An energy storage connector

Abstract

The application discloses an energy storage connector, comprising a connector plug and a connector socket in plug-in cooperation, the connector plug comprising a plug shell with a plug-in slot formed in the plug-in direction and a conductive terminal arranged in the plug shell, the connector socket comprising a socket shell with a mating slot formed in the plug-in direction and a pin in plug-in cooperation with the conductive terminal arranged in the socket shell, and further comprising an integrated terminal connection structure formed in the plug shell and accommodating the conductive terminal, one end of the terminal connection structure being formed with a plug-in cavity accommodating the conductive terminal in the plug-in direction, and the other end being formed with a wiring cavity of a connecting cable. Compared with the prior art, the application can effectively avoid the risk of displacement or even falling of the terminal seat relative to the wiring terminal, thereby ensuring the conductive performance between the conductive terminal and the cable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical connector technology, and in particular to an energy storage connector. Background Technology

[0002] Energy storage connectors serve as connecting components between electrical devices and energy storage or charging devices, facilitating current transmission between the devices. Common energy storage connectors include connector plugs and connector sockets that connect via mating. The connector plug connects to cables, while the connector socket connects to the electrical device or other equipment. Conductivity is achieved between the connector plug and connector socket through the mating of conductive terminals and pins. For cable connections, terminals are typically provided inside the connector plug to connect the cable to the conductive terminals.

[0003] In existing wiring terminals, when connected to conductive terminals, a terminal block capable of conducting electricity with the wiring terminal is typically installed on the wiring terminal, and the conductive terminal is fixed inside the terminal block. The cable is then fixed to the wiring terminal to achieve conductivity between the cable and the conductive terminal. However, because the terminal block is connected to the wiring terminal by riveting or crimping, and its connection direction is the same as the insertion direction of the connector plug, after prolonged insertion and removal, the mating gap between the terminal block and the wiring terminal increases or even detaches. This leads to a decrease in conductivity between the cable and the conductive terminal, affecting the connection performance of the energy storage connector. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an energy storage connector to solve the problem of poor conductivity of connectors in the prior art.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides an energy storage connector, including a connector plug and a connector socket for mating. The connector plug includes a plug housing with a mating groove formed along the mating direction and a conductive terminal disposed within the plug housing. The connector socket includes a socket housing with a mating groove formed along the mating direction and a pin disposed within the socket housing and mating with the conductive terminal. The connector is characterized in that it further includes an integral terminal connection structure formed within the plug housing and accommodating the conductive terminal. One end of the terminal connection structure has a mating cavity for accommodating the conductive terminal formed along the mating direction, and the other end has a wiring cavity for a connecting cable.

[0006] Furthermore, the terminal connection structure includes a wiring terminal and a terminal base integrally formed with the wiring terminal. The terminal base and the wiring terminal are L-shaped. The insertion cavity is formed through the terminal base along its axial direction. The conductive terminal is inserted into and fixed in the insertion cavity in a direction opposite to the insertion direction. A cylindrical wiring cavity is formed at the end of the wiring terminal away from the terminal base.

[0007] Furthermore, the terminal block includes a connecting tube forming the wiring cavity along the axial direction, a connecting piece integrally extending from one end edge of the connecting tube, and a connecting lug integrally extending from the end of the connecting piece away from the connecting tube. The terminal block is formed by stamping and stretching from the connecting lug along the insertion direction, and the wall thickness of the terminal block is less than the thickness of the connecting lug.

[0008] The connecting piece includes an arc-shaped connecting segment extending coaxially from the end of the connecting tube and an irregularly shaped connecting segment extending from the end of the arc-shaped connecting segment away from the connecting tube; the first end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment is shaped to the corresponding end of the arc-shaped connecting segment and integrally formed with the corresponding end of the arc-shaped connecting segment; the second end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment is twisted at a preset angle to both sides and in a direction away from the axis along the tangent of the arc-shaped connecting segment; the second end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment is shaped to the corresponding end of the connecting lug and integrally formed with the corresponding end of the connecting lug.

[0009] Furthermore, an abutment ring is provided on the inner wall of the terminal block at the end away from the wiring terminal, facing the axial direction. The abutment ring forms an abutment surface on the side facing the wiring terminal. The conductive terminal is inserted into the insertion cavity and abuts against the abutment surface. The abutment ring is formed by punching inward from the free end of the terminal block.

[0010] Furthermore, a locking cavity communicating with the plug groove is formed inside the plug housing. A locking mechanism capable of engaging with the corresponding end of the socket housing is provided in the locking cavity. The locking mechanism includes a shaft assembly rotatably connected between opposite first and second side walls of the locking cavity, a blocking plate slidably disposed on the shaft assembly and capable of extending into the plug groove to engage with the socket housing, and an unlocking component that drives the blocking plate out of the plug groove.

[0011] Furthermore, the shaft assembly includes a rotating shaft rotatably disposed on a first side wall of the locking cavity and a fixed shaft fixedly disposed on a second side wall of the locking cavity and rotatably connected to one end of the rotating shaft away from the locking cavity. The blocking plate is sleeved on the rotating shaft and can slide along the rotating shaft to the fixed shaft.

[0012] A damping bearing is connected to one end of the rotating shaft near the first side wall of the locking cavity, and a connecting shaft coaxial with the rotating shaft is formed at the other end. A rotating hole that rotatably engages with the connecting shaft is recessed at the end of the fixed shaft near the rotating shaft.

[0013] A torsion spring is fitted on one end of the rotating shaft corresponding to the damping bearing to drive the rotating shaft to automatically reset after rotation. One end of the torsion spring is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft, and the other end is fixed to the inner wall of the locking cavity.

[0014] Furthermore, the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft is recessed along the axial direction with a straight groove, and the outer circumferential surface of the fixed shaft is provided with a spiral groove that engages with the straight groove. The blocking plate is provided with a shaft hole through which the shaft assembly passes. A guide block is protruding in the shaft hole and slides in cooperation with the straight groove and the spiral groove. The blocking plate can slide into the spiral groove along the straight groove and rotate synchronously around the axis of the fixed shaft while sliding in the spiral groove, and can also retract into the straight groove along the spiral groove and rotate synchronously in the opposite direction around the axis of the fixed shaft while sliding.

[0015] A first return spring is provided outside the fixed shaft between the second side wall of the locking cavity and the corresponding side of the blocking plate. One end of the first return spring is fixed or abuts against the second side wall of the locking cavity, and the other end is fixed or abuts against the corresponding position of the blocking plate.

[0016] Furthermore, a limiting rod is provided on the rotating shaft, and a stop rod is provided on the side wall of the locking cavity at the position corresponding to the limiting rod to limit the rotational stroke of the rotating shaft when it is reset.

[0017] Furthermore, the blocking plate includes a main body portion that is slidably sleeved outside the shaft assembly and a locking portion that extends integrally from the main body portion and can engage with a socket housing latch inserted into the insertion slot;

[0018] A locking ring is provided on one end of the socket housing corresponding to the connector plug, and the locking ring engages with the locking part after the connector plug and connector socket are inserted into place.

[0019] Furthermore, the unlocking component includes a button that extends from the outside of the plug housing into the locking cavity and is in movable contact with one side of the blocking plate, and a second return spring disposed outside the button. The button has an inner end located in the locking cavity and coplanar with the corresponding position of the blocking plate, and an outer end located outside the plug housing. One end of the second return spring abuts or is fixed to the outer end, and the other end abuts or is fixed to the corresponding position of the plug housing.

[0020] This invention features an integrated terminal connection structure within the connector plug. The terminal base is integrally formed on the wiring terminal using a stamping process, eliminating any gap between them. This effectively avoids the risk of increased gap due to repeated insertion and removal of the connector plug and socket, thereby improving the connection stability between the terminal base and the wiring terminal and ensuring the conductivity between the conductive terminal and the cable. Furthermore, this invention incorporates a locking mechanism within the plug housing. During insertion, the socket housing pushes a blocking plate along a linear groove into a spiral groove, which rotates synchronously. The locking part on the blocking plate exits the insertion slot and returns to its original position under the return force of a first return spring, locking with a locking ring on the socket housing. This allows for direct locking of the connector plug and socket without the need for pressing a button, ensuring stable connection and preventing detachment. Unlocking is achieved by simply pressing the button lightly, eliminating the need to continuously hold the button during removal, making operation convenient and quick. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional view of the energy storage connector of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A 3D view of the connector plug.

[0023] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Cross-sectional view.

[0024] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the terminal connection structure.

[0025] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Cross-sectional view.

[0026] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the cable connection.

[0027] Figure 7 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of point A in the middle.

[0028] Figure 8 for Figure 1 Enlarged view of point B in the middle.

[0029] Figure 9 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the locking mechanism in the left view direction.

[0030] The diagrams in the instruction manual are labeled as follows:

[0031] Connector plug 10, plug housing 11, insertion groove 11a, locking cavity 11b, insulating inner sleeve 111, assembly groove 111a, insulating outer sleeve 112, insulating body 113, threaded tube 1131, stop bar 12;

[0032] Connector socket 20, socket housing 21, mating groove 21a, locking ring 211, pin 22;

[0033] Conductive terminal 30;

[0034] Terminal connection structure 40, plug-in cavity 40a, wiring cavity 40b, wiring terminal 41, connecting tube 411, connecting piece 412, arc connecting section 4121, irregular connecting section 4122, connecting ear plate 413, terminal seat 42, abutment ring 421, abutment surface 421a;

[0035] Sealing gasket 50;

[0036] Cable fixing assembly 60, insulating sleeve 61, collar 611, elastic fixing sleeve 62, bending ring 621, elastic clamping piece 622, bolt 63;

[0037] Sealing ring 70, annular body 71, sealing ring 72;

[0038] Locking mechanism 80, shaft assembly 81, rotating shaft 811, linear slide 811a, fixed shaft 812, spiral slide 812a, rotating hole 812b, damping bearing 813, connecting shaft 814, torsion spring 815, first shaft shoulder 816, limit rod 817, first return spring 818, blocking plate 82, main body 821, locking part 822, guide block 823, unlocking assembly 83, button 831, second return spring 832, second shaft shoulder 833. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The following detailed description illustrates the specific implementation methods:

[0040] Example

[0041] like Figure 1As shown, an embodiment of the energy storage connector of the present invention includes a connector plug 10 and a connector socket 20 that are mated together. The connector plug 10 is connected to an energy storage device or a power source via a cable, and the connector socket 20 is configured on a power-consuming device or other charging device. When the connector plug 10 is plugged into the connector socket 20, a current path can be formed between the connector plug 10 and the connector socket 20, thereby enabling the energy storage device to supply power to the power-consuming device or the other charging device to charge the energy storage device. In this embodiment, the connector plug 10 and the connector socket 20 are mated together along the insertion direction of the connector plug 10. The connector plug 10 has a mating groove 11a on one side corresponding to the connector socket 20, which is set along the insertion direction and opens toward the connector socket 20. The connector socket 20 has a mating groove 21a at one end corresponding to the mating groove 11a, which is set along the insertion direction and opens toward the connector plug 10. The connector plug 10 and the connector socket 20 are connected through the mating engagement between the mating groove 11a and the mating groove 21a to form the current path.

[0042] like Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the connector plug 10 includes a plug housing 11 that is inserted into the connector socket 20, conductive terminals 30 disposed within the plug housing 11, a terminal connection structure 40 disposed within the plug housing 11 and capable of conducting electricity with the conductive terminals 30, a sealing gasket 50 inserted into the terminal connection structure 40 and fixing the conductive terminals 30, and a cable fixing assembly 60 detachably connected to the plug housing 11 for fixing the cable. The connector plug 10 is connected to an energy storage device or a power source via a cable connected thereto. The connector socket is configured on the electrical device or other charging device. When the connector plug 10 is inserted into the connector socket, a current path is formed between the connector plug 10 and the connector socket, thereby enabling the energy storage device to supply power to the electrical device or the other charging device to charge the energy storage device. The socket housing has an axially oriented (i.e., the insertion direction with the connector socket) insertion groove 11a with an opening. The conductive terminal 30 is disposed in the terminal connection structure 40 and at a position corresponding to the insertion groove 11a, so as to be able to elastically contact the pin in the connector socket and realize the conductivity between the connector plug 10 and the connector socket.

[0043] In this embodiment, the terminal connection structure 40 is an integrated terminal connection structure. One end of the integrated terminal connection structure is covered inside the socket housing and connected to the conductive terminal 30, while the other end extends outward from the socket housing and is covered inside the cable fixing assembly 60 and connected to the inserted cable. Specifically, the integrated terminal connection structure has a coaxial insertion cavity 40a at one end corresponding to the conductive terminal 30 along the axial direction of the conductive terminal 30. The conductive terminal 30 is connected to the insertion cavity 40a. The sealing gasket 50 can seal the insertion cavity 40a from one end to form a receiving cavity (not shown in the figure) that can accommodate the conductive terminal 30. When the conductive terminal 30 is inserted into the insertion cavity 40a, both ends of the conductive terminal 30 can abut against and be fixed at the corresponding positions on the inner wall of the receiving cavity, so as to restrict the conductive terminal 30 within the receiving cavity and prevent the conductive terminal 30 from shifting after repeated insertion and removal, thus affecting the conductivity of the connector socket. The integrated terminal connection structure 40 has a cylindrical wiring cavity 40b formed at one end of the connecting cable. The wiring cavity 40b is open at least at one end away from the conductive terminal 30. The cable is inserted into the wiring cavity 40b from the open end and conducts electricity with the inner wall of the wiring cavity 40b, so as to indirectly conduct electricity with the conductive terminal 30 through the integrated terminal connection structure.

[0044] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the integrated terminal connection structure includes a terminal block 41 and a terminal block 42 integrally formed with the terminal block 41. The terminal block 42 is connected to the terminal block 41 in an L-shape. The wiring cavity 40b is formed inside the terminal block 41, and the insertion cavity 40a is formed inside the terminal block 42. The axis of the insertion cavity 40a intersects the axis of the wiring cavity 40b at an angle, so that the direction of force on the cable after connection is different from the direction of force on the conductive terminal 30 in the insertion direction. With this configuration, even if the cable is subjected to external force, the tension transmitted to the terminal block 41 is different from the direction of force on the conductive terminal 30 during insertion and removal. This can prevent the connector plug 10 from shifting or deforming, thereby ensuring a stable connection between the connector plug 10 and the connector socket. In this embodiment, the angle between the axis of the plug-in cavity 40a and the axis of the wiring cavity 40b is preferably 90°. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the angle between the axis of the plug-in cavity 40a and the axis of the wiring cavity 40b can also be set to other angles, such as acute angles (30°, 60°, etc.) and obtuse angles (120°, 150°, etc.), so that the force direction of the cable deviates from the force direction of the conductive terminal 30, thereby achieving a stable connection between the connector plug 10 and the connector socket.

[0045] The terminal block 41 includes a connecting tube 411 forming the wiring cavity 40b along the axial direction, a connecting piece 412 integrally extending from one end edge of the connecting tube 411, and a connecting ear plate 413 integrally extending from the end of the connecting piece 412 away from the connecting tube 411. The connecting tube 411 has a cylindrical structure, and the wiring cavity 40b is formed inside the connecting tube 411. The lower end of the connecting tube 411 (the end away from the connecting piece 412) is the open end of the wiring cavity 40b for cable insertion. The end face of the upper end of the connecting tube 411 is at least partially connected to the connecting piece 412. The upper end of the connecting tube 411 can be open or closed. When the upper end of the connecting tube 411 is open, the opening is closed by the plug housing 11 after the plug housing 11 is formed to ensure internal and external insulation of the connector plug 10. The connecting ear plate 413 is flat, and the terminal base 42 is integrally formed on the connecting ear plate 413.

[0046] One end of the connecting piece 412 is conformed to and connected to the corresponding end of the cylindrical connecting tube 411, and the other end is conformed to and connected to the corresponding end of the flat connecting lug 413. Specifically, the connecting piece 412 includes an arc-shaped connecting segment 4121 extending coaxially from the end of the connecting tube 411 and an irregularly shaped connecting segment 4122 extending from the end of the arc-shaped connecting segment 4121 away from the connecting tube 411.

[0047] The arc-shaped connecting segment 4121 extends integrally from the end of the connecting tube 411. In this embodiment, the projection of the arc-shaped connecting segment 4121 in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the connecting tube 411 is an arc (without considering the thickness of the arc-shaped connecting segment 4121), and its arc length is half the circumference of the circle projected by the connecting tube 411 in the corresponding plane. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the arc length of the arc-shaped connecting segment 4121 may also be set to be greater than half the circumference to increase the connection strength between the connecting tube 411 and the connecting ear plate 413, or set to be less than half the circumference to reduce the overall volume of the connector plug 10 by reducing the volume of the terminal block 41, etc.

[0048] The first end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment 4122 is contoured to the corresponding end of the arc connecting segment 4121 and integrally formed with the corresponding end of the arc connecting segment 4121. The second end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment 4122 is twisted at a predetermined angle to both sides and in a direction away from the axis along the tangent of the arc connecting segment 4121. The second end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment 4122 is contoured to the corresponding end of the connecting ear plate 413 and integrally formed with the corresponding end of the connecting ear plate 413. That is, the irregularly shaped connecting segment 4122... The projection of the first end of 122 in the plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the connecting tube 411 is an arc that coincides with the projection of the arc connecting section 4121. The projection of the second end in the plane perpendicular to the axial direction of the connecting tube 411 is a straight line that coincides with the projection of the connecting ear plate 413 (the thickness of the connecting ear plate 413 is not considered). In this way, the connecting tube 411 can smoothly transition from the arc at the corresponding end to the line shape at the corresponding end of the connecting ear plate 413, which is beneficial for forming the terminal block 42 on the flat connecting ear plate 413.

[0049] In this embodiment, the terminal block 42 is preferably formed by stamping and stretching from the terminal block 41 (specifically the connecting ear plate 413) along the insertion direction. The wall thickness of the terminal block 41 is less than the thickness of the connecting ear plate 413. After stamping or stretching, the insertion cavity 40a is formed in the terminal block 42. During the stamping or stretching process, the stamping or stretching direction of the terminal block 42 is preferably the side corresponding to the connecting tube 411, so as to reduce the overall volume of the connector plug 10 and facilitate the miniaturization of the connector plug 10.

[0050] A contact ring 421 is provided on the inner wall of the terminal block 42, corresponding to the end away from the wiring terminal 41, protruding in the axial direction. The contact ring 41 is preferably formed on the terminal block 41 by stamping inward from the free end of the terminal block, so that the side of the contact ring 421 facing the wiring terminal 41 forms a contact surface 421a for the corresponding end of the conductive terminal 30 to abut. When the conductive terminal 30 is assembled into the insertion cavity 40a and sealed with the sealing gasket 50, the two ends of the conductive terminal 30 can abut against the contact surface 421a and the side of the sealing gasket 50 opposite to the contact surface 421a, respectively, to fix the conductive terminal 30. In this embodiment, the sealing gasket 50 is preferably made of copper, and the diameter of the sealing gasket 50 is adapted to the diameter of the insertion cavity 40a. The conductive terminal 30 is connected to the cable together with the sealing gasket 50 through the wiring terminal 41 to increase the conductivity between the conductive terminal 30 and the cable. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the sealing gasket 50 may also be made of rigid plastic. In this case, the conductive terminal 30 is connected to the cable through the wiring terminal 41.

[0051] Please return to the reference. Figure 2 and Figure 3 The plug housing 11 includes an insulating inner sleeve 111 that is fitted around the outer wall of the terminal block 42, an insulating outer sleeve 112 that is formed integrally with the insulating inner sleeve 111 and surrounds the insulating inner sleeve 111, and an insulating body 113 that at least partially covers the terminal block 41 and is formed integrally with the insulating outer sleeve 112. The outer wall surface of the insulating inner sleeve 111 and the inner wall surface of the insulating outer sleeve 112 form the insertion groove 11a at intervals, for the corresponding structure of the connector socket to be inserted. The terminal 41 has a portion extending beyond the insulating body 113 at the end away from the terminal base 42. The cable fixing assembly 60 is detachably connected to the insulating body 113 and loops around the extended end of the terminal 41. Specifically, a threaded tube 1131 is formed on the insulating body 113 at the position corresponding to the cable fixing assembly 60. The threaded tube 1131 loops around the upper outer side of the connecting tube 411, and the lower end of the connecting tube 411 extends out of the threaded tube 1131. The cable fixing assembly 60 is threadedly connected to the threaded tube 1131 and completely loops around the extended end of the connecting tube 411.

[0052] like Figure 6 As shown, the cable fixing assembly 60 includes an insulating sleeve 61 that is looped around the protruding end of the terminal block 41, an elastic fixing sleeve 62 that is looped around the outside of the insulating sleeve 61, and a bolt 63 that is looped around the outside of the elastic fixing sleeve 62 and threadedly connected to the insulating body 113. Specifically, the insulating sleeve 61 is looped around the protruding end of the connecting tube 411, and the upper end face of the insulating sleeve 61 abuts against the lower end face of the threaded tube 1131 to close the gap between the cable fixing assembly 60 and the threaded tube 1131; the upper end of the insulating sleeve 61 is provided with a collar 611 protruding outward, the upper end face of the elastic fixing sleeve 62 abuts against the lower end face of the collar 611, and the lower end of the elastic fixing sleeve 62 is bent inward to form a bent ring 621, the upper end face of the bent ring 621 abuts against the... The lower end face of the insulating sleeve 61 is used to fix the insulating sleeve 61 between the connecting pipe 411 and the elastic fixing sleeve 62; the bolt 63 is screwed on the outside of the threaded pipe 1131, the inner diameter of the lower end of the bolt 63 is smaller than the outer diameter of the elastic fixing sleeve 62, and the inner diameter of the bolt 63 gradually increases from its lower end upwards, and the diameter at its maximum inner diameter is not greater than the outer diameter of the elastic fixing sleeve 62, so that when the bolt 63 is tightened, the elastic fixing sleeve 62 and the insulating sleeve 61 can be gradually squeezed inwards as the bolt 63 moves upwards to fix the cable.

[0053] In this embodiment, the lower end of the elastic fixing sleeve 62 is provided with a plurality of elastic pressing pieces 622 along its circumference. The elastic pressing pieces 622 can press the insulating sleeve 61 inward under force so as to tightly wrap the cable under the pressure of the inner wall of the bolt 63 and prevent the cable from falling off. At the same time, the elastic pressing pieces 622 can return to their original position when the force is lost, so as to facilitate the cable being pulled out.

[0054] like Figure 7 As shown, the outer wall of the insulating inner sleeve 111 is provided with a recessed assembly groove 111a at one end corresponding to the opening of the insertion groove 11a, and a sealing ring 70 is provided in the assembly groove 111a. In this embodiment, the sealing ring 70 is made of rubber, and the inner diameter of the sealing ring 70 can be equal to or slightly smaller than the bottom diameter of the assembly groove 111a, so that the inner wall of the sealing ring 70 can be tightly pressed into the assembly groove 111a to increase the sealing effect. It is understood that in some other embodiments, the inner diameter of the assembly groove 111a can also be slightly larger than the bottom diameter of the assembly groove 111a. During assembly, a seal can be achieved by uniformly applying glue between the inner wall of the sealing ring 70 and the bottom of the assembly groove 111a. In this embodiment, the sealing ring 70 includes an annular body 71 that is fitted inside the assembly groove 111a and at least one sealing ring 72 that protrudes outward from the outer circumference of the annular body 71. The distal end of the sealing ring 72 extends outward beyond the assembly groove 111a. When the connector plug 10 and the connector socket are inserted into place, the corresponding position of the connector socket can squeeze the distal end of the sealing ring 72 to achieve a seal between the connector plug 10 and the inside of the connector socket.

[0055] Please return to the reference. Figure 1 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connector plug 10 further includes a locking mechanism 80 capable of engaging with the connector socket 20. The locking mechanism 80 can lock the connector socket 20 after the connector plug 10 and connector socket 20 are fully inserted, preventing accidental separation of the connector socket 20 and connector socket 10. Specifically, the socket housing 11 has a locking cavity 11b communicating with the insertion slot 11a. The locking mechanism 80 is installed in the locking cavity 11b, and the locking mechanism 80 can extend into the insertion slot 11a and engage with the corresponding position of the connector socket 20 to lock it, or exit the insertion slot 11a to unlock the connector socket 20.

[0056] like Figure 8 and Figure 9As shown, the locking mechanism 80 includes a shaft assembly 81 rotatably connected between the opposing first and second side walls of the locking cavity 11b, a blocking plate 82 slidably disposed on the shaft assembly 81 and capable of extending into the insertion groove 11a to engage with the connector socket 20, and an unlocking assembly 83 that drives the blocking plate 82 out of the insertion groove 11a. During insertion, the end of the connector socket 20 can push the blocking plate 82 to slide along the axis of the shaft assembly 81 in the insertion direction and rotate around the axis after sliding a certain distance. As the blocking plate 82 rotates, the blocking plate 82 assembly exits the insertion slot 11a, allowing the connector socket 20 to be inserted. When the connector socket 20 is inserted into place, the end of the connector socket 20 passes over the blocking plate 82 and no longer applies force to the blocking plate 82. At this time, the blocking plate 82 loses its force and resets, re-entering the insertion slot 11a to lock with the end of the connector socket 20, restricting the connector socket 20 from retracting, thereby locking the connector plug 10 and the connector socket 20. During unlocking, by pressing the unlocking component 83, the unlocking component 83 pushes the blocking plate 82 to rotate around the axis of the shaft assembly 81 again and exit the insertion slot 11a, releasing the restriction on the connector socket 20. At this time, the connector plug 10 and the connector socket 20 can be easily separated, realizing the unlocking of the connector plug 10 and the connector socket 20.

[0057] The shaft assembly 81 includes a rotating shaft 811 rotatably mounted on a first sidewall of the locking cavity 11b and a fixed shaft 812 fixed on a second sidewall of the locking cavity 11b and rotatably connected to one end of the rotating shaft 811 away from the locking cavity 11b. The blocking plate 82 is sleeved on the rotating shaft 811 and can slide along the axial direction of the rotating shaft 811 to the fixed shaft 812. Specifically, the outer peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 811 is provided with a linear groove 811a recessed along the axial direction, and the outer peripheral surface of the fixed shaft 812 is provided with a helical groove 812a that engages with the linear groove 811a. In its natural state (i.e., without force), the blocking plate 82 is always fitted around the rotating shaft 811 and can rotate synchronously with the rotating shaft 811. The corresponding position of the blocking plate 82 is limited to the straight groove 811a so that the blocking plate 82 can only slide along the straight groove 811a outside the rotating shaft 811. When the blocking plate 82 is subjected to force, it will slide along the straight groove 811a into the spiral groove 812a on the fixed shaft 812. Under the action of the spiral groove 812a, the blocking plate 82 rotates relative to the axis of the fixed shaft 812, so that the end of the blocking plate 82 located in the insertion groove 11a makes a circular motion and exits the insertion groove 11a.

[0058] A damping bearing 813 is connected to one end of the rotating shaft 811 near the first sidewall of the locking cavity 11b. A connecting shaft 814 coaxial with the rotating shaft 813 is formed at the other end of the rotating shaft 811. A rotating hole 812b is recessed at the end of the fixed shaft 812 near the end of the rotating shaft 811, which is rotatably engaged with the connecting shaft 814. The connecting shaft 814 is inserted into the rotating hole 812b, and the outer diameter of the connecting shaft 814 is adapted to the inner diameter of the rotating hole 812b. This allows the rotating shaft 811 to rotate relative to the locking cavity 11b and the fixed shaft 812 under the cooperation of the damping bearing 813 and the connecting shaft 814 at both ends, thereby driving the blocking plate 82 to rotate. To facilitate the automatic reset of the blocking plate 82 after the rotating shaft 811 rotates, a torsion spring 815 is sleeved on one end of the rotating shaft 811 corresponding to the damping bearing 813. One end of the torsion spring 815 is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 811, and the other end is fixed to the inner wall of the locking cavity 11b. This allows the rotating shaft 811 to compress or stretch the torsion spring 815 to obtain a restoring force when it is subjected to force and rotates. As a result, when the external force acting on the rotating shaft 811 disappears, the restoring force of the torsion spring 815 can drive the rotating shaft 811 to automatically rotate and reset the blocking plate 82.

[0059] The outer wall of the rotating shaft 811 is provided with a first shoulder 816, which is used to restrict the axial movement of the blocking plate 82. Specifically, the first shoulder 816 is disposed between the first side wall of the locking cavity 11b and the corresponding side of the blocking plate 82 to limit the movement of the blocking plate 82 away from the fixed shaft 812.

[0060] A limiting rod 817 is provided on the rotating shaft 811. The limiting rod 817 can cooperate with the corresponding position of the locking cavity 11b to limit the rotation stroke of the rotating shaft 811. Specifically, a stop rod 12 is provided on the side wall of the locking cavity 11b at the position corresponding to the limiting rod 817. When the rotating shaft 811 rotates under the action of the torsion spring 815, it synchronously drives the limiting rod 817 to move closer to the stop rod 12 in the circumferential direction and stops rotating when it contacts the stop rod 12, thereby limiting the rotation stroke of the rotating rod 811.

[0061] The blocking plate 82 includes a main body 821 that is slidably sleeved outside the shaft assembly 81 and a locking part 822 that extends integrally from the main body 821. The main body 821 is sleeved outside the rotating shaft 811 and the fixed shaft 812. The locking part 822 can be inserted into the insertion slot 11a and engage with the inserted connector socket 20. In this embodiment, the blocking plate 82 (main body 821) is provided with a through shaft hole 82a for the shaft assembly 81 to pass through, so that the blocking plate 82 can be fitted over the rotating shaft 811 and the fixed shaft 812 and slide along the axial direction. A guide block 823 protrudes from the shaft hole 82a and slides in slidability with the linear groove 811a and the helical groove 812a. The guide block 823 can extend into and be confined within the linear groove 811a and the helical groove 812a. Since the linear groove 811a and the helical groove 812a are connected, when the blocking plate 82 slides from the rotating shaft 811 to the fixed shaft 812, the guide block 823 can slide along the linear groove 811a... 1a slides forward into the spiral groove 812a. Under the action of the spiral groove 812a, the guide block 823 rotates relative to the axis of the fixed shaft 812, thereby driving the main body 821 to rotate synchronously, and thus causing the locking part 822 to make a circular motion and exit the insertion slot 11a, so as to facilitate the insertion of the connector socket 20. When the blocking plate 82 slides from the fixed shaft 812 to the rotating shaft 811 (that is, when resetting), the guide block 823 can return to the straight groove 811a along the spiral groove 812a. Under the action of the spiral groove 812a, the guide block 823 rotates in the opposite direction relative to the axis of the fixed shaft 812, thereby driving the main body 821 to rotate, and thus causing the locking part 822 to reset.

[0062] To facilitate automatic reset of the blocking plate, a first reset spring 818 is sleeved on the fixed shaft 812 to push the blocking plate 82 back to its original position after it loses its force. In this embodiment, the first reset spring 818 is located between the second side wall of the locking cavity 11b and the corresponding side of the blocking plate 82. One end of the first reset spring 818 is fixed or abuts against the second side wall of the locking cavity 11b, and the other end is fixed or abuts against the corresponding position of the blocking plate 82. When the connector socket 20 pushes the blocking plate 82 to move along the rotating shaft 811 toward the fixed shaft 812, the first reset spring 818 is compressed, giving it a rebound force. This rebound force can push the blocking plate 82 back to the rotating shaft 811 after it loses its force.

[0063] The unlocking assembly 83 includes a button 831 extending from the outside of the plug housing 11 into the locking cavity 11b, and a second return spring 832 sleeved on the button 831. The button 831 has an inner end located in the locking cavity 11b and an outer end located outside the plug housing 11. The button 831 is horizontally arranged. The inner end is in movable contact with one side of the blocking plate 82 and is coplanar with that side. The second return spring 831 is disposed on the outer end. One end of the second return spring 832 abuts or is fixed to the outer end, and the other end of the second return spring 832 abuts or is fixed to the corresponding position of the plug housing 11. The axis of the button 831 is located above the rotating shaft 811. When unlocking, pressing the outer end of the button 831 inward causes the inner end of the button 831 to push the blocking plate 82 inward, forcing the blocking plate 82 to rotate and drive its locking part 822 away from the insertion slot 11a to achieve unlocking.

[0064] In this embodiment, a second shoulder 833 is provided on the outer ring of one side of the button 831 corresponding to the inner end. The second shoulder 833 can limit the movement of the button 831 away from the blocking plate 82 during the reset process, thus preventing the button 831 from falling off the plug housing 11.

[0065] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 8 and Figure 9 The connector socket 20 includes a socket housing 21 and a pin 22 disposed within the socket housing 21 along the insertion direction. An axial cavity is formed within the socket housing 21. The pin 22 is inserted into the cavity and, from the middle of the cavity, divides the cavity to form a mating groove 21a at one end of the socket housing 21 corresponding to the conductive terminal 30, thereby achieving the insertion and engagement of the pin 22 and the conductive terminal 30.

[0066] A locking ring 211 is provided on the socket housing 21 at one end corresponding to the connector plug 10 (i.e., conductive terminal 30) and protrudes outward. When the connector plug 10 is inserted into the connector socket 20, the pin 21 is inserted into the conductive terminal 30, the socket housing 21 is inserted into the insertion groove 10a, and after being inserted into place, the locking ring 211 cooperates with the locking mechanism 80 to lock the connector plug 10 and the connector socket 20. During insertion, the locking part 822 can extend into the insertion groove 11a and abut against the locking ring 211. That is, when the locking ring 211 moves forward along the insertion groove 11a with the socket housing 21, it contacts and pushes the locking part 822, causing the main body 821 to move synchronously, so as to rotate the blocking plate 82 with the shaft assembly 81. When the blocking plate 82 rotates a certain angle, the blocking plate 82 avoids the locking ring 211. At this time, the locking ring 211 just reaches the set position. After the blocking plate 82 avoids the locking ring 211, it moves towards the direction of the rotating shaft 811 under the rebound force of the first return spring 818 and rotates under the guidance of the spiral groove 812a until the blocking plate 82 moves to contact the first shaft shoulder 816 and stops moving. At this time, the blocking plate 82 can block the locking ring 211 to prevent the socket and plug from separating.

[0067] During assembly, the present invention first inserts the conductive terminal 30 into the insertion slot 40a from the end of the insertion cavity 40a near the connecting ear plate 413 until the conductive terminal 30 abuts against the abutting surface 421a. Then, the sealing gasket 50 is pressed into the insertion cavity 40a and abuts against the conductive terminal 30 before being placed in the molding mold to form the plug housing 11. Next, the insulating sleeve 61 is fitted onto the protruding end of the connecting tube 411, the collar 611 abuts against the lower end face of the threaded tube 1131, the elastic fixing sleeve 62 is fitted onto the outside of the insulating sleeve 61, and the bolt 63 is fitted onto the outside of the elastic fixing sleeve 62 and screwed onto the outside of the threaded tube 1131. Finally, the sealing ring 70 is fitted into the assembly groove 111a to complete the assembly of the connector plug 10. When connecting the cable, first unscrew the bolt 63 outwards until the insulating sleeve 61 and the elastic fixing sleeve 62 return to their original state. Then, insert the cable into the connecting tube 411 and tighten the bolt 63 inwards to make the insulating sleeve 61 and the elastic fixing sleeve 62 press the cable tightly.

[0068] In use, when the connector plug 10 is inserted into the connector socket 20, the locking ring 211 on the connector plug 10 moves relative to the blocking plate 82 and pushes the blocking plate 82 towards the fixed shaft 812. When the blocking plate 82 moves, it compresses the first return spring 818. When the blocking plate 82 moves past the fixed shaft 812, the blocking plate 82 starts to rotate under the action of the spiral groove 812a. When the blocking plate 82 rotates a certain angle, the blocking plate 82 avoids the locking ring 211. At this time, the locking ring 211 just reaches the set position. After avoiding the locking ring 211, the blocking plate 82 moves towards the rotating shaft 811 under the action of the rebound force of the first return spring 818 and rotates under the guidance of the spiral groove 812a. When the blocking plate 82 moves to contact the first shaft shoulder 816, it stops moving. At this time, the blocking plate 82 can block the locking ring 211 to prevent the connector plug 10 and the connector socket 20 from separating.

[0069] When it is necessary to separate the connector plug 10 from the connector socket 20, press button 831 to push the blocking plate 82 to rotate. The blocking plate 82 drives the rotating shaft 811 to rotate, and the torsion spring 815 is compressed or stretched. When button 831 is pressed to its limit position, the blocking plate 821 rotates to avoid the locking ring 211. Due to the damping limitation of the damping bearing 813, when button 831 is released, the rebound force of the torsion spring 815 cannot make the rotating shaft immediately rotate to the position where the blocking plate 82 blocks the locking ring 211. At this time, the connector plug 10 can be separated from the connector socket 20. Afterwards, with the cooperation of the torsion spring 815 and the damping bearing 813, the rotating shaft 811 slowly rotates back until the limit rod 817 contacts the stop rod 12, and the blocking plate 82 returns to its original position.

Claims

1. An energy storage connector, comprising a connector plug and a connector socket for mating, wherein the connector plug includes a plug housing having a mating groove formed along the mating direction and conductive terminals disposed within the plug housing, and the connector socket includes a socket housing having a mating groove formed along the mating direction and pins disposed within the socket housing and mating with the conductive terminals, characterized in that: It also includes an integral terminal connection structure formed within the plug housing and accommodating the conductive terminal, wherein one end of the terminal connection structure has a plug cavity for accommodating the conductive terminal along the plugging direction, and the other end has a wiring cavity for a connecting cable. The plug housing has a locking cavity that communicates with the plug slot. The locking cavity is provided with a locking mechanism that can engage with the corresponding end of the socket housing. The locking mechanism includes a shaft assembly rotatably connected between the opposite first and second side walls of the locking cavity, a blocking plate slidably disposed on the shaft assembly and capable of extending into the plug slot to engage with the socket housing, and an unlocking component that drives the blocking plate out of the plug slot. The shaft assembly includes a rotating shaft rotatably disposed on a first side wall of the locking cavity and a fixed shaft fixedly disposed on a second side wall of the locking cavity and rotatably connected to one end of the rotating shaft away from the locking cavity. The blocking plate is sleeved outside the rotating shaft and can slide along the rotating shaft to the fixed shaft. The outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft is recessed along the axial direction with a linear groove, and the outer circumferential surface of the fixed shaft is provided with a spiral groove that mates with the linear groove. The blocking plate is provided with a shaft hole through which the shaft assembly passes. A guide block is protruding in the shaft hole and slides in cooperation with the linear groove and the spiral groove. The blocking plate can slide into the spiral groove along the linear groove and rotate synchronously around the axis of the fixed shaft while sliding in the spiral groove, and can also retract into the linear groove along the spiral groove and rotate in the opposite direction synchronously around the axis of the fixed shaft while sliding.

2. The energy storage connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The terminal connection structure includes a terminal block and a terminal base integrally formed with the terminal block. The terminal base and the terminal block are L-shaped. The insertion cavity is formed through the terminal base along its axial direction. The conductive terminal is inserted into and fixed in the insertion cavity in a direction opposite to the insertion direction. A cylindrical wiring cavity is formed at the end of the terminal block away from the terminal base.

3. The energy storage connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The terminal block includes a connecting tube forming the wiring cavity along the axial direction, a connecting piece integrally extending from one end edge of the connecting tube, and a connecting lug integrally extending from the end of the connecting piece away from the connecting tube. The terminal block is formed by stamping and stretching from the connecting lug along the insertion direction, and the wall thickness of the terminal block is less than the thickness of the connecting lug. The connecting piece includes an arc-shaped connecting segment extending coaxially from the end of the connecting tube and an irregularly shaped connecting segment extending from the end of the arc-shaped connecting segment away from the connecting tube; the first end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment is shaped to the corresponding end of the arc-shaped connecting segment and integrally formed with the corresponding end of the arc-shaped connecting segment; the second end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment is twisted at a preset angle to both sides and in a direction away from the axis along the tangent of the arc-shaped connecting segment; the second end of the irregularly shaped connecting segment is shaped to the corresponding end of the connecting lug and integrally formed with the corresponding end of the connecting lug.

4. The energy storage connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: An abutment ring is protruding from the inner wall of the terminal block towards the axial direction at the end away from the wiring terminal. The abutment ring forms an abutment surface on the side facing the wiring terminal. The conductive terminal is inserted into the insertion cavity and abuts against the abutment surface. The abutment ring is formed by punching inward from the free end of the terminal block.

5. The energy storage connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A damping bearing is connected to one end of the rotating shaft near the first side wall of the locking cavity, and a connecting shaft coaxial with the rotating shaft is formed at the other end. A rotating hole that rotatably engages with the connecting shaft is recessed at the end of the fixed shaft near the rotating shaft. A torsion spring is fitted on one end of the rotating shaft corresponding to the damping bearing to drive the rotating shaft to automatically reset after rotation. One end of the torsion spring is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft, and the other end is fixed to the inner wall of the locking cavity.

6. The energy storage connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first return spring is provided outside the fixed shaft between the second side wall of the locking cavity and the corresponding side of the blocking plate. One end of the first return spring is fixed or abuts against the second side wall of the locking cavity, and the other end is fixed or abuts against the corresponding position of the blocking plate.

7. The energy storage connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: A limiting rod is provided on the rotating shaft, and a stop rod is provided on the side wall of the locking cavity at the position corresponding to the limiting rod to limit the rotational stroke of the rotating shaft when it is reset.

8. The energy storage connector according to claim 5, characterized in that: The baffle plate includes a main body that is slidably sleeved outside the shaft assembly and a locking part that extends integrally from the main body and can engage with a socket housing latch inserted into the insertion slot. A locking ring is provided on one end of the socket housing corresponding to the connector plug, and the locking ring engages with the locking part after the connector plug and connector socket are inserted into place.

9. The energy storage connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The unlocking assembly includes a button that extends from the outside of the plug housing into the locking cavity and makes movable contact with one side of the blocking plate, and a second return spring disposed outside the button. The button has an inner end located in the locking cavity and coplanar with the corresponding position of the blocking plate, and an outer end located outside the plug housing. One end of the second return spring abuts or is fixed to the outer end, and the other end abuts or is fixed to the corresponding position of the plug housing.

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