Charging plug with contact-free switch device

• US 9,401,566 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2012
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Boeck, Werner, Bergner, Bert, Ondrej, Dusan, Zabeck, Sebastian, Buchmann, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): Parihar, Suchin
• Application Number:
  US14/111,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20140106586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 320/109
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/32 of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/34 of parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/52 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof cases
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6275 Latching arms not integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/70 with built-in switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/701 the switch being actuated by an accessory, e.g. cover, locking member
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7037 making use of a magnetically operated switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7038 making use of a remote controlled switch, e.g. relais, solid state switch activated by the engagement of the coupling parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/26 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles

Abstract

The invention relates to a charging plug for connection to a charging socket of a device which is intended to be charged, for example, a motor vehicle which is at least partially driven by electrical energy, or a device which provides charging energy. In order to prevent the charging plug from prematurely becoming defective as a result of corrosion or electro migration, there is provision according to the invention for a switching device of the charging plug to be arranged partially inside and partially outside an enclosed conduction chamber.

Claims

1. Charging plug for connection in an insertion direction to a charging socket of a device which is intended to be supplied with electrical charging energy or which provides the charging energy, having at least one plug contact which can be connected to a charging energy line so as to conduct charging energy, and having a switching device, in accordance with the switching state of which the supply with charging energy takes place, the switching device being constructed with a switching member which has a closed switching state and an open switching state and with an actuation member for influencing the switching state, wherein the switching member is arranged inside and the actuation member is arranged outside an enclosed conduction chamber of the charging plug, the switching member has a switching sensor which converts physical environmental properties to changes in switching state and the switching device has a switching source which brings about the physical properties, the strength of the physical properties on the switching sensor being dependent on the position of the actuation member relative to the switching member, the switching sensor and the switching source being fixed in a sealed portion of the charging plug and the actuation member being movable relative to the switching sensor and the switching source.

2. Charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the actuation member and the switching member interact with each other in a contact-free manner so as to influence the switching state.

3. Charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the switching state is dependent on a position of the actuation member relative to the switching member.

4. Charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the actuation member is arranged in one of the switching states at least partially between the switching source and the switching sensor.

5. Charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the switching sensor is constructed as a magnet sensor, the switching source as a magnet and the actuation member as a member which influences the magnetic field of the magnet.

6. Charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the charging plug is constructed with an actuation element which can be manually actuated and to which the actuation member is fixed.

7. Charging plug according to claim 6, wherein the actuation element is an actuation element of a catch device of the charging plug for securing the connection between the charging plug and charging socket, the catch device being arranged outside the conduction chamber and the actuation element being positioned in one of the switching states in a secured position and in the other switching state in a released position.

8. Charging plug according to claim 7, wherein the charging plug has a catch chamber which is arranged outside the charging chamber and which is at least partially open and which is open at least in the insertion direction and closed at least partially by a catch chamber wall of the charging plug transversely relative to the insertion direction, the catch device being arranged at least partially in the catch chamber.

9. Charging plug according to claim 8, wherein the catch chamber is adjoined by a through-opening which is arranged in the catch chamber wall in the region of the switching device.

10. Charging plug according to claim 9, wherein the through-opening is arranged in the insertion direction between the switching source and the switching sensor.

11. Charging plug according to claim 9, wherein the through-opening is constructed as a cleaning channel which makes the catch chamber accessible from the outer side of the charging plug.

12. Charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the conduction chamber is at least partially surrounded by a sealing wall.

13. Charging plug according to claim 12, wherein the charging plug is constructed with a resilient element which is pressed in a resilient manner against the sealing wall in the released position and which seeks to press the actuation element from the released position into the secured position.

14. Charging plug according to claim 1, wherein the sealed portion of the charging plug is defined by a sealing wall which houses the switching sensor and the switching source.

15. Charging plug according to claim 14, wherein the sealing wall defines an actuation region positioned intermediate the switching sensor and the switching source.

16. Charging plug according to claim 15, wherein the actuation member may extend into the actuation region to separate the switching sensor from the switching source.