Vehicle and locking control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012011-B2
Application number	US-202017109737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2020
Priority date	Dec 4, 2019
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

An ECU of a vehicle has a first mode and a second mode as an operation mode of a locking device. The first mode is a mode of bringing the locking device into a locked state when a charging connector is connected to an inlet. The second mode is a mode of maintaining the locking device in an unlocked state when the charging connector is connected to the inlet. The ECU of the vehicle determines whether or not the charging connector is connected to the inlet. The ECU does not permit a setting change of the operation mode of the locking device when the charging connector is connected to the inlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle that performs charging of a power storage device mounted on the vehicle, using electric power supplied through a charging cable from a power supply external to the vehicle, the vehicle comprising:
an inlet to which a connector provided in the charging cable is connectable;
a locking device that switches between a locked state and an unlocked state of the connector connected to the inlet and the inlet; and
a controller that controls the locking device, wherein
the controller sets an operation mode of the locking device to a first mode or a second mode, the first mode being a mode of bringing the locking device into the locked state when the connector is connected to the inlet, the second mode being a mode of maintaining the locking device in the unlocked state when the connector is connected to the inlet, and
the controller never permits a setting change of the operation mode when the connector is connected to the inlet.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller permits the setting change of the operation mode when the connector is not connected to the inlet.

3. The vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein
the controller receives a signal for the setting change of the operation mode based on a user operation, and
the controller changes a setting of the operation mode based on the signal, when the controller permits the setting change of the operation mode.

4. The vehicle according to claim 3 , further comprising
a setting device operated by a user for making the signal, wherein
the setting device outputs the signal based on the user operation.

5. The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the setting device comprises a multi-information display.

6. The vehicle according to claim 4 , wherein the setting device comprises a navigation device.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is an electronic control unit.

8. A locking control system comprising:
a locking device; and
a controller that controls the locking device, wherein
the locking device switches between a locked state of a connector and an inlet of a vehicle and an unlocked state of the connector and the inlet, the vehicle performing charging of a power storage device mounted on the vehicle, using electric power supplied through a charging cable from a power supply external to the vehicle, the connector being provided in the charging cable and connected to the inlet,
the controller sets an operation mode of the locking device to a first mode or a second mode, the first mode being a mode of bringing the locking device into the locked state when the connector is connected to the inlet, the second mode being a mode of maintaining the locking device in the unlocked state when the connector is connected to the inlet, and
the controller never permits a setting change of the operation mode when the connector is connected to the inlet.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ando Toru

Classifications

• E05B77/00

  Vehicle locks characterised by special functions or purposes (locks specially adapted for bicycles E05B71/00; locking arrangements for non-fixed vehicle roofs B60J7/185) · CPC title

• E05Y2400/45

  Control modes · CPC title

• E05B81/56

  Control of actuators · CPC title

• E05Y2900/50

  for vehicles · CPC title

• B60L53/16 Primary

  Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title