External power adapter, external power socket, external power connection system and vehicle

Abstract

External power connection adapter (6) for a vehicle (1), with a bolt (9) having two opposing end sections, comprising: - at one end section at least one electrical connection contact (10) for connecting an external power source, - at the other end section at least one electrical connection contact (11) electrically connected to the at least one electrical connection contact (10) for electrically conductive connection with at least one electrical connection contact (14) of an external power connection socket (7), and - between the two end sections a threaded section with an external thread (13) for screwing into a vehicle-side threaded socket (3) for a towing eye (4), characterized in that one end section has two electrical connection contacts (10) for connecting an external power source and the other end section has two electrical connection contacts (11),wherein one electrical connecting contact (11) is electrically conductively connected to one electrical connection contact (10) and the other electrical connecting contact (11) is electrically conductively connected to the other electrical connection contact (10).

Description

The invention relates to an external power connection adapter for a vehicle, an external power connection socket for a vehicle, an external power connection system for a vehicle and a vehicle. As described in DE 10 2014 200 722 B4, a towing eye for attachment to the chassis of a motor vehicle is known from the prior art. The towing eye comprises a connecting bolt having a mounting section at one end and a mounting eye at the other end, wherein the connecting bolt and the mounting eye are made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The connecting bolt, the mounting eye, and the mounting section are formed in one piece. A recess is formed at the transition from the mounting eye to the connecting bolt, the axis of which is oriented transversely to the axis of the mounting eye. German patent application DE 10 2022 119 542 B4 describes a fastening device for a motor vehicle and a motor vehicle with a fastening device. The fastening device comprises a bushing-like base body having an outer surface and an inner surface that defines a recess. The outer surface is designed to be bonded to a support of the motor vehicle. The recess and the inner surface are designed to accommodate and support, in a first application of the fastening device, a towing eye of the motor vehicle, and in a second application, an adapter element of a load carrier of the motor vehicle. The inner surface has an internal thread which, in the first application, is designed to engage with an external thread of the towing eye.The inner surface of the casing has contact surfaces on both sides of the internal thread, which are designed to support sections of the adapter element in the second application. Specifically, a first contact surface is located in front of the internal thread when viewed in the insertion direction of the towing eye and the adapter element into the recess, and a second contact surface is located behind the internal thread when viewed in the insertion direction of the towing eye and the adapter element. The first contact surface has a larger inner diameter than the second contact surface. DE 10 2004 033 809 A1 discloses a receiving device for a vehicle, comprising at least one support element which can be mounted in a protruding manner in the rear of the vehicle to receive a load, wherein the support element is detachably received in a towing eye receptacle of the vehicle via a connecting area. DE 10 2018 008 569 A1 describes an arrangement of a fastening element to which a metallic towing eye can be attached, on an energy absorption element for a motor vehicle, in which the energy absorption element, to which the fastening element is at least indirectly attached, has a deformation zone. DE 10 2019 006 415 B3 discloses a method for the external electrical power supply of unlocking-relevant devices of a vehicle. It is intended to supply only unlocking-relevant devices of the vehicle with electrical energy via an external electrical energy storage source. German patent DE 10 2023 004 529 A1 describes a system for unlocking peripheral components of a vehicle. The system comprises a housing and is activated by connecting an external power source to an EDR (Emergency Door Release) unit. A frame is slidably mounted within the housing and moves between an extended and a retracted position. A connection plate is detachably attached to the frame and has electrical connections for connection to the external power source. The invention is based on the objective of providing an improved external power connection adapter for a vehicle compared to the prior art, an improved external power connection socket for a vehicle compared to the prior art, an improved external power connection system for a vehicle compared to the prior art and a vehicle improved compared to the prior art. The problem is solved according to the invention by an external power connection adapter for a vehicle with the features of claim 1, an external power connection socket for a vehicle with the features of claim 3, an external power connection system for a vehicle with the features of claim 6 and a vehicle with the features of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. An external power connection adapter according to the invention for a vehicle has a bolt with two opposing end sections, at one end section having at least one electrical connection contact for connecting an external power source, at the other end section having at least one electrical connection contact electrically connected to the at least one electrical connection contact for electrically conductive connection with at least one electrical connection contact of an external power connection socket, and between the two end sections a threaded section with an external thread for screwing into a vehicle-side threaded socket for a towing eye. The threaded section is advantageously spaced apart from the two end sections or at least from one of the two end sections. At the end section with the at least one electrical connection contact, the at least one electrical connection contact is arranged or formed, for example, on an outer circumference and / or on a front end of the end section. According to the invention, at least two electrical connection contacts for connecting the external power source are provided at one end section, and at least two electrical connection contacts for electrically conductive connection with electrical connection contacts of the external power connection socket are provided at the other end section, wherein one of the electrical connection contacts and one of the electrical connection contacts are electrically conductively connected to each other. For example, on the end section with the electrical connection contacts, the respective electrical connection contact is arranged or formed on the outer circumference and / or on the end face of the end section, for example one electrical connection contact on the outer circumference and the other electrical connection contact on the end face. The at least one or each electrical connection contact for connecting the external electrical power source is designed, for example, as a contact surface, in particular for a current clamp or a respective current clamp of the external electrical power source. The at least one or each electrical connection contact of the external power supply adapter is designed, for example, as a contact spring. An external power connection socket according to the invention for a vehicle has at least one electrical connection contact for electrically conductive connection with the at least one electrical connection contact of the external power connection adapter and at least one electrical coupling electrically connected to the at least one electrical connection contact for electrically conductive connection to an electrical vehicle electrical system. The external power connection socket advantageously has a receiving recess for receiving an end section with the at least one electrical connection contact of the external power connection adapter. The at least one electrical connection contact is, for example, arranged or formed on an inner circumference and / or on a base of the receiving recess. According to the invention, the external power connection socket has at least two electrical connection contacts for electrically conductive connection with the electrical connection contacts of the external power connection adapter. For example, the respective electrical connection contact is arranged or formed on the inner circumference and / or on the bottom of the receiving recess, for example one electrical connection contact on the inner circumference and the other electrical connection contact on the bottom. The at least one or each electrical connection contact of the external current connection socket is designed, for example, as a contact spring. An external power connection system according to the invention for a vehicle comprises the external power connection adapter and the external power connection socket. Advantageously, the outer diameter or circumferential shape of the end section with the at least one electrical connection contact of the external power supply adapter corresponds to an inner diameter or circumferential shape of the receiving recess of the external power supply socket or is smaller than the inner diameter or circumferential shape of the receiving recess of the external power supply socket. According to the invention, the at least one or respective electrical connection contact of the external power connection adapter and the at least one or respective electrical connection contact of the external power connection socket are arranged and designed correspondingly to each other. A vehicle according to the invention has a threaded socket for a towing eye and an external power connection socket. The external power connection socket, particularly with its receiving recess, is arranged behind the threaded socket in the screw-in direction of the threaded socket, i.e., in the screw-in direction of the external power connection adapter into the threaded socket, and particularly behind the threaded socket in the axial direction of the threaded socket. The at least one electrical coupling of the external power connection socket is electrically conductively connected to the vehicle's electrical system. The threaded bushing is, for example, formed or arranged in a cross member of the vehicle, such as a front or rear cross member of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the vehicle has the external power connection adapter. The threaded bushing has, in particular, an internal thread corresponding to the external thread of the external power supply adapter. It is specifically provided that the threaded bushing and the external current connection bushing are arranged one behind the other and that the external current connection adapter is designed in such a way that the at least one or each electrical connection contact of the external current connection adapter and the at least one or each electrical connection contact of the external current connection bushing can be electrically connected to each other by screwing the external current connection adapter into the threaded bushing. In one embodiment, the external current connection adapter is screwed into the threaded socket and the at least one or respective electrical connection contact of the external current connection adapter and the at least one or respective electrical connection contact of the external current connection socket are electrically conductively connected to each other. In one embodiment, the vehicle has a towing eye. The towing eye has, in particular, an external thread corresponding to the internal thread of the threaded bushing, especially on a bolt section. The towing eye advantageously has a hook at one end to which, for example, a tow rope or a tow bar can be attached. It is specifically provided that the towing eye is designed in such a way that an opposite end of the towing eye, in particular of the bolt section, is spaced away from the external current connection socket after the towing eye is screwed into the threaded bushing, in particular after the towing eye has been completely screwed into the threaded bushing, i.e. in particular up to an end stop. In one embodiment, the towing eye is screwed into the threaded bushing, in particular completely screwed in, in particular up to the end stop, and the other end of the towing eye opposite the mounting eye, in particular the bolt section, is spaced away from the external current connection bushing. The described solution enables an external electrical power supply for the vehicle, i.e., an electrical power supply for the vehicle by an external electrical power source, for example in an emergency, especially if the vehicle itself has no or insufficient electrical power to perform basic vehicle functions. The described solution enables, for example, the opening of an electrically operated hood (especially an electrically operated one) and / or a trunk lid (especially an electrically operated one) of a front trunk (also known as a frunk) and / or another door and / or hatch of the vehicle, particularly to provide access to the vehicle's battery and / or an external charging point. Alternatively or additionally, the described solution enables, for example, the electrical support of the vehicle's electrical system. In the prior art, for example, a cable is provided behind a cover in a concealed and difficult-to-access area of ​​the vehicle, such as in a wheel arch. The described solution significantly simplifies the vehicle's external power supply in comparison, as the external power connection adapter simply needs to be screwed into the threaded socket for the towing eye in a manner familiar to drivers. This establishes electrical contact with the external power socket and, via this, with the vehicle's electrical system. The external power source can then be easily connected to the external power connection adapter, for example, using current clamps, allowing the vehicle to be supplied with electrical power from this external source. The described solution specifically provides for the extension of an existing towing eye system to include the described power supply function. For this purpose, the external power connection adapter can be screwed into place in place of the towing eye and features the described electrical connection contact and electrical linkage contact, or multiple electrical connection contacts. The electrical connection contact is intended, for example, for connecting a current clamp. The counterpart to the external power connection adapter, i.e., the external power connection socket, is equipped with the electrical connection contact or multiple electrical linkage contacts and is installed behind the threaded socket of the towing eye on the vehicle. The external power connection adapter thus establishes the electrical connection to the vehicle via the external power connection socket. The described solution thus eliminates the external external power supply point known from the prior art and described above, which is located behind a cover in a concealed and difficult-to-access area of ​​the vehicle, for example in a wheel arch of the vehicle, and other associated components, such as the additional flap, cables and fixings. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings. Figure 1 schematically shows a vehicle with a threaded socket for a towing eye in a crossmember and a towing eye screwed into the threaded socket; Figure 2 schematically shows a vehicle with a threaded socket for a towing eye in a crossmember, a towing eye screwed into the threaded socket, and an external power connection socket arranged behind the threaded socket in the screw-in direction; Figure 3 schematically shows the vehicle from Figure 2, wherein, instead of the towing eye, an external power connection adapter is screwed into the threaded socket and electrically connected to the external power connection socket; Figure 4 schematically shows the external power connection adapter electrically connected to the external power connection socket and, next to it, the towing eye; Figure 5 schematically shows a view of the external power connection socket and the external power connection adapter; and Figure 6 schematically shows another view of the external power connection socket and the external power connection adapter. Corresponding parts are marked with the same reference symbols in all figures. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a vehicle 1 which has a threaded bushing 3 for a towing eye 4 in a crossmember 2, for example in a front crossmember 2. In Fig. 1, the towing eye 4 is screwed into this threaded bushing 3, for example after removing a cover flap in a bumper 5 of the vehicle 1. For the sake of clarity, only the crossmember 2 and a section of the bumper 5 with an opening closable by the cover flap are shown in Fig. 1, as well as in Figs. 2 and 3. The towing eye 4 and an external power adapter 6, which will be described in more detail below, can be screwed into the threaded bushing 3 through this opening. With reference to Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 to 6, an exemplary embodiment of the external power connection adapter 6 and an exemplary embodiment of an external power connection socket 7 for the vehicle 1, an exemplary embodiment of an external power connection system 8 for the vehicle 1 comprising the external power connection adapter 6 and the external power connection socket 7, and an exemplary embodiment of the vehicle 1 are described below, wherein the vehicle 1 comprises at least the external power connection socket 7. Advantageously, the vehicle 1 also comprises the external power connection adapter 6 and thus the entire external power connection system 8. The embodiment of the external power connection adapter 6 according to the invention, shown in Figures 3, 4, 5 to 6, comprises a bolt 9 with two opposing end sections. In the illustrated example, one end section has two electrical connection contacts 10 for connecting an external power source, and the other end section has two electrical connection contacts 11. One electrical connection contact 11 is electrically conductively connected to one electrical connection contact 10, and the other electrical connection contact 11 is electrically conductively connected to the other electrical connection contact 10. The electrical connection contacts 10 for connecting the external electrical power source are designed in the illustrated example as contact surfaces for current clamps 12 of the external electrical power source, as shown for example in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. The bolt 9 has a threaded section with an external thread 13 between its two end sections for screwing into the threaded bushing 3. In the illustrated example, the threaded section with the external thread 13 is spaced apart from the two end sections. The embodiment of the external power connection socket 7 shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 to 6 according to the invention has two electrical connection contacts 14, corresponding to the embodiment of the external power connection adapter 6 shown. One electrical connection contact 14 of the external power socket 7 is provided for electrically conductive connection with one electrical connection contact 11 of the external power adapter 6 and vice versa, and the other electrical connection contact 14 of the external power socket 7 is provided for electrically conductive connection with the other electrical connection contact 11 of the external power adapter 6 and vice versa. In the example shown, the external power connection socket 7 also has an electrical coupling 15 electrically connected to its electrical connection contacts 14 for electrically conductive connection to an electrical vehicle electrical system. In addition, the external power connection socket 7 in the illustrated example includes a receiving recess 16 for receiving the end section of the external power connection adapter 6 which has the electrical connection contacts 11. An outer diameter or outer circumferential shape of that end section of the external power connection adapter 6 which has the electrical connection contacts 11 advantageously corresponds to an inner diameter or inner circumferential shape of the receiving recess 16 of the external power connection socket 7 or is smaller than the inner diameter or inner circumferential shape of the receiving recess 16 of the external power connection socket 7. The respective electrical connection contact 11 of the external power connection adapter 6 and the respective electrical connection contact 14 of the external power connection socket 7 are arranged and designed in a corresponding manner to each other, as shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5. In the illustrated example, on the external power connection adapter 6, one electrical connection contact 11 is arranged or formed on an outer circumference and the other electrical connection contact 11 on an end face of the end section with the electrical connection contacts 11. Correspondingly, on the external power connection socket 7, one electrical connection contact 14 is arranged on an inner circumference of the receiving recess 16 and is designed as a contact spring, and the other electrical connection contact 14 is arranged on a base of the receiving recess 16 and is designed as a contact spring or as a pair of contact springs. The external power connection socket 7 thus has, in the illustrated example, a radially acting contact spring and an axially acting contact spring or an axially acting pair of contact springs. The exemplary embodiment of vehicle 1 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 has, as already mentioned above, the threaded bushing 3 for the towing eye 4 in the cross member 2, in particular in the front cross member 2. Furthermore, vehicle 1 has the external power connection socket 7. The external power connection socket 7, in particular with its receiving recess 16, is arranged behind the threaded socket 3 in the screwing direction of the threaded socket 3, i.e. in the screwing direction of the towing eye 4 or the external power connection adapter 6 into the threaded socket 3, in particular in the axial direction of the threaded socket 3 behind the threaded socket 3. The electrical coupling 15 of the external power supply socket 7 is electrically connected to the vehicle's electrical system 1. This is not shown for clarity. Advantageously, vehicle 1 also has the external power connection adapter 6. The threaded bushing 3 has an internal thread 17 corresponding to the external thread 13 of the external power connection adapter 6. The threaded bushing 3 and the external current connection socket 7 are arranged one behind the other and the external current connection adapter 6 is designed such that the respective electrical connection contact 11 of the external current connection adapter 6 and the respective electrical connection contact 14 of the external current connection socket 7 can be electrically connected to each other by screwing the external current connection adapter 6 into the threaded bushing 3. In Fig. 3, the external power adapter 6 is screwed into the threaded socket 3, and the respective electrical connection contact 11 of the external power adapter 6 and the respective electrical connection contact 14 of the external power socket 7 are electrically connected to each other. In Fig. 4, this state is shown schematically without the cross member 2 and with the external power socket 7 shown transparently. The vehicle 1 advantageously also has the towing eye 4, as shown schematically in Fig. 2, Fig. 3 to Fig. 4. The towing eye 4 has, in particular, an external thread 18 corresponding to the internal thread 17 of the threaded bushing 3, especially on a bolt section. It also has a mounting eye 19 at one end, to which, for example, a tow rope or a tow bar can be attached. It is specifically provided that the towing eye 4 is designed such that an other end 20 of the towing eye 4, in particular of the bolt section, opposite the mounting eye 19, is spaced away from the external current connection socket 7 after the towing eye 4 has been screwed into the threaded bushing 3, in particular after the towing eye 4 has been completely screwed into the threaded bushing 3, i.e. in particular up to an end stop. In Fig. 2, the towing eye 4 is screwed into the threaded bushing 3, in particular completely screwed in, in particular up to the end stop, and the other end 20 of the towing eye 4, in particular of the bolt section, opposite the mounting eye 19, is spaced away from the external current connection socket 7. This is ensured in particular by the fact that the external thread 18 of the towing eye 4 is formed in an end region of the bolt section which borders the end 20 of the towing eye 4 opposite the mounting eye 19, and by the fact that the external thread 18 of the towing eye 4 is only formed over the bolt section in the direction of the mounting eye 19 to such an extent that the towing eye 4 can only be screwed into the threaded bushing 3 to such an extent that the other end 20 of the towing eye 4, in particular of the bolt section, opposite the mounting eye 19, remains spaced away from the external power connection socket 7. In contrast, on the external power connection adapter 6, the threaded section with the external thread 13 is arranged between the two end sections of the external power connection adapter 6 and spaced apart from both end sections, as already described above. The threaded section with the external thread 13 is thus, in particular, spaced apart from the end section with the electrical connection contacts 11 on the external power connection adapter 6. Fig. 4 shows a comparison of these different designs of the towing eye 4 and the external power connection adapter 6. By screwing the external power connection adapter 6 into the threaded socket 3, the end section with the electrical connection contacts 11 of the external power connection adapter 6 is inserted into the receiving recess 16 of the external power connection socket 7 and the electrical connection contacts 11 of the external power connection adapter 6 are electrically connected to the electrical connection contacts 14 of the external power connection socket 7. The described solution enables an external electrical power supply for the vehicle 1, i.e., an electrical energy supply for the vehicle 1 by an external electrical power source, for example in an emergency, especially if the vehicle 1 itself has no or insufficient electrical energy to perform basic functions of the vehicle 1. The described solution enables, for example, the opening of an electrically operated hood (especially an electrically operated one) and / or a trunk lid (especially an electrically operated one) of a front trunk (also known as a frunk) and / or another door and / or hatch of the vehicle 1, particularly to provide access to an on-board battery and / or an external charging point of the vehicle 1. Alternatively or additionally, the described solution enables, for example, the electrical support of the vehicle's on-board electrical system. The described solution enables the external power supply of vehicle 1 in a particularly simple manner, since the external power connection adapter 6 only needs to be screwed into the threaded socket 3 for the towing eye 4 in a manner common to towing eye 4 and familiar to drivers, thereby making electrical contact with the external power connection socket 7 and via this with the vehicle's electrical system. The external power source can then be easily connected to the external power connection adapter 6, in the illustrated example using current clamps 12, thus supplying vehicle 1 with electrical power from the external power source. Reference symbol list 1 Vehicle 2 Crossmember 3 Threaded bushing 4 Towing eye 5 Bumper 6 External power connection adapter 7 External power connection socket 8 External power connection system 9 Bolt 10 Connection contact 11 Connecting contact external power connection adapter 12 Current clamp 13 External thread external power connection adapter 14 Connecting contact external power connection socket 15 Coupling 16 Recess 17 Internal thread 18 External thread towing eye 19 Mounting eye 20 End of towing eye

Claims

External power connection adapter (6) for a vehicle (1), with a bolt (9) having two opposing end sections, comprising: - at one end section at least one electrical connection contact (10) for connecting an external power source, - at the other end section at least one electrical connection contact (11) electrically connected to the at least one electrical connection contact (10) for electrically conductive connection with at least one electrical connection contact (14) of an external power connection socket (7), and - between the two end sections a threaded section with an external thread (13) for screwing into a vehicle-side threaded socket (3) for a towing eye (4), characterized in that one end section has two electrical connection contacts (10) for connecting an external power source and the other end section has two electrical connection contacts (11),wherein one electrical connecting contact (11) is electrically conductively connected to one electrical connection contact (10) and the other electrical connecting contact (11) is electrically conductively connected to the other electrical connection contact (10). External power connection adapter (6) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one electrical connection contact (11) is arranged or formed on an outer circumference and / or on an end face of the end section. External power connection socket (7) for a vehicle (1), comprising: - at least one electrical connection contact (14) for electrically conductive connection with at least one electrical connection contact (11) of an external power connection adapter (6), and - at least one electrical coupling (15) electrically connected to the at least one electrical connection contact (14) for electrically conductive connection to an electrical vehicle electrical system, characterized in that the external power connection socket (7) has two electrical connection contacts (14) corresponding to the external power connection adapter (6), wherein one electrical connection contact (14) of the external power connection socket (7) is provided for electrically conductive connection with one electrical connection contact (11) of the external power connection adapter (6) and vice versa.and the other electrical connection contact (14) of the external power socket (7) is provided for electrically conductive connection with the other electrical connection contact (11) of the external power adapter (6) and vice versa. External power connection socket (7) according to claim 3, characterized by a receiving recess (16) for receiving an end section with the at least one electrical connection contact (11) of the external power connection adapter (6). External power connection socket (7) according to claim 4, characterized in that the at least one electrical connection contact (14) is arranged or formed on an inner circumference and / or on a base of the receiving recess (16). External power connection system (8) for a vehicle (1), comprising an external power connection adapter (6) according to claim 1 or 2 and an external power connection socket (7) according to one of claims 3 to 5 . External power connection system (8) according to claim 6, characterized in that an outer diameter or outer circumferential shape of the end section with the at least one electrical connection contact (11) of the external power connection adapter (6) corresponds to or is smaller than the inner diameter or inner circumferential shape of the receiving recess (16) of the external power connection socket (7). Vehicle (1) comprising a threaded bushing (3) for a towing eye (4) and an external power connection socket (7) according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the external power connection socket (7) is arranged behind the threaded bushing (3) in the screw-in direction of the threaded bushing (3) and the at least one electrical coupling (15) of the external power connection socket (7) is electrically conductively connected to an electrical vehicle on-board network. Vehicle (1) according to claim 8, comprising an external power connection adapter (6) according to claim 1 or 2. Vehicle (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the threaded bushing (3) has an internal thread (17) corresponding to the external thread (13) of the external power connection adapter (6).

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