Electrically conductive contact element for an electric plug connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11456092-B2
Application number	US-201716332166-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2017
Priority date	Sep 9, 2016
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrically conductive contact element (2) for an electric plug connector. The electrically conductive contact element (2) comprises a contact region (4) for making detachable electric contact with a mating contact element of a mating plug connector, and comprises a cable connecting region (6) for the connection of a cable. The contact element (2) comprises a cooling cavity (24), which opens into a distal opening (22) of the cable connecting region (6) which is arranged opposite the contact region (4).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrically conductive contact element for an electric plug connector with a cable connected to the electrically conductive contact element, comprising:
a contact region for making detachable electric contact with a mating contact element of a mating plug connector;
a cable connecting region for connecting the cable to the electrically conductive contact element; and
a cooling cavity, wherein
the cooling cavity opens into a distal opening of the cable connecting region arranged opposite the contact region,
the cooling cavity extends into a contact pin of the contact region, and a distal opening of a radially inner tube of the cable is guided through the distal opening of the cable connecting region and arranged inside the cooling cavity.

2. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 1 , wherein the cable connecting region comprises a circumferential connecting section, the circumferential connecting section is proximally arranged with respect to the distal opening of the cable connecting region, and wherein an electrical conductor of the cable is in electrical and mechanical contact with the circumferential connecting section.

3. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 1 , wherein the cable connecting region comprises a sealing section, wherein a distal end of a tube of the cable surrounding the radially inner tube is arranged in a fluid-tight manner on the sealing section.

4. The electrically conductive contact element according to any of claim 1 , wherein a main body comprises the contact region having a contact socket and wherein the cooling cavity extends into the main body.

5. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 1 , any of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling cavity is formed as a blind bore.

6. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 1 , any of the preceding claims, wherein a first volume within the radially inner tube forms a section of an inlet or return flow for the cooling fluid, and wherein a second volume between an outer wall of the tube and an inner wall of the cooling cavity forms a section of a return flow or inlet for the cooling fluid.

7. A charging station for electrically charging a motor vehicle, comprising:
a stationary unit;
the a plug connector having at least two electrically conductive contact elements, wherein each of the at least two electrically conductive contact elements comprises:
a contact region for making detachable electric contact with a mating contact element of a mating plug connector;
a cable connecting region for connecting a cable to the electrically conductive contact element and
a cooling cavity, wherein
the cooling cavity opens into a distal opening of the cable connecting region arranged opposite the contact region,
the cooling cavity extends into a contact pin of the contact region, and
a distal opening of a radially inner tube of the cable is guided through the distal opening of the cable connecting region and arranged inside the cooling cavity; and

a charging cable arranged between the plug connector and the stationary unit and comprising at least two cables arranged on the at least two electrically conductive contact elements.

8. The charging station according to claim 7 , wherein the cable connecting region comprises a circumferential connecting section, the circumferential connecting section is proximally arranged with respect to the distal opening of the cable connecting region, and an electrical conductor of the cable is in electrical and mechanical contact with the circumferential connecting section.

9. The charging station according to claim 7 , wherein the cooling cavity is formed as a blind bore.

10. The charging station according to claim 7 , wherein a first volume within the radially inner tube forms a section of an inlet or return flow for the cooling fluid, and a second volume between an outer wall of the tube and an inner wall of the cooling cavity forms a section of a return flow or inlet for the cooling fluid.

11. An electrically conductive contact element for an electric plug connector with a cable connected to the electrically conductive contact element, comprising:
a contact region for making detachable electric contact with a mating contact element of a mating plug connector;
a cable connecting region for connecting the cable to the electrically conductive contact element; and
a cooling cavity, wherein
the cooling cavity opens into a distal opening of the cable connecting region arranged opposite the contact region,
the cable connecting region comprises a sealing section, wherein a distal end of a tube of the cable surrounding the radially inner tube is arranged in a fluid-tight manner on the sealing section, and
a distal opening of a radially inner tube of the cable is guided through the distal opening of the cable connecting region and arranged inside the cooling cavity.

12. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 11 , wherein the cable connecting region comprises a circumferential connecting section, the circumferential connecting section is proximally arranged with respect to the distal opening of the cable connecting region, and an electrical conductor of the cable is in electrical and mechanical contact with the circumferential connecting section.

13. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 11 , wherein a main body comprises the contact region having a contact socket and the cooling cavity extends into the main body.

14. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 11 , wherein the cooling cavity extends into a contact pin of the contact region.

15. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 11 , wherein the cooling cavity is formed as a blind bore.

16. The electrically conductive contact element according to claim 11 , wherein a first volume within the radially inner tube forms a section of an inlet or return flow for the cooling fluid, and a second volume between an outer wall of the tube and an inner wall of the cooling cavity forms a section of a return flow or inlet for the cooling fluid.

Assignees

• Itt Mfg Enterprises Llc

Inventors

• Mayer Stefan
• Littek Martin
• Albrecht Karl Friedrich
• Bihrer Marcus
• Zimmermann Andreas

Classifications

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title

• H01R13/005

  Electrical coupling combined with fluidic coupling · CPC title

• B60L53/302

  Cooling of charging equipment · CPC title

• Y02T90/14

  Plug-in electric vehicles · CPC title

• B60L53/16 Primary

  Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles · CPC title