EP2245705B1 - Plug-in connector element having a seal in the cable connection region - Google Patents

Description

Area

In the following, a connector element will be described. This comprises a sleeve to be arranged around a cable, a plug-in contact, a housing and sealing elements, with which a seal can be produced in the region of the transitions cable sleeve and sleeve housing.

Technical background

From the document DE 10 2005 030 554 A1 A connector element is already known, in which the seal is realized in the region of the cable connection in the form of a two-part sealing element. Each of the sealing element parts has a sealing body which forms a sealing surface which can be applied to the cable. In addition, each of the sealing element parts comprises a separating surface with a sealing body which forms a contact surface which can be applied to the respective other sealing body. When assembled, the sealing element seals the cable connection area between a connector element housing and a cable to be connected.

Also known are connector elements in which the cable connection region of the housing and a part of the cable to be connected are encapsulated. In this case, the encapsulation binds to the cable and the cable connection region of the housing of the connector element and serves for insulation, pull / pressure relief and tightness. In this case, the cable sheath is not cross-linked.

The DE 196 13 228 A1 , which shows the features of the preamble of claim 1, and the US 5641307 A show a connector element comprising a to be arranged around a cable with at least one cable sheath

Sleeve, a within the sleeve with at least one cable conductor to be electrically connected to the plug contact, and a housing member which engages around the plug contact and rests against the sleeve. The US 5641307 A proposes to increase the tightness between the sleeve, cable sheath and plastic material by additional potting compound.

US Pat. No. 6,068,506 shows a sleeve to be arranged around a cable sheath and thus firmly connected by pressing sleeve. Sleeve and cable sheath are surrounded by a plastic sheath.

GB 2 202 393 A shows a sleeve to be arranged around a cable sheath. Cable jacket and sleeve are surrounded by a shrink tube.

DE 20 2006 012240 U1 shows a connector with a plastic extrusion. Between the plastic extrusion and a cable sheath, a sleeve of elastic material is arranged to increase the tightness.

issues

When connector elements, the cable connection area is surrounded with a weather-resistant material, the seal to the interior of the connector elements, ie the respective plug contact, for example during a Umspritzungsprozesses, problematic.

Another problem is the sealing of one with a weather-resistant, e.g. cross-linked material surrounded cable part, if no tight connection between the material and the cable sheath arises because, because of the cross-linking of the cable sheath, the cable sheath does not close tightly with the material.

task

It is a connector element to provide, in which the strain relief is ensured in axial tension and bending cycles, which is protected against cable torsion and in which the said problems are solved. Furthermore, requirements such as cost-effective, simple Manufacture be met and the connector element should be quickly and easily connected to a cable.

solution

To solve this problem, a connector element according to claim 1 is proposed.

Thus, a manufacturing of connector elements can be made possible, which the tightness in the transition region between the housing of the connector element and a cable with weather-resistant, e.g. can ensure networked sheathing. By applying plastic material and using crosslinked cables, high weather resistance can be achieved.

The material pairings plastic material housing element, plastic material sleeve and plastic material shrink tube are to be chosen so that the plastic material at least with the surrounding part of the housing member, the sleeve, or the shrink tube, a tight connection (e.g., IP 45 or better) received.

As a plastic material, polyurethanes or thermoplastic elastomers can be used. Preferably, polyolefin can be used.

The sleeve may be formed from a crimpable or crushable metal. As a sleeve material, for example, copper or a copper alloy can be used. Preferably, a coated, e.g. tinned sleeve inserted.

The housing element may be made of reinforced polyamide or polypropylene. Likewise, it can be made of a thermosetting plastic.

The shrink tube is preferably made of polyolefin.

A tight connection between a cable with networked sheathing and the plastic material could not be achieved so far. The term crosslinking is to be understood here as meaning a production process of elastomers, thermoplastics and thermosets. In this case, originally chemically aligned macromolecules can be changed to flat, spatial structures using certain chemicals or by irradiation. The crosslinking is irreversible and decisive for the actual material properties. For example, since the mating may not be able to seal cross-linked cable sheath plastics material and the sleeve, which may be crimped or crimped onto the cable sheath, can not seal tightly with the cable sheath, water may penetrate to the male contact. By introducing the shrink tube, which can seal between sleeve and cable, this can be remedied.

Here, the material pairing cable sheath shrink tube can be chosen so that the cable sheath and the shrink tube can form a tight connection.

The cable sheath can be made of a cross-linked copolymer. It may preferably be made of radiation cross-linked polyolefin or chemically, with the aid of an additive, e.g. Silane, cross-linked polyolefin.

In addition, the material pairing shrink sleeve can be chosen so that the shrink tube and the sleeve can form a tight connection.

The basic structure of a claimed connector element may comprise the housing element, the plug contact and the sleeve. If the connector element is to be a plug, the plug contact can be designed as an electrically conductive contact pin. If the connector element is to be a coupler, the plug contact can be designed as an electrically conductive contact sleeve. If the connector element is designed as a plug, then a protective cap can be applied to the contact pin as protection against contact. This can be made of plastic and as a hollow or solid body. Their outer diameter may coincide with an outer diameter of the contact pin and it may have a suitable diameter step, with which the protective cap is accurately applied to the contact pin. For better attachment, a suitable adhesive may be applied to a contact pin inner surface adjoining a free contact pin end can interact with a circumferential surface of the diameter step of the applied protective cap.

One end of the plug contact can be crimped onto at least one electrical conductor of a cable and thus electrically connected thereto. For this purpose, a cable end can be stripped. To crimp or pinch the plug contact on the electrical conductor (s), a suitable crimping tool and suitable crimping jaws may be used. An electrical connection of the plug contact with the at least one electrical conductor of the cable can also be achieved by a push-in connection or a welding connection.

On the cable, the sleeve can be applied, which can protrude at least partially over the stripped cable end and at least the cable sheath surrounding a cable end connected to the stripped cable end can surround. This sleeve may be crimped or crimped to the portion of cable that surrounds it.

The housing member may be formed so that it can be guided over the plug contact until it can rest against the non-crimped sleeve end. In order to lock the housing element in this position, the plug contact may have at least one latching hook which can engage behind an associated shoulder or an annular shoulder in the housing element. The at least one latching hook and the associated shoulder or annular shoulder can be formed from the respective material of the plug-in contact or be formed on the housing element. It is also conceivable to attach corresponding threads to the plug contact and in the housing element and to screw the housing element onto the plug contact for locking, or to apply other possible fastening methods.

In a variant, the housing element can be designed as two housing halves to be assembled. Here, the cable end with the plug contact in one of the two housing halves, which can be made as half-shells, are put into it and then the second housing half are applied. Then, the two housing halves can be pressed together and welded watertight, for example by means of ultrasonic welding to produce a tight insulation. The aufeinanderzupressenden surfaces of the two housing halves may have web and groove profiles to improve the weld. In this variant, the plug contacts may have a cylindrical annular projection instead of latching hooks. The two housing half-shells may have a cylindrical recess, which may be suitable for the cylindrical annular projection of Plug in contact. In the welded housing halves of the plug contact can thus be held against axial displacement in the plug and pull direction.

An advantage of the claimed connector element is that the housing elements can be constructed so that the overmold for male and female couplers is the same. As a result, considerable set-up times and investment costs can be saved. In addition, costs can be saved in the storage because of the common part effect.

The sleeve may be shaped so that one or both ends have a funnel-shaped extension. It is also possible that one or both sleeve ends have a round or inner bevel. Consequently, a sleeve can also have two differently shaped ends.

The funnel-shaped extension or the rounded or inner bevel on the sleeve end can facilitate the insertion of the cable during automatic assembly.

Another advantage of the claimed connector element is that the only assembly operation is limited to the connection of a free cable end.

After the cable entry, the crimping or crimping of the sleeve on the cable sheath can be carried out automatically.

By crimping or crimping, a crimping profile or crimping profile can form in a crimping region or crimping region of the sleeve. In the form of this crimp profile or crimp profile, the sleeve can impress in the cable sheath without injuring them.

Depending on the shape of the sleeve end, against which the housing element rests, the housing element may have a suitable stop surface in the position lying on the sleeve.

If the sleeve end resting against the housing element has a funnel-shaped enlargement, then the stop surface of the housing element can be formed as a diameter step in the housing element whose diameter can be suitable for receiving the funnel-shaped enlarged end of the sleeve. During a coating process, this funnel-shaped sleeve end can be pressed to the diameter stage. Penetration of the plastic material can in this case be prevented, assisted by a suitable choice of spray parameters which determine the viscosity of the plastic material. In the case of the adjacent, funnel-shaped extended end of the sleeve, it can be a clearance fit in the diameter stage. This can allow easy automation of assembly. In addition, in the variant of the sleeve with adjacent funnel-shaped enlargement, an increased pressure in the encapsulation process can be made possible without the sleeve being pressed together. This depends on the fact that the sleeve shape in longitudinal section can have different curvatures, which can increase the stability of the sleeve.

In another variant, in which the adjacent sleeve end may have a rounding or Innenfase, however, a fit may be necessary, which can prevent the penetration of the plastic material into the interior of the housing member. In this variant, the penetration of the plastic material can not be prevented solely by the pressing of the sleeve to the stop surface of the housing element, since this sleeve shape can not be pressed with sufficient pressure against the stop surface without bending.

Through the encapsulation process, the assembly time compared to connector elements with screw can be significantly reduced.

The shrink tubing can be mounted between the cable jacket and the sleeve. It can also surround at least the crimping region or crimping region of the sleeve and a portion of the cable leading away from the sleeve or the housing element. In both cases, the shrink tube seals with the cable sheath and sleeve.

In another variant, an inner shell of the shrink tube may be covered with an adhesive. In this case, the material pairings heat-shrinkable adhesive and adhesive cable sheathing may be suitable for allowing the adhesive to form a tight connection with the heat-shrinkable hose and the cable sheathing. The resistance of the adhesive can be chosen so that no adhesive exits even after thermal continuous loading during Umspritzungsprozesses.

The adhesive may be an ethylene-vinyl-acetate rubber or a polyamide adhesive.

If the heat-shrinkable tube covers at least the crimping region of the sleeve and a subsequently connected partial section of the cable, it should be noted that the adhesive also seals with the sleeve.

After applying the plastic material to the connector element, sliding of the cable in the plastic material can be prevented by the notch of the crimping or crimping profile in the cable sheath. As already mentioned, the cable sheath can not bind tightly to the plastic material, but the sleeve and the shrink tube already. About the applied plastic material can therefore be given a pull / pressure relief; between sleeve and cable on the one hand and housing element on the other. In order to ensure sufficient tension / pressure relief, the plastic material can be applied correspondingly thick. In addition, in a region in which it is surrounded by the plastic material, the housing element can have a surface structure which can support the tension / pressure relief. However, the surrounding plastic material must not be too thin in this area.

Further advantages of the claimed connector element may be the possibility of automated production with high quality, shorter lead times and lower manufacturing costs, for example compared to connector elements with screw.

As already mentioned, the connector element can be manufactured as a plug and as a coupler. For an application, eg for the electrical connection of solar panels, it may be necessary to merge the plug and the coupler into a plug connection. It is important to ensure that the two connector elements are at least partially inserted into one another, so that the two plug contacts can come into electrical contact with each other. Here it is important to provide a tight connector. For this purpose, an advantageous embodiment of the connector element can provide that at least one sealing element can be provided in at least one of the two connector elements, plug and coupler, circumferentially around a housing element contact surface, which can come into contact with a housing element contact surface of the other of the two connector elements when merging. For example, the housing element of the plug can engage around the housing element of the coupler when merging. In this case, the housing element contact surface of the plug may be located in a housing element interior and may be in contact after mating with the corresponding housing element contact surface of the coupler, which may occupy part of a housing element outer surface. In the housing element contact surface of the plug or the coupler can be introduced at least one annular groove in which at least one sealing ring can be held. This sealing ring can seal after merging with the housing element contact surface of the coupler or the plug.

A further advantageous embodiment of the connector element may provide that the plug and the coupler can cooperate lockingly after merging. For this purpose, the connector element, which engages around the other connector element when merging, at its sleeve facing away from the free end, at least one locking element. This at least one locking element can cooperate lockingly after the merging of the two connector elements with at least one corresponding locking element on the housing outer surface of the other connector element. For example, the housing element of the plug can engage around the housing element of the coupler when merging. In this case, at least one latching eye can be arranged as a locking element at the free end of the housing element of the plug. This at least one latching eye can cooperate lockingly with at least one latching lug, which can be arranged as a corresponding locking element on the housing outer surface of the coupler. The at least one latching eye can be made free-standing at the free end of the plug housing element. It can be resilient and allow a slight Verrieglung and unlocking with the corresponding locking lug. In this case the unlocking can be done without tools, e.g. by turning or pulling. However, the lock can also be designed so that at least unlocking can be done only with the aid of a tool. If the material of the housing element is not elastically yielding, then other locking arrangements are conceivable, such as a bayonet closure, a screw cap or a push-pull closure.

As already mentioned, it may be a variant to apply the plastic material that can surround a part of the housing, the sleeve, the heat-shrinkable tube and a cable section by means of an encapsulation process. As a further variant, the plastic material can be preformed so that it can be pushed onto the cable section, the shrink tube, the sleeve and the housing part and can seal at least with the shrink tube, the sleeve and the housing part. For this purpose, the corresponding preformed plastic material can be pushed onto a cable end, then the connector element, as described above, be prefabricated exclusively of Umspritzungsprozesses to finally postpone the preformed plastic material in the direction of prefabricated connector element on this.

By networking the sheath, cables can be made weather-resistant. However, since the problem with cables with a networked sheath is that they can not connect tightly to the applied plastic material, it might be helpful to finish assembling the connector element with an uncrosslinked cable, to apply the plastic material and then to cross-link. For example, the fully assembled and surrounded by the plastic material connector elements could be driven through a radiation crosslinking system, the parameters could correspond to those of the networking in the cable production. In this way, the shrink tube and its assembly could be saved, which is not covered by the invention. As a result, the material and manufacturing costs can be further reduced.

Brief description of the figures

• Fig. 1 zeigt eine Längsschnittansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines als Stecker gefertigten Steckverbinderelements.
• Fig. 2 zeigt eine Längsschnittansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines als Kuppler gefertigten Steckverbinderelements.

Hereinafter, the claimed connector element will be explained with reference to two figures.

• Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of a connector made as a connector element.
• Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of a connector manufactured as a coupler element.

Detailed description of the figures

Fig. 1 shows a manufactured as a connector 1 connector element. The plug 1 comprises a plug housing element 2, a cable section 3 with stripped cable end, a contact pin with protective cap 15 shaped as a contact pin 4, a sleeve 5, a shrink tube 6 and is partially surrounded by a plastic material 7.

At the stripped cable end of the cable section 3, a conductor 8 is exposed. By means of this conductor 8, the contact pin 4 is electrically conductively connected to the conductor 8 by crimping, welding or push-in of a connection region of the contact pin 4.

In the adjacent to the stripped end cable section 3 of the conductor 8 is surrounded by a cable sheath 9. This cable sheath 9 is made of a crosslinked copolymer. The crosslinking is caused by radiation crosslinking or chemical crosslinking. The cable sheath 9 preferably consists of weather-resistant, radiation-crosslinked polyolefin or chemically, with the aid of silane, crosslinked polyolefin.

In Fig. 1 surrounds the sleeve 5, the cable sheath 9 and lies circumferentially on this. The sleeve 5 is shaped as a hollow cylinder and the in Fig. 1 left sleeve end has a funnel-shaped extension. It is also possible not to expand the left end of the shaped as a hollow cylinder sleeve 5, but this with a rounding or a Innenfase (here not shown) to provide. Both variants facilitate the application of the sleeve 5 on the stripped cable end on the cable section. 3

The sleeve 5 is pushed about halfway on the cable section 3 and surrounds with the other half of the stripped cable end. In this position, the sleeve 5 is fixed to the cable jacket 9 by crimping the half pushed onto the cable section 3. The resulting crimp profile (not shown) is impressed in the cable sheath 9 without injuring them.

As a material for the sleeve 5, a good kaltverformbares crimp, temperature-resistant metal or a metal alloy or other material with the properties mentioned is used. In the choice of material, it is particularly important that the material of the sleeve 5 with the applied plastic material 7 connects tightly. This tight connection is achieved for example by the use of a sleeve 5 made of copper or a copper alloy as a sleeve material. Preferably, a coated, e.g. tinned sleeve 5 is inserted.

By crimping the sleeve 5, this does not seal with the cable sheath 9 yet. In Fig. 1 Therefore, the shrink tube 6 covers the half of the sleeve 5 crimped onto the cable jacket 9 and the cable jacket 9 of a section of the cable section 3 continuing to the left of the crimped half of the sleeve. In another variant, the shrink sleeve 6 can also extend between the sleeve 5 and the cable , For example, then the shrink tube extends from the stripped cable end to at least in the crimping of the sleeve 5 or even surrounds a portion of the adjoining the crimping cable section. This variant is on hand of Fig. 2 explained in more detail.

In Fig. 1 For example, the left sleeve end has a funnel-shaped extension and the shrink tube 6 covers, among other things, this extension. Therefore, here forms a hollow collar. It is important to ensure that the extended left sleeve end does not have a sharp-edged termination, since in this case the shrink sleeve 6 may be injured and leaked during a shrinking process. This is also to be considered if the left sleeve end has an inner bevel.

The shrink tube 6 is preferably made of crosslinked, temperature-resistant polyolefin. So that the shrink tube 6 terminates tightly with the cable jacket 9, a coating of the inner jacket of the shrink tube 6 with an adhesive be provided. As an adhesive, for example, temperature-resistant ethylene-vinyl acetate rubber is used. However, temperature resistant polyamide adhesive can also be used. The shrink tube 6 thus seals between the cable sheath 9 and the crimped portion of the sleeve 5.

The housing element 2 is shaped as a hollow cylinder. At his in Fig.1 left end, the housing member 2 has a funnel-shaped recess 11 which terminates with a diameter step 12. The diameter stage 12 is adjoined by a cylindrical cavity adjoining another cylindrical cavity of larger diameter. The transition between the two cylindrical cavities is also formed by a diameter step 13. On an outer surface of the hollow cylinder two rings 14 are circumferentially formed in a short distance. These two rings 14 provide an additional adhesion surface for the plastic material 7 and support in axial tension and bending cycles a load transfer between the housing element 2 and the plastic material 7. Between the rings 14 at least one connecting web (not shown) is formed to the cable twisting the To ensure adhesion between plastic material 7 and housing element 2.

If a lock (not shown here) between plug and coupler via snap-in eyes and locking lugs, the housing element 2 is preferably formed of reinforced, temperature and weather-resistant polyamide or polypropylene. The housing element 2 can also be realized from a suitable thermosets, this is useful, for example, in a screw or bayonet lock.

This in Fig. 1 right sleeve end is provided with a Innenfase 10. This sleeve end abuts against the diameter step 12 of the housing element 2. The funnel-shaped recess 11 allows easy insertion of the right sleeve end until it rests against the diameter stage 12. The diameter of the diameter step 12 corresponds exactly to the diameter of the right sleeve end. This ensures that the penetration of plastic material during the encapsulation process into the housing element interior is avoided.

In a variant, the right sleeve end may also have a funnel-shaped extension (not shown here). In this case, the contact surface in the housing element 2 is not an exact fit. This variant is on hand of Fig. 2 explained in detail.

The contact pin 4, which is crimped on the conductor 8, pushed (push-in) or welded, is surrounded in its connection area of the right half of the sleeve. It continues in the two cylindrical cavities of the voltage applied to the right sleeve end housing element 2 and extends beyond the right end of the housing member 2 also. At his in Fig. 1 right end is on the contact pin 4, a protective cap 15 made of plastic, preferably with CTI ≥ 600 applied, which serves as a contact protection. It is manufactured as a solid plastic body, which has a diameter step whose outside diameter corresponds exactly to the inner diameter of the contact pin 4. With this diameter stage, the protective cap 15 is inserted into the right end of the contact pin 4.

Closing to the outside, is in Fig. 1 the plastic material 7 applied. This covers the outer surface of the housing member 2, penetrates into a part of the funnel-shaped recess 11 which is not sealed by the voltage applied to the diameter step 12 right sleeve half, consequently also surrounds this right sleeve half, and extends almost to the in Fig. 1 In this case, the plastic material 7 also covers the shrink tubing 6 and the cable sheath 9 of a cable section which extends to the left of the shrink tube 6.

The circumferentially applied plastic material 7 closes in the area between the right end of the housing member 2 and the left sleeve end to the outside from cylindrical, tapers from the left sleeve end and closes left in Fig. 1 the diameter of the right cylindrical end of plastic material 7 in the region of the housing element 2 is greater than the diameter of the housing element 2 including the molded rings 14 with the at least one connecting web to a good To ensure tension / pressure relief and to protect against cable twist.

As a weather and temperature-resistant plastic material 7 preferably polyurethanes or thermoplastic elastomers are used. In the choice of material, it is particularly important that the plastic material 7 with the shrink tube 6, the sleeve 5 and the housing member 2 connects tightly.

Fig. 2 shows a manufactured as a coupler 101 connector element. The coupler 101 comprises a plug housing element 102, a cable section 103 with a stripped cable end, a plug contact shaped as a contact sleeve 104, a sleeve 105, a shrink tubing 106 and is partially surrounded by a plastic material 107.

At the stripped cable end of the cable section 103, a conductor 108 is exposed. With this conductor 108, the contact sleeve 104 is electrically conductively connected to the conductor 108 by crimping, welding or push-in of the connection region of the contact sleeve 104.

In the cable section 103 adjoining the stripped end, the conductor 108 is surrounded by a cable sheathing 109. This cable sheath 109 is made of a crosslinked copolymer. The crosslinking is caused by radiation crosslinking or chemical crosslinking. Preferably, the cable sheath 109 of weather-resistant, radiation cross-linked polyolefin or chemically, with the aid of the additive silane, crosslinked polyolefin.

In Fig. 2 is a shrink tube 106 is inserted between the sleeve 105 and the cable sheath 109, wherein the shrink tubing 106 starts at the stripped cable end and also covers the cable sheath 109 of a portion of the cable section 103 continuing to the right of the sleeve 105.

The shrink tube 106 is preferably made of crosslinked, temperature-resistant polyolefin. In order for the heat-shrinkable tube 106 to seal tightly with the cable sheath 109, a coating of the inner sheath of the heat-shrinkable tube 106 may be provided with an adhesive. As an adhesive, e.g. temperature-resistant ethylene-vinyl-acetate rubber used. However, temperature resistant polyamide adhesive can also be used.

In another variant, the shrink sleeve covers at least the crimp region of the sleeve 105 and a subsequent section of the cable (see description to Fig. 1 ). It should be noted that the adhesive also seals with the sleeve.

This in Fig. 2 Right sleeve end is funnel-shaped. This facilitates the application of the sleeve 105 via the stripped cable end to the cable section 103. The sleeve 105 is pushed about halfway onto the part of the cable section 103 coated with the shrink tube 106 and surrounds the stripped cable end with the other half. In this position, the sleeve 105 is attached to the shrink tube 109 by crimping the half pushed onto the cable section 103. The resulting crimp profile (not shown) is impressed into the shrink tubing 106 without injuring it and the sleeve 105 thus seals with the shrink tubing 106. Consequently, the shrink tubing 106 seals between cable sheath 109 and sleeve 105.

If the heat-shrinkable tube covers at least the crimping region of the sleeve 105 and a subsequent section of the cable, a hollow annular collar is formed in a right-hand end of the sleeve with a funnel-shaped enlargement (see FIG Fig. 1 ). In this case, it should be noted that the right sleeve end has no sharp edges, as with sharp sleeve edges, the tightness of the shrink tube is not guaranteed. This is also to be considered with a right sleeve end with inner bevel.

As a material for the sleeve 105, a good cold-formable, crimp-capable, temperature-resistant metal or a metal alloy or another material with the properties mentioned is also used here. In the choice of material, as in the previous embodiment, it is primarily important that the material of the sleeve 105 with the plastic material 107 connects tightly. This tight connection is achieved for example by the use of a sleeve 105 made of copper or a copper alloy as a sleeve material. Preferably, a coated, e.g. tinned sleeve 105 used.

The housing element 102 is shaped as a hollow cylinder. At his in Fig.2 right end, the housing member 102 has a cylindrical recess 111 which terminates with a diameter step 112. The diameter stage 112 is followed by a cylindrical cavity. On an outer surface of the hollow cylinder two rings 114 are formed circumferentially in a short distance. These two rings 114 provide an additional adhesive surface for the plastic material 107 and support in axial tension and bending cycles a load transfer between the housing member 102 and the plastic material 107. Between the rings 14 at least one connecting web (not shown) is formed to the cable torsion To ensure adhesion between plastic material 7 and housing element 2.

The housing element 102 is also formed in this embodiment preferably made of reinforced, temperature and weather-resistant polyamide or polypropylene. If a locking (not shown here) between plug and coupler does not take place via detent eyes and locking lugs, the housing member 102 may be realized with the molded-on lock of a suitable thermosets.

This in Fig. 2 left sleeve end has a funnel-shaped extension 110. This sleeve end abuts against a diameter step 112 of the housing element 102. In this embodiment, the diameter of the diameter step 112 corresponds to the diameter of the adjacent funnel end. However, if the diameter step 112 is formed as a clearance fit, it allows for easier insertion of the left end of the sleeve until it reaches the diameter step 112 is present. The diameter of the diameter stage 112 in this case is greater than the diameter of the funnel.

In another variant, the left sleeve end has a rounding or inner bevel. In this case, the abutment surface of the housing member 102 is an accurate fit. This case has already been on hand by Fig. 1 explained in more detail.

During the encapsulation process, the sleeve 105 is pressed with the hopper 110 to the diameter stage 112. This ensures that the penetration of plastic material into the housing element interior is avoided.

On the outer surface of the housing member 102 is to be in Fig. 2 left end, a diameter stage 113 formed.

The contact sleeve 104, which is crimped, plugged (push-in) or welded onto the conductor 108, is surrounded in its connection region by the left sleeve half. It continues into the cylindrical cavity of the housing element 102 bearing against the left-hand end of the sleeve and extends up to the level of the diameter step 113 in the outer surface of the housing element 102.

Closing to the outside, is in Fig. 2 the plastic material 107 applied. This covers the in Fig. 2 right part of the outer surface of the housing member 102 to the diameter stage 113 and penetrates into a part of the cylindrical recess 111, which is not sealed by the voltage applied to the diameter step 112 left half sleeve. The plastic material 107 also surrounds the sleeve 105 and extends almost to the in Fig. 2 Here, the plastic material 107 also covers the shrink tubing 106 and the cable sheath 109 of a cable portion which extends to the right of the shrink tubing 106.

The circumferentially applied plastic material 107 closes in the range from the diameter step 113 of the housing element 2 up to and including the right sleeve end outwardly cylindrical, tapers from the right sleeve end and closes right in Fig. 2 the diameter of the left cylindrical end of plastic material 107 in the region of the housing member 102 is greater than the diameter of the housing member 102 including the molded rings 114 with the at least one connecting web to a good To ensure tension / pressure relief and to protect against cable twist.

As in the previous exemplary embodiment, polyurethanes or thermoplastic elastomers are preferably used as the weatherproof and temperature-resistant plastic material 107. When selecting the material, it is important, as already stated, above all that the plastic material 107 connects tightly to the heat-shrinkable tube 106, the sleeve 105 and the housing element 102.

In a production series of course, for each of the two connector elements, connectors and couplers, uniformly shaped sleeves are used and the shrink tube is in a uniform manner between or on sleeve and cable sheath on or applied. The housing elements for plug and coupler differ only at the ends, which must seal against each other.

In the Fig. 1 and 2 The connector engages the coupler when the two connector elements are merged into a connector. For this purpose, the housing element 2 of the plug has an inner diameter step 13 and the housing element 102 of the coupler has an outer diameter step 113, wherein the outer diameter of the diameter step 13 exactly matches the inner diameter of the diameter step 113. If the two connector elements are brought together, the contact sleeve 104 and the contact pin 4 touch and are therefore in an electrically conductive connection.

Claims (14)

1. A plug-in connector element (1, 101) comprising

   - a sleeve (5, 105) to be arranged around a cable having at least one cable sheath (9, 109),

   - a plug-in contact (4, 104) to be electrically connected within the sleeve (5, 105) to at least one cable conductor (8, 108), and

   - a housing element (2, 102) that surrounds the plug-in contact (4, 104) and abuts on the sleeve (5, 105),

   wherein at least one part of the housing element (2, 102) abutting the sleeve (5, 105), the sleeve (5, 105) itself and at least one part of the cable leading away from the housing element (2, 102) or from the sleeve (5, 105) area surrounded by a plastic material (7, 107), and
   a heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) is provided,
   characterized in that
   the sleeve (5, 105) is fixedly connected with the outer sheath (9, 109) of the cable and the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) forms a seal between the sleeve (5, 105) and the cable sheathing (9, 109).
2. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to claim 1, wherein at least the material pairs of plastic material (7, 107) and housing element (2, 102), plastic material (7, 107) and sleeve (5, 105), and plastic material (7, 107) and heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) are selected such that the plastic material (7, 107) forms a tight connection at least with the surrounding part of the housing element (2, 102), the sleeve (5, 105), or the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106), and wherein preferably the material pairs of cable sheath (9, 109) and heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) are selected such that the cable sheath (9, 109) and the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) form a tight connection, and wherein preferably the material pairs of heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) and sleeve (5, 105) are adapted such that the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) and the sleeve (5, 105) form a tight connection.
3. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to claim 2, wherein as plastic material (7, 107), polyurethanes or thermoplastic elastomers are used and, preferably, polyolefin is used.
4. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve (5, 105) is made of a crimpable or squeezable metal, such as, copper, or of a copper alloy, and the sleeve (5, 105) is preferably tinned, and wherein preferably the sleeve (5, 105) comprises a funnel-shaped and/or at least an end with an internal fillet or an internal chamfer (10, 110).
5. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to claim 2, wherein the housing (2, 102) is formed of reinforced polyamide or polypropylene or of a thermosetting polymer.
6. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to claim 2, wherein the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) is preferably made of polyolefin.
7. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to claim 2, wherein the cable sheath (9, 109) is preferably made of a cross-linked copolymer.
8. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to claim 7, wherein the cable sheath (9, 109) is preferably made of irradiated cross-linked polyolefin or of polyolefin that is chemically cross-linked by adding silane.
9. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve (5, 105) has to be crimped or squeezed on the sheath (9, 109) of the cable, and wherein preferably a crimp profile or squeezed profile that is created by crimping or squeezing the sleeve (5, 105), prevents the cable from gliding in the applied plastic material (7, 107).
10. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) has to be placed between the cable sheath (9, 109) and the sleeve (5, 105), and/or wherein at least the crimped portion or the squeezed portion of the sleeve (5, 105) and a cable portion that leads away from the sleeve (5, 105) or from the housing element (2, 102) has to be sheathed with the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106), and/or wherein an internal sheath of the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) has an adhesive attached to it.
11. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to the preceding claim, wherein material pairs of heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) and adhesive and adhesive and cable sheath (9, 109) are selected such that the adhesive forms a tight connection with the heat-shrink tubing (6, 106) and the cable sheath (9, 109).
12. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing element (2, 102) can be clamped to the plug-in contact (4, 104), and/or wherein the housing element (2, 102) has an abutment surface for the sleeve (5, 105), and wherein preferably the abutment surface of the housing element (2, 102) is shaped as a step (12, 112) in diameter.
13. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to the preceding claim, wherein the diameter of the step in diameter forming the abutment surface of the housing element (2, 102) is designed so as to fit the end of the sleeve to be introduced.
14. The plug-in connector element (1, 101) according to one of the preceding claims 12 or 13, wherein the plastic material is applied in an overmolding process and wherein the sleeve (5, 105) is pressed to the abutment surface of the housing element (2, 102) during the said overmolding process.

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