Power conversion connector coupling in-place monitoring device and power conversion connector

Abstract

The invention discloses a power conversion connector coupling in-place monitoring device and a power conversion connector, the power conversion connector comprises a vehicle end electric connection device and a battery end electric connection device which are in coupling connection, and the coupling in-place monitoring device comprises at least one in-place monitoring sensor, the sensor is arranged on a coupling surface of the battery end electric connection device and / or the vehicle end electric connection device and is used for monitoring the coupling distance between the vehicle end electric connection device and the battery end electric connection device; and the control module is connected with the in-place monitoring sensor and is used for receiving the coupling distance signal output by the in-place monitoring sensor and determining the in-place state of the vehicle end electric connection device and the battery end electric connection device based on the coupling distance signal. The in-place monitoring sensor is arranged on the coupling surface of the power conversion connector to monitor the coupling distance between the vehicle end electric connection device and the battery end electric connection device, a coupling distance signal is transmitted to the control module, the control module is coupled with the distance signal to determine the coupling in-place state, and the failure risk of the connector is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of battery replacement technology, and specifically relates to a battery replacement connector coupled to a monitoring device and a battery replacement connector. Background Art

[0002] With the development of electric vehicle battery replacement technology, as well as the advantages of short energy replenishment time and low vehicle purchase cost, electric vehicles are becoming more and more popular among users.

[0003] The electric vehicle battery swap connector is an important component of the quick-swap battery system. It is a special connector used to achieve quick electrical connection and separation between the vehicle and the quick-swap battery system. It is mainly composed of a vehicle-side electrical connection device, a battery-side electrical connection device and related cables. In the application of electric vehicle battery swap mode, the battery swap connector is the only electrical interface of the battery pack, and it needs to provide mixed connections of high voltage, low voltage, communication and grounding at the same time.

[0004] At present, the coupling monitoring scheme of the battery swap connector is generally carried out through direct monitoring and indirect monitoring. Among them, the indirect monitoring scheme relies on the locking signal on the battery bracket to monitor the position of the battery pack, and then promotes the coupling and locking of the electrical connector. The direct monitoring scheme monitors the coupling status by monitoring the current and temperature of the pole between the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device.

[0005] For the indirect monitoring solution, if some structures of the battery or vehicle-end electrical connection device are slightly deformed, when the battery bracket is locked in place, the battery-end electrical connection device of the battery swap connector may not be coupled with the vehicle-end electrical connection device. Or after the battery rack is locked, if the coupling distance between the battery-end electrical connection device of the battery swap connector and the vehicle-end electrical connection device changes during use, it cannot be monitored in time.

[0006] For the direct monitoring solution, if the coupling is not in place after the battery swap is completed and before startup, a false connection may occur, resulting in excessive contact resistance between the poles. When power is turned on, the temperature may rise sharply, causing the battery swap connector to burn out.

[0007] Therefore, how to reliably monitor the coupling status of the battery swap connector becomes a technical problem that needs to be solved urgently. Summary of the invention

[0008] The present application provides a battery swap connector coupling position monitoring device and a battery swap connector to solve the above-mentioned technical problem of how to reliably monitor the coupling status of the battery swap connector.

[0009] The technical solution adopted in this application is:

[0010] According to the first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery swap connector coupled to an in-place monitoring device, the battery swap connector comprising a vehicle-end electrical connection device and a battery-end electrical connection device coupled to each other, the coupled-to-place monitoring device comprising: at least one in-place monitoring sensor installed on the coupling surface of the battery-end electrical connection device and / or the vehicle-end electrical connection device, for monitoring the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device; a control module connected to the in-place monitoring sensor, for receiving a coupling distance signal output by the in-place monitoring sensor, and determining the in-place status of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device based on the coupling distance signal.

[0011] In the present solution, at least one in-place monitoring sensor is arranged on the coupling surface of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and / or the battery-end electrical connection device of the battery exchange connector, and the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device is monitored by the in-place monitoring sensor, and the coupling distance signal is transmitted to the control module. The control module determines the in-place status of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device by the coupling distance signal, thereby realizing real-time monitoring of the connector coupling status and reducing the risk of connector failure.

[0012] Optionally, the in-place monitoring sensor includes a Hall element and a trigger source, the Hall element is installed on a coupling surface of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device, and the trigger source is installed on the coupling surface of the other one of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device and at a position corresponding to the Hall element.

[0013] In this solution, the Hall element and the corresponding trigger source are set on the coupling surface, and real-time monitoring of the coupling status can be achieved using a simple, low-cost, and high-precision hardware circuit. Without changing the original battery-swap electrical connector structure, the coupling status monitoring can be achieved accurately, reliably, and simply.

[0014] Optionally, the Hall element includes a switch-type Hall element.

[0015] In this solution, a switch-type Hall element is used to monitor the distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device, which makes the monitoring device simpler and easier to implement while reliably monitoring the coupling status.

[0016] Optionally, the control module includes a first indicating device and a first control switch connected in series in a working loop of the first indicating device, and a control end of the first control switch is connected to an output end of the switch-type Hall element.

[0017] In this solution, the control module is implemented using a hardware circuit, which not only improves the reliability of the monitoring device, but also makes the monitoring device simpler and easier to implement.

[0018] Optionally, the power exchange connector includes a pole, the arrival monitoring sensor includes a power supply end and a signal end, and the power line and the signal line are electrically connected to different poles respectively.

[0019] In this solution, the signal pole and power supply pole in the reused power exchange connector are used to supply power and transmit signals to the in-place monitoring sensor, which can ensure the power supply and signal transmission of the in-place monitoring sensor without destroying the sealing of the sealed cavity formed after the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device are coupled into place and without changing the original power exchange connector.

[0020] Optionally, the pole includes a high-voltage pole, and the signal end is separated from the high-voltage pole by a preset gap.

[0021] In the solution, the signal connection line between the signal end and the signal end and the signal pole is separated from the high-voltage pole by a preset distance to prevent the current or high voltage in the high-voltage pole from causing electromagnetic interference to the signal transmission, thereby improving the accuracy of on-site monitoring.

[0022] Optionally, the Hall element comprises a linear Hall element.

[0023] In this solution, the linear Hall element can output a continuously changing voltage signal as the distance between the trigger source and the Hall element changes. The real-time distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device can be determined based on the specific voltage value of the voltage signal output by the linear Hall element.

[0024] Optionally, the control module includes a plurality of voltage comparators, comparison terminals of different voltage comparators are respectively connected to the output terminals of the linear Hall element, and reference voltages of reference terminals of different voltage comparators are different.

[0025] In this solution, as the coupling distance between the vehicle-side electrical connection device and the battery-side electrical connection device increases, the output ends of the comparators with decreasing reference voltages will sequentially output low-level signals, and the corresponding second control switches will be closed in sequence, and then the corresponding second display devices will be powered to output second indication signals in sequence, and the current real-time coupling distance can be determined by the second indication signal output by the second indication device. Linear monitoring of the coupling distance is achieved with a simple hardware circuit.

[0026] Optionally, the presence monitoring sensors include at least two sensors evenly distributed on the coupling surface.

[0027] In this solution, by evenly distributing two or more in-place monitoring sensors on the coupling surface, the coupling status of all positions of the battery swap connector can be monitored in all directions. When the coupling distance on one side increases, the corresponding coupling distance change signal can be output in time to provide timely warning, or the coupling status of all coupling positions can be accurately and comprehensively monitored.

[0028] Optionally, the arrival monitoring sensor is also connected to a vehicle controller via a vehicle bus, for sending the coupling distance signal to the vehicle controller.

[0029] In this solution, the in-place monitoring sensor outputs the coupling distance signal to the vehicle controller through the vehicle bus, which can realize real-time monitoring of the coupling status of the vehicle's power swap connector and reduce the risk of connector failure.

[0030] According to the second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a battery swap connector, comprising a vehicle-end electrical connection device and a battery-end electrical connection device coupled to each other, and also comprising a monitoring device coupled to the position of the battery swap connector as described in any one of the first aspects above.

[0031] In the present solution, a battery swap connector coupling position monitoring device is provided in the battery swap connector. By providing at least one position monitoring sensor on the coupling surface of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and / or the battery-end electrical connection device of the battery swap connector, the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device is monitored by the position monitoring sensor, and the coupling distance signal is transmitted to the control module. The control module determines the position status of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device by the coupling distance signal, thereby realizing real-time monitoring of the connector coupling position status and reducing the risk of connector failure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding of the present application and constitute a part of the present application. The illustrative embodiments of the present application and their descriptions are used to explain the present application and do not constitute an improper limitation on the present application. In the drawings:

[0033] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an optional power-swap connector structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0034] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of another optional power-swap connector structure according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a circuit structure of an optional power-swapping connector coupled to a position monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the circuit structure of another optional battery replacement connector coupled to a position monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] In order to more clearly illustrate the overall concept of the present application, a detailed description is given below in an illustrative manner in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0038] In the following description, many specific details are set forth to facilitate a full understanding of the present application. However, the present application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the protection scope of the present application is not limited by the specific embodiments disclosed below. It should be noted that the embodiments of the present application and the features in each embodiment may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0039] In addition, in the description of the present application, it should be understood that the orientations or positional relationships indicated by the terms "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0040] In this application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", "connected", "fixed" and the like should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection, an electrical connection, or a communication; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, it can be the internal connection of two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0041] In the present application, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, a first feature "above" or "below" a second feature may be that the first and second features are in direct contact, or the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediate medium. In the description of this specification, the description with reference to the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in conjunction with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In this specification, the schematic representation of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0042] Therefore, according to one aspect of the embodiment of the present application, a monitoring device for monitoring the coupling position of a power-swap connector is provided, and the monitoring device is arranged on the power-swap connector, see Figure 1 As shown, the battery swap connector may include a vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and a battery-end electrical connection device 20 coupled to each other, and the coupled-in-place monitoring device includes at least one in-place monitoring sensor 30 installed on the coupling surface of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and / or the battery-end electrical connection device 20, for monitoring the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20.

[0043] In this embodiment, the in-place monitoring sensor 30 can be a proximity sensor, for example, a magnetic proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, and a photoelectric proximity sensor can be used; a contact sensor can also be used, such as a limit switch, a pressure sensor, and other contact sensors. In this embodiment, the in-place monitoring sensor 30 can characterize its coupling state by real-time monitoring the distance between the two coupling surfaces of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20, or it can be coupled in place by setting the position or structure of the proximity sensor so that the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are in the coupled in-place state and the non-coupled in-place state. Output different switch signals to monitor the coupling in place. For example, for the proximity sensor, when the distance between the coupling surfaces of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 is less than a preset distance, a first level signal is output to indicate that the coupling is in place, and when the distance between the coupling surfaces of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 is greater than the preset distance, a second level signal is output to indicate that the coupling is not in place. For the contact sensor, when the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are coupled in place, one of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 contacts the triggering part of the contact sensor to trigger the contact sensor to output a coupling-in-place signal. When the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are not coupled in place, the triggering part of the contact sensor will not be triggered and will not output a coupling-in-place signal. In this embodiment, a proximity sensor can be used to monitor the real-time coupling distance and output a real-time coupling distance signal or a switch signal to indicate whether the coupling is in place.

[0044] As an exemplary embodiment, the coupled-in-place monitoring device may further include a control module 40, which is connected to the in-place monitoring sensor 30, and is used to receive the coupling distance signal output by the in-place monitoring sensor 30, and determine the coupling state of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 based on the coupling distance signal. As an exemplary embodiment, the in-place monitoring sensor 30 may output a linear voltage signal, or may output a high / low level signal as the coupling distance signal output by the in-place monitoring sensor 30. After receiving the coupling distance signal, the control module 40 determines the in-place state of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 based on the coupling distance signal.

[0045] As an exemplary embodiment, the control module 40 can be a vehicle-mounted controller. The in-place monitoring sensor 30 communicates with the vehicle-mounted controller through the vehicle bus and sends a coupling distance signal to the vehicle-mounted controller. The vehicle-mounted controller monitors the coupling status between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 of the battery swap connector in real time through the coupling distance signal.

[0046] As an optional embodiment, the control module 40 can also be a separately established control board, which can be configured with a single-chip microcomputer to process the coupling distance signal to confirm the in-place status of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20; the control board can also be configured with a hardware circuit to process the coupling distance signal.

[0047] In the present application, at least one in-place monitoring sensor 30 is set on the coupling surface of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and / or the battery-end electrical connection device 20 of the battery exchange connector, and the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 is monitored by the in-place monitoring sensor 30, and the coupling distance signal is transmitted to the control module 40. The control module 40 determines the in-place status of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 based on the coupling distance signal, thereby realizing real-time monitoring of the connector coupling status and reducing the risk of connector failure.

[0048] As an exemplary embodiment, Figure 2As shown, the in-place monitoring sensor 30 can be explained by taking a proximity sensor as an example. Exemplarily, the in-place monitoring sensor 30 may include a Hall element 301 and a trigger source 302. The Hall element 301 is installed on a coupling surface of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20, and the trigger source 302 is installed on the coupling surface of the other of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 and at a position corresponding to the Hall element 301. As an exemplary embodiment, the projection of the Hall element 301 on the coupling surface where the trigger source 302 is located should overlap the trigger source 302 more than the preset overlap to ensure that the trigger source 302 can accurately identify the trigger source 302.

[0049] In this embodiment, the trigger source 302 can be a permanent magnet or an electromagnetic coil. In this embodiment, a permanent magnet can be used as an example for explanation. In this embodiment, when the trigger source 302 is close to the Hall element 301 and far away from the Hall element 301, the Hall element 301 outputs different signals. Therefore, when the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are coupled in place, and when the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are not coupled in place, the Hall element 301 can output different signals to indicate whether the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are in place or not in place.

[0050] As an optional embodiment, the Hall element 301 can be a switch-type Hall element. When the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are in an uncoupled state or an uncoupled state, the trigger source 302 is far away from the Hall element 301, and the trigger source 302 cannot trigger the Hall element 301, and the Hall element 301 can output a high level; when the distance between the trigger source 302 and the Hall element 301 is less than a certain distance, that is, when the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are coupled in place, the trigger source 302 can trigger the Hall element 301, and the Hall element 301 outputs a low level. Therefore, in this embodiment, the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 is represented by the output level signal of the Hall element 301.

[0051] As an exemplary embodiment, Figure 3As shown, the control module 40 may include a first control switch 403 and a first indication device 402 connected in series with the first control switch 403. In this embodiment, the first control switch 403 is connected in series in the working loop of the first indication device 402. The control end of the first control switch 403 is connected to the output end of the Hall element 301. When the Hall output is high level, the first control switch 403 is in a disconnected state. Therefore, the first indication device 402 loses power and is in a non-indicating state. When the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are coupled in place, the trigger source 302 triggers the Hall element 301, and the Hall element 301 outputs a low level. The low level triggers the first control switch 403 to close, and the first indication device 402 is powered and outputs an indication signal that is coupled in place. In this embodiment, the first control switch 403 can be an NPN transistor, for example, an NPN triode, an NPN MOS tube, etc.

[0052] As another optional embodiment, the first control switch 403 can also be a high-level triggered control switch. In this embodiment, when the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are in the uncoupled state, the Hall element 301 outputs a high level, the first control switch 403 is in a closed state, the first indication device 402 is powered, and an alarm signal of uncoupled output is output; when the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are in the coupled state, the Hall element 301 outputs a low level, the first control switch 403 is turned off, and the first indication device 402 loses power and is in a non-indication state. In this embodiment, the first control switch 403 can be a PNP transistor, for example, a PNP triode, a PNP MOS tube, etc., or a control switch such as a relay.

[0053] The above is merely an exemplary description for explaining the working principle of the coupled position monitoring device. In this embodiment, there is no restriction on what level signal the Hall element 301 outputs in the triggered state and what first control switch 403 is used. Other types of Hall elements 301 and first control switches 403 are also applicable to this embodiment.

[0054] As an exemplary embodiment, the first indicator device 402 may be an LED lamp, a digital tube, a display screen, a sound prompt device, or of course a vehicle dashboard, or any indicator device in the cab that can be used for prompting. This is not limited in this embodiment.

[0055] As an exemplary embodiment, a sealed cavity is formed after the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are coupled in place, and the presence monitoring sensor 30 is sealed in the sealed cavity after the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are coupled in place, and the control module 40 often needs to be set outside the power swap connector to facilitate prompts to the user, and the sealing of the sealed cavity can ensure the reliability of the power swap connector. Therefore, in order to ensure the sealing of the sealed cavity, the power supply and signal transmission of the presence monitoring sensor 30 can be guaranteed while trying not to change the original structure of the power swap connector. In this embodiment, the signal pole and the power supply pole in the power swap connector can be reused to power the presence monitoring sensor 30 and transmit signals.

[0056] Exemplarily, the in-place monitoring sensor 30 includes a power supply terminal and a signal terminal, and the power supply terminal and the signal terminal are electrically connected to different poles respectively. In this embodiment, the power supply terminal can be connected to a weak low-voltage pole, and can be powered by a weak low-voltage pole such as 5V or 12V, and the signal terminal can be connected to a signal pole.

[0057] Since the battery swap connector is used to power the vehicle with a battery, the battery swap connector also includes a high-voltage pole. The high-voltage pole often has greater electromagnetic interference. In this embodiment, the signal end and the signal connection line between the signal end and the signal pole are separated from the high-voltage pole by a preset distance to prevent the current or high voltage in the high-voltage pole from causing electromagnetic interference to the signal transmission, thereby improving the accuracy of in-place monitoring.

[0058] As an exemplary embodiment, in order to more accurately determine the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20, the Hall element 301 may also be a linear Hall element. In this embodiment, the linear Hall element may output a 0-5V voltage signal as the distance between the trigger source 302 and the linear Hall element changes. Therefore, the real-time distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 may be determined based on the specific voltage value of the voltage signal output by the linear Hall element.

[0059] In this embodiment, the control module 40 may use a vehicle-mounted controller or single-chip microcomputer to process the voltage to determine the real-time coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20, and may also use a hardware circuit to process the signal. Figure 4 As shown, the hardware circuit can be used as an example to illustrate:

[0060] The control module 40 includes a plurality of voltage comparators 401, and the comparison terminals 4011 of different voltage comparators 401 are respectively connected to the output terminals of the linear Hall element, and the reference voltages of the reference terminals 4012 of different voltage comparators 401 are different. Figure 3 As shown, the output ends of the comparator 401 are respectively connected to the control ends of the corresponding second control switches 404 , and a plurality of second switches are respectively connected in series in the working loops of the corresponding second indicating devices 405 .

[0061] In this embodiment, the linear Hall element can output multiple voltage signals with different voltage values ​​according to the different coupling distances between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20. Different reference voltages are set at the reference ends 4012 of different comparators 401. In this embodiment, after the voltage value of the voltage signal output by the linear Hall element reaches the reference voltage of a certain comparator 401, the signal output by the comparator 401 is flipped.

[0062] As an optional embodiment, when the voltage at the comparison terminal 4011 of the comparator 401 is less than the voltage at the reference terminal 4012, the comparator 401 outputs a low level signal, and when the voltage at the comparison terminal 4011 is greater than the voltage at the reference terminal 4012, the comparator 401 outputs a high level signal. Of course, it is also possible that when the voltage at the comparison terminal 4011 of the comparator 401 is less than the voltage at the reference terminal 4012, the comparator 401 outputs a high level signal, and when the voltage at the comparison terminal 4011 is greater than the voltage at the reference terminal 4012, the comparator 401 outputs a low level signal.

[0063] In this embodiment, when the voltage of the comparison terminal 4011 of the comparator 401 is less than the voltage of the reference terminal 4012, the comparator 401 outputs a low level signal, and when the voltage of the comparison terminal 4011 is greater than the voltage of the reference terminal 4012, the comparator 401 outputs a high level signal as an example for explanation. After coupling is in place, the voltage of the comparison terminal 4011 of all comparators 401 is greater than the voltage of the reference terminal 4012, the comparator 401 outputs a high level signal, and all second control switches 404 are turned off; the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 increases, and the output terminals of the comparators 401 with reference voltages from large to small will output low level signals in sequence, and the corresponding second control switches 404 will be closed in sequence, and then the corresponding second display devices will be powered on and output second indication signals in sequence. In this embodiment, the current real-time coupling distance can be determined by the second indication signal output by the second indication device 405.

[0064] As an exemplary embodiment, the second indicating device 405 may be an LED lamp, a digital tube, a display screen, a sound prompting device, or of course, a dashboard of the vehicle, or any indicating device in the cab that can be used for prompting. This is not limited in this embodiment.

[0065] In actual applications, the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 may be larger on one side while the coupling distance on the other side remains unchanged or changes slightly. In this case, if the in-place monitoring sensor is located on the side where the coupling distance remains unchanged or changes slightly, it may not be able to accurately and quickly identify that the coupling between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 is in place, and it is also impossible to give an early warning. Therefore, as an exemplary embodiment, the in-place monitoring sensor 30 may include at least two, evenly distributed on the coupling surface.

[0066] In this embodiment, by evenly distributing two or more in-place monitoring sensors 30 on the coupling surface, the coupling status of all positions of the battery swap connector can be monitored in all directions. When the coupling distance on one side increases, the corresponding coupling distance change signal can be output in time to provide a timely warning, or the coupling status of all coupling positions can be accurately and comprehensively monitored.

[0067] The embodiment of the present application also provides a method for monitoring the coupling position of a battery swap connector, wherein the battery swap connector includes a vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and a battery-end electrical connection device 20 coupled and connected, and a coupling position monitoring device is provided in the battery swap connector.

[0068] At least one in-place monitoring sensor 30 is installed on the coupling surface of the battery-end electrical connection device 20 and / or the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10, and is used to monitor the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20; the control module 40 is connected to the in-place monitoring sensor 30, and is used to receive the coupling distance signal output by the in-place monitoring sensor 30; the monitoring method is applicable to the control module 40. In this embodiment, the control module 40 can be a vehicle-mounted controller or an external single-chip microcomputer or MCU. The monitoring method includes:

[0069] The change information of the coupling distance signal within a preset time period is obtained. In the present embodiment, the so-called change information may be the time-series change information of the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 after the coupling is in place. In the present embodiment, the coupling distance may be monitored in real time by a linear Hall sensor, and the coupling distance signal may be transmitted to the control module 40 in real time. After receiving the distance monitoring signal, the control module 40 performs statistics on the coupling distance signal based on the time sequence, and determines the time-series change information of the coupling signal.

[0070] The real-time coupling state of the power swap connector is determined based on the change information, and the failure risk of the power swap connector is predicted based on the real-time coupling state. In this embodiment, the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 may increase over time. After obtaining the change information, the current real-time coupling state can be determined based on the change information, whether the real-time coupling state is a coupled-in state or an uncoupled state. It can also be inferred based on the change information whether the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 of the future power swap connector will be disengaged within a preset time period. This provides an early warning of the failure risk of the power swap connector.

[0071] As an exemplary embodiment, the change information may include a coupling distance change rate or a change trend. In this embodiment, the coupling distance change rate in the past preset period can be counted, and the moment when the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 are separated in the future can be determined by the coupling distance change rate in the preset period. Furthermore, an early warning can be given based on the predicted moment of separation.

[0072] Optionally, the coupling distance variation trend within a preset period of time in the past may be counted, and whether the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 will be separated may be determined based on the variation trend within the preset period of time.

[0073] As an exemplary embodiment, the coupling state of the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 may also be related to the vehicle driving state and driving road conditions. Therefore, in this embodiment, determining the real-time coupling state of the battery swap connector based on the change information, and predicting the failure risk of the battery swap connector based on the real-time coupling state also includes:

[0074] Obtain vehicle driving information and / or road condition information in real time;

[0075] Predict the failure risk of the battery swap connector based on vehicle driving information and / or road condition information and change information.

[0076] As an exemplary embodiment, the change information can be used to predict the moment when the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 will be disconnected in the future, and the predicted moment of disconnection can be adjusted in real time based on the current vehicle driving information and / or road condition information.

[0077] In this embodiment, the vehicle driving information can be determined based on the vehicle acceleration. When the vehicle acceleration is large, the coupling structure between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 may be subjected to greater force, and therefore, the time of separation needs to be advanced; when the acceleration is small, the coupling structure between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 may be subjected to less force, and the time of separation can be delayed.

[0078] Optionally, the vehicle road condition can be determined based on the degree of bumps during vehicle driving. In the present embodiment, when the degree of bumps is large, the coupling structure between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 may be subjected to greater force, and therefore, the time of separation needs to be advanced; when the degree of bumps is small, the coupling structure between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 may be subjected to less force, and the time of separation can be delayed.

[0079] By dynamically adjusting the warning in combination with the dynamic data during the actual driving process of the vehicle, the effective state and failure state of the electrical connector can be monitored more accurately and timely, thereby increasing the reliability of the electrical connector.

[0080] As an exemplary embodiment, when there are multiple and evenly distributed in-situ monitoring sensors, the coupling structure of the battery swap connector can be monitored by coupling distance signals sent by different in-situ monitoring sensors. In this embodiment, there may be multiple coupling structures between the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20 of the battery swap connector. For example, the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 or the battery-end electrical connection device 20 is coupled by multiple buckles or multiple bolts. In this embodiment, multiple buckles are used as an example for explanation:

[0081] Multiple buckles can be evenly distributed around the vehicle-end electrical connection device 10 and the battery-end electrical connection device 20. The buckles may have a risk of failure. Therefore, in this embodiment, multiple in-situ monitoring sensors are evenly arranged on the coupling surface to monitor whether the multiple buckles have failed or are at risk of failure through change information from the multiple in-situ monitoring sensors.

[0082] Exemplarily, multiple in-situ monitoring sensors can be numbered or coded based on their locations. If the coupling distance signal change information of the in-situ monitoring sensors is inconsistent, for example, the change rate of the distance signals of some in-situ monitoring sensors is large or a sudden change occurs, then based on the change information and the number or code of the in-situ monitoring sensor that causes the change information, a risk warning or failure alarm information can be output for the buckle at its location.

[0083] As an exemplary embodiment, the big data information of the coupling distance signals of each in-situ monitoring sensor in multiple battery swap connectors can be counted and analyzed to obtain the risk position and risk factors of the coupling structure, thereby providing data support for the improvement of the coupling structure.

[0084] An embodiment of the present application also provides a battery replacement connector, including a vehicle-end electrical connection device and a battery-end electrical connection device coupled to each other, and also includes a monitoring device for coupling the battery replacement connector described in any one of the above embodiments to a position.

[0085] Anything not described in this application can be achieved by adopting or drawing on existing technologies.

[0086] Each embodiment in this specification is described in a progressive manner, and the same and similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The above is only an embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, the present application may have various changes and variations. Any modification, equivalent substitution, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present application should be included in the scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. A battery swap connector coupled to a monitoring device, the battery swap connector comprising a vehicle-end electrical connection device and a battery-end electrical connection device coupled to each other, characterized in that: The coupled-in-place monitoring device comprises: At least one in-place monitoring sensor is installed on the coupling surface of the battery-end electrical connection device and / or the vehicle-end electrical connection device, and is used to monitor the coupling distance between the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device; The control module is connected to the in-place monitoring sensor, and is used to receive the coupling distance signal output by the in-place monitoring sensor, and determine the in-place status of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device based on the coupling distance signal.

2. The device for monitoring the coupling position of the power replacement connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The in-place monitoring sensor includes a Hall element and a trigger source, wherein the Hall element is mounted on a coupling surface of one of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device, and the trigger source is mounted on a coupling surface of the other of the vehicle-end electrical connection device and the battery-end electrical connection device and at a position corresponding to the Hall element.

3. The device for monitoring the coupling position of the power replacement connector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The Hall element includes a switch type Hall element or a linear Hall element.

4. The device for monitoring the coupling position of the power replacement connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The control module comprises a first indicating device and a first control switch connected in series in a working loop of the first indicating device, wherein a control end of the first control switch is connected to an output end of the switch-type Hall element.

5. The device for monitoring the coupling position of the power replacement connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power exchange connector includes a pole, the in-place monitoring sensor includes a power supply end and a signal end, and the power line and the signal line are electrically connected to different poles respectively.

6. The device for monitoring the coupling position of the power replacement connector according to claim 5, characterized in that: The pole includes a high-voltage pole, and the signal line is separated from the high-voltage pole by a preset gap.

7. The device for monitoring the coupling position of the power replacement connector according to claim 3, characterized in that: The control module includes a plurality of voltage comparators, the comparison terminals of different voltage comparators are respectively connected to the output terminals of the linear Hall element, and the reference voltages of the reference terminals of different voltage comparators are different.

8. The device for monitoring the coupling position of the power replacement connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The in-place monitoring sensors include at least two sensors evenly distributed on the coupling surface.

9. The device for monitoring the coupling position of a power replacement connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The in-place monitoring sensor is also connected to a vehicle controller via a vehicle bus, and is used to send the coupling distance signal to the vehicle controller.

10. A battery replacement connector, comprising a vehicle-side electrical connection device and a battery-side electrical connection device coupled and connected, characterized in that: It also includes a monitoring device coupled to the power replacement connector as described in any one of claims 1-9.

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