Patent Description:
Electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles often have an electric charge port for charging an electric battery with an external power source. The charge port is typically externally mounted, thereby allowing easy access as well as the possibility to lock the passenger compartment while the vehicle is being charged. A charge port door, or charge port flap, usually covers the charge port and must be opened to access the charge port to charge the battery. <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a charge port for electric vehicle.

The opening and closing of the charge port door may be fully automated by the means of a mechanism assembly comprising one or more electric actuators. The mechanism is configured to transform the movement of the actuator by means of different linkages, among which arms or levers. The kinematic of the actuation mechanism may be configured to multiply the movement generated by the actuator. When an intense force is applied on the charge port door, for instance by an ill-intentioned person, the force exerted on the door is, due to the kinematic of the mechanism, multiplied towards the actuator. Therefore an intense force exerted on the charge port door can break the actuator. Such a situation must of course being avoided as much as possible.

An object of the invention is to provide a charge port door assembly equipped with an actuation system for automatically opening and/or closing the charge port door, the actuation system being configured to safe the actuator when a high intensity force is exerted on the door, for example in case of a break-in attempt.

To this end, the invention relates to a charge port door assembly for a vehicle, comprising:.

Thus, the charge port door assembly is protected against breakage and damage of the actuation system: thanks to the extendable lever, the actuation system is able to withstand the loads that are transmitted to the actuation system when a very intense force is exerted on the door, for example during a break-in attempt. In such a case, the extendable lever moves to an extended configuration, thereby letting the door move from its closed position towards its open position without inducing excessive loads on the actuation system, and in particular on the actuator. The extendable lever according to the invention therefore provides a safety feature that prevents breakage of the actuation system, and in particular of the actuator, in case a very intense force is exerted in the door, for example during a break-in attempt.

According to the invention, the extendable lever comprises a first member fixedly connected to the first end or to the second end of the extendable lever, and a second member fixedly connected to the opposite end of the extendable lever, the first member and the second member being configured to move away from each other when a force is exerted on the extendable lever, the force exerted tending to separate both ends of the extendable lever and having an intensity higher than a specified intensity, the specified intensity being lower than the intensity of a force likely to damage the actuation system.

According to the invention, the specified intensity is higher than a maximum intensity of the force exerted on the extendable lever during normal operation of the actuation system. The charge port door assembly may comprise the following features, considered either alone or in any technically possible combination within the scope of the appended claims.

The first member and the second member are releasably coupled via a snap-fit connection.

The first member comprises a hollow-shaped portion configured to receive a post protruding from the second member, the post having a connecting end configured to be releasably coupled to an interlocking portion of the first member via a snap-fit connection.

The connecting end of the post has a split portion defining two flexible elements, each of the flexible elements bearing a first ramp and a second ramp, the ramps of each flexible element being configured to allow a snap-fit connection with corresponding first ramps and second ramps of the interlocking portion of the first member.

The hollow-shaped portion and the post are configured to allow at least a part of the post, for example at least the connecting end, remaining within the hollow-shaped portion when the extendable lever is in a maximum extension configuration.

A length of the portion of the post which is housed within the first member when the first member and the second member are coupled together is higher than a maximum length of the relative displacement between the two members when the connection between the first and second members is released and the extendable lever moves from an unextended configuration to a maximum extension configuration.

The first member comprises a hollow-shaped part, and the second member comprises a hollow-shaped part configured to slideably receive the hollow-shaped part of the first member, the first and second members being configured to receive within the enclosure delimited by the two hollow-shaped parts an elastic biasing device, the elastic biasing device being configured to bias the two members towards each other.

The first member and the second member each comprise a hollow-shaped part which is tube-shaped, the hollow-shaped part of the second member having an inner diameter which is greater than an outer diameter of the hollow-shaped part of the first member.

The hollow-shaped parts have a length allowing the elastic biasing device to remain entirely housed within the enclosure delimited by the hollow-shaped parts when the extendable lever is in a maximum extension configuration.

The elastic biasing device is a spring, for example a coil extension spring.

The spring rate of the spring is such that the maximum extension of the extendable lever is obtained when the spring is subjected to a force, the intensity of which is lower than the intensity of a force likely to damage the actuation system.

The actuator is an electric rotary actuator.

The linkage includes a first lever and a second lever, each of the first and second levers being hinged at one end to the support and being hinged at an opposite end to the door, the first and second levers being configured as a parallelogram mechanism.

The extendable lever is rotatably coupled to the first lever at the first end and is rotatably coupled at the second end to a first actuation lever, the first actuation lever being fixedly coupled to the output member of the actuator.

The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising a charge port mounted on a support and a charge port door assembly as disclosed above.

<FIG> illustrates a vehicle <NUM> having at least one electric propulsion motor, such as an electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. The vehicle is equipped with a charge port (not shown) configured to be connected to a charge plug when the car needs to be charged. The vehicle <NUM> is also equipped with a charge port door assembly <NUM> according to the invention, in order to cover and protect the charge port when the latter is not in use.

<FIG> illustrate a first embodiment of a charge port door assembly according to the invention.

The charge port door assembly <NUM> comprises a door <NUM> moveable between a closed position (shown in <FIG>), in which the door blocks access to the charge port, and an open position (shown in <FIG>), in which the door permits access to the charge port.

The charge port door assembly <NUM> is mounted onto a charge port support (not shown) which is fixed relative to the vehicle <NUM>. In its closed position, the door <NUM> is flush with an outer surface of an exterior panel 1a of the vehicle <NUM>, for example a front fender 1a as shown in <FIG>. In its open position, the door <NUM> uncovers an opening in the panel 1a, thereby allowing access to the charge port.

The door <NUM> is attached to the support by means of an actuation system <NUM>. The actuation system <NUM> is configured for automatically moving the door from its closed position to its open position and inversely. To this end, the actuation system <NUM> includes a linkage <NUM> and an actuator <NUM>. The actuator <NUM> is fixed relative to the support of the charge port and is for example an electric rotary actuator.

The linkage <NUM> connects the door <NUM> to the support. The linkage <NUM> includes a lever parallelogram. More particularly, the linkage <NUM> includes a first lever <NUM> and a second lever <NUM>. The first lever <NUM> is hinged at one end <NUM> to the support and is hinged at an opposite end <NUM> to the door <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG> and <FIG>, the first lever <NUM> comprises two connecting arms 22a, 22b, each of the connecting arms having an end 222a, 222b hinged to the door <NUM>. The second lever <NUM> is hinged at one end <NUM> to the support and is hinged at an opposite end <NUM> to the door <NUM>. The first lever <NUM> and the second lever <NUM> are thus configured as a parallelogram mechanism (or parallelogram four-bar linkage), which allows maintaining a constant orientation of the door <NUM> during its motion. It will however being understood that the actuation system could be configured to achieve a different kind of movement for the door without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

The linkage <NUM> comprises a first actuation lever <NUM> and a second actuation lever <NUM>. The first actuation lever <NUM> is fixedly coupled, at a first end <NUM>, to a rotating output shaft <NUM> of the actuator <NUM>, and is rotatably coupled, at an opposite, second end <NUM>, to the second actuation lever <NUM>. The second actuation lever <NUM> is therefore rotatably coupled, at a first end <NUM>, to the first actuation lever <NUM>, and is rotatably coupled, at an opposite, second end <NUM>, to the first lever <NUM>. The second actuation lever <NUM> is connected to the first lever <NUM> at a pivot point <NUM>, which is distinct of the pivot point <NUM> between the first lever <NUM> and the support. The linkage <NUM> is thus configured to transmit the rotational movement of the output shaft <NUM> of the actuator <NUM> to the first lever <NUM>, via the first actuation lever <NUM> and the second actuation lever <NUM>.

According to the invention, the second actuation lever <NUM> is an extendable lever. More particularly, the second actuation lever <NUM> is configured to extend upon application of a force tending to stretch this lever, the force having an intensity higher than a specified intensity (or specified threshold), in particular when the actuator <NUM> is not energized. The second actuation lever <NUM> is configured not to extend (or to extend very slightly) when it is subjected only to forces and loads generated during normal actuation of the charge port door assembly (that is, when the actuator is energized). The value of the above mentioned specified intensity is under the intensity of a force likely to damage or break the actuation system, and in particular the actuator <NUM>.

In the embodiment of <FIG>, the second actuation lever <NUM>, or extendable lever <NUM>, comprises a first member <NUM> which is linked (being rotatably coupled) to the first lever <NUM>, and a second member <NUM> which is linked (being rotatably coupled) to the first actuation lever <NUM>. The first member <NUM> is configured to receive and hold the second member <NUM> as long as a force tending to pull apart the two members does not exceed the aforementioned specified threshold, the specified threshold being defined to avoid breakage or damage of the actuator system, and in particular of the actuator <NUM>. If such a force exceeds the specified threshold, the first member <NUM> and the second member <NUM> can be separated, thereby allowing an increase of the distance between the two members, and therefore a displacement of the door <NUM> relative to the first actuation lever <NUM> whereas the actuator is not energized. Allowing such a displacement of the door <NUM> avoids any breakage of the actuator <NUM>. Of course, the specified threshold value is defined to avoid any separation or relative movement of the two members <NUM>, <NUM> during normal actuation of the system.

The extendable lever is shown more in detail in <FIG>. The first member <NUM> comprises a hollow-shaped portion <NUM> (for instance a tube-shaped portion), configured to receive a protruding post <NUM> of the second member <NUM>. The first member <NUM> also includes an interlocking portion <NUM> configured to be releasably coupled to a connecting end <NUM> of the post <NUM> via a snap-fit connection.

As shown in <FIG>, the connecting end <NUM> of the post <NUM> has a split portion defining two symmetrical, flexible elements <NUM>. Each of the flexible elements <NUM> bears a first ramp <NUM> and a second ramp <NUM> configured to allow a snap-fit connection with corresponding first ramps <NUM> and second ramps <NUM> of the interlocking portion <NUM> of the first member <NUM>. The interlocking portion <NUM> comprises two opposite parts configured to sandwich the connecting end <NUM> of the post <NUM>, a pair of a first ramp <NUM> and a second ramp <NUM> being located on each of the two parts.

As shown in <FIG>, when a force F tending to pull apart the first end and the second end of the second actuation lever <NUM> is applied to the extendable lever <NUM>, the force F being higher than the aforementioned specified threshold, the snap-fit connection between the interlocking portion <NUM> and the connecting end <NUM> of the post <NUM> is released, thereby letting the first member <NUM> and second member <NUM> being separated. The separation of the first and second members <NUM>, <NUM> thereby avoids breakage of the actuation system, and in particular of the actuator <NUM>.

As the connection between the first member <NUM> and the second member is a snap-fit connection, if a release of the connection occurs, the extendable lever <NUM> can be put back in is normal operation state by reconnecting the first and second members <NUM>, <NUM>. In an embodiment, the length L1 of the hollow-shaped portion <NUM> of the first member <NUM> and the length L2 of the post <NUM> of the second member <NUM> are such that, when the extendable lever <NUM> is in the maximum extension configuration as shown in <FIG>, at least a part of the post <NUM> (for example at least the connecting end <NUM>) remains within the hollow-shaped portion <NUM>. More particularly, a length of the portion of the post <NUM> which is housed within the first member <NUM> when the first member <NUM> and the second member <NUM> are coupled together is lower than a maximum length of the relative displacement between the two members <NUM>, <NUM> when the connection between the first and second members is released and the extendable lever moves from an unextended configuration to a maximum extension configuration. Thanks to this configuration, the first and second members can be connected back together simply by pushing on the door <NUM> so as to bring the two members <NUM>, <NUM> closer to each other until the snap-fit connection is restored. This can therefore be easily performed by a user without assistance of a professional.

The extendable lever <NUM> according to the invention therefore provides a safety feature that prevents breaking of the actuation system, and in particular of the actuator <NUM>, in case a very intense force is exerted in the door <NUM>, for example during a break-in attempt.

Claim 1:
A charge port door assembly (<NUM>) for a vehicle (<NUM>), comprising:
- a charge port door (<NUM>);
- an actuation system (<NUM>),configured to move the charge port door (<NUM>) between a closed position, in which the door (<NUM>) is intended to cover a charge port of a vehicle (<NUM>) and to remain flush with an outer surface of the vehicle (<NUM>), and an open position, in which the door is intended to permit access to the charge port, the actuation system (<NUM>) comprising a linkage (<NUM>) connecting the door (<NUM>) to a support intended to be fixed relative to the vehicle (<NUM>), and an actuator (<NUM>) configured to actuate the linkage (<NUM>) to move the door (<NUM>),
the actuation system (<NUM>) further comprising an extendable lever (<NUM>), the extendable lever (<NUM>) being directly or indirectly connected at a first end (<NUM>) to an output member (<NUM>) of the actuator, and directly or indirectly connected at an opposite, second end (<NUM>) to the door (<NUM>),
the charge port assembly (<NUM>) being characterized in that the extendable lever (<NUM>) comprises a first member (<NUM>) fixedly connected to the first end (<NUM>) or to the second end (<NUM>) of the extendable lever (<NUM>), and a second member (<NUM>) fixedly connected to the opposite end (<NUM>) of the extendable lever (<NUM>), the first member (<NUM>) and the second member (<NUM>) being configured to move away from each other when a force is exerted on the extendable lever (<NUM>), the force exerted tending to separate both ends (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the extendable lever (<NUM>) and having an intensity higher than a specified intensity, the specified intensity being lower than the intensity of a force likely to damage the actuation system (<NUM>).