Charging cable protection structure, charging gun cable and charging pile for use in extremely cold environments

Abstract

This application relates to the field of automotive charging technology, specifically providing a charging cable protection structure, charging gun cable, and charging pile for use in extremely cold environments, aiming to solve the problem of how to improve the reliability of charging gun cables in extremely cold environments. To this end, the charging cable protection structure of this application extends in a strip shape, including: a heating layer; a protective layer covering the heating layer; a temperature detection element disposed within the protective layer; and a controller communicatively connected to both the heating layer and the temperature detection element. The controller controls the temperature of the heating layer based on the detection value of the temperature detection element. The protection structure provided by this application can provide stable heat through the heating layer to regulate the temperature of the charging cable, and, relying on the real-time monitoring of the temperature detection element and the synergistic effect of the controller, dynamically adjust the heating power of the heating layer according to the temperature value of the protection structure, ultimately achieving precise temperature control of the charging cable and avoiding excessively high or low temperatures.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automotive charging technology, specifically providing a charging cable protection structure, charging gun cable, and charging pile for use in extremely cold environments. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid popularization of new energy electric vehicles, charging piles, as supporting infrastructure, have been widely used in many regions around the world, including extremely cold regions such as Northeast China and Northern Europe, to provide necessary energy replenishment support for electric vehicle users.

[0003] However, in extremely cold environments, charging gun cables face significant performance degradation issues. For example, low temperatures can cause a significant increase in the hardness of the cable material, making it easy for users to damage the material when dragging the cable, thus shortening the cable's lifespan. Condensation in extremely cold environments can also cause the cable to freeze, directly hindering normal charging. In addition, during the insertion and removal of the charging gun, the temperature difference between the environment and the contact terminals can cause condensation to accumulate at the terminals, accelerating metal oxidation and ultimately causing the contact points to overheat, creating electrical safety risks.

[0004] Therefore, a new technical solution is needed in this field to solve the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] This application aims to solve the aforementioned technical problem, namely, how to improve the reliability of existing charging gun cables in extremely cold environments.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a charging cable protection structure for use in extremely cold environments, the protection structure extending in a strip shape, the protection structure comprising:

[0007] Heating layer;

[0008] A protective layer that covers the heating layer;

[0009] A temperature sensing element is disposed within the protective layer;

[0010] The controller is communicatively connected to both the heating layer and the temperature sensing element, and controls the temperature of the heating layer based on the detection value of the temperature sensing element.

[0011] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned protective structure, the heating layer includes a plurality of heating sections connected in sequence, and a temperature detection element is provided in the part of the protective layer corresponding to each heating section. The controller controls the temperature value of the area where each heating section is located according to the detection value of each temperature detection element.

[0012] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned protective structure, the distance between any two adjacent temperature sensing elements is equal in the extending direction of the protective structure.

[0013] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned protective structure, the protective structure further includes:

[0014] A heat-conducting layer is disposed between the heating layer and the protective layer.

[0015] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned protective structure, the protective layer, the heat-conducting layer and the heating layer are integrally formed.

[0016] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned protective structure, the outer surface of the protective layer is provided with a textured surface.

[0017] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned protective structure, the heating layer is a carbon fiber material layer.

[0018] In one technical solution of the above-mentioned protective structure, the protective structure is arranged in a spiral shape.

[0019] In a second aspect, this application provides a charging gun cable, comprising:

[0020] Cable body;

[0021] The protective structure as described in any one of the first aspects is wrapped around the outside of the cable body.

[0022] In a third aspect, this application provides a charging station, including a charging gun cable as described in the second aspect.

[0023] With the above technical solution adopted, the protective structure provided in this application adopts a strip-shaped extension design to form a protective strip adapted to the cable. The protective structure mainly includes a heating layer, an outer protective layer, and a temperature detection element embedded in the protective layer. The heating layer, as a heat source, is responsible for providing stable heat to the protective structure to regulate the temperature of the charging cable. The protective layer tightly covers the outside of the heating layer, which can prevent the internal components of the protective structure from being damaged by external forces. The temperature detection element is also embedded in the protective layer. The temperature detection element can monitor the temperature of the protective structure in real time and feed the data back to the controller, thereby forming a closed-loop temperature control mechanism. The heating power is dynamically adjusted according to environmental changes, ultimately achieving precise control of the charging cable temperature and avoiding excessively high or low temperatures.

[0024] The charging gun cable provided in this application includes a cable body and the protective structure described above. The cable body is the core conductive component of the charging gun, and the protective structure covers the outer periphery of the cable body to heat and insulate the cable body in low-temperature environments and enhance its mechanical protection performance.

[0025] The charging station provided in this application includes the charging gun cable as described above. By integrating this charging gun cable with low-temperature heating and protection functions, the charging station can provide stable and reliable charging services in cold environments, effectively overcoming charging obstacles caused by extreme low temperatures. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The preferred embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a protective structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a protective structure according to another embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the protective structure according to an embodiment of this application. List of reference numerals in the attached diagram:

[0030] 1-Protective structure, 11-Heating layer, 12-Heat-conducting layer, 13-Protective layer, 14-Temperature sensing element, 2-Controller. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Preferred embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art should understand that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the technical principles of this application and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Those skilled in the art can make adjustments as needed to adapt to specific application scenarios.

[0032] It should be noted that in the description of this application, terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "inner," and "outer," which indicate direction or positional relationship, are based on the direction or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are used merely for ease of description and do not indicate or imply that the relevant device or element must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. Furthermore, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0033] Furthermore, it should be noted that, in the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] In low-temperature or extremely cold environments, the material hardness of charging cables increases significantly, making them highly susceptible to damage when dragged by users. This ultimately shortens the cable's lifespan, directly impacting the stable operation of charging devices. Therefore, refer to... Figure 1-3 This application provides a charging cable protection structure 1. This structure, by setting a heating element and a temperature control mechanism, can achieve active heat preservation and protection of the cable, thereby improving its flexibility, durability and safety under low temperature conditions.

[0035] Please refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of the protective structure 1 provided in this application is shown. Specifically, the protective structure 1 is designed as a strip, forming a protective strip that is compatible with the cable. The protective structure 1 mainly includes a heating layer 11 and a protective layer 13 covering the outside of the heating layer 11.

[0036] The heating layer 11 serves as the heat source for the entire protective structure 1. Its main function is to provide stable heat to the protective structure 1 and, by adjusting the overall temperature of the protective structure 1, to ultimately achieve precise temperature control of the charging cable. The heating layer 11 can be a heating circuit composed of ultra-thin copper foil or a carbon fiber material layer. In a preferred embodiment, the heating layer 11 adopts a mesh structure woven from flexible carbon fiber filaments. The mesh carbon fiber is woven from ultra-fine filaments, which not only improves the flexibility of the heating layer 11 but also has the characteristics of uniform heating, low-temperature resistance, and controllable conductivity, making it suitable for the needs of extremely cold environments.

[0037] The protective layer 13 tightly covers the outside of the heating layer 11. The protective layer 13 is generally made of a material with good flexibility, wear resistance, insulation and high and low temperature resistance, such as thermoplastic elastomer, to prevent the components inside the protective structure 1 from being damaged by external forces during dragging and use, and at the same time, to prevent electrical safety hazards from occurring in the heating layer 11.

[0038] In one embodiment, the outer surface of the protective layer 13 is provided with a textured surface. This texture is typically distributed on the surface of the protective layer 13 in the form of a regular geometric pattern, such as a wave or a diamond grid. Its main function is to significantly increase the surface friction coefficient, prevent slippage of the hand or external object during dragging, and reduce the risk of freezing. At the same time, the textured structure can effectively inhibit the overall formation of a condensation film on the surface, reduce the contact area with ice and snow in low-temperature environments, and reduce the risk of freezing.

[0039] Furthermore, in order to achieve precise temperature control, a temperature detection element 14 is also embedded inside the protective layer 13. The temperature detection element 14 can capture the temperature changes of the protective structure 1 in real time and feed back the data, providing a key basis for the subsequent controller 2 to adjust the power of the heating layer 11 and avoid the temperature from being too high or too low.

[0040] In one specific implementation, the temperature sensing element 14 in the protection structure 1 collects real-time temperature values ​​and uploads them to a cloud server via an IoT protocol through the built-in controller 2 or its communication module. The cloud server receives and stores the temperature values ​​and runs a preset temperature control strategy algorithm. Based on the algorithm's decision, the cloud server generates control commands, such as "start heating," "set power," or "stop heating," and sends them to the controller 2 through the downlink channel of the IoT connection. The controller 2 parses and executes the commands from the cloud, driving the heating layer 11 to work, thereby precisely adjusting the cable temperature. In addition, all command issuance, status changes, and temperature values ​​are recorded in the cloud for generating operation logs, performing energy efficiency analysis, and implementing predictive maintenance, forming a complete closed-loop control system.

[0041] Furthermore, since the heating layer 11 is prone to uneven heat distribution during operation, the protective layer 13, as the outer protective layer, needs to avoid localized overheating that accelerates its own aging. If the heating layer 11 and the protective layer 13 are in direct contact, the uneven heat distribution will be directly conducted to the protective layer 13, causing the protective layer 13 to be in a high-temperature environment for a long time, accelerating the aging of the material in that area, reducing its toughness, and shortening the service life of the protective layer 13. Moreover, in extremely cold environments, the heating layer 11 will experience drastic thermal expansion and contraction when it starts and stops. Due to the material characteristics of the protective layer 13, its deformation rhythm and amplitude are not synchronized with those of the heating layer 11. When in direct contact, continuous deformation stress will be generated between the two, causing damage such as microcracks and edge peeling in the protective layer 13, and even damaging the insulation and waterproof performance of the protective layer 13, affecting the electrical safety of the protective structure 1.

[0042] Therefore, refer to Figure 2 In one embodiment of this application, a thermally conductive layer 12 is further disposed between the heating layer 11 and the protective layer 13. This thermally conductive layer 12 can both uniformly diffuse the heat from the heating layer 11 through its high thermal conductivity, preventing localized high temperatures from directly acting on the protective layer 13 and mitigating aging problems, and can also act as a flexible buffer medium, absorbing the deformation stress caused by thermal expansion and contraction between the heating layer 11 and the protective layer 13, reducing friction and tensile damage between them. Furthermore, the thermally conductive layer 12 helps to make the thermal environment of the temperature sensing element 14 more uniform and stable, avoiding measurement deviations caused by uneven heat distribution or localized hot spots in the heating layer 11 itself, thereby providing more accurate temperature feedback to the controller 2.

[0043] Furthermore, the heat-conducting layer 12 can be made of flexible materials such as flexible graphene composite film or ceramic-filled silicone rubber, which have high thermal conductivity, good tensile strength and self-healing properties, and cover the outer surface of the heating layer 11 in a strip structure, and be tightly attached to the heating layer 11 and the protective layer 13 to reduce air gaps.

[0044] In one embodiment, the protective layer 13, the thermally conductive layer 12, and the heating layer 11 are integrally formed through processes such as co-extrusion, molding, or integrated injection molding. This structure ensures a seamless and stable interface between the functional layers, effectively avoiding delamination and displacement problems, and is more suitable for harsh application environments involving frequent bending and dragging. The temperature sensing element 14 is embedded inside the protective layer 13, with its sensing end as close as possible to the thermally conductive layer 12, thereby enabling more sensitive and accurate sensing of the true temperature after uniform diffusion, providing timely and reliable feedback signals for the zoned temperature control system.

[0045] In one embodiment, the heating layer 11 includes multiple heating sections connected in sequence, and the protective layer 13 is provided with a temperature detection element 14 for each heating section. The controller 2 accurately adjusts the temperature of the corresponding heating section according to the detection value of each element, so as to realize independent temperature control of different sections of the protective structure 1.

[0046] For example, in actual charging scenarios, when one section of the charging gun cable is indoors or in a relatively warm area, while another section is exposed to the cold outdoors, the system can only activate heating for the section exposed to low temperatures, while keeping the section in the warm environment off or running at low power, avoiding unnecessary energy consumption and significantly improving energy efficiency. Alternatively, if a section of the cable is covered by snow or is in a strong wind cooling environment, its heat loss is much greater than that of other sections. Zone control can automatically increase the heating power of that area to compensate, while preventing the warm section from aging or being burned due to overheating, ensuring safety and extending lifespan.

[0047] In one embodiment, along the extension direction of the protection structure 1, any two adjacent temperature sensing elements 14 are arranged with a fixed spacing, thereby ensuring that the temperature monitoring range corresponding to each heating segment is spatially independent and non-overlapping, guaranteeing no blind spots in temperature monitoring coverage. Furthermore, this equidistant layout facilitates rapid fault location. When the temperature difference reported by two adjacent elements is abnormal, the fixed spatial interval can be used to directly locate the faulty segment, eliminating the need for segment-by-segment troubleshooting and significantly improving system maintenance efficiency.

[0048] In one embodiment, multiple temperature sensing elements 14 are arranged at circumferential intervals along each heating segment for multi-directional monitoring of the temperature distribution of the heating segment. Please refer to... Figure 2This illustrates an implementation where two temperature sensing elements 14 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of each heating section. This arrangement effectively avoids measurement deviations caused by localized heat accumulation in the heating section or unidirectional influence from external cold sources, thus providing the controller 2 with more comprehensive and accurate temperature feedback. The controller 2 accurately determines the overall temperature state of the heating section by comprehensively comparing or fusing the readings of multiple temperature sensing elements 14, for example, by taking the average value, the maximum value, or performing weighted calculations based on algorithms, and issues corresponding control commands accordingly, further improving the accuracy of zoned temperature control.

[0049] refer to Figure 3 In one embodiment, the protective structure 1 is arranged in a spiral shape. The spiral layout gives the protective structure 1 a certain degree of flexibility, so that when the protective structure 1 is applied to the charging gun cable, it can adapt to the frequent bending and dragging of the charging gun cable.

[0050] This application also provides a charging gun cable, including a cable body and a protective structure 1 as described in any of the above embodiments. The cable body is the core conductive component of the charging gun, and is usually composed of multiple copper core wires and an insulating sheath. The protective structure 1 is spirally wrapped around the outer periphery of the cable body and slides slightly along the spiral direction with the deformation of the cable body, preventing the heating layer 11 and the protective layer 13 from cracking due to excessive stretching. While achieving comprehensive heat preservation and heating, it maximizes the flexibility and draggability of the cable body itself, making it easy for users to bend and use.

[0051] This application also provides a charging pile, which includes the charging gun cable as described above. By integrating the charging gun cable with low-temperature heating and protection functions, the charging pile can significantly improve its adaptability and reliability in cold environments, effectively preventing problems such as charging interface freezing, cable hardening, and connector oxidation, ensuring that users can safely and efficiently complete charging operations under all weather conditions.

[0052] The technical solutions of this application have been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of this application is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of this application, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A charging cable protection structure applied to an extremely cold environment, characterized by, The protective structure extends in a strip shape, and the protective structure includes: Heating layer (11); A protective layer (13) covers the heating layer (11); A temperature sensing element (14) is disposed within the protective layer (13); The controller (2) is communicatively connected to the heating layer (11) and the temperature detection element (14) respectively. The controller (2) controls the temperature value of the heating layer (11) according to the detection value of the temperature detection element (14).

2. The protective structure of claim 1, wherein, The heating layer (11) includes multiple heating sections connected in sequence. The protective layer (13) is provided with temperature detection elements (14) corresponding to each heating section. The controller (2) controls the temperature value of each heating section area according to the detection value of each temperature detection element (14).

3. The protective structure of claim 2, wherein, In the extending direction of the protective structure, the distance between any two adjacent temperature sensing elements (14) is equal.

4. The protective structure of claim 1, wherein, The protective structure also includes: A heat-conducting layer (12) is disposed between the heating layer (11) and the protective layer (13).

5. The protective structure of claim 4, wherein, The protective layer (13), the heat-conducting layer (12), and the heating layer (11) are integrally formed.

6. The protective structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the protective layer (13) is provided with a textured surface.

7. The protective structure of claim 1, wherein The heating layer (11) is a carbon fiber material layer.

8. The protective structure of claim 1, wherein, The protective structure is arranged in a spiral shape.

9. A charging gun cord, characterized by include: Cable body; The protective structure as described in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the protective structure is wrapped around the outside of the cable body.

10. A charging post, characterized in that, Includes the charging gun cable as described in claim 9.

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