CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR PLUG CONNECTIONS, I.E., CHARGING PLUGS, COMPRISING A COOLING DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to a contact assembly for plug connections, i.e., charging plugs, for transmitting electric power, having at least one device for producing an electrically conductive connection and at least one device for cooling purposes, i.e., for dissipating heat produced by the transmission of electric power using the conductive connection, wherein the electrically conductive device has at least one connection region for coupling to at least one cooling area border and at least one contact region, and the coupling is carried out directly in an integrative manner so that the cooling effect is supported as a result of the at least partly direct physical contact between the electrically conductive device and the coolant. The invention additionally relates to plug connections, i.e., charging plugs, comprising at least one such contact assembly.

Claims

1. A contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs for transmitting electric power, having at least one device for producing an electrically conductive connection and at least one device for cooling purposes, heat dissipation of the heat generated from the transmission of electric power by the conductive connection, wherein electrically conductive device has at least one connecting region for coupling to at least one cooling-chamber delimitation and at least one contact region, wherein the coupling takes place directly in an integrative manner so that the cooling effect is facilitated as a result of the at least partly direct physical contact between the electrically conductive device and the cooling medium.

2. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a contacting means is receivable within the at least one contact region.

3. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting region is formed substantially by a connecting element having at least one contact receptacle.

4. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting element has at least one hose receptacle.

5. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 4, wherein the hose receptacle is supplemented by a chamfer and/or by a hose stop.

6. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting element has at least one line receptacle.

7. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 6, wherein the line receptacle comprises a crimp connection.

8. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cooling-chamber delimitation is formed externally by the at least one hose, which is couple-able to the connecting region, and at least one cooling housing.

9. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cooling housing is coupled to the connecting region by a cooling-housing adapter.

10. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cooling housing, with the connecting region, forms a connection cooling region in which cooling medium is receivable.

11. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 3, wherein the coupling of the connection cooling region and the line cooling region takes place through at least one opening in the connecting element so that a cooling-medium volume flow between the regions is facilitated.

12. The contact arrangement for plug connections, charging plugs, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the connecting or coupling regions between the cooling housing and/or the cooling-housing adapter and/or the connecting regions are sealed by sealing elements.

13. A plug connection, charging plug, for transmitting electric energy, in particular in the high-current range, having at least one contact arrangement as claimed in claim 1.

14. The plug connection, charging plug, for transmitting electric energy as claimed in claim 13, wherein the plug connection, charging plug, is formed by at least two contact arrangements, wherein at least one cooling center region is formed by the mutually adjoining cooling elements with their connection cooling regions.

15. The plug connection, charging plug, for transmitting electric energy as claimed in claim 14, wherein the cooling center region facilitates the cooling-medium volume flow from a first line cooling region, via a first connection cooling region, to a second connection cooling region and a second line cooling region.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The disclosure is explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the figures, in which:

[0032] FIG. 1a shows a perspective view of the contact arrangement with a contact and a cooling hose coupled by a connecting region;

[0033] FIG. 1b shows, in the top illustration, a front view of the contact arrangement with a connecting region formed by at least one connecting element, contact carrier with a contact receptacle, and, in the bottom illustration, the sectional plan view C-C;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows, in the top illustration, a sectional front view A-A of a contact element with a cooling-chamber delimitation and, in the bottom illustration, the plan view of a contact combination consisting of a first and a second contact arrangement having a common cooling-chamber delimitation, at least in sections;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows, in the top illustration, a front view of a contact element with a cooling-chamber delimitation and, in the bottom illustration, the sectional plan view B-B of a contact combination consisting of a first and a second contact arrangement having a common cooling-chamber delimitation, at least in sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] FIG. 1a comprises a perspective view of the contact arrangement with a contact region 10 and a component of the cooling-chamber delimitation 40, realized by a cooling hose 41, coupled by and to a connecting region 30.

[0037] FIG. 1b shows, in the top illustration, a front view of the contact arrangement with a connecting region 30, formed by at least one connecting element 31 with a contact receptacle 32 and, in the bottom illustration, the sectional plan view C-C.

[0038] The connecting region 30 couples the at least one contacting means 11, via the contact receptacle 32, to a hose receptacle 33 in both an electrically conductive and cooling-medium-carrying manner substantially by means of the connecting element, contact carrier 31. The receptacles 32, 33 of this exemplary embodiment are designed to be both flush and concentric with the center axis and are functionally supplemented by a receptacle 34 for the electric conductor 20, in a likewise flush and concentric manner. The connecting element 31 is preferably produced from a material with electrical conductivity and heat-conducting properties.

[0039] In the exemplary embodiment shown, the contact receptacle 32 and the line receptacle 34 in the connecting element 31 are designed as bores, holes, blind holes with or without internal threads, which are incorporated at the end faces and axially in each case and—if designed as a blind-hole—can have, at the end face, a ca. 120° angular tip as a result of a drill bit. A through-bore with a constant or varying diameter is also possible.

[0040] The region of the contact receptacle 32 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided with an internal thread, which is designed to be compatible with an adapter or the contacting means 11 in such a way that the contacting means 11 can be fixed in place by or in the connecting element, contact carrier 31. The region of the line receptacle 34 is configured in such a way that a line 20 can be fixed in place. The coupling can take place by means of a press fit, by means of a crimping procedure or by means of clamping elements within the connecting element 31. Owing to the particularly reliable connecting properties of a crimp connection, this is often a preferred solution.

[0041] An end face of the connecting element 31 is designed as a hose receptacle 33 for coupling a cooling hose 41. In the simplest geometrical configuration, the hose receptacle 33 is formed by a cylindrical portion onto which the hose 41 can be pushed axially. The hose 41 can be fixed in place for example by clamps, hose clamps or a press fit. The hose receptacle 33 can then be optionally supplemented by a hose stop 35 in the form of a shoulder in the pushing-on direction and/or an end-face chamfer, insertion bevel 36.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows, in the top illustration, a sectional front view A-A of a contact element with an outer cooling-chamber delimitation 40, which is formed substantially by at least one cooling hose 41 and at least one cooling housing 42. The outer cooling-chamber delimitation 40 forms the encapsulation, outer delimitation, of the at least one cooling element 50 with its connection cooling region, cooling reservoir 52, and the at least one line cooling region 51.

[0043] A cooling-housing adapter 43 can be optionally provided to couple the cooling housing 42 to the connecting element 31. In addition to production-related advantages due to the simplified geometry of the connecting element 31, the cooling reservoir 52 can be enlarged in terms of its volume and/or adapted to the respective required cooling power without having to alter the geometry of the contact arrangement. The use of similar parts for the contact arrangement is therefore also facilitated when different cooling powers are required, so that different variants of the contact arrangement are not required. The production and the costs thereof as well as storage and parts logistics can thus be realized in a cost-effective manner.

[0044] The sealing of the outer cooling-chamber delimitation 40 can take place with or without a cooling-housing adapter 43 by means of seals 44. In particular in the case of rotationally symmetrical sealing flanges, O-rings with a preferably circular cross-section have proven effective, which O-rings are inserted into a corresponding groove with a groove depth which is smaller than the ring diameter.

[0045] The outer cooling-chamber delimitation 40 cooperates functionally with the inner cooling-chamber delimitation, formed substantially by the line 20 and the connecting element 31. The geometrical design results in a considerably improved heat transfer of the current-carrying components 20, 31 within the outer cooling-chamber delimitation 40 as a result of the direct physical contact with the cooling medium. The disclosure provides for the use of cooling medium which is designed as an electric insulator and an electrically non-conductive liquid is therefore present.

[0046] A further measure for improving the cooling power is the inventive fluidic coupling of the line cooling region 51 and connection cooling region 52. The fluidic coupling is achieved by means of at least one cooling connection, opening 53, which connects both regions 51, 52 in such a way that a cooling-medium volume flow or cooling-medium exchange between both regions is facilitated. The cooling-medium movement between the line cooling region 51 and connection cooling region 52 can take place by means of a cooling-medium volume flow due to circulation as a result of temperature gradients within the medium or the components adjacent to the medium and/or by means of a feed and discharge combined with a cooling-medium pump. If two or more contact arrangements with a cooling-chamber delimitation 40 are used and the cooling-media chambers are coupled to facilitate the volume flow, the line cooling regions 51 can be used as a feed and return, discharge. FIG. 2 shows this variant by way of example for two contact arrangements in the bottom illustration. The shown contact combination consists of a first and a second contact arrangement having a common cooling-chamber delimitation 40, at least in sections. The cooling-chamber delimitation 40 is designed in such a way that a cooling-medium volume flow between the contact arrangements is facilitated.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows, in the top illustration, a front view of a contact element with a cooling-chamber delimitation 40, which is formed substantially by at least one cooling hose 41 and at least one cooling housing 42 and can be supplemented by a cooling-housing adapter 43.

[0048] In the bottom illustration of FIG. 3, the sectional plan view B-B of a contact combination consisting of a first and a second contact arrangement having a common cooling-chamber delimitation 40, at least in sections, is shown. The cooling-chamber delimitation 40 forms a cooling center region 52′ so that a cooling-medium volume flow between the contact arrangements is facilitated. As a result of the annular connection or volume-flow channel formed in this way, a cooling-medium flow between the line cooling regions 51 can be generated.