JP7635535B2 - Power conditioner for electric vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a power conditioner for an electric vehicle.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-233663 discloses a charging device for electric vehicles that is provided with a storage section for storing a power supply connector on a side of the charging device main body. The storage section has an insertion port for inserting the power supply connector exposed on the front side (see FIG. 2 of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-233663).
Patent Document 2 discloses a wall-mounted charger holder that has a front panel in front of the connector holder and a cable holder at the rear of the connector holder. A connector is attached to the connector holder provided in the charger holder through an opening in the front panel (see FIG. 10 of Patent Document 2).

Vehicle charging devices incorporating structures aimed at preventing tampering have also been proposed.
Patent Document 3 discloses a vehicle charging device that can prevent tampering with a connector (see Patent Document 3, Figures 3 and 4).
Patent Document 4 discloses an electric vehicle charging station provided with a movable restraining means (cover) that prevents damage to the equipment due to tampering or carelessness while ensuring user operability (see Patent Document 4, Figures 2 and 7).

Patent Publication 2012-244873 Patent Publication No. 2016-32365 Patent No. 5842225 Patent Publication 2010-259277

In recent years, there has been an increasing need for power conditioners for electric vehicles that not only charge the power storage device used to drive the electric vehicle, but also discharge the power storage device from the electric vehicle to a load or a grid outside the vehicle. However, there has not been sufficient consideration given to achieving both usability and waterproofing for power conditioners for electric vehicles.

One aspect of the present invention provides a power conditioner for electric vehicles that can protect the connector from wind and rain while maintaining usability.

The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a connector holder having a receiving recess for supporting a connector tip, and a cover covering the receiving recess, the cover having a side wall extending forward of the receiving recess, a top wall provided at the upper end of the side wall, and a front wall, the front wall opening and closing an opening defined by the front end of the side wall and the front end of the top wall, and the cover is configured such that the receiving recess can be seen from diagonally above when the front wall is open without storing the connector.

Here, the power conditioner for an electric vehicle may have a function of charging the electric vehicle's power storage device and a function of discharging from the electric vehicle's power storage device to a load outside the vehicle or to a grid, but is not limited to this. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle may also be a so-called EV charger that has a function of charging the electric vehicle's power storage device.

The electric vehicle may be an electric vehicle without an engine, or it may be a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) or a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) that also uses an engine.

The above aspect makes it possible to protect the connector, which is an important component that serves as a contact point with the electric vehicle, from wind and rain while maintaining the usability of the power conditioner for electric vehicles.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a power conditioner for an electric vehicle. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the cover and the receiving recess when the connector is not stored. FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector is housed. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state in which the connector is housed and the front wall is open. FIG. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the cover.

Power conditioners for electric vehicles are expected to be installed outdoors in many cases. Until now, not enough consideration has been given to protecting the connectors, which are important components that serve as contact points with the electric vehicle, from wind and rain.

In addition to protecting the connectors from wind and rain, in areas close to the sea, it is also necessary to protect the connectors from salt damage.

The power conditioner for electric vehicles devised by the inventors comprises a connector holder having a receiving recess for supporting a connector tip, and a cover covering the receiving recess, the cover having a side wall extending forward of the receiving recess, a top wall provided at the upper end of the side wall, and a front wall, the front wall opens and closes an opening defined by the front end of the side wall and the front end of the top wall, and the cover is configured such that the receiving recess can be seen from diagonally above when the front wall is open without storing the connector.

Power conditioners for electric vehicles often have a structure on the side of the housing that holds or stores the cable and the connector at the end of the cable, similar to fuel pumps at gas stations. The cover with the above configuration is specialized to cover the receiving recess of the connector holder, and can be made compact in size.

The cover of the above configuration has a simple structure and can be formed from a metal plate. For example, the cover may be formed from a metal plate made of stainless steel, which has excellent corrosion resistance and strength. If the cover is compact in size, the amount of metal plate required is small, and increases in weight and cost can be suppressed.

If the receiving recess of the connector holder is difficult to see due to some structure covering the receiving recess of the connector holder, the user's work of storing a heavy cable and connector becomes complicated. In the structures disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4, the housing top wall and cover are on a virtual straight line from diagonally above. Therefore, in order to see the receiving recess supporting the connector tip, the user needs to bend down and look from the front in the horizontal direction. In the structures of Patent Document 3 and Patent Document 4, a design that raises the position of the receiving recess supporting the connector tip is conceivable so that the user does not need to bend down. However, such a design is not realistic because the work of storing a heavy cable and connector is a significant burden for the user.
The power conditioner for electric vehicles devised by the inventors is configured so that the receiving recess can be seen from diagonally above when the front wall of the cover is open without storing the connector. Therefore, the receiving recess of the connector holder can be set at a relatively low position. The user can easily see the receiving recess without bending over, and can attach the connector with less physical strain. In this way, the connector, which is an important part as a contact point with the electric vehicle, can be protected from wind, rain, and salt damage by the cover while maintaining the usability of the power conditioner for electric vehicles.

The cover may be configured so that when the front wall is open with the connector stored, the operating part of the connector can be seen from diagonally above.

The operating unit may be, for example, a release button or a trigger, but is not limited to these. With the above configuration, usability is maintained not only when storing the connector in the cover, but also when removing the connector from the cover.

The front wall may be rotatably supported on the top wall.

For example, if the top end of the front wall is rotatably supported on the front end of the top wall, gravity will act in the direction that causes the front wall to close naturally. This makes it possible to omit or simplify the mechanism for preventing the front wall from opening unintentionally.

The top wall may have a horizontal portion that extends substantially horizontally, and when the front wall is opened, the front wall may be supported in a position that is substantially parallel to the horizontal portion.

The above configuration means that the user does not need to continue supporting the front wall when it is open. The front wall maintains a nearly horizontal position due to its own weight.

The cover may be fixed to a side surface of the housing of the electric vehicle power conditioner, and the front wall may open and close an opening defined by the side surface of the housing, the front end of the side wall, and the front end of the top wall.

With the above configuration, the side of the housing functions as part of the cover, reducing the amount of material, such as metal plate, required to form the cover, and suppressing increases in weight and cost.

The electric vehicle power conditioner may issue a message encouraging the user to close the front wall when the connector is stored in the cover and the front wall is open.

The above configuration reduces the risk of the electric vehicle power conditioner being left with the front wall of the cover open, exposing the connector to wind, rain, or salt damage.

Below, an embodiment of a power conditioner for an electric vehicle is described with reference to the drawings.

The electric vehicle power conditioner 10 shown in FIG. 1 houses a charge/discharge unit that converts power and a fan unit for cooling within a housing. A display panel 11 including a display screen 12 and various operation buttons is provided on the front surface 10a of the housing. In addition, a handle 14 is provided on the front surface 10a for opening the door for maintenance.

A connector holder housing 20 and a cover 50 are provided on the side surface 10b of the housing (the left side surface in this embodiment). In FIG. 1, the cover 50 is shown with a dashed line to show the structure inside the cover 50, but in reality the structure inside the cover 50 cannot be seen. The connector holder housing 20 has a receiving recess (described below) therein and holds the tip of the connector 15. The connector 15 has an operating section 16 such as a release button, for example, on its top surface.

The connector 15 is provided at the tip of the cable 13. The cable 13 may extend to the outside from the side surface 10b of the housing, and may be hung around a cable hook provided on the connector holder housing 20 or the like.
The height from the ground (the installation surface of the electric vehicle power conditioner 10) to the connector holder housing 20 may be about 1 meter (m).

The rear end of the cover 50 is connected to the connector holder housing 20. For example, the cover 50 may be formed from a stainless steel plate that has excellent corrosion resistance and strength, and the rear end of the cover 50 may be welded to the connector holder housing 20 (made of metal). Alternatively, the cover 50 and the connector holder housing 20 may be integrally formed from a metal plate (they may be formed as a single cover).

The cover 50 is formed so that its front end does not protrude forward from the front surface 10a of the housing of the electric vehicle power conditioner 10. The cover 50 covers the connector 15 up to the rear end of the gripping portion (near the front surface 10a of the housing). The bottom edge of the cover 50 extends in a substantially horizontal direction. The bottom edge of the cover 50 may extend on an extension of the bottom edge of the connector holder housing 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cover 50 has a side wall 50b, a top wall 50c provided at the upper end of the side wall 50b, and a front wall 50a. The front wall 50a opens and closes an opening defined by the side surface 10b (see FIG. 1) of the housing of the electric vehicle power conditioner 10, the front end of the side wall 50b of the cover 50, and the front end of the top wall 50c.

In this embodiment, the upper end of the front wall 50a is rotatably supported on the front end of the top wall 50c by two hinges 52. The number of hinges 52 is not limited to two. The means for rotatably supporting the front wall 50a on the top wall 50c is not limited to the hinges 52.

The front wall 50a has a knob (tab) 51 at its lower end, which is formed by bending the metal plate that forms the front wall 50a. Instead of such a knob 51, a separate handle may be attached to the front wall 50a.

As described above, in this embodiment, the cover 50 has a lower edge of the side wall 50b that extends in a substantially horizontal direction. The upper edge of the side wall 50b has an inclined portion that extends diagonally upward from the rear end of the side wall 50b, and a horizontal portion that extends from the front end of the inclined portion to the front end of the side wall 50b. A horizontal portion 50c1 of the top wall 50c is connected to the horizontal portion of the side wall 50b. A inclined portion 50c2 of the top wall 50c is connected to the inclined portion of the side wall 50b. Providing the inclined portion 50c2 makes the size (volume) of the cover 50 compact.

In this embodiment, the cover 50 has a top wall 50c with an inclined portion 50c2, so that the height of the cover 50 decreases toward the rear, but the shape of the cover is not limited to this. The shape of the cover 50 may be different from that shown in FIG. 2 as long as the receiving recess, which will be described later, is located behind the cover 50 and below the cover 50 so as not to protrude beyond the lower edge of the side wall 50b.

Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the cover 50 and the connector holder housing 20 when the connector is not stored. A receiving recess 20a for supporting the tip of the connector is formed inside the connector holder housing 20. The receiving recess 20a opens horizontally forward. An elastic holder made of a cushioning material such as rubber that receives the tip of the connector 15 may be attached to the receiving recess 20a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the receiving recess 20a is disposed behind the cover 50 and below the cover 50 so as not to protrude from the lower edge of the side wall 50b. The front end of the top wall (horizontal portion 50c1) is located at a position sufficiently higher than the receiving recess 20a. There is no obstacle that blocks the view on the imaginary line from the front end of the top wall 50c1 to the receiving recess 20a. Therefore, when the user rotates the front wall 50a of the cover 50 to open it, or when the front wall 50a is in an open state, the receiving recess 20a can be seen from diagonally above as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3. The user can easily see the receiving recess 20a without bending down and can attach the connector removed from the electric vehicle (not shown).
The angle between an imaginary line connecting the front end of the horizontal portion 50c1 of the top wall 50c and the rear end of the inclined portion 50c2 and the horizontal direction is preferably 20° or more, and more preferably 30° or more.

The front wall 50a rotates approximately 270° and is supported in a position that is approximately parallel to the horizontal portion 50c1 of the top wall. The front wall 50a maintains an approximately horizontal position due to its own weight. Therefore, when the front wall 50a is opened, the user does not need to continue supporting the front wall 50a (the user can release their hands from the front wall 50a).

Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state in which the connector 15 is stored and the front wall 50a is closed. Gravity acts on the front wall 50a in a direction that causes it to close naturally. Therefore, the mechanism (clips or hooks) for preventing the front wall 50a from opening unintentionally can be omitted or simplified.

The lower end of the connector 15 and the cable extending from the connector 15 may protrude from the lower edges of the front wall 50a and the side wall 50b. On the other hand, the receiving recess 20a does not protrude from the lower edges of the front wall 50a and the side wall 50b. In other words, when the front wall 50a is closed, its lower end (lower edge) is located below the receiving recess 20a and completely covers the horizontal front of the receiving recess 20a. The side wall 50b has its lower edge located below the receiving recess 20a and always covers the receiving recess 20a.
The dimensions of each wall may be, for example, a height of the front wall 50a of 260 to 280 millimeters (mm), and a length of the horizontal portion 50c1 of the top wall 50c from the front end to the connection point with the inclined portion 50c2 of 190 to 210 mm. The inclination angle of the inclined portion 50c2 with respect to the horizontal portion 50c1 may be 55 to 65°. As described above, the height from the ground (the installation surface of the electric vehicle power conditioner 10) to the connector holder housing 20 (the height to the center of the receiving recess 20a) may be about 1 m. The front wall 50a has a height about twice that of the connector holder housing 20.

Although not shown, the cover 50 may have a bottom wall connected to the lower end of the side wall 50b. The bottom wall is provided so as not to interfere with the connector 15 or the cable when the connector 15 is stored.

Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the state in which the connector 15 is stored and the front wall 50a is open. There are no obstacles blocking the view on the imaginary straight line from the front end of the top wall 50c1 to the connector 15. The user can easily see the release button operation part 16 (see Figure 1) provided on the connector 15 from diagonally above. The user can remove the connector 15 from the receiving recess 20a by operating the release button. In this way, usability and operability are maintained not only when storing the connector 15 within the cover 50, but also when removing the connector 15 from the cover 50.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

For example, the electric vehicle power conditioner 10 may be configured to issue a message encouraging the user to close the front wall 50a when the connector 15 is stored in the cover 50 and the front wall 50a is open. The cover 50 may be provided with a sensor that detects that the front wall 50a is open. The message may be displayed on the display panel 11 and may also be spoken through a speaker. This reduces the risk that the electric vehicle power conditioner 10 is left with the front wall 50a of the cover 50 open, exposing the connector 15 to wind, rain, or salt damage.

In the embodiment described above, the upper end (upper edge) of the front wall 50a is rotatably supported on the front end of the top wall 50c. Alternatively, the side edge of the front wall 50a may be rotatably supported on the front end of the side wall 50b.

In the above-described embodiment, the opening defined by the entire front end of the side wall 50b of the cover 50 and the entire front end of the top wall 50c is opened and closed by the front wall 50a. Alternatively, the opening defined by a part of the front end of the side wall 50b of the cover 50 and a part of the front end of the top wall 50c may be opened and closed by the front wall 50a. The front wall 50a may have an openable/closable portion and a fixed portion. The position and opening area of the opening that is opened and closed by the front wall 50a may be set within a range that ensures visibility of the receiving recess 20a and the connector operating portion 16.

In the above-described embodiment, the receiving recess 20a is formed in the connector holder housing 20 (the connector holder housing 20 corresponds to the connector holder). Alternatively, the connector holder housing 20 may be omitted, and an elastic holder or a metal holder having the receiving recess 20a may be installed at the rear and lower side inside the cover 50 (the elastic holder or the metal holder corresponds to the connector holder). The receiving recess 20a may be an opening formed in an elastic plate or a metal plate (i.e., it may be a receiving recess without a bottom).

In the above-described embodiment, the cover 50 is formed from an opaque metal plate. Alternatively, a portion of the cover 50 may be formed from a see-through material. Below, a case where the front wall is formed from a see-through material will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this form.

In the cover 50 shown in FIG. 6, the front wall 60 has a see-through portion 55. The see-through portion 55 may be, for example, a transparent resin plate or a transparent resin sheet having flexibility. When the see-through portion 55 is formed of a transparent resin plate, its upper end (upper edge) may be rotatably supported on the top wall 50c. Alternatively, the see-through portion 55 may slide horizontally like a curtain. The see-through portion 55 may have a stopper 57 on its lower side to prevent the see-through portion 55 from opening unintentionally. The stopper 57 may be, for example, a metal weight or a magnet that is attracted to the side wall 50b or the side surface 10b.

When the see-through portion 55 is formed of a flexible, transparent resin sheet, the upper end (upper edge) of the see-through portion 55 may be supported on the top wall 50c via a clip 56 or the like. Alternatively, the see-through portion 55 may slide horizontally like a curtain while partially elastically deforming. The user flips up (elastically deforms) the flexible see-through portion 55 to the required extent and removes the stored connector 15. When the user releases the see-through portion 55, the see-through portion 55 naturally closes the opening of the cover 50 due to the action of the stopper 57.

As in the above-described embodiment, when the front wall 60 is closed, its lower end (lower edge) is located below the receiving recess 20a and covers the horizontal front of the receiving recess 20a.

According to the cover 50 shown in FIG. 6, when the front wall 60 is closed without storing the connector 15, the user can see the receiving recess 20a from diagonally above through the see-through portion 55. In other words, not only when the front wall 60 is open, but also when the front wall 60 is closed, the user can see the receiving recess 20a from diagonally above through the see-through portion 55. Also, when the front wall 60 is closed with the cover 50 storing the connector 15, the user can see the operation unit 16 (see FIG. 1) provided on the connector 15 from diagonally above through the see-through portion 55. Since the inside can always be seen through, usability and operability are maintained when storing the connector 15 in the cover 50 and when removing the connector 15 from the cover 50.

If the cover 50 has an internal structure display section that allows the user to visually recognize the internal structure including the receiving recess 20a and the operating section 16 of the connector 15, a structure in which the front wall of the cover 50 does not open or close may be adopted. The internal structure display section may be a see-through section 55 as shown in FIG. 6.

For example, the user can attach and detach the connector 15 through an opening formed in the bottom of the cover 50 while viewing the receiving recess 20a and the operation unit 16 of the connector 15 through the see-through unit 55. Alternatively, the user can attach and detach the connector 15 through an opening or an opening/closing door provided in the side wall 50b or the top wall 50c while viewing the receiving recess 20a and the operation unit 16 of the connector 15 through the see-through unit.

The internal structure display unit may be configured using a mirror instead of the see-through unit 55, or may be configured using an imaging unit.

By adopting a structure in which the front wall does not open or close in this way, the risk of the electric vehicle power conditioner 10 being left with the front wall of the cover 50 open and the connector 15 being exposed to wind, rain, or salt damage can be reduced.

10 Power conditioner for electric vehicle 15 Connector 20 Connector holder housing 20a Receiving recess 50 Cover 55 See-through portion (internal structure display portion)

Claims (7)

a connector holder having a receiving recess for supporting a tip end of the connector;
A cover that covers the receiving recess,
the cover has a side wall extending forward of the receiving recess, a top wall provided at an upper end of the side wall, and a front wall,
the front wall opens and closes an opening defined by a front end of the side wall and a front end of the top wall,
The cover is configured so that the receiving recess can be seen from diagonally above when the front wall is open with the connector not housed therein. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the cover is configured so that the operation part provided on the connector can be seen from diagonally above when the front wall is open with the connector stored therein. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the front wall is rotatably supported on the top wall. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the top wall has a horizontal portion that extends substantially horizontally, and when the front wall is opened, the front wall is supported in a position substantially parallel to the horizontal portion. The cover is fixed to a side surface of a housing of the electric vehicle power conditioner,
5. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front wall opens and closes an opening defined by a side surface of the housing, a front end of the side wall, and a front end of the top wall. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which issues a message encouraging the user to close the front wall when the connector is stored in the cover and the front wall is open. The power conditioner for an electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least a portion of the cover is formed from a see-through material.

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