Plug-in assembly and charging plug-in assembly

Abstract

The invention discloses a plug-in assembly and a charging plug-in assembly, and relates to the technical field of connection. The plugging assembly comprises a socket which is provided with a first jack and a second jack; the first plug is matched with the first jack in a plugging manner, and the first plug is provided with a stop surface which is arranged opposite to the second jack; the second plug is in plug-in fit with the second jack; wherein under the condition that the first plug is matched with the first jack in an inserted mode and the second plug is matched with the second jack in an inserted mode, the second plug is located between the stop surface and the socket. The invention provides a fool-proof plugging assembly which limits the plugging sequence of plugs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of connection technology, and in particular to a connector assembly and a charging connector assembly. Background Technology

[0002] The connector assembly includes a plug and a socket, which are plugged in to achieve a connection. When the socket includes multiple sockets, each socket can be plugged in with a different plug. In related technologies, under certain circumstances, multiple plugs need to follow a strict insertion and removal sequence.

[0003] However, when a connector assembly has multiple plugs with plug-in / plug-out sequence restrictions, incorrect plug-in / plug-out sequence among the multiple plugs may lead to adverse consequences. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The main objective of this invention is to provide a connector assembly and a charging connector assembly, which aims to solve the technical problem in the related art that incorrect insertion and removal sequence among multiple plugs may lead to adverse consequences.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a connector assembly comprising:

[0006] A socket having a first socket and a second socket; A first plug, which is inserted into a first socket, and has a stop surface arranged opposite to a second socket; and The second plug is inserted into the second socket. Wherein, when the first plug is engaged with the first socket and the second plug is engaged with the second socket, the second plug is located between the stop surface and the socket.

[0007] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the first socket and the second socket are arranged side by side.

[0008] In one embodiment, the stop surface extends obliquely along the direction from the first socket to the second socket in the pull-out direction of the first plug, such that at least a portion of the stop surface is arranged opposite to the second socket.

[0009] In one embodiment, the first plug includes: A first insertion portion, one end of which is inserted into the first socket; and The first bend is connected to the other end of the first plug-in portion, and extends in a direction away from the first plug-in portion, bending along the direction from the first plug hole to the second plug hole so that the side surface of the first bend facing the second plug hole forms the stop surface.

[0010] In one embodiment, when the second plug is connected to the second socket, the distance between the second plug and the stop surface in the insertion / removal direction of the second plug is less than the insertion / removal stroke of the second plug.

[0011] In one embodiment, the outer contours of the first socket and the second socket are both axisymmetric figures, and the symmetry plane of the outer contour of the first socket is coplanar with the symmetry plane of the outer contour of the second socket.

[0012] In one embodiment, the insertion / removal direction of the first plug is parallel to the insertion / removal direction of the second plug; and / or The first socket and at least a portion of the second socket are arranged side by side in a vertical direction.

[0013] In one embodiment, the second plug includes: The second insertion part, one end of which is inserted into the second socket; and The second bend is connected to the other end of the second plug-in portion and extends in a direction away from the second plug-in portion, bending along the direction from the first plug hole to the second plug hole.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first plug is a first voltage electrical connection connector, the second plug is a second voltage electrical connection connector, and the operating voltage of the first voltage electrical connection structure is higher than the operating voltage of the second voltage electrical connection connector; or... The first plug is a charging gun, and the second plug is a communication plug. Both the charging gun and the communication plug are adapted to connect to a charging device. The communication plug is used to enable communication between the charging device and the device to be charged, which is equipped with the socket. Alternatively... The first plug is a first voltage electrical connection connector, and the second plug is a second voltage electrical connection and communication connector, wherein the operating voltage of the first voltage electrical connection connector is higher than the operating voltage of the second voltage electrical connection and communication connector.

[0015] In addition, this application also provides a charging connector assembly for use in vehicles, the charging connector assembly comprising: A charging socket, adapted to be installed on the body of the vehicle, the charging socket having a charging interface and a power supply and communication interface, the charging interface being connected to the power battery of the vehicle, and the power supply and communication interface being connected to at least the battery management system of the power battery; A charging gun head, which plugs into the charging interface, and has a stop surface arranged opposite to the power supply and communication interface; and A power supply and communication plug, wherein the power supply and communication plug and the power supply and communication interface are plugged in and engaged; Specifically, when the charging gun head is plugged into the charging interface and the power supply and communication plug is plugged into the power supply and communication interface, the power supply and communication plug is located between the stop surface and the charging socket, and both the charging gun head and the power supply and communication plug are adapted to be connected to the charging device, and the charging device supplies power to the battery management system and communicates with it through the power supply and communication plug and the power supply and communication interface.

[0016] In one embodiment, the power supply and communication interface is further adapted to connect to the low-voltage power supply system of the vehicle, the low-voltage power supply system being configured to at least charge the emergency battery and / or power the battery management system; and / or, The vehicle in question is a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

[0017] In the technical solution of this invention, the first plug has a stop surface disposed opposite to the second socket. This stop surface is located on the pull-out path of the second plug, thus restricting the insertion of the second plug to be performed before the first plug. Otherwise, due to the restriction of the stop surface, the second plug would be difficult to insert into the second socket. Correspondingly, when the plug is pulled out, the first plug must also be pulled out first to allow the stop surface to make room for the second plug to be pulled out. Therefore, this application provides a foolproof connector assembly that restricts the plug insertion and removal sequence, ensuring the insertion and removal sequence between the first and second plugs and avoiding adverse consequences caused by incorrect insertion and removal sequences, thereby improving the safety of the connector assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the two sockets in the connector assembly provided by the present invention; Figure 2 The main view of the connector assembly after the plug is inserted into the corresponding socket; Figure 3 The right view of the connector assembly after the plug is inserted into the corresponding socket; Figure 4 This is the front view after the second plug has been inserted. Figure 5 This is the right view after the second plug has been inserted. Figure 6 This is the front view after the first plug has been inserted; Figure 7 This is the right view after the first plug has been inserted; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of interference when the second plug is first pulled out in the connector assembly provided by the present invention. Figure 9 This is a simplified flowchart of an eVTOL ground maintenance method.

[0020] Explanation of icon numbers: 10. Socket; 11. First socket; 12. Second socket; 13. Mating surface; 20. First plug; 21. First insertion part; 22. First bend; 221. Stop surface; 23. Grip part; 231. Connecting side wall; 30. Second plug; 31. Second insertion part; 32. Second bend; 33. Connecting latch.

[0021] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0022] 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 a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] It should be noted that if the embodiments of the present invention involve directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.), the directional indicators are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of the components in a specific posture. If the specific posture changes, the directional indicators will also change accordingly.

[0024] Furthermore, if the embodiments of this invention involve descriptions such as "first" or "second," these descriptions are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features. Additionally, the use of "and / or" or "and / or" throughout the text includes three parallel solutions. For example, "A and / or B" includes solution A, solution B, or a solution where both A and B are satisfied simultaneously. Furthermore, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the ability of those skilled in the art to implement them. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, it should be considered that such a combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0025] A connector assembly includes a plug and a socket, which are plugged in to achieve a connection. When the socket includes multiple sockets, each socket can be plugged in with a different plug. In related technologies, under certain circumstances, multiple plugs need to follow a strict insertion and removal sequence. Incorrect insertion and removal sequence may lead to adverse consequences, such as affecting the lifespan of the socket's internal structure, causing malfunctions in the equipment to which the plug belongs, or even threatening personal safety.

[0026] Therefore, this application provides a foolproof design whereby the first plug has a stop surface disposed opposite to the second socket. This stop surface is located in the pull-out path of the second plug, thus hindering the pull-out or insertion of the second plug. This restricts the second plug to be inserted before the first plug when inserting the first plug, and correspondingly, the first plug must be pulled out first when removing the second plug. By ensuring the correct insertion / removal sequence between the first and second plugs, adverse consequences caused by incorrect insertion / removal sequence are avoided, thereby improving the safety of the connector assembly.

[0027] The technical solution of this application and how it solves the above-mentioned technical problems will be described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 ,in, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the two sockets in a socket. Figure 2 The main view of the connector assembly after the plug is inserted into the corresponding socket; Figure 3 This is a right view of the connector assembly after the plug is inserted into the corresponding socket. This application provides a connector assembly including a socket 10, a first plug 20, and a second plug 30.

[0029] The socket 10 has a first socket 11 and a second socket 12; a first plug 20 is inserted into the first socket 11 and has a stop surface 221 arranged opposite to the second socket 12; a second plug 30 is inserted into the second socket 12; when the first plug 20 is inserted into the first socket 11 and the second plug 30 is inserted into the second socket 12, the second plug 30 is located between the stop surface 221 and the socket 10.

[0030] Specifically, the socket 10 includes a housing, and the socket holes are openings on the housing that provide guidance and support for the insertion of the plug, and also prevent the user from directly contacting the female connector portion inside the housing. In this embodiment, the socket 10 has at least two socket holes, namely a first socket hole 11 and a second socket hole 12.

[0031] The plug is a movable connecting device with a protruding male connector for insertion into a socket and mating with the female connector on the socket 10 to achieve connection. In this embodiment, the first plug 20 mates with the first socket 11, and the second plug 30 mates with the second socket 12.

[0032] It should be noted that the first plug 20 has a stop surface 221, and the stop surface 221 is arranged opposite to the second socket 12. Thus, at least a portion of the projection of the stop surface 221 onto the plane containing the second socket 12 is located within the second socket 12. As an alternative in this embodiment, when the second plug 30 is connected to the second socket 12, the distance between the second plug 30 and the stop surface 221 in the insertion / removal direction of the second plug 30 is less than the insertion / removal engagement stroke of the second plug 30. Specifically, when the pin of the second plug 30 is completely disengaged from the second socket 12, the second plug 30 is completely pulled out; therefore, the insertion / removal engagement stroke is determined based on the length of the pin of the second plug 30. Since the distance between the second plug 30 and the stop surface 221 is less than the insertion / removal engagement stroke of the second plug 30, the stop surface 221 forms an obstruction in the removal direction of the second plug 30, i.e., the stop surface 221 intrudes into the removal path of the second plug 30 and prevents the second plug 30 from being pulled out. Alternatively, as another option in this embodiment, the stop surface 221 visually covers the second socket 12.

[0033] Therefore, please refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 This is the front view after the second plug 30 is first inserted; Figure 5This is a right view after the second plug 30 has been inserted. When inserting the plug, the second plug 30 needs to be inserted into the second socket 12 first. Otherwise, due to the presence of the stop surface 221, the second plug 30 will be hindered from being inserted after the first plug 20 is inserted into the first socket 11. Or, due to the visual obstruction formed by the stop surface 221, it will be difficult for the user to continue inserting the second plug 30 after the first plug 20 is inserted.

[0034] Accordingly, please refer to Figure 2 When unplugging the first plug, if the second plug 30 is to be unplugged first, the stop surface 221 will intrude into the unplugging path of the second plug 30, making it difficult to unplug. Alternatively, the stop surface 221 may obstruct the view, hindering user operation. Therefore, it is necessary to unplug the first plug 20 first. It is easy to see that this embodiment provides a foolproof connector assembly that restricts the plug insertion and removal sequence.

[0035] It is worth mentioning that, provided the stop surface 221 and the second insertion hole 12 are arranged opposite to each other, the two insertion holes can be located on the same mating surface or on different mating surfaces; this embodiment does not limit this. For some specific embodiments, please refer to... Figure 1 and Figure 2 The socket 10 has a mating surface on which all the sockets are located. This mating surface can be a flat surface or a curved surface. Alternatively, in some other embodiments, the socket 10 has a stepped structure, with different sockets located on different stepped surfaces.

[0036] Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that, with the stop surface and the second socket 12 arranged opposite each other, the insertion / removal direction of the first plug 20 is parallel to the insertion / removal direction of the second plug 30. If all sockets are located on the mating plane 13, both the insertion / removal directions of the first plug 20 and the second plug 30 are normal to the mating plane 13. Of course, with the stop surface and the second socket 12 arranged opposite each other, the insertion / removal direction of the first plug 20 can also be at a certain angle to the insertion / removal direction of the second plug 30; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0037] Of course, compared to having different sockets located on different stepped surfaces, having all sockets located on the same mating surface will make the overall size of the connector assembly relatively simpler and more compact. As one option in the above specific embodiment, for the case where all sockets are located on the same mating surface, the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 are staggered. For example, the first socket 11 is located on the upper left part of the mating surface, while the second socket 12 is located on the lower right part of the mating surface.

[0038] Alternatively, as another option in the above specific embodiments, at least a portion of the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 are arranged side by side. Specifically, the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 can be arranged side by side in a vertical direction or in a left-right direction; this embodiment is not limited in this respect. Of course, when the socket 10 of the connector assembly is provided on the fuselage of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 are arranged side by side in a vertical direction to facilitate operation by aircraft maintenance personnel. Furthermore, the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 can be arranged entirely side by side, or only a portion of the opening area of ​​the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 can be arranged side by side.

[0039] Alternatively, the stop surface 221 may be arranged parallel to the plane containing the second socket 12. Or, in one embodiment, the stop surface 221 extends obliquely along the direction from the first socket 11 to the second socket 12 in the pull-out direction of the first plug 20, so that at least a portion of the stop surface 221 is arranged opposite to the second socket 12.

[0040] Specifically, the pull-out direction of the first plug 20 is the extension direction of the first socket 11. The direction from the first socket 11 to the second socket 12 is the direction in the side-by-side direction from the side where the first socket 11 is located to the side where the second socket 12 is located. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 2 The first plug 20 is pulled out in a rightward direction, while the direction from the side where the first socket 11 is located to the side where the second socket 12 is located is downward. Thus, the stop surface 221 extends obliquely in the direction away from the socket 10 along the direction from the first socket 11 to the second socket 12, so as to penetrate into the pull-out path of the second plug 30 and be arranged opposite to the second socket 12.

[0041] Compared to the stop surface 221, which can be arranged parallel to the plane of the second socket 12, the inclined stop surface 221 can be more compactly integrated with other components of the first plug 20, resulting in a simpler and more compact shape for the first plug 20. Furthermore, when the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 are arranged side-by-side in the vertical direction, with the second socket 12 located below, the cable connected to the first plug 20 will hang down naturally. In this case, the stop surface 221 of the first plug 20 extends downwards in the direction away from the socket 10, along the direction from the first socket 11 to the second socket 12. This allows the stop surface 221 to be integrated with the naturally hanging portion of the first plug 20 or its connected cable, resulting in a more compact shape for the first plug 20 and its connected cable.

[0042] Of course, the stop surface 221 can be an additional protrusion on the first plug 20, which protrudes from the main body of the first plug 20 and enters the pull-out path of the second plug 30. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the first plug 20 includes a first insertion portion 21 and a first bending portion 22. One end of the first insertion portion 21 is inserted into the first socket 11; the first bending portion 22 is connected to the other end of the first insertion portion 21, and extends in a direction away from the first insertion portion 21, bending along the direction from the first socket 11 to the second socket 12 so that the side surface of the first bending portion 22 facing the second socket 12 forms a stop surface 221.

[0043] Specifically, the first plug portion 21 is the main body of the first plug 20, extending parallel to the extension direction of the first socket 11, and has a pin at one end for insertion into the first socket 11. The other end of the first plug portion 21 is connected to a first bend portion 22. The first bend portion 22 extends in a direction away from the first plug portion 21, i.e., in the pull-out direction of the first plug 20, bending along the direction from the first socket 11 to the second socket 12 until at least a portion of its surface facing the socket 10 is opposite to the second socket 12, thus penetrating the pull-out path of the second plug 30. If the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 are arranged side-by-side in the vertical direction, with the second socket 12 located below, the first bend portion 22 extends downwards in a direction away from the first plug portion 21. The end of the first bend portion 22 away from the first plug portion 21 is connected to a cable.

[0044] It is easy to see that in this embodiment, the first plug 20 has an inclined first bend 22, and at least a portion of the side surface of the first bend 22 facing the socket 10 is arranged opposite to the second socket 12 to form a stop surface 221, which makes the overall shape of the first plug 20 simple and compact, and convenient for user operation.

[0045] In addition, please see Figure 2 and Figure 6 The first plug 20 also includes a gripping portion 23, which is disposed on the side of the first bend 22 opposite to the second plug 30. Thus, the gripping portion 23 and the second plug 30 are located on opposite sides of the first bend 22, resulting in a more compact overall spatial layout of the connector assembly. It is worth noting that, to make the first plug 20 appear neater and more compact, the gripping portion 23 does not protrude from the side wall of the first plug portion 21 opposite to the second plug 30 in the parallel direction of the first socket 11 and the second socket 12. (See also...) Figure 6The gripping part 23 includes a connecting side wall 231, which connects the side wall of the first plug 21 away from the second plug 30 and the side wall of the gripping part 23 away from the first bent part 22. The connecting side wall 231 and the side wall of the first plug 21 away from the second plug 30 are approximately on the same plane.

[0046] In addition, both the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 can be axisymmetric structures, as shown in the following figure. Figure 1 In one embodiment, the outer contours of the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 are both axially symmetric figures, and the plane of symmetry of the outer contour of the first socket 11 and the plane of symmetry of the outer contour of the second socket 12 are coplanar. It is easy to see that the coplanarity of the plane of symmetry of the outer contour of the first socket 11 and the plane of symmetry of the outer contour of the second socket 12 makes the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 arranged side by side.

[0047] In one embodiment, the second plug 30 includes a second insertion portion 31 and a second bending portion 32, wherein one end of the second insertion portion 31 is inserted into the second socket 12; the second bending portion 32 is connected to the other end of the second insertion portion 31 and bends and extends in a direction away from the second insertion portion 31, along the direction from the first socket 11 to the second socket 12.

[0048] Specifically, the second plug portion 31 is the main body of the second plug 30, extending parallel to the extension direction of the second socket 12, and has a pin at one end for insertion into the second socket 12. The other end of the second plug portion 31 is connected to a second bend portion 32. The second bend portion 32 extends in a direction away from the second plug portion 31, i.e., in the direction of pulling out the second plug 30, along the direction from the first socket 11 to the second socket 12, thus causing the second bend portion 32 to be arranged at an angle relative to the second plug portion 31. The bending direction of the second bend portion 32 and the bending direction of the first bend portion 22 are both in the direction from the side where the first socket 11 is located to the side where the second socket 12 is located, in a parallel direction. If the first socket 11 and the second socket 12 are arranged side-by-side in the vertical direction and the second socket 12 is located below, the first bend portion 22 extends downward in a direction away from the socket 10, and the second bend portion 32 also extends downward in a direction away from the socket 10.

[0049] The end of the second bend 32 away from the second plug 31 is also connected to a corresponding cable structure. Thus, in this embodiment, both the second bend 32 and the first bend 22 bend towards the side where the second plug hole 12 is located in the parallel direction, thereby facilitating the routing of the cable structure connected to the second bend 32 and preventing interference between the cable structure connected to the second bend 32 and the first bend 22. Furthermore, the connection latch 33 of the second plug 30 is located on the side of the second plug 31 opposite to the first plug 20, to prevent the connection latch 33 from obstructing the insertion of the first plug 20, thereby facilitating user operation.

[0050] It is worth mentioning that the bending angle of the first bending portion 22 and the bending angle of the second bending portion 32 can be the same or different, and this embodiment does not limit this.

[0051] In another embodiment, the first plug 20 is a first voltage electrical connection connector, the second plug 30 is a second voltage electrical connection connector, and the operating voltage of the first voltage electrical connection structure is higher than the operating voltage of the second voltage electrical connection connector.

[0052] Specifically, the socket 10 includes a housing and electrical components fixed within the housing, and the socket holes also prevent the user from directly contacting live parts. In this embodiment, the socket 10 has at least two socket holes, namely a first socket hole 11 and a second socket hole 12. The first socket hole 11 corresponds to the first voltage electrical component, providing a connection channel between the first voltage electrical component and the first voltage electrical connector. The second socket hole 12 corresponds to the second voltage electrical component, providing a connection channel between the second voltage electrical component and the second voltage electrical connector.

[0053] In this embodiment, the operating voltage of the first voltage electrical component and the first voltage electrical connector is higher than the operating voltage of the second voltage electrical component and the second voltage electrical connector. For example, the operating voltage of the first voltage electrical component and the first voltage electrical connector is high voltage, while the operating voltage of the second voltage electrical component and the second voltage electrical connector is low voltage.

[0054] In one embodiment, the first plug 20 is a charging gun, and the second plug 30 is a communication plug. Both the charging gun and the communication plug are adapted to connect to a charging device, and the communication plug is used to enable communication between the charging device and the device to be charged, which is equipped with the socket.

[0055] Specifically, in this embodiment, the charging gun is used to establish a charging channel between the charging device and the device to be charged, while the communication plug is used to establish a communication link between the charging device and the device to be charged. Thus, after the charging gun is inserted into the first socket 11, the charging device can confirm whether the charging gun is fully inserted and locked in place, and monitor the connection status in real time during charging. Furthermore, during charging, the communication link can also transmit charging control signals and other interactive information.

[0056] Alternatively, in one embodiment, the first plug is a first voltage electrical connection connector, the second plug is a second voltage electrical connection and communication connector, and the operating voltage of the first voltage electrical connection connector is higher than the operating voltage of the second voltage electrical connection and communication connector.

[0057] Specifically, the first voltage connector can be a high-voltage connector, such as a working voltage of 220V or 380V. The second plug is an integrated plug, which includes a second voltage connector portion, i.e., a low-voltage connector portion, and a communication connector portion. The working voltage of the low-voltage connector portion can be 12-48V. In this embodiment, the first voltage connector is used to transmit the main power required for the operation of the device to which the socket belongs, while the second voltage connector and communication connector not only provide power to the control circuits, sensors, and other components in the device to which the socket belongs, but also realize data interaction between the device to which the socket belongs and external devices, or between various internal components of the device to which the socket belongs.

[0058] In addition, this application also provides a charging connector assembly for use in vehicles. The charging connector assembly includes a charging socket, a charging head, and a power and communication plug.

[0059] The charging socket is suitable for installation on the body of a vehicle. It has a charging interface and a power supply and communication interface. The charging interface connects to the vehicle's power battery, and the power supply and communication interface connects at least to the battery management system (BMS). The charging gun head plugs into the charging interface and has a stop surface arranged opposite to the power supply and communication interface. A power supply and communication plug also plugs into the power supply and communication interface. When both the charging plug and the charging interface are plugged in, and the power supply and communication plug and the power supply and communication interface are plugged in, the power supply and communication plug is located between the stop surface and the charging socket. Both the charging gun head and the power supply and communication plug are suitable for connection to charging equipment. The charging equipment supplies power to the battery management system and communicates with it through the power supply and communication plug and the power supply and communication interface.

[0060] The means of transportation can be new energy aircraft, new energy ships, or new energy vehicles, etc. It is understood that the charging socket in this embodiment is the socket of the aforementioned connector embodiment, the charging gun head is the first plug of the aforementioned connector embodiment, and the power supply and communication plug is the second plug of the aforementioned connector embodiment. Therefore, please refer to the aforementioned connector embodiment for the charging socket, charging gun head, and communication plug; they will not be repeated here. Additionally, please refer to... Figure 1The second socket 12 in the middle can include two electrical connection terminals and two communication connection terminals, so that it can transmit both electrical energy and communication signals. Of course, when the power supply and communication plug and the power supply and communication interface are plugged in, it can also have two electrical connection terminals and two communication connection terminals.

[0061] In this embodiment, after the power supply and communication plug is inserted into the power supply and communication interface, the required operating voltage is provided to the BMS, and a communication link is established between the charging device and the BMS. The charging device completes a handshake communication with the BMS of the power battery through the communication link, and then charges the power battery through the charging gun and charging interface. During the charging process, the BMS and the charging device can also continuously report their own status to each other through the communication link, such as whether the temperature, voltage, and current are abnormal.

[0062] To facilitate understanding, an example of an eVTOL (eVehicle-to-Land Vehicle) is provided using a vehicle as an illustration. In this example, the charging socket 10 is located within the eVTOL's fuselage. The eVTOL is equipped with a low-voltage power supply system and a high-voltage power supply system. The low-voltage power supply system provides an operating voltage of 12-48V for the onboard equipment. For example, in some eVTOL models, the low-voltage power supply system operates at 28V. Alternatively, in other models, it operates at 42V. The high-voltage power supply system operates at 200-1000V and primarily transmits the electrical energy provided by the battery to systems such as the propulsion components. For example, in some eVTOL models, the high-voltage power supply system operates at 800V. It is also worth noting that the battery's BMS (Battery Management System) is powered by the low-voltage power supply system.

[0063] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The eVTOL unit has a socket 10 with a first socket 11 and a second socket 12. The second socket 12 is a power supply and communication interface, and the corresponding second plug 30 is a low-voltage charging gun that supplies power to the BMS. The low-voltage charging gun also has communication terminals, allowing it to establish a communication link with the communication terminals in the power supply and communication interface. The first socket 11 is a high-voltage charging socket, and the corresponding first plug 20 is a high-voltage charging gun. During ground charging, the charging pile can supply power to the battery through the first plug 20. This isolates the low-voltage power supply system from the battery charging during ground charging, and allows for independent power supply via the second socket 12 in special circumstances requiring ground debugging or troubleshooting.

[0064] For eVTOLs, there are strict sequential logic requirements for power-on and power-off. Specifically, when charging on the ground, the low-voltage charging gun must first be inserted into the second socket 12 to power and wake up the onboard control and communication equipment, such as the BMS of the power battery. After the BMS is woken up, it establishes a communication connection with the ground charging equipment, such as the charging pile. Then, the high-voltage charging gun is inserted into the first socket 11 to charge the power battery. If the low-voltage charging gun is not inserted, the BMS cannot establish a communication connection with the charging equipment, and the subsequent high-voltage charging function will not be possible. When powering off, the high-voltage charging channel must be disconnected first, that is, the high-voltage charging gun must be unplugged first, and then the low-voltage charging gun must be unplugged to power off the onboard equipment, so as to avoid damage to the onboard controllers and power devices on the eVTOL when disconnecting power under load.

[0065] In this example, the power supply and communication interface and the high-voltage charging socket are arranged vertically, with the high-voltage charging socket on top and the power supply and communication interface on the bottom, and the two are arranged side by side. The high-voltage charging gun has a second bent portion 32 that extends downward.

[0066] Therefore, during normal power-on, since the insertion of the high-voltage charging gun will obstruct the insertion of the low-voltage charging gun, the low-voltage charging gun must be inserted first, followed by the high-voltage charging gun. At this point, the battery's BMS completes a communication protocol handshake with the charging equipment via the communication link provided by the low-voltage charging gun, and charging can begin. A possible erroneous operation during normal power-on is inserting the high-voltage charging gun prematurely without first inserting the low-voltage charging gun. In this case, because the low-voltage power supply system has not yet completed its power supply, the battery's BMS cannot complete communication and handshake with the ground charging equipment, the high-voltage charging program cannot start normally, and the onboard equipment is also in a non-started state, posing no risk of equipment damage. Please refer to [further details omitted]. Figure 6 and Figure 7 At this point, since the high-voltage charging gun has blocked the power supply and communication interface, the operator is also unable to connect the power supply and communication interface at this time, thus avoiding the risk of equipment damage and personnel electric shock that may occur when low-voltage power is applied under high-voltage connection conditions.

[0067] After charging is complete, the high-voltage charging gun must be removed before the low-voltage charging gun can be removed. If a person mistakenly removes the low-voltage charging gun before removing the high-voltage charging gun, the following will occur: Figure 8 As shown in the red box: the high-voltage charging gun limits the low-voltage charging gun, restricting the pull-out stroke of the low-voltage charging gun. The high-voltage charging gun also blocks the connection lock operation position of the low-voltage charging gun, effectively preventing the accidental pull-out of the low-voltage charging gun.

[0068] In another embodiment, the power supply and communication interface is adapted to connect to the low-voltage power supply system of the vehicle, which is configured to at least charge the emergency battery and / or power the battery management system.

[0069] Specifically, in this embodiment, the vehicle's emergency battery and / or BMS can be connected to a low-voltage power supply system, so that when the low-voltage charging gun is inserted, the low-voltage charging gun can charge the emergency battery and / or BMS through the low-voltage power supply system. Therefore, this embodiment not only isolates the power supply from the low-voltage power supply system from the power battery charging during the ground charging phase, but also integrates the charging of the emergency battery and the power supply from the low-voltage power supply system.

[0070] In addition, please refer to Figure 9 , Figure 9 A simplified flowchart of an eVTOL ground maintenance method is provided, specifically: After the eVTOL lands, maintenance personnel first insert the low-voltage charging gun into the power supply and communication interface. Once the onboard equipment, such as the BMS of the power battery, has completed power supply, a communication link is established with the charging pile and ground equipment such as thermal management. The charging pile and thermal management equipment obtain the eVTOL's status information, such as battery parameters and flight data, through the communication link.

[0071] Determine if the battery status is normal and if the flight data is normal.

[0072] If it is not normal, check the fault information, handle the fault, and determine whether the fault has been eliminated.

[0073] If normal, insert the high-voltage charging gun into the first socket 11.

[0074] Then determine whether the charging communication between the power battery's BMS and the ground equipment has completed the handshake.

[0075] If complete, proceed with charging according to the charging strategy. When the battery reaches the set charge level, turn off the charging equipment and disconnect the high-voltage charging gun. Then, turn off onboard equipment such as the BMS and disconnect the low-voltage charging gun to await takeoff.

[0076] If the process is not completed, fault information will be detected and the fault will be handled to determine if the fault has been resolved. If the fault is resolved, the normal subsequent steps will continue; if the fault is not resolved, flight will be suspended.

[0077] It should be noted that the above examples are only for understanding this application and do not constitute a limitation on the connector components of this application. Any simple modifications based on this technical concept are within the protection scope of this application.

[0078] Therefore, this example ensures that personnel can hardly make mistakes during the power-on and power-off operations, and even if a mistake occurs, there will be no significant risk from powering on.

[0079] The above description is merely an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made based on the technical concept of the present invention and the contents of the specification and drawings of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, characterized in that, include: A socket having a first socket and a second socket; A first plug, which is inserted into the first socket, and the first plug has a stop surface arranged opposite to the second socket; as well as The second plug is inserted into the second socket. Wherein, when the first plug is engaged with the first socket and the second plug is engaged with the second socket, the second plug is located between the stop surface and the socket.

2. The connector assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first socket and at least a portion of the second socket are arranged side by side.

3. The connector assembly as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The stop surface extends obliquely in the direction of pulling out the first plug, along the direction from the first socket to the second socket, so that at least a portion of the stop surface is arranged opposite to the second socket.

4. The connector assembly as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The first plug includes: A first insertion portion, one end of which is inserted into the first socket; and The first bend is connected to the other end of the first plug-in portion, and extends in a direction away from the first plug-in portion, bending along the direction from the first plug hole to the second plug hole so that the side surface of the first bend facing the second plug hole forms the stop surface.

5. The connector assembly as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, When the second plug is connected to the second socket, the distance between the second plug and the stop surface in the insertion / removal direction of the second plug is less than the insertion / removal stroke of the second plug.

6. The connector assembly as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The outer contours of the first socket and the second socket are both axisymmetric figures, and the symmetry plane of the outer contour of the first socket is coplanar with the symmetry plane of the outer contour of the second socket.

7. The connector assembly as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The insertion / removal direction of the first plug is parallel to the insertion / removal direction of the second plug; and / or The first socket and at least a portion of the second socket are arranged side by side in a vertical direction.

8. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The second plug includes: The second insertion part, one end of which is inserted into the second socket; and The second bend is connected to the other end of the second plug-in portion and extends in a direction away from the second plug-in portion, bending along the direction from the first plug hole to the second plug hole.

9. The connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that, The first plug is a first voltage electrical connection connector, the second plug is a second voltage electrical connection connector, and the operating voltage of the first voltage electrical connection connector is higher than the operating voltage of the second voltage electrical connection connector; or... The first plug is a charging gun, and the second plug is a communication plug. Both the charging gun and the communication plug are adapted to connect to a charging device. The communication plug is used to enable communication between the charging device and the device to be charged, which is equipped with the socket. Alternatively... The first plug is a first voltage electrical connection connector, and the second plug is a second voltage electrical connection and communication connector, wherein the operating voltage of the first voltage electrical connection connector is higher than the operating voltage of the second voltage electrical connection and communication connector.

10. A charging connector assembly, characterized in that, The charging connector assembly, used in vehicles, includes: A charging socket, adapted to be installed on the body of the vehicle, the charging socket having a charging interface and a power supply and communication interface, the charging interface being connected to the power battery of the vehicle, and the power supply and communication interface being connected to at least the battery management system of the power battery; A charging gun head, which plugs into the charging interface, and has a stop surface arranged opposite to the power supply and communication interface; and A power supply and communication plug, wherein the power supply and communication plug and the power supply and communication interface are plugged in and engaged; Specifically, when the charging gun head is plugged into the charging interface and the power supply and communication plug is plugged into the power supply and communication interface, the power supply and communication plug is located between the stop surface and the charging socket, and both the charging gun head and the power supply and communication plug are adapted to be connected to the charging device, and the charging device supplies power to the battery management system and communicates with it through the power supply and communication plug and the power supply and communication interface.

11. The charging connector assembly as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that, The power supply and communication interface is also adapted to connect to the low-voltage power supply system of the vehicle, the low-voltage power supply system being configured to at least charge the emergency battery and / or power the battery management system; and / or, The vehicle in question is a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft.

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