Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Limited

Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

Hikaru Itou

Tsutomu Tanaka

Sho Miyazaki

Shigekazu Wakata

Eiji Saijo

Masashi Saito

Yasuyoshi Fukao

Toshiyuki Sekimori

Hajime Okada

Fumiyoshi Tanigawa

A charge coupling for an electrical vehicle wherein conduction is enabled from a charger to a battery on the electrical vehicle when a supply connector connected to power a source is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet installed in the electric vehicle, this charge coupling including a locking device for temporarily locking the supply connector to the vehicle inlet at a half fitting position, the electric vehicle being provided, on its body, with an accommodating chamber outwardly open to expose the vehicle inlet, the accommodating chamber being provided on its interior with a draining mechanism, including inclined walls.

Charge coupling for electric vehicle

This invention provides a charging apparatus for an electric vehicle which prevents a charging coupling from becoming overheated and melting upon charging. In the charging apparatus, when a lever 33 provided on a supply connector 2 is grasped, the supply connector 2 is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet 1 by a pair of stays 36 connected to the lever 33. A slide switch 42, which serves to open and close a charging circuit in the supply connector 2, is inhibited from being operated by a stopper face on the lever 33 under a normal condition and allowed to be operated when the supply connector 2 is completely fitted to the vehicle inlet 1. When a microswitch 44 associated with the slide switch 42 is turned to ON, a relay 90 in a charger 74 is energized to close the charging circuit, thereby enabling conduction from a power source to a battery.

Connector assembly used in supplying electricity to a receiver

A charge coupling for an electric vehicle wherein conduction is enabled from a charger to a battery of the electric vehicle when a supply connector, connected to the charger is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet installed in the electrical vehicle, this charged coupling including a locking device for temporarily locking the supply connector to the vehicle inlet at a half fitted position, the supply connector being provided, on an end of which engages the vehicle inlet, with a protective member.

A charge coupling for an electric vehicle wherein conduction is enabled from a charger to an electric vehicle battery when a supply connector to the charger is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet installed in the electric vehicle. A locking member is provided for temporarily locking the supply connector to the vehicle inlet at a half fitting position, the locking device being further provided with a spiral groove extending from the half fitting position to the complete fitting position. An engagable boss which projects from a distal end of either the vehicle inlet or supply connector is adapted to detachably engage the spiral groove and the supply connector is provided, on its outer periphery, with a handle for assisting rotation of the supply connector so that the engagable boss moves within the spiral groove from an outer end to a terminating end. A holding member is provided on either the vehicle inlet or supply connector and serves to maintain the supply connector at the complete fitting position in the vehicle inlet when the engagable boss reaches the terminating end of the spiral groove.

An electrical connector includes a connector housing having a drain hole. A vacuum pump is connected to the drain hole through a suction pipe. The suction pipe is connected to a water trap. A control unit controls the vacuum pump on the basis of the state of a mode selecting switch and a reed switch detecting the state of a lid for closing and opening an open end of the connector housing. In mode A, the vacuum pump is actuated to aspirate water from in the connector housing with air while the lid is open. In mode B, the vacuum pump is actuated both when the lid is opened and when the lid is closed.

Waterproof electrical connector with suction mechanism

A charge coupling for an electric vehicle wherein conduction is enabled from a power source on the ground to a battery on the electric vehicle when a supply connector connected to the power source is completely fitted to a vehicle inlet installed in the electric vehicle, including means for temporarily locking said supply connector to the vehicle inlet at a half fitting position.

A wire seal formed of an elastic material is fitted to an electrical wire inserted into a housing of a waterproof electrical connector. Specifically, the wire seal is inserted into a cylindrical portion of the connector housing to provide seal. The wire seal includes a seal body having a through-hole through which the electrical wire is inserted, the seal body being fitted in the cylindrical portion of the connector housing, and a cover piece integral with the seal body and extending peripherally of the seal body. The cover piece is in contact with the entire peripheral edge defining an opening of the cylindrical portion of the housing through which the electrical wire is inserted.

Wire seal arrangement for waterproof electrical connectors

A coupling device interconnects a car connector BC and a charger connector SC positively under a small force to charge a battery in an electric car. After bringing housings 1 and 2 of both connectors BC and SC, when an operation lever 8 together with a grip 32 are grasped, an engaging projection 229 pushes a rear end of a coupling groove 228 so that a coupling plate 10 is moved from an advanced position to a retracted position. During a former movement of the plates 10, a projection 232 rids on an inner side from a rear edge of an escape groove 233 so that distal ends of the coupling plates 10 are closed. Consequently, windows 231 in the plates receive projections 209 on the housing of the car connector BC. The housing 2 of the charger connector SC together with a body 3 are drawn into the housing 1 during a latter movement of the plates, thereby completely interconnecting both connectors BC and SC. When the lever 8 returns to an opening position, the coupling plate 10 is backed from the retracted position to return the housing 2 together with the body 3 and the distal end of the coupling plates 10 are widened to detach the housing 1. When the body 3 is pulled, both connectors BC and SC are separated.

Coupling device of charging connector assembly for electric car

A coupling device interconnects a car connector BC and a charger connector SC positively by a small force to charge a battery in an electric car. After incompletely coupling, when an operation lever 8 together with a grip 32 are grasped, a sector gear 16 is turned to an anticlockwise direction and a pinion 15 is rotated to the anticlockwise direction through an intermediate gear 17. Thus a coupling plate 10 is moved from an advanced position to a retracted position through engagement of the pinion 15 and a rack 13. Distal ends of the coupling plates 10 are closed during a former movement of the plates so that windows 21 in the plates receive projections 22 on a connector housing of a car connector BC. A connector housing 2 of a charger connector SC together with a body 3 are drawn into the housing 1 during a latter movement of the plates, thereby completely interconnect both connectors BC and SC. When the lever 8 returns to an opening position, the coupling plate 10 is backed from the retracted position to return the housing 2 together with the body 3 and detach the housing 1. When the body 3 is pulled, both connectors BC and SC are separated.

Growing community of inventors

Yokkaichi, Japan

Hikaru Itou