging port 21. Can be opened without interfering with the left door mirror 7, and even if the lid member 12 is opened in the rain, the lid member 12 can prevent raindrops from adhering to the charging port 21. .

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can be substituted without departing from the spirit of the claims.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the charging port 21 is disposed in a portion surrounded by the left front door 2, the left front fender 3, and the left front pillar 4 on the left side portion of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 may be disposed at a portion surrounded by the right front door, the right front fender, and the right front pillar at the right side portion of the vehicle 1, or may be disposed on both the left and right sides of the vehicle 1. When the charging ports 21 are arranged on the left and right sides of the vehicle 1, the passenger of the vehicle 1 can select the charging port 21 to which the charging plug 41 can be easily connected from among the charging ports 21 on both sides. The degree of freedom of the orientation of the vehicle 1 when stopped for battery charging is increased.

  Moreover, although the example which applied this invention to the electric vehicle 1 was shown in the said embodiment, you may apply this invention not only to this but a plug-in hybrid vehicle, for example.

  The above embodiments are merely examples, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed in a limited manner. The scope of the present invention is defined by the scope of the claims, and all modifications and changes belonging to the equivalent scope of the claims are within the scope of the present invention.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is useful for a vehicle charging unit structure including a charging port to which a charging plug connected to an external power source is connected in order to charge a battery mounted on the vehicle with an external power source.

1 Vehicle 2 Left Front Door 3 Left Front Fender 4 Left Front Pillar 7 Left Door Mirror 11 Charging Unit 12 Lid Member 21 Charging Port 41 Charging Plug

Claims (4)

In order to charge a battery mounted on a vehicle with an external power source, a vehicle charging unit structure including a charging port to which a charging plug connected to the external power source is connected,
The charging port is surrounded at the side of the vehicle by a front door, a front fender disposed on the front side of the front door, and a front pillar disposed so as to connect the front fender and the roof panel. A charging part structure for a vehicle, wherein the charging part structure is disposed at a site. The vehicle charging unit structure according to claim 1,
A door mirror is disposed at the same height as the charging port in the vicinity of the front end of the front door,
The charging port is configured to be connected to the charging port in a state in which the charging plug is inclined and extended toward the vehicle rear side in a vehicle width direction in a plan view. Vehicle charging unit structure. In the vehicle charging part structure according to claim 2,
In a plan view, the inclination angle of the charging plug connected to the charging port with respect to the vehicle width direction is such that the door mirror of the fully opened front door does not contact the charging plug connected to the charging port. The charging part structure for vehicles characterized by being set to an angle. In the vehicle charging part structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A lid member covering the charging port;
The charging unit structure for a vehicle, wherein the lid member is pivotally supported by the front pillar so as to be opened and closed.

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