Fuel cell-type industrial vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11456468-B2
Application number	US-201916564385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 9, 2019
Priority date	Sep 10, 2018
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A fuel cell-type industrial vehicle according to the present disclosure includes a vehicle main body in which a fuel cell unit is installed, and controller configured to control operations of the vehicle main body. The fuel cell unit includes a charging plug which is connectable to a charging socket for supplying fuel gas, and a detection mechanism configured to detect the connection state between the charging plug and the charging socket. The detection mechanism includes a sensor having an output signal that shifts in accordance with the connection state of the charging socket relative to the charging plug. The controller prohibits operation of the vehicle main body after determining, on the basis of the output signal of the sensor, that the charging socket is connected to the charging plug.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fuel cell-type industrial vehicle, comprising:
a fuel cell unit including a fuel cell;
a fuel tank provided in the fuel cell unit and configured to store fuel gas that is supplied to the fuel cell;
a vehicle main body in which the fuel cell unit is installed; and
a controller configured to control operations of the vehicle main body,
the fuel cell unit comprising:
a charging plug configured to charge the fuel tank with the fuel gas, the charging plug being connectable to a charging socket for supplying the fuel gas; and
a detection mechanism configured to detect a connection state between the charging plug and the charging socket,
wherein the detection mechanism includes
a pressing plate disposed near the charging plug and having a surface configured to be contacted by a tip end portion of the charging socket, wherein the pressing plate has a recess portion disposed around the charging plug,
a sensor having an output signal that shifts in accordance with the connection state of the charging socket relative to the charging plug, and

wherein the controller executes control to prohibit the operations of the vehicle main body after determining, on the basis of the output signal of the sensor, that the charging socket is connected to the charging plug.

2. The fuel cell-type industrial vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the detection mechanism includes a hinge that freely movably supports the pressing plate, and a limit switch,
wherein the output signal shifts when the limit switch is pressed by the pressing plate.

3. The fuel cell-type industrial vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the charging plug is configured so that the charging socket is capable of being plugged thereon and unplugged therefrom,
the detection mechanism includes a moving member that is pushed by the charging socket so as to move in a predetermined direction when the charging socket is plugged onto the charging plug, and
the sensor includes a mover that is pressed in by the movement of the moving member so that when the mover is pressed in, the output signal shifts.

4. The fuel cell-type industrial vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising a biasing member configured to bias the moving member in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction.

5. The fuel cell-type industrial vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the moving member is provided with a tubular portion, and
one end portion of the biasing member is housed in the tubular portion.

6. The fuel cell-type industrial vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the charging plug is configured so that the charging socket is capable of being plugged thereon and unplugged therefrom,
that the pressing plate is pushed by the charging socket so as to move in a predetermined direction when the charging socket is plugged onto the charging plug, and
the sensor includes a mover that is released from a pressed-in state by the movement of the moving member so that when the mover is released from the pressed-in state, the output signal shifts.

7. The fuel cell-type industrial vehicle according to claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle key switch configured to detect a key ON state,
wherein the controller executes control to prohibit the operations of the vehicle main body when the vehicle key switch detects the key ON state and the controller determines, on the basis of the output signal of the sensor, that the charging socket is connected to the charging plug.

8. The fuel cell-type industrial vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the recess portion is a semicircular recess portion.

Assignees

• Toyota Jidoshokki Kk
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Mizukusa Ryo

Classifications

• B60L50/71

  Arrangement of fuel cells within vehicles specially adapted for electric vehicles · CPC title

• B67D7/00

  Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids from bulk storage containers or reservoirs into vehicles or into portable containers, e.g. for retail sale purposes (general disposition of plant in stations for supplying fuel to vehicles B60S5/02; for filling or emptying locomotive water tanks, e.g. water columns, B61K11/00; for refuelling aircraft during flight B64D39/00; liquid- handling ground installations specially adapted for fuelling stationary aircraft B64F1/28) · CPC title

• H01M2250/20

  Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane · CPC title

• B66F9/07504

  Accessories, e.g. for towing, charging, locking · CPC title

• B67D7/04

  for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants · CPC title