ES2302112T3 - ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH FORMS THAT FIT BETWEEN YES. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns an electrical connector including a casing (3) having a male mechanical connection structure (38) with a complementary element including two connection pins which may be short-circuited with each other by a short-circuit element of the structure, and a button (5) for short-circuit elimination intended to be fitted in the casing, characterised in that the said button (5) includes a stop element (53) and the said structure includes a locking element on a resilient member (38) taking, during the mounting the casing (3) on the complementary element (2), a first position, at stop, of the stop element (53), preventing the said button (5) from reaching a final position in which the latter causes the elimination of the short-circuit, if the said structure is not yet locked into final position on the latter, and a second position separate from the stop element (53), enabling the button (5) to reach the final position if the said structure is locked into final position on the complementary element.

Description

Electrical connector with shapes that fit between yes.

The purpose of the invention is to ensure the correct mounting of an electrical connector on an element complementary.

There are many circumstances in which it is important that only one connection can be established or deleted electrical (such as a short circuit, for example) when they have completed the preliminary stages of connector assembly.

This is particularly true in the case of assembly of airbag systems, where to keep the short circuit in The airbag system is an essential safety element.

A well-known airbag system consists of a gas generator assembled with a connector connected by two conductors to a control system. When the control system orders the deployment of the airbag, sends an electrical signal to the pins of the gas generator so that the pyrotechnic charge is inflames causing the airbag to swell. For security reasons, the pins of the gas generator must be shorted until the connector is perfectly mounted. Short circuit is achieved with a flexible metal bar to avoid the risk of Activation at a bad time.

Once the connector is fixed (using a first element of the connector, here called "box") to gas generator, a second connector element (called member insurer of the position of the connector, here "button") moves from a first position to a second position and retracts the bar so that the safety short circuit is removed. However, there is still the risk of a disconnection unwanted if the connector is not correctly attached to the generator Of gas.

It will be observed, in this sense, that this type of connector includes a male mechanical connection piece that has locking highlights on ratchet arms that can hook up to the gas generator, and these arms have to bend when the connector is inserted into the housing provided to this end in the gas generator. The button is mounted so that admits a lateral movement in the box and also includes arms  ratchet suitable to act in conjunction with the body of the box to assist in fixing the connector to the generator gas.

Consequently, it is important to ensure that the button only reach its final position on the connector (and therefore suppress the short circuit between the pins of the gas generator) if the box is not only mounted but, specifically, fixed to the gas generator, and only in these circumstances.

It is also very important that you cannot push the button into the box before mounting the connector If this happens, the operator who has to mount the connector can install the connector in the complementary element in this position, with the button already in its final position, which It would destroy the connection system.

According to an arrangement already known by US 5,275,575, an airbag trigger includes a safety catch capable of both to ensure a complete fixation of the connector once it has been fixed the box to the gas generator as to eliminate the short circuit, since the connector can only be disconnected removing the safety catch, which restores the short circuit.

From EP 1369965 a connector with a position insurance member for an airbag system. Here you can push the button to its final position, when the connector is not housed in the complementary element. Like the Box lock arms do not flex back, it shouldn't it may be possible to attach the connector when the button is pushed to its final position But if the operator tries to connect the connector to the complementary element, the system can be destroyed or at least partially break.

EP 1207591 and US 6,811,424 describe a Similar design with similar characteristics.

The object of the present invention is, in general terms, an arrangement that guarantees the fixation of connector to the gas generator before removing the short circuit and in which the member insuring the position of the connector can only move in the coupled position of the connector

The present invention therefore proposes a electrical connector with the features of the claim one.

This stop system through shapes that fit each other fulfills, in this case, the function of Position Insurer of the Connector (CPA), since the button can only be mounted once the box is correctly positioned and fixedly embedded in the gas generator

Such a system also simplifies the fitting of the connector and the gas generator because it only tightens an element (the button) to bring the connector into position blocked in the gas generator. Then with the button still pressed, the button is released and moves laterally to the extent that the connector is in place in the gas generator, and the button is brought into position for short circuit suppression and its blockage in the gas generator. From this way, the work of the operator who assembles this connector can be greatly facilitated with the arrangement of this invention.

Depending on the characteristics of the implementation, which are particularly easy and simple to manufacture as use:

- said fixing element is associated with a groove guiding said blocking element towards said element of fixation;

- said groove is formed by a hole in the flexible body of said elastic element;

- said groove extends over approximately three quarters of the length of said flexible body;

- said blocking element is connected to a arm that fixes said button to said complementary element;

- said blocking element has a profile that It is generally triangular in shape;

- the locking element includes a surface Free bottom that is straight and generally rectangular in shape and is perpendicular to the adjacent free surface of the element of block closest to said element for the removal of short circuit;

- free surfaces closest to short circuit removal element are straight and facing each other;

- adjacent free surfaces and perpendicular to each blocking element are joined by a concave free surface;

- said first position corresponds to a bending the flexible body of said elastic member so that its projection rests against a wall of said complementary element; Y

- said second position corresponds to a introduction of said projections in a recess of said element complementary.

A preferred embodiment includes a electrical connector, in particular for ignition of a load pyrotechnic, which includes a box that has a structure of female mechanical connection, a male mechanical connection structure with a complementary element, specifically a gas generator, which includes connection pins, a short circuit element suitable for shorting the element connection pins complementary, a button for the elimination of the short circuit, and the male mechanical connection structure of the connector includes projections Locking on elastic arms, suitable for snagging by complementary means to the complementary element, to fix the connector on the gas generator, where these elastic arms they have to bend when the connector and the complementary element are mounted and the button is mounted to scroll laterally in the box and also includes elastic arms provided of blocking projections suitable for operating in conjunction with the male mechanical connection structure of the box to catch by said complementary means and thus participate in the blocking of connector with the complementary element, characterized in that the elastic arms of the male mechanical connection structure and the elastic button arms are adapted to operate together each other by mutually fitting their ways to prevent the lateral displacement of the button when the arms of the structure male mechanical connection are bent and, consequently, to prevent the button from reaching the final elimination position of the short-circuit by action of the latter on the element of short circuit.

Preferably, each arm of the structure of male mechanical connection includes a stop while each arm of the button includes a complementary bulge, to operate jointly through the mutual fit of their forms.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, presented as a preferred but not exhaustive example, with reference to the attached illustrations, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the igniter composed of a connector according to the invention mounted on a gas generator;

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the different connector elements;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but that separately illustrates the structure of the connector that allows short circuit suppression (the button);

Figure 4 is an elevation view of the connector structure (the box) that establishes the mechanical interface  with the button and the electrical and mechanical interface with the generator gas;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the same box seen from above;

Figures 6 and 7 are two sectional views transverse - elevation of the box mounted on the gas generator with, respectively, the button located in the intermediate position (it keeps the short circuit) and the button in the final position (short circuit removed); Y

Figures 8, 9, 10 and 11 are four views schematics that respectively show the button in position intermediate in the box before mounting on the gas generator, the button in intermediate position in the box in an intermediate position (not locked) in the gas generator, the button in position intermediate in the box in its final position (locked) in the gas generator and the button in the final position (locked) in the box and in the final position (locked) in the gas generator (short circuit removed).

Connector 1 is mounted on an element Complementary 2 that can be part of a gas generator as shown in figure 1. This connector 1, illustrated in detail in the Figures 2 to 5, includes a box 3 to be mounted with a cover 4 and a member that ensures the position of the connector, the button 5.

Button 5 illustrated in Figure 3 includes a wall 10 of flat surface and general rectangular shape and a male connection structure 11 to box 3. From plane M perpendicular to wall 10 and through the middle of the sides wall lengths 10 extends a plane of symmetry for the button 5, the male connection elements are joined in pairs, and each of them is the image of the other with respect to this plane imaginary.

The male connection structure 11 of button 5 it also includes two rectangular elastic 12 tabs with one opening 13 near the short sides of the wall 10 and completely centered with respect to these short sides, along with a pair of legs called elastic arms 14 that are fixed to the gas generator 2, completely centered with respect to the sides short, longer and arranged so that they are more entered with respect to tabs 12. Tabs 12 are used to secure button 5 to box 3 when the button is in position final.

On both sides of the plane of symmetry and fence of it, in front of arms 14, there are four 16 and 16 'insertion guide studs in symmetrical pairs in the four corners of wall 10, on both sides of each tab 12.

Each of these elements is made up of a single piece with wall 10 and is obtained by molding a material plastic. They are mechanically attached and completely aligned perpendicular to wall 10, projecting on it address.

A pair of legs, called tabs 15 for the Short circuit removal, rectangular and longer that the arms 14, are located on the same side as the studs 16 ', near the center of the wall 10. Lashes 15 open the short in the complementary element when fully insert the connector.

Each tab 15 includes a thin plate 17 near of its free end, a shoulder 18 in the middle and a shoulder 19 near its fixed end. The thin plates 17 are facing each other and in close relationship when eyelashes 15 are They are in their resting position. When the connector is inserted in the complementary element, the thin plates 17 enter contact with a rib of the complementary piece and eyelashes 15 separate. In the resting position of the eyelashes 15 the projections 18 fit with complementary stops in box 3 and the button 5 cannot scroll down. When the eyelashes 15 they are in the separate position, that means the connector has entered the complementary element, the projections 18 no longer fit with the bumpers of the box and the button 5 is released from this lock feature.

Each fixing arm 14 of the structure of connection 11 illustrated in figure 3 includes a flexible body 20, an edge 21 at the free end of the arm and a fixing shoulder 22

Fixing shoulder 22 is near the end free of arm 14, facing gas generator 2 in its state mounted, and has a V profile bordered by two surfaces inclined 23 and 24. When button 5 is pressed to its position end in box 3 and the complementary element 2 the projections of fixing 22 fit into a groove of the complementary element and they are locked in it. To achieve this, the highlights of fixing 22 cooperate with box 3.

Cover 4, illustrated in Figure 2, includes on its side four arms 26 and 27 to attach to the box 3 attached with a wall 28 covering the electrical connection area of the box 3.

Box 3, illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5, includes a female connection structure 29 for button 5, a male connection structure 30 for gas generator 2 and a electrical connection component 31 with general form of parallelepiped.

The connection component has two openings 32 for electrical conductors 50, illustrated in figures 6 and 7.

The female connection structure 29 of box 3 it includes two slots 33 in front of two slots 34, located in the four corners of this structure, two openings 35 of shape rectangular, in front of the male connection structure 30 and separated from each other by a thin vertical wall, two openings 36 to both sides and above the male connection structure 30 and two teeth 37, each located globally at an average distance between the two slots 33 and 34.

The male connection structure 30 of box 3 includes an electrical connection structure 39 to the gas generator 2 and two elastic support arms 38 forming a structure of mechanical connection to the gas generator 2.

Each arm 38 includes a flexible body 40 and a fixing projection 41 near the free end of arm 38, turned towards the inner surface of the gas generator 2 in its been mounted When the connector is inserted in the element complementary, the arms move from their resting position until the fixing projections reach the groove of the element complementary and elastically recover their position.

The electrical connection structure 39 includes two centering blocks 42 in the gas generator 2, one at each side of the two vertical slots 43 each of which includes a wide open surface 43A, each groove being bordered by the walls of the electrical connection structure 39. A small open bottom face 43B also extends perpendicularly to each large face 43A, between said walls.

The blocks 42 illustrated in particular in the Figure 2 includes a hollow part 44, with the aid of which each arm 38 can freely bend into the box 3, and a solid part 45, whose upper surface is inclined in a angle close to 45 degrees.

The gas generator 2 illustrated in section Transversal in Figures 6 and 7 includes two pins 46 which are kept shorted before assembly stages intermediate and during them, using a bar short circuit 47 consisting of two elastic sheets 48, each of which has an end edge 49 that is in contact with a pin 46. In the complementary element there is a rib Between the leaves

During the assembly of the box, each pin 46 it is inserted in the electrical connection structure 39 of the box 3 on the short open side 43B of the slot 43, and then each pin 46 is electrically connected to a conductor cable 50 by means of a connection terminal 51 housed in box 3.

During the assembly of button 5 in a first step the tabs 15 are separated from each other by action of the rib and with that the button is free of the fit between the highlights and the box stops 3. When button 5 continues to move to its final position, each tab 15 of button 5 retains a sheet 48, as illustrated in figure 7, such that its edge of end 49 is no longer in contact with pin 46 (removal of short circuit).

The flexible body 40 of the arm 38 includes, in the side closest to the arm 14 in its assembled state, a gap 55 which forms a groove that begins at the base of arm 38 and ends in a solid part 52 that constitutes a stop about three quarters of the body 40.

The arm 14 of the button 5 includes, on the most side next to arm 38 of box 3 in its assembled state, a protuberance 53 of triangular profile on the side of arm 14 which it is opposite to groove 55 of arm 38 of box 3 in its state mounted. The free bottom end surface 53 of the protuberance 53 (back toward stop 52 in the mounted state) is a straight surface of generally rectangular shape, perpendicular to arm 14 and an adjacent straight surface 53B located next to the eyelashes 15.

The surfaces 53B of each protuberance are opposite each other while surfaces 53A and 53B are joined by a concave surface 53C, leaving the maximum free possible space in front of the boss 53, which is projected slightly beyond the edge of end 21.

The principle of connector assembly in the gas generator.

Figure 8 shows the first stage, which consists of pre-assembling button 5 in box 3 in the direction of the arrow A. The tabs 15 and the arms 14 in the female mechanical connection element 29 of the box, respectively through openings 35 and 36. Tabs 15 they are also guided inside the box 3 and the projections 18 fit at the top of the box.

The ribs 25 of the studs 16 and 16 'are guide into the grooves 33 and 34, and arm 14 of the button 5 follows the electrical connection structure 39 of box 3, displaced and slightly behind the arm 38 of the box 3. The button, although not locked in the complementary element 2, is keeps integral with the box because of the openings 13 of the 12 tabs that retain the teeth 37. The ribs of the teeth studs 16 and 16 'allow guiding button 5 in box 3 to its final position

This set (button 5 in box 3, highlights 18 embedded in the bumpers of the box 3) is then introduced, as shown in figure 9, in the gas generator 2. A then, in a first stage the tabs 15 are separated by means of fins 17 that cooperate with the rib of the element Complementary 2, which disengages the stops of the stops.

Below are two possible cases, according to the mounting status of box 3 if required, place button 5 on The final position in box 3:

- if box 3 is mounted but not fixed to gas generator 2 as shown in figure 9, projections 41 they are retained by lateral surfaces of the gas generator 2 and the arms 38 of the box 3 occupy a first position of "folded", so if an attempt is made to block the button 5 while continuing to mount button 5 on the direction of arrow A, boss 53 of button arm 14  5, schematically represented in the figure by means of a square, follow guide groove 55 until surface 53A is stops against the solid part 52 of the arm 38, preventing the button reaches the final position (maintenance or short circuit), Y

- if box 3 is attached to the gas generator 2, as illustrated in Figure 10, the projection 41 is housed in a gap 54 of a gas generator box 2, which forms a notch lock designed to fit with the protrusions of arms 14 and 38, and arms 38 of box 3 occupy, due to recovery elastic body 40, a second resting position. TO then the stop 52 moves aside and releases the bulge 53 of arm 38 of button 5, thus allowing the button go to its final position and leaf springs 48 remain separated by tabs 15 in order to eliminate the short circuit, as described before. If button 5 reaches its final position, the bulge 53 occupies the hollow part 44 of the block 42 and the edge  end 21 of arm 14 comes back into contact with the inclined upper surface of solid part 45 of block 42, pressing arm 14 until it stretches (bending elastically outward) so that the protrusion of lock 22 of the arm 14 of the button 5 is inserted into the recess 54 located on the side of the locking boss 41 of the arm 38 of the box 3, as shown in figure 11, to ensure complete fixing connector 1 to the gas generator 2.

To disassemble it, you have to pull button 5 to unlock connector 1. Then you can slide the arms 14 on the projections 42 and, as the separation of the latter, pass between box 3 and the generator of gas 2.

Claims (10)

1. An electrical connector (1) in particular a airbag connector for the ignition of a pyrotechnic charge, which includes a box (3) that has a mechanical connection structure female (29) and a male mechanical connection structure (38) for be coupled with a complementary element (2), specifically a gas generator, which includes two connecting pins (46) that can be short-circuited with each other by an element of short circuit (47), and a button (5) for the elimination of the short circuit intended to be mounted on said structure of female mechanical connection (29) and that includes a first pair of legs (15) for the purpose of eliminating the short circuit of the pins of connection, and said button (5) has a second pair of legs (14) which include a stopper element (53) in each leg (14) and said male mechanical connection structure (38) with said element Complementary (2) includes a locking element (52) in each of a pair of elastic members (38) that it adopts, during assembly from the box (3) to the complementary element (2), a first position, at the stop, of said stop element (53) of said button (5) which prevents said button (5) from reaching an end position in which this last cause the elimination of the short circuit by means of its first pair of legs (15), if said mechanical connection structure male (38) with the complementary element (2) is not fixed yet in the final position in the latter, and a second position separated from the stopper element (53) of said button (5), which allows said button (5) reaches an end position if said structure of mechanical male connection (38) with the complementary element (2) is fixed in the final position in the latter, characterized in that the second pair of legs (15) of the button (5) includes a locking shoulder (22) that fixes the button (5) in its final position on the complementary element (2) and further characterized in that each leg of the first pair of legs (15) includes a shoulder (18) to prevent the movement of the button (5) if the legs (15) are in their resting position and because the legs include facing thin plates (17) that cooperate with the complementary element ( 2), when the connector is inserted in the complementary element (2), to move the legs (15) out of their resting position. An electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that said blocking element (52) is associated with a groove (55) that guides said stop element (53) towards said blocking element (52). An electrical connector according to claim 2, characterized in that said groove (55) is formed by a recess in the flexible body (40) of said elastic member (38). An electrical connector according to any one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that said groove (55) extends over approximately three quarters of the length of said flexible body (40). An electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said stop element (53) has a generally triangular shaped profile. An electrical connector according to claim 5, characterized in that the stop element includes a free bottom surface (53A) that is straight and generally rectangular in shape and perpendicular to the adjacent free surface (53B) of the stop element closest to said short circuit elimination element (15). An electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said first position corresponds to a flexing of the flexible body (40) of said elastic member (38) resting its shoulder (41) against a wall of the complementary element ( 2). An electrical connector according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said second position corresponds to an introduction of said projection (41) into a recess (54) of said complementary element (2). An electrical connector according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the button (5) is locked by the first pair of legs (15) when the connector is in a completely disengaged position. An electrical connector according to claim 9, characterized in that the button (5) is free to move until it is locked by the second pair of legs (14) in cooperation with the pair of elastic members (38) when the first set of legs (15) is offset because the connector is in a partially engaged position.