DE102019114229A1 - Charging plug, in particular for an electric vehicle and method for producing the same. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a charging plug (100), in particular for an electric vehicle, wherein the charging plug (100) has a circuit on a printed circuit board (110), a component carrier (108) and at least one contact element (102) aligned transversely to the printed circuit board (110) ), wherein the circuit for the contact element (102) comprises a temperature sensor (112) and the component carrier (108) consists of an electrically insulating, thermally conductive material, wherein the temperature sensor (112) on a transversely to the contact element (102) aligned front the printed circuit board (110) is arranged in an edge region (118) of the printed circuit board (110) and the component carrier (108) is arranged as an electrical insulator and heat conductor between the contact element (102) and the temperature sensor (112), wherein the component carrier (108) at least in the region of the temperature sensor (112) against the contact element (102) and the temperature sensor (112) in a he recess (114) of the component carrier (108) is arranged.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a charging plug, in particular for an electric vehicle and a method for producing the same.

State of the art

The present invention will be described below mainly in connection with charging plugs for charging electrically powered vehicles. However, the invention can be used in any application in which large electrical power is transmitted via a charging plug.

When charging a traction battery of an electric vehicle, a large electrical current flows through a charging connector. Due to the unavoidable ohmic resistance, the electrical conductors in the charging plug heat up. By heating a housing of the charging plug can be heated. To monitor a temperature of the charging plug, a temperature sensor may be connected to the housing at a known distance from the conductors. Due to the distance to the conductors, the temperature sensor is arranged outside a high-voltage region of the charging plug. However, conventional charging connectors equipped with a temperature sensor are often structurally complex and / or difficult to manufacture or assemble.

Description of the invention

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a charging plug, in particular for an electric vehicle and a method for producing a charging plug, using means which are as simple as possible in terms of construction.

The object is solved by the subject matters of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the description and the accompanying figures. In particular, the independent claims of a claim category can also be developed analogously to the dependent claims of another claim category.

The invention relates to a charging plug for an electric vehicle, the charging plug having an electrical circuit on a printed circuit board, a component carrier and at least one contact element oriented transversely to the printed circuit board, the circuit for the contact element having a temperature sensor and the component carrier being made of an electrically insulating, heat-conducting Material consists, wherein the temperature sensor is arranged on a transversely oriented to the contact element front of the circuit board in an edge region of the circuit board and the component carrier is arranged as an electrical insulator and heat conductor between the contact element and the temperature sensor, wherein the component carrier at least in the region of the temperature sensor on the Contact element rests and the temperature sensor is disposed in a recess of the component carrier.

Furthermore, a method for producing a charging plug is presented, wherein a component carrier made of a thermally conductive, electrically insulating material is provided with at least one recess for a temperature sensor, a printed circuit board with an at least the temperature sensor comprehensive electrical circuit is arranged on the component carrier, that in a temperature sensor arranged in the depression is arranged on an edge region of the printed circuit board, and the component carrier is arranged on a contact element of the charging plug such that it is arranged as an electrical insulator and heat conductor between the contact element and the temperature sensor and bears against the contact element at least in the region of the temperature sensor.

An electric vehicle may be an at least partially battery electric powered vehicle. The electric vehicle may include a traction battery that can be charged by a supply of electrical energy from the outside. The energy can be supplied to the vehicle via a two-part, pluggable and re-separable charging connector.

A charging plug can be one of the two pluggable parts of the charging connector. The charging plug can be designed as a plug on a cable or as a socket on the vehicle. The charging plug can be designed for transmitting high-voltage vehicle voltage. For this purpose, insulation, wall thicknesses and distances between electrical conductors of the charging plug for the voltage used, for example, up to 1000 volts automotive high voltage can be performed. Voltage peaks can be up to 2.5 kilovolts. Current-carrying cross sections of the electrical conductors can be designed for the high electric current flows of a few amperes up to several hundred amps when charging the electric vehicle. The charging plug can be, for example, a type 1, type 2, CCS or CHAdeMO plug.

The charging plug can have a housing. The housing may be a structural component of the charging plug. The housing may be made of an electrically insulating material. The housing can be a plug-in plug contour of the charging plug exhibit. The plug contour can be designed to match an opposite plug contour in the other pluggable part of the charging connector. The housing may have receptacles for a plurality of contact elements. Through the housing, the distances between the electrical conductors can be defined.

A contact element may in particular consist of a metal material. The contact element may be an end piece of one of the electrical conductors of the charging plug. The contact element may be designed to fit a plug-in end to an opposite contact element in the other pluggable part of the charging connector. The contact element may be designed as a pin for insertion into a sleeve or as a sleeve for receiving a pin. At an end opposite the plug-in end, the contact element can be connected to the electrical conductor, such as a cable or a busbar.

A temperature sensor may map a value of a temperature in an electrical signal. The temperature sensor can be arranged at a distance from the contact element. The temperature sensor may be electrically isolated from the contact element. The temperature sensor may be spaced so far from the contact element, that the temperature sensor is disposed outside an influence range of a high-voltage on the contact element. The temperature sensor may be part of an electrical circuit of the charging plug. The temperature sensor can be operated at a low voltage level, for example up to 12 volts. The circuit may comprise discrete components and / or integrated circuits. The circuit may comprise conductor tracks which run on and / or in a printed circuit board. The printed circuit board can be referred to as PCB. The temperature sensor can be soldered directly onto the printed circuit board.

An edge region may be a strip of a surface of the circuit board that runs along an edge of the circuit board. The edge can be contoured. The edge can also circulate around breakthroughs through the circuit board. This also allows the edge area to revolve around the respective breakthrough. The temperature sensor can be arranged as close as possible to the edge.

A component carrier may be configured to electrically isolate the temperature sensor from the high voltage voltage. For this purpose, the component carrier may be formed with a material, in particular a plastic material, which has a sufficiently low electrical conductivity to provide sufficient electrical insulation between the high-voltage-carrying contact element and the temperature sensor at a given material thickness of the component carrier. The component carrier may be further configured to substantially minimize the temperature of the contact element, i. with small deviations of, for example, less than 10 K, less than 5 K or even less than 2 K, to transmit to the temperature sensor. The material of the component carrier may have a lower thermal resistance than a material of the housing. The component carrier may have receptacles for a plurality of contact elements.

In the region of a depression, the component carrier can have a lower material thickness, for example at least 20%, at least 40% or even at least 60% lower material thickness, than beside the depression. The depression can also be referred to as a depression. The material thickness in the region of the depression can be adapted to the high-voltage voltage to be insulated. For example, the thickness of the material in the region of the depression may be greater than or equal to 0.5 millimeter, but less than 1.2 millimeters. In addition to the recess, the material thickness, for example, be greater than or equal to 1.5 millimeters. The printed circuit board can rest against the component carrier at least in the region of the temperature sensor or around the depression with the front side.

In the recess, a heat conduction material may be arranged. The temperature sensor may be thermally coupled to the component carrier using the thermal interface material. A Wärmeleitmaterial may be, for example, a thermal adhesive or a thermal grease. The heat conduction material may have a lower thermal resistance than the material of the component carrier or at least as the material of the housing. The heat conduction material may be plastically deformable. The heat conduction material can be metered into the depression during assembly of the charging plug before the printed circuit board is pressed against the component carrier and the temperature sensor is arranged in the depression.

The component carrier may have a flange oriented transversely to the printed circuit board, which flange is arranged between the edge region and the contact element. The flange may be oriented substantially perpendicular to a main extension direction of the component carrier. The flange may protrude beyond a rear side of the printed circuit board to provide the air gap and creepage distance required for the electrical insulation. The flange may, for example, have a material thickness of one millimeter or more. For example, the creepage distance and clearance may be greater than six millimeters. The circuit board can be fixed by locking lugs on the flange in position.

The contact element may be arranged in an opening of the printed circuit board. The edge region can circulate in a ring around the opening. The flange can rotate as a collar annularly around the contact element. The flange may have a cylindrical cross-section.

The component carrier may rest on a side facing away from the printed circuit board on a shoulder of the contact element. A shoulder may be a projection of the contact element. The shoulder can circulate annularly around the contact element. A surface of the shoulder contacting the component carrier may be oriented substantially perpendicular to a main extension direction of the contact element. A transition to the shoulder can be performed rounded. The shoulder may be a stop surface for the component carrier. Through the shoulder, a position of the component carrier may be defined at least in one direction.

The contact element may be fixed in a housing rear part of the charging plug. A plug contour of the charging plug can be formed in a housing front part of the charging plug. The printed circuit board and the component carrier can be arranged between the housing rear part and the housing front part. The housing back and the housing front may be interconnected to enclose the circuit board and the component carrier in an interior of the housing.

An elastic sealing mat can be arranged between the housing front part and the printed circuit board. The sealing mat may have a nose in the region of the temperature sensor, which rests against the rear side of the printed circuit board. The nose can serve as a stop surface for the circuit board. The nose can also be elastic. The nose can compensate for component tolerances.

The sealing mat can be pressed by the front housing part against the circuit board. The circuit board can be pressed from the nose against the component carrier. The component carrier can be pressed by the circuit board against the contact element. The housing front part can rest against the nose on the sealing mat. This results in a straightforward flow of force into the nose. The nose can be elastically deformed by a compressive force. The nose can transmit the pressure force to the printed circuit board. As a result of the pressure force, the printed circuit board lies closely or directly against the component carrier at least around the temperature sensor. The printed circuit board transmits the pressure force to the component carrier, which is pressed by the pressure force against the contact element. The pressure force creates a close, heat-conducting contact between the contact element and the component carrier.

The sealing mat may have an elastic sealing bushing for the contact element. The contact element may be arranged in the sealing bush. The sealing bushing can be stretched by the contact element. By a restoring force of the sealing bushing sealing lips of the sealing bushing can be pressed against the contact element and seal fluid-tight to the contact element.

list of figures

• 1 zeigt eine Schnittdarstellung durch einen Ladestecker gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel.

Hereinafter, an advantageous embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying figure. It shows:

• 1 shows a sectional view through a charging plug according to an embodiment.

The figure is merely a schematic representation and is only illustrative of the invention. Identical or equivalent elements are consistently provided with the same reference numerals.

Detailed description

1 shows a sectional view through a charging plug 100 according to an embodiment. The charging plug 100 is one of two parts of a charging connector for transmitting electrical energy. The charging plug 100 is designed here as a charging socket for an electric vehicle, such as a battery electric vehicle. The charging plug 100 has contact elements 102 for transmitting the electrical energy. Here is the charging socket pins 102 as contact elements 102 on. The cut runs here along a longitudinal axis of one of the pins 102 of the charging plug 100 , The contact element 102 has a cross-sectional area adapted to expected high current flows during use.

The charging plug 100 has a two-part housing. The housing is made of a housing front part 104 and a back of the housing 106 composed. The pin 102 is in the back of the housing 106 used and mechanically with the back of the housing 106 connected. The housing front part 104 forms a visible in the charging socket of the electric vehicle plug contour of the charging connector. The pin 102 protrudes into a recess of the plug contour.

Between the front of the housing 104 and the back of the housing 106 are a component carrier 108 and a circuit board 110 arranged. The circuit board 110 is at least partially the component carrier 108 at. On the circuit board 110 is an electrical circuit of the charging connector 100 arranged. The electrical circuit has a temperature sensor 112 for the contact element 102 on. The electrical circuit can also have multiple temperature sensors 112 exhibit. The temperature sensors 112 can use different contact elements 102 be assigned. The temperature sensor 112 is on one of the component carrier 108 facing front of the circuit board 110 arranged. The component carrier 108 isolates the circuit and thus also the temperature sensor 112 from the in operation on the contact element 102 adjacent high voltage. The component carrier 108 is made of an electrically insulating and thermally conductive material. The temperature sensor 112 is in a depression 114 of the component carrier 108 arranged. The circuit board 110 lies at least around the depression 114 on the component carrier 108 at.

In one embodiment, a heat conduction material 116 in the depression 114 arranged. The heat conduction material 116 is elastic or plastically deformable. The heat conduction material 116 bridges a gap between the temperature sensor 112 and the component carrier 108 and couples the temperature sensor 112 thermally with the component carrier 108 without the temperature sensor 112 mechanically load.

The temperature sensor 112 is as close as possible to the contact element 102 or pin 102 arranged. This is the temperature sensor 112 on one to the pin 102 adjacent edge area 118 the circuit board 110 arranged. To the circuit board 110 and the temperature sensor 112 electrically from the pin 102 isolate is the component carrier 108 between the circuit board 110 and the pin 102 arranged.

The component carrier 108 is right on the pin 102 at. Here lies the component carrier 108 on a side surface of the pin 102 as well as one at the pin 102 circumferential shoulder 120 at. This is a position of the component carrier 108 in two directions through the pin 102 specified.

In one embodiment, the component carrier 108 a flange 122 on that along the side surface of the pins 102 in the direction of the housing front part 104 runs. The flange 122 protrudes over a back of the circuit board 110 and thus provides a required clearance and creepage distance between the pin 102 and the circuit on the circuit board 110 for sure.

In one embodiment, the circuit board 110 a breakthrough in which the contact element 102 is arranged. The temperature sensor 112 is on one side of the contact element 102 arranged. The border area 118 runs around the breakthrough along an edge of the opening. The circuit board 110 lies with the edge area 118 essentially completely on the component carrier 108 at. The flange 122 also extends around the contact element 102 and forms a closed collar to the circuit of the high voltage on the contact element 102 to isolate. The shoulder 120 of the contact element 102 runs annularly around the contact element 102 around. The component carrier 108 lies around the contact element 102 on the shoulder 120 at.

In one embodiment, between the front housing part 104 and the back of the housing 106 also an elastic sealing mat 124 arranged. The component carrier 108 , the circuit board 110 and the sealing mat 124 are between the front of the housing 104 and firmly with the back of the case 106 connected shoulder 120 of the contact element 102 trapped. The plug contour of the housing front part 104 lies around the contact element 102 on the sealing mat 124 on. In the area of the temperature sensor 112 has the sealing mat 124 a nose 126 on. The sealing mat 124 can also have other contact surfaces in other places. The nose 126 lies on one of the temperature sensor 112 remote from the back of the circuit board 110 on. The nose 126 is elastically deformed by a compressive force of the housing and thus presses the circuit board 110 against the component carrier 108 ,

The sealing mat 124 seals the charging plug 100 on the contact element 102 from. For this purpose, the sealing mat 124 a suitable for the contact element 102 molded sealing bush 128 on. The contact element 102 passes through the sealing bushing 128 , The housing front part 104 encloses the sealing bush 128 , The sealing bush 128 is through the contact element 102 stretched. Sealing lips of the sealing bush 128 become thereby against the side surface of the contact element 102 and the front housing part 104 pressed. Through the sealing bush 128 becomes the plug contour of the charging plug 100 sealed against environmental influences.

In other words shows 1 a pin temperature measurement in a charging socket by a thermally conductive component carrier.

The approach presented here allows a temperature measurement of the current-carrying pins in the charging socket with very high accuracy at low cost. A high level of automation in production is possible. It is about the Component carrier made of thermally conductive and electrically insulating plastic, a temperature sensor, which is soldered onto a PCB, thermally connected to a power-carrying pin of the charging socket. The pin is either passed through the PCB or past this, with the thermally conductive component carrier is formed so that it extends the creepage and clearance distances to the extent required for HV applications.

Heretofore, the temperature is either tapped via wired temperature sensors at the pin, passed over thermally conductive elements to an SMD temperature sensor, or the temperature is tapped with the PCB itself and passed over the circuit board material (e.g., FR4) to the SMD temperature sensor. However, this results in the wired sensor a complex assembly. The other variants have long heat conduction paths and thus a reduced dynamics and accuracy of the temperature measurement.

The approach presented here has a simple and inexpensive architecture. The component carrier can be produced as an injection molded part made of thermally conductive plastic. The circuit board can be conventionally designed and manufactured. When assembling a simple plug-in assembly and a high to complete degree of automation is possible.

In 1 the rear housing part, an HV pin, a heat-conducting component carrier, a PCB, a temperature sensor, an elastic sealing mat and a front housing part are shown. The heat conduction path runs from the HV pin over the component carrier to the PCB. For this purpose, a depression is provided in the component carrier per temperature sensor, which is filled with thermal paste. When the PCB is then inserted into the housing carrier, the temperature sensors are placed precisely in these filled cavities to ensure optimum thermal connection of the temperature sensors to the component carrier. To fix the board or circuit board in the component carrier, this can be clipped in it.

The component carrier rests on a revolving plate of the HV pin and thus assumes its temperature. The depression with the temperature sensor is placed as close as possible to the contact point between pin and component carrier. Due to the recess, the material of the component carrier is particularly thin at this point in order to keep the thermal resistance between sensor and pin as low as possible. The material thickness depends primarily on the possibilities of the manufacturing process and the necessary dielectric strength between high voltage (HV) and low voltage (LV) potential. The material thickness in the region of the depression is for example 0.5 mm. The rest of the component carrier is made thicker to ensure mechanical stability.

In order to press the PCB and the component carrier defined on the plate of the pin, a nose is formed on the sealing mat per temperature sensor, which presses the PCB with the temperature sensor to the component carrier and the entire assembly to the pin. The sealing mat is pressed into the front housing part. The pins are pressed into the rear housing part. The component carrier is designed so that it ensures the clearances and creepage distances for the high-voltage low-voltage (LV-HV) separation. For this purpose, a collar is provided which runs parallel to the pin surface and electrically insulates it against the PCB.

For mounting, the pins are fixed in the rear housing part (pressed in). In parallel, the recesses of the component carrier are filled with thermal paste and then the PCB is inserted into the component carrier and fixed therein (clipped). Also parallel, the sealing mat is already used in the front housing part.

The populated component carrier is now pushed over the pins, so that the component carrier rests on the pin plate. Subsequently, the front housing part with the sealing mat is pushed over the pins and at the same time the component carrier with the PCB is pressed against the pin. The front and rear housing part are ultimately connected to each other, for example, by screwing, clipping or welding.

Since the device described in detail above is an embodiment, it can be modified in a conventional manner by a person skilled in the art to a large extent without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the mechanical arrangements and the size ratios of the individual elements are selected by way of example only.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

charging plug

102

contact element

104

Front housing

106

Rear housing

108

component support

110

circuit board

112

temperature sensor

114

deepening

116

thermal interface material

118

border area

120

shoulder

122

flange

124

Sheeting

126

nose

128

sealing bush

Claims (10)

Charging plug (100) in particular for an electric vehicle, wherein the charging plug (100) comprises a circuit on a printed circuit board (110), a component carrier (108) and at least one transverse to the printed circuit board (110) aligned contact element (102), wherein the circuit for the contact element (102) has a temperature sensor (112) and the component carrier (108) consists of an electrically insulating, thermally conductive material, wherein the temperature sensor (112) on a transverse to the contact element (102) aligned front of the circuit board (110) in a Edge region (118) of the circuit board (110) is arranged and the component carrier (108) as an electrical insulator and heat conductor between the contact element (102) and the temperature sensor (112) is arranged, wherein the component carrier (108) at least in the region of the temperature sensor (112 ) abuts the contact element (102) and the temperature sensor (112) in a recess (114) of the component carrier (108). is arranged. Charging plug (100) according to Claim 1 in which a heat conducting material (116) is arranged in the depression (114) and the temperature sensor (112) is thermally coupled to the component carrier (108) using the heat conducting material (116). The charging plug (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the component carrier (108) has a flange (122) aligned transversely to the printed circuit board (110) disposed between the edge region (118) and the contact element (102) Flange (122) for providing a necessary for the electrical insulation between the printed circuit board (110) and the contact element (102) air and creepage distance over a rear side of the printed circuit board (110) protrudes. Charging plug (110) according to Claim 3 in which the contact element (102) is arranged in an opening in the printed circuit board (110), the edge region (118) circulates annularly around the aperture and the flange (122) runs as a collar around the contact element (102). Charging plug (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the component carrier (108) on a side facing away from the printed circuit board (110) side against a shoulder (120) of the contact element (102). Charging plug (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact element (102) is fixed in a housing rear part (106) of the charging plug (100) and a plug contour of the charging plug (100) in a housing front part (104) of the charging plug (100) wherein the printed circuit board (110) and the component carrier (108) are disposed between the rear housing part (106) and the front housing part (104). Charging plug (100) according to Claim 6 in which an elastic sealing mat (124) is arranged between the housing front part (104) and the printed circuit board (110), wherein the sealing mat (124) in the region of the temperature sensor (112) has a nose (126) which is located on the rear side of the printed circuit board (110) is present. Charging plug (100) according to Claim 7 in that the sealing mat (124) is pressed against the printed circuit board (110) by the housing front part (104), the printed circuit board (110) is pressed against the component carrier (108) by the nose (126) and the component carrier (108) is pressed from the Printed circuit board (110) against the contact element (102) is pressed. Charging plug (100) according to one of Claims 7 to 8th in that the sealing mat (124) has a resilient sealing bush (128) for the contact element (102), wherein the contact element (102) is arranged in the sealing bush (128). A method for producing a charging plug (100), wherein a component carrier (108) made of a thermally conductive, electrically insulating material is provided with at least one depression (114) for a temperature sensor (112), a printed circuit board (110) having at least one temperature sensor (112 ) is arranged on the component carrier (108) such that in an edge region (118) of the printed circuit board (110) arranged temperature sensor (112) in the recess (114) is arranged, and the component carrier (108) on a Contact element (102) of the charging plug (100) is arranged so that it is arranged as an electrical insulator and heat conductor between the contact element (102) and the temperature sensor (112) and at least in the region of the temperature sensor (112) against the contact element (102).

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