A sunken battery interface structure and a battery system

Abstract

This invention discloses a recessed battery interface structure and battery system. The structure includes a socket assembly and a plug assembly. Both the socket and plug housings have a power cavity and a signal cavity, one of which is designed as a protruding cavity, and the other as a corresponding recessed cavity. During insertion, the protruding cavities of both are inserted into the recessed cavity of the other, forming a nested, structurally sealed fit for high-level protection. The effective contact length of the signal contact is greater than that of the power contact, ensuring that the signal contact connects before the power contact during insertion and disconnects before the power contact during separation, achieving safe timing control. This invention, through structural concave-convex sealing and signal-first timing control, solves the safety hazards of easy aging, short lifespan, and arcing during live insertion and removal of traditional battery interface rubber seals, offering advantages such as reliable sealing, long service life, and safe and convenient operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electrical connector technology, and more specifically to a recessed battery interface structure and battery system for connecting a battery to an electrical device. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread adoption of battery technology, its application in the industrial field is becoming increasingly extensive. Industrial environments often contain pollutants such as water, oil, and dust, placing extremely high demands on the protection performance of battery interfaces. However, existing battery interfaces are all exposed, making them susceptible to damage from contaminants during use. Furthermore, failure to seal the battery interface can not only damage the connector but also potentially lead to serious safety accidents due to water ingress into the battery.

[0003] Currently, most battery interfaces on the market use rubber gaskets combined with fasteners to achieve waterproofing and dustproofing. However, rubber materials are prone to aging and elasticity loss after long-term use or exposure to environmental temperature and chemical media, leading to decreased sealing performance and a limited lifespan. Furthermore, the fastener-dependent assembly and disassembly method is cumbersome and inconvenient for quick operation. In addition, traditional interface structures may cause electric arcs generated at the power contacts during hot-plugging, potentially damaging equipment or posing a risk, lacking a proactive electrical safety timing control mechanism.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a battery interface structure that has long-lasting and reliable sealing, is easy to operate, and has higher electrical safety. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a recessed battery interface structure and battery system. This structure aims to achieve a higher level of protection, a longer service life, more convenient operation, and a safer insertion and removal process through innovative mechanical seal design and electrical timing control.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a recessed battery interface structure, including a socket assembly and a plug assembly that mate with each other. The housing of the socket assembly has a first cavity and a second cavity, and the housing of the plug assembly has a third cavity and a fourth cavity that correspond to and mate with the first cavity and the second cavity. Of the first cavity and the third cavity, one is a protruding cavity protruding in the insertion direction, and the other is a recessed cavity for accommodating the protruding cavity. Of the second cavity and the fourth cavity, one is a protruding cavity protruding in the insertion direction, and the other is a recessed cavity for accommodating the protruding cavity. When the socket assembly and the plug assembly are plugged in, a sealed fit structure is formed between the first cavity and the third cavity, and between the second cavity and the fourth cavity, respectively, through the mutual nesting of the protruding cavity and the recessed cavity.

[0008] Furthermore, the first cavity is a power cavity with power contacts inside; the second cavity is a signal cavity with signal contacts inside; the arrangement of the power contacts and the signal contacts is such that, during the insertion of the socket assembly and the plug assembly, the signal contacts are electrically connected before the power contacts; during the separation process, the signal contacts are electrically disconnected before the power contacts.

[0009] Furthermore, by making the effective contact length of the signal contact greater than the effective contact length of the power contact, the signal contact can be turned on before the power contact and the signal contact can be turned off before the power contact.

[0010] Furthermore, the outer wall of the protruding cavity and / or the inner wall of the recessed cavity are provided with guide slopes, and the draft angle of the guide slopes is 2° to 5°, preferably 3°.

[0011] Furthermore, the root fitting gap between the protruding cavity and the recessed cavity after complete insertion is less than or equal to 0.15 mm, preferably 0.1 mm.

[0012] Furthermore, the power cavity and the signal cavity are structurally isolated from each other, forming independent sealed areas.

[0013] Furthermore, the housing of the socket assembly and / or plug assembly is made of ABS+PC composite material.

[0014] Furthermore, the socket assembly and the plug assembly achieve primary sealing through the engagement of concave and convex cavities, and optionally, an auxiliary sealing ring is provided.

[0015] Furthermore, the plug assembly and / or socket assembly are connected to their mounting base via a floating mounting mechanism that allows the plug assembly or socket assembly to be positionally compensated within the mounting plane.

[0016] Secondly, the present invention provides a battery system including a battery and an electrical device, wherein the battery and the electrical device are electrically connected via the aforementioned recessed battery interface structure. Because this battery system employs the aforementioned recessed battery interface structure, it also possesses the beneficial effects of reliable sealing, safe operation, and long service life.

[0017] Beneficial effects: Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. This invention adopts a structural sealing method in which the concave and convex cavities of the socket and plug housing are nested together. Through precise gap control and guiding design, a high level of dustproof, waterproof and oilproof effect is achieved, and the sealing performance does not significantly decrease due to material aging, resulting in a long service life.

[0018] 2. This invention, through a unique layout design of power and signal contacts, ensures that the effective contact length of the signal contacts is greater than that of the power contacts, achieving a safe timing logic of "signal first, power second" and "signal first, power second." During insertion, the signal contacts establish an electrical connection first, while the power contacts have not yet made contact. The control unit of the electrical equipment issues a command to close the main power circuit only after detecting the continuity of the signal circuit, thereby achieving zero-voltage / zero-current access to the power circuit. During separation, the signal contacts disconnect before the power contacts, and the control unit immediately cuts off the power circuit, ensuring that the power contacts are in a no-load or extremely low-load state when physically separated. This fundamentally eliminates the arcing, electrolytic corrosion, and safety risks caused by live insertion and removal of the power circuit, greatly improving operational safety.

[0019] 3. In this invention, the power cavity and signal cavity adopt an asymmetrical concave-convex pairing layout (i.e., if the power side is convex, the signal side must be concave, and vice versa). This layout ensures that the plug and socket can only be inserted in one correct direction. Any reverse or misaligned insertion will be physically prevented due to cavity interference, effectively preventing misinsertion. Simultaneously, guide ramps are provided at the entrances of both the protruding and concave cavities to guide the plug's posture during the initial insertion stage, making the insertion process smooth and effortless, allowing for successful insertion even with slight misalignment.

[0020] 4. This invention places the power contacts and signal contacts in separate cavities and achieves physical isolation through the housing itself. This design effectively separates the high-voltage area (power circuit) from the low-voltage area (signal circuit), significantly increases the creepage distance and clearance, prevents high-voltage breakdown or leakage current from interfering with or damaging sensitive signal circuits, and improves the electromagnetic compatibility and electrical safety of the entire device.

[0021] 5. The core sealing and safety functions of this invention are achieved by the structural features of the interface housing itself, eliminating the need for complex moving parts or multiple sealing accessories. The structure is compact, with fewer parts and a simple assembly process, resulting in significant cost advantages. Furthermore, the positions of the protruding and recessed cavities can be flexibly interchanged according to the application scenario, and it can also be combined with a floating mounting mechanism to adapt to the accuracy requirements of different mounting foundations, making it suitable for a wide range of applications. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall insertion of the sunken battery interface structure according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket assembly and plug assembly in an embodiment of the present invention; In the diagram: 1. Socket cover; 2. Power pin sleeve; 3. Signal pin; 4. Socket housing; 5-1. Socket power cavity; 5-2. Socket signal cavity; 6-1. Plug power cavity; 6-2. Plug signal cavity; 7. Plug housing; 8. Power pin; 9. Signal pin sleeve; 10. Plug cover; 20. Socket assembly; 30. Plug assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and the details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0025] It should be noted that, unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this invention should have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terms "first," "second," and similar words used in this invention do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components.

[0026] Example 1 like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown in the figure, an embodiment of the present invention provides a recessed battery interface structure, including a socket assembly 20 disposed on the battery side and a plug assembly 30 disposed on the electrical device side.

[0027] The socket assembly 20 mainly includes a socket housing 4, a power pin sleeve 2, a signal pin 3, and a socket cover 1. In this embodiment, the socket housing 4 is made of ABS+PC composite material, which has good mechanical strength and environmental resistance. The interior of the housing is divided into two independent cavities by a partition wall: a first cavity and a second cavity. In this embodiment, the first cavity is the socket power cavity 5-1, and the second cavity is the socket signal cavity 5-2. In this embodiment, the socket power cavity 5-1 is constructed as a protruding cavity protruding in the mating direction, with a protrusion height of approximately 11 mm; the inner wall of this protruding cavity is provided with a wedge-shaped guide slope with a draft angle of 3°. The power pin sleeve 2 (as a power contact) is installed inside the socket power cavity 5-1, with its contact portion recessed into the cavity opening plane by approximately 2 mm. The socket signal cavity is designed as a recessed area, in which the signal pin 3 (as a signal contact) is installed, with its tip recessed into the cavity opening plane by approximately 1.5 mm.

[0028] The plug assembly 30 mainly includes a plug housing 7, a power pin 8, a signal pin sleeve 9, and a plug cover 10. The plug housing 7 is also made of ABS+PC composite material. Internally, it has a third cavity and a fourth cavity that mate with the first and second cavities. In this embodiment, the third cavity is the plug power cavity 6-1, and the fourth cavity is the plug signal cavity 6-2. In this embodiment, the plug signal cavity 6-2 is constructed as a protruding cavity facing the mating direction, with a protrusion height of approximately 12.5 mm, and also has a 3° guide slope. The signal pin sleeve 9 (as a signal contact) is fixedly installed in this protruding cavity, with its contact end recessed approximately 1 mm below the cavity opening plane. The plug power cavity 6-1 is constructed as a recessed cavity, and the power pin 8 (as a power contact) is fixedly installed in this recessed cavity, with its contact end basically flush with the cavity opening plane.

[0029] During assembly, after installing the corresponding contacts into the corresponding cavities, cover the socket cover 1 and plug cover 10 respectively to fix and protect the internal components.

[0030] During insertion, the plug signal cavity 6-2 (protruding) of the plug assembly aligns with the socket signal cavity 5-2 (recessed) of the socket assembly, while the socket power cavity 5-1 (protruding) of the socket assembly aligns with the plug power cavity 6-1 (recessed) of the plug assembly. Guided by the wedge-shaped inclined surfaces on both sides, the plug and socket smoothly align. When fully engaged, the protruding cavity and the recessed cavity form a precise fit at their roots with a gap of approximately 0.1mm, constituting the first major structural sealing barrier.

[0031] Safety timing control principle: This embodiment achieves a greater effective contact length for signal contacts than for power contacts by precisely controlling the depth of each contact relative to the opening of its cavity. Specifically: Interlocking Process: In this embodiment, the signal pins and power pins use a long-short pin design, with signal pin 3 being 2mm longer than power pin 8. As the plug and socket gradually approach each other, the signal contacts (signal pin 3 and signal pin sleeve 9) first make contact and establish an electrical connection. At this time, there is still a gap of about 2mm between the power contacts (power pin sleeve 2 and power pin 8), and they have not yet made contact. After the control unit of the electrical equipment detects that the signal circuit is conducting, it confirms that the connector is in a safe interlocking state and then issues a command to close the main power relay, energizing the power circuit. Subsequently, the plug and socket continue to be inserted to the final position, and only then do the power contacts make contact. At this point, the power circuit is energized, completing the preparation for power transmission.

[0032] Separation Process: When the plug and socket begin to separate, the signal contacts disconnect first. Upon detecting the break in the signal circuit, the control unit immediately issues a command to cut off the main power relay, ensuring the power circuit is de-energized before physical separation. Subsequently, as the plug and socket continue to separate, the power contacts safely disconnect under no-load conditions.

[0033] This timing design fundamentally eliminates the arcing, electro-erosion, and electromagnetic interference generated when the power circuit is switched on or off under energized conditions, significantly improving the connector's service life and operational safety.

[0034] Example 2 (Interchange of concave and convex positions) This embodiment is basically the same as Embodiment 1, except that: the socket power cavity 5-1 of the socket assembly is constructed as a recessed cavity, and correspondingly, the plug power cavity 6-1 of the plug assembly is constructed as a protruding cavity; at the same time, the socket signal cavity 5-2 of the socket assembly is constructed as a protruding cavity, and the plug signal cavity 6-2 of the plug assembly is constructed as a recessed cavity. As long as the concave-convex relationship between the power cavity and the signal cavity is not consistent (i.e., one protrudes while the other is recessed), the same functions of preventing mis-insertion, structural sealing, and safe timing can be achieved. Those skilled in the art should understand that the positions of the protrusion and the recess can be interchanged according to actual needs.

[0035] Example 3 (Floating Installation) To further accommodate potential alignment deviations in the mounting base, this embodiment, based on Embodiment 1, connects the plug assembly to its mounting base via a floating mounting mechanism. Specifically, mounting through holes are formed at the four corners of the plug housing 7, with a diameter larger than that of the fixing bolts. Bolts pass through these through holes, pre-tightening the plug housing 7 to the base. Elastic elements (such as spring washers or rubber bushings) are placed between the bolt shank or the housing and the base. When slight planar position deviations occur during mating, the plug housing 7 can slide slightly relative to its mounting base within the mounting plane under the guidance of the guide ramp, automatically compensating for the deviation and ensuring that the concave and convex cavities can still smoothly and accurately complete mating and sealing. This design enables the interface structure of this invention to be compatible with applications requiring lower alignment accuracy, further expanding its applicability.

[0036] Other preferred options are explained below: The draft angle of the guide ramp can be selected within the range of 2° to 5°, all of which can achieve good guiding function. In this embodiment, 3° is the optimal implementation angle, achieving the best balance between smooth guiding and insertion / extraction force.

[0037] The root clearance after the protruding cavity and the recessed cavity are fully inserted should be controlled within 0.15mm to ensure effective sealing and protection. The 0.1mm clearance achieved in this embodiment has been tested and meets the IP67 protection level requirements.

[0038] The power cavity and the signal cavity are completely isolated by the solid partition wall of the housing itself, which significantly increases the creepage distance between the high and low voltage circuits and improves electrical safety.

[0039] Example 4 (Battery System) The recessed battery interface structure of this invention can be applied to a battery system to achieve pluggable electrical connection and signal interaction between the battery and the device. The battery system includes a battery pack and a device. The socket assembly is fixedly mounted on the battery pack, and the plug assembly is fixedly mounted on the device; or, in another embodiment, the plug assembly is fixedly mounted on the battery pack, and the socket assembly is fixedly mounted on the device.

[0040] When the battery pack needs to power the electrical equipment, the operator pushes the battery pack closer to the equipment, allowing the plug assembly and socket assembly to mate. During mating, an electrical connection is first established by signal contacts. After the battery management system (BMS) in the battery pack or the control unit of the electrical equipment detects the signal circuit continuity and confirms that the connector is in a safe mating state, the main power relay is closed, energizing the power circuit. Subsequently, the power contacts make contact, completing the preparation for power transmission.

[0041] When the battery pack needs to be replaced or disconnected, the operator separates the battery pack, the signal contacts disconnect first, and the control unit immediately cuts off the main power relay, so that the power contacts are safely disconnected under no-load conditions.

[0042] By adopting the recessed battery interface structure described in this embodiment of the invention, the battery system achieves long-term reliable sealing protection performance and live plug-in / plug-out safety protection, significantly improving the environmental adaptability, operational safety, and service life of the battery system. This battery system can be widely used in scenarios requiring frequent battery replacement or high protection requirements, such as electric forklifts, AGVs, energy storage power stations, battery-swapping heavy trucks, and electric ships.

[0043] In summary, the embodiments of the present invention effectively solve the technical problems of short sealing life and unsafe hot-plugging of existing battery interfaces by using structural concave-convex sealing and timing control of signal first.

[0044] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, various modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A recessed battery interface structure, comprising a socket assembly and a plug assembly that mate with each other, characterized in that: The housing of the socket assembly has a first cavity and a second cavity, and the housing of the plug assembly has a third cavity and a fourth cavity that correspond to and cooperate with the first cavity and the second cavity; Of the first cavity and the third cavity, one is a protruding cavity that protrudes in the insertion direction, and the other is a recessed cavity for accommodating the protruding cavity; Of the second cavity and the fourth cavity, one is a protruding cavity that protrudes in the insertion direction, and the other is a recessed cavity for accommodating the protruding cavity; When the socket assembly and the plug assembly are inserted into each other, a sealed fit structure is formed between the first cavity and the third cavity, and between the second cavity and the fourth cavity, through the mutual nesting of the protruding cavity and the recessed cavity.

2. The sunken battery interface structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first cavity is a power cavity, which contains power contacts; the second cavity is a signal cavity, which contains signal contacts; the arrangement of the power contacts and the signal contacts is such that, during the insertion of the socket assembly and the plug assembly, the signal contacts are electrically connected before the power contacts; during the separation process, the signal contacts are electrically disconnected before the power contacts.

3. The sunken battery interface structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: By making the effective contact length of the signal contact greater than the effective contact length of the power contact, the signal contact can be turned on before the power contact and the signal contact can be turned off before the power contact.

4. The recessed battery interface structure according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that: The outer wall of the protruding cavity and / or the inner wall of the recessed cavity are provided with guide slopes.

5. The sunken battery interface structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The draft angle of the guide ramp is 2° to 5°.

6. The sunken battery interface structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The root clearance between the protruding cavity and the recessed cavity after complete insertion is less than or equal to 0.15 mm.

7. The sunken battery interface structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The power cavity and the signal cavity are structurally isolated from each other.

8. The sunken battery interface structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plug assembly and / or socket assembly are connected to their mounting base via a floating mounting mechanism that allows the plug assembly or socket assembly to be positionally compensated within the mounting plane.

9. A battery system, characterized in that, It includes a battery and an electrical device, wherein the battery and the electrical device are electrically connected via a recessed battery interface structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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