IP Library Granted Patent US 12662006
Granted Patent B2
US 12662006 · App. 18/580,345 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Charging socket arrangement for a vehicle

Inventor: Sebastian Vahle (Landshut, DE)
Assignee: AUDI AG
B60L53/16H01R13/447H01R13/5804H01R2201/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12662006
App. No.
18/580,345
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A charging socket arrangement for a vehicle, having a charging socket arranged in a charging socket recess and a charging socket flap, which covers the charging socket in a first position and exposes it in a second position, and a warning flap arranged in the area of the charging socket, which in a first position is invisible and can be covered by the charging socket flap and in a second position protrudes from an outer skin of the vehicle visibly in front of and/or behind the charging socket flap as a warning sign and warns other road users of a protruding charging cable, and a vehicle having such a charging socket arrangement.

Claims (20)

1 . A charging socket arrangement for a vehicle, comprising: a charging socket arranged in a charging socket recess and a charging socket flap, which covers the charging socket in a first position and exposes the charging socket arranged in the charging socket recess in a second position, and a warning flap arranged in the area of the charging socket, which, in a first position, is invisible and can be covered by the charging socket flap and, in a second position, protrudes from an outer skin of the vehicle visibly in front of and/or behind the charging socket flap as a warning sign and warns other road users of a protruding charging cable, wherein the warning flap has a cable guide on its back side facing toward the charging socket for guiding the charging cable connected to the charging socket, wherein the charging socket flap and the warning flap are connected to opposite sides of the charging socket recess (via corresponding hinges.

2 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the warning flap has a warning label.

3 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the warning flap has an optical warning element.

4 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein in the first position of the warning flap, the cable guide is at least partially accommodated by a recess, which is introduced into the charging socket recess.

5 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the cable guide is designed to be movable and folds out from a rest position to a working position when the warning flap moves from the first position to the second position.

6 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 2 , wherein the warning flap is coupled to the charging socket flap in such a way that the warning flap moves from its first position to the second position when the charging socket flap is moved from the first position to the second position, and moves from its second position to the first position when the charging socket flap is moved from the second position to the first position.

7 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the warning flap has an optical warning element.

8 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the optical warning element is designed as a passive reflector or as an active lighting element.

9 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein information from a brightness sensor is evaluated to actuate the active lighting element, wherein the active lighting element is activated when the brightness falls below a predetermined brightness threshold value.

10 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein in the first position of the warning flap, the cable guide is at least partially accommodated by a recess, which is introduced into the charging socket recess.

11 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the cable guide is designed to be movable and folds out from a rest position to a working position when the warning flap moves from the first position to the second position.

12 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein in the first position of the warning flap, the cable guide is at least partially accommodated by a recess, which is introduced into the charging socket recess.

13 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein the cable guide is designed to be movable and folds out from a rest position to a working position when the warning flap moves from the first position to the second position.

14 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein in the first position of the warning flap, the cable guide is at least partially accommodated by a recess, which is introduced into the charging socket recess.

15 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the cable guide is designed to be movable and folds out from a rest position to a working position when the warning flap moves from the first position to the second position.

16 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein in the first position of the warning flap, the cable guide is at least partially accommodated by a recess, which is introduced into the charging socket recess.

17 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 16 , wherein the cable guide is designed to be movable and folds out from a rest position to a working position when the warning flap moves from the first position to the second position.

18 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the cable guide is designed to be movable and folds out from a rest position to a working position when the warning flap moves from the first position to the second position.

19 . The charging socket arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the warning flap is coupled to the charging socket flap in such a way that the warning flap moves from its first position to the second position when the charging socket flap is moved from the first position to the second position, and moves from its second position to the first position when the charging socket flap is moved from the second position to the first position.

20 . A vehicle having an electric drive and a charging socket arrangement, which is designed according to claim 12 .