Abstract:
A plug-in device system has a closure unit blocking access to a first plug-in device element, for example a socket. The closure unit includes a rotary bezel which is coupled via a coupling to at least one shutter such that the rotation of the bezel effects a movement of the shutter from a closed position in an open position. Preferably, a locking assembly is additionally provided, which blocks movement of the rotary bezel and/or shutter in the closed position as long as no pressure is applied to the shutter. In addition, a safety device can be provided, which prevents the shutter from opening when a direct force is applied.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/005,086, filed Sep. 13, 2013, and which claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2011 001 300.8, filed Mar. 16, 2011, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to an electrical plug-in device system having a first and a second plug-in device element and a closure device which is arranged in front of the first plug-in device element. The invention also relates to a closure device for such a plug-in device system and a method for controlling access of a plug-in device element to another element. 
         [0003]    The following discussion of related art is provided to assist the reader in understanding the advantages of the invention, and is not to be construed as an admission that this related art is prior art to this invention. 
         [0004]    Electrical plug-in connectors such as plugs or couplings for high currents according to DIN VDE 0623, EN 60309-2 (“CEE plug-in connectors”) or IEC 62196 (“e-car charging connectors”) typically include in a housing a contact module with electrical contacts (pins or sockets). A complementarily formed plug-in element (coupling or plug) can be inserted into the contact module from an access side to establish electrical contact to the contact elements. It is known to provide the access side of such plugs with a hinged cover to protect them against the ingress of dirt and moisture when not in use and to prevent an accidental contact with live components. Such a hinged cover has to be manually moved by the user to an open position prior to insertion of a complementary plug-in device element. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Against this background, it was an object of the present invention to provide device for a safe and robust control of authorized access to a plug-in device element, which can be realized in a confined space. 
         [0006]    According to a first aspect of the invention, an electric plug-in device system includes the following components:
       A first plug-in device element and a compatible second plug-in device element which can be assembled with the first plug-in device element through movement in an insertion direction. Such plug-in device elements are generally known and are used to connect electrical wires to one another. The plug-in device elements are typically used as “receptacle” or “coupling”, on one hand, and as a “plug”, on the other hand. In the context of the present invention, these may particularly include high-current plug-in connectors or plug-in charging connectors for electric vehicles.   A closure device disposed in front of the first plug-in device element. The words “in front” refer to the above-described insertion direction in the sense that the second plug-in device element must first pass the closure device before reaching the first plug-in device element. The closure device thus serves to control access to the first plug-in device element.       
 
         [0009]    Furthermore, the plug-in device system is characterized in that the closure device contains the following components:
       a) A rotatably mounted bezel with a passage opening into which the second plug-in device element can engage in a rotationally-fixed manner. The geometric shape of the “bezel” can be almost arbitrary, and must not necessarily be a closed “ring” in a strict sense. The “through-opening” of the bezel can also be designed as desired, as long as it allows a (partial) passage of the second plug-in device element. Lastly, the plug-in device element can engage with the bezel in a “rotationally-fixed manner” at any position, whereby the rotationally-fixed or twist-free connection has to be present when the second plug-in device element is in the through-opening. It is particularly preferred when the through-opening has an inside contour which corresponds at least partially to a non-circular outside contour of the second plug-in device element; in which case, the rotationally-fixed engagement is established by a form fit in the through-opening itself.   b) At least one shutter, which can be moved between a closed position, in which the first plug-in device element (viewed from the insertion direction) is at least partially covered, and an open position, in which the shutter allows access to first plug-in device element. The shutter can have any geometric shape and can be movable in any direction (displacement, pivoting and/or rotation). In a particularly preferred embodiment, the shutter may be substantially plate-shaped and can be moved in the plane of the plate, since this enables a particularly flat design. The movement of the shutter is preferably also in a plane perpendicular to the insertion direction.   c) Coupling device configured to convert a rotational movement of the rotary bezel into a movement of the shutter from the closed position into its open position.       
 
         [0013]    Since the closure device is a separable element from plug-in device elements, both physically and as a sales product, the invention further relates to a separate closure device for controlling access of a second plug-in device element to a complementary first plug-in device element. 
         [0014]    Lastly, the invention relates to a method for controlling access of a second plug-in device element to a complementary first plug-in device element, including the steps of:
       At least one shutter (initial) blocks in a closed position access to the first plug-in device element.   The second plug-in device element is brought into a rotationally-fixed engagement with a rotary bezel, and then rotated, thereby carrying the rotary bezel along.   The rotation of the bezel moves the shutter into an open position, releasing access to the first plug-in device element.   The second plug-in device element is inserted into the first plug-in device element through movement along a plug-in axis. The axis may in particular be identical to the axis about which the second plug-in device element was previously rotated while carrying the rotary bezel along.       
 
         [0019]    The electrical plug-in device system, the closure device and the method are based on the fact that the rotational movement of a (second) plug-in device element opens a closure device, thus providing access to a complementary (first) plug-in device element. Since this approach still requires the rotational engagement of the (second) plug-in device element with a rotary bezel, it can be designed with a high level of safety against abuse by ensuring that a rotation of the bezel can be generated only by the “correct” plug-in device element and not through misuse by a tool or by hand. 
         [0020]    In the following, various improvements of the invention will be described, which can be realized in the plug-in device system, in the closure device, and in the method. 
         [0021]    Preferably, several shutters are provided which commonly cover in their closed position access to the first plug-in device element. The travel of a single shutter from its closed position to its open position can thus be reduced. In a particularly preferred embodiment, two shutters are provided, which each cover in the closed position by a portion (for example, half) of the first plug-in device element, and which can preferably be moved in opposite directions. Interference or resistance forces can then substantially compensate each other with the movement in opposite directions. 
         [0022]    The rotational movement of the rotary bezel can be converted into a movement of the shutter in various ways, which also depend on the type of movability of the shutter. Specifically, the rotary bezel may have teeth disposed on a circular arc, which engage with a rack on the shutter. In this way, the rotational movement of the rotary bezel can be converted into a linear movement of the rack—and thus also of the shutter. 
         [0023]    According to another embodiment of the invention, the closure device includes locking means, with which the movement of the shutter and/or the rotary bezel is blocked in the closed position, wherein the blocking is released only by pressure acting on the shutter in the insertion direction. Such pressure acting in the insertion direction can be produced naturally by applying the second plug-in device element on the closure device, since the second plug-in device element for establishing the desired connection to the first plug-in device element has to be moved anyway in the insertion direction. The normal movement during insertion thus leads almost automatically to a release of the locking means. Merely rotating the bezel (without applying pressure on the shutter), as may occur in a fraudulent opening attempt, does not cause the closure device to open, because the locking means prevents any movement of the shutter and/or the rotary bezel. 
         [0024]    The locking means can be implemented structurally in various ways. For example, the shutter may be movably supported against a restoring force in the insertion direction. A (sufficiently large) pressure on the shutter can then cause displacement of the shutter in the insertion direction, which can in turn be used to release blocking by of the locking means. 
         [0025]    The locking means may include, in particular, projections engaging in holes. In this way, movement of the projections perpendicular to their axis can be blocked. The projections may be arranged, for example, on the rotary bezel or on the housing of the closure device, whereas the holes may be arranged on the shutter, or vice versa. A pressure on the shutter in the insertion direction must then cause the projections to exit from the holes and to move freely. This can be achieved, in particular in the aforedescribed embodiment, in that the shutter together with its holes (or projections) moves in the insertion direction, whereas the projections (or holes) remain stationary. 
         [0026]    The aforedescribed locking means prevent the closure device from being opened by a torque on the rotary bezel alone. However, this protection could potentially be circumvented by tampering directly with the shutter, if a pressure is exerted on the shutter, which unblocks the locking means. In order to avoid such tampering, the closure device may be optionally provided with safety means that block movement of the shutter in the closed position that is produced solely by directly applying a force on the shutter. 
         [0027]    The safety means may be provided independently of the presence of the locking means. Particularly preferred, however, the safety means are provided in addition to the locking means and are configured to be effective even when the locking means are unblocked (i.e. when pressure is applied on the shutter). 
         [0028]    Advantageously, the safety means are further configured so as to prevent in the closed position movement of the shutter that is produced by an active rotation of the rotary bezel. In other words, the safety means suspend the generally effective movement and force coupling between cover and rotary bezel in both directions at least for the closed position, allowing the coupling at most in only one direction (in the direction from the rotary bezel to the shutter). 
         [0029]    The suspension of the aforedescribed bi-directional coupling between the rotary bezel and the shutter in the closed position may optionally be achieved by completely eliminating coupling near the closed position, while simultaneously blocking the shutter with the rotary bezel (but not vice versa). In other words, the safety means in this embodiment enables freewheeling of the rotary bezel with respect to the shutter. Only when the freewheeling range is left by an active rotation of the bezel (by an authorized user), the “normal” bidirectional coupling to the shutter begins (and blocking of the shutter stops), so that further rotation of the rotary bezel can cause the desired opening of the shutter. 
         [0030]    Blocking the movement that only operates from the rotary bezel to the shutter (without the simultaneously blocking of the rotary bezel) can be achieved, for example, when the safety means include in the closed position two contact points between the shutter and the rotary bezel, wherein the possible movement directions of these points are perpendicular to each other. In this case, the contact point of the rotary bezel can “block the path” for the contact point of the shutter and hence block a movement of the shutter, while its own mobility is unaffected (in the transverse direction). Furthermore, the mutually perpendicular movement directions ensure that a pressure of the shutter on the contact point of the rotary bezel has no force component that could initiate a rotation of the rotary bezel. 
         [0031]    A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a closure device (as well as an associated plug-in device system) which includes the following combination of the aforedescribed features:
       It includes a rotary bezel with a through-opening into which the second plug-in device element can engage with a rotation-lock (for example, by a form fit).   It includes at least one shutter, which is supported on a spring plate and is movable in a plane perpendicular to the spring plate.   Locking pins and holes are provided on the shutter and the rotary bezel, which are in engagement in a closed position of the shutter and the rotary bezel, and which are decoupled by applying pressure on the spring-loaded shutter.   A rotation of the rotary bezel beginning in the closed position (subsequent to the aforementioned decoupling) moves the shutter, after an initial freewheeling, via a toothing from its closed position to an open position.   Shutter and rotary bezel are coupled via a cam pin and a cam so that (only) the movement of the shutter is blocked when the rotary bezel and the shutter are in the closed position.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0037]    In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the Figures, wherein: 
           [0038]      FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of a closure device according to the present invention with a first plug-in connection element; 
           [0039]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of the closure device of  FIG. 1  in the closed position; 
           [0040]      FIG. 3  shows the closure device of  FIG. 2  with an attached second plug-in device element; 
           [0041]      FIG. 4  shows a plan view of the closure device of  FIG. 2  in the open position; 
           [0042]      FIG. 5  shows the closure device of  FIG. 4  with an attached second plug-in device element; 
           [0043]      FIG. 6  shows a section through the closure device of  FIG. 1  with a loose contact of a second plug-in device element on the shutter; 
           [0044]      FIG. 7  shows the closure device of  FIG. 6  with an applied pressure on the shutter, causing release of the locking means; 
           [0045]      FIG. 8  shows the closure device of  FIG. 7  after rotation of the second plug-in connection element in the open position; 
           [0046]      FIG. 9  shows the closure device of  FIG. 8  after complete insertion of the second plug-in connection element into the first plug-in connection element; 
           [0047]      FIG. 10  shows a plan view of the closure device of  FIG. 1  in the closed position with a transparent rotary bezel; 
           [0048]      FIG. 11  shows an enlarged detail of the closure device  FIG. 10  after rotation to the end of the freewheeling; 
           [0049]      FIG. 12  shows a plan view of the closure device of  FIG. 10  after rotation into the open position; 
           [0050]      FIG. 13  shows a perspective view of a shutter of the closure device; 
           [0051]      FIG. 14  shows a perspective view of the rotary bezel of the closure device from the front; and 
           [0052]      FIG. 15  shows a perspective view of the rotary bezel of the closure device from the rear. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0053]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective exploded view of the components of a closure device  100  according to the invention and the corresponding first plug-in device element, which in the illustrated example is a socket  1  (in principle, however, it could also be a plug). The closure device is intended to close the access side of the socket  1  when not in use and thus prevent unauthorized access. At the same time, however, access to the socket  1  should be possible for a second complementary plug-in device element in an insertion direction x (in this case, for a plug  2 ). To achieve this, the closure device  100  includes the following components:
       A front panel  110  which closes the closure device to the outside and which is typically integrated into the wall of an apparatus, for example in the housing wall for a charging station for electric vehicles. The front panel  110  is not shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , and  10 - 12  for sake of clarity.   A rotary bezel  120  which is supported inside the closure device  100  for rotation about the insertion axis x. The rotary bezel  120  is shown in  FIG. 1  in its “open position” wherein access of a plug to the socket  1  is unobstructed. The Rotary bezel  120  has on its outside teeth  121  arranged in a circular arc, which transition into a freewheel  122  without teeth. The rotary bezel  120  is preferably biased into the closed position ( FIG. 2 ) by a spring (not shown).   Two mirror-symmetrically arranged, but otherwise identical shutters  130  and  130 ′. These are essentially composed of a shutter plate and a rack  131 ,  131 ′ attached to the side. The shutters  130 ,  130 ′ are also shown in  FIG. 1  in their open position, where they allow unobstructed access to outlet  1 .   The shutters are pulled by springs  134  (connected to the housing  150 ) from the illustrated open position into the closed position ( FIG. 2 ) where they touch each other at their abutting edges  135 ,  135 ′. The abutting edges are preferably step-shaped in the x-direction, so as to tightly seal in spite of component tolerances. Different from the illustrated embodiments, the abutting edges can optionally also be uneven, having for example protuberances and corresponding recesses. In this way, starting from the closed position, individual contact sockets of the socket  1  may, if desired, still be covered over a longer travel.   A spring plate  140  on which the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ are mounted for movement in the z direction.   A housing  150 , in which the spring plate  140  (in conjunction with the shutters  130 ,  130 ′) is supported on springs  151  for movement in the insertion direction x.       
 
         [0060]      FIGS. 2 to 5  show the closure device  100  (without the front panel) in the assembled state. Specifically,  FIG. 2  shows the closure device  100  with the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ and the rotary bezel  120  in the closed position. The abutting edges  135 ,  135 ′ of the bezels touch each other, and access to the socket is obstructed.  FIG. 3  shows the closure device  100  in the same state with attached plug  2 . 
         [0061]      FIG. 4  shows the closure device  100  with the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ and the rotary bezel  120  in the open position where access to the socket  1  is unobstructed.  FIG. 5  shows this condition with attached plug  2 . 
         [0062]    The rotary bezel  120  is rotated in the opening position by about 60° compared to the closed position. This rotation is enabled by the plug  2 , which engages with the non-circular outside contour of its front end in form-fitting inside contour of the through-opening  126  in the rotary bezel  120 . 
         [0063]    By rotating the plug  2  about the insertion axis x (as well as by applying pressure on the shutters  130 ,  130 ′, see below), the rotary bezel  120  co-rotates about the x-axis. The rotation of the rotary bezel  120  is converted into opposing translational movements of the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ (in the positive and negative z-direction) through the engagement of the bezel&#39;s teeth  121  in the racks  131 ,  131 ′ of the shutters  130 ,  130 ′. The shutters are thereby shifted to their open position. 
         [0064]    To prevent the closure device  100  from being opened by misuse without a plug by rotating the rotary bezel by hand or with a tool, the rotary bezel  120  tapers off on the inside contour of the through-opening  126  to be very narrow. The rotary bezel therefore provides scarcely a surface for a finger or a tool and can be safely operated only by the front end of a plug that exactly matches to the inside contour. 
         [0065]    To further prevent unauthorized operation of the rotary bezel in the closed position, locking means are additionally provided, which will now be explained in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 6 through 9 . The locking means block the rotational mobility of the rotary bezel  120  and shutters  130 ,  130 ′ in the closed position for as long as the blocking is not released by a specific operating step. Merely rotating the rotary bezel  120  is therefore insufficient to open the closure device  100 . 
         [0066]    In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the locking means are realized by arranging protrusions in the form of locking pins  123  ( FIG. 15 ) on the rear side of the rotary bezel  120 . These locking pins engage in corresponding holes  132 ,  132 ′ ( FIG. 1 ,  13 ) of the shutters  130 ,  130 ′, when rotary bezel and the shutters are in the closed position. Such state is shown in a sectional view in  FIG. 6 , where the plug  2  is inserted into the through-opening of the rotary bezel  120  and rests on the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ without applied pressure. The plug  2  cannot be rotated in this state about the insertion x axis, since the locking pins  123  of the rotary bezel  120  engage in the holes  132 ,  132 ′ of the shutters, thus blocking the rotation. 
         [0067]    To unblock the rotary bezel and the shutters, pressure must be applied on the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ in the insertion direction x, as shown in  FIG. 7 . Because the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ (and the spring plate  140 ) are supported in the housing  150  for displacement, the shutters together with the spring plate  140  can yield to such pressure and move somewhat (typically by about one millimeter) in the insertion direction x. These displacements in the insertion direction are sufficient to pull the locking pins  123  of the rotary bezel  120  out of the holes  132 ,  132 ′ of the shutters  130 ,  130 ′, thus unblocking the movement. 
         [0068]    The rotary bezel  120  can thereafter be rotated into the open position, as shown in  FIG. 8 , and the closure device can then be opened. After opening the shutters, the plug  2  can be fully inserted into the socket  1 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0069]      FIG. 9  also shows that a collar  125  on the rotary bezel  120  covers a groove, wherein the groove may be formed, as illustrated, between the front end and the handle of a plug  2 . This prevents the rotary bezel  120  and the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ from entering this groove, which could block withdrawal of the plug. 
         [0070]    The described locking means prevent the closure device from being opened by direct rotation of the rotary bezel  120 , because the closure device can only be opened by a combination of this rotation with pressure on the shutters. 
         [0071]    The invention additionally provides optional safety means which can also prevent a direct manipulation of the shutters  130 ,  130 ′. The safety means should in particular prevent the closure device from being opened by applying pressure on the shutters in the insertion direction x (to release the locking means) and subsequently pushing the shutters in the z direction. 
         [0072]    This goal can be achieved, for example, by the safety means illustrated in  FIGS. 10-12 , where the rotary bezel  120  is shown partly transparent. The rotary bezel  120  has on its rear side two gates  124  (see  FIG. 15 ), with respective guide pin  133  or  133 ′ of the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ engaging in a corresponding gate  124 . The gate and the associated gate pin are highlighted in the lower part of  FIG. 10 . The effect of these elements is described using the upper gate  124  and the guide pin  133  of the upper shutter  130  as an example, because the functionality of the lower elements  124 ,  133 ′ similar (mirror image). The relevant “points of contact”  124  and  133  between the rotary bezel  120  and the shutter  130  are shown once more separately in the right part of  FIG. 10 . 
         [0073]      FIG. 10  shows the rotary bezel  120  and the shutters  130 ,  130 ′ in the closed position. The gates  124  and the guide pin  133  have points of contact with each other, with their possible movement directions v D  (gate  124  and rotary bezel  120 , respectively) and v B  (guide pin  133  and shutter  130 , respectively) being perpendicular to each other. In other words, the guide pin  133  is located at dead center of the gate  124 . A manipulation force acting in z-direction (v B ) on the shutter  130  is therefore unable to produce a force component that would initiate a rotation of the rotary bezel  120 . A displacement of the shutter  130  is therefore permanently blocked. This realizes the desired safety of the closure device  100  against application of an abusive force to the shutters  130  and  130 ′. 
         [0074]    The aforedescribed safety means are completed by providing a toothless free wheel  122  on the rotary bezel  120 . The rotary bezel  120  is thus not yet coupled to the toothed racks  131 ,  131 ′ of the bezels  130 ,  130 ′ in the closed position. If such a connection would already exist, application of a force acting on the shutter could then produce a rotation of the rotary bezel  120  and release blocking between guide pin  133 ,  133 ′ and the gates  124 . Ultimately, it would depend on the respective component tolerances, which of the two conflicting movement mechanisms (blocking by guide pin  133 ,  133 ′ and gate  124  or bidirectional coupling movement by teeth ( 121 ,  131 ) would gain the upper hand. With the freewheel  122 , a clear priority is defined for blocking between pins and gate.