GB2341986A - A connector mountable in a plurality of positions on a housing - Google Patents

Abstract

An assembly 2 comprises a housing 4 and a connector 6. The connector 6 is separate from but mountable on the housing 4 in a plurality of predetermined positions as each has positioning members 32. The positioning members 32 may be cooperating studs and holes which allow the connector 6 to be located around the perimeter of the housing 4. The connector 6 can be electrically connected to the housing 4 via a supple cable. The connector 6 may have IDC blades to allow connection to the cable. It is suggested that the housing 4 be the housing of a motor or similar device.

Description

2341986 CONNECTOR FOR AIN ELECTRICAL MOTOR This invention relates to an

electrical connector assembly for an electrical motor.

Certain electrical motors have a moulded plastic end cap or housing that receives a circuit board or a stamped and formed metal grid that interconnects the various conductors and components inside the motor to an electrical connector assembled or formed on the housing, for connection to external signal and power conductors. When installed, many motors require orientation in a specific position relative to the device that is being driven. In certain applications, for example, electrical motors for windscreen wipers, the Motor is positioned in. a space with limited access for connection of the external cable. The access to electrical motors in different vehicle models often requires the electrical connector on the motor to be adapted to the specific requirements, in particular, the position of the connector on the housing or cover of the motor. The modification of the cover and circuit board or stamped and formed grid that interconnects to the connector is expensive. It would be desirable to provide a more costeffective electrical interconnection to an electrical motor that is more versatile, in particular, that takes into account the different access requirements, for example, to adapt to the different requirements of different vehicle models.

objects of this invention have been achieved by providing the electrical connector assembly for an electrical motor according to claim 1. Disclosed herein is an electrical connector assembly comprising a first housing (or cover part) for assembly on an electrical motor or similar device, and an electrical connector comprising a second housing and electrical terminals mounted therein for connection to external conductors such as an automobile wiring harness, the terminals further comprising a connection portion for connection to conductors of the electrical motor, wherein the connector is a separate component from the first housing and securely mountable on the first housing, the first housing and connector having complementary positioning members for locating the connector with respect to the first housing, the first housing being provided with a plurality of positioning members such that the connector is mountable to the first housing in a plurality of different positions. Advantageously therefore, the first housing and the electrical interconnections to the motor can be manufactured with the same design for motors having different access requirements thereby reducing the cost of the interconnection assembly of the electrical motor to eXLernal signal and power conductors.

The connector may be connected to the circuit board, or stamped grid, or other electrical connections of the motor by a supple cable, for example a flexible ribbon - cable or a multi-wire round cable, cable or a flat extending between the connector and motor connection terminals held in the first housing. The positioning means may be arranged around an outer edge of the motor cover and the connector positioned thereon to face radially outwards from the first housing, the connector comprising pluggable contact sections for plugging connection with an external connector. The connection section of the connector may also be provided with IDC contact sections for termination to wires of the flexible cable. The positioning members may for example comprise complementary studs and holes provided on the connector or first housing, the connector housing being bonded to the cover, for example by fusion of the plastic interface or by interference fit between the studs and holes.

An embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the 5 accompanying drawings, in which:- Figures 13 are perspective views of the connector assembly according to this invention, the connector being mounted on the cover and shown in diffe-rent positions in the respective figures, and Figure 4 is a pe-rspective view of the connector of the assembly shown in figures 1-3.

Referring to the figures, in particular figure 1, a connector assembly 2 comprises a cover or first housing 4 for mounting on an electrical motor, and a connector 6 for connecting the motor to external conductors, for example, wire conductors of an electrical harness in a vehicle. The cover 4 is assembled to a base or body portion 7 Of the electrical motor, the cover 4 and base 7 enclosing a printed circuit board or a stamped and formed circuit grid that distributes and interconnects the power and signal connections of the harness to the electrical circuitry of the electrical motor. The assembly 2 and base 8 are assembled to the end of an electrical motor that has a roughly cylindrical shape, and in this particular instance, the motor is for use in an automobile, for example, for driving the windscreen wipers.

In order to reduce costs, it is typical to utilise the same electrical motor for many vehicle models. Different models,however, have different space constraints, different positioning of the windscreen wiper and different electrical harnesses. Therre is typically a restricted angle of access for plugging of the harness connector to the electrical motor and, therefore depending on the vehicle model,the position of the electrical connector on the motor should be adapted to facilitate access for plugging by the harness connector. In conventional designs, the connector of the motor for external connection is typically part of the cover or base, and the cover and stamped and formed grid or circuit board are adapted according to the access requirements. This is, however, an expensive procedure, as new tooling for manufacturing of the cover and interconnections are necessary for each different access requirement.

In the present invention, the connector 6 is provided as a separate component from the cover 4 and securely mountable thereto in a plurality of positions, such that the cover and electrical motor interconnect ions remain unchanged, whereas the position of the connector on the cover can be modified in a simple manner by assembling the connector thereon in the required position.

The connector 6 is provided with ahousing 8 having a plurality of terminals 10 mounted therein,the terminals having connection sections 12 for interconnection to the electrical motor, and plugging contact sections 14 for connection to a wiring harness or external conductors for connection to the motor. Thehousing 8 includes a pluggable mating portion 16 comprising a shroud or housing portion 18 surrounding the contact sections 14 for pluggably receiving or mating with a complementary connector terminated to the wiring harness. In this embodiment, the contact portions of the terminals are in the form of tabs. The connection portions 12 are in the embodiment shown provided with insulation displacement contact (IDC) blades 19 having slots 20 for receiving insulated wires therein and contacting the inner conducting cores by displacement of the outer insulating layer (i.e. cutting through the outer insulating layer). The wires for connection to the IDC blades 19 may, for example, form part of a supple cable that extend between the connector 6 and 3S interconnection portion 22 of the cover 4, that may also comprise IDC contact blades mounted either on the printed circuit board or extending from the stamped and formed interconnection grid of the motor, such that the terminals 10 of the connector are inter-connected to the circuitry of 5 the motor.

Various connection sections may be provided, for example, the IDC blades 19 may be oriented in an orthogonal manner to the orientation shown in figure 4 such that a flat ribbon cable may be connected in a single termination operation, as in conventional interconnection systems for ribbon cables or flat flexible cables.

The connector 6 may be pre-terminated to a cable prior to mounting on the cover 4 such that termination of the cable to the connector can be effected in a simple automated manner in a remote location from the production of the motor. The other end of the cable may,for example,be provided with a connector that plugs onto a complementary connector interface defined by the connector portion 22 for rapid assembly.

The connector housing 8 further comprises a mounting portion 24 in the form of a substantially planar platform for resting against an outer major mounting surface 26 of the cover 4 which generally defines an end face roughly orthogonal to the axis of the electrical motor. The connector 6 is mountable along an outer edge 28 of the mounting surface 26 such that the mating portion 16 projects beyond the outer edge or peripheral side walls 29 of the cover. Positioning or locating members are provided between the connector 6 and the cover 4 in the form of studs projecting below the mounting portion 24 of the connector that engage in complementary holes 32 of the cover 4. It is possible to provide many other locating member shapes and sizes, the purpose being to securely locate and position the connector 6 on the cover. Although the studs on the connector 6 are not shown in the drawings, it may be understood that in this particular instance a pair of short cylindrically shaped studs project below the lower surface 34 of the mounting portion 24 for insertion into the complementary holes 32 in the cover.

The positioning members of the cover (in this case the holes 32) are positioned proximate the edge 28. A plurality of the holes 32 are provided around the edge or periphery of the cover such that the connector can be positioned around the periphery of the cover in a plurality of different positions as shown with respect to figures 1-3, whereby the connector mating interface 16 projects at different positions and angles from the electrical motor. As a supple cable interconnects the connector 6 to the cover interconnection portion 22, the interconnection is not affected by the position of the connector around the periphery of the cover 4. The connector 6 may be securely attached to the cover 4 in a variety of manners, for example, the interengaging studs and holes 32 may be provided with an interference fit fo mechanical retention, or the cover and connector housings, which are,for example, injection moulded from plastic, may be bonded by melting the plastic interface therebetween (for example, ultrasonic welding) or by a separate mechanical element, such as, a rivet. A particularly cost-effective connection assembly for an electrical motor is thus provided whilst enabling various connector outlet positions to be adopted.

Claims (6)

1 An electrical connector assembly comprising a first housing or cover for assembly on an electrical motor or similar device, and an electrical connector comprising a second housing and electrical terminals mounted therein for connection to external conductors, the terminals comprising connection portions for connection to the device, wherein the connector is a separate component from the first housing and is mountable on the first housing, the first housing and connector have complementary positioning members for locating the connector with respect to the first housing, and the first housing has a plurality of positioning members such that the connector is mountable to the first housing in a plurality of different positions.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector is interconnected to a connection portion on the first housing, which is interconnectable to electrical circuitry of the device, by a supple cable.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the connector connection portions of the terminals comprise IDC blades for connection to insulated conducting wires of the supple cable.

4. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the complementary positioning members are complementary interengaging studs and holes for locating the connector on the first housing, a plurality of the holes or studs being positioned proximate and along a periphery of the first housing such that the connector can be positioned around the periphery at different positions and different angles.

5. The assembly of any one of the preceding claims wherein the second 25 housing of the connector comprises a mating portion for releasable plugging connection with a complementary connector, and a mounting portion in the form of a platform having a mounting surface receivable against a major outer surface of the first housing or cover.

6. An electrical connector assembly constructed and arranged 30 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.