JP7591407B2 - Electric vehicle charging equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a charging device for electric vehicles.

Patent Document 1 discloses a quick charger for charging the battery of an electric vehicle. This quick charger includes a housing, a cylindrical duct that extends vertically inside the housing, and a charging unit fixed to the duct. The charging unit has multiple electrical devices that generate heat when in operation, and these electrical devices are fixed to a base plate that also serves as the side of the duct. An air intake port is provided at the bottom of the housing to take in outside air, and the air taken in through the air intake port is exhausted through the duct and out of an exhaust port provided at the top of the housing. This allows heat generated by the charging unit to be dissipated by the air flow inside the duct.

JP 2013-85398 A

However, in charging units of charging devices that are installed outdoors, the heat dissipation duct and the electrical equipment used for charging may be housed inside a protective housing to ensure dustproofing and waterproofing.

When the structure of the quick charger described in Patent Document 1 is applied to such a charging unit, the heat inside the charging unit (inside the protective housing) can be dissipated by the air flow in the duct. However, there is an issue in that it is difficult to dissipate heat outside the charging unit (outside the protective housing) because air remains between the charging unit and the housing.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to efficiently dissipate heat inside and outside the charging unit in an electric vehicle charging device equipped with a charging unit inside a housing.

The electric vehicle charging device according to the first aspect of the present invention is a charging device for electric vehicles that includes a housing that houses a charging unit that converts power input from an external power source into power for charging an electric vehicle, and includes a first intake port and a second intake port provided in the housing, an exhaust port provided in the housing, a first flow path that passes air introduced into the housing from the first intake port from one end side of the charging unit through the inside of the charging unit to the other end side of the charging unit and discharges it from the exhaust port to the outside of the housing, and a second flow path that guides the air introduced into the housing from the second intake port from the other end side of the charging unit through the side of the charging unit to one end side of the charging unit and merges with the first flow path.

According to the charging device for electric vehicles of the present invention, a long charging unit is housed inside the housing. The housing introduces external air from a first intake port and a second intake port and exhausts it from an exhaust port. The inside of the charging unit is provided with a first flow path that passes the air introduced into the inside from the first intake port of the housing from one end side of the charging unit through the inside of the charging unit to the other end side, and exhausts it to the outside of the housing from the exhaust port. Heat inside the charging unit is dissipated by the air flow of this first flow path. In addition, the housing is provided with a second flow path that guides the air introduced into the inside of the housing from the second intake port of the housing from the other end side of the charging unit through the side of the charging unit to one end side of the charging unit and merges with the first flow path. Heat outside the charging unit is dissipated by the air flow of this second flow path. Therefore, heat inside and outside the charging unit can be efficiently dissipated.

1 is a perspective view showing a configuration of an electric vehicle charging device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electric vehicle charging device. 2 is a perspective view showing a partial configuration of a housing of the electric vehicle charging device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view partially showing a structure of a stand unit included in the electric vehicle charging device and an air intake port provided in the stand unit. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic structure of a lower part of a housing of the electric vehicle charging device and an air intake port provided on a side surface of the housing. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an outline of the structure of an upper portion of a housing of the electric vehicle charging device and an exhaust port provided in the housing. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a charging unit included in the electric vehicle charging device. FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the inside of a housing of the electric vehicle charging device, illustrating a flow path of air introduced into the inside of the housing. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the electric vehicle charging device, illustrating a flow path of air introduced into the housing. FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view corresponding to FIG. 9 , showing an electric vehicle charging device according to a second embodiment.

The following describes an electric vehicle charging device 1 (hereinafter simply referred to as "charging device 1") according to a first embodiment of the present invention with reference to Figures 1 to 9. For ease of explanation, the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions appropriately indicated in each figure are defined as the front-rear, left-right, top-bottom directions of the charging device 1, and the positions and orientations of the components are described. Also, in each figure, some reference numerals may be omitted to make the drawings easier to read.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a charging device 1 according to this embodiment. This charging device 1 is a device for charging electric vehicles such as electric cars and plug-in hybrid cars. This charging device 1 is a charger that is installed, for example, in a private facility or public facility along a public road and used by users. As an example, this charging device 1 is a two-vehicle charging type that can charge two electric vehicles simultaneously. The charging method used for this charging device 1 is a rapid charging method. Note that when this charging device 1 is installed, for example, in a parking lot of an apartment building, a configuration that uses a normal charging method may be used. Furthermore, the electric vehicle is not limited to an automobile, and may be a motorcycle.

This charging device 1 is equipped with a housing 2 that houses a charging unit 30 that converts power input from an external AC power source 200 into power for charging an electric vehicle. The housing 2 is a thin box shape with a front-rear dimension set sufficiently smaller than the left-right and up-down dimensions. In this housing 2, as an example, the left-right and up-down dimensions are set to be approximately equal, and the front-rear dimension is set to a fraction (e.g., about one-quarter) of each of the left-right and up-down dimensions. Note that the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are mutually orthogonal. A plurality of spaces S1 to S4 are formed inside this housing 2. Electrical devices required for charging an electric vehicle are housed in the spaces S1 to S4, separated according to their respective functions.

Operation boxes 4R and 4L are attached to the upper part of both left and right sides of the housing 2. These operation boxes 4 are formed in a box shape and contain the devices necessary for operating the charging device 1. On the outer left and right sides of each operation box 4, a display panel P1 that displays the usage status of the charging device 1, an operation instruction picture P2 that explains the procedure for operating the charging device 1, an operation button P3 for operating the charging device 1, a card reader P4 for payment, etc. are provided. These constitute the operation unit 15 of the charging device 1, which will be described later. In addition, on both left and right sides of the upper part of the housing 2, a holder (not shown) that holds the charging connector 5 is attached to the lower side of each operation box 4R and 4L. One end of the charging cable 6 is connected to the left and right charging connectors 5 (only one charging connector 5 is shown in FIG. 1), and the other end of the charging cable 6 is connected to the lower surface of the operation box 4R and 4L, respectively.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the charging device 1. As an example, the charging device 1 is a charger that charges an electric vehicle using a rapid charging method, and has a power conversion unit 3 that converts AC power input from an AC power source 200 such as a commercial power source into high-output DC power. The charging device 1 supplies the high-output DC power output from the power conversion unit 3 to a battery (not shown) mounted on the electric vehicle via a charging connector 5. As a result, the charging device 1 is configured to be able to shorten the charging time compared to a normal charging method that charges with the same output as a commercial power source, etc.

The power conversion unit 3 of this embodiment is composed of four charging units 30 connected in parallel. Each charging unit 30 has a rectifier circuit 30A, a boost circuit 30B, and a converter circuit 30C. The rectifier circuit 30A rectifies and outputs AC power supplied from the AC power source 200. The boost circuit 30B boosts and outputs the power output from the rectifier circuit 30A. The converter circuit 30C converts and controls the power output from the boost circuit 30B to a charging voltage. In this way, each charging unit converts the power input from the input side into high-output DC power. Each charging unit 30 is arranged in a first space S1 provided inside the housing 2 because circuit components such as semiconductor elements and coils that constitute the rectifier circuit 30A, the boost circuit 30B, and the converter circuit 30C generate heat during operation. The first space S1 is formed inside the first housing part 210 provided in the center of the housing 2.

The charging device 1 includes an output control unit 8 that controls the power output from the charging unit 30, and a charging control unit 9 that controls the charging of the power output from the charging unit 30. These control units have a control device equipped with at least one processor (CPU), and are configured to be able to communicate with each other using a specified communication standard such as CAN communication.

A control device that controls the power supplied (input) from the AC power source 200 is connected to the input side of the charging unit 30 in a broad sense. As an example, a leakage current shielding unit 10A is provided between the AC power source 200 and the charging unit 30. The leakage current shielding unit 10A is composed of a known leakage current shield. The leakage current shielding unit 10A is normally in an ON state that opens the primary side circuit, but has the function of turning OFF and closing the primary side circuit when an overcurrent or leakage current is detected in the primary side circuit. In addition, a capacitor (not shown) for noise reduction is connected between the AC power source 200 and the leakage current shielding unit 10A. Furthermore, a filter device 10B for removing noise, composed of a choke coil or an LC circuit, is connected between the leakage current shielding unit 10A and the charging unit 30.

The input side control device including the leakage current shielding section 10A is disposed in the third space S3 provided adjacent to the first space S1 in the left-right direction inside the housing 2. This third space S3 is formed inside the second housing section 211R disposed on one side (here, the right side) in the left-right direction of the first housing section 210. In addition to the leakage current shielding section 10A, the capacitor, and the filter device 10B, the DB section 11 is disposed in the third space S3. The DB section 11 is connected between the charging unit 30 and the charging connector 5 of the operation box 4R on the right side of the housing 2 on the output side (secondary side) of the charging unit 30. The DB section 11 is configured with a reverse current prevention circuit having multiple diodes, and has the function of preventing a reverse current flow between the charging unit 30 and the battery of the electric vehicle.

The output control unit 8 is connected to the output side of the charging unit 30 and controls the power output from the charging unit 30. For example, the output control unit 8 controls the ON/OFF of the relay unit 12 based on a signal from the charging control unit 9 to supply the power output from each charging unit 30 to the charging connectors 5 of the left and right operation boxes 4R and 4L. When the relay unit 12 is in the ON state, it relays the power supply from the corresponding charging unit 30. When the relay unit 12 is in the OFF state, it blocks the power supply from the corresponding charging unit 30. In this way, the power supplied to the left and right charging connectors 5 can be controlled by the control of the output control unit 8. The output control unit 8 and the relay unit 12 constitute an output control device 13 that controls the power output from the multiple charging units 30 to the electric vehicle. In addition, the output control unit 8 monitors the internal temperature of the charging unit 30 and the operation of the intake fan based on signals from various sensors mounted on the charging unit 30. The output control unit 8 and the relay unit 12 are disposed in a fourth space S4 provided adjacent to the first space S1 in the left-right direction on the opposite side of the third space S3 inside the housing 2. The fourth space S4 is formed inside the third housing 211L disposed on the other side (here, the left side) in the left-right direction with respect to the first housing 210. In addition to the output control unit 8, the DB unit 11 is housed in the fourth space S4. The DB unit 11 in the fourth space S4 is connected between the charging unit 30 and the charging connector 5 of the operation box 4L on the left side of the housing 2 on the output side of the charging unit 30, and prevents reverse current flow between the charging unit 30 and the battery of the electric vehicle.

The relay unit 12 in the fourth space S4 and the DB unit 11 arranged in the third space S3 are electrically connected by wiring 14, and the current output from the relay unit 12 in the fourth space S4 is input to the DB unit 11 in the third space S3 via the wiring 14. This wiring 14 generates heat when electricity is applied, so it is wired to the third space S3 through the second space S2 provided above the first space S1 inside the first housing 210.

The power output from the third space S3 and the fourth space S4 of the housing 2 is supplied to the charging connector 5 via the charging cable 6 connected to the left and right operation boxes 4R and 4L. A charging control unit 9 and an operation unit 15 are arranged in each of these operation boxes 4R and 4L. The charging control unit 9 is configured to be able to communicate with the electric vehicle using a predetermined communication means such as CAN communication. The charging control unit 9 receives a control signal from the electric vehicle via the charging connector 5 connected to the charging plug of the electric vehicle. The signal received from the electric vehicle includes a command value for the charging current and a signal regarding the start or end of charging. The charging control unit 9 receives a signal transmitted from the electric vehicle, determines the power output from the charging device 1 based on the received signal, and controls the start and end of charging. The charging control unit 9 is connected to the operation unit 15. The operation unit 15 is configured to include the above-mentioned display panel P1, the picture P2 of the operation instructions, the operation button P3, and the card reader P4 (see FIG. 1). The charging control unit 9 and the operation unit 15 are arranged in the operation boxes 4R and 4L, and are separated from the third space S3 and the fourth space S4 in which the DB unit 11 is housed. This makes it possible to prevent heat generated by the diodes that make up the DB unit 11 from being transmitted to the charging control unit 9 and the operation unit 15.

As explained above, the interior of the housing 2 is divided into multiple spaces S1 to S4 to house the electrical devices required for charging, and the charging unit 30 constituting the power conversion unit 3 is disposed in the first space S1 located in the center of the interior of the housing 2. The charging device 1 is structured so that the interior of the housing 2 has multiple air-cooling flow paths to efficiently dissipate heat generated by the charging unit 30 during operation. The structures of the housing 2 and the charging unit 30 are explained in detail below.

(Housing 2)
As shown in Fig. 3, the housing 2 has a skeleton 21 that is substantially U-shaped (open at the top) when viewed from the front-rear direction. As shown in Fig. 1, a plurality of design panels 22-28 that form the design surface of the housing 2 are attached to the skeleton 21. These design panels 22-28 are formed, for example, by NC processing or bending processing of sheet metal material. These design panels 22-28 are fixed to the skeleton 21 by, for example, screws. Note that Fig. 1 shows the front (front) side of the housing 2, but the rear side of the housing 2 has design panels 24-28 similar to the design panels 24-28.

The above-mentioned skeleton 21 includes the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, the stand 212, a pair of front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213, a pair of front and rear panel support parts 214, an upper panel support part 215, and a pair of left and right mounting parts 216. The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, the stand 212, the front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213, the front and rear panel support parts 214, the upper panel support part 215, and the left and right mounting parts 216 are all made of, for example, sheet metal material. The skeleton 21 is covered with the design panels 22 to 28 to form a space inside the housing 2. The space is divided into upper and lower parts by a partition part 39 (see Figures 6 and 7) described later, and the space below the partition part 39 is the first space part S1, and the space above the partition part 39 is the second space part S2. Four charging units 30 are arranged in the first space S1. The second space S2 is used as a wiring storage section, in which the wiring 14 is housed (wired).

The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are each formed as a hollow rectangular column (long box shape) extending in the vertical direction, constituting both left and right sides of the housing 2. The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are formed by joining together a number of sheet metal panels formed through NC processing or bending processing by means of welding, bolting or the like. The second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are basically of the same configuration, except that they are formed in a symmetrical shape in the horizontal direction.

The second and third housing parts 211R and 211L have a front wall 2111 and a rear wall 2112 (see FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) arranged opposite each other in the front-rear direction, an outer wall 2113 and an inner wall 2114 arranged opposite each other in the left-right direction, and an upper wall 2115 and a lower wall (not shown) arranged opposite each other in the up-down direction. In this embodiment, the internal space of the second housing part 211R constituting the right side of the housing 2 is the third space part S3, and the internal space of the third housing part 211L constituting the left side of the housing 2 is the fourth space part S4. The above-mentioned leakage current shielding part 10A and the like are arranged in the third space part S3. The above-mentioned output control part 8 and the like are arranged in the fourth space part S4. In addition, the heat sink of the above-mentioned DB part 11 is provided on the side of the inner wall 2114 of the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L arranged inside the first housing part 210.

In this embodiment, the upper parts of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L are connected in the left-right direction by a pair of front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213. The front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213 are formed by shaping sheet metal material through NC processing or bending processing, and are elongated in the left-right direction. When viewed from the left-right direction, the front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213 have a cross-section that is roughly U-shaped with the outer front-to-rear direction open. Both left-to-right ends of each upper reinforcement part 213 are fixed to the outer front-to-rear direction ends of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L by means of bolt fastening or the like.

The front and rear panel support parts 214 are respectively bridged between the left-right center of each upper reinforcement part 213 and the left-right center of the stand part 212. The front and rear panel support parts 214 are formed from sheet metal material through NC processing or bending processing, and are long in the vertical direction. When viewed from the vertical direction, the front and rear panel support parts 214 have a cross section that is approximately U-shaped with the outside in the front-rear direction open. The upper end of each panel support part 214 is fixed to the front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213 by means such as bolt fastening. The upper end of each panel support part 214 is fixed to both ends in the front-rear direction of the stand part 212 by means such as bolt fastening. The front and rear panel support parts 214 and the front and rear upper reinforcement parts 213 are respectively screwed to the design panels 24, 25 shown in FIG. 1.

The upper panel support part 215 is bridged between the upper ends of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L. The upper panel support part 215 is made by forming a sheet metal material through NC processing and bending processing, and has an elongated shape with the left-right direction as the long side. When viewed from the left-right direction, the upper panel support part 215 has a cross section that is roughly U-shaped with the upper side open. Both left-right ends of the upper panel support part 215 are fixed to the upper end surfaces of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, respectively, by means of bolt fastening or the like. The design panels 22, 23 shown in FIG. 1 are screwed to the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, respectively.

(Stand part)
The stand 212 constituting the skeleton 21 is formed in a long, approximately box-like shape extending in the left-right direction. The stand 212 connects the lower ends of the second and third housings 211R and 211L in the left-right direction, and constitutes the lower end (bottom) of the housing 2. Specifically, both left-right ends of the stand 212 are fixed to the lower ends of the second and third housings 211R and 211L via mounting parts 216 made of sheet metal brackets. In addition, the mounting part 216 has a protruding part 216A that protrudes outward in the front-rear direction of the housing 2 when mounted, and this protruding part 216A is fastened to the installation surface using a bolt (not shown). This fixes the housing 2 to the installation surface.

The stand 212 is constructed by joining together a number of sheet metal panels formed through NC machining or bending by means of welding, bolting or the like. The stand 212 has a front wall 2121 and a rear wall 2122 arranged opposite each other in the front-rear direction, an upper wall 2123 connecting the upper ends of the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 in the front-rear direction, and a pair of front and rear lower walls 2124 extending inward (towards the center) in the front-rear direction from the lower ends of the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122. In this embodiment, the lower wall 2124 is divided into front and rear, but the front and rear lower walls 2124 may be configured to be connected together.

As shown in FIG. 4, the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 have a number of circular through-holes TH1 lined up in one direction (left-right direction), and the top wall 2123 has a number of rectangular through-holes TH2 lined up in one direction. The top wall 2123 serves as a mounting surface for multiple (four here) charging units 30, and the multiple through-holes TH2 formed in the top wall 2123 are respectively positioned below each charging unit 30. That is, the multiple charging units 30 are stored in a row lined up in one direction with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction.

Furthermore, a pair of left and right cutouts NT are formed side by side in the left-right direction in the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122. The left and right cutouts NT are cut from the lower side and have a rectangular shape when viewed from the front-to-rear direction. The left and right cutouts NT are arranged symmetrically with respect to the left-right center of the stand portion 212. These cutouts NT are for inserting the left and right forks of a forklift when transporting the charging device 1 with a forklift.

Between the left and right notches NT formed in the front wall 2121 and the left and right notches NT formed in the rear wall 2122, fork abutment plates 2125 that serve as the abutment surfaces of the left and right forks are respectively bridged. The left and right fork abutment plates 2125 are made by bending sheet metal into a U-shaped cross section. These fork abutment plates 2125 are arranged with the lower side open when viewed from the front-rear direction, and are joined to the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122 by means of welding or the like. Each fork abutment plate 2125 has a plurality of circular through holes TH3 formed in a line in the front-rear direction that penetrate each fork abutment plate 2125 in the up-down direction. The above-mentioned through holes TH1, TH2, and TH3 constitute the first air intake 20 for introducing outside air (cooling air) into the inside of the housing 2.

In addition, in each lower wall 2124 of the stand 212, a plurality of bolt insertion holes BH2 are formed in a row in the left-right direction, penetrating each lower wall 2124 in the up-down direction, and each lower wall 2124 can be fixed to the installation surface in the same manner as the protruding portion 216A, using a bolt (not shown) inserted into the bolt insertion hole BH2. Before the charging unit 30 is installed on the stand 212, the bolt insertion holes BH2 are configured to allow bolts to be fastened through the plurality of through holes TH1 formed in the front wall 2121 and the rear wall 2122. On the other hand, after the charging unit 30 is installed on the stand 212, the through holes TH1 are covered by the design panel 28, etc., so that the bolt insertion holes BH2 and the bolts cannot be accessed from the outside of the stand 212.

As shown in FIG. 1, design panels 24, 25 are arranged in the left-right direction on the front and rear sides of the housing 2. These design panels 24, 25 form the walls of the housing 2. More specifically, the design panels 24, 25 form the front and rear walls of the housing 2, and are arranged facing the four charging units 30 housed in the first space S1 in the front-rear direction. The design panels 24, 25 are each made of a plate-like member that is rectangular when viewed from the front-rear direction, and are formed, for example, by NC processing or bending processing of sheet metal material. The peripheral portions of the design panels 24, 25 are fixed to the skeleton 21, a pair of upper reinforcement portions 213, and a pair of panel support portions 214, for example, by screws.

Figure 5 shows the first space S1 as viewed from the left and right in a vertical cross-sectional view of the housing 2. The decorative panels 24 and 25 each have a double-structure 40 that includes an outer wall 41 that forms the surface of the housing 2 and an inner wall 42 that is located inside the outer wall.

The outer wall 41 is made of a rectangular plate member with the plate thickness direction in the front-to-rear direction, and is formed in an elongated shape with the longitudinal direction in the up-to-down direction. A second air intake 45 consisting of multiple slits penetrating the outer wall 41 is provided at the lower end of the outer wall 41. This second air intake 45 is an intake for taking in outside air from both side portions in the front-to-rear direction of the housing 2.

The inner wall 42 is disposed inside the outer wall 41 inside the housing 2. The inner wall 42 includes a vertical wall 421 extending parallel to the outer wall 41, a horizontal wall 422 erected from the outer periphery of the vertical wall 421 toward the outer wall 41, and a flange 423 extending from the outer end of the horizontal wall 422 in the front-rear direction along the outer wall 41. The inner wall 42 is formed into a shallow bathtub shape by the vertical wall 421, the horizontal wall 422, and the flange 423. The flange 423 of the inner wall 42 is joined to the inner surface of the outer wall 41, for example, by screws. In this state, a space (duct) is formed between the outer wall 41 and the inner wall 42, and air outside the housing 2 is introduced into the space through the second air intake 45 of the outer wall 41. Air introduced into the space from the second air intake 45 is supplied to the first space S1 through an upper opening 46 formed at the upper end of the vertical wall 421. As an example, the upper opening is formed by multiple slits penetrating the vertical wall 421.

In this way, the air introduced from the second air intake 45 rises through the double structure 40 and passes through the upper opening 46 before being introduced into the first space S1. The double structure 40 places the inner wall 42 inside the second air intake 45, so that the structure prevents rainwater and the like from entering through the second air intake 45. In addition, the air introduced from the second air intake 45 is supplied to the inside of the housing 2 from the upper opening 46, which is located above the second air intake 45, so that air stagnation in the upper space of the first space S1 can be prevented.

Figure 6 shows the second space S2 as viewed from the left and right in a vertical cross-sectional view of the housing 2. A pair of front and rear design panels 22, 23 are arranged on the top of the housing 2, covering both sides in the front and rear directions and the upper side of the housing 2. The pair of design panels 22, 23 form the front wall, rear wall, and upper wall of the second space S2 of the housing 2. Each design panel 22, 23 is made of a plate-like member that is L-shaped when viewed from the left and right, and is formed, for example, by NC processing or bending processing of sheet metal material. The design panels 22, 23 are fixed at their peripheral portions to the skeleton portion 21 (second and third housing portions 211R, 211L), the pair of upper reinforcement portions 213, and the upper panel support portion 215, for example, by screws.

The decorative panels 22, 23 each have an outer vertical wall portion 221, 231 extending in the up-down direction and an outer horizontal wall portion 222, 232 extending inward in the front-rear direction from the upper end of the outer vertical wall portion 221, 231. An exhaust port 48 is provided in the outer vertical wall portion 221, 231. The exhaust port 48 is, for example, composed of a plurality of slits penetrating the outer vertical wall portion 221, 231. This exhaust port 48 is an exhaust port for discharging air introduced from the first space portion S1 to the second space portion S2 to the outside of the housing 2.

A duct section 29 is disposed inside the outer vertical wall sections 221, 231. The duct section 29 prevents rainwater and the like from entering through the exhaust port 48 and prevents air from stagnating in the second space section S2. The duct section 29 includes an inner vertical wall section 291 extending parallel to the outer vertical wall sections 221, 231, an inner horizontal wall section 292 extending from the outer periphery of the inner vertical wall section 291 toward the outer vertical wall sections 221, 231, and an inner flange section 293 extending from the outer end of the inner horizontal wall section 292 in the front-rear direction along the outer vertical wall sections 221, 231. The duct section 29 is formed into a bathtub shape that is open to the outside in the front-rear direction by the inner vertical wall section 291, the inner horizontal wall section 292, and the inner flange section 293. Of the inner horizontal wall portion 292, the upper horizontal wall portion 2921 and the lower horizontal wall portion 2922 extending from the upper end and lower end of the inner vertical wall portion 291 are inclined so as to move away from each other as they move outward in the front-to-rear direction. The upper horizontal wall portion 2921 has a duct opening portion 50 penetrating the upper horizontal wall portion 2921 in the plate thickness direction. The duct portion 29 has the inner flange portion 293 joined to the outer vertical wall portions 221, 231 by screws or the like. In this state, a duct is formed by the outer vertical wall portions 221, 231 and the duct portion 29, and the second space portion S2 of the housing 2 is connected to the external space by the exhaust port 48 and the duct opening portion 50.

Air that has passed through the intake fan 52 of the charging unit 30, which will be described later, is introduced into the second space S2. The air introduced into the second space S2 rises to the height of the duct opening 50, passes through the inside of the duct section 29 from the duct opening 50, and is discharged from the exhaust port 48. At this time, the air introduced into the second space S2 is also blown onto the heat sink of the DB section 11. In this embodiment, the duct section 29 is provided inside the exhaust port 48 to prevent rainwater from entering. In addition, the duct opening 50 is provided at a position above the exhaust port 48 to create an air flow in the upper space of the second space S2 and prevent heat from accumulating. In addition, the second space S2 serves as a wiring housing for various wiring. For example, the wiring 14 that distributes the output power of the charging unit 30 is wired along the upper reinforcement section 213 by a bracket or clip (not shown).

Next, the charging unit 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 7. The charging unit 30 includes an outer tube portion 32, an inner tube portion 34, a top plate portion 38, and a base portion 36. The outer tube portion 32, the inner tube portion 34, the top plate portion 38, and the base portion 36 form the charging unit 30 into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction.

The outer tube 32 is formed in a rectangular tube shape with the vertical direction as the axial direction (longitudinal direction), and the cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is formed in a rectangular frame shape. The outer tube 32 has a front side 321 facing the front side of the housing 2, a rear side 322 facing the rear side of the housing 2, and a right side 323 and a left side 324 facing other charging units 30 arranged adjacently. As an example, the outer tube 32 is formed by joining multiple sheet metal panels formed through NC processing or bending processing to each other by means of welding, bolting, or the like. The outer tube 32 protects the electrical equipment required for charging housed inside from rainwater and dust.

The inner cylindrical portion 34 is disposed inside the outer cylindrical portion 32. The inner cylindrical portion 34 is formed in a square cylindrical shape that is slightly smaller than the outer cylindrical portion 32, and the cross section in the orthogonal direction forms a rectangular frame shape. The inner cylindrical portion 34 has a front side surface 341, a rear side surface 342, a right side surface 343, and a left side surface 344. The inner cylindrical portion 34 is formed integrally with the outer cylindrical portion 32 by joining the rear side surface 342 to the rear side surface 322 of the outer cylindrical portion 32 by means of welding, bolt fastening, or the like. In this state, an accommodation space is formed between the inner cylindrical portion 34 and the outer cylindrical portion 32 inside the outer cylindrical portion 32. In this accommodation space, electrical devices constituting the charging unit 30, such as the rectifier circuit 30A, the boost circuit 30B, and the converter circuit 30C shown in FIG. 2, are disposed. As an example, these electrical devices are fixed to the inner surface of the outer cylindrical portion 32 and the outer surface of the inner cylindrical portion.

The outer cylinder 32 and the inner cylinder 34 are placed on the base 36. The base 36 is formed in a substantially rectangular box shape and constitutes the lower end of the charging unit 30. The base 36 is formed by joining together a plurality of sheet metal panels formed through NC processing or bending processing by means of welding, bolting, or the like. The base 36 has an upper wall 361 constituting the upper surface, a rear wall 362 arranged at the rear end in the front-rear direction, a right wall 363 and a left wall 364 arranged opposite each other in the left-right direction, and a pair of left and right lower walls 365 extending from the lower ends of the right wall 363 and the left wall 364 toward the inside (center) in the left-right direction. In other words, the base 36 is open downward in the up-down direction and forward in the front-rear direction (one side).

A rectangular through-hole TH4 is formed in the upper wall 361 of the base 36. Below this through-hole TH4, the through-hole TH2 formed in the upper wall 2123 of the stand 212 is disposed, and above the through-hole TH4, the inner tube 34 is disposed.

The upper end of the charging unit 30 is composed of a top plate 38. The top plate 38 is composed of a cover-like member that is approximately rectangular when viewed from the top-bottom direction, and closes the upper end openings of the outer tube 32 and the inner tube 34. As an example, the top plate 38 is composed of a sheet metal panel formed through NC processing or bending processing, and is fixed to the upper end opening of the outer tube 32 by means of welding, bolt fastening, or the like. An intake fan 52 is provided in the center of the top plate 38. The intake fan 52 is disposed directly above the upper end opening of the inner tube 34. The intake fan 52 is equipped with a fan (not shown) housed in a specified housing, and is operated by the fan rotating due to the driving force of an electric motor or the like. A partition 39 is integrally provided on the intake fan 52 and disposed on the upper side of the charging unit 30. The partition 39 is composed of a rectangular plate-like member that is elongated in the left-right direction with the plate thickness direction being in the up-down direction. The partition 39 is made of, for example, resin. The partition 39 has multiple (four in this example) through holes TH5 that pass through the housing of the intake fan 52 of each charging unit 30. This allows the intake fan 52 and the partition 39 to be integrated. The partition 39 divides the internal space between the second and third housing parts 211R and 211L into upper and lower parts in the housing 2, and forms a second space S2 divided by the partition 39 above the first space S1.

When the intake fan 52 operates, air inside the inner tube 34 is sucked up and discharged above the intake fan 52. Therefore, the outside air introduced into the first space S1 from the first intake port 20 (through hole TH2) of the stand 212 and the second intake port 45 provided on the side of the housing 2 is introduced into the inside of the inner tube 34 through the inlet 37 and through hole TH4 of the base 36, and is discharged from the upper end of the charging unit 30 into the second space S2.

In the charging device 1 according to the present embodiment described above, the intake fan 52 operates to form three flow paths (air flows) in the first space S1, and efficiently dissipate heat generated in the charging unit 30. The three flow paths are described in detail below with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

The first flow path R1 formed in the first space S1 is a flow path that passes the air introduced into the housing 2 from the first intake port 20 from one end side (lower end side) of the charging unit 30 through the inside of the charging unit 30 to the other end side (upper end side) of the charging unit 30, and discharges it to the outside of the housing 2 from the exhaust port 48. More specifically, the first flow path R1 is a flow path that passes through the inner cylindrical portion 34 of the charging unit 30, and forms an air flow in which the air introduced from the first intake port 20 passes from the lower end (one end) to the upper end (other end) in the longitudinal direction of the inner cylindrical portion 34. The air flow of this first flow path R1 dissipates heat generated inside the charging unit 30.

The second flow path R2 is a flow path that guides the air introduced into the housing 2 from the second intake port 45 from the other end side (upper end side) of the charging unit 30 through the side of the charging unit 30 to one end side (lower end side) of the charging unit 30 and merges with the first flow path R1. More specifically, the second flow path R2 guides the air introduced from the second intake port 45 to the other end side (upper end side) of the charging unit 30 through between the outer wall portion 41 and the inner wall portion 42. The second flow path R2 has one inlet 37 provided at one end side (lower end side) of the charging unit 30, and merges the air that has passed the side of the charging unit 30 with the first flow path R1 through the inlet. In addition, the inlet is provided at one end side of the charging unit 30 so as to open in the same direction as the second intake port 45 on one side of the second intake ports 45 provided on both the front and rear sides of the housing 2. In this embodiment, the inlet 37 opens in the same direction as the second intake port 45 provided on the front wall side of the housing 2.

The third flow path R3 is a flow path through which air introduced into the housing 2 through the second air intake 45 passes between the multiple charging units 30 and flows from the rear side to the front side of the housing 2. This third flow path R3 is generated by branching the air introduced from the second flow path R2 on the rear wall side of the housing 2. That is, the air introduced into the housing 2 from the second air intake 45 on the rear wall side of the housing 2 is led to the inlet 37 opened on the front wall side of the housing 2 and merges with the first flow path R1. This third flow path R3 forms an air flow that passes between the charging units 30 from the rear side to the front side in the front-rear direction while moving inside the housing 2 from the upper end side to the lower end side of the charging units 30. The air flow of this third flow path R3 dissipates heat generated between each charging unit 30.

The first flow path R1, the second flow path R2, and the third flow path R3 have been described above. In the charging device 1, in order to effectively suppress an increase in the internal temperature of the charging unit 30, the air introduced from the first air intake 20 and the second air intake 45 is configured to pass through the first flow path R1. That is, the air introduced from the first air intake 20 is configured to pass directly through the first flow path R1 without passing through the second flow path R2, and the air introduced from the second air intake 45 merges with the first flow path R1 via the second flow path R2 and the third flow path R3.

(Action and Effects)
As described above, according to the charging device 1 of the present embodiment, the long-shaped charging unit 30 is accommodated inside the housing 2. The housing 2 introduces air into the housing 2 from the first intake port 20 and the second intake port 45, and exhausts it from the exhaust port 48. The inside of the charging unit 30 is provided with a first flow path R1 that passes the air introduced into the housing 2 from one end side of the charging unit 30 through the inside of the charging unit 30 to the other end side, and exhausts it from the exhaust port 48 to the outside of the housing 2. The air flow of the first flow path R1 allows the heat inside the charging unit 30 to be dissipated to the outside of the housing 2. The housing 2 is also provided with a second flow path R2 that guides the air introduced into the housing 2 from the second intake port 45 of the housing 2 from the other end side of the charging unit 30 through the side of the charging unit 30 to the one end side of the charging unit 30 and merges with the first flow path R1. The air flow of the second flow path R2 dissipates heat outside the charging unit 30 to the outside of the housing 2. Therefore, heat inside and outside the charging unit 30 can be efficiently dissipated to the outside of the housing 2.

In this embodiment, a plurality of charging units 30 are housed inside the housing 2, and these charging units 30 are arranged in parallel with the vertical direction of the housing 2 as the longitudinal direction, and are arranged in one direction (left and right direction). The second air intakes 45 are provided on both sides of the housing 2, facing each other with the charging unit 30 therebetween, and the second flow path R2 has one inlet 37 provided on one end side of the charging unit 30, so that the air that has passed the side of the charging unit 30 is merged into the first flow path R1 through the inlet 37. Here, the inlet 37 is provided on one end side of the charging unit 30 so as to open in the same direction as the second air intake 45 on one side (front side) of the second air intakes 45 provided on both sides of the housing 2. Therefore, a part of the air introduced from the second air intake 45 on the rear wall side of the housing 2 branches off from the second flow path R2 and forms a third flow path R3 that flows between the charging units 30 and toward the front side. This allows heat generated between multiple charging units 30 arranged in one direction to be dissipated to the outside of the housing 2 by the air flow in the third flow path R3.

In this embodiment, the air introduced from the first air intake 20 passes directly through the first flow path R1 without passing through the second flow path R2, whereas the air introduced from the second air intake 45 merges with the first flow path R1 through the second flow path R2. Therefore, the amount of air passing through the first flow path R1 is greater than the amount of air passing through the second flow path R2, so that the inside of the charging unit 30, which becomes hotter than the outside of the charging unit 30, can be preferentially cooled. Note that the air that has passed through the second flow path R2 merges with the first flow path R1 and is introduced into the inside of the charging unit 30, so if the temperature of the air that has passed through the second flow path R2 becomes too high, it will affect the cooling of the inside of the charging unit 30. Therefore, the amount of air introduced from the second air intake 45 into the second flow path R2 is set taking into account the degree of temperature rise after passing through the second flow path R2.

However, in a closed space such as the internal space of the housing 2, heat generated inside tends to accumulate in the upper space. Therefore, if multiple charging units are stored horizontally inside the housing, stacked one on top of the other, there is a risk that the heat dissipation efficiency of the upper charging units will decrease.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the first air intake 20 is provided on the stand 212 that constitutes the lower end of the housing 2, and the charging unit 30 is placed on the stand 212 in a vertical orientation with the vertical direction of the housing 2 as the longitudinal direction. The air introduced from the first air intake 20 and the second air intake 45 is configured to join at the first flow path R1 and pass through the inside of the charging unit 30 from the bottom to the top. Therefore, compared to a configuration in which multiple charging units are stored in a horizontal orientation, the heat of each charging unit can be dissipated evenly, and it is possible to prevent heat from accumulating in the upper space inside the housing 2.

In this embodiment, the decorative panels 24, 25 of the front and rear walls of the housing 2 in which the second air intake 45 is provided are formed as a double structure 40. The second flow path R2 guides the air introduced from the second air intake 45 through between the outer wall 41 and the inner wall 42 to the other end (upper end) of the charging unit 30. This prevents rainwater and dust from entering the inside of the housing 2 through the second air intake 45 due to a rainstorm during bad weather. In addition, the double structure 40 improves the waterproof and dustproof performance, making it possible to reduce the thickness of the housing 2 in the depth direction (front-to-back direction).

In this embodiment, an intake fan 52 that draws in air introduced from the first intake port 20 and the second intake port 45 is provided at the upper end (other end) of each charging unit 30, so air can be reliably drawn into the first flow path R1 compared to a configuration in which the intake fan 52 is provided on the side of the housing 2, etc. Therefore, heat inside the charging unit 30 can be efficiently dissipated.

In this embodiment, the intake fan 52 and the partition 39 are integrally provided, and the interior of the housing 2 is divided into a first space S1 and a second space S2 by the partition 39. Air from outside the housing is introduced into the first space S1, in which the charging unit 30 is housed, through the first air intake 20 and the second air intake 45. Air exhausted from the intake fan 52 is introduced into the second space S2, and is exhausted to the outside of the housing 2 through the exhaust vent 48. In this way, by dividing the interior of the housing 2 into the first space S1 and the second space S2, it is possible to prevent exhaust air from flowing back into the first space S1. By preventing such backflow, it is possible to increase the heat dissipation efficiency.

In this embodiment, a wiring storage section is provided in the second space S2, and wiring 14 and the like that connects the charging unit 30 to other electrical devices required for charging the electric vehicle are stored in the wiring storage section. Therefore, by separating the wiring 14, which becomes hot during operation, from the charging unit 30 by the partition section 39, the charging unit 30 is structured to be less susceptible to the effects of heat generated by the wiring 14.

Next, referring to FIG. 10, a description will be given of an electric vehicle charging device 600 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are given the same numbers and their description will be omitted. The electric vehicle charging device 600 differs from the charging device 1 according to the first embodiment in that the stand portion 602 of the housing 2 does not have an air intake. The housing 2 is configured to introduce outside air from a pair of front and rear second air intakes 45 provided on the side surface facing the charging unit 30 in the front-rear direction.

According to the configuration of the electric vehicle charging device 600, the air introduced from the second air intake 45 passes through the second flow path R2 and merges with the first flow path R1 from the inlet 37 on the front side of the base portion 36. Furthermore, the air flow of the second flow path R2 on the rear side of the housing 2 branches to form a third flow path R3 that passes between the charging units 30 from the rear side to the front side. In this way, the electric vehicle charging device 600 according to the second embodiment basically follows the configuration of the charging device 1 according to the first embodiment, so that it is possible to obtain the same action and effect in terms of efficiently dissipating heat from the charging units 30. In addition, in this embodiment, since the air intake is provided only on the side of the housing 2, the structure of the stand part of the housing 2 can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In each of the above embodiments, the left and right side surfaces of the housing 2 are formed of the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L, but the present invention is not limited to this. The left and right side surfaces of the housing 2 do not necessarily need to be formed in a columnar shape, and may be formed of a plate-like member that is rectangular when viewed in the left and right direction. In this case, in the above embodiments, the electrical devices arranged inside the second and third housing parts 211R, 211L may be arranged in the same internal space as the charging unit 30. Alternatively, only one of the left and right side surfaces of the housing 2 may be formed of a housing part, and the electrical devices connected to the input side and output side of the charging unit 30 (power conversion part 3) may be housed in one housing part.

In each of the above embodiments, the multiple charging units 30 are arranged in a vertical position with the vertical direction as the longitudinal direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. The charging units may be arranged, for example, in a horizontal position with the horizontal direction as the longitudinal direction. In this case, by arranging an intake port equivalent to the second intake port 45 at one end in the left-right direction on both side surfaces in the front-rear direction of the housing, a first flow path, a second flow path, and a third flow path can be formed inside the housing.

In each of the above embodiments, the rear side surface 342 of the inner cylindrical portion 34 is joined to the rear side surface 322 of the outer cylindrical portion 32, but the present invention is not limited to this. It is sufficient to join one or two opposing side surfaces of the outer cylindrical portion 32 and the inner cylindrical portion 34. Alternatively, the inner cylindrical portion 34 may be disposed inside the outer cylindrical portion 32 and spaced apart from the outer cylindrical portion 32. For example, the inner cylindrical portion 34 may be disposed coaxially with the outer cylindrical portion 32.

In each of the above embodiments, the intake fan 52 is provided at the upper end of each charging unit 30, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the intake fan 52 may be provided at a position separated from the charging unit 30. For example, the intake fan may be provided near the exhaust port 48 provided at the top of the housing 2, and the upper end opening of the inner tube portion 34 of the charging unit 30 and the intake fan may be connected by a duct or the like.

The present invention can be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention. It goes without saying that the scope of the invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

1. Electric vehicle charging device (charging device)
2 Housing 212 Stand part 14 Wiring 20 First air intake (air intake)
30 Charging unit 39 Partition section 40 Double structure section 45 Second air intake (air intake)
48 Exhaust port 52 Intake fan 600 Electric vehicle charging device R1 First flow path R2 Second flow path R3 Third flow path S1 First space S2 Second space (wire housing section)

Claims (6)

A charging device for an electric vehicle, comprising a housing that houses a charging unit that converts electric power input from an external power source into electric power for charging an electric vehicle,
A first intake port and a second intake port provided in the housing;
An exhaust port provided in the housing;
a first flow path that passes the air introduced into the housing from the first air intake port from one end side of the charging unit through the inside of the charging unit to the other end side of the charging unit and exhausts the air from the exhaust port to the outside of the housing;
a second flow path that guides the air introduced into the housing from the second air intake from the other end side of the charging unit, through the side of the charging unit, to one end side of the charging unit and merges with the first flow path. the second air intakes are provided on both sides of the housing, the two sides facing each other with the charging unit therebetween;
the second flow path has an inlet provided on one end side of the charging unit, and causes air that has passed a side of the charging unit to merge with the first flow path through the inlet;
2. The charging device for an electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the inlet is provided on one end side of the charging unit so as to open in the same direction as one of the second air intakes provided on both sides of the housing. a wall portion of the housing in which the second air intake port is provided has a double structure including an outer wall portion and an inner wall portion disposed inside the outer wall portion,
3. The electric vehicle charging device according to claim 1, wherein the second flow path guides the air introduced from the second air intake port to the other end side of the charging unit through a gap between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion. A charging device for electric vehicles according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the other end of the charging unit is provided with an intake fan for introducing air into the housing from the first and second intake ports. The inside of the housing is divided into a first space and a second space by a partition provided integrally with the intake fan,
the first space accommodates the charging unit, and air outside the housing is introduced through the first and second air intakes;
The electric vehicle charging device according to claim 4 , wherein air discharged from the intake fan is introduced into the second space and is discharged to the outside of the housing through the exhaust port. The charging device for an electric vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a plurality of the charging units are accommodated inside the housing and arranged in a row in one direction with the vertical direction of the housing as the longitudinal direction.