Charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a charging connector (1) for electric and hybrid vehicles (18), having a housing (7), DC charging contacts (2) arranged in the housing (7) for contacting corresponding DC charging contacts (3) of a corresponding DC charging connector and AC charging contacts (5) arranged in the housing (7) for contacting corresponding AC charging contacts of a corresponding AC charging connector and a heat conducting element (8), wherein the heat-conducting element (8) connects at least one direct-current charging contact (2) to at least one alternating-current charging contact (5), so that the heat-conducting element (8) enables heat to be dissipated from the direct-current charging contact (3) in contact with the heat-conducting element (8) to the alternating-current charging contact (5) in contact with the heat-conducting element. In this way, heat dissipation is improved for a charging connector (1) that is not equipped with a cooling system from a charging station (20).

Description

[0001] Charging connectors for electric and hybrid vehicles

[0002] The invention relates to a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles, comprising a housing, direct current charging contacts arranged in the housing for contacting corresponding direct current charging contacts of a corresponding direct current charging connector, and alternating current charging contacts arranged in the housing for contacting corresponding alternating current charging contacts of a corresponding alternating current charging connector.

[0003] Electric and hybrid vehicles have a rechargeable energy storage device, usually a high-voltage battery, which supplies energy to an electric drive motor during operation. The storage capacity of these high-voltage batteries is limited, so they must be recharged regularly at a charging station. The battery is charged via a charging cable provided between the charging station and the vehicle. The charging cable, for example, in accordance with the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2, is equipped with a charging plug on one side that can be plugged into a charging socket provided on the charging station, and with a charging coupling on the other side that can be connected to a charging plug installed in the electric or hybrid vehicle. In the present case, charging sockets, charging plugs, charging couplings and charging plugs are subsumed under the term "charging connector".Charging sockets and charging couplings have contact sleeves as charging contacts and charging plugs as well as charging plugs that can be installed in electric and hybrid vehicles have contact pins as charging contacts that can be inserted into the contact sleeves.

[0004] As explained, for example, in EP 3 043 421 A1, a charging current flowing through the charging connector causes it to heat up due to ohmic current heat losses. However, the heating of the charging connector is limited to a limit temperature increase. For example, according to the IEC 62196-3 standard, the limit temperature increase is limited to 50 K. This in turn leads to a maximum charging current for largely standardized connector geometries that generally cannot exceed 200 A in continuous load operation. However, with intermittent charging of the battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle, higher charging currents are necessary over limited periods of time in order to charge the battery in the desired short time. This leads to temporary heating of the charging connectors which exceeds the limit temperature increase.The cable cross-section of the electrical connection bodies cannot be increased arbitrarily, since the connector geometries are standardized and, in addition, the smallest possible amount of conductive material, usually copper, should be used for the electrical connection bodies.

[0005] In this respect, according to EP 3 043 421 A1, the object is to be achieved by providing an electrical connection body which enables increased charging currents with limited heating and therefore has an increased short-time current carrying capacity. This object is to be achieved by an electrical connection body for a charging plug or a charging socket, wherein the electrical connection body has a first connection area for the galvanic connection to an electrical energy receiver and a second connection area for the galvanic connection to an electrical energy source, wherein the electrical connection body is designed such that it has a cooling fluid channel formed in the electrical connection body, wherein the cooling fluid channel of the electrical connection body is fluidly connected to a cooling fluid source which is arranged in a charging station.

[0006] Cooling of a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles, which starts from the side of the charging station, is also well known from the prior art. DE 10 2015 119 338 A1 describes two connection points for coolant lines being arranged on a contact sleeve element of a charging plug. By means of a spiral-shaped plug-in element, coolant is guided in a circle around the contact sleeve element. The two connection points serve as inlet and outlet for the coolant, which is guided from the charging station to the charging connector. EP 3 433 902 B1 likewise describes a connector part with cooled contact elements. Here, too, the supply of coolant via coolant lines to the contact elements of the charging socket connected to the charging cable is provided on the charging station side.A fluid is provided as the coolant, which is directed perpendicular to the contact element into the hollowed-out contact element and flows back within the contact element. Finally, 10 2016 105 361 B4 also describes a connector part with a cooled contact element, whereby here, too, the charging station side provides for the supply of a coolant via coolant lines to the contact elements of a charging socket connected to the charging cable. Guide elements are arranged on the contact elements to ensure that the coolant, in the form of compressed air, flows around the contact elements.

[0007] Based on this, the object of the present invention is to achieve improved heat dissipation in a charging connector which is not itself equipped with a cooling system on the part of a charging station.

[0008] This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

[0009] According to the invention, a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles is thus provided, comprising a housing, direct current charging contacts arranged in the housing for contacting corresponding direct current charging contacts of a corresponding direct current charging connector and alternating current charging contacts arranged in the housing for contacting corresponding alternating current charging contacts of a corresponding alternating current charging connector, as well as a heat-conducting element, wherein the heat-conducting element connects at least one direct current charging contact to at least one alternating current charging contact, so that by means of the heat-conducting element, heat can be dissipated from the direct current charging contact contacted by the heat-conducting element to the alternating current charging contact contacted by the heat-conducting element.

[0010] In the present case, a heat-conducting element is understood to be an element which results in the thermal conductivity between the direct current charging contact, to which the heat-conducting element is connected, and the alternating current contact, to which the heat-conducting element is also connected, in the charging plug connector according to the invention being better than without the heat-conducting element. The installation of the heat-conducting element therefore improves the possibility of dissipating heat generated at or in the direct current charging contact to the alternating current charging contact. The heat absorbed at the alternating current charging contacts can then be transferred on the vehicle side, for example into the electrical lines of the alternating current contacts, which absorb the waste heat and release it into the environment through the enlarged surface of the lines all the way to the vehicle’s battery in the bodywork.

[0011] If in the present case reference is made to a corresponding direct current charging plug connector or a corresponding alternating current charging plug connector, then on the one hand this means a charging plug connector which has the same plug face as the charging plug connector according to the invention, whereby one plug face has contact pins when the other plug face has contact sleeves, and vice versa. The set comprising the charging plug connector according to the invention and the corresponding charging plug connector can therefore be plugged together. On the other hand, in the present case reference is also made to a corresponding charging plug connector if the plug faces in the aforementioned sense only partially correspond, i.e. the corresponding charging plug connector e.g.does not have all the contacts that are present in the charging plug connector according to the invention, but the existing contacts of the corresponding charging plug connector correspond to the charging plug connector according to the invention in terms of the plug face, so that the charging plug connector according to the invention and the corresponding DC charging plug connector or AC charging plug connector can also be plugged together in this case.

[0012] One such case is a charging connector connected to a charging cable for direct current charging in accordance with the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2. Such a charging connector can be plugged into a charging plug installed in the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle and suitable for both alternating current and direct current charging. The alternating current plug face of the direct current charging connector only contains the communication contacts and the protective contact, but no contacts for the neutral or outer conductors.

[0013] In this case, contacts such as these are referred to as DC charging contacts and are intended exclusively for charging with direct current. In contrast, there are AC charging contacts. This refers to the outer conductors and the neutral conductor (center conductor), which are also intended for charging with alternating current. An outer conductor (also colloquially referred to as a phase) is a conductor that is live during normal operation and can contribute to the transmission or distribution of electrical energy, but is not a neutral conductor. A neutral conductor is a conductor that is electrically connected to the neutral point and is able to contribute to the distribution of electrical energy. In the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2, the contacts, which are referred to here as AC charging contacts, are designated LI, L2 and L3 (outer conductors) and N (neutral conductor), and the DC charging contacts are designated DC+ and DC-.This understanding should not be contradicted by the fact that the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2 also provides for an operating mode according to which direct current charging takes place via the contacts LI, L2, L3 and N.

[0014] This means that heat generated in or on the AC charging contact can not only pass through the air and via the housing from the DC charging contact to the AC contact, but also via the heat-conducting element, which thus practically acts like a bypass. What is essential to the invention is that, when the plug according to the invention is plugged into a corresponding DC charging connector, the heat generated in or on such a DC charging contact of the charging connector according to the invention, which is connected via the heat-conducting element to an AC charging contact of the charging connector according to the invention, can be effectively transferred to the corresponding charging connector not only via the contact between the DC charging contact of the charging connector according to the invention and the DC charging contact of the corresponding plug.Rather, an effective heat transfer from the charging connector according to the invention to the corresponding charging connector is also possible by means of the alternating current charging contact connected to the heat-conducting element, which projects into the plug-in area of ​​the corresponding charging connector when the two charging connectors are plugged in.

[0015] According to a preferred development of the invention, it is provided that the heat-conducting element has a thermal conductivity which is above 0.3 W / (m K), preferably above 1 W / (m K).

[0016] When reference is made below to a plug-in area of ​​the charging plug connector according to the invention, this means an area in which the charging plug connector, when plugged into the corresponding charging plug connector, overlaps with the corresponding charging plug connector in the plug-in direction and the charging contacts of the two plug-in connectors are in galvanically conductive contact with one another. Such a plug-in area of ​​a charging plug connector is generally also defined and geometrically limited in that the charging plug connector has a device which ensures that the two charging plug connectors, in the plugged-in state, overlap with one another over a certain maximum length, corresponding to the fully plugged-in state of one charging plug connector into the other charging plug connector.In this case, the connection area of ​​the charging connector is the area of ​​the charging connector in which the charging contacts are galvanically connected to electrical lines leading away from the charging connector.

[0017] In principle, the heat-conducting element can also be arranged in a different area of ​​the charging connector. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the heat-conducting element is arranged in the connection area of ​​the charging connector. Arranged in this way, the heat-conducting element is protected from external physical influences.

[0018] It is possible for the housing to be formed in different ways. However, according to a preferred development of the invention, the housing consists of a first housing part and a second housing part, which are joined together in a form-fitting manner perpendicular to the AC contacts and the DC charging contacts, so that an interior space is formed that is sealed off from the environment, and the first housing part comprises a plug-in area and the second housing part comprises a connection area.

[0019] The DC charging contacts and the AC charging contacts are thus guided through the first housing part and through the second housing part. The two housing parts can be welded with a circumferential laser seam. If the charging connector is a built-in charging plug for installation on the vehicle body of an electric or hybrid vehicle, the second housing part with the connection area serves as a carrier component for mounting the DC and AC contacts. The second housing part corresponds to the vehicle-side interface to the battery of the electric or hybrid vehicle. The first housing part with the plug-in area forms the interface from the built-in charging plug to a charging coupling arranged on a charging cable.

[0020] In principle, a different number of heat-conducting elements can be arranged in the charging connector. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a further heat-conducting element is arranged in the plug-in area, which thermally connects at least one direct current charging contact to at least one alternating current charging contact.

[0021] If both the plug-in area and the connection area of ​​the charging connector are each equipped with at least one heat-conducting element, heat dissipation can be increased many times over, which means that the charging connector can be used for particularly high charging currents.

[0022] While it is fundamentally possible for one or more heat-conducting elements to fill or fill only a portion of the free space within the charging connector, a preferred development of the invention provides, however, for the heat-conducting element or elements to completely fill or fill the otherwise free space within the housing. This generally results in a maximum increase in heat dissipation. A sealing function can also be achieved particularly well. Of course, the area for plugging in the corresponding plug must remain available.

[0023] In principle, the heat-conducting element can be formed in the housing in different ways. However, according to a preferred development of the invention, it is provided that the heat-conducting element is formed at least partially by introducing a potting compound into the housing. According to a preferred development of the invention, it is provided that the potting compound is introduced into the housing in such a way that it also acts to seal the housing from its surroundings. In this context, it is also preferable that the heat-conducting element completely fills the otherwise free space within the housing.

[0024] According to a preferred development of the invention, the charging connector is provided with two DC charging contacts and four AC charging contacts, wherein two heat-conducting elements are provided, one heat-conducting element thermally connecting one DC charging contact with two AC charging contacts and the other heat-conducting element thermally connecting the other DC charging contact with the other two AC charging contacts. For advantageous heat dissipation, the two DC charging contacts are each thermally conductively connected to two AC charging contacts. According to another preferred development of the invention, the charging connector is provided with two DC charging contacts and four AC charging contacts, wherein the heat-conducting element thermally connecting both DC charging contacts with all four AC charging contacts.

[0025] In principle, different materials can be used for the heat-conducting element. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the material of the heat-conducting element is a heat-conducting plastic, in particular a silicone. Heat-conducting plastic has the advantageous property of being electrically insulating. The selection of the material for the heat-conducting element depends on the expected heat to be dissipated. Silicones exhibit good thermal conductivity and electrical insulation.

[0026] According to a preferred development of the invention, the first housing part has a first cutout and the second housing part has a second cutout arranged on a side opposite the first cutout, so that the housing as a whole has at least one continuous channel through which the interior of the housing is fluidically connected to the environment. Heat can be dissipated to the environment outside the housing through the channel. In addition, fluid cooling can be supplied to the charging connector. In addition to the dissipation of heat via the DC and AC charging contacts, this provides a further option for dissipating heat. Further cutouts can be used to form further channels of this type.According to a preferred development of the invention, a heat pipe is arranged in the channel, which has a connection region with which it can be thermally connected to a device in the vicinity of the charging connector. The heat pipe can be made of the same material as the heat-conducting element. In the case of a charging connector installed on the vehicle, the heat pipe can be thermally connected to the body, so that the heat from the charging process can be absorbed by the vehicle.

[0027] The invention also relates to the use of a charging connector according to one of the preceding claims on the vehicle body of an electric or hybrid vehicle. The charging connector is preferably designed according to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2.

[0028] The invention further relates to a system comprising a charging plug connector and a charging plug connector corresponding thereto, wherein the charging plug connector is provided for attachment to the vehicle body of an electric or hybrid vehicle and comprises two direct current charging contacts and four alternating current charging contacts, the corresponding charging plug connector is provided for attachment to a charging cable and comprises two direct current charging contacts and at least one thermal contact, the four direct current charging contacts in the plug faces of the charging plug connector or.of the corresponding charging connector are arranged in such a way that the direct current charging contacts of the charging connector come into contact with the corresponding direct current charging contacts of the corresponding charging connector when the charging connector is plugged into the corresponding charging connector, and the thermal contact in the plug face of the corresponding charging connector is arranged in such a way that when the charging connector is plugged into the corresponding charging connector, in which the direct current charging contacts come into contact with one another, an alternating current contact of the charging connector also comes into contact with the thermal contact.

[0029] Conventional DC charging connectors, such as a DC charging coupler according to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2, have a protective contact and communication contacts, as well as only DC charging contacts, but no AC contacts. This is different with a combo charging connector according to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2, which is installed on the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle. This connector can be plugged into either an AC charging coupler or a DC charging coupler.In order to be able to use the AC charging contacts of a charging connector installed in the vehicle body of a hybrid or electric vehicle particularly efficiently, in order to transfer the heat generated in or at the DC charging contacts of the charging connector installed in the vehicle body of the hybrid or electric vehicle during DC charging to the corresponding charging connector plugged into it, the corresponding charging connector should have at least one thermal contact arranged at a location that corresponds to an AC charging contact of the vehicle-side charging connector. Preferably, a corresponding thermal contact is arranged in the corresponding charging connector for each AC charging contact of the charging connector.The thermal contacts are preferably geometrically designed in the same way as "real" AC charging contacts would otherwise be, i.e., in the case of a charging coupling, as contact sleeves into which the contact pins of the vehicle's charging plug can be inserted. However, the thermal contacts are not intended to conduct current. Rather, they are intended only to absorb heat.

[0030] According to a preferred development of the invention, it is provided that the corresponding charging connector is provided with a cooling element that can be acted upon by a cooling fluid and the thermal contact is connected to the cooling element in such a way that it can be cooled by means of the cooling element.

[0031] In principle, the cooling fluid source can act on the thermal contact of the corresponding plug on the vehicle side. However, according to a preferred development of the invention, a system comprising a charging connector is provided, further comprising a charging station and a charging cable connected to the charging station and carrying the corresponding charging connector, wherein the charging station has a cooling fluid source and the charging cable is provided with cooling fluid lines in order to transport the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source to the cooling element of the corresponding charging connector and back again. The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings using preferred exemplary embodiments.

[0032] The drawings show

[0033] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a charging connector according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

[0034] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a charging connector corresponding to the charging connector of Fig. 1,

[0035] Fig. 3a schematically shows the charging connector from Fig. 1 in a side view,

[0036] Fig. 3b shows a section of the charging connector from Fig. 3a along the line AA showing a heating element,

[0037] Fig. 3c shows a section of the charging connector from Fig. 3a along the line AA showing two separate heating elements,

[0038] Fig. 4a schematically shows the charging connector from Fig. 1 in a side view,

[0039] Fig. 4b a section of the charging connector from

[0040] Fig. 5a along the line BB and Fig. 5 schematically shows a system with a charging connector, a corresponding charging connector, a charging cable, a charging station and a cooling system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0041] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a charging connector 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. This is a charging plug for installation in the vehicle body 17 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 18, as shown schematically in Fig. 5. The present charging connector 1 is essentially and in terms of its plug face a charging plug according to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2. In addition to AC charging contacts 5 for AC charging, a protective contact 15 and communication contacts 16, the charging connector 1 has two DC charging contacts 2 for DC charging.

[0042] The charging connector 1 is composed of a first housing part 10 and a second housing part 11. Both housing parts together form the housing 7 of the charging connector 1. The first housing part 10 is connected to the second housing part 11 by laser welding. The first housing part 10 corresponds to the housing part that faces outward when installed in a vehicle body 17 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 18 and is intended to receive a corresponding charging connector 4.

[0043] Such a corresponding charging connector 4 is shown in a perspective view in Fig. 2. This is a charging coupling for direct current charging which essentially complies with the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2 in terms of its plug-in face, but which goes beyond the standard and is supplemented with additional contacts, as explained in detail below. For direct current charging, two corresponding direct current charging contacts 3 are provided in a corresponding DC charging connector / charging connector 4, which interact with the direct current charging contacts 2 of the charging connector 1 during charging. In addition, the corresponding charging connector has two communication contacts 16 and a protective contact 15.Specifically, the DC charging contacts 2 of the charging connector 1 are designed as contact pins and the corresponding DC charging contacts 3 of the corresponding charging connector 4 are designed as contact sleeves into which the contact pins can be inserted.

[0044] In addition, the corresponding charging connector 4—in addition to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2—has four thermal contacts 6 that interact with the AC charging contacts 5 of the charging connector 1 during charging. For this purpose, the AC charging contacts 5 of the charging connector 1 are designed as contact pins, and the thermal contacts 6 of the corresponding charging connector 4 are designed as contact sleeves into which the contact pins can be inserted. The thermal contacts 6 provided are intended to dissipate the heat generated during a charging process.

[0045] As can be seen in particular from Fig. 3a, the charging connector 1 has a plug-in area 12 in the first housing part 10 and a connection area 9 in the second housing part 11. The plug-in area 12 is defined as an area in which the charging connector 1, when plugged into the corresponding charging connector 4, overlaps with the corresponding charging connector 4 in the plug-in direction and the DC charging contacts 2, 3 of the two connectors 1, 4 are in galvanically conductive contact with one another. The AC contacts 5 of the charging connector are in thermally conductive contact with the thermal contacts 6 of the corresponding charging connector 4. The connection area 9 is defined as an area in which the charging contacts 2 of the charging connector are galvanically conductively connected to electrical lines 23 which lead from the charging connector 1 to a battery (not shown in more detail).

[0046] Fig. 3b shows a section through the charging plug connector 1 from Fig. 3a, taken along line AA. What is important in the preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention described here is that a heat-conducting element 8 made of silicone is provided, which is formed in the interior 25 of the housing 7 of the charging plug connector 1. The heat-conducting element 8 is arranged in the connection region 9 of the charging plug connector 1 and surrounds the direct current charging contacts 2 and the alternating current charging contacts 5. As a result, the direct current charging contacts 2 are thermally conductively connected to the alternating current charging contacts 5 of the charging plug connector 1. Fig. 3b shows that the heat-conducting element 8 extends flatly perpendicular to the direct current charging contacts 2 and the alternating current charging contacts 5.The heat conducting element 8 extends in a butterfly-like manner almost completely over the width of the second housing part 11, which is particularly advantageous for a high heat flow from the direct current charging contacts 2 to the alternating current charging contacts 5.

[0047] The heat that is generated at the DC charging contacts 2 during direct current charging depends on the contact resistance. The contact resistance is the electrical resistance of an electrical contact surface. If, for example, the surface of a corresponding DC charging contact 3 or of a DC charging contact 2 is oxidized, the contact resistance increases and with it the temperature at the DC charging contact 2, 3 in the plugged-in state during charging. This can mean that one DC charging contact 2, 3 has a higher temperature than the other when charging. By thermally connecting the two DC charging contacts 2, asymmetrically distributed heat can be compensated for. The heat-conducting element 8 made of silicone is electrically insulating, which makes it possible to thermally connect the DC charging contacts 2 and the AC charging contacts 5 directly without an intermediate gap for electrical insulation.In this context, however, it should be noted that the shape of the heat-conducting element shown in Fig. 3b is indeed very favorable for heat dissipation from the direct current charging contacts 2. However, other shapes for the heat-conducting elements 8 are possible, namely, for example, as shown in Fig. 3c, two heating elements 8 can be seen which are arranged perpendicular to the direct current charging contacts 2 and the alternating current charging contacts 5 in mirror symmetry around the protective contact 15 and which each thermally connect one direct current charging contact 2 to two alternating current charging contacts 5.

[0048] 4a, 4b show a further possibility in which the heating element 8 completely fills the interior 13 of the housing 7 of the charging connector 1. In Fig. 4b, the charging connector 1 is shown along line BB in Fig. 4a. In addition, channels can be provided in the housing 7 of the charging connector 1 along the circumferential laser seam that separates the first housing part 10 from the second housing part 11, with which channels the body 17 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 18 can be thermally connected. As a result, the heat generated during the charging process can be dissipated via the body 17.

[0049] If the corresponding charging connector 4 is brought together with the charging connector 1 so that the corresponding direct current charging contacts 3 interact with the direct current charging contacts 2 of the charging connector 1 and the thermal contacts 6 interact with the alternating current charging contacts 5 of the charging connector 1 during charging, the heat generated during charging is dissipated by the heat conducting element 8 from the direct current charging contacts 2 to the alternating current charging contacts 5 and via the thermal contacts 6 connected to the alternating current charging contacts 5.

[0050] It has already been mentioned above that the charging connector 1 is used in the present case in the form of a built-in plug on the vehicle body 17 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 18. In this context, reference may be made to Fig. 5, which schematically shows a system according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention, which system comprises a charging connector 1 installed in a vehicle body 17 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 18, a charging connector 4 corresponding to it, a charging station 20, and a charging cable 21 connected to the charging station 20 and carrying the corresponding charging connector 4.

[0051] What is essential in this preferred embodiment of the invention is that the corresponding charging connector 4 is provided with a cooling element 19, which can be supplied with a cooling fluid, for cooling the thermal contacts 6. In order to achieve cooling of the thermal contacts 6 via the cooling elements 19, the charging station 20 is provided with a cooling fluid source 23, and the charging cable 21 has cooling fluid lines 22 for transporting the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source 23 to the cooling element 19 of the corresponding charging connector 4 and back again.

[0052] Because the charging connector 1 installed in the vehicle body 17 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 18 is now provided with the heat-conducting element 8, the thermal coupling between the direct current charging contacts 2 and the alternating current charging contacts 5 is established, with which heat can be dissipated along the alternating current charging contacts 5 and the thermal contacts 6 placed in the corresponding charging connector 4.In addition, the thermal coupling between the charging plug connector 1 installed in the vehicle body 17 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 18 and the corresponding charging plug connector 4 attached to the charging cable 21 is significantly improved when the two charging plug connectors 1, 4 are plugged in, so that the active cooling in the corresponding charging plug connector 4 with the cooling fluid originating from the cooling fluid source can also be used indirectly for cooling the charging plug connector 1 installed in the vehicle body 17 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 18.

[0053] Reference symbol list

[0054] 1 charging connector

[0055] 2 DC contact

[0056] 3 corresponding DC contact

[0057] 4 corresponding charging connectors

[0058] 5 AC charging contact

[0059] 6 thermal contact

[0060] 7 housings

[0061] 8 Heat conducting element

[0062] 9 Connection area

[0063] 10 first housing part

[0064] 11 second housing part

[0065] 12 plug-in area

[0066] 13 Interior

[0067] 14 Cooling fluid source

[0068] 15 Protective contact

[0069] 16 Communication contact

[0070] 17 Vehicle body

[0071] 18 Electric or hybrid vehicle

[0072] 19 Cooling element

[0073] 20 charging stations

[0074] 21 charging cables

[0075] 22 cooling fluid lines

[0076] 23 electrical cable

Claims

Patent claims 1. Charging plug connector (1) for electric and hybrid vehicles (18), with a housing (7), direct current charging contacts (2) arranged in the housing (7) for contacting corresponding direct current charging contacts (3) of a corresponding direct current charging plug connector and alternating current charging contacts (5) arranged in the housing (7) for contacting corresponding alternating current charging contacts of a corresponding alternating current charging plug connector as well as a heat conducting element (8), wherein the heat conducting element (8) connects at least one direct current charging contact (2) to at least one alternating current charging contact (5), so that by means of the heat conducting element (8) heat can be dissipated from the direct current charging contact (3) contacted by the heat conducting element (8) to the alternating current charging contact (5) contacted by the heat conducting element.

2. Charging connector (1) according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting element (8) has a thermal conductivity which is above 0.3 W / (m K), preferably above 1 W / (m K).

3. Charging connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (7) has a first housing part (10) and a second housing part (11), which are joined together in a form-fitting manner perpendicular to the AC charging contacts (5) and the DC charging contacts (2), so that an interior space (13) closed off from the environment is formed, and the first housing part (10) a plug-in area (12) for plugging into the corresponding charging plug connector (4) and the second housing part (11) comprises a connection area (9) for connecting electrical lines (23) leading away from the charging plug connector (1).

4. Charging connector (1) according to claim 3, wherein the heat-conducting element (8) is arranged in the connection region (9) of the charging connector (1).

5. Charging connector (1) according to claim 4, wherein a further heat-conducting element (8) is arranged in the plug-in area (12), which thermally conductively connects at least one direct current charging contact (2) to at least one alternating current charging contact (5).

6. Charging connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the otherwise free interior space (13) of the housing (7) is completely filled by one or more heat-conducting elements (8).

7. Charging connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat-conducting element (8) is formed at least partially, preferably completely, by introducing a potting compound into the housing (7).

8. Charging connector (1) according to claim 7, wherein the potting compound is introduced into the housing (7) in such a way that it acts to seal the housing (7) from its surroundings.

9. Charging connector (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 with two direct current charging contacts (2) and four alternating current charging contacts (5), wherein two heat conducting elements (8) are provided and one heat conducting element (8) thermally connects one direct current charging contact (2) to two alternating current charging contacts (5) and the other heat conducting element (8) thermally connects the other direct current charging contact (2) to the two other alternating current charging contacts (5).

10. Charging connector (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5 with two direct current charging contacts (2) and four alternating current charging contacts (5), wherein the heat conducting element (8) thermally conductively connects both direct current charging contacts (2) to all four alternating current charging contacts (5).

11. Charging connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the material of the heat-conducting element (8) is a heat-conducting plastic, preferably a silicone.

12. Use of a charging connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims on the vehicle body (17) of an electric or hybrid vehicle (18).

13. System comprising a charging connector (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11 and a charging connector (14) corresponding thereto, wherein the charging connector (1) is designed for attachment to the vehicle body (17) of an electric or hybrid vehicle. tool (18) and comprises two direct current charging contacts (2) and four alternating current charging contacts (5), the corresponding charging plug connector (4) is provided for attachment to a charging cable (21) and comprises two direct current charging contacts and at least one thermal contact (6), the four direct current charging contacts (2, 3) in the plug faces of the charging plug connector (1) or.of the corresponding charging plug connector (4) are arranged in such a way that direct current charging contacts (2) of the charging plug connector (1) come into contact with the corresponding direct current charging contacts (3) of the corresponding charging plug connector (4) when the charging plug connector (1) is plugged into the corresponding charging plug connector (4), and the thermal contact (6) in the plug face of the corresponding charging plug connector (4) is arranged in such a way that when the charging plug connector (1) is plugged into the corresponding charging plug connector (4), in which the direct current charging contacts (2, 3) come into contact with one another, an alternating current contact (5) of the charging plug connector (1) also comes into contact with the thermal contact (6).

14. System comprising a charging connector (1) according to claim 13, wherein the corresponding charging connector (4) is provided with a cooling element (19) which can be supplied with a cooling fluid and the thermal contact (6) is connected to the cooling element (19) in such a way that it can be cooled by means of the cooling element (19).

15. System comprising a charging connector (1) according to claim 14, further comprising a charging station (20) and a charging cable (21) connected to the charging station (20) and carrying the corresponding charging connector (4), wherein the charging station has a cooling fluid source (14) and the charging cable (21) is provided with cooling fluid lines (22) in order to transport the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source (14) to the cooling element (19) of the corresponding charging connector (4) and back again.

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