Electrical connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9620897-B2
Application number	US-201615142303-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2016
Priority date	Jul 24, 2015
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A connector includes a locking lever that locks a fitted state with an inlet, a release button that is provided to be movable in Z-direction positive and negative directions and rotates the locking lever by moving in the Z-direction negative direction to release the locking, a release restricting portion that is provided to be movable in X-direction positive and negative directions and to be movable to an abutting position where the release restricting portion abuts against the release button, thereby restricting the movement in the Z-direction negative direction of the release button at the abutting position to restrict the release of the locking, a solenoid as a moving portion that moves the release restricting portion in the X-direction negative direction, and a coil spring that presses the release restricting portion in the X-direction positive direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector comprising:
a locking lever that is rotatable and and adapted to lock with an inlet in a fitted state;
a release position that is provided to be movable in a first direction and a second direction parallel and opposite to the first direction and rotates the locking lever by moving in the first direction to release the locking lever;
a release restricting portion that is provided to be moveable in a third direction crossing the first and second directions and in a fourth direction parallel and opposite to the third direction and to be movable to an abutting position which is a position where the release restricting portion, in its movable range, abuts against the release portion moving in the first direction, thereby restricting a movement in the first direction of the release portion at the abutting position to restrict release of the locking lever;
a moving portion that moves the release restricting portion in the third direction; and
pressing portion that presses the release restricting portion in the fourth direction which is a direction approaching the moving portion,
wherein the moving portion is s solenoid comprising a plunger that moves in the third and fourth direction, and
wherein the release restricting portion comprises:
a slide portion that is movable in the third and fourth directions; and
contact portion which is provided to the slide portion and restricts the movement of the release potion by abutting against the release portion and against which the plunger abuts.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1 ,
wherein the slide portion has a bottom surface parallel to the third and fourth directions,
wherein the contact portion is a projecting portion provided to project from the slide portion toward the release portion and having an abutting surface against which the plunger moving in the third direction abuts, and
wherein an end on the release portion side of the projecting portion has a restricting portion that abuts against the release portion moving in the first direction to restrict the release of the locking by the release portion.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide bar provided on a side, opposite to a side where the plunger projects, of the solenoid and configured to move in the third and fourth directions in response to a movement of the plunger; and
a switch provided to be able to be operated with the guide bar and configured to produce first information indicating a position of the plunger in a state operated with the guide bar and second information indicating a position of the plunger in a state not operated with the guide bar.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 3 , further comprising a holding portion holding the solenoid and the switch.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 1 , further comprising an outer shell housing the slide portion,
wherein, in a state of restricting the release of the locking, the slide portion is disposed at a position where at least a part of the slide portion can be visually recognized from the outside of the outer shell.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide portion provided to project in the third direction from the contact portion; and
a recess which is provided on the outer shell and into which the guide portion is inserted.

7. The connector according to claim 2 , wherein the restricting portion has plate shape whose normal direction, is parallel to the first and second directions and which projects to the plunger side.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 2 , wherein the restricting portion has a plate shape whose normal direction is parallel to the first and second directions and which projects to a side opposite to the plunger side.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 2 , wherein the slide portion has a support portion projecting to the plunger side more than the projecting portion.

Assignees

• Japan Aviation Electronics Ltd
• Japan Aviation Electronics Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Takagi Youhei

Classifications

• B60L53/16

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

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• H01R2201/26

  for vehicles · CPC title

• H01R13/6397

  with means for preventing unauthorised use · CPC title