MECHANISM AND METHOD FOR ACTUATING A CHARGING FLAP

Abstract

An electric vehicle (1) has a charging flap (10) articulated on a support structure by way of a four-bar linkage arrangement (14) so that the charging flap (10) can be moved between a closed position (FIG. 3A) and an open position (FIG. 3F). To simplify the actuation of the charging flap, the mechanism for actuating the charging flap (10) has a push-push element (20) combined with a spring device (15) that is assigned to the four-bar linkage arrangement (14).

Claims

1. A mechanism for actuating a charging flap of an electric or hybrid vehicle, the charging flap being articulated on a support structure by a four-bar linkage arrangement so that the charging flap can be moved between a closed position and an open position, the mechanism for actuating the charging flap comprising a push-push element combined with a spring device that is assigned to the four-bar linkage arrangement.

2. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the charging flap is prestressed into its closed position and its open position by the spring device.

3. The mechanism of claim 2, wherein the spring device has a spring dead center that corresponds to a dead center position of the charging flap where the charging flap is arranged between the closed position and the open position.

4. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the charging flap (10) can be pivoted up out of the closed position into the open position.

5. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein, in its open position, the charging flap is arranged above a charging opening.

6. The mechanism of claim 1, wherein the four-bar linkage arrangement comprises two link pairs articulated respectively on two sides of the charging flap.

7. A method for actuating a charging flap of an electric vehicle having the mechanism of claim 1, the method comprising: exerting pressure on the push-push element during opening for opening the charging flap slightly by way of the push-push element, and then manually opening the charging flap farther.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising using the spring device to open the charging flap to the open position after a spring dead center is passed.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising closing the charging flap by moving the charging flap manually until the spring dead center is overcome and then using the spring device to move the charging flap to a closed position.

10. An electric vehicle having a charging flap and the mechanism of claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a front wing of an electric vehicle having a charging opening that can be closed by way of a charging flap.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the charging opening having the charging flap from FIG. 1.

[0019] FIGS. 3A to 3F show a sequence of a movement of the charging flap between an open position and a closed position.

[0020] FIGS. 4A to 4E illustrate the opening of the charging flap.

[0021] FIGS. 5A to 5E illustrate the closing of the charging flap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a front wing 3 of an electric vehicle 1 in a simplified manner. The electric vehicle 1 comprises a charging unit 5 with a charging opening 6.

[0023] The charging unit 5 of the electric vehicle 1 is assigned to an electric energy storage device of the electric vehicle 1. A charging plug element (not shown) can be plugged into the charging opening 6 to electrically charge the electric energy storage device in the electric vehicle 1.

[0024] The charging opening 6 of the charging unit 5 can be closed by way of a charging flap 10 which is articulated on a support structure of the electric vehicle 1 by way of a four-bar linkage arrangement 14.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 2, the four-bar linkage arrangement 14 comprises links 11, 12 and a spring device 15. Moreover, the four-bar linkage arrangement 14 is combined with a push-push element 20. The push-push element 20, in turn, is assigned a locking device 22 with an actuator 23.

[0026] The push-push element 20 can be blocked by the actuator 23 of the locking device 22. The push-push element 20 advantageously makes a slight opening of the charging flap 10 possible, approximately by a fingerbreadth. The slight opening of the charging flap 10 is brought about by the exertion of pressure, for example using the finger or the hand, on the push-push element 20 by way of the charging flap 10.

[0027] FIGS. 3A to 3F show a movement of the charging flap 10 between its closed position in FIG. 3A and its open position in FIG. 3F. In the closed position, the charging flap 10 completely closes the charging opening arranged underneath it in the wing 3.

[0028] In FIG. 3B, the charging flap 10 is opened slightly by way of the actuation of the push-push element. In FIG. 3C to 3E, the charging opening 6 is opened increasingly by further opening of the charging flap 10, until the charging opening 6 finally is released completely in the open position of the charging flap 10.

[0029] In the open position, the charging flap 10 is arranged above the charging opening 6 on the wing 3, as can be seen in FIG. 3F. Here, the charging flap 10 still is spaced apart slightly from the wing 3. The arrangement of the charging flap 10 above the charging opening 6 in its open position enables the suitable charging plug to be plugged into the charging opening 6 in a simple way.

[0030] FIGS. 4A-5E illustrate the opening and the closing of the charging flap 10. It can be seen in these figures that the four-bar linkage arrangement 14 comprises two link pairs 31, 32 with each link pair having two links to produce a four-bar linkage. The charging flap 10 is held in a particularly stable manner on the support structure of the front wing 3 by way of the two link pairs 31, 32.

[0031] FIG. 4A shows the charging flap 10 in its closed position. The charging flap 10 is opened by a fingerbreadth by way of the push-push element 20 counter to the spring force of the spring device 15, by way of a pressure pulse on the push-push element 20, which pressure pulse preferably is exerted manually on the charging flap 10.

[0032] FIG. 4B shows the charging flap 10 in its dead center position, which is defined by a spring dead center of the spring device 15. From its dead center position shown in FIG. 4B, the charging flap 10 is opened further counter to the spring force of the spring device 15, until the reversal point of the spring device 15 is overcome.

[0033] FIGS. 4C and 4D illustrate that, after the reversal point of the spring device 15 is overcome, the charging flap 10 opens automatically by the spring force of the spring device 15, until the open position of the charging flap 10 in FIG. 4E is reached.

[0034] FIG. 5A shows the charging flap 10 in its open position. During closing, the charging flap 10 first is moved manually by pressing the charging flap 10 down counter to the spring force of the spring device 15 as far as beyond the reversal point of the latter. After the reversal point is overcome, the charging flap 10 then closes automatically.

[0035] In FIG. 5B, the charging flap 10 is closed approximately half. In FIG. 5C, the charging flap 10 is closed approximately 70%. FIG. 5D corresponds to the dead center position of the charging flap 10, which is defined by the spring dead center of the spring device 15. FIG. 5E shows the charging flap 10 completely closed.