Charging plug connector for electric and hybrid vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a charging plug connector (10) for electric and hybrid vehicles (100), the connector comprising: a housing (20); two charging contacts (21), which are arranged in the housing (20), for contacting corresponding charging contacts (31) of a corresponding charging plug connector (30); and a plurality of temperature sensors (1), wherein each charging contact (21) is associated with a temperature sensor pair (2) which consists of two temperature sensors (1) and by means of which a heat flow value through each charging contact (21) can be determined. In this way, a possibility is provided for ascertaining a temperature value at such a point of a charging contact (21) at which the charging contact (21) is in contact with a corresponding charging contact (31).

Description

[0001] P24092DE 1 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG Charging connectors for electric and hybrid vehicles The invention relates to a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles, comprising a housing, two charging contacts 5 arranged in the housing for contacting corresponding charging contacts of a corresponding charging connector, and a plurality of temperature sensors, as well as a method for determining a temperature value of a charging contact arranged in a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles during a charging process. 10 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 that they must be regularly recharged at a charging station. The battery is charged via a charging cable provided between the charging station and the vehicle, the charging cable being equipped on one end with a charging plug, for example according to the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2, which can be plugged into a charging socket provided at the charging station, and on the other end with a charging coupler that can be connected to a charging connector installed in the electric and hybrid vehicle. For the purposes of this document, charging sockets, charging plugs, charging couplers, and charging connectors are collectively referred to as "charging connectors." Charging sockets and charging couplers have contact sleeves as charging contacts, and charging plugs as well as charging connectors that can be installed in electric and hybrid vehicles have contact pins as charging contacts.which can be inserted into the contact sleeves or onto which the contact sleeves can be unplugged. The IEC 62196 standard thus specifies the requirements for plug devices for electric vehicles and their charging systems, including the maximum permissible temperature of the contact pins. This temperature limit is essential to ensure the safety and functionality of the charging devices. The contact pins, which transmit the current between the charger and the vehicle, must not exceed a specified maximum temperature at a defined position. Effective temperature monitoring is therefore indispensable to prevent overheating and potential damage. In view of constantly increasing demands on charging power and current-carrying capacity, driven by the increasing use of electric vehicles and the necessity of faster charging processes,The demands on temperature monitoring are also increasing. Temperature monitoring must not only be precise and respond quickly, but also robust and reliable to meet safety-relevant requirements. This presents a considerable challenge, as the sensors must operate reliably even under difficult operating conditions and over long periods. A suitable solution must therefore offer both high accuracy and a fast response time to ensure effective monitoring. Furthermore, it should be robust enough to withstand the extreme conditions it is exposed to during the charging process. At the same time, the solution must be cost-effective to enable widespread application and market acceptance. Reducing lag error is also important in this context.which can lead to delayed or inaccurate temperature measurement and thus impair the safety system. 25 In summary, the implementation of the IEC 62196 standard requires a careful balance between technical performance and economic feasibility. The correct selection and implementation of temperature sensors are crucial to ensure the safety and reliability of charging systems for electric vehicles and to meet the growing demands of the market. 5 Conventional solutions generally provide one temperature sensor per charging contact or a common temperature sensor for several charging contacts. In this context, a printed circuit board for installation in a charging connector for an electric or hybrid vehicle is known from DE 102022124708 B3, with a plurality of thermal connection areas,with 10 electrical connection points, each of which can be thermally contacted as a charging contact of the charging connector, electrical connection points for a plurality of temperature sensors for detecting the temperature prevailing at one or more thermal connection areas, and an interface electrically connected to the electrical connection points for outputting one or more temperature signals, wherein the electrical connection points are arranged on the circuit board and connected to the interface in such a way that either only a single temperature sensor can be used for all thermal connection areas together, or a plurality of temperature sensors can be operated simultaneously for one or more thermal connection areas. This provides such a circuit board for installation in a charging connector for an electric or hybrid vehicle.which can be used universally for various temperature sensor arrangements. 25 DE 102022124719 A1 also describes a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles, with a housing and AC charging contacts and temperature sensors arranged in the housing, wherein a temperature sensor with a thermal connection area for measuring the temperature of the respective AC charging contact is arranged on each AC charging contact, the temperature sensors are connected in series and the two terminals of the series connection are brought out of the housing. In this way, the communication between a charging connector for an electric or hybrid vehicle and an external device can be designed simply and efficiently. Due to the very large charging currents, up to 1000 amperes,A significant amount of heat is lost due to the U-value contact resistance and the internal resistance at the charging contacts of the charging connector. However, the heating of the charging contacts is only permissible up to a certain value. Furthermore, the greatest heating of the charging contacts occurs where they are in contact with the corresponding charging contacts of the corresponding charging connector. However, measuring the temperature at this point is very complex. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a means of determining a temperature value at such a point on a charging contact.where the charging contact is in contact with a corresponding charging contact. 20 This problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims. 25 According to the invention, a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles is thus provided, comprising a housing, two charging contacts arranged in the housing for contacting corresponding charging contacts of a corresponding charging connector, and a plurality of temperature sensors, wherein each charging contact is assigned a temperature sensor pair consisting of two temperature sensors, with which a heat flow value through the respective charging contact can be determined. 5 That a heat flow through the respective charging contact can be determined with a temperature sensor pair means that signal lines coming from the temperature sensors can be routed together to an evaluation unit.In the case of temperature signals derived via the two signal lines, a corresponding heat flow through the respective charging contact can be determined. By measuring this heat flow, it is possible to infer the temperature at a point on a charging contact where no temperature sensor is located. In particular, temperature values ​​can also be determined in this way at points where the installation of a temperature sensor would be impossible or only possible with great effort, such as in the area where a charging contact is in contact with a corresponding charging contact of a corresponding charging connector. When measuring a heat flow through the respective charging contact, the aim is to record how, for example, during a charging process carried out with the charging connector,the temperature of the charging contact changes and, in particular, how much heat is conducted through the charging contact. For this purpose, it is advantageous if the two temperature sensors of a temperature sensor pair are arranged offset from each other in the insertion direction of the charging connector. During a charging process, the temperature sensor that is closer to the corresponding charging contacts of the corresponding charging connector will generally heat up more and earlier than the temperature sensor thatwhich is further away from the corresponding charging contacts of the corresponding charging connector. P24092DE 6 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG The temperature sensors in the charging connector can be arranged in different locations. In particular, none of the temperature sensors need to be arranged directly at a charging contact. According to one embodiment of the invention, however, one temperature sensor of each temperature sensor pair is arranged directly at its associated charging contact, and one temperature sensor of each temperature sensor pair is arranged at a distance from its associated charging contact but thermally coupled to it. The closer a temperature sensor is arranged to a charging contact, the fewer disturbances can influence the detection of a temperature value for the charging contact. In this context, it also applies thatthat, according to one embodiment of the invention, the temperature sensor of each temperature sensor pair, which is arranged at a distance from its associated charging contact, is arranged in or on a heat sink thermally coupled to the respective charging contact. 15 In this case, but also when a temperature sensor is arranged at another location, according to one embodiment of the invention, two temperature sensor pairs share a common temperature sensor. That two temperature sensor pairs share a temperature sensor is to be understood as meaning that a temperature sensor is provided that belongs to both one temperature sensor pair and the other temperature sensor pair. A total of three temperature sensors are thus provided, wherein two temperature sensors are each assigned to exactly one charging contact and one temperature sensor is assigned to both temperature sensors. 25 In this context, it is particularly preferred thatthat the temperature sensor, which the two temperature sensor pairs share, is thermally coupled to a previously mentioned heat sink, which in turn is thermally coupled to both charging contacts. According to one embodiment of the invention, the heat sink is galvanically isolated from one of the two charging contacts, preferably from both. Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, the temperature sensors are galvanically isolated from the charging contacts. In the case of a direct arrangement of a temperature sensor on a charging contact, this means that the temperature sensor with its galvanic insulation is arranged directly on the charging contact, preferably at a distance of less than 3 mm, and most preferably at a distance of less than 1 mm. In general, the charging contacts each have a plug-in area.in which they can be plugged into or onto a corresponding plug area of ​​a corresponding charging connector. According to one embodiment of the invention, the temperature sensors are arranged outside these plug areas. As explained previously, charging connectors in the form of charging sockets and charging couplers have contact sleeves as charging contacts, and charging connectors in the form of charging plugs as well as charging plugs that can be installed in electric and hybrid vehicles have contact pins as charging contacts, which can be inserted into the contact sleeves. In the present case, it is therefore essentially meant that the temperature sensors are arranged outside the areas,in which the contact pins of the charging connectors are inserted into contact sleeves when the charging connectors are plugged in. 25 The invention also relates to the use of a previously described charging connector on the vehicle body of an electric or hybrid vehicle. P24092DE 8 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG The invention further relates to a system consisting of a previously described charging connector and a corresponding charging connector, wherein the corresponding charging contacts of the corresponding charging connector are designed as contact sleeves that can be plugged onto the charging contacts of the charging connector, which are designed as contact pins. 5 When a corresponding charging connector is mentioned here, this refers, on the one hand, to a charging connector that has the same plug-in face as the charging connector according to the invention, wherein the 10 has a plug-in face but contact pins,if the other plug face has contact sleeves, and vice versa. The set consisting of the charging connector according to the invention and the corresponding charging connector can therefore be plugged together. On the other hand, a corresponding charging connector is also referred to here if the plug faces only partially correspond in the sense mentioned above, i.e., if the corresponding charging connector does not have all the contacts that are present in the charging connector according to the invention, but the existing contacts of the corresponding charging connector correspond to those of the charging connector according to the invention in terms of their plug face.so that the charging connector according to the invention and the corresponding charging connector can also be plugged together in this case. Such a case exists, for example, with a charging coupling for DC charging according to the European standard IEC 62196 25 Type 2 connected to a charging cable. Such a charging coupling can be plugged into a charging plug installed in the body of an electric or hybrid vehicle and suitable for AC charging as well as for DC charging, wherein in the AC plug face of the DC charging coupling only the communication contacts and the protective contact are present, but no contacts for P24092DE 9 30 July 2024 Kiekert AG phase conductor and a center conductor for AC charging. A phase conductor (colloquially also referred to as phase) is a conductor that is under voltage in 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 (phase conductors) and N (neutral conductor), and the DC charging contacts are designated DC+ and DC-. 10 This understanding is not contradicted by the fact that the European standard IEC 62196 Type 2 also recognizes an operating mode according to which DC charging takes place via the contacts L1, L2, L3, and N. Finally, the invention relates to a method for determining a temperature value at a first location of a charging contact arranged in a charging connector for electric and hybrid vehicles during a charging process.with the following procedure steps: measuring a temperature value at a second location in the charging connector and measuring a temperature value at a third location in the charging connector at several consecutive measurement times during the charging process, where the first, second, and third locations are all different from each other, and determining a temperature value at the first location by including the temperature values ​​measured at several consecutive measurement times at the second location in the charging connector and at the third location in the charging connector using an observer model. An observer model, also known as a state observer or observer, is a tool known from control engineering that is used to estimate the internal state of a dynamic system.if this state cannot or should not be measured directly. In many practical control applications, not all states of a system are directly measurable. In this respect, an observer model determines the states that cannot be measured directly based on the known input signals and the output measurements of the system. The system to be controlled is described by a mathematical model, which is usually given in the form of a state-space description: ^̇^ = ^^^^(t) + ^^^^(t)10 and ^^(t) = ^^^^(t) + ^^^^(t)15 where ^^(^^) is the state vector, ^^(^^) is the input vector, ^^(^^) is the output vector, and ^^, ^^, ^^, and ^^ are system matrices. The observer is designed to estimate the states ^^(^^) of the system. The observer model has a similar structure to the system model, however, an additional correction term is added.which is based on the difference between the actual and the estimated outcome: ^̇^(t) = ^^xᇱ(t) + ^^^^(t) + ^^൫y(t) − ^^ᇱ(t)൯25 and ^^ᇱ(^^) = ^^^^ᇱ(^^) + ^^^^(^^) where ^^, ᇱ( ^^ )The estimated state vector and ^^ the observer matrix. P24092DE 11 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG The matrix ^^ is chosen such that the estimated system is stable and the state estimates quickly and accurately follow the actual states. This matrix is ​​preferably determined using a pole specification, but can also be determined by other control engineering methods. With an observer, states can be estimated that are used for state feedback, even if they are not directly measurable. Observer models can fundamentally help to reduce the effects of measurement noise and other disturbances. They also enable more flexible control, as they can capture the internal dynamics of the system.In the present case, an observer model is used for the first time to determine a temperature value for a location in a charging connector where direct measurement is either impossible or only possible with considerable effort. According to one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the temperature value at the first location is determined by incorporating the temperature values ​​measured at several successive measurement times at the second location in the charging connector and at the third location in the charging connector. This is done using the observer model and a quality factor function for the temperature values ​​at locations 1, 2, and 3. A quality factor function in an observer model is a mathematical quantity that serves to determine the desired quantity from the measured or externally provided quantities.This is a function that measures the deviation between the estimated and actual states of the system. The goal is to minimize this deviation in order to achieve the best possible estimate of the states. The quality functional can be defined as an integral over time and sum the squared errors between the estimated and actual states. By minimizing this quality functional, the observer can be designed to estimate the system states as accurately as possible. In this context, this means that the parameters of the observer are preferably chosen such that the quality functional is minimized. According to one embodiment of the invention, the quality functional has empirically determined, constant parameters. Preferably, the parameters of the quality functional are calibrated based on the measured temperatures.10 According to one embodiment of the invention, successive measurement points are spaced apart from each other by a constant time step ∆ ^^. The invention can, of course, be implemented not only with a constant time step, but also with varying time steps. However, using a constant time step significantly simplifies the method. The time step ∆ ^^ is, incidentally, defined as the time difference between successive measurement points. The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawings and 20 preferred embodiments. In the drawings, Fig. 1 schematically shows a charging connector according to an embodiment of the invention, Fig. 2 schematically shows a corresponding charging connector according to an embodiment of the invention, P24092DE 13 30 July 2024 Kiekert AG Fig.3 schematically a charging contact with a heat sink and a temperature sensor pair with two temperature sensors according to an embodiment of the invention, 5 Fig. 4a schematically two charging contacts with a heat sink and each a temperature sensor pair, wherein the temperature sensor pairs each share one temperature sensor, according to an embodiment of the invention, 10 Fig. 4b schematically two charging contacts with a heat sink and each a temperature sensor pair, wherein temperature sensors are each assigned to exactly one temperature sensor pair, according to an embodiment of the invention, 15 Fig. 5 schematically a method according to an embodiment of the invention and Fig. 6 schematically the use of a charging connector on the body of an electric vehicle according to an embodiment 20 of the invention. From Fig.Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a charging connector 10 in the form of a built-in charging plug for an electric or hybrid vehicle 100. The charging connector 10 has a housing 20, which is preferably 25 made of plastic. Two charging contacts 21 are arranged in the housing 20 of the charging connector 10, which in this case serve as DC charging contacts. The fact that the charging connector 10 has further charging contacts for AC charging will not be discussed here. P24092DE 14 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG The charging connector 10 is equipped with a heat sink 3 in the form of a heat storage element. As shown in Fig. 1, the heat sink 3 is arranged on the side of the charging contacts 21 that is facing away from the side of the charging contacts 31, where the charging connector 10 is plugged into a corresponding charging connector 30.The heat sink 3 is thermally connected to the charging contacts 21. The two charging contacts 21 are in common thermal contact with the heat sink 3, with the two charging contacts 21 and the common heat sink 3 being galvanically insulated from each other. Figure 2 shows a corresponding charging connector 30 with corresponding charging contacts 31. The charging connector 31 is designed as a charging coupling for a charging column for charging an electric or hybrid vehicle 15 100. The corresponding charging contacts 31 are connected to the charging contacts 21 of the charging connector 2 from Figure 1 for charging the electric or hybrid vehicle 100. The decisive factor is that the charging connector 10 has a plurality of temperature sensors 1, with each charging contact 21 being assigned a temperature sensor pair 2 consisting of two temperature sensors 1, with which a heat flux value through the respective charging contact 21 can be determined.This is shown schematically in Figures 3, 4a, and 4b, where Figure 3 shows only one charging contact 21 as an example, and Figures 4a and 4b each show two charging contacts 21. As can be seen in Figure 3, a temperature sensor 1 is arranged directly on such a region of the charging contact 21, which lies outside the plug-in area 4 of the charging connector 21, in which, when plugged in, a corresponding charging contact 31 of a corresponding charging connector 30 P24092DE 15 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG is plugged in, so that it would be difficult and very complex to install a temperature sensor 1 in this plug-in area 4. The charging contact 21 is coupled to the heat sink 3 by means of an insulating element 5. The insulating element provides galvanic isolation of the charging contact 21 from the heat sink 3, but nevertheless ensures good thermal coupling of the charging contact 21 with the heat sink 3.A second temperature sensor 1 is arranged at the heat sink 3. The two temperature sensors 1 of the temperature sensor pair 2 of the charging contact 21 are thus offset from each other in the insertion direction S of the charging connector 10. In this way, a heat flux value through the charging contact 21 can be determined. During a charging process in which the charging contact 21 heats up, the insertion area 4 heats up first, since the heating is essentially due to the contact resistance 15 that exists between the charging contact 21 and the corresponding charging contact 31 of the corresponding charging connector 30 that is plugged onto it.Thus, the temperature sensor 1, arranged directly on the charging contact 21, heats up first. As the heat spreads, the heat sink 3, which is thermally coupled to the charging contact 21, also heats up. This heat is detectable by the temperature sensor 1 installed there, allowing a heat flow value through the charging contact 21 to be determined. If, as required for DC charging, two charging contacts 21 are present, embodiments of the invention are possible, as illustrated in Figures 4a and 4b. As can be seen in Figure 4b, each charging contact 21 can be equipped with its own pair of temperature sensors 2, consisting of two temperature sensors 1. However, it is also possible for two pairs of temperature sensors 2 to share a common temperature sensor 1, as shown in Figure 4a of P24092DE 16, July 30, 2024, Kiekert AG.In both cases, a heat flux value can be determined through the corresponding charging contact 21 using the respective temperature sensor pair 2. According to one embodiment of the invention, such charging connectors 10 are used on the vehicle body 110 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 100 as built-in charging connectors, as schematically shown in Fig. 6. A method according to one embodiment of the invention is now explained below, assuming that a location 1, a location 2, and a location 3 in the charging connector are arranged offset from one another in its insertion direction, with location 1 being located closest to the charging contact for which a temperature value is to be determined, and location 2 and location 3 following location 1 offset in the insertion direction. Specifically, location 1 is a location in the insertion area 4, and a temperature sensor 1 is arranged at each of locations 2 and 3.During a charging process in which the charging contact 21 heats up, as mentioned previously, point 1 heats up first, then point 2, and then point 3, since the heat energy generated in and around the charging contact 21 during the charging process flows from point 1 to point 2 and then to point 3. For the temperature difference value Δ ^^. ^ଶ Between the first and second place, ∆^^^ଶ = ^^^ − ^^ଶ where ^^ ^ the temperature value in the first place and ^^ ଶ The temperature value is in the second position. Accordingly, the following applies to the temperature difference value ∆ ^^ ଶଷbetween the second and third digits P24092DE 17 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG ∆^^ଶଷ = ^^ଶ − ^^ଷ The following describes a process sequence with a constant time step ∆ ^^ between successive measurement times. As mentioned above, the invention can of course be implemented not only with a constant time step, but also with varying time steps. However, using a constant time step makes the process significantly simpler. The time step ∆ ^^ is defined as the time difference between successive measurement times ^^^ and ^^^ା^ at times ^^ and ^^ + 1:∆ ^^ = ^^^ା^ − ^^^The heat energy value ^^ ଶ,^ି^ or the heat energy value ^^ ଶ,^ at position 2 at time ^^ − 1 or ^^, the following applies: and where ^^ ଶ a mass value for position 2, ^^ ଶ a specific heat capacity value for position 2, ^^ startthe starting temperature value, ^^ ଶ,^ି^ The temperature value at point 2 at time ^^ − 1 and ^^ଶ,^ the temperature value at point 2 at time ^^ is. For the heat energy value ^^ ଶ,^ , which is present at time ^^ at position 2, applies P24092DE 18 30 July 2024 Kiekert AG The heat energy value ^^ ଶ,^ At time ^^, the heat energy value ^^ଶ,^ି^ at measurement time ^^ − 1 before, plus the product of the time step size ∆ ^^ and the difference between the heat flow values ​​for the heat flow to point 2 from point 1, is calculated. at time ^^ − 1 and the heat flow values ​​^̇^ ଶଷ,^ି^ for the heat flow from point 2 to point 3 at time ^^ − 1. From this, the heat flow to point 2 from point 1 is obtained ^̇^ ^ଶ,^ି^ at the time of measurement ^^ − 1 For the heat flows ^̇^ ^ଶ and ^̇^ ଶଷFurthermore, between positions 1 and 2 or 2 and 3, ^̇^ ^ଶ = ∆ ^^ ^ଶ ^^ th,^ିଶ and with ^^ th,^ିଶ than the thermal resistance between points 1 and 2 and ^^ th,ଶିଷ than the thermal resistance between points 2 and 3. For the thermal resistance ^^ th Between two places, the general rule is P24092DE 19 30 July 2024 Kiekert AG ^^ th = ^^ λA where ^^ is the distance between the points, λ is the thermal conductivity, and ^^ is the area through which the heat flows. The last equation for ^̇^^ଶ can be rearranged for the measurement time ^^ − 1 as follows: Using the above-mentioned relationships, it follows that and thus the temperature at point 1 at the time of measurement ^^ − 1 depending on measurable quantities, namely the measured temperature values ​​at points 2 and 3, and empirically determinable quantities, such as the mass value ^^ ଶfor position 2, the specific heat capacity value ^^ ଶ for position 2, the thermal resistance ^^ th,^ିଶ between points 1 and 2 and the thermal resistance ^^ th,ଶିଷbetween points 2 and 3. In this way, a temperature value for point 1 can be determined within the framework of the observer model, and this can be done closed, i.e., without iteration. In this context, it should be noted that the present determination does not correspond to a direct measurement of the temperature at point 1, which is precisely what is to be avoided. Therefore, when determining the temperature value within the framework of the observer model, it is also referred to as an estimate, since externally determined, e.g., empirically determined, parameters are used, which generally only approximate the real conditions. The determined temperature value for point 1 is thus an estimate. As a result, a goodness-of-fit functional with parameters ^^ is obtained. ^^ until ^^ ^ଷ for one and ^^ ଶ^ until ^^ ଶଷused for the other charging contact of a charging contact pair of a charging connector, which is connected to the temperature values ​​^^ ^ , ^^ ଶ and ^^ ଷ at three different points 1, 2 and 3 is linked to the temperatures ^^ ^ + and ^^ ^ − to conclude which prevails at the respective point 1 on the respective charging contact, without directly measuring at this point 1: As schematically shown in Fig. 5, this method allows the measurement of temperatures ^^ ଶ and ^^ ଷ at the various points 2 and 3 and basically the determination of the heat flows Q ^ ̇ ଶ and Q̇ ଶଷbetween points 1 and 2, and between points 2 and 3. These heat flows themselves do not need to be determined separately. Nor do values ​​such as a mass value for point 2, a specific heat capacity for point 2, or a thermal resistance need to be entered. Instead, the temperatures are determined automatically. ^ + and ^^ ^ − via the input of the measured temperature values ​​^^ ଶ and ^^ ଷ into the quality functional. The parameters ^^ ^^ until ^^ ଶଷ are preferably constant and are preferably determined empirically, e.g., by initially using the aforementioned values, such as mass values, specific heat capacity values, and thermal resistance values. The parameters ^^ ^^ until ^^ ଶଷare then preferably compared using the measured temperature values ​​based on P24092DE 21 30 July 2024 Kiekert AG, preferably using methods such as cross-correlation, convolution, etc.

[0002] P24092DE 22 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG Reference List 1 Temperature sensor 2 Temperature sensor pair 3 Heat sink 4 Plug area 5 Insulating element 10 Charging connector 20 Housing 21 Charging contacts 30 Corresponding charging connector 31 Corresponding charging contacts 100 Electric and hybrid vehicles 110 Body

Claims

P24092DE 23 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG Patent Claims 1. Charging connector (10) for electric and hybrid vehicles (100), comprising a housing (20), two charging contacts 5 (21) arranged in the housing (20) for contacting corresponding charging contacts (31) of a corresponding charging connector (30) and a plurality of temperature sensors (1), wherein each charging contact (21) is assigned a temperature sensor pair (2) consisting of two temperature sensors (1), with which a heat flux value through the respective charging contact (21) can be determined. 10 2. Charging connector (10) according to claim 1, wherein a temperature sensor (1) of a respective temperature sensor pair (2) is arranged directly on the charging contact (21) assigned to it, and a temperature sensor (1) of a respective temperature sensor pair (2) is arranged at a distance from the charging contact (21) assigned to it, but is thermally coupled to it. 3.Charging connector (10) according to claim 2, wherein the temperature sensor (1) of a respective temperature sensor pair (2), which is arranged at a distance from the charging contact (21) associated with it, is arranged in or on a heat sink (3) thermally coupled to the respective charging contact (21).

4. Charging connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein two temperature sensor pairs (2) share a common temperature sensor (1).

5. Charging connector (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the temperature sensors (1) are galvanically isolated from the charging contacts (21). P24092DE 24 July 30, 2024 Kiekert AG 6. Charging connector (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the charging contacts (21) each have a plug-in area (4) in which they can be plugged into or onto a corresponding plug-in area (4) of a corresponding 5 charging connector (30) and the temperature sensors (1, 2) are arranged outside these plug-in areas.

7. Charging connector (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the two temperature sensors of a temperature sensor pair (2) are arranged offset from each other in the 10 plug-in direction of the charging connector.

8. Use of a charging connector (10) according to one of the preceding claims on the vehicle body (110) of an electric or hybrid vehicle (100). 15 9.System comprising a charging connector (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7 and a corresponding charging connector (30), wherein the corresponding charging contacts (31) of the corresponding charging connector (30) are designed as contact sleeves that can be plugged onto the charging contacts (21) of the charging connector (10), which are designed as contact pins.

10. Method for determining a temperature value at a first location of a charging contact (21) arranged in a charging connector (10) for electric and hybrid vehicles (100) during a charging process, comprising the following method steps: measuring a temperature value at a second location in the charging connector (10) and measuring a temperature value at a third location. P24092DE 25 30 July 2024 Kiekert AG in the charging connector (10) at several consecutive measurement points during the charging process, wherein the first position, the second position and the third position are all different from each other, and determining a temperature value at the first position by including the temperature values ​​measured at several consecutive measurement points at the second position in the charging connector (10) or at the third position in the charging connector (10) using an observer model. 10 11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the determination of the temperature value at the first position, taking into account the temperature values ​​measured at several successive measurement times at the second position in the charging connector (10) or at the third position in the charging connector (10), is carried out using the observer model by means of a quality factor functional for the 15 temperature values ​​at positions 1, 2 and 3. 12.A method according to claim 11, wherein the quality function has empirically determined, constant parameters. 20 13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the parameters of the quality function are calibrated based on the temperature values ​​measured at several successive measurement times at the second position in the charging connector (10) or at the third position in the charging connector (10). 25 14. A method according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein successive measurement times are spaced apart from each other by a constant time step Δt.

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