EP3758166A1 - Electrical connection device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical connection device (1) comprising a first part and a second part, the first part comprising a first support (101) and at least one electrical conductor (11B), engaged and held by a first end, the first support (101) being configured to ensure electrical contact between said first electrical equipment item and the at least one electrical conductor (11B), the second part comprising a second support (200) configured to be engaged with a second connector of a second electrical equipment, the first support (101) of the first part comprising at least a first housing for receiving and holding the at least one electrical conductor (11B) by the respective first end and the second support (200) of the second part comprising at at least a second housing (21B) for receiving and holding the at least one electrical conductor (11B) by a respective second end.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of electrical equipment, in particular for high voltage applications, in particular intended for electrical systems for electric or hybrid vehicles.

The present invention finds its application, for example, in inverters or DC / DC converters, and more particularly in high voltage electric chargers for vehicles. In this context, the present invention aims, more precisely, at an electrical connection device.

STATE OF THE ART

It is known to use electrical connectors to electrically connect electrical equipment to each other or to an electrical supply network, in particular in a high voltage environment. For example, so-called “high voltage” electrical connectors are used to connect high voltage electrical equipment in electric or hybrid vehicles.

Electrical connectors are thus provided on a wall or a cover of electrical equipment, in particular high voltage, for example to connect said electrical equipment to an electrical supply network. An extension of said electrical connector is necessary to bring the electrical energy from the electrical supply network to an electronic card arranged in the chassis of the electrical equipment.

Such an electrical connector integrated into a frame of electrical equipment thus makes it possible to electrically connect this electrical equipment to an electrical supply network or to other electrical equipment.

In the state of the art, it is therefore necessary to design such an extension making it possible to interface with such an electrical connector integrated in the frame, for example in a cover of such a frame, with a view to supplying a power supply. electronic card housed in said chassis. For this purpose, according to the state of the art, extensions are used in the form of flexible cables. Thus, such an electrical connector is coupled to flexible electrical wires which are welded or crimped on tracks or tabs which emerge from said electrical connector. At the opposite end of these electric wires, said electric wires are soldered to electrical conductors intended to be plugged or screwed via lugs to an electrical connector of the electronic card, and thus electrically connected to said electrical connector of the electronic card, to electrically connect said electronic card to other electrical equipment or to an electrical network of food.

A drawback of this known solution lies in the fact that the flexible electric wires are impractical to handle. Indeed, the electric wires are liable to rotate and it is in particular difficult to align the terminals and screws, with a view to screwing the terminals, inducing complex assembly operations.

There is therefore a need for an electrical connection device, in particular high voltage, for electrical equipment, allowing easier connection, from outside said electrical equipment, to an electronic card of said electrical equipment by means of an assembly process. simple and fast, following a single axis.

To this end, the present invention proposes an electrical connection device for electrical equipment, comprising a first part and a second part, the second part being in particular configured to form a second electrical connector intended to connect said electrical equipment to another electrical equipment item. or to an electrical supply network, the first part comprising a support and at least one electrical conductor, preferably two electrical conductors, in particular rigid, configured to electrically connect said electrical connection device to an integrated electrical connector belonging to a card electronics of said electrical equipment.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

More precisely, the invention relates to an electrical connection device comprising a first part and a second part,
the first part comprising a first support and at least one electrical conductor, engaged and held by a first end, in the first support, the first support of the first part being configured to be engaged with a first connector of a first electrical equipment item, so as to ensure electrical contact between said first electrical equipment item and the at least one electrical conductor,
the second part comprising a second support configured to be engaged with a second connector of a second electrical equipment item, so as to ensure electrical contact between said second electrical equipment item and the at least one electrical conductor, the first support of the first part comprising at least a first housing for receiving and holding the at least one electrical conductor by the respective first end and the second support of the second part comprising at least a second housing for receiving and holding the at least one electrical conductor by a respective second end.

According to one embodiment, the at least one electrical conductor is flat.

In particular, the electrical conductor is in the form of a blade.

Advantageously, the at least one electrical conductor is rigid.

According to one embodiment, the first part comprises two electrical conductors.

According to one embodiment, the two electrical conductors have different shapes making it possible to distinguish them.

According to one embodiment, the two electrical conductors are obtained from identical cutouts, and are distinguished by the direction of at least one bending of the first end.

According to one embodiment, the folds of a pair of electrical conductors are mirrored, one relative to the other.

According to one embodiment, the electrical connection device further comprises a leg made from material of the first support, the leg being configured to guide and allow the assembly of the first support of the first part of the connection device with the second support of the connection device. the second part.

According to one embodiment, the second end of the at least one electrical conductor is configured to be held by snapping into the second support.

According to a variant, the second end of the at least one electrical conductor has a first protuberance extending from an edge of the electrical conductor, said first protuberance being configured to be folded back against a face of the at least one electrical conductor, the first protuberance comprising a opening configured to receive a fixing lug so as to fix said at least one electrical conductor by snapping into the second support.

According to a variant, the second end of the at least one electrical conductor has a second protuberance extending vis-à-vis the first protuberance from an opposite edge of the electrical conductor, said second protuberance being configured to be folded back against an opposite face. of at least one electrical conductor, the second protuberance being configured to come against a wall of said second housing. In particular, said first and second protuberances are configured to be folded around the at least one electrical conductor on either side of said electrical conductor.

According to one embodiment, the second part is mounted on a frame of the first electrical equipment item, in particular on an external wall of said frame.

According to one embodiment, the first support of the first part is configured to be engaged with the first connector of an electronic card of the first electrical equipment and / or the second support is configured to be engaged with the second connector, in particular of an electrical supply network.

According to one embodiment, the first end of the at least one electrical conductor has a shape with saw teeth preventing the disengagement of said at least one electrical conductor with respect to the support.

According to one embodiment, the first support comprises a marking lug configured to allow keying during mounting of the first part of the electrical connection device in the first electrical equipment item.

The present invention is also aimed at electrical equipment comprising a frame housing an electronic card, said frame having an outer wall, said equipment item comprising an electrical connection device as briefly described above, said second part emerging at least in part from the wall. external to the outside of the electrical equipment, and said first part of the electrical connection device being connected to the electronic card, so as to electrically connect said electronic card to the outside of said electrical equipment.

PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

• Fig. 1 : la figure 1 est une représentation schématique d'un exemple de dispositif de connexion électrique selon l'invention ;
• Fig. 2 : la figure 2 est une autre représentation schématique de l'exemple de dispositif de connexion électrique ;
• Fig. 3 : la figure 3 montre une première partie de l'exemple de dispositif de connexion électrique ;
• Fig. 4 : la figure 4 représente des conducteurs électriques de l'exemple de dispositif de connexion électrique ;
• Fig. 5 : la figure 5 représente un couple de conducteur électrique de l'exemple de dispositif de connexion électrique ;
• Fig. 6 : la figure 6 représente un conducteur électrique de l'exemple de dispositif de connexion électrique avant pliage ;
• Fig. 7 : la figure 7 représente une coupe d'un conducteur électrique d'un exemple de dispositif de connexion électrique selon l'invention.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which will follow, given solely by way of example, and referring to the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples, in which identical references are given to similar objects. and on which:

• Fig. 1 : the figure 1 is a schematic representation of an example of an electrical connection device according to the invention;
• Fig. 2 : the figure 2 is another schematic representation of the example of an electrical connection device;
• Fig. 3 : the figure 3 shows a first part of the example of an electrical connection device;
• Fig. 4 : the figure 4 represents electrical conductors of the example of an electrical connection device;
• Fig. 5 : the figure 5 represents a couple of electrical conductors of the example of an electrical connection device;
• Fig. 6 : the figure 6 shows an electrical conductor of the example of an electrical connection device before folding;
• Fig. 7 : the figure 7 shows a section of an electrical conductor of an example of an electrical connection device according to the invention.

It should be noted that the figures set out the invention in detail in order to implement the invention, said figures being able of course to serve to better define the invention if necessary.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to figures 1 to 7 , which show an exemplary embodiment thereof, the present invention consists of an electrical connection device 1 for electrical equipment, said device comprising a first support 101, for example in molded plastic, and at least 1 electrical conductor, preferably two conductors electrical 11A, 11B, as shown in the figures, said electrical conductors 11A, 11B being plugged into a second support 200 which is intended to allow electrical connection with a second electrical equipment, such as an electrical supply network.

According to a preferred embodiment, the electrical conductors 11A, 11B are rigid. They may in particular be sheet-shaped, flat and rigid electrical conductors, also referred to as “leadframes” in English. An advantage linked to the rigidity of the electrical conductors 11A, 11B lies in the fact that it induces a stiffening of the entire electrical connection device 1 and in the fact that said electrical conductors 11A, 11B are thereby easier to remove. position precisely in order to be engaged in the second support 200 and in the first support 101, during the assembly of the electrical connection device 1. The electrical connection device 1, according to this embodiment, thus forms a rigid assembly , exempt from flexible electric cables responsible for supplying the electronic card.

The electrical conductors 11A, 11B are plugged in and held in the first housings of the first support 101, by their respective first end 111A, 111B, visible on the figure 4 . The first support 101 is in particular intended to be engaged in an electrical connector integrated into an electronic card housed in the chassis of the electrical equipment, in order to supply said electronic card with electrical energy in particular. The electrical connector integrated into the electronic card can advantageously serve as a guide pad for plugging the electrical conductors 11A, 11B into said electrical connector.

By their respective second end 112A, 112B, the electrical conductors 11A, 11B plug into respective second housings 21A, 21B of the second support 200, as shown in FIG. figure 1 and again on the figure 2 . The electrical conductors 11A, 11B are thus held, for example by clipping, via their respective second end 112A, 112B, in the second support 200.

According to one embodiment, the first support 101 further comprises guide means, in particular in the form of a passageway formed in the mass of said first support 101, of a wire 3 conveying an interrupt signal, also designated "interlock signal" in English.

The electrical connection device 1 according to an example of the invention therefore comprises two parts visible on the figures 1 and 2 . A first part 10, also shown independently of the second part, on the figure 3 , comprises the first support 101 and at least one electrical conductor, in this case two electrical conductors 11A and 11B. According to a preferred embodiment, said electrical conductors 11A, 11B are “leadframes”, in other words rigid and flat electrical conductors. Preferably, gaskets 15A, 15B, in particular rectangular in the case of "lead frames", are fitted to said electrical conductors 11A, 11B to ensure the tightness of the connection corresponding to the plugging of the second ends 112A, 112B of the electrical conductors. 11A, 11B in the second part of the electrical connection device 1, corresponding to the second support 200. In particular, during their assembly, the seals 15A / 15B come against a stop formed on the respective electrical conductor 11A, 11B.

The first ends 111A, 111B of the electrical conductors 11A, 11B are respectively plugged into a first housing of the first support 101 which is intended to be engaged in an electrical connector integrated into the electronic card. For example, as can be seen on the figure 4 , the first end 111A, 111B of each electrical conductor 11A, 11B may have a shape 16A, 16B with saw teeth, in particular of different length, to engage, with corresponding shoulders provided in said first housing, and thus prevent the disengagement of the electrical conductors 11A, 11B with respect to the first support 101.

As can be seen on the figures 2 to 4 , more particularly on the figure 4 , when the electrical connection device 1 comprises two electrical conductors 11A, 11B, said electrical conductors 11A, 11B respectively comprise a bend 12A, 12B, making it possible to distinguish them from one another and in particular making it possible to undeceive them during their assembly on the first support 101. In particular, the electrical conductors 11A, 11B have a mirror symmetry with respect to each other. other. More particularly, at their respective first end 111A, 111B, the electrical conductors 11A, 11B have two successive bends configured so that the insertion of each electrical conductor 11A, 11B, on the one hand in the second support 200 and d 'on the other hand in the first support 101 can only be done in the respective first and second housing; in other words, there is a mounting direction such that a first electrical conductor 11A can only be plugged into a single second housing 21A of the second support 200 and in a single corresponding first housing of the first support 101, and vice versa for the second conductor electric 11B.

The marking lug 13 provided on the first support 101, according to one embodiment, allows keying by ensuring in particular a plugging in the correct direction of the electrical conductors 11A, 11B in the first support 101, by their first end 111A, 111B respective. Once the electrical conductors 11A, 11B are plugged in, the marking pin 13 can also receive in a suitable slot a cable 3. Such a cable 3, for example illustrated in figure 1 , is in particular integrated into the connection device 1 and provides an interrupt function, commonly referred to as an “interlock” function.

The figures 1 to 3 also show a leg 14 made from the material of the first support 101, said leg 14 making it possible to guide and assemble the first support 101 of the first part of the device with the second support 200 of the second part.

With reference to the figure 6 , the at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B comprises, on the side of its second end 112A, 112B, protuberances 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B extending opposite from opposite edges of the at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B, for example as illustrated in figure 6 . The protuberances 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B are configured to be folded around the at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B on either side of the at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B, as can be seen on the figures. figures 5 and 7 . The central part of the electrical conductor 11A, 11B, that is to say that located between the two protuberances 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, is used for the passage of current.

According to the embodiment shown in figure 6 in particular, a first of the protuberances 1A, 1B comprises an opening configured to receive a fixing lug so as to fix said at least one conductor 11A, 11B by snapping into the second support 200, the second protuberance 2A, 2B being intended to come against a wall of said second housing 21A, 21 B.

The protuberances 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B are folded back against the surface of the at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B. Once the first protuberance 1A, 1B is folded back against a face of the at least electrical conductor 11A, 11B, it can then receive the fixing lug. The second protuberance 2A, 2B is folded against an opposite face of the at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B to be opposite the first protuberance 1. Thus, the second protuberance 2A, 2B is in contact with a wall of the second housing 21A, 21B and forms a thickness forming a counter-support for maintaining the second end 112A, 112B in the second housing 21A, 21B. This thickness therefore contributes to the positioning of the conductor 11A, 11B.

The cooperation between the fixing lug and the first protuberance 1A, 1B also allows a one-way mounting of at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B in the second support 200 of the second part of the electrical connection device 1.

The second end 112A, 112B of the electrical conductor 11A, 11B may only include the first protuberance 1A, 1B which folds back against the electrical conductor 11A, 11B.

The first part 10 of the electrical connection device 1 is in particular connected, for example clipped, via the first support 101, to a first connector of an electronic card arranged in the chassis of the electrical equipment. The first part 10 of the electrical connection device 1 is also plugged in, in particular force-fitted, via the at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B in the second part of the electrical connection device, namely the second support 200.

The present invention thus makes it possible to simplify the assembly of electrical equipment by facilitating the electrical connection between the electrical connection device 1, the second part of which typically forms a second support 200 integrated into the chassis of said electrical equipment, and, of a on the one hand, an electrical card housed in said chassis and, on the other hand, a second electrical equipment item or an electrical supply network.

By improving the rigidity of such an electrical connection device 1, the present invention also makes it possible to ensure better guidance of the first part of said electrical connection device, which is connected, via the first support 101, to the electronic card. , electrically connecting said electronic card and said second electrical equipment or said electrical supply network via the at least one electrical conductor 11A, 11B and the second support 200.

In the prior art, an electric cable is welded on the one hand to an electrical conductor, in particular a trace or a tab, which emerges from a first connector, in particular intended to connect to an electronic card. On the other hand, the electric cable is welded to an electric conductor, in particular a trace or a tongue, which emerges from a second connector, in particular integrated into a frame. In the connection device 1, a single electrical conductor 11A, 11B, in particular in the form of a blade, replaces the conductors of the first connector, of the second connector and of the electric cable; this facilitates in particular the electrical connection between the electronic card and electrical equipment outside the chassis.

Claims (11)

Electrical connection device (1) comprising a first part (10) and a second part,
the first part (10) comprising a first support (101) and at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B), engaged and held by a first end (111A, 111B), in the first support (101), the first support ( 101) of the first part (10) being configured to be engaged with a first connector of a first electrical device, so as to ensure electrical contact between said first electrical device and the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B),
the second part comprising a second support (200) configured to be engaged with a second connector of a second electrical equipment item, so as to ensure electrical contact between said second electrical equipment item and the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B),
the first support (101) of the first part (10) comprising at least a first housing for receiving and holding the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B) by the respective first end (111A, 111B) and the second support (200 ) of the second part comprising at least one second housing (21A, 21B) for receiving and holding the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B) by a respective second end (112A, 112B). An electrical connection device (1) according to claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B) is flat. An electrical connection device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first part (10) comprises two electrical conductors (11A, 11B). An electrical connection device (1) according to Claim 3, in which the two electrical conductors (11A, 11B) have different shapes (12A, 12B) making it possible to distinguish them. Electrical connection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a leg (14) made from material of the first support (101), said leg (14) being configured to guide and allow the assembly of the first support (101) of the first part (10) of the electrical connection device (1) with the second support (200) of the second part. Connection device according to one of the preceding claims, in which the second end (112A, 112B) of the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B) is configured to be held by snapping into the second support (200). Electrical connection device (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the second end (112A, 112B) of the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B) has a first protuberance (1A, 1B) extending from an edge of the conductor electrical (11A, 11B), said first protuberance (1A, 1B) being configured to be folded back against a face of the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B), the first protuberance (1A, 1B) comprising an opening configured to receive a fixing lug so as to fix said at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B) by snapping into the second support (200). Electrical connection device (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the second end (112A, 112B) of the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B) has a second protuberance (2A, 2B) extending opposite screw of the first protuberance (1A, 1B) from an opposite edge of the electrical conductor (11A, 11B), said second protuberance (2A, 2B) being configured to be folded against an opposite face of the at least one electrical conductor (11A, 11B) ), the second protuberance (2A, 2B) being configured to come against a wall of said second housing (21A, 21B). Electrical connection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the second part is configured to be mounted on a frame of the first electrical equipment item, in particular on an external wall of said frame. Electrical connection device, according to one of the preceding claims, in which the first support (101) of the first part (10) is configured to be engaged with the first connector of an electronic card of the first electrical equipment and / or the second bracket (200) is configured to be engaged with the second connector. Electrical equipment comprising a frame housing an electronic card, said frame having an external wall, said equipment comprising an electrical connection device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, said second part (200) emerging at least in part from the wall external to the outside of the electrical equipment, and said first part of the electrical connection device (1) being connected to the electronic card, so as to electrically connect said electronic card to the outside of said electrical equipment.

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