EP0751589B1 - Sealed connector for electromotor supply, especially for a motor ventilator unit of a heating or air-conditioning device for the interior of a vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates generally to fan units for heaters and / or for air conditioning passenger compartments in motor vehicles.

There is shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings annexed the general architecture of such a group fan motor. It includes a motor support A, for plastic example, with a B plus barrel or less cylindrical in which is mounted a motor C, and a flange D of more or less circular shape, ensuring the mechanical interface with the casing or the heater or air conditioner on which the fan unit is fitted. More specifically, the flange D ensures docking, positioning and sealing of the fan assembly in relation to the casing or housing cited above.

Motor C is generally a current motor continuous on which the turbine E is mounted ensuring by rotation of air circulation in the device.

Such a fan unit may also include conventionally a set of parts ensuring a mechanical decoupling, mainly for purposes vibration damping, between motor C and the engine mount A. These parts may include shock absorbers, an intermediate ring in one or more parts, etc ... The fan unit can also include an electrical connection harness, optionally welded to engine C, and comprising electrical conductors of appropriate length and ending with an electrical connector either flying or attached to the outside of the engine mount A.

In the simplest cases, the motor is directly installed in barrel B, without any device depreciation. In this case, if the engine is equipped with conveniently arranged terminals F (Figure 3), a connector G can then be designed to plug directly onto the motor through a single or multiple window H (Figure 2) provided on the engine support A, with appropriate docking.

Such a solution is described in particular in FR-A-2,536 221 and FR-A-2 575 342.

In general, the connector is fitted with female contacts for flat or "Faston" (registered trademark) male contacts, with various variants (simple or safety contact, contact straight or in "flag", etc ...). In this regard, reference is made to international standards for example DIN 46247, NF 13-431 and IEC 760 relating to such electrical contacts.

But whatever the concrete solution adopted, these state of the art connection systems still have some drawbacks.

In particular, the solutions described in the documents FR-A-2 536 221 and FR-A-2 575 342 mentioned above do not allow ensure a satisfactory overall seal, taking into account increasingly high quality requirements car manufacturers regarding device performance cabin heating / air conditioning.

US-A-5 356 312 describes a connector conforming to the preamble of claim 1.

In addition, to ensure easy mounting of the connector on the engine support and good sealing, precision positioning of the motor terminals relative to the support motor, and therefore at the connector, must be good, which is restrictive in terms of manufacturing costs.

It will also be observed that the type of female electrical contacts conventionally used in known connectors also requires the aforementioned positioning precision, and is a noise generator because it provides a strong mechanical coupling between the brush holder plate of the motor, mounted on shock absorbers, and the engine support via the connector.
The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks of the state of the art and to propose a fan unit equipped with an integrated connector and which makes it possible to ensure good air and water tightness and to ensure between the motor lugs and the connector a sufficiently flexible mechanical connection so as not to introduce undesirable mechanical coupling, because noise generator, between the brush holder plate of the motor, on which the lugs are fixed, and the connector.

The invention provides for this purpose a connector for a electric motor carrying contacts and received in a support motor provided with arrangements for docking said connector, in particular in a motor-fan unit for passenger compartment heating or air conditioning, the connector comprising at least one through passage formed in a box and receiving the end of a conductor power supply and a contact clamp capable of receiving a contact element provided on the motor, said passage opening on one side on said contact element and on the other side on a rear face of the housing, and at least one member closing a free space existing between the conductor and said passage, characterized in that said obturation member is arranged to seal and seal the outlet of said passage at the level of said rear face, said member shutter being made in one piece with the housing and being hinged thereon by a thin connecting part.

• le connecteur comprend pour chaque passage deux organes d'obturation articulés sur le boítier en deux emplacements et coopérant entre eux pour obturer ledit espace libre.
• ledit espace libre est de forme annulaire, chaque organe d'obturation présentant la forme d'un demi-anneau.
• le ou chaque organe d'obturation comprend une jupe flexible comportant sur sa face extérieure des éléments de verrouillage dudit organe en position d'obturation.
• lesdits éléments de verrouillage coopèrent avec des aménagements complémentaires formés dans le passage correspondant.
• le connecteur comprend en outre, à l'intérieur du ou de chaque passage, un joint souple comprimé entre le conducteur correspondant et la paroi du passage et retenu en place par un sertissage de la pince de contact respective sur le conducteur correspondant.
• le joint souple est un joint à plusieurs lèvres annulaires superposées.
• le boítier du connecteur comporte sur une face d'accostage une gorge apte à recevoir un joint souple d'étanchéité et présentant un bord extérieur mince formant une lèvre élastiquement déformable, pour pouvoir assurer sélectivement soit une étanchéité par joint, soit une étanchéité par lèvre.
• la ou chaque pince de contact comprend une série de branches flexibles se rapprochant l'une de l'autre en direction de leur extrémité libre puis s'évasant jusqu'à ladite extrémité libre, aptes à recevoir entre elles un élément de contact du moteur sous la forme d'une cosse respective avec laquelle elles sont en contact par légère pression élastique.

Preferred, but not limiting, aspects of the connector according to the invention are as follows:

• the connector comprises for each passage two closure members articulated on the housing in two locations and cooperating with each other to close said free space.
• said free space is of annular shape, each closure member having the shape of a half-ring.
• the or each closure member comprises a flexible skirt having on its outer face locking elements of said member in the closed position.
• said locking elements cooperate with complementary arrangements formed in the corresponding passage.
• the connector further comprises, inside the or each passage, a flexible seal compressed between the corresponding conductor and the wall of the passage and retained in place by crimping the respective contact clamp on the corresponding conductor.
• the flexible seal is a seal with several superimposed annular lips.
• the connector housing has on a docking face a groove capable of receiving a flexible seal and having a thin outer edge forming an elastically deformable lip, to be able to selectively provide either a seal by seal, or a seal by lip.
• the or each contact clamp comprises a series of flexible branches approaching one another in the direction of their free end then flaring up to said free end, capable of receiving between them a contact element of the motor under the shape of a respective terminal with which they are in contact by light elastic pressure.

The invention also provides a fan unit especially for heating or air conditioning equipment passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, characterized in that it includes an engine mount having a docking portion projection projecting at least one opening a contact element of an electric motor, and a connector as defined above.

la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un groupe motoventilateur de l'état de la technique connue,

la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'une partie formant support moteur du groupe motoventilateur de la figure 1,

la figure 3 est une vue en coupe transversale d'un détail du groupe motoventilateur de la figure 1,

la figure 4 est une vue en perspective, dans une première orientation, d'une moitié d'un boítier de connecteur selon la présente invention,

la figure 5 est une vue en perspective, dans une seconde orientation, du boítier de connecteur de la figure 4,

la figure 6 est une vue en coupe verticale axiale d'une première forme de réalisation d'un connecteur équipé du boítier des figures 4 et 5,

la figure 7 est une vue en coupe horizontale axiale du connecteur de la figure 6,

la figure 8 est une vue en coupe verticale axiale d'une seconde forme de réalisation d'un connecteur équipé du boítier des figures 4 et 5, et

la figure 9 est une vue en coupe horizontale axiale du connecteur de la figure 8.

Other aspects, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear better on reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fan unit of the known state of the art,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part forming an engine support of the fan assembly of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a detail of the fan assembly of FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, in a first orientation, of one half of a connector housing according to the present invention,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, in a second orientation, of the connector housing of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a view in axial vertical section of a first embodiment of a connector fitted with the housing of FIGS. 4 and 5,

FIG. 7 is a view in axial horizontal section of the connector of FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 is a view in axial vertical section of a second embodiment of a connector fitted with the housing of FIGS. 4 and 5, and

FIG. 9 is a view in axial horizontal section of the connector of FIG. 8.

Referring to Figures 4 to 9, there is shown a connector according to the invention which comprises a housing 1 produced for example by molding of thermoplastic material, in one piece or two pieces welded to each other.

This case 1 comprises a body having the general shape a parallelepiped with a large open face. AT from the large opposite face extend, crossing inside the body, two parallel barrels, generally cylindrical, each crossed by a passage having a cylindrical part 6 and part 17 whose cross section presents in this case the general shape of a cross, adapted the passage of the conductive lugs F equipping the motor of the motor-fan unit and the travel of a gripper female contact sheltered in this part as we will see in detail later.

These two barrels 15 are intended to penetrate respectively in two circular openings H (Figure 2) fitted in the wall of the engine support A.

Preferably, one of the two barrels has a wing lateral 18 forming a key in cooperation with a not shown notch adjoining one of the openings H, of so as to prohibit the fitting of the connector with a incorrect polarity.

The body of the housing 1 is provided laterally with two flexible legs 19 each with a claw 20 and a operating part, to ensure the locking of the connector on the motor support and its unlocking, claws cooperating with edges arranged at the periphery of the docking zone 5 provided on the engine support.

On the side of the barrels 15, that is to say on its face docking on zone 5, the housing body 1 has a continuous peripheral groove 21. This groove can receive or position a seal 12 (Figures 6 and 7), in particular an O-ring or a flat seal, for ensure in cooperation with the projecting berthing area 5 a seal between the connector and the engine support A.

As a variant, and as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the seal 12 can be omitted, and the docking area 5 designed to slightly deform outward a rim outside of the groove 21, which is then produced in the form a flexible sealing lip 3 capable of deforming elastically over its entire extent. This solution can be retained in the case of a specification minus demanding in terms of gas and liquid tightness.

In the barrels 15 are respectively received two clamps spring-loaded female conductors 2 of conventional type, for example with four sinuous branches closing at the near their free end then widening again to their actual end, as illustrated in particular in Figures 7 and 9.

These clamps 2 are locked in the housings 17 to with the help of appropriate arrangements cooperating between housings and clamps, in a conventional manner per se.

According to the invention, there is provision for the right of opening posterior of each bole 15, where the part of cylindrical passage 6, two elements articulated on the body of housing and constituting half-doors 7 having each a semi-circular outline. Each of these doors 7 is connected to the housing body 1 by a thin tongue 8 coming from matter, which allows it to pivot and be introduced into the posterior opening of the associated barrel.

Two homologous half-doors define, in position closed, a circular opening 10 whose diameter is substantially equal to that of the corresponding conductor 23, which is introduced into the barrel and on the stripped end from which the contact clamp 2 is crimped (or welded).

As can be seen in Figures 4 and 5, each half-door 7 has a skirt 9 on the outer face of which are formed locking teeth 24 capable to cooperate with recesses 25 formed in the cylindrical passages for locking the half-doors in position. For this purpose, each skirt is subdivided in several parts by notches (see Figure 4) to give it the flexibility it needs.

These doors 7 ensure between the barrels 15 and the conductors 23 a suitable seal at the outlet of connector, in a particularly simple and economic.

In the embodiment of Figures 6 and 7, a multiple flexible lip seal 13 is engaged around each conductor 23 before the engagement thereof in passage 6 of the corresponding barrel. During the introduction of the seal 13 in the passage 6, its lips are elastically deform to ensure between conductors 23 and the connector body a seal which comes complete that carried out by doors 7.

In the embodiment of Figures 8 and 9, corresponding to a situation or requirement sealing is less, these seals 13 are omitted.

Each seal 13 is held in place on one side by the crimping of the conductive clamp 2 on the conductor 23. This assembly is confirmed, on the other side, by the half-doors 7 when locked.

Claims (10)

1. An electric motor connector (C) carrying contacts and received in a motor support (A) which has arrangements (5, H) for attaching said connector, in particular in a motor-fan unit for heating or air conditioning the cabin of an automobile vehicle, the connector comprising at least one passage (6, 17) through it formed in a casing (1) and receiving the end of a power supply conductor (23) of the motor and a contact clamp (2) adapted to receive a contact member on the motor, said passage opening at one end onto said contact member and at the other end onto a rear face of the casing, and at least one member (7) for closing off a space between the conductor and said passage, characterised in that said closing off member (7) is adapted to close off and to seal the outlet from said passage (6, 17) at the level of said rear face, said closing off member being made in one piece with the casing and being hinged thereto by a thin connecting part (8).
2. A connector according to claim 1 characterised in that it comprises for each passage two closing off members (7) hinged to the casing (1) at two locations and cooperating with each other to close off said space.
3. A connector according to claim 2 characterised in that space is of annular shape, each closing off member (7) forming half of a ring.
4. A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the or each closing off member comprises a flexible skirt (9) having on its outside face members (24) for locking said member in the closing off position.
5. A connector according to claim 4 characterised in that said locking members cooperate with complementary arrangements (25) in the corresponding passage.
6. A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that it further comprises, inside the passage or each passage, a flexible seal (13) compressed between the corresponding conductor (23) and the wall of the passage and held in place by crimping the respective contact clamp (2) onto the corresponding conductor.
7. A connector according to claim 6 characterised in that the flexible seal (13) is a seal with a plurality of superposed annular lips.
8. A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that the casing of the connector has on an attachment face a groove (21) adapted to receive a flexible seal (12) having a thin outside edge (3) forming an elastically deformable lip so that it can selectively provide either a bulk seal or a lip seal.
9. A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the or each contact clamp (2) comprises a series of flexible branches converging towards their free end and then diverging up to said free end adapted to receive between them a contact member (F) of the motor in the form of a respective tag with which they are in contact with slight elastic pressure.
10. A motor-fan unit in particular for equipment for heating or air conditioning the cabin of an automobile vehicle characterised in that it comprises a motor support (A) having a projecting attachment part (5) circumscribing at least one opening (H) exposing a contact member (F) of an electric motor and a connector (G) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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