Electrical high-voltage connector and method for installing electrical high-voltage connector

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical high-voltage connector (1), in particular an electrical high-voltage attachment connector (1), for an electrical high-voltage entity (O), in particular a battery (O), preferably for a vehicle having a traction motor, having a terminal socket (20) on / in which at least one or more electrical entity terminals of the high-voltage entity (O) are arranged; the invention relates to a high-voltage connector (1) comprising a terminal socket (20), and a connector interface (30), which can be arranged on the terminal socket (20), in which at least one or more electrical interface terminals (310) extending in an axial direction (Ax) of the high-voltage connector (1) are arranged, the high-voltage connector (1) having at least one positioning device (100; 250, 350), by means of which the positioning device (100; according to the invention, the connector interface (30) and the terminal socket (20) can be mutually positioned relative to the wall (14, Lr-Qr) of the high-voltage entity (0).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an electrically high voltage connector, in particular an electrically high voltage attachment connector, for an electrically high voltage entity, in particular a battery. The invention also relates to a method for mounting an electrically high voltage connection to an electrically high voltage entity, in particular a battery. Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrically high voltage entity, in particular a battery, a traction battery or an inverter. Background Art

[0002] In the electrical field (electrician, electrical engineering, power engineering, etc.), a large number of electrical high-voltage connectors are known. These are used to transmit voltages in the high-voltage range (high voltage: AC voltages from more than 24V up to more than 1kV, DC voltages from more than 48V up to more than 1.5kV), currents in the high-current range (high currents from more than 25A up to more than 1kA) and / or electrical power in the high-power range (high power from 20kW up to more than 350kW). In this case, high-voltage connectors for supplying and / or distributing electrical energy in cold, warm, possibly hot, polluted, humid and / or chemically aggressive environments must ensure short-term and / or permanent problem-free transmission.

[0003] Due to the wide range of applications beyond ground-based power engineering and the like, a large number of such high-voltage connectors are known in the automotive sector and in the non-automotive sector. In the automotive sector, such high-voltage connectors are suitable, for example, for electrically connecting high-voltage and / or high-current lines to corresponding electrical high-voltage entities or vice versa, for connecting electrical high-voltage and / or high-current lines, or for different types of electromechanical high-voltage and / or high-current contact connections. In this specification, the term "high voltage" is intended to encompass the terms high voltage, high current and / or high power (see above).

[0004] The high cost of fossil fuels and efforts to reduce environmental impact have necessitated hybrid or electric vehicles, for example in the automotive sector. One aspect of these vehicles is to handle high charging and operating voltages as well as high charging and operating currents, wherein the components in question of the vehicle need to be designed accordingly. This applies in particular to high-voltage and / or high-voltage conductors (e.g. litz wires, busbars, etc.) and the associated high-voltage and / or high-current terminals (e.g. connectors, flat contacts, busbars, etc.) and therefore also to high-voltage connectors.

[0005] If the high voltage connector is positioned on a high voltage cable, reference is also made to a flying high voltage plug connector or a high voltage coupling. If the high voltage connector is positioned on / in an electrical high voltage entity (see below), such as a part of its housing, reference is also made to a high voltage attachment connector (exclusively a high voltage attachment connector). In the context of power engineering (generation, conversion, storage and transmission of high voltage currents in a power grid, preferably with three-phase high voltage transmission), reference is instead made to cable accessories due to their complex structure.

[0006] There is a constant effort to improve electrical high-voltage connectors. In particular for the next generation of electric mobility (electromobility), it is desirable to be able to establish electrical high-voltage connections in a fast, simple and reliable manner, for example by and / or with a high-voltage connector, in particular a high-voltage attachment connector, for example for a traction battery (traction battery interface) of a vehicle. The object of the present invention is to specify a high-voltage connector, in particular a high-voltage attachment connector, for a high-voltage entity, preferably for a vehicle with a traction motor. Summary of the invention

[0007] The objects of the invention are achieved by an electrically high voltage connector, in particular an electrically high voltage attachment connector, for an electrically high voltage entity, in particular a battery; a method for mounting an electrically high voltage connection to an electrically high voltage entity, in particular a battery; and an electrically high voltage entity, in particular a battery, a traction battery or an inverter, in particular for a vehicle with a traction motor in each case. Advantageous refinements, additional features and / or advantages of the invention can be derived from the dependent claims and the following description.

[0008] The high-voltage connector according to the present invention comprises a mechanical terminal socket, on which at least one or more electrical entity terminals of the high-voltage entity are arranged or can be arranged, in particular fixed or can be fixed; and an electromechanical connector interface, which can be arranged on the terminal socket, and in which at least one or more electrical interface terminals extending in the axial direction of the high-voltage connector are arranged, in particular fixed. The high-voltage connector according to the present invention has at least one positioning device arranged on the terminal socket and the connector interface, by which the connector interface and the terminal socket are positioned relative to the wall of the high-voltage entity, for example, substantially parallel to or at an angle thereto.

[0009] Here, the axial direction is arranged at an angle, in particular a right angle, to the (rear) wall of the, for example, the solid housing on / in the high-voltage entity. The wall can be flat and / or curved in the relevant mounting area for the high-voltage connector. Here, of course, the relevant surfaces or relevant sections of the high-voltage connector, in particular the interface housing and optionally the terminal socket are designed accordingly.

[0010] For example, a single physical terminal may be inserted, clipped and / or locked into a single socket of a terminal socket. The high voltage connector may be in the form of an interface, a plug, a receptacle, a coupling, a socket, a flying connector, etc. In this case, the high voltage connector may be designed as a high voltage attachment connector, in particular as a battery interface, a traction battery interface or an inverter interface. In this specification, the term "attachment" shall include the term "built-in".

[0011] By means of the positioning device, the terminal socket and the connector interface can only be positioned / positioned relative to each other. In addition, by means of the positioning device, the high-voltage connector or the terminal socket and the connector interface are not / cannot be intentionally positioned in the axial direction. In addition, the position of the high-voltage connector or the connector interface in the axial direction is / can be ensured by means of a third component, in particular a wall, of the high-voltage entity. In this case, the third component can be designed as an external component relative to the high-voltage connector.

[0012] The positioning device may comprise positioning means for the terminal socket and positioning means for the connector interface. - The mutually related positioning means may be designed so that the configuration / intentionally configurable mounting tolerances of the terminal socket relative to the connector interface in at least one bidirectional spatial direction are / can be reduced to a straight line (freedom of movement, (large) play; two translational degrees of freedom in this spatial direction) or substantially eliminated (fit, in particular clearance fit, transition fit; no translational degrees of freedom in this spatial direction).

[0013] Furthermore, the mutually related positioning means can be designed so that the configuration / intentionally configurable installation tolerances of the terminal socket relative to the connector interface in the first bidirectional spatial direction are substantially eliminated (see above), and the installation tolerances in the second bidirectional spatial direction can be reduced to a line (see above). It is also preferred that the installation tolerances of the terminal socket relative to the connector interface in the third spatial direction (e.g., axial direction) due to the high-voltage connector itself are not expected or are limited to a single direction (see Figure 4 ).

[0014] By means of the mutually related positioning means of the positioning device, the freedom of mutual movement of the terminal socket and the connector interface due to the configured / intentionally configurable mounting tolerances is: substantially eliminated in a first spatial dimension (see above), arranged along a line in a second spatial dimension (see above), and / or unintentionally configurable / configurable in a third spatial dimension. The spatial dimensions include angles, in particular substantially right angles.

[0015] The high voltage connector may include exactly or at least one, two, three or four positioning means for correctly positioning the terminal socket and the connector interface. In addition, at least two positioning means are substantially identical and are ideally preferably convertible into each other by translational and / or rotational displacement. Exactly one translational and / or exactly one rotational ideal displacement is preferred.

[0016] A single positioning device may include a bucket as a first positioning device and a plug as a second positioning device. The bucket and the plug may be coordinated with each other so that the plug may move back and forth in the bucket along a first bidirectional direction and may be arranged to be substantially immovable along a second bidirectional direction. - In principle, of course, a bucket may be provided on / in the terminal socket or on / in the connector interface, and vice versa, a plug may be provided on the connector interface or on the terminal socket. In the case of multiple positioning devices, of course, both the terminal socket and the connector interface may have at least one plug and at least one bucket, respectively.

[0017] The terminal socket and the connector interface can be designed to be used for mounting the high-voltage connector on / in the high-voltage entity so that the fastening means (particularly the clamping screw) of the high-voltage connector from one side of the terminal socket, the entity terminal and / or the high-voltage entity can be moved forward into the high-voltage connector. By means of the fastening means, preferably by bypassing the terminal socket (through cutout in the terminal socket), the entity terminal can be fixed, in particular directly fixed to the interface terminal.

[0018] The clamping screw of the high voltage connector may have a rotatable screw head, which is electrically insulating. Here, the screw head may be embedded in an electrical insulator, for example comprising plastic. In one embodiment, the screw head has no electromagnetic shielding and / or no sealing. The clamping screw may have a screw base, which does not include any electrical insulation, in particular no anti-contact protection.

[0019] The terminal retainer for the entity terminal of the high voltage entity can have separate sockets arranged separately from each other, which are arranged side by side in a line or two dimensions, for example. As a result, the longitudinal ends of the entity terminal can be arranged substantially in a plane. A single socket can include at least one, preferably a plurality of latching devices, for locking the entity terminal associated therewith in place. In addition, a single socket can have a through cut, the diameter of which is preferably greater than the maximum diameter of the fastening device. This can, for example, allow the screw head to engage directly with the associated entity terminal. And the positioning device can be molded into and / or molded onto the terminal socket.

[0020] The connector interface may include an interface housing having a dome, in which at least part of the interface terminal is arranged. The interface housing may have a circumferential seal, by means of which the interface housing is sealed / can be sealed against the wall of the high-voltage entity. The seal may be arranged between the corresponding interface terminal and the terminal cavity of the connector interface. And the positioning device may be molded to the connector interface and / or molded into the connector interface.

[0021] The terminal socket and / or the interface housing can be designed in one piece. An integral design is to be understood as a design of the relevant components (terminal socket or interface housing) in which there is only one single component part, which can only be separated by being destroyed. The component is manufactured from a single original piece and / or from a single original block (plastic melt), which in turn is inevitably integral. The internal bond is formed (exclusively) by means of adhesion and / or cohesion. In this case, coatings etc. may also be present.

[0022] In the method according to the invention, in a first step, at least one or more electrical entity terminals of a high-voltage entity are arranged, in particular fixed, on / in a terminal socket; and an electromechanical connector interface is provided on the terminal socket, in which at least one or more electrical interface terminals extending in the axial direction of the high-voltage connector are arranged, in particular fixed. In a second step, preferably substantially immediately after the first step, a first fastening means, in particular a clamping screw of a high-voltage connector from the lower side of an entity terminal adjacent to the high-voltage entity, is moved forward into the high-voltage connector and fixed into / on the interface terminal. An electrical contact connection between the entity terminal and the interface terminal is established.

[0023] In a third step after the third step, a second fastening device (particularly a second clamping screw) of the second high-voltage entity from the upper side of the entity terminal (also the top or mating surface of the connector interface) can be moved forward into the high-voltage connector and fixed in / on the interface terminal. An electrical contact connection is established from the interface terminal to the entity terminal of the second high-voltage entity. The second high-voltage entity can be formed as a high-voltage electrical line (e.g., rigid or (conditionally) flexible), for example, with an electrical high-voltage connector including a second fastening device. Different designs of the second high-voltage entity (see below) are of course possible.

[0024] In this case, the third step of the installation method can be carried out long after the second step of the installation method. In particular, the third step can be performed in a location separate from the second step. For example, the first two steps can be performed at the manufacturer of the electrical high voltage entity, while the third step is performed only at the customer of this manufacturer.

[0025] In a first step of the installation method, at least one or more entity terminals can be inserted into a terminal socket, clamped and / or locked in an appropriate position in the terminal socket. For this purpose, the terminal socket can have a single socket for each individual entity terminal. In addition, in the first step, at least one positioning device of the terminal socket can be received in / on at least one positioning device of the connector interface. In this case, the relevant positioning devices can be centered with each other (conditionally), wherein centering in a first direction can produce a more centered result than centering in a second direction, for example perpendicular to the first direction. In addition, in the first step, the terminal socket and the connector interface can automatically position each other relative to the wall of the high-voltage entity, for example, the entity housing, using the positioning device.

[0026] In a second step of the mounting method, the first fastening means can first be moved forward on the base side through the terminal socket and / or the physical terminal to the interface terminal of the connector interface. Just after this, the resulting high-voltage connector is mounted, for example, on a wall of a physical housing, by fixing the first fastening means in / on the interface terminal. The physical terminal electrically contacts the interface terminal.

[0027] In the mounting method, the first fastening means and the second fastening means can be moved forward from substantially opposite sides into the connector interface and fixed therein, in particular on / in the interface terminal. In this case, at least the terminal socket, the connector interface and the first fastening means can be designed as a high-voltage connector according to the invention (see above).

[0028] The electrical entity high voltage connection according to the invention on / in the high voltage entity comprises a high voltage connector according to the invention and at least one or more electrical entity terminals of the high voltage entity. The entity terminal is permanently connected to the interface terminal of the high voltage connector at its longitudinal end portion, for which purpose the fastening means extends through the mounting through cutout in the longitudinal end portion of the entity terminal. Here, the entity high voltage connection can be a component of the electrical high voltage connection according to the invention.

[0029] In order to compensate for tolerances, the mounting through-cuts in the longitudinal ends can be formed as slotted holes. The longitudinal extension of the respective slotted holes is substantially parallel to the (second) bidirectional spatial direction in which the terminal socket and the connector interface can move back and forth relative to each other; in particular, in which the plug can be arranged in its bucket so as to move (significantly) back and forth.

[0030] The electrical high-voltage entity according to the present invention comprises an electrical power device and an electrical high-voltage connector for the electrical power device, wherein the high-voltage connector is designed as a high-voltage connector according to the present invention and / or is installed on the high-voltage entity by means of the installation method according to the present invention. Such a high-voltage entity may also be in the form of an electrical component, an electrical module, an electrical unit, an electrical instrument, an electrical appliance, an electrical facility, etc. (see above).

[0031] A vehicle with a traction motor - in particular a motor vehicle (road vehicle, utility vehicle, etc., but also rail vehicles, ships and / or aircraft) - is to be understood as a motor vehicle which, in addition to the traction motor, may also comprise a further non-electric drive, such as an internal combustion engine. That is, a vehicle with a traction motor may be understood as, for example, an electric vehicle (only electric drive), a hybrid electric vehicle, a fuel cell vehicle, etc. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The present invention is explained in more detail below based on exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached schematic diagrams which are not drawn to scale. Parts, elements, components, units, parts and / or figures having the same, unique or similar configuration and / or function are represented by the same reference numerals in the description of the drawings (see below), the list of reference numerals, the patent claims and the drawings. Possible alternatives not explained in the description of the present invention (see above) are not shown in the drawings and / or are not limiting, and static and / or kinematic reversals, combinations, etc. of exemplary embodiments or parts, figures, units, component parts, elements or a part thereof of the present invention can also be collected from the list of reference numerals and / or descriptions of the drawings.

[0033] In the case of the present invention, a feature (part, element, component, unit, part, function, variable, etc.) can be a positive configuration (i.e., present) or a negative configuration (i.e., absent). In this specification (description (description of the invention (see above), description of the drawings (see below)), list of figure numerals, patent claims, drawings), if a value is not placed on a negative feature according to the present invention, the negative feature is not explicitly interpreted as the feature. That is, the invention actually made, rather than the invention constructed by the prior art, consists in omitting the feature.

[0034] A feature of the present description may be used not only in the specified manner and / or method, but also in another manner and / or method (isolation, combination, replacement, addition, alone, omission, etc.). In particular, in the description, list of reference numerals, patent claims and / or drawings, features in the patent claims and / or description may be replaced, added or omitted based on the reference numerals and the features assigned thereto, and vice versa. Furthermore, features in the patent claims may be explained and / or specified in more detail as a result.

[0035] The described features may also be interpreted as optional features (in view of the (initially mostly unknown) prior art); that is, each feature may be considered as an optional, arbitrary or preferred feature, that is to say not a mandatory feature. Thus, a separation of features (possibly including their periphery) from the exemplary embodiment is possible, which can then be transferred to the broad inventive concept. The absence of a feature in an exemplary embodiment (negative feature) shows that this feature is appropriately optional with respect to the present invention (a person skilled in the art). Furthermore, in the case of type terms for features, generic terms for features (possibly further hierarchical decomposition into sub-genera etc.) may also be understood implicitly, as a result of which a generalization of the features is possible, for example taking into account equivalent effects and / or equivalence.

[0036] In the merely exemplary and schematic figures of the accompanying drawings:

[0037] Figure 1 and Figure 2 In a two-dimensional longitudinal side view ( Figure 1 , plane Ar-Lr) and perspective front view ( Figure 2 , substantially plane Ar-Qr) shows a schematic diagram of a first embodiment of an electrical high voltage connector according to the present invention, and

[0038] Figures 3 to 5 In perspective longitudinal side view ( Figure 3 , basically plane Ar-Lr), perspective front cutaway angle view ( Figure 4 ) and a 2D longitudinal side view of a central section ( Figure 5 , plane Ar-Lr) shows a second embodiment of the high voltage connector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The following is based on two embodiments of the electrical high voltage connector 1 (the first embodiment: Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the second embodiment: Figures 3 to 5 ) is explained in more detail by an exemplary embodiment of an electrical high voltage connector 1, in particular a high voltage attachment connector 1 (high voltage attachment connector 1), for an electrical high voltage entity 0, preferably for a vehicle with a traction motor. The present invention is of course also applicable to other electrical connectors, in particular a high voltage connector 0. In this case, the high voltage connector 0 can be, for example, in the form of an interface, a plug, a receptacle, a coupler, a socket, a flying connector, etc.

[0040] Although the invention is further described and illustrated in more detail by means of preferred exemplary embodiments, the invention is not restricted to the disclosed exemplary embodiments but is of a more fundamental nature. Other variants may be derived therefrom and / or from the above (description of the invention) without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. In the case of electrical entities or high-voltage entities, the invention can be used in the electrical field in general, that is to say also in non-automotive fields (see above). An exception is ground-based power engineering and the like.

[0041] The drawings show only those physical parts of the subject matter of the invention which are necessary for understanding the invention. Names such as connector and mating connector, terminal and mating terminal, etc. should be interpreted synonymously, that is to say may be interchangeable. The explanation of the invention based on the drawings (see also above) relates hereinafter in particular to the (bidirectional) transverse direction Qr (also referred to as the (first) spatial dimension / direction Qr), the (bidirectional) longitudinal direction Lr (also referred to as the (second) spatial dimension / direction Lr) and the (bidirectional) axial direction Ar or vertical direction Ar (also referred to as the (third) spatial dimension / direction Ar) of the high-voltage connector 1.

[0042] Figure 1 and Figure 2 as well as Figures 3 to 5 Each shows an embodiment of a high-voltage connector 1, wherein the actual high-voltage connector 1 comprises only: preferably a single dedicated mechanical terminal socket 20; preferably a single, electromechanical connector interface 30 and at least one or more fastening means 12, in particular (high-voltage connection) clamping screws 12. The terminal socket 20 and the connector interface 30 can be mounted on / in the high-voltage entity 0 as a high-voltage connector 1 by means of the fastening means 12.

[0043] In this case, the connector interface 30 comprises electrical interface terminals 310 in the interface housing 300, wherein the first embodiment has two interface terminals 310 and two fastening means 12 for the connector interface 30, and the second embodiment has four interface terminals 310 and four fastening means 12 for the connector interface 30. - The respective interface terminal 310 is arranged in a terminal chamber 314 of the connector interface 30, in particular in a fixed position and preferably sealed, and can be designed in particular as a sleeve 310, which is electrically contactable at its two longitudinal ends and / or longitudinal end portions.

[0044] The interface housing 300 may have a dome 312 in which the interface terminal 310 is at least partially arranged. The dome 312 forms part of the mating face 2 of the high-voltage connector 1 and is accessible at their free longitudinal ends for an electrical high-voltage mating connector (not shown) which, with its electrical mating terminals, can electrically contact the interface terminal 310 located in the dome 312. For this purpose, the mating terminal can be screwed to the interface terminal 310. Any other mechanical connection, such as a plug connection, is of course also suitable.

[0045] The interface housing 300 also preferably comprises a housing base 302 from which a dome 312 protrudes on one side. By means of the housing base 302, the high voltage connector 1 can be attached to a wall 14, for example a wall 14 of a housing of the high voltage entity 0. In this case, the interface housing 300, in particular with its housing base 302, is sealed to the wall 14, for which purpose the housing base 302 preferably has a seal 320 arranged relative to the wall 14 (see Figure 4 and Figure 5 ).

[0046] The dome 312 of the interface housing 300 can extend through the housing base 302 to the opposite side of the housing base 302 (second embodiment). When the high-voltage connector 1 is in the installed state, these parts of the dome 312 protrude into the high-voltage connector 1, or pass through the wall 14. On this side (bottom), the dome 312 is open, and the interface terminal 310 located there can be electrically contacted by the physical terminal 10.

[0047] For this electrical contact connection, the respective free longitudinal end of the interface terminal 310 is located on the free longitudinal portion of the entity terminal 10. The mutually related surfaces of the interface terminal 310 and the entity terminal 10 extend in the longitudinal direction Lr and the transverse direction Qr (electrical contact plane), respectively. In this case, the free end of the interface terminal 310 is slightly further below the free end of the associated dome 312 in the direction of the high-voltage entity 1, so that the dome 312 does not hinder or prevent electrical contact.

[0048] In order to make at least one or more interface terminals 310 electrically contact the same number of physical terminals 10, the number of physical terminals 10 can be arranged on / in the terminal socket 20 and / or configured for mounting the high-voltage connector 1, and therefore also in the installed state of the high-voltage connector 1. Such a physical terminal 10 is preferably designed as a busbar 10 or a connector 10, but of course it can also be designed in other ways. - In the present case, the physical terminal 10 is optionally angled in a variety of ways (approximately at right angles) at its free longitudinal end region; other configurations are of course also applicable.

[0049] The single entity terminal 10, in addition to the extension in the thickness direction (axial direction Ar), extends at its free longitudinal end portion in the transverse direction Qr and the longitudinal direction Lr in the present case, and has a generally u-shaped or rectangular outer contour. Different outer contours are of course applicable. Each of these free longitudinal ends can be arranged in a separate socket 210 of the terminal socket 20 that is formed complementary thereto, and in particular can be inserted, clamped and / or locked in place. That is, the terminal socket 20 preferably has a separate socket 210 for each entity terminal 10.

[0050] In the present case, the longitudinal ends of the individual physical terminals 10 can be inserted into their individual sockets 210 below the lateral latching devices 212 in the transverse direction Qr, and thus can be locked in place in the individual sockets 210 in the axial direction Ar. Alternatively, the longitudinal ends of the individual physical terminals 10 can be inserted into their individual sockets 210 in the axial direction Ar under the elastic compression of the latching devices 212, and thus can be locked in place in the individual sockets 210 in the axial direction Ar. The base or base wall of the individual sockets 210 prevents the individual physical terminals 10 from moving in the other axial direction Ar.

[0051] In particular, the associated individual socket 210 prevents its physical terminal 10 from moving in both the longitudinal direction Lr and at least one transverse direction Qr. For example, by locking the surface of the longitudinal end of the physical terminal 10 with the bottom wall of the individual socket 210, the remaining possibility of moving in the remaining transverse direction Qr to completely lock the physical terminal 10 in the appropriate position in the corresponding individual socket 210 can be achieved.

[0052] In the present case, the terminal socket 20 has separate sockets 210 arranged separately from each other, which are arranged in a line. Of course, a two-dimensional arrangement of the separate sockets 210 (i.e., an array of the separate sockets 210 in two preferably mutually perpendicular lines) is also possible. In addition, the separate sockets 210 do not need to be arranged separately from each other, but this helps to lock the physical terminal 10 in the appropriate position in the separate sockets 210.

[0053] The bottom wall of a given individual socket 210 has a through cutout 220 for at least partially penetrating the corresponding fixing device 12. Preferably, the through cutout 220 is dimensioned so that the fastening means 12 can be completely pushed through it. This means that, for example, the head of the fastening means 12 designed as a screw 12 can be directly attached to (the underside of) the physical terminal 10, and this does not have to be clamped on the bottom wall of the individual socket 210.

[0054] In a state where the high-voltage connector 1 is installed on / in the high-voltage entity 0, the connector electrically connects the entity terminal 10 of the power electrical device 3 of the high-voltage entity 0 to the interface terminal 310 of the high-voltage connector 1 (physical high-voltage connection). This allows the high-voltage entity 0 to be electrically contacted with the high-voltage mating connector via its high-voltage connector 1. In order to install the high-voltage connector 1, for example, the wall 14 of the housing of the high-voltage entity 10 is received between the terminal socket 20 (including the entity terminal 10 disposed therein) and the connector interface 30.

[0055] When the high-voltage connector 1 is installed, the connector interface 30 can be arranged on the terminal socket 20, and the longitudinal end of the physical terminal 10 is arranged on / in it, and / or vice versa. In order to position the connector interface 30 and the terminal socket 20 relative to each other, the high-voltage connector 1 has positioning devices 100; 250, 350, which are separately arranged on the terminal socket 20 and the connector interface 30, or are implemented by means of the terminal socket 20 and the connector interface 30. That is, the positioning devices 100; 250, 350 position the connector interface 30 and the terminal socket 20 relative to each other as the high-voltage connector 1.

[0056] In addition to the angle of inclination relative to the mounting plane (which in the present case is defined by the transverse direction Qr and the longitudinal direction Lr), the connector interface 30 and the terminal socket 20 can be positioned relative to each other by means of the positioning device 100; 250, 350, or positioned in the installed state of the high-voltage connector 1. In this case, the wall 14 of the high-voltage body 10 is located between the connector interface 30 and the terminal socket 20.

[0057] The positioning device 100; 250, 350 positions the connector interface 30 and the terminal socket 20 relative to the wall 14 in the transverse direction Qr and the longitudinal direction Lr, and the wall 14 is accommodated between the connector interface 30 and the terminal socket 20. In the installed state, the wall 14 positions the high-voltage connector 1 or the connector interface 30 and the terminal socket 20 in the axial direction Ar.

[0058] The positioning device 100; 250, 350 comprises in each case at least: a single positioning means 250 of the terminal socket 20 and a single positioning means 350 of the connector interface 30. Preferably, the terminal socket 20 and the connector interface 30 each have more than a single positioning means 250, 350, in particular exactly or at least two, three or four positioning means 250, 350.

[0059] The positioning device 100 or the two positioning means 250, 350 that interact or are capable of interacting can be designed so that the mutual mounting tolerance of the connector interface 30 relative to the terminal socket 20 can be reduced to a line in the transverse direction Qr and preferably substantially eliminated (except for the gap) in the longitudinal direction Lr. To this end, the physical terminals 10 have a corresponding design, in particular a corresponding design of their mounting through-cuts 11 (see below). - This can of course be arranged in reverse or in relation to other directions that are not necessarily perpendicular to each other.

[0060] That is, the connector interface 30 and the terminal socket 20 are movable relative to each other along a line in the longitudinal direction Lr, and in the transverse direction Qr, except for necessary clearances, are preferably substantially immovable relative to each other in the high-voltage connector 1. For this purpose, the positioning device 100; 250, 350 or the positioning means 250, 350 that interact / can interact are designed accordingly; that is, they allow conditional mobility in the longitudinal direction Lr, and preferably allow conditional immobility in the transverse direction Qr.

[0061] To this end, one positioning device 250 can be designed as a bucket 250, and one positioning device 350 can be designed as a plug 350, wherein the plug 350 is received in the bucket 250 during and after installation, and according to the above, the bucket 250 limits the possibility of the plug 350 moving in the bucket 250. Such a bucket 350 can be open or closed at one end of its bucket neck. - In the present case, the bucket 250 is arranged on / in the terminal socket 20, and the plug 350 is arranged on the connector interface 30. Of course, this can be realized in reverse or even in a mixed form.

[0062] Furthermore, different configurations of the positioning device 100 or the interacting / interactable positioning means 250, 350 are of course possible. For example, the bucket 250 can be formed not as a complete bucket 250 but as an open bucket, which together realize the functions of one or more buckets intended here. Furthermore, the conical part of the bucket can also be omitted, and this can be simply achieved by its bucket neck, i.e. by a (through) cutout, which can have an insertion aid designed, for example, as a bevel.

[0063] In the present case, both the bucket 250 and the plug 350 have a generally rectangular cross section, wherein the rectangular (optionally square) cross section of the plug 350 is accommodated in the rectangular cross section of the bucket 250. In this case, the rectangular cross section of the plug 350 can be accommodated in the rectangular cross section of the bucket 250 so that it can move back and forth in the longitudinal direction Lr. And in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto (lateral direction Qr), the rectangular cross section of the plug 350 is accommodated in the rectangular cross section of the bucket 250 substantially immovably except for any necessary play.

[0064] Similar to its rectangular cross section in the bucket neck, the bucket 250 preferably also comprises a rectangular cross section in its tapered portion, the size of which increases starting from the actual terminal receptacle 20 (upwards) in the direction of the connector interface 30. Different shapes of the tapered portion of the bucket 250 are of course possible. Typically, the cross-sectional shape of the tapered portion of the bucket 250 will be similar to the cross-sectional shape of the bucket neck of the bucket 250.

[0065] Of course, other cross-sections of the bucket 250 and the plug 350 are applicable, of course only if they meet the mutual movement requirements of the terminal socket 20 and the connector interface 30. Such cross-sections are, for example, circular, elliptical, oval, polygonal or composite cross-sections. Here again, the function of the tapered portion of the bucket 250 can be achieved by the bevel of the bucket neck.

[0066] The terminal socket 20 and the connector interface 30 and / or the corresponding bucket 250 and the corresponding plug 350 are preferably designed so that the plug 350 cannot be fully inserted into the bucket 250. This means that the free end of the plug 350 does not contact the base of the bucket 250 (if present) during or after the high-voltage connector 1 is installed on / in the high-voltage entity 0. For this purpose, the corresponding plug 350 may have a ridge 352 ( Figure 4 ) or the like, which prevents the plug 250 from moving too far forward into the bucket 350.

[0067] Preferably, the mounting through cutout 11 in the physical terminal 10 is formed as a slotted hole 11, wherein the longitudinal extension of the respective slotted hole 11 extends in the longitudinal direction Lr and the diameter of the slotted hole 11 extends in the transverse direction Qr. It is preferred here that the extension of the slotted hole 11 in the longitudinal direction Lr is slightly shorter, approximately the same length or slightly longer than the extension of the cutout in the bucket neck of the bucket 250 in the longitudinal direction Lr. The diameter of the slotted hole 11 is selected in a preferably conventional manner relative to the fastening means 12 (gap).

[0068] In addition, Figure 1 and Figure 2In the figure, it is easy to see how the positioning devices 250, 350 enable the mutual conditional mobility of the terminal socket 20 relative to the connector interface 30. Figure 1 , dotted double-headed arrow), the inner free guide portion of the positioning device 250 (negative direction) is longer than the material positioning device 350 (positive direction). And in the transverse direction Qr ( Figure 2 , dashed line, double-headed arrow pointing outwards X), the inner free guide portion of the positioning device 250 (negative direction) is approximately as wide as the material positioning device 350 (positive direction). Therefore, the positioning device 250 can be moved back and forth in the positioning device 350 essentially only in the longitudinal direction Lr.

[0069] Reference numerals list

[0070] 0 (electricity) high voltage entity

[0071] 1 (Electrical) High Voltage Connector

[0072] 2. Mating surface

[0073] 3. Power and electrical equipment

[0074] 10 (electrical) physical terminal

[0075] 11Install through cuts, especially slotted holes

[0076] 12 Fastening devices

[0077] 14 walls

[0078] 20 (mechanical) terminal socket

[0079] 30 (electromechanical) connector interface

[0080] 100 Positioning device

[0081] 210 individual sockets

[0082] 212 Latch device

[0083] 220 Through cut

[0084] 250 (first) positioning device, such as a plug / bucket

[0085] 300 Interface Housing

[0086] 302 Shell base

[0087] 310 (electrical) interface terminal

[0088] 312 Dome

[0089] 314 Terminal room

[0090] 320 Seals

[0091] 350 (second) positioning device, such as a bucket / plug

[0092] 352 spine

[0093] AR axial direction (bidirectional), vertical direction (bidirectional), (third) spatial dimension / direction

[0094] LR longitudinal direction (bidirectional), (second) spatial dimension / direction

[0095] Qr transverse (bidirectional), (first) spatial dimension / direction

Claims

1. An electrically high voltage connector (1), in particular an electrically high voltage attachment connector (1), for an electrically high voltage entity (O), in particular a battery (O), preferably for a vehicle with a traction motor, the electrically high voltage connector (1) having: A terminal socket (20), wherein at least one or more electrical entity terminals (10) of the high-voltage entity (0) are arranged or can be arranged at / in the terminal socket (20); and a connector interface (30), wherein the connector interface (30) can be arranged on the terminal socket (20), and at least one or more electrical interface terminals (310) extending along the axial direction (Ax) of the high-voltage connector (1) are arranged in the connector interface (30), characterized in that: The high-voltage connector (1) comprises at least one positioning device (100; 250, 350) respectively arranged on the terminal socket (20) and the connector interface (30), by means of which the connector interface (30) and the terminal socket (20) are positioned / can be positioned relative to a wall (14, Lr-Qr) of the high-voltage entity (0).

2. Electrical high voltage connector (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that: By means of the positioning device (100; 250, 350), the terminal socket (20) and the connector interface (30) are positioned relative to each other / can only be positioned relative to each other, By means of the positioning device (100; 250, 350), the high voltage connector (1) or the terminal socket (20) and the connector interface (30) are not / cannot be intentionally positioned in the axial direction (Ax), and / or The position of the high-voltage connector (1) or the connector interface (30) in the axial direction (Ax) is / can be ensured by means of a third component (14), in particular a wall (14), of the high-voltage entity (0).

3. An electrical high voltage connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The positioning device (100; 250, 350) comprises a positioning device (250) of the terminal socket (20) and a positioning device (350) of the connector interface (30), wherein the mutually related positioning devices (250, 350) are designed such that: The configuration / intentionally configurable installation tolerance of the terminal socket (20) relative to the connector interface (30) in at least one bidirectional spatial direction (Qr) is / can be reduced to a line segment, or is / can be substantially eliminated, or is / can be substantially eliminated in the first bidirectional spatial direction (Qr) and is / can be reduced to a line segment in the second bidirectional spatial direction (Lr).

4. An electrical high voltage connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that By means of the mutually related positioning means (250, 350) of the positioning device (100; 250, 350), the mutual freedom of movement of the terminal socket (20) and the connector interface (30) is achieved due to configured / intentionally configurable mounting tolerances: is essentially eliminated in the first spatial dimension (Qr), is arranged / can be arranged along a line segment in a second spatial dimension (Lr), and / or Unintentionally / can be arranged unintentionally in the third spatial dimension (Ar).

5. An electrical high voltage connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The high voltage connector (1) for correctly positioning the terminal socket (20) and the connector interface (30) accurately or at least comprises: one, two, three or four positioning devices (100), and / or At least two positioning devices (100) are substantially identical and are preferably ideally convertible into one another by translational and / or rotational displacement.

6. An electrical high voltage connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that A single positioning device (100) includes a bucket (250 / 350) as a first positioning device (250 / 350) and a column (350 / 250) as a second positioning device (350 / 250), and / or The bucket (250 / 350) and the column (350 / 250) are designed to match each other so that the column (350 / 250) can move back and forth in the bucket (250 / 350) along a first bidirectional direction (Lr) and is arranged to be substantially immovable in a second bidirectional direction (Qr).

7. An electrical high voltage connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The terminal socket (20) and the connector interface (30) for mounting the high voltage connector (1) at / in the high voltage entity (0) are formed with each other in such a way that: A fastening device (12), in particular a clamping screw (12), of the high voltage connector (1) from one side of the terminal socket (20), the entity terminal (10) and / or the high voltage entity (0) can be moved forward into the high voltage connector (1).

8. An electrical high voltage connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: The clamping screw (12) has an electrically insulating rotatable screw head. The screw head does not have any electromagnetic shielding and / or sealing, and / or The clamping screw (12) has a screw base which contains no electrical insulation, in particular no touch protection.

9. An electrical high voltage connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: The terminal socket (20) of the entity terminal (10) for the high voltage entity (0) has individual sockets (210) arranged separately from each other, The individual sockets (210) include latching means (212) for locking the physical terminals (10) associated therewith in place, and / or The separate socket (210) has a through cutout (220), the diameter of which is preferably greater than the maximum diameter of the fastening means (12).

10. An electrical high voltage connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: The connector interface (30) comprises an interface housing (300) having a dome (312), at least a portion of the interface terminal (310) being arranged in the dome (312), The interface housing (300) has a circumferential seal (320), by means of which the interface housing (300) is sealed / can be sealed against the wall (14) of the high-pressure body (0), and / or The seal is arranged between the corresponding interface terminal (310) and the terminal chamber (314) of the connector interface (30).

11. A method for mounting an electrical high voltage connection to an electrical high voltage entity (0), in particular a battery (0), for a vehicle having a traction motor, wherein: In a first step, at least one or more electrical entity terminals (10) of the high voltage entity (0) are arranged at / in a terminal socket (20), and a connector interface (30) is provided on the terminal socket (20), the connector interface (30) being arranged on the terminal socket (20), in which at least one or more electrical interface terminals (310) extend along the axial direction (Ax) of the high voltage connector (1), characterized in that: In a second step following the first step, a first fastening device (12), in particular a clamping screw (12), of the high-voltage connector (1) from the lower side of a physical terminal (10) adjacent to the high-voltage entity (0) is moved forward into the high-voltage connector (1) and fixed in / at the interface terminal (310).

12. Installation method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that In a third step following the second step, a second fastening device of a second high-voltage entity from the upper side of the entity terminal (10), in particular a second clamping screw, is moved forward into the high-voltage connector (1) and fixed in / at the interface terminal (310).

13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that In the first step of the installation method: The at least one or more physical terminals (10) are inserted, clamped and / or latched in the terminal socket (20), At least one positioning feature (250) of the terminal socket (20) is received in / on at least one positioning feature (350) of the connector interface (30), and / or The terminal socket (20) and the connector interface (30) are self-actingly positioned relative to each other by positioning means (250, 350) relative to the wall (14, Lr-Qr) of the high-voltage body (10).

14. Mounting method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that: In a second step of the installation method, the first fastening means (12) is initially advanced on the base side through the terminal socket (20) and / or the physical terminal (10) to the interface terminal (310) of the connector interface (30), In the mounting method, the first fastening means (12) and the second fastening means are advanced into the connector interface (30) from substantially opposite sides and secured therein, and / or At least the terminal socket (20), the connector interface (30) and the first fastening means (12) constitute a high voltage connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

15. An electrical high voltage entity (0), in particular a battery (0), a traction battery (0) or an inverter (0), preferably for a vehicle with a traction motor, comprising: An electric power unit (3) and an electric high voltage connector (1) for the electric power unit (3), characterized in that: The high voltage connector (1) is designed according to one of the preceding claims and / or the high voltage connector (1) is installed at the high voltage entity (0) by means of a mounting method according to one of the preceding claims.

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