Patent Publication Number: US-2023150456-A1

Title: Anti-Sticking Device of Inlet Actuator

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0157742, filed on Nov. 16, 2021, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Recently, an electric mobility, which is an eco-friendly vehicle, has been commercialized. Such an electric mobility is powered by a rechargeable battery system, and a battery charging system for charging electric power of the electric mobility is mounted in the electric mobility. 
     The electric mobility is designed such that when a charging plug connected to an external power source is connected thereto, a battery thereof can be charged by receiving power from the external power source. 
     The battery charging system includes a receptacle configured to receive the charging plug and interface with the charging plug. The interface between the charging plug and the receptacle of the electric vehicle may be of any standard configuration that allows current to be transmitted from a charging unit to the mobility and battery. 
     However, when an unauthorized person disconnects the charging plug while charging of the electric mobility is being performed, the charging cannot be continuously performed and the charging of the battery cannot be fully performed. In addition, damage to the electrical mobility or the charging plug may occur when the charging plug is forcibly removed from the receptacle during charging operation due to the current flowing through the interface. 
     To solve the above problem, the electric mobility may include a locking device configured to secure the charging plug against removal from the receptacle. 
     The locking device is called an inlet actuator, and the inlet actuator is operated when the charging plug is connected to the receptacle to prevent the charging plug from being separated from the receptacle. Conversely, when the battery is fully charged and the charging plug is removed, the inlet actuator is operated and allows the charging plug to be removed. 
     However, when the inlet actuator is broken down or each component constituting the inlet actuator is stuck by debris, an action to mount or release the charging plug is not performed. 
     The foregoing is intended merely to aid in the understanding of the background of the present invention, and is not intended to mean that the present invention falls within the purview of the related art that is already known to those skilled in the art. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention relates generally to an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator. Particular embodiments relate to an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator in which the anti-sticking device is configured to prevent an inoperable situation of the inlet actuator from occurring when a lever operated in conjunction with the inlet actuator is stuck by an ingress of debris. 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention keep in mind problems occurring in the related art, and embodiments of the present invention provide an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator, wherein when an inlet actuator provided for locking or releasing a charging plug is broken, a lever arm exposed outside a housing performs a locking or releasing operation for the charging plug. Another embodiment of the present invention provides an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator, the anti-sticking device being configured to prevent a lever arm from being stuck due to debris to prevent an inoperable situation of the inlet actuator occurring by sticking of the lever arm. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator, the anti-sticking device including a housing in which an actuator operated in response to a connection state of a charging plug is mounted, a drive shaft configured to be rotated in conjunction with operation of the actuator, a lever arm rotatably provided outside the housing and connected to the drive shaft to be rotated together with the drive shaft, and a brush unit seated on the lever arm and configured to remove debris generated between the housing and the lever arm while being in contact with the housing during operation of the lever arm. 
     The brush unit may include a connection portion and an extension portion, the connection portion being connected to the drive shaft and the extension portion being extended from the connection portion along the lever arm and including a debris removal portion in contact with the housing. 
     The drive shaft may include a gear part axially rotated together with the drive shaft, and the connection portion of the brush unit may be arranged to be perpendicular to the drive shaft and engaged with the gear part. 
     The lever arm may have a seating groove portion depressed from the lever arm such that the brush unit may be inserted thereinto, and the connection portion and the extension portion of the brush unit may have circular circumferential surfaces so as to be rotatable when being seated in the seating groove portion. 
     The connection portion of the brush unit may have a gear connection section and a rotation section arranged along an outer circumferential surface thereof, the gear connection section being formed to be engaged to the gear part and the rotation section being inserted in the seating groove portion and shaped in an arc shape. 
     When the drive shaft is rotated, the brush unit may be moved together with the lever arm and perform a tilting movement, and the debris removal portion may be rotated in a trajectory along the arc shape. 
     In the housing, a portion in contact with the debris removal portion may be shaped in a curved surface along the rotation trajectory of the debris removal portion. 
     The debris removal portion may be formed such that a section thereof may be gradually reduced in a width thereof toward the housing. 
     The debris removal portion may include a plurality of elastic bodies, the plurality of elastic bodies being configured to be elastically deformable and arranged along the extension portion. 
     The brush unit may include the connection portion and the extension portion that may be removably provided, and the debris removal portion may be rotatably connected to the extension portion. 
     The lever arm may have a first slot and a second slot, the first slot receiving the connection portion therein and the second slot communicating with the first slot and extended such that the debris removal portion may be inserted into the second slot in a longitudinal direction thereof. 
     Fixation ends may be extended from the extension portion in opposite directions of the debris removal portion, and the second slot of the lever arm may have the same shape as a section of the extension portion. 
     A connection means may be provided at an end of the debris removal portion, and a locking means may be provided at a center portion of the connection portion to be coupled to the connection means. 
     The anti-sticking device may include a controller controlling the actuator, wherein the controller may store a number of rotations of the lever arm in response to operation of the actuator, and when the number of rotations of the lever arm reaches a preset number of rotations, the controller may control the operation of the actuator so as to increase the rotation range of the lever arm beyond the preset range. 
     According to the anti-sticking device of the inlet actuator having the structure described above, when the inlet actuator provided to lock or release the charging plug is broken down, the lever arm exposed outside the housing performs a locking or releasing operation of the charging plug. Specifically, as the debris generated between the lever arm and the housing is removed, sticking due to the debris is prevented and an inoperable situation of the inlet actuator is prevented. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above and other objectives, features, and other advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a view showing an inlet actuator and an inlet body according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG.  2    is a view showing an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    is an assembling view showing the anti-sticking device of the inlet actuator shown in  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a view showing a brush unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  5    is a view showing operation of the brush unit according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG.  6    is a view showing actual operation of the anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG.  7    is a view showing the brush unit according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  8    is a view showing a lever arm according to another embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG.  9    is a view showing the brush unit shown in  FIG.  7   ; and 
         FIG.  10    is a view showing control for anti-sticking of the inlet actuator. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinbelow, an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
       FIG.  1    is a view showing an inlet actuator and an inlet body according to embodiments of the present invention.  FIG.  2    is a view showing an anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention.  FIG.  3    is an assembling view showing the anti-sticking device of the inlet actuator shown in  FIG.  1   .  FIG.  4    is a view showing a brush unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG.  5    is a view showing operation of the brush unit according to embodiments of the present invention.  FIG.  6    is a view showing actual operation of the anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention.  FIG.  7    is a view showing the brush unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG.  8    is a view showing a lever arm according to another embodiment of the present invention.  FIG.  9    is a view showing the brush unit shown in 
       FIG.  7   .  FIG.  10    is a view showing control for anti-sticking of the inlet actuator. 
     According to embodiments of the present invention, as shown in  FIGS.  1  to  3   , the anti-sticking device of an inlet actuator includes a housing  100  in which an actuator no operated in response to a connection state of a charging plug is mounted, a drive shaft  200  rotated in conjunction with operation of the actuator no, a lever arm  300  rotatably provided outside the housing  100  and connected to the drive shaft  200  and rotated together with the drive shaft  200 , and a brush unit  400  seated on the lever arm  300  and removing debris generated between the housing  100  and the lever arm  300  while being in contact with the housing  100  in rotation of the lever arm  300 . 
     Herein, the housing  100  may be provided in a vehicle body, and the actuator no mounted in the housing  100  is selectively operated in response to a connection state of the charging plug. Accordingly, the connected charging plug may be locked or released. 
     As shown in  FIG.  1   , the actuator no includes a locking pin  111 . The locking pin  111  enters or retracts from a locking hole H provided in an inlet body L in response to operation of the actuator no to prevent or allow separation of the charging plug. 
     The actuator no includes the drive shaft  200  to transmit rotational power. The drive shaft  200  may be connected to the locking pin  111  by a medium of a gear unit. 
     Furthermore, the drive shaft  200  is connected to the lever arm  300  rotatably provided outside the housing  100 . When the actuator no is broken down, the lever arm  300  is provided for manipulation for preventing or allowing separation of the charging plug manually, and the lever arm  300  is provided outside the housing  100 . Therefore, the lever arm  300  may include a locking part  300   a  to allow manual manipulation in a specific situation such as a breakdown of the actuator  110 . 
     However, as the lever arm  300  is arranged outside the housing  100 , a stuck situation due to the debris may occur. The stuck situation restrains movement of the lever arm  300  and thus a problem in which the actuator  110  is prevented from being normally driven may occur. 
     Therefore, embodiments of the present invention are configured such that the brush unit  400  is seated on the lever arm  300  and the brush unit  400  is in contact with the housing  100 , so that the debris generated between the housing  100  and the lever arm  300  is removed when the lever arm  300  is rotated by operation of the actuator no. 
     In other words, the lever arm  300  is rotated with operation of the actuator no provided to lock or release the charging plug. When the lever arm  300  is rotatably moved, the brush unit  400  removes the debris between the housing  100  and the lever arm  300 , so that the lever arm  300  is rotatably moved normally. 
     As described above, the anti-sticking device of embodiments of the present invention does not require a separate cover provided to protect the lever arm  300  from the debris. Accordingly, the entire size of the anti-sticking device is reduced and maintenance convenience is improved with removal of a cover detachment process. 
     When describing embodiments of the present invention in detail, as shown in  FIGS.  3  to  5   , the brush unit  400  includes a connection portion  410  connected to the drive shaft  200  and an extension portion  420  extended from the connection portion  410  along the lever arm  300 . The extension portion  420  includes a debris removal portion  430  in contact with the housing  100 . 
     Furthermore, the lever arm  300  has a seating groove portion  310  depressed from the lever arm  300  so as to receive the brush unit  400 , and the connection portion  410  and the extension portion  420  of the brush unit  400  have circular circumferential surfaces so as to be rotatable when being seated in the seating groove portion  310 . 
     Herein, the debris removal portion  430  has a section that is gradually reduced in a width thereof toward the housing  100 , and when the lever arm  300  is rotated, the debris removal portion  430  may be moved to sweep debris generated on the housing  100 . 
     Furthermore, the debris removal portion  430  has a plurality of elastic bodies configured to be elastically deformable and arranged along the extension portion  420 . As described above, as the debris removal portion  430  is configured to be elastically deformable, the debris removal portion  430  may be in close contact with the housing  100 , and the debris may be scattered and removed by a force by which the plurality of elastic bodies is elastically recovered from a state in which the plurality of elastic bodies is rubbed against the housing  100 . 
     Meanwhile, the brush unit  400  may include the connection portion  410  and the extension portion  420  integrally coupled to each other. The extension portion  420  may include the debris removal portion  430  in contact with the housing  100 . As described above, as the brush unit  400  has the circular circumferential surface, the brush unit  400  may be rotated when being seated in the seating groove portion  310  of the lever arm  300 . Furthermore, the seating groove portion  310  of the lever arm  300  is formed such that the connection portion  410  and the extension portion  420  of the brush unit  400  are partially inserted thereinto. Accordingly, the debris removal portion  430  exposed outside the seating groove portion  310  may be in contact with the housing  100 . 
     Herein, the connection portion  410  is connected to the drive shaft  200  and is rotated together with rotation of the drive shaft  200  in response to operation of the actuator no. The connection portion  410  and the drive shaft  200  may be connected to each other by a gear connection structure. 
     The extension portion  420  is extended from the connection portion  410  along the lever arm  300  and the debris removal portion  430  provided on the extension portion  420  removes the debris located within a rotation trajectory of the lever arm  300 . 
     Specifically, the drive shaft  200  includes a gear part  210  axially rotated together with the drive shaft  200 . The connection portion  410  of the brush unit  400  is arranged to be perpendicular to the drive shaft  200  and is engaged with the gear part  210 . 
     As described above, the drive shaft  200  includes the gear part  210  on which gear protrusions are formed along a circumferential surface thereof. The connection portion  410  has gear protrusions along the circumferential surface thereof, the gear protrusions of the connection portion  410  being engaged with the gear protrusions of the gear part  210 . Therefore, the gear part  210  and the connection portion  410  may be engaged with each other. 
     Herein, the connection portion  410  of the brush unit  400  has a gear connection section  411  and a rotation section  412  that are arranged along the outer circumferential surface of the connection portion  410 . The gear connection section  411  is formed to be engaged with the gear part  210  and the rotation section  412  is inserted into the seating groove portion  310  and shaped in an arc shape. Therefore, the connection portion  410  is engaged with the gear part  210  by the gear connection section  411 , so that when the drive shaft  200  is rotated, the connection portion  410  may be rotated in conjunction with the drive shaft  200 . The smooth rotation of the connection portion  410  may be performed as the arc-shaped rotation section  412  is in contact with the seating groove portion  310  of the lever arm  300 . Therefore, the brush unit  400  is operated in conjunction with the drive shaft  200  by the gear connection section  411 , and the brush unit  400  may perform smooth rotation in the seating groove portion  310  of the lever arm  300  by the rotation section  412 . 
     Meanwhile, the drive shaft  200  and the connection portion  410  are arranged to be perpendicular to each other, so that when the drive shaft  200  is laterally rotated, the connection portion  410  is vertically rotated. In other words, as the drive shaft  200  is coupled to the lever arm  300 , the drive shaft  200  and the lever arm  300  are rotated in the same lateral direction, and the brush unit  400  is seated on the lever arm  300  and is rotatably moved together with the lever arm  300  and additionally performs vertical rotation. 
     As described above, the brush unit  400  is rotatably moved together with the lever arm  300  when the drive shaft  200  is rotated. At the same time, the brush unit  400  is tilted while being vertically rotated, so that the debris removal portion  430  is rotated in a trajectory of the arc shape. Accordingly, the debris removal portion  430  may be moved to sweep debris generated on the housing  100 . 
     In addition, the housing  100  has a portion ‘a’ in contact with the debris removal portion  430  that is formed in a curved surface along the rotation trajectory of the debris removal portion  430 . Accordingly, the debris removal portion  430  rotated in the trajectory of the arc shape may maintain an even contact state against the housing  100 . In other words, when a portion of the housing  100  in contact with the debris removal portion  430  is shaped in a flat surface, an excessive force is applied to the portion when the debris removal portion  430  is located in a direction perpendicular to the housing  100 , and the debris removal portion  430  may be damaged. 
     Accordingly, in the housing  100 , the portion corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the lever arm  300  is shaped in a curved surface. Therefore, the debris removal portion  430  rotated together with the lever arm  300  while being in contact with the housing  100  can uniformly remove the debris generated on the housing  100 , and a problem caused when a load is concentrated at a predetermined section can be removed. 
     As described above, the brush unit  400  is rotated together with the lever arm  300  when the drive shaft  200  is rotated according to operation of the actuator no and is tilted in conjunction with the drive shaft  200 . Therefore, the debris removal portion  430  is operated to sweep the debris generated on the housing  100  and the debris can be efficiently removed. 
     In other words, as shown in  FIG.  6   , when the drive shaft  200  is rotated counterclockwise, the lever arm  300  is rotated counterclockwise together with the drive shaft  200  and the brush unit  400  engaged with the drive shaft  200  is tilted clockwise. Therefore, as shown in  FIG.  5   , the debris removal portion  430  of the brush unit  400  is moved together with the lever arm  300  and tilted to generate inclination, so that the debris removal portion  430  removes the debris by sweeping the debris. 
     Meanwhile, as another embodiment, as shown in  FIGS.  7  to  9   , the brush unit  400  removably includes the connection portion  410  and the extension portion  420 , and the debris removal portion  430  is rotatably connected to the extension portion  420 . 
     Herein, the connection portion  410  is arranged to be perpendicular to the drive shaft  200 , and the debris removal portion  430  is connected to a center portion of the connection portion  410 . 
     As described above, the connection portion  410  and the extension portion  420  are separately and removably provided in the brush unit  400 , so that the extension portion  420  with the debris removal portion  430  may be replaced. 
     In other words, the debris removal portion  430  generates friction against the housing  100 , and replacement is required due to damage or friction of the debris removal portion  430 . Therefore, the extension portion  420  including the debris removal portion  430  is provided separately from the connection portion  410 , thereby allowing the extension portion  420  to be replaced. 
     Herein, the debris removal portion  430  is rotatably coupled to the extension portion  420  by a hinge connection structure and is connected to the connection portion  410  and rotated together with the connection portion  410 . Therefore, when the actuator no is operated, the debris removal portion  430  may be operated in sweeping the debris generated on the housing  100 . 
     Specifically, the lever arm  300  includes a first slot  320  in which the connection portion  410  is seated and a second slot  330  communicating with the first slot  320  and extended to receive the debris removal portion  430  in a longitudinal direction thereof. 
     As described above, as the lever arm  300  includes the first slot  320  and the second slot  330 , the connection portion  410 , the extension portion  420 , and the debris removal portion  430  that constitute the brush unit  400  may be seated on the lever arm  300 . 
     Herein, the first slot  320  is shaped in a circular groove corresponding to the shape of the connection portion  410  to allow the connection portion  410  to be rotated in the first slot  320 . 
     The second slot  330  is extended along a longitudinal direction of the lever arm  300  so that the extension portion  420  is slidingly assembled into the second slot  330 . Furthermore, as the second slot  330  communicates with the first slot  320 , the debris removal portion  430  provided on the extension portion  420  may be connected to the connection portion  410  located in the first slot  320 . Since the debris removal portion  430  provided on the extension portion  420  should be exposed while the extension portion  420  is assembled, the second slot  330  described above is formed to open in a direction facing the housing  100 . 
     Meanwhile, fixation ends  421  are extended from the extension portion  420  in opposite directions of the debris removal portion  430  , and the second slot  330  of the lever arm  300  may be shaped in the same shape as a section of the extension portion  420 . 
     In other words, the extension portion  420  may have a T-shaped section by the debris removal portion  430  and the fixation ends  421 , and the second slot  330  of the lever arm  300  is also shaped in the same shape as the section of the extension portion  420 , so that vertical separation except for separation in an assembly direction is prevented in assembly between the extension portion  420  and the second slot  330 . Furthermore, when the extension portion  420  is assembled with the second slot  330  of the lever arm  300 , the fixation ends  421  provide a support structure of the extension portion  420  so that shaking of the extension portion  420  is prevented and solidity is secured. 
     Meanwhile, a connection means  422  is provided at an end of the debris removal portion  430 , and a locking means  413  coupled to the connection means  422  may be provided at the center portion of the connection portion  410 . 
     Herein, the connection means  422  protrudes from the end of the debris removal portion  430  and may be shaped in a polygonal shape, and the locking means  413  penetrates the center portion of the connection portion  410  and may be shaped in the same shape as the shape of the connection means  422 . A connection structure using a magnetic body may be applied to the connection between the connection means  422  and the locking means  413  in addition to an insertion connection structure. 
     Therefore, the debris removal portion  430  and the connection portion  410  may be connected to each other by mutual coupling between the connection means  422  and the locking means  413  and may be rotated together. 
     Meanwhile, the actuator no described above is controlled by a controller  500 . The controller  500  stores the number of rotations of the lever arm  300  according to an operation of the actuator  110 , and when the number of rotations of the lever arm  300  reaches a preset number of rotations, the controller  500  may control operation of the actuator no so that a rotation range of the lever arm  300  exceeds a preset range. 
     In other words, the controller  500  accumulates and stores the number of rotations of the lever arm  300  according to the control of operation of the actuator  110 . Specifically, the controller  500  stores the preset number of rotations and the preset range for controlling the actuator  110  according to rotation of the lever arm  300 . Herein, the preset number of rotations may be preset by being calculated by experimenting in advance debris removal efficiency in which the debris removal portion  430  removes debris on the housing  100  as the lever arm  300  is rotated, and the preset range may be preset as a rotation radius greater than a rotation radius of the lever arm  300  in operation of the actuator  110  in response to separation prevention or separation allowance of the charging plug. 
     As shown in  FIG.  10   , when the number of rotations of the lever arm  300  reaches the preset number, the controller  500  controls operation of the actuator  110  so that the rotation range of the lever arm  300  is greater than or equal to the preset range. Therefore, the lever arm  300  is rotated by a rotation radius greater than a normal rotation radius, so that the debris removal portion  430  may remove debris on the housing  100  with a wider range. Therefore, as the debris generated on the housing  100  is removed in advance with a wider range, a problem caused by debris to be accumulated later can be prevented. 
     According to the anti-sticking device of the actuator  110  having the structure described above, when the actuator  110  provided to lock or release the charging plug is broken down, the lever arm  300  exposed outside the housing  100  performs a locking or releasing operation of the charging plug. Specifically, as the debris generated between the lever arm  300  and the housing  100  is removed, sticking due to the debris is prevented and an inoperable situation of the inlet actuator is prevented. 
     Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions, and substitutions are possible, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.