EP3145034A2

EP3145034A2 - Housing arrangement, electrical connector comprising a housing arrangement and electrical connection arrangement comprising an electrical connector

Info

Publication number: EP3145034A2
Application number: EP16185800.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Markus Eckel; Alexander Stokowski; Christoph Kosmalski; Florin Spataru
Original assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
Priority date: 2015-08-28
Filing date: 2016-08-26
Publication date: 2017-03-22
Also published as: EP3145034A3; DE102015216545A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing arrangement (1) for attaching at least one cable (4) with a shielding (43) arranged around a conductor (41) as well as an electrical connector (100) comprising at least one such housing arrangement (1) and an electrical connection arrangement comprising an electrical connector. Housing arrangements (1) usually comprise a housing body (2) for receiving a cable end (3). In order to facilitate a permanently good connection between the shielding (43) and the housing body (2), the housing arrangement (1) comprises a pressing member (6) for producing an electrical connection to the shielding (43), wherein, in a pressing position (P), the pressing member (6) is configured to exert a pressing force onto the shielding (43) or onto a contact element (5) that is electrically connected to the shielding (43). The pressing force created by the pressing member (6) ensures a good electrical connection with a low transition resistance, whereby through the pressing force the shielding (43) or the contact element (5) connected with the shielding (43) is retained. The occurring vibrations thus cannot deteriorate the connection to the shielding (43).

Description

The invention relates to a housing arrangement for attaching at least one cable with a shielding arranged around a conductor, an electrical connector comprising at least one such housing arrangement and an electrical connection arrangement comprising an electrical connector and a mating connector.
Housing assemblies usually comprise a housing body for receiving a cable end. In the interior of the housing body, the conductor can be linked to a contact element, for example, and be connected to a mating element. The shielding is often crimped between two sleeves and the outer sleeve is pushed into a hole or a shaft on the housing body. However, particularly in the case of significant vibration loads, as occur in the automobile field for example, the electrical connection between the sleeve and the shaft can deteriorate over time.
The problem of the invention is to provide a solution in which the electrical connection between the shielding and the housing body is permanently good even in the case of high loads.
According to the invention, this is solved in that the housing arrangement has a pressing member for producing an electrical connection to the shielding, wherein the pressing member, in a pressing position, is configured to exert a pressing force onto the shielding or onto a contact element that is electrically connected to the shielding. An electrical connector according to the invention comprises a housing arrangement according to the invention. A connection arrangement according to the invention comprises an electrical connector according to the invention and a mating connector.
The pressing force created by the pressing member ensures a good electrical connection with a low transition resistance, whereby through the pressing force the shielding or the contact element connected with the shielding is retained. The occurring vibrations thus cannot deteriorate the connection to the shielding.
The solution according to the invention can be further improved with the following further developments and configurations which are each advantageous and able to be combined with one another as desired.
The contact element connected electrically to the shielding can be firmly connected to it, for example by a crimp connection, a soldered connection or a weld connection. Such a connection can be permanently low-resistance, such that there is good current conductivity.
In an advantageous configuration, in a connection position, a movement of the shielding or of the contact element is possible relative to the housing body. As a result, for instance, an insertion of the cable into the housing body can be possible. Here, the shielding or the contact element connected to the shielding can be freely movable relative to the housing body or easily rub against it. When transferring into the pressing position, the shielding or the contact element can be retained by the pressing member, as a result of which mobility can be restricted.
The pressing member and the housing body can be integral with one another. For example, the pressing member can be a deformable sleeve moulded onto the housing body. Such a configuration can be particularly simple to produce and store. The sleeve can be permanently deformed for example after insertion of the cable. The sleeve therefore exerts a permanent pressing force directly onto the shielding or onto the contact element that is connected to the shielding.
In a further configuration, the pressing member and the housing body can be separate elements. These elements can be able to be connected to one another. In particular, through a connection of the pressing member to the housing body, the housing arrangement can be transferred automatically in to the pressing position.
The pressing member can be able to be transferred repeatedly from the connection position into the pressing position and back. As a result, a repeated use and an assembly and disassembly are possible. For example, the pressing member can be connectable to the housing body and be releasable from it again.
The pressing member can be arranged in the housing body. Such a housing arrangement can be safer because an unintentional actuation of the pressing member is prevented as a result.
The housing body can have a mating contact surface for the shielding or for the contact element electrically connected to the shielding, the mating contact surface being arranged in the housing body. Such a mating contact surface can apply, for example, a counter-pressing force which at least partially counteracts the pressing force.
The shielding or the contact element can, in the pressing position, be arranged between a contact surface of the pressing member and a mating contact surface on the housing body. In another configuration, the shielding or the contact element can be arranged between two contact surfaces of the pressing member.
In the pressing position, the pressing member and a mating contact surface arranged on the housing body can enclose a substantially circular surface. As a result, a uniform pressing of a cable with a circular cross-section can be possible, for example. In particular this makes it possible for a circular shielding to be pressed onto a circular cable without the shielding having to be released from the rest of the cable. Such a configuration thus allows simpler contacting than a configuration in which the shielding is at least partially released from the rest of the cable and this shielding is pressed on individually.
In an advantageous configuration, the circular surface corresponds, for instance, to the cross-section of a cable which is to be linked. This makes easier linking of the cable possible. If the cable for contacting the shielding still has an additional element, for example a sleeve which widens radially outwards, the circular surface can be somewhat larger than the cross-section of the cable and in particular be adapted to the size of the element.
In order to be able to transmit the pressing force well onto the cable, the pressing member can be configured to exert a pressing force along a periphery of the cable. Such a pressing force can, in particular, run in a radial direction, in particular towards a conductor.
In order to be able to press in particular shieldings, which are configured to be at least partially circular, on well, contact surfaces of the pressing member and/or the mating contact surface of the housing body can be configured in the shape of cylinder segments.
The pressing member can comprise a pressing bracket. The pressing bracket can be configured to have curved sections for receiving round sections of the shieldings or of the contact element. The pressing bracket can have finger-shaped sections which, due to their elongate structure, have a lightweight design with sufficient stability.
The pressing member can have a force-generating member for generating the pressing force. A pressing force generated in this manner can be transmitted to the shielding by additional sections or parts of the pressing member.
The pressing member can have an actuation member, via which the pressing member can be actuated by a user or a machine, for example. In one advantageous configuration, the actuation member can simultaneously be a force-generating member. For example, a screw can function as an actuation member and force-generating member. If the screw is actuated, i.e. tightened, then it generates a force which is transmitted through additional sections of the pressing member.
The pressing member can be undetachably attached to the housing body. This facilitates assembly. The force-generating member and/or the actuation member can ensure undetachability.
In order to simply affix the housing arrangement to a mating element, the pressing member can have affixing elements. For example, it can have a recess in which a screw, for example, can be arranged, with which the pressing member and thus the housing arrangement is able to be affixed to the mating element. The housing arrangement can be fixed in particular to the mating element by affixing.
In order to apply a contact force uniformly and enable tolerance compensation, the housing arrangement can comprise a spring sleeve for attachment to the shielding of the cable, wherein the spring sleeve has radially elastically deflectable contact arms.
The housing body and/or the pressing member can be made of an electrically conductive material, in particular contact surfaces of the pressing member or mating contact surfaces of the housing body. As a result, good electrical connection to the shielding is possible.
The pressing member can be configured such that it is able to be connected directly to the housing body, to a mating connector and/or to a mating element. Such a direct transfer of the shielding current close to the shielding contacting leads to a low transition resistance.
In order to secure the housing arrangement to a mating element before an assembly step in a simple manner, the housing arrangement can have a securing device to secure the housing arrangement to a mating element in a form-fitting manner, the securing device being arranged at the base body such that it is movable from a releasing position into a securing position. The securing device can have a form-fit element for this purpose. In a releasing position, the form-fit element cannot cooperate with a corresponding mating form-fit element and in the securing position can cooperate with the mating form-fit element. The securing device can be connected to the housing body in a force-transmitting manner such that a retaining force is transmitted from the mating element, via the securing device, onto the housing body.
The securing device can be connected to the housing body via a bar guide in order to enable simple actuation.
The following configurations are independent of the solution with the pressing member and can individually represent a patentable invention.
The mating connector can in particular have a bus bar. In order to prevent unintentional touching of a bus bar, the mating connector can have contact protection. Such contact protection can advantageously comprise an inner contact protection collar and an outer contact protection collar. The contact protection collars can each be configured cylindrically in order to enable a rotation. The spacing between contact protection collars can therefore be configured such that a test finger cannot or can only very slightly penetrate between the contact protection collars. The mating connector can have a recess for an affixing element. Such a recess can, in particular, comprise a thread.
A connection element attached to the conductor of the cable can have a bar-contacting sleeve configured to overcome the contact protection. The bar-contacting sleeve can be firmly connected to the connection element. For example, it can be pressed into the connection element. The connection element and/or the bar-contacting sleeve can have a recess for an affixing element. Such an affixing element can be a screw, for example. The affixing element can be electrically insulated at an actuating section in order to protect the user from electrical voltage. It can have an insulation element for this purpose. The affixing element can be connected to a further element, in particular the housing body, in order to facilitate assembly.
Hereafter, the invention will be explained in greater detail by way of example using advantageous configurations with reference to the drawings. The advantageous further developments and configurations depicted here are each independent of one another and can be combined with one another as desired.
In the drawings:

Fig. 1: shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 2: shows a detailed view of the embodiment according to Fig. 1;
Fig. 3: shows a further detailed view of the embodiment according to Fig. 1;
Fig. 4: shows a sectional view of the embodiment according to Fig. 1;
Fig. 5: shows a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention;
Fig. 6: shows a further schematic perspective view of the embodiment according to Fig. 5;
Fig. 7: shows a further schematic perspective view of the embodiment according to Fig. 5;
Fig. 8: shows a sectional view of the embodiment according to Fig. 5;
Fig. 9: shows a schematic perspective view of parts of the embodiment according to Fig. 5;
Fig. 10: shows a sectional view through the embodiment according to Fig. 5;
Fig. 11: shows a schematic perspective view of a mating element belonging to the embodiment according to Fig. 5;
Fig. 12: shows a schematic perspective view of the embodiment according to Fig. 5 together with the mating element according to Fig. 11;
Fig. 13: shows a schematic perspective view of the combination from Fig. 12 from another viewing angle;
Fig. 14: shows a schematic perspective view of a cover belonging to the embodiment according to Fig. 5;
Fig. 15: shows a sectional view of the cover according to Fig. 14;
Fig. 16: shows a schematic perspective view of a cable with a spring sleeve attached thereto; and
Fig. 17: shows a sectional view of the cable with the spring sleeve according to Fig. 16.

Figures 1 to 4 depict a first embodiment of a housing arrangement 1 according to the invention. The housing arrangement 1 comprises a housing body 2 for receiving a cable end 3 of a cable 4. In the embodiment shown, two cable ends 3 of two cables 2 are received in the housing body 2. The housing body 2 is depicted partially transparently, in order to make additional elements visible.
The housing body 2 shown here is part of a larger housing 200, for example a housing of an assembly in an automobile.
The cable 4 comprises a centrally arranged conductor 41, an intermediate insulation 42 encompassing the conductor 41, a shielding 43 and an outer insulation 44.
The shielding 43 is clamped between an outer sleeve 111 and an inner sleeve 110, which acts as a contact element 5 here. The outer sleeve 111 has been crimped onto the inner sleeve 110, i.e. plastically deforms with it. As a result, a permanently low-resistance connection is produced between the contact element 5 in the form of the inner sleeve 110, and the shielding 43.
The inner sleeve 110 is guided through an aperture 210 in the housing wall 220 into an interior 20 of the housing body 2. In the interior 20 there is a pressing member 6 for producing an electrical connection to the shielding 43. In the pressing position P shown here, the pressing member 6 exerts a pressing force onto the contact element 5. A permanently good electrical connection is obtained between the shielding 43 and the housing body 2 as a result.
The pressing member 6 comprises in this case a pressing bracket 60 configured to at least partially receive two contact elements 5.
The pressing member 6 further comprises a force-generating member 7, which is simultaneously an actuation member 8, in the form of a screw 70. When the screw 70 is actuated, the pressing force is generated. The head 68 of the screw 70 presses against a surface 64 of the pressing bracket 60. The surface 64 is partially arranged to the side beside the curves 66 of the pressing bracket 60. A thread 69 of the screw 70 is connected to a mating thread 72 in the housing body 2.
In the embodiment shown here, the cable end 3 is inserted along an insertion direction E into the housing body 2. A cable lug 25 connected to the conductor 41 is connected to a mating contact element 400 by tightening a screw 80.
In order to have sufficient insulation, in particular sufficient creepage distances, an insulation element 120 is attached between the inner sleeve 110 and the conductor 41.
The inner sleeve 110 is pressed in between contact surfaces 61, which are arranged inside at the pressing bracket 60, and mating contact surfaces 62 of the housing body 2.
The pressing member 6 and the housing body 2 are separate elements. The pressing member 6 can be repeatedly released from the housing body 2 and reconnected to it. It can therefore be transferred from an undepicted connection position into the pressing position P, and back again. In the pressing position P, the housing body 2 is firmly connected to the pressing member 6.
In an alternative configuration, the pressing member 6 could also be integral with the housing body 2. For example, the pressing member could be configured as a plastically deformable sleeve. This could be crimped with the contact element 5 or with the shielding 43, in order to produce a good connection between the shielding 43 and the housing body 2.
In the configuration shown here, the pressing member 6 is arranged in the housing body 2. It is located in the interior 20 of the housing body 2.
The contact surfaces 61 on the pressing bracket 60 form, together with the mating contact surfaces 62 on the housing body 2, two approximately cylindrical apertures into which the contact elements 5 are pressed. They therefore each surround substantially circular surfaces, such that uniform pressing is possible. The pressing member is configured to exert a pressing force along the circumferences of the cables 4. The pressing force acts in a radial direction R toward the conductor 41.
The contact surfaces 61 of the pressing member 6 and the mating contact surfaces 62 of the housing body 2 are each configured in the shape of cylinder segments, in order to generate the above-mentioned cylindrical aperture.
A seal 130 outwardly seals the housing arrangement 1.
Figures 5 to 10 depict a second embodiment of a housing arrangement 1, as well as an electrical connector 100 and an electrical connection arrangement 500.
The second embodiment of a housing arrangement 1 also comprises a housing body 2. The pressing member 6 is configured similarly to the first embodiment. A pressing bracket 60 is pressed, with the aid of a screw 70 which acts as a force-generating member 7 and actuation member 8, against a contact element 5 which is firmly connected to the shielding 43 of the cable 4. The screw 70 is configured here as a Torx screw. The head 68 of the screw 70 again presses against a surface 64 on the pressing bracket 60. In this case, the surface 64 is arranged in the middle between the two curves 66 of the pressing bracket 60.
Differently to the first embodiment, an outer sleeve 111 acts here as a contact element 5 for the shielding 43. The shielding 43 is crimped between the outer sleeve 111 and an inner sleeve 110, such that a long-term stable connection is produced between the shielding 43 and the contact element 5. The outer sleeve 111 is configured as a spring sleeve 90. Details of this spring sleeve 90 and the attachment to the cable 4 can be seen in Figures 16 and 17. The spring sleeve 90 has radially deflectable contact arms 91. The middles of these contact arms 91 can be compressed along the radial directions R. A more uniform distribution of the pressing force along the circumference of the cable 4 and a tolerance compensation are possible due to the contact arms 91.
The pressing member 6 furthermore has an affixing element 63 in the form of a continuous hole with which the pressing member 6 and thus the housing body 2 connected thereto and entire housing arrangement 1 can be connected to a mating element. In this case, the affixing takes place via a screw 65. The pressing member 6 is attached to the housing body 2. Even in an undepicted connection position, the pressing member 6 cannot be released from the housing body 2. By means of the screw 65, which is made of metal, the pressing member 6 which here is made of a conductive material can be directly, and with a low transition resistance, brought into contact with the mating connector 300.
The embodiment shown further comprises a securing device 150 for the form-fitting securing of the housing arrangement 1 to a mating element. For this purpose, the securing device 150, which is connected to the housing body 2 via bar guides 151, along the insertion direction E in which the cables 4 are pushed into the housing body 2, is moved from the depicted releasing position L into a securing position which is not depicted in greater detail. The protrusions 152 here serve as a form-fit element for connecting to corresponding mating form-fit elements on the mating element.
The securing device 150 is connected to the housing body 2 in a force-transmitting manner, such that a retaining force can be passed on from the housing body 2, via the securing device 150, to the mating element.
The housing arrangement 1 is part of an electrical connector 100.
Fig. 11 shows a mating connector 300 which can be connected to the electrical connector 100. In Fig. 12 and 13, this connection between the electrical connector 100 and the mating connector 300, which is only partially shown in these figures, is depicted from various viewing angles. The mating connector 300 comprises in particular bus bars 310.
Inner contact protection collars 510 and outer contact protection collars 520 are attached on the bus bar 310. These prevent the bus bar 310 from being touched by a test finger. The contact protection collars 510,520 protrude perpendicularly from the bus bar 310 and are each configured to be cylindrical. A recess 550 in the middle of the inner contact protection collars 510 allows an affixing element 660 to be received. The recess 550 comprises in particular a thread with which a screwing together of the affixing element 660, which is configured as a screw, is possible.
The affixing elements 660 comprise, in particular, an electrically insulated actuation section 670, in which a head of a screw is electrically insulated by an insulation element 680. The affixing element 660 is retained in the housing body 2. This is made possible by protrusions on the insulation element 680 which engage behind a housing wall.
In addition, the mating connector 300 has a mating form-fit element 352 in the form of recesses which cooperate with the protrusions 152 of the securing device 150.
Furthermore, an interlocking plug 320 is attached to the mating element 301, which interlocking plug cooperates with an interlocking bridge element 321 of a cover 340 (see Figs. 14 and 15) and releases a current for the conductor 41 only when the mating connector 300 is correctly plugged together with the electrical connector 100 and the cover 340.
In Fig. 12, an actuation section 154 of the securing device 150 can be seen, at which a user or a machine can actuate the securing device 150. For this purpose, the actuation section 154, and with it the securing device 150, is pushed along the insertion direction E. As a result, a form-fit is created between the electrical connector 100 and the mating connector 300, as a result of which these are retained against one another. The screws 80 and 65 can subsequently be screwed in place, as a result of which a stable mechanical and electrical connection is produced.
Details of the cover 340 are depicted in Figs. 14 and 15. The cover 340 is in particular affixed to the electrical connector 100 via non-detachable screws 350.
Fig. 16 and 17 show that a connection element 600 in the form of a cable lug, which is applied onto the conductor 41 of the cable 4, has a bar-contacting sleeve 650, which enables contacting of the bus bar 310 through the inner contact protection collars 510 and outer contact protection collars 25. The bar-contacting sleeve 650 is pressed into the connection element, so that a permanently stable connection is possible. In the connection element 600 and in the bar-contacting sleeve 650 there is a recess 610 through which an affixing element 660 can be inserted.

Reference Signs

1: housing arrangement
2: housing body
3: cable end
4: cable
5: contact element
6: pressing member
7: force-generating member
8: actuation member
20: interior
25: cable lug
41: conductor
42: intermediate insulation
43: shielding
44: outer insulation
60: pressing bracket
61: contact surface
62: mating contact surface
63: affixing elements
64: surface
65: screw
66: curve
68: head
69: thread
70: screw
80: contact screw
90: spring sleeve
100: electrical connector
110: inner sleeve
111: outer sleeve
120: insulation element
130: seal
150: securing device
151: bar guide
152: protrusion
154: actuating section
200: larger housing
210: aperture
220: housing wall
300: mating connector
310: bus bar
320: interlocking plug
321: interlocking bridge element
340: cover
400: mating contact element
500: electrical connection arrangement
510: inner contact protection collar
520: outer contact protection collar
550: recess
600: connection element
610: recess
650: bar-contacting sleeve
660: affixing element
670: actuation section
680: insulation element
690: protrusion
E: insertion direction
L: releasing position
P: pressing position
R: radial direction

Claims

A housing arrangement (1) for attaching at least one cable (4) with a shielding (43) arranged around a conductor (41), comprising a housing body (2) for receiving a cable end (3) and a pressing member (6) for producing an electrical connection to the shielding (43), wherein the pressing member (6), in a pressing position (P), is configured to exert a pressing force onto the shielding (43) or onto a contact element (5) that is electrically connected to the shielding (43).
The housing arrangement (1) according to Claim 1, wherein the pressing member (6) and the housing body (2) are separate elements.
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 or 2, wherein the pressing member (6) is arranged in the housing body (2).
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the housing body (2) has a mating contact surface (62) for the shielding (43) or the contact element (5) which is electrically connected to the shielding (43), said mating contact surface being arranged in the housing body (2).
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein, in the pressing position (P), a contact surface (61) of the pressing member (6) and a mating contact surface (62) arranged at the housing body (2) enclose a substantially circular surface.
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein pressing member (6) is configured to exert a pressing force along a circumference of the cable (4).
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the pressing member (6) comprises a pressing bracket (60).
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the pressing member (6) has a force-generating member (7) for generating the pressing force.
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the pressing member (6) has affixing elements (63) for affixing the housing arrangement (1) to a mating element (300).
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, further comprising a spring sleeve (90) for attachment to the shielding (43) of the cable (4), wherein the spring sleeve (90) has radially elastically deflectable contact arms (91).
The housing arrangement (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 10, wherein the housing arrangement (1) has a securing device (150) for form-fittingly securing the housing arrangement (1) to a mating element (300), wherein the securing device (150) is arranged at the housing body (2) such that it is movable from a releasing position (L) into a securing position.
An electrical connector (100) comprising at least one housing arrangement (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 11 and a cable (4) with a shielding (43) arranged around a conductor (41), wherein the shielding (63) or a contact element (5) electrically connected to the shielding (43) is contacted by the pressing member (6).
The electrical connector (100) according to Claim 12, wherein a connection element (600) attached to the conductor (41) of the cable (4) has a bar-contacting sleeve (650) configured to overcome a contact protection (510, 520).
The electrical connector (100) according to Claim 13, wherein the bar-contacting sleeve (650) is pressed into the connection element (600).
An electrical connection arrangement (500), comprising at least one electrical connector (100) according to one of Claims 12 to 14.