360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connector and connector assembly made thereof

Abstract

A plug-in energy storage connector that can rotate 360° includes a socket and a plug. When the socket and the plug are plugged in, the electrical connector in the plug contacts the electrical connector in the socket, and the electrical connector in the plug can contact the wire. The plug includes a plug shell. The electrical connector in the plug shell includes a socket terminal. A front cover is provided outside the socket terminal. The front cover is fixed to the plug-in end of the plug shell, and the front cover can rotate along the outer wall of the socket terminal. The present invention also discloses a connector group made of the above-mentioned plug-in energy storage connector. Compared with the prior art, the technical effect of the present invention is that the present invention is provided with multiple sets of mating cams and keyways. Through the guidance of the guide angle and the relative rotation of the front cover, the socket and the plug can be plugged in at any angle of 360°, which is convenient for electrical connection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a plug-in type energy storage connector capable of rotating 360 degrees and a connector group made thereof. Background Art

[0002] At present, as an emerging field, the energy storage field has special requirements for connectors. Moreover, with the increase in scale, the requirements for assembly efficiency, production efficiency, safety, installation space, etc. are becoming increasingly higher.

[0003] See also Figure 1 The energy storage component 900 includes multiple batteries 901. The electrodes 902 of the multiple batteries 901 are generally connected through an energy storage connector. The energy storage component 900 is also connected to the outside world through the energy storage connector. The energy storage connector includes a socket 903 and a plug 904. The socket 903 is connected to the electrodes 902, and the plug 904 is connected to the wires (including internal wires 905 connecting the multiple batteries 901, and also including external wires 906 connecting the energy storage component 900 to the outside world). Summary of the Invention

[0004] Technical problem to be solved by the present invention: Generally speaking, the wires connected to the plug 904 are perpendicular to the axis of the socket 903. In order to facilitate the connection of the wires, the socket 903 and the plug 904 need to rotate relative to each other during insertion. Currently, it is not possible to achieve 360° insertion at any angle.

[0005] The technical solution of the present invention is specifically as follows:

[0006] A 360-degree rotatable plug-in energy storage connector includes a socket and a plug. When the socket and the plug are plugged together, the electrical connector in the plug contacts the electrical connector of the socket, and the electrical connector in the plug can contact the wire. The plug includes a plug housing. The electrical connector in the plug housing includes a socket terminal. A front cover is provided outside the socket terminal. The front cover is fixed to the plugging end of the plug housing. The front cover can rotate along the outer wall of the socket terminal. The cylindrical surface outside the front cover is provided with M convex keys, M≤N. N equally divided points are provided on the cylindrical surface outside the front cover. The M convex keys are distributed on the equally divided points. Only one convex key is provided at each equally divided point. The distal end of the convex key is a guide cone, which is tapered with a smaller distal end and a larger distal end. When the socket includes a socket housing, the electrical connector in the socket housing is a pin terminal. N key slots are provided on the inner wall of the end of the socket housing. The key slots are evenly distributed. The shape of the key slots matches the shape of the convex keys. The ends of the key slots are guide angles, and the shape of the guide angles matches the shape of the guide cone.

[0007] The electrical connector inside the plug shell includes a jack terminal and an OT terminal. The axial directions of the jack terminal and the pin terminal are consistent, and the axial directions of the OT terminal and the pin terminal are perpendicular. The OT terminal includes a front end and a rear end, and the rear end can contact the wire. The connection between the jack terminal and the OT terminal is specifically as follows: the front end of the OT terminal is plate-shaped, and is provided with a through hole. The front end is attached to the end of the jack terminal, and a screw is passed through the through hole. The threaded section of the screw cooperates with the inner wall thread of the jack terminal. The connection between the OT terminal and the jack terminal is completed by tightening the screw with the thread of the jack terminal.

[0008] A tail cover is provided at the side end of the plug shell, and a sealing body is provided between the plug shell and the tail cover; an upper cover is provided at the upper end of the plug shell, and an O-ring A is provided between the plug shell and the upper cover; a sealing ring is provided between the plug shell and the front cover, and an O-ring B is provided between the socket shell and the pin terminal.

[0009] A groove is provided on the outer wall of the jack terminal, and a convex ring is provided on the front cover at a position corresponding to the groove, and the convex ring is arranged in the groove.

[0010] One end face of the convex ring is a sloped surface for transition, and the other end face is a step surface.

[0011] A primary lock is provided on the plug shell, and the primary lock includes an unlocking part, specifically: when the unlocking part is pressed, the socket and the plug are in an unlocked state, and when the unlocking part is pushed, the socket and the plug are in a locked state. A secondary lock is provided on the upper cover, and the secondary lock includes a lock tongue fixed to the upper cover, a slide groove is provided on the outer wall of the plug shell, and a slider is provided on the upper cover, and the slider is stuck in the slide groove. The upper cover rotates relative to the plug shell by sliding the slider in the slide groove. When the lock tongue is located below the unlocking part, it is in the locked state of the secondary lock; when the lock tongue is not located below the unlocking part, it is in the unlocked state of the secondary lock.

[0012] A locking block is provided on the upper cover, and a locking cavity is provided on the plug shell. When the secondary lock is in a locked state, the locking block is located in the locking cavity.

[0013] The locking block is strip-shaped, with an indicator mark on the upper cover, and a locking mark and an unlocking mark on the plug shell. When the secondary lock is in the locked state, the indicator mark points to the locking mark; when the secondary lock is in the unlocked state, the indicator mark points to the unlocking mark, and the convex key is arranged along the axial direction of the front cover.

[0014] A connector set made of the above-mentioned plug-in energy storage connector includes two 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors, one for connecting the battery anode and the other for connecting the battery cathode, and the two 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors have different numbers of key slots.

[0015] A connector set made of the above-mentioned plug-in energy storage connector includes four 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors, the first of which is used to connect the battery anode and internal wires, the second is used to connect the battery cathode and internal wires, the third is used to connect the battery anode and external wires, and the fourth is used to connect the battery cathode and external wires. The number of key slots of the four 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors is different.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the technical effect of the present invention is that the present invention is provided with multiple sets of matching cams and keyways, and through the guidance of the guide angle and the relative rotation of the front cover, the socket and the plug can be plugged in at any angle of 360°, which is convenient for electrical connection. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the prior art.

[0018] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is an exploded diagram of the plug.

[0020] Figure 4 A schematic cross-sectional view of the plug.

[0021] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the front cover.

[0022] Figure 6 A schematic cross-sectional view of the front cover.

[0023] Figure 7 This is an exploded diagram of the socket.

[0024] Figure 8 A schematic cross-sectional view of the socket.

[0025] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of the socket.

[0026] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of the plug.

[0027] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the upper cover (1).

[0028] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the upper cover (2). DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] In order to make the purposes, features, and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the embodiments described below are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] It should be noted that in the present invention, relational terms such as first and second, etc. are only used to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations.

[0031] When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be a centrally located component. When a component is referred to as being "disposed on" another component, it can be directly disposed on the other component or there may be a centrally located component.

[0032] In addition, it should be understood in the present invention that “longitudinal”, “horizontal”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “back”, “left”, “right”, “top”, “bottom”, “inside”, “outside” and other indications of orientation or positional relationships are based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention, and do not indicate or imply that the device or original component referred to must have this specific orientation or operate with a specific orientation structure, and should not be understood as a limitation of the present invention.

[0033] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments thereof.

[0034] like Figure 2 A 360-degree rotatable plug-in energy storage connector includes a socket 200 and a plug 100. When the socket 200 and the plug 100 are plugged together, the electrical connector in the plug 100 contacts the electrical connector in the socket 200, and the electrical connector in the plug 100 can contact the wires 300 (the wires 300 include internal wires 905 that connect multiple batteries 901, and also include external wires 906 that connect the energy storage component 900 to the outside world).

[0035] like Figure 3-6 The plug 100 includes a plug housing 110, and the electrical connector inside the plug housing 110 includes a socket terminal 120. A front cover 190 is arranged outside the socket terminal 120. The front cover 190 is fixed to the plug-in end of the plug housing 110, and the front cover 190 can rotate along the outer wall of the socket terminal 120.

[0036] like Figure 5The cylindrical surface on the outside of the front cover plate 190 is provided with an average of M convex keys 194, M≤N, and the cylindrical surface on the outside of the front cover plate 190 is provided with N equally divided points, and the M convex keys 194 are distributed on the equally divided points. There is only one convex key 194 at one equally divided point, and the convex key 194 is arranged along the axial direction of the front cover plate 190. The distal end of the convex key 194 (the end away from the front cover plate 190) is a guide cone 193, and the guide cone 193 is a cone with a smaller size at the far end and a larger size near the near end.

[0037] like Figure 7-9 When the socket 200 includes a socket housing 210, the electrical connector inside the socket housing 210 is a pin terminal 230. N key slots 213 are provided on the inner wall of the end of the socket housing 210 (the end close to the plug 100, see the reference numeral 211). The key slots 213 are evenly distributed. The end of the key slot 213 (the end close to the plug 100) is a guide angle 212. The shape of the guide angle 212 matches the shape of the guide cone 193.

[0038] The number M of the protruding keys 194 and the number N of the keyways 213 are explained as follows:

[0039] If the number N of keyways 213 is 12 and the number M of keys 194 is also 12, there will be no problem matching the keyways 213 with the keys 194. If the number N of keyways 213 is 12 and the number M of keys 194 is 11 (or 10), then if 11 (or 10) keys 194 are distributed at 12 equally divided points, there will also be no problem matching the keyways 213 with the keys 194.

[0040] like Figure 3-4 The electrical connector inside the plug housing 110 includes a socket terminal 120 and an OT terminal 160. The axial directions of the socket terminal 120 and the pin terminal 230 are consistent, and the axial directions of the OT terminal 160 and the pin terminal 230 are perpendicular. The OT terminal 160 includes a front end 162 and a rear end 161. The rear end 161 can contact the wires 300 (the wires 300 include internal wires 905 that connect multiple batteries 901, and also include external wires 906 that connect the energy storage component 900 to the outside world).

[0041] like Figure 4 The connection between the jack terminal 120 and the OT terminal 160 is specifically as follows: the front end 162 of the OT terminal 160 is plate-shaped and is provided with a through hole 163. The front end 162 is attached to the end of the jack terminal 120. A screw 130 is passed through the through hole 163. The threaded section of the screw 130 cooperates with the inner wall thread of the jack terminal 120. The connection between the OT terminal 160 and the jack terminal 120 is completed by tightening the screw 130 and the jack terminal 120.

[0042] like Figure 3-4In order to prevent water from entering the plug, a tail cover 180 is provided at the side end of the plug housing 110, and a sealing body 170 is provided between the plug housing 110 and the tail cover 180; an upper cover 150 is provided at the upper end of the plug housing 110, and an O-ring A140 is provided between the plug housing 110 and the upper cover 150; a sealing ring 191 is provided between the plug housing 110 and the front cover plate 190.

[0043] like Figure 7-8 In order to prevent water from entering the socket, an O-ring B220 is provided between the socket housing 210 and the pin terminal 230.

[0044] like Figure 3-4 6. In order to maintain the stability of the rotation of the front cover 190, a groove 121 is provided on the outer wall of the jack terminal 120, and a convex ring 192 is provided at the corresponding position of the groove 121 of the front cover 190, and the convex ring 192 is arranged in the groove 121.

[0045] In order to facilitate the disengagement of the convex ring 192 and the groove 121, the end face of the convex ring 192 is a bevel 1921 for transition, and the other end face is a step surface 1922. The bevel 1921 facilitates the disengagement of the convex ring 192 and the groove 121.

[0046] like Figure 10 When the socket 200 and the plug 100 are plugged together, in order to prevent the socket 200 and the plug 100 from loosening, a primary lock 111 is provided on the plug housing 110. The primary lock 111 includes an unlocking portion 112. Specifically, when the unlocking portion 112 is pressed (at this time, the unlocking portion 112 is in a downwardly pressed state), the socket 200 and the plug 100 are in an unlocked state. When the unlocking portion 112 is pushed out (at this time, the unlocking portion 112 is in a free state), the socket 200 and the plug 100 are in a locked state. This is a prior art and will not be described in detail.

[0047] like Figure 10-11 In order to prevent the primary lock 111 from being unlocked accidentally, a secondary lock is provided on the upper cover 150. The secondary lock includes a lock tongue 151 fixed to the upper cover 150, a slide groove 109 is provided on the outer wall of the plug housing 110, and a slider 156 is provided on the upper cover 150. The slider 156 is stuck in the slide groove 109. The slider 156 slides in the slide groove 109 to make the upper cover 150 rotate relative to the plug housing 110. When the lock tongue 151 is located below the unlocking portion 112, it is in the locked state of the secondary lock. At this time, the unlocking portion 112 cannot be pressed down and the primary lock cannot be unlocked; when the lock tongue 151 is not located below the unlocking portion 112, it is in the unlocked state of the secondary lock. At this time, the unlocking portion 112 can be pressed down and the primary lock can be unlocked.

[0048] like Figure 12In order to prevent the secondary lock from being accidentally unlocked, a locking block 152 is provided on the upper cover 150, and the plug housing 110 is provided with a locking cavity (not shown in the figure). When the secondary lock is in the locked state, the locking block 152 is located in the locking cavity, which can prevent the secondary lock from being accidentally unlocked.

[0049] like Figure 12 In order to facilitate the disengagement of the locking block 152 from the locking cavity, the locking block 152 is strip-shaped.

[0050] like Figure 10 In order to facilitate observation of the status of the secondary lock, an indicator mark 117 is provided on the upper cover 150, and a locking mark 118 and an unlocking mark 119 are provided on the plug housing 110. When the secondary lock is in the locked state, the indicator mark 117 points to the locking mark 118; when the secondary lock is in the unlocked state, the indicator mark 117 points to the unlocking mark 119.

[0051] A connector assembly made of the above-mentioned energy storage connector includes two 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors, one for connecting to a battery anode and the other for connecting to a battery cathode. The two 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors have different numbers of key slots 213, which can prevent incorrect insertion. If incorrect insertion is attempted, the connector will not be inserted because the number of protruding keys 194 does not match the number of key slots 213.

[0052] A connector assembly made of the above energy storage connector includes four 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors, the first of which is used to connect the battery anode with the internal wire 905 (see Figure 1 ), the second is used to connect the battery cathode to the internal wire 905, and the third is used to connect the battery anode to the external wire 906 (see Figure 1 ), and the fourth is used to connect the battery cathode to the external wire 906. The four 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors have different numbers of key slots 213 to prevent incorrect insertion. If inserted incorrectly, the connector will not be inserted because the number of protruding keys 194 does not match the number of key slots 213.

[0053] Its working principle is:

[0054] When this patent is used, a suitable 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connector is selected, the socket 200 is connected to the battery electrode, the wire 300 is connected to the rear end 161 of the OT terminal 160, the direction of the wire 300 is adjusted, and the socket 200 is docked with the plug 100. If the position of the key slot 213 and the convex key 194 completely match, the plug-in is directly completed; if the position of the key slot 213 and the convex key 194 do not match, the front cover 190 is guided by the guide cone 193 to rotate a small angle (for example, if there are 12 key slots, the front cover 190 will rotate within a range of 30°). During this rotation process, other components do not rotate. After such adjustment, the position of the key slot 213 and the convex key 194 completely match, and the plug-in is completed.

[0055] After the insertion is completed, the primary lock is locked. At this time, the upper cover 150 is rotated again to indicate that the indicator mark 117 points to the locking mark 118. This is done.

[0056] For other contents, please refer to the prior art.

[0057] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be pointed out that for those skilled in the art, several changes and improvements can be made without departing from the overall concept of the present invention, and these should also be regarded as the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A plug-in type energy storage connector capable of 360° rotation, comprising a socket (200) and a plug (100), wherein when the socket (200) and the plug (100) are plugged in, an electrical connector in the plug (100) contacts an electrical connector in the socket (200), the plug (100) comprising a plug housing (110), the electrical connector in the plug housing (110) comprising a socket terminal (120), and characterized in that: A front cover plate (190) is provided on the outer surface of the jack terminal (120), the front cover plate (190) is fixed to the plug end of the plug housing (110), and the front cover plate (190) can rotate along the outer wall of the jack terminal (120). The cylindrical surface outside the front cover plate (190) is provided with M convex keys (194), M≤N, and the cylindrical surface outside the front cover plate (190) is provided with N equally divided points. The M convex keys (194) are distributed on the equally divided points. Only one convex key (194) is provided at one equally divided point. The distal end of the convex key (194) is a guide cone ( 193), the guide cone (193) is a cone that is smaller at a distance and larger at a distance, and when the socket (200) includes a socket housing (210), the electrical connector in the socket housing (210) is a pin terminal (230), and N key slots (213) are provided on the inner wall of the end of the socket housing (210), and the key slots (213) are evenly distributed. The shape of the key slots (213) matches the shape of the convex key (194), and the end of the key slot (213) is a guide angle (212), and the shape of the guide angle (212) matches the shape of the guide cone (193); The electrical connector in the plug housing (110) includes a socket terminal (120) and an OT terminal (160). The axial directions of the socket terminal (120) and the pin terminal (230) are consistent. The axial directions of the OT terminal (160) and the pin terminal (230) are perpendicular. The OT terminal (160) includes a front end (162) and a rear end (161). The rear end (161) can contact the wire. The connection between the socket terminal (120) and the OT terminal (160) is specific. The front end (162) of the OT terminal (160) is plate-shaped and provided with a through hole (163). The front end (162) is attached to the end of the jack terminal (120). A screw (130) is passed through the through hole (163). The threaded section of the screw (130) is matched with the inner wall thread of the jack terminal (120). The screw (130) and the jack terminal (120) are screwed together to complete the connection between the OT terminal (160) and the jack terminal (120). A tail cover (180) is provided at the side end of the plug housing (110), and a sealing body (170) is provided between the plug housing (110) and the tail cover (180); an upper cover (150) is provided at the upper end of the plug housing (110), and an O-ring A (140) is provided between the plug housing (110) and the upper cover (150); a sealing ring (191) is provided between the plug housing (110) and the front cover (190), and an O-ring B (220) is provided between the socket housing (210) and the pin terminal (230).

2. The 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A groove (121) is provided on the outer wall of the jack terminal (120), and a convex ring (192) is provided on the front cover (190) at a position corresponding to the groove (121), and the convex ring (192) is arranged in the groove (121).

3. The 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: An end surface of the convex ring (192) is a sloped surface (1921) for transition, and the other end surface is a step surface (1922).

4. The 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A primary lock (111) is provided on the plug housing (110), and the primary lock (111) includes an unlocking portion (112), specifically: When the unlocking portion (112) is pressed, the socket (200) and the plug (100) are in an unlocked state. When the unlocking portion (112) is pushed, the socket (200) and the plug (100) are in a locked state. A secondary lock is provided on the upper cover (150). The secondary lock includes a lock tongue (151) fixed to the upper cover (150). A slide groove (109) is provided on the outer wall of the plug shell (110). A slider (156) is provided on the upper cover (150). The slider (156) is stuck in the slide groove (109). The slider (156) slides in the slide groove (109), so that the upper cover (150) rotates relative to the plug shell (110). When the lock tongue (151) is located below the unlocking portion (112), it is in a locked state of the secondary lock; when the lock tongue (151) is not located below the unlocking portion (112), it is in an unlocked state of the secondary lock.

5. The 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: A locking block (152) is provided on the upper cover (150), and a locking cavity is provided on the plug housing (110). When the secondary lock is in a locked state, the locking block (152) is located in the locking cavity.

6. The 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connector according to claim 5, characterized in that: The locking block (152) is strip-shaped, an indicator mark (117) is provided on the upper cover (150), and a locking mark (118) and an unlocking mark (119) are provided on the plug housing (110). When the secondary lock is in a locked state, the indicator mark (117) points to the locking mark (118); when the secondary lock is in an unlocked state, the indicator mark (117) points to the unlocking mark (119), and the convex key (194) is arranged along the axial direction of the front cover (190).

7. A connector assembly made of plug-in energy storage connectors, characterized in that: The invention comprises two 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors as claimed in claim 1, one for connecting a battery anode and the other for connecting a battery cathode, and the two 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors have different numbers of key slots (213).

8. A connector assembly made of plug-in energy storage connectors, characterized in that: The invention comprises four 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors as described in claim 1, wherein the first one is used to connect the battery anode and the internal wire (905), the second one is used to connect the battery cathode and the internal wire (905), the third one is used to connect the battery anode and the external wire (906), and the fourth one is used to connect the battery cathode and the external wire (906), and the number of key slots (213) of the four 360° rotatable plug-in energy storage connectors are different.

Images