WO2023035154A1

WO2023035154A1 - First connector, battery assembly, vehicle, connector assembly and powered device

Info

Publication number: WO2023035154A1
Application number: PCT/CN2021/117291
Authority: WO
Inventors: 王康玉
Original assignee: 宁德时代新能源科技股份有限公司
Priority date: 2021-09-08
Filing date: 2021-09-08
Publication date: 2023-03-16
Also published as: CN116762245A

Abstract

The present application discloses a first connector, a battery assembly, a vehicle, a connector assembly and a powered device. The first connector is used for being plugged into and fitted with a second connector, and comprises a connector body and an interlocking structure, wherein the interlocking structure is mounted in the connector body in a sealed manner, and is configured to be triggered, when the first connector and the second connector are plugged into place, by the second connector to generate an interlocking signal. By means of the technical solution provided in the present application, an interlocking signal can be accurately generated, such that it is ensured that the integrity of a high-voltage electrical system is accurately confirmed.

Description

First connector, battery assembly, vehicle, connector assembly, and electrical equipment

technical field

The present application relates to the field of connectors, in particular, to a first connector, a battery assembly, a vehicle, a connector assembly and electrical equipment.

Background technique

Energy conservation and emission reduction is the key to the sustainable development of the automobile industry, and electric vehicles have become an important part of the sustainable development of the automobile industry due to their advantages in energy conservation and environmental protection. For electric vehicles, battery replacement technology is an important factor related to its development.

International standards related to electric vehicles stipulate that all high-voltage connectors of electric vehicles should have high-voltage interlocking devices. High-voltage interlock refers to the use of small currents to confirm the integrity of the entire high-voltage electrical system. All high-voltage components and harness connectors of the vehicle must be installed in place without short circuits or open circuits. When the controller detects that the high-voltage interlock circuit is disconnected or its integrity is compromised, it needs to initiate the necessary safety measures. Therefore, in the battery swap mode of electric vehicles, setting up high-voltage interlocks should be an essential link.

Contents of the invention

In view of the above problems, the embodiments of the present application provide a first connector, a battery assembly, a vehicle, a connector assembly, and an electrical device, which can accurately generate interlock signals to ensure accurate confirmation of the integrity of the high-voltage electrical system.

In a first aspect, the present application provides a first connector for mating with a second connector, including: a connector body; an interlocking structure sealedly installed in the connector body, and the interlocking structure is configured as When the first connector and the second connector are plugged into place, it is triggered by the second connector to generate an interlock signal.

In the technical solution of the embodiment of the present application, the interlocking structure is integrated with the connector body, and is hermetically installed in the connector body, which can prevent external impurities from interfering with the interlocking structure, so that the first connector and the second When the connector is mated into place, the interlock mechanism is uninterruptedly triggered to generate an interlock signal, ensuring accurate confirmation of the integrity of the high voltage electrical system.

In an optional embodiment, the interlock structure includes a first interlock terminal, a second interlock terminal, and a conductive member, and the conductive member contacts or disengages from the first interlock terminal and/or the second interlock terminal, so that the second interlock terminal The first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal are connected or disconnected.

When the first connector and the second connector are plugged in place, the conductive member contacts the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal, conducts the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal, and forms an interlock circuit to Generate an interlock signal; when the first connector and the second connector are not plugged in place, the conductive member is separated from at least one of the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal, so that the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal The two interlock terminals are disconnected so that no interlock signal is generated.

In an optional embodiment, the connector body has a sealed chamber, the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal are at least partially located in the sealed chamber, and the conductive member is movably disposed in the sealed chamber.

The conductive member is movably arranged in the sealed chamber, and can contact part of the first interlock terminal and part of the second interlock terminal in the sealed chamber when the first connector and the second connector are plugged in place, thereby Generate interlock signals without interference in a sealed environment.

In an optional embodiment, the connector body includes a base and a cover, the base is provided with a groove, and the cover closes the opening of the groove to form a sealed chamber; the cover is configured to connect the first connector with the second When the connector is plugged in, it is pushed by the second connector to drive the conductive element to move, so that the conductive element contacts the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal.

When the first connector and the second connector are plugged into place, the second connector directly pushes the cover to transmit force to the conductive member, so that the conductive member moves to contact the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal. The conductive element is sealed in the groove by the cover element and is not directly affected by the second connector, so as to prevent external impurities from entering the sealed chamber to the greatest extent. At the same time, by arranging the groove and the covering part, the process difficulty of sealing the conductive part in the sealed chamber can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the first connector can be controlled.

In an optional embodiment, the cover is made of flexible material, and the edge of the cover is fixed to the base.

The cover made of flexible material is deformed when being pushed by the second connector, so that the pushing force exerted by the second connector is quickly transmitted to the conductive part, so that the conductive part moves.

In an optional embodiment, the cover part is in interference fit with the opening of the groove;

Alternatively, the edges of the cover are bonded to the base;

Alternatively, the cover is injection molded to the base.

The cover is arranged on the opening of the groove by interference fit, which can effectively control the manufacturing cost and assembly cost; the cover is arranged on the base by bonding, which can effectively control the manufacturing cost and reduce the difficulty of assembly; the cover adopts Injection molding is integrally formed with the base, which can effectively ensure the formation of the sealed chamber and ensure that the interlocking structure is in the sealed chamber.

In an optional embodiment, the conductive element is connected to the side of the cover element facing the groove.

The conductive part is connected with the cover part, and when the second connector pushes the cover part, the conductive part can move synchronously to contact the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal precisely and quickly.

In an optional embodiment, the conductive member includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion is used to contact the first interlock terminal, and the second protrusion is used to contact the second interlock terminal.

By arranging the first protrusion corresponding to the first interlock terminal and the second protrusion corresponding to the second interlock terminal, it is possible to prevent the conductive member from colliding with the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal when it is pushed by the second connector. In case of poor contact of the interlock terminal, it is ensured that the conductive member is effectively connected to the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal.

In an optional embodiment, the interlocking structure further includes an elastic reset member, the elastic reset member is disposed in the sealed chamber, and the elastic reset member is configured to apply an elastic force to the conductive member, so that the conductive member has the ability to disengage from the first interlock terminal. and/or the trend of the second interlock terminal.

By arranging the elastic reset member, when the first connector and the second connector are not plugged into place and are disengaged from each other, the conductive member can be separated from the first interlock terminal and/or the second interlock terminal, so as to prevent the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal conduct.

In an optional embodiment, the connector body is provided with a receiving groove, and the elastic reset member is arranged in the receiving groove, and one end of the elastic reset member is connected to the inner wall of the receiving groove, and the other end is connected to the conductive member.

An accommodating groove capable of accommodating the elastic reset member is provided, which can effectively separate the elastic reset member from the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal, so as to avoid the influence of the elastic reset member on the generation of the interlock signal; at the same time, the elastic reset member Accommodating in the accommodating groove can avoid the phenomenon that the surface of the base is uneven due to the presence of the elastic reset member that causes the conductive member to protrude from the base.

In a second aspect, the present application provides a battery assembly, including: a battery; and the first connector according to any one of the foregoing implementation manners, where the first connector is disposed on the battery.

The first connector is set on the battery. When the battery is installed on the main body of the electrical equipment, the first connector needs to be plugged into place with the second connector on the main body of the electrical equipment to generate an interlock signal to ensure accurate confirmation of the integrity of the high-voltage electrical system. sex.

In a third aspect, the present application provides a vehicle, including a vehicle body; according to the first connector in any one of the foregoing embodiments, the first connector is disposed on the vehicle body.

The first connector is arranged on the vehicle body. When the battery is installed on the vehicle body, the first connector needs to be plugged into place with the second connector on the battery to generate an interlock signal to ensure accurate confirmation of the integrity of the high-voltage electrical system.

In a fourth aspect, the present application provides a connector assembly, including: the first connector according to any one of the foregoing implementation manners; and a second connector configured to be mated with the first connector.

The integrity of the high voltage electrical system is accurately confirmed when the first connector and the second connector are mated into place to generate an interlock signal.

In an optional embodiment, the second connector has a protrusion, and the protrusion is used to abut against the first connector to trigger the interlock structure to generate an interlock signal.

When the first connector and the second connector are plugged in place, the interlocking structure can be effectively triggered through the protrusion on the second connector, and the integrity of the high-voltage electrical system can be accurately confirmed.

In a fifth aspect, the present application provides an electric device, including: a main body of the electric device; a battery for supplying power to the main body of the electric device; according to the connector assembly of the aforementioned embodiment, the first connector is disposed on the main body of the electric device and one of the batteries, and the second connector is disposed on the other of the electric device body and the battery.

The electrical equipment includes a connector assembly, that is, the first connector and the second connector; when the electrical equipment body and the battery are installed in place, and the first connector and the second connector are inserted in place, it can accurately detect the mutual The generation of the lock signal accurately confirms the integrity of the high voltage electrical system.

Description of drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments. It should be understood that the following drawings only show some embodiments of the present application, so It should be regarded as a limitation on the scope, and those skilled in the art can also obtain other related drawings based on these drawings without creative work.

Fig. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle provided by some embodiments of the present application;

2 is a schematic diagram of a first connector according to some embodiments of the present application;

3 is a three-dimensional exploded view of a first connector according to some embodiments of the present application;

4 is a schematic diagram of a first connector according to other embodiments of the present application;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a first connector according to other embodiments of the present application;

6 is a schematic diagram of a conductive member according to some embodiments of the present application;

7 is a schematic diagram of a conductive member according to other embodiments of the present application;

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of the first connector when it is arranged on the vehicle body according to some embodiments of the present application;

9 is a three-dimensional exploded view of a connector assembly according to some embodiments of the present application;

10 is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly according to some embodiments of the present application;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly according to another embodiment of the present application.

Icons: 1000-vehicle; 100-battery; 200-controller; 300-motor; 10-first connector; 20-second connector; 21-protrusion; 11-connector body; 110-sealed chamber; 111-base; 112-cover; 1110-groove; 1111-receiving groove; 12-interlock structure; 120-first interlock terminal; 121-second interlock terminal; 123-conductive member; 124-push rod ; 125-elastic reset member; 1230-the first protrusion; 1231-the second protrusion; 13-the first high-voltage terminal.

Detailed ways

In order to make the purposes, technical solutions and advantages of the embodiments of the present application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments It is a part of the embodiments of this application, not all of them. The components of the embodiments of the application generally described and illustrated in the figures herein may be arranged and designed in a variety of different configurations.

Accordingly, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the application provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed application, but merely represents selected embodiments of the application. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by persons of ordinary skill in the art without creative efforts fall within the protection scope of this application.

It should be noted that like numerals and letters denote similar items in the following figures, therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not require further definition and explanation in subsequent figures.

In the description of the embodiments of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer The orientation or positional relationship indicated by ” is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship that is usually placed when the application product is used, or the orientation or positional relationship that is commonly understood by those skilled in the art, It is only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and does not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present application.

In the description of the embodiments of this application, it should also be noted that, unless otherwise specified and limited, the terms "setting", "installation", "connection" and "connection" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be fixed The connection can also be a detachable connection or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediary, and it can be the internal communication of two components. Those of ordinary skill in the art can understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this application in specific situations.

It should be noted that, in the case of no conflict, the embodiments in the present application and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

The technical solution in this application will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

At present, judging from the development of the market situation, electric vehicles have become an important part of the sustainable development of the automobile industry. In order to solve the problem of long charging time and short cruising range, the electric vehicle battery replacement mode came into being, which alleviated the existing problem of slow charging speed to a certain extent.

In the process of changing the battery of an electric vehicle, it often occurs that the interlock signal is detected normally, but the high voltage connection is abnormal.

After research, the inventor found that the reason for the above problems is that the battery end connector and/or the vehicle end connector have water ingress and accumulation during the battery replacement process. When the car-end connector and the battery-end connector are not plugged in place, a complete high-voltage circuit is not formed between the two, that is, when the high-voltage connection is incorrect, the accumulated water between the battery-end connector and the car-end connector will As a result, the electrical clearance and creepage distance between the high-voltage interlock terminals (pins and terminals in the jack) are insufficient, and the abnormal connection state of the high-voltage interlock terminals occurs (that is, there is a gap between the battery end connector and the car end connector. When the battery end connector and the car end connector are not plugged in place, the accumulated water will conduct the terminal of the battery end connector and the pin of the car end connector to generate an interlock signal), but the battery management system at the battery end When the interlock signal is detected, power is wrongly supplied to the car end, resulting in abnormal ignition of the high-voltage connection. The voltage in an electric vehicle is generally above 200V, so if there is an abnormal high-voltage connection, it may cause a safety accident.

Based on the above considerations, in order to solve the problem of abnormal generation of interlock signal due to water ingress and accumulation of water, and wrongly supply power to the vehicle end, resulting in abnormal ignition of high-voltage connections, the inventor has designed a connector after in-depth research, which will be able to An interlock structure that generates an interlock signal is sealed in the connector body. When the connector is mated with another connector, the interlock structure can be triggered to generate an interlock signal.

In such a connector, the interlocking structure is sealed in the connector body to prevent water or other external impurities from affecting the interlocking structure, causing interference to the generation of the interlocking signal, and preventing the abnormal generation of the interlocking signal; and the interlocking structure Integrated with the connector body, the interlock signal is only generated in the first connector, so there is no problem of insufficient electrical clearance and creepage distance between high-voltage interlock terminals (pins and terminals in the socket), Therefore, the accuracy of the generation of the interlock signal can be guaranteed, and the integrity of the high-voltage electrical system can be accurately confirmed.

The present application provides a connector, which can be applied to batteries, and can also be applied to various devices using batteries, such as vehicles, ships, or aircraft. When the connector is applied to the battery, the connector serves as a connection structure at the battery end and is mated with a connection structure at the power end to provide power to the electric device. For example, when the electrical equipment is a vehicle, the connector is mated with the connection structure at the vehicle end to supply power to the vehicle. When the connector is applied to the electrical equipment, the connector serves as the connecting structure of the electrical terminal and is mated with the connecting structure of the battery terminal, so that the battery supplies power to the electrical equipment. For example, when the electrical device is a vehicle, the battery supplies power to the vehicle through plug-fitting of the connector and the connection structure of the battery terminal. In this way, when the connection structure of the battery terminal and the connection structure of the power consumption terminal are mated, an interlock signal can be generated to confirm the integrity of the high-voltage electrical system between the battery and the electrical equipment, that is, a complete high-voltage circuit, to achieve correct high-voltage connection .

Hereinafter, the electric device is the vehicle 1000 and the connector is applied to the battery 100 as an example for illustration. Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic structural diagram of a vehicle 1000 provided by some embodiments of the present application.

A controller 200 , a motor 300 and a battery 100 may be provided inside the vehicle 1000 , and the controller 200 is used to control the battery 100 to supply power to the motor 300 . For example, the battery 100 may be provided at the bottom or front or rear of the vehicle 1000 . The battery 100 can be used for power supply of the vehicle. For example, the battery 100 can be used as an operating power source of the vehicle 1000 and for a circuit system of the vehicle 1000 , for example, for starting, navigating, and working power requirements of the vehicle 1000 . In another embodiment of the present application, the battery 100 can not only be used as an operating power source for the vehicle 1000 , but can also be used as a driving power source for the vehicle 1000 , replacing or partially replacing fuel oil or natural gas to provide driving power for the vehicle 1000 .

The battery 100 can be detached from the vehicle body, so as to realize the battery replacement operation of the vehicle 1000 . When the battery is depleted, the depleted battery can be removed and replaced with another battery 100 to continue powering the vehicle 1000 .

The connector is used as the connection structure of the battery end. When the battery 100 is installed on the vehicle body, the connector will be mated with the connection structure of the vehicle end to form a complete high-voltage circuit between the battery 100 and the vehicle body, which can realize the correct high voltage. connection to allow the battery to power the vehicle.

According to some embodiments of the present application, referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the first connector 10 according to some embodiments of the present application, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the first connector 10 according to some embodiments of the present application. exploded diagram. The present application provides a first connector 10, and the first connector 10 is used for inserting and mating with a second connector 20 (refer to 9). The first connector 10 includes a connector body 11 and an interlocking structure 12 . The interlock structure 12 is hermetically installed in the connector body 11, and the interlock structure 12 is configured to be triggered by the second connector 20 to generate an interlock signal when the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged in place. .

The first connector 10 can be the connection structure of the battery end, the second connector 20 can be the connection structure of the vehicle end, or the first connector 10 can be the connection structure of the vehicle end, and the second connector 20 can be the connection structure of the battery end. Or plug-and-match to form a complete electrical circuit, so as to realize the circuit connection.

The first connector 10 includes two first high voltage terminals 13 (see FIG. 3 ), and the first high voltage terminals 13 are used for plugging and mating with the second high voltage terminals of the second connector 20 . The connector body 11 is the base of the first connector 10 , and is used to provide an installation basis for the first high voltage terminal 13 and the interlocking structure 12 of the first connector 10 . The connector body 11 may be made of insulating material to realize insulation isolation between the first high voltage terminals 13 of the first connector 10 .

The interlock structure 12 is a structure capable of generating an interlock signal.

The interlocking structure 12 is hermetically installed in the connector body 11 , which means that the connector body 11 has a sealed environment, and the interlocking structure 12 is in the sealed environment without interference from external water or other impurities.

The insertion of the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 means that the first high-voltage terminal of the first connector 10 and the second high-voltage terminal of the second connector 20 have formed a complete electrical circuit through plugging and mating; The first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are not plugged in place, which means that there is a gap between the first high-voltage terminal 13 of the first connector 10 and the second high-voltage terminal of the second connector 20, and a complete electrical circuit is not formed. .

The interlock signal refers to the signal used to judge that a complete electrical circuit has been formed between the first connector 10 and the second connector 20, and the battery management system or the electrical equipment control system controls the battery to use electricity according to the interlock signal. The device delivers high or low voltage electricity. If the battery management system or the electrical equipment control system does not detect the interlock signal, the battery will not deliver high voltage or low voltage power to the electrical equipment.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned electrical circuit may refer to a high-voltage circuit or a low-voltage circuit. In some embodiments of the present application, the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are mated to form a complete high-voltage circuit, and the interlock signal The signal for judging that a complete high-voltage electrical circuit has been formed between the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 is taken as an example for description.

When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged in place, a high-voltage circuit can be formed, enabling transmission of high-voltage electricity. The interlock structure 12 is used to detect whether the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged in place. If an interlock signal is generated, it indicates that the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 have been plugged in place, thereby judging A complete high-voltage circuit has been formed between the first connector 10 and the second connector 20, enabling transmission of high-voltage electricity. If no interlock signal is generated, it indicates that the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are not plugged in place, so it can be judged that a complete high-voltage circuit has not been formed between the first connector 10 and the second connector 20, and it cannot be carried out. Transmission of high voltage electricity.

The interlock structure 12 is sealed in the connector body 11, which can effectively prevent water or other external impurities from interfering with the normal operation of the interlock structure 12. For example, in the process of quick battery replacement of electric vehicles, water ingress and accumulation can be prevented risks of. The interlock structure 12 is integrated with the connector body 11 so that the generation of the interlock signal is only generated in the first connector 10, which can effectively prevent when the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are inserted, Insufficient electrical clearance and creepage distance caused by water or other impurities ensure safe transmission of high-voltage electricity between the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 .

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to FIG. 2 again, the interlock structure 12 includes a first interlock terminal 120, a second interlock terminal 121 and a conductive member 123, and the conductive member 123 is connected to the first interlock terminal 120 and/or the second interlock terminal 121 is in contact with or out of contact, so that the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are turned on or off.

The shapes of the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 include but are not limited to flat body, strip body or other shapes, so as to adapt to the spatial layout in the connector body 11 and to adapt to conduction or connection with the conductive member 123 Disconnected positional relationships are sufficient. The first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 can be made of various materials, such as copper, aluminum, silver, gold, copper alloy, aluminum alloy or other conductive metals or alloys.

The first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are electrically connected to the battery management system or the vehicle controller. When the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are turned on, the battery management system or the vehicle controller The device can detect the interlock signal.

The material of the conductive member 123 can be various, for example, materials such as copper, aluminum, silver, gold, copper alloy, aluminum alloy or other conductive metals or alloys; the conductive member 123 can be plate-shaped or C-shaped, etc. Contact or disengage the first interlock terminal 120 and/or the second interlock terminal 121, so that the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 conduct or disconnect the shape; the conductive member 123 can be stamped, integrated Forming or multiple processing, for example, when the conductive part is a metal plate structure, it can be made by stamping a metal block.

When the conductive member 123 contacts the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121, the resistance between the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 is zero, and the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 120 are connected. Terminals, forming an interlock circuit, generating an interlock signal; when the conductive member 123 is separated from one of the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121, or when the conductive member 123 is separated from the first interlock terminal 120 and When the second interlock terminal 121 is disengaged, the resistance between the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 is infinite, and the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are not conducted, and interlock cannot be generated. Signal.

When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged in place, the conductive member 123 contacts the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 , and guides the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 connected to form an interlock circuit to generate an interlock signal; when the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are not plugged in place, the conductive member 123 and at least one of the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 One is disengaged, so that the first interlock terminal 120 is disconnected from the second interlock terminal 121, so that no interlock signal is generated.

Of course, in other embodiments, the interlocking structure 12 may include other structures. For example, the interlocking structure 12 includes a pressure sensor sealed to the connector body 11. When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged in place, , the pressure sensor is triggered or the pressure sensor senses that the pressure value reaches or exceeds the preset value, and an interlock signal is generated through signal conversion. When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are not plugged in place, the pressure sensor is not is triggered or the pressure sensor senses that the pressure value is less than the preset value, the interlock signal will not be generated.

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to FIG. 2 again, the connector body 11 has a sealed chamber 110, and the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are at least partially located in the sealed chamber 110. , the conductive member 123 is movably disposed in the sealed chamber 110 .

The sealed chamber 110 refers to the sealed environment formed by the connector body 11, which enables the conductive member 123 to contact or disengage from the first interlock terminal 120 and/or the second interlock terminal without interference from external water or other impurities. 121.

The first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are at least partially located in the sealed chamber 110, which means that a part of the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are located outside the sealed chamber 110 and communicate with the battery management system or The vehicle controller is electrically connected, and a part of the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are located in the sealed chamber 110 for contacting or disengaging the conductive member 123 .

The conductive member 123 is movably disposed in the sealed chamber 110 , which means that the conductive member 123 can move in the sealed chamber to contact or disengage from the first interlock terminal 120 and/or the second interlock terminal 121 .

At least part of the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are in the sealed chamber 110 to cooperate with the conductive member 123 in a sealed environment to prevent the conductive member 123, the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal Water or other external impurities between the lock terminals 121 interfere with the generation of the interlock signal.

The conductive member 123 is movably arranged in the sealed chamber 110, and can be connected with part of the first interlocking terminal 120 and part of the second The interlock terminals 121 are contacted to generate an interlock signal in a sealed undisturbed environment.

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, referring to FIG. 2 , the connector body 11 includes a base 111 and a cover 112 . It should be noted that only the part of the base 111 is shown in FIG. 2 , and the part where the base 111 is mated with the second connector 20 is not shown. The base 111 is provided with a groove 1110, and the cover 112 closes the opening of the groove 1110 to form a sealed chamber 110; the cover 112 is configured to be connected by the second connector 10 when the first connector 10 is plugged into the second connector 20 The device 20 is pushed to drive the conductive member 123 to move, so that the conductive member 123 contacts with the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 .

The base 111 is made of insulating material, and is used for isolating the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 to avoid direct conduction between the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 . Exemplarily, the base 111 may be made of plastic or rubber. The base 111 is used for plugging and mating with the second connector 20 .

The cover 112 closes the opening of the groove 1110 to form the sealed chamber 110 together with the base 111 , or the cover, the base 111 and the conductive member 123 jointly form the sealed chamber 110 .

When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged into place, the second connector 20 directly pushes the cover 112 and transmits the force to the conductive member 123, so that the conductive member 123 moves to contact the first interlock terminal 120 and The second interlock terminal 121 . The conductive element 123 is sealed in the groove 1110 by the cover element 112 and is not directly affected by the second connector 20 , so as to prevent external impurities from entering the sealed chamber 110 to the greatest extent. At the same time, by providing the groove 1110 and the covering member 112 , it is possible to reduce the implementation difficulty of sealing the conductive member 123 in the sealing chamber 110 and control the manufacturing cost of the first connector 10 .

Of course, in other embodiments, please refer to FIG. 4 , which is a schematic diagram of the first connector 10 according to other embodiments of the present application. The connector body 11 may also not include the cover 112, the inside of the base 111 forms a sealed chamber 110, the conductive member 123 is movably arranged in the sealed chamber 110, and by setting a push rod 124, one end of the push rod 124 can slide The other end of the push rod 124 is connected to the conductive member 123 and passes through the inner wall of the sealed chamber 110 in a sealed manner. When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged into place, the second connector 20 can push the push rod 124 to drive the conductive member 123 to contact the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal, which can also realize mutual The lock structure 12 generates the interlock signal in a sealed undisturbed environment.

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the cover 112 is made of a flexible material, and edges of the cover 112 are fixed to the base 111 .

Flexible materials refer to materials with low stiffness and easy deformation, such as rubber, plastic or silicone.

The covering part 112 of flexible material is deformed when being pushed by the second connector 20, and the pushing force exerted by the second connector 20 is quickly transmitted to the conductive part 123, so that the conductive part 123 is movable to cooperate with the first interlocking terminal 120 and the second interlocking terminal 120. The two interlock terminals 121 are in contact.

Of course, in other embodiments, please refer to FIG. 5 , which is a schematic diagram of the first connector 10 according to other embodiments of the present application. Covering piece 112 also can not be flexible material, and covering piece 112 can be to have certain rigidity not easy to deform the material to make, and covering piece 112 is arranged in groove 1110 movably and sealingly, for example, the outer peripheral surface of covering piece 112 and The inner wall of the groove 1110 is sealed and movably fitted, and the conductive element 123 is connected with the cover element 112 . When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged in place, the second connector 20 can push the cover 112 to move, thereby driving the conductive member 123 to move, so that the conductive member 123 contacts the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 120. The interlock terminal 121 can also realize that the interlock structure 12 generates an interlock signal in a sealed and undisturbed environment.

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the cover 112 is in interference fit with the opening of the groove 1110 . That is, the cover 112 is made of a flexible material, and the size of the cover 112 is larger than that of the groove 1110 . The cover 112 is directly plugged into the opening of the groove 1110 through an interference fit. The cover 112 is disposed on the opening of the groove 1110 in an interference fit manner, which can effectively control manufacturing costs and assembly costs. Optionally, the edge of the cover 112 is glued to the base 111 . That is, the cover member 112 is bonded on the base 111 through an adhesive material and covers the opening of the groove 1110 . The cover 112 is arranged on the base 111 by bonding, which can effectively control the manufacturing cost and reduce the difficulty of assembly. Optionally, the cover 112 is injection-molded on the base 111 . That is, the cover 112 and the base 111 are formed by double-shot injection molding (two-color injection molding refers to a molding process in which two different materials are injected into the same set of molds, so that the injection-molded parts are formed of two materials). The cover 112 is formed integrally with the base 111 by injection molding, which can effectively ensure the formation of the sealed chamber 110 and ensure that the interlocking structure 12 is in the sealed chamber 110 .

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, the conductive member 123 is connected to a side of the cover member 112 facing the groove 1110 .

By arranging the conductive member 123 to be connected with the cover member 112 , the conductive member 123 and the cover member 112 can move synchronously. The conductive member 123 can be connected to the cover member 112 by bonding, or can be connected to the cover member 112 by embedding, or the conductive member 123 can be directly injected on the cover member 112 when the cover member 112 is injection-molded. 112 inside.

The conductive member 123 is connected to the cover 112 , and when the second connector 20 pushes the cover 112 , the conductive member 123 can move synchronously to contact the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 accurately and quickly.

Certainly, in other embodiments, the conductive member 123 and the cover member 112 may be two independent structures, that is, there is no structural connection between the conductive member 123 and the cover member 112 .

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 , and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a conductive member 123 according to some embodiments of the present application. The conductive member 123 includes a first protrusion 1230 and a second protrusion 1231, the first protrusion 1230 is used to contact the first interlock terminal 120, and the second protrusion 1231 is used to contact the second interlock terminal 121.

The first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are arranged at intervals to ensure that when the conductive member 123 does not contact the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121, the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 will not conduct. The first protrusion 1230 of the conductive element 123 protrudes toward the first interlock terminal 120 , and the second protrusion 1231 of the conductive element 123 protrudes toward the second interlock terminal 121 .

The material of the first protrusion 1230 and the second protrusion 1231 can be a variety of materials, such as copper, aluminum, silver, gold, copper alloy, aluminum alloy or other conductive metals or alloys, etc., for realizing the conductive member 123 The first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are connected to each other.

By setting the first protrusion 1230 corresponding to the first interlock terminal 120 and the second protrusion 1231 corresponding to the second interlock terminal 121, it is possible to prevent the conductive member 123 from colliding with the first interlock terminal 120 when it is pushed by the second connector 20. When the interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are in poor contact, it is ensured that the conductive member 123 is effectively connected to the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121; at the same time, by setting the first protrusion 1230 and the second interlock terminal The second protrusion 1231 can designate the parts where the conductive member 123 is in contact with the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 respectively, so as to ensure that the conductive member 123 conducts the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 120 in the correct posture. Lock terminal 121.

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , the interlocking structure 12 further includes an elastic reset member 125 configured to apply an elastic force to the conductive member 123 so that the conductive member 123 has a tendency to disengage from the first interlock terminal 120 and/or the second interlock terminal 121 .

The elastic reset member 125 may include elastic structures such as springs, silicon foam, silicone pads or rubber pads. The function of the elastic reset member 125 is to provide elastic force, so that the conductive member 123 resets without external force, so as to disengage from the first interlock terminal 120 and/or the second interlock terminal 121 . The above "and/or" means that the disconnection of the interlock circuit can be achieved when the conductive member 123 is disengaged from at least one of the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 . In some embodiments of the present application, the number of elastic reset members 125 is two, and the two elastic reset members 125 are arranged at intervals on the connecting line between the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121, so as to stably support Conductive member 123 .

By setting the elastic reset member 125, when the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are not plugged in place, the conductive member 123 can be separated from the first interlock terminal 120 and/or the second interlock terminal 120 under the action of the elastic force. The lock terminal 121 is used to prevent conduction between the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 .

Of course, in other embodiments, the interlocking structure 12 may not include the elastic reset member 125 , for example, please refer to FIG. 7 , which is a schematic diagram of the conductive member 123 according to other embodiments of the present application. The conductive piece 123 has the characteristic of elastic reset, and the conductive piece 123 is designed as an arc-like shape, and the middle part of the conductive piece 123 facing the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 is arc-shaped and protruding and connected to the connector body. 11, the two ends of the conductive member 123 are designed to be flat, and the first protrusion 1230 and the second protrusion 1231 can be respectively arranged on the two ends of the conductive member 123 . When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged into place, the conductive member 123 is deformed under force, and the two ends of the conductive member 123 are respectively displaced toward the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121, and finally contact the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121. An interlock terminal 120 and a second interlock terminal 121; when the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are not inserted in place, the two ends of the conductive member 123 are separated from the first interlock terminal 120 by their own elastic force and the second interlock terminal 121.

Of course, in other embodiments, the interlocking structure 12 may not include the elastic reset member 125 , and the covering member 112 may have the characteristic of elastic reset to connect the conductive member 123 to the covering member 112 . When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged in place, the cover 112 is displaced synchronously with the conductive member 123 to conduct the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121; when the first connector When the connector 10 and the second connector 20 are not plugged into place, the conductive member 123 is reset synchronously under the reset of the cover member 112 to disengage from the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 .

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , the connector body 11 is provided with a receiving groove 1111, the elastic reset member 125 is arranged in the receiving groove 1111, and one end of the elastic reset member 125 is connected to the receiving groove 1111. The other end of the inner wall of the slot 1111 is connected to the conductive member 123 .

The extension direction of the receiving groove 1111 is consistent with the direction in which the conductive member 123 is pushed to move toward the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 . The number of the receiving slots 1111 is consistent with the number of the elastic reset members 125 .

The accommodating groove 1111 that can accommodate the elastic reset member 125 is provided to effectively separate the elastic reset member 125 from the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121, so as to avoid the influence of the elastic reset member 125 on the generation of the interlock signal; At the same time, accommodating the elastic reset member 125 in the receiving groove 1111 can prevent the conductive member 123 from protruding from the base 111 due to the existence of the elastic reset member 125 , thereby causing unevenness on the surface of the base 111 .

According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application also provides a battery assembly, which includes: a battery and the first connector 10 according to any of the above solutions, and the first connector 10 is disposed on the battery.

The base 111 of the first connector 10 may include the base of the battery end connector, the interlocking structure 12 of the first connector 10 is connected with the battery management system of the battery assembly, and the first connector 10 is inserted into the second connector 20 When in place, the interlock structure 12 is triggered by the second connector 20 to generate an interlock signal, which is detected by the battery management system, accurately confirming the integrity of the high voltage electrical system.

The first connector 10 is set on the battery. When the battery is installed on the main body of the electrical equipment, the first connector 10 needs to be plugged into place with the second connector 20 on the main body of the electrical equipment to generate an interlock signal to accurately confirm the high-voltage electrical system. integrity.

According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application also provides a vehicle. Please refer to FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the first connector 10 when disposed on the vehicle body according to some embodiments of the present application. The vehicle includes a vehicle body and the first connector 10 according to any of the above schemes, and the first connector 10 is arranged on the vehicle body.

The base 111 of the first connector 10 may include a base of a vehicle end connector, and the second connector 20 may include a battery end connector. The interlocking structure 12 of the first connector 10 is connected to the vehicle controller of the vehicle body. When the first connector 10 is inserted into the battery end connector of the battery, the interlocking structure 12 is triggered by the second connector 20 to An interlock signal is generated and detected by the vehicle controller to ensure accurate confirmation of the integrity of the vehicle's high voltage electrical system.

The first connector 10 is set on the vehicle body. When the battery is installed on the vehicle body, the first connector 10 needs to be plugged into place with the second connector 20 on the battery to generate an interlock signal to ensure accurate confirmation of the high-voltage electrical system of the vehicle. integrity.

According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application also provides a connector assembly. Please combine FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 . FIG. 9 is a three-dimensional exploded view of a connector assembly according to some embodiments of the present application. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly according to some embodiments of the application. The connector assembly includes the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 of any of the above schemes. The second connector 20 is used for plugging and mating with the first connector 10 . When the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged into place to generate an interlock signal, it is ensured to accurately judge the integrity of the high-voltage connection.

According to some embodiments of the present application, optionally, please refer to FIG. 10 , the second connector 20 has a convex portion 21, and the convex portion 21 is used to abut against the first connector 10 to trigger the interlocking structure 12 to generate interlocking. Signal. When the second connector 20 is inserted into the first connector 10, the protrusion 21 acts on the interlocking structure 12, and when the second connector 20 and the first connector 10 are inserted into place, the protrusion 21 triggers the interlocking structure 12 Generate an interlock signal.

According to some embodiments of the present application, the present application also provides an electric device, which includes a main body of the electric device, a battery, and a connector assembly according to any one of the solutions above. The battery is used to supply power to the main body of the electric device. The first connector 10 is disposed on one of the electrical equipment body and the battery, and the second connector 20 is disposed on the other of the electrical equipment body and the battery.

Optionally, in some embodiments of the present application, please combine FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 . The first connector 10 is disposed on the battery. The second connector 20 is disposed on the electrical equipment body.

Optionally, in other embodiments of the present application, please refer to FIG. 11 , which is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly in other embodiments of the present application. The first connector 10 is disposed on the electrical equipment body. The second connector 20 is disposed on the battery.

The electric device includes a connector assembly, that is, a first connector 10 and a second connector 20; when the main body of the electric device and the battery are installed in place, and the first connector 10 and the second connector 20 are plugged in place, it can Accurate detection of interlock signal generation ensures accurate confirmation of the integrity of the high voltage electrical system used for the equipment.

According to some embodiments of the present application, please refer to FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 , FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 . The present application provides a connector assembly. The connector assembly includes a first connector 10 and a second connector 20 . The first connector 10 is a battery terminal connector, and the second connector 20 is a vehicle terminal connector. When the battery terminal connector and the vehicle terminal connector are plugged in place and an interlock signal is detected, it is determined that the battery is connected to the vehicle body. A complete high-voltage circuit has been formed to realize the safe power supply of the battery to the vehicle body. The battery terminal connector includes a connector body 11 and an interlocking structure 12 . The connector body 11 includes a base 111 and a cover 112 . The interlock structure 12 includes a first interlock terminal 120 , a second interlock terminal 121 , a conductive element 123 and two elastic return elements 125 . The base 111 is provided with a groove 1110 , and the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 are at least partially located in the groove 1110 . The conductive member 123 is movably arranged in the groove 1110, the bottom wall of the groove 1110 is formed with two receiving grooves 1111, the elastic reset member 125 is arranged in the receiving groove 1111, the two elastic reset members 125 are connected to the conductive member 123, and An elastic force is applied to the conductive member 123 so that the conductive member 123 has a tendency to disengage from the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 . The cover member 112 closes the opening of the groove 1110 , so that the conductive member 123 , the elastic reset member 125 , the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 in the groove 1110 are in the sealed chamber 110 . The cover 112 is made of flexible material. The surface of the vehicle end connector facing the battery end connector has a convex portion 21 , and the size of the convex portion 21 corresponds to the size of the conductive member 123 . When the car end connector is mated with the battery end, the convex part 21 will push the cover 112, the cover 112 is deformed by force and transmits the force to the conductive part 123, so that the conductive part 123 compresses the elastic return part 125 and moves. When the car end connector and the battery end are plugged in place, the conductive member 123 contacts the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121, conducts the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121, and forms a complete interlock terminal. The lock loop, which generates interlock signals, accurately determines the integrity of the entire high-voltage electrical system. When the car end connector and the battery end are separated from each other, the conductive member 123 is separated from the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal 121 under the action of the elastic reset member 125, and the first interlock terminal 120 and the second interlock terminal are disconnected. Interlock terminal 121.

The above are only preferred embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the present application. For those skilled in the art, there may be various modifications and changes in the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of this application shall be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

A first connector for mating with a second connector, characterized in that it includes:

the connector body; and

an interlock structure sealingly mounted within the connector body, the interlock structure being configured to be triggered by the second connector when the first connector and the second connector are mated in place to generate an interlock signal.
The first connector according to claim 1, wherein,

The interlock structure includes a first interlock terminal, a second interlock terminal, and a conductive member, and the conductive member contacts or disengages from the first interlock terminal and/or the second interlock terminal, so that all The first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal are connected or disconnected.
The first connector according to claim 2, wherein,

The connector body has a sealed chamber, the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal are at least partially located in the sealed chamber, and the conductive member is movably disposed in the sealed chamber.
The first connector according to claim 3, wherein,

The connector body includes a base and a cover, the base is provided with a groove, and the cover closes the opening of the groove to form the sealed chamber; the cover is configured to be in the first When the connector is plugged into the second connector, it is pushed by the second connector to drive the conductive member to move, so that the conductive member is connected to the first interlock terminal and the second interlock terminal. terminal contacts.
The first connector according to claim 4, wherein,

The cover is made of flexible material, and the edge of the cover is fixed to the base.
The first connector according to any one of claims 4-5, characterized in that,

The cover is in interference fit with the opening of the groove;

Alternatively, the edge of the cover is bonded to the base;

Alternatively, the cover is injection-molded on the base.
The first connector according to any one of claims 4-6, characterized in that,

The conductive element is connected to a side of the cover element facing the groove.
The first connector according to any one of claims 2-7, characterized in that,

The conductive member includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion, the first protrusion is used to contact the first interlock terminal, and the second protrusion is used to contact the second interlock terminal.
The first connector according to any one of claims 2-8, characterized in that,

The interlocking structure further includes an elastic reset member configured to apply an elastic force to the conductive member so that the conductive member has a function of detaching from the first interlock terminal and/or the second interlock terminal. Trend for interlocking terminals.
The first connector according to claim 9, wherein,

The connector body is provided with an accommodating groove, and the elastic resetting member is arranged in the accommodating groove, and one end of the elastic resetting member is connected to the inner wall of the accommodating groove, and the other end is connected to the conductive member.
A battery pack, characterized in that it comprises:

batteries; and

According to the first connector according to any one of claims 1-10, the first connector is arranged on the battery.
A vehicle, characterized in that it comprises:

the vehicle body; and

According to the first connector according to any one of claims 1-10, the first connector is arranged on the vehicle body.
A connector assembly, characterized in that it comprises:

A first connector according to any one of claims 1-10; and

The second connector is used for inserting and mating with the first connector.
The connector assembly of claim 13, wherein,

The second connector has a protrusion, and the protrusion is used to abut against the first connector to trigger the interlock structure to generate an interlock signal.
An electrical device, characterized in that it comprises:

The main body of electrical equipment;

a battery, used to supply power to the electrical device body; and

The connector assembly according to claim 13 or 14, the first connector is arranged on one of the electric device body and the battery, and the second connector is arranged on the electric device body and the other of the batteries.