DE102020213764A1 - Method for producing an electrical connector for a motor vehicle, electrical connector for installation in a motor vehicle, electrical connector for use in a motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing an electrical connector (1) for a vehicle (9), in which the electrical connector (1) is produced with at least one electrical plug contact (2), the following steps being carried out: - producing the electrical plug contact (2) by:- producing a substrate (3) at least partially from copper and/or aluminum by a manufacturing process in a manufacturing facility (8);- applying a metal layer (4) made from at least one metal different from the substrate (3) to the substrate (3) by a manufacturing process in a manufacturing plant (8); - applying a metallic oxide layer (6) to the metal layer (4) by a manufacturing process in a manufacturing plant (8), the metallic oxide layer (6) being produced in such a way that it has at least a proportion of metal-oxide compounds, in which the metal has at least one metal of the metal layer (3) and the index number of the oxygen is greater than or equal to ei is 2 or the index number is 1. Further aspects of the invention relate to an electrical plug (1), its use and a motor vehicle (9).

Description

One aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing an electrical connector for a vehicle, in which the electrical connector is produced with at least one electrical plug contact. A further aspect of the invention relates to an electrical connector for installation in a vehicle. A third aspect relates to the use of an electrical plug in a motor vehicle. A fourth aspect relates to a motor vehicle with an electrical connector.

The service life of motor vehicles has increased due to the further development of motor vehicles, in particular also due to the improvement in the durability of the materials used in the motor vehicle. The number of electrical cables and thus also the number of electrical connections has increased due to the increased requirements for networking of the motor vehicle, as well as digitization. In order to enable electronic vehicle components to be exchanged, they are often connected to the vehicle electrical system using plugs. These plugs can be located inside the vehicle or outside of the vehicle interior. Mechanical damage to the connectors can occur as a result of mechanical vibrations and possibly the effects of the weather as well as other environmental influences to which the connectors are exposed. In particular, it can happen that the two assembled plugs rub against each other due to the mechanical vibration. Oxygen can get to the contact surfaces and oxidize them, so that fretting corrosion can occur.

Previously, plugs were made from a conductive metal such as copper. These connectors were then plated with a plating such as tin, gold, or silver to prevent corrosion of copper in air. Even in the case of plugs manufactured in this way, oxidation of the surface can occur over the life of the plug due to fretting corrosion. The resulting layer on the surface has poorer electrical conductivity than the material from which the coating is made. This can lead to an electrical failure of the plug contact over time.

The invention is based on the object of creating an electrical plug which, in the field of motor vehicle technology, is more robust in relation to the influences mentioned and has a high level of functionality over the long term.

The object is achieved by a method, an electrical connector, its use in a motor vehicle, and a motor vehicle.

Advantageous developments of the invention are described by the dependent patent claims, the present description and the figures.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a method for producing an electrical connector for a vehicle, in which the electrical connector is produced with at least one electrical plug contact. The electrical plug-in contact is intended for electrical plug-in contacting of another electrical plug-in contact, in particular a mating plug. In a first step, a substrate for this electrical plug contact is produced at least partially from copper and/or aluminum by a manufacturing process in a manufacturing plant. The substrate can therefore be formed from one or more metals. It is thus also possible to form alloys with at least one such metal. Therefore, for example, steel can also be provided as the material for the substrate. In a further step, a metal layer made of at least one material that is different from the substrate is applied to the substrate by a manufacturing process in the manufacturing plant. In a next step, a metallic oxide layer is applied to the metal layer by a manufacturing process using the manufacturing facility. The metallic oxide layer is in particular produced in such a way that it has at least a proportion of metal-oxide compounds in which the metal has at least one metal of the metal layer and the index number of the oxygen is in particular greater than or equal to 2 or the index number is 1.

In particular, this index number option is dependent on the metal. This also means in particular that in the case of a first metal, metal-oxide compounds in which the oxygen has an index number greater than or equal to 2 are produced, in particular primarily and predominantly in a targeted manner. In the case of another metal, metal-oxide compounds in which the oxygen has the index number 1 are produced, in particular primarily and predominantly in a targeted manner.

The object of the invention is based on the knowledge that electrical plugs in modern vehicles are coated with a metal layer for cost and production reasons. This metal layer has the property that it usually forms an undesirable oxidic top layer when it comes into contact with oxygen. Here are different metal oxides, in particular with regard to their electrical conductivity. As a self-passivating top layer on electrical connectors, metal monoxide is predominantly formed during this undesired process if the metal is tin. The metal monoxide is characterized by a low electrical conductivity compared to the metal layer. Due to the relative movement of the plugs to each other, various metal oxides (metal monoxide, metal dioxide) with different oxidation states are formed due to fretting corrosion. These oxides have different degrees of hardness and different electrical conductivities. Ambient conditions are crucial for the formation of the oxide species.

Through the targeted manufacture of an electrical plug with an electrical plug contact, which has a metallic oxide layer as the outer layer, which is deliberately produced by a deliberate manufacturing process, higher electrical conductivity can be achieved in comparison to the metal oxide, which in the prior art was created accidentally and unintentionally as a result of fretting corrosion and preferably also a higher mechanical strength can be achieved. As a result, fretting corrosion in the plug manufactured according to the invention can be slowed down or even avoided.

The proposed method can thus be used to produce an electrical plug with an electrical plug-in contact that is particularly resistant to fretting corrosion or whose negative effects on the electrical resistance are reduced. The increased resistance of the plug can also improve the service life of the plug, in particular the service life of the assembled plug-in connection. Overall, when used in a vehicle, this can help to ensure that the electrical systems are less prone to faults and the maintenance costs can therefore be reduced.

The substrate forms a base body of the electrical connector. In particular, it can be provided that the substrate forms a major part of a cross-sectional area of the connector. It can therefore also be said that the substrate is a conductive core material.

The metal layer applied to the substrate can protect the substrate from environmental influences such as corrosion. The metal layer can also be referred to as a coating. The metal layer can bond to the substrate. The connection can in particular be in the form of an intermetallic phase. The metal layer can be formed over the entire surface of the substrate.

During the manufacturing process, the electrical connector is deliberately and deliberately formed with the metallic oxide layer. It is therefore only finished when this outer metallic oxide layer is produced by a manufacturing process as intended.

The production plant for producing the metallic oxide layer on the metal layer can be controlled in a targeted manner. When the production plant is controlled, one can speak of targeted processing, ie targeted application of the metallic oxide layer through the selection of suitable parameters. In particular, an environment in the production facility differs from the environment outside the production facility by given process parameters.

The electrical plug contact can be generated at a start time. At the start of the manufacturing process, the substrate can be produced by a first manufacturing process in a first manufacturing facility. This method step is completed at a first production time. The substrate is provided as a component which is to be coated or covered. Provision can be made for the substrate to be punched or cut out, for example, from a plate made of the metal or metal compound mentioned. Subsequently, as described below in the examples, the coating with the metal layer and the metallic oxide layer can take place.

However, it is also possible that the plate that forms the substrate is provided, that it is provided with the metal layer and the metallic oxide layer and only then is the electrical plug contact punched out or cut out of this composite.

It is therefore provided in one exemplary embodiment that the application of the metal layer is started in a second step by a second manufacturing method in a manufacturing plant at a second manufacturing point in time. It is preferably provided that the second production step follows directly on the first production step. The second production time can thus correspond to the first production time. It can also be provided that the first manufacturing method corresponds to the second manufacturing method. In particular, provision can be made for the first production step and the second production step to take place using the same first production method in the same production plant without a time interruption between the start time and a third production time at which the second production step is completed. However, these steps can also be carried out in different production plants.

At a fourth production point in time, a metallic oxide layer can be applied to the metal layer. In particular, the metallic oxide layer can be applied in a third manufacturing process. The fourth production time can at least in phases coincide with the third production time. In particular, the application of the metallic oxide layer can be completed at a fifth production time.

It can thus be said that the method steps take place directly one after the other. In one exemplary embodiment, there is therefore no interruption between the start time and the fifth production time. In particular, it can be provided that the third manufacturing method corresponds to the first and/or the second manufacturing method.

An electrical plug can thus be produced using a method on the same production facility, in particular without the production process having to be interrupted.

The method has the advantage that the robustness of the plug, in particular of the electrical plug contact, can be increased against fretting corrosion and the reliability of this plug is thus improved. The electrical conductivity of the electrical plug produced in this way is therefore also increased, in particular when fretting corrosion occurs. In today's vehicles, the reliability and security of the systems is a fundamental requirement for customer acceptance and market penetration. The communication of all vehicle-relevant systems is ensured via the on-board network. The technical reliability of the vehicle electrical system components is a prerequisite for ensuring trouble-free operation of the communication systems. To connect these systems, connectors are used, which are exposed to various environmental influences. By increasing the robustness of the connectors against fretting corrosion, the service life of these connectors can be increased.

A metal layer can be applied to the substrate in the same manufacturing method or in a manufacturing method that differs from the first manufacturing method. Both the first manufacturing method and the second manufacturing method take place in the same manufacturing facility. The applied metal layer can be a coating over the substrate. The metal layer can have tin, gold or silver as the metal, for example. In particular, it only has tin or silver or gold as the metal. The metal layer preferably comprises a metal which is more corrosion-resistant than the material of the substrate itself. In particular, the metal layer consists only of this metal. In particular, the metal layer can form an intermetallic phase between the substrate and the metal layer when it is applied to the substrate, which occurs in particular with hot-dip tinning. This is not the case with a possible galvanic tinning. Provision can preferably be made for the metal layer to be applied to the entire surface of the substrate.

In a further step, which can be carried out in the same or another production facility, a metallic oxide layer can be applied in a third production method in accordance with the first and/or the second production method. The metallic oxide layer can form a connection with the metal layer. The applied metallic oxide layer is preferably conductive. In particular, it is provided that the metallic oxide layer is applied over the entire surface of the metal layer.

In one exemplary embodiment, the metallic oxide layer can in particular be produced in such a way that it has at least a proportion of metal-oxide compounds in which the metal of the oxide layer has at least one metal of the metal layer and the index number of the oxygen in the oxide layer is in particular greater than or equal to 1. In particular, it can be 1. For example, this is the case when the metal is silver.

In particular, the production of the metal-oxide compounds with the index number equal to 2, for example in the case of tin as the metal, or with the index number 1, in the case of silver as the metal, is carried out consciously and in a defined manner in the methods. The manufacturing processes are therefore carried out in such a way that these metal-oxide compounds are produced as desired.

In a further aspect of the invention, the method can be carried out as explained above, but in contrast thereto a substrate can be produced which has no copper and no aluminum. A steel can then form the substrate that has no copper and no aluminum.

An advantageous embodiment provides that during the manufacturing process, molecules with the compound according to the formula A _n ^{b +} O _m ^2- are generated as part of the metallic oxide layer, in which the material A is selected from the group Sn, Ag and mixtures thereof and A is the metal or the metal compound of the metal layer, the index number m being an integer, in particular greater than or equal to 2, and n*b=2*m, or the index number being 1.

Through the manufacturing process, oxides are produced in a targeted manner. In particular, conductive oxide layers are produced. The metallic oxide layer can be produced, for example, with compounds from the group of tin dioxide (SnO ₂ ) or silver oxide (Ag ₂ O). In particular, it can also be provided that the metallic oxide layer has gold oxide (AU ₂ O ₃ ).

Because the metal oxide layer has the same material A as the metal as the metal layer, the production of the electrical plug can be simplified as a result. Thus, the application of the metal layer and the application of the metallic oxide layer can take place in the same manufacturing process. As a result, the substrate of the plug can be coated at low cost.

If the metal layer has tin (Sn), then the metallic oxide layer will have molecules of at least the compound tin dioxide (SnO ₂ ) or a higher index number of oxygen. If the metal layer has silver (Ag), then the metallic oxide layer has at least silver oxide compounds (Ag ₂ O). In particular, it can also be provided that the substrate is coated with a metal layer made of gold. In this case, the metallic oxide layer has gold oxide compounds (Au ₂ O ₃ ). For example, it can also be provided that part of the metal oxide layer has tin dioxide, also called tin(IV) oxide, and another part of the metal oxide layer has silver oxide. Thus, the metal layer can be made of one or more materials. For example, different areas of the surface of the metal layer can be made of different metals, ie different materials A. Thus, as described above, the corresponding metallic oxide layer can be applied to the corresponding material A of the metal layer.

An advantageous exemplary embodiment provides that the metallic oxide layer is produced in such a way that it has at least 90% by mass, in particular at least 95% by mass, of molecules of the compound of the formula A _n ^b+ O _m ^2- . The mass fraction describes the ratio of the mass of the molecules to the mass of the metallic oxide layer.

This results in the advantage that the metallic oxide layer consists of conductive oxide compounds to the correspondingly high proportion by mass, and the above-mentioned advantages thereby come to bear in particular. Thus, the conductivity of the metallic oxide layer can be adjusted by the mass fraction of the conductive molecules of the metallic oxide layer.
In an advantageous exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the metallic oxide layer is produced by the manufacturing process in an outer layer region facing away from the metal layer in the layer structure in such a way that it has at least 5% by mass of molecules according to the compound of the formula A _n ^b+ O _m ^2- . In particular, this layer area has a thickness of between 0.7 nm and 1.5 nm, in particular between 0.8 nm and 1.1 nm. This makes it possible to achieve high conductivity with high hardness in this outer area.

This also results in the advantage that at least 5% of the metallic oxide layer has a conductive metal oxide, so that the plug is electrically conductive overall and an electrical plug contact can thus be produced.

An advantageous exemplary embodiment provides that the metallic oxide layer is produced with a layer thickness of between 1 nm and 200 nm. In particular, it is produced with a layer thickness between 20 nm and 200 nm.

Fretting corrosion can also occur in the installed state in the motor vehicle with a correspondingly produced metallic oxide layer. The resistance of the connector to fretting corrosion can be improved by selecting a suitable layer thickness. In particular, provision is made for the metallic oxide layer to be made as thin as possible, so that the electrical resistance is lower than in the case of a self-passivated electrical plug contact of an electrical plug. In addition, the invention increases the proportion of electrically conductive oxides in the contact when fretting corrosion occurs, as a result of which the electrical contact resistance decreases.

An advantageous embodiment provides that the metallic oxide layer is produced using a manufacturing process in which a specific gas atmosphere and a specific heat profile are generated, whereby a chemical conversion of the applied metal layer and/or an applied metallic oxide layer with the index number 1 of oxygen in the metallic oxide layer takes place with the index number of in particular at least 2 of oxygen.

By suitably selecting the process parameters, such as the specific gas atmosphere and a specific heat profile, a chemical reaction can be brought about in which a metallic oxide layer is formed on the applied metal layer. in particular This can lead to a transformation of a near-surface layer of the metal layer. A part of the applied metal layer can be specifically converted into the metallic oxide layer by the manufacturing process. Such a controlled conversion can take place by enriching the gas atmosphere with oxygen and/or ozone and introducing heat. A temperature that changes over the duration of the process can be understood as a heat profile. In particular, the temperature can correspond to the ambient temperature at the start time and at the fifth production time, ie at which production is completed. In this way, the temperature between the start time and the fifth production time can be changed as a function of time.

This results in the advantage that the metal layer produced by one production method can be carried out in a subsequent step without changing the production system and/or interrupting it. In particular, it can be avoided that the metal layer is directly exposed to the environment, ie in particular to the air.

Possible process parameters are explained in more detail using an example of the coating with tin dioxide or the chemical conversion of an outer layer area of the metal layer. The process parameters described below are examples for the production of a tin dioxide layer. A gold oxide or silver oxide layer can also be produced using similar process parameters or using a similarly running process.

A chemical conversion of the outer layer region of the metal layer to the metallic oxide layer can take place through special process conditions, such as temperature, atmosphere, pressure or plasma.

One possibility is to carry out the manufacturing process in the manufacturing plant with air. Air can be understood to mean a gas that contains about 21% oxygen. For chemical conversion, the intermediate layer structure is heated from a starting temperature to a process temperature. Then the process temperature can be cooled down to the starting temperature. Preferably, there is no cooling, but the temperature from the previous process step is maintained or even heated. The starting temperature can be higher than 20°C and the process temperature lower than 2200°C. Preferably, the starting temperature is greater than 100°C and the process temperature is less than 1730°C. In particular, the preferred starting temperature can be greater than 940°C and the process temperature less than 1085°C. The process parameters described above are used at normal pressure. Preferably, the temperature when creating the metal layer is about 60°C for galvanic tinning or about 232°C or higher for hot-dip tinning.

The temperature intervals given are advantageous process temperatures for producing tin dioxide as a metallic oxide layer.

In a further example, the manufacturing process can take place in an atmosphere artificially enriched with oxygen. A gas mixture which contains at least 21% oxygen can be understood as an atmosphere artificially enriched with oxygen. The manufacturing process can be carried out at atmospheric pressure or at an elevated pressure compared to atmospheric pressure. The starting temperature can be higher than 20°C or lower than 2200°C. Preferably the starting temperature is greater than 100°C and less than 1730°C. In particular, the starting temperature can be greater than 940°C and less than 1085°C.

In a further example, the manufacturing method can be carried out with an artificial ozone-containing atmosphere. The ozone-containing atmosphere can be a gas mixture with an ozone content between 100 ppb (parts per billion) and 100% ozone by mass. The atmosphere can have a pressure of at least 1 Pa up to normal pressure or a pressure that is increased in comparison to normal pressure. The starting temperature can be greater than 192.5°C and less than 2200°C. The mass fraction of ozone can preferably be between 0.1% and 30%. The starting temperature can then be higher than 100°C and the process temperature lower than 1730°C. In particular, the mass fraction of ozone in the gas mixture can be between 0.1% and 11.5%. The starting temperature can then be higher than 200°C and lower than 85°C.

In another example, the chemical conversion of tin to tin dioxide may occur in an oxygen plasma manufacturing process. Oxygen plasma is an ionized gas containing oxygen. The pressure can be at least between 1 Pa and atmospheric pressure or at an increased pressure compared to atmospheric pressure. It can also be said that there is no pressure limitation. The starting temperature for the manufacturing process can be higher than 20°C and the process temperature lower than 2200°C. Preferably, the starting temperature is greater than 100°C and the process temperature is less than 1730°C. In particular, the starting temperature can be higher than 200°C and the process temperature lower than 1085°C.

An advantageous exemplary embodiment provides that the metallic oxide layer is produced using a PVD or CVD manufacturing process.

"PVD" stands for "Physical Vapor Deposition" and is a process in which the material, known as the target, is vaporized by bombardment with laser beams, magnetically deflected ions or electrons and by arc discharge. The target material is deposited on a substrate. In the method described above, the metal layer can be understood here as the substrate.

"CVD" stands for "Chemical Vapor Deposition" and refers to a process in which a solid component is separated from the gas phase as a result of a chemical reaction.

The metallic oxide layer is thus additionally applied to the metal layer in the PVD or CVD process.

Due to the fact that PVD and CVD processes are processes which preferably take place in a vacuum, self-passivation of the metal layer can be avoided and the metallic oxide layer can be deposited after the metal layer has been deposited without interrupting the vacuum.

For example, tin dioxide can be applied by coating using PVD or CVD processes. To carry out the PVD or CVD coating process, the process temperature can be between 150°C and 800°C, in particular between 450°C and 800°C. It can start as early as 150° C., particularly in the case of a PVD process. It is also conceivable for the tin dioxide layer to be applied by thermal spraying.

A further advantageous exemplary embodiment provides that the metallic oxide layer is produced using an ALD (Atomic Layer Deposition) or SPD (Spray Pyrolysis Deposition) production method. Thermal spraying, for example using an APS (atmospheric plasma spraying) method or using an HVOF (high-velocity flame spraying) method, can also be provided.

This results in the advantage that a targeted layer structure, namely one layer after the other layer, can take place, in particular by means of the ALD production method. Thus, the number of layers and the layer thickness can be precisely adjusted.

A further advantageous exemplary embodiment provides that the metallic oxide layer is produced by a combination of at least two of the above exemplary embodiments of the manufacturing methods mentioned.

By combining the manufacturing process, in which the metallic oxide layer is formed by chemical conversion of the applied metal layer, and the PVD or CVD manufacturing process, part of the metal layer can be converted into a metallic oxide layer on the one hand. In addition to this, an additional metallic oxide layer can be applied using the PVD and CVD manufacturing processes. In particular, it is provided that the manufacturing processes differ, but the combinations of the manufacturing processes take place in the same manufacturing facility.

The metallic oxide layer can be produced in a targeted manner by a combination of the manufacturing processes and changed in a targeted manner by means of an optional doping, i.e. in a local area.

For example, the chemical conversion of tin and/or tin oxide to tin dioxide can take place, as described above, and at the same time the PVD or CVD coating with tin dioxide or, for example, with iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), tin (Sn) or manganese ( Mn), as well as an additional doping of the oxide layer. The doping can be done, for example, with iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), tin (Sn) or manganese (Mn) to optimize the electrical conductivity of the tin oxide layer.

A further advantageous exemplary embodiment provides that the metallic oxide layer has tin as the metal and is produced using hot-dip tinning as the production method.

In this manufacturing process, the metal layer, for example consisting of tin (Sn), can be applied by hot-dip tinning. By setting suitable parameters as described above, tin dioxide can form on the outer layer area as a metallic oxide layer. In particular, the formation of the tin dioxide layer takes place after the process temperature has been reached and before the start temperature has been reached.
This results in the advantage that both the metal layer and the metallic oxide layer can be formed or applied in the same manufacturing process.

Another embodiment provides that the metallic oxide layer by a galvani cal immersion bathing is produced as a manufacturing process.

In one embodiment, the metallic oxide layer has an electrical conductivity of between 2.3×10 ^-3 m/(Ohm*mm ² ) and 2.7×10 ^-3 m/(Ohm*mm ² ), in particular 2.5×10 ^{- 3} m/(ohm*mm ² ). In one embodiment, the metallic oxide layer has a hardness of between 13,000 N/mm ² and 15,000 N/mm ² , in particular between 13,900 N/mm ² and 14,100 N/mm ² .

A second aspect of the invention relates to an electrical plug for installation in a motor vehicle, which has electrical plug contacts, wherein at least one electrical plug contact has a substrate which has at least a proportion of copper and/or aluminum, a metal layer being formed on the substrate and on the Metal layer, a metallic oxide layer is formed, wherein the electrical plug contact is produced according to the method described above.

A third aspect of the invention relates to an electrical connector obtainable by the method described according to the above aspect or an advantageous embodiment thereof.

A fourth aspect relates to an electrical connector according to the second or third aspect for use in a vehicle, in particular in a motor vehicle. However, the vehicle can also be an aircraft or a rail vehicle or a watercraft or a vehicle combined in this respect.

A fifth aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with an electrical plug.

The electrical plug can be used in the motor vehicle for connecting between cables. The connector can be used in the vehicle interior or in the engine compartment or on the chassis or on the underbody. In particular, it can be provided that the plug is exposed to environmental influences. Environmental influences can be temperature, oxygen or humidity and other influences such as harmful gases or impurities.

The invention also includes developments of the electrical plug according to the invention, which have features as have already been described in connection with the developments of the method. For this reason, the corresponding developments of the electrical plug according to the invention are not described again here.

The invention also includes the combinations of features of the described embodiments.

• 1 einen schematischen Querschnitt eines elektrischen Steckkontakts eines Steckers; und
• 2 eine Seitenansicht eines Kraftfahrzeugs, in welchem ein elektrischer Stecker verbaut ist.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below. For this shows:

• 1 a schematic cross section of an electrical plug contact of a plug; and
• 2 a side view of a motor vehicle in which an electrical plug is installed.

The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the components described each represent individual features of the invention to be considered independently of one another, which also develop the invention independently of one another and are therefore also to be regarded as part of the invention individually or in a combination other than that shown. Furthermore, the exemplary embodiments described can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

Elements with the same function are each provided with the same reference symbols in the figures.

1 shows a schematic cross section of an electrical plug contact 2 of an electrical plug 1. The electrical plug 1 is in particular a vehicle plug, in particular a motor vehicle plug. It is intended for installation in a motor vehicle.

The electrical plug contact 2 of the plug 1 is manufactured in a production plant. A substrate 3 is produced in one step of the production method. The substrate 3 can form a base body of the connector 1 . In this case, the substrate 3 is made of metal. For example, the substrate 3, ie the base body, can have been produced by punching and/or cutting out and/or bending from a plate as a manufacturing process. In addition to or instead of this, for example, it can also be produced by joining, for example welding and/or soldering. The material from which the substrate 3 was produced can be at least partially copper, for example. However, it can also be aluminum, at least in part. It can also be steel, for example. This list is not exhaustive.

In a further step, a metal layer 4 is applied to the substrate 3 using a manufacturing process in the manufacturing facility. The metal layer 4 can have tin or silver as the metal, in particular best of tin or silver hen. Gold or palladium is also possible as the metal. This list is not to be understood as conclusive.

The metal layer 4 can form an intermetallic phase 5, ie a metallic bond, with the substrate 3, which is formed during the manufacturing process.

In particular, it is provided that the metal layer 4 is applied to the substrate 3 over the entire surface. However, this may not be the case in another embodiment. It can be provided that the metal layer 4 is applied using the same manufacturing method as the substrate 3 is produced. Provision is made for the metal layer 4 to be applied using a manufacturing method which differs from the manufacturing method for producing the substrate 3 .

In a further step of the manufacturing process, a metallic oxide layer 6 is produced on the metal layer 4 by a manufacturing process in the manufacturing facility. In one exemplary embodiment, the metallic oxide layer 6 can be produced by targeted chemical conversion of a partial layer of the metal layer 4 into the metallic oxide layer 6 with a layer thickness d.

In the case of a deposition process, such as PVD or CVD, for example, the metallic oxide layer 6 can additionally be applied to the metal layer 4 over the whole area or partially. In particular, however, a part of the metal layer 4 can also be converted into the metallic oxide layer 6 by chemical conversion and, alternatively or additionally, the metallic oxide layer 6 can be applied by a deposition method.

In this case, the metallic oxide layer 6 has a metal oxide or metal-oxide compounds. The metal of this metal-oxide compound corresponds to the metal of the metal layer 4. It can therefore be provided that the metallic oxide layer 6 has at least a proportion of tin dioxide molecules as a metal-oxide compound. In particular when the metal layer 4 has tin as the metal or consists of tin. In a further exemplary embodiment, provision can be made for the metallic oxide layer 6 to have a compound of silver oxide and/or a silver-oxygen compound with an oxygen index greater than or equal to 2. In particular when the metal layer 4 has silver as the metal or consists of silver. Gold oxide is also possible as the metallic oxide layer 6.

Provision can also be made for the metallic oxide layer to have at least a mass fraction of 5% of this compound in an outer layer region 7, which in one exemplary embodiment has a layer thickness of approximately 1 nm.

The electrical plug contact 2 of the plug 1 can be produced by several manufacturing processes. Provision is preferably made for the electrical plug contact 2 of the plug 1 to be produced in one and the same production process or using partially identical boundary conditions or process parameters or production systems. Regardless of the number of manufacturing processes used, the electrical plug 1 is manufactured in a manufacturing facility 8 . This means that one manufacturing process or the plurality of manufacturing processes are carried out in the same manufacturing facility 8 . This allows the plug 1 to be processed without any time interruption. In particular, this can prevent the formation of undesired oxides, such as tin(I) oxide, by self-passivation in air. The electrical plug contact 2 is thus produced in the production plant 8 up to its final state shown.

In 2 a side view of a motor vehicle 9 with an electrical plug 1 is shown. The motor vehicle 9 can be a vehicle with an electric drive or with an internal combustion engine as the drive. In particular, the vehicle can be a commercial vehicle, a passenger car or a truck.

The electrical plug 1 can be connected in particular to an electrical mating plug 10 by an electrical plug contact 2 . In particular, the electrical mating connector 10 can also be produced by a method as described above. In particular, the electrical mating connector 10 can be mounted on an electrical cable 11 . By connecting the mating connector 10 to the connector 1, the electrical cable 11 can be electrically connected to a further electrical cable 12 on which the electrical connector 1 is mounted.

The electrical plug 1 and the electrical mating plug 10 can be arranged in the vehicle interior or in an external area of the motor vehicle 9 . An engine compartment or an underbody of the motor vehicle 9 can be understood as the outside area, for example. In particular, the outside area can be understood as the area which is more exposed to environmental influences external to the vehicle, ie weather influences, than inside the vehicle. The connector 1 can also be exposed to influences generated by the motor vehicle 9, such as radiant heat from an engine.

In particular, the 2 , such as electrical components of the vehicle 9 can be connected through the electrical plug 1 .

Reference List

1

electrical plug

2

electrical plug contact

3

substrate

4

metal layer

5

intermetallic phase

6

metallic oxide layer

7

outer layer area

8th

manufacturing plant

9

motor vehicle

10

electrical mating connector

11

electric cable

12

another electrical cable

Claims (15)

Method for producing an electrical connector (1) for a vehicle (9), in which the electrical connector (1) is produced with at least one electrical plug contact (2), the following steps being carried out: - Generate the electrical plug contact (2) by: - Producing a substrate (3) at least partially made of copper and / or aluminum by a manufacturing process in a manufacturing facility (8); - Application of a metal layer (4) of at least one to the substrate (3) different metal on the substrate (3) by a manufacturing process in a manufacturing facility (8); - Application of a metallic oxide layer (6) to the metal layer (4) by a manufacturing process in a manufacturing facility (8), the metallic oxide layer (6) being produced in such a way that it has at least a proportion of metal-oxide compounds in which the metal has at least one metal of the metal layer (3) and the index number of the oxygen is greater than or equal to 2 or the index number is 1. procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that in the manufacturing process, molecules with the compound according to the formula A _n ^b+ O _m ^2- are produced as a component of the metallic oxide layer (6), in which the material A is selected from the group Sn, Ag and mixtures thereof, and A is the metal or metal compound of the metal layer (4), where the index number m is an integer greater than or equal to 2, and n*b = 2*m, or the index number is 1. procedure after claim 2 , characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) is produced such that it has at least 90% by mass, in particular at least 95% by mass, molecules according to the compound according to the formula A _n ^{b +} Om ^2- . procedure after claim 2 or 3 , characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) in an outer layer region (7), which measures more than 1 nm, is produced in such a way that it contains at least 5% by mass of molecules according to the compound according to the formula A _N ^{b +} O _m ^{2 -} has. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) is produced with a layer thickness (d) between 1 nm and 200 nm, in particular with a layer thickness (d) between 20 nm and 200 nm. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) is produced using a manufacturing process in which a specific gas atmosphere and a specific heat profile is produced, with a chemical conversion of the applied metal layer (4) and/or a applied metallic oxide layer (6) with the index number 1 of oxygen takes place in the metallic oxide layer (6) with the index number of at least 2 of oxygen. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) is produced using a PVD or CVD manufacturing method. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) is produced using an ALD or SPD manufacturing method. procedure after claim 6 and 7 or after claim 6 and 8th , characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) is produced by a combination of the manufacturing processes mentioned. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) contains tin as the metal and is produced using hot-dip tinning as the production method. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the metallic oxide layer (6) is produced by galvanic immersion as a manufacturing method. Electrical plug (1) for installation in a vehicle (9), which has electrical plug contacts (2), at least one electrical plug contact (2) having a substrate (3) which at least partially has copper and/or aluminum, with the Substrate (3) a metal layer (4) is formed, and on the metal layer (4) a metallic oxide layer (6) is formed, wherein the electrical plug contact (2) according to a method according to any one of the preceding Claims 1 until 11 is generated. Electrical connector (1) obtainable by a method according to any one of the preceding Claims 1 until 11 . Electrical plug (1) after claim 12 or 13 for use in a motor vehicle (9). Motor vehicle (9) with an electrical plug (1) according to one of the preceding Claims 12 until 14 .

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