US 12,715,324 B2Granted

Electric contact unit

AssigneeFraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.

InventorsSven Klausner, Tim Vorwerk, Christian Seiler

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Abstract

The invention relates to a contact unit (1) for establishing an electrically conducting connection, comprising: a first connecting part (100) including a first electrical contact (121) and a second connecting part (200) including a second electrical contact (221), wherein the first connecting part (100) comprises a first section (101) and a second section (102); the first connecting part (100) can be positioned with respect to the second connecting part (200) along the contacting axis (11) in an idle position; the first electrical contact (121) and the second electrical contact (221) are designed, upon contact, to establish an electrically conducting connection between the first connecting part (100) and the second connecting part (200), which is designed to conduct electrical energy; the contact unit (1) furthermore comprising a positioning unit (131, 110, 210) for an idle position; and an actuator (140), which is designed to displace the second section (102) of the first connecting part (100) in the contacting direction (12) relative to the first section (101).

Claims15

Dependent claims

A contact unit for establishing an electrically conducting connection, comprising:

a first connecting part including a first electrical contact and a second connecting part including a second electrical contact,
the first connecting part and the second connecting part being arranged so as to be movable with respect to one another along a contacting axis, which extends in a contacting direction;
the first connecting part comprising a first section and a second section, the second section being movable with respect to the first section, and the first electrical contact being arranged at the second section;
the first connecting part being positionable with respect to the second connecting part along the contacting axis in such a way that the first section of the first connecting part ends up in an idle position with respect to the second connecting part;
and
the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact being designed, when they make contact with one another, to establish an electrically conducting connection between the first connecting part and the second connecting part, which is designed to conduct electrical energy;
a positioning unit, which is designed to predefine the idle position;
and
an actuator, which is designed, when the first section of the first connecting part is in the idle position, to displace the second section of the first connecting part in the contacting direction relative to the first section in such a way that the second section of the first connecting part and the second connecting part rest against one another in the contacting direction, and the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are in contact with one another;
further comprising a latching element, the latching element being movable between a latching position and an unlatching position, the latching element being designed:
in the latching position, to prevent a movement of the first section of the first connecting part relative to the second connecting part, and to allow a movement of the second section of the first connecting part relative to the first section of the first connecting part, and
in the unlatching position, to permit a movement of the first section of the first connecting part relative to the second connecting part, and to prevent a movement of the second section of the first connecting part relative to the first section of the first connecting part.

9 more elements

A method for operating a contact unit, comprising:

arranging a first connecting part including a first electrical contact and a second connecting part including a second electrical contact so that the first connecting part and the second connecting part can be moved with respect to one another along a contacting axis extending in a contacting direction, the first connecting part being positionable with respect to the second connecting part along the contacting axis in such a way that a first section of the first connecting part ends up in an idle position with respect to the second connecting part;
positioning the first section of the first connecting part relative to the second connecting part in the idle position;
and
displacing a second section of the first connecting part in the contacting direction relative to the first section so that the second section of the first connecting part and the second connecting part rest against one another in the contacting direction, and the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact are in contact with one another such that the first electrical contact is arranged at the second section,
further comprising moving a latching element to a latching position to prevent movement of the first section relative to the second connecting part and to allow a movement of the second section of the first connecting part relative to the first section of the first connecting part, and
moving the latching element to an unlatching position to permit movement of the first section relative to the second connecting part and to prevent a movement of the second section of the first connecting part relative to the first section of the first connecting part.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/546,764Filed 15 Feb 2022
Priority: DE 10 2021 201 472.016 Feb 2021
Published: US 2024/0131939 A125 Apr 2024
Granted: 25 Aug 2026
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

B60L 53/16
Conductive energy transfer: connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
B60L 53/18
Conductive energy transfer: cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
B60L 53/35
Constructional details of charging stations: means for automatic or assisted adjustment of the relative position of charging devices and vehicles
H01R 13/6205
Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement: two-part coupling devices held in…