High-Voltage Plug Assembly With Pin Locking Against Cable Tilt
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage connector arrangements in electric vehicles face issues with mechanical stress due to heavy high-current cables and vibration-induced frictional wear, leading to tilting and increased wear on plug contact elements, particularly in angle connector designs.
Innovation Solution
A position securing element with pairs of pins aligned in the displacement direction is used, which engages with recesses on both connector housings to provide additional locking and stabilization, eliminating the need for additional components and simplifying the locking mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotary lever with a position-locking element and slider is used to lock connectors, then the connectors are securely locked together, but the mechanism becomes relatively complex and requires additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The position-securing element is divided into multiple independent pins (at least two pairs) whose longitudinal axes are aligned in the displacement direction. Each pin engages with corresponding recesses on both connector housings, providing distributed locking points that simplify the overall mechanism while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
The pinning function is extracted from a complex rotary lever mechanism and implemented directly through the position-securing element with integrated pins. This eliminates the need for rotary levers, sliders, and associated locking mechanisms, reducing device complexity while achieving the same locking security
2Power
If heavy high-current cables with large cross-section are used, then high current carrying capacity is achieved, but the weight and leverage create considerable force on connector housings leading to tilting
Solution Approach 1:
The position-securing element with aligned pins acts as a mechanical counterbalance that distributes and counteracts the leverage forces generated by heavy high-current cables. The pins engage with recesses on both connector housings, creating opposing forces that prevent tilting and maintain stable alignment during connection and disconnection operations
3Reliability
If connectors are subjected to vibration loads, then operational durability is tested, but relative movements occur between interconnected connectors leading to increased frictional wear
Solution Approach 1:
The position-securing element with aligned pins establishes preliminary mechanical locking between connector housings before vibration loads are applied. This pre-securing action prevents relative movements during vibration, thereby eliminating the frictional wear that would otherwise occur on electrical connector contact elements during normal operation
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a high-voltage plug assembly having a stationary first plug (10) and a movable second plug (20), wherein: the first and the second plug (10, 20) comprise mutually complementary plug contact elements (12); the second plug (20) comprises connection lines (30), the direction of extension of which runs perpendicular to the connecting direction of the two plugs (10, 20), and a position-securing element (40) which is shiftable perpendicularly to the connecting direction and which mechanically locks the two plugs (10, 20) together when the plugs (10, 20) are joined in a slide position; the position-securing element (40) comprises at least two pairs of pins (43, 44; 45, 46), the longitudinal axes of which are oriented in the shifting direction of the position-securing element (40) and which pairs of pins are arranged one behind the other in the shifting direction; and each of the pins (43, 44, 45, 46) engages, in the slide position, in one recess (13, 14, 15, 16) each in the first plug part (10) and in one recess (23, 24, 25, 26) each in the second plug part (20).