JP7648445B2 - Vehicle energy receiver - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an energy receiving unit of a vehicle.

As an energy receiving section of a vehicle, for example, an electric vehicle or the like is provided with a charging port for charging an on-board battery. The charging port opens toward the outside of the vehicle and has a power receiving connector to which an external power supply plug is connected, and a lid that can open and close the opening. Patent Document 1 discloses a vehicle charging port in which an opening/closing detection unit that detects the open/closed position of the lid is provided within the charging port, and an unlock operation unit that releases the engagement of the power supply plug connected to the power receiving connector with the power receiving connector.

JP 2012-064504 A

In the charging port of Patent Document 1, the open/close detection switch is configured to be pushed into the vehicle when the lid is closed, thereby detecting that the lid is closed. The unlock operation unit is configured to detect an unlock operation by the user when it is pushed in. In other words, both the open/close detection unit and the unlock operation unit are configured as switch-type detection units that detect a predetermined state or operation when pushed into the vehicle.

When multiple detectors are configured in the charging port as a switch that is operated by pressing them, as in Patent Document 1, there is a risk that the user may mistakenly operate a detector other than the one they want, which may result in the desired effect not being achieved and unexpected control being performed.

The present invention aims to provide an energy receiving unit for a vehicle that is equipped with multiple detection units and that can prevent erroneous operation by the user.

One aspect of the present invention is
a receiving recess that is recessed toward the inside of the vehicle with respect to an outer surface of the vehicle and has an opening that opens toward the outside of the vehicle and an energy receiving port;
a lid that is movable between a first position that is located outside the opening and opens the opening, a second position that closes the opening, and a third position that is located inside the opening;
An operating portion protruding from an inner surface of the lid toward the inside of the vehicle;
A magnet provided on the inner surface side of the lid;
a switch portion that is pushed toward an inside of the vehicle by the operation portion when the lid moves from the second position to the third position;
and a magnetic detection unit that detects the magnetic field generated by the magnet when the lid is located at the second position.

According to the present invention, the magnet and magnetic detection unit can detect when the lid is in the second position, and the operation unit and switch unit can detect the movement of the lid to the third position. Furthermore, it is possible to manually operate the switch unit when the lid is in the first position. Even if the detection of the second and third positions of the lid is configured by two detection units arranged close to each other, according to the present invention, the second position of the lid is detected by the magnetic detection unit and the third position of the lid is detected by the switch unit, so that the number of switch units can be limited to one, and erroneous operation of the switch unit by the user can be prevented.

The present invention makes it possible to prevent erroneous operation by a user in an energy receiving unit of a vehicle equipped with multiple detection units.

1 is a perspective view showing an energy receiving portion of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a view of the energy receiving portion as viewed from an arrow A in FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1 when the lid is in a first position. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1 when the lid is in a second position. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 1 when the lid is in a third position. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a control unit. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation related to opening and closing of a lid of an energy receiving unit. 4C is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4B showing an energy receiving portion according to a modified example.

The energy receiving unit of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present invention, its applications, or its uses.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an energy receiving unit 100 of a vehicle according to one embodiment of the present invention. The energy receiving unit 100 is configured to receive energy supplied from outside the vehicle, and in this embodiment, it is configured as a charging unit for charging an on-board battery 5 (see Figure 5) in an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, etc.

As shown in FIG. 1, the energy receiving unit 100 has a receiving recess 10 recessed toward the inside of the vehicle from the outer surface 1 of the vehicle, an energy receiving port 2 provided in the receiving recess 10, and a lid 20 that closes the opening 10a of the receiving recess 10. In FIG. 1, the outer surface 1 of the vehicle is shown in perspective by a two-dot chain line.

The receiving recess 10 has a first recess 11 recessed toward the inside of the vehicle relative to the outer surface 1 of the vehicle, and a second recess 12 recessed further toward the inside of the vehicle from the first recess.

Figure 2 is a view of the energy receiving unit 100 as seen from the arrow A in Figure 1. In Figure 2, the outer surface 1 of the vehicle and the first recess 11 are shown in perspective by a two-dot chain line. As shown in Figure 2, the lid 20 is configured to be rotatable about a hinge axis O1 located on the left side of the figure. The hinge axis O1 extends in a direction perpendicular to the recessed direction of the energy receiving recess 10.

In the following description, the direction in which the supply/receiving recess 10 is recessed (i.e., the direction along the inside and outside of the vehicle) is referred to as the first direction X, the direction in which the hinge axis O1 extends is referred to as the second direction Y, and the direction perpendicular to the first direction X and the second direction Y is referred to as the third direction Z. In addition, in the first direction X, the direction toward the inside of the vehicle is referred to as X1, and the direction toward the outside of the vehicle is referred to as X2. In the second direction Y, the upper side in FIG. 1 is referred to as Y1, and the lower side in FIG. 1 is referred to as Y2. In the third direction Z, the direction from the supply/receiving recess 10 toward the hinge axis O1 is referred to as Z1, and the direction from the supply/receiving recess 10 toward the opposite side of the hinge axis O1 is referred to as Z2.

The lid 20 is configured to be rotatable around the hinge axis O1 and can be moved to three open/close positions: a first position (shown by a solid line) located outside the vehicle from the opening 10a of the receiving recess 10 and opening the opening 10a, a second position (shown by a dashed line) located inside the vehicle from the opening 10a, and a third position (shown by a dashed line) located inside the vehicle from the opening 10a.

The lid 20 has a main body panel 21 and an outer panel 22 attached to the outer surface of the main body panel 21. When the lid 20 is in the second position, the inner surface of the main body panel 21 is provided with a first protrusion (operation portion) 23 and a second protrusion 24 that protrude cylindrically in the first direction X1 at the end on the third direction Z2 side. The first protrusion 23 and the second protrusion 24 are adjacent to each other in the third direction Z. The second protrusion 24 is shorter in height in the first direction X than the first protrusion 23, and has a magnet 24a attached to its tip.

When the lid 20 is in the second position, the first protrusion 23 and the second protrusion 24 are located within the first recess 11 and are located closer to the third direction Z2 than the second recess 12 when viewed from the first direction X. More specifically, when the lid 20 is in the second position, the magnet 24a is adjacent to the first protrusion 23 and closer to the third direction Z1 than the second recess 12.

Referring also to FIG. 1, the first recess 11 has a peripheral portion 11a configured in a shape corresponding to the outer shape 20a of the lid 20, and is formed so that the lid 20 located in the second position is exactly accommodated and the outer surface 20b of the lid 20 and the outer surface 1 of the vehicle are approximately flush with each other. The first recess 11 is also formed to have a predetermined depth in the first direction X to allow the lid 20 to move from the second position to the third position.

A seal member 13 is attached to the first recess 11, extending in an annular shape along the peripheral edge 11a so as to surround the second recess 12. The seal member 13 is pressed against the first direction X1 by the lid 20 located in the second position, maintaining the second recess 12 as a closed space and preventing foreign matter such as rainwater and dust from entering the second recess 12 from the outside.

The second recess 12 is cylindrically recessed on the inside of the periphery 11a of the first recess 11. The second recess 12 is provided with an energy receptacle 2. The energy receptacle 2 includes a pair of connection ports 2a, 2b extending in the first direction X. The pair of connection ports 2a, 2b are configured to be connected to a power supply plug (not shown) connected to an external power source when charging the vehicle battery 5 (see FIG. 5).

The energy receiving unit 100 has an actuator 30 that drives the lid 20 to open and close, and a control device 40 that controls the operation of the actuator 30 to open and close the lid 20.

The actuator 30 moves the lid 20 to the first position or the second position based on a control signal from the control device 40. The actuator 30 is located on the third direction Z1 side of the second recess 12.

The actuator 30 has a motor 31 and a link portion 32 having one end 32a connected to a rotating shaft 31a of the motor 31 and the other end 32b connected to the lid 20. That is, the central axis of the rotating shaft 31a of the motor 31 constitutes the hinge axis O1. The motor 31 is configured to be able to control the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 31a. In this embodiment, for example, a stepping motor is used as the motor 31.

The motor 31 is located on the third direction Z1 side of the first recess 11. The link portion 32 extends in an arc shape so as to penetrate the first recess 11 in the first direction X between the hinge axis O1 and the second recess 12.

The control device 40 is located on the third direction Z2 side of the second recess 12, and is attached to the first recess 11 from the first direction X1 side. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the control device 40. As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 40 has a circuit board 50, a circuit base 41 that supports the circuit board 50, a casing 42 that houses the circuit board 50 and the circuit base 41, and a rubber cover 43 that covers the surface of the casing 42.

The circuit base 41 is formed in a rectangular frame shape and supports the circuit board 50 from the first direction X1 side.

The circuit board 50 is equipped with a detection unit 53 including a switch unit 51 configured to be pushable in the first direction X1 and a magnetic detection unit 52, a first light source 54 located on the third direction Z2 side of the detection unit 53, and a second light source 55 located on the third direction Z1 side of the detection unit 53. The magnetic detection unit 52 can be any of a variety of devices capable of detecting magnetism, such as a Hall IC or an MR element. The first light source 54 and the second light source 55 are composed of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes).

The casing 42 is formed from a transparent resin material. The casing 42 is formed into a rectangular parallelepiped that is open on the first direction X1 side. Specifically, the casing 42 has a casing outer wall portion 44 that extends parallel to the second direction Y and the third direction Z at the end on the first direction X2 side, and a casing side wall portion 45 that extends from the peripheral portion of the casing outer wall portion 44 toward the first direction X1 side.

The casing outer wall 44 is formed with a casing through hole (second through hole) 44a that penetrates in the first direction X with its center approximately aligned with the switch unit 51 when viewed from the first direction X2 side, and a first lens unit 44b that protrudes cylindrically in the first direction X2 with its center approximately aligned with the first light source 54 on the third direction Z2 side of the casing through hole 44a. The hole diameter of the casing through hole 44a is formed to be large enough that the entire switch unit 51 is located within the casing through hole 44a when viewed from the first direction X2 side, while only a portion of the magnetic detection unit 52 is located therein. In other words, at least a portion of the magnetic detection unit 52 is covered from the first direction X2 side by the casing outer wall 44.

The casing side wall portion 45 has a casing first side wall portion 46 located on the first direction X1 side, and a casing second side wall portion 47 located on the first direction X2 side and having a cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the first direction X that is smaller than that of the casing first side wall portion 46. In the first direction X, the casing first side wall portion 46 is longer than the casing second side wall portion 47.

Figure 4A is a cross-sectional view parallel to the first direction X and the third direction Z passing through the switch unit 51 and the magnetic detection unit 52 along the line IV-IV in Figure 1, and shows the periphery of the control device 40. Referring also to Figure 4A, the casing first side wall portion 46 is formed with a size such that the inner periphery of the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the first direction X approximately matches the outer shape of the circuit board 50. The length of the casing first side wall portion 46 in the first direction X approximately matches the combined length of the circuit base 41 and the circuit board 50.

The inner circumference of the casing second side wall 47 is smaller than the outer circumference of the circuit board 50 in a cross section perpendicular to the first direction X. That is, the casing 42 has a step 42a at the boundary between the casing first side wall 46 and the casing second side wall 47 on the inner circumference. The circuit board 50 is positioned in the first direction X with the end face on the first direction X2 side approximately abutting against the step 42a.

A second lens portion 47b is formed on the side wall of the second casing side wall portion 47 located on the third direction Z1 side at a position where the light emitted from the second light source 55 is input, and extends in the third direction Z1. The second lens portion 47b is formed so that the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the third direction Z gradually expands toward the third direction Z1. The second lens portion 47b penetrates the cylindrical wall portion 12a of the second recess 12 of the receiving recess 10 in the third direction Z1, and receives the light emitted from the second light source 55 to illuminate the energy receiving port 2 located inside the second recess 12.

The rubber cover 43 is formed to cover the end of the casing 42 on the first direction X2 side (specifically, the casing outer wall portion 44 and the casing second side wall portion 47). The rubber cover 43 has a cover outer wall portion 48 that covers the casing outer wall portion 44 and a cover side wall portion 49 that covers the casing second side wall portion 47.

The cover outer wall portion 48 is formed with a deformation portion 48a configured to be deformable in the first direction X by fitting into the casing through hole 44a, and a cover lens hole 48b into which the first lens portion 44b is inserted. In the state shown in FIG. 4A, the deformation portion 48a has a thick portion 48c formed to be thicker than the remaining portion at the center when viewed from the first direction X2, and the end face of the thick portion 48c on the first direction X1 side is approximately abutting the switch portion 51.

In addition, the first recess 11 of the supply recess 10 has a recess through hole (through hole) 11b whose center coincides with the casing through hole 44a, and a recess lens hole 11c whose center coincides with the first lens portion 44b, when viewed from the first direction X2. That is, the casing through hole 44a faces the recess through hole 11b in the axial direction. The recess through hole 11b is formed to be one size larger than the casing through hole 44a, and specifically, when viewed from the first direction X2, it has a circular shape centered on the switch portion 51 and is formed to be large enough to surround the switch portion 51 and the magnetic detection portion 52 on the inside.

The first lens portion 44b extends in the first direction X2 through the cover lens hole 48b and the recess lens hole 11c, and is configured so that its outer end surface is flush with the first recess 11.

Figure 4B is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4A when the lid 20 is in the second position. As shown in Figure 4B, when the lid 20 is in the second position, the first protrusion 23 is substantially centered with respect to the switch portion 51 and substantially abuts against the thick portion 48c of the rubber cover 43 from the first direction X2 side.

On the other hand, the second protrusion 24 faces the magnetic detection unit 52 across a space with the magnet 24a substantially centered and with the casing outer wall 44 and the cover outer wall 48 interposed therebetween, and detects the magnetic field generated by the magnet 24a.

Figure 4C is a cross-sectional view similar to Figure 4A when the lid 20 is in the third position. As shown in Figure 4C, when the lid 20 is in the third position, the first protrusion 23 presses the thick portion 48c of the rubber cover 43 in the first direction X1, and pushes the switch portion 51 in the first direction X1 via the thick portion 48c. That is, the switch portion 51 is pushed in by the first protrusion 23 and turns on.

On the other hand, the second protrusion 24 is positioned on the first direction X1 side compared to the state shown in FIG. 4B, but faces the first recess 11 with a gap in the first direction X. At this time, the magnetic detection unit 52 continues to detect the magnetic field generated by the magnet 24a.

The opening and closing of the lid 20 is controlled by the actuator 30. Specifically, the lid 20 is positioned at the first or second position by stopping the rotating shaft 31a of the motor 31 at a predetermined rotation angle. The positioning force of the lid 20 by the motor 31 is set to a force that allows the lid 20, which is located at the second position, to move to the third position by manually pushing the lid 20 in the first direction X against the stopping force of the motor 31.

In addition, by adjusting the rigidity of the lid 20 itself, the motor 31 may maintain the rotation shaft 31a stopped while deforming the lid 20 itself in the first direction X1, thereby moving the portion of the lid 20 located on the opposite side of the hinge axis O1 (the third direction Z2 side) toward the first direction X1, thereby moving the portion to the third position.

That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the lid 20 is in the first position, the switch unit 51 is in the off state, and the magnetic detection unit 52 does not detect the magnetic field due to the magnet 24a. Also, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the lid 20 is in the second position, the switch unit 51 is in the off state, and the magnetic detection unit 52 detects the magnetic field due to the magnet 24a. Also, as shown in FIG. 4C, when the lid 20 is in the third position, the switch unit 51 is in the on state, and the magnetic detection unit 52 detects the magnetic field due to the magnet 24a.

The circuit board 50 is further provided with a control unit 60 that controls the opening and closing of the lid 20. The control unit 60 is configured to execute the functions described below using a well-known computer equipped with a memory, a storage device, and a computing unit (CPU), and software implemented in the computer. The control unit 60 controls the operation of the motor 31 and the illumination of the first light source 54 and the second light source 55 based on the detection results of the switch unit 51 and the magnetic detection unit 52. The control unit 60 may be configured as a vehicle ECU (Electric Control Unit) mounted on the vehicle.

Figure 5 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the control unit 60. As shown in Figure 5, the control unit 60 has a lid-open detection unit 61, a push-in operation detection unit 62, a motor control unit 63, a first light source control unit 64, and a second light source control unit 65.

The lid open detection unit 61 determines whether the lid 20 is located in the first position based on the detection result by the magnetic detection unit 52. Specifically, when the magnetic detection unit 52 does not detect the magnetic field caused by the magnet 24a, the lid open detection unit 61 determines that the lid 20 is located in the first position. In other words, when the magnetic detection unit 52 detects the magnetic field caused by the magnet 24a, the lid open detection unit 61 determines that the lid 20 is located in the second position or the third position.

The push-in operation detection unit 62 determines whether the switch unit 51 has been pushed in based on the on/off state of the switch unit 51. The push-in operation detection unit 62 also uses the determination result of the lid-open detection unit 61 to determine whether the switch unit 51 has been pushed in by the lid 20 being in the third position, or whether the switch unit 51 has been manually pushed in by the user.

In other words, when the lid-open detection unit 61 determines that the lid 20 is in the first position, and the push-in operation detection unit 62 detects a push-in operation, it determines that the user has performed a push-in operation. On the other hand, when the lid-open detection unit 61 determines that the lid 20 is in the second or third position, and the push-in operation detection unit 62 detects a push-in operation, it determines that the user has performed a push-in operation using the first protrusion 23 of the lid 20.

The motor control unit 63 controls the operation of the motor 31 to open and close the lid 20. Specifically, when the authentication unit 7 provided in the vehicle performs user authentication and the authentication is successful, the motor control unit 63 controls the motor 31 to move the lid 20 to the second position when the push operation detection unit 62 determines that the user has pushed the switch unit 51 (i.e., the lid 20 is in the first position).

On the other hand, when the above-mentioned user authentication by the authentication unit 7 is successful, the motor control unit 63 controls the motor 31 to move the lid 20 to the first position when the push operation detection unit 62 determines that the switch unit 51 has been pushed by the first protrusion 23 of the lid 20 (i.e., the lid 20 is located in the second or third position).

On the other hand, when it is not determined that the switch unit 51 has been pressed, the motor control unit 63 controls the motor 31 to stop. Note that in this embodiment, the motor control unit 63 operates the motor 31 a predetermined time (e.g., 0.5 to 1.0 seconds) after it is determined that the switch unit 51 has been pressed.

Although a detailed description of the authentication unit 7 is omitted, for example, it is equipped with a transceiver having an exterior LF transmitting/receiving antenna that communicates with the key using LF (Low Frequency) signals and authenticates the key outside the vehicle. The transceiver is communicably connected to the control unit 60 via a communication cable, but may also be communicatively connected to the ECU. The transceiver operates in response to commands from the ECU and communicates regarding the authentication process. In the authentication process, the authentication unit 7 requests the key to transmit an authentication code, compares the authentication code received from the key with a registered regular code, and if they match (establish), determines that the user is a genuine user.

When the lid open detection unit 61 determines that the lid 20 is in the first position, the first light source control unit 64 controls the light emission mode of the first light source 54 according to the charging state of the vehicle battery 5. For example, the first light source 54 may be controlled to light up, blink, or change the light emission color according to the charging state. The light emission mode of the first light source 54 appearing in the first lens unit 44b constitutes an indicator that notifies the user of the charging state of the vehicle battery 5.

When the lid open detection unit 61 determines that the lid 20 is in the first position, the second light source control unit 65 turns on the second light source 55 to illuminate the energy receptacle 2 in the second recess 12 through the second lens unit 47b. This improves the ease of inserting the power supply plug into the energy receptacle in a dark place.

Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of opening and closing the lid 20 in the energy receiving unit 100 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 6, first, the authentication unit 7 performs user authentication (step S001). If the user authentication is successful in step S001 (i.e., YES), the process proceeds to step S002. On the other hand, if the user authentication is not successful (i.e., NO), the control ends.

In step S002, the lid open detection unit 61 determines whether the lid 20 is in the first position. If the determination in step S002 is YES (i.e., the lid 20 is in the first position), the process proceeds to step S003. In step S003, the first light source control unit 64 controls the first light source 54 to be turned on in a manner corresponding to the charging state of the vehicle battery 5, and the second light source control unit 65 controls the second light source 55 to be turned on.

Next, the push-in operation detection unit 62 determines whether the switch unit 51 has been pushed (step S004). When the push-in operation detection unit 62 determines in step S004 that the switch unit 51 has been pushed (i.e., YES), the process proceeds to step S005. On the other hand, when the push-in operation detection unit 62 does not determine that the switch unit 51 has been pushed (i.e., NO), the process ends.

Next, in step S005, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed, and then the process proceeds to step S006. In step S006, the motor control unit 63 controls the motor 31 to move the lid 20 to the second position. Next, the process proceeds to step S007, where the first light source control unit 64 and the second light source control unit 65 control the first light source 54 and the second light source 55 to be turned off.

That is, when the user presses the switch 51 while the lid 20 is in the first position (i.e., the opening 10a of the receiving recess 10 is open), the actuator 30 moves the lid 20 to the second position (i.e., closes the opening 10a of the receiving recess 10) after a predetermined time has elapsed. Therefore, by pressing the switch 51 while the lid 20 is in the first position, the lid 20 can be moved to the second position without the need to operate the remote key or an opening/closing switch provided in the vehicle, improving convenience.

On the other hand, in step S002, when the lid open detection unit 61 determines that the lid 20 is not in the first position (i.e., NO), the first light source control unit 64 and the second light source control unit 65 control the first light source 54 and the second light source 55 to an off state, respectively (step S011).

Next, the push-in operation detection unit 62 determines whether the switch unit 51 has been pushed (step S012). When the push-in operation detection unit 62 determines in step S012 that the switch unit 51 has been pushed (i.e., YES), the process proceeds to step S013. On the other hand, when the push-in operation detection unit 62 does not determine that the switch unit 51 has been pushed (i.e., NO), the process ends.

Next, in step S013, it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed, and then the process proceeds to step S014. In step S014, the motor control unit 63 controls the motor 31 to move the lid 20 to the first position. Next, the process proceeds to step S015, where the first light source control unit 64 controls the first light source 54 to be lit in a manner corresponding to the charging state of the vehicle battery 5, and the second light source control unit 65 controls the second light source 55 to be lit.

That is, when the lid 20 is in the second position (i.e., the opening 10a of the receiving recess 10 is closed) and the switch portion 51 is pressed in via the first protrusion 23 by pushing the lid 20 to the third position, the actuator 30 moves the lid 20 to the first position (i.e., the opening 10a of the receiving recess 10 is released) after a predetermined time has elapsed. Therefore, by pushing the lid 20 from the second position to the third position, the lid 20 can be moved to the first position without the need to operate the remote key or an opening/closing switch provided in the vehicle, improving convenience.

The energy receiving unit 100 according to the embodiment described above provides the following effects:

(1) According to the present invention, the magnet 24a and the magnetic detection unit 52 can detect that the lid 20 is in the second position, and the first protrusion 23 and the switch unit 51 can detect the movement of the lid 20 to the third position when the lid 20 is in the second position. Furthermore, the switch unit 51 can be manually operated when the lid 20 is in the first position.

Here, even if the detection of the second and third positions of the lid 20 is configured by two detectors 53 arranged close to each other, according to the present invention, the second position of the lid 20 is detected by the magnetic detector 52, and the third position of the lid 20 and manual operation by the user are detected by the switch unit 51. Therefore, the switch that is pressed and operated can be limited to one switch unit 51, and erroneous operation due to a user misidentifying the switch unit 51 is prevented.

(2) Because the switch unit 51 and the magnetic detection unit 52 are arranged on the same circuit board 50, they can be integrated into a single unit, improving assembly. Moreover, harnesses for connecting the switch unit 51 and the magnetic detection unit 52 to the circuit board 50 are no longer necessary, making wiring easier.

(3) Even if the switch unit 51 and the magnetic detection unit 52 are disposed on the opposite side of the opening 10a (i.e., the first direction X1 side) of the supply-receiving recess 10 (first recess 11), the switch unit 51 can reliably detect the first protrusion 23 or the user's pressing operation through the recess through-hole 11b, and the magnetic detection unit 52 can reliably detect the magnetism caused by the magnet 24a. In this case, since there is no wall of the supply-receiving recess 10 between the magnetic detection unit 52 and the magnet 24a, the accuracy of magnetic detection by the magnetic detection unit 52 can be improved.

(4) Since the circuit board 50 is provided with only one switch unit 51 that is operated by pressing it, when the circuit board 50 is housed in the casing 42, it is only necessary to form one casing through hole 44a corresponding to the one switch unit 51. In other words, compared to a configuration in which two switch units are arranged side by side, there is no need to form two casing through holes 44a, and therefore the switch unit 51 and the magnetic detection unit 52 can be arranged closer to each other. This makes it easier to miniaturize the control device 40.

In addition, the switch unit 51 and the magnetic detection unit 52 are covered from the outside of the vehicle by the rubber cover 43, and do not appear on the outer ring, which improves the appearance. Furthermore, while the switch unit 51 and the magnetic detection unit 52 are protected by the rubber cover 43, the operability of the switch unit 51 via the deformation portion 48a of the rubber cover 43 and the detectability of the magnetic force of the magnet 24a by the magnetic detection unit 52 via the rubber cover 43 can be ensured.

The energy receiving unit 100 of the vehicle of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

In the above embodiment, the magnetic detection unit 52 is configured to detect the magnetic field from the magnet 24a through the casing through hole 44a, but this is not limited to the above. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4B showing the energy receiving unit 110 of the vehicle according to a modified example. As shown in FIG. 7, the first recess 11 may be configured to cover the magnetic detection unit 52 from the first direction X2 side by making the outer diameter of the recess through hole 11b smaller than in the above embodiment. In this case, the magnetic field strength from the magnet 24a and/or the magnetic detectability of the magnetic detection unit 52 may be appropriately set so that the magnetic detection unit 52 can detect the magnetic field from the magnet 24a through the first recess 11, the cover outer wall portion 48, and the casing outer wall portion 44.

In the above embodiment, the switch unit 51 is used to control the opening and closing of the lid 20, but it may also be used for various other operations. For example, when the lid 20 is in the first position, when the switch unit 51 is pressed by the user, it may be configured to lock or unlock the power supply plug to the energy receptacle 2, or to start or stop power supply, or it may be used for various other operational inputs.

In the above embodiment, the energy receiving unit 100 is configured as a power receiving port for charging the on-board battery 5 in an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, but it may also be used as a receiving port for receiving fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and hydrogen.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer surface of vehicle 2 Energy receptacle 5 On-board battery 7 Authentication unit 10 Receptacle recess 11 First recess 12 Second recess 20 Lid 23 First protrusion 24a Magnet 30 Actuator 31 Motor 32 Link unit 40 Control device 42 Casing 43 Rubber cover 44 Casing outer wall 44a Casing through hole 44b First lens unit 45 Casing side wall 47b Second lens unit 48 Cover outer wall 48a Deformation unit 48b Cover lens hole 50 Circuit board 51 Switch unit 52 Magnetic detection unit 54 First light source 55 Second light source 60 Control unit 61 Lid opening detection unit 62 Push-in operation detection unit 63 Motor control unit 64 First light source control unit 65 Second light source control unit 100 Energy receiving unit

Claims (5)

a receiving recess that is recessed toward the inside of the vehicle with respect to an outer surface of the vehicle and has an opening that opens toward the outside of the vehicle and an energy receiving port;
a lid that is movable between a first position that is located outside the opening and opens the opening, a second position that closes the opening, and a third position that is located inside the opening;
An operating portion protruding from an inner surface of the lid toward the inside of the vehicle;
A magnet provided on the inner surface side of the lid;
a switch portion that is pushed toward an inside of the vehicle by the operation portion when the lid moves from the second position to the third position;
a magnetic detection unit that detects the magnetism generated by the magnet when the lid is located at the second position. The switch unit and the magnetic detection unit are mounted on a substrate.
The energy receiver of a vehicle according to claim 1 . The switch unit and the magnetic detection unit are disposed on a vehicle inner side of the supply/receive recess,
A through hole is formed in the supply recess, penetrating the supply recess to the inside and outside of the vehicle,
The switch portion is pressed and operated by the operation portion through the through hole,
The magnetic detection unit detects the magnetism caused by the magnet through the through hole.
The energy receiver of a vehicle according to claim 2 . The switch unit and the magnetic detection unit are disposed on a vehicle inner side of the supply/receive recess,
A through hole is formed in the supply recess, penetrating the supply recess to the inside and outside of the vehicle,
The switch portion is pressed and operated by the operation portion through the through hole,
The magnetic detection unit detects the magnetism generated by the magnet across a wall portion constituting the supply/receive recess.
The energy receiver of a vehicle according to claim 2 . A casing that is disposed on a vehicle inner side of the supply recess and that accommodates the substrate;
and a rubber cover that covers the casing from the outside of the vehicle.
The casing has an outer wall portion facing the outside of the vehicle, the outer wall portion being opposed to the through hole in the axial direction, and a second through hole penetrating from the inside to the outside of the vehicle,
the rubber cover has a deformation portion configured to be deformable toward an inside of the vehicle through the second through hole,
the deformation portion is pressed by the operation portion when the lid moves from the second position to the third position, and is deformed through the second through hole toward the inside of the vehicle to push and operate the switch portion,
The magnetic detection unit detects the magnetic force of the magnet through the rubber cover.
5. The energy receiving section of a vehicle according to claim 3.

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