Charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles

The charging connector addresses heat management by incorporating a sliding heat storage element along the charging contact, enabling efficient heat absorption and distribution, thus overcoming temperature constraints and enhancing charging efficiency without requiring a charging station cooling system.

WO2025021243A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-01-30KIEKERT AG
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Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/DE2024/100555
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-07-27
Filing Date
2024-06-21
Publication Date
2025-01-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Charging connectors for electrical and hybrid vehicles face heat management issues due to limited temperature increase constraints, which restrict charging currents, and existing cooling solutions are complex or require a cooling system at the charging station.

Method used

A charging connector with a heat storage element that slides along the longitudinal axis of the charging contact, absorbing and delaying heat generated during charging, using materials like water, glycol, or phase change materials, and a spring element for thermal contact and positioning.

Benefits of technology

Effectively manages heat removal without a cooling system at the charging station, allowing for higher charging currents and improved heat distribution, enhancing the robustness and efficiency of the charging process.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a charging connector (1) for electric and hybrid vehicles (18), comprising a housing (7), charging contacts (2) arranged in the housing (7), a heat accumulator (5) formed in the housing, wherein the heat accumulator heat-conductingly contacts at least one charging contact (2) having a longitudinal axis such that dissipation of heat from the charging contact (2) to the heat accumulator is made possible, and the heat accumulator is supported on the charging contact (2) so as to be able to slide along the longitudinal axis. In this manner, good heat dissipation can be achieved in a simple way in a charging connector (1).
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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, charging contacts arranged in the housing and a heat accumulator formed in the housing.

[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 using a charging cable provided between the charging station and the vehicle. The charging cable, for example, in accordance with European standard IEC 62196 Type 2, is equipped with a charging plug on one end that can be plugged into a charging socket provided on the charging station, and with a charging coupling on the other end that can be connected to a charging plug installed in the electric or hybrid vehicle. For the purposes of this article, charging sockets, charging plugs, charging couplings and charging plugs are all referred to as “charging connectors”.Charging sockets and charging couplings have contact sleeves as charging contacts, and charging plugs and 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. As explained, for example, in EP 3 043 421 A1, a charging current flowing through the charging connector heats up due to ohmic current heat losses. However, the heating of the charging connector is legally limited to a limit temperature increase. For example, according to standard IEC 62196-3, the limit temperature increase is limited to 50 K. This in turn leads to a maximum charging current for largely standardized connector geometries that cannot generally exceed 200 A in continuous load operation.However, with intermittent charging of the battery of an electric or hybrid vehicle, higher charging currents are required over limited periods of time to charge the battery in the desired short time. This leads to temporary heating of the charging connectors, which exceeds the limit temperature increase. However, the cable cross-section of the electrical connector bodies cannot be increased indefinitely, since the connector geometries are standardized and, in addition, the smallest possible amount of conductive material, usually copper, should be used for the electrical connector bodies.

[0004] According to EP 3 043 421 A1, an electrical connection body is provided which enables increased charging currents with limited heating and therefore has an increased short-time current carrying capacity. For this purpose, an electrical connection body for a charging plug or a charging socket is proposed, wherein the electrical connection body has a first connection region for the galvanic connection to an electrical energy receiver and a second connection region 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.

[0005] Cooling of a charging plug connector for electric and hybrid vehicles, which cooling starts at the side of the charging station, is also well known from the prior art. DE 10 2015 119 338 A1 describes, for example, two connection points for coolant lines being arranged on a contact sleeve element of a charging plug. Coolant is guided in a circle around the contact sleeve element by means of a spiral-shaped plug-in element. The two connection points serve as inlets and outlets for the coolant, which is guided from the charging station to the charging plug. EP 3 433 902 B1 likewise describes a plug 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 a coolant, which is guided perpendicular to the contact element into the hollowed contact element and flows back within the contact element.

[0006] Finally, 10 2016 105 361 B4 also describes a connector part with a cooled contact element. Here, too, a coolant is supplied via coolant lines to the contact elements of a charging socket connected to the charging cable on the charging station side. 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] However, solutions are also known from the state of the art which can also be used with a charging connector which is not cooled directly by the charging station, such as a charging connector built into the vehicle body of an electric or hybrid vehicle, such as a built-in charging connector in accordance with the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2.

[0008] For example, DE 10 2016 107 409 A1 describes a plug connector part for connecting to a mating connector part, which comprises a housing which has a plug-in section for plugging into the mating connector part and a contact element arranged on the plug-in section for making electrical contact with an associated mating contact element of the mating connector part. In addition, a heat pipe connected to the contact element and a heat sink arranged in the housing are provided, which heat sink is in thermally conductive connection with the contact element for dissipating heat from the contact element via the heat pipe. In this way, a plug connector part with a contact element is provided which can have a high current-carrying capacity, for example for use in a charging system for charging an electric vehicle.

[0009] Furthermore, DE 20 2019 102 461 U1 describes a plug connector part for connecting to a mating connector part, comprising a housing, a plug-in section arranged on the housing for plugging into the mating connector part, an electrical contact element arranged on the plug-in section for transmitting a current between the plug connector part and the mating connector part, and a cooling element arranged on the contact element for cooling the contact element, wherein a fan device is provided for generating an air flow at the cooling element. However, this system and the system described in DE 10 2016 107 409 A1 are very complex.

[0010] Based on this, the object of the present invention is to achieve good heat dissipation in a simple manner in a charging connector which is not itself equipped with a cooling system on the part of a charging station.

[0011] This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

[0012] According to the invention, a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles is thus provided, comprising a housing, charging contacts arranged in the housing and a heat accumulator formed in the housing, wherein the heat accumulator makes thermally conductive contact with at least one charging contact having a longitudinal axis, so that heat can be dissipated from the charging contact to the heat accumulator, and the heat accumulator is mounted on the charging contact so as to slide along the longitudinal axis.

[0013] In this case, a heat storage device is used if the charging connector is equipped with this heat storage device as an additional element whose sole function is to absorb and store the heat generated during the charging process. In particular, this heat can be stored more effectively with a heat storage device than with the charging contact itself, so that the heating of other components of the charging connector can be delayed.

[0014] The heat accumulator is designed as part of the charging connector in such a way that the heat generated during the charging process can be carried away by the charging contact and absorbed in the heat accumulator. In principle, the heat accumulator can be made from various materials. However, according to a preferred development of the invention, the heat accumulator contains water or a mixture of water and glycol or an oil. The oil can be a mineral oil, a vegetable oil or a silicone oil. It can also be provided that the heat accumulator is a latent heat accumulator in which a phase change material is arranged. It is important that the heat accumulator is mounted so as to be sliding along the longitudinal axis of the charging contact. A charging contact is generally rotationally symmetrical and has a longitudinal axis which extends from a connection area into a plug-in area of ​​the charging connector.Therefore, "radial" in the sense of rotational symmetry means "radially outwardly extending from the longitudinal axis of the charging contact." "Along the radius" refers to the circular part of the circumference of the charging contact's cross-section at a constant radius, i.e., a constant distance from a center of the charging contact's cross-section, which in turn is determined by the longitudinal axis.

[0015] The term "slidingly mounted along the longitudinal axis" means that the heat accumulator can slide along the outer circumference of the charging contact, parallel to the longitudinal axis formed in the charging contact. "Slidingly mounted" means that the heat accumulator is in thermally conductive contact with the charging contact, but is not fixedly attached to it, but rather slides along the charging contact, reacting to pressure or tensile forces. This makes the heat accumulator movable in the housing and, depending on the design of the housing, can be positioned in various ways within the housing.

[0016] In principle, it is possible to arrange the heat accumulator in the housing in various ways so that the charging contact is thermally conductively contacted and the heat accumulator can slide along it. According to a preferred development of the invention, however, it is provided that the heat accumulator has a recess, the charging contact is guided through the recess along the longitudinal axis, and the heat accumulator makes thermally conductive contact with the charging contact by means of a clearance fit. It is particularly preferred that the recess is designed to completely accommodate part of the charging contact along the longitudinal axis in the recess, so that the heat accumulator encloses part of the charging contact. This means that a circumference of the charging contact is accommodated in the recess along a cross section of the charging contact perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and is enclosed by the heat accumulator.A thickness of a portion of the charging contact which is enclosed by the heat accumulator is thus determined by an extension of the heat accumulator along the longitudinal axis.

[0017] In this way, the contact surface between the heat accumulator and the charging contact is increased. At the same time, the heat accumulator is held in place simply by enclosing the charging contact. Arranging the recess in the heat accumulator ensures a more even distribution of the heat dissipated in the heat accumulator. For this purpose, the recess can be positioned close to a center of the heat accumulator. With a clearance fit, a minimum dimension of the recess is greater than or equal to a maximum dimension of the charging contact, so that the heat accumulator can slide along the charging contact. The heat accumulator and charging contact therefore have surfaces that correspond to one another (e.g. male / female). As described in detail below, the contact between these surfaces is preferably supported by a spring element.

[0018] With regard to the clearance fit, it should be noted that with a fixed connection between the charging contact and the heat accumulator, both components have the same set of degrees of freedom. However, in this case, the heat accumulator can be rotated and / or shifted relative to the charging contact. The degrees of freedom of the charging contact and the heat accumulator can therefore be different.

[0019] It is preferred that the charging contact that thermally conductively contacts the heat accumulator is a direct current charging contact for direct current charging. Even more preferred is that each direct current charging contact is provided with a heat accumulator. Alternatively, two recesses can be formed in a heat accumulator, so that a direct current charging contact can be accommodated in each recess.

[0020] It is possible to thermally conductively contact the charging contact and the heat accumulator in various ways. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a thermally conductive paste is arranged between the heat accumulator and the charging contact. For this purpose, the thermally conductive paste can preferably be formed with ceramic particles for improved heat dissipation. Arranging the thermally conductive paste between the heat accumulator and the charging contact enables seamless thermal contact, excluding heat transfer by convection.

[0021] In principle, the heat accumulator can be held on a bearing in various ways. However, according to a preferred development of the invention, the charging connector is additionally designed with a bearing and a spring element, the bearing being designed along the longitudinal axis of the charging contact, the heat accumulator resting on the bearing and the spring element being designed on a side of the heat accumulator opposite the bearing, between a housing wall of the housing and the heat accumulator, so that the heat accumulator is held on the bearing by means of the spring element. For this purpose, it can be provided that the spring element coaxially encloses the charging contact. Finally, the heat accumulator is held on the bearing in a position which is advantageous for heat dissipation by means of the spring element.

[0022] In this case, the spring element can be a compression spring, a corrugated washer, a disc spring, an elastomer or another suitable resilient element. Furthermore, the spring element can also be formed integrally with the housing wall. According to a preferred development of the invention, the heat accumulator contacts the bearing in a thermally conductive manner. In this context, it is particularly preferred that the bearing is formed integrally with the charging contact, and the heat accumulator has a receptacle corresponding to the bearing, so that a stop is formed in the heat accumulator and the bearing can be received in the heat accumulator up to the stop. By forming a contact pressure with the spring element on the thermally conductively contacted bearing, a much higher heat conduction between the heat accumulator and the bearing is enabled.

[0023] In principle, the bearing can rest against the heat accumulator in various ways. However, according to a preferred development of the invention, the cross section of the bearing increases perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the charging contact at an angle of between 10° and 25°, in particular between 15° and 20°, relative to the longitudinal axis, so that a side of the bearing facing the heat accumulator has a smaller cross section than a side of the bearing opposite the heat accumulator. As a result, a pressure acting radially, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, is exerted by the bearing on the heat accumulator, which additionally enables improved heat conduction due to the contact pressure acting along the surface normal of the bearing.

[0024] For this purpose, the bearing can, in principle, be designed in various ways. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bearing is rotationally symmetrical and coaxial with the longitudinal axis. The bearing therefore has a substantially conical shape.

[0025] According to a further preferred embodiment, the bearing is cuboid-shaped. The bearing can therefore also be pyramid-shaped, which would make it possible to design the bearing and the stop in the heat accumulator such that the charging contact can only be inserted into the heat accumulator in one way during assembly. At the same time, by inhibiting rotation of the heat accumulator, the charging connector becomes more robust against vibrations, such as vehicle vibrations.

[0026] In principle, it is possible to design the housing of the charging plug connector in various ways. However, according to a preferred development of the invention, the charging plug connector is provided with at least one clamp forming a hook, the housing being formed with a first housing part and a second housing part arranged opposite the first housing part, the clamp being arranged in the first housing part, extending towards the second housing part and the hook making contact with the side of the heat accumulator facing away from the spring element, so that the heat accumulator and the spring element are held on the housing wall of the first housing part. The clamp is preferably resilient, so that the heat accumulator can be brought into a locked position on the first housing part against the spring resistance and can be held with the hook.The spring element is clamped between the housing wall and the heat accumulator, so that the charging contact can finally be arranged with the bearing in the recess and the second housing part can be closed with the first housing part. It is further preferred here that the first housing part has the connection area and the second housing part has the plug-in area, the plug-in area being designed for contacting a corresponding charging connector having corresponding charging contacts.

[0027] In principle, it is possible to arrange the spring element in the housing in various ways. However, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the spring element is formed between the heat accumulator and the housing wall of the first housing part arranged opposite the second housing part.

[0028] In the present case, reference is made to a plug-in region of the charging plug connector according to the invention 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 region 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 which corresponds to the fully plugged-in state of one charging plug connector in the other charging plug connector. In a connection region of the charging plug connector, the charging contacts are connected in a galvanically conductive manner to the electrical lines which lead to a battery of the vehicle.

[0029] When reference is made here to a corresponding charging plug connector, this means, on the one hand, 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 while 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, the term corresponding charging plug connector is also used here when the plug faces in the aforementioned sense only partially correspond, i.e. the corresponding charging plug connector, for example.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 charging plug connector can be plugged together in this case too. Such a case occurs, for example, with a charging coupling for direct current charging according to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2 that is connected to a charging cable. Such a charging coupling can be plugged into a charging plug that is built into the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle and is suitable for both alternating current and direct current charging, whereby in the alternating current plug face of the direct current charging coupling only the communication contacts and the protective contact are present, but no contacts for the outer conductor and a center conductor for alternating current charging.

[0030] 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. It is particularly preferred that the charging connector is a built-in charging connector, in particular according to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2.

[0031] The invention also relates to a system comprising a charging connector as described above and a charging plug connector corresponding thereto, wherein the corresponding charging connector is provided with a cooling element that can be supplied with a cooling fluid, and the corresponding charging contacts of the corresponding charging connector are designed as contact sleeves into which the charging contacts of the charging connector, designed as contact pins, can be inserted. This system is preferably designed such that it further comprises 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 to transport the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source to the cooling element of the corresponding charging connector and back again.The cooling fluid source of the charging station is designed in such a way that heated cooling fluid returned from the charging connector is cooled down again so that it is available for cooling again.

[0032] The invention also relates to a method for producing the charging plug connector described above, comprising the following method steps: arranging the spring element on the housing wall of the first housing part having the at least one clamp, clamping the heat accumulator between the spring element and the hook of the clamp, inserting the charging contact up to the stop formed in the heat accumulator, and closing the housing with the second housing part. Because the clamp holds the structure comprising the spring element and heat accumulator to the housing wall of the first housing, a faster and more advantageous insertion of the charging contact into the housing of the charging plug connector is possible.

[0033] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the drawings using preferred embodiments. In the drawings,

[0034] Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a charging connector according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

[0035] Fig. 2 shows a connector corresponding to the connector shown in Fig. 1,

[0036] Fig. 3a schematically shows the charging connector from Fig. 1 in a sectional view,

[0037] Fig. 3b schematically shows the charging connector according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention in a sectional view and

[0038] Fig. 4 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.

[0039] 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. 4. 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 (not further provided with reference symbols), a protective contact and communication contacts, the charging connector 1 has two charging contacts 2 for DC charging.

[0040] 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 together with the charging plug. The charging coupling shown here as an example is for direct current charging and therefore has corresponding direct current charging contacts 3, a protective contact, and communication contacts. Both the charging plug shown here and the coupling shown here correspond to the European standard IEC 62196 in terms of their plug-in face.

[0041] The charging plug connector 1 has a housing 7 formed with a first housing part 9 and a second housing part 11. For this purpose, the charging plug connector has a plug-in area 24 in the second housing part 11 and a connection area 22 in the first housing part 9. The plug-in area 24 is defined as an area in which the charging plug connector 1, when plugged into the corresponding charging plug connector 4, overlaps with the corresponding charging plug connector 4 in the plug-in direction and the charging contacts 2, 3, which in this specific exemplary embodiment are direct current charging contacts, of the two plug connectors 1, 4 are in galvanically conductive contact with one another. The connection area 22 is defined as an area in which the charging contacts 2 of the charging plug connector are galvanically conductively connected to electrical lines (not further designated) which lead from the charging plug connector 1 to a battery (not further shown).

[0042] Figures 3a and 3b show the charging connector 1 from Figure .

[0043] 1 in a sectional view. There it can be seen that a heat accumulator 5 with a recess 8 encloses the charging contact 2 along a longitudinal axis of the charging contact 2. Between the heat accumulator 5 and a housing wall 26 of the first housing part 9, a charging contact

[0044] 2 coaxially enclosing spring element 14 is arranged. The charging contact 2 itself has a bearing 12 which rests against a stop 16 arranged in the recess 8. The bearing 12 is rotationally symmetrical and widens conically towards the housing wall 26 of the second housing part 11. A cross-section of the bearing 12 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the charging contact 2 increases at an angle of 20 ° with respect to the longitudinal axis, so that the side of the bearing 12 facing the heat accumulator 5 has a smaller cross-section than the side of the bearing 12 facing the housing wall 26 of the second housing part 11.

[0045] In Fig. 3b, two additional clamps 19 are visible, which are formed integrally with the first housing part 9 and extend towards the second housing part 11. The clamps 19 have hooks 20 that engage with the side of the heat accumulator facing the second housing part 11, so that the heat accumulator is held by the spring element 14 on the housing wall 26 of the first housing part 9. This facilitates, in particular, the insertion of the charging contact 2 into the housing 7 of the charging connector 1 during assembly.

[0046] It has already been mentioned above that the charging connector 1 is used in the form of a built-in plug on the vehicle body 17 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 18. In this context, reference is made to Fig. 4, 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 29 and a charging cable 28 connected to the charging station 29 and carrying the corresponding charging connector 4. What is essential in this preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is that the corresponding charging connector 4 is provided with a cooling element 27 to which a cooling fluid can be applied for cooling the corresponding charging contacts 3.In order to achieve cooling of the corresponding charging contacts 3 via the cooling elements 27, the charging station 29 is provided with a cooling fluid source 10 and the charging cable 28 has cooling fluid lines 30 in order to transport the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source 10 to the cooling element 27 of the corresponding charging connector 4 and back again.Because the charging connector 1 installed in the vehicle body 17 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 18 is brought into engagement with the corresponding charging contacts 3 on the charging station side during the charging process, the heat generated during the charging process is, on the one hand, absorbed in the heat accumulator 5 and, on the other hand, subjected to the charging station-side cooling through the thermal coupling between the charging connector 1 installed in the vehicle body 17 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 18 and the corresponding charging connector 4 attached to the charging cable 28 when the two charging connectors 1, 4 are plugged in. In this way, the active cooling in the corresponding charging connector 4 with the cooling fluid originating from the cooling fluid source can also be used indirectly for cooling the charging connector 1 installed in the vehicle body 17 of the electric or hybrid vehicle 18.

[0047] Reference symbol list

[0048] 1 charging connector

[0049] 2 charging contacts

[0050] 3 corresponding charging contact

[0051] 4 corresponding charging connectors

[0052] 5 heat storage

[0053] 7 housings

[0054] 8 recess

[0055] 9 first housing part

[0056] 10 Cooling fluid source

[0057] 11 second housing part

[0058] 12 camps

[0059] 14 Spring element

[0060] 16 stops

[0061] 17 Vehicle body

[0062] 18 Electric or hybrid vehicle

[0063] 19 bracket

[0064] 20 hooks

[0065] 21 charging cables

[0066] 22 Connection area

[0067] 24 plug-in area

[0068] 26 Housing wall

[0069] 27 Cooling element

[0070] 28 charging cables

[0071] 29 charging station

[0072] 30 Cooling fluid line

Claims

Patent claims 1. Charging connector (1) for electric and hybrid vehicles (18), with a housing (7), charging contacts (2) arranged in the housing (7), a heat accumulator (5) formed in the housing, wherein the heat accumulator makes thermally conductive contact with at least one charging contact (2) having a longitudinal axis, so that heat can be dissipated from the charging contact (2) to the heat accumulator, and the heat accumulator is mounted on the charging contact (2) so as to slide along the longitudinal axis.

2. Charging connector (1) according to claim 1, wherein the heat accumulator has a recess (8), the charging contact (2) is guided along the longitudinal axis through the recess (8), and the heat accumulator (5) makes thermally conductive contact with the charging contact (2) by means of a clearance fit.

3. Charging connector (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a thermally conductive paste is arranged between the heat accumulator (5) and the charging contact (2).

4. Charging connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims with a bearing (12) and a spring element (14), wherein the bearing (12) is formed along the longitudinal axis of the charging contact (2), the heat accumulator (5) rests against the bearing (12), and the spring element (14) is formed on a side of the heat accumulator (5) arranged opposite the bearing (12) between a housing wall of the housing (7) and the heat accumulator (5), so that the heat accumulator (5) is held on the bearing (12) by means of the spring element (14).

5. Charging connector (1) according to claim 4, wherein the heat accumulator (5) contacts the bearing (12) in a thermally conductive manner.

6. Charging connector (1) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the bearing (12) is formed integrally with the charging contact (2), and the heat accumulator (5) has a receptacle corresponding to the bearing (12), so that a stop (16) is formed in the heat accumulator (5) and the bearing (12) can be received in the heat accumulator (5) up to the stop (16).

7. Charging connector (1) according to claim 6, wherein a cross section of the bearing (12) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the charging contact (2) increases at an angle between 10° and 25°, in particular between 15° and 20° relative to the longitudinal axis, so that a side of the bearing (12) facing the heat accumulator (5) has a smaller cross section than a side of the bearing (12) arranged opposite the heat accumulator (5).

8. Charging connector (1) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the bearing (12) is rotationally symmetrical and coaxial to the longitudinal axis.

9. Charging connector (1) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the bearing (12) is conical or prismatic.

10. Charging plug connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, with at least one clamp (19) forming a hook (20), wherein the housing (7) is formed with a first housing part (9) and a second housing part (11) arranged opposite the first housing part (9), the clamp (19) is arranged in the first housing part (9), extends towards the second housing part (11) and the hook (20) contacts the side of the heat accumulator (5) facing away from the spring element (14), so that the heat accumulator (5) and the spring element (14) are held on the housing wall (26) of the first housing part (9).

11. Charging connector (1) according to claim 10, wherein the spring element (14) is formed between the heat accumulator (5) and the housing wall (26) of the first housing part (9) arranged opposite the second housing part (11).

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 (4) corresponding thereto, wherein the corresponding charging connector (4) is provided with a cooling element (27) which can be supplied with a cooling fluid and the corresponding charging contacts (3) of the corresponding charging connector (4) are designed as contact sleeves into which the charging contacts (2) of the charging connector (1), designed as contact pins, can be inserted.

14. System according to claim 10, further comprising a charging station (29) and a charging cable (28) connected to the charging station (20) and carrying the corresponding charging connector (4), wherein the charging station (29) has a cooling fluid source (10) and the charging cable (28) is provided with cooling fluid lines (30) in order to transport the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid source (10) to the cooling element (27) of the corresponding charging connector (4) and back again.

15. A method for producing a charging connector (1) according to one of claims 9 or 10, comprising the following method steps: 51) Arranging the spring element (14) on the housing wall (26) of the first housing part (9) having the at least one clamp (19), 52) Clamping the heat accumulator (5) between the spring element (14) and the hook (20) of the clamp (19), 53) Inserting the charging contact (2) up to the stop (16) formed in the heat accumulator (5), and S4) Closing the housing (7) with the second Housing part (11) .

Citation Information

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