Smart Charge Port Housing with Integrated Single Shaft Self-Locking Mechanism for Electric Vehicles

The invention tackles the main drawback of traditional electric vehicle charge ports which use Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) communication intensively and tend to have separate actuators to fulfill the locking function and requirements. These existing systems do not only limit autonomous operation of the charging lid in ignition-off condition but they also add mechanical complexity and packaging space, as well. To overcome these limitations, this research work introduces a Smart Charge Port Housing (CPH), which combines a rotary actuator with an onboard microcontroller and single shaft self-locking device, which allows intelligent and autonomous control of the flaps without relying on vehicle wide control networks. The actuator can remember the last position that the charging lid was in so it can be operated even while the VCU is in the inactive state. The integrated self-locking functionality is achieved by using a specially designed hinge shaft that allows a certain free play for rotation of the shaft at a specific angular range allowing the lock-unlocking functionality to be performed without any extra actuators. Various use cases supported by the system are manual close, auto-close with anti-pinch detection and LIN-based communication (only during the ignition on and VCU active states), IP69 sealing, laser-welded joints. Improved waterproofing features allow the charging bowl to handle the unfavorable environmental conditions. This solution provides a considerable upgrade in user experience, security, and design integration of modern EV cars because of the blend of mechanical reliability and intelligence incorporated in the control architecture. The architecture is scalable, space-efficient and can be used on next generation of electric vehicle platforms requiring both a functional and aesthetic step change in the user accessible charging systems.