DE102022101623A1 - DATA LINE FOR A VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a data line (100) for a vehicle, the data line (100) having twisted cores (104), sections (106) of a core (104) being connected to an electrically conductive Connector bridge (116) are connected, wherein the connector bridges (116) of the various wires (104) of the data line (100) are arranged spaced parallel to each other at the connection point and an impedance of the connection point at a design frequency of the data line (100) by a predefined distance ( 210) between the connector straps (116) and a predefined width of the connector straps (116) is configured to a predefined impedance value.

Description

technical field

The present invention relates to a data line for a vehicle.

State of the art

The present invention is described below mainly in connection with data lines, for example for vehicles.

A data line in a vehicle can be a bus line for transmitting signals. For example, the data line can be a CAN bus line. A twisted pair of data lines can be uncoated, coated and/or shielded. The transmission quality of the data line is influenced by the impedance profile of the data line. The impedance and its progression along the line are mainly determined by the geometry and material properties of the data line. The data line can have at least two twisted wires, for example.

The data line can have connection points. Sections of the data line can be connected to one another at a connection point. The connection point can also be designed as a branch/tap from one or more so-called stub lines of the data line.

At the connection point, the wires can be connected to one another, for example by ultrasonic welding. In order to be able to weld the cores in a welding socket, it may be necessary to change the geometry in the end areas of the sections. For example, the end areas can be untwisted. After welding, the geometry can no longer be restored to its original state. In particular, the wires in the end areas can no longer be twisted.

The change in geometry causes a change in the impedance of the data line in the area of the connection point and its surroundings. In order to stay within an impedance range, a maximum length of the changed end areas can be specified, for example.

Description of the invention

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved data line using means that are as structurally simple as possible. An improvement here can relate, for example, to a reduced change in geometry of the data line at a connection point of sections of the data line.

The object is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the description and the accompanying figures.

The approach presented here only slightly disrupts the geometry of a data line at a connection point, resulting in a small change in impedance. In particular, a distance between the cores of the data line before, after and at the connection point can remain within a tolerance range, since twisting of the cores can be maintained or restored until just before the connection point and electrical conductors have a defined geometry at the connection point. The geometry of the conductors within a housing or of several housings arranged together, each with one conductor, can be defined by a spacing and a width. Connection point can thus have a defined impedance at a design frequency of the data line.

According to one aspect of the invention, a data line for a vehicle is presented, the data line having twisted cores, with sections of the cores being connected via plug-in connections to one electrically conductive connector bridge per core at a connection point, the connector bridges of the various cores of the data line being arranged spaced parallel to one another at the connection point and an impedance of the connection point at a design frequency of the data line being configured to a predefined impedance value by a predefined distance between the connector bridges and a predefined width of the connector bridges.

The data line can also have a stub line with twisted wires. The respective core of the stub line can be connected to the corresponding connector bridge at the connection point via plug connections. For this purpose, the connector bridge can correspondingly have an additional end for the plug-in connection to the branch line.

A data line can be a CAN bus line, for example. A target impedance of the data line at a design frequency of the data line can be 120 Ω, for example. An actual impedance of the data line may be within a tolerance range of the target impedance. The data line can have terminating resistors at the end points to avoid changes in impedance. The impedance is mitun ter depends on the geometric design of the data line. The impedance can be set, for example, by twisting the cores of the data line and by a diameter of the electrical conductors of the cores. The twisting allows a distance between the electrical conductors to be kept within a tolerance range around a target distance. The diameter of the conductors defines a width of an area between the conductors. The electrical conductors can be in the form of strands or wires. In particular, the data line can have two twisted wires. The data line can be shielded or unshielded. The data line can be coated or uncoated.

The connector bridges of all wires can be arranged in a common housing. Alternatively, the connector bridges can be divided between different housings. A single housing can be referred to as a plug-in connector. An impedance of the connection point can be in the range of the design frequency within a tolerance range around the nominal impedance of the data line of 120 Ω, for example. The impedance of the connection point can also differ from the impedance of the data line. Transmission properties of the data line can be influenced by an impedance that has changed relative to the data line. In this case, the impedance of the plug-in coupling can be greater than, equal to or less than the impedance of the data line.

A connector bridge may be made of an electrically conductive material. A housing can be made of an electrically insulating material. The connector bridge may have at least two ends. At each end, a plug connection can be formed with a wire end of a wire of a section. At least when the plug-in coupling is in the assembled state, the ends can end in receptacles in the housing. A receptacle can be a recess in the housing. The recording may be shape or otherwise encoded. The recording can define a plug-in direction of the plug-in connection.

The connector bridge can have different shapes. With two ends, the connector bridge can be, for example, I-shaped or U-shaped. For example, with three ends, the connector bridge may be E-shaped, Y-shaped, or T-shaped. If there are more than three ends, the connector bridge can have other shapes, such as an X-shape. The connector bridges can be arranged in parallel planes. With one connector bridge per housing, the respective connector bridges can be arranged in planes parallel to one another. A distance between the planes or connector bridges can be specified when manufacturing the plug-in coupling or a geometric arrangement of at least two housings. The distance can be determined depending on a desired impedance of the plug-in coupling or the combination of several housings in the network. The distance can be within a distance range between 0.2 millimeters and 5 millimeters, for example. A width of the connector bridge can be determined depending on a desired impedance of the plug-in coupling. The width can be between 0.2 millimeters and 5 millimeters, for example.

The ends of the connector bridges can protrude into the receptacles of a housing. The ends of the connector bridges can be designed as pluggable pins. The pins can have a tip. The wire ends of the wires can be designed as pluggable sockets. The sockets can be standardized contact parts. The sockets can be electrically conductively connected to the wires.

Alternatively, the ends of the connector bridges can be designed as pluggable sockets. Then the ends of the wires can be designed as pins. For example, standardized contact parts can be connected to the strands of the wires. Likewise, wires of the veins can be inserted directly into the sockets and contacted.

The receptacles of the connector can be isolated from one another by partitions. As a result, the wire ends of the sections or the stub line can be designed without insulation.

Alternatively, ends of different connector bridges can protrude into a receptacle. Then several wire ends of different wires of a section of the data line or a branch line can be encased by an insulating connector housing.

The recordings can be arranged in a first housing part of a housing. The connector bridges can be arranged in a second housing part of the housing. The ends of the connector bridges can protrude from the second housing part and can be arranged in the receptacles of the first housing part to form the plug connections. The receptacles of the first housing part can be plugged in from opposite directions, for example. The wire ends can be inserted into the receptacles from one direction and the ends of the connecting bridges can be inserted into the receptacles from the other direction. The forces required to produce the plug-in connections can be reduced by means of two separate plug-in processes.

The connectors can be arranged side by side and aligned in the same direction. The connector bridges can then in particular be U-shaped or E-shaped. With a common plug-in direction, the plug-in connections can be made automatically.

The connector bridges can, for example, be in the form of a stamped grid. A stamped grid can be cut out or punched out of a sheet metal material. The stamped grid can have rectangular line cross sections. In the case of a stamped grid, the width of the connector bridges can be defined particularly easily. Punched grids can be inserted into an injection molding tool particularly well in an automated manner. Alternatively, the connector bridges can be made using laser cutting, casting, additive manufacturing, or other processes.

A base body and a surface of the connector bridge or one or more partial areas can consist of different materials such as copper, tin, nickel, silver, gold or alloys. The base body can be designed as a single part or consist of several electrically conductively connected parts.

character list

• 1 eine Darstellung einer Datenleitung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 2 eine Darstellung einer Steckkupplung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 3 eine Darstellung einer Steckkupplung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel;
• 4 eine Darstellung einer Steckkupplung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel; und
• 5 eine Darstellung einer Steckkupplung gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel.

An advantageous exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

• 1 a representation of a data line according to an embodiment;
• 2 a representation of a plug-in coupling according to an embodiment;
• 3 a representation of a plug-in coupling according to an embodiment;
• 4 a representation of a plug-in coupling according to an embodiment; and
• 5 a representation of a plug-in coupling according to an embodiment.

The figures are schematic representations and only serve to explain the invention. Elements that are the same or have the same effect are provided with the same reference symbols throughout.

Detailed description

1 10 shows a representation of a data line 100 according to an embodiment. The data line 100 connects components 102 of a vehicle. The data line 100 is unshielded and has a twisted pair of cores 104 . The data line 100 is suitable for data transmission, such as CAN bus or automotive Ethernet. At a design frequency of the data line 100, the data line 100 has an impedance of, for example, 120Ω or 100Ω. Terminating resistors can be provided at the ends of the data line 100 to avoid impedance changes. The impedance is essentially determined by the geometric design of the data line 100 . The two cores 104 have a defined line cross section. The cores 104 are twisted to keep a spacing between the cores 104 within a tolerance range.

The data line 100 is divided into a number of sections 106 . One of the sections is a stub 108 to one of the components 102. The sections 106 are interconnected using plug-in connectors 110. FIG. The branch line 108 is connected to the two adjacent sections 106 at one of the plug-in couplings 110 . The stub line 108 is a branch of the data line 100.

The cores 104 of the sections 106 and the stub line 108 are essentially twisted up to their core ends 112, but can also have a production-related length at the respective end that is not twisted. At the wire ends 112, the wires 104 are connected to connector bridges 116 of the plug-in couplings 110 via plug-in connections 114. The connector bridges 116 are arranged in the plug-in couplings 110 and have such a geometry that they have the desired impedance at the design frequency of the data line 100 . For this purpose, the connector bridges 116 have a defined width and a defined distance from one another. The connector bridges 116 are arranged essentially parallel to one another in the plug-in couplings 110 .

In one exemplary embodiment, the plug-in connections 114 of the plug-in couplings 110 have uniform plug-in directions. As a result, the plug-in connections 114 can be plugged in automatically. In order to avoid tensile loads on the plug-in connections 114 , the sections 106 and the branch line 108 can run next to one another up to an optional tie 118 and only diverge after the tie 118 .

2 shows an illustration of a plug-in coupling 110 according to an embodiment. The plug-in coupling 110 essentially corresponds to the plug-in coupling with the branch off 1 . On the plug-in coupling 110 shown, the two sections 106 and the branch line 108 of the data line 100 are connected to the connector bridges 116 of the plug-in coupling 110 via plug-in connections 114 . The connectors 114 all have the same direction of insertion and are incidental nander formed in receptacles 200 of a housing 202 of the plug-in coupling 110.

The connector bridges 116 are, for example, stamped parts and each have three tips 204 which are aligned in the same direction. The connector bridges are therefore E-shaped. The tips 204 each protrude into their own receptacles (cavities) 200 .

At the wire ends of the wires 104 are contacts, e.g. The sockets 206 are uninsulated here and are insulated from one another by walls/webs 208 of the housing 202 between the individual receptacles 200 . The cores 104 of the sections 106 and the stub 108 are twisted as far as possible up to the sockets 206 .

The connector bridges 116 are arranged parallel to one another and have a defined spacing 210 . The impedance of the data line 100 via the plug-in coupling 110 thus remains constant at a defined value.

The connector bridges 116 may be surface treated. For example, the connector bridges 116 can be tinned, silvered or gold-plated.

3 shows an illustration of a plug-in coupling 110 according to an embodiment. The plug-in coupling 110 essentially corresponds to the plug-in coupling in 2 . In contrast, two pins 204 protrude into a receptacle 200.

The sockets of the sections 106 and the stub line 108 are each arranged in pairs within an insulating plug housing 300 . This renders the webs 208 between the pins 204 of the different connector bridges 116 superfluous. The connector housing 300 and the receptacles can be designed in such a way that the components can only be arranged in relation to one another.

In one exemplary embodiment, seals are arranged between the connector housings 300 and the receptacles 200 . In this way, the plug connections can be protected against environmental influences.

4 shows an illustration of a plug-in coupling 110 according to an embodiment. The plug-in coupling 110 connects as in the 2 and 3 two sections 106 of a data line 100 with a stub 108 of the data line 100. In contrast to the representation in FIGS 2 and 3 are embedded in the housing 202 in parallel. The connector bridges 116 are T-shaped here. The plug-in connections thus each have plug-in directions aligned at right angles to one another.

5 shows an illustration of a plug-in coupling 110 according to an embodiment. The plug-in coupling 110 is Y-shaped here. Two receptacles are thus arranged next to one another on one side of the housing 202 of the plug-in coupling 110 . A single receptacle is arranged on the opposite side. The plug-in directions are parallel but partly opposite.

In other words, a pluggable connector for unshielded twisted pair (UTP) data lines is presented.

Data transmission systems such as CAN bus or automotive Ethernet 10BASE-T1 use unshielded twisted-pair cables as the transmission medium. These transmission systems can not only consist of point-to-point connections, but also as a bus system with stub lines. Up to now, the connections of these stub lines could not be automated and can have a negative effect on the transmission properties.

The stubs can be made by ultrasonic welding connections. For technical reasons, a long untwisting length is necessary here in order to be able to insert the cable into the welding device. This untwisting length degrades the signal.

The approach presented here uses a housing that contains two electrically conductive parts that contact the individual wires and improve the electrical properties of the connection. Normal contacts are attached to the individual lines. The connection is established by plugging the contacts into the housing.

Both the attachment and the insertion of the contacts are processes that can be automated. The transmission properties are secured by the structure of the housing.

With the plug-in coupling presented here, a stub line can be automatically connected to the transmission system.

The approach presented here can increase the degree of automation, which means that manual work and the associated risk can be reduced. The result is a higher signal quality and greater reliability, since the contacts are plugged in much like is more recoverable and automatable than manual production of welded or crimped connectors (splice). The component can be designed as a simple injection molded part.

The approach presented here describes a component that can be used to connect data lines and the process with which the component can be processed automatically.

The component has a housing. The housing contains two electrically conductive parts, e.g. stamped grids, which electrically connect the individual contacts to one another. A structure consisting of the component and housings on the lines is possible. A structure without a housing on the lines is also possible. The contacts can be plugged directly into the component. The transmission properties, e.g. the impedance, are influenced by the geometric arrangement of the electrically conductive parts.

When twisted pair wires are conventionally joined together, it may be necessary to untwist the wires at the junction. In this so-called untwisting range, the impedance deviates from the nominal impedance of the line. For example, the approach presented here uses two electrically conductive parts to connect the contacts together. These parts run parallel to one another, at least in part.

The impedance can therefore be set to the nominal impedance of the transmission system or impedance deviations can be compensated for by a remaining untwisting length. In addition, the impedance in the plug-in area can be influenced by the distance between the chambers.

The precisely defined position of the conductors in relation to one another can greatly limit impedance scattering. The process can be automated. The process requires no welding. Standard contact parts can be attached to the cable. This can be automated. These contact parts are then plugged into the housing. Plugging can also be automated.

The approach presented here can be used for UTP data lines such as CAN, CAN-FD or low-speed Ethernet. A reduction in the length of the lines can be achieved.

The bus line can have an initial resistance and/or an end resistance. At the connection point, a bus subscriber is connected to the bus line via a tap. An untwisting length in front of the connection point is very small. A connection length of 50 mm, for example, may be necessary for strain relief. The binding length can be defined by a binder as protection against peeling.

With the plug-in coupling presented here, electrically conductive parts can also be injected in the housing. Alternatively, the housing can be fitted with socket contacts and a type of cover with the pin bridges can then be placed on top or plugged into the socket contacts.

In one embodiment, the distance between the bridges is set in such a way that the impedance is 120 Ω as a result. One of the bridges is connected to the wires with the same electrical potential/signal, for example "high". The other bridge is connected to the wires that also have the same electrical potential/signal, for example "Low".

The socket contacts can be designed with electrically insulating inserts. Alternatively, the socket contacts can be plugged into the housing and onto the pin of the bridge at the same time by direct plugging.

Since the devices and methods described in detail above are exemplary embodiments, they can be modified to a large extent in the usual way by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the mechanical arrangements and the size ratios of the individual elements to one another are merely exemplary.

Reference List

100

data line

102

component

104

Vein

106

part

108

stub line

110

plug-in coupling

112

wire end

114

connector

116

connector bridge

118

binder

200

Recording

202

Housing

204

Pen

206

Rifle

208

web

210

Distance

300

connector housing

Claims (11)

Data line (100) for a vehicle, wherein the data line (100) has twisted cores (104), with sections (106) of the cores (104) being connected via plug-in connections (114) to one electrically conductive connector bridge (116) per core (104), the connector bridges (116) of the various cores (104) of the data line (100) being spaced parallel to one another at the connection point and an impedance of the connection point at a design frequency of the data line (100) is configured to a predefined impedance value by a predefined spacing (210) between the connector straps (116) and a predefined width of the connector straps (116). Data line (100) according to claim 1 , in which the ends of the connector bridges (116) protrude into receptacles (200) of a housing (202). Data line (100) according to claim 2 , in which the ends of at least two different connector bridges (116) protrude into a common receptacle (200). Data line (100) according to claim 1 In which the receptacles (200) are arranged in a first housing part of a housing (202) and the connector bridges (116) are arranged in a second housing part of the housing (202), the ends of the connector bridges (116) protruding from the second housing part and being plugged into the receptacles (200) of the first housing part to form the plug-in connections (114). Data line (100) according to one of the preceding claims, with at least one stub (108) with twisted wires (104), the respective wire of the stub (108) being connected to the corresponding connector bridge (116) at the connection point via plug-in connections (114). Data line (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the plug connections (114) are arranged next to one another and are aligned in the same direction. Data line (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the connector bridges (116) are designed as an electrically conductive part, for example produced by stamping, laser beam cutting, casting, additive or other manufacturing processes. Data line (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the ends of the connector bridges (116) are designed as pluggable pins (204). Data line (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the core ends (112) of the cores (104) are designed as pluggable sockets (206). Data line according to claim 9 , In which the sockets (206) of at least one of the sections (106) and/or the stub (108) are encased by a common plug housing (300). Data line (100) according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , in which the ends of the connector bridges (116) are designed as pluggable sockets (206).

Images