EP3800746A1

EP3800746A1 - Right angle and straight-line connector assembly

Info

Publication number: EP3800746A1
Application number: EP19201574.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Laurent DELESCLUSE; Prasanna RAMAKRISHNAN; Rama krishna MANNE
Original assignee: Aptiv Technologies Ltd
Current assignee: Aptiv Technologies Ltd
Priority date: 2019-10-04
Filing date: 2019-10-04
Publication date: 2021-04-07

Abstract

Connector assembly comprising a male electrical connector (200) and a female electrical connector (3). The male connector (200) comprises at least one pair of male terminals (7) and the female connector (3) comprises at least one pair of female terminals (14). Each female terminal (14) is accommodated in a cavity (12). Each male terminal (7) has a connecting portion (23).

The respective cavity (12) of each female terminal (14) comprises a front opening (44) and a side opening (45) both designed for receiving the connecting portion (23) of a male terminal (7).

Male and female connectors comprised in this connector assembly. Method of manufacturing the female connector.

Description

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a connector assembly, particularly an electrical connector designed to connect another electrical connector either in a ninety-degree configuration or in a one hundred eighty-degree configuration.

Background of the invention

Right angle electrical connectors or straight-line electrical connectors are desirable in certain applications to adapt packaging space needed for connecting electrical conductors. This may be crucial for meeting packaging space requirements in electrical or hybrid electrical vehicles, wherein conductors may be of large diameters and rigid. Further, electrical connection assemblies having a high connection force typically require a mating assist device to meet ergonomic required for assembly operators. Such ergonomic connectors are relatively complex and comprise a large number of components. Up to now, ergonomic connection solutions were specifically developed either for right-angle configuration or for a straight configuration. As a consequence, many components are manufactured in order to make either one or the other of the right-angle and straight-line connector assemblies. An aim of the present disclosure is to propose a connection solution, possibly for high voltage connections, that can be used in right angle and straight-line configurations without changing all the components.
When connectors are used in high voltage application, e.g. greater than 48 volts, it is desirable to prevent accidental contact with energized terminals. Prior art solutions have used interlock circuits that prevent terminals from being energized until after the interlock circuit is completed by the proper mating of the connector assembly. Such interlock circuits are disclosed for example in the patent US8192212B2 . Another aim of the present disclosure is to propose a connection solution which can be used in right angle and straight-line configurations, integrating an interlock and connection, while limiting the packaging space of the connection solution. Possibly, the male and female connectors of the connector assembly are shielded and their shielding is connected.

Summary of the invention

At least one of the aims of the present disclosure is at least partially met with a connector assembly according to claim 1.
Indeed, thanks to the front and side openings in the cavities, the connecting portion of a male terminal can be inserted in a female terminal, either from the front opening (for a straight-line connection configuration) or from a side opening (for a right-angle connection configuration). Consequently, the female connector of the connector assembly can be used in both configurations without changing any of its components. Only the male connector is changed.
Other features or aspects of the present disclosure are mentioned in the claims 2 to 11, each one of these features and aspects can be considered independently of each other, or in combination with one or several other features.

Brief description of several views of the drawings

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with reference to the following description, appending claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to one embodiment, comprising male and female connectors intended to be mated in a straight-line configuration;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown on FIG. 1, the male and female connectors being mated in a straight-line configuration;
FIG. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown on FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an electrical male power terminal intended to be mounted in the male connectors disclosed below;
FIG. 5. is a front view of the electrical power terminal shown on FIG. 4;
FIG. 6. is a perspective view of an electrical male interlock terminal intended to be mounted in the male connectors disclosed below;
FIG. 7. is a front view of the electrical male interlock terminal shown on FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an electrical female power terminal intended to be mounted in the female connector disclosed below;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an electrical female interlock terminal intended to be mounted in the female connector disclosed below;
FIG. 10. is a cross-section showing a detailed view of the interlock terminal connection in the electrical connector assembly shown on FIGS. 1 to 3;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an electrical connector assembly according to another embodiment, comprising male and female connectors intended to be mated in a right-angle configuration;
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown on FIG. 11, the male and female connectors being mated in a right-angle configuration;
FIG. 13 is a cutaway perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown on FIGS. 11 and 12, with a cross-section plane passing through power terminals;
FIG. 14 is a cutaway perspective view of the electrical connector assembly shown on FIGS. 11 to 13, with a cross-section plane passing through interlock terminals; and
FIG. 15 is a cross-section showing a detailed view of the interlock terminal connection in the electrical connector assembly shown on FIGS. 11 to 14.

Detailed description of the invention

Two connector assembly embodiments are described below. The same reference to the drawings are used for the components which are the same or are similar in both embodiments.
FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a connector assembly 1. This connector assembly 1 is a straight-line electrical connector assembly. The connector assembly includes a male electrical connector 2 and a female electrical connector 3.
The male connector 2 has a first housing 4 that contains two male power terminals 6 and two male interlock terminals 7. These male power and interlock terminals 6, 7 are attached and electrically linked to electrical cables (only the cables 8 attached to the power terminals 6, i.e. the high voltage cables, are shown on the figures). The male interlock terminals 7 are electrically connected to an interlock electrical circuit (not shown). The first housing 4 comprises cavities 9 within which the male power and interlock terminals 6, 7 are each respectively accommodated. The cavities 9 and the male power and interlock terminals 6, 7 are essentially parallel to a first mating direction FMD. The first housing 4 has a top external surface 10 with a post 11. The female connector 3 has a second housing 5 that contains two female power terminals 13 and two female interlock terminals 14. These female power and interlock terminals 13, 14 are attached and electrically linked to electrical cables (only the cables 8 attached to the power terminals 13, i.e. the high voltage cables, are shown on the figures). The female interlock terminals 14 are electrically connected to an interlock electrical circuit (not shown). The second housing 5 comprises cavities 12 within which the female power and interlock terminals 13, 14 are each respectively accommodated. The cavities 12 and the female power and interlock terminals 13, 14 are essentially parallel to a second mating direction SMD. In the embodiment shown on FIGS. 1 to 4, the first FMD and second SMD mating directions are parallel to each other.
The female connector 3 includes an external casing 46, an internal casing 47, an electromagnetic shielding 48, a sealing joint 49 and a rear grid 50. The female connector 3 also includes a mating assist slider 15 with a cam slot (under the slider cover - not visible). As the mating assist slider 15 is moved forward, in the second mating direction SMD, over the first housing 4, the post 11 and cam slot cooperate to drive the first housing 4 into the second housing 5, thereby connecting the female terminals 13, 14 to the male terminals 6, 7. This kind of mating assist mechanism is disclosed for example in the patents US8747130B2 and US10109952B2 .
The cross section on FIG. 3 crosses each one of the two sets of male and female power terminals 6, 13, as well as one set of male and female interlock terminals 7, 14. The two sets of male and female power terminals 6, 13 are arranged in a third direction TD comprised in the cross-section plane corresponding to Fig. 3. The male and female interlock terminals are arranged in a fourth direction FD which is essentially perpendicular to the third direction TD and to the cross-section plane corresponding to Fig. 3. In other words, the two sets of male and female interlock terminals 7, 14 are one above the other in the fourth direction FD. Such a configuration allows for an overall size reduction of the female connector 3.
As illustrated on Fig. 4, the male power terminal 6 has a cable fixation portion 16, a connecting portion 17 and a terminal body 18 located, along the FMD direction, between the cable fixation portion 16 and the connecting portion 17. In the illustrated example, the cable fixation portion 16 is a crimping portion located on the rear end of the male power terminal 6. The connecting portion 17 has a plate like shape extending along a longitudinal direction between a free end 19 and the terminal body 18. As illustrated on Figs. 4 and 5, the connecting portion 17 has a front chamfered edge 20 and two side chamfered edges 21 extending essentially parallel to one another and perpendicular to front chamfered edge 20.
As illustrated on Fig. 6, the male interlock terminal has a cable fixation portion 22, a connecting portion 23 and a terminal body 24 located between the cable fixation portion 22 and the connecting portion 23. In the illustrated example, the cable fixation portion 22 is a crimping portion located on the rear end of the male interlock terminal 7. The connecting portion 23 has a plate like shape extending along a longitudinal direction between a free end 25 and the terminal body 24. As illustrated on Figs. 6 and 7, the connecting portion 23 has a front chamfered edge 26 and two side chamfered edges 27 extending essentially parallel to one another and perpendicular to front chamfered edge 26.
As illustrated on Fig. 8, the female power terminal 13 has a cable fixation portion 28, a connecting portion 29 and a terminal body 30 located between the cable fixation portion 28 and the connecting portion 29. In the illustrated example, the cable fixation portion 28 is a crimping portion located on the rear end of the female power terminal 13. The connecting portion 29 has two pairs of internal contact blades 31 extending respectively on both sides of a median plane. These two pairs of contact blades 31 are symmetrically arranged with regard to this median plane. Each of the contact blades 31 is flexible and extends from the terminal body 30 to a free end 32. Each contact blade 31 has a contact area 33 which is closer to the free end 32 than from the terminal body 30. Two contact blades 31 symmetrically arranged with regard to the median plane form pliers. The contact areas 33 of two contact blades 31 symmetrically arranged with regard to the median plane are closer to each other than the portion of these contact blades 31 connected to the terminal body 30. A strengthening cage 34 is arranged over the connecting portion 29 and the terminal body 30. The strengthening cage 34 and the connecting portion 29 are open both at the free end side and external lateral sides 35 of the contact blades 31 so as to allow a male connecting portion 17 of a male power terminal 6 to be inserted between opposite contact blades 31 from the free end side and from the lateral side 35 of the female connecting portion 29.
As illustrated on Fig. 9, the female interlock terminal 14 has a cable fixation portion 36, a connecting portion 37 and a terminal body 38 located between the cable fixation portion 36 and the connecting portion 37. In the illustrated example, the cable fixation portion 36 is a crimping portion located on the rear end of the female interlock terminal 14. The connecting portion 37 has two pairs of contact blades 39 extending respectively on both sides of a median plane. These two pairs of contact blades 39 are symmetrically arranged with regard to this median plane. Each of the contact blades 39 is flexible and extends from the terminal body 38 to a free end 40. Each contact blade 39 has a contact area 41 which is closer to the free end 40 than from the terminal body 38. Two contact blades 39 symmetrically arranged with regard to the median plane form pliers. The contact areas 41 of two contact blades 39 symmetrically arranged with regard to the median plane are closer to each other than the portion of these contact blades 39 connected to the terminal body 38. The connecting portion 37 is open both at the free end side and lateral sides 43 of the contact blades 39 so as to allow a male connecting portion 23 of a male interlock terminal 7 to be inserted between opposite contact blades 39 either from the free end side or from the lateral side 43 of the female connecting portion 37.
As illustrated on Fig. 10, when the male and female connectors 2, 3 are mated in the straight-line configuration, the first and the second housings 4, 5 are fitted together, with the respective cavities 9, 12 of the male and female connectors 2, 3 aligned with each other, in a direction parallel to their longitudinal directions and to the first and second directions FMD, SMD. Along this direction, the free ends 25, 40 of the interlock terminals 7, 14 are offset by a distance OS relative to one another. For example, the offset distance OS is about 5.25 millimetres. The connecting portions 23 of the male interlock terminals 7 are inserted in the respective connecting portions 37 of the female interlock terminals 14. The overlap of these connecting portions 23, 37 is for example greater or equal to 3.3 millimetres.
As illustrated on Fig. 10, each one of the cavities 12 of the second housing 5 comprises a front opening 44 and a side opening 45 (the function of the side openings 45 is explained below in connection with the description of the second embodiment of a connector assembly). When the male power terminals 6 and the male interlock terminals 7 are inserted in the cavities 12 they penetrates the cavities 12 from the front opening 44.
Figs. 11 to 15 illustrate a second embodiment of a connector assembly. This connector assembly 100 is a right-angle electrical connector assembly. The connector assembly 100 includes a male connector 200 and the same female connector 3 as for the first embodiment. The description of the female connector 3 will not be repeated. One can note that since the female connector 3 is the same for both the straight-line connector assembly 1 and the right-angle connector assembly 100, it allows to manufacture and use the same components ( terminals 13, 14, external casing 46, internal casing 47, electromagnetic shielding 48, sealing joint 49, rear grid 50, mating assist slider 15) for both configurations.
In the second embodiment, the power and interlock male interlock terminals, as well as the power and interlock female interlock terminals are the same as in the first embodiment. Therefore, for the description of the terminals implemented in the second embodiment, one can refer to Figs. 4 to 9, together with the corresponding description.
As illustrated on Figs. 11 and 12, the male connector 200 has a first housing 400. The first housing 400 has a terminal accommodating portion 410 and mating portion 420. The terminal accommodating portion 410 comprises cavities 9 for accommodating the two male power terminals 6 and two male interlock terminals 7. These cavities 9 are similar to the cavities described in connection with the first embodiment of connector assembly 1. The cavities 9 and the male power and interlock terminals 6, 7 are essentially parallel to a fifth direction FID. In this embodiment the fifth direction FID and second mating direction SMD are perpendicular to each other. The male power and interlock terminals 6, 7 are attached and electrically linked to electrical cables (only the cables 8 attached to the power terminals 6, i.e. the high voltage cables, are shown on the figures). The male interlock terminals 7 are electrically connected to an interlock electrical circuit (not shown).
As illustrated on Fig. 11, the mating portion has a top external surface 110 with a post 111. As the mating assist slider 15 is moved forward, in the second mating direction SMD, over the mating portion 420, the post 111 and cam slot cooperate to drive the first housing 400 into the second housing 5, thereby connecting the female terminals 13, 14 to the male terminals 6, 7.
As illustrated on Fig. 15 for the interlock terminals 7, 14 (but the operation is the same for the power terminals 6, 13), since each one of the cavities 12 of the second housing 5 comprises a front opening 44 and a side opening 45, when the male power terminals 6 and the male interlock terminals 7 are inserted in the cavities 12 they penetrate the cavities 12 from the front opening 44 and slides in the fifth direction FID, into the connecting portions 29, 37 through the lateral openings 45. This operation is made easy thanks to the front and side chamfered edges 26, 27 of the male interlock terminals, as well as the front and side chamfered edges 20, 21 of the male power terminals.
As illustrated on Figs. 12 to 15, when the male and female connectors 200, 3 are mated, the mating portion 420 is inserted in the second housing 5. As illustrated on Figs. 13 to 14, the mating portion 420 has an external casing 430 which is essentially in alignment with the external casing 46 of the second housing 5.
The cross section on FIG. 13 crosses one of the two sets of male and female power terminals 6, 13. The two sets of male and female power terminals 6, 13 are arranged in a third direction TD perpendicular to the cross-section plane corresponding to Fig. 13.
As illustrated on Fig. 14, the male and female interlock terminals 7, 14 are arranged in a plane which is essentially perpendicular to the third direction TD and parallel to the cross-section planes corresponding to Fig. 13 and 14. More particularly, the male and female interlock terminals 7, 14 are arranged in a plane corresponding to the cross-section of Fig. 14. The two sets of male and female interlock terminals 7, 14 are arranged in the female connector 3, one above the other in a fourth direction FD. In the male connector 200, the two sets of male and female interlock terminals 7, 14 are arranged side by side in the fifth direction FID (which is perpendicular to both the third TD and fourth FD directions). In other words, the two sets of power terminals 6, 13 and the two sets of interlock terminals 7, 14 are respectively arranged in two planes which are perpendicular to each other. Such a configuration allows for an overall size reduction of the male and female connectors 200, 3.
As illustrated on Fig. 15, when the male and female connectors 200, 3 are mated in the right-angle configuration, the first and the second housings 400, 5 are fitted together, with the respective cavities 9, 12 of the male and female connectors 200, 3 perpendicular to each other. The cavities 9 of the male connector 200 longitudinally extend in a direction parallel to the fourth direction FD. The cavities 12 of the female connector 3 longitudinally extend in a direction parallel to the second mating direction SMD and the fifth direction FID. Along the fourth direction FD, the free ends 25, 40 of the interlock terminals 7, 14 are offset by the same distance OS relative to one another as for the first embodiment.
The connecting portions 23 of the male interlock terminals 7 are inserted in the respective connecting portions 37 of the female interlock terminals 14. The overlap of these connecting portions 23, 37 is for example greater or equal to 1.6 millimetres.

Claims

Connector assembly comprising a male electrical connector (2, 200) and a female electrical connector (3), the male connector (2, 200) being mated to the female connector (3) along respectively a first (FMD) and a second (SMD) mating directions, the male connector (2, 200) comprising at least one pair of male terminals (6 or 7) and the female connector (3) comprising at least one pair of female terminals (13 or 14), each female terminal (13 or 14) of said at least one pair of female terminals (13 or 14) being accommodated in a cavity (12), and each male terminal (6 or 7) of said at least one pair of male terminals (6 or 7) having a connecting portion (13 or 23) extending along a longitudinal direction between a free end (19 or 25) and a terminal body (18 or 24),
characterized in that the respective cavity (12) of each female terminal (13 or 14) of said at least one pair of female terminals (13 or 14) comprises a front opening (44) and a side opening (45) both designed for receiving the connecting portion (13 or 23) of a male terminal (6 or 7).
Connector assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the male (2, 200) and female (3) electrical connectors comprises at least one pair of interlock terminals (7, 14) electrically connected to an interlock circuit, each interlock terminal (7, 14) of said at least one pair of interlock terminals (7, 14) having a connecting portion (23, 37) extending along a longitudinal direction between a free end (25, 40) and a terminal body (24, 38), the free ends (25, 40) of the interlock terminals (7, 14) of said at least one pair of interlock terminals (7, 14) being offset relative to one another, in the longitudinal direction.
Connector assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first (FMD) and second (SMD) mating directions are parallel to each other.
Connector assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said at least one pair of male terminals (6 or 7) extend in a first longitudinal direction (FMD or FID) and said at least one pair of female terminals (13 or 14) extend in a second longitudinal direction (SMD), the first and second longitudinal directions being perpendicular to each other.
Connector assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein said male electrical connector (2, 200) comprises either a right-angle connector (200) or a straight connector (2), wherein the female electrical connector (3) is compatible with both the right-angle connector (200) or straight connector (2).
Connector assembly according to any preceding claim, wherein both the male (2 or 200) and the female (3) electrical connectors comprise each at least one pair of power terminals (6, 13) arranged along a third direction (TD), and at least one pair of interlock terminals (7, 14) being arranged along a fourth direction (FD) or fifth direction (FID) which is essentially perpendicular to the third direction (TD).
Female electrical connector comprising at least one pair of female terminals (13 or 14), each female terminal (13 or 14) of said at least one pair of female terminals (13 or 14) being accommodated in a cavity (12),
characterized in that the respective cavity (12) of each female terminal (13 or 14) of said at least one pair of female terminals (13 or 14) comprises a front opening (44) and a side opening (45) both designed for receiving a connecting portion (17, 23) of a male terminal (6, 7).
Male electrical connector comprising a pair of interlock terminals (7) electrically connected to an interlock circuit, each interlock terminal (7) of said pair of interlock terminals (7) having a connecting portion (23) extending along a longitudinal direction between a free end (25) and a terminal body (24),
characterized in that the connecting portion (23) of the interlock terminals (7) has at least two chamfered edges (26, 27) extending perpendicular to one another.
Male electrical connector according to claim 8, the free ends (25) of the interlock terminals (7) of said pair of interlock terminals (7) being offset relative to one another, in the longitudinal direction.
Method for manufacturing a female connector, comprising:
- providing at least two female electrical terminals (13 or 14), each having at least two contact blades (31, 39) extending respectively on both sides of a plane, each of said at least two contact blades (31, 39) being flexible and extending from a terminal body (30, 38),

- providing an insulating housing (5) with cavities (12) designed to accommodate said at least two female terminals (13 or 14),
characterised in that, for each one of said at least two female terminals (13 or 14), the cavity (12) comprises a front opening (44) and a side opening (45), and said plane on both sides of which said at least two contact blades (31, 39) extend, passes through both the front (44) and side (45) openings.