CN212968175U

CN212968175U - Connector assembly

Info

Publication number: CN212968175U
Application number: CN202020931348.3U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 权寄灿; 金载勋
Original assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP Korea Co Ltd
Current assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP Korea Co Ltd
Priority date: 2019-05-28
Filing date: 2020-05-28
Publication date: 2021-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2030-05-28
Also published as: KR20200136816A

Abstract

A connector assembly comprising: a first connector including a first connector body and a first connection portion protruding from the first connector body; a second connector including a second connector body and a second connection portion protruding from the second connector body and overlapping the first connection portion in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the second connector; and a terminal fastening lance projecting from the first connector body and extending inside the second connector body. In the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion, one disposed on the opposite outer side has a transmissive material that allows laser light to pass therethrough, and the other disposed on the opposite inner side has an absorptive material that absorbs the laser light. The first connection portion and the second connection portion are connected to each other by laser welding.

Description

Connector assembly

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims priority to korean patent application No. 10-2019-0062439 (application No. 5/28/2019) and korean patent application No. 10-2020-0048871 (application No. 4/22/2020), both of which are filed by the korean intellectual property office, and these disclosures are hereby incorporated by reference for various purposes.

Technical Field

One or more exemplary embodiments relate to a connector assembly and a method of manufacturing the same.

Background

A connector is one type of electrical component that makes or breaks an electrical connection. The connector assembly may include a first connector to connect to a first device and a second connector to connect to a second device that needs to be electrically connected to the first device. For connector assemblies, a compact and waterproof construction may be critical.

The above description is that possessed or obtained by the inventor(s) in the course of designing the present disclosure, and is not necessarily a technique well known before filing the present application.

Disclosure of Invention

One aspect provides a connector assembly manufactured by assembling a first connector and a second connector. The connector assembly may be manufactured by assembling the first connector and the second connector by laser welding, and thus no additional sealing member is required to seal the first connector and the second connector together.

According to an example embodiment, there is provided a connector assembly comprising: a first connector including a first connector body and a first connection portion protruding from the first connector body; a second connector including a second connector body and a second connection portion protruding from the second connector body and overlapping the first connection portion in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the second connector; and a terminal fastening lance projecting from the first connector body and extending inside the second connector body. In the first connection portion and the second connection portion, one disposed on the opposite outer side may have a transmissive material that allows laser light to pass therethrough, and the other disposed on the opposite inner side may have an absorptive material that absorbs the laser light. The first connection portion and the second connection portion may be connected to each other by laser welding.

The terminal fastening lance projects from the first connector body by a length greater than a length by which the first connecting portion projects from the first connector body.

The terminal fastening lance may include a lance body protruding from the first connector main body and a lance head protruding from the lance body in a direction toward a central axis of the first connector.

The lance head may not overlap with the first connection portion in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the first connector.

The lance body may include an inclined body portion that increases in distance from the second connector body as it moves away from the first connector body. The lance head may include an inclined head portion that increases in length projecting from the lance body as it moves away from the first connector body.

The lance body may overlap with the second connector body based on a direction in which the lance body protrudes.

The terminal fastening lance is separable from the second connector body.

The second connector body may include a stepped surface facing at least a portion of a front side of the terminal fastening lance.

The second connecting portion may include a first receiving surface facing the front side of the first connecting portion and a second receiving surface facing the inside or outside surface of the first connecting portion.

Based on the state before performing the laser welding, the connector assembly may further include a melt receiver disposed between the end portion of the first connecting portion and the second connector and configured to receive the melt of the connecting portion with the absorbing material during the laser welding.

The elastic modulus of the connecting portion with the transmissive material may be greater than the elastic modulus of the connecting portion with the absorptive material.

The terminal fastening lance may have a transmissive material that allows laser light to pass through.

According to another example embodiment, a method of manufacturing a connector assembly is provided that includes a first connector, a second connector, and a terminal fastening lance that protrudes from the first connector and extends inside the second connector. The method comprises the following steps: connecting the first connector and the second connector, and performing laser welding on the overlapping portions of the first connector and the second connector.

The first connector may include a first connector body and a first connection portion protruding from the first connector body. The second connector may include a second connector body and a second connection portion protruding from the second connector body and overlapping the first connection portion in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the second connector. In the first connection portion and the second connection portion, one disposed on the opposite outer side may have a transmissive material that allows laser light to pass therethrough, and the other disposed on the opposite inner side may have an absorptive material that absorbs the laser light.

The connection portion having the transmissive material may be outwardly deformed during connection of the first connector and the second connector.

Additional aspects of the example embodiments will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure.

Drawings

These and/or other aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the exemplary embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a connector assembly according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a connector assembly according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly taken along line A-A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the connector assembly of FIG. 3, and a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly prior to performing laser welding;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a connector assembly in assembly according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly of FIG. 4 after laser welding is performed in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly according to another example embodiment; and

fig. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a connector assembly according to an example embodiment.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, example embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the disclosure to the particular example embodiments disclosed. On the contrary, the exemplary embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including" …, "and/or" including …, when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs based on an understanding of the present disclosure. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In the description of the exemplary embodiments, a detailed description of known related structures or functions will be omitted when it is considered that such description is intended to make the present disclosure ambiguous.

Terms such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b), etc., may be used herein to describe components. Each of these terms is not intended to define the nature, order, or sequence of the corresponding elements, but rather is merely intended to distinguish the corresponding elements from other element(s). It should be noted that if one member is described as being "connected", "coupled", and "coupled" to another member in the specification, a third member may also be "connected", "coupled", and "coupled" between the first and second members, although the first member may be directly connected, coupled, or coupled to the second member. Further, it should be noted that if it is described in the specification that one member is "directly connected" or "directly coupled" to another member, a third member may not be present therebetween. Similarly, expressions such as "between …" and "directly between …" and "adjacent" and "directly adjacent" may also be interpreted as described above.

Hereinafter, example embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In view of the reference numerals assigned to the elements in the figures, it should be noted that identical elements will be designated by identical reference numerals whenever possible even though they are shown in different figures.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a connector assembly according to an example embodiment. Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a connector assembly according to an example embodiment. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly taken along line a-a of fig. 1.

Referring to fig. 1 to 3, the connector assembly 100 includes first and

second connectors

1 and 2 configured to be connected to each other, a terminal fastening lance (space) 3, and a main seal 4. The first connector 1 and the second connector 2 may be connected to each other with at least a portion overlapping therebetween.

The first connector 1 includes a first connector body 11 and a first connecting portion 12 protruding from the first connector body 11. The first connector body 11 is provided in a prism shape having a hollow portion at its center based on the center axis C1. For example, the first connector body 11 may be provided in a cylindrical shape.

The second connector 2 includes a second connector body 21 and a second connecting portion 22, the second connector body 21 being aligned in parallel with the first connector body 11, the second connecting portion 22 protruding from the second connector body 21. The second connector body 21 is provided in a prism shape having a hollow portion at its center based on the center axis C2. For example, the second connector body 21 may be provided in a cylindrical shape. The second connection portion 22 overlaps the first connection portion 12 in a direction perpendicular to the central axis C1 of the first connector 1 and/or the central axis C2 of the second connector 2. For example, second connection portion 22 may be disposed outboard or inboard with respect to first connection portion 12 in a direction perpendicular to central axis C1 and/or central axis C2. Although the second connection portion 22 is shown to be disposed inside with respect to the first connection portion 12, the example is not limited thereto. For example, as shown in fig. 7, the second connection portion 22 'may be disposed outside with respect to the first connection portion 12'. The central axis C1 of the first connector body 11 and the central axis C2 of the second connector body 21 are parallel to each other, which are collectively shown as C in fig. 3.

Of the first connection portion 12 and the second connection portion 22, the first connection portion 12 disposed at the opposite outer side may have a transmissive material allowing laser light to transmit therethrough, and the second connection portion 22 may have an absorptive material absorbing the laser light. The first connection part 12 and the second connection part 22 may be connected by laser welding. The first connection portion 12 and the second connection portion 22 may be irradiated with laser light. The irradiated laser light may pass through the first connection portion 12 having the transmissive material and then reach the second connection portion 22 having the absorptive material. A portion of the second connection portion 22 may be melted by the laser, and the resulting melt may connect the first connection portion 12 and the second connection portion 22.

The terminal fastening lance 3 protrudes from the first connector body 11 and extends inside the second connector body 21. The terminal fastening lance 3 is separated from the second connector body 21 by a certain distance. The terminal fastening lance 3 can support a terminal (not shown) to be mounted to the connector assembly 100 to prevent the terminal from being detached from the connector assembly 100. For example, the terminals may be inserted inwardly into the connector assembly 100 in the + x direction. When the terminal is inserted, the terminal fastening lance 3 can be elastically deformed in a direction toward the second connector body 21. When the terminal is completely inserted, the terminal fastening lance 3 can be restored to its original shape. When the terminal is fully inserted, the terminal fastening lance 3 can support one side of the terminal to prevent the terminal from receding in the-x direction. The terminal fastening lances 3 may be provided in number as a plurality of terminal fastening lances.

The primary seal 4 may be used to seal between the connector assembly 100 and a plug (not shown) when the plug is connected to the connector assembly 100. Only a seal for sealing between the connector assembly 100 and the plug may be required, and a seal for sealing the connector assembly 100 itself may not be required. The connector assembly 100 may not require an additional sealing member for sealing a portion of the connection between the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 because the first connector 1 and the second connector 2 are connected to each other by laser welding.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the connector assembly of fig. 3, and a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly before laser welding is performed. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a connector assembly in assembly according to an example embodiment. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the connector assembly after laser welding is performed according to an exemplary embodiment.

Referring to fig. 4 to 6, the terminal fastening lance 3 of the connector assembly 100 is separated from the second connector body 21. The terminal fastening lance 3 includes a lance body 31 and a lance head 32.

As shown, the lance body 31 protrudes from the first connector body 11 in the + x direction. The lance body 31 is separated from the inner walls of the second connector body 21 and the second connecting portion 22 in a direction toward the center axis of the second connector 2.

The lance body 31 includes an inclined body portion 31a, and the distance of the inclined body portion 31a from the second connector body 21 increases as it goes away from the first connector body 11. When a terminal (not shown) is inserted into the connector assembly 100 in the + x direction, the lance body 31 can be deformed in a direction toward the second connector body 21. Here, an inclined body portion 31a may be provided to prevent the lance body 31 from contacting the second connector body 21.

The lance head 32 protrudes from the lance body 31 in a direction toward the central axis of the first connector 1 (e.g., direction-y). The lance head 32 may be secured to the terminal and thus prevent the terminal from disengaging from the connector assembly 100.

The lance head 32 may not overlap with the first connection portion 12 in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the first connector 1. That is, the lance head 32 may be arranged at a different position from the first connection portion 12 and the second connection portion 22 along the longitudinal direction of the connector assembly 100. This structure can prevent the laser light from accidentally reaching the lance head 32 during laser welding.

The lance head 32 includes an inclined head portion 32a, and the length of the inclined head portion 32a protruding from the lance body 31 increases as it goes away from the first connector body 11. When the terminal is inserted into the connector assembly 100 in the + x direction, the terminal may generate a torque to rotate the terminal fastening lance 3 in the + y direction due to the inclined head portion 32 a. The terminal fastening portion 3 may be deformed by the terminal and then restore its original shape when the terminal passes, thereby fastening the terminal.

The second connector body 21 includes a stepped surface 21a facing at least a part of the front side of the terminal fastening lance 3 and an inner side surface 21b facing the lance body 31, the inner side surface 21b being separated from the lance body 31 by a distance D in the y-axis direction. The stepped surface 21a is separated from the front end portion of the lance body 31. That is, the second connector body 21 may be provided in a shape having a groove recessed in the y-axis direction. With this structure, the connector assembly 100 can be provided in a compact shape having a relatively large outer diameter only in the portion where the terminal fastening lance 3 is provided and a relatively small outer diameter in the remaining portion. In addition, the second connector body 21 may have a sufficiently large thickness of a portion where the terminal fastening lance 3 is not provided (for example, a portion provided in the + x direction from the terminal fastening lance 3), and thus the connector assembly 100 may have a sufficiently large level of durability.

The second connection portion 22 includes a receiving recess to receive the first connection portion 12. For example, as shown, the second connection portion 22 includes a first receiving surface 22c facing the front side of the first connection portion 12 and a second receiving surface 22d facing the inside or outside surface of the first connection portion 12. Although the second receiving surface 22d is shown to face the inner side surface of the first connecting portion 12 in fig. 4 to 6, the second receiving surface 22d may also face the outer side surface of the first connecting portion 12 as shown in fig. 7. The first receiving surface 22c and the second receiving surface 22d may form a stepped portion therebetween. In a state where the first connecting portion 12 is seated on the first receiving surface 22c and the second receiving surface 22d, the outer side surface of the first connecting portion 12 and the outer side surface of the second connector body 21 can be seamlessly connected without a stepped portion. With this structure, the outer diameter of the connector assembly 100 can be reduced, and therefore the connector assembly 100 can be provided in a compact structure.

Based on the state before the laser welding is performed, the melt receiver S is disposed between the end portion of the first connection portion 12 and the second connector body 21 of the second connector 2. During laser welding, the melt receiver S may be filled with a melt having a connecting portion (e.g., the second connecting portion 22) of an absorbing material.

Although the first connection portion 12 and the second connection portion 22 are shown to overlap each other in fig. 4 for convenience of description, the overlapping of the first connection portion 12 and the second connection portion 22 is physically impossible, and one of the first connection portion 12 and the second connection portion 22 may deform the other. For example, the modulus of elasticity of the connecting portion (e.g., the first connecting portion 12) having the transmissive material may be greater than the modulus of elasticity of the connecting portion (e.g., the second connecting portion 22) having the absorptive material. In this example, the second connection portion 22 may be deformed outward. In this example, when laser welding is performed in this state, the melt produced by the laser welding can be moved more easily to the melt receiver 25 without moving in the direction toward the terminal fastening lance 3.

For example, as shown, at least a portion of the outer wall of the second connecting portion 22 may melt to become a melt 25 and then solidify again, thereby connecting the second connecting portion 22 to the first connecting portion 12. A portion of the melt 25 may solidify on the surfaces of the first and

second connection portions

12 and 22 facing each other, and the remaining portion of the melt 25 may move into the melt receiver S to solidify therein.

The first connection portion 12 may be arranged on the outer side of the second connection portion 22, and the first connection portion 12 and the terminal fastening lance 2 may have a transmissive material that allows laser light to transmit therethrough. Therefore, even if the laser light accidentally reaches the terminal fastening lance 3, the terminal fastening lance 3 can transmit the laser light and is not deformed. Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a connector assembly according to another example embodiment.

Referring to fig. 7, the first terminal 1 'includes a first connector body 11' and a first connection portion 12 ', and the second terminal 2' includes a second connector body 21 'and a second connection portion 22'. The portion 15 ' of the first connector body 11 ', illustrated as overlapping the second connector body 21 ', may be a portion that melts during laser welding. At least a portion of the portion 15' may solidify at a portion thereof, the remainder of which may be moved into the melt receiver S to solidify therein.

The first connection portion 12 'of the first terminal 1' may be disposed inside the second connection portion 22 'of the second terminal 2'. The first connection portion 12 'may have an absorption material that absorbs the laser light, and the second connection portion 22' may have a transmission material that allows the laser light to transmit therethrough.

The terminal fastening lance 3 'includes a lance body 31' and a lance head 32 'protruding from the lance body 31'. Although the lance body 31 ' is described above as being formed by protruding from the first terminal 1 ', the lance body 31 ' may also protrude in a direction from the second terminal 2 ' toward the first terminal 1 '.

Referring to fig. 8, a method of manufacturing a connector assembly includes a step S100 of connecting a first connector and a second connector, and a step S200 of performing laser welding on overlapping portions of the first connector and the second connector. The overlapping portion denotes a portion where the first connector and the second connector overlap each other.

In S100, one connection portion is inserted into the other connection portion among the connection portion of the first connector and the connection portion of the second connector. For example, in the two connection portions, the outer one disposed outside may allow the laser light to transmit therethrough, and the other disposed inside may absorb the laser light. In this example, the connection portion arranged outside may have a larger elastic modulus than that of the connection portion arranged inside, and be deformed outward when the connection portion of the first connector and the connection portion of the second connector are connected to each other.

In S200, laser welding is performed on the overlapping portions of the first connector and the second connector. When the laser welding is performed, the first connector and the second connector are connected to each other, and thus no fluid can enter between the first connector and the second connector.

According to example embodiments described herein, a connector assembly may be provided in a compact structure because a first connector and a second connector of the connector assembly are connected by laser welding without requiring an additional sealing member to seal the first connector and the second connector together.

When an additional sealing member is used to seal the first connector and the second connector, a structure for fixing and supporting the sealing member may be required. However, the connector assembly may not require such a structure because the first connector and the second connector are connected by laser welding.

In addition, the connector assembly may be designed such that the head portion of the terminal fastening lance for fixing the terminal does not overlap with the portion to be laser-welded in a direction perpendicular to the center axis of the connector assembly, and thus accidental damage to the head portion of the terminal fastening lance during laser welding may be prevented.

Further, the connector assembly may include a melt receiver to receive melt generated during laser welding, and thus may prevent the melt from moving to undesired areas.

While the present disclosure includes specific examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims and their equivalents. The examples described herein are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The description of features or aspects in each example will be considered applicable to similar features or aspects in other examples. Suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in the described systems, structures, devices, or circuits are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents.

Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is defined not by the detailed description but by the claims and their equivalents, and all changes within the scope of the claims and their equivalents are to be construed as being included in the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising:

a first connector including a first connector body and a first connecting portion protruding from the first connector body;

a second connector including a second connector body and a second connection portion that protrudes from the second connector body and overlaps with the first connection portion in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the second connector; and

a terminal fastening lance projecting from the first connector body and extending inside the second connector body,

wherein, of the first connection portion and the second connection portion, one disposed on an opposite outer side has a transmissive material that allows passage of laser light, and the other disposed on an opposite inner side has an absorptive material that absorbs laser light, and

the first connection portion and the second connection portion are connected to each other by laser welding.

2. The connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein a length of the terminal fastening lance protruding from the first connector body is larger than a length of the first connecting portion protruding from the first connector body.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the terminal fastening lance includes:

a lance body protruding from the first connector body; and

a lance head protruding from the lance body in a direction toward a central axis of the first connector.

4. The connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the spear head does not overlap the first connection portion in a direction perpendicular to a central axis of the first connector.

5. The connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the lance body includes an angled body portion that increases in distance from the second connector body as it moves away from the first connector body; and is

The lance head includes an inclined head portion whose protruding length from the lance body increases as it goes away from the first connector body.

6. The connector assembly of claim 3, wherein the lance body overlaps the second connector body based on a direction in which the lance body protrudes.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the terminal fastening lance is separate from the second connector body.

8. The connector assembly according to claim 7, wherein the second connector body includes a stepped surface facing at least a part of a front side of the terminal fastening lance.

9. The connector assembly of claim 7, wherein the second connection portion includes a first receiving surface facing a front side of the first connection portion and a second receiving surface facing an inside or outside surface of the first connection portion.

10. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein based on a state prior to performing the laser welding, further comprising:

a melt receiver disposed between an end portion of the first connecting portion and the second connector and configured to receive the melt with the connecting portion of the absorbent material during the laser welding.

11. The connector assembly of claim 10, wherein the modulus of elasticity of the connecting portion with the transmissive material is greater than the modulus of elasticity of the connecting portion with the absorptive material.

12. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein the terminal fastening lance has a transmissive material that allows passage of laser light.