KR102650485B1 - Connector assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A connector assembly connecting a battery of an electric vehicle is disclosed. The connector assembly includes a battery side connector module coupled to the battery case side panel and a vehicle body side connector module coupled to the vehicle body side panel and coupled to the battery side connector module, and the vehicle body side connector module is a plurality of two or more different types. Plug, an assembly guide rib that protrudes in the direction of coupling with the battery side connector module and moves the vehicle body side connector module to the correct position when the vehicle body side connector module is combined with the battery side connector module, attaches the vehicle body side connector module to the vehicle body side. A plurality of fastening members are provided on the fastening members and include an elastic member that is elastically deformed to enable movement of the vehicle body side connector module, and the battery side connector module has a plurality of receptacles and assembly guide ribs that are coupled to the plurality of plugs in one-to-one correspondence. It is inserted and received and includes a coupling portion having a shape corresponding to the assembly guide rib.

Description

Connector assembly {CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY}

The following embodiments relate to a connector assembly for connecting a battery in an electric vehicle.

Electric vehicles require a battery that provides voltage for operation, and a structure connected to a wire is required to charge the battery provided within the vehicle body. Batteries for electric vehicles include a plurality of high-voltage battery cells connected in series through a high gauge wire that connects the anode and cathode of the battery cell.

In general, batteries are assembled by hand, but due to the assembly space and the structure of the vehicle, it was difficult to match the battery-side connector module and the vehicle body-side connector module to each other.

The content described as the above-mentioned background technology is what the inventor possessed or acquired in the process of deriving the present invention, and it cannot necessarily be said to be recognized as known technology disclosed to the general public before the application for the present invention.

The purpose of the embodiments is to provide a connector assembly in which it is easy to match the battery-side connector module and the vehicle body-side connector module during assembly.

The problems to be solved in the embodiments are not limited to the problems mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

According to embodiments for achieving the above-described problem, the connector assembly includes a battery-side connector module coupled to the battery case-side panel and a vehicle body-side connector module coupled to the vehicle body-side panel and coupled to the battery-side connector module. can do.

According to one side, the vehicle body side connector module is formed to protrude in a direction in which a plurality of plugs made of two or more different types are combined with the battery side connector module, so that when the vehicle body side connector module is combined with the battery side connector module, An assembly guide rib for moving the vehicle body-side connector module to the correct position, a plurality of fastening members for fixing the vehicle body-side connector module to the vehicle body, and an elastically deformed assembly provided on the fastening member to enable movement of the vehicle body-side connector module. It may include an elastic member.

According to one side, the battery-side connector module may include a plurality of receptacles that are coupled to the plurality of plugs in one-to-one correspondence, and a coupling portion in which the assembly guide rib is inserted and received and has a shape corresponding to the assembly guide rib.

According to one side, the assembly guide rib may be bent at 90° when viewed from the xy plane to have an 'ㄱ' shape so as to guide the vehicle body side connector module in the x-axis and y-axis directions.

According to one side, a plurality of assembly guide ribs are provided and may be disposed outside the plurality of plugs in the vehicle body side connector module.

According to one side, a chamfer portion may be formed at an end of the assembly guide rib.

According to one side, the assembly guide rib is formed to protrude highest from the vehicle body side connector module so as to contact the battery side connector module first, and the chamfer portion contacts the wall surface of the coupling portion first and the assembly is performed by the inclined surface of the chamfer portion. The guide rib may be guided into the interior of the coupling portion.

According to one side, the portion of the coupling portion that is in contact with the assembly guide rib may protrude highest from the battery-side connector module toward the vehicle body-side connector module.

According to one side, first and second plug through holes are formed in the vehicle body side panel through which the first plug and the second plug of the vehicle body side connector module are fastened, and the first and second plug through holes are formed in the vehicle body side panel. The outer side of the first and second plugs may be larger to allow movement when the vehicle body side connector module and the battery side connector module are combined.

According to one side, sealing members that seal the first and second plug through holes, respectively, may be provided around the first and second plug through holes.

According to one side, the elastic member may be formed in a cylindrical shape.

According to one side, the fastening member may be provided at a plurality of positions on the vehicle body side connector module.

As seen above, according to this embodiment, when the vehicle body-side connector module and the battery-side connector module are coupled, the guide rib guides the vehicle body-side connector module to the correct position so that they can be coupled. In addition, as the elastic member provided in the fastening member is elastically deformed, the vehicle body-side connector module moves, thereby enabling matching of the vehicle body-side connector module and the battery-side connector module.

The effects of the connector assembly according to one embodiment are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned may be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

1 is a perspective view of a connector assembly according to one embodiment.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the bottom side of the vehicle body side connector module.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the battery side connector module.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the bottom side of the battery side connector module.
Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the first terminal of the battery-side connector module.
Figures 6 to 8 are cross-sectional views taken along line VI-VI of the connector assembly of Figure 1.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a fastening member according to one embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the fastening member of FIG. 9 coupled to the vehicle body side connector module.
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly according to another embodiment corresponding to FIG. 8.

This patent application claims priority based on patent application No. 10-2017-0058110 filed on May 10, 2017, and the entire contents of the application are incorporated by reference in this patent application.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail through illustrative drawings. When adding reference numerals to components in each drawing, it should be noted that identical components are given the same reference numerals as much as possible even if they are shown in different drawings. Additionally, when describing an embodiment, if a detailed description of a related known configuration or function is judged to impede understanding of the embodiment, the detailed description will be omitted.

Additionally, in describing the components of the embodiment, terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), and (b) may be used. These terms are only used to distinguish the component from other components, and the nature, sequence, or order of the component is not limited by the term. When a component is described as being "connected," "coupled," or "connected" to another component, that component may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but there is no need for another component between each component. It should be understood that may be “connected,” “combined,” or “connected.”

Components included in one embodiment and components including common functions will be described using the same names in other embodiments. Unless stated to the contrary, the description given in one embodiment may be applied to other embodiments, and detailed description will be omitted to the extent of overlap.

Hereinafter, the connector assembly 100 according to embodiments will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 11. For reference, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connector assembly 100 according to one embodiment. And FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom of the vehicle body side connector module 10, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the battery side connector module 20, FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the battery side connector module 20, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the battery side. This is an exploded perspective view of the first terminal 222 of the side connector module 20. And FIGS. 6 to 8 are cross-sectional views taken along line VI-VI of the connector assembly 100 of FIG. 1. In addition, FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the fastening member 14 of the vehicle body-side connector module 10 according to an embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a state in which the fastening member 14 of FIG. 9 is coupled to the vehicle body-side connector module 10. This is a cross-sectional view. And FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly 100 according to a modified embodiment, corresponding to FIG. 8.

Referring to the drawings, the connector assembly 100 includes a vehicle body side connector module 10 installed on the vehicle body side and a battery side connector module 20 installed on the battery case side.

The vehicle body side connector module 10 is a male connector, and the battery side connector module 20 receives and couples the first and second plugs 12 and 13 of the vehicle body side connector module 10. It is a female connector having second receptacles (22, 23). However, this is only an example, and the vehicle body side connector module 10 may be a female connector, and the battery side connector module 20 may be a male connector.

The vehicle body side connector module 10 includes a base block 11 and first and second plugs 12 and 13. For example, the first plug 12 includes at least one pin 121 connected to a coaxial cable. And, it includes a plug housing 122 that accommodates the pin 121. The second plug 13 may be a plug including a plurality of terminals (not shown). However, this is only an example, and the type of plug provided in the vehicle body side connector module 10 may vary substantially. In addition, in this embodiment, the vehicle body-side connector module 10 is illustrated as having two plugs 12 and 13, but this is only an example, and the plugs 12 and 13 provided in the vehicle body-side connector module 10 are 13) The number may vary substantially.

The base block 11 is coupled to the vehicle body side panel 1 and serves to support the first and second plugs 12 and 13. The base block 11 is formed with a first plug guide 112 through which the first plug 12 is received and supported, and a second plug guide 113 through which the second plug 13 is received and supported. do.

The battery side connector module 20 is formed in a shape corresponding to the vehicle body side connector module 10. The battery side connector module 20 has a shape corresponding to the base block 11 of the vehicle body side connector module 10 and includes a base block 21 coupled to the battery case side panel 2, and first and second plugs. It is configured to include first and second receptacles (22, 23) that are coupled to (12, 13) in one-to-one correspondence.

For example, the first receptacle 22 may include a coaxial cable 221 and a terminal 222 coupled to the pin 121 of the first plug 12.

And the first receptacle 22 may be provided with a receptacle housing 223. The receptacle housing 223 is formed to accommodate the first receptacle 22, but may be formed as a separate entity from the base block 21. For example, the receptacle housing 223 surrounds the first receptacle 22 and protects the combined portion of the coaxial cable 221 and the terminal 222 by forming two parts of the base frame 223a and the cover frame 223b. It may be composed of two parts. However, this is only an example, and the shape of the receptacle housing 223 may be substantially changed in various ways.

The base block 21 is formed with a first receptacle guide 212 through which the first receptacle 22 is received and supported, and a second receptacle guide 213 through which the second receptacle 23 is received and supported. do.

The first and second plug guides 112 and 113 and the first and second receptacle guides 212 and 213 are inside the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 when they are coupled to each other. The first and second plugs 12 and 13 and the first and second receptacles 22 and 23 are coupled to each other and support the coupled state.

Here, reference numeral 15 denotes a sealing member 15 that seals the portion where the first plug 12 and the first receptacle 22 are joined. In addition, reference numeral 24 denotes a fastening member 24 that secures the base block 21 of the battery side connector module 20 to the battery case side panel 2, and reference numeral 215 designates a fastening member 24 to which the fastening member 24 is fastened. Boo (215). And reference numeral 25 denotes a sealing member 25 that seals the base block 21 of the battery-side connector module 20.

In this embodiment, when the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 are coupled, a vehicle body side connector is attached to the vehicle body side connector module 10 so that they can be coupled to each other even when a gap occurs between them. An assembly guide rib 114 is formed to guide the module 10 and the battery connector module 20 to be coupled to each other in the correct position.

The assembly guide rib 114 is formed to protrude at a predetermined height in the direction in which the vehicle body side connector module 10 is coupled to the battery side connector module 20. Additionally, a coupling portion 214 that has a shape corresponding to the assembly guide rib and is concave to a predetermined depth may be formed in the battery side connector module 20 so that the assembly guide rib 114 can be inserted and received.

Here, the assembly guide rib 114 is positioned at the highest point in the vehicle body side connector module 10 so as to first contact the battery side connector module 20 when the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 are combined. It is formed to protrude to a height. Additionally, the coupling portion 214 may also be formed at the highest height in the battery-side connector module 20 so that it can initially contact the assembly guide rib 114.

As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the assembly guide rib 114 first contacts the battery side connector module 20, so that the assembly guide rib 114 enters the interior along the wall of the coupling portion 214 and As it moves, the vehicle body side connector module 10 is guided to a position where it can be combined with the battery side connector module 20 in the correct position.

The assembly guide rib 114 may have an 'ㄱ' shape bent at 90° when viewed from the xy plane so as to guide the vehicle body side connector module 10 in the x-axis and y-axis directions. In addition, the assembly guide rib 114 is formed at an outer position of the first and second plugs 12 and 13 to effectively guide the vehicle body side connector module 10, and is formed at an edge of the base block 11. Additionally, a plurality of assembly guide ribs 114 may be formed. For example, the assembly guide ribs 114 may be formed diagonally from each other at the edge of the base block 11. In addition, the assembly guide rib 114 may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the base block 11, and the concave side of the 'L'-shaped bent portion may be arranged so that it faces the center of the base block 11. However, the position and size of the assembly guide rib 114 are not limited by the drawings and may be substantially changed in various ways.

According to this embodiment, by forming the assembly guide rib 114 in an 'L' shape, the position of the vehicle body side connector module 10 can be stably guided in the x-axis and y-axis directions. Additionally, the shape of the assembly guide rib 114 can increase the strength of the assembly guide rib 114 itself.

In addition, the assembly guide rib 114 has a chamfer portion 114a with an inclined surface at a predetermined angle formed at an end so that the vehicle body side connector module 10 can smoothly contact and guide the battery side connector module 20. is formed For example, the chamfer portion 114a is formed with an inclined surface so that the cross-sectional area gradually decreases toward the end. Additionally, considering the position where the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 first contact, the chamfer portion 114a may be formed in the outer direction of the assembly guide rib 114. However, this is only an example, and the shape of the chamfer portion 114a may be substantially changed in various ways.

Additionally, the assembly guide rib 114 and the coupling portion 214 are formed integrally with the base blocks 11 and 21, respectively.

In this embodiment, when a gap occurs between the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 when combined, a fastening member ( 14) is provided with an elastic member 142 capable of elastic deformation. An elastic member 142 is provided between the fastening member 14 and the vehicle body side connector module 10, so that the vehicle body side connector module 10 can move.

In detail, referring to FIGS. 6 to 8 and 10, the fastening member 14 is fixed to the vehicle body side panel 1, but connects the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20. When a force is applied to the vehicle body-side connector module 10 by the assembly guide rib 114, the elastic member 142 is deformed, so the vehicle body-side connector module 10 may move a predetermined distance. Additionally, the vehicle body side connector module 10 may flow by the thickness of the elastic member 142 and the amount by which the elastic member 142 is deformed.

The fastening member 14 is a bolt that has a predetermined length so that it can penetrate the vehicle body side connector module 10 and be coupled to the vehicle body side panel 1. Additionally, the fastening members 14 are provided at a plurality of positions in the base block 11. For example, the fastening member 14 is provided on the outside of the first and second plugs 12 and 13 along the circumference of the base block 11, and has different angles that are not on the same straight line in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction. It can be placed on a line and arranged in a zigzag shape. However, this is only an example, and the number and position of the fastening members 14 may vary substantially.

The elastic member 142 is provided inside the fastening member through hole 106 through which the fastening member 14 penetrates the base block 11. For example, the elastic member 142 is made of EPDM material and has a ring or cylindrical shape surrounding the outer peripheral surface of the fastening member 14.
And as shown in FIG. 9, the fastening member 14 is provided with a washer 141 and a bush 143. Here, the bush 143 is formed in a cylindrical shape to allow the fastening member 14 to penetrate, and is provided inside the fastening member through hole 106. And an elastic member 142 is provided on the outside of the cylindrical bush 143.
The washer 141 is provided at the top and bottom of the fastening member through hole 106 when the fastening member 14 is coupled to the base block 11, and prevents force from being applied and deformed to the upper and lower parts of the elastic member 142. do. More specifically, the washer 141 is coupled to the base block 11 at the position where the fastening member through hole 106 is formed, so that the elastic member 142 is moved in the z-axis direction (up and down direction) by the fastening member 14. It can prevent deformation from occurring due to force. As a result, the vehicle body side connector module 10 is fixed to the vehicle body side panel 1 without a gap in the z-axis direction by the fastening member 14 and its movement is restricted, and the elastic member 142 is connected to the fastening member through hole. (106) As the internal clearance and elastic deformation occur, the vehicle body side connector module 10 moves in the x-axis and/or y-axis direction.

According to this embodiment, while the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 are fixed to the panels 1 and 2, respectively, movement in the z-axis direction is fixed, and the vehicle body side connector module ( 10) Allows flow in the x-axis and/or y-axis directions within a predetermined range (for example, 3 mm). By allowing the vehicle body side connector module 10 to move in this way, smooth assembly of the connector assembly 100 is possible.

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Meanwhile, when the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 are combined, the base block 11 moves, so even when the first plug 12 and the first receptacle 22 are combined, the assembly tolerance is needed. For this purpose, a gap is formed around the first plug 12 in the vehicle body side panel 1. In detail, a first plug through hole 102 is formed through which the pin 121 and the plug housing 122 penetrate through the vehicle body side panel 1. The first plug through hole 102 is formed by 1 It is formed larger than the plug 12. In this way, by forming a gap between the first plug through hole 102 and the outside of the first plug 12, the first plug 12 flows and moves to the correct position even if the base block 11 moves. , the first plug 12 and the first receptacle 22 may be coupled in place.

Likewise, when the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 are combined, a second plug 13 and the second receptacle 23 need to be connected to each other for assembly tolerance due to the movement of the base block 11. A gap is formed around the plug 13. A second plug through hole 103 through which the second plug 13 passes is formed in the vehicle body side panel 1, and the second plug through hole 103 is formed larger than the second plug 13. By leaving a gap in the second plug through hole 103 in this way, even if the base block 11 moves, the second plug 13 and the second receptacle 23 can be coupled at the correct position while moving a predetermined distance. .

For reference, reference numeral 203 denotes a second plug fastening hole 203 through which the second plug 13 and the second plug guide 113 pass in the battery case side panel 2.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 11, it is possible to prevent dust, etc. from flowing into the interior of the connector assembly 100 and the vehicle body through the gap around the first plug through hole 102 and the second plug through hole 103. Sealing members 104 and 105 may be provided to allow this. Here, the sealing members 104 and 105 may have substantially various shapes and materials as long as they can seal the surroundings of the first plug through hole 102 and the second plug through hole 103.

According to the present embodiments, when coupling the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20, even if a gap occurs, they can be coupled at the correct position.

With the vehicle body side connector module 10 fixed to the vehicle body side panel 1 and the battery side connector module 20 fixed to the battery case side panel 2, the vehicle body side panel 1 and the battery case side panel Since (2) is a relatively large component, assembly is difficult or impossible if the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 are completely fixed. Accordingly, in this embodiment, when the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 are combined, the vehicle body side connector module 10 moves by the clearance in the x-axis and/or y-axis direction and is coupled. do.

In detail, when the vehicle body side connector module 10 and the battery side connector module 20 are combined, when a gap occurs with respect to the normal position, the assembly guide rib 14 contacts the coupling portion 214 and the coupling portion 214 As the vehicle enters and moves inside along the wall of 214, a force in the x-axis and/or y-axis direction is applied to the vehicle body side connector module 10.

And when force is applied to the vehicle body side connector module 10 by the assembly guide rib 14 in this way, the fastening member 14 remains fixed to the vehicle body side panel 1, and the elastic member 142 As the vehicle body side panel 1 is pressed and elastically deformed, the vehicle body side connector module 10 moves.

And when the assembly guide rib 14 completely enters the coupling portion 214 and is coupled, the vehicle body side connector module 10 is coupled to the battery side connector module 20 in the correct position. Here, as the vehicle body side connector module 10 moves, the first plug 12 and the second plug 13 also connect to the first plug through hole 102 and the second plug through hole formed in the vehicle body side panel 1. Since the first and second plugs 12 and 13 can be moved a predetermined distance within the clearance range of 103, the first and second plugs 12 and 13 can be coupled to the first and second receptacles 22 and 23 in position.

As described above, although the embodiments have been described with limited drawings, various modifications and variations can be made by those skilled in the art from the above description. For example, the described techniques may be performed in a different order than the described method, and/or components of the described structure, device, etc. may be combined or combined in a form different from the described method, or may be used with other components or equivalents. Appropriate results can be achieved even if replaced or substituted by .

Therefore, the idea of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and the scope of the patent claims described below as well as all things that are equivalent or equivalent to the scope of the claims will be said to fall within the scope of the idea of the present invention. .

1: Body side panel
102: First plug through hole
103: Second plug through hole
104, 105: No sealing member
106: Fastening member through hole
2: Battery case side panel
203: Second plug fastening hole
10: Vehicle body side connector module
11: Base block of body side connector module
112: first plug guide
113: Second plug guide
114: Assembly guide rib
114a: chamfer
12: first plug
121: pin
122: plug housing
13: second plug
14: Fastening member of vehicle body side connector module
141: Washer
142: Elastic member
143: bush
15: No sealing member
20: Battery side connector module
21: Base block of battery side connector module
212: first receptacle guide
213: second receptacle guide
214: Joint portion of the assembly guide rib
215: Fastening part of fastening member
22: first receptacle
221: coaxial cable
222: terminal
223, 223a, 223b: Receptacle housing
23: second receptacle
24: Fastening member of battery side connector module
25: Sealing member of battery side connector module
100: connector assembly

Claims (12)

A battery-side connector module coupled to the battery case-side panel; and
a vehicle body side connector module coupled to the vehicle body side panel and coupled to the battery side connector module;
Including,
The vehicle body side connector module,
It is composed of two or more different types, and is fastened through first and second plug through holes formed in the vehicle body side panel, and the vehicle body side connector module can move in the x-axis and y-axis directions with respect to the vehicle body side panel. a plurality of plugs formed to be smaller than the first and second plug through holes;
an assembly guide rib that protrudes in a direction in which the vehicle body side connector module is coupled to the battery side connector module and moves the vehicle body side connector module to the correct position when the vehicle body side connector module is combined with the battery side connector module;
a plurality of fastening members that pass through fastening member through-holes formed in the vehicle body-side connector module and are coupled to the vehicle body-side panel to secure the vehicle body-side connector module to the vehicle body;
Elasticity is provided on the fastening member inside the fastening member through-hole and is elastically deformed in the x- and y-axis directions inside the fastening member through-hole so that the vehicle body connector module can flow only in the absence;
a bush provided between the elastic member and the fastening member within the fastening member through-hole and formed to have a length corresponding to the length of the elastic member; and
Washers provided at the upper and lower portions of the fastening member through-holes and contacting the upper and lower ends of the bushes to prevent deformation of the elastic member in the z-axis direction;
Including,
The battery side connector module,
a plurality of receptacles coupled to the plurality of plugs in one-to-one correspondence; and
a coupling portion into which the assembly guide rib is inserted and received and having a shape corresponding to the assembly guide rib;
A connector assembly comprising:
According to paragraph 1,
The assembly guide rib is a connector assembly having an 'ㄱ' shape by being bent at 90° when viewed from the xy plane so as to guide the vehicle body side connector module in the x-axis and y-axis directions.
According to paragraph 2,
A connector assembly including a plurality of assembly guide ribs and disposed outside the plurality of plugs in the vehicle body side connector module.
According to paragraph 2,
A connector assembly in which a chamfer portion is formed at an end of the assembly guide rib.
According to paragraph 4,
The assembly guide rib is formed to protrude highest from the vehicle body side connector module so as to contact the battery side connector module first,
A connector assembly in which the chamfer portion first contacts the wall of the coupling portion and the assembly guide rib is guided into the interior of the coupling portion by an inclined surface of the chamfer portion.
According to clause 5,
A connector assembly in which a portion of the coupling portion that contacts the assembly guide rib protrudes highest from the battery-side connector module toward the vehicle body-side connector module.
delete According to paragraph 1,
A connector assembly wherein sealing members are provided around the first and second plug through holes to seal the first and second plug through holes, respectively.
According to paragraph 1,
A connector assembly in which the elastic member has a smaller diameter than the fastening member through hole and is formed in a cylindrical shape through which the fastening member can penetrate.
According to paragraph 1,
A connector assembly wherein the fastening member is provided at a plurality of positions on the vehicle body side connector module. delete delete

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