EP1481446A2

EP1481446A2 - Distributor for film conductors

Info

Publication number: EP1481446A2
Application number: EP03743352A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernd Cadus; Jürgen Ries; Siegfried Schreiber
Original assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
Current assignee: Mercedes Benz Group AG
Priority date: 2002-03-05
Filing date: 2003-02-28
Publication date: 2004-12-01
Also published as: WO2003075410A2; DE10209771B3; WO2003075410A3; US6911603B2; US20040203265A1

Abstract

A distributor (1) for film conductors (2-5) comprising a first bus bar (9) for a first signal path (CAN-low), said bus bar being arranged in a recess (8) of a partial shell; and a second bus bar (10) for a second signal path (CAN-high), said second bus bar being also arranged in a recess (8) of a partial shell (7). Each bus bar (9,10) can be connected, by means of a bridging element (11-14, 23, 25, 26), to several film conductors (2-5) which are coupled to electronic components. The connection between a bus bar (9,10) and an electrical component can be separated by displacing the bridging element (11-14, 23, 25, 26). When the distributor is assembled (1), both partial shells (6, 7) meet at an interface (15). The film conductors (2-5) of a signal path (CAN-low, CAN-high) are guided through one or several channels (16) in a partial shell (6, 7) and are bent in such a way on the end of the channel(s) (16) that the bent part (17) of the film conductors (2-5) is arranged in the region of the interface (15) between the partial shells (6,7) when the distributor is assembled.

Description

Distributor for foil conductors

The invention relates to a distributor for film conductors with a first busbar arranged in a recess of a partial shell for a first signal path and a second busbar arranged in a recess of a partial shell for a second signal path, each busbar via a bridging element with a plurality of e- electrically connected film conductors can be connected, the connection between a busbar and an electrical component can be separated by moving the bridging element and the two partial shells abut each other at an interface in the assembled distributor.

In technical systems, in particular in means of transport, conventional cable harnesses made of electrical copper lines are increasingly being replaced by modern line technologies. In the case of digital signal transmission, data bus systems are used which can transmit messages via the data bus from one control unit to another control unit. Such data bus systems either have one or more copper conductors, via which the coded messages are transmitted. An example of this is the CAN bus with two lines, between which a differential signal is tapped for signal evaluation, or the further developed CAN-C data bus with three data bus lines, the bulk of which is usually routed over the vehicle chassis. In the CAN bus in particular, the messages are transmitted at a transmission rate of up to 1 megabit per second. With these high transmission rates, very high demands are placed on the electrical lines. Especially the wiring to the Different nodes, ie the control units, sensors, actuators, switches or star couplers, are of great importance here. Distributors are used in which the lines from and to the various subscribers are connected in an electrically conductive manner to lines from other subscribers.

So-called foil conductors are used in means of transport, in particular in motor vehicles, the electrical conductor being applied as a metallic conductor track to a carrier foil. Such film conductors can be produced, for example, by means of known techniques by exposure and etching from a base material, so that several specifically designed electrical conductors are arranged on one film conductor. The foil conductor can then be laid overall on the vehicle chassis or on specially provided foil conductor carriers within the means of transport. Especially when many conductors with a small conductor cross-section have to be laid, foil conductors have proven themselves with regard to their mechanical strength and with regard to their safety with regard to electromagnetic compatibility.

Vibrations of different frequencies occur in transport during operation, so that the construction of plugs and distributors for foil conductors is of great interest. More than two electrical conductors converge in a distributor and must be connected in an electrically conductive manner. An example of such a distributor is a so-called star coupler for a data bus. Today, high-performance data buses are often designed in a star shape, ie the users are not directly connected to each other via a data bus, but each user is connected to the star coupler via the data bus, which in turn forwards the messages to the other users in a star shape. Such a design of the data bus topology entails increased reliability for the data bus. Above all, there is no interruption in the data bus if a single a participant has failed. In addition, with star couplers, the messages transmitted on the data bus can be better monitored or filtered.

When using film conductors for analog signal transmission via individual film conductors or when transmitting digital messages via a data bus, the film conductors are stripped in the area of a contact point and kept in electrical contact with other film conductors by crossing them over at a likewise stripped point. If distributors are used for a larger number of foil conductors, busbars are usually used due to the better serviceability, which are connected in an electrically conductive manner to the foil conductors of a signal path. Such distributors with busbars are usually too large for space-saving use in means of transport. In addition, these do not allow the simple disconnection of individual conductor or data bus branches with the subscriber coupled to them.

It is an object of the present invention to develop a distributor for film conductors of the type described in the introduction in such a way that a compact distributor for film conductors is produced, in which electrical components of a signal path can be switched off or on easily.

This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. The film conductors of a signal path are then guided through one or more channels in a partial shell and angled at the end of the channel or channels so that the angled part of the film conductors in the assembled distributor is arranged in the area of the interface between the partial shells.

The distributor has two partial shells, in particular an upper and lower shell, with a busbar being arranged in each partial shell. The foil conductors of different, Parallel signal paths are led through one or more channels of a partial shell and angled in such a way that the angled foil conductor end between the two partial shells comes to rest in recesses which may be provided for this purpose. The angled ends of the film conductors are stripped in certain sections, so that each individual flat conductor track of the film conductor can be connected in an electrically conductive manner to a busbar by means of an adjacent bridging element. The distributor functions in such a way that the electrical signal is transmitted from an electrical component via the film conductor to the angled part of the film conductor and from there via the bridging element used to the busbar, further electrical components being electrically conductively coupled to the busbar and also there Bridging elements can be connected or disconnected.

The angled parts of the film conductor or films are preferably arranged in one plane, which in the assembled distributor are parallel to a plane in which a busbar lies. As a result, the angled part of the film conductor is arranged essentially parallel to the busbar, so that when the part-shells of the distributor are assembled, both are pressed against the bridging element arranged between them. If the foil conductor and the busbar are stripped and are geometrically arranged such that the electrically conductive bridging element establishes contact between the two, electrical components can be coupled or uncoupled to the distributor by inserting the bridging element.

The distributor can be used, for example, in connection with a two-wire data bus, the CAN high conductor track being assigned to one partial shell and the CAN low conductor track to the other partial shell, in particular in the case of a CAN bus foil conductor. Starting with an electrical component, the mass is connected to the vehicle chassis in the CAN bus the, while the first film conductors with the CAN high signals are led to the upper part of the distributor and via the respective bridging elements to the busbar in the upper part of the shell, while the film conductors with the CAN low signals to the lower part and above the associated bridging elements are guided to the busbar in the lower part of the shell. Since all foil conductors of all components with the star coupler are connected to the respective busbars in this way, each electrical component can be separated from the star coupler by removing the bridging elements.

The distributor according to the invention ensures a reliable electrical connection of any number of bus users, each separately in signal lines with the CAN high and the CAN low signal. Each bus participant can be switched off from the bus system via the bridging element. This means that every bus participant, i.e. Each electrical component connected to the distributor can be tested separately or operated separately.

In a further development of the invention, the distributor consists of two plastic partial shells, namely an upper and a lower shell. After being fitted with the film conductors and the bridging elements, both partial shells are pressed together to form a housing by means of a latching mechanism. The lower part of the shell is used to hold the foil conductors with the CAN high signal, the busbar being firmly embedded in the plastic carrier in this lower part of the shell. The length of the busbar corresponds at least to the total width of the respective foil conductor and serves as a collection point for all incoming CAN high signals. Above the busbar there are several recesses molded into the plastic carrier at a distance from the foil conductor tracks to be connected. A bridging element, which is designed as a metal plate, can be clipped into these recesses. To do this, the metal plates in the Ratio to the recess slight excess length, which results in a low pretension, which facilitates contacting with the stripped film conductors on the one hand and the busbar on the other. The bridging elements are not wider than the width of a film conductor track, but are long enough to short-circuit the busbar underneath with the film conductor track above.

As already described, recesses are provided for several bridging elements in each partial shell. In an alternative embodiment, shiftable switching tongues are arranged for the bridging elements in the recesses, which can be adjusted on the outside of the distributor by means of associated switching buttons or sliders. This type of bridging elements are then not to be clipped in, but are switched on and off by a switch located on the outside of the distributor. In this case, the distributor does not have to be disassembled if an electrical component is to be disconnected from the data bus. A secure cover on the outside of the distributor prevents accidental adjustment.

Each foil conductor or foil conductor track is led through a channel in a partial shell and angled at the exit edge of the partial shell by 90 degrees, so that the foil conductor comes to lie parallel to the level of the busbar in the assembled distributor in the area of the interface between the partial shells. However, the invention can also be implemented with a modified geometry, so that, for example, the bend is only made at an acute or obtuse angle if the channel in a partial shell is oriented at an oblique angle to the interface between the partial shells.

In the case of a distributor for a two-wire CAN bus, the upper shell is used, for example, to receive the CAN low signals and the lower shell for receiving the CAN high signals. The structure of the upper shell is basically the same as that of the lower shell. In the case of an embodiment, however, it can be provided that all the foil conductors are guided through the channel in a partial shell and that recesses for the angled conductors are only formed in this partial shell. The recesses for the bridging elements and for the busbar located at right angles thereto are then provided in the other partial shell. The equipment of the upper or lower partial shell can be changed at any time, ie if a film conductor and a busbar contact are provided in the original construction of the distributor, an electrical component can be connected or disconnected by inserting or omitting the bridging element. In the version with the clipped-on metal plates, a thin hole is provided in a partial shell, through which the metal plates can be pushed out of their recesses from the outside, so that certain electrical components can be separated from the data bus by omitting a bridging element.

In order to make uncoupled bus participants individually testable, windows are provided within the film of the film conductor shortly after the film conductors exit the channel of a partial shell, in order to provide electrical access for test probes for each film conductor track.

If the distributor is provided for a data bus with more than two data bus conductors, the distributor can be provided modified. In the case of a CAN-C distributor, each bridging element can be used as a carrier for a ferrite core for decoupling the signals. In order to cool the ferrite cores, lateral cooling holes are then made on the partial shells. When viewed from above onto a partial shell, the distributor has recesses for the bridging elements which are adjacent to one another, with a bridging element for a CAN high , then CAN-low and finally a recess for a third bridging element is provided. These three recesses are then provided for each electrical component, the recesses for the bridging elements of further electrical components adjoining those of the first component. The bridging element for the third data bus conductor bridges the two busbars arranged in the respective partial shells of the distributor by means of two passive components, for example resistors or diodes, which are designed as flat bridging elements. A contact to a filter, for example a low-pass filter such as an RC element, is provided by these bridging elements. Another contact then forms the electrical connection from the filter to the angled part of the film conductor for the third data bus conductor of an electrical component.

There are now various possibilities for advantageously designing and developing the teaching of the present invention. For this purpose, reference is made to the subordinate claims on the one hand and to the following explanation of an embodiment on the other hand. In the drawing, an embodiment of the distributor according to the invention is shown. Each shows in a schematic representation

1 shows a section through the distributor for film conductors according to the invention in the area of the contact interfaces of the two partial shells,

2 shows a section through the distributor perpendicular to the plane of the busbars and in the region of a bridging element for a CAN-low film conductor and

3 shows a section perpendicular to the plane of the busbars in the region of a bridging element for a foil conductor with a CAN high signal. The distributor 1 for foil conductors 2-5 has an at least two-part plastic housing consisting of an upper partial shell 6 and a lower partial shell 7, which at an interface 15 in the assembled state of the distributor

1 lie against each other. The two partial shells 6, 7 are held together by a positive connection such as a latching or a detachable connection by screwing.

The distributor 1 is provided as a star coupler for a CAN-C bus with three data bus lines, CAN high 3, CAN low 4 and center conductor 5. The distributor 1 is connected as a star coupler between the data bus lines of the various electrical components connected to the data bus. In contrast to the classic two-wire CAN bus, three conductor tracks 3, 4 and 5 run between each electrical component and the distributor 1, all of the CAN low signals coming from the electrical components on a first busbar 9 and all of the electrical components incoming CAN high signals are brought together on a second busbar 10 in the distributor 1. The distributor 1 is also provided as a star coupler for complex data bus networks which, for example, consist of a combination of star nodes and ring-shaped data bus networks.

In the present invention, the data bus lines are designed as foil conductors 2-5 with metallic foil conductor conductor tracks arranged thereon. The film conductors 2-5 coming from the electrical components are passed through one or more channels 16 in the lower shell 7 and angled at the end thereof, so that the film conductors 2-5 have an angled part 17. In the case of Fig.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the channel 16 formed within the lower partial shell 7 is essentially perpendicular to the wall forming the interface 15 between the two partial shells 6, 7. A recess for each angled part 17 of the foil conductors 2-5 is provided on the wall of the partial shell 7 in the area of the interface 15. The Fo- Line conductors 2-5 are stripped in sections and preferably arranged in the distributor such that in addition to the CAN high conductor track 3, the CAN low conductor track 4 and possibly a third conductor track 5 of an electrical component are arranged, and then the conductor tracks in each case in the adjacent recesses to another electrical component and again the conductor tracks of another electrical component come to lie angled in the recesses.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, in addition to the film conductor 4 with the CAN low signal, the film conductor 3 with the CAN high signal is also carried out through the channel 16 in the lower partial shell 7 and the film conductor 3 is in the region of it End angled so that it forms an angled part 17 at the interface 15 between the two partial shells 6 and 7. In the upper part shell 6, the busbar 9 is arranged within a recess 8 of the upper part shell 6 and the busbar 10 is arranged within a recess 8 of the lower part shell 7 such that it runs parallel to the angled part 17 of the film conductor 3. All the CAN high signals of the electrical components converge on the busbar 10 and are distributed accordingly to the other electrical components. Between the angled part 17 of the film conductor 3 and the busbar 10, a bridging element 12 is arranged within a recess, which connects the angled part 17 of the film conductor 3 to the busbar 10 in an electrically conductive manner, provided that the bridging element 12 is inserted into the recess provided in the distributor , The checking element 12 is designed as a metal plate which can be clipped into the recess provided for this purpose. A bore 18 is provided within the partial shell 7 in order to push the clipped plate out of the partial shell 7 again. The metal plate 12 is made too long in relation to the recess in one dimension, so that when pressed into the recess, there is a slight pretension, which also supports the electrical contact.

2 shows the contacting of the signal path of a CAN low signal via the foil conductor 4 with the busbar 9 for the incoming CAN low signals. Again, the film conductor 4 is passed through the lower shell 7 by means of a channel 16 and angled. In contrast to the contacting of the CAN high signals in FIG. 3, the bridging element 13 is now arranged in the upper partial shell 6 in a recess 8, around the stripped angled part 17 of the foil conductor 4 with the busbar 9 in the recess 8 of the upper one To connect partial shell 6 in an electrically conductive manner. For this purpose, the bridging element 13 is clipped into the recess, from which the prestressed metal plate is to be ejected again through a bore 19. The latching mechanism or the screwing of the two partial shells 6 and 7 additionally fixes the film conductors 2-5, the bridging elements 12-14 and possibly the busbars 9 and 10 within their intended recess.

The angled parts 17 of the foil conductors 2-5 lie within a plane 20, which is in turn parallel to the plane 21 in which the busbar 9 is arranged. In this way, when the two partial shells 6, 7 are assembled at the interface 15, an electrical contact can be made in a simple manner with the bridging elements 12-14. Of course, an embodiment that is slightly modified from a geometric point of view can also be provided, the angled parts 17, the bridging elements 12-14 being arranged at an acute angle with respect to the plane 20, so that electrical contact is made when the partial shells 6, 7 are joined together. The channel 16 can also be arranged parallel to the interface 15 or at an oblique angle thereto. In the embodiment shown, an additional third PIN 5 is provided in FIG. 1, which is required if a CAN-C distributor is provided. A bridging element 14 contacts an RC element 22 designed as an electrical filter, which in turn is connected via a bridging element 23 to an electrical component 24, which can be flat. This electrical component 24 can either be a metal piece formed with a ferrite core for decoupling the data bus signals or it can be designed as a passive component, for example a resistor or a diode. The electrical connection to the first busbar 9 and to the second busbar 10 takes place via further bridging elements 25 and 26, which can also be designed as a passive component or as a metal plate with a ferrite core. Due to the design provided, the two busbars 9, 10 are electrically conductively connected by means of two passive components. The bridging elements 25 and 26 or 14 and 23 can be designed as a resistance element or by means of a ferrite core. The component 22 serves to filter interfering frequencies within the data bus signal.

In order to make it possible to test a coupled CAN bus subscriber individually, shortly after the foil conductors 2-5 emerge, electrically stripped sections 27 are provided in order to provide direct electrical access for test probes of a diagnostic test device. In the simplest case, small windows can be cut into the film of the film conductor 4.

In a departure from the illustrated embodiment, the bridging elements 12 - 14, 23, 25, 26 can be designed as switching tongues of electrically or mechanically operated switches, the operating elements of which are attached to the outside of the distributor 1. In this way, the distributor can be put into a state in which some or all of them are connected to the distributor without removing bridging elements 11-14, but by actuating the switches. its electrical components can be switched on or off separately. In this way, the electrical components can be tested separately, switched off completely from the distributor 1 in the event of a fault, or can also be operated individually.

Claims

claims

1. Distributor for foil conductors (2-5) with a first busbar (9) arranged in a recess (8) of a partial shell (6) for a first signal path (CAN-low) and a second one in a recess (8 ) of a partial shell (7) arranged second busbar (10) for a second signal path (CAN-high), each busbar (9, 10) via a bridging element (11-14, 23, 25, 26) with several foil conductor (2-5) coupled to electrical components can be connected, the connection between a busbar (9, 10) and an electrical component can be separated by moving the bridging element (11-14, 23, 25, 26) and the two partial shells (6, 7) in the assembled distributor

(1) meet at an interface (15), characterized in that the foil conductors (2-5) of a signal path (CAN-low, CAN-high, 3rd pin) through one or more channels (16) in a partial shell (6 , 7) and are angled at the end of the channel (s) (16) so that the angled part (17) of the film conductors (2-5) in the assembled distributor (1) in the area of the interface (15) between the partial shells ( 6, 7) is arranged.

2. Distributor according to claim 1, characterized in that the angled part (17) of the or the film conductor (2-5) lie in one plane (20), which is in the assembled distributor

(1) are parallel to at least one plane (21) in which a busbar (9, 10) lies.

3. Distributor according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that recesses (8) for a plurality of bridging element (11-14, 23, 25, 26) are provided in a partial shell (6, 7).

4. Distributor according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a bridging element (11-14, 23, 25, 26) is designed as a flat component which electrically couples two busbars (9, 10) together.

5. Distributor according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a bridging element (11-14, 23, 25, 26) is connected to an electrical filter (22).

6. Distributor according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a bridging element (11-14, 23, 25, 26) is designed as a flat, electrically conductive contact, which between the angled part (17) of the film conductor (2- 5) and a busbar (9, 10) can be arranged if the electrical component connected to the foil conductor (2-5) is to be connected to the distributor (1).

7. Distributor according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the distributor (1) is a star coupler for a data bus with at least two data bus signal paths (CAN-low, CAN-high), wherein a signal path (CAN-low) is connected to a first busbar (9) and a further signal path (CAN high) to a second busbar (10).