Patent Application
20210347601
This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2018-0123697, filed on Oct. 17, 2018, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
The present disclosure relates to a reel device for a charging cable and, more particularly, to a reel device for a charging cable used in a rapid charger of an electric vehicle, which is installed above a vehicle to be charged, withdraws the charging cable, and enables a charging gun to be easily positioned at a charging point.
The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and do not necessarily constitute prior art. An allowable current of a charging cable used in a rapid charger of an electric vehicle is high enough to reach 100 A to several hundred amperes. Also, a very thick cable and a heavy charging plug are required to secure heat generation caused by the high current and insulation, and an operation is not convenient. An allowable current of a charging cable used in a rapid charger of an electric vehicle is high enough to reach 100 A to several hundred amperes. Also, a very thick cable and a heavy charging plug are required to secure heat generation caused by the high current and insulation, and an operation is not convenient.
In order to store the cable, the cable is generally wound around a reel rotated inside a cable winding tub. In the case of a thick cable, flexibility is reduced, and thus a diameter of the cable reel should be very large so that smooth storage can be achieved. In particular, in a form in which the inner reel is rotated to wind the cable on a circumference thereof, the diameter of the reel is further and further increased because an outer diameter of the inner reel should be set in consideration of a flexibility limit of the cable.
As an alternative to this, as in Patent Document 1, instead of increasing a cross-sectional area of the cable, cooling water may be made to flow into the cable. However, in this method, a cooling water pump is additionally required, and a risk of cooling water leakage cannot be eliminated.
On the other hand, a technique for increasing an outer diameter of an outer circumferential surface of a winding part by separating a semi-cylindrical reel having a flange in order to reduce unwinding of a charging cable in a wound state while suppressing a winding job from becoming cumbersome is disclosed in Patent Document 2, but the technique has only an effect of preventing the wound cable from being loosened.
The present disclosure is to providing an improved type of cable reel structure in which a sufficiently thick cable is used, which facilitates an operation of winding or unwinding the cable and which can prevent the cable from being twisted or disturbed in a repeated cable storage or withdrawal process and from being reduced in operability.
In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a reel device for a charging cable comprising a winding tub which has a cable outlet on one side thereof and in which cables are stored, a plurality of guide portions fixed in the winding tub and disposed in a radial shape, and a plurality of guides coupled to the guide portions so as to be movable along the guide portions, each of the guides being an accommodating portion that accommodates at least some of the cables, wherein an average diameter of the cables wound by the plurality of guides is reduced when the cables are withdrawn, and the average diameter of the cables wound by the plurality of guides is increased when the cables are stored, to withdraw and store the cables.
In some embodiments, the guide may further comprises a plurality of rollers disposed around the accommodating portion so as to guide individual strands of the cable.
In some embodiments, the guide portion is a guide shaft, the guide further includes a slide bush that is slidably coupled to the guide shaft, and the reel device further comprises a compression spring that is inserted into an outer circumferential surface of the guide shaft and is configured to push the guide to an outside of the radial shape.
In some embodiments, the guide portion is a lead screw, the guide further includes a nut that is screwed with the lead screw, and the reel device further comprises a first bevel gear disposed in the center of the radial shape, a second bevel gear coupled to one end of each of the lead screws and engaged with the first bevel gear, and a driving motor section configured to drive the first beveled gear.
In some embodiments, the guide portion is a guideway formed in the winding tub; the guide further includes a guide wheel formed to move along the guideway and the reel device further comprises a coiled leaf spring that is disposed inside the radial shape and is configured to come into contact with at least some of the plurality of rollers to push the guide to an outside of the radial shape.
In some embodiments, a plurality of accommodation portions are arranged along the guide portion.
In some embodiments, a plurality of accommodation portions are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the plurality of guides are arranged.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, provided is a reel device for a charging cable comprising a winding tub which has a cable outlet on one side thereof and is elongated in one direction, and in which a cable is stored, a plurality of guide portions fixed in the winding tub and arranged in the one direction, a plurality of guides having accommodation portions configured to accommodate individual strands of the cable and a second guide fixing frame which is configured to move along the guide portions, to which the plurality of guides are fixed, and which is configured such that one end and the other end of the cable wound by the plurality of guides are placed in the same direction, wherein the second guide fixing frame moves to one side of the winding tub when the cable is withdrawn, and the second guide fixing frame moves to the other side of the winding tub when the cable is stored, to withdraw and store the cable.
In some embodiments, the guide further comprises a plurality of rollers disposed around the accommodation portions so as to guide the individual strands of the cable.
In some embodiments, the guide portion is a guide shaft, the second guide fixing frame further includes slide bushes that are slidably coupled to the guide shaft and the reel device further comprises a compression spring inserted into the guide shaft and configured to push the second guiding fixing frame to the other side.
In some embodiments, the guide portion is a lead screw, the second guide fixing frame further includes a nut screwed with the lead screw and the reel device further comprises a driving motor section disposed on the one side so as to rotate the lead screw.
In some embodiments, the guide portion is a guideway formed in the winding tub in the one direction, the second guide fixing frame further includes a guide wheel configured to move along the guideway and he reel device further comprises wire reel structures, which are configured to pull the second guiding fixing frame to the other side, on the other side.
In some embodiments, a plurality of accommodation portions are arranged in a direction perpendicular to a plane in which the plurality of guides are arranged.
In some embodiments, the reel device for a charging cable further comprising a first guide fixing frame fixed to one side of the winding tube, wherein the first guide fixing frame accommodates the plurality of guides to be fixed so that the cable is transferrable.
In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, provided is an electric vehicle charging system comprising the reel device for a charging cable above, a support configured to place the reel devices for a charging cable in an upper space of a vehicle to be charged and a rotation portion configured to rotate the reel device for a charging cable such that the cable outlet is placed at a position close to a charging port of the vehicle.
In some embodiment the electric vehicle charging system further comprising an extension arm structure disposed between the support and the rotation portion and configured to enable a length thereof to be adjusted, the extension arm structure comprises a charging cable that extends from the support and is electrically connected to the cable, and a reel device for an extension arm cable formed at one end to store or withdraw the charging cable in correspondence to a change in the length of the extension arm structure, the reel device for an extension arm cable is formed in the same structure as the reel devices for a charging cable.
The reel device for a charging cable according to the present disclosure, which is installed above a vehicle to be charged and is designed such that a charging gun and the charging cable can be easily lowered from above and positioned at a charging port of the vehicle, is used. Thereby, operability of a thick and heavy charging cable becomes easy, and furthermore, a cable cross-sectional area can be increased so that low line resistance, and low heat generation and a small line loss depending on the low line resistance can be anticipated, and improved charging efficiency can be obtained.
Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, like reference numerals preferably designate like elements, although the elements are shown in different drawings. Further, in the following description of some embodiments, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated therein will be omitted for the purpose of clarity and for brevity. Additionally, various terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., are used solely to differentiate one component from the other but not to imply or suggest the substances, order, or sequence of the components. Throughout this specification, when a part ‘includes’ or ‘comprises’ a component, the part is meant to further include other components, not to exclude thereof unless specifically stated to the contrary. The terms such as ‘unit’, ‘module’, and the like refer to one or more units for processing at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination thereof.
Referring to
A cable reel 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that, when the cable 120 is wound, the cable 120 is wound while being filled in an outward direction of a winding tub 110 instead of a general type in which the cable is wound from the center of the winding tub 110, and a guide is installed to help guide the winding of the cable 120 in the winding tub 110. Further, it is characterized in that a force for pulling the cable 120 to the winding tub 110 is applied in correspondence to weight of a portion of the cable 120 that is withdrawn out of the winding trough 110, or the heavy cable 120 can be easily operated by a user by withdrawing and storing the cable 120 using power of, for instance, a motor.
Furthermore, a rail 92 of the type installed above the vehicle 9 for moving the winding tub 110 may be provided between a charger and the winding tub 110 such that the winding tub 110 is installed in an upper space of the vehicle 9 in correspondence to the electric vehicle charging port 90 at various positions and can be positioned at an appropriate position.
Referring to
Referring to
For example, an upper winding tub 810 may serve to increase or reduce a length of an inner cable 122 during the longitudinal extension or retraction between the charger 8 and the winding tub 810, and a lower winding tub 110 may serve to extend the charging cable 120, at one end of which the charging gun 130 is provided, to the vehicle charging port 90 or to store the charging cable 120 in the winding tub 110 again.
In this case, the structure of the cable reel device 10 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may be equally applied to the upper winding tub 810 and the lower winding tub 110 when the cables 120 and 122 are withdrawn and stored.
The cable reel device 10 according to the present disclosure is characterized in that the cable 120 is loosely wound in the winding tub 110 by one turn or two turns or more if necessary, and when the cable 120 is pulled to withdraw the cable 120 for use, the cable 120 is tightly wound while an outer diameter size formed by the cable 120, which has been loosely wound in the winding tub 110, is reduced, and conversely, when the cable 120 is pushed into the winding tube 110, the cable 120 is loosely wound again while an outer diameter size formed by the cable 120, which has been wound in the winding tub 110, is increased. That is, instead of a structure in which the inner reel is rotated to wind the cable 120 as usual, the cable reel device 10 has a structure in which a plurality of guide components arranged to guide the inner cable 120 are moved outward from the center, and thereby an outer diameter size formed by the inner cable 120 wound around the plurality of guide components is increased to store the cable 120.
An inner structure may be configured to provide a force for pulling the exposed outer cable 120 into the winding tub 110 in correspondence to weight of the outer cable 120 which is increased as the outer diameter size formed by the cable 120 wound around the guide 220 is reduced, i.e., as the portion of the cable 120 withdrawn out of the winding tub 110 increases. The inner structure may include a spring or the like, and the force for pulling the cable 120 into the winding tub 110 is applied in a direction in which the outer diameter size formed by the cable 120 is increased. On the other hand, the increase or reduction in the outer diameter formed by the portion of the cable 120 inside the winding tube 110 may be configured such that the cable 120 is withdrawn and stored in an automated way controlled by power of, for instance, a motor.
The reel device 10 for a charging cable according to the present disclosure includes the winding tub 110 which has the cable outlet 140 on one side thereof and in which the cables 120 are stored, a plurality of guide portions 210 that are fixed in the winding tub 110 and are radially arranged, and the guides 220 that have accommodation portions 422 formed to move along the guide portions 210 and accommodate individual strands of the cables 120. Here, the guides 220 are coupled to move along the guide portions 210 and are arranged on a virtual circle on the basis of the center of a shape in which the plurality of guide portions 210 are assembled. This structure is configured such that when the cables 120 are withdrawn, an average diameter of outer diameters formed by the cables 120 wound around the plurality of guides 220 is reduced, and when the cables 120 are stored, the average diameter of the outer diameters formed by the cables 120 wound around the plurality of guides 220 is increased. Thereby, the cables 120 are withdrawn and stored.
The guide 220 further includes a plurality of rollers 424 disposed around the accommodation portions 422 to guide the individual strands of the cables 120 inside the winding tub 110. The rollers 424 are installed to help guide the winding of the cables 120 inside the winding tub 110. The rollers 424 may be installed to surround the accommodation portions 422 provided in guide bodies 426. The individual strands of the cables 120 accommodated in the accommodation portions 422 are brought into contact with the rollers 424, minimize frictional resistance when the cables 120 move through the accommodation portions 422, and facilitate the movement of the cables 120. In the case where the winding tub 110 is arranged horizontally as in one embodiment, the rollers 424 may be installed on left and right sides and lower sides of the cables 120 and support the cables 120.
The cables 120 are preferably formed to have appropriate bending rigidity. If the cables 120 are too soft, the cables 120 may be wound around a reel having a small diameter, but twisting may be easily caused or a pushing operation may be difficult. In addition, if the cables 120 are too stiff, the cables 120 may not be well bent, which makes it difficult for the cables 120 to be appropriately bent and pushed into the winding tub 110.
Various embodiments of the cable reel device 10 according to the present disclosure will be described below.
Referring to
In one embodiment, an example in which the guide 220 is configured to accommodate two individual strands of the cable 120 in a longitudinal direction of the guide shaft 212 is illustrated. Those having ordinary skill in the art can design the guide 220 to have an appropriate number of accommodation portions 422 in consideration of the diameter of the winding tub 110 and the length of the withdrawable cable 120.
In addition, in one embodiment, it is assumed that the winding tub 110 is horizontally disposed, and it is described that, for the sake of convenience, three rollers 424 for guiding the individual cables 120 accommodated in the accommodation portions 422 are used to guide the left and right sides, and two rollers 424 are used to guide a lower end of each cable 120. However, two rollers 424 may be additionally disposed at an upper end of each cable 120 if necessary.
The compression spring 230, which is inserted into the guide shaft 212, may be provided with a fixing ring 232 to support one end of the compression spring 230 in the vicinity of the center of the radial structure, and the other end of the compression spring 230 may be installed to push the slide bush 428 included in the guide 220. In consideration of the weight of the cable 120 and the charging gun 130 that are withdrawn and suspended externally, the compression spring 230 may be designed to correspond to the weight, and thereby prevent a user from feeling the weight when the thick and heavy cable 120 is withdrawn and stored.
Referring to
The cable reel according to the present disclosure does not include a rotating component inside the winding tub 110, and has a structure in which the cables 120 are withdrawn to the outside as a circular diameter formed by the plurality of guides for storing the cables 120 decreases. In addition, the circular diameter formed by the plurality of guides is increased by actions of the compression spring in accordance with the weight of the outer cables 120 which is reduced when the cables 120 are stored, and thereby the cables 120 are stored in the winding tub 110. Since the cable reel according to the present disclosure acts in a direction in which the radius of curvature of the cable 120 increases during storage, there is an effect that the outer diameter of the entire winding tub 110 can be set to be smaller than that of the cable 120 wound around a normal rotating inner reel in the case where the cables 120 have the same flexibility or rigidity.
Further, referring to
Referring to
The first bevel gear 236 may be made up of a motor 246, a speed reducer 244, and a third bevel gear 242 engaged with the first bevel gear 236 as illustrated in
In the case of using the motor 246 as illustrated in
Referring to
An example in which the accommodation portions 422 for accommodating the inner cables 120′ are arranged in three rows in a height direction of the winding tube 110 is illustrated in
If the plurality of accommodation portions 422 are arranged horizontally, the cable 120 wound around the innermost accommodation portion 422 should have a smaller radius of curvature than the cable 120 wound around the outermost accommodation portion 422. That is, when the plurality of accommodation portions 422 should be arranged, an imaginary radius of curvature (a radius of an imaginary circular structure formed by the plurality of guides 220 or accommodation portions 422) may be provided to be larger in the vertical arrangement than in the horizontal arrangement, which is advantageous in that, for example, in the case of the cable 120 having the same bending rigidity, the winding tube 110 can be designed to have a smaller size.
Referring to
In two embodiments of
In two embodiments, the second guide fixing frame 520 moves toward the first guide fixing frame 510 when the cable 120′ is withdrawn, and the second guide fixing frame 520 moves away from the first guide fixing frame 510 when the cable 120′ is stored. Thereby, the cable 120′ is withdrawn and stored.
Unlike the above embodiments illustrated in
In one of the two embodiments which is illustrated in
Further, in one embodiment illustrated in
In the case of the two embodiments illustrated in
Meanwhile, in the case of the two embodiments, movable cable guides 222 for guiding the inner cables 120′ placed between the first guide fixing frame 510 and the second guide fixing frame 520 may be further provided. The movable cable guides 222 may be configured to move in conjunction with the second guide fixing frame 520 when the second guide fixing frame 520 moves toward the first guide fixing frame 510 and to be gathered to come into contact with each other between the first and second guide fixing frames 510 and 520 when the first and second guide fixing frames 510 and 520 approach each other as much as possible.
Referring to
In one embodiment, the second guide fixing frame 520′ includes a guide wheel 430 configured to roll on the guideway 216′, and the guide wheel 430 may further include a reel-purpose roller 432 that is disposed coaxially therewith. The second guide fixing frame 520′ may include a second guide shaft 522 that houses the guide wheel 430 and the reel-purpose roller 432. In one embodiment, wires 524 wound around the reel-purpose roller 432 and wire reel structures for pulling the wires 524 on one side using any power means may be included, but without being limited thereto, a person having ordinary skill in the art may pull the cables 120 inside the winding tub 110″ to store the cables 120 by pulling the second guide fixing frame 520′ in various ways. An example in which the second guide fixing frame 520′ may be any of the above-described various types of guides 220 configured to accommodate the cables 120 and, in one embodiment, as a simpler structure, includes a plurality of V-groove rollers 526 that are rotatably disposed at the second guide fixing frame 520′ is shown. In one embodiment, the cables 120 are configured to be guided and moved by five V-groove rollers 526. When the second guide fixing frame 520′ moves when an unwinding or winding operation of the cable 120 occurs and comes close to the cable inlet 128, the cable 120 is withdrawn, and when the second guide fixing frame 520′ moves away from the cable inlet 128, the cable 120 is stored. Thus, a length two times a distance in which the second guide fixing frame 520′ can move becomes a maximum cable withdrawing length.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2018-0123697 | Oct 2018 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2018/013678 | 11/12/2018 | WO | 00 |
