KR20250031776A - Charging cable for electric vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cable for charging an electric vehicle, and comprises: a charger body for an electric vehicle; and an electric vehicle charging cable for charging an electric vehicle, comprising: at least one power unit including a conductor; at least one inlet pipe into which coolant flows in; at least one discharge pipe connected to the inlet pipe and discharging coolant; and a cable sheath formed to surround the power unit, the inlet pipe, and the discharge pipe; wherein the cable sheath is filled with a filler that supports the power unit, the inlet pipe, and the discharge pipe, thereby effectively cooling the power unit.

Description

{CHARGING CABLE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE}

The present invention relates to a cable for charging an electric vehicle, and more particularly, to a cable for charging an electric vehicle having a cooling unit.

With the spread of electric vehicles, the installation of electric vehicle chargers is expanding. And rapid chargers that can charge quickly are being spread so that charging can be done in a short period of time. Unlike slow charging, the output voltage of rapid chargers for rapid charging is in the range of 50 V to 450 V DC, the output current reaches 110 A, and the time required to charge an electric vehicle using the rapid charger is only about 20 to 30 minutes. The output current of rapid chargers is expected to increase depending on the battery capacity and charging technology of the electric vehicle.

These rapid chargers have an electric vehicle charging cable connected to the main body, a charger connector mounted on the end of the charging cable, and the charger connector mounted on the electric vehicle connector installed in the electric vehicle to supply electricity from the electric vehicle charger to the electric vehicle.

Since the output current of such rapid chargers is over 200A, the heating of the electric vehicle charging cable that transmits it to the electric vehicle can be a problem. In order to minimize the heat generated in the electric vehicle charging cable, there are methods such as increasing the diameter of the electric vehicle cable conductor, but it is difficult to sufficiently reduce the heat, and there is the problem of increasing the weight of the electric vehicle charging cable.

The heat generated by the electric vehicle charging cable can increase the risk of fire. In addition, when attaching the charger connector to the electric vehicle connector or detaching the charger connector from the electric vehicle connector and placing it on the charger for electric vehicle charging, the charging cable may come into contact with the user's body, and if the charging cable becomes excessively hot, it may cause injury, discomfort, or anxiety to the user, which is not desirable.

As a prior art patent document, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2021-0122741 discloses a technology in which a power unit composed of a conductor and an insulating layer is provided inside a cable, and a cooling tube is provided to surround the power unit, so that a cooling fluid inside the cooling tube cools the power unit.

However, since the cooling fluid surrounds the entire power unit, the insulation layer must use an insulating material that is both waterproof and moisture-proof, so the material is limited, and in winter, when the ambient temperature is low, antifreeze must be added to prevent freezing of the cooling fluid, so there was a problem that the insulation layer must also satisfy the corrosion resistance performance due to the additive.

The present invention has been made in light of the aforementioned background, and its purpose is to provide an electric vehicle charging cable having a cooling unit in which cooling water does not come into direct contact with the power unit, thereby expanding the selection of insulation layer materials for the power unit and improving the durability of the power unit.

In addition, the purpose is to provide a cable for charging electric vehicles that can reduce the number of parts and cost by forming a cooling path in the filler filled inside the cable sheath.

In addition, the purpose is to provide an electric vehicle charging cable that can maximize cooling performance by forming a cooling path on the outside of the cable sheath.

The purpose of the present invention is not limited thereto, and other purposes not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

According to the present invention, a charger body for an electric vehicle and an electric vehicle charging cable for charging an electric vehicle include: at least one power unit including a conductor; at least one inlet pipe into which coolant flows in; at least one discharge pipe connected to the inlet pipe and discharging coolant; and a cable sheath formed to surround the power unit, the inlet pipe, and the discharge pipe; and the cable sheath may be characterized in that a filler that supports the power unit, the inlet pipe, and the discharge pipe is filled therein.

The above inlet pipe can be placed in the center of the cable sheath.

The above inlet pipe can be placed between the two power units.

The at least one discharge pipe and the at least one power unit can be arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction.

The above electric vehicle charging cable may further include a plurality of connecting pipes, both ends of which are connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, and which are spaced apart from each other along the length of the power unit.

The above electric vehicle charging cable may further include a coolant covering formed to surround the cable sheath while leaving a hollow space through which coolant flows.

The electric vehicle charging cable may further include a plurality of sub-connectors connecting the space between the coolant covering and the cable sheath with the discharge pipe.

In addition, a cable for charging an electric vehicle according to the present invention includes a cable sheath having at least one power unit arranged inside thereof; a cooling unit arranged inside the cable sheath to be spaced apart from the power unit and having a cooling water return path through which cooling water is introduced and then discharged; and a cooling water covering arranged outside the cable sheath to have a sub-inflow path formed therebetween through which cooling water is introduced; wherein the sub-inflow path is connected to the cooling water return path so that the cooling water can be discharged.

According to the present invention, a cooling unit is provided in which the cooling water does not come into direct contact with the power unit, thereby expanding the selection of insulation layer materials for the power unit and improving the durability of the power unit.

In addition, since the power unit does not come into contact with the cooling water, it has the effect of increasing product reliability for the cable and ensuring safety.

In addition, by forming a cooling path in the filler material filled inside the cable sheath, the number of parts can be reduced, resulting in cost savings.

Additionally, it has the effect of maximizing cooling performance by forming a cooling path on the outside of the cable sheath.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electric vehicle charging cable according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an electric vehicle charging cable according to an embodiment of the present invention before filling a filler.

Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to exemplary drawings. When adding reference numerals to components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same components are given the same numerals as much as possible even if they are shown in different drawings. In addition, when describing the present invention, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known configuration or function may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an electric vehicle charging cable according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an electric vehicle charging cable according to an embodiment of the present invention before filling a filler.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present invention relates to a charger body for an electric vehicle and an electric vehicle charging cable (100) for charging an electric vehicle, the cable comprising: at least one power unit (110) including a conductor (111); at least one inlet pipe (210) into which coolant is introduced; at least one discharge pipe (220) connected to the inlet pipe (210) and discharging coolant; and a cable sheath (120) formed to surround the power unit (110), the inlet pipe (210), and the discharge pipe (220), and the cable sheath (120) may be filled with a filler (130) that supports the power unit (110), the inlet pipe (210), and the discharge pipe (220) therein.

An electric vehicle can be charged by receiving power from a charger. The charger can supply power to the electric vehicle through the cable (100) by mounting a cable (100) connected to the charger body on the electric vehicle. At this time, in order to prevent fire due to rapid temperature increase caused by resistance of a conductor (111) placed inside the cable (100) when rapidly charging the electric vehicle, a cooling unit (200) is provided on the cable (100).

A cable (100) may be configured to include at least one power unit (110) and a cable sheath (120) surrounding the power unit (110).

At least one power unit (110) may be provided, and as shown in the drawing, two may be provided, each of which may be a positive power unit (110) and a negative power unit (110). This power unit (110) may be composed of a conductor (111) and an insulating coating (112) surrounding the conductor (111).

For example, the conductor (111) may be formed as a composite stranded wire formed by twisting a plurality of strands, and each stranded wire may be formed by twisting a plurality of element wires. Each element wire may be a low-resistance annealed wire, but is not limited thereto. The insulating coating (112) is formed to surround the conductor (111) to secure electrical insulation. The insulating coating (112) may be formed of, for example, a TPU-BN (Thermoplastic Polyurethane-Boron Nitride) material, which is a composite material in which thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and boron nitride (BN) are mixed, and may secure electrical insulation while increasing thermal conductivity. Accordingly, the insulating coating (112) may effectively allow heat generated in the conductor (111) to be released to the outside. In addition, the insulating coating (112) may be made of at least one material from among polyethylene, polyurethane, fluororesin, polypropylene, rubber, polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic elastomer, or thermoplastic polyurethane, but is not limited thereto.

The cable sheath (120) accommodates a plurality of power units (110) and a cooling unit (200) to be described later inside, and can protect them from being exposed to the outside. For example, the cable sheath (120) can be formed of a material including at least one of polyethylene, polyurethane, boron nitride, polypropylene, fluororesin, rubber, polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic elastomer, and thermoplastic polyurethane.

The cooling unit (200) may be configured to include an inlet pipe (210) through which cooling water is introduced and a discharge pipe (220) through which cooling water is discharged.

At least one inlet pipe (210) is provided inside the cable sheath (120) and can be arranged lengthwise along the length of the cable (100). Cooling water is introduced through one end of the inlet pipe (210), and the other end can be connected to a discharge pipe (220).

At least one discharge pipe (220) is provided inside the cable sheath (120) and can be arranged lengthwise along the length of the cable (100). One end of the discharge pipe (220) can be connected to the inlet pipe (210), and the other end can discharge cooling water.

These inlet pipes (210) and discharge pipes (220) can be connected through a connecting pipe (230). The connecting pipe (230) has both ends connected to the inlet pipe (210) and the discharge pipe (220), and in particular, can be connected to a portion adjacent to the ends of the inlet pipe (210) and the discharge pipe (220). A plurality of connecting pipes (230) can be provided and arranged spaced apart from each other along the length of the power unit (110), and can provide a return path (203).

The cooling unit (200) has a cooling path inside, and the cooling path may be composed of a main inflow path (201) provided inside an inflow pipe (210) and into which cooling water is introduced, a discharge path (202) provided inside an discharge pipe (220) and for discharging cooling water, and a return path (203) provided inside a connecting pipe (230) and for connecting the main inflow path (201) and the discharge path (202).

In addition, the main inlet path (201) and the discharge path (202) can be connected through the return path (203) to form a coolant U-turn path in which the coolant moves from one end to the other along the length and then returns to one end again. Here, the coolant passing through the discharge path (202) can absorb heat and thus have a higher temperature than the coolant flowing through the main inlet path (201).

The cable sheath (120) is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape to surround a pair of power units (110), an inlet pipe (210), and an outlet pipe (220), and a filler (130) can be filled inside the cable sheath (120) so that the pair of power units (110), the inlet pipe (210), and the outlet pipe (220) are fixed in position therein.

The cable sheath (120) may be provided in a solid cylindrical shape with the interior filled with a filler (130). For example, the filler (130) may be a carbon fiber composite material having excellent thermal conductivity. The filler (130) supports a pair of power units (110), an inlet pipe (210), and an outlet pipe (220) arranged inside the cable sheath (120), thereby fixing their positions inside the cable sheath (120) and effectively absorbing the heat of the power unit (110).

The cooling unit (200) may be composed of one inlet pipe (210) and two discharge pipes (220). The inlet pipe (210) may be placed in the center of the cable sheath (120). That is, the center of the inlet pipe (210) may be placed so that the center of the cable sheath (120) coincides with the center of the cable sheath (120). In addition, the inlet pipe (210) may be placed between a pair of power units (110) so that the pair of power units (110) may be uniformly cooled. That is, the inlet pipe (210) may be placed between two power units (110) so that the distance from each power unit (110) is the same.

The discharge pipe (220) is positioned apart from the inlet pipe (210), and may be provided in two pieces and positioned apart from each other on both sides of the inlet pipe (210). In addition, the two discharge pipes (220) may be arranged in a row with the inlet pipe (210) positioned between them.

At this time, the distance between the inlet pipe (210) and the power unit (110) may be arranged closer than the distance between the inlet pipe (210) and the discharge pipe (220).

In addition, the inlet pipe (210) may be placed in the center of the cable sheath (120), and two discharge pipes (220) and two power units (110) may be placed alternately at equal intervals along the circumferential direction. Accordingly, the heat of the power unit (110) may be evenly distributed.

In addition, the inlet pipe (210) and the discharge pipe (220) may be formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, and the inlet pipe (210) may be formed to have a diameter larger than the diameter of the discharge pipe (220).

In addition, at least one fixing member (211) may be formed in the inlet pipe (210) into which a connecting pipe (230) is inserted and fixed. The fixing member (211) is provided by having a hole-shaped penetration formed on an outer surface facing the discharge pipe (220) of the inlet pipe (210), and the connecting pipe (230) may be inserted and fixed therein, or the connecting pipe (230) may be provided as an integral part. A plurality of such fixing members (211) may be provided and arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the length of the inlet pipe (210). As an example, the drawing illustrates that three fixing members (211) are provided on each side of the inlet pipe (210), but the present invention is not limited thereto. It is preferable that such fixing members (211) be arranged adjacent to an end of the inlet pipe (210).

In addition, at least one connecting portion (221) may be formed in the discharge pipe (220) into which a connecting pipe (230) is inserted and fixed. The connecting portion (221) is formed in a hole shape through an outer surface facing the inlet pipe (210) of the discharge pipe (220), and the connecting pipe (230) may be inserted and fixed therein, or the connecting pipe (230) may be provided as an integral part. A plurality of such connecting portions (221) may be provided and arranged to be spaced apart from each other along the length of the discharge pipe (220). For example, in the drawing, three connecting portions (221) are provided in each discharge pipe (220), but this is not limited thereto. It is also preferable that such connecting portions (221) be arranged adjacent to an end of the discharge pipe (220).

Meanwhile, the cooling unit (200) may form a flow path for cooling water to flow outside the cable sheath (120) and may further include a cooling water covering (240) forming a sub-inflow path (204). And, the cooling path may further include a sub-inflow path (204).

The coolant covering (240) is formed to surround the cable sheath (120) while leaving a hollow space through which the coolant flows. That is, the coolant covering (240) is formed to surround the cable sheath (120) but has a hollow space between it and the cable sheath (120). The coolant covering (240) is formed in a hollow cylindrical shape and may be formed of a material including at least one of polyethylene, polyurethane, boron nitride, polypropylene, fluororesin, rubber, polyvinyl chloride, thermoplastic elastomer, and thermoplastic polyurethane.

Additionally, the coolant covering (240) may be provided with a spacer (241) between it and the cable sheath (120) to maintain a certain distance between them.

The spacer (241) is provided in the form of a cylindrical pin, and is positioned between the coolant covering (240) and the cable sheath (120) to contact the inner surface of the coolant covering (240) and the outer surface of the cable sheath (120), respectively, so that the coolant covering (240) and the cable sheath (120) can be spaced apart by the diameter of the spacer (241). In addition, the hollow space between the coolant covering (240) and the cable sheath (120) provides a sub-inflow path (204) through which coolant is introduced.

This coolant cover (240) can have coolant flowing into one end, and the other end can be connected to a discharge pipe (220) through a sub-connector (250).

The sub-connector (250) is connected at both ends to the cable sheath (120) and the discharge pipe (220), and can be arranged adjacent to the end of the cable (100). A plurality of sub-connectors (250) can be provided and arranged spaced apart from each other along the length of the cable (100), and provide a sub-return path (205). The sub-connector (250) communicates the space between the coolant covering (240) and the cable sheath (120) with the discharge pipe (220), and provides a sub-return path (205) so that the coolant flowing in the sub-inlet path (204) flows to the discharge path (202).

Accordingly, the discharge pipe (220) is provided with a connecting pipe (230) and a sub-connecting pipe (250) on both sides to allow cooling water to flow in, and the discharge path (202) is connected to the return path (203) and the sub-return path.

The discharge pipe (220) may be formed with at least one sub-connector (222) into which a sub-connector (250) is inserted and fixed. The sub-connector (222) is formed in the shape of a hole on the outer surface of the discharge pipe (220) into which the sub-connector (250) is inserted and fixed, or the sub-connector (250) is provided as an integral part. These sub-connector (250) may be arranged to be spaced apart along the length direction of the discharge pipe (220).

The cable sheath (120) may be formed with at least one insertion hole (121) into which a sub-connector (250) is inserted and fixed. The insertion hole (121) is formed in the form of a hole through the outer surface of the cable sheath (120), and the sub-connector (250) may be inserted and fixed, or the sub-connector (250) may be provided as an integral part. A plurality of such insertion holes (121) may be provided and arranged to be spaced apart along the length direction of the cable sheath (120).

Accordingly, the cooling water introduced into the sub inflow path (204) can be recovered through the cooling water return path inside the cable sheath (120) after passing through the sub inflow path (204). In this way, the cable (100) can cool the power unit (110) more effectively by forming cooling paths inside and outside the cable sheath (120).

According to embodiments of the present invention having such a shape and structure, a cooling unit is provided in which the cooling water does not come into direct contact with the power unit, thereby expanding the selection of insulation layer materials for the power unit and improving the durability of the power unit.

In addition, since the power unit does not come into contact with the cooling water, it has the effect of increasing product reliability for the cable and ensuring safety.

In addition, by forming a cooling path in the filler material filled inside the cable sheath, the number of parts can be reduced, resulting in cost savings.

Additionally, it has the effect of maximizing cooling performance by forming a cooling path on the outside of the cable sheath.

In the above, although all the components constituting the embodiments of the present invention have been described as being combined as one or operating in combination, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. That is, within the scope of the purpose of the present invention, all of the components may be selectively combined as one or more and operate.

The above description is merely an example of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations may be made without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are not intended to limit the technical idea of the present invention, but rather to explain it, and the scope of the technical idea of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The protection scope of the present invention should be interpreted by the following claims, and all technical ideas within a scope equivalent thereto should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the rights of the present invention.

100: Cable
110: Power unit 111: Conductor
112: Insulation sheath 120: Cable sheath
121: Insertion hole 130: Filler
200: Cooling unit 201: Main inlet path
202: Exhaust path 203: Return path
204: Sub inflow 205: Sub return
210: Inlet pipe 211: Connection
220: Discharge pipe 221: Connection
222: Sub-connector 230: Connector
240: Coolant Cover 241: Spacer
250: Sub connector

Claims (8)

In the case of a charger body for an electric vehicle and an electric vehicle charging cable for charging an electric vehicle,
At least one power unit comprising a conductor;
At least one inlet pipe through which cooling water is introduced;
At least one discharge pipe connected to the inlet pipe for discharging cooling water; and
A cable sheath formed to surround the power unit, the inlet pipe, and the outlet pipe;
The above cable sheath,
An electric vehicle charging cable characterized in that the inside is filled with a filler that supports the power unit, the inlet pipe, and the outlet pipe.
In the first paragraph,
The above inlet pipe is,
An electric vehicle charging cable arranged in the center of the above cable sheath.
In the first paragraph,
The above inlet pipe is,
An electric vehicle charging cable arranged between two of the above power units.
In the first paragraph,
An electric vehicle charging cable in which at least one discharge pipe and at least one power unit are arranged at equal intervals along a circumferential direction.
In paragraph 1,
A plurality of connecting pipes, each end of which is connected to the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe, and arranged spaced apart from each other along the length of the power unit;
A cable for charging an electric vehicle further comprising:
In the first paragraph,
A coolant covering formed to surround the cable sheath, leaving a hollow space through which coolant flows;
A cable for charging an electric vehicle further comprising:
In paragraph 6,
A plurality of sub-connectors connecting the space between the above cooling water covering and the above cable sheath with the above discharge pipe;
A cable for charging an electric vehicle further comprising:
A cable system having at least one power unit arranged inside;
A cooling unit having a cooling water return path through which cooling water is introduced and then discharged, and which is positioned apart from the power unit inside the cable sheath; and
A cooling water jacket is disposed outside the cable sheath and has a sub-inlet passage formed therebetween through which cooling water is introduced;
The above sub-inflow path is connected to the above coolant U-turn path, and is an electric vehicle charging cable through which coolant is discharged.

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