FR2746222A3 - Electrical plug connector receiving device e.g. for motor vehicle control device and/or plug connector allowing relative movement for accommodating vibration and jolting - Google Patents

Abstract

The receiving device (11) is fitted with at least one plug connector (12) provided with contact elements (21) cooperating with corresponding contacts of a counter-connector (13) of a stationary device.The reception device and/or the plug connector have bearing elements (16,32,39) allowing relative movement between the reception device and the plug connector in the working position of the latter in which it is coupled to the counter-connector

Description

State of the art

  The invention relates to a receiver device comprising

  taking at least one electrical outlet whose con-

  tact can be reversibly connected in the plugging direction to opposite contact elements of a contact

  connector to make an electrical connection.

  We already know such a receiving device according to

document DE-33 10 477 AI.

  The receiving device is produced in this case on an electrical device in particular a control device of a motor vehicle; its main element is a rigid front plate provided with a cover delimited by a wall

  annular. This opening receives the connector with a glue

  rette of appropriate shape and which is fixed with screws in the annular wall. The front plate is itself fixed to a

  housing of the electrical appliance by snap connections

  floor. In the case of a reception device thus produced,

  the electrical connector is rigidly blocked.

  When the connection is closed, the plug is re-

  linked to a contactor which is not a cable harness connector making it possible to compensate for junction tolerances with respect to the socket thanks to the mobility of the cable harness

  but consists of one or more element sockets, the tolerances

  The association rances between the socket and the connector can produce constraints on the contact elements of the socket and those of the connector. This is reflected inside the

  connection system by blocking the contacts. Such con-

  non-mobile tacts are stressed by vibrations and

  vehicle covers and this translates into movement

  relations between the contacts at the level of the contact zones

  dragging friction corrosion causing long term

connection failure.

  Advantages of the invention The object of the present invention is to provide a receiving device for electrical connection elements

  of the type defined above and to remedy these drawbacks.

  To this end, the invention relates to a device

  receiver characterized in that the receiving device and / or at least one socket, bearing elements which after association of the socket and the receiving device and in the operating position of the socket, in which it is connected to at least one connector, opposite, fixed position, the socket and the receiving device are movable relative to each other.

  This receiving device offers the advantage that the

  rection of reception and / or at least one socket contains elements

  bearing elements allowing a certain mobility between the

receiving device and socket.

  This compensates for the tolerances of associates.

  between the socket and the connector, so that even under

  the effect of the tremors caused by the operation of the vehicle

  automobile, the contacts remain mobile in their receiving chamber, which avoids the relative movements of the points

  contact and friction corrosion; even in these con-

  load conditions, the suitability of the connection

remains preserved.

  According to other advantageous characteristics - the receiving device has two or more sockets

  n0 can each be connected to a connector, the con-

  nectors being at least provided on one or more fixed, rigid assemblies of the vehicle, - the receiving device is in the form of a cable channel preferably made of plastic material - the device comprises a bottom as a bearing element provided with receiving orifices for receiving the socket, - the sound bearing elements: produced in the form of elastically deformable link arms on a housing of each socket, these arms pressing at least directly against the bearing plate and absorbing = the movements of the socket in a plane perpendicular to the plugging direction and this

  plate has at least curved parts in the direction

support tion,

  - the bottom plate has elastically deformed zones

  according to their longitudinal layout preferably in the form of background corrugations which are mounted each time

  preferably symmetrically with respect to the receiving orifice

  tion and its surroundings to absorb downward movements

  of the socket, - lugs provided on the one hand on the housing in the form of fixing branches constituting other bearing elements and on the other hand on the receiving device, legs which penetrate

  trent by a connection by the form in the branches of fixa-

  tion and receive the plugging and pulling forces applied to the socket, - the bearing elements are produced in the form of fixing elements provided on the one hand on a housing of each socket

  with a cavity and on the other hand in the direction of reception

  tion, when the plug is engaged in the receiving device

  tor, these cavities, pressing against opposite bearing surfaces, descending at an angle towards the receiving orifice on the fixing member with a peripheral edge, by a force connection, allowing the socket to change from position by longitudinal and transverse sliding, - the cavity is in the form of a frustoconical cap, - the bearing elements are produced on the one hand in the form

  radially projecting base arm of a cha-

  that taken and on the other hand at the bottom, guides

  plugging at least partially surrounding the ends of the arms, perpendicularly in the plugging direction as well as bending springs pressing with prestress against the socket housing,

  - as another bearing element preferably positioned per-

  pendulum to the bending spring, the housing of each of the sockets has elastic arms which bear against the inner wall of the cover itself connected to the bottom, - the bearing elements consist on the one hand of a preferably peripheral shoulder on each socket, between a contact segment and a connection segment narrowed compared to the previous one, and on the other hand by a hooking shoulder provided beyond on the connection segment, and against which cc- bears. another bearing element, an elastomer plate which presses against the inner side of the bottom and presses the shoulder externally against the bottom,

  - the elastomer plate is a rubber plate.

  Drawings Four embodiments of the invention are

  shown in the drawings and will be described below in detail.

more detailed.

  Thus: - Figures 1 to 8 show a first example of embodiment,

  - Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the receiving device

  tor and the socket along the line AA of Figure 2, - Figure 2 is a top view of the device, the cover which partially closes the receiving device having been removed, - Figure 3 is a cross section of the device according to the line CC of FIG. 2 nevertheless rotated by 90,

  - Figure 4 is a partial view of the device in the di-

  section X according to Figure 2, - Figure 5 is a cross section of the device along line DD of Figure 2 turned 90, - Figure 6 is a top view of the device equipped with its cover and as a cross section along the line BB of Figure 6, - Figure 7 shows the cover open, - Figure 8 shows the device with the cover closed,

  - Figures 9 and 10 show a second exemplary embodiment

  tion, - Figure 9 shows the areas of the receiving device and the electrical outlet in side view partially cut, - Figure 10 shows this discsitif in top view with a partial section along line B-B of Figure 9,

  FIGS. 11 to 13 show a third exemplary embodiment

tion,

  FIG. 1 shows the device in longitudinal section,

  along the line A-A in FIG. 13, FIG. 12 shows the device in cross section along the line B-B in FIG. 13 turned by 90,

  - Figure 13 shows the device in partial top view -

cut and without cover,

  - Figures 14 to 16 show a fourth embodiment

tion ,,

  - Figure 14 shows the device with a longitudinal section

  nale along line A-A in Figure 16, - Figure 15 shows the device with a cross section along line B-B in Figure 16 turned 90, - Figure 16 shows a top view of the partial device-

Slightly cut and without cover.

  Description of the exemplary embodiments

  In all the exemplary embodiments, there is a dis-

  receiving positive 11 in the form of a plastic cable channel; at predetermined intervals from the

  reception 11, a socket is provided each time 12. The location-

  ment of the socket 12 depends on the connector 13 made as an element

  connector on the motor vehicle for example

  a valve connection connector as well as

cement of the whole itself.

  Thus, the sockets 12 must be associated above

  to allow connection and compensate for association tolerances by setting the position of the socket 12 in the receiving device 11. The connection of the socket

  12 is done each time via a return orifice

  ception 14 made in the bottom 16 in the form of a support element

  wearing the receiving device 11.

  The receiving device 11, elongated, of substantially rectangular section, has parallel side walls 17 extending from the bottom plate 16 and which are connected at least partially by a cover 18 in the form of a closure element pivotally provided on the minus one of

side walls 17.

  Usually, the socket 12 contains in a housing 19 made of ulastic material, contact elements 21 which are only partially shown; when the connection is closed, these contact elements are connected to elements of

connector opposite contacts 13.

  According to FIG. 1, in the first example of a reaction

  connector, the connector 13 is partially shown.

  look of it there is a contact segment 22 frontal-

  ment open as part of the socket 12. A reception area 23 of the contact segment 22 is delimited by branches of

  guide 24 opening in the form of a funnel in the direction of the

  nector 13 and facilitating the installation of the connector 13 and

from outlet 12.

  The contact segment 22 continues on the side opposite to the connector 13 by the other part of the socket 12, by a segment.

  connecting piece 26 made with a narrowed shape in re-

  gard of the contact segment 22 and in which are connected in a manner not shown in more detail, the various cables of a cable bundle 28 with the contact elements

  19 inside 28 of the receiving device 11.

  Between the contact segment 22 and the connection segment 26, a peripheral shoulder 29 is formed. The socket 12 penetrates practically completely with the connection segment 26 through the receiving opening 14 of the bottom 16, to reach the interior 27 of socket 12; the shoulder

  29 whose external dimension is less than the movement play-

  ment that the internal dimension of the receiving orifice 14

  arrives in the axial direction, depending on the movement of ap-

  close between socket 12 and connector 13, practically up to

  0 than in the receiving orifice 14.

  The socket 12 is connected by two link arms 32 to the receiving device 11. The mounting arms 32 are provided

  on the opposite sides of the housing 19 from the socket 12 and extending

  tooth in the axial direction, practically over the entire branch segment 26. They pass: in the radial direction as it appears in FIG. 2, being bent in the shape of an inverted S up to the base branches 33 provided on each side of

  the receiving orifice 14; these branches are directed axially-

  protruding from the bottom 16 as shown in the figure

gure 1.

  The curved geometry of these fixing arms 32

  resiliently formable allows compensation movements

  of socket 12 due to junction tolerances with the connector

  nector 13 in the directions shown schematically by the double arrow-

  3 che cross 34 (Figure 2) and the rotational movements in

this plan.

  Starting from the receiving orifice 14, the bottom 16 comprises, following the basic branches 33, each time a

  bottom ripple 36 constituting a deformable zone. At ni-

  calf of the bottom corrugation 36, the thickness of the bottom 16 is

pick.

  In addition, in the covers 18 connected by injec-

  tion to the bottom plate 16 as shown in my-

  nier more detailed in Figures 6 to 8, these covers are connected to the bottom 16 each time by a hinge in the form of

  film 31 appearing in FIGS. 7, 8.

  The covers 18 can be removed from the posi-

  tion opening shown in Figure 7 in a position of

  closure shown in Figure 8 and in which the cover

  key is fixed by latching elements; the beam of

  cables 28 is thus held in place in the retaining device

ception 11.

  When each cover 18 is closed, the fixing branches 38 appearing laterally on each connector 12 in FIGS. 3 to 14, come into engagement with the lugs 39 of the cover 18 which have a double wall in this area. The connection by the shape of the fixing branches 38, in -, the axial direction, in the lugs 39 makes it possible to absorb the plugging and traction forces at the connector 12

  and thus free the fixing arms 32.

  In addition, Figures 1, 2 and 5 show branches

  support plates 41, visible on the cover 18. This snap connection, not shown in detail, according to FIG. 5, can be freely connected to the fixing elements 42 of the bottom.

  6, cover 18 and fcnd 16. The connection evacuates the ef-

  axial strong which act at the time of closing the container

  connection on connector 12 in addition to cover 18 and

  transfers these forces to support ribs 43 (Figure 1) ap-

  oppressed against the front face of the closing segment 26 of the

  connector 12, to induce them in the bottom plate 16.

  Such a socket 12 thus housed in the device

  receiver 11 is able to compensate for the tolerances of liai-

  3; sound with the connector 13 in particular by displacements inside the receiving device 11 in the directions of the arrow arrows 34 and moreover to evacuate the connection and traction forces exerted on the socket 12 in the frame

  flexibility of the cover 18, elastically towards the bottom 16.

  According to the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the secmen: of connection 26 of the socket 12 comprises at the free end, a cavity formed by a cap

  chon 51 which overflows peripherally on the res-

  aunt of the connecting segment 26.

  The cap 51 and the remaining part of the connection segment 26 have an oval surface section because of the two receiving chambers 52 juxtaposed and belonging to

  contact elements not shown here.

  The cap 51 has an edge which tapers towards the free end by a ramp 53 of conical shape. The ramp 53 joins on the side opposite the free end, a radial shoulder 54 ensuring the return to the dimensions of the remaining part

of the connection segment 26.

  The receiving opening 14 of the bottom 16 continues inwards 27, by zone along two fastening elements

  56 perpendicular and oppcpated to the bottom plate 16, for-

  ú0 first of all following its! free flavor. In the end zone of the fastening members 56, i! there are hooks 57 turned one

  towards each other and which reduce the free width. The underside

  of the hooks 57 turned towards the receiving orifice 14 comprises bearing surfaces 59 turned towards one another,! 5 having a fillet 58 each time turned towards the interior volume

  27 and descending at an angle to the upper op-

  posed, towards the receiving orifice 31 For mounting, take the socket 12 with the

  ramp 53 first through the receiving orifice 14 until

  until the ramp 53 meets the hooks 57. The ramp 53 is dimensioned to continue to slide along the fillet 58

  during the introductory movement, then remembers elastic-

  only in the radial direction for the fixing member 56.

  At the end of the introductory movement, when the

  ramp 53 has passed the leave -R ies fasteners 56 com-

  begin to return and thus arrive more and more under the shoulder 54. The edge 6: of the shoulder 54 slides on the passage towards the ramp 53 on the bearing surface 59, so that the grip 12 is still slightly moved inward 27 until the shoulder 29 comes to rest against the bottom 16. The residual restoring force of the fastening members 56 results in a relative prestress of the socket 12 in the receiving device II authorizing sliding

  longitudinal and transverse as well as downward movements

  bearing of the socket 12 without play by displacement of the edge 61 on the bearing surfaces 59 while retaining the holding pressure.

  The third example of embodiment according to the fig-

  res 11 to 13 has on socket 12 near the shoulder-

  ment 29, arms forming pedestals 71 projecting radially by

  with respect to connection segment 26. As shown in figure

  gure 11, the bottom 16 includes insertion guides 72 for

  cevoir the base arms 7 '; these guides have a U-shaped groove and their open end is each time adjacent to the receiving orifice 14. The socket 12 can slide from the side at the level of the base arms 71 in the insertion guides 72. ú0 The bottom 16 comprises, after the insertion guides 72, flexible springs 73 formed in the form of plastic arms provided with curved, plate-shaped reference points which protrude into the mounting volume of the socket. 12 in the receiving device 11; the extremities

  free, when socket 12 is engaged, lean with one year

  High pitch against the connecting segment 26 and thus fix a socket 12 with radial elasticity, within the limits of the

  radial clearance of the arms 71 in the insertion guides 72.

  When the cover 18 is put in place on the bottom 16, two other elastic arms 74 provided on the connection segment 26 of the socket 12 and which appear in the figure

  12 are applied with pretension against the inner wall

  of the cover 18 and support the socket 12 in the direction

  tion and thus perpendicular to the spring of

bending 73.

  This changes the position of the plug to

  inside the receiving device within the limits of the elastic-

  bending springs 73 and arms 74 by cooperating with the movement of the arms forming bases 71 in the

  insertion guides 72 to compensate for the tolerances of the connector

tor 13 in mounting position.

  According to Figures 14 to 16, the fourth embodiment includes a socket 12 which slides with the connection segment 26 through the receiving opening 14 of the bottom 16 in the receiving device 11. On one side, on the bottom 16, it is provided as placed in elastomer, a plate in

  rubber 82 provided with a cutout 83; the cutout 83 is

  centered at the receiving orifice 14. The free opening of the cutout 83 is dimensioned so that the connection segment 26 of the socket 12 can pass with its free end and

  with play, when it is placed in the device

  receiver 11. In the remainder of the connection segment 26, the external dimensions of the latter are widened in an increasing manner by a peripheral attack surface 84, which increases

  continuously and the end of which ends in a shoulder

  peripheral latching 86, directed radially. The part which remains of the connection segment 26 up to the shoulder 29 has external dimensions corresponding to those of the free end of the connection segment 26, so that this part, in relation to the axial limitations, on the one hand l latching shoulder 86 and on the other hand

  the shoulder 29 has the shape of a peripheral groove 87.

  If one continues the movement of introduction of the connection segment 26 into the receiving device 11, the

  cavity 83 is widened increasingly by the contact surface

  tack 84 until the attachment shoulder 86 has passed the cavity 83 and the rubber plate 82 has returned to the groove 87 by elastic return and that at the same time the shoulder 29 has come to bear externally against the

  bottom 16. The socket 12 is thus resiliently housed in the dis-

positive receptor 11.

  Depending on the pressure exerted by the rubber plate 82, the plug 12 can be slid longitudinally and transversely relative to the receiving device 11. It

  it is also possible in this context to rotate or

click the connector 12.

  There was thus produced a receiving device 11 for

  an electrical outlet 12 which, according to the first exemplary embodiment

  sation includes a socket 12 already integrated in manufacturing in

  the receiving device 11 while in the second to fourth

  third embodiment, socket 12 is mounted in the

  receiving device 11 in the form of a separate component.

  The general advantage of the exemplary embodiments is that the installation of several sockets 12 at predetermined intervals in a receiving device 11 in the form of a cable channel, at predetermined intervals, is done in order to be coupled to a connector 13 secured to 'a fixed assembly, the link being adjustable in position; this makes it possible to compensate for the differences in association; after plugging in all

  components, there are no unacceptable internal constraints

  of the connection system. This avoids corrosion by friction between the contact elements 21 and the counter-contact elements, joined together, which can occur in the case of fixed seats of the contacts stressed by vibrations. Reliable deterioration of operation resulting from this is reliably avoided

  ! 0 of an increase in the resistance of passage between the elements

  contact elements 21 and opposite contact elements or even

  connection failures thanks to the installation of

  ception 11 with an electrical outlet 12, these drawbacks being avoided in the initial conditions, reliably in a

motor vehicle.

RE V E N D I C A T I ON S

  1) Receiver device comprising at least one electrical outlet

  that (12) whose contact elements (21) can be connected

  reversibly in the direction of plugging in

  opposite contact elements of a connector (13) for making an electrical connection, characterized in that the receiving device (11) and / or at least one socket (12), bearing elements (16, 32, 38, 39 ; 51, 56; 71, 72, 73, 74; 29 82, 86), which after association of

  the socket (12) and the receiving device (11) and in the po-

  operating position of the socket 12, in which it is connected to at least one connector (13), opposite, of position

  fixed, the socket (12) and the receiving device (11) are movable

them relative to each other.

  2) receiver device according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiver device (11) comprises two or more sockets (12) each capable of being connected to a connector (13), the connectors (13) being at least provided on one or more

  fixed, rigid vehicle assemblies.

  3) Receiving device according to claim 2, characterized in that the receiving device (11) is in the form of a cable channel of

preferably plastic.

  4) Receiving device according to claim 3, characterized in that

  the device comprises a bottom (16) as a multiple bearing element

  nor receiving orifices (14) for receiving the socket (12).

   ) Receiving device according to claim 4, characterized in that the bearing elements are made in the form of link arms (32) elastically deformable on a housing (19) of each socket (12), these arms bearing at least directly against the bearing plate (16) and absorb the movements of

  the socket (12) in a plane perpendicular to the direction of

  file and this plate has at least curved parts

in the direction of support.

* 6) receiving device according to claim 5, characterized in that

  the bottom plate (16) has elastically deformed zones

  mables according to their longitudinal course preferably in the form of bottom corrugations (36) which are mounted each time

  preferably symmetrically with respect to the receiving orifice

  tion (14) and in its vicinity to absorb the movements of

tilting of the socket (12).

  7) Receiving device according to claim 6, characterized by lugs (39) provided on the one hand on the housing (19) under the

  form of fixing branches (38) constituting other elements

  bearing elements and on the other hand on the receiving device (11), legs which penetrate by a connection by the form in

  the fixing branches (38) and receive the end forces

  chage and traction applied to the socket (12).

  8) Receiving device according to claim 4, characterized in that the bearing elements are made in the form of elements

  fixing (56) provided on the one hand on a housing (19) of each

  that taken (12) with a cavity (51) and on the other hand in the di-

  reception rection (11), when the socket (12) is engaged in the receiving device (11), these cavities (51), pressing against opposite bearing surfaces (59), descending at an angle towards the orifice of receiving (14) on the fixing member (56) with a peripheral edge (61), by a force connection, allowing the grip (12) to change position by

  longitudinal and transverse sliding.

  9) Receiving device according to claim 8, characterized in that

  the cavity is in the form of a frustoconical cap (51). ) Receiving device according to claim 4, characterized in that

  the bearing elements are produced on the one hand in the form of base arms (71) radially projecting from a housing (19) of each socket (12) and on the other hand at the bottom (16), insertion guides (72) at least partially surrounding

  the ends of the arms (71), perpendicularly in the di-

  rection of insertion as well as flexion springs (73) bearing with prestress against the housing (19) of the

socket (12).

  11) Receiving device according to claim 10, characterized in that

  as another bearing element preferably positioned perpetually

  specifically to the bending spring (73), the housing (19) of each of the sockets (12) has elastic arms (74) which

  bear against the inner wall of the cover (18) itself

even connected to the bottom (16).

  12) Receiving device according to claim 4, characterized in that

  the bearing elements consist on the one hand of a shoulder

  Lement (29) preferably peripheral on each socket (12), between a contact segment (22) and a connection segment (26) narrowed compared to the previous one, and on the other hand by a hooking shoulder (86) planned beyond in the segment of

  connection (26), and against which rests as another element

  bearing, an elastomer plate (82) which rests

  tre the inner side of the bottom (16) and supports the shoulder (29)

  externally against the bottom (16).

  13) Receiving device according to claim 12, characterized in that

  the elastomer plate is a rubber plate (82).