A charging gun

Abstract

This invention discloses a charging gun, comprising: a charging terminal; a first housing; a second housing; the charging terminal being disposed within the first housing; the second housing being connected to a charging cable; the first housing and the second housing being hinged at a hinge portion P; and the hinge portion P having a rotation plane; and when the charging gun is connected to a charging port, the rotation plane is a vertical plane. The beneficial effects of this invention are reflected in the fact that by setting the first housing and the second housing to be hinged and providing a support column, an additional support force from the vehicle is added to the charging gun, reducing the pressure between the charging gun and the charging port, and extending the service life of the charging gun and the charging port.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electric vehicle charging technology, and specifically relates to a charging gun. Background Technology

[0002] New energy vehicles represent the next generation of automotive development, and the development of charging piles is an essential part of this development. Charging piles function similarly to gas pumps at gas stations and are installed in public buildings, residential parking lots, or charging stations. Charging piles need to be connected to electric vehicles via charging cables. The higher the power, the thicker and heavier the charging cable.

[0003] In recent years, the electric vehicle industry has frequently experienced supply shortages in parts of its supply chain, and systemic technical problems have been frequent. However, due to the rapid development of the industry, some problems have been temporarily shelved either because they have not yet fully manifested or because of capital intervention (where market profitability is not a primary concern). The industry's focus remains on issues related to developing something from scratch, while insufficient attention has been paid to optimizing existing systems. However, systemic optimization issues related to improving existing systems are becoming increasingly urgent. Taking the charging business as an example, the rapid growth in demand has led to a relative lag in the development and resolution of issues related to equipment manufacturing standards, waterproofing, dustproofing, and durability. As the core connector for charging, the charging gun is designed by various manufacturers based on their own needs and understanding in the absence of comprehensive and reliable standards (current national standards provide relatively few technical details). Considering that new energy vehicles are a replacement for traditional vehicles, the design of charging guns has largely followed the design concept of fuel nozzles at gas stations.

[0004] However, it has been found that oil guns and electric guns face many different problem scenarios:

[0005] The connector of the fuel nozzle is the car's fuel filler neck. Since the main function of the fuel nozzle is to deliver fuel, only a fuel pipe is needed to meet the requirements. Therefore, the material selection for the fuel nozzle's outlet is more extensive. In fact, fuel nozzles are generally made of high-strength aluminum alloy or steel pipe. Correspondingly, car fuel filler necks are also made of high-strength steel and reinforced with a supporting structure. Therefore, the fuel nozzle can be mounted on the car's fuel filler neck at any angle. In addition, to optimize the stress distribution on the fuel nozzle's own weight, the fuel filler neck can be made relatively long (generally exceeding 20cm). The longer fuel outlet and the car's fuel filler neck together form a better lever support structure. At the same time, the precision requirements for the fit between the fuel nozzle and the fuel filler neck are not high. It is only necessary for the outer diameter of the fuel nozzle to be smaller than that of the fuel filler neck so that it can be inserted and fixed. Therefore, minor wear and deformation of the fuel nozzle over a long period of use does not affect the use of the product and does not meet the standards for repair or replacement.

[0006] The connection between the electric gun and the charging port of the electric vehicle presents entirely different challenges: First, the connection requires a reliable electrical connection, which necessitates a sufficient effective contact area for the electrodes. This means the precision requirements for the connecting electrodes and connectors are far higher than for oil guns. Second, the electric gun carries a strong current, and for safety reasons, it cannot be made of high-strength metal. Therefore, the strength and wear of the electric gun are limited by its application scenario. Currently, the electric gun itself is one of the main consumables in charging scenarios, requiring regular inspection and replacement. Furthermore, the electric gun cannot achieve a nozzle diameter greater than 20cm like an oil gun, thus failing to provide adequate mechanical support. The frequent replacement of electric guns is particularly relevant for unattended charging stations, which require extensive operation and maintenance. If faulty charging guns cannot be detected and replaced in a timely manner, it will significantly impact the overall operational efficiency of the charging station. The core functional component of the charging gun is the electrode, but in order to ensure the effective connection of the electrode, the high-precision matching and support requirements of the gun body are also high. Because the electrode is limited by the resistance and electrical connection characteristics, the material is relatively soft and can hardly contribute to the mechanical support. Almost all the mechanical support needs to be matched between the gun body and the vehicle end connection port. At the same time, it is also necessary to ensure an effective and reliable surface contact electrical connection between the gun body electrode and the vehicle end electrode. Wear of the gun body will affect the connection accuracy. When the connection accuracy decreases, the contact surface of the electrode connection will decrease rapidly, the connection resistance will increase rapidly, and the core functions such as gun body heating and power transmission will be reduced. All of these problems will significantly affect the service life of the gun body.

[0007] When users charge their vehicles using a charging station, they remove the charging gun from the station and insert it into the car's charging port. The charging port may be located in five places: above the front grille, above the left and right rear wheels, and above the left and right front wheels. It is at a certain height from the ground. After inserting the charging gun into the charging port, the head of the charging gun will tilt upwards due to the weight of the charging cable, putting pressure on the charging port. Over time, this pressure will cause wear and tear on the head of the charging gun and the charging port, affecting the lifespan of the charging gun and the charging port. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the aforementioned problems in the prior art, the present invention provides a charging gun.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0010] A charging gun is provided, characterized in that it comprises:

[0011] Charging terminal;

[0012] First shell;

[0013] Second shell;

[0014] The charging terminal is located inside the first housing;

[0015] The second housing is connected to the charging cable;

[0016] The first housing and the second housing are hinged at the hinge point P; and...

[0017] The hinge P has a rotation plane; and when the charging gun is connected to the charging port, the rotation plane is a vertical plane.

[0018] Preferably, the charging gun includes:

[0019] Support section;

[0020] The support portion is disposed on one side of the second housing; and,

[0021] When the hinge P rotates, the support part contacts and connects with the target vehicle around the charging port to provide support for the second housing;

[0022] The target vehicle is the vehicle that uses the charging gun;

[0023] Preferably, the hinge portion P has a first elastic component; and,

[0024] When the hinge P rotates under the gravity of the charging cable, the first elastic component stores energy.

[0025] Preferably, the support portion has:

[0026] Support column;

[0027] Adaptive components;

[0028] The adaptive component is connected to the first housing; and,

[0029] The adaptive component is connected to the support column; and,

[0030] When the hinge P rotates, the adaptive component is used for transmission; so that,

[0031] The support column rotates from the second housing toward the target vehicle;

[0032] Preferably, the support column includes a proximal end and a distal end;

[0033] The proximal end has a gear A, and the distal end has a contact surface;

[0034] The hinge portion P includes a gear B;

[0035] Wherein, gear A meshes with gear B, and the contact surface is used to contact the target vehicle;

[0036] Preferably, the contact surface is made of rubber.

[0037] Preferably, the charging gun includes:

[0038] Limiting components;

[0039] Wherein, one end of the limiting member is fixedly connected to the first housing, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second housing; and,

[0040] The limiting member is used to restrict the rotational position of the charging terminal and the housing;

[0041] Preferably, the charging gun includes:

[0042] Inner cavity;

[0043] The inner cavity is located inside the second housing; and,

[0044] The inner cavity is made of insulating material;

[0045] The inner cavity is used to accommodate the charged structure.

[0046] The beneficial effects of this invention are reflected in that it provides an adaptive support structure for a charging gun. By setting the first housing and the second housing to be hinged and setting a support column, the support force of the vehicle on the charging gun is increased, the pressure between the charging gun and the charging port is reduced, and the service life of the charging gun and the charging port is extended. Attached image description:

[0047] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the charging gun according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the charging gun according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting state of the charging gun support part according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the charging gun support portion in a supporting state according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the support portion and the hinge portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure Labels

[0053] 1. Charging terminal; 2. First housing; 3. Second housing; 4. Support part; 5. First elastic component; 6. Support column; 7. Proximal end; 8. Distal end; 9. Contact surface; 10. Inner cavity; 11. Target vehicle. Detailed Implementation

[0054] 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, and 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.

[0055] Please see Figures 1-4 As shown, the specific embodiments provided by the present invention are as follows:

[0056] Example 1:

[0057] A charging gun, characterized in that it comprises:

[0058] Charging terminal 1;

[0059] First shell 2;

[0060] Second shell 3;

[0061] The charging terminal 1 is disposed inside the first housing 2;

[0062] The second housing 3 is connected to the charging cable;

[0063] The first housing 2 and the second housing 3 are hinged at the hinge point P; and...

[0064] The hinge P has a rotation plane; and when the charging gun is connected to the charging port, the rotation plane is a vertical plane.

[0065] Preferably, the charging gun includes:

[0066] Support part 4;

[0067] The support portion 4 is disposed on one side of the second housing 3; and,

[0068] When the hinge P rotates, the support 4 contacts and connects with the target vehicle around the charging port to provide support for the second housing 3;

[0069] The target vehicle is the vehicle that uses the charging gun;

[0070] Preferably, the hinge portion P has a first elastic component 5; and,

[0071] When the hinge P rotates under the gravity of the charging cable, the first elastic component 5 stores energy.

[0072] Preferably, the support portion 4 has:

[0073] Support column 6;

[0074] Adaptive components;

[0075] The adaptive component is connected to the first housing 2; and,

[0076] The adaptive component is connected to the support column 6; and,

[0077] When the hinge P rotates, the adaptive component is used for transmission; so that,

[0078] The support column 6 rotates from the second housing 3 toward the target vehicle.

[0079] When users charge their vehicles using charging stations, the charging ports may be located in five places: the front grille, above the left and right rear wheels, and above the left and right front wheels. These ports are at a certain height from the ground. After inserting the charging gun into the charging port, the charging gun will tilt upwards due to the weight of the charging cable, putting pressure on the charging port. This pressure will cause wear on the head of the charging gun and the charging port, affecting the connection of the electrodes and thus affecting the lifespan of the charging gun.

[0080] In this embodiment, through the hinged connection between the first and second housings, the second housing rotates in the direction of gravity under the influence of the charging cable. Upon the start of rotation, the adaptive component activates, causing the support column to protrude outside the second housing and move from the second housing towards the target vehicle until the support column contacts the target vehicle. At this point, the area where the support column contacts the target vehicle provides a supporting force, which reduces the effect of gravity, thereby reducing the possibility of wear on the charging gun head and charging port, extending the service life of the charger and charging port, and ensuring effective electrode connection.

[0081] Example 2:

[0082] The support column 6 includes a proximal end 7 and a distal end 8;

[0083] The proximal end 7 has a gear A, and the distal end 8 has a contact surface 9;

[0084] The hinge portion P includes a gear B;

[0085] Wherein, gear A meshes with gear B, and the contact surface 9 is used to contact the target vehicle;

[0086] Preferably, the contact surface 9 is made of rubber.

[0087] In this embodiment, with this configuration, when the second housing rotates, gear B rotates with the hinge, and gear A rotates with gear B until the contact surface at the far end of the support column contacts the target vehicle. By increasing the contact area with the vehicle, the pressure exerted by the support column on the vehicle is distributed over a larger area, reducing the pressure per unit area. Furthermore, the rubber material is soft and will not abrade the vehicle's outer shell.

[0088] Implementation 3:

[0089] The charging gun includes:

[0090] Limiting components;

[0091] Wherein, one end of the limiting member is fixedly connected to the first housing 2, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second housing 3; and,

[0092] The limiting member is used to restrict the rotational position of the charging terminal 1 relative to the housing.

[0093] In this embodiment, after the user finishes charging, they grasp the handle of the charging gun to remove it. The user's grip exerts an upward pulling force on the housing, which is opposite to the direction of gravity, causing the second housing to rotate in the opposite direction. Without a limiting component, the rotation angle of the housing is uncontrollable, and an excessively large angle makes inserting the charging gun into the charging station difficult. By setting a limiting component, the rotation angle of the second housing becomes controllable, preventing further rotation in the opposite direction. In one embodiment, the limiting component is an inclined plane, which has no effect on rotation in the forward direction, but locks the housing at a certain position when rotating in the reverse direction.

[0094] Example 7:

[0095] The charging gun includes:

[0096] Inner cavity 10;

[0097] The inner cavity 10 is located inside the second housing 3; and,

[0098] The inner cavity 10 is made of insulating material;

[0099] The inner cavity 10 is used to accommodate the charged structure.

[0100] In this embodiment, by providing an inner cavity, all the charged structures inside the charging gun are enclosed by the insulating inner cavity. When the support column leaves the second housing, the charged structures are not exposed, thus eliminating any safety hazards.

[0101] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "center", "top", "bottom", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "inner side", "outer side", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship.

[0102] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "assembly" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0103] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0104] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that "-" and "~" represent a range of two numerical values, and this range includes the endpoints. For example, "AB" represents a range greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B. "A~B" represents a range greater than or equal to A and less than or equal to B.

[0105] In the description of embodiments of the present invention, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, and B existing alone. Additionally, the character " / " in this document generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0106] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A charging gun, characterized in that, include: Charging terminal; First shell; Second shell; The charging terminal is located inside the first housing; The second housing is connected to the charging cable; The first housing and the second housing are hinged at the hinge point (P); and, The hinge (P) has a rotation plane; and when the charging gun is connected to the charging port, the rotation plane is a vertical plane. It also includes: a support portion; the support portion is disposed on one side of the second housing; and when the hinge portion (P) rotates, the support portion contacts and connects with the target vehicle around the charging port to provide support for the second housing; wherein the target vehicle is a vehicle using the charging gun.

2. The charging gun according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hinge (P) has a first elastic component; and, When the hinge (P) rotates under the gravity of the charging cable, the first elastic component stores energy.

3. The charging gun of claim 1, wherein, The support portion has: Support column; Adaptive components; The adaptive component is connected to the first housing; and, The adaptive component is connected to the support column; and, When the hinge (P) rotates, the adaptive component is used for transmission; so that, The support column rotates from the second housing toward the target vehicle.

4. The charging gun of claim 3, wherein, The support column includes a proximal end and a distal end; The proximal end has a first gear (A), and the distal end has a contact surface; The hinge (P) has a second gear (B); The first gear (A) meshes with the second gear (B), and the contact surface is used to contact the target vehicle.

5. The charging gun according to claim 4, characterized in that, The contact surface is made of rubber.

6. The charging gun of claim 5, wherein, include: Limiting components; Wherein, one end of the limiting member is fixedly connected to the first housing, and the other end is fixedly connected to the second housing; and, The limiting member is used to restrict the rotational position of the charging terminal and the housing.

7. The charging gun of claim 6, wherein, include: Inner cavity; The inner cavity is located inside the second housing; and, The inner cavity is made of insulating material; The inner cavity is used to accommodate the charged structure.

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