GB2371152A

GB2371152A - A swivelable housing and contact assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2371152A
Application number: GB0101003A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Geary
Original assignee: Volex Group PLC
Current assignee: Volex PLC
Priority date: 2001-01-15
Filing date: 2001-01-15
Publication date: 2002-07-17
Also published as: GB0101003D0; ITRM20020017A0; ITRM20020017A1

Abstract

A connector device for an electrical wiring harness for a vehicle comprises an L-shaped housing (2) connected through respective swivel joints (3 and 4) at opposite ends respectively to respective electrical connections (1 and 5) each comprising a plurality of electrical contacts. A cable (6) is connected between the electrical contacts of the electrical connectors. The device facilities the connection of different parts of the harness particularly in positions having restricted access.

Description

A CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a connector assembly for an electrical wiring system and particularly, but not exclusively for vehicle wiring harnesses.

The increasing complexity of vehicle wiring harnesses requires the interconnection of different parts of the overall harness often in positions having restricted access and/or requiring manipulation of those different parts. This can lead to increased assembly times. In the worst cases, interconnection may be extremely difficult if not impossible to achieve.

Where interconnection is possible, undue stress may be placed on the connection leading to the development of electrical faults in the harness. It is an object of the present invention to overcome or mitigate these problems.

According to the present invention, there is provided a connector for an electrical wiring system having at least two members, first member comprising a connector having a number of contacts, and a second member comprising a housing for housing a cable connected to the connector and attached by means of a swivel joint to the first member.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, there are two connectors respectively connected through swivel joints to the housing. The housing may be L-shaped, the swivel joints then being at right angles to one another. Alternatively, two L-shaped housings may be joined together

through a swivel joint and the two connectors connected through respective swivel joints to the free ends of the two connected housings. These respective swivel joints are then disposed parallel to each other. In a modified version of this alternative, an extension conduit is connected between the two housings rather than the two housings being directly connected together. A cable runs through the or each housing and conduit and is connected to each connector. The swivel joints, housings and extension conduit is moulded from synthetic plastics material. Connector contacts are made from electrically conductive material such a copper or aluminium.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a 90o universal connector assembly, Figure 1a shows a partial cross sectional view through the connector assembly of Figure 1, Figure 1 b shows an end elevational view of a connector forming part of the assembly of Figure 1, Figure 2 diagrammatically shows a 180o universal connector assembly, and Figure 3 diagrammatically shows a modified form of the connector assembly shown in Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1, 1a and 1b the connector assembly comprises a first member in the form of an electrical connector 1 and a second member comprising an L-shaped housing 2 for housing a cable 6 (see Figure 1 a) connected to the connector. The housing 2 is connected by means of a swivel joint 3, the construction of which is more clearly shown in the cross sectional view shown in Figure la, to the connector 1. As can be seen from Figure 1a, the joint 3 comprises channels 3a and 3b which receive complementary adjacent respective projections la and 2a of the connector 1 and housing 2.

Cable 6 comprises four individual cable elements, only two 6a and 6b of which are shown, the remaining two elements being hidden in Figure 1 a behind elements 6a and 6b. These four elements lead to respective contacts 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d, all shown in the end elevational view of Figure 1b.

The joint 3 enables the connector 1 to be rotated through 360o relative to the housing 2, so as to present electrical contacts in the connector 1 at any point on that 3600 circle for connection to corresponding electrical contacts in a complementary connector (not shown) in the remainder of the wiring harness of which the assembly forms part. The housing 2 is connected by means of a further swivel joint 4 at its other end to a further connector 5 to which the cable 6 is connected at its other end. Again this enables that connector 5 and therefore contacts in it to be

rotated to any point within the 360o circle for connection to a corresponding part of the remainder of the wiring harness. Each connector 1,5 comprises an integrally moulded catch 8 operative to retain the connector, once engaged with a mating part (not shown) on that part.

Figure 2 shows an alternative arrangement. In this arrangement two connectors 21 and 25 are provided as before. These connectors are respectively connected to two housings 22 and 27 through respective swivel joints 23 and 24. These housings 22 and 27 are connected to each other through a further swivel joint 28 which enables the two housings to rotate with respect to one another through 3600. The swivel joints 23 and 24 enable connectors 21 and 25 respectively to rotate through 3600 with respect to the housings 22 and 27 to which they are connected. The construction of the swivel joints 23,24 and 28 is the same as that of joints 3 and 4 in the first embodiment. Also, a cable extends through the housings 22 and 27 and is connected at opposite ends to respective connectors 21 and 25. Each connector 21 and 25 may therefore be rotated through 3600 with respect to the housings 22 and 27 affording the flexibility of connection for each connector described in relation to the first embodiment.

Figure 3 shows a still further embodiment. The connector assembly of this embodiment is an extended version of that shown in Figure 2.

Connectors 31 and 35 are connected to two housings 32 and 37 through

swivel joints 33 and 34 respectively as before. An extension conduit 40 is connected between housing 32 and 37 and connected respectively thereto through further swivel joints 41 and 42. A cable (not shown) is connected between the connectors 31 and 35 extending through the housings 32 and 37 and extension conduit 40. In other respects the assembly is the same as that of Figure 2.

The housings, joints and bodies of the connectors may be moulded from any synthetic plastics material and the contacts of the connectors may be made of any suitable electrically conducting material.

It will be appreciated that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A connector device for an electrical wiring system having at least two members, first member comprising a connector having a number of contacts, and a second member comprising a housing for housing a cable connecting to the connector and attached by means of a swivel joint to the first member.
2. A connector device as claimed in claim 1, in which the housing is attached to a further member comprising a further connector having a number of contacts by means of a further swivel joint.
3. A connector device as claimed in claim 2, in which the housing is L shaped and the swivel joints are arranged transversely to each other.
4. A connector device as claimed in claim 3, in which the swivel joints are arranged transversely to each other.
5. A connector device as claimed in claim 1, in which the housing is connected to a second housing through a swivel joint and a further connector having a number of contacts is connected through a further swivel joint to the free end of the second housing.
6. A connector device as claimed in claim 5, in which both housings are L-shaped.
7. A connector device as claimed in claim 5 and 6, in which the swivel joints connecting respective connectors to respective housings are

arranged parallel to each other.
8. A connector device as claimed in claims 5, 6 and 7, in which an extension conduit is connected between the first and second housing.
9. A connector device as claimed in any of claims 2 to 8, in which the cable is connected to the further connector.
10. A connector device as claimed in any preceding claims, in which the or each swivel joint is moulded from synthetic plastics material.
11. A connector device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the or each housing is moulded from synthetic plastics material.
12. A connector device as claimed in claim 8, or in claims 9,10 or 11 when appendant directly or indirectly to claim 8, in which the extension is moulded from synthetic plastics material.
13. A connector device for an electrical wiring system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1,1 a and 1 b, or to Figures 2 or to Figure 2 with the modification of Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.