Charging connector, electric vehicle and charging pile

Abstract

This invention provides a charging connector, an electric vehicle, and a charging pile, relating to the field of charging technology. The charging connector includes a housing, charging terminals, and a cooling box. The charging terminals are used to connect to wires. The cooling box is made of a thermally conductive material. Both the charging terminals and the cooling box are fixedly connected to the housing. The charging terminals are thermally connected to the surface of the cooling box. The cooling box has a cooling medium cavity, and the surface of the cooling medium cavity has a concave-convex structure. Both the electric vehicle and the charging pile include the aforementioned charging connector. The charging connector, electric vehicle, and charging pile provided by this invention, through the concave-convex structure on the surface of the cooling medium cavity, increase the contact area between the cooling medium cavity and the cooling medium, thereby improving the cooling effect on the charging terminals.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of charging technology, and more particularly to charging connectors, electric vehicles, and charging piles. Background Technology

[0002] A charging connector is a device that is installed on both the power supply equipment and the device being charged, allowing the batteries in both devices to connect and charge. With the development of high-power-consuming devices such as electric vehicles, the demand for fast charging is increasing. To improve charging efficiency, the charging current needs to be increased. However, the higher the charging current, the more heat is generated during charging. The high temperature generated by the charging connector due to the large current poses a significant safety hazard.

[0003] In the prior art, charging connectors often include a housing and charging terminals. The charging terminals are fixedly connected to the housing inside the housing. In order to reduce the temperature at the charging connector, a cooling box with a flat inner cavity surface can be set inside the housing, and the charging terminals can be soldered to the cooling box to cool and lower the temperature of the charging terminals.

[0004] Existing charging connectors do not effectively cool the charging terminals. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention aims to provide a charging connector, an electric vehicle, and a charging pile to solve the problem of poor cooling effect on charging terminals in the prior art.

[0006] On one hand, the present invention provides a charging connector, which includes: a housing, charging terminals, and a cooling box, wherein,

[0007] The charging terminal is used to connect to the wire. The cooling box is made of thermally conductive material. Both the charging terminal and the cooling box are fixedly connected to the housing. The charging terminal is thermally connected to the surface of the cooling box. The cooling box has a cooling medium cavity inside, and the surface of the cooling medium cavity has a concave-convex structure.

[0008] Optionally, the concave-convex structure includes one or more protrusions, with both ends of all the protrusions extending to the front and rear sides of the cooling medium cavity, respectively.

[0009] Multiple protrusions are staggered and spaced apart on the top and bottom surfaces of the cooling medium cavity, or multiple protrusions are staggered and spaced apart on the left and right sides of the cooling medium cavity.

[0010] Optionally, the protrusion includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes downward from the top surface of the cooling medium cavity, and the second protrusion protrudes upward from the bottom surface of the cooling medium cavity. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are distributed left and right within the cooling medium cavity. The first protrusion has a first side surface and a second side surface, which are transitioned by an arc surface. The second protrusion has a third side surface and a fourth side surface, which are transitioned by an arc surface. The first side surface is parallel to the left side surface of the cooling medium cavity, the second side surface is parallel to the fourth side surface, and the third side surface is parallel to the right side surface of the cooling medium cavity.

[0011] Optionally, it also includes a first conduit and a second conduit. The rear side of the cooling box has a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet. Both the cooling medium inlet and the cooling medium outlet are connected to the cooling medium cavity. A first water nozzle is provided at the cooling medium inlet, and a second water nozzle is provided at the cooling medium outlet. The surfaces of the first water nozzle and the second water nozzle are respectively provided with a first buckle and a second buckle. The first conduit is fastened to the first water nozzle at the first buckle by a first fastening buckle, and the second conduit is fastened to the second water nozzle at the second buckle by a second fastening buckle.

[0012] Optionally, a connecting post protrudes rearward from the rear side of the cooling box. The end of the connecting post has a blind hole, and a screw is fitted at the blind hole. A spring, a washer, and a grounding ring are sequentially arranged between the screw head and the end of the connecting post. The spring, washer, and grounding ring are all fitted onto the screw. The spring presses the grounding ring tightly against the end of the connecting post. A grounding lead is integrally formed on the grounding ring.

[0013] Optionally, the cooling box is made of metal and has charging terminals on both the left and right sides. An insulating heat-conducting plate is sandwiched between the charging terminals on the left and right sides of the cooling box and the cooling box. One side of the insulating heat-conducting plate is attached to the corresponding side of the cooling box, and the other side of the insulating heat-conducting plate is attached to its corresponding charging terminal. The insulating heat-conducting plate is fixedly connected to the cooling box, and the charging terminal is fixedly connected to its corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate.

[0014] Optionally, the charging terminal includes an integrally formed front section, a connecting plate, and a rear section. The front section and the rear section are respectively connected and fixed to the front end face and the rear end face of the connecting plate. The front section is a columnar structure, and the rear section is a plate-like structure.

[0015] The upper and lower edges of the insulating heat-conducting plate have an upper flange and a lower flange, respectively. The upper flange and the lower flange protrude in the direction away from the cooling box. The side of the rear section facing the cooling box is attached to the corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate. The upper side of the rear section is attached to the corresponding upper flange, and the lower side of the rear section is attached to the corresponding lower flange. The rear end face of the connecting plate abuts against the front side of the corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate, and the rear section is fixedly connected to the corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate.

[0016] Both sides of the cooling box are flat. The left side of the cooling box is attached to the insulating heat-conducting plate located on the left side of the cooling box, and the right side of the cooling box is attached to the insulating heat-conducting plate located on the right side of the cooling box. The insulating heat-conducting plate is sandwiched between the cooling box and its corresponding rear section, and the insulating heat-conducting plate is fixedly connected to the cooling box.

[0017] Optionally, it also includes an insulating partition plate and a mounting bracket. The insulating partition plate covers the front side of the cooling box. The left and right sides of the insulating partition plate have a rearward protruding left flange and a right flange, respectively. The front of the left and right sides of the cooling box defines a slot between the insulating heat-conducting plate located on the left and right sides of the cooling box. The left flange and the right flange are respectively embedded in the corresponding slot. The insulating heat-conducting plate is attached to the left or right side of the cooling box behind the slot.

[0018] The mounting frame has a clamping frame. The cooling box, insulating isolation plate, insulating heat-conducting plates on both sides of the cooling box, and charging terminals are all assembled in the clamping frame. The clamping frame clamps and fixes the rear section of the charging terminals, the insulating heat-conducting plates, and the cooling box on both sides of the cooling box. The insulating heat-conducting plates on both sides of the cooling box clamp and fix the left and right flanges of the insulating isolation plate to the cooling box. The mounting frame is connected and fixed to the housing inside the housing by bolts.

[0019] The top surface of the cooling box has a through-line groove with a semi-circular cross-section.

[0020] On the other hand, the present invention also provides an electric vehicle, which includes: a vehicle body and the above-mentioned charging connector, wherein the charging connector is disposed on the vehicle body.

[0021] In another aspect, the present invention also provides a charging pile, which includes: a charging pile body, a charging cable, a charging gun and the aforementioned charging connector, wherein the two ends of the charging cable are respectively connected to the charging pile body and the charging gun, and the charging connector is disposed on the charging gun.

[0022] The charging connector, electric vehicle, and charging pile provided by this invention have a concave-convex structure on the surface of the cooling medium cavity, which increases the surface area of ​​the cooling medium cavity and the contact area between the cooling medium cavity and the cooling medium inside, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling box and the cooling medium. This, in turn, improves the efficiency of the cooling medium in absorbing the heat conducted from the charging terminal to the cooling box, which is beneficial for improving the cooling effect on the charging terminal and making the use of the charging connector safer. After the cooling effect of the charging terminal is improved, smaller and lighter cables can be used for charging, realizing small wire diameter and high current charging. This is beneficial for the lightweight and miniaturized design of the equipment with the charging connector installed, and the charging efficiency is high. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is one of the exploded views of an embodiment of the charging connector as a female head proposed in this invention;

[0025] Figure 2 This is the second exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention with a female charging connector;

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling box in an embodiment of the charging connector proposed in this invention;

[0027] Figure 4 This is one of the exploded views of an embodiment of the male charging connector proposed in this invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is the second exploded view of an embodiment of the charging connector with a male head proposed in this invention;

[0029] Figure 6 The exploded view of the cooling box, charging terminal, insulating heat-conducting plate, insulating isolation plate, first conduit and second conduit in an embodiment of the charging connector proposed in this invention.

[0030] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0031] 100 - Housing; 110 - Mounting bracket;

[0032] 111 - Clamping frame; 120 - Signal pin;

[0033] 130 - Grounding pin; 200 - Cooling box;

[0034] 210 - First water tap; 211 - First inverted tap;

[0035] 220 - Second water tap; 221 - Second inverted tap;

[0036] 230 - Cable tray; 240 - Grounding lead;

[0037] 241-Connecting post; 242-Blind hole;

[0038] 243 - Grounding ring; 244 - Gasket;

[0039] 245 - Spring clip; 246 - Screw;

[0040] 250 - Box body; 260 - Back cover;

[0041] 270 - Slot; 280 - Cooling medium cavity;

[0042] 281 - First protrusion; 282 - Second protrusion;

[0043] 300 - Charging terminal; 310 - Front end;

[0044] 320 - Connecting plate; 330 - Rear section;

[0045] 400 - Insulating heat-conducting plate; 410 - Upward flange;

[0046] 420 - Downward-turned edge; 500 - Insulating isolation plate;

[0047] 510 - Left flip; 520 - Right flip;

[0048] 600 - Lead wire; 710 - First conduit;

[0049] 711 - First fastening clip; 720 - Second conduit;

[0050] 721 - Second fastening buckle. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0053] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "fixation," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a connection that allows communication between the components; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0054] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0055] In the above description, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0056] When charging at high power or with high current, the charging terminals generate extremely high temperatures, posing significant safety hazards. Some existing charging connectors incorporate a cooling box within the connector housing, with the charging terminals soldered to it. This allows heat from the charging terminals to be conducted to the cooling box, where a cooling medium absorbs the heat and cools the charging terminals. However, the inner cavity of existing cooling boxes connected to the charging terminals is typically flat and smooth, resulting in a small contact area between the cooling medium and the box's interior. This leads to low heat exchange efficiency and ineffective cooling of the charging terminals. Consequently, due to this poor cooling, large-diameter cables or low currents must be used to reduce heat generation, resulting in either large and heavy equipment or inefficient charging.

[0057] To address the aforementioned issues, some industry solutions have proposed increasing the volume of the cooling chamber to enlarge its internal cavity. However, the overall volume of the charging connector is limited, and an excessively large cooling chamber cannot be fitted inside. The inventors of this invention employ a cooling medium cavity with a surface featuring an uneven structure. This increases the heat exchange area between the cooling medium and the cooling chamber without increasing the overall volume, thereby improving the heat exchange efficiency and ultimately enhancing the cooling effect on the charging terminals. This improved cooling effect also makes the charging connector safer to use. The enhanced cooling effect on the charging terminals enables charging with small wire diameters and high current, resulting in high charging efficiency. Furthermore, it facilitates the lightweight and miniaturized design of devices equipped with charging connectors.

[0058] The charging connector, electric vehicle, and charging pile provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0059] Figure 1 One of the exploded views of the proposed embodiment with a female charging connector. Figure 2 The second exploded view of the proposed embodiment with a female charging connector. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cooling box in an embodiment of the proposed charging connector. Figures 1-3 As shown, the charging connector provided in this embodiment includes: a housing 100, a charging terminal 300, and a cooling box 200.

[0060] The charging terminal 300 is used to connect to the wire 600. The cooling box 200 is made of thermally conductive material. Both the charging terminal 300 and the cooling box 200 are fixedly connected to the housing 100 inside the housing 100. The charging terminal 300 and the surface of the cooling box 200 are thermally connected. The cooling box 200 has a cooling medium cavity 280 inside, and the surface of the cooling medium cavity 280 has a concave-convex structure.

[0061] Figure 4 One of the exploded views of the proposed embodiment of the charging connector being a male head. Figure 5 This is a second exploded view of an embodiment of the proposed charging connector with a male head. Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the charging connector can be a charging connector on the power supply equipment or a charging connector on the device to be charged. It can be a charging connector located outside the power supply equipment and the device to be charged for interconnecting them, or a high-voltage connector located inside the power supply equipment and the device to be charged for connecting to the power grid or battery. The charging connector can be male or female. For example, the charging connector can be a charging connector on the outside of an electric vehicle or a high-voltage connector inside an electric vehicle connecting the cable of the connector on the outside of the electric vehicle to the battery. The shape of the insertion end of the housing 100 depends on the specific application scenario of the charging connector. For example, when the charging connector is male, the insertion end of the housing 100 corresponds to the shape of a male plug; when the charging connector is female, the insertion end of the housing 100 corresponds to the shape of a female plug. The cooling box 200 can be made of conductive and thermally conductive materials such as metal, or it can be made of insulating and thermally conductive materials such as thermally conductive plastic. The charging terminal 300 and the surface of the cooling box 200 can be directly contacted or connected through an intermediate medium for thermal conduction. Signal pin 120 and grounding pin 130 may also be installed inside the housing 100.

[0062] For example, the housing 100 has a columnar structure, and a mounting bracket 110 is fixedly connected to its inner cavity. The cooling box 200 and the charging terminal 300 are both fixed to the mounting bracket 110. The cooling box 200 and the charging terminal 300 are fixedly connected to the housing 100 through the mounting bracket 110. The cooling box 200 and the charging terminal 300 can be fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 110 by fasteners, welding, or other methods. Of course, the cooling box 200 and the charging terminal 300 can also be directly fixedly connected to the housing 100 by fasteners or welding.

[0063] During use, the cooling medium cavity 280 is filled with cooling medium, which can be water, oil, cooling gas, phase change material, or other existing coolants. Within the cooling medium cavity 280, the cooling medium is in full contact with the surface of the cooling medium cavity 280 while simultaneously exchanging heat with the cooling tank 200, allowing the cooling medium to absorb the heat generated by the charging terminal 300 through the cooling tank 200.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the surface of the cooling medium cavity 280 has an uneven structure, which increases the surface area of ​​the cooling medium cavity 280 and the contact area between the cooling medium cavity 280 and the cooling medium inside it. This improves the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling box 200 and the cooling medium, thereby improving the efficiency of the cooling medium in absorbing the heat conducted from the charging terminal 300 to the cooling box 200. This is beneficial for improving the cooling effect on the charging terminal 300 and making the use of the charging connector safer. After the cooling effect of the charging terminal 300 is improved, a smaller cross-section and lighter cable can be used for charging, realizing small wire diameter and high current charging. This is beneficial for the lightweight and miniaturized design of the equipment with the charging connector installed, and the charging efficiency is high.

[0065] like Figures 1-5 As shown, in some possible embodiments, the charging connector further includes a first conduit 710 and a second conduit 720. The rear side of the cooling box 200 has a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet, both of which are connected to the cooling medium cavity 280. The first conduit 710 is connected to the cooling medium inlet, and the second conduit 720 is connected to the cooling medium outlet. With this configuration, the first conduit 710, the cooling medium cavity 280, and the second conduit 720 form a cooling medium flow channel. The cooling medium flows into the cooling medium cavity 280 from the cooling medium inlet, and after passing through the cooling medium cavity 280, it flows out from the cooling medium outlet, carrying away the heat absorbed by the cooling medium and improving the cooling effect on the charging terminal 300.

[0066] Figure 6 Exploded views of the cooling box, charging terminal, insulating heat-conducting plate, insulating isolation plate, first conduit, and second conduit in an embodiment of the proposed charging connector. Figure 6 As shown, and in combination Figures 1-5 For example, a first water nozzle 210 is provided at the cooling medium inlet, and a second water nozzle 220 is provided at the cooling medium outlet. The surfaces of the first water nozzle 210 and the second water nozzle 220 are respectively provided with a first buckle 211 and a second buckle 221. The first conduit 710 is securely connected to the first water nozzle 210 at the first buckle 211 via the first fastening clip 711, and the second conduit 720 is securely connected to the second water nozzle 220 at the second buckle 221 via the second fastening clip 721. With this configuration, the first conduit 710 and the second conduit 720 are connected to the first water nozzle 210 and the second water nozzle 220 respectively via the first fastening clip 711 and the second fastening clip 721, facilitating easy assembly and disassembly. The first buckle 211 and the second buckle 221 on the surfaces of the first water nozzle 210 and the second water nozzle 220 respectively reduce the risk of the connected first conduit 710 and the second conduit 720 becoming detached.

[0067] Of course, the first conduit 710 and the second conduit 720 can also be connected to the cooling medium inlet and the cooling medium outlet in other ways.

[0068] In some examples, the cooling medium inlet and cooling medium outlet are distributed on the left and right sides, respectively. The cooling medium inlet is connected to the left part of the cooling medium cavity 280, and the cooling medium outlet is connected to the right part of the cooling medium cavity 280, which can improve the flow of the cooling medium in the cooling medium cavity 280.

[0069] like Figure 3 As shown, in some examples, the cooling box 200 may include a box body 250 and a rear cover 260. The rear side of the box body 250 is open, and the rear cover 260 is sealed to the rear side of the box body 250 by welding, fastener connection, or other means. The connection between the box body 250 and the rear cover 260 has a sealing structure such as sealant. The rear cover 260 closes the open side, and both the cooling medium outlet and the cooling medium inlet are located on the rear cover 260. This facilitates the manufacture of structures such as the first water nozzle 210 and the second water nozzle 220. Of course, the box body 250 and the rear cover 260 can also be integrally formed.

[0070] like Figure 3 , Figure 6 As shown, in some possible embodiments, the concave-convex structure includes one or more protrusions, with both ends of all protrusions extending to the front and rear sides of the cooling medium cavity 280, respectively. In this way, while significantly increasing the surface area of ​​the cooling medium cavity 280, the protrusions extending to the front and rear sides of the cooling medium cavity 280 can guide the flow of the cooling medium, while simultaneously reducing the area of ​​the flow channels at the protrusions. This increases the flow velocity of the cooling medium, prevents stagnation, and extends the flow path of the cooling medium, thereby increasing the total amount of heat absorbed per unit volume of cooling medium and ensuring full utilization of the cooling medium.

[0071] In some examples, when the concave-convex structure includes only one protrusion, this protrusion can be located in the middle of the top, bottom, left, or right side of the cooling medium cavity 280. In this case, the structure is simple and easy to manufacture.

[0072] For example, when the concave-convex structure includes only one protrusion, the cross-section of the flow channel of the cooling medium in the cooling medium cavity 280 can be U-shaped or V-shaped.

[0073] In other examples, when the concave-convex structure includes multiple protrusions, these protrusions are staggered and spaced apart on the top and bottom surfaces of the cooling medium cavity 280, or they are staggered and spaced apart on the left and right sides of the cooling medium cavity 280. In this case, the surface area of ​​the cooling medium cavity 280 is large, the flow path of the cooling medium is long, the cooling effect is good, and the cooling medium is fully utilized.

[0074] For example, when the concave-convex structure includes multiple protrusions, the cross-section of the flow channel of the cooling medium in the cooling medium cavity 280 can be in the shape of "S", "Z", "W" or "M".

[0075] like Figure 3 As shown, in some possible embodiments, the protrusions include a first protrusion 281 and a second protrusion 282. The first protrusion 281 protrudes downward from the top surface of the cooling medium cavity 280, and the second protrusion 282 protrudes upward from the bottom surface of the cooling medium cavity 280. The first protrusion 281 and the second protrusion 282 are distributed left and right within the cooling medium cavity 280. The first protrusion 281 has a first side and a second side, which are connected by an arc surface. The second protrusion 282 has a third side and a fourth side, which are connected by an arc surface. The first side is parallel to the left side of the cooling medium cavity 280, the second side is parallel to the fourth side, and the third side is parallel to the right side of the cooling medium cavity 280.

[0076] It is understood that the interval between the first side and the left side of the cooling medium cavity 280 is the first flow channel segment, the interval between the second side and the fourth side is the second flow channel segment, and the interval between the third side and the right side of the cooling medium is the third flow channel segment. The first flow channel segment, the second flow channel segment and the third flow channel segment are connected in sequence through the interval between the first protrusion 281 and the bottom surface and the interval between the second protrusion 282 and the top surface.

[0077] In some examples, the cooling medium inlet is connected to the first flow channel section, and the cooling medium outlet is connected to the third flow channel section. With this configuration, the heat exchange contact area between the cooling medium and the cooling tank 200 is large, the heat exchange efficiency is high, and the cooling medium has good fluidity, which can reduce the risk of "fluid dead points". The cooling medium flow rate is uniform, and the temperature distribution is uniform and stable throughout.

[0078] For example, the cross-sections of the first protrusion 281 and the second protrusion 282 can be the same rounded right triangles, with the first side and the third side being the faces where the short right-angled sides of the first protrusion 281 and the second protrusion 282 are located, and the second side and the fourth side being the faces where the hypotenuses of the first protrusion 281 and the second protrusion 282 are located, respectively.

[0079] In some possible embodiments, the cooling box 200 is made of a metallic material. This provides the cooling box 200 with good thermal conductivity, facilitating the absorption of heat generated by the charging terminal 300 by the cooling medium.

[0080] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 and Figure 6As shown, in some possible embodiments, the cooling box 200 has charging terminals 300 on both its left and right sides. Insulating heat-conducting plates 400 are sandwiched between the charging terminals 300 and the cooling box 200 on both sides. One side of the insulating heat-conducting plate 400 is attached to the corresponding side of the cooling box 200, and the other side is attached to its corresponding charging terminal 300. The insulating heat-conducting plate 400 is fixedly connected to the cooling box 200, and the charging terminal 300 is fixedly connected to its corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate 400. In this way, the heat generated by the charging terminal 300 is transferred to the cooling box 200 through the insulating heat-conducting plate 400. While ensuring good thermal conductivity, this also isolates the charging terminal 300 from the cooling box 200, making it safer.

[0081] For example, the insulating heat-conducting plate 400 can be made of alumina ceramic, which has high insulation and high thermal conductivity, and is lightweight and has high hardness. Of course, the insulating heat-conducting plate 400 can also be made of other highly insulating and highly thermally conductive materials, such as thermally conductive silicone.

[0082] like Figure 6 As shown, in some possible embodiments, the charging terminal 300 includes an integrally formed front section 310, a connecting disk 320, and a rear section 330. The front section 310 and the rear section 330 are respectively connected and fixed to the front end face and the rear end face of the connecting disk 320. The front section 310 is a columnar structure, and the rear section 330 is a plate-like structure.

[0083] The upper and lower edges of the insulating heat-conducting plate 400 have an upper flange 410 and a lower flange 420, respectively. The upper flange 410 and the lower flange 420 protrude in the direction away from the cooling box 200. The side of the rear section 330 facing the cooling box 200 is attached to its corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate 400. The upper side of the rear section 330 is attached to its corresponding upper flange 410, and the lower side of the rear section 330 is attached to its corresponding lower flange 420. The rear end face of the connecting plate 320 abuts against the front side of its corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate 400. The rear section 330 is fixedly connected to its corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate 400.

[0084] The left and right sides of the cooling box 200 are both flat. The left side of the cooling box 200 is in contact with the insulating heat-conducting plate 400 located on the left side of the cooling box 200, and the right side of the cooling box 200 is in contact with the insulating heat-conducting plate 400 located on the right side of the cooling box 200. The insulating heat-conducting plate 400 is sandwiched between the cooling box 200 and its corresponding rear section 330, and the insulating heat-conducting plate 400 is fixedly connected to the cooling box 200.

[0085] With this configuration, the insulating heat-conducting plate 400, the charging terminal 300, and the cooling box 200 are all connected by a plane, resulting in a stable connection, a large contact area, and high heat exchange efficiency. The upper flange 410 and the lower flange 420 increase the heat exchange area with the charging terminal 300 while restricting the vertical movement of the charging terminal 300. The connecting plate 320 abuts against the front side of the insulating heat-conducting plate 400, restricting the rearward movement of the charging terminal 300 and facilitating its fixation.

[0086] For example, the cooling box 200 can be a cube, with the insulating heat-conducting plates 400 and charging terminals 300 arranged symmetrically on both sides of the cooling box 200.

[0087] like Figure 6 As shown, in some possible embodiments, the charging connector further includes an insulating isolation plate 500, which covers the front side of the cooling box 200. The insulating isolation plate 500 has a left flange 510 and a right flange 520 protruding rearward on its left and right sides, respectively. A slot 270 is defined between the front of the left and right sides of the cooling box 200 and the insulating heat-conducting plates 400 located on the left and right sides of the cooling box 200. The left flange 510 and the right flange 520 are respectively embedded in the corresponding slot 270. The insulating heat-conducting plate 400 is in contact with the left or right side of the cooling box 200 behind the slot 270. This arrangement avoids direct contact between the front end of the charging terminal 300 or the connecting plate 320 and the cooling box 200, increasing the creepage distance and reducing the risk of leakage and electric shock, thus providing safety protection. The left flange 510 and the right flange 520 serve both as insulation and as a means of connecting and fixing the insulating isolation plate 500 to the cooling box 200.

[0088] like Figure 2 , Figure 5 As shown, in some examples, the front side of the insulating isolation plate 500 is flush with the front side of the insulating heat-conducting plate 400 located on both sides of the cooling box 200, the left flange 510 is flush with the left side of the cooling box 200 behind the slot 270, and the right flange 520 is flush with the right side of the cooling box 200 behind the slot 270, so as to facilitate the installation of the insulating isolation plate 500.

[0089] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figure 5As shown, in some possible embodiments, the charging connector further includes a mounting frame 110 with a clamping frame 111. The cooling box 200, the insulating isolation plate 500, and the insulating heat-conducting plates 400 and charging terminals 300 located on both sides of the cooling box 200 are all assembled in the clamping frame 111. The clamping frame 111 clamps and fixes the rear section 330 of the charging terminals 300, the insulating heat-conducting plates 400, and the cooling box 200 located on both sides of the cooling box 200. The insulating heat-conducting plates 400 located on both sides of the cooling box 200 clamp and fix the left flange 510 and the right flange 520 of the insulating isolation plate 500 to the cooling box 200. The mounting frame 110 is connected and fixed to the housing 100 inside the housing 100 by bolts. In this way, the cooling box 200, the insulating isolation plate, the charging terminal 300 and the insulating isolation plate 500 are clamped and fixed by the clamping frame 111 without the need for other fastening structures or welding processes. The assembly is convenient, the structure is compact and occupies little space.

[0090] It is understood that the signal pin 120 and the grounding pin 130 can also be fixed inside the housing 100 by the mounting bracket 110, and the signal pin 120 and the grounding pin 130 can be fixed on the mounting bracket 110 by the clamping structure on the mounting bracket 110.

[0091] In some possible embodiments, the top surface of the cooling box 200 has a through-type cable tray 230 with a semi-circular cross-section. Thus, the cable tray 230 can be used to accommodate various cables within the charging connector, such as signal lines, achieving high space utilization and allowing for orderly wiring within the charging connector.

[0092] In some possible embodiments, a grounding lead 240 is connected to the cooling tank 200. This arrangement connects the water tank to the ground, making it safer and more reliable.

[0093] like Figure 6 As shown, for example, a connecting post 241 protrudes rearward from the rear side of the cooling box 200. The end of the connecting post 241 has a blind hole 242, and a screw 246 is fitted into the blind hole 242. A spring piece 245, a washer 244, and a grounding ring 243 are sequentially arranged between the screw head of the screw 246 and the end of the connecting post 241. The spring piece 245, washer 244, and grounding ring 243 are all fitted onto the screw 246. The spring piece 245 presses the grounding ring 243 tightly against the end of the connecting post 241. A grounding lead 240 is integrally formed on the grounding ring 243. Thus, the grounding lead 240 is easy to install. The spring piece 245 ensures that the end face of the grounding ring 243 does not loosen against the connecting post 241, guaranteeing the grounding performance of the cooling box 200. The washer 244 further secures the grounding ring 243 against the end face of the connecting post 241.

[0094] In some examples, the connecting post 241 is integrally formed with the rear side of the cooling box 200, and the electrical conductivity between the cooling box 200 and the connecting post 241 is good, which is conducive to guiding the electricity to the grounding lead 240.

[0095] This embodiment also provides an electric vehicle, which includes: a vehicle body and the above-mentioned charging connector, wherein the charging connector is disposed on the vehicle body, and the charging connector is any one of the above-mentioned charging connector embodiments.

[0096] It is understandable that electric vehicles can refer to electric cars, electric motorcycles, electric tricycles, etc.

[0097] In the above embodiments, the surface of the cooling medium cavity has an uneven structure, which increases the surface area of ​​the cooling medium cavity and the contact area between the cooling medium cavity and the cooling medium inside it. This improves the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling box and the cooling medium, thereby improving the efficiency of the cooling medium in absorbing the heat conducted from the charging terminal to the cooling box. This is beneficial for improving the cooling effect on the charging terminal and making the use of the charging connector safer. After the cooling effect of the charging terminal is improved, a smaller cross-section and lighter cable can be used for charging, realizing small wire diameter and high current charging, which is beneficial for the lightweight and miniaturized design of electric vehicles and has high charging efficiency.

[0098] This embodiment also provides a charging pile, which includes: a charging pile body, a charging cable, a charging gun, and the aforementioned charging connector. The two ends of the charging cable are respectively connected to the charging pile body and the charging gun, and the charging connector is disposed on the charging gun. The charging connector is any one of the aforementioned charging connector embodiments.

[0099] In the above embodiments, the surface of the cooling medium cavity has an uneven structure, which increases the surface area of ​​the cooling medium cavity and the contact area between the cooling medium cavity and the cooling medium inside it. This increases the heat exchange efficiency between the cooling box and the cooling medium, thereby improving the efficiency of the cooling medium in absorbing the heat conducted from the charging terminal to the cooling box. This is beneficial for improving the cooling effect on the charging terminal and making the use of the charging connector safer. After the cooling effect of the charging terminal is improved, a smaller cross-section and lighter cable can be used for charging, realizing small wire diameter and high current charging. This is beneficial for the lightweight and miniaturized design of the charging pile and the high charging efficiency.

[0100] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A charging connector, characterized by include: The casing, charging terminals, and cooling box, among which, The charging terminal is used to connect to the wire, the cooling box is made of thermally conductive material, the charging terminal and the cooling box are both fixedly connected to the housing, the charging terminal is thermally connected to the surface of the cooling box, the cooling box has a cooling medium cavity, and the surface of the cooling medium cavity has a concave-convex structure; The concave-convex structure includes one or more protrusions, and both ends of all the protrusions extend to the front and rear sides of the cooling medium cavity, respectively. The protrusions are staggered and spaced apart on the top and bottom surfaces of the cooling medium cavity, or the protrusions are staggered and spaced apart on the left and right sides of the cooling medium cavity; The protrusion includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion. The first protrusion protrudes downward from the top surface of the cooling medium cavity, and the second protrusion protrudes upward from the bottom surface of the cooling medium cavity. The first protrusion and the second protrusion are distributed left and right within the cooling medium cavity. The first protrusion has a first side surface and a second side surface, which are connected by an arc surface. The second protrusion has a third side surface and a fourth side surface, which are connected by an arc surface. The first side surface is parallel to the left side surface of the cooling medium cavity, the second side surface is parallel to the fourth side surface, and the third side surface is parallel to the right side surface of the cooling medium cavity. The cooling box is made of metal. The charging terminal is located on both the left and right sides of the cooling box. An insulating heat-conducting plate is sandwiched between the charging terminal and the cooling box on both the left and right sides of the cooling box. One side of the insulating heat-conducting plate is attached to the corresponding side of the cooling box, and the other side of the insulating heat-conducting plate is attached to the corresponding charging terminal. The insulating heat-conducting plate is fixedly connected to the cooling box, and the charging terminal is fixedly connected to the corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate. The charging terminal includes an integrally formed front section, a connecting plate, and a rear section. The front section and the rear section are respectively connected and fixed to the front end face and the rear end face of the connecting plate. The front section is a columnar structure, and the rear section is a plate-like structure. The upper and lower edges of the insulating heat-conducting plate have an upper flange and a lower flange, respectively. The upper flange and the lower flange protrude in the direction away from the cooling box. The side of the rear section facing the cooling box is attached to the corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate. The upper side of the rear section is attached to the corresponding upper flange, and the lower side of the rear section is attached to the corresponding lower flange. The rear end face of the connecting plate abuts against the front side of the corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate. The rear section is fixedly connected to the corresponding insulating heat-conducting plate. The left and right sides of the cooling box are both flat. The left side of the cooling box is attached to the insulating heat-conducting plate located on the left side of the cooling box, and the right side of the cooling box is attached to the insulating heat-conducting plate located on the right side of the cooling box. The insulating heat-conducting plate is sandwiched between the cooling box and its corresponding rear section, and the insulating heat-conducting plate is fixedly connected to the cooling box. It also includes an insulating partition plate, which covers the front side of the cooling box. The left and right sides of the insulating partition plate have a left flange and a right flange that protrude backward, respectively. The front part of the left and right sides of the cooling box defines a slot between the insulating heat-conducting plate located on the left and right sides of the cooling box. The left flange and the right flange are respectively embedded in the corresponding slot. The insulating heat-conducting plate is attached to the left or right side of the cooling box behind the slot.

2. The charging connector of claim 1, wherein, It also includes a first conduit and a second conduit. The rear side of the cooling tank has a cooling medium inlet and a cooling medium outlet. Both the cooling medium inlet and the cooling medium outlet are connected to the cooling medium cavity. A first water nozzle is provided at the cooling medium inlet, and a second water nozzle is provided at the cooling medium outlet. The surfaces of the first water nozzle and the second water nozzle are respectively provided with a first buckle and a second buckle. The first conduit is fastened to the first water nozzle at the first buckle by a first fastening buckle, and the second conduit is fastened to the second water nozzle at the second buckle by a second fastening buckle.

3. The charging connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The rear side of the cooling box has a connecting post protruding rearward. The end of the connecting post has a blind hole, and a screw is installed in the blind hole. A spring, a washer, and a grounding ring are arranged sequentially between the screw head and the end of the connecting post. The spring, the washer, and the grounding ring are all fitted onto the screw. The spring presses the grounding ring tightly against the end of the connecting post. A grounding lead is integrally formed on the grounding ring.

4. The charging connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes mounting brackets; The mounting frame has a clamping frame. The cooling box, the insulating isolation plate, the insulating heat-conducting plates located on both sides of the cooling box, and the charging terminal are all assembled in the clamping frame. The clamping frame clamps and fixes the rear section of the charging terminal, the insulating heat-conducting plate, and the cooling box located on both sides of the cooling box. The insulating heat-conducting plates located on both sides of the cooling box clamp and fix the left and right flanges of the insulating isolation plate to the cooling box. The mounting frame is connected and fixed to the housing by bolts inside the housing. The top surface of the cooling box has a through-line groove, the cross-section of which is semi-circular.

5. An electric vehicle, characterized in that, It includes a vehicle body and a charging connector as described in any one of claims 1-4, wherein the charging connector is disposed on the vehicle body.

6. A charging pile, characterized in that, The device includes a charging pile body, a charging cable, a charging gun, and a charging connector as described in any one of claims 1-4, wherein the two ends of the charging cable are respectively connected to the charging pile body and the charging gun, and the charging connector is disposed on the charging gun.

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