CN217934297U

CN217934297U - Electrical connector and electrical connector assembly with enhanced terminal stability

Info

Publication number: CN217934297U
Application number: CN202222246588.1U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 孙宇麟; 于增亮; 林俊
Original assignee: Delphi Electrical Centers Shanghai Co Ltd
Current assignee: Delphi Electrical Centers Shanghai Co Ltd
Priority date: 2022-07-22
Filing date: 2022-08-25
Publication date: 2022-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 2032-08-25
Also published as: CN115296071A; CN218415121U

Abstract

The present application discloses electrical connectors and electrical connector assemblies having enhanced terminal stability. An electrical connector with enhanced terminal stability according to the present application includes: an insulative plastic housing defining one or more terminal channels; a first terminal mounted in the one or more terminal channels, the first terminal having a terminal securing through hole; and a fixing member configured to pass through the terminal fixing through-hole, thereby fixing the first terminal to the insulative plastic case.

Description

Electrical connector and electrical connector assembly with enhanced terminal stability

Technical Field

The present application relates to electrical connection technology, and more particularly, to an electrical connector with enhanced terminal stability. The application scenario of the connector includes, but is not limited to, a quick-plug high-voltage connector/high-current connector used in an electric and power system of a new energy vehicle (especially a hybrid electric vehicle).

Background

With the development of electric automobile technology, hybrid electric vehicles gradually replace traditional fuel vehicles and become one of the mainstream choices in the market. Compared with the traditional fuel vehicle, the hybrid electric vehicle integrates electric control, a motor and a fuel engine to form an all-in-one power assembly.

For a general High Voltage (HV) connector developed for pure electric vehicle applications, a high voltage terminal of the HV connector is generally mounted and positioned by adopting a snap structure. For example, fig. 8A and 8B illustrate a device-side connector 800A and a harness-side connector 800B of a commercially available RCS 800 connector kit. Fig. 8C shows a cross-sectional view of the harness end connector 800B in the plugging direction, showing the configuration of the receptacle terminal inside the terminal channel. As can be seen in fig. 8C, the receptacle terminal 810 is positioned in the terminal channel 820 of the plastic housing by means of a snap-fit structure 830.

However, compared with a pure electric vehicle, a power assembly of a hybrid electric vehicle has higher vibration level in practical application, and has higher vibration resistance requirement on a connector installed on the hybrid electric vehicle. Therefore, although the mounting structure of the high-voltage connector developed for the pure electric vehicle is convenient for the assembly of the wire harness and the operation of the personnel in the whole vehicle factory, the assembly of the snap has a gap, and the gap can cause fretting wear of the high-voltage terminal in the high-voltage connector under the high vibration environment of the hybrid electric vehicle. The abrasion of the high-voltage terminal can increase the connection resistance of the terminal, finally, the connection failure of the connector is caused, and the normal work of the whole vehicle is influenced. Therefore, a more reliable high voltage connector for securing the terminal is needed to cope with the high level vibration environment of the hybrid vehicle powertrain.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

According to an aspect of the present application, there is provided an electrical connector comprising: an insulative plastic housing defining one or more terminal channels; a first terminal mounted in the one or more terminal channels, the first terminal having a terminal securing through hole; and a fixing member configured to pass through the terminal fixing through-hole, thereby fixing the first terminal to the insulative plastic housing.

In the above aspect of the electrical connector, the first terminal is a blade terminal.

In the above scheme of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is a harness end connector, and the first terminal is a male terminal.

In the above-mentioned scheme of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is an equipment end connector, and the first terminal is a female terminal.

In an aspect of the above electrical connector, the fixing member includes a bolt.

In the above scheme of the electrical connector, the fixing member further includes a nut that is matched with the bolt.

In the scheme of the electric connector, the nut is a threaded insert nut and is fixed on the insulating plastic shell through an encapsulation injection molding process.

In the above-mentioned electric connector, the nut is an independent hexagonal nut, and is press-fitted into a corresponding hexagonal hole formed in the plastic insulating housing.

In the above solution of the electrical connector, the fixing member includes a screw, which is snapped into the plastic insulating housing.

In the scheme of the electric connector, the insulating plastic shell is provided with a through hole corresponding to the terminal fixing through hole, and the electric connector further comprises an insulating protective cover for blocking the through hole.

In the above scheme of the electrical connector, the electrical connector is a vehicle high-voltage connector.

According to one aspect of the present application, there is provided an electrical connector kit comprising a first connector and a mating second connector, characterized in that at least one of the first and second connectors is an electrical connector as described previously.

Drawings

The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, but not by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in this document. In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numerals may describe similar components in different views.

Fig. 1 shows a plugging state diagram of a high voltage connector kit according to an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2A shows a schematic view of a device end connector in the high voltage connector kit of figure 1.

Fig. 2B is an exploded view of the device-side connector shown in fig. 2A.

Fig. 3A shows a schematic view of a wire harness end connector in the high voltage connector kit of fig. 1.

Fig. 3B shows an exploded view of the harness end connector shown in fig. 3A.

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of the male terminal in the wire harness end connector shown in fig. 3B.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a nut and a bolt in the wire harness end connector shown in fig. 3B.

Fig. 6 illustrates a perspective view of an insulation protection cap in the wire harness end connector illustrated in fig. 3B.

Fig. 7 shows a sectional view of the high-voltage connector assembly of fig. 1 in the plugging direction.

Fig. 8A shows a device-side connector of a commercially available connector kit.

FIG. 8B shows a wire harness end connector of a commercially available connector kit

Fig. 8C shows a cross-sectional view of the wire harness end connector shown in fig. 8B in the plugging direction.

Detailed Description

In the following description, the present patent application is described with reference to various embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other alternative and/or additional methods, materials, or components. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present patent application. Similarly, for purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials, and configurations are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present patent application. However, the present patent application may be practiced without specific details. Furthermore, it should be understood that the embodiments shown in the figures are illustrative representations and are not necessarily drawn to scale.

For the purposes of this disclosure, the phrase "a and/or B" means (a), (B), or (a and B). For the purposes of this disclosure, the phrase "a, B, and/or C" means (a), (B), (C), (a and B), (a and C), (B and C), or (a, B and C).

For the purposes of this disclosure, references in the specification to "one embodiment," "an example embodiment," etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

Embodiments and variations of the present patent application are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a plugging state diagram of a high voltage connector kit 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The high-voltage connector assembly 100 is shown as a two-way (2-way) connector, but the invention is not limited thereto.

The high voltage connector assembly 100 includes a device end connector 200, and a harness end connector 300. In fig. 1, the wires 500 are shown accessing the tail end of the harness end connector 300, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the wires 500 themselves may not be part of the connector kit in the delivery state (i.e., they are not yet attached to the harness).

Fig. 2A shows a schematic view of the device-side connector 200 of the high-voltage connector kit 100 of fig. 1, and fig. 2B is an exploded view of the device-side connector 200 shown in fig. 2A. The molded housing 280 defines two terminal channels into which the two female terminals 250 are respectively fitted.

Fig. 3A shows a schematic view of the wire harness end connector 300 in the high voltage connector kit 100 of fig. 1, and fig. 3B is an exploded view of the wire harness end connector 300 shown in fig. 3A. The molded housing 380 defines two terminal channels into which the two male terminals 350 are respectively received.

Referring to fig. 2A, 2B, 3A and 3B, it can be seen that a male terminal 350 of a blade type is installed in the harness end connector 300, and a female terminal 250 having a blade-shaped jaw structure, which is mated with the male terminal 350, is installed in the device end connector 200. Compared with the terminal structures of the pin and the jack, the terminal structure of the male end and the female end in the embodiment of the application is more suitable for the current flowing requirement of high current of hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles.

Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a tab-like male terminal 350. As shown, the blade-type male terminal 350 may not have a snap-fit structure that mates with a terminal channel wall of the plastic housing, but rather is mounted and secured by a fastener that passes through its terminal securing through-hole 360. An example of such a fastener is a bolt 310 that passes through a terminal securing through hole 360.

Fig. 5 shows a bolt 310 and a mating nut 320 as an example of the fixing member. The bolt 310 is sized and configured to pass through the terminal securing through-hole 360 of the male terminal 350 and to lock with a mating threaded member at the other end. In one embodiment, the threaded member is a nut 320. In one embodiment, the opening of the terminal fixing through hole 360 of the male terminal 350 has a diameter of 4mm, the bolt 310 is an M3 bolt, and the nut 320 is a hexagonal nut. A hexagonal hole corresponding to the hexagonal nut is formed in the plastic insulation housing 380 of the wire harness end connector 300, and the hexagonal nut can be press-fitted into the hexagonal hole. In another alternative embodiment, the threaded member may be a threaded insert nut that is secured to the plastic insulating housing 380 of the wire harness end connector 300 by an over-molding process.

By adopting the chip male terminal 350 with the terminal fixing through hole 360 and fixing the chip male terminal 350 to the insulation plastic shell 380 by the bolt 320, the gap between the male terminal 350 and the insulation plastic shell 380 can be effectively eliminated, and the micro-motion between the male terminal 350 and the insulation plastic shell 380 can be eliminated, so that the anti-vibration capability of the connector is improved, and the risk of micro-motion abrasion is reduced.

In order to facilitate the fastening of the bolt 320 to the male terminal 350, a corresponding through hole 390 is formed in the insulative plastic housing 380 above the terminal fastening through hole 360 (see fig. 3B). In order to prevent foreign materials from falling into the through-holes 390 and to increase an electrical gap, an insulation protective cover 370 (see fig. 3B, 6) may be further provided on the plastic insulation housing 380. The insulation protection cover 370 may be made of plastic material for blocking the through hole 390 of the plastic insulation housing 380.

Fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the high voltage connector assembly of fig. 1 in the plugging direction, wherein the bolt 310 has been installed in place through the male terminal 350 and locked by the nut 320. The male terminal 350 and the female terminal 250 are in a plugged-in-place state.

Although only one fixing through hole is formed in the chip male terminal 350 in the foregoing embodiments, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the implementation manner of more than one fixing through hole is also covered by the present invention.

Although in the foregoing embodiment, the terminal is fixed using the bolt 320, it is understood that the bolt 320 may be replaced by other fixing means adapted to pass through the fixing through-hole 360. For example, in some implementations, screws may be used to snap onto the insulative plastic housing 380.

Although in the foregoing embodiments, bolts are applied to the terminals in the line end connector, it will be appreciated that bolts or similar securing means may alternatively or further be applied to the terminals in the plate end connector depending on the specific factors such as the results of the failure analysis.

Although in the foregoing embodiments, the connector assembly 100 is referred to as a high voltage connector assembly, it is understood that a High Voltage (HV) connector is an industry-specific nomenclature for connectors suitable for high voltage and/or high current applications, and the concepts of the present invention are applicable to perfecting the shock resistance of various connectors, including those connector products not referred to as "high voltage" connectors.

Although in the foregoing embodiments, the present invention has been described in connection with two-way (2-way) connectors, the present invention is not limited thereto, the inventive concept can be implemented in single-way connectors and various multi-way connectors, and for multi-way connectors, the inventive concept can be applied to partial terminals, for example, terminals that are analyzed to be more susceptible to failure.

Having thus described the basic concept, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing disclosure is by way of example only and is not to be construed as limiting the present patent application. Various modifications, improvements and adaptations to the present application may occur to those skilled in the art, although not explicitly described herein. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be suggested in this patent application and are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the embodiments of the application.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

an insulative plastic housing defining one or more terminal channels;

a first terminal mounted in the one or more terminal channels, the first terminal having a terminal securing through hole (360) therein; and

a fixing member configured to pass through the terminal fixing through-hole, thereby fixing the first terminal to the insulative plastic housing.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first terminal is a blade terminal.

3. The electrical connector of claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrical connector is a harness end connector and the first terminal is a male terminal.

4. The electrical connector of claim 1 or 2, wherein the electrical connector is a device-side connector and the first terminal is a female terminal.

5. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the securing member comprises a bolt (310).

6. The electrical connector of claim 5, wherein the securing member further comprises a nut (320) configured to mate with the bolt.

7. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein said nut is a threaded insert nut that is secured to said insulative plastic housing by an over-molding process.

8. The electrical connector of claim 6, wherein the nut is a separate hexagonal nut press-fitted into a corresponding hexagonal hole formed in the insulative plastic housing.

9. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the fixture comprises a screw that snaps into the plastic housing.

10. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the insulative plastic housing is provided with a through hole (390) corresponding to the terminal fixing through hole, and the electrical connector further comprises an insulative protective cover (370) for blocking the through hole (390).

11. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a vehicular high voltage connector.

12. An electrical connector kit comprising a first connector and a mating second connector, wherein at least one of the first and second connectors is an electrical connector according to any one of claims 1-11.