FR2691584A1 - Electrical connector and electrical connection device comprising at least one such connector. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical connector and to an electrical connection device comprising a plurality of such connectors. Each electrical connector is characterized in that the pin (5) of the male contact element (1) and the axial receiving bore (11) of the pin (5) made in a socket (10) of the female contact (2) are frustoconical and of the same taper so that the force of insertion of the pin (5) in the axial bore (11) is almost zero. The invention finds application in the field of aeronautics.

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical connector and a

  electrical connection device comprising at least one such connector.

  Numerous electrical connectors are known for the supply of domestic or industrial appliances or for conveying electrical information signals. Among these, the connector of the type comprising a female contact element with a socket for receiving a cylindrical pin of a male contact element is known. An elastic contact tab is cut out of the side wall of the socket so as to be in elastic contact on the pin of the male contact element Such a connector is very expensive to achieve because

of the elastic contact blade.

  An electrical connector is also known where the socket of the female contact element is essentially formed by two or more elastic contact blades apart to allow insertion of the pin of the male contact element. Such a known connector is also very expensive to achieve. Another known connector is that where the pin of the male contact element is split longitudinally so as to form two elastic fingers engaging in the cylindrical socket of the female contact element. Such a connector has the major disadvantage of not ensure permanent electrical contact because the two fingers of the pin tend, in time,

to get closer to each other.

  Finally, an electrical connector is also known in which the socket of the female contact element comprises in its inlet orifice a cylindrical insert ring having two diametrically opposed resilient contact tongues springing resiliently against the pin of the contact element. This type of connector is extremely difficult to

  make and is also expensive.

  Furthermore, all the electrical connectors known above have the common disadvantage of requiring a relatively large insertion force of the pin of the male contact element into the socket of the corresponding female contact element. It will also be noted that the most of these known connectors are prone to brownouts in the presence of external vibrations harmful to the transmission of electrical information signals fast Finally, the protective layer, often made of gold, male and female contact elements wears very quickly to friction points of these elements and no longer ensures

protection against corrosion.

  The present invention aims to eliminate the above disadvantages of known connectors by providing an electrical connector, of the type comprising a male pin contact element and a female contact element comprising an axial drilling sleeve for receiving the spindle of the male contact element and which is characterized in that the spindle and the axial receiving bore are frustoconical and likewise conical so that the insertion force of the pin in the axial bore is almost zero and the

  contact of the pin with the socket is important.

  Preferably, the aforementioned conicity is between about 14% and

about 18%.

  According to an alternative embodiment, the above-mentioned frustoconical drilling is defined on at least one input portion thereof by at least two slightly flexible branches of the bushing elastically contacting the corresponding pin. Advantageously, an annular spring coaxially surrounds the

aforementioned branches of the socket.

  According to another embodiment, the sleeve is made from a thin metal sheet cut and stamped to obtain the aforementioned frustoconical shape and the pin can be made by a method

identical.

  The invention also proposes an electrical connection device comprising a plurality of electrical connectors as defined above, in which the male contact elements and the female contact elements are respectively integral with two bases made of an electrically insulating material and which is characterized by that each male contact element and / or each female contact element is mounted on its corresponding base so as to be able to move axially against the restoring force of an elastic member during the simultaneous insertion of the pins in their respective sleeves and thus compensate for manufacturing tolerances leading to contact faults between at least one pin and its corresponding socket. The aforementioned elastic member is an elastic washer, for example of the Grower type, interposed between the aforementioned base and a flange of the male or female contact element and allowing an axial displacement of the order of 1/10 to

2/10 mm.

  The invention will be better understood, and other purposes, features, details and advantages thereof will become more apparent in the course of

  explanatory description which will follow made with reference to the schematic drawings

  appended solely by way of example illustrating several embodiments of the invention, and wherein: Figure 1 shows in longitudinal section an electrical connector according to the invention in the inactive position; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the male contact element engaged in the female contact element; FIG. 3 represents an alternative embodiment of the female contact element of the electrical connector of FIGS. 1 and 2; and FIGS. 4A and 4B each represent a device for connection to a plurality of electrical connectors according to the invention; FIGS. 5A and 5B show an example of mounting a plurality of electrical connectors of the invention in insulating supports; and FIG. 6 is an alternative embodiment of the contact element

female of Figure 3.

  The electrical connector shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a male contact element 1 and a female contact element 2 engaging one inside the other to provide an electrical connection allowing, for example, the transmission of signals. fast information systems for

  command and control used in aircraft.

  The male contact element 1 comprises a generally cylindrical body 3 traversed by an axial bore or terminal hole 4 for receiving an electrical conductor (not shown) secured in it by crimping or welding. The front part of the element 1 comprises a spindle 5 of frustoconical shape connecting to the body 3 by a cylindrical rear portion 6 of larger diameter The element 1 finally comprises a flange 7 formed between the frustoconical portion 6 and the cylindrical body 3 and whose role will be explained later . The female contact element 2 comprises a cylindrical rear body 8 in which is drilled axially a blind hole 9 in which is secured, by crimping or by welding, an electrical conductor (not shown) The element 2 further comprises a socket 10 of cylindrical lateral surface extending the body 8 and in which is formed a frustoconical axial bore 11 of shape conjugated to that of the pin 5 of the element 1 The conicity of the frustoconical drilling 11 defined in the sleeve 10 is identical to the conicity of the This taper is between about 14% and about 18%, which corresponds to a half angle at the apex OL of between about 4 angular and about 5 angular. The element 2 further comprises a protective jacket 12, known per se, mounted coaxially on the sleeve 10 and having a hole 12a for passage of the pin 5 The element 2 finally comprises a collar 13 formed between the body 8 and the doui 10 and whose function, similar to that of the flange 7, will be explained later. Due to the conicity defined above of the spindle 5 and the frustoconical piercing 11, the insertion of the spindle 5 into the bore 11 is effected without effort and the frustoconical zone of electrical contact between the spindle 5 and the side wall internal of the sleeve 10 defining the bore 11 is very wide and in all

  case is not subject to frictional wear.

  The female contact element 2 shown in FIG. 3 differs from that of FIGS. 1 and 2 only by at least two limbs or longitudinal fingers 14 which are slightly flexible and cut into the side wall of the socket 10 so as to define a certain length the frustoconical inlet passage of the axial bore 11 In other words, the branches 14 ensure the continuity of the frustoconical drilling 11 The branches 14, in fully engaged position of the pin 5 in the

  piercing 11, thus elastically contact the frustoconical portion of the spindle 5.

  Of course, the inlet portion of the frustoconical piercing 11 can be defined by more than two branches or fingers 14, depending on the dimensions of the element of

female contact.

  According to another variant embodiment, the sleeve 10 is made from a thin metal sheet cut and stamped to obtain the

  frustoconical shape 11 and pin 5 can be achieved by an identical method.

  FIGS. 4A and 4B each represent an electrical connection device which comprises a plurality of electrical connectors of the type described in FIG. 1 and / or in FIG. 3. In the present case, only one connector

  electric has been shown for simplicity.

  According to FIG. 4A, all the male contact elements 1 are mounted on a base of insulating material 15 in an axially sliding manner against the restoring force of an elastic member 16 constituted by an elastic washer, for example type Grower, interposed between the flange 7 and the base 15 of an element 1 The female contact elements 2 are fixedly mounted in a base of insulating material 17 Due to manufacturing tolerances, it may happen that the female contact elements 2 are slightly axially offset with respect to each other, which can result in defects, or even the absence of electrical contact between one or more pins 5 and the associated socket 10 The elastic members 16 are intended to compensate for these In fact, when the pins 5 of the male contact elements 1 are going to be introduced simultaneously into the corresponding bushes 10, the 10 bushing the most advanced, that is to say those slightly shifted to the left of Figure 4 A relative to the other bushings, first contact the corresponding pins 5 and continuing insertion, the spring washers 16 associated with the pins 5 already in contact with the corresponding sleeves 10 will crash until the other pins 5 can come into contact respectively in the corresponding sleeves 10 slightly set back from the advanced sockets This effect is also valid in the case where the washers 16 are associated with the female contact elements 2 as shown in Figure 4 B, that is to say are mounted between the flanges 13 of the element 2 and the corresponding base 17 with the male contact elements 1 fixedly mounted in the base 15 according to axial offsets due to manufacturing tolerances These offsets are of course very small and lead in any case to an axial displacement each male or female contact element of the order of 1/10 to 2/10 mm Of course, as is customary in practice, the male contact elements 1 and female 2 are mounted in their bases

  respective with a small lateral play.

  According to the embodiment of the connection device shown in FIGS. 5A, 5B, all the male contact elements 1 and all the female contact elements 2 are mounted in their respective base-forming parts, 17 in an axially sliding manner against the resilient return force 16 identical to those shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The resilient members 16 thus also compensate for manufacturing tolerances, leading to contact defects between at least one pin 5 and its corresponding socket 10, such as explained above The base portions 15, 17 are assembled in metal housings (not shown) of various shapes ensuring the insertion of the pins 5 of the male contact elements 1 in the corresponding sleeves 10 of the female contact elements 2 and the

  maintaining the electrical connectors thus produced in the service position.

  Various modifications can be made to the electrical connector without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, it is possible to add to each female contact element 2 of the type represented in FIG. 3 an annular spring 18 enclosing branches. 14 of the sleeve 10 at their ends so as to ensure even more energetic holding of the electrical contact established between the pin 5 and the socket 10

6 2691584

  In addition, the female contact elements 2 forming part of the connection device shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and / or FIGS. 5A, 5B may be of the type shown in FIG. 3. In this connection, it will be noted that a connection device thus produced will not be disturbed at all by surrounding vibrations likely to harm the electrical contacts made between the pins 5 and the corresponding sockets because the resonant frequency of each of the branches 14 will in this case always be different from the

  resonance frequency of spring washers 16.

Claims (6)

  1 electrical connector of the type comprising a male pin contact element (1) (5) and a female contact element (2) comprising a bushing (10) with axial drilling (11) for receiving the pin (5) of the male contact element (1), characterized in that the spindle (5) and the axial receiving bore (11) are frustoconical and have the same conicity as the insertion force of the spindle (5) in the axial bore (11) is almost zero and the   contact area of the spindle with the socket is important.   Electrical connector according to Claim 1, characterized in that   the aforementioned conicity is between about 14% and about 18%.   3 electrical connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the aforementioned frustoconical drilling (11) is defined on at least one input portion thereof by at least two slightly flexible branches (14) of the   sleeve (10) elastically contacting the corresponding pin (5).   4 electrical connector according to claim I or 2, characterized in that the sleeve (10) is made from a thin metal sheet cut and stamped to obtain the frustoconical drilling (11) above   and the spindle (5) can be made by an identical method.   Electrical connector according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that it comprises an annular spring (18) coaxially enclosing the branches   (14) of the sleeve (10) above.   6 Electrical connection device, comprising a plurality of   electrical connectors as defined in claims 1 to 5, according to   wherein the male contact elements and the female contact elements are respectively secured to two bases of an electrically insulating material (15; 17), characterized in that each male contact element (1) and / or each female contact element ( 2) is mounted on its corresponding base (15; 17) so as to be able to move axially against the restoring force of an elastic member (16) during the simultaneous insertion of the pins (5) in their respective sleeves (10) and thereby compensate for manufacturing tolerances leading to contact faults between at least one pin (5) and its corresponding socket (10).   7 Device according to claim 6, characterized in that said elastic member is a spring washer (16), for example of the Grower type, interposed between the base (15; 17) above and a flange (7; 13) of the contact element male (1) or female (2) and allowing a displacement of the order of 1/10 to 2/10 mm.