Electrical contact device and method for operating an electrical contact device

Abstract

The present invention provides an electrical contact device, comprising at least one electrical contact (KT) which can be fitted to or in a housing (G) of an electrical apparatus; a contact holder (H) and / or a cover for the at least one electrical contact (KT), wherein the at least one electrical contact (KT) can be retracted into and extended out of the housing (G) by means of the contact holder (H) and / or the at least one electrical contact (KT) can be covered by means of the cover; and an actuator device (DK, AE, DM) by means of which the contact holder (H) and / or the cover can be actuated.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] title

[0003] Electrical contact device and method for operating an electrical contact device

[0004] The present invention relates to an electrical contact device and a method for operating an electrical contact device.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] Point-like electrical contacts on devices or enclosures are typically rigidly mounted on an associated housing and can be brought into physical contact with other contact areas for conductive contact. However, these electrical contacts also protrude from the housing when not in use.

[0007] EP 3350900 describes a device for position-tolerant, conductive power supply of devices, using several square metal surfaces on the primary side, which are contacted by two point contacts per device on the secondary side. In this case, the two point contacts can be arranged at a distance greater than the diagonal of the square metal surfaces, so that the point contacts can always be in contact with two different square metal surfaces.

[0008] Disclosure of the invention The present invention provides an electrical contact device according to claim 1 and a method for operating an electrical contact device according to claim 9.

[0009] Preferred further training is the subject of the subclaims.

[0010] Advantages of the invention

[0011] The idea underlying the present invention is to provide an electrical contact device and a method for operating an electrical contact device, wherein the electrical contact can be better protected against environmental influences.

[0012] According to the invention, the electrical contact device comprises at least one electrical contact which can be attached to or in a housing of an electrical device; a contact holder and / or a cover for the at least one electrical contact, wherein the at least one electrical contact can be moved in and out of the housing by means of the contact holder and / or the at least one electrical contact can be covered by means of the cover; and an actuator device by means of which the contact holder and / or the cover can be actuated.

[0013] The electrical contact can also consist of multiple contacts, for example, elongated, pin-shaped, or other forms. The contacts can be retracted and extended into a sleeve or recess inside the housing. The contact holder can have a rod or lever, for example, rotatably and spring-loaded inside the housing or mounted and supported on the housing. The actuator device can be mechanical and / or electrical.

[0014] By making the contact coverable and / or mobile, improved protection can be achieved compared to the prior art, whereby previous point contacts can usually be designed as fixed contacts and can be exposed to the environment without a cover. In particular, the wear and tear of protruding contacts can be reduced during the conductive transmission of electrical energy. Since contacts can usually be designed as solid contacts made of a conductive material, usually metal, despite careful material selection for the (individual) contacts and / or contact surfaces, the occurrence of scratches on contacts or other contact points, signs of wear or discoloration in surfaces that are moved over the contacts can be difficult to prevent in everyday and normal use. As a result, in normal contact applications, not only the contact surfaces but also other surfaces can develop scratches.These disadvantages can be reduced or overcome by the handling / design and concealment according to the invention.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the invention, the protection of the contacts can be improved, so that compared to contacts that are always exposed, contamination can be reduced or avoided, especially in adverse environmental conditions of the contacts, and dust and dirt can be reduced and energy transfer can be improved with improved contact.

[0016] The inventive design is particularly suitable for use in outdoor areas or workshops (generally areas with a higher degree of soiling). Furthermore, contact with moisture can be reduced and corrosion of the contacts can be reduced or prevented.

[0017] According to the electrical contact device according to the invention, one or more contacts can be better protected from dirt, liquids, or other objects and surfaces when they are not needed. When the contact(s) are then needed for energy transfer, the contact can be released, and energy transfer can begin.

[0018] An approach can advantageously be implemented in which the contacts can be extended and retracted. Alternatively or additionally, the contact cover can be designed to be movable, thus protecting the contacts. According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical contact device, the contact holder is mechanically connected to the at least one electrical contact and is movable relative to the housing.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical contact device, the contact holder is movable by the actuator device and thereby the at least one electrical contact can be extended and / or retracted from the housing.

[0020] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical contact device, the actuator device comprises a push button which is mechanically connected to the contact holder and which is arranged on a side or on a bottom side of the housing.

[0021] By arranging the push button on the side or underside, when the housing is placed on a wall or floor, the push button can be moved at least partially into the interior of the housing, for example against a spring force, and then actuate the contact holder mechanically or electrically, whereby the electrical contact can be extended (and / or the cover can be opened).

[0022] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical contact device, the push button is arranged on the underside of the housing and can be actuated by a dead weight of the housing and thus the at least one electrical contact can be extended to the side or to the underside of the housing via the contact holder.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical contact device, it comprises at least one permanent magnet or electromagnet connected to the contact holder, and wherein the permanent magnet or electromagnet is movable by an external magnetic field together with the contact holder and the at least one electrical contact, thereby extending or retracting the at least one electrical contact. The effect of the dead weight or leaning against a wall can be replaced or supported by the force of the external magnetic field, thus actuating the contact holder to activate the contact.

[0024] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical contact device, the contact holder is spring-mounted and can thereby be transferred into a retracted starting position of the at least one electrical contact.

[0025] The spring-loaded mounting can generate a force on the contact holder, which can return the contact holder and thus the contact to its original position when the cause or force that triggered the extension is reduced or disappears. In the original retracted position, the contact can be fully or partially located within the housing or under the cover.

[0026] According to a preferred embodiment of the electrical contact device, it comprises a sensor with which a positioning of the housing and / or of the at least one electrical contact above or on an external contact surface can be detected.

[0027] Advantageously, an electrical actuator device can be operated with data from a sensor. The sensor can be arranged on the housing or externally thereto and can comprise a motion or location sensor. Furthermore or alternatively, the actuator device for controlled extension / retraction or covering can be based on a different logic. The electrical contact device can be particularly advantageous in the field of automation (autonomous driving / charging) due to the location knowledge of the charging location for a vehicle or device (the housing can be a vehicle or device) and the device's own location knowledge (e.g. in the case of a robot lawnmower, robot vacuum cleaner, driverless transport system). This device or vehicle can then position itself over a contact surface in the floor or on a wall and the actuator device can be controlled to release the contact or extend it.When the device is moving or en route to the charging station, the contact can be retracted and protected. When the device is at the charging station, the actuator device extends or releases the contact, enabling contact for electrical energy transmission.

[0028] According to the invention, the method for operating an electrical contact device for an electrical apparatus comprises providing an electrical contact device according to the invention; determining a need to release the at least one electrical contact and actuating the contact holder and extending the at least one electrical contact from the housing or actuating the cover and releasing the at least one electrical contact; and / or determining a need to conceal the at least one electrical contact and actuating the contact holder and retracting the at least one electrical contact into the housing and / or actuating the cover and covering the at least one electrical contact.

[0029] The electrical contact device can also be characterized by the features and advantages mentioned in connection with the method and vice versa.

[0030] Further features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0031] Short description of the drawings

[0032] The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the schematic figures of the drawing.

[0033] They show:

[0034] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an electrical contact device according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an electrical contact device according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of method steps of the method for operating an electrical contact device for an electrical device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] In the figures, the same reference symbols denote the same or functionally identical elements.

[0037] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an electrical contact device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] The electrical contact device can be arranged in a housing G, wherein the housing G can correspond to a device or vehicle or can be a part thereof.

[0039] The electrical contact device comprises at least one electrical contact KT, which can be attached to or in the housing G of an electrical device; a contact holder H for the at least one electrical contact KT, wherein the at least one electrical contact KT can be moved in and out of the housing G by means of the contact holder H; and an actuator device DK, in particular as a push button DK and longitudinal rod by means of which the contact holder H can be actuated.

[0040] When the housing is placed on the floor, the weight Fg of the housing G can move the block-shaped push button DK in the direction V into the interior of the housing G. The longitudinal rod LS can be mounted so that it can rotate at a holding point FP, for example with a spring. Furthermore, the push button DK and the contact KT can be arranged so that they can rotate on the longitudinal rod LS and transfer the vertical movement of the push button DK in the opposite direction to the contact KT. When the housing G is lifted off the floor, spring tension can then rotate the longitudinal rod LS back to its original position in which the contact KT can be retracted. This type of contact can be made if there is an opening for the contact above a contact surface KF in the floor U.

[0041] In this way, the actuator device can have a special mechanism that can actuate the contact with the help of a spring and a push button.

[0042] For this purpose, the push button DK can be located in the support area of ​​the housing G, for example, when a laptop is placed in its base, a cordless screwdriver (in the battery base), or a food processor (in the base). When the device is then placed down, the push button is actuated by the device's own weight. This extends the contacts of the mechanism connected to the push button.

[0043] This special mechanism is particularly well-suited for heavier devices, as the device itself can exert sufficient (gravitational) force on the mechanism and contacts while still remaining stable. The spring-loaded mounting of the contacts is advantageous in exerting optimal contact pressure on the contacts.

[0044] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of an electrical contact device according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Fig. 2 shows an alternative actuation solution, since here the push button of Fig. 1 is essentially replaced by a magnetic effect of a magnetic field external to the housing G, for example one or more external permanent magnets DM, on one or more internal permanent magnets MM (which can each also be replaced by electromagnets), which can then move towards the external magnets when an attractive force Fm is generated and can thus extend the contact holder H together with the one or more electrical contacts KT and, in the case of a repulsive magnetic force, can retract them back into the housing. On the other hand, when at least one of the magnetic fields is switched off or absent, a spring tension on the contact holder H can actuate it back into a retracted starting position.The contact holder H can move the contacts in a direction V along the magnetic force Fm, for example laterally (horizontally) or vertically towards a substrate U with a contact surface KF, which can then be contacted by the extended contact(s) KT.

[0046] The external permanent magnets or electromagnets, which can be mounted near the contact surfaces, can exert a magnetic force on the extendable contacts, causing them to extend from their guides and providing contact between the flat and extendable contacts. Furthermore, the magnetic force Fm can help to improve the contact force of the contacts.

[0047] Fig. 3 shows a block diagram of method steps of the method for operating an electrical contact device for an electrical device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] According to the method of Fig. 3, an electrical contact device according to the invention is provided S1; a need to release the at least one electrical contact is determined S2 and the contact holder is actuated S2a and the at least one electrical contact is extended from the housing and / or the cover is actuated S2b and the at least one electrical contact is released; and / or a need to conceal the at least one electrical contact is determined S3 and the contact holder is actuated S3a and the at least one electrical contact is retracted into the housing and / or the cover is actuated S3b and the at least one electrical contact is covered.

[0049] Although the present invention has been fully described above using the preferred embodiment, it is not limited thereto but can be modified in many ways.

Claims

Claims Electrical contact device, comprising: at least one electrical contact (KT) which can be attached to or in a housing (G) of an electrical device; a contact holder (H) and / or a cover for the at least one electrical contact (KT), wherein the at least one electrical contact (KT) can be moved in and out of the housing (G) by means of the contact holder (H) and / or the at least one electrical contact (KT) can be covered by means of the cover; and an actuator device (DK, DM) by means of which the contact holder (H) and / or the cover can be actuated. Electrical contact device according to claim 1, wherein the contact holder (H) is mechanically connected to the at least one electrical contact (KT) and which is movable relative to the housing (G).Electrical contact device according to claim 2, in which the contact holder (H) is movable by the actuator device and as a result the at least one electrical contact can be extended and / or retracted from the housing. Electrical contact device according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the actuator device comprises a push button (DK) which is mechanically connected to the contact holder (H) and which is arranged on a side or on an underside of the housing (G). Electrical contact device according to claim 4, in which the push button (DK) is arranged on the underside of the housing (G) and can be actuated by a dead weight of the housing (G) and as a result the at least one electrical contact (KT) can be extended to the side or the underside of the housing (G) via the contact holder (H).Electrical contact device according to one of claims 1 to 4, which comprises at least one permanent magnet or electromagnet (MM) which is connected to the contact holder (H) and wherein the permanent magnet or electromagnet (MM) is moved by an external magnetic field (DM) together with the contact holder (H) and the. at least one electrical contact (KT) is movable and thereby the at least one electrical contact (KT) is extendable or retractable. Electrical contact device according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the contact holder (H) is spring-mounted and can thereby be transferred into a retracted starting position of the at least one electrical contact (KT). Electrical contact device according to one of claims 1 to 7, which comprises a sensor with which a positioning of the housing (G) and / or of the at least one electrical contact (KT) above or on an external contact surface (KF) can be detected. Method for operating an electrical contact device for an electrical device, comprising the steps: Providing (S1) an electrical contact device according to one of claims 1 to 8; Determining (S2) a need to release the at least one electrical contact (KT) and actuating (S2a) the contact holder (H) and extending the at least one electrical contact (KT) from the housing (G) and / or actuating (S2b) the cover and releasing the at least one electrical contact (KT); and / or Determining (S3) a need for concealing the at least one electrical contact (KT) and actuating (S3a) the contact holder (H) and retracting the at least one electrical contact (KT) into the housing (G) and / or actuating (S3b) the cover and covering the at least one electrical contact (KT).

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