A terminal and inspection structure for connecting a fuel cell monolithic cell with a CVM inspection module

Abstract

The utility model discloses a terminal and inspection structure for connecting fuel cell single piece cell and CVM inspection module. The terminal includes a pair of male and female connecting pipes, and the male end connecting pipe is equipped with elastic metal elastic sheet, and the female end connecting pipe is equipped with the opening for the elastic sheet to be clamped, and the mechanical locking structure is formed together, which effectively prevents the connection from falling off under the vibration environment. The locking structure can be unlocked without damage by pressing the elastic sheet, realizing the repeated plugging of the terminal. The utility model solves the problem of the existing connection easy to loosen and not reusable, and has the advantages of high reliability, long service life and low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fuel cells, specifically to a terminal and inspection structure for connecting a single fuel cell cell to a CVM inspection module. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing and testing of fuel cells, especially hydrogen fuel cells, a large number of individual cells need to be connected to a cell voltage monitoring module (CVM) using a data acquisition harness (inspection line) in order to monitor the performance status (such as voltage) of each individual cell in real time. The reliability and stability of this connection process are directly related to the accuracy of data acquisition and the operational safety of the entire fuel cell system.

[0003] Currently, traditional crimp terminals or pins are commonly used for connections in this field. However, this connection method faces significant challenges, especially in the continuous vibration environment accompanying fuel cell vibration testing or actual vehicle operation. Existing terminal connection structures are simple and often lack effective mechanical locking mechanisms, relying solely on the insertion and extraction friction between terminals to maintain the connection. Under long-term vibration stress, the connection is highly susceptible to loosening or even complete detachment, leading to signal acquisition interruption and subsequent system monitoring failure, posing a serious safety hazard.

[0004] Furthermore, some existing solutions may employ one-time locking structures such as adhesive bonding or interference fits to enhance connection reliability. However, this introduces new problems: once connected, it is difficult to disassemble without damage. For laboratory testing and production lines that require frequent maintenance, replacement, or adjustment, this irreversible connection method greatly increases operational complexity and usage costs, and makes it impossible to recycle the terminals.

[0005] Meanwhile, in a vibration environment, traditional terminal designs may cause slight relative displacement between male and female terminals, which reduces the effective contact area, leading to increased contact resistance, local overheating, and affecting the stability of electrical performance.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new type of crimp terminal that can withstand harsh vibration environments to ensure that the connection does not fall off, can be easily plugged in and unplugged and reused, and at the same time ensures excellent and stable electrical conductivity. Utility Model Content

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a terminal and inspection structure for connecting a fuel cell monocell to a CVM inspection module. The terminal incorporates a locking structure to prevent the inspection line connection from easily detaching during vibration testing, thus increasing reliability. Furthermore, the locking structure can be easily unlocked using external force, enabling recycling and reducing operating costs.

[0008] The specific technical solution of this utility model is as follows: This utility model provides a terminal for connecting a fuel cell monocell to a CVM inspection module. The fuel cell monocell is connected to a first inspection line, and the CVM inspection module is connected to a second inspection line. The terminal includes a pair of connecting tubes, which are divided into a male connecting tube and a female connecting tube. One end of the male connecting tube is inserted into one end of the female connecting tube, and the other end of each is used to connect to the first inspection line and the second inspection line, respectively.

[0009] The tail ends of both the male and female connecting pipes are configured with crimping areas, which are used to achieve a firm electrical connection with the copper core conductors of the first and second inspection lines respectively by crimping.

[0010] The crimping area includes a conductor crimping area for crimping the copper core of the conductor and an insulation crimping area for fixing the insulation sheath of the conductor, so as to achieve mechanical anchoring and electrical conduction between the conductor and the terminal.

[0011] Furthermore, the male end connecting pipe has a first insertion part at the end that is inserted into the female end connecting pipe, and the female end connecting pipe has a second insertion part at the end that is inserted into the male end connecting pipe. The outer diameter of the first insertion part matches the inner diameter of the second insertion part, so that the first insertion part is inserted into the second insertion part.

[0012] Furthermore, the first insertion part is provided with a spring clip, and the second insertion part is provided with an opening for the spring clip to be inserted.

[0013] The spring and the opening together form a locking structure; when the male end connecting tube and the female end connecting tube are inserted into the opening, the spring is locked in the opening. Without directly applying external force to the spring, it can effectively resist the dragging force and vibration along the insertion and removal direction, and prevent the male and female terminals from being accidentally separated.

[0014] The spring can be made of a flexible metal material. By applying pressure to it pointing towards the central axis of the male terminal connecting tube, it can be disengaged from the opening, thereby achieving non-destructive unlocking and separation, and allowing the terminal to be repeatedly inserted and removed.

[0015] The head of the first plug-in portion and the spring contact have a set distance. This design ensures that in a vibrating environment, when the male and female terminals move relative to each other along the direction of the incoming and outgoing lines, the spring contact can still remain within the effective contact range of the opening, thereby ensuring that there is always sufficient contact area between the two and maintaining the stability of the electrical connection.

[0016] Furthermore, the spring is formed by cutting and raising the side wall of the first insertion part.

[0017] Furthermore, the male end connecting tube and the female end connecting tube are respectively obtained by rolling metal sheets into tubular shapes, and the spring is formed in the male end connecting tube, while the opening is formed in the female end connecting tube.

[0018] The male and female connecting pipes are made of copper as the base material and are silver-plated to reduce contact resistance and reduce heat generation at the connection.

[0019] The female end connecting pipe is covered with an insulating sleeve made of CPE material to provide good electrical insulation performance, chemical corrosion resistance and reduce overall weight and cost.

[0020] This utility model also provides a fuel cell inspection structure, including a fuel cell and a CVM inspection module. The fuel cell includes a fuel cell unit cell, which is connected to a first inspection line. The CVM inspection module is connected to a second inspection line. The fuel cell inspection structure also includes the aforementioned terminals. One end of the male connector of the terminal is inserted into and engaged with one end of the female connector, and the other end of each is connected to the first inspection line and the second inspection line, respectively.

[0021] The beneficial effects of this utility model are: This invention utilizes a mechanical locking structure formed by incorporating an elastic metal spring on the male connector and a corresponding locking opening on the female connector. This design effectively resists vibration and drag after insertion, fundamentally solving the core problem of easy loosening of inspection lines in harsh vibration environments and significantly improving connection reliability. Simultaneously, this locking structure allows for non-destructive unlocking and separation through simple pressing, enabling repeated use of the terminals and overcoming the limitations of traditional one-time connections, greatly reducing usage and maintenance costs. Furthermore, by optimizing the distance between the spring and the terminal head, sufficient contact area is maintained between the male and female terminals under vibration conditions. Combined with the use of highly conductive silver-plated copper for the terminal body, this ensures long-term stability of the electrical connection and effectively avoids the risk of overheating caused by changes in contact resistance. The CPE insulating sleeve covering the female terminal further provides reliable insulation protection. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the terminal of this utility model; Figure 2 This is a front view of the terminal of this utility model; Figure 3 This is a top view of the terminal of this utility model; Figure 4 for Figure 3 Horizontal screenshot of AA.

[0023] The diagram shows the following labels: 1-male connector, 11-first insertion part, 111-spring contact, 2-female connector, 21-second insertion part, 211-opening, 3-crimping area, 31-conductor crimping area, 32-insulation crimping area. Detailed Implementation

[0024] Depend on Figure 1-4 As shown, this utility model provides a terminal for connecting a fuel cell monocell to a CVM inspection module. The fuel cell monocell is connected to a first inspection line, and the CVM inspection module is connected to a second inspection line. The terminal includes a pair of connecting tubes, which are divided into a male connecting tube 1 and a female connecting tube 2. One end of the male connecting tube 1 is inserted into one end of the female connecting tube 2, and the other end of each is used to connect to the first inspection line and the second inspection line, respectively.

[0025] Both the male end connecting pipe 1 and the female end connecting pipe 2 are provided with a crimping area 3 at the other end, which is used to achieve a firm electrical connection with the copper core conductors of the first inspection line and the second inspection line respectively by crimping.

[0026] The crimping area 3 includes a conductor crimping area 31 for crimping the copper core of the conductor and an insulation crimping area 32 for fixing the insulation sheath of the conductor, so as to achieve mechanical anchoring and electrical conduction between the conductor and the terminal.

[0027] The male end connector 1 has a first insertion part 11 at the end that is inserted into the female end connector 2, and the female end connector 2 has a second insertion part 21 at the end that is inserted into the male end connector 1. The outer diameter of the first insertion part 11 matches the inner diameter of the second insertion part 21, so that the first insertion part 11 is inserted into the second insertion part 21.

[0028] Specifically, the first insertion part 11 is provided with a spring piece 111, and the second insertion part 21 is provided with an opening 211 for the spring piece 111 to be inserted.

[0029] The spring and the opening together form a locking structure; when the male end connector and the female end connector are inserted into the opening, the spring is locked in the opening. Without directly applying external force to the spring, it can effectively resist the dragging force and vibration along the insertion and removal direction, and prevent the male and female terminals from being accidentally separated.

[0030] In this invention, the spring can be made of a flexible metal material. By applying pressure to it pointing towards the central axis of the male end connecting tube, it can be disengaged from the opening, thereby achieving non-destructive unlocking and separation, allowing the terminal to be repeatedly inserted and removed.

[0031] Furthermore, in this invention, the head of the first plug-in portion and the spring piece have a set distance, which can ensure that in a vibration environment, when the male and female terminals move relative to each other along the direction of the incoming and outgoing lines, the spring piece can still remain within the effective contact range of the opening, thereby ensuring that there is always sufficient contact area between the two and maintaining the stability of the electrical connection.

[0032] Specifically, the spring piece 111 is formed by cutting and raising it from the side wall of the first insertion part 11. The male end connecting tube 1 and the female end connecting tube 2 are respectively obtained by rolling metal sheets into tubular shapes, and the spring piece 111 is formed on the male end connecting tube 1, and the opening 211 is formed on the female end connecting tube 2.

[0033] In this invention, both the male and female connecting pipes are made of copper as the base material, and their surfaces are silver-plated to reduce contact resistance and reduce heat generation at the connection.

[0034] Furthermore, an insulating sleeve is fitted around the outside of the female end connecting pipe. The insulating sleeve is made of CPE (chlorinated polyethylene) material. CPE material has the characteristics of being lightweight, hard, having a low coefficient of friction, good water resistance, chemical resistance, good insulation performance, and low cost, so as to provide good electrical insulation performance, chemical corrosion resistance, and reduce overall weight and cost.

[0035] This utility model also provides a fuel cell inspection structure, including a fuel cell and a CVM inspection module. The fuel cell includes a fuel cell unit cell, which is connected to a first inspection line. The CVM inspection module is connected to a second inspection line. The fuel cell inspection structure also includes the terminals of this utility model. One end of the male end of the terminal is inserted into and cooperates with one end of the female end of the terminal, and the other end of each is connected to the first inspection line and the second inspection line, respectively.

[0036] In use, the tail end (crimping area) of the male connector 1 is aligned with the end of the first inspection line connecting the fuel cell unit, and a special crimping tool is used for crimping. This ensures that the copper core of the wire is pressed into the conductor crimping area 31, while the wire insulation is fixed in the insulation crimping area 32. Similarly, the tail end of the female connector 2 is crimped with the end of the second inspection line connecting the CVM inspection module.

[0037] Align the male connector 1 and the female connector 2, which have already been crimped. Smoothly insert the first insertion part 11 of the male connector 1 into the second insertion part 21 of the female connector 2 along the axial direction.

[0038] When the male connector 1 is inserted into place, a clear "click" sound will be heard or a noticeable resistance will be felt. This indicates that the elastic metal spring 111 on the male connector 1 has successfully popped up and locked into the corresponding opening 211 of the female connector 2, and the locking structure is in effect. At this time, the wire harness can be gently pulled outward to confirm that the male and female terminals are reliably locked and cannot be easily separated.

[0039] When maintenance or replacement is required, there is no need to cut the wire. Simply press (using a tool such as a small screwdriver tip) the raised elastic metal tab 111 on the male connector 1 to disengage it from the opening 211 of the female connector 2 and retract it inward. While maintaining pressure, gently pull the male connector 1 or the female connector 2 outward to separate them. The unlocking process will not damage the terminals themselves, allowing for repeated insertion and removal and reuse.

Claims

1. A terminal for connecting a fuel cell monocell to a CVM inspection module, wherein the fuel cell monocell is connected to a first inspection line, and the CVM inspection module is connected to a second inspection line, characterized in that, The terminal includes a pair of connecting tubes, which are divided into a male connecting tube and a female connecting tube. One end of the male connecting tube is inserted into one end of the female connecting tube, and the other end of each is used to connect to the first inspection line and the second inspection line, respectively. The male connecting tube has a first insertion part at the end that is inserted into the female connecting tube, and the female connecting tube has a second insertion part at the end that is inserted into the male connecting tube. The outer diameter of the first insertion part matches the inner diameter of the second insertion part, so that the first insertion part is inserted into the second insertion part. The first insertion part is provided with a spring clip, and the second insertion part is provided with an opening for the spring clip to be engaged.

2. The terminal for connecting a fuel cell monocell and the CVM inspection module according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring clip is formed by cutting and raising it from the side wall of the first insertion part.

3. The terminal for connecting a fuel cell monocell and the CVM inspection module according to claim 2, characterized in that, The male end connecting tube is obtained by rolling metal sheets into tubular shapes, and the spring is formed on the male end connecting tube, while the opening is formed on the female end connecting tube.

4. An inspection structure, comprising a fuel cell and a CVM inspection module, wherein the fuel cell comprises a fuel cell module, the fuel cell module is connected to a first inspection line, and the CVM inspection module is connected to a second inspection line, characterized in that, The fuel cell inspection structure further includes any one of the terminals described in claims 1 to 3, wherein one end of the male end connecting tube of the terminal is inserted into and engaged with one end of the female end connecting tube, and the other end of each is connected to the first inspection line and the second inspection line respectively.

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