EP0460038A1

EP0460038A1 - System for the connection of a common multiwire assembly and a branched multiwire assembly.

Info

Publication number: EP0460038A1
Application number: EP90903851A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernard Logerot; Didier Avenue Du Marecha Poyet; Remy Pone
Original assignee: Amphenol Socapex SA
Current assignee: Amphenol Socapex SA
Priority date: 1989-02-21
Filing date: 1990-02-20
Publication date: 1991-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 2010-02-20
Also published as: US5242313A; ES2047319T3; EP0460038B1; AU5197090A; WO1990010319A1; BR9007149A; DK0460038T3; ZA901317B; DE69003938D1; AU632547B2; DE69003938T2; FR2643512B1; FR2643512A1; ATE95950T1

Abstract

Electrical connection assembly between a control bundle (25) having n conductors (C1-Cn) and at least one branched bundle (30) having n conductors (D1-Dn), one at least of the conductors (D3) of the branched bundle being connected in parallel with one of the conductors (C3) of the control bundle, and two of the conductors of the branched bundle (D1-D2) being connected in series with one of the conductors (C2) of the control bundle. This assembly comprises a first clip (100) for fastening and connection on the control bundle (25), which clip is equipped with at least one contact (F3) ensuring an electrical contact with the conductor of the control bundle to be connected in parallel, at least one disconnection member (108) for disconnecting the conductor to be connected in series and at least two contacts (F1,F2) for ensuring electrical contacts on either side of the disconnection member with the conductor (C2) to be connected in series.

Description

Connection assembly between a common multi-conductor bundle and a multi-conductor branch bundle.

The present invention relates to a connection assembly between a common multiconductor bundle and a multi-conductor bypass bundle, a pair of conductors in each bundle being intended to carry out a "series" connection control.

In many applications, the problem arises of connecting a certain number of devices, or even a large number, in shunt on a common multiconductor bundle which emerges from a control unit.

As long as it is a question of carrying out simple connections in parallel between the conductors of the common bundle and those of the branch bundle, there are many solutions using, in particular, bundles in sheet and connectors with perforation of insulation to pinch on the tablecloth.

The problem underlying the present invention is that of the connection when two of the conductors of the common bundle must be used to carry out a connection control in series, for which the techniques of connectors to be pinched on a sheet do not provide a solution.

In order to solve this problem, the invention provides an electrical connection assembly between a control harness with n conductors, and at least one derivative harness with n conductors, at least one of the conductors of the derivative beam being connected in parallel with the one of the conductor harness conductors, and two of the derivative harness conductors being connected in series to one of the conductor harness conductors, characterized in that it comprises a first clamp for fixing and connection on the control harness, provided with at least one contact intended to provide electrical contact with the conductor of the control harness to be connected in parallel, at least one cutting member intended to cut the conductor to be connected in series and at least two contacts intended ensuring electrical contacts on either side of the cutting member with the conductor to be connected in series. The details and advantages of the invention will appear clearly on reading the description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a connection diagram between a common multiconductor bundle and derived bundles;

- Figure 2 broadly illustrates the connection assemblies according to the invention;

- Figures 3 and 4 are detailed views of a connector clamp forming part of the invention; - Figures 5 and 6 are detail views of a second connector clamp forming part of the invention;

- Figures 7 and 8 illustrate the nesting details of the clamps of Figures 3 to 6;

FIG. 9 is a detailed view of a connector contact; and

- Figure 10 is a schematic section of the connector assembly.

As illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 1, the object of the present invention is to produce electrical connection assemblies 10 between a common multiconductor control bundle 12 and derived multiconductor bundles 14a, 14b, 14c, etc., which are of a simple and economical to manufacture and implement, with no risk of error.

This type of network is intended to connect a single control unit 16, from which the common beam starts, and a plurality of devices 18a, 18b, 18c, etc., to which the derived beams end.

The common bundle comprises n conductors, 5 in the example illustrated, ie C, C- ,, C- ,, C. and C-., Two of which, C ,. and C_, are intended for a "serial" connection control of all the devices 18, the other conductors C-, C. , C used to convey analog or digital control instructions to the devices, by a "parallel" connection.

To do this, each derivative beam also has n conductors, the first two D ,. and D_ being connected to the conductor

C-, of the common beam on either side of a cut 20 of it ci, and the following three D,., D., D _p . are respectively connected to the conductors C_, C. , VS-. of the common beam.

The conductor C. of the common harness is intended for the return of the "series" connection provided as described above on the conductor C „. To this end, the conductors C. and C „are connected to each other by a short circuit 22 at their end opposite to the control unit, by means of a terminal connection assembly 24 also referred to by the present invention and described later.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the common multiconductor bundle 12 is produced in the form of a sheet 25 with n parallel conductors, provided on one of its edges with a detro means page 26, advantageously constituted in the context of the 'invention ^' by a side strip 28 thicker than the web. The extra thickness may protrude on one side, or preferably both. As a variant, the coding means could consist simply of a visual indication, such as a side band of a color different from that of the sheet.

Thus, the conductors of the sheet are indexed from the side strip 28, the conductor C. being the closest and the conductor C-. farthest.

Similarly, the derivative bundles 14 are produced in the form of a sheet 30 of similar structure or preferably identical, their conductors D ..- D-. being indexed in the same way with respect to the lateral strip 28. Of course, for bundles with n conductors, it will be understood that the above éπu eration will be expressed by

^C l ^C n ^{e D} l ^D n "

Each connection assembly 10 consists of two clamps 100 and 200, assembled respectively on the ply of the main harness and on the ply of the derivative bundle cdfmme it will be described in relation to FIGS. 3 to 8.

The first clamp 100 intended for the main beam, illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, comprises a base 102 made of insulating material provided with a substantially planar upper face 104 from which protrude a number of contacts and a punch

108 or cutting member. The contacts are metal parts which will be described in more detail in relation to FIG. 9. They are received in housings 110 of the base substantially perpendicular to the upper face 104. Only their active ends 112, with a sharp double point , protrude from the upper face; they are intended to establish contact with the conductors of the sheet 25 by perforating the insulation.

The upper face 104 of the base comprises a peripheral ring 136 slightly projecting and intended to penetrate the insulation of the sheet to ensure the seal as will be seen below.

At one end of the upper face 104, the base com¬ carries a step 114 intended to receive the lateral strip 28 of the ply 25. It is extended, beyond the step 114, by a guide member 116 extending perpendicular to the upper face.

In the example illustrated, the guide member has a male profile with a T-shaped section, but it goes without saying that multiple variants are conceivable.

At the other end of the upper face 104, the base carries a projecting bridge 118, intended to constitute a holding member for a claw 120 of a cover 122 which will now be described.

The cover 122, also made of insulating material, has a substantially planar lower face 124 provided with recesses 126, 128 intended to receive respectively the sharp ends of the contacts and the head of the punch 108.

Similarly, the lower face 124 of the cover includes a peripheral ring 137 for sealing.

The claw 120 projects laterally with respect to the cover at one end of the cover.

At the other end of the lower face 124, the cover also includes a step 130 intended to receive the lateral strip of the sheet 25. It extends, beyond the step, by a guide member 132 extending perpendicular to the lower and complementary face of the guide member 116 of the base. In the example illustrated, the guide member 132 has a female profile with T-shaped section

In FIG. 4, the cover 122 is partially engaged on the base 102 by cooperation of their respective guide members 116, 132, so as to leave between their upper 104 and lower 124 faces a slot 134 through which can be introduced. ¬ laterally supplies the sheet 25.

The base and the cover are then brought together until their flat faces 104, 124 or their rods

(136, 137) come into contact with the faces of the ply, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the lateral strip of the ply in excess thickness coming to be housed in the gradients 114 and 130.

It will be noted that it is therefore not possible to tighten the two parts of the clamp, if the lateral strip of the ply is pre¬ sent on the wrong side. In fact, this lateral strip will be an obstacle between the planar faces 104, 124 of the base and of the cover, in the vicinity of the trigger guard 118 and of the claw 120, and will prevent the base and the cover from approaching.

During tightening, the sharp points of the contacts pass through the insulation of the sheet to come into contact with the conductors, without interrupting them.

When the base and the cover are tightened on the ply, they remain in this condition thanks to the snap-fastening of the claw 120 under the trigger guard 118. In addition, provision will also be made for an arrangement with snap-fastening also on the side of the guide members. 116, 132, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art and therefore has not been shown.

If we refer again to Figure 3, we note that the contacts are arranged in two rows perpendicular to the step 114, therefore to the web.

On the first row there are four contacts, F-., F., F-, and Fp, arranged at decreasing distances from the step 114, so that these contacts come exactly in correspondence of the conductors C-., C ., C-, and C-, of the sheet 25.

On the second row, there is a single contact F., placed at the same distance from the step 114 as the contact F „, therefore also the ent in correspondence of the driver C _? tablecloth 25.

The punch 108 is disposed between the two contacts F ₁ and

^F 2 "

Thus, when the base 102 and the cover 122 of the clamp 100 are assembled and tightened, the punch comes to punch the sheet facing the conductor C _? and create a cut on it, while the two contacts F ", _f F_ come into electrical contact with this conductor C _? on either side of the cut.

Of course, the punch head must be made of insulating material, or at least covered with such a material.

The contacts extend towards the lower part of the base, as will be described later.

The second clamp 200 illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 intended for the derived beam has a construction analogous to that of the first clamp and its analogous components will be designated therein by reference numbers increased by a value of 100.

It essentially differs from it only by the arrangement of the contacts and by the shape of the lower part of its base 202. The contacts G-., G., G-, and G „are arranged in this case in the second row, facing the conductors D-., D., D „and D_ of the sheet 30; the contact G ^ is arranged alone on the first row facing the conductor D _* and the base is devoid of punch. The cover 222 is identical. Note in FIGS. 7 and 8 the second clamp 200 tightened on the bypass ply 30.

In these same figures, the complementary shapes of the bases 102 and 202 are noted.

The base 102 is of the female type and comprises an internal cavity 140 bordered by grooves 138 open towards the interior of the cavity, in which the tails of the contacts 106 are received.

The base 202 is of the male type and comprises a block 240 on the periphery of which are grooves 238 open towards the outside and receiving the contact tails. When the block 240 of the base 202 is received in the cavity 140, the grooves 138 and 238 correspond, so that the contact tails 106 and 206 can be applied one against the other laterally. An outer skirt 250 seals the socket.

More precisely, FIG. 9 shows the perspective shape of an individual contact F or G.

Such contact is obtained by punching / stamping a metal strip 300.

Its head 302 carrying the sharp points 112, 212 and its connection tail 304 are offset relative to each other by a distance equal to half the pitch P of the conductors of the plies. The tail 304 has bosses 305 projecting from the side.

As illustrated in the schematic section of FIG. 10, the two bases are designed so that the tails 304 of the contacts 300 are offset, relative to the conductors of the plies, in the following manner: in the base 102 of the clamp 100 , the four tails of the contacts F-, F., F-, and F „are offset in the direction of the lateral strip 28 of the ply 25, as is the tail of the contact F ₁ located in the second row and shown for this reason dotted in the figure.

In the base 202 of the clamp 200, the tails of the contacts G-., G., G-, and G „are also offset in the direction of the side strip, while the tail of the contact G ₁ located in the second row is offset in the opposite direction.

Thus, when the two bases are fitted one inside the other, the contacts F ,, to F-. are in electrical continuity with the contacts G. to G-., thanks to the bosses of their respective tails, making the connections of the diagram in FIG. 1. It will be noted that the connection assembly 10 according to the present invention is particularly simple , light, economical to manufacture and implement.

The two clips that make it up are small, since in fact a sheet with 5 conductors spaced apart, for example, in a tenth of an inch, or 2.54 mm, has a total width, including an extra side strip, less than 16 mm. Well of course, this width may be less if the chosen pitch is less.

The covers are identical and only the two bases differ, so that three molds are enough to make them. Likewise, all contacts are identical and can easily be produced on continuous machines.

The clamps can be supplied preassembled, so that it is sufficient, after having introduced the sheet between the cover and the base, to tighten them using a simple clamping tool, advantageously a hand tool.

It is finally remarkable., To note that the same assembly can be used to make the terminal connector 24.- ^'

Indeed, and we will usefully refer to FIG. 2, we will fix in the vicinity of the end of the ply 25 of the control beam a clamp identical to the clamp 200 described above, then, at some distance from that here, a clamp identical to the clamp 100, and we will fit the two clamps one on the other.

On examining FIG. 10, it will be seen that the conductors C-., C., C-, and C „are simply connected to themselves via the contacts F ₅ , F., F- ,, F „And G-., G., G- ,, G_ άas two clamps, while the conductors C ,. and C „will be short-circuited via contacts F _* and G ^.

Claims

1. Assembly (10) for electrical connection between a control harness (25) with n conductors (C ₁ -C), and at least one branched harness (30) with n conductors (D ^ -D), one of the conductors at minus (D-,) of the branched beam being connected in parallel to one of the conductors (C-,) of the control harness, and two of the conductors of the branched beam (D ₁ , D-,) being connected in series to the 'one of the conductors (C ") of the control harness, characterized in that it comprises a first clamp (100) for fixing and connection on the control harness (25), provided with at least one contact (F- .) intended to provide an electrical contact with the conductor of the control harness to be connected in parallel, at least one cutting member (108) intended to cut the conductor to be connected in series and at least two contacts (F,., F _? ) intended to ensure electrical contacts on either side of the cutting member with the conductor (C ") to be connected in series.

2. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises a second clamp for fixing (200) and for connection to the branched beam (30), provided with contacts (G ₁ -G) each intended to ensure contact electric with one of the conductors of the derivative beam.

3. Assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that the first (100) and second (200) clamps comprise complementary nesting members (140, 240).

4. Assembly according to one of claims 2 or 3, charac¬ terized in that each of the two clamps comprises a base (102, 202) with a face (104, 204) intended to come into contact with the beam (25 , 30) and of contacts (300) with perforation of insulation projecting from said face, and of a cover (122, 222) provided with a face (124, 224) intended to come into contact with the bundle and means fixing (120, 118, 116, 132, 220, 218, 216, 232) on said base.

5. Assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that the contacts (300) in each clamp comprise a head (302) with sharp points (112, 212) projecting from said face (104, 204) of the base, and a tail (304) extending in said interlocking members (140, 240).

6. Assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that the heads (302) and the tails (304) of contact (300) are offset by a distance (P / 2) equal to half of those (P) of the conductors beam.

7. An assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the bundles are constituted by sheets with parallel multiconductors.

8. An assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the plies have a border - (28) in excess thickness.

9. An assembly according to claim 8, characterized ^' in that the clamps (100, 200) comprise steps (114, 130, 214, 230) intended to accommodate said edge in excess thickness.

10. An assembly according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the contacts in each of the clamps are arranged in two parallel rows.

11. The assembly of claim 10, characterized in that the first clamp (100) has on a first row a number of contacts equal to n - 1 and (F „- F) on the second row a single contact (F ,, ) facing one of the contacts (F_) of the first row, the cutting member (108) being disposed between these two contacts.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the second clamp (200) has on its second row a number of contacts (G-, - G) equal to n - 1 and on the second row a single contact (G, .) offset from the others.