Electric vehicle charging assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric vehicle charging assembly comprising: a fluid pipe for recovering and supplying a cooling fluid to an electric vehicle charging cable; and a cooling chamber in which the cooling fluid supplied from the fluid pipe can flow to an electric vehicle charging connector, wherein a power terminal of a charging connector which generates significant heat during electric vehicle charging can be efficiently cooled, and at the same time, a connector cooling structure can be simplified and the volume thereof can be minimized.

Description

Electric vehicle charging assembly

[0001] The present invention relates to an assembly for charging an electric vehicle. More specifically, the present invention relates to an assembly for charging an electric vehicle, wherein the connector cooling structure for cooling the heat generated by the power terminal constituting the electric vehicle charging connector during electric vehicle charging can be simplified and its volume minimized.

[0002] With the proliferation of electric vehicles, the installation of electric vehicle chargers is expanding. Rapid chargers capable of rapid charging are becoming increasingly popular for short-term charging. Unlike slow chargers, the output voltage of rapid chargers ranges from 50 to 450 V DC and the charging current exceeds 100 A. These rapid chargers can charge an electric vehicle to a certain level, such as 80% of a full charge, in just 30 to 40 minutes. As electric vehicle battery capacity increases and charging technology advances, the charging current of rapid chargers is expected to continue to increase.

[0003] These rapid chargers have an electric vehicle charging cable connected to the main body, an electric vehicle charging connector mounted on the end of the electric vehicle charging cable, and the connector mounted on an electric vehicle inlet equipped on the electric vehicle so that power can be supplied from the electric vehicle charger to the electric vehicle.

[0004] Such rapid chargers can cause problems with heating of both the electric vehicle charging cable that transmits the large charging current to the electric vehicle and the electric vehicle charging connector connected to the end of the electric vehicle charging cable.

[0005] In particular, electric vehicle charging connectors are structured such that an electric vehicle charging cable is introduced, the cable conductors are connected to the power terminals forming the connector, and the connectors are removably connected to the electric vehicle inlet installed in the electric vehicle. Therefore, electrical resistance may increase and heat generation may be exacerbated in the connection area between the power terminals of the connectors and the power terminals of the connectors and the conductors.

[0006] Accordingly, various connector cooling structures are being introduced that can cool extreme heat generated in the connection area between the power terminal of the connector and the conductor of the cable by using the cooling fluid flow inside the cooling chamber connected to the power terminal of the electric vehicle charging connector.

[0007] Meanwhile, in the case of the connector cooling structure introduced previously, the cooling performance of the electric vehicle charging connector was improved by providing an effective cooling function using a cooling fluid, but since the connector cooling structure must have a coolant recovery function and a waterproof function, the connector cooling structure as a whole was complex, making it difficult to manufacture and having large cost, volume, and weight.

[0008] Meanwhile, to improve charging accessibility for electric vehicle drivers across North America, the North American Charging Standard (NACS), a standard for electric vehicle charging developed by Tesla, has been introduced. While the existing US standard was the Combined Charging System (CCS), research on NACS-compliant electric vehicle charging connectors is on the rise as numerous electric vehicle manufacturers worldwide are adopting the NACS standard.

[0009] Accordingly, in an electric vehicle charging assembly equipped with an electric vehicle charging connector compliant with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) standard, which is one of the electric vehicle charging standards, there is an urgent need for an electric vehicle charging assembly that can efficiently cool the power terminal and its connection part of the connector, which generates a lot of heat when charging an electric vehicle, through a connector cooling structure, while simplifying the connector cooling structure and minimizing its volume.

[0010] The present invention aims to provide an electric vehicle charging assembly in which a connector cooling structure for cooling the heat generated by a power terminal constituting an electric vehicle charging connector during electric vehicle charging can be simplified and its volume minimized.

[0011] In order to solve the above problem, the present invention can provide an electric vehicle charging assembly, which comprises: an electric vehicle charging connector including: at least one grounding unit; at least one communication unit; a pair of power units having a conductor and an insulating layer surrounding the conductor; internal fluid tubes each disposed inside the pair of power units for recovering or supplying a cooling fluid; and external fluid tubes disposed outside the power units for supplying or recovering a cooling fluid; and a housing forming a main body; a connecting part disposed at the front of the housing and detachably connected to an electric vehicle inlet, and having a grounding terminal, a communication terminal, and a power terminal mounted thereon; a cooling chamber to which the internal fluid tubes are connected at the rear, and in which cooling fluid supplied from the external fluid tubes can flow; and a connecting terminal mounted inside the cooling chamber and having a cooling path formed therein, through which cooling fluid introduced from the cooling chamber is recovered to each of the internal fluid tubes.

[0012] In addition, the cooling chamber may be configured to include a pair of connection terminal mounting portions in which the connection terminals are mounted inside; and a cooling tube mounting portion that is formed to protrude toward the rear of the connection chamber and is provided between the pair of connection terminal mounting portions, and in which the internal fluid tube is mounted inside.

[0013] In addition, the cooling chamber has at least one fluid hole formed in each of the connection terminal mounting portions through which cooling fluid passes, so that the cooling fluid flowing inside the cooling chamber can flow into each of the connection terminals mounted on the pair of connection terminal mounting portions after passing through the fluid hole.

[0014] Here, the cooling chamber may be made of a non-metallic material, and the connecting terminal may be made of a metal material.

[0015] In this case, the connection terminal may be mounted inside the cooling chamber and may be provided to connect between the power terminal of the electric vehicle charging connector and the internal fluid pipe.

[0016] In addition, the connection terminal may be configured to include a power terminal connection portion to which the power terminal of the electric vehicle charging connector is connected at the front; a cooling fluid inlet portion connected at the rear of the power terminal connection portion and into which cooling fluid inside the cooling chamber is introduced; and a cooling fluid outlet portion in the shape of a cylinder connected at the rear of the cooling fluid inlet portion and configured to discharge the cooling fluid introduced from the cooling fluid inlet portion and deliver it to the cooling fluid recovery portion.

[0017] In addition, the power terminal connection part of the above-mentioned connecting terminal may have a space formed inside for inserting a rear connection port in the shape of a pipe provided at the rear of the above-mentioned power terminal.

[0018] In addition, the cooling fluid inlet portion of the above-mentioned connecting terminal may have at least one inlet hole formed on the outer surface through which the cooling fluid flowing in the cooling chamber is introduced.

[0019] Here, the cooling fluid outlet of the connecting terminal is provided inside the conductor of the power unit, and an end of the cooling fluid outlet can be connected to the inside of the external fluid pipe.

[0020] In this case, in the end region of a pair of power units constituting the electric vehicle charging cable, the conductor of the power unit is peeled off from the insulating layer of the power unit and exposed to the outside, and the exposed conductor of the power unit can be connected to the rear of the connection terminal.

[0021] In addition, the electric charging assembly may further include a compression sleeve for wrapping and compressing an outer surface of a conductor of the power unit connected to the rear of the connection terminal.

[0022] Additionally, the electric vehicle charging standard of the connecting part constituting the above electric vehicle charging assembly may be NACS (North American Charging Standard).

[0023] According to the electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention, a connector cooling structure is configured in such a way that each conductor of each power unit, which has an internal fluid tube for recovering or supplying cooling fluid of an electric vehicle charging cable, is directly connected to the rear of a metal chamber having each cooling function, so that not only can the power terminal of the electric vehicle charging connector be efficiently cooled by the cooling fluid flowing inside the metal chamber, but the connector cooling structure can be further simplified and the volume and weight can be minimized.

[0024] In addition, according to the electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention, a cooling path is formed in the terminal space inside the connector to cool the power terminal of the connector while cooling fluid flows, thereby effectively cooling the power terminal area of ​​the connector, which generates a lot of heat when charging an electric vehicle.

[0025] In addition, according to the electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention, by configuring a connector cooling structure in which a conductor of a power unit is connected to the rear of a connection terminal, not only is the power terminal of the connector efficiently cooled by a cooling fluid flowing and recovered inside the connection terminal, but the connector cooling structure can be further simplified and the volume and weight can be minimized.

[0026] FIG. 1 illustrates an electric vehicle charging system including an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an electric vehicle charging cable constituting an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an electric vehicle charging connector constituting an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view illustrating the flow of cooling fluid in one embodiment of an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view illustrating another embodiment of an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention, with the flow of cooling fluid illustrated.

[0031] Figure 6 illustrates a rear view of an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates a front perspective view of a connector cooling structure in an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0033] FIG. 8 illustrates a rear perspective view of a connector cooling structure in an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0034] FIG. 9 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a connector cooling structure in an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0035] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosure is thorough and complete, and to sufficiently convey the spirit of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification.

[0036] FIG. 1 illustrates an electric vehicle charging system including an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0037] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle charging system is configured to include an electric vehicle charging cable (100), an electric vehicle charging connector (200), and an electric vehicle charger (300), and can charge an electric vehicle (EV) in accordance with the North American Charging Standard (NACS) method.

[0038] Here, the North American charging standard, NACS, is named after the name of the electric vehicle-only charging connector developed by Tesla in the United States, and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International) recently standardized NACS as one of the global electric vehicle charging standards.

[0039] Accordingly, in the electric vehicle charging system illustrated in FIG. 1, the electric vehicle charging connector (200) and the electric vehicle inlet (c) connected to the electric vehicle charging connector (200) may be configured to conform to the North American Charging Standard (NCAS) standard. A detailed description of the electric vehicle charging connector (200) conforming to the North American Charging Standard (NCAS) standard will be provided below.

[0040] The above electric vehicle (EV) refers to a vehicle that drives an electric motor using electric energy charged in a battery installed in the vehicle and uses the driving force of the motor as the vehicle's power, and specifically refers to a plug-in electric vehicle (PEV).

[0041] However, the above electric vehicle (EV) may include a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle), and should not be interpreted as limited to a typical road-going passenger vehicle, and may be understood as a concept that includes, in addition to road-going passenger vehicles, carts, work vehicles, or two-wheeled vehicles.

[0042] In the electric vehicle charging system illustrated in Fig. 1, an electric vehicle charger (300) can be connected to one end of an electric vehicle charging cable (100), and an electric vehicle charging connector (200) can be mounted on the other end of the electric vehicle charging cable (100).

[0043] The electric vehicle charging connector (200) is mounted on the electric vehicle inlet (c) of the electric vehicle (EV) and is capable of supplying power and transmitting and receiving control signals. If the electric vehicle charger (300) is a rapid charger, the electric vehicle (EV) can be charged within a short period of time.

[0044] Meanwhile, during rapid charging of an electric vehicle (EV), the conductor of the electric vehicle charging cable (100) and the power terminal of the electric vehicle charging connector (200) to which the conductor is connected, and the connection between the conductor and the power terminal may generate significant heat due to the large current capacity.

[0045] Accordingly, the present invention provides an electric vehicle charging assembly including an electric vehicle charging connector (200) having a North American Charging Standard (NACS) standard, in which the power terminal of the connector and its connection portion, which generate a lot of heat when charging an electric vehicle (EV), are efficiently cooled through a connector cooling structure using a cooling fluid, while the connector cooling structure is simplified and the volume is minimized.

[0046] Referring to FIG. 2 below, the configuration of an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[0047] FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of an electric vehicle charging cable constituting an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0048] As illustrated in FIG. 2, an electric vehicle charging cable (100) constituting an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention may be configured to include at least one grounding unit (110) therein; at least one communication unit (120); a pair of power units (130) each having a conductor (131) and an insulating layer (133) surrounding the conductor; an internal fluid pipe (140) disposed inside each of the pair of power units (130) for recovering or supplying a cooling fluid; and an external fluid pipe (150) disposed outside the power unit (130) for supplying or recovering a cooling fluid.

[0049] The above grounding unit (110) serves to eliminate leakage current when charging an electric vehicle (EV). The above grounding unit (110) may be configured to include a grounding conductor (111) and an insulating layer (113) surrounding the grounding conductor.

[0050] The above communication unit (120) can control the power supply of an electric vehicle (EV) and transmit and receive control signals to and from the EV. The communication unit (120) can be configured to include a communication conductor (121), an insulating layer (123) surrounding the communication conductor, and a sheath layer (125) that entirely surrounds the internal structure of the communication unit.

[0051] A pair of power units (130) may include a DC+ power unit (130) and a DC- power unit (130) for rapid charging of an electric vehicle (EV). Each of the pair of power units (130) may be configured to include a conductor (131) and an insulating layer (133) surrounding the conductor.

[0052] Here, the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) may be made of a metal, for example, tin, copper, aluminum, an alloy thereof, etc., and may preferably be made of annealed copper wire. The conductor (131) provided inside the power unit (130) may have a composite structure in which a plurality of wires are assembled at a set pitch, and then several of these assembled conductors are combined again at a set pitch.

[0053] An internal fluid tube (140) may be provided inside each of a pair of power units (130), and an external fluid tube (150) may be provided outside each of the pair of power units (130). Here, the internal fluid tube (140) and the external fluid tube (150) may be configured to include a cooling tube (141, 151) and a cooling path (143, 153) through which a cooling fluid flows inside the cooling tube.

[0054] An internal fluid tube (140) may be provided inside each of the pair of power units (130), and an external fluid tube (150) may be provided outside each of the pair of power units (130).

[0055] Here, the internal fluid pipe (140) and the external fluid pipe (150) may be configured to include a cooling tube (141, 151) and a cooling path (143, 153) through which cooling fluid flows inside the cooling tube.

[0056] One of the internal fluid pipe (140) and the external fluid pipe (150) can function as a cooling fluid supply pipe, and the other can function as a cooling fluid return pipe.

[0057] In one embodiment, in the process of supplying cooling fluid through the cooling path (143) of the internal fluid pipe (140), the cooling fluid cools the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) and is then supplied to the connection terminal (270) and the cooling chamber (250) (see FIG. 4 and below), and the cooling fluid may flow inside the cooling chamber (250) and then be returned to the electric vehicle charger (300) through the cooling path (153) of the external fluid pipe (150), but the opposite case is also possible.

[0058] That is, contrary to the above-described embodiment, the internal fluid pipe (140) may function as a cooling fluid supply pipe, and the external fluid pipe (150) may function as a cooling fluid return pipe.

[0059] Meanwhile, in the electric vehicle charging cable (100), the component that mainly causes heat generation is the power unit (130) for supplying power. The electric vehicle charging cable (100) has an internal fluid tube (140) inside each of a pair of power units (130) so that a cooling fluid flows inside them, thereby effectively cooling the conductor heat generated when the power unit (130) is energized.

[0060] Preferably, the internal fluid tube (140) is arranged at the center of the conductor (131) constituting the power unit (130), so that the internal fluid tube (140) can uniformly cool the inner surface of the conductor (131) of the power unit (130).

[0061] In addition, the external fluid pipe (150) may be provided outside a pair of power units (130), and preferably, the external fluid pipe (150) may be arranged to be in external contact with the outer surface of the insulating layer (133) of the pair of power units (130). Through this, in the process of supplying cooling fluid through the external fluid pipe (150), the effect of indirectly cooling the insulating layer (133) of the power unit (130) or its surrounding area can be obtained.

[0062] The above cable jacket (160) wraps and protects the entire internal structure of the electric vehicle charging cable (100) and serves to maintain the electric vehicle charging cable (100) in a circular shape.

[0063] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the configuration of the electric vehicle charging cable (100) is, as one embodiment, a pair of power units (130) are arranged in external contact with each other, and the grounding unit (110) and the external fluid pipe (150) are arranged on each side of the pair of power units (130), and a plurality of communication units (120) having relatively small diameters are arranged in the empty space inside the cable jacket (160), thereby minimizing the overall outer diameter of the cable, but is not limited to the above structure.

[0064] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of an electric vehicle charging connector constituting an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 3, an electric vehicle charging connector (200) constituting an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention may be configured to include a housing (210) forming a main body; and a connecting portion (220) provided in front of the housing (210) and detachably connected to an electric vehicle inlet (c) provided in an electric vehicle (ev), and having one ground terminal (221), one communication terminal (222), and a pair of power terminals (223) mounted thereon.

[0066] An electric vehicle charging connector (200) is connected to an end of an electric vehicle charging cable (100), and the electric vehicle charging connector (200) has a structure that can be mounted on an electric vehicle inlet (c) provided in an electric vehicle (EV).

[0067] The housing (210) constituting the electric vehicle charging connector (200) forms the exterior of the connector (200) and forms the main body, and a cooling chamber and a connection terminal, which will be described later, can each be provided in an internal receiving space of the housing (210). The housing (210) is made of an insulating resin material such as heat-reinforced plastic or glass fiber plastic, and the housing (210) can safely protect the internal components of the connector (200) from high temperatures.

[0068] A housing (210) constituting an electric vehicle charging connector (200) may be provided with a cable mounting portion (211) at the rear, and an electric vehicle charging cable (100) may be introduced through the cable mounting portion (211) to constitute an electric vehicle charging assembly.

[0069] The electric vehicle charging connector (200) of the present invention, in the case of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) standard, which is one of the electric vehicle charging standards, unlike the Combined Charging System (CCS) standard, does not use separate power terminals for slow charging (AC) and fast charging (DC) but uses the same power terminal, so that the electric vehicle charging connector (200) can be made smaller and lighter compared to other standards. However, the cooling structure of the present invention can be applied to an electric vehicle charging connector having the North American Charging Standard (NACS) standard, but can also be applied to electric vehicle connectors of various other standards.

[0070] The connecting part (220) constituting the electric vehicle charging connector (200) is mounted on the front of the housing (210) and can be detachably connected to the electric vehicle inlet (c), and is configured to include a ground terminal (221), a communication terminal (222), and a power terminal (223). Here, the ground terminal (221), the communication terminal (222), and the power terminal (223) can be connected to the ground unit (110), the communication unit (120), and the power unit (130) of the electric vehicle charging cable (100), respectively.

[0071] Hereinafter, the internal configuration and connector cooling structure of the electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention will be described in more detail.

[0072] FIG. 4 illustrates a rear perspective view of one embodiment of an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention with a flow path of a cooling fluid illustrated, FIG. 5 illustrates a rear perspective view of another embodiment of an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention with a flow path of a cooling fluid illustrated, and FIG. 6 illustrates a rear view of an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0073] As illustrated in FIGS. 4 to 6, the electric vehicle charging connector (200) according to the present invention may be provided with a terminal plate (220p) on the rear inner side of a connecting portion (220) connected to an electric vehicle inlet (c). The terminal plate (220p) may provide a space in the front where terminals that can be connected to a grounding unit (110) and a communication unit (120) constituting an electric vehicle charging cable (100) are mounted.

[0074] In addition, the above electric vehicle charging connector (200) may be configured to include a cooling chamber (250) in which a pair of power units (130) and one external fluid pipe (150) are each connected to the rear, and in which a cooling fluid supplied through the external fluid pipe (150) can flow inside.

[0075] The cooling chamber (250) may be made of a non-metallic material, and preferably, the cooling chamber (250) may be manufactured by injection molding a polymer material having excellent heat resistance.

[0076] Here, the cooling chamber (250) may be provided as a single cooling chamber (250) that integrally connects between a pair of power units (130) and between each power unit (130) and the external fluid pipe (150). One external fluid pipe (150) may be connected to the upper rear portion of the cooling chamber (250), and a pair of power units (130) may be connected to the lower rear portion of the cooling chamber (250).

[0077] In addition, the electric vehicle charging connector (200) may be installed by penetrating the inside of the cooling chamber (250), and may be provided with a pair of connection terminals (270) having a terminal space formed inside for cooling fluid to flow into the inside of the cooling chamber (250), pass through it, and then be recovered to the internal fluid pipe (140).

[0078] A pair of connecting terminals (270) may be made of a metal material with excellent conductivity, such as tin, copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof.

[0079] And, a pair of connection terminals (270) are installed through the cooling chamber (250), and each connection terminal (270) can be installed inside the cooling chamber (250) in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the power unit (130).

[0080] Here, a pair of connection terminals (270) are provided between the power terminal (223) of the electric vehicle charging connector (200) and the internal fluid pipe (140), and the power terminal (223) of the connector can be connected to the front of the connection terminal (270) and the internal fluid pipe (140) can be connected to the rear of the connection terminal (270).

[0081] In addition, the power terminal (223) of the connector (200) may be configured to be connected to the terminal space inside the connection terminal (270) when mounted in front of the connection terminal (270) and cooled by a cooling fluid flowing through the terminal space.

[0082] Accordingly, the electric vehicle charging connector (200) according to the present invention configures a connector cooling structure in which the cooling fluid supplied from the external fluid pipe (150) cools a pair of connection terminals (270) that are settled inside the cooling chamber (250) and then is recovered along each internal fluid pipe (140) arranged inside the power unit (130) connected to the rear of the cooling chamber (250), thereby efficiently cooling the power terminal (223) of the connector and the conductor (131) of the cable by the connector cooling structure using the cooling fluid.

[0083] The above metal chamber (250) forms a connection between the power terminal of the connector and the conductor of the power unit, and may be provided for each power unit or power terminal to cool the area where heat generation is the most severe and provide a recovery structure for the cooling fluid.

[0084] Since the above cooling fluid is in direct contact with the connection terminal (270) of the connector for power supply, it is preferable to use an insulating cooling fluid.

[0085] In addition, the electric vehicle charging connector (200) according to the present invention may further include a compression sleeve (260) for connecting the power unit (130) to the rear of the connection terminal (270) at the rear of the cooling chamber (250). The compression sleeve (260) is configured to compress the outer surface of the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) in order to connect and fix the power unit (130) to the rear of the connection terminal (270).

[0086] The above compression sleeve (260) may be made of copper, aluminum, or an alloy thereof, similar to the connecting terminal (270).

[0087] According to the electric vehicle fast charging standard IEC 62196-3, it is recommended that the temperature change (Δ°C) of the electric vehicle charging assembly before and after charging the electric vehicle (EV) be within approximately 50 degrees for the sake of user safety and product performance during electric vehicle fast charging. This means that when the user is assuming that the EV is being charged at room temperature, the maximum temperature inside the EV charging assembly is preferably maintained at approximately 70 degrees (°C) or less, and preferably approximately 65 degrees (°C) or less.

[0088] Meanwhile, when rapidly charging an electric vehicle (EV) using the above-described electric vehicle charging assembly, extreme heat generation has become a major problem in the area of ​​the conductor (131) of the automobile charging cable (100) and the power terminal (223) of the electric vehicle charging connector (200) connected thereto, and thus, various connector cooling structures have been introduced to solve this problem.

[0089] The connector cooling structure previously introduced was a method of cooling the heat of the power terminal (223) of the connector (200) by connecting a chamber or the like around the power terminal (223) of the electric vehicle charging connector (200). However, the conventional method was a structure in which the cooling fluid inside the chamber indirectly cools the external area of ​​the power terminal (223) of the connector (200), so it could not sufficiently cool the heat generation in the connection area of ​​the connector.

[0090] Accordingly, in the electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention, the power terminal (233) of the connector (200) is mounted in front of the connection terminal (270) constituting the connector cooling structure, and a cooling fluid flows in the terminal space inside the connection terminal (270) and a cooling path is formed to cool the power terminal (233) of the connector (200), thereby effectively cooling the connection area of ​​the power terminal (233) of the connector (200), which generates a lot of heat when charging the electric vehicle.

[0091] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the flow of cooling fluid in the connector cooling structure according to various embodiments of the electric vehicle charger assembly according to the present invention will be specifically described.

[0092] The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 is an embodiment in which the internal fluid pipe (140) functions as a cooling fluid recovery pipe and the external fluid pipe (150) functions as a cooling fluid supply pipe.

[0093] In this case, the cooling fluid supplied from the electric vehicle charger (300, see FIG. 1) through one external fluid pipe (150) positioned outside a pair of power units (130) flows while cooling the outer peripheral area of ​​the pair of power units (130) positioned adjacent to the external fluid pipe (150).

[0094] Next, the cooling fluid flows into the cooling chamber (250) through the fluid valve (157) connected to the end of the external fluid pipe (150), and the cooling fluid flowing inside the cooling chamber (250) flows toward the connection terminal (270) mounted inside the cooling chamber (250) and can flow into the terminal space inside the connection terminal (270).

[0095] Thereafter, the cooling fluid flows through the terminal space inside the connecting terminal (270) to cool the connector power terminal (223), and then flows again along a pair of internal fluid pipes (140) connected to the rear of the connecting terminal (270) to be returned to the electric vehicle charger (300).

[0096] The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 is an embodiment in which the internal fluid pipe (140) functions as a cooling fluid supply pipe and the external fluid pipe (150) functions as a cooling fluid return pipe.

[0097] In the exemplary structure of FIG. 5, the cooling fluid supplied from the electric vehicle charger (300, see FIG. 1) through the internal fluid pipe (140) provided inside the power unit (130) flows while cooling the conductor (131) inside the conductor (131) of the power unit (130).

[0098] Next, the cooling fluid flows into the connection terminal (270) connected to the end of the internal fluid pipe (140), and the cooling fluid flowing inside the connection terminal (270) can flow into the cooling chamber (250) surrounding the connection terminal (270).

[0099] Thereafter, the cooling fluid flowing inside the cooling chamber (250) may flow upward along an external fluid pipe (150) connected to the rear of the cooling chamber (250) and be recovered by the electric vehicle charger. At this time, since the external fluid pipe may be in contact with a pair of power units (130), cooling of the outer surface of the power unit (130) may also be performed simultaneously.

[0100] Hereinafter, the connector cooling structure of the present invention will be examined in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7 to 9.

[0101] FIG. 7 illustrates a front perspective view of a connector cooling structure in an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention, FIG. 8 illustrates a rear perspective view of a connector cooling structure in an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention, and FIG. 9 illustrates a side cross-sectional view of a connector cooling structure constituting an electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention.

[0102] The connector cooling structure of the electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention is configured to cool the power terminal (223) of the connector (200) and the connection area between the conductor (131) of the cable and the power terminal, and the connector cooling structure may be configured to include an external fluid pipe (150) through which cooling fluid is supplied, a cooling chamber (250), a connection terminal (270), and an internal fluid pipe (140) through which cooling fluid is recovered.

[0103] The external fluid pipe (150) is illustrated as being connected to the rear of the cooling chamber (250) via a fluid valve (157), but is not limited thereto. For example, the end of the external fluid pipe (150) may be connected to the rear of the cooling chamber (250) by various connection methods such as a fluid valve, soldering, or fastening.

[0104] Here, the cooling fluid flowing in the cooling channel (151) of the external fluid pipe (150) can flow parallel to the length of the external fluid pipe (150) without changing the flow direction at the end of the fluid pipe and then flow into the cooling chamber (250).

[0105] The cooling chamber (250) may be configured to include a pair of connection terminal mounting portions (251) each having the connection terminals (270) mounted therein; and a cooling tube mounting portion (252) that protrudes toward the rear of the cooling chamber and is provided between the pair of connection terminal mounting portions (251) and has the internal fluid tube (140) mounted therein.

[0106] The main body of the above cooling chamber (250) may be formed so that a pair of connection terminal mounting portions (251) and a single cooling tube mounting portion (252) are integrally connected, and the pair of connection terminal mounting portions (251) and the single cooling tube mounting portion (252) may each be configured in a pipe-shaped connection port shape so as to surround the outer peripheral surface area of ​​the connection terminal and the external fluid tube, respectively.

[0107] In addition, the connection terminal mounting portion (251) of the cooling chamber (250) may be formed with at least one fluid hole (251h) through which a cooling fluid flowing inside the cooling chamber (250) passes. Accordingly, the cooling fluid supplied through the external fluid pipe (150) may pass through the fluid hole (251h) formed in the cooling chamber (250) and then flow into the terminal space (270s) inside each of the connection terminals (270) mounted on the pair of connection terminal mounting portions (251).

[0108] Here, the connecting terminal (270) can pass through the connecting terminal mounting portion (251) constituting the cooling chamber (250) and then be supported by being seated inside the connecting terminal mounting portion (251).

[0109] The above connection terminal (270) may be configured to include a power terminal connection portion (271) to which the power terminal (233) of the connector (200) is connected at the front; a cooling fluid inlet portion (272) connected at the rear of the power terminal connection portion (271) and into which cooling fluid inside the cooling chamber (250) is introduced; and a cooling fluid outlet portion (273) in the shape of a cylinder connected at the rear of the cooling fluid inlet portion (272) and for discharging the cooling fluid introduced from the cooling fluid inlet portion (272) and delivering it to the internal fluid pipe (150).

[0110] The front portion of the power terminal connection portion (271) of the above-mentioned connection terminal (270) may be exposed to the outside of the cooling chamber (250), and the power terminal (233) of the connector may be connected to the front of the power terminal connection portion (271).

[0111] Meanwhile, the power terminal (233) connected to the connection terminal (270) may be configured to include a front connection port (223a) in the shape of a pipe that surrounds the outer surface of the conductor of the electric vehicle inlet (c) so that the conductor of the electric vehicle inlet (c) is received, and a rear connection port (223b) that protrudes and extends in the opposite direction of the front connection port (223a) of the power terminal and is inserted into the power terminal connection portion (271) of the connection terminal (270) to be electrically connected to the connection terminal (270).

[0112] Accordingly, the power terminal connection portion (271) can have a space formed inside for the rear connection port (223b) of the power terminal (233) to be inserted and connected.

[0113] A cooling fluid inlet (272) may be connected to the rear of the power terminal connection portion (271) of the above-mentioned connection terminal (270). The cooling fluid inlet (272) may be mounted in a state accommodated within the connection terminal mounting portion (251) of the cooling chamber (250) so that the outer peripheral surface area of ​​the cooling fluid inlet (272) is completely surrounded.

[0114] In addition, the cooling fluid inlet (272) of the connecting terminal (270) may have at least one inlet hole (272h) formed on the outer surface thereof to allow the cooling fluid flowing inside the cooling chamber (250) to flow into the terminal space (270s) inside the connecting terminal (270). The inlet hole (272h) formed in the cooling fluid inlet (272) may be circular or oval in shape, etc.

[0115] Referring to FIG. 9, a separation space (250s) may be formed in the space between the inner surface of the cooling chamber (250) and the cooling fluid inlet (272) of the connection terminal (270) in the internal space of the connection terminal mounting portion (251) of the cooling chamber (250). Accordingly, the cooling fluid supplied toward the cooling chamber (250) along the external fluid pipe (150) flows through the fluid hole (251h) of the cooling chamber into the separation space (250s), and thereafter, the cooling fluid flowing in the separation space (250s) may be introduced into the terminal space (270s) inside the connection terminal by the inlet hole (272h) formed on the outer surface of the connection terminal (270).

[0116] The terminal space (270s) of the above-mentioned connecting terminal (270) can be formed by penetrating the inside of the cooling fluid inlet (272) and the cooling fluid outlet (273), and a cooling path through which the cooling fluid flows in the direction of the internal fluid pipe (140) can be formed inside the terminal space (270s) of the above-mentioned connecting terminal (270).

[0117] A cooling fluid outlet (273) may be connected to the rear of the cooling fluid inlet (272) of the above-mentioned connection terminal (270). The cooling fluid outlet (273) of the above-mentioned connection terminal (270) may be configured in a cylindrical shape that protrudes and extends to the rear of the cooling fluid inlet (272), and an end of the cooling fluid outlet (273) may be connected to the cooling flow path (141) of the internal fluid pipe (140).

[0118] Accordingly, the cooling fluid that passes through the cooling chamber (250) and flows into the terminal space (270s) inside the connection terminal (270) can flow out through the cooling fluid outlet (273) and form a cooling fluid flow that is returned to the electric vehicle charger along the cooling path (141) of the internal fluid pipe (140).

[0119] Here, the internal fluid pipe (140) may be configured such that the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) is exposed to the outside of the insulation layer (133) as the insulation layer (133) of the power unit (130) is peeled off by a predetermined length at the end, and the conductor (131) exposed to the outside of the insulation layer (133) may be configured to surround the outer peripheral surface area of ​​the cooling fluid outlet (273) connected to the rear of the connection terminal (270).

[0120] By configuring the connector cooling structure in this manner, the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) can be arranged so as not to communicate with the internal space of the connection terminal (270), and the electrical contact area between the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) and the connection terminal (270) can be increased.

[0121] In this way, the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) is not directly connected to the power terminal (223) of the connector, but is connected to the cooling fluid outlet (273) provided at the rear of the connection terminal (270) to indirectly connect to the power terminal (223) using a roundabout connection method, and at the same time, the cooling fluid flowing inside the connection terminal (270) cools the power terminal (223), thereby improving the cooling performance.

[0122] In addition, the above-mentioned connecting terminal (270) may be configured to further include a plurality of sealing members (274) to ensure that the connecting terminal (270) can be stably fixed and supported on the inner surface of the cooling chamber (250).

[0123] The above sealing member (274) is provided with, for example, an O-ring made of elastic rubber, and is arranged in the area between the power terminal connection portion (271) of the connection terminal (270) and the cooling fluid inlet portion (272) and the area between the cooling fluid inlet portion (272) and the cooling fluid outlet portion (273), thereby improving the sealing force between the inner surface of the cooling chamber (250) and the connection terminal (270).

[0124] In addition, as described above, the compression sleeve (260) may be provided at the connection portion between the connection terminal (270) and the power unit (130). The compression sleeve (260) is configured to compress the outer surface of the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) surrounding the cooling fluid outlet (273) provided at the rear of the connection terminal (270), thereby improving the fixing force between the connection terminal (270) and the power unit (130).

[0125] In this way, the electric vehicle charging assembly according to the present invention configures a connector cooling structure in which the conductor (131) of the power unit (130) is connected to the rear of the connection terminal (270), thereby efficiently cooling the power terminal (223) of the connector by the cooling fluid flowing inside the connection terminal (270), and the connector cooling structure can be further simplified and the volume and weight can be minimized.

[0126] While this specification has described preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims below. Therefore, any modified implementation that fundamentally includes the elements of the claims should be considered within the technical scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle charging cable comprising: at least one grounding unit; at least one communication unit; a pair of power units each having a conductor and an insulating layer surrounding the conductor; an internal fluid tube disposed inside each of the pair of power units for recovering or supplying a cooling fluid; and an external fluid tube disposed outside the power unit for supplying or recovering a cooling fluid; and An electric vehicle charging assembly comprising: a housing forming a main body; a connecting portion provided at the front of the housing and detachably connected to an electric vehicle inlet, and having a ground terminal, a communication terminal, and a power terminal mounted thereon; a cooling chamber in which the internal fluid pipe is connected at the rear and in which cooling fluid supplied from the external fluid pipe can flow therein; and a connecting terminal mounted inside the cooling chamber and having a cooling path formed therein through which cooling fluid introduced from the cooling chamber is respectively returned to the internal fluid pipe; 2. In paragraph 1, An electric vehicle charging assembly characterized in that the cooling chamber comprises a pair of connection terminal mounting portions in which the connection terminals are mounted inside; and a cooling tube mounting portion which is formed to protrude toward the rear of the connection chamber and is provided between the pair of connection terminal mounting portions, and in which the internal fluid tube is mounted inside.

3. In paragraph 2, An electric vehicle charging assembly characterized in that the cooling chamber has at least one fluid hole formed in each of the connection terminal mounting portions through which cooling fluid passes, and the cooling fluid flowing inside the cooling chamber passes through the fluid hole and then flows into each of the connection terminals mounted on the pair of connection terminal mounting portions.

4. In paragraph 1, An electric vehicle charging assembly characterized in that the cooling chamber is made of a non-metallic material and the connecting terminal is made of a metal material.

5. In paragraph 1, An electric vehicle charging assembly characterized in that the above connection terminal is mounted inside the cooling chamber and is provided to connect between the power terminal of the electric vehicle charging connector and the internal fluid pipe.

6. In paragraph 1, An electric charging assembly characterized in that the above-mentioned connection terminal comprises a power terminal connection portion to which the power terminal of the electric vehicle charging connector is connected at the front; a cooling fluid inlet portion connected at the rear of the power terminal connection portion and into which cooling fluid inside the cooling chamber is introduced; and a cylindrical cooling fluid outlet portion connected at the rear of the cooling fluid inlet portion and configured to discharge the cooling fluid introduced from the cooling fluid inlet portion and deliver it to the cooling fluid recovery portion.

7. In paragraph 6, An electric charging assembly characterized in that the power terminal connection part of the above-mentioned connecting terminal has a space formed inside for inserting a rear connection port in the shape of a pipe provided at the rear of the above-mentioned power terminal.

8. In paragraph 6, An electric charging assembly characterized in that the cooling fluid inlet portion of the above-mentioned connecting terminal has at least one inlet hole formed on the outer surface thereof through which the cooling fluid flowing in the cooling chamber is introduced.

9. In paragraph 6, An electric charging assembly characterized in that the cooling fluid outlet of the above connecting terminal is provided inside the conductor of the power unit, and an end of the cooling fluid outlet is connected to the inside of the external fluid pipe.

10. In paragraph 1, An electric charging assembly characterized in that, in an end region of a pair of power units constituting the electric vehicle charging cable, the conductor of the power unit is peeled off from the insulating layer of the power unit and exposed to the outside, and the exposed conductor of the power unit is connected to the rear of the connection terminal.

11. In paragraph 10, An electric charging assembly characterized in that the above electric charging assembly further includes a compression sleeve for wrapping and compressing the outer surface of the conductor of the power unit connected to the rear of the connection terminal.

12. In paragraph 1, An electric vehicle charging assembly characterized in that the electric vehicle charging standard of the connecting part constituting the above electric vehicle charging assembly is NACS (North American Charging Standard).

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