Contact finger structure, charging connector and charging mechanism

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of automotive charging technology, and more specifically, to a contact finger structure comprising a retaining ring, a conductive ring, and a contact finger. The retaining ring has a sliding hole formed in its sidewall, the conductive ring and the retaining ring are concentric, and the contact finger is disposed between the retaining ring and the conductive ring. A contact point is provided at a first end of the contact finger, which can slide within the sliding hole, and an elastic member is disposed between the second end of the contact finger and the conductive ring. The contact finger structure provided by the present invention is modular in design, easy to install and maintain, and highly extensible. Furthermore, when docking with a target electrode ring, the docking resistance is low, and the requirements for the rear-end drive mechanism and transmission mechanism are relatively low.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of automobile charging, and in particular to a contact finger structure, a charging connector and a charging mechanism. Background Art

[0002] Conductive charging is the most common charging method for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Automakers often place receptacles in various locations on the vehicle (side, front, or rear) that connect to a plug (charging gun) mounted on a cable. This connection method is expensive due to the need for precise vehicle positioning and the use of long cables. It also poses safety risks due to the manual operation required. While chassis-based inductive charging devices, currently under mass production research, are more convenient, they suffer from significant fluctuations in charging efficiency due to the uncertainty in the positioning of the induction coils. Furthermore, they struggle to match conductive charging in terms of weight and volume.

[0003] For the above reasons, conductive automatic charging equipment has become an emerging charging solution. It has the advantages of high efficiency of conductive charging and the convenience of inductive charging. However, based on existing technology, there are still certain limitations in its application:

[0004] (1) Affected by the charging scenario: For the side automatic charging system, the existing charging gun or other connectors with a long axial distance and heavy weight are generally used, which has high requirements for the strength of the rear transmission structure, and the supporting facilities require a large engineering installation space; for the chassis automatic charging system, due to the limitations of the vehicle chassis space and ground clearance, the installation space of the existing electrical connector is limited, resulting in low current carrying capacity, which seriously restricts the charging efficiency. Moreover, during the charging process, the vehicle chassis often has up and down displacement or front and back left and right offsets, which will drive the female connector (or male connector) of the vehicle unit to move, and the male connector (or female connector) is fixed to the ground unit. The displacement or offset of the vehicle chassis will cause damage to the male connector and the female connector;

[0005] (2) Affected by the contact structure: Some connectors use a traditional pinhole structure, which requires very high positioning accuracy of the rear-end transmission mechanism, has a large plug-in and pull-out force, and there is a lot of wear during the plug-in and pull-out process, which seriously affects the life of the equipment. At the same time, it puts forward high requirements on the strength and volume of the rear-end transmission mechanism; another part of the connector uses a flat spring contact structure to provide electrical connection, which is easy to burn the spring under overload conditions, thereby causing the connector to lose its function. At the same time, the contact form that uses the contact for axial compression has a high docking pressure, requiring the rear-end drive mechanism to have a large output torque, and the transmission mechanism should have a self-locking function; in addition, the contacts of the spring contact structure are prone to oxidation and deformation during long-term use, affecting the conduction efficiency and even causing arcing and burning. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In order to solve the technical problem in the prior art that the flat spring contact structure of the charging connector has high requirements for the rear-end driving mechanism, the present invention proposes a contact finger structure with smaller docking resistance and lower requirements for the rear-end driving mechanism.

[0007] The technical solution of the present invention:

[0008] A contact finger structure, comprising:

[0009] A limiting ring, wherein a sliding hole is provided on a side wall of the limiting ring;

[0010] A conductive ring, wherein the conductive ring and the limiting ring are concentric;

[0011] A contact finger is arranged between the limiting ring and the conductive ring, a first end of the contact finger is provided with a contact point that can slide in the sliding hole, and an elastic member is arranged between the second end of the contact finger and the conductive ring.

[0012] Furthermore, a wire is provided between the contact finger and the conductive ring, and the contact finger is electrically connected to the conductive ring through the wire.

[0013] Furthermore, the contact finger structure further includes a spacer ring, and the spacer ring is located between the limiting ring and the conductive ring.

[0014] Furthermore, a sliding rod is provided at the second end of the contact finger, a sliding opening for accommodating the sliding rod is provided on the side wall of the conductive ring, and the elastic member is sleeved on the sliding rod.

[0015] Another aspect of the present invention provides a charging connector, comprising a male connector and a female connector, and further comprising a contact finger structure as described above, at least one of the contact finger structures being configured on the male connector or the female connector.

[0016] Furthermore, the female connector is provided with a plurality of female electrodes, and the male connector is correspondingly provided with a plurality of male electrodes, and at least one of the female electrodes adopts the contact finger structure.

[0017] Furthermore, the female electrode includes a female DC+ electrode and a female DC- electrode, both of which adopt the contact finger structure and are arranged on the outermost layer and the second outermost layer of the female connector; correspondingly, the male electrode includes a male DC+ electrode and a male DC- electrode, both of which are also arranged on the outermost layer and the second outermost layer of the male connector, respectively.

[0018] Furthermore, the female electrode further includes a female PE electrode, and the male electrode further includes a male PE electrode, and the female PE electrode contacts the male PE electrode before other female electrodes contact the corresponding male electrodes.

[0019] Furthermore, after the male connector and the female connector are docked, each female electrode and the corresponding male electrode that establish an electrical connection form a group of conductive bridges, and an insulating plate is arranged between every two adjacent conductive bridges. After docking, the insulating plates are in a groove state.

[0020] Furthermore, the female connector includes a female insulating container, in which the female electrode is configured; the male connector includes a male insulating container, in which the male electrode is configured.

[0021] Furthermore, a tapered guide surface is formed on the inner side wall of the male end insulating container, and the tapered guide surface first contacts the female end insulating container for guidance and alignment.

[0022] Another aspect of the present invention provides a charging mechanism, comprising:

[0023] A charging connector as described in any one of the above;

[0024] A ground unit, the ground unit comprising a mechanical lifting arm, the execution end of the mechanical lifting arm being configured with a flexible connection structure, and the male end connector being configured on the flexible connection structure;

[0025] The vehicle-mounted unit is provided with the female connector, and the mechanical lifting arm lifts the male connector to connect with the female connector.

[0026] Furthermore, the flexible connection structure includes:

[0027] a first connecting seat, wherein the male connector is configured at a first end of the first connecting seat;

[0028] The second connecting seat, the first end of the second connecting seat and the second end of the first connecting seat are movably connected and locked by a locking module, the second end of the second connecting seat is configured at the execution end of the mechanical lifting arm, after the male connector and the female connector are docked, the locking constraints of the first connecting seat and the second connecting seat are released to allow the two to disengage from each other.

[0029] Furthermore, the second end of the second connecting seat is connected to the execution end through a flexible component, and the flexible component includes:

[0030] a spring sheet, wherein a first end of the spring sheet is fixedly connected to the second end of the second connecting seat, a second end of the spring sheet is fixedly connected to the flexible seat, and an elastic portion is formed between the first end and the second end of the spring sheet;

[0031] The flexible seat includes a seat body and a movable part. The seat body has a cavity. The movable part can move freely in the cavity and its outer circumference is limited by multiple telescopic springs. The mounting surface of the movable part is fixedly connected to the second end of the spring sheet, and a cover plate is provided on the cavity.

[0032] After adopting the above technical solution, the contact finger structure provided by the present invention has the following beneficial effects compared with the prior art:

[0033] (1) The contact finger structure of the present invention is formed into a ring. Compared with the planar pogopin contact method, under the same current carrying conditions, it does not need to withstand large axial docking pressure and has smaller docking resistance. It has lower requirements on the output torque of the rear-end drive mechanism and the strength of the transmission mechanism, and does not require a self-locking function to maintain the electrical connection between the contact point and the target electrode ring;

[0034] (2) The contact points of the finger structure of the present invention can promptly and effectively clean the oxide film on the surface of the target electrode ring during the contact process with the target electrode ring, ensuring reliable contact without the need for frequent maintenance;

[0035] (3) Compared with the structure in which a strap contact finger or a spring contact finger is provided on the side wall of the conductive ring, the contact finger structure of the present invention has smaller docking resistance during docking under the same current carrying conditions, and has lower strength requirements for the rear-end transmission mechanism. At the same time, the contact finger structure of the present invention has lower requirements for docking accuracy, and the rear end can use a positioning element with lower precision to save costs;

[0036] (4) The contact finger structure of the present invention is formed into a modular structure, which has better installation processability than the planar spring contact structure;

[0037] (5) The contact finger structure of the present invention can be provided with multiple contact fingers along the circumferential direction between the conductive ring and the limiting ring, and multiple contact points can be provided along the axial direction and / or radial direction to meet the use requirements under different current carrying conditions, and has strong scalability;

[0038] (6) The male and female connectors of the present invention are smaller than those of conventional charging guns. When used in chassis charging, they can meet the chassis charging needs of various vehicles and can increase the conductive contact area by increasing the radial size, thereby enabling high-current charging. When used in side charging devices, due to their shorter axial distance and lighter weight, the strength requirements for the drive mechanism and transmission mechanism behind them are lower.

[0039] (7) The present invention sets the male PE electrode and the female PE electrode to contact each other before the other female electrodes and male electrodes contact each other, so that they are first grounded to form protection during docking and charging, and then disconnected from the ground after charging is completed, preventing leakage during the charging process and causing safety hazards;

[0040] (8) After docking, the male and female connectors of the present invention form a groove between the insulating plates, which has a larger electrical clearance and creepage distance than ordinary flat docking.

[0041] (9) In the present invention, by providing a tapered guide surface on the male connector to align with the female connector, the rear-end transmission mechanism can be provided with one less positioning action, thereby reducing its design difficulty and production cost;

[0042] (10) In the charging mechanism of the present invention, before charging, the first connecting seat and the second connecting seat are in a locked state. When the male connector of the mechanical lifting arm execution end and the female connector of the vehicle-mounted unit are connected, the locking constraints of the first connecting seat and the second connecting seat are released to allow the two to disengage from each other, and the disengagement distance is greater than the displacement of the vehicle chassis, thereby compensating for the up and down displacement and the front, back, left and right deviations of the vehicle during the charging process, and avoiding damage to the male connector and the female connector due to the displacement of the vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of an application scenario of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a front view of the contact finger structure of the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the touch finger structure according to the first embodiment of the present invention at a first viewing angle;

[0046] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the structure of the finger structure of the first embodiment of the present invention at a second viewing angle;

[0047] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the finger structure of the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of a female connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 7 This is an exploded diagram of the installation of the female end DC+ electrode and the female end DC- electrode according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of a male connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 9 Schematic diagram of the installation of the male DC+ electrode and the male DC- electrode of the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the structure of the connection terminals of each female electrode in embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 11 Schematic diagram of the structure of the connection terminals of each male electrode in the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 12 4 is a cross-sectional view of a female PE electrode according to a third embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 13 This is an exploded diagram of the installation of the female PE electrode according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] Figure 14 Schematic diagram of the installation of the male PE electrode of the third embodiment of the present invention

[0057] Figure 15 This is an exploded diagram of the installation of the female CP electrode according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] Figure 16 Schematic diagram of the structure of the female CP electrode of the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0059] Figure 17 Schematic diagram of the installation of the male CP electrode according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0060] Figure 18 Schematic diagram of the structure of the public end CP electrode of the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0061] Figure 19 This is a cross-sectional view of the male connector and the female connector after docking according to the third embodiment of the present invention;

[0062] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the female connector according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[0063] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the male connector according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention;

[0064] Figure 22 This is a structural diagram of a charging mechanism according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention;

[0065] Figure 23 This is a structural diagram of the flexible connection structure of Example 7 of the present invention.

[0066] in,

[0067] Charging connector 1', electric vehicle 2';

[0068] Contact finger 11, contact point 111, sliding rod 112, wire 113, elastic member 114, inner limiting ring 12a, outer limiting ring 12b, sliding hole 121, spacer ring 122, mounting groove 1221, outer conductive ring 13a, inner conductive ring 13b, sliding opening 131, and terminal blocks 132a and 132b;

[0069] Female connector 2, female insulating housing 21, female insulating plate 211, receiving groove 212, annular housing groove 213, limiting groove 2131, through-port 214, female DC+ electrode 22, female DC+ terminal 221, female DC- electrode 23, female DC- terminal 231, female PE electrode 24, female PE terminal 241, corrugated washer 242, PE electrode ring 243, retaining spring 244, female CP electrode 25, female CP terminal 251, CP plate 252, female CP electrode ring 253, first pressing sleeve 254, spring contact finger 255;

[0070] Male connector 3, male insulating housing 31, male insulating plate 311, tapered guide surface 312, male DC+ electrode 32, male DC+ terminal 321, male DC+ electrode ring 322, first pressing plate 323, male DC- electrode 33, male DC- terminal 331, male DC- electrode ring 332, second pressing plate 333, male PE electrode 34, male PE terminal 341, fixing ring 342, fixing pin 343, pressing ring 344, male CP electrode 35, male CP terminal 351, spring pin 352, elastic contact 3521, male CP electrode ring 353, second pressing sleeve 354, conductive hole 355;

[0071] Mechanical lifting arm 4, execution end 41, first connecting seat 42, second connecting seat 43, push-pull electromagnetic lock 431, lock tongue 432, flexible component 44, spring sheet 441, flexible seat 442, seat body 4421, movable part 4422, telescopic spring 4423, cover plate 4424. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all the embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is actually only illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the present invention and its application or use. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0073] like Figure 1As shown, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a small and high-power charging connector 1', which can quickly charge the electric vehicle 2' in a short time. Figure 1 The chassis charging shown is also suitable for side charging, and the smaller docking pressure and volume can adapt to a variety of rear-end transmission mechanisms. It can withstand instantaneous large currents and does not require frequent maintenance to meet the reliability requirements of continuous and safe use. At the same time, the modular contact finger structure can meet the usage requirements under different current-carrying conditions. Specific examples are given below to illustrate this.

[0074] Example 1:

[0075] like Figure 2 As shown, the contact finger structure of this embodiment includes a contact finger 11, a limiting ring and a conductive ring. The contact finger 11 is arranged between the limiting ring and the conductive ring. Specifically, the limiting ring of this embodiment is the inner limiting ring 12a, and the conductive ring of this embodiment is the outer conductive ring 13a. The inner limiting ring 12a and the outer conductive ring 13a are concentrically arranged, and the outer diameter of the inner limiting ring 12a is smaller than the inner diameter of the outer conductive ring 13a. The contact finger 11 is arranged between the inner limiting ring 12a and the outer conductive ring 13a. Further, as Figure 2-3 As shown, a contact 111 is provided at the first end of the contact finger 11. The head of the contact 111 is hemispherical, and a sliding hole 121 is correspondingly opened on the inner limit ring 12a. The contact 111 faces inward and can slide out in the sliding hole 121 to electrically connect with the target electrode ring whose diameter is slightly smaller than the inner limit ring 12a. At the same time, in this embodiment, an elastic member 114 is provided at the second end of each contact finger 11. The elastic member 114 can be selected from but not limited to a conductive spring. The first end of the conductive spring is fixed to the contact finger 11, and the second end is fixed to the outer conductive ring 13a. The conductive spring can not only make the contact 111 avoid when it is squeezed by the target electrode ring, but also press the contact 111 to ensure that the contact 111 and the target electrode ring are in reliable contact. At the same time, it can also electrically connect the contact finger 11 and the outer conductive ring 13a. In addition, the contact 111 can timely and effectively clean the oxide film on the surface of the target electrode ring during the contact process with the target electrode ring, thereby ensuring reliable contact without frequent maintenance.

[0076] As can be seen from the above, the contact finger structure of this embodiment is formed in a ring shape. When the target electrode ring is inserted, the radially arranged contacts 111 first avoid the contact and then establish an electrical connection. Compared with the planar pogopin contact method, under the same current carrying conditions, it does not need to withstand large axial docking pressure, has smaller docking resistance, and has lower requirements on the output torque of the rear-end drive mechanism and the strength of the transmission mechanism. Moreover, no self-locking function is required to maintain a continuous and reliable electrical connection between the contact 111 and the target electrode ring. Compared with the structure in which watchband contacts or spring contacts are provided on the side wall of the conductive ring, under the same current carrying conditions, the contact finger structure of this embodiment has a hemispherical end 111 that can more easily avoid the target electrode ring, has smaller docking resistance during docking, and has lower requirements on the strength of the rear-end transmission mechanism. At the same time, the spring contacts require higher docking precision. However, when docking with the target electrode ring, the contact finger structure of this embodiment can avoid the contact by the hemispherical contacts 111, and the docking accuracy requirement is lower. The rear end can use a positioning element with lower precision to save costs.

[0077] Furthermore, if Figure 2-3 As shown, in this embodiment, a sliding rod 112 is provided at the second end of the contact finger 11, and a sliding opening 131 for accommodating the sliding of the sliding rod 112 is correspondingly provided on the side wall of the outer conductive ring 13a. Specifically, the first end of the sliding rod 112 is fixedly connected to the contact finger 11, and can be a threaded connection. The middle part of the sliding rod 112 can slide in the sliding opening 131. The second end of the sliding rod 112 is provided with a flange to prevent the sliding rod from detaching from the outer conductive ring 13a to the inside, and the above-mentioned conductive spring is sleeved on the sliding rod 112, and the conductive spring is limited and guided by the sliding rod 112.

[0078] Furthermore, if Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, a wire 113 is further connected between the contact finger 11 and the outer conductive ring 13a. In this embodiment, the specific connection method of the wire 113 is welding. Of course, in other embodiments, it can also be bolted or crimped. The contact finger 11 is electrically connected to the outer conductive ring 13a via the wire 113. In this embodiment, welding the wire 113 can share the overcurrent of the conductive spring, which can effectively prevent the conductive spring from burning and elastic failure caused by high current. The number of wires 113 can be set according to actual needs, but the length of each wire 113 should be sufficient. When the conductive spring is pressed against the contact finger 11, there is still a certain amount of excess wire 113 to prevent the wire 113 from being stressed. In addition, in other embodiments, the elastic member 114 can also be made of an insulating material, and only the wire 113 carries the current.

[0079] Furthermore, if Figure 3As shown, this embodiment further includes a spacer ring 122 between the outer conductive ring 13a and the inner retaining ring 12a. The spacer ring 122 and the inner retaining ring 12a can be integrally formed or assembled separately, and the two serve as insulation. After the wire 113 between the outer conductive ring 13a and the contact finger 11 is welded, the contact finger 11 compresses the conductive spring, allowing the welded assembly to be mounted on the outer side of the spacer ring 122. The spacer ring 122 includes a mounting groove 1221 for mounting the contact finger 11. The contact point 111 and the sliding hole 121 cooperate to prevent the welded assembly from separating from the inner retaining ring 12a and the spacer ring 122. The entire contact finger structure of this embodiment is now modular, with fixing holes provided in the spacer ring 122, which can be secured to the desired target device via screws. The modular contact finger structure of this embodiment offers improved installation processability compared to a planar spring-loaded contact structure.

[0080] Furthermore, if Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, a connection terminal 132a is configured on the outer conductive ring 13a, and a cable can be welded or crimped on the connection terminal 132a to connect to the power supply or the vehicle end.

[0081] Furthermore, if Figure 2-3 As shown, in this embodiment, three contact fingers 11 are evenly arranged along the circumference between the outer conductive ring 13a and the inner limit ring 12a. Compared with one contact finger 11, it can withstand a larger current, and each contact finger 11 in this embodiment is provided with two contact points 111. Of course, in other embodiments, multiple contact fingers 11 can be arranged along the circumference between the outer conductive ring 13a and the inner limit ring 12a, and multiple contacts 111 can be arranged in the axial and / or radial directions in a single contact finger 11 to meet the use requirements under different current-carrying conditions, and the scalability is strong.

[0082] In summary, the contact finger structure of this embodiment is modular as a whole, which is convenient for installation and maintenance. By changing the number of contact fingers 11 or contact points 111, different current carrying conditions can be met, and it has strong scalability. At the same time, when docking with the target electrode ring, the docking resistance is small, and the requirements for the rear-end drive mechanism and transmission mechanism are relatively low.

[0083] Example 2:

[0084] like Figure 5 As shown, the contact finger structure of this embodiment differs from that of the first embodiment in that the conductive ring of this embodiment is located on the inside, forming the inner conductive ring 13b, which is equipped with a terminal 132b. The retaining ring of this embodiment is located on the outside and is integrally formed with the spacer ring to form the outer retaining ring 12b. Furthermore, the contact point 111 of the contact finger 11 faces outward, for electrical connection to the target electrode ring, which has a diameter slightly larger than that of the outer retaining ring 12b.

[0085] Example 3:

[0086] The charging connector of this embodiment includes a female connector 2 and a male connector 3. Figure 6 As shown, the female connector 2 of this embodiment is provided with four layers of female electrodes, namely, the female DC+ electrode 22, the female DC- electrode 23, the female PE electrode 24 and the female CP electrode 25, wherein the female DC+ electrode 22 and the female DC- electrode 23 are respectively arranged in the outermost layer and the second outermost layer. Figure 8 As shown, male connector 3 also has four layers of male electrodes: male DC+ electrode 32, male DC- electrode 33, male PE electrode 34, and male CP electrode 35. Male DC+ electrode 32 and male DC- electrode 33 are arranged in the outermost and second-outermost layers, respectively. In this embodiment, placing the power electrodes in the main charging circuit in the outermost and second-outermost layers increases the effective contact area of ​​the power electrodes, thereby improving charging power, compared to placing them in the inner layers.

[0087] Furthermore, the female DC+ electrode 22 in the female connector 2 of this embodiment adopts the contact finger structure of the first embodiment, and the female DC- electrode 23 adopts the contact finger structure of the second embodiment. Figure 6-7 As shown, the female connector 2 includes a female insulating container 21, which is a cylindrical body with one end open. The contact finger structure of the above-mentioned embodiment 1 is installed on the inner bottom surface of the female insulating container 21 with the help of screws to form a female DC+ electrode 22. Similarly, the contact finger structure of the above-mentioned embodiment 2 is installed on the inner side of the female DC+ electrode 22 to form a female DC- electrode 23. A receiving groove 212 is formed between the female DC+ electrode 22 and the female DC- electrode 23.

[0088] like Figure 8-9 As shown, in this embodiment, a male-end DC+ electrode ring 322 is configured on the male-end connector 3 corresponding to the female-end DC+ electrode 22, and a male-end DC- electrode ring 332 is configured on the female-end DC- electrode 23. Specifically, as shown in FIG. Figure 8-9 As shown, the male connector 3 of this embodiment includes a male insulating container 31, which is also a cylindrical body with one end open, and a male DC+ electrode ring 322 is fixed in the male insulating container 31 with the help of screws and a first pressure plate 323 to form a male DC+ electrode 32, and a male DC- electrode ring 332 is fixed on the inner side of the male DC+ electrode 32 with the help of screws and a second pressure plate 333 to form a male DC- electrode 33, wherein the male DC+ electrode ring 322 and the male DC- electrode ring 332 are separated by a male insulating plate 311, and the male insulating plate 311 can be integrally formed with the male insulating container 31.

[0089] When the male connector 3 is docked with the female connector 2, the male insulating plate 311 is inserted into the receiving groove 212 of the female connector 2, and the male DC+ electrode ring 322 squeezes the contact in the female DC+ electrode 22. The contact is avoided with the help of a conductive spring so that the male DC+ electrode ring 322 is smoothly inserted and presses the male DC+ electrode ring 322 tightly after insertion to ensure good contact. At the same time, the contact in the female DC+ electrode 22 can timely and effectively clean the oxide film on the surface of the male DC+ electrode ring 322 during the contact process with the male DC+ electrode ring 322, ensuring reliable contact. Similarly, after docking, the contacts in the male DC-electrode ring 332 and the female DC-electrode 23 are also reliably in contact, thus achieving a reliable electrical connection between the male connector 3 and the female connector 2. The female DC+ electrode 22, the female DC- electrode 23, the male DC+ electrode 32 and the male DC- electrode 33 of this embodiment are power electrodes in the main charging circuit, and are all formed in a ring shape. Under the same charging power, the male connector 3 and the female connector 2 of the present invention are smaller in size than traditional charging guns. When used in chassis charging, they can meet the chassis charging needs of various vehicles and can increase the conductive contact area by increasing the radial size, thereby performing large current charging and increasing charging efficiency; and when used in side charging devices, due to its short axial distance and light weight, the strength requirements for the drive mechanism and transmission mechanism behind it are low, and no large installation space is required.

[0090] In practical applications, the male connector 3 can be placed at the ground end near the power supply, and the female connector 2 can be placed at the vehicle end. In order to achieve electrical connection between the power supply and the vehicle end, Figure 6 and Figure 10 As shown, in this embodiment, the terminal on the female DC+ electrode 22 passes through the female insulating container 21 to form a female DC+ terminal 221, and the terminal on the female DC- electrode 23 passes through the female insulating container 21 to form a female DC- terminal 231. The female DC+ terminal 221 and the female DC- terminal 231 can be connected to the DC+ pole and DC- pole of the vehicle end respectively by crimping or welding cables; similarly, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 and Figure 11 As shown, the wiring terminal on the male DC+ electrode ring 322 of this embodiment passes through the male insulating container 31 to form a male DC+ wiring terminal 321, and the wiring terminal on the male DC- electrode ring 332 passes through the male insulating container 31 to form a male DC- wiring terminal 331. The male DC+ wiring terminal 321 and the male DC- wiring terminal 331 can be respectively connected to the DC+ pole and DC- pole of the power supply by crimping or welding cables, thereby forming an electrical connection between the power supply and the vehicle end, and the power supply can charge the vehicle.

[0091] Furthermore, if Figure 10As shown, a through opening 214 is provided on the side wall of the female end insulating container 21 of this embodiment, which allows the sliding rod in the female end DC+ electrode 22 to slide, and the sliding rod and the through opening 214 cooperate to perform positioning during installation.

[0092] Furthermore, the female end PE electrode 24 of this embodiment is an elastic plate structure, such as Figure 12-13 As shown, the female end PE electrode 24 of this embodiment includes a corrugated washer 242, a PE electrode ring 243 and a retaining spring 244. An annular receiving groove 213 is provided in the female end insulating container 21. The side wall edge of the annular receiving groove 213 is provided with a circle of limiting grooves 2131. After the corrugated washer 242 and the PE electrode ring 243 are placed in the receiving groove in turn, the retaining spring 244 is embedded in the limiting groove 2131 by virtue of its own deformation, which can prevent the corrugated washer 242 and the PE electrode ring 243 from escaping from the receiving groove 213. In this way, the PE electrode ring 243 can move up and down with the elasticity of the corrugated washer 242. Correspondingly, the male end PE electrode 34 is a fixed needle structure, such as Figure 14 As shown, the male PE electrode 34 of this embodiment includes a fixing ring 342, a plurality of fixing pins 343 and a pressure ring 344. The fixing ring 342 is first fixedly installed in the male insulating container 31, and then a plurality of fixing pins 343 are sequentially placed corresponding to the plurality of positioning holes on the fixing ring 342, and then pressed by the pressure ring 344, thus forming the male PE electrode 34 with a fixed pin structure. In this embodiment, the fixing pins 343 of the male PE electrode 34 and the PE electrode ring 243 of the female PE electrode 24 are arranged to be close to each other, so that they contact each other before the other female electrodes and the male electrodes contact each other, so that they are first grounded to form protection during docking and charging, and are disconnected after charging is completed, so as to prevent the male insulating container 31 or the female insulating container 21 from leaking electricity during the charging process and causing safety hazards.

[0093] like Figure 10 As shown, the connection terminal on the PE electrode ring 243 of this embodiment passes through the female end insulating container 21 to form a female end PE connection terminal 241, as shown in FIG. Figure 11 As shown, the terminal on the fixing ring 342 passes through the male end insulating container 31 to form a male end PE terminal 341, and the female end PE terminal 241 and the male end PE terminal 341 can be connected to the vehicle end and the power supply respectively by crimping or welding cables.

[0094] Furthermore, if Figure 15-18 As shown, the female CP electrode 25 of this embodiment is a fixed plate structure, while the male CP electrode 35 is a spring ejector structure. Figure 15-16The female end CP electrode 25 includes a CP plate 252, a female end CP electrode ring 253 and a first pressing sleeve 254. The female end CP electrode ring 253 is first fixed to the female end insulating container 21 by the first pressing sleeve 254, and then the CP plate 252 is fixed on the other side. The CP plate 252 and the female end CP electrode ring 253 can be screwed together; Figure 17-18 As shown, the male CP electrode 35 of this embodiment includes a spring pin 352, a male CP electrode ring 353, and a second pressing sleeve 354. The male CP electrode ring 353 presses the spring pin 352 onto the male insulating container 31. The spring pin 352 and the male CP electrode ring 353 maintain electrical connection, and the elastic contact 3521 of the spring pin 352 passes through the other side. Then, the second pressing sleeve 354 fixes the male CP electrode ring 353 to the male insulating container 31. The female CP terminal 251 on the female CP electrode ring 253 can be connected to the vehicle end by crimping or welding a cable, and the male CP terminal 351 on the male CP electrode ring 353 can be connected to the power supply by crimping or welding a cable.

[0095] After the male connector 3 and the female connector 2 are docked, each female electrode and male electrode that establish electrical connection form a group of conductive bridges, and an insulating plate is configured between every two adjacent conductive bridges to meet higher levels of operating voltage. Since there are four female electrodes and four male electrodes in this embodiment, four groups of conductive bridges are formed after docking, namely DC+ conductive bridge, DC- conductive bridge, PE conductive bridge and CP conductive bridge. Figure 8 As shown, in this embodiment, a male end insulating plate 311 is configured on the male end insulating container 31, so that the DC+ conductive bridge and the DC- conductive bridge are isolated, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, two female end insulating plates 211 are arranged on the female end insulating container 21, so that the DC-conductive bridge, the PE conductive bridge and the CP conductive bridge are insulated from each other. Figure 19 As shown in the figure, after docking, the insulation boards are in a groove state, which has a larger electrical gap and creepage distance than ordinary flat docking.

[0096] Furthermore, if Figure 19 As shown, the inner sidewall of the male end insulating container 31 of this embodiment is formed with a tapered guide surface 312. During the docking process, this tapered guide surface 312 first contacts the female end insulating container 21 for guidance and alignment, until the axial centerlines of the male end insulating container 31 and the female end insulating container 21 coincide, achieving precise docking. The provision of the tapered guide surface in this embodiment eliminates a positioning action in the rear-end transmission mechanism, reducing its design difficulty and production cost. Of course, a guide surface can also be provided on the outer sidewall edge of the female end insulating container 21 for guidance and alignment.

[0097] Example 4:

[0098] The difference between this embodiment and the third embodiment is that the female PE electrode of this embodiment adopts the form of a fixed electrode plate, while the male PE electrode adopts the form of a spring pin, and the electrical connection is achieved by pressing the fixed electrode plate and the spring pin together. Of course, in other embodiments, the female PE electrode may adopt the structure of the female DC+ electrode ring (or female DC- electrode ring) as in the third embodiment, while the male PE electrode may correspondingly adopt the structure of the male DC+ electrode ring (or male DC- electrode ring) as in the third embodiment, and the contact of the female PE electrode may be arranged on the outside of the opening of the female insulating container to ensure that the electrical connection is established before the other female electrodes come into contact with the corresponding male electrodes.

[0099] Embodiment 5:

[0100] The difference between this embodiment and the third embodiment is that Figure 20 As shown, the female end CP electrode of this embodiment adopts a spring contact finger 255 (or a strap contact finger), as shown in FIG. Figure 21 As shown, the male CP electrode 35 is in the form of a conductive hole 355 (or a conductive needle), and an electrical connection is established by the spring contact finger 255 contacting the conductive hole 355 .

[0101] In other embodiments, the female CP electrode may also adopt the elastic plate form of the female PE electrode in Example 3, and the male CP electrode may also adopt the fixed needle form of the male CP electrode in Example 3, and electrical connection is achieved by pressing the elastic plate and the fixed needle.

[0102] Example 6:

[0103] The difference between this embodiment and the third embodiment is that the charging connector of the third embodiment is adapted for a DC charging pile, while the charging connector of this embodiment is adapted for an AC charging pile. The charging connector of this embodiment also includes a female connector and a male connector, and the female connector includes female L1-L3 electrodes, a female N electrode, a female PE electrode, a female CP electrode, and a female CC electrode for transmitting three-phase electricity, and the male connector includes male L1-L3 electrodes, a male N electrode, a male PE electrode, a male CP electrode, and a male CC electrode for connecting three-phase electricity.

[0104] Among them, in order to distinguish the electrodes, the female end L1-L3 electrodes can adopt the contact finger structure of Example 1 or Example 2, and the male end L1-L3 electrodes can adopt the electrode ring form accordingly; and the female end N electrode is set to be the same as the female end PE electrode in Example 3, and the male end N electrode is set to be the same as the male end PE electrode in Example 3; the female end CC electrode is set to be the same as the female end CP electrode in Example 3, and the male end CC electrode is set to be the same as the male end CP electrode in Example 3.

[0105] Embodiment seven:

[0106] The charging mechanism of this embodiment includes the charging connector of embodiment 3, as well as a ground unit and an onboard unit. The ground unit is equipped with the male connector 3 of embodiment 3, while the onboard unit is located on the vehicle chassis and equipped with the female connector of embodiment 3. Alternatively, the male connector 3 may be located on the onboard unit, and the female connector may be located on the ground unit.

[0107] Specifically, if Figure 22 As shown, the ground unit of this embodiment includes a mechanical lifting arm 4, and the execution end 41 of the mechanical lifting arm 4 is configured with a flexible connection structure. The male end connector 3 in the above-mentioned embodiment three is configured on the flexible connection structure. The ground unit lifts the male end connector 3 through the mechanical lifting arm 4 to connect it with the female end connector of the vehicle-mounted unit. The mechanical lifting arm 4 here can be the mechanical arm disclosed in the invention No. "201910578617.4" and named "A method, system and device for detecting and processing abnormal startup of a chassis mechanical arm".

[0108] like Figure 22-23 As shown, the flexible connection structure of this embodiment includes a first connection seat 42, a second connection seat 43 and a flexible component 44, wherein the first end of the first connection seat 42 is configured with the above-mentioned male connector 3, the second end of the first connection seat 42 and the first end of the second connection seat 43 are movably connected and locked by a locking module, the second end of the second connection seat 43 is connected to the flexible component 44, and the flexible component 44 is configured at the execution end 41 of the mechanical lifting arm 4. Specifically, the first end of the first connection seat 42 is fixedly connected to the male connector 3, the second end of the first connection seat 42 has a connection port, and a locking protrusion is formed on the inner wall edge of the connection port. The first end of the second connection seat 43 is provided with a locking module. The locking module of this embodiment adopts a push-pull electromagnetic lock 431. The second end of the second connection seat 43 is connected to the flexible seat 442 in the flexible component 44, and the flexible seat 442 is fixedly connected to the execution end 41 of the mechanical lifting arm 4 of the ground unit.

[0109] Before charging, the first connecting seat 42 and the second connecting seat 43 are in a locked state. When charging is required, the mechanical lifting arm 4 drives the second connecting seat 43 and the first connecting seat 42 to rise at the same time to dock the male connector 3 and the female connector of the vehicle-mounted unit. When docking is completed, the controller controls the lock tongue 432 of the push-pull electromagnetic lock 431 to retract, and the locking constraints of the first connecting seat 42 and the second connecting seat 43 are released. The mechanical lifting arm 4 can drive the second connecting seat 43 to disengage from the first connecting seat 42; after charging is completed, the mechanical lifting arm 4 drives the second connecting seat 43 and the first connecting seat 42 to connect. After the connection is completed, the controller controls the lock tongue 432 of the push-pull electromagnetic lock 431 to pop out, and the first connecting seat 42 and the second connecting seat 43 can be locked through the locking protrusion of the connection port, and then the mechanical lifting arm 4 drives the male connector 3 and the female connector to separate.

[0110] From the above content, it can be seen that this embodiment realizes the separation of the first connecting seat 42 and the second connecting seat 43 during charging by setting a push-pull electromagnetic lock 431. After the mechanical lifting arm 4 drives the second connecting seat 43 to separate from the first connecting seat 42, the distance at which the second connecting seat 43 is separated from the first connecting seat 42 is set to be greater than the displacement caused by the movement of the car, that is, whether the car moves up and down or shifts forward, backward, left or right, it will not touch the second connecting seat 43, thereby avoiding damage to the male connector 3 and the female connector due to the displacement of the car.

[0111] Furthermore, the flexible seat 442 of this embodiment includes a seat body 4421 and a movable part 4422. The seat body 4421 has a cavity for accommodating the movable part 4422. The movable part 4422 can move in the cavity and its outer periphery is limited by four evenly distributed telescopic springs 4423. The mounting surface of the movable part 4422 is connected to the second connecting seat 43 through the spring sheet 441. At the same time, a cover plate 4424 is provided on the cavity. The seat body 4421 is fixedly connected to the execution end 41 of the mechanical lifting arm 4. The outer periphery of the first end of the second connecting seat 43 is formed into a conical connecting surface, and the connecting port of the first connecting seat 42 has an inclined surface that matches the conical connecting surface. After charging is completed, the mechanical lifting arm 4 drives the second connecting seat 43 to connect with the first connecting seat 42. When the conical connecting surface and the inclined surface come into contact, the mechanical lifting arm 4 drives the second connecting seat 43 to continue to move upward. During this process, the second connecting seat 43 will move in the front, back, left and right directions. At this time, the movable part 4422 and the telescopic spring 4423 in the flexible seat 442 can cooperate to compensate for the displacement, prevent docking, and prevent damage to the female connector, the male connector 3 and the mechanical lifting arm 4. It should be noted here that a micro switch can be set on the top of the second connecting seat 43 to detect whether the second connecting seat 43 and the first connecting seat 42 are connected in place. When connected in place, the lock tongue 432 of the push-pull electromagnetic lock 431 is controlled to pop out and lock the second connecting seat 43 and the first connecting seat 42.

[0112] Furthermore, the first end of the spring sheet 441 of this embodiment is fixedly connected to the second end of the second connecting seat 43, and the second end of the spring sheet 441 is fixedly connected to the movable part 4422 of the flexible seat 442. There is an elastic part between the first and second ends of the spring sheet 441. Since the vehicle chassis will have a certain tilt, the female connector fixed on the on-board unit will also have a certain tilt, and the second connecting seat 43, the first connecting seat 42 and the male connector 3 of the execution end 41 of the mechanical lifting arm 4 are all in a horizontal state. At this time, the male connector 3 and the female connector of the on-board unit cannot be fully docked. The spring sheet 441 of this embodiment can make up for the unevenness of the vehicle chassis. When the male connector 3 and the female connector are docked, by compressing the spring sheet 441, the second connecting seat 43, the first connecting seat 42 and the male connector 3 all generate an inclination angle corresponding to the female connector, so that the male connector 3 and the female connector are fully docked, avoiding charging failure, and at the same time will not damage the female connector, the male connector 3 and the mechanical lifting arm 4.

[0113] When the male connector 3 is lifted by the mechanical lifting arm 4 and aligned with the female connector, there may be a certain horizontal position deviation, which may prevent the male connector 3 and the female connector from docking. In this embodiment, the male connector 3 first contacts the female connector via the tapered guide surface 312 to guide alignment until the axial centerlines of the male connector 3 and the female connector coincide, achieving precise docking. During the guidance and alignment process to achieve precise docking, the movable member 4422 and the telescopic spring 4423 cooperate to compensate for the horizontal displacement of the male connector 3.

[0114] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, a portion of the length of the cable crimped or welded at the rear end of the male connector 3 needs to be reserved to compensate for the up and down displacement caused by the separation of the second connecting seat 43 and the first connecting seat 42.

[0115] The above description is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field, within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, who makes equivalent replacements or changes based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A charging mechanism, characterized in that: include: A charging connector, comprising a male connector (3) and a female connector (2), the charging connector further comprising a contact finger structure, the contact finger structure comprising: A limiting ring, wherein a sliding hole is provided on a side wall of the limiting ring; A conductive ring, wherein the conductive ring and the limiting ring are concentric; A contact finger (11), the contact finger (11) being arranged between the limiting ring and the conductive ring, the first end of the contact finger (11) being provided with a contact point (111) that can slide in the sliding hole, and an elastic member (114) being arranged between the second end of the contact finger (11) and the conductive ring; At least one of the contact finger structures is configured on the male connector (3) or the female connector (2); When the target electrode ring is inserted, the radially arranged contacts (111) are first avoided and then electrically connected, and the contacts (111) and the target electrode ring are kept in continuous electrical connection; The charging mechanism also includes: A ground unit, the ground unit comprising a mechanical lifting arm (4), the execution end (41) of the mechanical lifting arm (4) being provided with a flexible connection structure, the male end connector (3) being provided on the flexible connection structure; An on-board unit, wherein the female connector (2) is configured on the on-board unit, and the mechanical lifting arm (4) lifts the male connector (3) to dock with the female connector (2); The flexible connection structure includes: a first connecting seat (42), wherein a first end of the first connecting seat (42) is configured with the male end connector (3); A second connecting seat (43), wherein the first end of the second connecting seat (43) and the second end of the first connecting seat (42) are movably connected and locked by a locking module, and the second end of the second connecting seat (43) is configured at the execution end (41) of the mechanical lifting arm (4), and after the male connector (3) and the female connector (2) are docked, the locking constraints of the first connecting seat (42) and the second connecting seat (43) are released so that the two are separated from each other; The second end of the second connecting seat (43) is connected to the execution end (41) via a flexible component (44), and the flexible component (44) includes: a spring sheet (441), wherein a first end of the spring sheet (441) is fixedly connected to the second end of the second connecting seat (43), a second end of the spring sheet (441) is fixedly connected to the flexible seat (442), and an elastic portion is formed between the first end and the second end of the spring sheet (441); A flexible seat (442) comprises a seat body (4421) and a movable member (4422), wherein the seat body (4421) has a cavity, the movable member (4422) can move freely in the cavity and its periphery is limited by a plurality of telescopic springs (4423), the mounting surface of the movable member (4422) is fixedly connected to the second end of the spring sheet (441), and a cover plate (4424) is provided on the cavity.

2. A charging mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: A conductive wire (113) is provided between the contact finger (11) and the conductive ring, and the contact finger (11) is electrically connected to the conductive ring via the conductive wire (113).

3. A charging mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The contact finger structure further includes a spacer ring, which is located between the limiting ring and the conductive ring.

4. A charging mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sliding rod (112) is provided at the second end of the contact finger (11), a sliding opening for accommodating the sliding rod (112) is provided on the side wall of the conductive ring, and the elastic member (114) is sleeved on the sliding rod (112).

5. A charging mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The female end connector (2) is provided with a plurality of female end electrodes, and the male end connector (3) is correspondingly provided with a plurality of male end electrodes, and at least one of the female end electrodes adopts the contact finger structure.

6. A charging mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The female end electrode comprises a female end DC+ electrode (22) and a female end DC- electrode (23), both of which adopt the contact finger structure and are arranged on the outermost layer and the second outermost layer of the female end connector (2); correspondingly, the male end electrode comprises a male end DC+ electrode (32) and a male end DC- electrode (33), both of which are also arranged on the outermost layer and the second outermost layer of the male end connector (3), respectively.

7. A charging mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that: The female electrode further includes a female PE electrode (24), and the male electrode further includes a male PE electrode (34). The female PE electrode (24) and the male PE electrode (34) are in contact with each other before the other female electrodes contact the corresponding male electrodes.

8. A charging mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: After the male connector (3) and the female connector (2) are docked, each female electrode and the corresponding male electrode that establish an electrical connection form a group of conductive bridges, and an insulating plate is arranged between every two adjacent conductive bridges. After docking, the insulating plates are in a groove state.

9. A charging mechanism according to claim 5, characterized in that: The female end connector (2) comprises a female end insulating container (21), wherein the female end electrode is arranged in the female end insulating container (21); the male end connector (3) comprises a male end insulating container (31), wherein the male end electrode is arranged in the male end insulating container (31).

10. A charging mechanism according to claim 9, characterized in that: The inner side wall of the male end insulating container (31) is formed with a tapered guide surface (312), and the tapered guide surface (312) first contacts the female end insulating container (21) for guidance and alignment.

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