WO2007095991A1

WO2007095991A1 - Apparatus for producing an electrical connection

Info

Publication number: WO2007095991A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/012592
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ulrich Konzelmann; Frank Weichert
Original assignee: Magcode Ag
Priority date: 2006-02-22
Filing date: 2006-12-29
Publication date: 2007-08-30
Also published as: DE102006008531A1

Abstract

An apparatus for producing an electrical connection between two parts, in particular vehicle parts, which can pivot in relation to one another about an axis is provided with at least one hinge, which has a first hinge part and a second hinge part, wherein the two hinge parts are connected to one another via at least one connecting element, and wherein the two parts are each provided with power lines and/or signal lines. A plurality of contact elements are provided in each case on the first hinge part and the second hinge part, wherein the contact elements, which each interact as contact pairs for the electrical connection, are each arranged with respect to one another and formed such that in each case individual preselected electrical connections, which can be controlled individually via the contact pairs, can be produced for the contact pairs independently of the other electrical connections for various pivoting positions of the two parts in relation to one another.

Description

Device for producing an electrical

connection

The invention relates to a device for producing an electrical connection between two pivotable about an axis parts, in particular vehicle parts, via at least one hinge having a first hinge part and a second hinge part, wherein both hinge parts are interconnected via at least one connecting member and wherein the both hinge parts are each provided with power and / or signal lines.

A device of this kind is described, for example, in WO 2005/027279 A1. The prior art device is intended for pivotal parts of vehicles, such as vehicle doors, hoods or tailgates. In particular, in the connection of a tailgate with the vehicle frame a variety of power and signal cables are required, which must be performed by the vehicle frame in the tailgate. This applies, for example, for brake and tail lights, for license plate lights, interior lighting, taillights and the like. In practice, ten, twenty or even more line connections may be required. For line connection so far solid wiring, some with pressure or pin contacts are provided, wherein a wire harness is provided with a plurality of cables for the transmission of a vehicle part to the other vehicle part.

Due to the pivoting movement of a part of the wiring harness must be laid with appropriate game. A disadvantage is that there is the risk of damage and even breakage of cables by the pivoting movement. In addition, there are sealing problems. Due to penetrating moisture it can lead to corrosion and failure of individual or more connecting lines.

A major disadvantage of the previously known types of electrical connection is also that the assembly is relatively complex and cumbersome. When mounting the vehicle, for example, a door or a tailgate can not be installed after pre-assembly, for example, with an interior trim, in finished or semi-finished state, but it must first be laid and used the harness and only then the corresponding interior trim of Door or tailgate to be attached. This also means that the wiring harness can only be mounted on the so-called main assembly line and that to be attached to the vehicle or the vehicle frame part, such as the door or the tailgate, also be completed only on the main assembly line.

The present invention is therefore based on the object to provide a device for producing an electrical connection of the type mentioned above, on the one hand, a plurality of different power and / or signal lines between two pivotally or movably arranged parts, in particular vehicle parts, without the disadvantages of the prior art are possible and on the other hand, a simplification of the installation is created.

According to the invention this object is achieved by the features mentioned in the characterizing part of claim 1.

By means of the device according to the invention, a large number of electrical connection lines can be produced between the two parts with a small space requirement. In addition, cable harnesses with their disadvantages can be omitted in this way. A significant advantage of the device according to the invention is that a considerable ease of assembly is achieved. In contrast to the previous connection devices and connection methods, both parts, in particular in the case of vehicle parts with a door or a tailgate, can be completely pre-assembled. Both parts can then be connected via a link, z. B. are connected to each other by inserting an axle pin in the hinge, since the contact elements are already provided in the hinge parts. It is then only necessary to install or provide connection plugs and sockets for a respective forwarding of the power or signal line.

An advantageous design solution may consist in that one of the two hinge parts is provided with at least one bearing shaft and the other hinge part with at least one bearing block, wherein the contact elements are arranged in the at least one bearing shaft or in the at least one bearing block.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention can be provided that the first hinge part is provided with at least one tab having at least one Achsbohrung through which an axle pin is guided as a connecting member which is mounted in the at least designed as a bearing eye bearing shaft of the first hinge part, wherein in the at least one bearing eye a plurality of axially adjacent contact elements are provided which cooperate with contact elements, which are arranged in at least one bearing block, in which the at least one bearing eye is mounted.

In this case, in the peripheral wall of the at least one bearing eye Contact elements may be arranged in the form of sliding contacts, which cooperate so elastically with contact elements in the bearing block, that either the contact elements with the sliding contacts and / or the contact elements are formed resiliently in the bearing block.

One of the main advantages of this embodiment is that the contact elements can be individually designed so that - depending on the specification - in one end position, in both end positions and / or in intermediate positions or during the entire pivoting range of the pivoting of the two vehicle parts to each other one Contacting the contact elements for electrical connection results.

This means that the individual power and / or signal connections can be individually switched or controlled. For example, it can be ensured that a connection to a rear window wiper, which is located in the tailgate, is interrupted when opening the tailgate, whereby the rear window wiper is disabled.

Likewise, it is also possible to leave power and / or signal connections in both end positions for, for example, important functions, such as tail lights. Of course, switching connections for intermediate positions or also over the entire pivoting range are possible in this way.

The elastic connection via appropriately designed contact elements can be done in various ways. Thus, for example spring elements can be provided for this purpose, which extend circumferentially along the bearing point of the bearing block over at least a portion of the pivoting movement extend.

Of course, elastic embodiments of the bearings and / or the bearing eye or the contact elements in the bearing eyes are possible here.

By this configuration, on the one hand, a resilient contact pressure between the respective cooperating contact elements and thus a good electrical connection is created.

The contact elements in the bearing eye can be embedded in the bearing eye, which is possible in a simple manner, in particular in an embodiment of the bearing eye made of plastic, such as introducing the plastic injection process.

In this embodiment, the arranged in the bearing block contact elements can be sealed together with the contact elements in the bearing eye to the outside by at least one sealing member, whereby a dust and moisture-proof seal is achieved.

As can be seen, the electrical and mechanical connection between a fixed and a rotatable part or between two relatively rotatable or pivotable parts are combined or integrated in a device with the device according to the invention. The mechanical connection also serves for coupling or transmission of the electrical connection.

Advantageous developments and refinements emerge from the remaining subclaims and from the exemplary embodiment described in principle with reference to the drawing. It shows :

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention (partially in section) for establishing an electrical connection via a hinge with a rotatable and a fixed hinge part in an end position.

FIG. 2 shows the device according to FIG. 1 in a perspective view in the other end position; FIG.

Figures each have a side view with two as

3 to 8 contact pair cooperating contact elements in different contact or connection positions;

9 shows a hinge part with two bearing seats provided with seals, in which contact elements are formed in a perspective view; and

Fig. 10 shows the hinge part of Fig. 8 with inserted tab and a hole for a pivot pin.

The exemplary embodiment of a device for producing an electrical connection shown below relates to a vehicle part on which a tailgate is pivotally mounted. Of course, however, the device according to the invention can also be used for the connection of other pivotally arranged parts, in which power or signal lines between the two pivotable parts are provided.

To a pivoting of a tailgate 1 (see a partial dashed line illustration of the tailgate in Fig. 2) and a vehicle part 2, for example a vehicle frame, at least one hinge 3 serves with a first rotatable hinge part 4, which is provided at both axial ends with bearing shafts in the form of bearing eyes 5. The rotatable first hinge part 4 is provided with a plate 6 with holes in the connecting screws 7 are inserted for a screw not shown to the tailgate 1.

With the rotatable first hinge part 4, a fixed second hinge part 8 cooperates, which has a tab 9 with an axial bore 10 extending in the axial direction and in each case a bearing block 11 arranged laterally therefrom.

To produce a pivotable connection of the tailgate 1 to the vehicle part 2, an axle pin 12 is pushed through the holes in the bearing eyes 5 and through the axle hole 10 of the tab 9. The tab 9 and the two bearing blocks are connected in a manner not shown closer to the vehicle part 2.

The function of the axle pin 12 as a link can also be taken as a constructive part of one of the two hinge parts 4 and 8 respectively. Likewise, other links for pivotally connecting the two hinge parts 4 and 8 are possible.

About this principle known hinge connection is now also the electrical connection according to the invention. The integration of the required for this purpose contact lines 13, which are forwarded in a manner not shown via plugs and sockets in the respective vehicle part 2 or the tailgate 1, takes place in the following manner:

Contact elements 14 of the contact lines 13 of the tailgate 1 the axially juxtaposed over the outer circumference of the bearing eyes 5 over a range of, for example, about 180 °. At the front end of each of the circumference of the bearing eye 5 partially wrap contact element 14 this is provided with a contact loop or a sliding contact 15 as a contact point or contact surface.

The sliding contacts 15 of the adjacent contact elements 14 are formed so that they contact, depending on the design and arrangement of contact elements 16 which are inserted into the half-shell-shaped bearings 17 of the two storage chairs 11, these, or at a distance therefrom. The contact elements 16 are elastically formed in the form of spring members and extend over a peripheral region of the bearing 17, which corresponds at least to the pivoting range of the tailgate 1 from one end position 18 to the other end position 19.

From FIGS. 3 to 8, various connection possibilities or contact possibilities for different positions of the tailgate 1 relative to the vehicle part 2 are shown in a schematic diagram.

For example, Fig. 3 shows an embodiment with a contact element 14 with a sliding contact 15 in a bearing eye 5, wherein the sliding contact 15 in the end position 18, which represents the closed position of the tailgate 1, the cooperating contact element 16 to form a contact pair contacted. In this way, the current in the closed position is introduced from the vehicle part 2 into the tailgate 1. The same applies to the other end position 19 when the tailgate 1 is in the open position, since here too, the contact element 16 rests on the outer circumference of the bearing eye 5 and thus the sliding contact 15 in this position can contact (see also Fig. 5).

As can be seen from FIG. 4, the contact element 16 has such a curved shape that no contact with the sliding contact 15 takes place in the intermediate position during the opening movement of the tailgate 1. Due to the at least in both end positions 18 and 19 spring-like configuration of the contact element 16, takes place in both end positions 18 and 19 a contact pressure on the sliding contact 15. The double spring-like design of the Contact element 16 in both the end position 18 and in the end position 19 is achieved by a design with two spring arms 16a and 16b (see Fig. 3). A loop shape of the spring arm 16a, which partially wraps around the bearing eye 5 is chosen so that its continuation 16 extends over the spring arm 16b for power or signal connection partially at least approximately to the course of the spring arm 16a along the peripheral wall of the bearing eye 5 in the opposite direction.

Of course, this spring-like configuration of the contact element 16 with the two spring arms 16a and 16b, to provide a good contact pressure and thus power connection, as well as the design of the contact element 14 with the sliding contact 15 only for example. If necessary, other elastic or spring-like as well as rigid connections are possible here.

6 shows a variant of a contact connection between the sliding contact 15 and the associated contact element 16 in the end position 18, in which the tailgate 1 is in the closed state, in which case in the open state due to the configuration of the contact element 16 in the end position 19th with a corresponding distance to the peripheral wall of the bearing eye 5 no contact with the sliding contact 15 and thus no electrical connection to the tailgate 1 is.

Fig. 7 shows the reverse variant of FIG. 6 with a position of the tailgate 1 in the fully open state and a contact in this end position 19 between the sliding contact 15 and the associated contact element 16. As is further apparent from this figure, however, is due the distance of the contact element 16 from the peripheral wall of the bearing eye 5 in the other end position 18, namely in the closed state of the tailgate 1, no contact and thus no electrical connection instead.

8 shows an alternative embodiment for a contact pair, wherein an electrical contact between the contact element 14 and the contact element 16 via the sliding contact 15 can be made over the entire pivoting range. As can be seen, the first spring arm 16a of the contact element 16 abuts the circumferential wall of the bearing eye 5 over the entire pivoting range, with which the sliding contact 15 is always in contact with the spring arm 16a.

As can be seen from the preceding examples with different contacting options, they can be produced individually or individually for each contact pairing of the plurality of axially adjacent contact elements 14 in the two bearing lugs 5 and the contact elements 16 adjacent to one another in the bearings 17 of the bearing 11. Thus, the most different power or signal line connections can be made individually or individually controlled each without affecting the other connections in a confined space. Figures 9 and 10 show the fixed hinge part 8 with the tab 9 and the two storage chairs 11 with their bearings 17. From Fig. 10 at the same time also shows how these hinge parts on the vehicle part 2 in unspecified manner explained about bearing plates 21 and / or screw are attached. It is also apparent from FIG. 9 that the contact elements inserted in the storage chairs 11 or their bearings 17 are enclosed to the outside by a circumferential sealing member 20.

Thus, the contact elements 14 and 16 are sealed at the same time in the assembled state.

Since the contact elements 16 can be inserted into the bearings 17 before the connection to the rear part 1 and also the contact elements 14 in the two bearing eyes 5, which may for example consist of plastic, injected or can be installed, all electrical connections in the tailgate 1 and in the vehicle part 2 independently wire electrically. Subsequently, the tailgate 1 can be connected to the vehicle part 2 in a simple manner. For this purpose, it is only necessary to insert the tailgate 1 with the movable hinge part 4 attached thereto and the two bearing eyes 5 arranged laterally thereon and the contact elements 14 in the bearings 17 of the two bearing blocks 11. At the same time corresponding to the axially adjacent contact elements 14 associated with the corresponding associated contact elements 16 in the right way. For mechanical connection, it is then only necessary to push the axle pin 12 from one side through the hole in a bearing eye 5, then through the axle hole 10 of the tab 9 and through the other hole in the opposite bearing eye 5, whereby a firm connection at the same time Verschwenkungs- Possibility of the tailgate 1 is given to the vehicle part 2. This means that the tailgate 1 can for example be completely prefabricated and is then connected as a complete unit on the main assembly line to the vehicle part 2 and to the vehicle frame by the hinge 3 pivotally. Further work on power or signal forwarding are then no longer required on either part.

As can be seen, in principle the number of electrical power or signal lines is almost arbitrary. With a higher number of connecting lines, only the axial length of the hinge in the region of the bearing eyes 5 and the storage chairs 11 is correspondingly wider.

Claims

Property claims

1. A device for producing an electrical connection between two mutually pivotable about an axis parts, in particular vehicle parts, via at least one hinge having a first hinge part and a second hinge part, wherein both hinge parts are connected to each other via a connecting member and wherein the two hinge parts respectively are provided with power and / or signal lines, characterized in that in each case on the first hinge part (4) and the second hinge part (8) a plurality of contact elements (14,16) are provided, wherein the contact elements (14,16), each as Collaborate pairs of contacts for power connection, each arranged and designed so that each of the pairs of contacts individually via the contact pairs controllable preselected power connections regardless of the other power connections for different pivotal positions of the two parts (1,2) to each other let set.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that one of the two hinge parts is provided with at least one bearing shaft (5) and the other hinge part with at least one bearing block (11), wherein the contact elements in the at least one bearing shaft (5) or in the at least one bearing block (11) are arranged.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first hinge part (8, 9, 11) is provided with at least one tab (9) which has at least one axle bore (10) through which an axle pin is guided as a connecting member (12), which in the at least one bearing eye (5 ) bearing shaft of the first hinge part (4) is mounted, wherein in the at least one bearing eye (5) a plurality of axially adjacent contact elements (14) are provided which cooperate with contact elements (16) arranged in at least one bearing block (11) are in which the at least one bearing eye (5) is mounted.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, since you rchgekennzeichnet that in the peripheral wall of the at least one bearing eye (5) the contact elements (14) are provided with sliding contacts (15) which cooperate with contact elements (16) in the bearing block (11) elastically so, that either the contact elements (14) with the sliding contacts and / or the contact elements (16) in the bearing block (11) are resilient.

5. The device according to claim 4, since you rchgekennzeichnet that the elastic contacts of the sliding contacts (15) with the contact elements (16) are formed such that - depending on the specification - in an end position (18 or 19), in both end positions (18,19) and / or in intermediate positions or over the entire pivoting range of the two parts (1,2) to each other in each case a contacting of the contact elements (14,16) for electrical connection results.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, since you rchgekennzeichnet that the elastic contact elements (16) have spring members which can be pressed against the sliding contacts (15).

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the elastic contact elements (16) have spring members which extend circumferentially along the bearings (17) of the bearing block (11) over at least a portion of the pivoting movement.

8. The device according to claim 7, since you r chgenkennzei ch net, that the elastic contact elements (16) have spring members which extend circumferentially along the bearing (17) of the bearing block (11) over the entire pivoting range and in this area at least partially to the Sliding contacts (15) are pressed.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the spring members are designed such that in each of the two end positions (18, 19) of the parts (1, 2) there is a resilient contact pressure relative to one another.

Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the spring members each comprise a spring arm (16a) extending over a part of the circumference of the bearing (17) up to a contact point in an end region (18 or 19) and one the second spring arm (16b) adjoining the first spring arm (16a) and bent from the other end position (19) in a loop shape at least at and partially extending in the direction of the first spring arm (16a).

11. The device according to claim 3, wherein the contact elements arranged in the at least one bearing eye are embedded in the bearing eye.

12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the at least one bearing eye (5) of the rotary part (4) consists of plastic into which the contact elements (14) are injected.

13. Device according to one of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that in the bearing block (11) arranged contact elements (16) on the bearing (17) together with the contact elements (14) in the bearing shaft (bearing eye 5) to the outside by at least a sealing member (20) are sealed.