Electrical connector and electrical connector and robot unit for automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle

Abstract

Electrical connector for automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle, comprising an arrangement of electrical contact elements (14) for establishing an electrical plug connection (30) with a complementary plug connector (18), and a spindle drive (22) which is designed to engage with an internal thread (24) of the complementary connector (18) and to automatically plug the two electrical connectors (10, 18) together by rotating the spindle drive (22), characterized by that the spindle drive (22) comprises an external thread (32), - whose radius increases continuously from front to back, at least in one section (34); and / or - which is conical or truncated cone-shaped at least in a front section (34).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical connector for the automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to an electrical connector and a robot unit for the automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle.

[0002] In particular, the electrical connector is a charging plug for connection to a charging socket of the electrically powered motor vehicle.

[0003] Electrically powered motor vehicles, especially pure electric vehicles or electric vehicles with a hybrid drive, require regular charging of the batteries used to power the vehicle at public or private charging stations. For this purpose, a charging plug, connected to an external electrical power source, for example, via a charging cable, is inserted into a charging socket provided on the electric vehicle, which is connected to a drive battery or accumulator of the electric vehicle. Until now, vehicle users, especially in private areas, have been required to manually insert the charging plug into the vehicle's charging socket.

[0004] Known robot systems are primarily based on industry standards for robot technology. They are therefore complex and expensive.

[0005] The high complexity of existing robotic systems is due to the fact that they monitor the plugging process using optical methods and perform the plugging process with correspondingly complex actuator systems that can move the charging plug in all six spatial coordinates with very high precision and, at the same time, high force. This makes the existing systems heavy and expensive.

[0006] Charging plugs for plugging into a charging socket of a motor vehicle are described, for example, in the following publications: For example, document CN 1 13 394 612 A shows a charging device, a charging plug, and a charging connection structure for an electric vehicle. The charging plug is automatically inserted into the charging socket or charging inlet. An internal and external thread are provided on the charging plug and charging inlet. The plug is equipped with an auxiliary power supply and a drive motor that rotates the connecting part to effect the insertion process.

[0007] The publication DE 20 2021 106 942 U1 describes a socket for charging an electrically powered motor vehicle. A coupling device for motorized retraction of a plug in the axial direction into the receiving opening and for retraction from the receiving opening is arranged in the area of ​​the socket. The coupling device comprises a retraction and extension wheel with a threaded portion that can be engaged with a complementary engagement portion on the plug, forming a helical gear with the latter.

[0008] DE 20 2019 003 766 U1 describes a connector that can be placed near the mating connector on the electric vehicle by a robot arm. A drive device comprises a motor and a rotatably mounted drive spindle with a spindle thread, which is mounted in a spindle nut and engages with the spindle thread.

[0009] DE 10 2016 011 036 A1 describes an electrical charging device for an electrical energy storage device of a vehicle, comprising a charging socket and a charging plug. The charging socket comprises a socket housing, at least one protective contact pin, and at least one electrical contact with a receiving area for receiving a corresponding electrical contact of a charging plug. The protective contact pin is connected to a drive motor, by means of which the protective contact pin can be rotated relative to the socket housing. The protective contact pin is provided with a thread that can be brought into operative engagement with a corresponding mating thread of a protective sleeve of the charging plug. The receiving area of ​​the at least one electrical contact is conically widened.

[0010] DE 10 2010 041 315 A1 describes a charging device for an electric vehicle with a plurality of electrical contacts for charging the battery of an electric vehicle and at least one locking device for releasably locking a mechanical connection to another charging device. The locking device has a snap-in connection means, preferably a flexible element with a latching means, and a locking means for locking the snap-in connection means.

[0011] Robot arms for positioning a charging plug on an electric vehicle are known, for example, from the following publications: CN 1 08 973 724 A describes a robot arm connected to an automated docking module to perform an automated charging process of an electric vehicle.

[0012] KR 10 2022 0 051 455 A describes a charging device for an electric vehicle with a ceiling movement unit that is installed on a ceiling side of a parking space and moves the charging device into a charging position.

[0013] CN 1 09 291 818 A describes a charging device for an electric vehicle, comprising a ceiling rail and a cable winding device. The ceiling rail is arranged above a parking space and the cable winding device is arranged on the ceiling rail. One end of a telescopic charging cable is connected to a motor of the cable winding device, and the other end is connected to a charging gun.

[0014] DE 10 2017 119 930 A1 describes a device for charging an electric vehicle. The device comprises stationary power electronics, each of which is designed to provide a charging current for charging an electrical energy storage device of an electric vehicle, a carrier that preferably extends horizontally, and at least one charging point movably supported by the carrier, which is electrically connected to the at least one stationary power electronics, and on which at least one charging cable with a charging plug for providing the charging current is arranged.

[0015] The object of the invention is to automate the connection and disconnection of a charging plug to an electric vehicle in a cost-effective manner so that it is affordable for a wide range of vehicle users.

[0016] According to a first aspect of the invention, an electrical connector for the automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle is provided, comprising an arrangement of electrical contact elements for establishing an electrical plug connection with a complementary electrical connector, and a spindle drive for engaging with an internal thread of the complementary electrical connector and automatically plugging the two connectors together by rotating the spindle drive, wherein the spindle drive comprises an external thread whose radius increases continuously from front to rear at least in one section and / or which is conical or truncated cone-shaped at least in a front section.

[0017] In particular, the spindle drive has as much play as possible in the area of ​​its first contact with the internal thread when joining the connectors, which becomes increasingly precise as the plugging progresses.

[0018] In particular, the play becomes continuously smaller towards the rear end of the spindle drive.

[0019] In particular, the play is dimensioned in such a way that it allows for an axial offset and an angular offset between the connectors to be mated together when they are brought together, while catching the complementary connector and automatically centering it as it is pulled in further.

[0020] Preferably, the electrical connector is designed as a charging plug, wherein the complementary connector is designed as a charging socket of an electrically powered motor vehicle.

[0021] However, it is also possible for the electrical connector to be designed as a charging socket of an electrically powered motor vehicle, in which case the complementary connector is designed as a charging plug for connection to an external power source.

[0022] According to a second aspect of the invention, an electrical plug connection for the automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle is provided, comprising a charging socket that can be mounted or is mounted on a motor vehicle and a charging plug for connecting the charging socket to an external power source, and a spindle drive on one side of the electrical plug connection and an internal thread on the other side of the electrical plug connection, wherein the spindle drive has the greatest possible play with the internal thread in the region of its first contact with the internal thread when plugging the charging plug into the charging socket, which play becomes increasingly precise as the plugging progresses.

[0023] Preferably, the spindle drive is formed on the charging plug and the internal thread is formed in the charging socket.

[0024] However, it is also possible that the internal thread is formed on the charging plug and the spindle drive is formed on the charging socket.

[0025] According to a third aspect of the invention, a robot unit for the automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle is provided, comprising a robot arm and a charging plug attached or attachable thereto for plugging into a charging socket of an electrically powered motor vehicle, wherein the charging plug is designed according to the first aspect of the invention and / or is designed to produce an electrical plug connection according to the second aspect of the invention.

[0026] In particular, the charging plug attached or attachable to the robot arm serves to establish an electrical plug connection with a charging socket of an electrically powered motor vehicle by means of a spindle drive and a complementary internal thread in order to automatically plug the charging plug into the charging socket by rotating the spindle drive, wherein in the area of ​​the first contact between the spindle drive and the internal thread the greatest possible play is formed during mutual joining, which play becomes increasingly precise with increasing plugging progress.

[0027] Preferably, the robot arm comprises a cable guide unit for guiding a charging cable from top to bottom to the charging plug.

[0028] Preferably, the cable guide unit is designed to roll up the charging cable.

[0029] Advantageously, the robot unit comprises an actuator for pivoting the robot arm about a vertical axis and a carriage attached to the robot arm, which is movable radially to the vertical axis, to which the charging plug can be suspended so that it can be positioned above the charging socket of the motor vehicle.

[0030] Advantageously, the robot unit comprises an additional actuator to align the charging plug towards the charging socket.

[0031] Advantageously, the robot unit comprises a height adjustment device to move the charging plug to the plug-in height of the charging socket of the motor vehicle.

[0032] Advantages, details, and features described in connection with the electrical connector also apply mutually to the other aspects of the invention.

[0033] In the following, exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows an electrical connector designed as a charging plug according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in a partial sectional view, together with a charging socket designed complementarily thereto; Fig. 2a-c an automatic plugging process, which is carried out with the Fig. 1 shown charging plug is inserted into the charging socket; and Fig. 3 a robot unit with a robot arm according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention in a sectional view, on which the Fig. 1 shown charging plug is installed.

[0034] In the figures, identical or corresponding elements are designated by the same reference numerals and will therefore not be described again unless expedient. The disclosures contained in the entire description apply mutatis mutandis to identical parts with the same reference numerals or the same component designations. The positional information chosen in the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., also relates to the directly described or illustrated figure and, if the position changes, is to be applied mutatis mutandis to the new position. The term electrically powered motor vehicle, or motor vehicle or vehicle for short, refers to motor vehicles that comprise an electric drive unit and an electrical energy storage device for driving the vehicle.

[0035] Fig. 1 shows an electrical connector in the form of a charging plug 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, together with a complementary electrical connector in the form of a charging socket 18. When joined together, the two connectors 10, 18 form an electrical plug connection 30.

[0036] The charging plug 10 is used for the automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle or electric vehicle. It comprises a housing 12, on the front of which an arrangement of electrical contact elements 14 is provided, which are designed to establish an electrical connection with corresponding contact elements 16 of the charging socket 18 of the electrically powered motor vehicle.

[0037] The charging plug 10 comprises a spindle drive 22 designed to engage with a mating or internal thread 24 arranged in the charging socket 18 and to automatically pull the charging plug 10 into the charging socket 18 by rotating the spindle drive 22, thereby plugging them together. For illustrative purposes, the spindle drive 22 entering the internal thread 24 in the charging socket 18 is shown in dashed lines.

[0038] The spindle drive 22 is designed in such a way that, in the area of ​​its first contact with the internal thread 24, it has the greatest possible play 25 with respect to the internal thread 24 when the charging plug 10 and the charging socket 18 are brought together, which play increasingly and continuously gains precision with increasing plugging progress.

[0039] This means that the spindle drive 22 has the greatest possible clearance relative to the internal thread 24 of the charging socket 18 in an area 26 located at its front end, which forms the first contact with the internal thread 24 when the charging plug 10 is positioned on the charging socket 18. The clearance 25 becomes increasingly smaller towards its rear end 28, so that the precision of the engagement of the spindle drive 22 in the internal or counter-thread 24 continuously increases with increasing plugging progress.

[0040] The clearance 25 is thus dimensioned such that the rotating spindle drive 22 catches in the internal thread 24 or is captured by it when it enters the internal thread 24 with an axial offset and / or an angular offset. This makes it possible to automatically perform a successful plugging process with both an axial offset and an angular offset of the charging plug 10 relative to the charging socket 18.

[0041] The spindle drive 22 comprises an external thread 32 that continuously increases from front to back, at least in a front section 34. In the front section 34, the external thread 32 is conical or truncated cone-shaped.

[0042] The external thread 32 is arranged on a rod 36 of the spindle drive 22, which is driven by a motor not shown in the figure and forms, for example, a shaft to execute a rotary movement A for retracting the charging plug 10 into the charging socket 18. To disconnect the charging plug 12 from the charging socket 18, the rotary movement occurs in the opposite direction, so that the spindle drive 22 moves out of the counter thread 24 of the charging socket 18 and thereby removes the charging plug 10 from the charging socket 18.

[0043] The rod 36 with the external thread 32 formed thereon extends in the axial direction of the charging plug 10, ie in its plug-in direction.

[0044] The counter or internal thread 24 within the charging socket 18 also extends in the axial direction or in the plug-in direction when the charging plug 10 is plugged in. The internal thread 24 has a constant thread radius to allow the play of the spindle drive 22 in the area 26 of its first contact with the internal thread 24 after its positioning on the charging socket 18 and thereby to effect the retraction of the charging plug 12 into the charging socket 18 even in the case of inaccurate positioning by rotating the spindle drive 22.

[0045] The charging plug 10 is designed, in particular, to be mounted on a robot arm, by which it is positioned at the charging socket 18 of an electric vehicle for performing a plug-in and charging process. This is described further below.

[0046] However, it is also possible to manually position the charging plug 10 on the charging socket 18 and then perform the automatic retraction, so that a vehicle user does not have to exert any force to insert it and, moreover, can also position the charging plug imprecisely on the charging socket 18. This makes the insertion process easier and more convenient for the user.

[0047] The Fig. 2a-c show an automatic plugging process using the spindle drive 22 on the charging plug 10. For reasons of clarity, the remaining part of the charging plug 10 is not shown here.

[0048] Fig. 2a shows the spindle drive 22 in a position or orientation in which it has an axial offset to the internal thread 24 of the charging socket 18. The arrow A illustrates the direction of rotation for the insertion process, i.e., when the spindle drive 22 is guided into the internal thread 24. Due to the relatively large play 25 of the spindle drive 22 in its front area 26, it engages with the mating thread 24 of the charging socket 18 even when axially offset. By rotating in the direction of rotation A, the spindle drive 22 is drawn into the charging socket 18, engaging with the internal thread 24 with increasing precision as it is drawn in, and is thereby increasingly or continuously centered.

[0049] Fig. Figure 2b shows the spindle drive 22 in a position or orientation in which it has both an axial offset and an angular offset relative to the internal thread 24 of the charging socket 18. Here, too, the conical shape of the spindle drive 22, which tapers towards the front, causes it to center by rotating in the direction of rotation A, whereby it is drawn into the counter-thread 24 and thereby centered.

[0050] Finally, Fig. 2c the spindle drive 22 in its end position within the charging socket 18, ie after the charging plug 10 has been fully inserted. Due to the increasing precision with respect to the internal thread 24 towards the rear end 28 of the spindle drive 22, the spindle drive 22 no longer has any axial offset or angular offset in its end position.

[0051] The internal thread 24 can be formed, in particular, by an insert that can be positioned or mounted in the charging socket 18 and is made, in particular, of plastic. As a result, the charging socket 18 can be configured as needed to accommodate the charging plug 10 according to the invention. This provides a particularly cost-effective solution for the electric vehicle.

[0052] The charging plug 10 together with the charging socket 18 forms the electrical plug connection 30 (see above).

[0053] In another embodiment, not shown here, the charging socket is provided with the motor-driven spindle drive, while the counter-thread or internal thread is formed in the charging plug. The remaining features are designed accordingly as in the above description.

[0054] Fig.Figure 3 shows a robot arm 40 according to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, which is designed for the automated charging of an electric vehicle. A charging plug 10 is attached to the robot arm 40 and is designed for automatic insertion into the charging socket 18 of the electric vehicle. In particular, the charging plug 10 is designed as described above and shown in the preceding figures. The robot arm 40, together with the charging plug 10, forms a robot unit 42.

[0055] The robot arm 40 is ceiling-guided, meaning it is attached, for example, to a ceiling 44 or near the ceiling of a parking space for the electric vehicle, such as a garage ceiling. The robot arm 40 includes a rotary actuator in the form of a first motor 46, which pivots the robot arm 40 about a vertical rotation axis V.

[0056] The robot arm 40 further comprises a carriage system 48, which comprises a carriage 52 that is movable in the longitudinal direction L of the robot arm 40 and thus in the radial direction to the vertical rotation axis V and is driven by a motor 54. In this way, the carriage 52 can be positioned above the electric vehicle and exactly above the charging socket 18 of the electric vehicle by pivoting the robot arm 40 and moving the carriage 52 in the radial direction.

[0057] A further actuator in the form of a motor 56 is arranged on the carriage 52 to align the charging plug 10 suspended on the carriage 52 toward the charging socket 18. In doing so, the charging plug 10 is rotated about a vertical axis.

[0058] The robot arm 42 further comprises a cable guide unit 58 with a further motor 62 for moving the charging plug 10 to the appropriate plug-in height h relative to the charging socket 18. The cable guide unit 58 is designed to roll up a charging cable 64 connected to the charging plug 10. This means that the cable guide unit 58 comprises or forms a rollable cable guide. Furthermore, it is designed to prevent the charging plug 10 from rotating about the vertical axis relative to the carriage 52.

[0059] The rollable cable guide or cable guide unit 58 including the charging cable 64, which comprises supply lines for the charging plug 10, forms a motor-driven height adjustment device 66 in order to move the charging plug 10 to the plug-in height h of the charging socket 18 of the electric vehicle.

[0060] The plugging process is performed by an actuator in the charging plug 10, so that the robot arm 42 only has to move the charging plug 10 into the plug-in position. The actuator is formed by the motor-driven spindle drive 22, as described above.

[0061] However, it is also possible to design the charging plug 10 in such a way that it is complementary to a charging socket which comprises the spindle drive 22, as is also described above as an alternative.

[0062] A control unit (not shown in the figure) and a camera system are used to successfully position the charging plug 10 on the charging socket 18. The camera system is preferably attached to the carriage 52. With the aid of appropriate image processing, the respective position of the charging socket 18 and the charging plug 10 is detected, and the motors or actuators 46, 54, 56, 62 are controlled.

[0063] For particularly rapid localization of the charging socket 18, communication between the electric vehicle and the robot arm 42 is particularly useful, so that the relevant search area for locating the position of the charging socket 18 is already limited in advance. It is also possible to use a key ordering system that informs the robot arm 42 of the relative position of the charging plug 10 to the charging socket 18.

[0064] In particular, a communication interface for communication between the electric vehicle and the robot arm 42 is provided, which is designed in accordance with the standard ESO 15 118 / 20. List of reference symbols: 10 charging plugs 12 housings 14 electrical contact elements 16 electrical contact elements 18 Charging socket 22 spindle drive 24 counter or internal threads 26 area located at the front end 28 area at the rear end 30 electrical connectors 32 external thread 34 front section 36 bars 40 robot arm 42 Robot unit 44 ceiling 46 Engine 48 slide system 52 sleds 54 Engine 56 Engine 58 Cable management unit 62 engine 64 charging cables 66 Height adjustment device A rotational movement or direction of rotation h Plug-in height V vertical axis

Claims

[1] Electrical connector for automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle, comprising an arrangement of electrical contact elements (14) for establishing an electrical plug connection (30) with a complementary plug connector (18), and a spindle drive (22) which is designed to engage with an internal thread (24) of the complementary connector (18) and to automatically plug the two electrical connectors (10, 18) together by rotating the spindle drive (22), characterized by , that the spindle drive (22) comprises an external thread (32), - whose radius increases continuously from front to back, at least in one section (34); and / or - which is conical or truncated cone-shaped at least in a front section (34). [2] Electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized bythat the spindle drive (22) in the area of ​​its first contact with the internal thread (24) has as large a play (25) as possible with respect to the latter when joining together, which play gains increasing precision with increasing plugging progress. [3] Electrical connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that it is designed as a charging plug (10), wherein the complementary plug connector (18) is designed as a charging socket of an electrically powered motor vehicle. [4] Electrical plug connection for the automated charging of an electrically driven motor vehicle, comprising a charging socket (18) that can be mounted or is mounted on a motor vehicle and a charging plug (10) for connecting the charging socket (18) to an external power source, and a spindle drive (22) on one side of the electrical plug connection (30) and an internal thread (24) on the other side of the electrical plug connection (30), characterized by , that the spindle drive (22) has, in the area of ​​its first contact with the internal thread (24) when plugging the charging plug (10) into the charging socket (18), the greatest possible play (25) with respect to the internal thread (24), which becomes increasingly precise as the plugging progresses. [5] Robot unit for the automated charging of an electrically powered motor vehicle, comprising a robot arm (40) and a charging plug (10) attached or attachable thereto for plugging into a charging socket (18) of an electrically powered motor vehicle, characterized by that the charging plug (10) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 3 and / or for producing an electrical plug connection (30) according to claim 4. [6] Robot unit according to claim 5, characterized by that the robot arm (40) comprises a cable guide unit (58) for guiding a charging cable (64) from top to bottom to the charging plug (10). [7] Robot unit according to claim 6, characterized by that the cable guide unit (58) is designed to roll up the charging cable (64). [8] Robot unit according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized by an actuator (46) for pivoting the robot arm (40) about a vertical axis (V) and a carriage (52) fastened to the robot arm (40), which is movable radially to the vertical axis (V) and to which the charging plug (10) can be fastened in a hanging manner, so that the carriage (52) can be positioned above the charging socket (18) of the motor vehicle. [9] Robot unit according to claim 8, characterized by a further actuator for aligning the charging plug (10) towards the charging socket (18), and a height adjustment device (66) for moving the charging plug (10) to the plug-in height h of the charging socket (18) of the motor vehicle.

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