Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[001] The present invention relates to a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device for opening a charging lid of the vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[002] In electrical and hybrid vehicles, a vehicle has a charging lid through which a charger is attached for charging a battery of the vehicle. The charging lid is an imperative requirement to prevent egress of environmental factors such as wind, rain, dust etc from entering into the charging port. In existing electric vehicles the charging lid cover is either push operated or there is a button externally disposed which directly opens the charging lid cover. The charging lid being push enabled or switch enabled permits any unauthorized user to intervene in the charging operation of the vehicle, which is undesirable.
[003] In view thereof, there is a need felt to overcome at least the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[004] In one aspect of the invention, a device for opening a charging lid of a vehicle is disclosed. The device comprises a housing and at least one sliding member. The sliding member is adapted to be connected to a plurality of connecting member wherein actuation of the plurality of connecting members actuates opening of the charging lid.
[005] In an embodiment, the sliding member is adapted to be connected to a first connecting member, a second connecting member and a third connecting member. The first connecting member is adapted to connect the sliding member to an actuator disposed in the vehicle. The second connecting member is adapted to be operated manually by a user of the vehicle. The third connecting member is adapted to connect the sliding member to the charging lid covering a charging port of the vehicle.
[006] In an embodiment, the housing comprises a top cover and a bottom cover and the sliding member comprises an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. The top cover of the housing comprises a first surface and a first set of guiding rails extending from the first surface. The bottom cover of the housing comprises a second surface and a second set of guiding rails extending from the second surface. The upper surface of the sliding member comprises a first set of ribs extending from the upper surface. The lower surface of the sliding member comprises a second set of ribs extending from the lower surface. In the assembled state of housing, the top cover and the bottom cover are assembled by means of one or more fasteners. In the assembled state of the housing, the first surface of the top cover faces the second surface of the bottom cover. In the assembled state of the housing, the first set of ribs are adapted to slide in the first set of guiding rails and the second set of ribs are adapted to slide in the second set of guiding rails such that the sliding member moves forward and backward in one direction.
[007] In an embodiment, the bottom cover of the housing comprises a first slot, a second slot and third slot. The first slot is adapted to receive the first connecting member. The second slot is adapted to receive the second connecting member and the third slot is adapted to receive the third connecting member. The first slot and the second slot are formed on a first side wall of the bottom cover and the third slot is provided on a second side wall of the bottom cover. The first side wall is provided opposite the second side wall.
[008] In an embodiment, at least one of the upper cover and the bottom cover comprises an attachment section and a locking section. The attachment section is adapted to be connected to a frame of the vehicle and the locking section is adapted to be connected to the frame of the vehicle to prevent rotation of the device.
[009] In an embodiment, the sliding member is of polygonal shape.
[010] In an embodiment, the second connecting member has a first end and a second end. The first end of the second connecting member is adapted to be connected to the sliding member and the second end of the connecting member is accessible to the user from a pocket of the vehicle. In a non-limiting example, the pocket is provided on an inner surface of one of the left side panel and the right pane of the vehicle.
[011] In an embodiment, the top cover having an A-shaped structure for uniform load distribution across the surface of the top cover.
[012] In another aspect of the present invention, a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a charging port adapted to receive a charging plug for charging the vehicle, a charging lid for covering the charging port of the vehicle and a device for opening the charging lid of the vehicle. The device for opening the charging lid of the vehicle has been explained in the preceding paragraphs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[013] Reference will be made to embodiments of the invention, examples of which may be illustrated in accompanying figures. These figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Although the invention is generally described in context of these embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these particular embodiments.
Figure 1 illustrates a portion of a vehicle having an actuator, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2a, Figure 2b and Figure 2c illustrate a device connected to the actuator and a charging lid of the vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3a, Figure 3b and Figure 3c, Figure 3d and Figure 3e illustrate the device and the actuator being assembled onto a frame of the vehicle and connected to each other, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4a illustrates a front view of the device connected to an actuator, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4b illustrates a rear view of the device connected to an actuator, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 illustrates an exploded view of the device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 illustrates a schematic view of top cover of the device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 illustrates a schematic view of a bottom cover of the device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 9a and 9b illustrate schematic views of a sliding member of the device, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[014] Various features and embodiments of the present invention here will be discernible from the following further description thereof, set out hereunder.
[015] The term “vehicle” in the context of the present invention comprises any electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle having a charging port covered by a charging lid of the vehicle. In a non-limiting example, the vehicle is a saddle type vehicle, step through vehicle, three wheeler, four wheeler and the likes.
[016] Figure 1 illustrates a portion of a vehicle having an actuator 122, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2a, Figure 2b and Figure 2c illustrates a device 100 connected to the actuator 122 and a charging lid 102 of the vehicle, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[017] As shown, the vehicle comprises an actuator 122 which is adapted to be connected to a charging lid 102 of the vehicle. The charging lid 102 is adapted to cover charging port of the vehicle. The position of the actuator 122 in the vehicle may differ depending upon the position of the charging port or charging lid 102 of the vehicle. The actuator is powered by a battery (not shown) of the vehicle and is actuated by an input of the user through touch screen interface (not shown) or a switch (not shown) in the vehicle. Since the opening of the charging lid 102 is completely dependent on the battery, there might be a scenario in which the battery of the vehicle might be drained completely. The cause of the drain maybe due to several reasons such as, not being limited to, extended non usage of the vehicle. In this case the vehicle might not power up and it would lead to charging lid 102 not being opened owing to which the vehicle cannot be charged. There might also be a scenario of malfunctioning of the actuator 122. To overcome such a scenario, an alternate provision for opening the charging lid 102 of the vehicle is also provided by the present invention. The present invention provide a device 100 which facilitate opening of the charging lid of the vehicle either by actuator or manually by the user of the vehicle.
[018] Figure 3a, Figure 3b, Figure 3c, Figure 3d and Figure 3e illustrate the device 100 and the actuator 122 being assembled onto the frame 10 of the vehicle and connected to each other, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[019] Figure 4a illustrates a front view of the device 100 connected to an actuator 122, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4b illustrates a rear view of the device 100 connected to the actuator 122, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[020] As shown, the device 100 and actuator 122 are assembled onto the frame 10 by means of one or more fasteners F. Either a top cover 106 (shown in Figure 6) or a bottom cover 108 (shown in Figure 6) of the device comprises an attachment section 146 and a locking section 148. The attachment section 146 is adapted to be connected to the frame 10 of the vehicle and the locking section 148 is adapted to be connected to the frame 10 of the vehicle and prevent rotation of the device 100. The actuator 122 is also connected to the frame 10 of the vehicle by means of a bracket B. The actuator 122 is fastened to the bracket B using one or more fasteners and the bracket is attached to the frame 10 of the vehicle using one or more fasteners. The device 100 comprises a first connecting member 116, a second connecting member 118 and a third connecting member 120. The first connecting member 116 is adapted to connect the device 100 to the actuator 122. The second connecting member 118 is adapted to be manually operated by the user of the vehicle. The third connecting member 120 is adapted to connected to the charging lid 102 covering the charging port of the vehicle such that actuation of one of the first connecting member 116 and the second connecting member 118 actuates the third connecting member 120 to open the charging lid 102 covering the charging port of the vehicle.
[021] Figure 5 illustrates a perspective view of the device 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 illustrates an exploded view of the device 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 illustrates a schematic view of top cover 106, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 illustrates a schematic view of a bottom cover 108, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9a and 9b illustrate schematic views of a sliding member 114, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[022] As shown, the device comprises a housing 104 and at least one sliding member 114. The sliding member 114 is adapted to be connected to a plurality of connecting member wherein actuation of the plurality of connecting members actuates opening of the charging lid 102 of the vehicle. The sliding member 114 is adapted to slide in the housing 104.
[023] In an embodiment, the device 100 comprises the first connecting member 116, the second connecting member 118 and the third connecting member 120. The first connecting member 116 is adapted to connect the sliding member 114 to the actuator 122 disposed in the vehicle. The second connecting member 118 is adapted to be manually operated by the user of the vehicle. The third connecting member 120 is adapted to connect the sliding member 114 to the charging lid 102 covering the charging port of the vehicle. In a non-limiting example, the first connecting member 116, the second connecting member 118 and the third connecting member 120 are cables.
[024] The actuation of any one of the first connecting member 116 and the second connecting member 118 actuates the third connecting member 120 to open the charging lid 102 covering the charging port of the vehicle. The actuator 122 is powered by the battery of the vehicle and is operated by the user of the vehicle through the touch screen interface (not shown) or the switch (not shown) in the vehicle.
[025] During operation, upon receiving a user input, the actuator 122 operates to pull the first connecting member 116. As the first connecting member 116 is connected to the sliding member 114 of the device 100, the sliding member 114 is also pulled. The pulling of the sliding member 114 will result in actuation or pulling of the third connecting member 120 connected to the charging lid 102 of the vehicle. The charging lid 102 of the vehicle is, therefore, opened upon the operation of actuator 122. However, in a condition where the battery of the vehicle drains out and the actuator 122 cannot be operated for opening the charging lid of the vehicle, the user can manually operate the second connecting member 118. The pulling of the second connecting member 118 will result in actuation of the third connecting member 120 connected to the charging lid 102 of the vehicle. The charging lid 102 of the vehicle is, therefore, opened when the third connecting member is pulled by the rider of the vehicle. In other words, the charging lid 102 of the vehicle can be opened by actuation of either the first connecting member 116 or the second connecting member 118. In a non-limiting example, the first connecting member 116, the second connecting member 118 and the third connecting member 120 are cables having elastic nature which brings the sliding member 114 to its original position (i.e. position before actuation by one of the first connecting member and the second connecting member) after the charging lid has been opened. However, this example should not be construed as limiting and other mechanism having springs and the likes for bringing the sliding member 114 to its original position are well within the scope of the present invention. The housing 104 of the sliding member 114 comprises a top cover 106 and a bottom cover 108 assembled to each other by means of one or more fasteners F. The top cover 106 and the bottom cover 108 are shown in Figure 7 and Figure 8, respectively. The top cover 106 comprises a first surface 110. The bottom cover 108 comprises a second surface 112. In the assembled condition of the housing 104, the first surface 110 of the top cover 106 faces the second surface 112 of the bottom cover 108. The first surface 110 of the top cover 106 comprises a first set of guiding rails 124 and the second surface 112 of the bottom cover 108 comprise a second set of guiding rails 126. The first set of guiding rails 124 and the second set of guiding rails 126 allows to and from movement of the sliding member 114 in one direction.
[026] The sliding member 114 comprises an upper surface 128 and a lower surface 130 (shown in Figure 9b) opposite the upper surface. The upper surface 128 of the sliding member 114 comprises a first set of ribs 132 (shown in Figure 9a and 9b) and the lower surface 130 of the sliding member 114 comprises a second set of ribs 134 (shown in Figure 9b) .
[027] The sliding member 114 is received in the housing 104 such that the first set of ribs 132 of the sliding member 114 slide in the first set of guiding rails 124 and the second set of ribs 134 slide in the second set of guiding rails 126 to allow movement of the sliding member 114 in one direction. In one non-limiting example, the sliding member 114 is capable of moving in forward and backward along a longitudinal axis of the housing 104 of the device 100.
[028] The bottom cover 108 of the housing 104 comprises multiple side walls including a first side wall 142 and a second side wall 144 opposite the first side wall 142. The first side wall 142 comprises a first slot 136 and a second slot 138. The second side wall 144 comprises a third slot 139. The first slot 136 is adapted to receive the first connecting member 116. The second slot 138 is adapted to receive the second connecting member 118 and the third slot 139 is adapted to receive the third connecting member 120.
[029] As already stated in the preceding paragraphs, at least one of the top cover 106 and the bottom cover 108 of the housing 104 comprises the attachment section 146 and the locking section 148. The attachment section 146 is adapted to be connected to a frame 10 of the vehicle and the locking section 148 is adapted to be connected to the frame 10 of the vehicle to prevent rotation of the device 100.
[030] The sliding member 114 of the device 100 can be of a polygonal shape. As shown in Figure 9, the sliding member 114 is triangular in shape. The first connecting member 116, the second connecting member 118 and the third connecting member 120 are connected at three corners of the triangular shaped sliding member. Similarly, the top cover 106 and the bottom cover 108 can also be polygonal in shape. In a non-limiting example, the top cover 106 having an A-shaped structure 150 (shown in Figure 6) for uniform load distribution across the surface of the top cover.
[031] The second connecting member 118 has a first end 118a and a second end 118b. The first end 118a of the second connecting member 118 is adapted to be connected to the sliding member 114 and the second end 118b of the connecting member 118 being accessible to the user from a pocket (not shown). In a non-limiting example, the pocket is provided on an inner surface of one of the left side panel and the right pane of the vehicle.
[032] The device 100 of the present invention is provided in a vehicle which has a charging port for charging the vehicle and the charging lid 102 for covering the charging port of the vehicle.
[033] The claimed features of the present invention as discussed above are not routine, conventional, or well understood in the art, as the claimed features/steps enable the following solutions to the existing problems in conventional technologies. Specifically, the technical problems associated with opening the charging lid of the charging port of the vehicle in an event of non-working of an actuator of the vehicle is solved by present invention.
[034] In the present invention, the charging lid of the vehicle can be opened when the actuator cannot be operated. One of the reasons for non-working of the actuator is drainage of the battery which powers the actuator. Another reason could be malfunctioning of the actuator itself. In such scenarios, the charging lid can be opened by the user of the vehicle by operating the second connecting member.
[035] The device of the present invention is simple, reliable and cost effective and increases the comfort of the user of the vehicle.
[036] While the present invention has been described with respect to certain embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

List of Reference Numerals
10- frame
100-device
102- charging lid
104-housing
106- top cover
108-bottom cover
110- first surface of the top cover
112- second surface of the bottom cover
114- sliding member
116- first connecting member
118- second connecting member
118a- first end
118b-second end
120- third connecting member
122- actuator
124- first set of guiding rails
126- second set of guiding rails
128-upper surface of sliding member
130- lower surface of sliding member
132- first set of ribs
134- second set of ribs
136-first slot
138- second slot
139- third slot
142-first side wall of lower cover
144- second side wall of the lower cover
146- attachment section
148- locking section
150- A shaped structure
B-bracket
F- fasteners

, C , Claims:WE CLAIM:

1. A device (100) for opening a charging lid (102) of a vehicle, the device (100) comprising:
- a housing (104);
- at least one sliding member (114), the at least one sliding member (114) adapted to be connected to a plurality of connecting members (116, 118, 120) wherein actuation of the plurality of connecting members actuates opening of the charging lid (102). of the vehicle.

2. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, comprising a first connecting member (116), a second connecting member (118) and a third connecting member (120), the first connecting member (116) adapted to connect the at least one sliding member (114) to an actuator (122) disposed in the vehicle, the second connecting member (118) adapted to be operated manually by a user of the vehicle and the third connecting member (120) adapted to connect the at least one sliding member (114) to the charging lid (102) covering a charging port of the vehicle.

3. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the housing (104) comprises a top cover (106) and a bottom cover (106), the top cover (106) having a first set of guiding rails (124) extending from a first surface (110) of the top cover (106) and the bottom cover (108) having a second set of guiding rails (126) extending from a second surface (112) of the bottom cover (108), the first surface (110) of the top cover (108) and the second surface (112) of the bottom cover (108) facing each other in an assembled state of the housing (104) wherein the top cover (106) and the bottom cover (108) of the housing (104) are assembled by means of one or more fasteners (F).

4. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sliding member (114) comprises an upper surface (128) and a lower surface (130) opposite the upper surface (128), the upper surface (128) comprises a first set of ribs (132) extending from the upper surface (128) and the lower surface (130) comprises a second set of ribs (134) extending from the lower surface (130).

5. The device (100) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first set of ribs (132) are adapted to slide in the first set of guiding rails (124) and the second set of ribs (134) are adapted to slide in the second set of guiding rails (126).

6. The device (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the bottom cover (108) of the housing (104) comprises a first slot (136), a second slot (138) and a third slot (139), the first slot (136) adapted to receive the first connecting member (116), the second slot (138) adapted to receive the second connecting member (118) and the third slot (139) adapted to receive the third connecting member (120) wherein the first slot (136) and the second slot (138) are formed on a first side wall (142) of the bottom cover (108) and the third slot (139) is formed on a second side wall (144) of the bottom cover (108), the second side wall (144) being provided opposite the first side wall (142).

7. The device (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the top cover (106) and the bottom cover (108) comprises an attachment section (146) and a locking section (148), the attachment section (146) adapted to be connected to a frame (10) of the vehicle and the locking section (148) adapted to be connected to the frame (10) of the vehicle to prevent rotation of the device (100).

8. The device (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sliding member (114) being polygonal in shape.

9. The device (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second connecting member (118) having a first end (118a) and a second end (118b), the first end of the second connecting member (118) adapted to be connected to the sliding member (114) and the second end (118b) of the second connecting member (118) being accessible from a pocket formed on an inner surface of one of the left side panel and right side panel of the vehicle.

10. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the top cover having an A-shaped structure (150) for uniform load distribution across the surface of the top cover (106).

11. A vehicle comprising:
a charging port, the charging port adapted to receive a charging plug for charging the vehicle;
a charging lid (102), the charging lid (102) adapted to cover the charging port of the vehicle;
a device (100) for opening the charging lid (102) as claimed in any of the preceding claims