EP2907202A1

EP2907202A1 - Electrical connector device

Info

Publication number: EP2907202A1
Application number: EP12806656.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean Fabre; Gilles Schmitt
Original assignee: Delphi International Operations Luxembourg SARL
Current assignee: Delphi International Operations Luxembourg SARL
Priority date: 2012-10-15
Filing date: 2012-10-15
Publication date: 2015-08-19
Also published as: WO2014060791A1; CN104823335A; KR20150070273A

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical connector device, comprising: a carrier (1) including a cavity (4), an internal member (3) arranged in the cavity (4) of the carrier (1), - a tube (10), and a sealing member (20). In addition, the tube (10) comprises projections (11) and the sealing member (20) comprises recesses (24) cooperating with the projection (11), wherein the sealing member (20) is pressed in contact both with the internal member (3) and the cavity (4) to provide a peripheral sealing barrier between the internal member (3) and the cavity (4).

Description

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR DEVICE

The present invention relates to an electrical connector device. In particular, it relates to a sealed protection for electrical contacts in the electrical connector assembly .

For electrical connectors, it is very important to protect electrical contacts from unwanted outside effects and, thereby, keep required working conditions.

As known, larger electrical power outputs or longer loading in a connector device can cause over warming of the electrical contacts. The increased temperature can have negative impact on the protection properties of the electrical contact.

Some known electrical connector devices comprise a connector body having a plurality of cavities each receiving an electrical contact. Electrical contacts are usually provided by an assembly of two complementary parts which are a terminal and a wire. Such assembly is then assembled to the body of the connector. For the terminal and the wire of the electrical contacts, it is necessary to have protection for protecting the assembly region from undesirable effects. This protection can be impaired by the temperature variation and can lead to decreasing of its protection characteristics. The protection for an internal member, which could comprise one or more elements, should bear the temperature changes and should cover the aforementioned internal member. In particular, when it is necessary to withstand high temperatures, the materials have to keep their initial properties in order to provide proper protection . For this purpose, the present invention is for an electrical connector device comprising:

a carrier including a cavity,

an internal member arranged in the cavity of the carrier,

- a tube, and

a sealing member.

More particularly, the tube comprises projections and the sealing member comprises recesses cooperating with the projection. The sealing member is pressed in contact both with the internal member and the cavity to provide a peripheral sealing barrier between the internal member and the cavity.

Therefore, the tube would cover an internal member in the cavity. The internal member could comprise an assembly of a wire and a terminal. The arrangement of the sealing member with the tube could be provided between the internal member and the cavity of the carrier. In that improved electrical connector device, where the internal member would be covered by an arrangement of the sealing member with the tube, the given protection could be increased, in particular when it is necessary to withstand high temperatures, the materials of the tube and the sealing member have to become adaptable to higher temperatures in order to still be able to protect properly an internal member. In the improved electrical connector device, wherein the internal member is integrated into the cavity and the cavity is also incorporating the tube with the sealing member interposed between the internal member and the cavity, the protection properties could be enhanced at low cost.

In some other embodiments, one might also use one or more of the features as defined in dependant claims.

Of course, different features, alternatives and/or embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other in various arrangements to the extent that they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive of others.

The present invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description including embodiments for illustrative purposes with reference to the figures, presented as non-limitative examples, which can be used to complete the understanding of the present invention and the description and, where appropriate, contribute to its definition, in which:

- Figure 1 is a rear side perspective view of a tube, according to the present invention,

- Figure 2 is a rear view of a sealing member according to the present invention,

- Figure 2A is a cross section view of the sealing member of Figure 2,

- Figure 3 is a perspective view of an assembly of the sealing member and the tube according to the present invention, and - Figure 4 is a cross section view of the assembly of the sealing and the tube arranged inside of a contact cavity of a carrier. It should be noted that, on Figures, structural and/or functional elements which are common to different embodiments may have the same reference sign. Thus, unless otherwise stated, these elements have structural, dimensional and material properties which are identical.

Figure 1 is a rear side perspective view of a tube 10, according to the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 1, the tube 10 extends longitudinally along a longitudinal axis X, and comprises a cylindrical main portion and a rear portion.

The cylindrical main portion has a ring-shaped constant cross-section about the longitudinal axis X. The tube 10 defines an inner passage extending from a front end to a rear end along the longitudinal axis X.

The rear portion of the tube 10 comprises a rear edge 13 with projections 11 protruding in the rear direction. The projections 11 are curved and adapted to the radius of the tube 10.

The projection 11 comprises a top side 11a, a bottom side lib, an inner side Hi, an outer side llo and side walls lis. The top side 11a of the projection 11 is sector shaped, with a corresponding radius of the tube 10 and with a thickness which is not exceeding the thickness of the tube 10. The top side 11a of the projection 11 is also connected to an outer side llo of the projection 11. The outer side llo of the projection 11 is curved. Advantageously, the outer side llo of the projection 11 is conically broadening to a bottom side lib of the projection 11.

The bottom side lib of the projection 11 is sector shaped. An inner radius of the sector of bottom side lib is adapted to the outer surface of the tube 10 and an outer radius of the sector of the bottom side lib is substantially bigger than the inner radius.

The inner side Hi of the projections 11 is adapted to the inner side of the tube 10 and extends to a top side of the projection 11.

The outer side llo of the projection 11 connects the outer radius of the sector shaped top side 11a of the projection 11 and the outer radius of the bottom side lib of the projection 11.

The projection 11 also comprises side walls lis which are on each side of the projection 11 and are connecting the edge 13 of the tube 10 with the inner side Hi, top side 11a, outer side llo and bottom side lib of the projection 11.

The tube 10 is provided with a plurality of such projections 11 provided at regular intervals along the peripheral direction.

Furthermore, the tube 10 also comprises a protruding flange 12 arranged on the inner side of the tube 10, as shown on Figure 1.

Figures 2 and 2A are respectively a rear view and cross section view of a sealing member 20, preferably an annular sealing member 20, according to the present invention .

The sealing member 20 comprises recesses 24, which are encompassed by a central body 21, preferably a ring shaped central body 21, by a peripheral body 22, preferably a ring shaped peripheral body 22, and by bonding portions 23. Bonding portions 23 are connecting the ring shaped central body 21 and the ring shaped peripheral body 22.

Between two successive bonding portions 23, the peripheral body 22 comprises a collar 26, preferably a rearward facing collar 26. The central body 21 defines a passage extending along the longitudinal axis X. A central opening 25 of the passage is surrounded by the central body 21. The inner side of the central body 21 includes a central protruding portion 21p. Preferably, the protruding portion 21p is ring shaped and protruding to the centre of the central opening 25.

The peripheral body 22 comprises a peripheral protruding portion 22p. Preferably, the peripheral protruding portion 22p is ring shaped and protruding to the outer side of the peripheral body 22.

Through the central opening 25, surrounded by the central body 21, an inner part, such as an electrical terminal, can be inserted.

The sealing member 20 comprises an groove 27, advantageously a peripheral groove 27, formed between the central body 21 and the peripheral body 22. The peripheral groove 27 makes it possible to insert therein the edge 13 and projections 11 of the tube 10. The groove 27 opens into the recesses 24. The end of the peripheral incision 27 is not plain. Beside of the inner side of the peripheral body 22, a slot 28, preferably an inverse U-shaped slot 28, is denting the groove 27. Figure 3 is a perspective view of an assembly of the sealing member 20 and the tube 10 according to the present invention. Particularly, the Figure 3 shows the sealing member 20 and the tube 10 in a rear view. Advantageously, the tube 10 is made of rigid material, while the sealing member 20 is made of deformable material .

Recesses 24 of the sealing member 20 are cooperating with projections 11 of the tube 10.

Upon assembling the tube 10 and the sealing member 20, wherein the assembly direction is the longitudinal axis X of the tube 10, projections 11 and the peripheral body 22 are elastically deformed. The deformation of the peripheral body 22 is supported by the slot 28 in the groove 27. While the tube 10 and the annular sealing member 20 are approaching to the assembled position, the peripheral body 22 slides on the outer side llo of the projection 11.

After reaching the end of the outer side llo of the projection 11, the elastic forces passes and the bottom side lib of the projection 11 abuts the collar 26 of the peripheral body 22.

During the assembly, the outer wall of the central body 21 is able to fit to the inner wall of the tube 10 abutting the protruding flange 12 on the inner side of the tube 10. Moreover, the inner wall of the peripheral body 22 is able to fit to the outer wall of the tube 10.

Figure 4 is a cross section view of an electrical connector device consisting of an assembly the sealing member 20 and the tube 10 arranged inside of a cavity 4 of a carrier 1. Such assembly comprises an internal member 3. Advantageously, such internal member 3 comprises a terminal 3t and a wire 3w. The internal member 3 is arranged in the cavity 4 of the carrier 1. The internal member 3 is inserted into the electrical connector device through the central body 21.

The top side 11a of the projections 11 and the rear side of the bonding portions 23 with the rear side of the central body 21 define a mating area for a front mating side of a support 2.

The support 2 is locked to the carrier 1 by any suitable means, which are currently not shown. The support 2 can be used for all cavities.

The tube 10 forms a rear stop for the terminal 3t in the cavity 4, and the support 2 retains the tube 10 therein. Consequently, the rear end of the tube 10 projects rearward from the sealing member 20 to serve as a rear stop portion to maintain the terminal 3t in the cavity 4. In an assembled configuration, the central protruding portion 21p of the central body 21 is pressed to the internal member 3, i.e. terminal 3t and/or the wire 3w, and the peripheral protruding portion 22p of the peripheral body is pressed to the inner wall of the cavity 4 of the carrier 1. Further, the sealing member 20 is pressed overall on the tube 10.

Such arrangement can be easily used for wires of different diameters. For this purpose, varying the inner diameter of the sealing member 20 would be enough. Hence, one could be provided with a set of arrangements comprising identical tubes 10 and similar sealing members 20, varying only by their inner diameter. Therefore, a single mold can be easily adapted to provide various sealing members 20. Wires of different diameters may be provided to a given connector or to different diameters, accordingly, one may provide a connector with a set of wires, or a set of connectors, having first and second tubes 10 and associated first and second sealing members 20, where the tubes 10 are identical and the sealing members 20 differ only by the diameter of their central protruding portions 21p. Obviously, the present invention is not limited to embodiments which are here above described and provided only as examples. It also includes different modifications, and alternatives that may be considered by the person skill in the art as part of the present invention, including all combinations of different embodiments here above described, taken alone or in combination .

Claims

1. Electrical connector device, comprising:

a carrier (1) including a cavity (4),

- an internal member (3) arranged in the cavity (4) of the carrier (1),

a tube (10), and

a sealing member (20),

characterised in that the tube (10) comprises projections (11) and the sealing member (20) comprises recesses (24) cooperating with the projection (11),

wherein the sealing member (20) is pressed in contact both with the internal member (3) and the cavity (4) to provide a peripheral sealing barrier between the internal member (3) and the cavity (4) .

2. Electrical connector device according to claim 1, wherein recesses (24) are encompassed by a central body (21), by a peripheral body (22) and by bonding portions (23) connecting the central body (21) and the peripheral body (22 ) .

3. Electrical connector device according to claim 2, wherein the annular sealing member (20) comprises a central opening (25) surrounded by the central body (21) .

4. Electrical connector device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the sealing member (20) comprises a groove (27) between the central body (21) and the peripheral body (22) . ) .

5. Electrical connector device according to any of claim 2 to 4, wherein an outer wall of the central body (21) is able to fit to an inner wall of the tube (10) and abutting a protruding flange (12) on the inner side of the tube (10) .

6. Electrical connector device according to any of claim 2 to 5, wherein an inner wall of the peripheral body (22) is able to fit to an outer wall of the tube (10) .

7. Electrical connector device according to any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the annular sealing member (20) comprises protruding portions (21p, 22p) .

8. Electrical connector device according to claims 5 to 7, wherein protruding portions (21p, 22p) are opposite each other respectively on the inner side of the central body (21) and on the outer side of the peripheral body (22) .

9. Electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that it comprises a rear support

(2) assembled to the carrier (1) .

10. Electrical connector device according to claim 9, wherein a front side of the tube (10) forms a rear stop for the internal member (3) in the cavity (4), and the rear support (2) comprises a front mating side forming a rear stop for the tube (10) .

11. Electrical connector device according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the internal member (3) is an assembly of a wire (3w) and a terminal (3t) .

12. Electrical connector device according to claim 11, wherein the sealing member (20) is pressed in contact with the wire (3w) .

13. Set of electrical connector devices, comprising

- a first electrical connector device according to any of claims of 1 to 10,

a second electrical connector device according to any of claims of 1 to 10,

wherein the internal member (3) of the first and second electrical connector devices have different diameters, wherein the tubes (10) of the first and second electrical connector devices are identical, and

wherein the annular sealing members (20) of said first and second electrical connector devices have different inner diameters.