Patent Publication Number: US-2023151665-A1

Title: Anti-Sticking System of Inlet Actuator

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0156742, filed on Nov. 15, 2021, which application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to an anti-sticking system 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 electric 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 system of an inlet actuator. Particular embodiments relate to an anti-sticking system of an inlet actuator in which the anti-sticking system 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 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 system 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 locking or releasing operation for the charging plug. Another embodiment of the present invention provides an anti-sticking system of an inlet actuator, the anti-sticking system being configured to prevent a lever arm from being stuck by debris to prevent an inoperable situation of the inlet actuator from being caused by sticking of the lever arm. 
     According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an anti-sticking system of an inlet actuator, the anti-sticking system including an actuator mounted in a housing and configured to be operated in response to a connection state of a charging cable, a lever arm rotatably provided outside the housing and configured to be rotated in conjunction with operation of the actuator, a debris removal unit provided to remove debris generated on the lever arm, and a controller controlling operation of the actuator in response to connection or releasing of the charging cable, when an operational state according to the operation of the actuator deviates from a normal range, the controller controlling the debris removal unit so as to remove the debris generated on the lever arm. 
     The debris removal unit may be configured to jet compressed air to the lever arm. 
     A locking pin may be connected to the actuator and the locking pin may be locked or released to or from an inlet body in response to operation of the actuator, and a detection unit may be provided in the housing and configured to detect a location of the locking pin. 
     The locking pin may include a first detection contact part and a second detection contact part that may be spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the locking pin, and the detection unit may include a touch part arranged between the first detection contact part and the second detection contact part, and when the touch part is brought into contact with the first detection contact part, the detection unit may detect that the locking pin is located to be locked to the inlet body, and when the touch part is brought into contact with the second detection contact part, the detection unit may detect that the locking pin is located to be released from the inlet body. 
     The controller may preset the normal range of the operational state as a normal time range at a normal operational state of the actuator, and when the detection unit detects that an operation time for the locking pin to reach a locked state or a releasing state deviates from the normal time range, the controller may control the debris removal unit to remove the debris generated on the lever arm. 
     When the detection unit detects that an operation time for the locking pin to reach a locked state or a releasing state deviates from a normal time range, the controller may generate a warning message. 
     When the detection unit detects that an operation time for the locking pin to reach a locked state or a releasing state deviates from a normal time range, the controller may control the debris removal unit to increase operation of the debris removal unit in response to operation time outside the normal time range. 
     The controller may preset the normal range as a normal voltage range in a normal operational state of the actuator, and input a voltage value applied in operation of the actuator, and when the voltage value deviates from the normal voltage range, the controller may control the debris removal unit to remove debris generated on the lever arm. 
     When the voltage value deviates from the normal voltage range, the controller may control the debris removal unit to increase operation of the debris removal unit in response to the voltage value outside the normal voltage range. 
     When the operational state according to operation of the actuator after the debris removal unit is operated deviates from the normal range, the controller may send a warning message so as to perform an inspection including the lever arm. 
     According to the anti-sticking system 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 locking or releasing operation of the charging plug. Specifically, as debris generated between the lever arm and the housing is removed, sticking occurring by 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 a lever arm and a debris removal unit of the inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG.  3    is a block diagram showing an anti-sticking system of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention; and 
         FIG.  4    is a view showing the anti-sticking system of the inlet actuator shown in  FIG.  3   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinbelow, an anti-sticking system of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to 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 a lever arm and a debris removal unit of the inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention.  FIG.  3    is a block diagram showing an anti-sticking system of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention.  FIG.  4    is a view showing the anti-sticking system of the inlet actuator shown in  FIG.  3   . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1  to  4   , the anti-sticking system of an inlet actuator according to embodiments of the present invention includes an actuator  200  mounted in a housing  100  and configured to be operated in response to a connection state of a charging cable, a lever arm  300  rotatably provided outside the housing  100  and configured to be rotated in conjunction with operation of the actuator  200 , a debris removal unit  400  provided to remove debris generated on the lever arm  300 , and a controller  500  controlling operation of the actuator  200  in response to connection or disconnection of the charging cable, when an operational state according to the operation of the actuator  200  deviates from a normal range, the controller controlling the debris removal unit  400  to remove the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . 
     Herein, the housing  100  may be provided in a vehicle body, and the actuator  200  mounted in the housing  100  is selectively operated in response to a connection state of a charging plug, so that the connected charging plug may be locked or released. 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , a locking pin  210  is connected to the actuator  200 , and in response to a connection state of the actuator  200 , the locking pin  210  is locked to or released to or from an inlet body L. Therefore, the inlet body L has a locking hole H into which the locking pin  210  is inserted. The locking pin  210  enters or retracts from the locking hole H in response to an operation state of the actuator  200  to prevent separation of the charging plug or to allow separation of the charging plug. 
     The locking pin  210  is connected to the actuator  200  by a medium of a gear unit G, thereby efficiently operating each component including the locking pin  210  which is driven by receiving power of the actuator  200 . 
     The lever arm  300  is rotatably provided outside the housing  100 , and the lever arm  300  is connected to the actuator  200  and rotated in conjunction with operation of the actuator  200 . When the actuator  200  is broken down, the lever arm  300  is provided for manipulation to prevent separation of the charging plug or to allow separation of the charging plug in manual operation, 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  200 . 
     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 that prevents the actuator  200  from being normally driven may occur. 
     Therefore, the anti-sticking system of embodiments of the present invention includes the debris removal unit  400  to remove the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . The debris removal unit  400  is configured to jet compressed air to the lever arm  300 , so that the debris generated on the lever arm  300  is removed by the compressed air. The debris removal unit  400  includes an air tank  410 , an air compression motor  420 , and an air hose  430 . The compressed air generated by the air compression motor  420  is stored in the air tank  410  provided in the mobility. The air hose  430  is extended from the air tank  410  to the lever arm  300  so that the compressed air in the air tank  410  may be supplied to the lever arm  300 . 
     The debris removal unit  400  is controlled by the controller  500 . In other words, the controller  500  controls operation of the actuator  200  in response to connection or disconnection of the charging cable and operation of the debris removal unit  400  to remove the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . 
     Specifically, when an operational state in response to operation of the actuator  200  deviates from the normal range, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris generated on the lever arm  300  is removed. In other words, considering the voltage applied to the actuator  200 , a location of the locking pin  210 , operation time, etc., the controller  500  may determine an operational state in response to operation of the actuator  200 . When the operational state deviates from the normal range wherein the actuator  200  is normally operated, the controller  500  determines that the lever arm  300  is stuck by the debris not to be normally rotated. Therefore, when the controller  500  determines that the lever arm  300  is in a stuck state, the controller  500  operates the debris removal unit  400  so as to remove the debris generated on the lever arm  300 , so that an operational state in response to operation of the actuator  200  is normalized. 
     As described above, the anti-sticking system of embodiments of the present invention does not require a separate cover provided to protect the lever arm  300 , whereby the entire size thereof is reduced and maintenance convenience is improved with removal of a cover detachment process. 
     Embodiments of the present invention as described above may have various embodiments for checking a stuck state of the lever arm  300 . 
     Specifically, according to embodiments of the present invention, a detection unit  600  may be provided in the housing  100  to detect a location of the locking pin  210 . 
     In other words, the locking pin  210  is connected to the actuator  200  and the locking pin  210  is locked or released to or from the inlet body L in response to operation of the actuator  200 . Herein, the detection unit  600  is provided in the housing  100  and detects a location to which the locking pin  210  is moved, thus determining an operational state in response to operation of the actuator  200  by using information according to a moved location or a moved time of the locking pin  210 . 
     Specifically, the locking pin  210  includes a first detection contact part  211  and a second detection contact part  212  spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction thereof. the detection unit  600  includes a touch part  610  arranged between the first detection contact part  211  and the second detection contact part  212 , and when the touch part  610  is brought into contact with the first detection contact part  211 , the detection unit  600  detects that the locking pin  210  is located to be locked, and when touch part  610  is brought into contact with the second detection contact part  212 , the detection unit  600  detects that the locking pin  210  is located to be released. 
     As described above, the housing  100  includes the detection unit  600  in a location adjacent to the locking pin  210 , and as the first detection contact part  211  or the second detection contact part  212  is brought into contact with the touch part  610  of the detection unit  600  in response to a moved location of the locking pin  210 , the detection unit  600  may collect the information according to a moved location and a moved time of the locking pin  210 . 
     Therefore, when the locking pin  210  is moved in a locked direction and then the first detection contact part  211  is brought into contact with the touch part  610  of the detection unit  600 , the detection unit  600  detects that the locking pin  210  is moved in the locked direction and transmits the information about the movement of the locking pin  210  to the controller  500 . On the other hand, when the locking pin  210  is moved in a releasing direction and then the second detection contact part  212  is brought into contact with the touch part  610  of the detection unit  600 , the detection unit  600  detects that the locking pin  210  is moved in the releasing direction and transmits the information about the movement of the locking pin  210  to the controller  500 . 
     As described above, the detection unit  600  determines a location and a moved time of the locking pin  210  in response to a contact state of the locking pin  210 , thereby ensuring the accuracy of the information in response to the location of the locking pin  210 . 
     Meanwhile, the controller  500  presets the normal range at a normal time range in which the actuator  200  is in a normal operation state. In other words, the normal range preset in the controller  500  is provided to determine a stuck state of the lever arm  300  by using the information in response to a moved time, and is preset as the normal time range. 
     Therefore, when an operation time for the locking pin  210  to the locked state or the released state transmitted from the detection unit  600  deviates from the normal time range, the controller  500  determines that the lever arm  300  is stuck by the debris and normal rotating movement thereof is not performed. Therefore, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . 
     In other words, the normal time range may be a time from a point of time where the actuator  200  is driven in a normal operational state in response to operation of the actuator  200  to a point of time where intersecting between the first detection contact part  211  or the second detection contact part  212  and the touch part  610  of the detection unit  600  is detected. However, when the lever arm  300  is stuck by the debris, as rotation of the lever arm  300  is not efficiently performed, operation of the actuator  200  in conjunction with the lever arm  300  and movement of the locking pin  210  are affected. 
     Therefore, when the actuator  200  is driven, the controller  500  determines that the lever arm  300  is stuck by the debris and is not efficiently rotated when the operation time for the locking pin  210  to be locked or released transmitted from the detection unit  600  deviates from the normal time range. Therefore, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  to remove the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . 
     Furthermore, when the detection unit  600  detects that the operation time for the locking pin  210  to reach the locked or released state deviates from the normal time range, the controller  500  generates a warning message. In other words, the controller  500  informs a driver that the operational state of the actuator  200  is abnormal by using a cluster in the mobility or sending a warning sound. Therefore, the driver recognizes operation of the debris removal unit  400  due to the lever arm  300  stuck due to the debris, so that discomfort according to the operation of the debris removal unit  400  is avoided. 
     Meanwhile, when the detection unit  600  detects that the operation time for the locking pin  210  to reach the locked or released state deviates from the normal time range, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the operation of the debris removal unit  400  is increased in response to the time outside the normal time range. 
     As described above, the controller  500  increases the operation of the debris removal unit  400  by the extent of time outside the normal time range, thereby efficiently removing the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . 
     For example, the controller  500  may gradually increase the operation of the debris removal unit  400  as the operation time deviates from the normal time range. In other words, when the operation time deviates from the normal time range by 10% or more from a predetermined level, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris removal unit  400  is operated at step  1 , and when the operation time deviates from the normal time range by 20% or more from the predetermined level, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris removal unit  400  is operated at step 2, and when the operation time deviates from the normal time range by 30 or more from the predetermined level, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris removal unit  400  is operated at step 3. 
     As another embodiment, the controller  500  calculates the operation of the debris removal unit  400  in real time in response to the extent of operation time outside the normal time range to determine the operation of the debris removal unit  400 . 
     As described above, the debris removal unit  400  may efficiently remove the debris generated on the lever arm  300  as the operation is adjusted. 
     Meanwhile, the controller  500  presets a normal range as a normal voltage range of the actuator  200  in the normal operation state, and a voltage value applied when the actuator  200  is driven is input. When the voltage value deviates from the normal voltage range, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so as to remove the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . 
     Herein, the controller  500  may receive the voltage applied to the actuator by using an electronic component such as an inverter. 
     As described above, when the voltage value applied when the actuator  200  is driven deviates from the normal voltage range, the controller  500  determines that the lever arm  300  is stuck by the debris. Therefore, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris generated on the lever arm  300  is removed. 
     In other words, when the operation state in response to operation of the actuator  200  is in the normal state, the normal voltage range may be the voltage applied when the actuator  200  is driven in response to the connection state of the charging cable. However, when the lever arm  300  is stuck by the debris, as the lever arm  300  is not efficiently rotated, a load is applied to operation of the actuator  200  operated in conjunction with the lever arm  300  and the voltage for operating the actuator  200  may be increased. 
     Therefore, when the voltage applied when the actuator  200  is driven deviates from the normal voltage range, the controller  500  determines that the lever arm  300  is stuck by the debris and normal rotation is not performed. Therefore, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  to remove the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . 
     Meanwhile, when a voltage value deviates from the normal voltage range, the controller  500  increases the operation of the debris removal unit  400  in response to the voltage value outside the normal voltage range. 
     As described above, the controller  500  increases the operation of the debris removal unit  400  by the extent of voltage outside the normal voltage range, thereby efficiently removing the debris generated on the lever arm  300 . 
     For example, as the voltage applied when the actuator  200  is driven deviates from the normal voltage range, the controller  500  may gradually increase the operation of the debris removal unit  400 . In other words, when voltage applied to the actuator  200  deviates from the normal voltage range by 10% or more from a predetermined level, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris removal unit  400  is operated at the step 1, and when voltage applied to the actuator  200  deviates from the normal voltage range by 20% or more from the predetermined level, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris removal unit  400  is operated at the step 2, and when voltage applied to the actuator  200  deviates from the normal voltage range by 30% or more from the predetermined level, the controller  500  controls the debris removal unit  400  so that the debris removal unit  400  is operated at the step 3. 
     As another embodiment, the controller  500  calculates the operation of the debris removal unit  400  in real time in response to the extent of the voltage applied to the actuator  200  outside the normal voltage range to determine the operation of the debris removal unit  400 . 
     Meanwhile, when the operational state according to operation of the actuator  200  deviates from the normal range after the debris removal unit  400  is operated, the controller  500  sends a warning message so that inspection is performed for the components including the lever arm  300 . 
     In other words, through the cluster in the mobility or sending the warning sound, the controller  500  informs the driver that the debris generated on the lever arm  300  is not removed even when the debris removal unit  400  is operated. Accordingly, the driver recognizes that the inlet actuator may operate abnormally to perform inspection and repair. 
     According to the anti-sticking system of the actuator  200  having the structure described above, when the actuator  200  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.