Connector for the electrical charging of a motor vehicle battery, suitable for single-phase or three-phase configuration.

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector (1) for the electrical charging of a battery of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle at a charging station comprising a charging socket, characterized in that the connector (1) comprises a push button (4) and a plate (5), the push button (4) being able to slide on said plate (5), the connector (1) being able to have a three-phase configuration in which the push button (4) is positioned at the front of the plate (5) in the first direction (X), the second phase pin (L2) and the third phase pin being able to be fully inserted into said charging socket; and a single-phase configuration in which the push button (4) is positioned at the rear of said plate (5), the second phase pin (L2) and the third phase pin being unable to be fully inserted into said charging socket. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: CONNECTOR FOR ELECTRICALLY CHARGING A MOTOR VEHICLE BATTERY CAPABLE OF PRESENTING A SINGLE-PHASE OR THREE-PHASE CONFIGURATION

[0001] The invention relates to electrical connectors for the electrical charging of electric or hybrid motor vehicles.

[0002] Prior art patent application KR20200140585, which describes an electric vehicle charging device, is known. The charging device comprises a main charger body, a charging gun with a connector for charging an electric vehicle, and a charging cable connecting the charger body and the charging gun. The charging gun has a body including an opening, a connector rotatably mounted inside the body, a plurality of connectors protruding from the connector in different directions, and a drive unit that rotates the connector to align one of the connectors with said opening.The multiple connectors consist of a first connector protruding from one side of the connector body in a direction towards the opening, a second connector protruding from one side of the connector body in a direction intersecting the first, and a third connector protruding from another side of the connector body in a direction opposite to the first. However, a drawback remains. The charging device is bulky, thus reducing its maneuverability. Furthermore, there is an electrical risk if a user attempts to use multiple connectors simultaneously.

[0003] The objective of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to allow the recharging of a motor vehicle with an intensity of 16 A or 32 A by a single connector.

[0004] To achieve this objective, the invention provides a connector for the electrical charging of a battery of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle at a charging station comprising a charging socket, said connector comprising a body and an interface configured to make contact with said charging socket, said interface comprising a first phase pin, a second phase pin, a third phase pin, a neutral pin, an earth pin, a proximity driver and a control driver, notable in that the connector comprises a push button and a plate, the push button being able to move vertically in the third direction such that the push button is able to slide on said plate in a first direction corresponding to the insertion direction of the connector in said charging socket when the push button is pressed upwards, the second phase pin and the third phase pin being mounted on the push button in such a way that the connector is capable of presenting two configurations: - a three-phase configuration in which the push button is positioned at the front of the plate in the first direction, the second phase pin and the third phase pin being able to be fully inserted into said charging socket; - a single-phase configuration in which the push button is positioned at the rear of said plate in the first direction, the second phase pin and the third phase pin being unable to fully insert into said charging socket.

[0005] Thanks to the invention, the user can recharge his vehicle with an electric current of an intensity of 16 A or 32 A with a single connector.

[0006] Advantageously, the ground pin is positioned in the center of said interface, the neutral pin and the first phase pin being positioned on either side of said ground pin so as to form a horizontal axis, the control pilot and the proximity pilot being positioned above said axis, the second phase pin and the third phase pin being positioned below said axis.

[0007] Thus, the push button can easily be placed below the connector body, close to the handle, thereby increasing the maneuverability of said connector.

[0008] Preferably, the push button includes a locking means to hold the second phase pin and the third phase pin in the three-phase configuration or in the single-phase configuration.

[0009] In this way, the risk of unintentional switching from single-phase to three-phase configuration is reduced.

[0010] Advantageously, the connector includes a display device to inform a user that the connector has the three-phase configuration or the single-phase configuration.

[0011] Thus, this reduces the risk of the user making a mistake in the configuration before plugging said connector into the charging socket.

[0012] The invention also relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising an on-board charger, said on-board charger comprising a charging cable, notable in that the charging cable includes an end comprising a connector previously described.

[0013] Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for changing the configuration of a connector described above, notable in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of pushing the push button upwards in the third direction; - a sliding step of the push button in the opposite direction to the first direction from the front of the turntable to the rear of the turntable or a pushing step of the push button in the first direction from the rear of the turntable to the front of the turntable.

[0014] Preferably, the connector includes the display device, the method including a warning step during which the display device warns the user that the connector has the three-phase configuration or the single-phase configuration.

[0015] The invention will be further detailed by describing non-limiting embodiments, and based on the accompanying figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig. 1] schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of a connector for recharging a battery of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle in a three-phase configuration according to an embodiment of the invention; - [Fig.2] schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the connector shown on the [Fig.1] in a single-phase configuration; - [Fig.3] schematically illustrates an interface of the connector shown in [Fig.2] and [Fig.3].

[0016] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a connector 1 for the electrical charging of a battery of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle at an electric charging station. The charging station has a charging socket. Connector 1 has a body 2 and an interface. The interface is configured to make contact with the charging socket when connector 1 is plugged into it. The interface has a first phase pin L1, a second phase pin L2, and a third phase pin L3. The phase pins are used to carry the electrical current from a power source to the vehicle's battery. In addition, the interface has a neutral pin N, a ground pin PE, a proximity driver PP, and a control driver CP. The neutral pin N serves as the return path for the electrical current after it has passed through the battery.The neutral pin (N) reduces the risk of electric shock. The earth pin (PE) is used for grounding, ensuring that any electrical current leakage is directed to earth to protect nearby users. The control driver (CP) sends control signals to connector 1 to enable intelligent power management. Finally, the proximity driver (PP) detects the presence of connector 1 in the charging socket. Connector 1 has a push button (4) and a... Plate 5. The push button 4 is able to move vertically along the third direction Z such that, when the push button 4 is pressed, it slides along plate 5 in a first direction X corresponding to the insertion direction of connector 1 into the charging socket. The second phase pin L2 and the third phase pin L3 are mounted on the push button 4 such that the second phase pin L2 and the third phase pin L3 move along the first direction X to present a three-phase or single-phase configuration. In [Fig. 1], connector 1 is shown in a three-phase configuration. The push button 4 is positioned at the front of plate 5 along the first direction X. Thus, the second phase pin L2 and the third phase pin L3 are able to fully insert into the charging socket.Preferably, as illustrated in [Fig. 3], the PE ground pin is positioned at the center of interface 3. The N neutral pin and the first phase pin L1 are positioned on either side of the PE ground pin to form a horizontal axis A. The CP control driver and the PP proximity driver are positioned above axis A, while the second phase pin L2 and the third phase pin L3 are positioned below axis A. In [Fig. 1], only the second phase pin L2 is shown. However, since the second phase pin L2 and the third phase pin L3 are mounted on the same push button 4, they move simultaneously.When connector 1 is inserted into the charging socket, the first phase pin L1, the second phase pin L2, and the third phase pin L3 are inserted into the charging socket. Connector 1 therefore has a three-phase configuration. In this three-phase configuration, connector 1 can support a maximum current of 16 A.

[0017] In [Fig. 2], connector 1 is shown in the single-phase configuration. The push button 4 is located at the rear of the circuit board 5. The second phase pin L2 and the third phase pin L3 are then partially inserted into the body 2 of connector 1 such that the second phase pin L2 and the third phase pin L3 are unable to be fully inserted into the charging socket. In this way, the first phase pin L1, as well as the neutral pin N, the earth pin PE, the proximity pilot PP, and the control pilot CP, are inserted into the charging socket. In the single-phase configuration, connector 1 can support a maximum current of 32 A.

[0018] To change the configuration of connector 1 from three-phase to single-phase, a push-in step and a slide-out step are implemented. During the push-in step, the push button 4 is pushed upwards in the third direction Z by the user. During the slide-out step, Pushbutton 4 is driven in the opposite direction to the first X direction. Pushbutton 4 therefore slides from the front of plate 5 to the rear of plate 5, thus switching from the three-phase to the single-phase configuration. Conversely, to switch from the single-phase to the three-phase configuration, a user pushes pushbutton 4 in the first X direction, causing pushbutton 4 to slide from the rear of plate 5 to the front of plate 5. The second phase pin L2 and the third phase pin L3 then partially extend from the body 2 of connector 1. Thus, connector 1 is configured for three-phase operation. Optionally, connector 1 includes a locking mechanism to maintain connector 1 in either the single-phase or three-phase configuration.Preferably, connector 1 includes a display device to inform a user whether connector 1 has a three-phase or single-phase configuration. Optionally, when connector 1 has a display device, the method includes a warning step in which the display device warns the user whether connector 1 has a three-phase or single-phase configuration. For example, the display device is positioned on the body 2 of connector 1, in particular on the top of the body 2 of connector 1, so that the display device is visible when the user grasps connector 1. The display device may, in particular, show the maximum current that can be delivered depending on the configuration of connector 1.In another embodiment, the display device shows a diagram representing connector 1 in the single-phase configuration or in the three-phase configuration.

[0019] Furthermore, the invention relates to an electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising an on-board charger. The on-board charger comprises a charging cable having one end. The end comprises the connector 1 described above.

Claims

Demands

1. Connector (1) for the electrical charging of a battery of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle at a charging station having a charging socket, said connector (1) having a body (2) and an interface (3) configured to make contact with said charging socket, said interface (3) having a first phase pin (L1), a second phase pin (L2), a third phase pin (L3), a neutral pin (N), an earth pin (PE), a proximity driver (PP) and a control driver (CP), characterized in that the connector (1) has a push button (4) and a plate (5),the push button (4) being able to move vertically in the third direction (Z) such that the push button (4) is able to slide on said plate (5) in a first direction (X) corresponding to the insertion direction of the connector (1) in said charging socket when the push button (4) is pressed upwards, the second phase pin (L2) and the third phase pin (L3) being mounted on the push button (4) in such a way that the connector (1) is able to have two configurations: - a three-phase configuration in which the push button (4) is positioned at the front of the plate (5) in the first direction (X), the second phase pin (L2) and the third phase pin (L3) being able to be fully inserted into said charging socket; - a single-phase configuration in which the push button (4) is positioned at the rear of said plate (5) in the first direction (X),the second phase pin (L2) and the third phase pin (L3) being unable to fully insert into said charging socket.

2. Connector (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the ground pin (PE) is positioned at the center of said interface (3), the neutral pin (N) and the first phase pin (L1) being positioned on either side of said ground pin (PE) so as to form a horizontal axis (A), the control pilot (CP) and the proximity pilot (PP) being positioned above said axis (A), the second phase pin (L2) and third phase pin (L3) being positioned below said axis (A).

3. Connector (1) according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the push button (4) has a locking means for holding the second phase pin (L2) and the third phase pin (L3) in the three-phase configuration or in the single-phase configuration.

4. Connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterized in that the connector (1) includes a display device to inform a user that the connector (1) has the three-phase configuration or the single-phase configuration.

5. Electric or hybrid motor vehicle comprising an on-board charger, said on-board charger comprising a charging cable, characterized in that the charging cable comprises an end comprising a connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A method for changing the configuration of a connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: - a step of pushing the push button (4) upwards in the third direction (Z); - a step of sliding the push button (4) in a direction opposite to the first direction (X) from the front of the plate (5) to the rear of the plate (5) or a step of pushing the push button (4) in the first direction (X) from the rear of the plate (5) to the front of the plate (5).

7. A method according to claim 6 characterized in that the connector (1) comprises the display device, the method comprising a warning step during which the display device warns the user that the connector (1) has the three-phase configuration or the single-phase configuration.

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