EV Charging Connector Undulating Insulation Base Creepage Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electrical connectors for charging electric vehicles fail to meet the required creepage distance and electrical clearance standards, as specified in China's GB 24155-2020, leading to safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
The electrical connector features an undulating structure on its insulation base, comprising ring-shaped grooves and platforms, which increases the creepage distance and heat dissipation area, ensuring compliance with safety standards by extending the surface path between conductive terminals and expanding the insolation surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional flat insulation base is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the creepage distance is insufficient and does not meet safety standards
Solution Approach 1:
The insulation base transitions from a flat two-dimensional structure to a three-dimensional undulating structure with grooves and platforms. This dimensional change allows the creepage path to extend vertically and horizontally, increasing the total creepage distance from the conventional insufficient length to over 17.6 mm as required by safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulation base features curved undulating surfaces with grooves and platforms instead of straight flat lines. This curvature creates a longer, more complex creepage path that winds through the undulating structure, effectively increasing the creepage distance while maintaining a compact overall form factor.
2Reliability
If the creepage distance is increased using an undulating structure, then safety standards are met, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By adding vertical dimensionality through grooves and platforms, the patent achieves increased creepage distance without proportionally increasing the horizontal footprint. This allows safety compliance to be met while keeping the overall connector size manageable and manufacturing processes relatively straightforward.
Solution Approach 2:
The undulating structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it increases creepage distance for safety compliance, provides heat dissipation surfaces, and maintains mechanical stability. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process despite the complex surface geometry.
3Temperature
If the insulation base surface is made flat, then manufacturing is easier, but the heat dissipation area is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The undulating structure adds vertical surfaces through grooves and platforms, transforming the heat dissipation from a single-plane problem to a multi-plane solution. This dimensional expansion significantly increases the total surface area available for heat dissipation without requiring a proportional increase in the connector's horizontal dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The curved surfaces of the undulating structure provide enhanced heat dissipation compared to flat surfaces. The grooves and platforms create multiple exposed surfaces that can radiate and conduct heat more effectively, addressing thermal management requirements while maintaining structural integrity.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical connector for charging has a connector base, a first conductive terminal, a second conductive terminal, and an insulation base. The first conductive terminal is mounted in the connector base and has an upper chamber and a lower chamber. The second conductive terminal is located in and coaxial with the first conductive terminal and is electrically isolated from the first conductive terminal. The insulation base is mounted between the first and the second conductive terminals. An end of the second conductive terminal is located in the upper chamber and another end protrudes out of a bottom of the insulation base. The insulation base has at least one first groove lower than an imaginary datum plan and at least one platform higher than the imaginary datum plane and coaxial with the first groove. By the first groove and the platform, the creepage distance is increased.