Electrical Terminal Assembly with Thermal Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
In battery charging systems for electric vehicles, the temperature of electrical terminals can rapidly exceed safe limits, causing damage before peak temperature is measured due to thermal latency, which existing systems fail to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A terminal assembly comprising a wire-cable with an outer insulation layer, an electrical terminal with a T-shaped first-end and a cylindrical shaft, a housing with a partition and cap structure, and a temperature sensor positioned within the housing to detect the temperature of the electrical terminal, ensuring direct contact and rapid temperature measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a temperature sensor is placed in the electrical terminal, then temperature detection capability is improved, but thermal latency causes delayed measurement of peak temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a thermal conductor as an intermediary element that bridges the temperature sensor and the electrical terminal. This thermal conductor has high thermal conductivity and is in direct contact with both the sensor and the terminal, allowing rapid heat transfer from the terminal to the sensor, thereby eliminating thermal latency while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The temperature sensor is pre-positioned in direct contact with the electrical terminal through the thermal conductor before temperature rise occurs. This preliminary positioning ensures that the sensor is ready to immediately detect temperature changes without delay, capturing peak temperature as it occurs rather than after thermal latency has elapsed.
2Speed
If the temperature sensor is in direct contact with the electrical terminal, then temperature detection speed is improved, but electrical isolation requirements become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conductor serves as a mediator that provides both thermal contact and electrical isolation. It has high thermal conductivity for rapid heat transfer but high electrical resistance to prevent electrical conduction, thus enabling direct thermal contact while maintaining electrical isolation without adding complex isolation structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductor exhibits different physical properties at different aspects: high thermal conductivity in the thermal transfer direction and high electrical resistance for electrical isolation. This local differentiation of material properties allows the single component to fulfill both thermal contact and electrical isolation requirements simultaneously.
3Ease of manufacture
If the terminal assembly structure is simplified, then manufacturing ease is improved, but reliability of temperature monitoring may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal conductor acts as a simple intermediary component that can be easily manufactured and integrated into the terminal assembly. Its straightforward geometry and single-material construction simplify manufacturing while its high thermal conductivity ensures reliable temperature monitoring, thus improving both ease of manufacture and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The thermal conductor is made from composite materials or specially formulated alloys that combine high thermal conductivity with high electrical resistance. This material composition allows the component to achieve both thermal coupling and electrical isolation functions in a single, manufacturable part, balancing simplicity and reliability.
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
The solution enables timely detection of temperature rises in electrical terminals, preventing damage by providing a reliable and direct temperature measurement system that is electrically isolated and thermally responsive, thus ensuring the safety and efficiency of the charging system.
Implementation Method 1
The temperature sensor is in direct contact with a first-portion of the partition and configured to detect a temperature of the electrical-terminal
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B~3
AI summary
A terminal-assembly (10) includes a wire-cable (12), an electrical-terminal (18), a housing (40), and a temperature-sensor (60). The wire-cable (12) has an insulation-layer and an exposed-end (16). The electrical-terminal (18) has a first-end (20) and a second-end (22). The first-end (20) is bonded with the exposed-end (16). The first-end (20) defines a terminal-head (26) terminating at a first-shoulder (30). The first-end (20) further defines a shaft (34) extending from the first-shoulder (30) and terminating at a second-shoulder (36). The housing (40) has a skirt (42) that defines a first-cavity (44) and a cap (46) that defines a second-cavity (48). The first-end (20) is disposed within the first-cavity (44). The first-cavity (44) is isolated from the second-cavity (48) by a partition (54). The skirt (42) extends from the partition (54) along the mating-axis (28) and defines a slot (56) configured to slideably engage the terminal-head (26). The skirt (42) has locking-features (58) configured to releasably lock around the electrical-terminal (18) when the terminal-head (26) is fully inserted into the slot (56). The temperature-sensor (60) is disposed within the second-cavity (48) and is configured to detect a temperature of the electrical-terminal (18).