Patent Description:
It is known at the state of the art to provide charging sockets for hybrid or electric vehicles with a drainage element for discharging fluids from the contact chambers and with a fixing element for fixing them to mating components, such as a mating bracket. In fact, charging sockets for hybrid or electric vehicles typically operate with high voltages and, since the contact with water spray and moisture cannot be avoided in principle, it is necessary to provide them with drainage elements for discharging water that has entered the charging socket. Moreover, it may be necessary to assemble the charging sockets with mating brackets for protecting them against the external environment.

Document <CIT>, which is a patent application from the same Applicant, describes for instance a charging socket comprising contact chambers, wherein each of the contact chambers have a drainage opening, through which fluids (gas or liquids) which have entered the contact chamber can be discharged. Each of the drainage openings opens into a corresponding drainage element, which leads into the discharge connection pieces that can lead the fluid, for example, to a hose. The drainage element typically requires a protective cap to prevent foreign objects to enter them. Moreover, in order to protect the power contact elements, the charging socket may have a mating cover. <CIT> discloses a charging socket according the preamble of claim <NUM>.

Further examples of charging sockets provided with fixing portions and drainage pipes forming distinct elements are disclosed in documents <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT>.

In the charging sockets known at the state of the art, the fixing elements and the drainage elements are made as distinct components and they have large dimensions and require a large amount of plastic to be produced, thus having a high impact on the environment. Moreover, they are difficult to mold and require complex tools to be produced.

In view of the above problems, it is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a charging socket wherein the fixing element and the drainage element are molded as a single component that can perform both functions.

The present invention refers to a charging socket provided with a drainage element and with a fixing element for fixing it to a mating component, wherein the drainage element and the fixing element are molded in a single piece.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a charging socket, for example for a hybrid or electric vehicle, is provided, the charging socket being defined in claim <NUM>.

The advantage of this configuration is that the dual-functional element is a single molded piece which preforms a double function, that is the draining function and the fixing function to a mounting bracket. In this way, the overall dimensions of the charging socket are reduced and the molding process for producing the charging socket is simplified and sped up and the amount of plastic required for producing the charging socket is reduced. Therefore, time and production costs are reduced.

The housing of the charging socket according to the invention is produced from a suitable electrically insulating, mechanically stable and age-resistant plastic material, for example, by using injection-molding technology.

Preferably, the dual-functional element is formed on the lower surface of the electrically insulating housing. In fact, the dual-functional element comprises at least one drainage channel for discharging fluids from the charging socket and the fluids flow inside the drainage channels because of gravity. Therefore, it is preferable that the dual-functional element is placed on the lower surface of the charging socket, wherein the fluids tend to flow because of gravity.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a charging socket is provided, wherein the fixing component comprises a projecting surface configured to be fitted on a mating fitting portion of a mounting bracket.

This configuration is advantageous because the fixing component comprising a projecting surface may be simply molded and can be efficiently fitted on a mating fitting portion of a mounting bracket, in order to keep the housing of the charging socket and the mounting bracket in the assembled configuration.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a charging socket is provided, wherein the fixing component comprises a projecting surface configured to be inserted into a corresponding fixing opening of a mounting bracket.

This configuration is advantageous because the fixing component comprising a projecting surface may be simply molded and can be efficiently inserted into a corresponding fixing opening of a mounting bracket, in order to keep the housing of the charging socket and the mounting bracket in the assembled configuration.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a charging socket is provided, wherein at least two drainage channels are formed, which are adjacent to one another and form a draining component having a rectangular section with two long sides and two short sides, and the projecting surface of the fixing component projects outward of one of the two long sides of the drainage component.

The advantage of this configuration is that the drainage component and the fixing component share a delimiting surface, therefore there is no need to separate them along the outer surface of the charging socket and the overall dimensions of the charging socket can be reduced. In this way, the production times and costs can be reduced and the molding process can be simplified. Since the dual-functional element comprises a drainage component and a fixing component sharing a projecting surface, the distance between the side of the charging socket facing the vehicle and the side of the charging socket facing the charging plug can be reduced.

The drainage channels may preferably have an orthogonal geometry, so that, when a series of adjacent drainage channels is formed, the resulting drainage component may have a substantially rectangular section. The drainage component thus has a rectangular section having two parallel long sides and two parallel short sides. In correspondence with one of the two long sides, a projecting surface may be formed. The projecting surface may project outwards of the charging socket housing and may extend along the entire length of one of the two long sides. According to this preferred embodiment, the projecting surface may form a delimiting surface of the drainage component and may also form a fixing portion to be fixed to a mating fitting portion of a mounting bracket.

According to a further embodiment of the preset invention, a charging socket is provided, wherein the projecting surface projects outwards of the long side of the drainage component which is closer to the one or more cavities.

The advantage of this configuration is that the assembling process of the mounting bracket on the charging socket housing is both simplified and sped up. In fact, the projecting surface is easy to handle for the user, because it is separated from the vehicle chassis on which the charging socket is mounted.

According to the invention, the charging socket comprises a bracket mounted on the electrically insulating housing is provided, wherein the bracket comprises a fitting portion on which the fixing component is fitted, in order to fasten the bracket to the electrically insulating housing.

The advantage of this configuration is that the charging socket is protected against the external environment by the bracket, which is mounted on the electrically insulating housing. Moreover, the housing may be fixed to the car chassis through the bracket and the bracket may further hold the courtesy lights whose LEDs are located into housing.

The bracket is configured to encapsulate the charging socket and is fastened thereto by means of a fitting portion on which the fixing component of the charging socket is fitted. In this way, the reciprocal position between the charging socket housing and the bracket is fixed and maintained during operation. In fact, the charging socket is exposed to mechanical vibration during usage and it is thus necessary that the bracket is reliably fixed and mounted onto the electrically insulating housing of the charging socket.

According to a preferred embodiment, the fixing component comprises a projecting surface and the bracket is assembled to the charging socket housing by pivotally mounting it around the projecting surface. Preferably, when the bracket and the housing are assembled, the projecting surface of the fixing component may abut on a mating fitting portion of the bracket and, in this way, the bracket may be securely fastened to charging socket housing.

According to the invention, the bracket further comprises a fixing opening wherein the fixing component is inserted, in order to fasten the bracket to the electrically insulating housing.

The advantage of this configuration is that the charging socket is protected against the external environment by means of the bracket, which is mounted onto the electrically insulating housing. Moreover, the housing may be fixed to the car chassis through the bracket and the bracket may further hold the courtesy lights whose LEDs are located into housing.

The bracket is preferably mounted onto the charging socket so that the fixing component of the housing in inserted into the fixing opening of the bracket, so that the bracket is fastened to the electrically insulating housing and is kept in the correct position during operation of the charging socket. In fact, since the charging socket is exposed to mechanical vibration during usage, it is necessary that the bracket is reliably fixed and mounted onto the electrically insulating housing of the charging socket.

In an exemplificative configuration, the fixing opening may be bigger than the fixing component, so that the fixing component is inserted thereto and is then held by a support portion of the fixing opening. In another exemplificative configuration, the fixing opening may have such dimensions as to allow a precise fitting of the fixing component, in order to assure an even better fastening of the bracket to the charging socket housing.

According to the invention, the bracket further comprises a flat protective portion and is configured in such a way that, when the bracket is mounted on the electrical insulating housing, the flat protective portion covers the drainage component so as to prevent external elements from entering into the housing. This configuration is advantageous because it offers a specific and complete protection for the drainage component and it prevents external elements from entering into the housing and damaging it, while still allowing the stream of water coming out of the charging socket through the drainage component. Moreover, the advantage of this configuration is that it is not necessary to use a protective cap to cover the drainage channels, as done in prior art, because the drainage component is directly covered by the mounting bracket. According a further embodiment of the present invention, a charging socket is provided, wherein the bracket further comprises an inlet opening, which is placed in correspondence to the one or more cavities of the electrically insulating housing so that one or more electrical contacts can be inserted into the one or more cavities.

This configuration has the advantage that the charging socket can still carry out its function of accommodating electrical contacts and providing an electrical connection, while being assembled with the mounting bracket and protected against the external environment. In fact, the cavities for electrical contacts are not covered by the bracket and the electrical contacts can be easily inserted therein.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, a hybrid or electric vehicle provided with a charging socket as the ones described above is provided, wherein the charging socket is mounted on the vehicle chassis.

The advantage of this configuration is that the charging socket to me mounted on the hybrid or electric vehicle is more compact and easier to handle.

The present invention will be described with reference to the attached figures in which the same reference numerals and/or signs indicate the same part and/or similar and/or corresponding parts of the machine. In the figures:.

In the following, the present invention is described with reference to particular embodiments as shown in the enclosed drawings. Nevertheless, the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described in the following detailed description and shown in the figures, but, instead, the embodiments described simply exemplify several aspects of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims.

Further modifications and variations of the present invention will be clear for the person skilled in the art. Therefore, the present description must be considered as including all the modifications and/or variations of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims. For simplicity, identical or corresponding components are indicated in the figures with the same reference numbers.

<FIG> schematically illustrates a perspective view of a charging socket <NUM>, for example for a hybrid or electric vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The structure of a charging socket according to an embodiment of the present invention is briefly outlined in the following paragraphs and is described in more details for example in document <CIT>.

In particular, the internal structure of the housing <NUM>, of the contact chambers <NUM> provided with contact elements <NUM> and of the drainage channels 132a-e of the charging socket <NUM> described in <CIT> can be adopted also for the present invention. For example, the structure of the contact chambers <NUM> described in <CIT> can be adopted also for the cavities <NUM>, <NUM>' of the present invention and the structure of the drainage channels 132a-e described in <CIT> can be adopted also for the drainage channels <NUM> of the present invention.

The charging socket <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing <NUM>, which can be produced from an electrically insulating plastic material using injection-molding technology. The housing <NUM> has an assembly plate <NUM>, from which the actual insertion socket partially protrudes. The charging socket <NUM> comprises a plurality of cavities <NUM>, <NUM>' for receiving electrical contacts: in particular, in <FIG>, five cavities <NUM> for receiving AC contacts and two cavities <NUM>' for receiving DC contacts are illustrated. However, it must be understood that any number of AC and/or DC electrical contacts may be formed in the charging inlet <NUM>.

Each of the cavities <NUM>, <NUM>' of the charging socket <NUM> has a drainage opening <NUM> (visible in the sectional view of the charging socket <NUM> of <FIG>), through which fluids, such as gas or liquids, which have entered the contact chamber can be discharged.

In the charging socket <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention, each drainage opening <NUM> opens into a corresponding drainage channel <NUM>, which is produced from the housing material. Each drainage channel <NUM> is closed along all sides and is constructed separately for each cavities <NUM>, <NUM>'.

For illustrative and not limiting purposes, four drainage channels <NUM> are illustrated in <FIG>. However, it is clear that any number of drainage channels <NUM> may be formed, for instance one, two, three, five or more.

Each drainage channel <NUM> has a substantially orthogonal section and shares at least one side with an adjacent drainage channel <NUM>. In this way, the drainage component <NUM>, comprising four drainage channels <NUM> in the embodiment of <FIG>, has a substantially rectangular section with two parallel long sides and two parallel short sides. In correspondence of one long side of the drainage component <NUM> (the long side closer to the cavities <NUM>, <NUM>' in the configuration of <FIG>), a projecting surface <NUM> is formed. The projecting surface <NUM> projects outward of the housing <NUM> and forms a fixing component <NUM> for fastening a mounting bracket <NUM> onto the housing <NUM> of the charging socket <NUM>. The projecting surface <NUM> shown in <FIG> is further supported by supporting ribs <NUM> which provides an increased robustness and mechanical stability to the fixing component <NUM>.

The charging socket <NUM> thus comprises a dual-functional element <NUM> formed on a lower surface and comprising a fixing component <NUM> and a drainage component <NUM> that share a projecting surface <NUM>, projecting downwards of the charging socket <NUM>. The dual-functional element <NUM> is thus partially formed inside the housing <NUM> of the charging socket <NUM> (since the drainage channels <NUM> are connected to the contact chambers inside the housing <NUM>) and is partially protruding from the housing <NUM> (since the projecting surface <NUM> is projecting downwards of the charging socket <NUM>).

In the present disclosure, it has to be understood that a preferred orientation is defined by the force of gravity and that the terms "upper", "lower", "upwards", "downwards", etc. are defined in accordance thereto. In fact, it is clear that the fluids flow within the drainage channels <NUM> and come out of the drainage component <NUM> because of the gravity force. The charging socket <NUM> is preferably arranged in the hybrid or electrical vehicle so that it is orientated in an oblique manner towards the rear; therefore, fluids flow within the drainage channels <NUM> which are preferably angled towards the rear of the vehicle. Therefore, the drainage component <NUM> is preferably located on the lower surface of the charging socket <NUM> to let fluids come out of the charging socket <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, in the assembly plate <NUM>, securing openings <NUM> are further provided, through which the charging socket <NUM> can be connected to the vehicle chassis by means of rivets or screws.

<FIG> schematically illustrates a perspective view of a bracket <NUM> to be mounted on the charging socket <NUM>, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The mounting bracket <NUM> comprises a receiving portion <NUM> mating the shape of the housing <NUM> of the charging socket <NUM>, which is configured for accommodating the electrically insulated housing <NUM> and for protecting it from direct exposure to external elements such as moisture, water or dust. The mounting bracket <NUM> further comprises a main inlet opening <NUM> for receiving the electrical contacts to be inserted into the cavities <NUM>, <NUM>' of the electrically insulated housing <NUM>.

One of the external surfaces of the bracket <NUM> includes a fixing opening <NUM> having a fitting portion <NUM> to be engaged with the fixing component <NUM> of the charging bracket <NUM>, in order to maintain the bracket <NUM> and the housing <NUM> in the correct reciprocal position.

The external surface of the bracket <NUM> including the fixing opening <NUM> further comprises a protective portion <NUM> in correspondence of the drainage component <NUM>, so as to prevent external objects, such as dust or water, to enter the drainage channels <NUM>.

The bracket <NUM> may further include securing portions <NUM> for receiving rivets or screws for connecting the bracket <NUM> to the vehicle chassis.

The electrically insulated housing <NUM> is inserted into the receiving portion <NUM> of the mounting bracket <NUM> so that the inlet opening <NUM> is aligned with the cavities <NUM>, <NUM>' and the fixing opening <NUM> is placed in correspondence with the fixing component <NUM> of the charging socket <NUM>. <FIG> schematically illustrates a perspective view of a charging socket <NUM> further comprising the mounting bracket <NUM>, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The bracket <NUM> may be assembled to the housing <NUM> for different purposes; for example, the housing <NUM> may be fixed to the car chassis through the bracket <NUM> and the bracket <NUM> can hold the courtesy lights whose LEDs are located into housing <NUM>. Moreover, the bracket <NUM> may be used to protect the housing <NUM> against external elements, since, as can be seen in <FIG>, the protective portion <NUM> covers the drainage component <NUM> of the charging socket <NUM>, when the bracket <NUM> is mounted thereto. The bracket may advantageously protect the housing <NUM> against external elements, while still allowing the stream of water through the drainage channels <NUM>, since the drainage channels <NUM> are not obstructed by the bracket <NUM> mounted onto the housing <NUM> (see <FIG> and also <FIG>).

The mechanical fitting of the bracket <NUM> and the electrically insulated housing <NUM> is schematically illustrated in the sectional view of the charging socket <NUM> according to the present invention in <FIG>.

After that the electrically insulated housing <NUM> has been inserted into the receiving portion <NUM> of the mounting bracket <NUM>, the projecting surface <NUM> of the fixing component <NUM> is inserted into the fixing opening <NUM> and fitted on the fitting portion <NUM> of the bracket <NUM>, which supports and holds it, so as to maintain the housing <NUM> and the bracket <NUM> in the correct reciprocal position.

In <FIG> a perspective view of a charging socket <NUM> according to prior art is schematically illustrated, for comparison. The charging socket <NUM> according to prior art comprises a fixing element <NUM> for fixing it to a mounting bracket <NUM> and drainage element <NUM>, which are molded as two distinct components. Therefore, the molding process is more difficult and requires a larger amount of plastic, thus increasing production times and costs. Moreover, a protective cap <NUM> is necessary for covering the drainage element <NUM> and for preventing external elements to enter into the drainage channels.

While the invention has been described with respect to the preferred physical embodiments constructed in accordance therewith, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, variations and improvements of the present invention may be made in the light of the above teachings and within the scope of the amended claims.

For instance, even if a charging socket for an electric or hybrid vehicle has been described, it is clear that the solutions according to the invention may also be used for other plug type connectors in which adequate air and creep current resistance and removal of water even in moist- or salt-containing atmospheres have to be ensured.

Claim 1:
A charging socket (<NUM>), for example for an hybrid or electric vehicle, comprising:
- an electrically insulating housing (<NUM>);
- one or more cavities (<NUM>, <NUM>') for inserting one or more electrical contacts, said one or more cavities (<NUM>, <NUM>') being accommodated into said housing (<NUM>);
- a dual-functional element (<NUM>) partially protruding from an outer surface of said electrically insulating housing (<NUM>), wherein said dual-functional element (<NUM>) comprises a fixing component (<NUM>) and a drainage component (<NUM>), wherein said fixing component (<NUM>) protrudes from said electrically insulating housing (<NUM>) and is configured for fixing said electrically insulating housing (<NUM>) to a mounting bracket (<NUM>) and said drainage component (<NUM>) includes at least one drainage channel (<NUM>), formed within said housing (<NUM>), for discharging fluids from said charging socket (<NUM>); and
- a bracket (<NUM>) mounted on said electrically insulating housing (<NUM>), said bracket (<NUM>) comprising a fitting portion (<NUM>) on which said fixing component (<NUM>) is fitted, in order to fasten said bracket (<NUM>) to said electrically insulating housing (<NUM>);
characterized in that:
said bracket (<NUM>) further comprises a fixing opening (<NUM>) into which said fixing component (<NUM>) is inserted, in order to fasten said bracket (<NUM>) to said electrically insulating housing (<NUM>), and
said bracket (<NUM>) further comprises a flat protective portion (<NUM>) and is configured in such a way that, when said bracket (<NUM>) is mounted on said electrically insulating housing (<NUM>), said flat protective portion (<NUM>) covers said drainage component (<NUM>) so as to prevent external objects from entering into said housing (<NUM>).