Charging connector and charging device

Abstract

The present invention provides a charging connector and a charging device, the charging connector including a control box and a power plug, the control box is electrically connected to a charging gun, the control box is provided with a three-phase terminal, and the power plug is provided with a connection structure, the connection structure allows the power plug to be detachably connected to the control box and the power plug to be electrically connected to the three-phase terminal. The present invention solves the technical problem of poor compatibility of the charging device.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (Related Applications) This application claims priority to a Chinese patent application bearing patent application number 202110453314.7, filed on April 26, 2021, and entitled "Charging Connector and Charging Device."

[0002] The present invention relates to the technical field of electric vehicles, and in particular to a charging connector and a charging device. [Background technology]

[0003] A charging device for an electric vehicle usually includes a charging gun, a control box, and a power plug, the control box and the charging gun are connected via a cable, the control box and the power plug are connected via a cable, the charging device is connected to the electric vehicle via the charging gun, and is connected to a power supply socket via the power plug. When such a charging device is used in different scenarios, the power plug and the power supply socket may not be compatible, making it unusable, which affects the convenience of use. Summary of the Invention

[0004] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENT The present invention aims to provide a charging connector and a charging device to solve the technical problem of poor compatibility of the charging device.

[0005] The above object of the present invention can be achieved by the following technical solutions. The present invention relates to a charging connector, the charging connector including a control box and a power plug, The control box is electrically connected to the charging gun; The control box is provided with a three-phase terminal; The charging connector provides a connection structure for the energizing plug, the connection structure for removably connecting the energizing plug and the control box, and for electrically connecting the energizing plug and the three-phase terminals.

[0006] The present invention provides a charging device, comprising: a charging gun; and the charging connector, wherein the charging gun is electrically connected to the control box.

[0007] The features and advantages of the present invention are as follows:

[0008] The charging gun is electrically connected to the control box of the charging connector provided by the present invention, and is connected to the electric vehicle via the charging gun. Since the energizing plug is connected to the control box and the energizing plug and the control box are detachable, the energizing plug can be easily replaced to fit the power supply socket and can be moved for use, improving the compatibility and convenience of the charging connector.

[0009] In this charging connector, the power plug is connected to the control box, so that the amount of cable between the power plug and the control box can be reduced, which is advantageous in making the structure of the charging connector more compact and reducing the space it occupies.

[0010] The following drawings are intended only to explain and interpret the present invention in a schematic manner, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram of the structure of the charging device provided by the present invention [Figure 2A] Schematic diagram of the structure of the charging connector provided by the present invention [Figure 2B] 2B is a schematic diagram of the charging connector shown in FIG. 2A from a different angle; [Figure 3A] Schematic diagram of the structure of the control box in the charging connector shown in FIG. 2A [Figure 3B] Schematic diagram of the structure of the control box shown in FIG. 3A from another angle [Figure 3C] Schematic diagram of the connection between the sliding groove and metal contact lead in the energized plug and the control box shown in Figure 3A [Figure 4]Schematic diagram of the structure of the energizing plug in the charging connector shown in FIG. 2A [Diagram 5] Partial perspective view of part A in Figure 1 [Figure 6] Schematic diagram of the connection between the sliding body and the sliding groove [Figure 7] Partially enlarged view of area B in FIG. 3C [Figure 8] 2B is a cross-sectional view of a coupling mechanism in the charging connector shown in FIG. [Figure 9] Schematic diagram of the structure of the coupling mechanism shown in Figure 8 [Figure 10] Schematic diagram of the internal structure of the control box shown in Figure 3A [Figure 11] Schematic diagram of the structure of the lower cover of the control box shown in FIG. 3A [Figure 12] Schematic diagram of the structure of the seal ring in the control box shown in FIG. 3A. [Figure 13] Schematic diagram of the rubber cushion structure in the control box shown in FIG. 3A [Figure 14] Schematic diagram of the structure of the circuit board in the control box shown in FIG. 3A. [Figure 15] Schematic diagram of the charging gun structure in the charging device shown in Figure 1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] In order to more clearly understand the features, objects and advantages of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0013] Charging connector The present invention provides a charging connector, and as shown in Figures 1 to 2B and 3B, the charging connector includes a control box 40 and an energized plug 20, the control box 40 is electrically connected to a charging gun 80, a three-phase terminal 41 is provided on the control box 40, and a connection structure is provided on the energized plug 20, and the connection structure removably connects the energized plug 20 and the control box 40, and electrically connects the energized plug 20 and the three-phase terminal 41.

[0014] The charging gun 80 is electrically connected to the control box 40 in the charging connector provided by the present invention, and is connected to the electric vehicle via the charging gun 80. The power plug 20 is connected to the control box 40, and is detachable from the control box 40, so that the power plug 20 can be easily replaced to fit a power supply socket, and can be moved for use, improving the compatibility and convenience of the charging connector.

[0015] In this charging connector, the power plug 20 is connected to the control box 40, which reduces the cable 81 between the power plug 20 and the control box 40, making the structure of the charging connector more compact and advantageously reducing the space occupied.

[0016] Usually, the control box 40 and the power plug 20 are connected to each other, and the control box 40 and the charging gun 80 are connected to each other through cables 81. In the process of use, the control box 40 should be avoided from being suspended, and the control box 40 needs to be placed on a platform, so the position of the control box 40 generally cannot be freely placed, and therefore the extendable range of the charging gun 80 is much smaller than the total length of the cable 81 between the control box 40 and the power plug 20 and the cable 81 between the control box 40 and the charging gun 80, i.e., the extendable range of the charging gun 80 is much smaller than the total length of the cable 81 used for the charging device.

[0017] The charging connector provided by the present invention has the power plug 20 connected to the control box 40, and when in use, the extendable range of the charging gun 80 is close to the length of the cable 81 between the charging gun 80 and the control box 40, i.e., the extendable range of the charging gun 80 is close to the entire length of the cable 81 used in the charging device, which is advantageous for making full use of the cable 81, saving the cable 81, reducing the space occupied by the cable 81, and extending the charging range.

[0018] Connection structure The structure of the connection structure is not limited to one type. For example, the connection structure includes a bolt connected to the energized plug 20, and a bolt hole is provided in the control box 40. The bolt is screwed into the bolt hole to attach the energized plug 20 to the control box 40, and the energized plug 20 can be removed from the control box 40 by removing the bolt.

[0019] The inventors have further improved the connection structure.

[0020] 4 to 6, the connection structure includes a sliding groove 30 provided in the energizing plug 20, and a sliding body 50 is provided in the control box 40. The sliding body 50 is slidably fitted in the sliding groove 30 and is restricted from coming off the sliding groove 30. The sliding body 50 and the sliding groove 30 act as a guide, and the energizing plug 20 can be pushed along the sliding groove 30 during installation, facilitating installation.

[0021] Furthermore, the sliding groove 30 has a first groove portion 31 and a second groove portion 32 communicating with the first groove portion 31, the first groove portion 31 and the second groove portion 32 being arranged in sequence along the groove depth direction 11, the sliding body 50 being inserted into the first groove portion 31 and having an end portion provided within the second groove portion 32, and the movement of the sliding body 50 along the opposite direction of the groove depth direction 11 is restricted by the top wall 321 of the second groove portion. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 , the width of the second groove portion 32 is larger than the width of the first groove portion 31, the top wall 321 of the second groove portion is close to the first groove portion 31, the end of the sliding body 50 can abut against the top wall 321 of the second groove portion, the top wall 321 of the second groove portion prevents the sliding body 50 from moving along the groove depth direction 11 in the opposite direction, and the bottom wall of the second groove portion 32 prevents the sliding body 50 from moving along the groove depth direction 11, thereby restricting the sliding body 50 from leaving the sliding groove 30 along the groove depth direction 11 or the opposite direction to the groove depth direction 11.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 6, the sliding body 50 includes a connecting post 51 and a sliding part 52 connected to an end of the connecting post 51. The connecting post 51 is inserted into the first groove 31, the sliding part 52 is provided in the second groove 32, and the side wall of the sliding part 52 contacts the side wall of the second groove 32, thereby guiding the sliding part 52 and the sliding body 50 to move in the sliding groove 30. Preferably, the sliding part 52 is a rotating body, and the axis of the sliding part 52 is provided along the groove depth direction 11, thereby reducing the contact surface between the side wall of the sliding part 52 and the side wall of the second groove 32, which is advantageous for making the movement of the energizing plug 20 smoother. The diameter of the sliding part 52 is larger than the width of the first groove 31, and the top surface of the sliding part 52 can abut against the top wall 321 of the second groove. More preferably, the connecting column 51 is a cylinder, and the axis of the connecting column 51 overlaps with the axis of the sliding portion 52 , and both are parallel to the groove depth direction 11 .

[0023] The power plug 20 and the control box 40 need to be mechanically connected to each other to fix them together, while the three-phase terminals 41 of the control box 40 need to be electrically connected to the three pins 21 of the power plug 20. For the electrical connection, a general connection method between the pins 21 and the socket can be adopted. However, the inventor has made further improvements.

[0024] One electric terminal 10 of the three-phase terminal 41 is electrically connected to the sliding body 50, a metal contact lead 22 is provided in the second groove portion 32, and the metal contact lead 22 is electrically connected to one electric terminal 10 of the energizing plug 20. Referring to FIG. 3C and FIG. 7, FIG. 3C is a schematic diagram of the connection between the sliding groove 30 and the metal contact lead 22 in the energizing plug 20 and the control box 40 (the main body of the energizing plug 20 is omitted in the figure), and the sliding body 50 is in contact with the metal contact lead 22 for connection. The sliding body 50 slides into the sliding groove 30 and comes into contact with the metal contact lead 22, thereby realizing an electrical connection between one electric terminal 10 of the energizing plug 20 (i.e., one pin 21 of the energizing plug 20) and one electric terminal 10 of the three-phase terminal 41. Specifically, an end of the sliding body 50 is configured as a metal contact.

[0025] Furthermore, the metal contact lead 22 is provided on the bottom wall of the second groove 32, and the metal contact lead 22 is configured to apply an elastic force to the sliding body 50 in the opposite direction to the groove depth direction 11. The sliding body 52 moves along the second groove 32 to a position corresponding to the metal contact lead 22, and the bottom wall of the sliding part 52 generates pressure on the metal contact lead 22 in the groove depth direction 11, and the metal contact lead 22 is tightly connected to the sliding part 52 by the action of its own elastic force, ensuring a reliable connection. In this charging connector, the sliding body 50 plays a role in connecting the control box 40 and the energizing plug 20, and also plays a role in electrically connecting them, which can simplify the structure and ensure a reliable and stable connection, as well as being easy to attach and detach, improving convenience of use.

[0026] 3A and 3B, the control box 40 is provided with a first receiving groove 74 for receiving the energizing plug 20, and during use, the energizing plug 20 is attached to the first receiving groove 74. As shown in FIG. 2A, the energizing plug 20 can be easily attached to an external power supply socket together with the control box 40.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 2B and Fig. 3B, the sliding body 50 is provided on the bottom wall 741 of the first accommodating groove, at least one electric terminal 10 of the three-phase terminal 41 is provided on a side wall 742 of the first accommodating groove, the energizing plug 20 is configured to be movable along the sliding groove 30 until it abuts against the side wall 742 of the first accommodating groove, and the energizing plug 20 is electrically connected to the electric terminal 10 provided on the side wall 742 of the first accommodating groove. During assembly, the energizing plug 20 moves along the sliding groove 30 on the control box 40, and the guide of the sliding groove 30 makes it easier for the energizing plug 20 to move to the side wall 742 of the first accommodating groove, making the movement more stable and smooth, which is advantageous to ensure a smooth coupling between the energizing plug 20 and the electric terminal 10 provided on the side wall 742 of the first accommodating groove, and ensures the stability of the electrical connection.

[0028] Further, the charging connector includes a coupling mechanism 60, which includes a conductive pillar 61 and a conductive tube 62. As shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, the conductive pillar 61 extends into the conductive tube 62 so as to electrically connect the conductive pillar 61 and the conductive tube 62. The conductive pillar 61 and the conductive tube 62 are provided along the sliding direction of the sliding groove 30, and during installation, the energizing plug 20 moves along the sliding groove 30 so that the conductive pillar 61 and the conductive tube 62 are inserted, which makes the operation easy and ensures a reliable connection.

[0029] In one embodiment, the conductive pillar 61 is configured as an electrical terminal 10 provided on the side wall 742 of the first receiving groove, and the conductive tube 62 is provided on the electric plug 20 .

[0030] In another embodiment, the conductive tube 62 is configured as an electrical terminal 10 provided on the side wall 742 of the first receiving groove, and the conductive post 61 is provided on the energizing plug 20 .

[0031] The conductive tube 62 and the conductive pole 61 are inserted and fitted together to generate a frictional force between them. The frictional force is used to transmit the gravity of the control box 40 to the energized plug 20, so that the control box 40 can be placed by the energized plug 20. This allows the control box 40 and the energized plug 20 to be easily attached to an external power supply socket. As shown in FIG. 2A and FIG. 2B, the vertical direction of the pin 21 of the energized plug 20 may be provided along the groove depth direction 11, i.e., the vertical direction of the pin 21 is perpendicular to the sliding direction of the sliding groove 30. In another embodiment, the vertical direction of the pin 21 of the energized plug 20 may be provided along the sliding direction of the sliding groove 30, and when the control box 40 and the energized plug 20 are attached to a power supply socket, the control box 40 and the energized plug 20 are arranged one above the other so that the control box 40 can be easily placed on the energized plug 20.

[0032] 9, a pressing arm 63 configured to press the conductive pillar 61 inward is provided at the end of the conductive cylinder 62. During installation, the conductive pillar moves into the conductive cylinder 62 and drives the pressing arm 63 to expand outward, so that the pressing arm 63 deforms and presses the conductive pillar 61 inward by the action of its own elastic force, thereby making the connection between the energized plug 20 and the control box 40 stronger, facilitating the fitting of the conductive pillar 61 and the conductive cylinder 62, and improving the reliability of the connection.

[0033] The three-phase terminal 41 includes an L terminal, an N terminal and a PE terminal, and the energizing plug 20 includes pins 21 of L phase, N phase and PE phase corresponding to each other. Preferably, as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 7, the sliding body 50 and the metal contact lead 22 are of PE phase, and two sets of coupling mechanisms 60 are included, one for L phase and one for N phase.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 14, the control box 40 includes a housing 70 and a circuit board 42 mounted in the housing 70, and a three-phase terminal 41 is electrically connected to the circuit board 42. The three-phase terminal 41 is an input terminal of the control box 40, and a current is transmitted to the circuit board 42 via the three-phase terminal 41. The housing 70 functions to protect the circuit board 42. The housing 70 includes an upper housing 71 and a lower cover 72, and the upper housing 71 is provided with a cavity for accommodating the circuit board 42, and the upper housing 71 and the lower cover 72 can be fixedly connected by a first screw 73. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, a recessed groove 711 for accommodating a seal ring 712 is provided on the outer edge of the upper housing 71, and the seal ring 712 cooperates with the lower cover 72 to improve the sealing property between the upper housing 71 and the lower cover 72, thereby improving the waterproof and dustproof performance.

[0035] The control box 40 includes a rubber cushion 75 mounted in the housing 70, and the rubber cushion 75 is provided with a second receiving groove 751 for receiving the circuit board 42. As shown in Figures 10 and 13, the rubber cushion 75 is fixed in a cavity of the upper housing 71 by a second screw 76, and the circuit board 42 is provided in the second receiving cavity, which is advantageous to improve the vibration resistance and reliability of the charging connector.

[0036] Furthermore, the cavity of the upper housing 71 is filled with an adhesive, which functions to fix the rubber cushion 75 and the circuit board 42, and is advantageous in improving the sealing property and the reliability of the connection. Specifically, first, the circuit board 42 and the rubber cushion 75 are attached and fixed to the upper housing 71 with the second screw 76, then the seal ring 712 is attached to the recessed groove 711 of the upper housing 71, and then the adhesive is injected into the cavity of the upper housing 71, and after the adhesive has solidified and cooled, the lower cover 72 is attached to the upper housing 71, the first screw 73 is attached, and finally the energizing plug 20 is attached to the housing 70, thereby completing the assembly of the charging connector.

[0037] In the embodiment of the charging connector shown in FIG. 1 , the connection structure brings the control box 40 and the power plug 20 into contact with each other to form a removable integrated structure, eliminating the need to connect the two with a cable. The power plug 20 can be easily replaced to fit the power supply socket and can be easily moved and used, which improves the compatibility and convenience of the charging connector, while making the structure of the charging connector more compact and advantageously reducing the space it occupies.

[0038] The charging connector may be independent, and provides an interface for connecting the control box 40 to the charging gun 80, with one end of a cable 81 connected to the charging gun 80 and the other end of the cable 81 removably connected to the interface. In another embodiment, the charging connector and the charging gun 80 are provided as a set, the control box 40 and the charging gun 80 are connected via the cable 81, and the cable 81 and the control box 40 are fixed to each other. Preferably, as shown in Figures 1, 2A, and 2B, a wiring grommet 83 is provided in the control box 40, and the cable 81 passes through the wiring grommet 83 to improve sealing performance.

[0039] By adopting this charging connector, the number of relays can be reduced, and the function can be realized with a maximum of two relays.

[0040] charging device A charging device is provided according to the present invention, and as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 15, the charging device includes a charging gun 80 and the above-mentioned charging connector, and the charging gun 80 is electrically connected to the control box 40. The charging gun 80 is connected to the control box 40 via a cable 81, and the cable 81 is electrically connected to a circuit board 42 in the control box 40, so that the current transmitted to the control box 40 is output to the charging gun 80 via the circuit board 42. The circuit board 42 can adjust and control the current output of the control box 40 to ensure the stability of charging the electric vehicle. In use, the energized plug 20 and the control box 40 are connected by a connection structure, the energized plug 20 is attached to a power supply socket, and the charging gun 80 is connected to the electric vehicle and used to charge the electric vehicle.

[0041] Specifically, first, the circuit board 42 and rubber cushion 75 are attached and fixed to the upper housing 71 with the second screw 76, and at the same time, the cable 81 connecting the charging gun 80 and the control box 40 is attached to complete the assembly. Then, the sealing ring 712 is attached to the groove 711 of the upper housing 71. After that, adhesive is injected into the cavity of the upper housing 71. After the adhesive has solidified and cooled, the lower cover 72 is attached to the upper housing 71 and the first screw 73 is attached. Finally, the energized plug 20 is attached to the housing 70 to complete the assembly of the charging connector.

[0042] The charging gun 80 is electrically connected to the control box 40 in the charging connector provided by the present invention, and is connected to the electric vehicle via the charging gun 80. Because the energizing plug 20 is connected to the control box 40 and is detachable from the control box 40, it is easy to replace the energizing plug 20 so that it fits the power supply socket, thereby improving the compatibility and convenience of the charging connector.

[0043] The charging device provided by the present invention has an advantage in that the power plug 20 is connected to the control box 40, thereby reducing the cable 81 between the power plug 20 and the control box 40, making the structure of the charging connector more compact and reducing the space occupied.

[0044] In this charging device, the power plug 20 is connected to the control box 40, and when in use, the extendable range of the charging gun 80 is close to the length of the cable 81 between the charging gun 80 and the control box 40, which is advantageous in making full use of the cable 81, saving the cable 81, reducing the space occupied by the cable 81, and extending the charging range.

[0045] The above are merely illustrative specific embodiments of the present invention, and do not limit the scope of the present invention. Any equivalent modifications and amendments made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and principles of the present invention should fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A charging connector, A control box and a power plug are included. The control box is electrically connected to the charging gun; The control box is provided with a three-phase terminal; a connection structure is provided on the energizing plug, the connection structure removably connects the energizing plug and the control box, and electrically connects the energizing plug and the three-phase terminals; the connecting structure includes a sliding groove provided in the conductive plug, A slider is provided on the control box, The sliding body is slidably fitted in the sliding groove and is restricted from coming off the sliding groove, The slide groove has a first groove portion and a second groove portion communicating with the first groove portion, The first groove portion and the second groove portion are arranged in order along a groove depth direction, the sliding body is inserted into the first groove portion, and an end portion of the sliding body is inserted into the second groove portion, and a movement of the sliding body in a reverse direction along the groove depth direction is restricted by a top wall of the second groove portion, The sliding body and the sliding groove are fitted together to connect the control box and the energizing plug, an end portion of the sliding body is configured as a metal contact, and one electrical terminal of the three-phase terminal is electrically connected to the sliding body; a metal contact lead is provided in the second groove, and the metal contact lead is electrically connected to one electrical terminal of a current-carrying plug; The end of the slider is in contact with the metal contact lead and electrically connected thereto; The metal contact lead is provided on a bottom wall of the second groove portion and configured to apply an elastic force to the sliding body along a direction opposite to the groove depth direction. Charging connector.

2. The sliding body includes a connecting post and a sliding portion connected to an end of the connecting post, the connecting post being inserted into the first groove portion, and the sliding portion being provided in the second groove portion. The charging connector according to claim 1 .

3. The control box is provided with a first receiving groove for receiving the power plug. The charging connector according to claim 1 .

4. The sliding body is provided on a bottom wall of the first accommodating groove, At least one electrical terminal of the three-phase terminal is provided on a side wall of the first receiving groove, The electric plug is configured to be movable along the slide groove until it abuts against a side wall of the first accommodating groove, and the electric plug is electrically connected to an electric terminal provided on the side wall of the first accommodating groove. The charging connector according to claim 3 .

5. a coupling mechanism including a conductive pillar and a conductive tube, the conductive pillar extending into the conductive tube so that the conductive pillar and the conductive tube are electrically connected; The conductive pillar is configured as an electric terminal provided on a side wall of the first receiving groove, and the conductive tube is provided on the electric plug, or The conductive tube is configured as an electric terminal provided on a side wall of the first receiving groove, and the conductive pole is provided on the electric plug. The charging connector according to claim 4.

6. The end of the conductive tube is provided with a pressing arm configured to press the conductive pillar inward. The charging connector according to claim 5 .

7. The control box includes a housing, a rubber cushion, and a circuit board, and the three-phase terminals are electrically connected to the circuit board; The rubber cushion is attached in the housing, a second receiving groove is provided in the rubber cushion, and the circuit board is provided in the second receiving groove. The charging connector according to claim 1 .

8. A charging gun and a charging connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The charging gun is electrically connected to the control box. Charging device.

Images