CN107086424B

CN107086424B - Electrical connector

Info

Publication number: CN107086424B
Application number: CN201710068126.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 马尔科·费勒莫; 克里斯托弗·马赫纳
Original assignee: Lisa Draexlmaier GmbH
Current assignee: Lisa Draexlmaier GmbH
Priority date: 2016-02-15
Filing date: 2017-02-07
Publication date: 2018-11-23
Anticipated expiration: 2037-02-07
Also published as: CN107086424A; DE102016102605B3

Abstract

Invention proposes a kind of pivoting electrical connector, the pivoting electrical connector has inner tube and surrounds the outer tube of the inner tube, and wherein inner and outer tubes can rotate relative to one another around common longitudinal axis.Joint housing for male contact is in an extreme ends of two pipes, and module housing is on another extreme ends of two pipes.When two pipes mutually reach scheduled rotation angle, at least one the first latch elements stretched out are joined at least one first recess.In addition, having electric lead flexible in the inner space of inner tube.

Description

Electrical connector

Technical field

The present invention relates to pivoting electrical connectors, and particularly by joint housing and module housing with rotatable The pivoting electrical connector that mode connects.

Background technique

In the automotive industry, the share of electrical components is continuously increased.This vehicle run not only for pure electric vehicle, and for With the vehicle of hybrid power driving and with the vehicle of traditional internal combustion engine operation.A large amount of electricity additional component causes in electric lead High current, this causes electrical connection that must also separate under high currents again.For this purpose, electric contactor or other component can be used.This A little components on the one hand can be quite huge.On the other hand, structure space available in vehicle is not bigger without restriction. Therefore, it is necessary to which the ever-increasing electrical component saving of quantity is spatially disposed.Connectivity problem can pass through bunch of cables scheme solution sometimes Certainly, or in the following way it solves, i.e., so that certain plug on component is present on component with accurate bit-type, so that electric The plug of cable beam is matched on component or the plug or socket of module without big torsion.Certainly, if component is wanted It is installed in different vehicles or is installed with different spatial orientations, be then difficult to bunch of cables or required connector so that on component It is carried out in a manner of accurate or is identical as the case where other vehicle or other spatial orientation.Therefore, it is necessary to make identical Component have the joint housing that is differently oriented.But this makes product become expensive because each module must have it is different Joint housing.

There is known the hinge apparatus passed through for cable from 10 2,004 004 616 B4 of DE, the hinge apparatus without Bunch of cables is drawn in a manner of not damaging bunch of cables when hinge apparatus moves required to limit the retainer of rotation and realize Multiple rotary gemels were connected.

It there is known the electric lead guide portion in the pivotal area of door from 101 47 764 A1 of DE, the electric lead draws It leads portion and uses two casings with cylindrical cross section, wherein a casing is partially pushed into another casing directly To retainer, two sleeves are substantially unremovably connected with each other so that being connected by force-fitting.

Summary of the invention

Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to not meet all potentially possible joint housings selections and same When be achieved automated manufacturing in the case where realize and the connection possibility of component.

Techniques discussed above problem is solved by subject matter of the independent claims.Advantageous form of implementation of the invention by Dependent claims, discussed below and attached drawing obtain.

According to one aspect of the invention, it is proposed that a kind of pivoting electrical connector.Pivoting electrical connector has Inner tube with outside and inner space and the outer tube for surrounding the inner tube, wherein inner and outer tubes can surround common longitudinal axis Line relative rotation.

Furthermore pivoting electrical connector has a joint housing and module housing, the joint housing is used in two pipes Male contact on one extreme ends, the module housing are used for the received electricity portion on another extreme ends of two pipes Part.

It is upper provided at least one the first recess in one of described pipe.It is engaged under two scheduled relative rotation angles of pipe At least one on another pipe in first recess stretches out, such as the first latch elements for flexibly supporting can will Two pipes are fixed to each other, and are especially fixed to each other in a manner of preventing relative rotation.

In addition, pivoting electrical connector has electric lead flexible, the electric lead is walked in the inner space of inner tube To terminating at the male contact in joint housing, and be connected with electrical components.

It should be noted that can it is advantageous to the nominal lengths that inner tube corresponds essentially to outer tube over its length.

Following concept and statement are used within this document：

Concept " electrical connector " describes a kind of equipment, and the equipment is suitable for electrical components (such as using in vehicle (electricity Motor-car or on-electric vehicle) in electrical components) be connected with other electrical connector (such as bunch of cables).

Concept " joint housing " describes a kind of shell, and the shell is suitable for receiving plug or socket.Plug or socket It can be directly integrated into shell.

Concept " module housing " describes a kind of shell, and one or more electric modules may be present in the shell.Electric module Example be electric contactor, the electric contactor is protected by module housing to be influenced or potential short circuit to prevent such as environment.It is typical Ground, electric module should be connect being mounted on different positions with the male contact of bunch of cables.

Concept " recess " describes for example round or elongated shape the recess portion in surface, and the surface can be the outer of inner tube Side or the inside of outer tube.

Concept " latch elements " describes the element of the convex stretched out from surface, and the surface is, for example, the outer of inner tube Side or the inside of outer tube.For can be interconnected or clamping lock including, latch elements and recess must be directly opposed respectively.

Concept " clamping lock hook " describes a kind of barb with element can turn up, hook-shaped, and the barb is being guided By being transitioned into the state that can not be turned up on the back side of opening after opening and therefore preventing clamping lock hook retracting from opening.Bullet Spring can play the role of again pushing each hook elements relative to each other open after hook elements guidance to be passed through to opening.

Concept " electric lead " describes flexible --- such as twisted linear --- electric lead of insulation, the electric lead Can by the electrical components and joint housing of for example electric module plug or socket be connected with each other.

Pivoting electrical connector proposed by herein has following series of advantages：

Module housing with electric component or electronic building brick can be equipped with pivoting electrical connector, so as to be for example electric The plug of cable beam assigns flexible connection possibility, without allowing module housing for every kind of bunch of cables construction or every kind of structure space The joint housing of situation outfit special configuration.Alternatively, joint housing, which may depend on installation situation and be directed or rotate to be, to be made Obtaining the joint housing can be properly arrived at.Male contact in joint housing should be connected with pairing plug.This connection is to take Certainly in direction or angle.Therefore, male contact can be directed to simple, quick and especially automatable connection to set Meter.This may be such that joint housing relative to module housing at certain rotation angle.The plug face for belonging to male contact exists This can be oriented on the longitudinal direction of inner and outer tubes, but preferably be oriented perpendicularly thereto.In plug face vertical orientation, insert Head depend primarily on the rotation angle of joint housing for matching the accessibility of plug.With rigidly pacify according to prior art The joint housing being attached on module housing is different, and no matter module housing, which is in any installation site, according to the present invention to install Plug face is oriented later.

On the other hand, for example must may also be incited somebody to action due to safety regulations --- for example as the content of module housing --- contactor doubly constructs and is respectively relative to construct mutually rotatingly.It in this case, can also be by each joint housing It flexibly orients, is electrically connected so that can be formed well with bunch of cables or other conducting wire.Particularly, same type can be used The module housing with flexible electric connector.Do not require the other module housing with the joint housing additionally oriented. It reduce production cost and used module housing can neatly be installed.

In addition, the module housing with pivoting electrical connector remains and is suitable for automatically constructing, because can be with With the predeterminated position of pivoting electrical connector to being automatically brought into operation device programming.As a result, by part to be built with it is more flexible, But unobstructive mode carries out automation installation simultaneously.

The other advantageous form of implementation of object according to the present invention is hereinafter described.

According to the form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, inner tube at its end on end can with joint housing is fixed connects It connects, and outer tube can be connected with its end opposed with the extreme ends of inner tube with module housing.Therefore, joint housing can phase Module housing is rotated, until latch elements snap in recess.The delivery modification that can suggest pivoting electrical connector, makes Its form delivery with non-clamping lock on module housing, so that joint housing can so rotate, so that the joint housing Interior socket or plug can be combined with the plug connector elements of bunch of cables without difficulty.

According to the form of implementation of the substitution of pivoting electrical connector, inner tube can on one extreme ends with module case Body is fixedly connected, and outer tube can be connect with its end opposed with the extreme ends of inner tube with joint housing.Implement shape herein In formula, joint housing can also be rotated relative to module housing, until on the one hand including recess and on the other hand including latch elements The mutually inside and outside nested engagement of locking mechanism.

Advantageously, pivoting electrical connector is used for the module housing of electric contactor.It can by pivoting electrical connector Therefore by especially heavy electric contactor (on the one hand the electric contactor vertically and is on the other hand horizontally mounted in vehicle) Neatly it is connected with other electrical connector.

According to the effective form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, joint housing has for being electrically connected with electric lead Plug or socket.This plug or this socket can with --- for example on bunch of cables --- complementary elements are electrically connected.Joint housing can By by it is arbitrary it is inclined in the form of on be fixed on the pipe according to structural type one.Plug or socket in joint housing is former It is embeddable in any surface of joint housing in reason.

According to the advantageous form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, the first latch elements can be with the state of tensioning at least It is partially in the wall of outer tube.Latch elements can be resiliently supported in socket or as fixed button element cloth at this It sets on the inner wall of outer tube.In this case, it is advantageous that pipe is made of elastic material, such as plastics.

According to the other advantageous form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, rotation may be present between the inner and outer pipe sections Guide portion.The spacing between inner and outer tubes can be realized by this method, and latch elements or multiple latch elements can extend into described In spacing.

According to the specifically configured form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, inner tube is in the end opposed with joint housing On can have clamping lock hook.Alternatively, two or more for example opposed clamping lock hooks also may be present.In the state that clamping lock hook has been pushed into Under, clamping lock hook will not project into except the internal diameter of rotation guide portion, therefore the inner tube with the clamping lock hook stretched out can have no difficulty Ground is pushed through rotation guide portion.In the state that clamping lock hook is pushed out or unclamps, prevent from being pushed into interior in outer tube Pipe is pulled out from outer tube.Clamping lock hook can such as clamping lock on the inside of module housing.Clamping lock hook may be configured with spring with for can The clamping lock leaned on.

According to other advantageous form of implementation, pivoting electrical connector can be in addition to the first recess at one of the pipe Inside there is the second recess.Therefore, inner tube can from outer tube with one with by the different angle clamping lock of the first scheduled angle of recess.The One latch elements are not joined in the first recess but are joined in the second recess.It, can be relative in special form of implementation In addition the pipe of housing module rotation can rotate to after overcoming initial torque from the clamping lock that its latch elements and first are recessed Position so that latch elements are joined to now in the second recess.

According to the other advantageous form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, the second recess can be away from the first recess Pipe extreme ends distance with first recess mutually exist together positioned at another position of the circumference of pipe so that when second recess and First latch elements are joined in the second recess when first latch elements are opposed.

According to the other form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, settable second latch elements, second clamping lock Element is staggered relative to the first latch elements position and the distance of the extreme ends away from pipe is identical as the second recess, so that when second Second latch elements are joined in the second recess when recess and the second latch elements are opposed.

Therefore, two recess on the identical Zhou Yuan of pipe or are on the Zhou Yuan mutually staggered.It correspondingly applies to Latch elements realize effective clamping lock with this.On the one hand two latch elements may make to simultaneously engage with its corresponding recess It is interior；On the other hand it may make the second latch elements that can only be joined to its corresponding recess after rotating through scheduled angle It is interior.The settable other latch elements and recess with corresponding effect.

According to the other form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, at least one recess and at least one latch elements can It is constructed so as to realize rotation of the outer tube relative to inner tube under the action of being more than the torque of pre-determined threshold value, wherein each card Element is locked from the status transition of relaxation to the state of elastic tension.By this method, inner tube not only can single relative to outer tube Clamping lock, and repeatably snap in multiple positions.In the case where very limited structure space, even if joint housing is therefore It can also be rotated relative to module housing in the case where disassembly.

According to the other advantageous form of implementation of pivoting electrical connector, each latch elements can be from following item It is selected in group：Ball, cylinder, hemisphere.Certainly, suitably it is recessed and corresponds to the shape of latch elements, so that guarantees reliable machine Tool engages and therefore ensures against the locking effect of two pipe relative rotation.In other words, suitably each recess corresponds to affiliated Latch elements end sections shape.The recess with sharp, such as right angle edge can also be used.Latch elements are then With corresponding shape.Certainly, the multiple rotary after clamping lock is no longer feasible.

According to the form of implementation of the other extension of pivoting electrical connector, retainer can be arranged for preventing from connecing Casing carries out the rotation greater than predetermined angular relative to module housing.For only having the case where retainer, joint housing It can be rotated relative to module housing and be not greater than about 360 °.If such as two retainers of setting, the retainer can be positioned as So that joint housing is no more than a scheduled angle, such as 90 °, 180 ° relative to the rotation of module housing, but do not limit to In this.The advantages of this retainer is the excessive rotation for preventing joint housing, to prevent possibility of the electric lead in internal tube Damage.

Other advantage and feature of the invention is provided from the following example description for preferred implementing form.This Shen Each figure in attached drawing please be only schematically and exemplarily and be not drawn on scale.

Detailed description of the invention

Fig. 1 is to show electrical connector according to the present invention in sectional view.

Fig. 2 shows a sections in the vertical plane longitudinally extended relative to pipe.

Fig. 3 shows the side view of electrical connector.

Specific embodiment

It should be noted that for feature corresponding with this form of implementation or the identical or at least functionally identical difference of component Form of implementation feature or component provide identical drawing reference numeral.To avoid unnecessary repetition, according to aforementioned implementation The feature or component that form is explained are not explained below.

Fig. 1 illustrates electrical connector according to the present invention in sectional view.In visible two pipes 102,104 in the centre of Fig. 1, Outer tube 104 therein surrounds inner tube, so that two pipes can surround a common longitudinal axis relative rotation.Between the two tubes Gap (being not shown in Fig. 1) may be present and one or more guide portions can be set on the outside of inner tube 102 with preferably real Now rotation of the pipe 102 and 104 relative to common imaginary central axis.Joint housing can be arranged on or within its side There are plug or socket, cable 110 or multiple cables 110 terminate on the plug or socket.Advantageously, the cable is flexible Flexible cord shape insulated cable.By this method, the joint housing 106 being fixedly connected in the figure shown in inner tube 102 can with it is interior Pipe 102 is rotated relative to outer tube 104 and module housing 108 together.

Drawing reference numeral 108 indicates the wall of the wherein module housing at least one electrical components (such as contactor).Institute In the example shown, module housing 108 is fixedly connected with outer tube.Module housing itself can be of virtually any shape and space Orientation.

Joint housing 106 with male contact has plug face 200, and the plug face positions on certain direction, It is for example upwardly-directed in Fig. 1.Therefore, for the connection of the automation with pairing plug (not shown), in male contact and match To connection easy to form between plug.Therefore, the identical module housing of structure in addition is installed with being rotated by 90 °, such as when passing through When second contactor forms redundancy about the shock loading that depends on direction of the redundancy especially for example in collision, then may be used By rotating pipe 102,104 by the plug face of the second male contact in direction identical with the plug face of the first male contact Upper orientation.The pairing contact for two plug connections can be carried out from identical direction and is therefore automatically inserted into as a result, be This also sees the description for Fig. 3.

Electric lead 110 or multiple electric leads 110 or cable can be connected with the electrical components of module housing, for example, with contactor Control and/or load contact connection.

Furthermore Fig. 1 shows clamping lock hook 112, the clamping lock hook 112 prevent inner tube 102 after being introduced into joint housing 106 deviate from or pull out from outer tube 104 together.Clamping lock hook is turned up during inner tube 102 is pushed into outer tube 104, so that card Latch hook does not project into slightly or only except the circumference of inner tube 102 or rotation guide portion.It is pushed out into when clamping lock is hooked in final position When except the end of outer tube 104, the clamping lock hook is unfolded relative to each other and by inner tube 102 can rotate relative to outer tube 104 Mode lock.

Alternatively, module housing can also be fixedly connected with inner tube 102, and joint housing is fixedly connected with outer tube.In this feelings In condition, using the locking mechanism of the substitution relative to outer tube 104 of inner tube 102, to prevent the de- of outer tube 104 and joint housing It falls/pulls out.Corresponding solution known to professional.

Fig. 2 shows extend the section in perpendicular plane in the longitudinal direction with pipe 102,104.In this figure, inner tube 102 Illustratively there are four recess 202 for tool on the surface thereof.But can also only have second recess etc. with a recess or additionally.It is recessed Fall into the actually desirable arbitrary value of 202 mutual distance or angles.

On the other hand, four latch elements 204 are illustrated in Fig. 2.When the rotation by pipe 102 relative to pipe 104 When keeping recess 202 opposed with latch elements 204, latch elements 204 are engageable to be recessed in 202 to corresponding.It, can certain journey with this Position on degree by inner tube 102 relative to outer tube 104 is fixed.Latch elements 204 can be flexible in itself or can elastic twelve Earthly Branches It holds on the inner surface of outer tube.Recess 202 can be configured to spherical segment or be configured to the recess portion of elongated shape.Each latch elements 204 are answered Corresponding to the shape of each recess 202, to guarantee reliable clamping lock.It is more than with one when inner tube 102 is applied relative to outer tube 104 When the torque of scheduled value, pipe 102,104 can rotate relative to each other again, and latch elements 204 can respectively snap to another again In recess 202.With this, joint housing 106 is in other orientation relative to module housing 108.The quantity of latch elements can protect It holds as variation, without being fixed on a determining quantity.Advantageously there are make inner tube 102 that can be in two relative to outer tube At least two recess 202 of semi-fixed location and at least one latch elements 204.

It is settable for limiting inner tube 102 relative to outer tube to damage electric lead 110 will not because of " excessively rotation " At least one retainer of 104 rotation.In the case where two retainers, it can prevent from implementing almost 360 ° of rotation.Stop Mutual rotation can be restricted to actual any scheduled angle by portion, such as be restricted to 90 ° or 180 °, but be not limited to This.

Fig. 3 shows module housing 108 from another angle.Joint housing 106 can surround the rotation axis of pipe 102,104 Rotation, but the boundary of this rotation is limited by retainer 220, to prevent the excessive rotation of electric lead 110.

Reference signs list

100 pivoting electrical connectors

102 inner tubes

104 outer tubes

106 joint housings

108 module housings

110 electric leads

112 clamping lock hooks

200 plug faces

202 recess

204 latch elements

220 retainers

Claims

1. a kind of pivoting electrical connector (100), the pivoting electrical connector have：

The inner tube (102) in outside and inner space is had,

Surround the outer tube (104) of the inner tube (102), wherein said inner tube (102) and the outer tube (104) can surround one Common longitudinal axis rotates relative to one another,

Joint housing (106), the joint housing are used to receive plug on an extreme ends of two pipes (102,104) and connect Point, wherein the joint housing is fixedly connected with one in said inner tube (102) and the outer tube (104),

Module housing (108), the module housing are used to receive electricity portion on another extreme ends of two pipes (102,104) Part, wherein the module housing is fixedly connected with another in said inner tube (102) and the outer tube (104),

At least one first recess (202) on one of pipe (102,104),

It is on another in pipe (102,104), so that pipe (102,104) be in it is scheduled rotation angle mode connect At least one first latch elements (204) stretched out in first recess (202) are closed, and

Electric lead (110) flexible, the electric lead move towards in the inner space of said inner tube (102), terminate at described connect Male contact in casing (106), and be connected with the electrical components.

2. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to claim 1, wherein said inner tube (102) is in said inner tube (102) it is permanently connected on a extreme ends with the joint housing (106), and the outer tube (104) is with the outer tube The end opposed with the extreme ends connect with the module housing (108).

3. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to claim 1, wherein said inner tube (102) is in said inner tube Be permanently connected on extreme ends with the module housing (108), and the outer tube (104) with the outer tube and said inner tube (102) the opposed end of the extreme ends is connect with the joint housing (106).

4. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the joint housing (106) there is the plug or socket for being electrically connected with the electric lead (110).

5. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein the first latch elements (204) it is at least partly at the state of tensioning in the wall of the outer tube (104).

6. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein in said inner tube (102) there is rotation guide portion between the outer tube (104).

7. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to claim 6, wherein said inner tube (102) with the connector There are clamping lock hook (112) on the opposed end of shell (106), in the state that the clamping lock hook (112) has been pushed into, the clamping lock Hook does not project into except the internal diameter of the rotation guide portion, and is then prevented in described in the state that the clamping lock hook is pushed out (102) are managed to be pulled out from the outer tube (104).

8. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to claim 1, wherein the pipe with the first recess (202) (102,104) there is the second recess (202).

9. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to claim 8, wherein second recess (202) is away from having The distance of the extreme ends of the pipe (102,104) of first recess mutually exists together with the first recess (202) is located at the week of pipe (102,104) Another position in portion, so that the first card described in when second recess (202) and opposed first latch elements (204) Lock element (204) is joined in second recess (202).

10. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to claim 8 or claim 9, the electrical connector also have：

- the second latch elements (204), second latch elements (204) are staggered relative to the first latch elements (204), and away from The distance for managing the extreme ends of (102,104) is identical as the second recess (202), so that when second recess is (202) and described Second latch elements (204) described in when second latch elements (204) are opposed are joined in second recess (202).

11. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to claim 1 or 8, wherein at least one recess (202) and extremely A few latch elements (204) is constructed so as to realize the outer tube under the action of being more than the torque of pre-determined threshold value (104) rotation relative to said inner tube (102), wherein each latch elements (204) are from the status transition of relaxation to elasticity The state of tensioning.

12. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein each latch elements (204) it is selected from the group with following item：Ball, cylinder, hemisphere.

13. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein each recess corresponds to The shape of the end sections of affiliated latch elements.

14. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to any one of claim 1 to 3 also has at least one stop Portion (220), the rotation that the retainer is used to prevent the joint housing (106) from carrying out greater than scheduled angle.

15. pivoting electrical connector (100) according to any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein the joint housing (106) there are plug face (200), the plug face orients in 90 °ly relative to the longitudinal direction of pipe (102,104).