Charging thermal runaway active protection device, system and method and vehicle

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention relates to the technical field of thermal runaway active protection, and discloses a charging thermal runaway active protection device, system and method and a vehicle. The charging thermal runaway active protection device comprises a first lock catch piece, a second lock catch piece, a pop-up driving piece, a lock catch assembly and a bolt control assembly; a charging gun lock catch groove is formed in the second lock catch piece; the lock catch assembly is used for achieving locking or unlocking of the first lock catch piece and the second lock catch piece. The bolt control assembly is connected with the lock catch assembly, and the bolt control assembly is used for receiving an unlocking control signal and driving the lock catch assembly to execute unlocking operation; and the pop-up driving piece is used for driving the second lock catch piece to pop up when the first lock catch piece and the second lock catch piece are in an unlocking state. The charging gun can be pushed out of the vehicle charging port when charging thermal runaway occurs, and therefore the situation that the vehicle is subjected to thermal runaway due to fire behaviors caused by overheating of charging equipment is actively avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of active protection technology for vehicle thermal runaway, specifically to an active protection device, system, method, and vehicle for charging thermal runaway. Background Technology

[0002] AC charging has become the most widely used charging method due to its advantages of low construction and operation costs and less impact on battery life compared to DC fast charging. As an infrastructure to ensure the daily use of new energy vehicles, AC charging equipment currently comes in two main forms: fixed AC charging piles and portable charging guns.

[0003] However, during long-term use, AC charging equipment is prone to problems such as insulation aging and poor heat dissipation, or increased contact resistance due to corrosion and material deterioration, which can lead to short circuits and fires. Since the equipment and vehicle are always connected during charging, the fire can spread along the charging harness and ignite the vehicle, causing the fire to expand and seriously threatening the safety of users' lives and property. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this application is to provide an active protection device, system, method and vehicle for charging thermal runaway, which can push the charging gun out of the vehicle charging port when charging thermal runaway occurs, so as to actively avoid the vehicle thermal runaway caused by fire due to overheating of the charging equipment.

[0005] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide an active protection device for charging thermal runaway, including a first locking component, a second locking component, a pop-out driving component, a locking assembly, and a pin control assembly;

[0006] The second locking component is provided with a charging gun locking groove;

[0007] The locking assembly is used to lock and unlock the first locking member and the second locking member;

[0008] The pin control component is connected to the latch component, and the pin control component is used to receive an unlocking control signal and drive the latch component to perform an unlocking operation.

[0009] The pop-out drive is used to drive the second latch to pop out when the first latch and the second latch are in the unlocked state.

[0010] In the above technical solution, in the event of charging thermal runaway, the latch control component can quickly respond to the unlocking control signal. Working in conjunction with the ejection drive, the second locking component quickly ejects when charging is abnormal. Simultaneously, the second locking component ejects the charging gun from the vehicle's charging port, physically separating the vehicle from the charging equipment and proactively preventing thermal runaway caused by overheating of the charging equipment. Since the charging gun locking slot is located on the second locking component, in the event of a charging abnormality, it is not necessary to first unlock the locking state between the charging gun and the charging gun locking slot; instead, the second locking component and the charging gun eject directly together. Therefore, no modification to the charging gun's structure is required, thus improving the device's versatility.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the locking assembly includes a pin, a limiting structure that cooperates with the pin, and an elastic element;

[0012] The limiting structure includes a pin receiving groove at the end of the first locking member and a limiting slot at the end of the second locking member.

[0013] The pin is located in the pin receiving slot, and the first end of the pin extends into the limiting slot to lock the first locking member and the second locking member. The first end of the pin disengages from the limiting slot to unlock the first locking member and the second locking member.

[0014] The elastic element is sleeved on the pin, and the elastic element applies a spring force to the pin toward its first end. When the first locking member and the second locking member are in a locked state and the pin control component is not working, the first end of the pin is kept inserted into the limiting slot.

[0015] In the above technical solution, the first and second locking components are precisely locked by the cooperation of the pin, elastic element, pin storage slot, and limiting slot. The locking structure is stable and reliable and is not prone to loosening. The pin can move smoothly along the pin storage slot, and the unlocking process is smooth and without the risk of jamming. It ensures that it can quickly disengage from the limiting slot when there is a charging abnormality, providing a stable unlocking basis for the second locking component to pop out. At the same time, the limiting structure can guide and limit the pin, extending the service life of the locking components.

[0016] In one possible implementation, the first end of the pin is configured as a triangular structure.

[0017] In the above technical solution, the triangular structure is used to guide the pin to briefly retract into the pin storage groove by cooperating with the limiting slot when the second locking component is reset, and then spring back into the limiting slot after alignment, so as to realize the automatic reset of the device.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the second locking member is provided with a connecting block, the first end of the pop-out drive member is connected to the vehicle body, and the second end of the pop-out drive member is connected to the connecting block.

[0019] In the above technical solution, the connecting block provides a stable connection fulcrum for the pop-out drive component, ensuring that the elastic force of the pop-out drive component can be accurately applied to the second locking component.

[0020] In one possible implementation, the latch control assembly includes an unlocking drive and a transmission mechanism;

[0021] The unlocking drive is connected to the transmission mechanism, and the unlocking drive drives the pin to move to its second end through the transmission mechanism to achieve unlocking.

[0022] In the above technical solution, the unlocking drive component drives the pin to move to its second end through a transmission mechanism to achieve the unlocking function.

[0023] In one possible implementation, the output shaft of the unlocking drive is connected to a worm gear; the second end of the pin is provided with a rack.

[0024] The transmission mechanism includes a worm gear and a gear that mesh with each other. The worm gear meshes with the worm, and the gear meshes with the rack. The unlocking drive unit drives the pin to move along the pin receiving groove through the cooperation of the worm, worm gear, gear and rack.

[0025] In the above technical solution, the transmission combination of worm gear, worm wheel, gear and rack can accurately transmit the power of the unlocking drive to the pin, so as to realize the smooth and accurate movement of the pin and avoid the pin from jamming or displacement deviation during unlocking.

[0026] Secondly, embodiments of this application provide a charging thermal runaway active protection system, including a control unit and a charging thermal runaway active protection device as described in this invention;

[0027] The control unit is used to send an unlocking control signal to the pin control component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway when an abnormal charging condition is detected in the vehicle.

[0028] The latch control component drives the locking component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway to perform an unlocking operation based on the unlocking control signal.

[0029] In the above technical solution, when the control unit determines that the vehicle is charging abnormally, it sends an unlocking control signal to control the latch assembly to perform an unlocking operation. After the latch assembly performs the unlocking operation, the second latch is quickly ejected by the ejection drive component. At the same time as the second latch is ejected, the charging gun can be pushed out of the vehicle's charging port, thereby physically separating the vehicle from the charging equipment and actively avoiding thermal runaway of the vehicle caused by a fire due to overheating of the charging equipment.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the control unit is further configured to collect information related to charging abnormalities and determine whether the vehicle is experiencing a charging abnormality based on the information.

[0031] In the above technical solution, the control unit can accurately determine the charging abnormality by collecting information related to the charging abnormality.

[0032] Thirdly, embodiments of this application provide a method for active protection against charging thermal runaway, employing the active protection system for charging thermal runaway as described in this invention, the method comprising the following steps:

[0033] While the vehicle is charging, determine if there is any charging abnormality.

[0034] When a charging abnormality is detected in the vehicle, the control unit sends an unlocking control signal to the latch control component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway. The latch control component then drives the latch component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway to unlock based on the unlocking control signal.

[0035] After the locking assembly performs the unlocking operation, the kinetic energy is released by the pop-out drive of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway, which pops out the second locking component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway, so as to pop the charging gun out of the vehicle charging port.

[0036] In the above technical solution, the control unit monitors the vehicle's charging status in real time and captures abnormal charging signals. When an abnormal charging is detected, an unlocking control signal is issued to control the latch assembly to perform an unlocking operation. After the latch assembly performs the unlocking operation, the second latch is quickly ejected by the ejection drive component. At the same time as the second latch is ejected, the charging gun is pushed out of the vehicle's charging port, thereby physically separating the vehicle from the charging equipment and actively preventing thermal runaway of the vehicle caused by a fire due to overheating of the charging equipment.

[0037] Fourthly, embodiments of this application provide a vehicle including the active protection device for charging thermal runaway as described in this invention, or the active protection system for charging thermal runaway as described in this invention. Attached Figure Description

[0038] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the background art, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments of this application will be described below.

[0039] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of a vehicle disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a block diagram of a charging thermal runaway active protection system disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of an active protection method for charging thermal runaway disclosed in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram (locked state) of an active protection device for charging thermal runaway disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram (unlocked state) of an active protection device for charging thermal runaway disclosed in an embodiment of this application.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the locking assembly and the pin control assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application;

[0045] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0046] 1. First locking component; 11. Pin storage slot; 2. Second locking component; 21. Connecting block; 22. Limiting slot; 3. Charging gun locking slot; 4. Pop-out drive component; 5. Unlocking drive component; 51. Worm gear; 6. Worm wheel; 7. Gear; 8. Pin; 9. Elastic component; 81. Rack. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. The detailed description of the following embodiments and the accompanying drawings are used to illustrate the principles of this application by way of example, but should not be used to limit the scope of this application, that is, this application is not limited to the described embodiments.

[0048] Please see Figure 1 , Figure 1This is a block diagram of a vehicle disclosed in an embodiment of this application. The vehicle can be, but is not limited to, a pure electric vehicle (PEV / BEV), a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV), a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), or a new energy vehicle.

[0049] Current AC charging equipment has the following problems:

[0050] 1. Portable charging guns have low manufacturing costs and low production barriers, resulting in a large number of substandard products on the market;

[0051] 2. Portable charging guns are mostly for personal use by users, and there may be instances where they are not maintained or replaced in a timely manner;

[0052] 3. There are a large number of charging devices and they are widely distributed. Among them, outdoor fixed AC charging piles are greatly affected by the external environment and age faster, resulting in huge pressure on equipment maintenance.

[0053] 4. Some charging pile installers lack professional qualifications, resulting in problems such as loose cable connections, poor connections, and incorrect installation of fixed AC charging piles.

[0054] 5. In rural self-built houses, old communities, and old residential areas, there is a tendency for household electrical circuits to age and short-circuit.

[0055] The aforementioned problems often lead to insulation aging, lack of heat dissipation, or increased resistance due to corrosion or material issues during AC charging, which can cause short circuits and fires. Since the equipment and vehicle are always connected during charging, the fire can spread along the charging harness and ignite the vehicle, causing the fire to expand and seriously threatening the safety of users' lives and property.

[0056] In view of the various safety hazards existing in the aforementioned AC charging process, which can easily lead to short circuits, fires, and spread to the vehicle, posing a serious threat to the life and property safety of users, this application provides a vehicle, including a vehicle body, and a charging thermal runaway active protection device or a charging thermal runaway active protection system as described in this application. A charging port is provided on the vehicle body, and the charging thermal runaway active protection device is installed at the charging port. After installing the charging thermal runaway active protection device on the vehicle, when a fire occurs during charging, the charging thermal runaway active protection device quickly pushes the charging gun out of the vehicle's charging port, thereby physically separating the vehicle from the charging equipment and preventing the fire from spreading to the vehicle at its source.

[0057] Since the probability of thermal runaway during AC charging is much higher than that during DC charging, in order to reasonably control costs and achieve precise protection, this active protection device for thermal runaway can be installed only at the AC charging port, and the DC charging port does not need to be equipped with this active protection device for thermal runaway.

[0058] Please see Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a block diagram of a charging thermal runaway active protection system disclosed in an embodiment of this application. The charging thermal runaway active protection system includes a control unit and a charging thermal runaway active protection device as described in this application; the control unit and the charging thermal runaway active protection device establish a communication connection via an onboard communication link. Specifically, when a charging abnormality is detected in the vehicle, the control unit sends an unlocking control signal to the latch control component of the charging thermal runaway active protection device. Based on the unlocking control signal, the latch control component drives the latch component of the charging thermal runaway active protection device to perform an unlocking operation.

[0059] In this embodiment, the control unit can monitor the vehicle charging status in real time, capture abnormal charging signals in a timely manner, and issue an unlocking control signal when it is determined that the vehicle is charging abnormally. The control unit controls the latch assembly to perform an unlocking operation. After the latch assembly performs the unlocking operation, the charging gun is quickly pushed out of the vehicle charging port by the pop-out drive 4, thereby physically separating the vehicle from the charging equipment and actively avoiding thermal runaway of the vehicle caused by fire due to overheating of the charging equipment.

[0060] In one possible embodiment, the control unit is also used to collect information related to charging anomalies and determine whether the vehicle is experiencing a charging anomaly based on the information. By collecting information related to charging anomalies, the control unit can achieve accurate judgment of charging anomalies.

[0061] In this embodiment, the vehicle controller involved in the control unit includes: a Vehicle Control Unit (VCU), a Battery Control Unit (BCU), a Telematics Box (T-BOX), a Power Control Unit (PCU), a vehicle active protection device for AC charging thermal runaway, and a CAN harness connecting the various units. Specifically, the BCU collects vehicle connection confirmation (CC) resistance information and battery charging mode information, and transmits them to the VCU via the CAN harness; the VCU determines the vehicle's operating condition and abnormal AC charging status; the T-BOX transmits an abnormal signal to the PCU when the vehicle's AC charging is abnormal; and the PCU, upon receiving the abnormal signal, controls the vehicle active protection device to perform unlocking and ejection actions.

[0062] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 These are schematic diagrams of a charging thermal runaway active protection device disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The charging thermal runaway active protection device includes a first locking member 1, a second locking member 2, a pop-out driving member 4, a locking assembly, and a pin control assembly. The second locking member 2 is provided with a charging gun locking groove 3, which is used to cooperate with a corresponding structure on the charging gun after the charging gun is inserted into the vehicle's charging port to lock and fix the charging gun. The locking assembly is used to lock and unlock the first locking member 1 and the second locking member 2. The pin control assembly is connected to the locking assembly and is used to receive an unlocking control signal and drive the locking assembly to perform an unlocking operation. The pop-out driving member 4 is used to drive the second locking member 2 to pop out when the first locking member 1 and the second locking member 2 are in the unlocked state. The latch control component can quickly respond to the unlocking control signal. In conjunction with the ejector drive 4, it rapidly ejects the second locking element 2 in the event of a charging malfunction. Simultaneously, the second locking element 2 ejects, pushing the charging gun out of the vehicle's charging port, thus physically separating the vehicle from the charging equipment. This proactively prevents thermal runaway caused by overheating of the charging equipment. Since the charging gun locking slot 3 is located on the second locking element 2, in the event of a charging malfunction, it is not necessary to first unlock the locking state between the charging gun and the charging gun locking slot 3; instead, the second locking element 2 and the charging gun are ejected together. Therefore, no modifications to the charging gun's structure are required, thus improving the device's versatility.

[0063] Please see Figure 6 , Figure 6These are schematic diagrams of the locking assembly and pin control assembly disclosed in the embodiments of this application. The locking assembly includes a pin 8, a limiting structure cooperating with the pin 8, and an elastic member 9. The limiting structure includes a pin receiving groove 11 opened at the end of the first locking member 1 and a limiting slot 22 opened at the end of the second locking member 2. The pin 8 is located in the pin receiving groove 11, and the first end of the pin 8 extends into the limiting slot 22 to lock the first locking member 1 and the second locking member 2. The first end of the pin 8 disengages from the limiting slot 22 to unlock the first locking member 1 and the second locking member 2. The elastic member 9 is sleeved on the pin 8 and applies a spring force to the pin 8 toward its first end. When the first locking member 1 and the second locking member 2 are in the locked state and the pin control assembly is not working, the first end of the pin 8 remains extended into the limiting slot 22. Through the cooperation of the pin 8, the elastic element 9, the pin storage groove 11, and the limiting slot 22, the first locking component 1 and the second locking component 2 are accurately locked. The locking structure is stable and reliable and is not prone to loosening. The pin 8 can move smoothly along the pin storage groove 11, and the unlocking process is smooth and without the risk of jamming. It ensures that it can quickly disengage from the limiting slot 22 when there is a charging abnormality, providing a stable unlocking basis for the second locking component 2 to pop out. At the same time, the limiting structure can guide and limit the pin 8, extending the service life of the locking assembly.

[0064] Please see Figure 6 For example, the lower section of the pin 8 has a smaller cross-section than its upper section, and an elastic support surface is formed at the connection between the upper and lower sections. An elastic element 9 is fitted onto the lower section of the pin 8, with one end of the elastic element 9 abutting against the wall of the pin receiving groove 11 and the other end of the elastic element 9 abutting against the elastic support surface of the pin 8. The elastic element 9 allows the pin 8 to quickly reset after unlocking, improving the reusability of the device.

[0065] Please see Figure 6 The first end of the pin 8 is configured with a triangular structure. The triangular structure is used to guide the pin 8 to briefly retract into the pin receiving groove 11 by cooperating with the limiting slot 22 when the second locking member 2 is reset, and then to spring back into the limiting slot 22 after alignment, so as to realize the automatic reset of the device.

[0066] Please see Figure 4 and Figure 5 The second locking element 2 is provided with a connecting block 21. The pop-out driving element 4 is a spring. The first end of the pop-out driving element 4 is connected to the vehicle body, and the second end of the pop-out driving element 4 is connected to the connecting block 21. The connecting block 21 provides a stable connection fulcrum for the pop-out driving element 4, ensuring that the elastic force of the pop-out driving element 4 can be accurately applied to the second locking element.

[0067] Please see Figure 6The latch control assembly includes an unlocking drive component 5 and a transmission mechanism. The unlocking drive component 5 is connected to the transmission mechanism, and drives the latch 8 to move via the transmission mechanism to achieve unlocking. The unlocking drive component 5 and the transmission mechanism can be located inside the cavity of the second latch 2 or outside the second latch 2. In this application, the unlocking drive component 5 drives the latch 8 to move via the transmission mechanism, enabling precise control of the latch 8 and ensuring the stability and reliability of the unlocking operation.

[0068] Please see Figure 6 The output shaft of the unlocking drive component 5 is connected to a worm gear 51. A rack 81 is provided at the second end of the pin 8. The transmission mechanism includes a meshing worm wheel 6 and a gear 7. The worm wheel 6 meshes with the worm gear 51, and the gear 7 meshes with the rack 81. The unlocking drive component 5 drives the pin 8 to move along the pin receiving groove 11 through the cooperation of the worm gear 51, worm wheel 6, gear 7, and rack 81. The transmission combination of the worm gear 51, worm wheel 6, gear 7, and rack 81 can accurately transmit the power of the unlocking drive component 5 to the pin 8, achieving smooth and precise movement of the pin 8 and avoiding jamming or displacement deviation of the pin 8 during unlocking.

[0069] Please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an active protection method for charging thermal runaway disclosed in an embodiment of this application. The active protection method for charging thermal runaway, employing the active protection system for charging thermal runaway as described in this application, includes the following steps:

[0070] While the vehicle is charging, determine if there is any charging abnormality.

[0071] When a charging abnormality is detected in the vehicle, the control unit sends an unlocking control signal to the latch control component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway. The latch control component then drives the latch component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway to unlock based on the unlocking control signal.

[0072] After the locking assembly performs the unlocking operation, the kinetic energy is released by the ejection drive 4 of the charging thermal runaway active protection device, which ejects the charging gun from the vehicle charging port.

[0073] The following uses AC charging as an example to describe in detail one of the active protection methods for charging thermal runaway according to this application. The specific steps include:

[0074] Step 1: Read vehicle speed information, battery charging mode information, and vehicle CC resistance information. Based on these signals, determine whether the vehicle is stationary, whether the charging gun is plugged in, and whether AC charging is in progress. For example, when the vehicle speed is 0, it is determined that the vehicle is stationary. The BCU starts collecting vehicle CC resistance information and battery charging mode information, and sends these information to the VCU via CAN. If the vehicle CC resistance is ≠ 8000Ω, the vehicle is in the plugged-in charging state.

[0075] Regarding battery charging mode information, 0x1 indicates a 10A household AC charging mode; 0x2 indicates a 10A cable control box charging mode; 0x3 indicates a 16A AC charging station / cable control box charging mode; 0x4 indicates a 32A AC charging station mode; 0x5 indicates a 63A AC charging station mode; 0x7 indicates both AC and DC modes are valid; 0x8 indicates the AC charging gun is in a half-connected state; and 0x9 indicates an abnormal AC charging mode. In this application, " / " represents "or".

[0076] Step 2: After confirming the vehicle is in AC charging mode, determine if the AC charging station is malfunctioning based on the charging termination reason, current, VCU fault code, front motor fault code, charger fault code, and battery fault code list. For example: if the charging termination reason is 0x1, it indicates a BMS issue causing the charging stop; if the charging termination reason is 0x2, it indicates an OBC issue causing the charging stop; if the charging termination reason is 0x3, it indicates a charging prohibition issue causing the charging stop; and if the charging termination reason is 0x4, it indicates an external cause causing the charging stop.

[0077] When a vehicle is AC charging and a charging interruption occurs due to a reason of 0x1, 0x2, 0x3, or 0x4, the BCU, VCU, Intelligent Power Unit (IPU), and On-Board Charger (OBC) will send fault code information to the VCU via CAN. If any of the fault codes in the VCU, front motor, charger, or battery fault code lists is not equal to 0, is empty, or is -99, it indicates an abnormality in the vehicle's AC charging. If the total current is ≥0, it indicates that charging has been interrupted due to an abnormal fault, and there is a risk that the charging equipment may overheat, leading to an abnormal interruption of vehicle charging.

[0078] Step 3: After determining the vehicle's AC charging abnormality based on Step 2, the vehicle network terminal transmits an AC charging abnormality signal to the PCU. The PCU controls the vehicle's active protection device to respond, AC charging is stopped, and the vehicle's battery charging status is identified. If the vehicle's battery charging status = 0, it means that the vehicle has successfully interrupted AC charging. The second locking component 2 and the first locking component 1 around the vehicle's AC charging port are then unlocked, and the ejector drive component 4 ejects the charging gun from the AC charging port.

[0079] For example, if the vehicle is still in motion, the speed is not 0, the vehicle is in a non-plugged state, the vehicle's CC resistance is 8000Ω, the vehicle is in DC charging mode and the battery charging mode is 0x0, 0x6, 0xA, or the vehicle is charging normally, and there are no valid fault codes in the VCU fault code, front motor fault code, charger fault code, and battery fault code list, and the charging stop reason is 0x0, 0x5, then no alarm information will be pushed to the user. If, at a vehicle speed of 0, the vehicle's CC resistance is not equal to 8000Ω, the battery charging mode is any of 0x1, 0x2, 0x3, 0x4, 0x5, 0x7, 0x8, or 0x9, and the total current is ≥0, and the charging interruption reason is any of 0x1, 0x2, 0x3, or 0x4, and any valid fault code reported by BCU, VCU, IPU, or OBC is present, the vehicle undergoing AC charging will activate the active protection device for charging thermal runaway. The vehicle will stop AC charging, and the second locking component 2 and the first locking component 1 around the vehicle's AC charging port will unlock. Relying on the kinetic energy released by the ejector drive component 4, the charging gun will be ejected from the vehicle's AC charging port, completing the separation of the charging gun from the vehicle.

[0080] The examples are not limited to those described above. Those skilled in the art can make modifications or alterations based on the above description, and all such modifications and alterations should fall within the scope of protection of the appended claims. Those skilled in the art can understand that implementing all or part of the processes of the above embodiments and making equivalent changes according to the claims of this application still fall within the scope of this application.

Claims

1. A charging thermal runaway active protection device, characterized in that, Includes a first locking element (1), a second locking element (2), a pop-out drive element (4), a locking assembly, and a pin control assembly; The second locking member (2) is provided with a charging gun locking groove (3); The locking assembly is used to lock and unlock the first locking member (1) and the second locking member (2); The pin control component is connected to the latch component, and the pin control component is used to receive an unlocking control signal and drive the latch component to perform an unlocking operation. The pop-out drive (4) is used to drive the second lock (2) to pop out when the first lock (1) and the second lock (2) are in the unlocked state.

2. The active protection device for charging thermal runaway according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking assembly includes a pin (8), a limiting structure that cooperates with the pin (8), and an elastic element (9); The limiting structure includes a pin receiving groove (11) opened at the end of the first locking member (1) and a limiting slot (22) opened at the end of the second locking member (2). The pin (8) is located in the pin receiving slot (11), and the first end of the pin (8) extends into the limiting slot (22) to lock the first locking member (1) and the second locking member (2), and the first end of the pin (8) disengages from the limiting slot (22) to unlock the first locking member (1) and the second locking member (2). The elastic element (9) is sleeved on the pin (8). The elastic element (9) applies a spring force toward its first end to the pin (8). When the first locking element (1) and the second locking element (2) are locked and the pin control component is not working, the first end of the pin (8) is kept inserted into the limiting slot (22).

3. The active protection device for charging thermal runaway according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first end of the pin (8) is configured as a triangular structure.

4. The active protection device for charging thermal runaway according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second locking member (2) is provided with a connecting block (21), the first end of the pop-out driving member (4) is connected to the vehicle body, and the second end of the pop-out driving member (4) is connected to the connecting block (21).

5. The active protection device for charging thermal runaway according to claim 2, characterized in that, The latch control assembly includes an unlocking drive (5) and a transmission mechanism; The unlocking drive (5) is connected to the transmission mechanism, and the unlocking drive (5) drives the pin (8) to move to its second end through the transmission mechanism to achieve unlocking.

6. The active protection device for charging thermal runaway according to claim 5, characterized in that, The output shaft of the unlocking drive (5) is connected to a worm gear (51); the second end of the pin (8) is provided with a rack (81); The transmission mechanism includes a worm wheel (6) and a gear (7) that mesh with each other. The worm wheel (6) meshes with the worm (51), and the gear (7) meshes with the rack (81). The unlocking drive (5) drives the pin (8) to move along the pin receiving groove (11) through the cooperation of the worm (51), worm wheel (6), gear (7) and rack (81).

7. A charging thermal runaway active protection system, characterized in that, Includes a control unit and an active protection device for charging thermal runaway as described in any one of claims 1 to 6; The control unit is used to send an unlocking control signal to the pin control component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway when an abnormal charging condition is detected in the vehicle. The latch control component drives the locking component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway to perform an unlocking operation based on the unlocking control signal.

8. The active protection system for charging thermal runaway according to claim 7, characterized in that, The control unit is also used to collect information related to charging abnormalities and to determine whether the vehicle is experiencing a charging abnormality based on the information.

9. A method for active protection against charging thermal runaway, characterized in that, The active protection system for charging thermal runaway as described in claim 7 or 8 includes the following steps: While the vehicle is charging, determine if there is any charging abnormality. When a charging abnormality is detected in the vehicle, the control unit sends an unlocking control signal to the latch control component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway. The latch control component then drives the latch component of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway to unlock based on the unlocking control signal. After the locking assembly performs the unlocking operation, the kinetic energy is released by the pop-out drive (4) of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway, and the second locking component (2) of the active protection device for charging thermal runaway is popped out, so as to pop the charging gun out of the vehicle charging port.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, It includes the active protection device for charging thermal runaway as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, or the active protection system for charging thermal runaway as described in any one of claims 7 to 8.

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