EP3971492B1

EP3971492B1 - Electrical adapter

Info

Publication number: EP3971492B1
Application number: EP20196717.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nicolas EDEL; Damien PROUTS; Jérôme Stoeckel; Jean-Francois WALTER
Original assignee: Mahle International GmbH
Current assignee: Mahle International GmbH
Priority date: 2020-09-17
Filing date: 2020-09-17
Publication date: 2025-08-13
Anticipated expiration: 2040-09-17
Also published as: EP3971492A1

Description

The invention relates to an electrical adapter for connecting a control unit of a heating device to an electrical energy source and to an electrical signal source. For a controlled generation of heat, electric heating devices for motor vehicles have been equipped with control units for some time, see for example publication EP 3 480 532 A1 . Such a control unit typically comprises control electronics housed in an interior of an electronics housing of the control unit. The control unit often has an electrical adapter to which the electronics housing is attached and which electrically and mechanically connects the control electronics to an electrical signal connection and to a separate electrical supply connection. The control unit or its control electronics can be electrically connected to an electrical signal source via the signal connection of the adapter and to an electrical power source via the supply connection of the adapter.
The assembly of such a conventional control unit usually requires a complex positioning of the electronics housing as well as the control electronics and the adapter (hereinafter collectively referred to as "components" of the control unit) relative to each other, which adversely affects the automation of such an assembly process. The fastening of the components of the control unit to each other or to the adapter is also complex for conventional control units.
It is therefore one of the problems the present invention faces - in particular to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages - to show new ways for an electrical adapter for connecting a control unit of a heating device to an electrical energy source and to an electrical signal source.
This problem is solved by an electrical adapter according to the independent patent claim 1. Preferred embodiments are subject of the dependent patent claims.
The basic idea of the invention is therefore to provide an electrical adapter for electrically connecting a control device of an electrical heating device to an electrical energy source and to an electrical signal source with a support on which, on the one hand, electrical lines having electrical connections and electrical interfaces for electrically connecting control electronics of the control device to the electrical signal source and to the electrical energy source are present. On the other hand, the support, which is in accordance with the invention, comprises an aperture for forming a screw connection which the adapter can be connected to an electronics housing of the control unit with, and a positioning aid for positioning the adapter relative to the control electronics and/or to the electronics housing.
The electrical adapter according to the invention not only allows a reliable electrical connection of the control electronics of a control unit of an electrical heating device with an electrical signal source and with an electrical energy source, but also a particularly easy-to-implement positioning of the components of the control unit relative to each other and a positionally accurate attachment of said components to each other. This advantageously reduces the assembly work involved in assembling the control unit and improves the automation of a corresponding assembly process.
An electrical adapter for electrically connecting a control unit of an electrical heating device to an electrical energy source and to an electrical signal source, according to the invention, comprises a support made of an electrically insulating plastic material. In addition, the electrical adapter comprises at least one electrical supply line for electrical energy transmission, wherein this supply line is embedded in the plastic material of the support or is at least arranged in or on the plastic material. The supply line merges at one end into an electrical supply connection for electrical and mechanical connection to the electrical energy source and at the other end into a supply interface for electrical - and preferably also mechanical - connection of a control electronics of the control unit. Furthermore, the electrical adapter has at least one electrical signal line for electrical signal transmission, this signal line being embedded in the plastic material of the support or at least arranged in or on the plastic material. The signal line merges at one end into an electrical signal connection for electrical - and preferably also mechanical - connection to the electrical signal source and at the other end into a signal interface for electrical and mechanical connection of the control electronics. In the present context, "embedded" can mean in particular that the respective line is at least partially, preferably completely in at least one location, surrounded by the plastic material of the support for its fixation on or in the support. According to the invention, there is an aperture on the support to form a screw connection, which the adapter can be connected to an electronics housing of the control unit with. In accordance with the invention, the support also comprises at least one positioning aid for positioning the adapter relative to the control electronics and - alternatively or additionally - relative to the electronics housing, the positioning aid being arranged between the two interfaces and the aperture of the adapter. In this way, a particularly reliable electrical connection of the control electronics with the electrical signal source and with the electrical energy source via the adapter can advantageously be achieved, while at the same time a precise positioning of the components of the control unit relative to each other can be realized in a particularly simple manner when assembling the control unit. The adapter thus enables a particularly well automatable and fail-safe assembly process for assembling the control unit.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the adapter, the positioning aid is integrally formed on the support and has a protruding positioning pin which is designed to be received in a recess formed on the electronics housing. This recess of the electronics housing is preferably designed to complement the positioning pin. In this way, the desired reliable positioning of the components of the control unit relative to one another can be achieved in a particularly simple manner.
In case of another advantageous embodiment of the adapter, the positioning aid is designed to form a guide. When assembling the control unit, this guide guides the control electronics and - alternatively or additionally - the electronics housing relative to the adapter along a mounting direction. This results in an advantageous, particularly precise positioning of the components of the control unit relative to each other.
In the case of a further advantageous embodiment of the adapter, the aperture is located in a fixing lug which is integrally formed on the support. This makes it possible to achieve a particularly easy-to-implement and at the same time reliable fastening of the components of the control unit to each other.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the adapter, exactly one fixing lug with the aperture formed in it is provided. The components of the control unit can therefore be fastened to each other by means of a single screw connection, which is particularly advantageous from a cost and installation point of view, since only one fastening means is required and only one fastening operation needs to be carried out.
Another advantageous embodiment of the adapter is that the supply connection and the signal connection are arranged opposite each other along a main extension direction and the aperture with respect to the main extension direction is located between these two connections. Conveniently, the aperture is located essentially centrally between these two connections along the main extension direction. The screw force of the screw connection realized by means of the aperture can thus be distributed particularly well and evenly.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the adapter, the support has a substantially T-type geometry comprising a T-roof extending along the main extension direction and a T-base integrally formed on the T-roof. The T-base extends along a minor extension direction which is substantially perpendicular to the main extension direction. The T-base merges into the T-roof between the supply connection and the signal connection as to form the T-type geometry. The aperture is arranged in an extension of the T-base beyond the T-roof. This enables the worker to have particularly good access to the connections.
In the case of a further advantageous embodiment of the adapter, it is intended that the support comprises a first and a second support part. The first and the second support part each have an L-geometry comprising a first L-limb and a second L-limb, which are arranged at an angle to each other. Preferably, the L-limbs of the L-geometry are arranged essentially at a right angle to each other. The L-limbs of the L-geometry merge into each other in an apex section of the L-geometry. The signal connection is provided at a limb end remote from the apex of the first L-limb of the first support part and the supply connection is provided at the limb end remote from the apex of the first L-limb of the second support part. The signal interface is arranged at the limb end remote from the apex of the second L-limb of the first support part and the supply interface is provided at the limb end remote from the apex of the second L-limb of the second support part. The second L-limbs of the first and second support parts together form the T-base and the first L-limbs of the first and second support parts together form the T-roof of the T-type geometry of the support. The L-geometry of the first support part thus completes the L-geometry of the second support part to the T-type geometry of the support or vice versa. This allows the support parts to be preassembled as separate subassemblies or premanufactured and stocked, which allows a flexible assembly process.
In the case of a further advantageous embodiment of the adapter, the support parts have a tab on each of their apex sections facing away from their first legs. The tabs connect the support parts to each other in such a way that together they define the aperture of the support. Advantageously, only one fastener to form the support can be used, both to fasten the support parts together and to fasten the other components of the control unit to the support.
In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the adapter, there is a connection collar protruding from the support, which encloses a receptacle of the supply connection to accommodate a supply plug of the power source complementary to the receptacle. This connection collar is suitably colored in a color which is exclusively reserved for the connection collar in the adapter. This color is preferably orange. This allows a particularly safe coupling of an electrical energy source with the supply connector.
In accordance with another advantageous embodiment of the adapter, the support and the connection collar are integrally molded together in a two-stage injection molding process, whereby the plastic material of the support is overmolded with a different collar plastic material of the connection collar or vice versa. It is thus advantageous that the support and the connection collar can be produced in only one injection mold, which proves to be cost-effective, especially in the case of high quantities, by exploiting economies of scale.
In case of a further preferred embodiment of the adapter, the support and the connection collar are designed as separate components. Thus, identically designed supports but different connection collars can be used for different adapters or vice versa.
A further advantageous embodiment of the adapter is that the connection collar comprises a collar housing made of a collar plastic material which surrounds a spring-loaded shielding insert of the connection collar for electrical shielding the supply connection. The shielding insert in turn surrounds a contact insert which forms the receptacle for the connection collar. The shielding insert can be connected mechanically and electrically to the electronics housing of the control unit for its electrical earthing, in particular by means of a clamp which holds the connection collar together mechanically. Advantageously, this allows for keeping interferences away from the control electronics, that can occur when connecting the electrical energy source to the supply connection and which can otherwise lead to the destruction of the control electronics in the worst case.
According to another advantageous embodiment of the adapter, the supply connection is located at a first partition wall of the support. The signal connection is arranged on a second partition wall of the support. The first and the second partition wall are arranged at a distance from each other or directly merging into each other. The first and - alternatively or additionally - the second partition wall have an at least partially circumferential groove in which a seal is or can be accommodated, which can be applied to the electronics housing of the control unit in a fluid-sealing manner. This permits particularly good protection of the adapter's interfaces and the control electronics of the control unit against environmental influences.
In case of another preferred further embodiment of the adapter, the signal line includes an electrical signal busbar or is an electrical signal busbar. Alternatively or additionally the supply line includes a supply busbar or is a supply busbar. Such busbars can be mounted particularly well in automated processes.
Further important features and advantages of the invention result from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the corresponding figure description based on the drawings.
It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combination indicated in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without leaving the scope of the present invention.
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, whereby identical reference signs refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components.
It shows, in each case schematically:

Fig. 1: in a perspective view, an example of a control unit of an electric heating device equipped with an electrical adapter according to the invention,
Fig. 2: the example of the electrical adapter of figure 1 in a perspective view,
Fig. 3: in a perspective view, another example of the electrical adapter according to the invention,
Fig. 4: the example of figure 3 in a perspective exploded view,
Fig. 5: another example of an adapter according to the invention in a top view,
Fig. 6: a partial section of the example of Figure 5 cut along a cutting line A-A,
Fig. 7: another example of an adapter according to the invention in a top view.

Figure 1 shows an example of a control unit 2 of an electric heating device in a perspective view. The electric heating device can be a high-voltage heating device. An electrical adapter 1 in accordance with the present invention - also illustrated as an example in Figure 1 - is provided on the control unit 2, which the control unit 2 can be connected with to an electrical energy source E and an electrical signal source, which both are not shown in Figure 1.
The example of the electrical adapter 1 of Figure 1 is illustrated separately in Fig-ure 2, also in a perspective view. Accordingly, the electrical adapter 1 comprises a support 3 made of an electrically insulating plastic material. In addition, the electrical adapter 1 comprises at least one electrical supply line 4 - in the example there are shown two electrical supply lines 4 - for electrical energy transmission. This supply line 4 is embedded in the plastic material of support 3. At one end, the electrical supply line 4 merges into an electrical supply connection 5 for electrical, and in particular mechanical, connection to the energy source E not shown in Figure 2. At the other end, the supply line 4 merges into a supply interface 6 for electrical and mechanical connection of control electronics of the control unit 2.
Figures 1 and 2 further show that the electrical adapter 1 comprises at least one electrical signal line 7, wherein three such electrical signal lines 7 are shown in Figure 2. An electrical signal can be transmitted via these electrical signal lines 7. The signal lines 7 are embedded in the plastic material of support 3. One end of the signal lines 7 merges into an electrical signal connection 8 for electrical, and in particular mechanical, connection to the electrical signal source not shown in Fig-ures 1 and 2. At the other end, the electrical signal line 7 merges into a signal interface 9 for electrical and mechanical connection of the control electronics of control unit 2.
There is an aperture 10 on the support 3 for forming a screw connection. Through this screw connection, the adapter 1 can be mechanically attached to an electronics housing 11 of control unit 2. The fastening of the electronics housing 11 of the control unit 2 and the support 3 to each other can be realized in an interior of the electronics housing 11, in which interior the control electronics of the control unit 2 is also located for its protection against environmental influences. The support 3 also comprises at least one positioning aid 12 which is arranged between the two interfaces 6, 9 and the aperture 10 for positioning the adapter 1 relative to the control electronics and/or the electronics housing 11.
Figure 2 shows exactly one such positioning aid 12. The positioning aid 12, for example, is formed integrally, i.e. in one piece and with the same material, on the support 3 and has a projecting positioning pin 13. This positioning pin 13 is designed to be accommodated in a recess formed in the electronics housing 11. This recess provided on the electronics housing 11 can be designed to complement the positioning pin 13. For example, the positioning aid 11 is designed in such a way that it forms a guide 14 which, when mounting the control unit 1, guides the control electronics and/or the electronics housing 11 relative to the adapter 1 along a mounting direction 15.
In the example of Figure 2, the aperture 10 of the support 13 is located in a fixing lug 16, which is integrally formed in the support 3. For example, exactly one fixing lug 16 is provided with an aperture 10 formed in it. The supply connection 5 and the signal connection 8 are arranged opposite each other along a main extension direction H of the support 3. The aperture 10 is located between these two connections 5, 8 with respect to the main extension direction H. In the example shown, the aperture 10 is arranged along the main extension direction H essentially centrally between the two connections 5, 8.
Figure 2 also shows that the support 3 has an essentially T-type geometry 17. This T-type geometry 17 comprises a T-roof 18 extending along the main extension direction H and a T-base 19 integrally formed on the T-roof 18, the T-base 19 extending along a minor extension direction N, which is substantially perpendicular to the main extension direction H. To form the T-type geometry 17, the T-base 19 merges into the T-roof 18 between the supply connection 5 and the signal connection 8, preferably centrally or at least substantially centrally. The aperture 10 is arranged in a prolongation of the T-base 19 beyond the T-roof 18, so that the fixing lug 16 can form an extension of the T-base 19 beyond the T-roof 18.
Figure 5 shows another example of an adapter 1 according to the invention in a top view along the mounting direction 15. Accordingly, the support 3 comprises a first and a second support part 20, 21. The first and the second support part 20, 21 each have an L-geometry 22 with a first and with a second L-leg 23, 24 arranged at an angle to one another. In the example shown, the L-limbs 23, 24 of the L-geometry 22 of each of the first and the second support part 20, 21 are arranged essentially at a right angle to one another. The L-limbs 23, 24 of the L-geometry 22 merge into each other in an apex section 25 of the L-geometry 22. The signal connection 8 is arranged at a limb end 26 of the first L-limb 23 of the first support part 20, which limb end 26 is remote from the apex. The supply connection 5 is located at the limb end 26 remote from the apex of the first L-limb 3 20 of the second support part 21. The signal interface 9 is located at the limb end 26 remote from the apex of the second L-limb 24 of the first support part 20. The supply interface 6 is located at the limb end 26 remote from the apex of the second L-limb 24 of the second support part 21. The second L-limbs 24 of the first of and the second support part 20, 21 together form the T-base 19 of the T-type geometry 17 of the support 3. The first L-limbs 23 of the first and the second support part 20, 21 together form the T-roof 18 of the T-type geometry 17 of the support 3. The L-geometry 22 of the first support part 20 thus completes the L-geometry 22 of the second support part 21 to the T-type geometry 17 of support 3 or vice versa.
Figure 6 illustrates a partial section of the example of Figure 5, when cut along a section line A-A drawn in Figure 5. It can be seen from Figures 5 and 6 that the support parts 20, 21 have a tab 17 on each of their apex sections 25, facing away from their first limbs 23. The tabs 17 connect the support parts 20, 21 to each other and together define the aperture 10 of the support 3.
As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5, a connection collar 8 is provided projecting from the support 3 and surrounding a receptacle 29 of the supply connection 5. This receptacle 29 is used to accommodate a supply plug 41 of the power source E, which is complementary to the receptacle 29 and which is not illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5. The Connection collar 28 is colored in a color which is reserved exclusively for connection collar 28 in the adapter 1. This color of the connection collar 28 can be orange. The support 3 and the connection collar 28, for example, are manufactured integrally to each other using a two-stage injection molding process. The plastic material of support 3 can be overmolded with a different collar plastic material of the connection collar 28 or vice versa.
Figure 3 shows a further example of the adapter according to the invention in a perspective view. In contrast to the examples of Figures 1, 2 and 5 described above, the support 3 and the connecting collar 28 are designed as separate components according to Figure 3.
Figure 4 illustrates the example of Figure 3 in a perspective exploded view. As to be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the connection collar 28 comprises a collar housing 30 made of a collar plastic material. The collar housing 30 partially surrounds a shielding insert 32 of the connection collar 28 to electrically shield the supply connection 5. The shielding insert 32 is spring preloaded by a spring element 31. The shielding insert 32 surrounds a contact insert 33, which forms the receptacle 29 of the connection collar 28. For its electrical earthing the shielding insert 32 can be connected mechanically and electrically to the electronics housing 11 of the control unit 2. According to the example shown, the electrical earthing can be realized by a clamp 34 which mechanically holds the connection collar 28 together.
As shown in Figures 1 to 5, on the one hand, supply port 5 of adapter 1 is located on a first partition wall 35 of support 3. On the other hand, signal connection 8 is located on a second partition wall 36 of support 3. The first and second partition walls 35, 36 are, for example, arranged at a distance from each other.
Figure 7 shows in a top view along the mounting direction 15 a further example of the adapter 1 according to the invention, in which - in contrast to the examples of figures 1 to 5 described above - the first and the second partitions 35, 36 are arranged next to each other in a touching manner or merge into each other.
In Figures 1 to 7, the first and second partition walls 35, 36 each have an at least partially circumferential groove 37, in which a seal is accommodated or can be accommodated, which can be applied to the electronics housing 11 of control unit 2 to form a fluid-tight sealing. The support 3 of the adapter 1 can, in addition to the aperture 10 and spaced therefrom, have at least one screw dome 38, into which a screw can be screwed for fastening the adapter 1 to the control electronics and/or to the electronics housing 11 of the control unit 2. The signal line 7 comprises a signal busbar 39 or is a signal busbar 39. Alternatively or additionally the supply line 4 comprises a supply busbar 40 or is a supply busbar 40.

Claims

An electrical adapter (1) for electrically connecting a control unit (2) of a heating device for a motor vehicle to an electrical energy source (E) and to an electrical signal source.
- having a support (3) made of an electrically insulating plastic material,

- having at least one electrical supply line (4) for electrical energy transmission, wherein this supply line (4) is embedded in the plastic material of the support (3) and merges at one end into an electrical supply connection (5) for electrical connection to the electrical energy source (E) and at the other end into a supply interface (6) for electrical and mechanical connection of control electronics of the control unit (2),

- having at least one electrical signal line (7) for electrical signal transmission, this signal line (7) being embedded in the plastic material of the support (3) and merges at one end into an electrical signal connection (8) for electrical connection to the electrical signal source and the other end into a signal interface (9) for electrical and mechanical connection of the control electronics,
characterized in that

- an aperture (10) is provided on the support (3) for forming a screw connection, which the adapter (1) can be connected to an electronics housing (11) of the control unit (2) with,

- the support (3) comprises at least one positioning aid (12) arranged between the two interfaces (6, 9) and the aperture (10) for positioning the adapter (1) relative to the control electronics and/or the electronics housing (11),
the aperture (10) is arranged in a fixing lug (16) which is integrally formed in the support (3).

- exactly one fixing lug (16) with an aperture (10) formed therein is provided.
The adapter (1) according to claim 1,
characterized in that
the positioning aid (12) is integrally formed on the support (3) and has a projecting positioning pin (13) for reception in a recess formed on the electronics housing (11), which recess is preferably formed complementary to the positioning pin (13).
The adapter (1) according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that
the positioning aid (12) is designed in such a way that it forms a guide (14) which, when the control unit (2) is being mounted, guides the control electronics and/or the electronics housing (11) relative to the adapter (1) along a mounting direction (15).
The adapter (1) according to one of the previous claims,
characterized in that
the supply connection (5) and the signal connection (8) are arranged opposite each other along a main extension direction (H) and the aperture (10) is arranged along the main extension direction (H), preferably substantially centrally, between these two connections (5, 8).
The adapter (1) according to claim 4,
characterized in that
- the support (3) has a substantially T-type geometry (17) comprising a T-roof (18) extending along the main extension direction (H) and a T-base (19) integrally formed on the T-roof (18), which T-base (19) extends substantially along a minor extension direction (N) which is perpendicular to the main extension direction (H);

- the T-base (19) for forming the T-type geometry (17) merges into the T-roof (18) between the supply connection (5) and the signal connection (8);

- the aperture (10) is arranged in an extension of the T-base (19) beyond the T-roof (18) along the minor extension direction (N).
The adapter (1) according to claim 5,
characterized in that
- the support (3) comprises a first and a second support part (20, 21),

- the first and the second support part (20, 21) each have an L-geometry (22) having a first L-limb (23) and having a second L-limb (24) which are arranged at an angle, in particular at a right angle, the L-limbs (23, 24) of the L-geometry (22) merging into one another in an apex section (25) of the L-geometry (22),

- wherein the signal connection (8) is arranged at a limb end (26) remote from the apex of the first L-limb (23) of the first support part (20) and the supply connection (5) is arranged at the limb end (26) remote from the apex of the first L-limb (23) of the second support part (21),

- wherein the signal interface (9) is arranged at the limb end (26) remote from the apex of the second L-limb (24) of the first support part (20) and the supply interface (6) is arranged at the limb end (26) remote from the apex of the second L-limb (24) of the second support part (21),

- wherein the second L-limbs (24) of the first and the second support part (20, 21) together form the T-base (19) and the first L-limbs (23) of the first and the second support part (20, 21) together form the T-roof (18) of the T-type geometry (17) of the support (3), so that the L-geometry (22) of the first support part (20) completes the L-geometry (22) of the second support part (21) to form the T-type geometry (17) of the support (3), or vice versa.
The adapter (1) according to claim 6,
characterized in that
- the support parts (20, 21) have a tab (27) on each of their apex sections (25) facing away from their first limbs (23),

- wherein the tabs (27) connect the support parts (20, 21) to one another and together define the aperture (10) of the support (3).
The adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
- there is a connection collar (28) which projects from the support (3) and which encloses a receptacle (29) of the supply connection (5) for receiving a supply plug (41) of the power source (E) which is complementary to the receptacle (29),

- preferably the connection collar (28) is colored in a color, preferably orange, which is reserved in the adapter (1) exclusively for the connection collar (28).
The adapter (1) according to claim 8,
characterized in that
the support (3) and the connecting collar (28) are integrally manufactured on each other in a two-step injection molding process, wherein the plastic material of the support (3) is overmolded with a different collar plastic material of the connecting collar (28) or vice versa.
The adapter (1) according to claim 9,
characterized in that
the support (3) and the connection collar (28) are designed as separate parts.
The adapter (1) according to claim 10,
characterized in that
- the connection collar (28) comprises a collar housing (30) of a collar plastic material surrounding a spring-biased shielding insert (32) of the connection collar (28) for electrically shielding the supply connection (5),

- the shielding insert (32) surrounds a contact insert (33) which forms the receptacle (29) of the connection collar (28),

- the shielding insert (32) can be connected mechanically and electrically, in particular by means of a clamp (34) mechanically holding the connection collar (28) together, to the electronics housing (11) of the control unit (2) for its electrical earthing.
The adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
- the supply connection (5) is arranged on a first partition wall (35) of the support (3),

- the signal connection (8) is arranged on a second partition wall (36) of the support (3),

- the first and second partitions (35, 36) are arranged at a distance from each other or directly merging into each other.

- the first or/and the second partition wall (35, 36) have an at least partially circumferential groove (37) in which a seal is received or can be received, which can be applied in a fluid-tight manner to the electronics housing (11) of the control unit (2).
The adapter (1) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
- the signal line (7) comprises or is a signal busbar (39); or/and

- the supply line (4) comprises or is a supply busbar (40).