A plug connector for reinforced electrical contact and a method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of contact conduction, and discloses a plug connector for reinforcing electric contact and a manufacturing method thereof, which comprises a tenon end and a mortise end connected with each other, that is, the plug connector is connected in a mortise and tenon structure; the plug connector further comprises a wedge; the end of the tenon end is provided with a tenon, the end of the mortise end is provided with a mortise, the tenon and the mortise are matched and fitted, a gap is formed after the tenon and the mortise are connected, the wedge is matched with the gap and is used for being inserted into the gap to realize self-locking assembly of the whole plug connector; the tenon, the mortise and the wedge are all made of metal. The application can realize efficient high-power interface electric transmission and greatly improve the contact conduction capacity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of contact conductivity technology, and to a plug-in connector with enhanced electrical contact and a method for manufacturing the same. Background Technology

[0002] The surfaces of two conductors in actual mechanical contact are not perfectly flat and smooth; they contain inherent microscopic roughness, oxide layers, and contaminants, which impede current flow through the contact interface, resulting in contact resistance. In power systems and energy conversion equipment, contact resistance leads to energy dissipation and reduces the system's energy efficiency. This not only increases energy costs but can also cause overheating hazards to the operating environment, affecting the functionality, reliability, safety, and lifespan of the equipment. This impact is even more severe in the actual operation of high-power equipment.

[0003] Modern electrical connectors struggle to meet the conductivity requirements of high-power contacts. Traditional connectors are typically optimized for relatively low power and current density, making them ineffective at handling high-current interface transmission. This can lead to connector overheating, damage, and shortened lifespan. Even with adequate heat dissipation designs, it's still insufficient to effectively address the hotspots caused by heat buildup under high power conditions. For example, fast charging of a standard 100kWh electric vehicle requires at least 500kW of charging power to fully charge in 12 minutes. With next-generation electric vehicle infrastructure limiting charging voltage to below 1000V, charging currents will exceed 500A. This enormous current will generate significant Joule heating in the charging circuit, especially in the connector area, causing severe overheating safety issues and energy waste. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a pluggable connector with enhanced electrical contact and its manufacturing method, which achieves efficient high-power interface electrical transmission and significantly improves contact conductivity.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution:

[0006] Firstly, this invention proposes a plug-in connector with enhanced electrical contact, comprising a tenon end and a mortise end connected to each other, i.e., the plug-in connector adopts a mortise and tenon structure connection; the plug-in connector also includes a wedge; the tenon end is provided with a tenon, and the mortise end is provided with a mortise, the tenon and mortise are mutually matched and fit together, forming a pre-made gap after the tenon and mortise are connected, the wedge is matched with the gap and used to insert into the gap to achieve self-locking assembly of the entire plug-in connector, that is, the wedge achieves self-locking after being inserted into the gap, and even if the insertion force is removed, the relative positions between the tenon and mortise and between the tenon and mortise and the wedge will not change; the tenon, mortise and wedge are all made of metal. The contact pressure generated by the insertion of the wedge at the tenon end and mortise end can significantly enhance the mechanical contact quality of the interface area, thereby achieving excellent contact conductivity.

[0007] It should be noted that the tenon end and mortise end of this invention may differ in shape, but they may be similar or identical in size and fit together. The tenon end and mortise end are arranged parallel to each other in spatial position. After the tenon end and mortise end are connected, their positions are relatively fixed in the normal direction of the mating surfaces. This fixing effect is achieved because the structures of the tenon and mortise can hook each other to restrict relative displacement. Furthermore, the metal materials of the tenon end, mortise end, and wedge are commonly used in existing plug-in connectors.

[0008] In conjunction with the first aspect, further, the tenon end is a tenon array structure consisting of several tenon arrays, the mortise end is a mortise array structure that matches and engages with the tenon array structure, and the wedge is a wedge array structure corresponding to the tenon array and mortise array. In some mortise and tenon structures, the wedge is not an array structure but a single wedge, such as the wedge of a plug-in connector with a hook-and-mortise structure. While ensuring the total contact area remains constant, compared to a single tenon or mortise and tenon joint, the arrangement of tenon arrays and mortise arrays can reduce the overall size of the convex and concave structure; that is, the space thickness occupied by the tenon end of the tenon array and the mortise end of the mortise array in the mating state is reduced.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, the mortise and tenon structure is further described as a dovetail mortise and tenon, a key mortise and tenon, or a hook mortise and tenon.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, the wedge is further provided with an inclination angle, that is, the wedge gradually tapers from top to bottom, which facilitates installation.

[0011] In conjunction with the first aspect, the tenon and mortise can be assembled along the normal or perpendicular to the mating end face during assembly. Preferably, they are assembled along the normal direction of the mating end face.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, furthermore, in order to better insert into the gap, the material hardness of the wedge is greater than the material hardness of the tenon end and the mortise end.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, further, in order to reduce the space occupied, the thickness w of the junction area between the tenon end and the mortise end in the mating state is less than or equal to 5 mm.

[0014] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a reinforced electrical contact plug-in connector, which includes the following steps:

[0015] Step S1: Using mechanical processing, a concave-convex structure array designed according to the geometric shape of dovetail tenon, key tenon or hook tenon is processed on the surface of the metal conductor to obtain the processed metal conductor surface.

[0016] Step S2: Silver plating is performed on the surface of the processed metal conductor;

[0017] Step S3: Machining metal wedges with an angle;

[0018] Step S4: Assemble the tenon end and mortise end, and insert a wedge into the junction area formed by the interlocking of the concave and convex structures on the two end surfaces. Apply external pressure during insertion, such as manually pressing the wedge in.

[0019] The pluggable connector of this invention mimics traditional woodworking techniques, such as mortise and tenon joints, to construct two solid mechanical contact surfaces. With the assistance of wedges, it forms a pluggable electrical connector. The mortise and tenon joint with wedges significantly amplifies the contact pressure at the mechanical interface and significantly increases the actual contact area between the male and female connectors. This results in excellent contact conductivity for the pluggable connector of this invention, making it widely applicable to fast-charging adapters or charging guns for electric vehicles.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention provides a pluggable connector with enhanced electrical contact and a method for manufacturing the same, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0021] (1) This invention improves the mechanical contact quality of the interface to optimize contact conductivity, thus solving the problem that mechanical interfaces are difficult to achieve sufficient contact conductivity and realizing efficient high-power interface electrical transmission.

[0022] (2) The interface structure preparation involved in this invention is completed entirely by mechanical processing, which is simple and easy to operate. Moreover, the surface structure of the substrate is a millimeter-level array of concave and convex features, which will not cause the contact interface to occupy too much extra space. Compared with existing electrical connectors, the contact conductivity enhancement strategy of the mechanical interface proposed in this invention significantly improves the contact conductivity.

[0023] (3) Compared with commercial electrical connectors, the contact area of ​​the plug-in connector of the present invention is more compact, which is very beneficial for portable electronics, automotive, aerospace and many other applications. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the pluggable connector (i.e., pluggable connector #1) in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. 1a is a schematic diagram showing the tenon end and mortise end placed side-by-side; 1b is a schematic diagram of 1a after the tenon end and mortise end are fitted together (before the wedge is inserted), where dark gray represents the tenon end and light gray represents the mortise end; 1c is a magnified front view of the junction area of ​​1b after the tenon end and mortise end are fitted together, where the white part in 1c is the gap enclosed by the tenon end and mortise end, used to accommodate the wedge; 1d is a schematic diagram after the wedge is inserted in the state of 1b.

[0025] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the pluggable connector (i.e., pluggable connector #2) in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. 2a is a schematic diagram showing the tenon end and mortise end placed side-by-side; 2b is a schematic diagram of 2a after the tenon end and mortise end are fitted together (before the wedge is inserted), where dark gray represents the tenon end and light gray represents the mortise end; 2c is a magnified front view of the junction area of ​​the tenon end and mortise end after fitting together in 2b, where the white part in 2c is the gap enclosed by the tenon end and mortise end, used to accommodate the wedge; 2d is a schematic diagram after the wedge is inserted in the state of 2b.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the pluggable connector (i.e., pluggable connector #3) in Embodiment 3 of the present invention. 3a is a schematic diagram of the tenon end and mortise end placed side by side; 3b is a schematic diagram of the tenon end and mortise end in 3a after they are fitted together (before the wedge is inserted), where the dark gray represents the tenon end and the light gray represents the mortise end; 3c is a magnified front view of the junction area after the tenon end and mortise end in 3b are fitted together, where the wedge is inserted from the side of the pluggable connector, so the gap used to accommodate the wedge is not visible in the front view of the junction area; 3d is a schematic diagram after the wedge is inserted in the state of 3b.

[0027] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the insertion or removal of the wedge nail into the dovetail tenon-and-mortise connector in Embodiment 1 of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 This is a comparison chart of the measurement results of the contact resistance R of the three pluggable connectors in Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention and three existing commercial electrical connectors;

[0029] Figure 6The graph shows a comparison of the insertion and extraction forces of the three plug-in connectors in Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention with the insertion and extraction forces of three existing commercial electrical connectors.

[0030] The meanings of the reference numerals in the figure are as follows:

[0031] 1. Tenon end; 2. Mortise end; 3. Wedge; 4. Boundary area. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] Unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention. It should also be understood that, for ease of description, the dimensions of the various parts shown in the drawings are not drawn to actual scale. Techniques, methods, and devices known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and devices should be considered part of the specification. In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may include different values. It should be noted that similar reference numerals and letters in the following figures denote similar items; therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it need not be further discussed in subsequent figures.

[0034] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only used to facilitate the description of the present invention and to simplify the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0035] Example 1

[0036] like Figure 1 and Figure 4As shown, this embodiment provides a plug-in connector with enhanced electrical contact, including a tenon end 1, a mortise end 2, and a wedge 3 connected to each other. That is, the plug-in connector of this embodiment adopts a tenon and mortise structure connection; the end of the tenon end 1 is provided with a tenon, and the end of the mortise end 2 is provided with a mortise, and the tenon and mortise are configured to match and fit together. Figure 1 As shown in 1a and 1b), the tenon and mortise are connected to form a prefabricated gap (the gap is as shown in 1a and 1b). Figure 1 As shown in the white trapezoidal area of ​​1c), wedge 3 is matched with the gap and inserted into the gap to achieve self-locking assembly of the entire plug-in connector (as shown in Figure 1c). Figure 1 (As shown in 1d); the tenon, mortise, and wedge are all made of metal.

[0037] In one specific implementation of this embodiment, the tenon end 1 is a tenon array structure consisting of several tenons, and the mortise end 2 is a mortise array structure that matches and connects with the tenon array structure. The combination of the tenon array structure and the mortise array structure is called a concave-convex structure array.

[0038] In this embodiment, the mortise and tenon structure is a dovetail mortise and tenon structure (in... Figure 5 and Figure 6 In the case of connector #1 (corresponding to the male end of the existing pluggable connector), at the connection between the tenon end 1 (corresponding to the male end of the existing pluggable connector) and the mortise end 2 (corresponding to the female end of the existing pluggable connector), two sets of dovetail-shaped interlocking trapezoidal arrays form the interface 4. Then, metal wedges 3 are manually inserted into the reserved gaps in this interface 4. Corresponding to the concave-convex structure array of the interface 4, the wedges 3 are array wedges composed of metal wedges of the same shape.

[0039] In one specific implementation of this embodiment, the thickness w of the interface region between the tenon end and the mortise end in the mating state is less than or equal to 5 mm. Wherein, thickness w is the distance between the two endpoints of the tenon and the mortise, such as... Figure 1 The w is marked in c.

[0040] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the wedge 3 used in the dovetail tenon and mortise structure plug-in connector of the present invention. The wedge is inserted into the reserved gap in the junction area after the dovetail tenon and mortise are engaged, and self-locking assembly is achieved. When the plug-in connector is to be disassembled after use, the wedge 3 is pulled out first.

[0041] Example 2

[0042] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the mortise and tenon structure used is different. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the mortise and tenon structure in this embodiment is a key mortise and tenon structure (in... Figure 5 and Figure 6(Corresponding to connector #2), specifically, it has a structure where key-like structures with barbed shapes interlock. At the connection between the tenon end 1 and the mortise end 2, it resembles an array of multiple sets of key-like structures interlocking with each other (…). Figure 2 (As shown in 2a and 2b). Then, insert wedges 3 (as shown in 2a and 2b) into the center gap of each array. Figure 2 As shown in 2c and 2d, where Figure 2 (The white rectangular area in 2c is a gap). Corresponding to the concave-convex structure array of the boundary region 4, the wedge 3 is an array wedge composed of metal wedges with the same shape.

[0043] Example 3

[0044] The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the mortise and tenon structure used is different. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the mortise and tenon structure in this embodiment is a hook-and-joint mortise and tenon structure (in... Figure 5 and Figure 6 (Corresponding to connector #3), specifically a hook-shaped, interlocking structure. At the connection between the tenon end 1 and the mortise end 2, each set of convex and concave structures is similar to the joint between a beam and a column in a building—one side of the hook is hooked onto the groove on the other side ( Figure 3 (As shown in 3a and 3b). Then, the metal wedge 2 is manually inserted into the reserved gap in the junction area 4 by applying pressure. Figure 3 (As shown in 3c and 3d). The wedge here is a single metal wedge.

[0045] To verify the significant advancements of the pluggable connector of this invention, the present invention calculates the area-independent contact resistance r by multiplying the contact resistance R by the apparent contact area A of the pluggable connector. The area-independent contact resistance r avoids the influence of dimensional differences between different pluggable connectors, thus making this parameter more equitable. Figure 5 It can be seen that the pluggable connector proposed in this invention significantly improves the conductivity of interface region 4. The #1 pluggable connector in Example 1 reduces the area-independent contact resistance to a minimum of 0.86 mm². 2 mΩ, which is only 1 / 8 of the resistance of the spring terminals in commercial electrical connectors. The area-independent contact resistance of connector #2 in Example 2 and connector #3 in Example 3 is 0.98 mm². 2 mΩ and 1.72mm 2 mΩ, while the most advanced pluggable electrical connectors on the market (i.e. Figure 5 The area-independent contact resistance of the three commercial electrical connectors on the left (wire spring terminals, crown spring terminals, and slot terminals) ranges from 4 to 8 mm². 2 Within the mΩ range.

[0046] Figure 6The measurement results are for the force applied when inserting and withdrawing the wedge 3 into and from the pluggable connector of the present invention. To ensure that the insertion and withdrawal forces of all pluggable connectors are similar, and to further guarantee the fairness of the electrical performance evaluation, the insertion and withdrawal forces of the wedge 3 into and out of the three pluggable connectors in Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention were tested with the insertion and withdrawal forces of three existing commercial electrical connectors. The measurement results are as follows: Figure 6 As shown.

[0047] In summary, the manufacturing method of the pluggable connector of this invention is simple and easy to assemble. The core technology involves constructing a concave-convex structure array on a solid surface, without altering the inherent physical and chemical properties of the material, thus possessing great versatility. Compared with related technologies, this invention proposes a strategy to enhance the electrical contact of the pluggable connector. By machining a densely arranged concave-convex structure array on the metal surface and inserting metal wedges 3 between the interface regions 4 to further increase the contact pressure, a super-strong mechanical contact is achieved between the two metal solids (referring to the male and female ends of the pluggable connector), resulting in a significant improvement in contact conductivity. This invention attributes this phenomenon to the fact that during the insertion of the wedges 3 between the interface regions 4 of the pluggable connector, the insertion force of the wedges 3 is significantly amplified within the interface regions 4, resulting in a substantial increase in contact pressure.

[0048] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A pluggable connector with enhanced electrical contact, characterized in that: The connector includes interconnected tenon and mortise ends, meaning it uses a mortise and tenon structure for connection. It also includes a wedge. The tenon end has a tenon, and the mortise end has a mortise; the tenon and mortise are matched and fit together, forming a pre-made gap. The wedge is fitted into this gap to achieve self-locking assembly of the entire connector. The tenon, mortise, and wedge are all made of metal. The tenon and mortise interlock to restrict relative displacement in the normal direction. The tenon end is a tenon array structure consisting of several tenon arrays, the mortise end is a mortise array structure that matches and connects with the tenon array structure, and the wedge is a wedge array structure that corresponds to the tenon array and the mortise array, or the wedge is a single wedge. The thickness w of the junction area between the tenon end and the mortise end in the mating state is less than or equal to 5 mm.

2. The reinforced electrical contact plug-in connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mortise and tenon structure is a dovetail mortise and tenon.

3. The reinforced electrical contact plug-in connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mortise and tenon structure is a key mortise and tenon joint.

4. The reinforced electrical contact plug-in connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mortise and tenon structure is a hook-and-joint mortise and tenon joint.

5. The reinforced electrical contact plug-in connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wedge is provided with an angle.

6. The reinforced electrical contact plug-in connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The tenon and mortise are assembled along the normal or perpendicular normal of the mating end face during assembly.

7. The reinforced electrical contact plug-in connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material hardness of the wedge is greater than that of the tenon end and the mortise end.

8. A method for manufacturing a pluggable connector with enhanced electrical contact, characterized in that, The method for manufacturing a pluggable connector with reinforced electrical contact as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 comprises the following steps: Step S1: Using mechanical processing, a concave-convex structure array designed according to the geometric shape of dovetail tenon, key tenon or hook tenon is processed on the surface of the metal conductor to obtain the processed metal conductor surface. Step S2: Silver plating is performed on the surface of the processed metal conductor; Step S3: Machining metal wedges with an angle; Step S4: Assemble the tenon end and mortise end, and insert a wedge; insert the wedge into the junction area formed after the concave and convex structure arrays on the two end surfaces meet and contact each other, and apply a certain external pressure when inserting.

Images