EP3485539B1 - High temperature resistant plug connector for a knock sensor of an internal combustion engine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a connector and a method for assembling a connector according to the features of the respective preambles of the two independent patent claims.

Connectors are known which have a contact carrier, the contact carrier having contact cavities for the corresponding number of contact partners that it is to accommodate, with each contact partner being arranged at one end of an electrical conductor of a cable, i.e. mechanically fixed and electrically contacted. In the simplest case, the contact carrier has a contact chamber into which only one contact partner is inserted. In practice, connectors have also become known which have a contact carrier which has more than one contact chamber in a row, but possibly also in several rows lying parallel to one another.

When assembling such a connector, the contact partner is arranged in a suitable manner at the end of the respective electrical conductor of the cable and then inserted into the contact chamber in the contact carrier. In order for the contact partner to be defined in his contact chamber, the Contact partner in a known manner on a flexible protruding spring clip. When the contact partner is inserted into the contact chamber, this spring clip is moved out of its starting position while the contact partner is inserted into the contact chamber. Once it has reached its final position, the spring shackle moves back into its original position and latches onto a corresponding undercut on the connector's contact carrier. For this purpose, such contact partners must be equipped with these spring shackles, as a result of which the shaping and thus the production of such contact partners is complex. In addition, during assembly, care must be taken to ensure that after the contact partner has been inserted into its contact chamber, the spring clip also latches properly on the undercut. This often cannot be done if the contact partner has not been inserted completely and as intended in its associated contact chamber.

In addition, it has already become known that the contact carrier is provided with an outer housing after the contact partners have been inserted into their respective contact chamber. There are basically two options here. On the one hand, the outer housing can be realized as an overmolding. However, complex measures are necessary here, which on the one hand prevent the overmolding compound from penetrating into the contact chamber and the receiving space of the plug connector for a mating plug connector. In addition, in order to achieve the longitudinal watertightness that is often required, it is absolutely necessary to optimally coordinate the parameters in the overmolding process and the materials used for the outer sheath of the cable and the overmolding compound to form the outer housing. If this is successful, the connection between the das The overmolding compound forming the outer housing and the contact carrier and the outer sheath of the cable produce a sufficiently tight connection, with the overmolded outer housing also providing the strain relief that is also often required.

However, there are applications of such connectors that are operated in a high temperature range. A high temperature is to be understood as meaning all temperatures that are significantly above the ambient temperature and to which a vehicle is exposed, for example. This is not only about the temperatures that are caused by the external heat radiation (sunlight), but also at the installation location of the connector (e.g. in the engine or transmission compartment, in the axle area or in other installation spaces in which temperatures accumulate). . In addition, there is always the problem in such installation spaces that the plug connection, formed from the plug connector and a mating plug connector, is exposed to water, splash water, moisture and the like.

In order to be able to deal with the high temperatures, it has already become known to produce the sheathed line (outer sheath) of the cable from a material that is stable at high temperatures. However, while such an outer shell withstands the environmental conditions at the installation site very well (watertightness, heat resistance and the like), there is a problem that in such a case the outer housing cannot be formed by an overmolding process. This is because in the overmolding process, the material that forms the overmolding compound is brought to higher temperatures so that it melts and accordingly can be overmolded. However, this temperature does not cause the material of the outer sheath of the cable to dissolve during the overmoulding process, since its purpose is to withstand high temperatures. As a result, no intimate connection can be achieved between the encapsulation compound and the high-temperature-resistant outer sheath of the cable. The consequence of this is that no longitudinal watertightness and no strain relief can be realized. This problem does not arise, for example, if the outer sheath of the cable is made of a material that is not resistant to high temperatures, such as polyurethane (PUR). The document EP0424887 discloses a connector according to the preamble of claim 1.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing both a plug connector and a method for assembling such a plug connector, with which the disadvantages described at the outset are avoided. In particular, the longitudinal watertightness and the strain relief should be ensured for cables that have an outer sheath made of a high-temperature-resistant material while at the same time being easy to assemble. In particular, a concept for a watertight connector with a high-temperature-resistant sheathed cable (outer sheath of the cable) is to be specified in order to achieve a seal between the overmolding and the outer sheath and to achieve strain relief in order to provide a different solution, since the materials in the sheathed cable are different made of materials that are stable at high temperatures cannot be bonded to the overmoulding used to implement the outer housing.

This problem is solved by the features of the two independent patent claims.

For the connector according to the invention it is provided that the contact carrier has a latching tab for fixing the at least one contact partner in the contact carrier and at least one latching hook arranged at its end and acting on the cable.

By means of the locking tab, it is possible to fix the at least one contact partner, preferably several contact partners, in one step in the contact carrier. The complex design of contact partners with a protruding flexible spring clip for the so-called primary locking of the contact partner in the contact carrier can be omitted, so that the contact partners can be designed more simply. In the case of contact partners with a protruding spring clip for the purpose of primary locking, it was not possible to check whether the primary locking actually took place properly after the contact partner had been inserted into its contact cavity. If only the single contact partner or at least one of several contact partners is not properly inserted into its contact chamber in the contact carrier, the locking tab for the primary locking cannot be actuated. A mechanical, possibly also an optical check is thus possible as to whether the primary locking has taken place. This control can also be automated.

In interaction with this latching tab on the contact carrier for effecting the primary locking of the contact partners in their contact chambers in the contact carrier, the contact carrier has at least one end (opposite the receiving space for the mating connector) and the cable acting locking hook. The at least one latching hook, preferably two opposite latching hooks, according to a development of the invention, act on the outer sheath of the cable in the sense that pressure exerted by the outer housing on the at least one latching hook when the contact carrier is inserted as intended in the outer housing is a form-fitting connection between the snap-in hook and the outer casing, in order to achieve longitudinal watertightness as well as strain relief. This means that, according to the invention, a material connection between the outer housing and the outer sheath of the cable is no longer necessary, but instead the longitudinal watertightness and the strain relief are realized by a positive connection of the at least one latching hook with the outer sheath of the cable. It is of particular advantage if the inner geometry of the at least one latching hook, preferably both latching hooks, is designed in such a way that the outer casing can still be moved in this area when the cable is inserted. However, after the pressure has been applied to the at least one latching hook by the outer housing, such pressure should act through the latching hook on the outer sheath of the cable that the required form fit is achieved by matching the geometries.

In a development of the invention, the contact carrier has a circumferential groove into which a housing seal is inserted. Since the contact carrier and the outer housing surrounding it are separate components, it is absolutely necessary to provide a seal in order to achieve longitudinal watertightness from the direction of the cable in the direction of the mating connector. For the purpose of simplified assembly, this housing seal is placed in a circumferential groove between the contact carrier and the outer housing used in the contact carrier as a separate part. As a result, the contact carrier can be produced very easily, for example as an injection molded part, and the housing seal can also be inserted very easily into the circumferential groove. In addition, it is again possible to visually check whether the housing seal has been inserted into the circumferential groove.

As an alternative or in addition to the above solution, it is also possible to provide a seal in the sealing area between the contact carrier and the outer housing, which seal is part of the outer housing and/or the contact carrier. For example, it is possible to produce the contact carrier and/or the outer housing with an outward-facing seal (contact carrier) or with an inward-facing seal (outer housing) in a two-component plastic injection molding process. The geometry of such a seal (either only on the contact carrier or only on the outer housing) or the geometries of two seals (both on the outer housing and on the contact carrier) are matched to one another, so that the at least one seal on the outer housing or the contact carrier rests on the associated component comes. It is also conceivable that when two seals are used (both on the contact carrier and on the outer housing), the two sealing geometries come into contact with one another.

In a further development of the invention, the outer housing has a receiving space at its end, into which a cable seal is inserted, which seals the cable. Again, it is useful to achieve the required longitudinal watertightness when a seal between the outer sheath of the cable and the outer casing is done. In order to achieve secure assembly to achieve this sealing effect, a receiving space is provided at the end of the outer housing (the end facing away from the receiving space for the mating connector), in which the cable seal is already inserted before the connector is assembled with its individual components or during the Assembly is introduced.

With regard to the cable seal, it is also conceivable as an alternative, as already described above with regard to the design of the housing seal, for the outer housing to have a one-piece cable seal at its end, which seals against the cable. Also in such a case, the outer housing is made in a two-component plastic injection molding process, with the plastic material being a harder material to form the housing itself and the material forming the cable seal being correspondingly softer to achieve the sealing effect . In terms of assembly, this configuration has the particular advantage that one less part (namely a separate cable seal) can be assembled, which means that compared to the design of the cable seal as a separate component, not only can one part not be forgotten, but also one fewer assembly step is required.

In a further development of the invention, the cable has an outer jacket made of a material that is resistant to high temperatures. While normal ambient conditions, particularly in the case of vehicles, are defined as the reference temperature, for example in a range between -20 degrees and +50 degrees High temperatures significantly higher, in particular higher than the 50 degrees mentioned. In particular, high temperatures are defined as greater than 75 degrees, more particularly greater than 100 degrees, more particularly greater than 120 degrees and further greater than 150 degrees.

With regard to the method for assembling the plug connector, the invention provides that the contact carrier has a latching tab for fixing the at least one contact partner in the contact carrier and at least one latching hook arranged at its end and acting on the cable, with both the latching tab and the at least one latching hook be moved from an initial position to an operative position when the contact carrier is inserted into the outer housing. This has the advantage that the contact carrier has the means which, as already described above for the connector itself, realize the primary locking of the at least one contact partner in its contact chamber in the contact carrier and the longitudinal watertightness and also the strain relief. This takes place in one assembly step, namely when the contact carrier is inserted into the outer housing after it has been provided with the other components required to implement the function of the plug connector, such as contact partners, cables and possibly other elements. With regard to the starting point of the latching tab on the contact carrier, a protruding position is considered, in which it is possible to introduce each contact partner into its associated contact chamber in the contact carrier. Only after the entire number of contact partners has been used in the respective contact chamber, this locking tab on the contact carrier by the action of the outer housing from the starting position in the functional position brought. This functional position causes the primary locking of the contact partners inserted in the contact cavity to take place by means of the locking tab.

While a latching lug, which is arranged on the contact carrier, was described with regard to the connector itself and with regard to the method, it is also conceivable to combine several contact partners for a primary locking, so that not all contact partners have to be primarily locked by a single latching lug, but also one certain number of contact partners can be primary locked with a first locking tab, while other contact partners can be primary locked by at least one additional locking tab (possibly more than two locking tabs). This is particularly relevant when, for example, two rows of contact partners are arranged in one row and there is a latching tab on the opposite side of the contact carrier for each row.

In a further development of the invention, the outer housing has a receiving space at its end, into which a cable seal is moved into the receiving space by means of the insertion process of the contact carrier into the outer housing, which seals the cable in its functional position. This not only simplifies the assembly process because the cable seal is moved into the outer case simultaneously with the insertion process of the contact carrier, but also achieves the longitudinal watertightness. In any case, this step is omitted if the cable seal is not designed as a separate component but is designed in one piece with the outer housing, as already explained with regard to the plug connector.

The plug connector is preferably used in vehicles, for example in an engine compartment (for example for wiring actuators such as injectors or sensors such as speed sensors, knock sensors and the like), on a transmission (also for wiring actuators and/or sensors) or others Installation spaces in vehicles in which high temperatures prevail that are significantly higher (in particular greater than 75 degrees Celsius) than the ambient temperature (in particular up to around 50 degrees Celsius).

The method for assembly according to the invention and two similar exemplary embodiments are described below and explained with reference to the figures.

In the Figures 1 to 4 is a first embodiment and in the Figures 5 to 8 a second embodiment shown.

Both variants are based on a connector 1 to be produced, which is used in a high-temperature area, in particular in an automotive environment. The plug connector 1 together with a mating connector (not shown) forms a plug connection, the mating connector also being able to be arranged at one end of a cable like the plug connector 1 itself, but also being part of an electronic device, for example a control unit in a vehicle.

the inside figure 1 The connector 1 shown is arranged at one end of a cable 20 and includes a contact carrier 30, the end of the cable 20 and the majority of the contact carrier 30 being arranged within an outer housing 40. The contact carrier 30 and the outer housing 40 are different from each other separately manufactured components that can be manufactured in large numbers, for example, from the same or different materials in a plastic injection molding process.

It is important and the starting point for the entire invention, not only with regard to the exemplary embodiments, that the outer sheath of the cable 20 consists of a high-temperature-resistant material which cannot be overmolded in a plastic injection molding process with a corresponding overmolding compound that is longitudinally watertight and strain-relieving.

In figure 2 those elements are shown in different views from which the connector 1 is assembled.

The cable 20 is shown at the bottom right, which has at least one electrical conductor 21, here exactly two electrical conductors 21. Contact partners 22 are arranged at each end of the electrical conductor 21 in a corresponding number of the electrical conductors 21 of the cable 20 . In this exemplary embodiment, the contact partners 22 are in the form of pin contacts. The arrangement of each contact partner 22 on its associated electrical conductor 21 can, but does not have to, take place via a crimp connection 23 . A crimp connection 23 has the particular advantage that both the electrical contacting and the mechanical fixing of the contact partner 22 to its electrical conductor 21 can be carried out reliably, permanently and also, if necessary, in an automated manner.

In the illustration above on the left figure 2 the contact carrier 30 can be seen, which has at least one locking tab 31 . In addition, the contact carrier 30 has at least one latching hook 32, here two opposite latching hooks 32, at its one end. It also has a circumferential groove 33.

In the illustration at the top right figure 2 the outer housing 40 is shown, which has a receiving space 41 for a mating connector, which is no longer shown. A receiving space 42 at the opposite end of the outer housing 40 from the receiving space 41 is provided for receiving a cable seal to be described.

In the upper center representation is a housing seal 50 and in the lower left representation of the figure 2 a cable seal 60 can be seen.

In particular, the geometric design of the housing seal 50 and the cable seal 60 is only an example and can be changed, ie adapted, depending on the geometry of the contact carrier 30 or the outer housing 40 .

In figure 3 the steps for assembling the connector 1 are shown, with the in figure 2 elements shown are used.

In the upper left representation it can be seen that in a first step the housing seal 50 is inserted into the circumferential groove 33 . This can be done manually or automatically, with this configuration having the advantage that a visual check is possible as to whether the housing seal 50 has been inserted into the groove 33 or not.

In a second step, the prepared cable (recognizable in the lower right illustration in figure 2 ) starting from the receiving space 42 of the outer housing 40 pushed through this with the contact partners 22 in front. Depending on the configuration of the entire cable, it is also conceivable for the end of the cable 2 facing away from the contact partners 22 to be pushed into the outer housing 40 from the receiving space 41 .

In the upper right representation of the figure 3 It can also be seen that the correspondingly prepared end of the cable 20 has been provided with the cable seal 60.

After this preparation, the insertion process of the contact carrier 30 takes place in the outer housing 40. So when looking at the lower representation of the figure 3 the contact carrier is inserted into the outer housing 40 to the right. During this longitudinal movement of the contact carrier 30 in the direction of the interior of the outer housing 40, the cable seal 60 is moved from its fixed position on the cable 20 in the direction of the receiving space 42 of the outer housing 40 and fixed there. As an alternative to this, it would also be conceivable to insert the cable seal 60 into the receiving space 42 of the outer housing 40 before the cable 20 is pushed in. In the figure 3 However, the variant shown (below) has the advantage that the prior fixing of the cable seal 60 on the cable 20 makes it clear that the cable seal 60 is present and can be brought into its intended position. A visual check is also possible here, so that this cable seal 60 is not forgotten.

If the contact carrier is moved further in the direction of the interior of the outer housing 40, not only is the cable seal 60 fixed as intended in the receiving space 42, but the at least one latching hook 32, in particular the two opposite latching hooks 32, come to rest against the inner geometry of the outer housing 40 This inner geometry is selected in such a way (for example an oblique course) that the inner geometry presses on the outer surface of the at least one latching hook 32, which in turn causes the contact geometry of the latching hook 32 to act in a form-fitting manner on the outer jacket of the cable 20, in particular is pressed on it. The longitudinal watertightness in this area and also the strain relief are then realized by means of this form fit.

When the contact carrier 30 is inserted into the outer housing 40, not only are the two latching hooks 32 actuated in this exemplary embodiment, but also the at least one latching lug 31 (or if there are several latching lugs, all latching lugs are actuated). This means that the inner geometry of the outer housing 40 acts on the initially inclined locking tab 31 and moves it from its initial position into its functional position in order to primarily lock the contact partners 32 inserted into the contact chambers of the contact carrier 30 . This primary locking does not work if even just one of the contact partners 32 is not in its desired position in its contact chamber of the contact carrier 30 . As a result, in addition to achieving longitudinal watertightness and strain relief, not only can the primary locking be implemented in one assembly step, but there is also a check as to whether the contact partners are properly arranged in their contact partners.

• die Kabeldichtung 60 bestimmungsgemäß in ihrem Aufnahmeraum 42 des Außengehäuses 40 angeordnet ist,
• die beiden Rasthaken 32 von ihrer Ausgangsstellung in ihre Funktionsstellung gebracht worden sind, um mittels einer formschlüssigen Verbindung (Pressverbindung) die Längswasserdichtheit in diesem Bereich und auch die Zugentlastung herzustellen,
• die zumindest eine Rastlasche 31 in ihre bestimmungsgemäße Funktionsstellung gebracht wurde, um die Kontaktpartner primär zu verriegeln und
• die Gehäusedichtung 50 die Längswasserdichtheit zwischen dem Kontaktträger 30 und dem Außengehäuse 40 bewirkt.

The process described above can figure 4 be removed. It is evident that

• the cable seal 60 is arranged as intended in its receiving space 42 of the outer housing 40,
• the two snap-in hooks 32 have been brought from their initial position into their functional position in order to establish the longitudinal watertightness in this area and also the strain relief by means of a positive connection (press connection),
• the at least one latching tab 31 was brought into its intended functional position in order to primarily lock the contact partners and
• the housing seal 50 brings about the longitudinal watertightness between the contact carrier 30 and the outer housing 40 .

Finally, it is still necessary to reliably and permanently fix the contact carrier 30 in its intended position within the outer housing 40 . This can be done, for example, by means of a snap-in connection (as in figure 1 and 4 shown). In addition or as an alternative to this, it is also possible to provide further latching connections, to establish the connection by means of adhesive bonding, or to fix the contact carrier 30 inside the interior of the outer housing 40 by means of a press fit.

The second embodiment, which in the Figures 5 to 8 shown is based principally on the elements and assembly sequence shown in the Figures 1 to 4 are shown and described in this regard.

The only difference is that the outer housing 40 has a cable seal 70 at its end. This cable seal 70 is also produced when the outer housing 40 is produced, for example in a two-component plastic injection molding process. Are the outer housing 40 and the cable seal 70 a one-piece component, the separate cable seal 60, which is still in accordance with the embodiment Figures 1 to 4 was required. This has the particular advantage that a separate component is less required and has to be assembled.

Otherwise, the assembly of the connector 1 according to the second embodiment is exactly as shown and described with respect to the first embodiment.

Both in the first exemplary embodiment and in the second exemplary embodiment, the housing seal 50 shown there can also be omitted if it has been produced in one piece with the contact carrier 30, also in a two-component plastic injection molding process.

reference list

1.

connector

20

Cable

21

Electrical conductor

22

contact partner

23

crimp connection

30

contact carrier

31

locking tab

32

latch hook

33

groove

40

outer case

41

recording room

42

recording room

50

housing seal

60

cable seal

70

cable seal

Claims (8)

1. Plug connector (1) comprising a contact carrier (30) that is configured for receiving at least one contact partner (22) that is arranged on an electrical conductor (21) of a cable (20), wherein the contact carrier (30) is inserted in an outer housing (40), wherein the contact carrier (30) comprises at least one latching lug (31) for fixing the at least one contact partner (22) in the contact carrier (30), characterized in that the latching lug comprises at least one latching hook (32) that is arranged on its end and acts on the cable (20).
2. Plug connector (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the contact carrier (30) comprises a circumferential groove (33) into which a housing seal (50) is inserted.
3. Plug connector (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer housing (40) comprises at its end a receiving chamber (42) into which a cable seal (60) that forms a seal on the cable (20) is inserted.
4. Plug connector (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer housing (40) comprises at its end as one piece a cable seal (70) that forms a seal on the cable (20).
5. Plug connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact carrier (30) comprises at its end two opposite-lying latching hooks (33) that act on the cable (20).
6. Plug connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cable (20) comprises an outer casing that is embodied from a high temperature-resistant material.
7. Method for assembling a plug connector (1), comprising a contact carrier (30) that is configured for receiving at least one contact partner (22) that is arranged on an electrical conductor (21) of a cable (20), wherein the contact carrier (30) is inserted in an outer housing (40), wherein the contact carrier (30) comprises a latching lug (31) for fixing the at least one contact partner (22) in the contact carrier (30) and at least one latching hook (32) that is arranged on its end and acts on the cable (20), wherein both the latching lug (31) and also the at least one latching hook (32) are moved from a starting position into a functioning position if the contact carrier (30) is inserted in the outer housing (40) .
8. Method for assembling a plug connector (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the outer housing (40) comprises at its end a receiving chamber (42) into which a cable seal (60) that in its functioning position forms a seal on the cable (20) is moved into the receiving chamber (42) by means of inserting the contact carrier (30) into the outer housing (40)

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