EP4055665A1

EP4055665A1 - System for assembling cables in a connector and method

Info

Publication number: EP4055665A1
Application number: EP20820270.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Grégory BOERIO; Frédéric VASSEROT; Thierry GOLDHORN; Nicolas Convert; Willy Huy LAM
Original assignee: Conextivity Group SA
Current assignee: Conextivity Group SA
Priority date: 2019-11-04
Filing date: 2020-11-03
Publication date: 2022-09-14
Also published as: WO2021090156A1; IL292719A; US20220399662A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for connecting a cable (4) to a connector part, such as a plug or socket, with electrical contacts (21). The cable comprises at least one layer (41) comprising several wires (42) arranged next to each other, the connector part comprising an interface (10, 60) with tracks for electrically connecting the wires of the layer (41) to the electrical contacts (21), and, when the wires of the layer are connected to the interface (10, 60), the layer is arranged flat. The invention also relates to the products obtained by the method.

Description

SYSTEM FOR ASSEMBLING CABLES INTO A CONNECTOR AND

PROCESS

CORRESPONDING APPLICATION The present application claims priority from the earlier international application No. PCT / IB2019 / 059443 filed on November 04, 2019 in the name of Fischer Connectors Holding SA, the contents of this earlier application being incorporated by reference in their entirety into the present application. . TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to the field of connectors. More specifically, the present invention relates to connectors comprising a plug and a socket which have a preferably cylindrical shape or any other suitable shape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Such connectors are known in the state of the art. The header and plug are usually connected to a cable which may contain a plurality of individual wires. These wires are individually connected to contacts in the plug and the socket and the connection of the plug to the socket makes the electrical connection between each contact on the plug and the socket.

It is therefore necessary to electrically connect each wire of the cable to each contact of the plug and / or the socket and this is an operation which is not easy to carry out or to automate when the wires are in bulk, in variable positions.

For a plug for example, once the cable has been cut to the desired length, its end is stripped and the wires contained in the cable are possibly tinned and then soldered one by one at each contact of the plug, the result being illustrated in figure 1 This manual operation is time consuming while being expensive due to the manual work to be done. On a plan economic, if it has been possible to reduce the costs by using inexpensive materials, the operation of connection to the wire of the cable remains an incompressible element in terms of productivity and cost. The aim of the invention is therefore in particular to improve the means available and the methods of manufacturing such objects (cards, bases) and to obtain better automation of the manufacturing processes and a reduction in manufacturing costs. The invention is described by way of several embodiments below.

In one embodiment, the invention relates to a method of connecting a cable to a connector part, such as a plug or a socket, with electrical contacts, the cable comprising at least one sheet comprising several wires arranged in the one next to the other, the connector part comprising an interface with tracks and connection means for the electrical connection of the wires of the web to the electrical contacts, and during the connection of the wires of the web to the connection means , the tablecloth is laid out flat. In some embodiments, the web and the threads are attached to each other or not.

In some embodiments, the interface comprises a flexible part with terminations or pads as connection means, once the connection between the wires of the flat sheet and the interface has been made, the flexible part is shaped. to match the shape of the connector part.

In some embodiments, the connection between the wires of the web and the interface connection means is made by applying the interface to the web or the web to the interface, the web taking a shape adapted to that of the connector part, for example the shape of the interface. In some embodiments, the wires are fixed to the connection means by inserting a crimping sleeve on the wires connected to the interface or with another equivalent means. In embodiments, the invention relates to a connector part such as a plug or a socket formed by means of a method as described in the present application.

In embodiments, the connector part comprises at least one interface with connection means such as solder terminations (or pads), conductive tracks, the interface comprising a first preferably flexible part and a second part of preferably rigid.

In some embodiments, the connection means are aligned in a regular manner, said connection means being connected to contacts in the form of contact holes, placed on the second part through conductive tracks.

In embodiments each connection means is connected to a contact hole by a track.

In some embodiments part of the tracks can be on one side of the interface and another part of the tracks can be on the other side. In embodiments the connector portion comprises at least one interface with connection means (such as solder terminations), conductive tracks, the interface having a cylindrical shape or other shape.

In embodiments, the cylindrical interface comprises holes through which the contacts pass which allow an electrical connection between the contacts and the tracks. In some embodiments the connector part is a plug or a socket. In embodiments the connector part is connected to electric wires or to a cable.

In embodiments, the invention relates to a cable comprising at least one connector part as described in the present application, the cable-connector part assembly being carried out by means of a method according to the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a plug with a cable whose wires are connected;

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 3A to 6B illustrate an assembly method according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIGS. 7A to 8 illustrate an assembly method according to another embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In Figure 1, there is shown an embodiment according to the state of the art in which the wires 2 of the cable 1 are free and individually connected to a part of the connector 3 (plug or socket). The manufacture of this embodiment is carried out as indicated above by an individual connection of each wire 2 to a contact of the part of the connector 3.

FIG. 2 illustrates a part used in a first embodiment of the invention. In this mode, an interface 10 is used with solder pads or terminations 13 and conductive tracks 14 such as a PCB ("printed circuit board"), a first part 11 of which is flexible and a second part 12 is preferably rigid. The first part 11 comprises a plurality of pads or contact terminations 13, preferably aligned regularly, said pads 13 being connected to contacts, in the form of contact holes 15, placed on the second part 12 by means of conductive tracks 14. Preferably, each pad 13 is connected to a contact hole 15 by a track 14 and in the example of FIG. 2 there are twenty-four (24) pads 13, therefore as many tracks 14 and contact holes 15. Due to the size of the interface 10 and the space required for the tracks 14, half of the tracks 14 are on one side of the interface and the other half on the other side, the pads13 being them all on the same side of the interface 10. Of course, depending on the number of tracks 14, other configurations are possible, for example with all the tracks 14 on the same side, or in another configuration the number number of tracks 14 on each side of interface 10 is not equal or yet another configuration ion with more than two layers of tracks. Of course, the number of pads / tracks 13, 14 is not limited to twenty-four and the system may have fewer or more and they are arranged appropriately on the interface.

As will be understood below, this construction of the interface 10 advantageously overcomes the problems identified above.

FIGS. 3A to 6B illustrate the steps of manufacturing a connector part, such as a plug or a socket, using the interface of FIG. 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures 3A-3C show an example of the first step in preparing the connector part. An element 20 preferably of cylindrical shape is used with holes 22 and a plurality of contacts 21 which are inserted into the holes 22 of the element 20, FIG. 3C.

Next, in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the element 20 carrying the contacts 21 of FIG. 3C is assembled with the interface 10 of FIGS. 2 / 4A to form the assembly 10,20 illustrated in FIG. 4B. Preferably, because of its shape, part 12 of interface 10 is connected to contacts 21, said contacts 21 being inserted into contact holes 15 of part 12 (see FIG. 2).

Figures 5A and 5B illustrate an example of cable 40 which will be used in combination with assembly 10, 20 of Figure 4B. Such a cable 40 may for example comprise a braiding, a film (for example made of polyester) and a sheet 41 of threads 42. According to the invention, advantage is taken of the presence of this sheet 41 in which the individual threads are on the one hand in a fixed position and at a determined distance (for example constant or not) with respect to each other, and not mixed in a disorderly manner. Of course, the wires 42 can have the same diameter or different diameters. In addition, the notion of web as used in the present application is not limited to an embodiment in which the threads 42 are attached to each other. The threads 42 can be free but held by a comb in a determined position for the implementation of the embodiments of the method according to the present invention. The comb can be used in the manufacturing process so that the individual threads are held in said determined position.

In FIG. 5B, there is shown schematically the assembly of the threads of the web 41 to the pads 13 of the interface 10. Thanks to the web 41, all the threads 42 are in a known position and it is simple to make them correspond to the pads / terminations 13 of the interface 10 by applying the web 41 to the pads 13 in a single operation. Of course, the distance between the pads 13 has been adapted to the web 41 which will be applied.

Once these parts are in contact, the wires 42 are fixed (for example welded or by any other fixing means, such as crimping, press-fit, press-fit or other equivalent) to the pads 13 to form the assembly illustrated in the drawing of FIG. 5A.

In FIG. 5B, a following step of the assembly process is illustrated in which the parts 11 and 12 have been bent (for example bent) relative to each other, for example at an angle of 90 °, and the part 11 has been shaped (for example "rolled") to adapt to the shape of the connector, that is to say cylindrical in the non-limiting example illustrated. The web 41 which had been flattened for the operation of connecting the wires to the pads 13 (see FIG. 5A) thus finds a suitable shape, for example cylindrical in this illustrative example, or another shape which is adapted to that of the part of connector 20, for example square, oval, star etc. according to variants.

Finally, in FIG. 6A, the connector part is covered with a sleeve 50, for example of insulating material or not, and FIG. 6B illustrates a connector part 51 (for example a plug) in the finished state. Of course, this is an illustrative example and in other configurations, there is no sleeve 50. The sleeve 50 can be of any suitable material, synthetic, or plastic, metallized or even of metal.

According to this embodiment, use is preferably made of the fact that the wires 42 are in the form of a sheet 41 which maintains the wires 42 in a known position to flatten this sheet (wound on itself in the cable) and attach / connect all wires to the corresponding contacts 13 on interface 10 which is also in planar form for this operation. Then, the interface 10 is bent or shaped to take a shape adapted to that of the connector part (plug or socket) and in which it will be used. In the example illustrated, this shape is cylindrical but it can be any. It is also possible that the wires 42 are not attached to each other but held in a comb and connected in a single operation ("in parallel") to the pads 13, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the aim being to avoid the sequential individual connection (one wire after another) due to the loss of time and the complexity of this procedure. The invention therefore allows a connection of all the wires and contacts in a single operation (flat in this embodiment), then a shaping of the assembly to the connector part.

FIGS. 7A to 8 illustrate the steps of manufacturing a connector part, such as a plug or a socket, using an interface according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 7A, there is an element 20 carrying contacts 21 as illustrated in FIG. 3C for example. It is assembled with an interface 60 (of PCB type) for example cylindrical (in the illustrated embodiment) which comprises connection means 61, such as terminations, connected to tracks 62 which are connected to contacts 21 during assembly. illustrated in Figure 7B.

FIGS. 7A to 7C illustrate steps in manufacturing a connector part, such as a plug or a socket, using the cylindrical interface 60 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7A shows an example of the first step in preparing the connector part. A cylindrical shaped element 20 is used and a plurality of contacts 21 which are inserted into the element 20 (see Figures 3A to 3C). Next, in FIG. 7A, the element 20 carrying the contacts 21 is assembled with the cylindrical interface 60 to form the assembly 20, 60 illustrated in the drawing of FIG. 7B, the cylindrical interface 60 comprising holes 63 traversed by the contacts 21 which allow an electrical connection between the contacts 21 and the tracks 62.

Figure 7C illustrates an example of cable 40 which will be used in combination with assembly 20,60 of Figure 7B. Such a cable 40 may for example comprise a braiding, a film (for example made of polyester) and a sheet 41 of son 42 as illustrated in FIG. 5A. According to the invention, advantage is taken of the presence of this web 41 in which the individual threads 42 are in a fixed position and at a determined distance (for example constant or not) relative to each other, and not mixed up in a disorderly fashion. Of course, the wires 42 can have the same diameter or different diameters. In addition, the notion of web as used in the present application is not limited to an embodiment in which the threads 42 are attached to each other. The threads 42 can be free but held by a comb in a determined position for the implementation of the embodiments of the method according to the present invention.

FIG. 7C illustrates more precisely the connection of the sheet 41 with the cylindrical interface 60. Preferably, the latter is "rolled" on the flattened sheet 41 (for example as illustrated in FIG. 5A) so that the wires 42 enter into electrical connection with the connection means 61 and the web 41 then takes a shape corresponding to that of the part 60.

The fixing and electrical connection of the wires 42 to the connection means 61 can be done by any suitable method; crimping, press-fit, press-fit or other equivalent.

Finally, in FIG. 8, the connector part is covered with a sleeve 50, for example of insulating material or not. A part of connector (for example a plug) in the finished state according to this embodiment will be similar to that illustrated in FIG. 6B. Of course, this is an illustrative example and in other configurations there is no sleeve. The sleeve 50 can be made of any suitable material, synthetic, or metallized plastic, or even of metal. In all the embodiments, the sleeve 50 can be fixed to the part 20 by gluing or another equivalent method, such as clipping, screwing or fitting, etc.

According to this embodiment, the fact is also preferably used that the son are in the form of a sheet 41 which maintains the son 42 in a known position to flatten this sheet (wound on itself in the cable) and then wind it on the support 60. It is therefore not necessary to modify the shape of the interface 60 which already has that of the connector part (plug or socket) in which it will be used.

The embodiments described are by way of illustrative examples and should not be considered as limiting. Other embodiments may use means equivalent to those described for example. The embodiments described can also be combined with one another depending on the circumstances, or means used in one mode can be used in another mode. For example, the shape of the connector or of the connector part to which the wires are connected is not limited to a cylindrical shape as illustrated in the examples but any other shape is possible within the framework of the present invention. The shape can be oval, flattened, star, etc.

Claims

1. A method of connecting a cable (40) to a connector part, such as a plug or a socket, with electrical contacts (21), said cable comprising at least one sheet (41) comprising several wires (42) arranged side by side, the connector part comprising an interface (10,60) with tracks (14) and connection means (13,61) for the electrical connection of the wires of the web (41) to the electrical contacts (21), said method being characterized in that during the connection of the wires of the web of connection means (13,61) of the interface (10,60), said web is placed flat.

2. Method according to the preceding claim, wherein in the web, the son are attached to each other or not.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the interface comprises a flexible part with connection means and once the connection has been made between the wires of the web and the connection means (13), the flexible part is shaped. to match the shape of the connector part.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connection between the son of the web and the connection means of the interface (61) is made by applying the interface to the web which takes a shape adapted to that. of the connector part.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the son is fixed to the connection means (13,61) by inserting a crimping sleeve (50) on the son connected to the interface or with another equivalent means.

6. Connector part, such as a plug or a socket, formed by means of a method according to one of the preceding claims.

7. Connector part, comprising at least one interface (10) with connection means (13), conductive tracks (14), the interface comprising a first part (11) flexible and a second part (12) rigid.

8. Connector part according to the preceding claim, wherein the connection means (13) are regularly aligned, said connection means (13) being connected to contacts in the form of contact holes (15), placed on the second part (12) by means of conductive tracks (14).

9. Connector part according to the preceding claim 7 or 8, wherein each connection means (13) is connected to a contact hole (15) by a track (14).

10. Connector part according to one of the preceding claims 7 to 9, in which part of the tracks (14) are on one side of the interface (10) and another part are on the other side.

11. Connector part comprising at least one interface (60) with connection means (61), conductive tracks (62), the interface having a cylindrical shape.

12. Connector part according to the preceding claim, wherein the cylindrical interface (60) comprises holes (63) through which the contacts (21) allow an electrical connection between the contacts (21) and the tracks (62).

13. Connector part according to one of claims 7 to 12, said part being a plug or a socket.

14. Connector part according to one of claims 7 to 13, said part being connected to electric wires (42).

15. Cable (40) formed by a method according to one of claims 1 to 5.

16. Cable (40) combined with at least one connector part according to one of claims 6 to 14.