EP3671964A1 - Contact with universal connection area - Google Patents

Abstract

Contact with a connection section (201) and with a connection region (202) is proposed. The connection area (202) is set up so that a line (105) can be connected in an electrically conductive manner to the connection area. The connection area (202) is designed in the form of a disk and allows a plurality of outgoing directions of the electrical line with respect to a main direction (107), which is defined by the longitudinal extent of the connection section (201). A line with such a contact is also proposed.

Description

area

The invention relates to a contact with a universal connection area and an electrical line with such a contact.

background

In vehicles, electrical conductors are required for energy transmission, which have large cross-sections, especially with electric drives. Aluminum conductors are increasingly being used to replace copper conductors, particularly for reasons of weight and cost. The main areas of application for such conductors are, for example, automotive and aircraft technology. For weight reasons, aluminum is therefore a good substitute for copper as a conductor material. The lower electrical conductivity of aluminum compared to copper is irrelevant for most applications. In order to be able to conduct large currents, rigid busbars are installed in electric vehicles, for example, which have a high current carrying capacity with even current distribution in the conductor. Busbars are therefore preferred, provided that the components to be connected do not move relative to one another. In electric vehicles, parts that move relative to each other must also be electrically connected. In practice, it is therefore often necessary to use flexible stranded conductors whose conductors are made up of a large number of individual wires, which are often twisted and / or stranded with one another. Accordingly, it is necessary to electrically connect busbars with stranded conductors. In practice, a contact is welded to one end of the line that is to be connected to a busbar. The conductor of the line is welded to a connection area of the contact. Furthermore, the contact in a fastening area is provided with fastening means, by means of which the contact is connected to a busbar or to a takeover point of an electrical device. The electrical device can be, for example, a battery, in particular a high-voltage battery in an electric vehicle, or an electrical consumer. In the simplest case, the fastening means are through a through hole formed for a fastening screw that clamps the contact on the busbar or on a takeover point. The geometrical arrangement of the fastening area relative to the connection area defines a direction of departure of the electrical line in the assembly position. Accordingly, differently designed contacts are required for different outgoing directions and are welded to the electrical line as required. In particular, it is necessary to adapt the orientation of the fastening area relative to the connection area to the respective application.

Proceeding from this, the present invention has the task of creating a contact that can be used universally for different outgoing directions.

Summary of the invention

To achieve this object, the invention proposes, according to a first aspect, a contact with a connection section, the longitudinal extent of which defines a main direction, and with a connection area which is set up so that a line can be connected in an electrically conductive manner to the connection area. The connection area is designed in the form of a disk and allows a large number of outgoing directions of the electrical line in relation to the main direction.

The contact can be used universally due to the high variability with regard to the feasible outlet angles of a line welded to the contact. In this way, the number of parts required for different installation situations can be reduced. At the same time, tool costs can often be reduced.

In one embodiment of the contact, the line is arranged on a main surface of the connection region, for example welded on.

In another embodiment of the contact, an end face of the line is connected to an edge of the connection area. In this case, the edge is expediently designed as a polygon, so that the edge is composed of a plurality of straight sections. The straight sections of the edge make it possible, for example, to weld the end face of the line.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the connection area of the contact can be connected to a line in a material-locking manner. A material connection is mechanically stable and has a high current carrying capacity.

According to a second aspect of the invention, an electrical line is proposed in which at least one end of the line is connected to a contact according to the aspect of the invention.

In an expedient development, the line is designed as a solid conductor in the form of a busbar to which the contact is formed. The solid conductor and the contact are thus formed in one piece. This eliminates the need to attach a separate contact to the busbar, saving on work steps and parts.

Brief description of the drawing

Fig. 1A-1C

ein Kontakt, wie er aus dem Stand der Technik bekannt ist;

Fig. 1D

ein Zeigerdiagramm zur Veranschaulichung von Abgangsrichtungen;

Fig. 1E, 1F

ein weiterer aus dem Stand der Technik bekannter Kontakt;

Fig. 1G

ein Zeigerdiagramm zur Veranschaulichung von Abgangsrichtungen für den Kontakt aus den Figuren 1E und 1F;

Fig. 2A

ein erfindungsgemäßer Kontakt;

Fig. 2B

ein Zeigerdiagramm zur Veranschaulichung von Abgangsrichtungen für den Kontakt aus Fig. 2A und

Fig. 2C

eineLeitung mit einem angeformten Kontakt.

The invention is explained in more detail below by way of example using an embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures. All figures are purely schematic and are not to scale. Show it:

1A-1C

a contact as known from the prior art;

Figure 1D

a pointer diagram to illustrate outgoing directions;

1E, 1F

another contact known from the prior art;

Figure 1G

a pointer diagram to illustrate outgoing directions for the contact from the Figures 1E and 1F ;

Figure 2A

a contact according to the invention;

Figure 2B

a pointer diagram to illustrate outgoing directions for the contact Figure 2A and

Figure 2C

a cable with a molded contact.

The same or similar elements are provided with the same or similar reference symbols in the figures.

Embodiment

In Figure 1A A contact 100 is shown schematically. The contact 100 has a connection section 101 and a connection region 102. The connection section 101 is provided with a through bore 103 in which a fastening screw (not shown) can be received in order to clamp the contact 100, for example on a busbar, in order to produce a clamping contact.

A stranded conductor 104 of an electrical line 105 is welded to the connection area 102. The welding can be carried out, for example, by friction-stir welding or ultrasonic welding. The manner in which the stranded conductor is welded in the connection area 102 is not significant for the invention. In addition to welding, other material connection techniques can also be used, for example hard or soft soldering. However, the stranded conductor 104 is always connected to the connection area 102 in a defined field. In the specific case of a welded connection, the stranded conductor 104 is welded to the connection area 102 in a defined welding field.

The defined arrangement of the stranded conductor 104 on the connection area 102 is important for a constant quality of the electrical connection. At the in Figure 1A In the illustrated contact, the connection section 101 and the connection region 102 are oriented essentially on a straight line. The outgoing direction of the line 105 is shown by an arrow 106A. A main direction of the connection section 101 is illustrated by a line 107. As can be seen, the outgoing direction 106A and the main direction 107 form an angle of 180 °.

The cohesive connection of the stranded conductor 104 to the contact 100 is illustrated by a schematically illustrated welding point 108.

The contact 100 is made of an electrically highly conductive metal, for example of copper, aluminum or their alloys.

In Figure 1B An exemplary embodiment is shown in which the stranded conductor 104 encloses a right angle with respect to the main direction 107 of the connection section 101. The direction of departure of the line 105 is symbolized by an arrow 106B.

Figure 1C shows a further embodiment, in which the stranded conductor 104 also forms a right angle with respect to the main direction of the connection section 101, but extends in the opposite direction as in the embodiment Figure 1B . The outlet direction of line 105 is indicated by an arrow 106C.

In Figure 1D the outgoing directions that can be realized with the contact 100 are illustrated as a pointer diagram. The contact enables three different outgoing directions 106A, 106B and 106C to be implemented
If an electrical connection is to be made with a different outlet angle of the electrical line 105, a different contact is required.

Figure 1E shows a contact 100 'with a connection area 102, which is designed such that the outgoing direction of the line 105, which is represented by an arrow 106E, forms an angle of 135 ° with the main direction 107 of the connection section 101. At the in Figure 1E The illustrated embodiment shows the connection section 101 of the contact 100 'to the right. If the stranded conductor 104 on the in Figure 1E bottom side of the contact 100 'is welded on, then the outlet direction of the line 105 forms an angle of 225 ° with the main direction of the connection section 101, as shown in FIG Figure 1F is shown. The direction of departure of line 105 is illustrated by an arrow 106F. The two are different The assembly of the line 105 on the outgoing directions resulting in the contact 100 'is shown in FIG Figure 1G represented in a pointer diagram.

As can be seen from these examples, conventional contacts only allow a few outgoing directions for an outgoing line. As a rule, no more than two to three outgoing directions can be represented, so that suitable contacts must be kept available for different applications. This fact increases the effort in relation to the storage of different parts as well as tool costs, because different tools usually have to be provided for different parts.

Figure 2A shows a contact 200 according to the present invention. The contact has a connection section 201 which merges into a disk-shaped connection region 202. The connection section 201 is provided with a through hole 203 for a fastening screw (not shown). The disk-shaped connection region 202 allows the stranded conductor 104 to be welded on at any desired exit angle, which is, for example, in a range of 30 ° -330 ° with respect to the main direction 107 of the connection section 201, which is shown in the pointer diagram in FIG Figure 2B is illustrated.

At the in Figure 2A In the contact 200 shown, the connection area 202 has a circular edge 203. The connection area 202 can, however, also be designed differently and, for example, have a polygonal edge, in particular a hexagonal or octagonal edge. The precise design of the connection area 202 is not important. It is only essential that the connection area permits a plurality of outlet directions for a welded-on line 105.

In the case of a contact 200 with a polygonal edge 203, it is also possible to weld a line 105 on the end face to a straight section of the edge 203. In the case of a stranded conductor 104, it is necessary for this to first compact the stranded conductor, so that a solid end of the stranded conductor 104 is produced, for example by means of laser welding can be welded to the edge 203 of the contact 200. In the case of a solid conductor, there is of course no need for the compacting step.

The contact 200 can be used universally due to the high variability with regard to the feasible exit angles of a line 105 welded to the contact 200. In this way, the number of parts required for different installation situations can be reduced. At the same time, tool costs can often be reduced.

Figure 2C shows an embodiment of the invention in which the contact 200 is formed directly on one end of a solid busbar 204. With this embodiment, steps and parts can be saved in certain applications because the attachment of a separate contact 200 to the busbar 204 is eliminated.

Reference symbol list

100

Contact

101

Connection section

102

Connection area

103

Through hole

104

Stranded wire

105

management

106

Outgoing direction

107

Main direction connection section

108

Spot weld

200

Contact

201

Connection section

202

Connection area

203

edge

204

Track

Claims (7)

Contact with a connection section (201), the longitudinal extent of which defines a main direction (107) and with a connection area (202) which is set up in such a way that a line (105) can be electrically conductively connected to the connection area (202), characterized in that the connection area (202) is designed in the form of a disk and allows a plurality of outgoing directions (106) of the electrical line with respect to the main direction (107). Contact according to claim 1, characterized in that the line (105) is arranged on a main surface of the connection region (202). Contact according to claim 1, characterized in that an end face of the line (105) is connected to an edge (203) of the connection region (202). Contact according to claim 3, characterized in that the edge (203) of the connection area (202) is designed as a polygon. Contact according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the line with the connection area (202) is integrally connectable. Electrical line, in which at least one end of the line is connected to a contact according to one of the preceding claims. Electrical line according to claim 6, characterized in that the contact is formed on the line.

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