Vehicle Charging Inlet Assembly With Flexible Terminal Temperature Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle charging systems face issues with temperature monitoring of charging terminals due to thermal resistance and increased costs from circuit boards and temperature sensors, which affect the reliability and efficiency of the charging process.
Innovation Solution
A charging inlet assembly with a flexible portion in the circuit board assembly that allows temperature sensors to be thermally coupled directly to the charging terminals, reducing thermal resistance and incorporating terminal position assurance elements for precise positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a temperature sensor is mounted to a circuit board remote from the charging terminal, then the overall cost is reduced, but thermal resistance increases and temperature monitoring accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit board is designed with a flexible portion that can dynamically adjust its position to maintain optimal thermal contact with the charging terminal. This flexible connection allows the temperature sensor to remain thermally coupled to the charging terminal while accommodating manufacturing tolerances and assembly variations, resolving the contradiction between cost reduction and measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
A thermal interface material or thermal pad is introduced as an intermediary between the temperature sensor on the circuit board and the charging terminal. This intermediary ensures efficient thermal conduction while allowing the circuit board to be positioned remotely, thus reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining temperature monitoring accuracy.
2Ease of manufacture
If the circuit board is positioned remotely from the charging terminal, then assembly is simplified, but thermal resistance increases and monitoring reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible portion of the circuit board provides dynamic adaptability, allowing the board to be positioned remotely for simplified assembly while automatically adjusting to maintain reliable thermal contact with the charging terminal during operation, thus ensuring monitoring reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit board is segmented into a fixed portion and a flexible portion. The fixed portion provides stable mounting for other components, while the flexible portion specifically handles the thermal coupling function, allowing remote positioning while maintaining reliability.
3Measurement precision
If the temperature sensor is placed close to the charging terminal, then temperature monitoring accuracy improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The temperature sensor is integrated directly into the circuit board structure, merging the sensing function with the existing circuit board. This eliminates the need for separate sensor mounting hardware and complex thermal coupling mechanisms, achieving high measurement precision without increasing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit board serves multiple functions: electrical connection, signal processing, and temperature sensing. By placing the temperature sensor on the same circuit board that already handles electrical functions, the design achieves accurate temperature monitoring without adding separate structural elements, thus avoiding increased complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances temperature monitoring accuracy and reduces overall system costs by improving thermal coupling and ensuring proper terminal alignment, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the charging process.
Implementation Method 1
The flexible portion includes temperature sensors configured to be thermally coupled to the charging terminals
Data Source
AI summary
A charging inlet assembly for an electric vehicle includes a charging inlet housing having terminal channels holding charging terminals. The charging inlet assembly includes a control module at the rear of the charging inlet housing. The control module includes a circuit board assembly received in the rear chamber. The circuit board assembly includes a fixed portion and a flexible portion movable relative to the fixed portion. The fixed portion is fixed relative to the charging inlet housing. The flexible portion is movable relative to the charging inlet housing. The flexible portion includes temperature sensors configured to be thermally coupled to the charging terminals. The temperature sensors are movable relative to the charging terminals with the flexible portion.