Set for producing a charging plug connector for electric and hybrid vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a set for producing a charging plug connector (1) for electric and hybrid vehicles, comprising a housing (6), a first pair (11) of charging contacts (2) for contacting corresponding charging contacts (3) of a corresponding charging plug connector (4), and a second pair (13) of charging contacts (2) for contacting corresponding charging contacts (3) of a corresponding charging plug connector (4). Each of the charging contacts (2) has a contact element (5), and all of the contact elements (5) are at least partly cylindrical contact pins or contact sleeves with a respective at least partly cylindrical bore. The housing (6) has a pair of receiving areas (9) for receiving either the first pair (11) of charging contacts (2) or the second pair (13) of charging contacts (2), and the charging contacts (2) of the first pair (11) and the charging contacts (2) of the second pair (13) are designed such that when the first pair of charging contacts are arranged in the receiving areas (9), the central axes (12) of the contact elements (5) of the first pair (11) are mutually spaced by a greater distance than the central axes (12) of the contact elements (5) of the second pair (13) when the second pair of charging contacts are arranged in the receiving areas (9). In this manner, a set is provided for producing charging plug connectors with which the compatibility of the charging plug connectors is expanded.

Description

[0001] 1 May 14, 2024 Kiekert AG Set for producing a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles The invention relates to a set for producing a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles, with a housing and a pair of charging contacts for contacting corresponding charging contacts of a corresponding charging connector. Electric and hybrid vehicles have a rechargeable energy storage device, usually a high-voltage battery, which provides energy to an electric drive motor during driving. The storage capacities of these high-voltage batteries are 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, wherein the charging cable can, for example,According to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2, on one side it has a charging plug that can be plugged into a charging socket provided on the charging station, and on the other side it has a charging coupling that can be connected to a charging plug installed in the electric or hybrid vehicle. In this case, charging sockets, charging plugs, charging couplings, and charging plugs are subsumed under the term "charging connector." Charging sockets and charging couplings are provided with charging contacts, which in turn have contact sleeves as contact elements. Charging plugs and charging plugs that can be installed in electric and hybrid vehicles have contact pins as contact elements that can be plugged into the contact sleeves. The charging device of an electric or hybrid vehicle comprises the charging station with charging cable and the charging station-side or vehicle-side charging connector with electrical 2 14.May 2024 Kiekert AG ical cables, which in the case of the vehicle-side charging connector lead from the charging connector to the vehicle's battery. The charging connectors themselves can be designed in various ways. In particular, the spacing of the contact elements and the spacing of the charging contacts are not always uniform. One such case is charging connectors according to the SAE J1772 standard, also known as Combo Charging Standard Type 1 (CCS1), and the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2, also known as Combo Charging Standard Type 2 (CCS2). Both standards describe requirements for the spacing of the contact elements of the charging contacts, which differ from one another. This means that a charging connector according to the IEC 62196 Type 2 standard, which can be a charging plug that can be installed in an electric or hybrid vehicle, is not compatible or connectable with a corresponding charging coupling according to the SAE J1772 standard.This poses a particular problem for manufacturers, since different charging connectors must be offered for the respective markets due to the different connector faces specified by the standards. Based on this, the object of the present invention is to provide a kit for producing charging connectors that expands the compatibility of the charging connectors. This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred developments of the invention are described in the subclaims. 3 14.May 2024 Kiekert AG According to the invention, a set for producing a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles is thus provided, comprising a housing, a first pair of charging contacts for contacting corresponding charging contacts of a corresponding charging connector and a second pair of charging contacts for contacting corresponding charging contacts of a corresponding charging connector, wherein the charging contacts each have a contact element, wherein the contact elements are all either at least partially cylindrical contact pins or contact sleeves with a respective at least partially cylindrical bore, the housing has a pair of receptacles for receiving either the first pair of charging contacts orof the second pair of charging contacts, and the charging contacts of the first pair and the charging contacts of the second pair are designed such that the center axes of the contact elements of the first pair are further apart from one another when arranged in the receptacles than the center axes of the contact elements of the second pair when arranged in the receptacles. In the present case, a receptacle means an opening in the housing of the charging connector, which is designed to receive the charging contacts such that the charging contacts are arranged in a fixed position in the housing of the charging connector. For this purpose, the charging contacts are inserted into the receptacles during production, which then accordingly enclose the charging contacts and hold them stationary in the housing of the charging connector. Depending on the requirements for the mating face of the charging connector to be manufactured, the first pair of charging contacts can be... 4 14.May 2024 Kiekert AG contacts or the second pair of charging contacts are arranged in the receptacles so that the charging contacts are spaced accordingly from one another. An essential aspect of the invention here is that such a procedure avoids the manufacture of different housing types and charging connectors that may only be intended for electric or hybrid vehicles in a specific country or region of the corresponding combo charging standard type. Other design features of the charging connectors, such as cooling devices, heat storage, or sensor arrangements, do not have to be rearranged and designed due to otherwise essential changes to the housings of the charging connectors. Instead, the charging contacts can be arranged in a consistently uniform housing that has identical dimensions regardless of the requirements regarding the spacing of the contact elements of the charging contacts.As already mentioned, the contact elements are to be understood as part of the charging contacts, which can be galvanically conductively contacted with the corresponding contact elements, so that a current can be transmitted from one charging connector to a corresponding charging connector. The contact elements are designed as contact pins or contact sleeves that are at least partially cylindrical and have a bore that is at least partially cylindrical. So that a charging current can ultimately be transmitted, the contact pins are designed so that they can be inserted into the contact sleeves. The central axis of the contact element refers to the part of the element that is at least partially cylindrical, so that the central axis runs either coaxially to a center of the bore of the contact sleeve or a center of the tip of the contact pin.A property of the present charging contact with contact element is that the arrangement of charging contact and contact element does not necessarily have to be rotationally symmetrical. The charging contact without a contact element is generally rotationally symmetrical. However, the central axis of the contact element itself must be considered separately from the axis of symmetry of the charging contact and does not have to coincide with it. When reference is made here to a corresponding charging connector, this means, on the one hand, a charging connector that has the same mating face as the charging connector, whereby one mating face has contact pins if the other mating face has contact sleeves, and vice versa. The charging connector and the corresponding charging connector can therefore be mated together.On the other hand, in this case, a corresponding charging connector is also referred to as a corresponding charging connector if the plug faces in the aforementioned sense only partially correspond, i.e., the corresponding charging connector, for example, does not have all the contacts that are present in the charging connector. Likewise, it is not necessary for the contact elements of the charging contacts to be equally spaced from one another. Rather, it is sufficient if the existing contacts of the corresponding charging connector correspond to the charging connector in terms of the plug face, so that the charging connector and the corresponding charging connector can be plugged together. Such a case occurs, for example, with a charging coupling connected to a charging cable for direct current charging according to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2.Such a charging coupling can be plugged into a charging plug that is installed in the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle and is suitable for both AC and DC charging. The AC plug face of the DC charging coupling only contains the communication contacts and the protective contact, but no contacts for the outer conductor and a center conductor for AC charging. The provision of two sets of charging contacts enables a Combo Charging Standard Type 1 charging coupling according to the SAE J1772 standard, connected to a charging cable, to be plugged into a Combo Charging Standard Type 2 charging plug according to the European IEC 62196 Type 2 standard, which is installed in the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle and is suitable for both AC and DC charging. The second pair of charging contacts is arranged in the receptacles in the charging plug.In the present case, such contacts are referred to as DC charging contacts, which are intended exclusively for charging with direct current. DC charging contacts are arranged separately, laterally next to one another, beneath the AC charging contacts in both Combo Charging Standard Type 2 and Combo Charging Standard Type 1 charging connectors. Therefore, in the case of DC charging contacts, to adapt the respective contact elements of one standard to those of the other standard, only the lateral spacing of the DC charging contacts themselves needs to be taken into account. Therefore, the use of the invention for DC charging contacts is particularly preferred. 7 May 14, 2024 Kiekert AG In contrast to DC contacts, 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 conductor) 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 capable of contributing 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 L1, L2 and L3 (outer conductor) 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 recognizes an operating mode according to which direct current charging takes place via contacts L1, L2, L3 and N. In principle, the charging contacts can be arranged in the receptacles in various ways.According to a preferred development of the invention, however, it is provided that the receptacles and at least one pair of charging contacts each have a fit such that the pair of charging contacts can be accommodated in the receptacles exclusively in a single orientation. A single orientation here means the positioning of the charging contacts at a specific angle in the receptacles with respect to a rotation about the axis of symmetry of the charging contacts. This is intended to ensure that a predetermined distance can be achieved between the contact elements during assembly. For this purpose, the charging contacts and the receptacles can be designed in such a way that error protection with regard to the orientation of the charging contacts in the receptacles is provided in the form of a poka-yoke design.May 2024 Kiekert AG is, so that the individual charging contact can only be arranged in the receptacle in the orientation specified by the Poka-Yoke design. The Japanese term “Poka-Yoke” describes a principle consisting of several elements, which includes technical precautions or devices for the immediate detection and prevention of errors. As an error-preventing principle, Poka-Yoke is similar to a key-lock principle: only when a matching counterpart is used can the function protected by Poka-Yoke be activated, i.e. the correct orientation can be assumed. In principle, various types of error protection are feasible in this case. According to a preferred development of the invention, however, the charging contacts with the fit or the receptacles each have a groove in which a corresponding one in the respective receptacle orin the charging contact with the fit formed extension can be received. A further preferred embodiment provides that the charging contacts with the fit and the receptacles are each flattened on a section of the circumference, so that corresponding mating surfaces result. The fit and the mating surfaces are designed such that only charging contacts intended for this purpose can be arranged in the provided receptacles in one orientation. The fit here refers to the respective shapes of the charging contact, which are fitted in the receptacles with corresponding negatives, which can be mating surfaces, extensions, grooves or recesses of the respective shapes. In principle, the contact elements can be spaced apart from one another at different distances. According to a preferred development of the invention, however, it is provided that the central axes of the contact elements of the first pair of charging contacts are in a 9 14May 2024 Kiekert AG the center axes of the contact elements of the second pair of charging contacts are spaced 27 mm apart when arranged in the receptacles, and the center axes of the contact elements of the second pair of charging contacts are spaced 26 mm apart when arranged in the receptacles. This enables the charging connector with the first pair of charging contacts arranged in the receptacles to be coupled to corresponding charging connectors of the Combo Charging Standard Type 1, and the charging connector with the second pair of charging contacts arranged in the receptacles to be coupled to corresponding charging connectors of the Combo Charging Standard Type 2.According to a preferred development of the invention, the contact elements of the second pair of charging contacts are arranged eccentrically, the charging contacts can be received in the receptacles in two orientations, and the contact elements are spaced further apart from one another in a second orientation of the charging contacts in the receptacles than in the first orientation. This makes it possible to achieve both distances with one pair of charging contacts in different orientations. Preferably, the first orientation differs by 180° from the second orientation, so that the center axes of both contact elements lie in the same plane as the axes of symmetry of the charging contacts. The holes can be arranged in the charging contacts in various ways.According to a preferred development of the invention, however, it is provided that the charging contacts are contact sleeves with bores in which corresponding contact pins can be received, and the bores of at least one pair of charging contacts are arranged eccentrically in the respective charging contact. The center axis of the bore is therefore not arranged coaxially with the axis of symmetry of the charging contact, but runs at a distance parallel to the axis of symmetry. 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 invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings using preferred exemplary embodiments. In the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a charging connector according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention in a perspective view, Fig.2 shows a connector corresponding to the connector from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows the charging connector from Fig. 1 in a side view, Fig. 4a shows a first pair of charging contacts in a housing of the charging connector, Fig. 4b shows a second pair of charging contacts in a housing of the charging connector, and Fig. 5 shows the installation of a charging connector according to a preferred embodiment on the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle. 11 May 14, 2024 Kiekert AG 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 16, as shown schematically in Fig. 5. The present charging connector 1 is essentially and in terms of its mating face a charging plug in accordance with the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2.In addition to AC charging contacts (not further designated by reference numerals), a protective contact, and communication contacts, the charging connector 1 has two DC charging contacts 2 for DC charging. The charging connector 1 can be coupled to a corresponding charging connector 4, which is shown in Fig. 2. This is a charging coupling that can be attached to a charging cable and plugged into the charging plug. The charging coupling shown here as an example is for DC charging and therefore has corresponding DC charging contacts 3, a protective contact, and communication contacts. The corresponding charging connector 4 has contact elements 5 on the corresponding charging contacts 3, which are designed as contact sleeves. These contact elements 5 are spaced 26 mm apart. The charging connector 1 shown in Fig.The charging connector shown in Fig. 3 can be provided with a first pair 11 of charging contacts 2 or with a second pair 13 of charging contacts 2 in receptacles 9. In the present case, in the first pair 11 of charging contacts 2, an axis of symmetry 14 of the charging contacts 2 coincides coaxially with a central axis 12 of the contact elements 5, and the contact elements 5, which in this case are designed as contact pins that can be inserted into the contact sleeves, are spaced 27 mm apart. The charging connector 1 in Fig. 3, however, is designed with the second pair 13 of charging contacts 2 in the receptacles 9. The contact elements 5 are arranged with their central axis 12 eccentrically relative to the respective axes of symmetry 14. This means that the contact elements are spaced 526 mm apart, so that the corresponding charging connector 4 can be plugged into the charging connector 1. In the side view in Fig.3, the axis of symmetry 14 and the central axis 12 fall in one plane. To ensure that the intended distance between the contact elements can be achieved with the respective pair of charging contacts 2, these charging contacts 2 can only be accommodated in the receptacles 9 in one orientation using a poka-yoke design. Two different poka-yoke variants can be seen in Figs. 4a and 4b. Fig. 4b shows the first pair 11 charging contacts 2 in the receptacles 9 of the housing 6 of the charging connector 1. The contact elements 5 are spaced apart from one another in one orientation by the groove 8 formed in the charging contacts 2 and the extension 10 of the receptacle 9 fitted into the housing. In Fig. 4a, the second pair 13 of charging contacts 2 with a further Poka-Yoke variant is spaced apart by corresponding mating surfaces 7 in an orientation of 26 mm.The axis of symmetry 14 and the central axis 12 lie in one plane and run parallel to each other. This additional poka-yoke variant is not compatible with the poka-yoke variant shown above. A set according to the invention consisting of a first pair 11 and a second pair 13 of charging contacts 2 can accordingly only have one of the two variants shown above.

[0002] 14 May 14, 2024 Kiekert AG List of reference symbols 1 Charging connector 2 Charging contact 3 Corresponding charging contact 4 Corresponding charging connector 5 Contact element 6 Housing 7 Mating surface 8 Groove 9 Receptacle 10 Extension 11 First pair 12 Central axis 13 Second pair 14 Axis of symmetry 16 Electric or hybrid vehicle 17 Vehicle body

Claims

15 May 14, 2024 Kiekert AG Patent claims 1. Set for producing a charging connector (1) for electric and hybrid vehicles, with a housing (6), a first pair (11) of charging contacts (2) for contacting corresponding charging contacts (3) of a corresponding charging connector (4) and a second pair (13) of charging contacts (2) for contacting corresponding charging contacts (3) of a corresponding charging connector (4), wherein the charging contacts (2) each have a contact element (5), wherein the contact elements (5) are all either at least partially cylindrical contact pins or contact sleeves with a respective at least partially cylindrical bore, the housing (6) has a pair of receptacles (9) for receiving the first pair (11) of charging contacts (2) orof the second pair (13) of charging contacts (2), and the charging contacts (2) of the first pair (11) and the charging contacts (2) of the second pair (13) are designed such that the center axes (12) of the contact elements (5) of the first pair (11) are further spaced from one another when arranged in the receptacles (9) than the center axes (12) of the contact elements (5) of the second pair (13) when arranged in the receptacles (9).

2. Charging plug connector (1) according to claim 1, wherein the receptacles (9) and at least one pair of charging contacts (2) each have a fit such that the pair of charging contacts (2) can be received in the receptacles (9) exclusively in a single orientation.

3. Charging plug connector (1) according to claim 2, wherein the charging contacts (2) with the fit, or the receptacles (9) each have a 16 May 14, 2024 Kiekert AG groove (8) in which a corresponding extension (10) formed in the respective receptacle (9) or in the charging contact (2) with the fitted fit can be received.

4. Charging plug connector (1) according to claim 2, wherein the charging contacts (2) with the fitted fit and the receptacles (9) are each flattened on a section of the circumference so that corresponding fitting surfaces (7) are produced.

5. Charging plug connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the central axes (12) of the contact elements (5) of the first pair (11) of charging contacts (2) are spaced apart by 27 mm when arranged in the receptacles (9) and the central axes (12) of the contact elements (5) of the second pair (13) of charging contacts (2) are spaced apart by 26 mm when arranged in the receptacles (9). 6.Charging plug connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact elements (5) of the second pair (13) of charging contacts (2) are arranged eccentrically, the charging contacts (2) can be received in the receptacles (9) in two orientations, and the contact elements (5) are spaced further apart from one another in a second orientation of the charging contacts (2) in the receptacles (9) than in the first orientation.

7. Charging plug connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact elements (5) are contact sleeves with bores in which corresponding contact pins can be received, and the bores of at least one pair of charging contacts (2) are arranged eccentrically in the respective charging contact (2). 17 May 14, 2024 Kiekert AG 8. Use of a charging connector according to one of claims 1 to 7 on the vehicle body (17) of an electric or hybrid vehicle (16).

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