Connecting cables, vehicles, and vehicle charging equipment

Abstract

The present invention provides a connecting cable, a vehicle, and a vehicle charging device. The connecting cable includes a cable structure and a flexible cooling tube for accommodating at least a cooling medium. The cable structure includes a rigid conductor tube and a first insulating layer arranged on the outer peripheral side of the rigid conductor tube. The rigid conductor tube is used to electrically connect between a power supply and a load. The flexible cooling tube can be extended into the rigid conductor tube through one end of the rigid conductor tube and is in thermal contact with the rigid conductor tube. A fixing part is provided at the end of the cable structure. The fixing part is used to fix the flexible cooling tube to the cable structure after the flexible cooling tube is extended into the rigid conductor tube, thereby improving the current carrying capacity of the connecting cable.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle technology, and in particular to a connecting cable, a vehicle, and a vehicle charging device. Background Art

[0002] Vehicles, such as new energy vehicles, have developed rapidly because they have no tail gas emissions and do not pollute the environment.

[0003] A vehicle typically includes a battery pack and a charging socket located on the vehicle body. The charging socket and battery pack are electrically connected via a connecting cable. When charging the battery pack, the battery pack acts as a load and the charging socket acts as a power source. A charging station can be connected to the charging socket to transfer power between the charging socket and the battery pack via the connecting cable, thereby charging the battery pack. However, the current carrying capacity of the connecting cable in related technologies is relatively low. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing a connecting cable, a vehicle, and a vehicle charging device, so as to improve the current carrying capacity of the connecting cable to a certain extent.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a connecting cable comprising a cable structure and at least a flexible cooling pipe for accommodating a cooling medium;

[0006] The cable structure includes a rigid conductor tube and a first insulating layer provided on an outer circumference of the rigid conductor tube, wherein the rigid conductor tube is used for electrically connecting between a power source and a load;

[0007] The flexible cooling tube can be extended into the rigid conductor tube through one end of the rigid conductor tube and be in thermal contact with the rigid conductor tube; a fixing part is provided at the end of the cable structure, and the fixing part is used to fix the flexible cooling tube on the cable structure after the flexible cooling tube is extended into the rigid conductor tube.

[0008] Optionally, the fixing member includes a main body, and along the axial direction of the flexible cooling pipe, the flexible cooling pipe includes a first flexible area and a second flexible area located at an end of the first flexible area;

[0009] The main body portion can extend into the inner cavity of the second flexible zone to sandwich the second flexible zone between the main body portion and the cable structure.

[0010] Optionally, the main body has an accommodating cavity therein, and at least one end of the accommodating cavity is open so as to communicate with the inner cavity of the first flexible zone when the main body extends into the inner cavity of the second flexible zone.

[0011] Optionally, the inner tube wall of the rigid conductor tube is provided with a groove;

[0012] The groove is recessed in an axial direction away from the rigid conductor tube, and the second flexible area and at least a portion of the main body can extend into the groove.

[0013] Optionally, a recessed portion is provided on a groove wall of the groove facing the axial side of the rigid conductor tube, and the recessed portion is recessed in the axial direction away from the rigid conductor tube;

[0014] The main body has a protrusion at a position corresponding to the recessed portion, and the protrusion protrudes in a direction away from the axial direction of the main body to confine a portion of the second flexible zone within the recessed portion.

[0015] Optionally, the main body has a guiding slope, and in a direction along which the main body extends into the second flexible zone, the guiding slope extends inwardly;

[0016] And / or, the fixing member further comprises an abutment portion connected to the main body; the abutment portion extends in a radial direction of the main body in a direction away from the main body, and can abut against an end face of the cable structure in the axial direction when the main body is inserted into the inner cavity of the second flexible zone;

[0017] And / or, there are at least two main body parts, and the second flexible area is used for at least any one of the main body parts to extend into.

[0018] Optionally, the fixing member and the cable structure are detachably connected;

[0019] The fixing member has a first fixing portion, and the cable structure has a second fixing portion that is detachably matched with the first fixing portion, so as to connect the fixing member and the cable structure.

[0020] Optionally, one of the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion includes a fixing hole, and a center line of the fixing hole intersects with a direction in which the main body extends into the second flexible zone;

[0021] The other of the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion includes a fixing protrusion, and the fixing protrusion can be inserted into the fixing hole to connect the fixing member to the cable structure;

[0022] And / or, there are at least two first fixing parts, and among all the first fixing parts, at least two first fixing parts are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body; there are at least two second fixing parts, and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the first fixing parts.

[0023] Optionally, the fixing member further includes an extension arm that can be covered on the outer circumference of the cable structure, one end of the extension arm is connected to the main body, the other end of the extension arm is a free end, and the first fixing portion is located on the extension arm;

[0024] The outer circumference of the cable structure is provided with a positioning groove, and the extension arm can extend into the positioning groove;

[0025] The shape of the positioning groove is adapted to the shape of the extension arm; and / or, a guiding structure is provided between the extension arm and the side groove wall of the positioning groove to guide the cooperation between the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion.

[0026] Optionally, along the axial direction of the rigid conductor tube, the rigid conductor tube has a first section and second sections located on both sides of the first section;

[0027] The first insulating layer is located on the first section, and the fixing member is connected to the second section;

[0028] One of the second sections is used to be electrically connected to the power source, and the other second section is used to be electrically connected to the load.

[0029] Optionally, each of the second segments includes a first subsegment and a second subsegment, and the first subsegment is located between the first segment and the second subsegment;

[0030] The second sub-segment is used to be connected to the fixing member, the first sub-segment of one of the second segments is used to be electrically connected to the power supply, and the first sub-segment of another of the second segments is used to be electrically connected to the load.

[0031] Optionally, each of the second segments is provided with at least one conductive connector, and each of the second segments is electrically connected to the corresponding power source or the load through the conductive connector;

[0032] The power source and the load both have a hollow conductive terminal with one end open, and the second section can extend into the hollow conductive terminal through the open end;

[0033] The conductive connecting member is elastic; and / or the conductive connecting member includes an annular conductive member wound around the outer circumference of the second section; and / or the second section has a limiting groove, and part of the conductive connecting member is located in the limiting groove.

[0034] Optionally, the cable structure further includes a shielding layer provided on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the first insulating layer;

[0035] The cable structure further includes a second insulating layer disposed on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the shielding layer;

[0036] And / or, the flexible cooling pipe comprises an insulating flexible pipe.

[0037] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle comprising a load, a power supply, and the connection cable as described above.

[0038] Optionally, both the load and the power supply have cooling cavities;

[0039] The flexible cooling pipe is connected between the cooling cavity of the load and the cooling cavity of the power source to transmit the cooling medium between the load and the power source.

[0040] In a third aspect, the present invention provides a vehicle charging device, comprising a load, a power supply, and the connecting cable as described above.

[0041] The connecting cable, vehicle, and vehicle charging device provided by the present invention electrically connect the rigid conductor tube between the power source and the load by providing a cable structure including a rigid conductor tube and a first insulating layer disposed on the outer periphery of the rigid conductor tube. A flexible cooling tube is configured to extend into the rigid conductor tube through one end of the rigid conductor tube and to be in thermally conductive contact with the rigid conductor tube. Thus, when the connecting cable is in use, power can be transmitted between the power source and the load through the rigid conductor tube, while a cooling medium can also cool at least the rigid conductor tube. This, to a certain extent, prevents the rigid conductor tube from overheating, thereby ensuring the safety and reliability of vehicle charging and preventing the rigid conductor tube from overheating and affecting the current-carrying capacity of the cable structure and the connecting cable. Furthermore, compared to solutions in which the cable structure is a flexible braided cable such as a cable harness, this solution can improve the current-carrying capacity of the cable structure without increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the cable structure, thereby achieving an increased charging rate within the same package volume. This, to a certain extent, avoids the increase in raw material costs associated with increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the rigid conductor tube to increase the current-carrying capacity and, to a certain extent, avoids the loss of vehicle range due to increased weight of the connecting cable. Moreover, cooling the rigid conductor tube by a cooling medium can also prevent the cable structure from being ablated due to high temperature to a certain extent, thereby ensuring the service life of the cable structure.

[0042] Furthermore, by providing a fixing at the end of the cable structure, the fixing can secure the flexible cooling tube to the cable structure after the flexible cooling tube extends into the rigid conductor tube. Compared to solutions in which the flexible cooling tube and the rigid conductor tube are integrally formed through processes such as heat shrinkage or co-extrusion, where the inner wall of the flexible cooling tube and the outer wall of the rigid conductor tube are completely connected, this arrangement of the present invention allows for the separate manufacturing of the flexible cooling tube and the cable structure, with both fixings being used, simplifying the manufacture of the connecting cable. Furthermore, because the fixing is located at the end of the cable structure, the flexible cooling tube can be loosened or deformed relative to the rigid conductor tube, thereby preventing damage to the flexible cooling tube when the connecting cable needs to be bent and routed according to vehicle layout requirements. This ensures the bending quality of the rigid conductor tube and the flexible cooling tube, further ensuring heat transfer efficiency between the two, and improving the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube. This further increases the current carrying capacity of the cable structure and the charging rate of loads such as battery packs.

[0043] Moreover, since the rigid conductor tube is rigid, the structural strength of the rigid conductor tube can be guaranteed to a certain extent, which is beneficial to ensuring the structural strength of the entire connecting cable and ensuring the stable transmission of power between the load and the power supply. Since the flexible cooling tube and the cable structure are manufactured separately, this can also improve the convenience of extending the flexible cooling tube into the rigid conductor tube, thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the connecting cable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a cable structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a flexible cooling pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a partial structure of a flexible cooling pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 4 This is a schematic structural diagram of a fixing member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of a cable structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a partial cross-sectional structure of a cable structure according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a connecting cable according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 8 for Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure along the A axis;

[0052] Figure 9 The figure is a partial cross-sectional structural diagram of a connecting cable according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Among them, 1. cable structure; 101. first section; 102. second section; 103. first sub-section; 104. second sub-section; 11. rigid conductor tube; 111. groove; 112. recessed portion; 113. second fixing portion; 114. positioning groove; 115. first side wall; 116. second side wall; 117. limiting groove; 12. first insulating layer; 13. shielding layer; 14. second insulating layer; 2. flexible cooling tube; 21. first flexible area; 22. second flexible area; 221. raised portion; 3. fixing part; 31. main body; 311. accommodating cavity; 312. raised portion; 313. guide slope; 32. abutting portion; 33. extension arm; 331. first fixing portion; 4. guiding structure; 5. conductive connecting part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments derived by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0055] A vehicle typically includes a battery pack and a charging socket located on the vehicle body. The charging socket and battery pack are electrically connected via a connecting cable. When charging the battery pack, the battery pack acts as a load and the charging socket acts as a power source. A charging station can be connected to the charging socket to transfer power between the charging socket and the battery pack via the connecting cable, thereby charging the battery pack. However, the current carrying capacity of the connecting cable in related technologies is relatively low.

[0056] Based on this, embodiments of the present invention provide a connecting cable, a vehicle, and a vehicle charging device. The connecting cable includes a cable structure and at least a flexible cooling tube for accommodating a cooling medium. The cable structure includes a rigid conductor tube electrically connected between a power source and a load. The flexible cooling tube and the rigid conductor tube are manufactured separately and then extended into the rigid conductor tube, bringing the two into thermal contact. This allows the rigid conductor tube to be cooled by the cooling medium, thereby improving the current carrying capacity of the cable structure and the connecting cable, thereby facilitating improved charging efficiency for loads such as battery packs. Furthermore, because the flexible cooling tube and the rigid conductor tube are manufactured separately and, after being extended into the rigid conductor tube, can be secured by fixings at the ends of the cable structure, the flexible cooling tube can be loosened or deformed, such as by expansion and contraction, relative to the rigid conductor tube. This prevents damage to the flexible cooling tube to a certain extent when the connecting cable is bent according to vehicle layout requirements, thereby ensuring the bending quality of both the rigid conductor tube and the flexible cooling tube.

[0057] The following describes in detail the connection cable, vehicle, and vehicle charging device provided by the present invention through specific embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:

[0058] Reference Figures 1 to 9 As shown, this embodiment provides a connection cable, which can be used in a vehicle, or can also be used in a charging device for charging a vehicle.

[0059] Specifically, both the vehicle and the charging device have a power source and a load.

[0060] Taking a vehicle as an example, a vehicle can be a new energy vehicle, such as a car, a sports utility vehicle, or a truck. The vehicle includes a battery pack and a charging socket provided on the vehicle body. For example, a connecting cable can be used to electrically connect the battery pack and the charging socket. During charging, the output end of the charging device can be plugged into the charging socket, and power is transmitted between the charging socket and the battery pack via the connecting cable to charge the battery pack. In this case, the battery pack serves as a load, and the charging socket serves as a power source.

[0061] In other embodiments, the vehicle may also include an engine, etc. For example, the connecting cable may be used to connect the battery pack and the engine, and power may be transmitted from the battery pack to the engine to power the engine, etc., allowing the vehicle to travel normally. In this case, the battery pack serves as a power source, and the engine serves as a load.

[0062] The charging device may be, for example, a charging pile having a charging module and a charging gun. The charging gun can be plugged into a charging socket to charge the battery pack on the vehicle. In this case, the charging module serves as a power source, and the charging gun serves as a load.

[0063] The connecting cable includes a cable structure 1 and a flexible cooling pipe 2 at least for accommodating a cooling medium.

[0064] Specifically, the cable structure 1 includes a rigid conductor tube 11 and a first insulating layer 12 arranged on the outer periphery of the rigid conductor tube 11. The rigid conductor tube 11 is used to electrically connect between a power source and a load, thereby enabling power transmission between the power source and the load.

[0065] The flexible cooling tube 2 can be inserted into the rigid conductor tube 11 through one end thereof and is in thermal contact with the rigid conductor tube 11. A fixing member 3 is provided at the end of the cable structure 1 to secure the flexible cooling tube 2 to the cable structure 1 after the flexible cooling tube 2 is inserted into the rigid conductor tube 11.

[0066] For example, when making a connecting cable, the flexible cooling tube 2 can be first extended into the rigid conductor tube 11, and then the flexible cooling tube 2 can be fixed by the fixing part 3. After that, the connecting cable can be bent according to the layout requirements of the whole vehicle, and finally the connecting cable can be cut according to the needs.

[0067] Exemplarily, the rigid conductor tube 11 may be a hard round tube, which may be made of a conductive material such as aluminum, copper, or a copper-aluminum composite material.

[0068] The first insulating layer 12 can be made of insulating materials such as cross-linked polyolefin, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon, thermoplastic resin, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), etc. For example, the first insulating layer 12 can be tightly wrapped around the outside of the rigid conductor tube 11.

[0069] Exemplarily, the cooling medium may be a cooling liquid, such as water or oil. Of course, the cooling medium may also be a phase change material such as a hydrated salt or paraffin.

[0070] In specific implementation, when the cooling medium is coolant, a power pump can also be provided on the vehicle or vehicle charging device to connect the power pump with the flexible cooling pipe 2 and the component storing the coolant, so as to realize the circulation and transportation of the coolant.

[0071] The connecting cable provided in this embodiment has a cable structure 1 including a rigid conductor tube 11 and a first insulating layer 12 arranged on the outer peripheral side of the rigid conductor tube 11, so that the rigid conductor tube 11 is electrically connected between the power supply and the load. The flexible cooling tube 2 can be extended into the rigid conductor tube 11 through one end of the rigid conductor tube 11 and is in thermal contact with the rigid conductor tube 11. In this way, when the connecting cable is used, power can be transmitted between the power supply and the load through the rigid conductor tube 11, and the cooling medium can also cool at least the rigid conductor tube 11, thereby avoiding the situation where the rigid conductor tube 11 is overheated to a certain extent, ensuring The safety and reliability of vehicle charging can be improved, and the rigid conductor tube 11 can be prevented from overheating and affecting the current-carrying capacity of the cable structure 1 and the connecting cable. Compared with the solution in which the cable structure is a flexible braided cable such as a cable bundle, this solution can improve the current-carrying capacity of the cable structure 1 without increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the cable structure 1, so as to achieve an increase in charging rate within the same packaging volume. This can, to a certain extent, avoid the increase in raw material costs caused by increasing the cross-sectional area of ​​the rigid conductor tube 11 to increase the current-carrying capacity, and to a certain extent avoid the loss of vehicle range caused by the increase in the weight of the connecting cable. Moreover, cooling the rigid conductor tube 11 with a cooling medium can also, to a certain extent, prevent the cable structure 1 from being burned due to high temperature, thereby ensuring the service life of the cable structure 1.

[0072] At the same time, by arranging a fixing part 3 at the end of the cable structure 1, the fixing part 3 can fix the flexible cooling tube 2 on the cable structure 1 after the flexible cooling tube 2 is extended into the rigid conductor tube 11. Compared with the solution in which the flexible cooling tube and the rigid conductor tube are integrally formed through processes such as heat shrinkage and co-extrusion, that is, the inner tube wall of the flexible cooling tube 2 and the outer tube wall of the rigid conductor tube 11 are completely connected together, this embodiment realizes the separate manufacturing of the flexible cooling tube 2 and the cable structure 1, and fixes them through the fixing part 3, which simplifies the manufacturing of the connecting cable. At the same time, since the fixing part 3 is located at the end of the cable structure 1, the flexible cooling tube 2 can be loosened or deformed such as expanding and contracting relative to the rigid conductor tube 11, so that when the connecting cable needs to be bent and laid according to the layout requirements of the entire vehicle, damage to the flexible cooling tube 2 can be avoided to a certain extent, thereby ensuring the bending quality of the rigid conductor tube 11 and the flexible cooling tube 2, and then ensuring the heat conduction efficiency between the two to a certain extent, improving the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11, thereby further improving the current carrying capacity of the cable structure 1, and further improving the charging rate of loads such as battery packs.

[0073] Moreover, since the rigid conductor tube 11 is rigid, the structural strength of the rigid conductor tube 11 can be guaranteed to a certain extent, which is beneficial to ensuring the structural strength of the entire connecting cable and ensuring the stable transmission of power between the load and the power supply. Since the flexible cooling tube 2 and the cable structure are manufactured separately, this can also improve the convenience of the flexible cooling tube 2 when extending into the rigid conductor tube 11, thereby improving the assembly efficiency of the connecting cable.

[0074] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 As shown, the cable structure 1 further includes a shielding layer 13 disposed on at least a portion of the outer circumference of the first insulating layer 12 .

[0075] With this arrangement, on the one hand, the shielding layer 13 provides shielding against electromagnetic interference (EMI), protecting the rigid conductor tube 11 from damage. At the same time, the shielding layer 13 can at least provide physical protection for the rigid conductor tube 11 to avoid damage to the rigid conductor tube 11.

[0076] The shielding layer 13 may be formed by braiding conductive metal, for example, the conductive metal may be aluminum, copper, conductive thermoplastic plastic, etc.

[0077] For example, the shielding layer 13 may be grounded to the vehicle's body-in-white.

[0078] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 As shown, the cable structure 1 further includes a second insulating layer 14 disposed on at least a portion of the outer circumference of the shielding layer 13 .

[0079] In this way, the shielding layer 13 can be insulated to a certain extent to ensure the safety of the connecting cable during use.

[0080] The material of the second insulating layer 14 can be the same as that of the first insulating layer 12 .

[0081] In some embodiments, the flexible cooling tube 2 includes an insulating flexible tube, so that the flexible cooling tube 2 can be electrically insulated when the rigid conductor tube 11 transmits electricity, thereby preventing the cooling medium from becoming charged, especially when the cooling medium circulates in the vehicle, and ensuring the safety of users.

[0082] Exemplarily, the flexible cooling tube 2 can be made of electrically insulating and heat-conductive materials, such as cross-linked polyolefin, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon, thermoplastic resin, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), etc.

[0083] In some embodiments, reference Figures 2 to 9 As shown, the fixing member 3 includes a main body 31. Along the axial direction of the flexible cooling tube 2, the flexible cooling tube 2 includes a first flexible zone 21 and a second flexible zone 22 located at the end of the first flexible zone 21. The main body 31 can extend into the inner cavity of the second flexible zone 22 to sandwich the second flexible zone 22 between the main body 31 and the cable structure 1.

[0084] In this way, the second flexible zone 22 is clamped by the main body 31 and the cable structure 1, thereby achieving an interference fit between the main body 31 and the cable structure 1 (specifically the rigid conductor tube 11), thereby achieving a reliable connection between the flexible cooling tube 2 and the cable structure 1, and in this way, the sealing performance between the outer wall surface of the second flexible zone 22 and the inner wall surface of the rigid conductor tube 11 can be guaranteed to a certain extent, thereby avoiding the leakage and waste of cooling medium to a certain extent, and further ensuring the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11, ensuring the current-carrying capacity of the cable structure 1.

[0085] In some embodiments, reference Figures 4 to 9 As shown, the main body 31 has a receiving cavity 311 therein, and at least one end of the receiving cavity 311 is open so as to communicate with the inner cavity of the first flexible area 21 when the main body 31 extends into the inner cavity of the second flexible area 22 .

[0086] In this way, the main body 31 cooperates with the cable structure 1 to clamp the second flexible zone 22, and the accommodating cavity 311 of the main body 31 can also accommodate the cooling medium, thereby increasing the size of the space that can be used to accommodate the cooling medium in the entire connecting cable to a certain extent, and further ensuring the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11, thereby further improving the current carrying capacity and further improving the charging rate of the battery pack, etc.

[0087] For example, the main body 31 and the second flexible zone 22 may be in thermal contact, so that the rigid conductor tube 11 can be efficiently cooled by the cooling medium in the accommodating cavity 311 and the first flexible zone 21 .

[0088] In some embodiments, both the load and the power supply have cooling cavities, and the flexible cooling tube 2 is connected between the cooling cavity of the load and the cooling cavity of the power supply to transmit the cooling medium between the load and the power supply.

[0089] This allows the cooling medium to flow between the power supply, connecting cables and load, preventing the entire vehicle or vehicle charging equipment from overheating and ensuring charging safety.

[0090] For example, both ends of the main body 31 may be open, so that the cooling cavity on the power supply and the cooling cavity on the load can be connected to the first flexible area 21 through the corresponding main body 31 .

[0091] Specifically, the battery pack generally includes a hollow cooling plate, the inner cavity of the cooling plate forms the cooling cavity of the battery pack. The battery cell module of the battery pack can be cooled by the cooling plate to avoid thermal runaway of the battery pack. In this way, when the connecting cable is connected to the battery pack, the cooling medium in the battery pack can be effectively utilized.

[0092] In some embodiments, reference Figures 5 to 9 As shown, the inner wall of the rigid conductor tube 11 has a groove 111. The groove 111 is recessed in the axial direction away from the rigid conductor tube 11, and the second flexible area 22 and at least part of the main body 31 can extend into the groove 111. The axial direction of the rigid conductor tube 11 can be, for example, Figure 9 In the X direction.

[0093] This arrangement can, to a certain extent, improve the smoothness of the cooling medium flowing between the first flexible zone 21 and the accommodating cavity 311, thereby further improving the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11 and, in turn, further enhancing the current-carrying capacity of the cable structure 1. Furthermore, the groove 111 can also provide a certain degree of axial positioning of the second flexible zone 22 and the main body 31, ensuring the stability of the second flexible zone 22 and the main body 31 and further ensuring cooling efficiency.

[0094] Reference Figure 9 Specifically, when the second flexible zone 22 is sandwiched between the main body 31 and the cable structure 1, the inner diameter of the first flexible zone 21 can be equal to the inner diameter of the accommodating cavity 311. The inner diameter of the first flexible zone 21 can be Figure 9 b in the figure, the inner diameter of the accommodating cavity 311 can be Figure 9 This makes the cooling medium flow more smoothly and improves the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11.

[0095] For example, refer to Figure 3 and 9 For example, the inner diameter of at least the portion of the second flexible zone 22 located in the groove 111 can be made larger than the inner diameter b of the first flexible zone 21, so that the second flexible zone 22 can be accommodated in the groove 111. Of course, when the main body 31 extends into the second flexible zone 22, the second flexible zone 22 can be deformed by the main body 31 and squeezed into the groove 111.

[0096] In some embodiments, reference Figures 6 to 9As shown, the groove 111 has a recessed portion 112 on the groove wall facing the axial side of the rigid conductor tube 11, and the recessed portion 112 is recessed in the axial direction away from the rigid conductor tube 11. Figures 4 to 9 The main body 31 has a protrusion 312 at a position corresponding to the recess 112 , and the protrusion 312 protrudes in a direction away from the axial direction of the main body 31 to confine a portion of the second flexible zone 22 within the recess 112 .

[0097] Such arrangement allows the groove 111 to accommodate at least part of the second flexible zone 22 and the main body 31 to ensure smooth flow of the cooling medium and to achieve axial positioning of the second flexible zone 22 and the main body 31. At the same time, the recessed portion 112 can further position part of the second flexible zone 22, thereby improving the stability of the flexible cooling tube 2 in the rigid conductor tube 11, and further ensuring stable heat exchange between the flexible cooling tube 2 and the rigid conductor tube 11, thereby ensuring the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11.

[0098] For example, the protrusion 312 may squeeze a portion of the second flexible region 22 into the recess 112 to form a protrusion 221 on the second flexible region 22 .

[0099] Of course, in other embodiments, the protrusion 221 may be directly provided on the second flexible region 22 so that the protrusion 221 extends into the recess 112 .

[0100] In some embodiments, reference Figure 6 As shown, along the axial direction of the rigid conductor tube 11 , the recessed portion 112 has a first side wall 115 and a second side wall 116 opposite to each other, and along the radial direction of the rigid conductor tube 11 , the distance between the first side wall 115 and the second side wall 116 gradually decreases.

[0101] Among them, reference Figure 6 , the axial direction of the rigid conductor tube 11 can be Figure 6 The up and down directions in Figure 9 In the X direction, the radial direction of the rigid conductor tube 11 can be the direction from the center to the edge of the rigid conductor tube 11. Figure 6 Taking the right side of the rigid conductor tube 11 as an example, the radial direction of the rigid conductor tube 11 can be Figure 6 From left to right direction.

[0102] In this way, while positioning part of the second flexible zone 22 through the recessed portion 112, compared with the solution of keeping the distance between the first side wall and the second side wall unchanged, the cross-sectional area of ​​the rigid conductor tube 11 at the recessed portion 112 can be guaranteed to a certain extent, thereby helping to further ensure the current-carrying capacity of the rigid conductor tube 11 and the cable structure 1 and the charging rate of loads such as the battery pack; and compared with the solution of gradually increasing the distance between the first side wall and the second side wall, this can improve the convenience of partially extending the second flexible zone 22 into the recessed portion 112 to a certain extent, thereby improving the installation efficiency and positioning efficiency of the flexible cooling tube 2 in the rigid conductor tube 11.

[0103] In some embodiments, reference Figures 4 to 9 As shown, the main body 31 has a guide slope 313, and the guide slope 313 extends inwardly along the direction of the main body 31 extending into the second flexible area 22. Figure 6 For the main body 31 on the left side, the direction in which the main body 31 extends into the second flexible area 22 can be, for example, Figure 6 The bottom-up direction and Figure 4 In the X direction.

[0104] In this way, the guiding slope 313 can improve the convenience and efficiency of the main body 31 extending into the inner cavity of the second flexible area 22, thereby improving the clamping efficiency of the second flexible area 22 to a certain extent, and further improving the assembly convenience and efficiency of the connecting cable.

[0105] In some embodiments, reference Figures 4 to 9 As shown, the fixing member 3 further includes an abutment portion 32 connected to the main body portion 31. The abutment portion 32 extends radially away from the main body portion 31 and can abut against the axial end surface of the cable structure 1 when the main body portion 31 is inserted into the inner cavity of the second flexible zone 22.

[0106] In this way, the main body 31 is positioned by the abutment between the abutment portion 32 and the cable structure 1, thereby improving the positional stability and accuracy of the fixing member 3 relative to the cable structure 1 to a certain extent, thereby ensuring the clamping effect of the second flexible zone 22. In addition, when the main body 31 clamps the second flexible zone 22, the position when the main body 31 extends into the second flexible zone 22 can be indicated, thereby improving the convenience and efficiency of clamping the second flexible zone 22.

[0107] In some embodiments, reference Figure 4 As shown, there are at least two main body parts 31 , and the second flexible area 22 is used for at least any one of the main body parts 31 to extend into.

[0108] With this arrangement, for example, when one of the main parts 31 is damaged, the second flexible area 22 can be clamped by using the other main parts 31 , thereby preventing the entire fixing member 3 from being scrapped.

[0109] In a specific implementation, for example, one of the main bodies 31 may be extended into the second flexible zone 22 , and the other main body 31 may be extended into the cooling cavity of the power supply or the load to achieve the flow of the cooling medium.

[0110] In some embodiments, the fixing member 3 and the cable structure 1 are detachably connected, so that when one of the fixing member 3 and the cable structure 1 is damaged, only the damaged part needs to be replaced, thereby avoiding the scrapping of the fixing member 3 and the cable structure 1 as a whole to a certain extent, which is beneficial to saving maintenance and use costs.

[0111] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the fixing member 3 has a first fixing portion 331 , and the cable structure 1 has a second fixing portion 113 . The fixing member 3 is detachably connected to the cable structure 1 through the cooperation of the first fixing portion 331 and the second fixing portion 113 .

[0112] This can further improve the stability of the fixing member 3 on the cable structure 1 , thereby ensuring a stable connection between the flexible cooling tube 2 and the cable structure 1 , and further ensuring the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11 .

[0113] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 7 As shown, the first fixing portion 331 includes a fixing hole, and the center line of the fixing hole intersects with the direction in which the main body 31 extends into the second flexible zone 22. The second fixing portion 113 includes a fixing protrusion, which can be extended into the fixing hole to connect the fixing member to the cable structure 1. The direction in which the main body 31 extends into the second flexible zone 22 can be Figure 4 In the X direction, the center line of the fixing hole can be Figure 4 In the Y direction, the two directions can be perpendicular or the angle between them is not equal to 90°.

[0114] In this way, the connection and positioning of the fixing member 3 on the cable structure 1 can be achieved by extending the fixing protrusion into the fixing hole. The first fixing portion 331 and the second fixing portion 113 have simple structures and are easy to connect.

[0115] Of course, the first fixing portion 331 may include a fixing protrusion, and the second fixing portion 113 may include a fixing hole.

[0116] In other embodiments, the first fixing portion 331 may be a fixing buckle, and the second fixing portion 113 may be a fixing hole for the fixing buckle to extend into and engage with.

[0117] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 6 As shown, there are at least two first fixing portions 331 , and among all the first fixing portions 331 , at least two first fixing portions 331 are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body 31 . There are at least two second fixing portions 113 , and they are arranged one-to-one with the first fixing portions 331 .

[0118] In this way, the fixing part 3 and the cable structure 1 can be fixed at multiple positions in the circumferential direction of the main body 31, thereby improving the connection stability between the two, and further ensuring the stability of the flexible cooling tube 2 in the rigid conductor tube 11, so that the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11 can be further improved.

[0119] In some embodiments, reference Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the fixing member 3 also includes an extension arm 33 that can be covered on the outer circumference of the cable structure 1. One end of the extension arm 33 is connected to the main body 31, and the other end of the extension arm 33 is a free end. The first fixing portion 331 is located on the extension arm 33.

[0120] This arrangement allows the extension arm 33 to deform relative to the main body 31 to facilitate the cooperation between the first fixing portion 331 and the second fixing portion 113, thereby improving the cooperation efficiency between the two.

[0121] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1 to 7 As shown, a positioning groove 114 is formed on the outer circumference of the cable structure 1 , and the extension arm 33 can extend into the positioning groove 114 .

[0122] In this way, the extension arm 33 can be positioned through the positioning groove 114 to ensure a reliable connection between the fixing member 3 and the cable structure 1. At the same time, since the extension arm 33 can be extended into the positioning groove 114, the outer diameter of the connecting cable at the extension arm 33 can be reduced to a certain extent, thereby reducing the space occupied by the connecting cable and preventing the connecting cable from interfering with other external structures.

[0123] In some embodiments, the shape of the positioning slot 114 matches the shape of the extension arm 33 .

[0124] This can further improve the positioning effect of the positioning groove 114 on the extension arm 33, and further ensure the connection reliability between the fixing member 3 and the cable structure 1.

[0125] In some embodiments, reference Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, a guide structure 4 is provided between the extension arm 33 and the side groove wall of the positioning groove 114 to guide the cooperation between the first fixing portion 331 and the second fixing portion 113 .

[0126] This arrangement can improve the matching efficiency between the first fixing portion 331 and the second fixing portion 113 to a certain extent, and further improve the assembly efficiency of the cable structure 1.

[0127] For example, refer to Figure 1 and Figure 4 The guide structure 4 may include, for example, an inclined surface provided on at least one of the extension arm 33 and the side groove wall of the positioning groove 114 , and the inclined surface extends inwardly along the matching direction of the first fixing portion 331 and the second fixing portion 113 .

[0128] Of course, the guide structure 4 may also include a guide protrusion provided on the extension arm 33 and a guide groove provided on the side groove wall of the positioning groove 114 , wherein the guide protrusion extends into the guide groove and can slide along the guide groove.

[0129] In some embodiments, reference Figure 5 As shown, along the axial direction of the rigid conductor tube 11, the rigid conductor tube 11 has a first section 101 and second sections 102 located on either side of the first section 101. The first insulating layer 12 is located on the first section 101, and the fixing member 3 is connected to the second sections 102. One of the second sections 102 is used for electrical connection to a power source, and the other second section 102 is used for electrical connection to a load.

[0130] With this arrangement, the first insulating layer 12 can provide insulation protection for the first section 101 to ensure safety in use, and the connection of the fixing member 3 on the second section 102 can realize the connection between the flexible cooling tube 2 and the cable structure 1, which is convenient for connection and also facilitates the electrical connection between the power supply and the load and the rigid conductor tube 11.

[0131] in, Figure 5 Only the second section 102 on one side of the first section 101 is shown.

[0132] For example, during production, a first insulating layer 12 can be first provided on the entire rigid conductor tube 11, and then the first insulating layer 12 at the second section 102 can be peeled off to expose the outer wall surface of the second section 102, and then the second fixing portion 113, positioning groove 114, etc. can be formed on the second section 102.

[0133] In some embodiments, reference Figure 6 As shown, each second segment 102 includes a first subsegment 103 and a second subsegment 104, and the first subsegment 103 is located between the first segment 101 and the second subsegment 104. The second subsegment 104 is used to connect to the fixing member 3, wherein the first subsegment 103 of one second segment 102 is used to electrically connect to a power source, and the first subsegment 103 of another second segment 102 is used to electrically connect to a load.

[0134] In this way, the power supply, load and fixing part 3 are connected in a partitioned manner on the second section 102 to prevent interference during connection, thereby ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection between the power supply, load and rigid conductor tube 11 and the fixing effect of the fixing part 3 on the flexible cooling tube 2, further ensuring the stability of the flexible cooling tube 2, and further improving the cooling efficiency of the rigid conductor tube 11.

[0135] In some embodiments, reference Figures 7 to 9 As shown, each second segment 102 is provided with at least one conductive connector 5, and each second segment 102 is electrically connected to the corresponding power supply or load via the conductive connector 5. The power supply and the load each have a hollow conductive terminal with one end open, and the second segment 102 can extend into the hollow conductive terminal through the open end.

[0136] In this way, while the second section 102 is electrically connected to the power supply or load through the conductive connector 5, the second section 102 can also be protected to a certain extent by the inner cavity of the hollow conductive terminal, thereby ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection and the stable connection between the rigid conductor tube 11 and the flexible cooling tube 2.

[0137] For example, in a specific implementation, different numbers of conductive connectors 5 can be selected according to the power transmission power requirement between the power source and the load.

[0138] In some embodiments, the conductive connector 5 is elastic, so that when the second section 102 extends into the hollow conductive terminal, the conductive connector 5 can be deformed to achieve electrical connection between the rigid conductor tube 11 and the hollow conductive terminal while improving the electrical connection efficiency. The elasticity of the conductive connector 5 can further ensure the reliability of the electrical connection and the stability of power transmission.

[0139] In some embodiments, reference Figure 7 As shown, the conductive connector 5 includes an annular conductive member wound around the outer circumference of the second section 102, so that the electrical connection between the rigid conductor tube 11 and the hollow conductive terminal can be achieved from the circumference of the second section 102, thereby further increasing the contact area between the two and further improving the stability of the electrical connection.

[0140] Exemplarily, the conductive connecting member 5 may be, for example, a conductive spring, a conductive foam, etc. For example, the conductive connecting member 5 may be a metal connecting member.

[0141] In some embodiments, reference Figures 6 to 9As shown, the second section 102 has a limiting groove 117, and part of the conductive connector 5 is located in the limiting groove 117. In this way, the guide connector can be limited by the limiting groove 117, thereby improving the stability of the conductive connector 5 to a certain extent, and further ensuring the reliable electrical connection between the rigid conductor tube 11 and the hollow conductive terminal.

[0142] When the conductive connecting member 5 is annular, the limiting groove 117 is also annular accordingly.

[0143] This embodiment also provides a vehicle, including a load, a power supply, and a connecting cable.

[0144] The structure and implementation principle of this connecting cable are the same as those of the connecting cables provided in the above embodiments, and can bring the same or similar technical effects, which will not be described in detail here. For details, please refer to the description of the above embodiments.

[0145] This embodiment also provides a vehicle charging device, including a load, a power supply, and a connecting cable.

[0146] The structure and implementation principle of this connecting cable are the same as those of the connecting cables provided in the above embodiments, and can bring the same or similar technical effects, which will not be described in detail here. For details, please refer to the description of the above embodiments.

[0147] In this document, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, or it can be an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication 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 the specific circumstances. In addition, the orientations or positional relationships indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "back", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc. are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this 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 cannot be understood as a limitation to this application.

[0148] In this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. In the absence of further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0149] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connecting cable, characterized in that: It comprises a cable structure (1) and a flexible cooling pipe (2) at least for accommodating a cooling medium; The cable structure (1) comprises a rigid conductor tube (11) and a first insulating layer (12) arranged on the outer periphery of the rigid conductor tube (11), wherein the rigid conductor tube (11) is used for electrically connecting between a power source and a load; The flexible cooling tube (2) can extend into the rigid conductor tube (11) through one end of the rigid conductor tube (11) and be in thermal contact with the rigid conductor tube (11); a fixing member (3) is provided at the end of the cable structure (1), and the fixing member (3) is used to fix the flexible cooling tube (2) on the cable structure (1) after the flexible cooling tube (2) extends into the rigid conductor tube (11).

2. The connecting cable according to claim 1, wherein: The fixing member (3) comprises a main body (31); along the axial direction of the flexible cooling pipe (2), the flexible cooling pipe (2) comprises a first flexible area (21) and a second flexible area (22) located at an end of the first flexible area (21); The main body (31) can extend into the inner cavity of the second flexible area (22) to sandwich the second flexible area (22) between the main body (31) and the cable structure (1).

3. The connecting cable according to claim 2, characterized in that The main body (31) has an accommodating cavity (311), and at least one end of the accommodating cavity (311) is open so as to communicate with the inner cavity of the first flexible area (21) when the main body (31) extends into the inner cavity of the second flexible area (22).

4. The connecting cable according to claim 2, characterized in that The inner tube wall of the rigid conductor tube (11) is provided with a groove (111); The groove (111) is recessed in an axial direction away from the rigid conductor tube (11), and the second flexible area (22) and at least a portion of the main body (31) can extend into the groove (111).

5. The connecting cable according to claim 4, characterized in that A recessed portion (112) is provided on the groove wall of the groove (111) facing the axial side of the rigid conductor tube (11), and the recessed portion (112) is recessed in the axial direction away from the rigid conductor tube (11); The main body (31) has a protrusion (312) at a position corresponding to the recess (112), and the protrusion (312) protrudes in a direction away from the axial direction of the main body (31) to confine a portion of the second flexible area (22) within the recess (112).

6. The connecting cable according to claim 2, characterized in that The main body (31) is provided with a guide slope (313), and in a direction extending from the main body (31) into the second flexible area (22), the guide slope (313) extends inwardly. And / or, the fixing member (3) further comprises an abutting portion (32) connected to the main body (31); along the radial direction of the main body (31), the abutting portion (32) extends in a direction away from the main body (31), and can abut against the end face of the cable structure (1) in the axial direction when the main body (31) is inserted into the inner cavity of the second flexible zone (22). And / or, there are at least two main body parts (31), and the second flexible area (22) is used for at least any one of the main body parts (31) to extend into.

7. The connecting cable according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that: The fixing member (3) and the cable structure (1) are detachably connected; The fixing member (3) has a first fixing portion (331), and the cable structure (1) has a second fixing portion (113) that is detachably matched with the first fixing portion (331), so as to connect the fixing member (3) and the cable structure (1).

8. The connecting cable according to claim 7, characterized in that One of the first fixing portion (331) and the second fixing portion (113) includes a fixing hole, and a center line of the fixing hole intersects with a direction in which the main body (31) extends into the second flexible area (22); The other of the first fixing portion (331) and the second fixing portion (113) comprises a fixing protrusion, and the fixing protrusion can be inserted into the fixing hole to connect the fixing member to the cable structure (1); And / or, there are at least two first fixing parts (331), and among all the first fixing parts (331), at least two first fixing parts (331) are arranged at intervals along the circumference of the main body (31); and there are at least two second fixing parts (113), and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence with the first fixing parts (331).

9. The connecting cable according to claim 7, wherein: The fixing member (3) further comprises an extension arm (33) which can be arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the cable structure (1); one end of the extension arm (33) is connected to the main body (31); the other end of the extension arm (33) is a free end; and the first fixing portion (331) is located on the extension arm (33); The outer peripheral surface of the cable structure (1) is provided with a positioning groove (114), and the extension arm (33) can extend into the positioning groove (114); The shape of the positioning groove (114) is adapted to the shape of the extension arm (33); and / or a guide structure (4) is provided between the extension arm (33) and the side groove wall of the positioning groove (114) to guide the cooperation between the first fixing portion (331) and the second fixing portion (113).

10. The connecting cable according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: Along the axial direction of the rigid conductor tube (11), the rigid conductor tube (11) has a first section (101) and second sections (102) located on both sides of the first section (101); The first insulating layer (12) is located on the first section (101), and the fixing member (3) is connected to the second section (102); One of the second sections (102) is used for electrically connecting to the power source, and the other second section (102) is used for electrically connecting to the load.

11. The connecting cable according to claim 10, characterized in that: Each of the second segments (102) includes a first subsegment (103) and a second subsegment (104), wherein the first subsegment (103) is located between the first segment (101) and the second subsegment (104); The second sub-segment (104) is used to be connected to the fixing member (3), the first sub-segment (103) of one of the second segments (102) is used to be electrically connected to the power supply, and the first sub-segment (103) of another of the second segments (102) is used to be electrically connected to the load.

12. The connecting cable according to claim 10, characterized in that Each second segment (102) is provided with at least one conductive connecting member (5), and each second segment (102) is electrically connected to the corresponding power source or the load via the conductive connecting member (5); The power source and the load both have a hollow conductive terminal with one end open, and the second section (102) can extend into the hollow conductive terminal through the open end; The conductive connecting member (5) is elastic; and / or the conductive connecting member (5) includes an annular conductive member wound around the outer circumference of the second section (102); and / or the second section (102) has a limiting groove (117), and part of the conductive connecting member (5) is located in the limiting groove (117).

13. The connecting cable according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The cable structure (1) further includes a shielding layer (13) arranged on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the first insulating layer (12); The cable structure (1) further includes a second insulating layer (14) provided on at least a portion of the outer periphery of the shielding layer (13); And / or, the flexible cooling pipe (2) comprises an insulating flexible pipe.

14. A vehicle, characterized in that: The device comprises a load, a power supply, and a connecting cable according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. The vehicle according to claim 14, characterized in that The load and the power supply are both provided with a cooling cavity; The flexible cooling pipe (2) is connected between the cooling cavity of the load and the cooling cavity of the power supply to transmit the cooling medium between the load and the power supply.

16. A vehicle charging device, characterized in that: The device comprises a load, a power supply, and a connecting cable according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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