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EP-4737192-A1 - ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE

EP4737192A1EP 4737192 A1EP4737192 A1EP 4737192A1EP-4737192-A1

Abstract

Electrical connector assembly (10; 10'; 10"; 10 III ; 10 IV ) for a vehicle (1; 1'; 1"; 1 III ; 1 IV ) comprising a first body (11) and a second body (12; 12"; 12 III ) comprising at least a first electrical connector (20) and at least a second electrical connector (21). The first body (11) and the second body (12; 12"; 12 III ) are movable with respect to each other between a first configuration, wherein the first electrical connector (20) is adapted to be engaged by a third electrical connector (50) and the first body (11) obstructs at least in part the second electrical connector (21) and a second configuration, wherein the second electrical connector (21) is adapted to be engaged by a fourth electrical connector (51) and the first body (11) obstructs at least in part the first electrical connector (20).

Inventors

  • RUSSO, Gerardo

Assignees

  • IVECO S.P.A.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251103

Claims (17)

  1. An electrical connector assembly (10; 10'; 10"; 10 III ; 10 IV ) for a vehicle (1; 1'; 1"; 1 III ; 1 IV ), comprising: - a first body (11; 11"); and - a second body (12; 12"; 12 III ) comprising at least a first electrical connector (20) and at least a second electrical connector (21); said first body (11; 11") and said second body (12; 12"; 12 III ) being movable with respect to each other between: - a first configuration, wherein said first electrical connector (20) is adapted to be engaged by a third electrical connector (50) and said first body (11; 11") obstructs at least in part said second electrical connector (21); and - a second configuration, wherein said second electrical connector (21) is adapted to be engaged by a fourth electrical connector (51) and said first body (11; 11") obstructs at least in part said first electrical connector (20).
  2. Assembly according to claim 1, wherein said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) are electrical sockets of different types from each other or wherein said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) are electrical plugs of different types from each other.
  3. Assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) are arranged transversally to each other.
  4. Assembly according to any one of the foregoing claims, wherein said first body (11; 11") is adapted to be fixed to or carried by a main body (2) of said vehicle (1; 1'; 1") and said second body (12; 12"; 12 III ) is rotatable with respect to said first body (11; 11") between said first configuration and said second configuration.
  5. Assembly according to claim 4, wherein said first body (11) defines: - a first direction (X); - a second direction (Y) transversal to said first direction (X); and - a third direction (Z) transversal to said first direction (X) and said second direction (Y); said first connector (20) and said second connector (21) being arranged orthogonally or substantially orthogonally to said third direction (Z); said second body (12; 12 III ) being rotatable with respect to said first body (11) about said third direction (Z).
  6. Assembly according to claim 5, wherein said first body (11) comprises a first wall (13) and a second wall (14) spaced apart from each other along said first direction (X); said second body (12; 12 III ) being interposed between said first wall (13) and said second wall (14) along said first direction (X); wherein said first wall (13) faces said second connector (21) and obstructs it at least in part when said first and second body (11, 12; 12 III ) are in said first configuration; wherein said second wall (14) faces said first connector (20) and obstructs it at least in part when said first and second body (11, 12; 12 III ) are in said second configuration.
  7. Assembly according to claim 6, wherein said first wall (13) and said second wall (14) are curved in a plane perpendicular to said third direction (Z) and have concavity facing towards said second body (12; 12 III ).
  8. Assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said second body (12) comprises: - a base surface (15) facing and/or cooperating with said first body (11); - an upper surface (16) opposite to said base surface (15) along said third direction (Z); - a lateral surface (17) interposed between said base surface (15) and said upper surface (16) along said third direction (Z); and - an inner volume (18) delimited by said base surface (15), said upper surface (16) and/or said lateral surface (17) and adapted to contain at least in part said first connector (20) and said second connector (21); said first connector (20) and said second connector (21) passing through said lateral surface (17); said assembly (10) further comprising: - a first electrical cable (30) adapted to electrically connect said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) to an electrical system (60) of said vehicle (1); and - a second electrical cable (31) adapted to electrically connect said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) to said electrical system (60); wherein said first electrical cable (30) and said second electrical cable (31) passing through said lateral surface (17).
  9. Assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein said second body (12) comprises: - a base surface (15) facing and/or cooperating with said first body (11); - an upper surface (16) opposite to said base surface (15) along said third direction (Z); - a lateral surface (17) interposed between said base surface (15) and said upper surface (16) along said third direction (Z); and - an inner volume (18) delimited by said base surface (15), said upper surface (16) and/or said lateral surface (17) and adapted to contain at least in part said first connector (20) and said second connector (21); said first connector (20) and said second connector (21) passing through said lateral surface (17); said assembly (10') further comprising: - a first electrical cable (30') adapted to electrically connect said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) to an electrical system (60) of said vehicle (1'); and - a second electrical cable (31') adapted to electrically connect said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) to said electrical system (60); wherein said first electrical cable (30') and said second electrical cable (31') passing through said upper surface (16).
  10. Assembly according to claim 4, wherein said first body (11") defines: - a first direction (X), in use, parallel to the ground; - a second direction (Y) transversal to said first direction (X); and - a third direction (Z) transversal to said first direction (X) and said second direction (Y); said second body (12") being rotatable with respect to said first body (11") about said first direction (X).
  11. Assembly according to claim 10, wherein said body (12") comprises: - a first face (12a"), at which said first connector (20) is arranged; - a second face (12b"), at which said second connector (21") is arranged and which is perpendicular to said first face (12a"); and - a third face (12f"), which is perpendicular to said first and second faces (12a", 12b"); said assembly (10") further comprising: - a first electrical cable (30") adapted to electrically connect said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) to an electrical system (60) of said vehicle (1"); and - a second electrical cable (31") adapted to electrically connect said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) to said electrical system (60); wherein said first electrical cable (30") and said second electrical cable (31") pass through said third face (12f").
  12. Assembly according to any one of claims 8 to 11, comprising: - a first contactor (70; 70 IV ) electrically connected to said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) and electrically connected to one of said first electrical cable (30; 30'; 30") and said second electrical cable (31; 31'; 31"); - a second contactor (71; 71 IV ) electrically connected to said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) and electrically connected to the other one of said first electrical cable (30; 30'; 30") and said second electrical cable (31; 31'; 31"); said first contactor (70; 70 IV ) and said second contactor (71; 71 IV ) being configured to: - allow the passage of electrical current between the first or second electrical cable (30; 30'; 30", 31; 31'; 31") and the first and second electrical connectors (20, 21) when, in use, said first electrical connector (20) and said third electrical connector (50) engage with each other or when said second electrical connector (21) and said fourth electrical connector (51) engage with each other; and - prevent the passage of electrical current between the respective first or second electrical cable (30; 30'; 30", 31; 31'; 31") and the first and second electrical connectors (20, 21) when, in use, said first electrical connector (20) and said third electrical connector (50) are disengaged from each other and when said second electrical connector (21) and said fourth electrical connector (51) are disengaged from each other.
  13. Assembly according to claim 12, wherein said first contactor (70) and said second contactor (71) are carried by said second body (12); or wherein said first contactor (70 IV ) and said second contactor (71 IV ) are carried by said first body (11).
  14. Assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising a third body (80 III ), which is adapted to be fixed to or to be carried by a main body (2) of said vehicle (1 III ); said third body (80 III ) comprising, in turn, two first electrical contact elements (81 III , 82 III ), which are adapted to be electrically connected to an electrical system (60) of said vehicle (1 III ); said second body (12 III ) comprising second electrical contact elements (83 III , 84 III ), each electrically connected both to said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21); said second electrical contact elements (83 III , 84 III ) being adapted to cooperate in contact with said first electrical contact elements (81 III , 82 III ), respectively.
  15. Assembly according to claim 14, wherein said first electrical contact elements (81 III , 82 III ) and said second electrical contact elements (83 III , 84 III ) comprise respective brushes, which are configured to cooperate in contact with one another.
  16. Assembly according to claim 14 or 15, comprising: - a first contactor (70 III ) electrically connected to said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) and electrically connected to one of said second electrical contact elements (83 III , 84 III ); - a second contactor (71 III ) electrically connected to said first electrical connector (20) and said second electrical connector (21) and electrically connected to the other of said second electrical contact elements (83 III , 84 III ); said first contactor (70 III ) and said second contactor (71 III ) being configured to: - allow the passage of electrical current between the respective second electrical contact element (83 III , 84 III ) and the first and second electrical connectors (20, 21) when, in use, said first electrical connector (20) and said third electrical connector (50) engage with each other or when said second electrical connector (21) and said fourth electrical connector (51) engage with each other; and - prevent the passage of electrical current between the respective second electrical contact element (83 III , 84 III ) and the first and second electrical connectors (20, 21) when, in use, said first electrical connector (20) and said third electrical connector (50) are disengaged from each other or when said second electrical connector (21) and said fourth electrical connector (51) are disengaged from each other.
  17. Vehicle (1; 1'; 1"; 1 III ; 1 IV ) comprising: - a main body (2); - an electrical system (60); - an electrical connector assembly (10; 10'; 10"; 10 III ; 10 IV ) according to any one of the foregoing claims; wherein said electrical connector assembly (10; 10'; 10"; 10 III ; 10 IV ) is electrically connected to said electrical system (60).

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102024000024762 filed on November 5, 2024, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electrical connector assembly. The present invention finds its preferred, although not exclusive, application in a heavy vehicle, such as a lorry. Reference will be made to this application hereunder purely by way of example. BACKGROUND ART There are known electric or hybrid vehicles, which essentially comprise: a main body;a plurality of wheels rotatable with respect to the main body about respective axes of rotation;electrical energy storage means, for example a battery; andat least one electric motor electrically connected to the electrical energy storage means and operatively connected to at least some of the wheels. In order to charge the electrical energy storage means, it is also known to connect the vehicle to an electrical energy source, for example a charging station, by means of an electrical cable. Specifically, vehicles comprise a first electrical connector (for example, an electrical socket) electrically connected to the electrical energy storage means and adapted to be electrically and mechanically connected to a second electrical connector (i.e., an electrical plug) carried by the electrical cable of the charging station. The continuous improvement of charging technologies of electric or hybrid vehicles has led to the availability on the market of first and second connectors of various types. Consequently, to allow the electrical connection of vehicles to a charging station it is not always sufficient that the vehicle is equipped with a generic first electrical connector, but that the vehicle is equipped with a first electrical connector compatible with the second electrical connector of the charging station. In order to reduce the risk that an electric or hybrid vehicle cannot be electrically charged due to the fact that the electrical equipment required for connection to the electrical energy source is not available on board, the possibility of equipping vehicles with at least two first connectors of different types from each other has been evaluated. Nevertheless, for reasons of electrical safety, the use of more than one first connector on board the vehicle makes it necessary to allow electrical connection of the vehicle to the electrical energy source by means of only one first connector at a time. In particular, it is necessary that, while the vehicle is connected to the electrical energy source by means of a first connector, all other first connectors on board the vehicle must be electrically isolated. In fact, an accidental contact with first connectors which are not electrically isolated and not connected to the electrical energy source, would expose users to very high voltages. In particular, to electrically isolate the first connectors from each other, it is possible to use the same number of electromechanical switches. However, the switches are at times costly and are somewhat bulky and heavy. Therefore, there is the need to provide first connectors of different types from each other on board vehicles, however without encountering the above-mentioned problems. The object of the present invention is to satisfy the above-mentioned need in an optimized and inexpensive way. EP4333217A1, US10266058B2 and GB2599152A illustrate respective examples of electrical connector assemblies for vehicles. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The aforesaid object is achieved by an electrical connector assembly as claimed in the appended claims, which are an integral part of the present description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention, there are described below five preferred embodiments, provided by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to a first embodiment of the present invention and in a first operating configuration, with parts removed for clarity;Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembly of connectors of Fig. 1 in a second operating configuration, with parts removed for clarity;Figs. 3A and 3B are top views of the assembly of connectors of Figs. 1 and 2, in the first operating configuration and in the second operating configuration, respectively, with parts removed for clarity;Figs. 4A and 4B are top views of a connector assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in a first operating configuration and in a second operating configuration, respectively, with parts removed for clarity;Figs. 5A and 5B are side views of a connector assembly according to a third embodiment of the present invention, in a first operating configuration and in a second operating configuration, respectively, with parts removed for clarity;Fig. 6 is a perspecti