AT512373B1 - CONNECTION ARRANGEMENT AND CONNECTING ELEMENT FOR CONNECTION ARRANGEMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

It is proposed a connection arrangement with connection elements (1, 2) and at least one electrical energy store (3) of a vehicle (4), wherein at least one charging station side connection element (1) for charging the energy store (3) and at least one vehicle-side connection element (2) Vehicle-side power supply of the electrical system are provided, wherein the charging station-side connection element (1) and the vehicle-side connection element (2) and the energy storage (3) are designed such that the connection elements (1, 2) mutually from the energy storage (3) are separable. Furthermore, a connection element for the connection arrangement is claimed separately.

Description

Austrian Patent Office AT512 373B1 2014-11-15

description

CONNECTION ARRANGEMENT

The present invention relates to a connection arrangement with connection elements and at least one electrical energy storage device of a vehicle according to the closer defined in the preamble of claim 1. Art. Furthermore, the invention relates to a connection element for the connection arrangement.

For example, from the document DE 20 2009 018 005 U1 a charging station for an electric vehicle with electric drive is known. The known charging station comprises a power source and is provided with extendable electrical contacts, which are electrically connected by means of a feed device with the electrical contacts of the vehicle. The charging station is embedded in the ground, wherein the electrical contacts are extended upward and are brought into contact with the electrical contacts of the motor vehicle, which are located behind a flap in the vehicle floor.

In the known charging station, there is the disadvantage that in the connection of the charging station-side contact surfaces with the contact surfaces of the battery storage no automatic separation takes place to the vehicle-side power supply during the charging process. Thus, flashovers or breakdowns on the electrical system of the vehicle and on the electronics can be done. Furthermore, in the known charging station only limited contact surfaces are available, thereby limiting the charging current and thus the charging time for the charging of the battery storage is extended.

Furthermore, from the publication CH 688 598 A5 a contact post with an end cap is known, in the center of a tiny contact tip is provided for transmitting the electric current. To realize a second contact surface, another contact post is required. The document GB 2 185 866 A shows a constructively elaborately designed charging system for an electric vehicle. Furthermore, document WO 2012/049559 A2 describes an electric vehicle with an electrical circuit for charging an energy store. Finally, from the publication DE 20 2010 015 377 a safety contact element with a contact plunger and a contact box is known, wherein the contact plunger also comprises only one contact surface.

The present invention is based on the object to improve an electrical connection assembly and a connection element of the type described above in such a way that they are particularly simple in construction and allow safe charging.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1 or 11, wherein advantageous embodiments of the respective dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

Accordingly, a connection arrangement with connection elements and at least one energy storage is proposed, wherein the connection arrangement realizes an electrical connection on the one hand between a charging station connected to a power source and the energy storage of a vehicle and on the other hand between the energy storage and the vehicle-side electrical system. The proposed connection arrangement comprises at least one connecting element connected to the charging station for charging the energy store, preferably an electric or hybrid vehicle, and at least one connection element for the vehicle-side power supply, wherein the connection elements and the energy store are designed such that the connection elements mutually separate from the energy store. Thus, the vehicle-side connection element is disconnected from the energy store with the charging station-side connection element and vice versa. As a result, during the charging of the energy storage, a separation is realized to the electrical on-board supply network. Due to the enabled separation of the vehicle-side supply network during the charging process damage to the electrical system and the associated electronics or cable fires can be reliably prevented. Furthermore, a breakdown on the body of the vehicle is excluded, since the two power levels are safely separated from each other during loading and driving.

The charging station-side connection element and the vehicle-side connection element are designed substantially identical in construction, so that the charging of the energy storage device, the position of the vehicle-side connection element is replaced by the arrangement of the charging station-side connection element and the Fährbetrieb the position of the charging station-side connection element by the arrangement of the vehicle side connection element is replaced. In this way, only one of the connection elements is always connected to the energy store. Thus, a simultaneous connection of both connection elements with the energy storage is reliably prevented.

As constructive embodiments of the connection elements various structural forms can be provided. However, it has been shown that a connection element with a shaft and a head, which respectively form the two contact surfaces of the connection element, are particularly advantageous since particularly large contact surfaces can be realized in a simple manner, so that high charging currents and short charging times are realized with the connection arrangement according to the invention can be. For example, the connection element with the above-described structural shape readily DC charging currents of about 80 to 500 A z. B. transmitted with about 400V. There are also underlying charging currents readily transferable, however, is faster charging times by the faster charging times.

With the proposed connection elements of the connection arrangement according to the invention any types of energy storage devices can be charged. Preferably, capacitors and / or also, for example, lithium ion accumulators or the like with high charging currents can be charged as quickly as possible. With particular advantage, for example annular disk-shaped energy storage can be used as plate capacitors or as correspondingly designed battery modules or accumulator modules, which have an approximately centrally arranged recess into which the connection elements of the terminal arrangement according to the invention can be inserted to either the power supply for the ferry or the energy transfer to allow the charging of the energy storage.

In order to realize a corresponding capacity in the energy storage for operating the electric or hybrid vehicle, preferably several capacitors or accumulator modules can be connected in parallel and also arranged in parallel to save space, so that a plurality of energy storage devices are charged in parallel via the connection elements during the charging process.

In particular, in the use of battery or Akkumulatormodulen heat is generated during the ferry but also during charging, which should be dissipated to increase performance and also increase the lifespan. For this purpose, it is provided in the connection arrangement according to the invention that the preferably annular disk-shaped energy storage is equipped with corresponding cooling disks, which are each arranged between adjacent capacitor or battery modules. The cooling disks are connected to a coolant supply and are flowed through in accordance with coolant by the approximately parallel arranged interconnected cooling disks are flowed through in series with coolant. Other coolant supply streams are also conceivable.

According to a next development of the invention can be provided that in the connection arrangement of the invention, the energy storage is arranged in the bottom region of the vehicle, so that the charging station-side connection element is introduced to charge the energy storage in the centrally disposed recess of the energy storage and thereby the vehicle-side connection element removed from the energy storage, thus separating the vehicle-side power supply from the vehicle's AT512 373B1 2014-11-15. The above-described shaft shape of the connection elements offers the advantage that no additional centering means are required. Preferably, the vehicle-side connecting element may be spring-loaded, so that after the end of the charging process, the vehicle-side connecting element is automatically reconnected by the spring force with the energy storage. It is also conceivable to use motor or other drives.

An arrangement of the energy storage in the bottom region of the vehicle offers on the one hand the advantage that there existing space for housing the not inconsiderable dimensions having energy storage can be used. Furthermore, the charging station-side connection is particularly easy to implement by the actuator of the charging station-side connection element can be easily integrated into the ground and, when the vehicle is parked in its correct position at the charging station, is simply inserted from the ground in the bottom region of the vehicle ,

In order to enable transmission of control signals and / or transmission of a supply voltage for operating the cooling and further auxiliary consumers of the vehicle during the charging process, the connection elements can abut one another at their mutually facing ends via an insulating layer. It is particularly advantageous if this insulating layer is equipped, for example, with contacts, preferably in the form of contact rings, pins or the like. In this way, on the one hand, the connection elements can be safely electrically isolated from one another with respect to the charging current and, on the other hand, control signals and / or a supply voltage can be transmitted to the vehicle via the contacts. The control signals can be used, for example, for monitoring the cooling and the charging process but also for a possible network access, for example for checking access authorizations and billing or the like.

The object underlying the invention is achieved not only by the inventively proposed connection arrangement but also by the separately claimed connection elements. Preferably, the connection elements according to the invention are used in the connection arrangement according to the invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be further explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle with a possible embodiment of a connection arrangement according to the invention. [0029] FIG ; a sectional bottom view of the vehicle with the connection arrangement along the section line A-A according to Figure 1; a longitudinal section through an item view of a connecting element according to the invention; a cross section along the section line B-B of Figure 3; a cross section along the section line C-C of Figure 3; a schematic, partially sectioned view of the connection arrangement in the ferry operation; a schematic, partially sectional view of the terminal assembly in the loading mode; 8 shows a schematic, partially sectioned view of a first variant of an embodiment of an inventive multiple parallel-connected accumulator modules comprehensive energy storage; FIG. 9 shows a plan view of the connection arrangement according to FIG. 8; Figure 10 is a schematic, partially sectioned view of a second Ausführungsvari ante of the inventive multiple parallel-connected capacitors energy storage; FIG. 11 is a plan view of the connection arrangement according to FIG. 10. The figures show various views of a connection arrangement according to the invention with connection elements 1, 2 and at least one energy store 3. Furthermore, the separately stressed connection elements 1, 2 and the separately claimed energy storage 3 are shown in different views. A charging station not shown with an energy source is connected to the charging station-side connection element 1 for charging the energy storage device 3 of an electric or hybrid vehicle 4, while the vehicle-side connection element 2 is connected to a vehicle electrical system not shown on the vehicle side.

In the figures 1 and 2, by way of example, the electric or hybrid vehicle 4 is shown schematically with the connection arrangement. In this case, the charging process is indicated via the connection arrangement according to the invention, in which the charging station-side connection element 1 in the energy storage 3 z. B. is introduced by an actuator 23, wherein the actuator 23 of the charging station is indicated only schematically. By introducing the charging station-side connection element 1, the vehicle-side connection element 2 is at the same time automatically guided out of the energy storage 3 against the spring force of a return spring 5 at the same time. As a result, the electrical system of the vehicle 4 is separated during the charging of the energy storage 3 and thus also from the charging current of the charging station, not shown, to which the charging station-side connection element 1 is electrically connected to supply the energy storage 3, for example, with DC for charging. From the partially sectioned view according to FIG. 2, it becomes clear that the energy store 3 has an approximately annular disk-shaped form with a centrally arranged recess 6 for insertion of the connection elements 1, 2.

Further, in Figure 1, a second possibility of charging the energy storage device 3 by the placement of a standard, for example, socket 26 on the vehicle 4 is indicated. In this way, additional access to the energy storage device 3 is ensured via existing charging infrastructures of the energy suppliers or via home charging stations, for example with up to 32 A DC charging current for wall mounting at home or in the garage area. Thus, the charging of the energy storage device 3 as well as the addition of electrical energy into the existing power grid is made possible.

In the proposed terminal arrangement, the charging station-side connecting element 1 and the vehicle-side connecting element 2 are executed substantially identical, wherein by way of example in the figures 3 to 5 different sectional views of the substantially identical running separately loaded connection elements 1, 2 are shown and wherein the same components of Connection elements 1, 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

From the views it is clear that each connection element 1, 2 has an approximately cylindrical shaft 7 with an approximately plate-shaped head 8. In particular, from the sectional view of Figure 4 it is clear that the shaft 7 is preferably designed as a hollow cylinder to accommodate different electrical leads 24 in the simplest way. However, the shaft 7, other external shapes or as a solid cylinder can be performed. For example, the hollow cylinder, depending on which charging currents are to be transmitted, an outer diameter of about 5 to 10 cm, preferably 8 cm and a wall thickness of about 8 to 12 mm, preferably 10 mm and a penetration length of about 15 to 35 cm, preferably 23 cm at the charging station-side connection element 1 and a penetration length of 5 to 20 cm, preferably 15 cm at the vehicle-side connection element 2 have. Because the vehicle-side connecting element 2 has to transmit lower currents than the charging station-side connecting element 1, the vehicle-side connecting element 2 can have a correspondingly shorter shaft 7, which relates to this amount of current. This has a positive constructive effect on the vehicle mass.

The shank 7 of each connecting element 1, 2 forms on its outer circumference, at least in certain sections, a first contact surface (for example, a negative pole) and the head 8 of each attachment. AT512 373 B1 2014-11-15

End element 1, 2 forms at least in sections a second contact surface + (for example positive pole), wherein the second contact surface + is provided approximately annularly on the jacket 16 facing the inner portion of the head 8. For isolating between the first contact surface - and the second contact surface + an insulating ring 9 is provided. At the free end of the shaft 7 of each connecting element 1, 2 is an insulating 10. About the insulating 10, the connection elements 1, 2 are electrically isolated in contact to the vehicle-side connection element 2 for charging the energy storage device 3 from the recess 6 of the energy storage. 3 lead or lead to the charging station-side connection element 1 after completion of loading from the recess 6 of the energy storage 3. The particular constructive shape of the connecting elements 1, 2 ensures in an advantageous manner that when changing the connecting element 1, 2, first the positive pole of the guided out of the recess 6 connecting element 1, 2 is disconnected before the negative pole of the inserted connection element 1, 2 with the Negative pole of the energy storage 3 comes into contact. Furthermore, the negative pole of the connection element 1, 2 guided out of the recess 6 is separated before the positive pole of the inserted connection element 1, 2 is connected to the positive pole of the energy store 3. By the staggered contact of the poles during insertion of the connection element 1, 2 in the energy storage 3, a centering is ensured by the cylindrical shape of the connection elements 1,2 before the circuit is closed.

In the illustrated terminal elements 1, 2, two contact surfaces are preferably designed as a negative pole and a positive pole, so that preferably the charging of the energy storage 3 is done with DC voltage, which has the advantage that no vehicle-side rectification is required, so that the rectifier charging station side is housed. As a result, a weight saving can be achieved in the vehicle. It would also be conceivable that in addition to the vehicle, a charge with alternating or three-phase current through the second terminal with the standard socket 26 with, for example, four contacts for existing charging infrastructure of the energy supplier is provided.

In the insulating 10 of each connection element 1, 2, a contact pin 11 and a contact ring 12 z. B. for the energy transmission of a supply voltage and another contact ring 13 for the transmission of control signals embedded. About the supply voltage, for example, a cooling device or other auxiliary consumers of the vehicle can be supplied with energy during the charging process. The transmission of control signals, for example, allows control and monitoring of the charging process. The contact surfaces - and + of the connection elements 1, 2 are connected via partially illustrated connecting lines 24 to the charging station or the vehicle 4. Likewise, the contact pin 11 and the contact rings 12, 13 are connected via connecting lines 24 to a power source or a signal source.

FIG. 6 shows a schematic view of the components enclosed by the connection arrangement during the normal driving state of the vehicle, in which the two connection elements 1, 2 are separated from one another and the vehicle-side connection element 2 is electrically connected to the energy store 3, by the first contact surface - on the shaft 7 of the second connection element 2 with a corresponding first contact surface -the energy storage device 3 and the second contact surface + on the head 8 of the vehicle-side connection element 2 are in contact with a corresponding second contact surface + of the energy storage device 3. In this way, the electrical system and the drive motor of the vehicle 4 is supplied with energy. In order to keep the vehicle-side connection element 2 of the connection arrangement according to the invention in this position, a return spring 5 is provided.

FIG. 7 shows the charging process with the connection arrangement according to the invention on the vehicle 4. For this purpose, the charging station-side connection element 1 is inserted into the central recess 6 of the energy accumulator 3 such that the first contact surface - on the shaft 7 of the connection element 1 in contact with a corresponding first contact surface - of the energy storage 3 and the second contact surface + on the head. 8 of the connection element 1 is in contact with a corresponding second contact surface + of the energy store 3. Due to the fact that the free ends of the shafts 7 of the two connecting elements 1, 2 are in direct contact with each other, the corresponding contact rings 12, 13 and corresponding contact pins 11 are also in contact, so that control signals and a supply voltage are transmitted from the charging station to the vehicle 4 during the charging process.

According to Figure 8 and 9, a possible embodiment of the energy storage device 3 is shown as approximately annular disk-shaped battery or accumulator module. The accumulator module comprises a plurality of cell rings 14, which are connected radially in series so that the cell rings 14 are arranged coaxially with the recess 6. For example, the entire outer diameter of the energy storage about 140 to 180 cm, preferably 160 cm at a total height of the energy storage 3 of about 20 to 45 cm, preferably 30 cm and a total length of a contact sleeve or sleeve 15 of about 15 to 35 cm, preferably 26 cm.

The series-connected cell rings 14 form radially inside the first contact surface - of the accumulator module and radially outside the second contact surface + of the accumulator module. As can be seen from FIG. 8, the energy store 3 is formed, for example, by three accumulator modules arranged parallel to one another and connected in parallel, wherein the first contact surfaces of the individual accumulator module are combined via the sleeve 15. The sleeve 15 is in contact with its inner circumference as the first contact surface-with the first contact surface-of the shaft 7 of the corresponding connection element 1, 2. The second contact surfaces + of the individual accumulator modules are combined via a jacket 16 of the energy accumulator 3 and brought into contact with the second contact surface + on the head 8 of the corresponding connection element 1, 2. The jacket 16 is surrounded by an insulating housing 25 of the energy store 3.

To ensure adequate cooling of each accumulator module or the individual cell rings 14, cooling disks 17 are arranged between the individual accumulator modules, which are flowed through by coolant. The approximately parallel to each other arranged cooling disks 17 are each arranged between adjacent accumulator modules, wherein the cooling disks 17 are connected to each other to the coolant flow. The coolant inlet 18 of the first cooling disk 17 and the coolant outlet 19 of the last cooling disk 17 are each connected to a coolant supply, not shown. In particular from FIG. 9, the annular disk shape of the energy accumulator 3 formed from a plurality of accumulator modules can be seen.

According to Figure 10 and 11, a possible embodiment of the energy storage device 3 is shown as approximately annular disk-shaped capacitor with the central recess 6. By way of example, the capacitor comprises two parallel-connected capacitor modules, which are arranged parallel to one another. Each capacitor module comprises a first annular disk-shaped capacitor plate 20 and a second approximately annular disk-shaped capacitor plate 21, which are aligned parallel to each other and separated by an approximately annular disk-shaped dielectric 22 from each other. The first capacitor plate 20 of each capacitor module has the first contact surface radially inward - and the second capacitor plate 21 of each capacitor module has the second contact surface + radially on the outside. Also in this embodiment, the first contact surfaces - are summarized via a sleeve 15 and the second contact surfaces + on the jacket 16 and are each with the first contact surface - on the shaft 7 of the corresponding connection element 1, 2 and with the second contact surface + on the head. 8 the corresponding connection element 1, 2 in contact. Likewise, as with the battery module embodiment of the energy storage device 3, a plurality of cooling disks 17 are provided in the same manner as already described. In particular, from Figure 11, the annular disk shape of the designed as a capacitor energy storage 3 can be seen.

If, as described above, the vehicle-side connecting element 2 has a shorter shaft 7, there is the advantage that the connecting element 2 remains in the charging process with the insulating 10 in the sleeve 15, whereby a complex guide or centering for the second connection element 2 can be dispensed with. In this case, it is also possible for insulating disks 10 of different thicknesses to be used in the connection elements 1, 2, wherein in particular the insulating disk 10 of the vehicle-side connection element 2 can have a greater thickness, to ensure that the connection element 2 remaining in the socket or sleeve 15 during the charging process is electrically isolated from the sleeve.

REFERENCE SIGNATURE 1 charging station-side connection element 2 vehicle-side connection element 3 energy storage 4 vehicle 5 return spring 6 recess 7 shaft 8 head 9 insulating ring 10 insulating washer 11 contact ring or pin 12 contact ring 13 contact ring 14 cell ring 15 sleeve 16 shell 17 cooling disk 18 coolant inlet 19 coolant outlet 20 first annular disk-shaped capacitor plate 21st second annular disk-shaped capacitor plate 22 annular disk-shaped dielectric 23 actuating device 24 connecting line 25 insulating housing 26 socket 7/14

Claims (12)

Austrian Patent Office AT512 373 B1 2014-11-15 Claims 1. Connection arrangement with connection elements (1, 2) and at least one electrical energy store (3) of a vehicle (4), at least one charging station-side connection element (1) for charging the energy store (3). and at least one vehicle-side connection element (2) are provided for the vehicle-side power supply of the electrical system, characterized in that the charging station-side connection element (1) and the vehicle-side connection element (2) each substantially an approximately cylindrical shaft (7) as at least partially first contact surface (- ) having an approximately plate-shaped head (8) as at least partially second contact surface (+), and that the approximately annular disk-shaped energy storage (3) with an approximately centrally arranged recess (6) is provided, in which a sleeve (15) as the first contact surface (-) of the energy store (3) is recorded, and mi t a jacket (16) as the second contact surface (+) of the energy store (3), either for charging the energy storage of the shaft (7) of the charging station-side connection element (1) in the recess (6) of the energy store (3) is received and the Head (8) of the charging station-side connection element (1) at least partially in contact with the jacket (16) of the energy store (3) or the shaft (7) of the vehicle-side connection element (2) in the recess (6) of the energy store (3) is and the head (8) of the vehicle-side connection element (2) at least partially in contact with the jacket (16) of the energy store (3). 2. Connection arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the energy store (3) comprises at least one annular disc-shaped battery module with a plurality of cell rings (14) connected in series in the radial direction, wherein radially inward a first contact surface (-) of the battery module of the sleeve (15) is assigned and radially outside a second contact surface (+) of the battery module is assigned to the jacket (16). 3. Connection arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the energy store (3) comprises a plurality of parallel and arranged parallel to each other annular disk-shaped battery modules. 4. Connection arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the energy store (3) comprises at least one annular disk-shaped condenser with the central recess (6) and the jacket (16), wherein a first approximately annular disk-shaped capacitor plate (20) and a second ring-shaped approximately formed condenser plate (21) are provided, which is aligned approximately parallel to each other and separated by an approximately annular disc-shaped dielectric (2). 5. Connection arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the first capacitor plate (20) radially inwardly a first contact surface (-) of the capacitor which is associated with the in the recess (6) arranged sleeve (15), and that the second capacitor plate (21) radially outside a second contact surface (+) of the capacitor, which is associated with the jacket (16). 6. Connection arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for cooling the energy store (3) a plurality of mutually parallel arranged with coolant cooling disks (17) are provided, wherein the first cooling disk (17) has a coolant inlet (18) and the last cooling disk (17) has a coolant outlet (19), so that a coolant flow through the interconnected cooling disks (17) is provided. 7. Connection arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy store (3) is arranged in the bottom region of the vehicle (4) such that the charging station-side connection element (1) for charging the energy store (3) in the central recess (6). of the energy store (3) can be inserted. 8/14 Austrian Patent Office AT512 373B1 2014-11-15 8. Connection arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free end of the shank (7) of each connection element (1, 2) is provided with an insulating disc (10). 9. Connection arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that in the insulating disc (10) a plurality of approximately coaxially arranged contact rings (12, 13) and / or contact pins (11) are embedded. 10. Connection arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the insulating disks (10) of the charging station-side connection element (1) and the vehicle-side connection element (2) are in contact during mutual charging for mutual insulation, whereby corresponding contact rings (12, 13) and / or corresponding contact pins (11) for control signal transmission and for transmitting a supply voltage are in contact. 11. Connection element for an electrical connection arrangement for charging an energy store (3), characterized in that the connection element (1,2) has an approximately cylindrical shaft (7) with an approximately plate-shaped head (8), wherein the shaft (7) at least Sectionally as the first contact surface (-) and the head (8) are at least partially provided as a second contact surface (+). 12. Connecting element according to claim 11, characterized in that the connecting element (1, 2) for connecting the energy storage device (3) with a charging station or for connecting the energy storage device (3) is designed with a vehicle-side electrical system. For this 5 sheets drawings 9/14