WO2011058189A1

WO2011058189A1 - Electric plug element for an airbag connection

Info

Publication number: WO2011058189A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/067546
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernd Leonhardt; Stefan Ermst Glaser
Original assignee: Tyco Electronics Amp Gmbh
Priority date: 2009-11-16
Filing date: 2010-11-16
Publication date: 2011-05-19
Also published as: DE102009053052A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric plug element (1) for an airbag connection, with a plug housing (3), which can be plugged together with a counter-plug element (2) in a plug-in direction (E), at least two electrically conductive contact elements (6, 6'), a short-circuiting link (7), which is formed by at least one contact element (6, 6'), and with an activation body (8), which is movable relative to the plug housing (3) along an activation direction (A) from a deactivation position, in which the short-circuiting link (7) electrically connects the two contact elements (6, 6'), into an activation position, in which the short-circuiting link (7) is open. In order to provide an electric plug element for an airbag connection, which is compact and easy to handle, it is provided according to the invention that the activation direction (A) substantially corresponds to the plug-in direction (E).

Description

ELECTRIC PLUG ELEMENT FOR AN AIRBAG CONNECTION

The present invention relates to a plug element for an airbag connection, with a plug housing, which can be plugged together with a counter-plug element in a plug-in direction, at least two electrically conductive contact elements, a short-circuiting link, which is formed by at least one contact element, and with an activation body, which is movable relative to the plug housing along an activation direction from a deactivation position, in which the short-circuiting link electrically connects the two contact elements, into an activation position, in which the short-circuiting link is open.

It has to be ensured in electric plug connections, in particular ones used in the automobile sector, when the plug and counter-plug are separated, that the electric circuits are deactivated. For this purpose, short-circuiting elements, so-called short-circuiting links are used, which short-circuit the electrically conductive contact elements of the plug and/or the counter-plug and therefore deactivate the plug connection.

Plug elements of this type are used, in particular, for airbag connections in order to prevent the airbag being inadvertently activated when the plug connection is plugged together or released during maintenance work and static charges occur.

In plug connections known from the prior art for an airbag connection, for example from EP 1 339 139 A1, the short-circuiting link is arranged in the squib socket of the airbag, the counter-plug. The plug comprises an activation body, which releases the short-circuiting link and thereby activates the plug connection.

It is a problem in plug connections of this type that the short-circuiting link of installed counter-plug sockets can only be maintained with considerable outlay. Moreover, in order to refit an airbag connection without a short-circuiting link, it is necessary to fit a new squib socket, which comprises a short-circuiting link.

It is therefore advantageous to accommodate the short-circuiting link in the squib plug in order to also retrospectively provide squib connections with a short-circuiting link. Furthermore, it is advantageous from a maintenance point of view and with regard to an exchange of a faulty short-circuiting link if the short-circuiting link is accommodated in the releasable plug element and not in the installed squib socket.

A squib plug of the type mentioned at the outset is known from EP 0 869 883 Bl . The squib plug comprises two contact elements, which are electrically conductively connected by a short-circuiting link, and a connection position assurance (CPA), which is preassembled on the squib plug. As soon as the plug connection for the airbag connection is plugged together, with the short-circuiting link continuing to electrically conductively connect the contact element, the connection position assurance can be displaced transversely to the plug-in direction, in which the squib connector is inserted in the socket, the connection position assurance opening the short-circuiting link and activating the plug connection.

The drawback in the plug element of EP 0 869 883 Bl is that the plugging of the plug into the socket, on the one hand, and the activation of the plug connection transverse to the plug-in direction, on the other hand, proceed discontinuously, as to activate the plug connection by displacing the connection position assurance, one's grip has to be changed to displace the connection position assurance transversely to the plug-in direction. The handling of the plug is therefore in need of improvement. Furthermore, the squib plug is cumbersome as the connection position assurance in the deactivated state projects laterally from the plug housing, which has a disadvantageous effect on the assembly of the squib plug connection as the squib socket installed in the vehicle is generally not easily accessible. In view of the drawbacks of the known squib plug, the object of the present invention is to provide an electric plug element for an airbag connection which is compact and easy to handle.

This object is achieved for the electric plug element mentioned at the outset in that the activation direction, along which the activation body is movable when being transferred from the deactivation position to the activation position, substantially corresponds to the plug-in direction.

The method of construction of the squib plug can be simplified and made more compact by this surprisingly simply solution. The activation body is movable according to the invention in the plug-in direction and not, as in EP 0 869 883 Bl, transverse to the plug-in direction and therefore does not project laterally out of the plug housing. The handling of the plug element according to the invention is also improved as the plugging of the squib plug into the counter-plug element, on the one hand, and the activation of the plug connection by displacing the activation body relative to the plug housing, on the other hand, take place in the same direction. The two steps can therefore be carried out continuously one after the other in a fluent plug movement in a simple and controlled manner. The present invention can be developed by various configurations, which are each advantageous per se, which can be combined as desired with one another. The individual advantageous configurations and the advantages connected therewith will be briefly dealt with below. According to a first embodiment, the activation body and/or the plug housing may have a securing means, which blocks the activation body in the activation direction in the deactivation position when the plug element and counter-plug are separated. The securing means ensure that an activation of the plug element according to the invention and therefore also of the plug connection for an airbag connection can then only take place when the plug element and counter-plug are completely plugged together. Beforehand, the securing means blocks a displacement of the activation body in the activation direction relative to the plug housing, for example in that a securing means of the activation body in the activation direction strikes against a shoulder of the plug housing and is therefore locked in the activation direction. Only after the plug connection has been completely plugged together, i.e. when the plug element according to the invention is properly assembled with a corresponding counter-plug element, does the securing means release the activation body in the activation direction, so the latter can be moved relative to the plug housing out of the deactivation position into the activation position. Thus, in this embodiment, the activation body serves firstly as an element which activates the plug connection, in that interrupts the short-circuiting link between the two contact elements in the activation position, and, secondly, as an indicator for the plug element and the counter-plug being properly plugged together.

The activation body is preferably configured as a connection position assurance which, in the activation position, blocks a connecting member, which holds the plug element in the counter-plug. Only when the connection position assurance is returned to the deactivation position and the short circuit is closed again, can the closed connecting member be opened and the plug element and counter-plug can be released from one another so an unintentional release of the airbag plug can be prevented.

In a structurally simple embodiment of the electric plug element, at least one contact element has a short-circuiting arm, which extends, as a part of the short-circuiting link, at least in portions, in the direction of the other contact element. As the contact elements are generally punched parts, which are brought into the desired shape by corresponding bending processes, a configuration of the contact element with a short- circuiting arm, which projects laterally from the contact element, can be easily integrated, and without problems, into the conventional construction sequences or contact elements for squib plugs. The integration of the short-circuiting links into the contact elements also has the advantage that the short-circuiting link does not have to be manufactured as a separate component, so additional material is saved and less assembly steps are necessary.

A short-circuiting arm, which extends as part of the short-circuiting link, at least in portions, in the direction of the other contact element, also allows a compact method of construction of the plug element, a particularly space-saving embodiment providing that a spring element projecting substantially perpendicularly from the contact element forms the at least one short-circuiting arm. The fact that the short-circuiting arm projects perpendicularly from the contact element, i.e. is oriented orthogonally to the body or the longitudinal direction of the contact element, simplifies the manufacturing thereof. The configuration as a spring element allows functionally reliable opening and closing of the short-circuiting link by the short-circuiting arm in a structurally simple manner.

In one embodiment, the short-circuiting arm in the deactivation position, at least in portions, may be the electric line of the short-circuiting link between the two contact elements. This electric connection between the contact elements by means of the short- circuiting link may be interrupted in this configuration by the activation body. By means of the activation body the spring element, for example a resilient contact arm, may be deflected in the activation position counter to its spring force in such a way that the short- circuiting link is opened. As soon as the activation body is moved from the activation position back into the deactivation position, the missing short-circuiting link closes again because of the restoring force of the spring element. In an alternative embodiment, the short-circuiting link can be closed by the activation body in the deactivation position. This has the advantage that the short- circuiting link is actively closed and therefore it is ensured that the plug is deactivated. For this purpose, a short-circuiting arm may be resiliently deformed by the activation body in the deactivation position. In this embodiment, the activation body thus deflects the resilient short-circuiting arm in the deactivation position counter to its spring force and presses the spring arm, to close the short-circuiting link, against a corresponding contact point of the short-circuiting link, for example a further spring arm, which is associated with the other contact element or is formed thereby.

In a further embodiment, the contact link may have at least two spring elements, one spring element being resiliently deformed by the activation body in the deactivation position counter to spring force in such a way that it electrically conductively touches the other spring element and resiliently deforms it counter to its spring force. This embodiment has the advantage that not only the force transmission from the activation body to one spring element contributes to closing the contact link. The further resilient contact arm of the short-circuiting link is also resiliently deformed by the first spring element, so this further contact arm is also pressed against the counter-contact arm because of its restoring force and a secure electrical connection between the two contact arms is therefore ensured.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the short-circuiting arm extends away from one contact element substantially perpendicularly in the direction of the other contact element and this allows a particularly compact method of construction as the short-circuiting arm in this embodiment extends along the shortest path from one contact element to the other.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the short-circuiting arm may extend substantially perpendicular to the activation direction. In this embodiment, the activation body, on transfer from the deactivation position into the activation position impinges orthogonally on the short-circuiting link or the at least one short-circuiting arm of the short-circuiting link, so with a minimum adjustment path of the activation body, a maximum deflection of the short-circuiting link or at least of the one short-circuiting arm of the short-circuiting link can be achieved to interrupt it. In order to ensure that the activation body, as intended, impinges on the short- circuiting link, according to a further advantageous embodiment, the short-circuiting link may form a feed bevel. The feed bevel may extend transverse to the activation direction. The feed bevel or short-circuiting link preferably runs in the activation direction toward a contact zone. The contact zone is the region of the short-circuiting link, at which the activation body impinges, during assembly of the activation body in the deactivation position and/or on movement out of the deactivation position into the activation position on the short-circuiting link or its at least one short-circuiting arm. It is particularly advantageous if the contact zone is simultaneously the region at which the short-circuiting link electrically conductively connects one contact element to the other contact element in the deactivation position. The feed bevel running in the activation direction toward the contact zone therefore forms a guide for the activation body, along which the latter is reliably guided into the contact zone upon movement in the activation direction. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the at least one short-circuiting arm may firstly extend from one contact element in the direction of the other contact element and then in the activation direction, so a feed bevel is formed in a structurally simple manner. For example, the short-circuiting arm may be curved in an arcuate manner. The arcuate curvature preferably has a radius of curvature of at least 90°, in particular 90° to 180° and, particularly preferably, a radius of about 90° or about 180°.

In a further embodiment, the activation direction in the contact zone may run substantially tangentially with respect to the short-circuiting arm, so the short-circuiting arm is only deflected as far as is absolutely necessary by the activation body. Large forces during the impingement of the activation body on the short-circuiting link, which could bring about an undesired deformation of the short-circuiting link of the short-circuiting arm, are therefore avoided. The short-circuiting arm in the contact zone is thus only deflected laterally with respect to the activation direction to such an extent that the short- circuiting link is interrupted or closed by the activation body. This embodiment can also easily be realised by a short-circuiting arm curved in an arcuate manner.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the short-circuiting link may be formed by at least two short-circuiting arms of the contact elements, which are formed on one of the two contact elements. In this case, the short-circuiting arms can touch one another in the deactivation position in the contact zone in the embodiment, in which the short-circuiting link is opened by the activation body. The contact zone can be displaced in this manner between the two contact elements, so, on the one hand, adequate freedom of movement is provided for the activation body. On the other hand, as at least two short- circuiting arms now form the short-circuiting link, shorter short-circuiting arms can be used.

Possible embodiments may provide that the ends of the contact arm extending away from the respective contact elements in the deactivation position touch one another in the contact zone, whether these are straight short-circuiting arms, V-shaped short- circuiting arms or short-circuiting arms curved in an arcuate manner. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the activation body in the activation position may be arranged in the contact zone between the two contact elements, preferably between the at least two short-circuiting arms. In this manner, the activation body in the activation position is positioned in the contact zone, in other words positioned precisely where the short- circuiting arms of the two contact elements touch in the deactivation position. This ensures that closing of the short-circuiting link in the activation position is ruled out. A further advantageous embodiment provides that the two contact arms are mirror-symmetrical, which is advantageous with regard to the manufacture. Furthermore, a mirror-symmetrical configuration offers a particularly compact method of construction of the plug element according to the invention, allows the possibility of the activation body preventing the short-circuiting link in the centre between the two contact elements and allows a uniform action of force of the activation body on the at least two short- circuiting arms of the two contact elements.

Finally, a further embodiment, which allows a particularly compact plug element, provides that the short-circuiting link has a through-opening for the activation body. The activation body can extend through this through opening when the electric plug element is in the assembled state. In this manner, the plug housing of the plug element did not have to be newly designed and configured to guide the activation body. Rather, the short- circuiting link is adapted to the activation body by having the through-opening. The present invention further relates to an electric plug element for an airbag connection, with a plug housing which can be plugged together with a counter-plug element in a plug-in direction, at least two electrically conductive contact elements, a short-circuiting link, and an activation body, which is movable relative to the plug housing along an activation direction from a deactivation position, in which the short- circuiting link electrically connects the two contact elements, into an activation position, in which the short-circuiting link is open.

In conventional electric plug elements with a short-circuiting link, this is generally passively closed in the deactivation position, i.e. the short-circuiting link is normally configured in such a way that, in its rest position, it electrically connects the two contact elements.

In faulty short-circuiting links, which are, for example, damaged by improper assembly in such a way that the short-circuiting link, in the rest position, cannot ensure an electric connection between the contact elements, the problem occurs that a plug element with a damaged short-circuiting link of this type, although it appears to be deactivated, is actually activated and during assembly of the plug connection an airbag may, for example, be triggered.

In order to ensure that the short-circuiting link in the deactivation position is actually closed and electrically connects the two contact elements, the activation body in this further plug element closes the short-circuiting link in the deactivation position. In a preferred embodiment, a short-circuiting arm may be resiliently deformed for this purpose to close the short-circuiting link by the activation body.

This plug element may also be developed by various configurations, each advantageous per se, which can be combined as desired with one another, in particular the advantageous configurations, which were already shown at the outset.

Thus, in this plug element, for example, the short-circuiting link may be formed by at least one contact element and/or deactivation direction of the activation body may substantially correspond to the plug-in direction. The invention will be described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. The different features may be combined or be omitted, independently of one another, as was already shown above in the individual advantageous configurations.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of the plug element according to the invention as well as a counter-plug element in the deactivation position;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of the activation body of the electric plug element of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a perspective exploded view of the electric plug element of Fig. 1 according to a first embodiment;

Fig. 4 A-C show a schematic perspective view of the contact elements as well as the short-circuiting link of the embodiment of Fig. 3 (Fig. 4A) and a schematic view of the closed (Fig. 4B) and the opened (Fig. 4C) short-circuiting link of the first embodiment;

Fig. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of an electric plug element according to a second embodiment;

Fig. 6 A-C show a schematic perspective view of the contact elements in addition to the short-circuiting link of the second embodiment of Fig. 5 (Fig. 6A) as well as a schematic view of the closed (Fig. 6B) and the opened (Fig. 6C) short-circuiting link of the second embodiment;

Fig. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of the plug element in Fig. 1 in the activation position.

Fig. 8 shows a schematic perspective view of a short-circuiting link for a plug element according to a further embodiment; and

Fig. 9 A-C shows the mode of functioning of the short-circuiting link shown in

Fig. 8, in particular its interaction with the activation body during opening and closing of the short-circuiting link.

Fig. 1 and 3 show an electric plug element 1 according to the invention using the example of a squib plug. The plug element 1 is configured so that it can be plugged together with a counter-plug element 2, shown schematically, in a plug-in direction E to form a plug connection for an airbag connection.

The plug element 1 has a plug housing 3 comprising a plug body 4 and a cover 5 which can be latched to the plug body 4, two electrically conductive contact elements 6, 6', a short-circuiting link 7, which electrically conductively connects the contact elements, 6, 6' in the deactivation position of the electric plug element 1 shown in Fig. 1 and 3, and an activation body 8, which is simultaneously configured as a connection position assurance 9.

The cover 5 and the plug body 4 are repeatedly releasably connected to one another by latching means 10 and corresponding counter- latching means 11, so the cover 5 can be removed from the plug body 5 for assembly and maintenance or repair of the electric plug element 1. The plug body 4 also has a plugging region 12, which can be inserted in the counter-plug element 2 in the plug-in direction E. Further latching means 13 are provided in the plugging region 12 to fasten the plug element 1 in the counter-plug 2.

Inlet openings 15, 15' for electric lines 16, 16' are provided at the cable-side end 14 of the plug housing 3. The electric lines 16, 16' are covered by an insulation layer 17 and only the bare ends 18 of the lines 16, 16' arranged in the interior of the plug housing 3 are not insulated.

The bare ends 18 of the electric lines 16, 16' are electrically conductively connected to one end of the contact elements 6, 6'. For this purpose, the contact elements 6, 6' are configured with connection terminals 19 at one end, which are crimped to the bare ends 18. At their other end, the contact elements 6, 6' have contact regions 20, which are configured as contact clamps 21 in the embodiment shown. The contact clamps 21 are electrically conductively connected to corresponding contact pins 22 of the counter-plug element 2 when plugging the plug element 1 and counter-plug element 2 together in the plug-in direction E.

A line portion 23, which electrically conductively connects the connection clamp 19 and contact clamp 21 together, is located between the connection clamps 19 and contact clamps 21. The line portion 23 is adapted to the geometry of the plug housing 3 and has an angle of about 90°, so the connection clamps 19 and the electric lines 16, 16' coaxially crimped thereto, on the one hand, and the contact region or the contact clamps 21 located therein, on the other hand, are arranged substantially perpendicular to one another. In this case, the contact clamps 21 extend substantially in the plug-in direction E.

The short-circuiting link 7 is arranged in the line portion 23 of the contact elements 6, 6'. The short-circuiting link 7 in the plug element 1 of Fig. 1 and 3 is formed by at least one contact element 6, 6', by the two contact elements 6, 6' in the embodiment shown. For this purpose, each of the contact elements 6, 6' is formed with a short- circuiting arm 24, 24', which electrically conductively touch one another in the contact zone 25 and close the short-circuiting link 7 in the deactivation position. The electric plug element 1 is thus deactivated by the short-circuiting link 7, which comprises the two short-circuiting arms 24, 24' of the two contact elements 6, 6'.

The activation body 8 in the deactivation position shown in Fig. 1 is preassembled on the housing 3, for which further latching means 26 are provided on the activation body 8 and corresponding counter- latches (not visible) are provided on the plug housing 3. The activation body 8 in the deactivation position can thus be captively connected to the plug housing 3.

The activation body 8 comprises an actuating face 27, which, in the embodiment of Fig. 1 and 3, extends substantially perpendicular to the plug-in direction E when the activation body 8 is preassembled and is arranged above the housing cover 5 counter to the plug-in direction E. An activation pin 28, the portion of the activation body 8 which, in the embodiment of the plug from Fig. 1 and 3 in the activation position interrupts the electrical connection between the contact elements 6, 6' via the short-circuiting link 7, as well as guide rails 29 and securing levers 30 extend away from the actuating face 27 substantially in the plug-in direction E.

In the assembled state, the activation pin 28 is arranged on the edge of the fastening face 27, which points to the cable-side end 14 of the plug housing 3. The securing levers 30 are provided on the opposing end of the fastening face 27. The guide rails 29 are arranged on the two sides, which are located in between, of the substantially rectangular actuating face 27.

The cover 5 of the plug body 3 is provided with openings for the activation pin 28, guide rails 29 and securing levers 30, through which these elements of the activation body 8 extend in the preassembled state. The guide rails 29 run through the cover 5 into guide clamps 31 of the plug body 5, in which the guide rails 29 are mounted in such a way that the activation body 8 can be displaced exclusively in or counter to the plug-in direction E relative to the plug housing 3. The securing levers 30 are also arranged in clamps 32 provided for this of the plug body 4, both the guide rails 29 and the securing levers 30 extending into the plug region 12 of the plug element 1.

As long as the plug element 1 and counter-plug element 2 are still not completely plugged together, a securing stop 35 of the securing lever 30 in the activation direction A strikes against a holding stop (not visible) of the plug housing 3, so the activation body 8 in the deactivation position is locked in the activation direction A. Only with a completely closed plug connection of the plug element 1 and counter-plug element 2 are the securing levers 30 laterally deflected and the securing stop 35 lifted from the securing shoulder of the plug housing so the activation body 8 is released in the activation direction A.

Owing to pressure in the plug-in direction E on the actuating face 27, the activation body 8 can then be displaced from the deactivation position of Fig. 1 into the activation position of Fig. 7, in which the actuating face 27 ends flush with the cover 5 of the plug housing 3. In this activation position, the guide rails 30 of the activation body 8 rest next to the latching means 13 of the plug body 4, which are latched in corresponding counter- latches of the counter-plug element 2. This latching between the plug element 1 and counter-plug element 3 cannot be released as long as the activation body 8 configured as a connection position assurance 9 is located in the activation position of Fig. 7.

In the deactivation position shown in Fig. 1, the activation body 8, in particular its activation pin 28, is spaced apart from the short-circuiting link 7. Although the activation pin 28 is associated with the short-circuiting link 7 and, viewed in the plug-in direction E, is located in front of the short-circuiting link 7, the activation pin 28 does no yet, however, touch the short-circuiting link 7 in the deactivation position, so the latter is closed.

Contact elements 6, 6' of the plug element 1 of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 3 will be described in more detail below with reference to Fig. 4A to Fig. 4C, the transfer of the plug element 1 from the deactivation position into the activation position and the release of the short-circuiting link 7 connected therewith being simultaneously described with reference to the schematic views of Fig. 4B and 4C.

The pair of contact elements 6, 6' is schematically shown in a perspective view in Fig. 4A to thus show how the contact elements 6, 6' are arranged in the plug body 4 of the plug housing 3.

Each of the contact elements 6, 6' which are mirror-symmetrical in this embodiment, has a short-circuiting arm 24, 24', which extends as a part of the short- circuiting link 7 from the line portion 23 or 23' of the respective contact element 6, 6' in the direction of the other contact elements 6, 6'. The two short-circuiting arms 24, 24' forming the short-circuiting link 7 project substantially perpendicularly from the line portion 23, 23' of the contact element 6, 6' and extend away from the line portion 23, 23' perpendicularly in the direction of the other contact element 6, 6' or its short-circuiting arm 24, 24'. At their free ends 34, 34' situated at the end and pointing away from the contact element 6, 6', the short-circuiting arms 24, 24' of the short-circuiting link 7 overlap and touch one another in the deactivation position of the plug element 1 shown in Fig. 4A, in a contact zone 25. The short-circuiting arms 24, 24' of the plug elements 6 and 6' are only connected at one end to the line portion 23, 23' and are therefore spring elements 33, 33', which extend as resilient short-circuiting arms 24, 24' substantially perpendicular to the activation direction A when they are in the rest position of the deactivation position shown in Fig. 4A. The spring elements 33, 33' of the embodiment from Fig. 3 and 4 can be deflected against their spring force in and counter to the activation direction.

By moving the activation body 8 relative to the plug housing 3 from the deactivation position shown in Fig. 1 along the activation direction A into the activation position (Fig. 4C, Fig. 7), the electrical connection is interrupted in the contact zone 25 between the contact elements 6, 6' by the activation body 8. For the sake of clarity, the activation body 8 is omitted in Fig. 4A and, in Fig. 4B and 4C, which schematically show the short-circuiting link 7 in the deactivation position (Fig. 4B) and the activation position (Fig. 4C), is only shown with its activation pin 28, which is associated with the short- circuiting link 7 and, on displacement from the deactivation position along the activation direction A, impinges on the short-circuiting link 7 and opens it.

In the deactivation position, the activation pin 28 is associated with the contact zone 25 or the region around the contact zone 25 of the two short-circuiting arms 24, 24' and rests with its free end 36 in front of the short-circuiting link 7 in the activation direction A.

On displacement of the activation body 8 from the deactivation position along the activation direction A into the activation position, the activation pin 28 is moved relative to the short-circuiting link 7 and impinges on the short-circuiting link 7, whereby at least one of the resilient short-circuiting arms 24, 24' is deflected and the electrical connections between the two short-circuiting arms 24, 24' of the short-circuiting link 7 are interrupted by the activation pin 28 of the activation body 8.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 4A to 4C, the free end 36 of the activation pin 28, upon activation of the plug element 1, viewed in the activation direction A or plug-in direction E, impinges from above on one short-circuiting arm 24, which, viewed in the activation direction A, is arranged below the other short-circuiting arm 24' in the contact zone 25. As a result, this lower short-circuiting arm 24 is deflected counter to its spring force from its rest position of Fig. 4B and is pressed downward by its free end 34 in the activation direction A, the contact between the free end 34, 34' of the two short-circuiting arms 24, 24' in the contact zone 25 being interrupted and the short-circuiting link 7 being opened. As soon as the activation body 8 is displaced from the activation position of Fig. 4C and 7 back into the deactivation position of Fig. 1, the lower short-circuiting arm 24, which is deflected counter to its spring force and is schematically shown in Fig. 4C, in the activation position, moves back into its rest position of the deactivation position, as shown in Fig. 4B, with the short-circuiting link 7 closing again. Only once the activation body 8 has been returned to the deactivation position and the short-circuiting link 7 has been closed again can the latching means 13 of the plug element 1 be released by the corresponding counter-latching means (not shown) of the counter-plug element 2 and the plug element 1 and counter-plug element 2 can be separated from one another.

An alternative embodiment of the contact elements 6, 6' present in the plug element 1 according to the invention with an alternatively configured short-circuiting link 7 is shown in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 6A to 6C, in an analogous manner to Fig. 4A to 4C of the first embodiment, the two contact elements 6, 6' of the second embodiment are schematically perspectively shown (Fig. 6 A), and it is indicated how the short-circuiting link 7 is released during the transfer from the deactivation position (Fig. 6B) into the activation position (Fig. 6C).

Only the differences from the previous embodiment of the contact elements 6, 6' will be dealt with below. The same reference numerals as in the previous embodiment will be used for elements, the functioning and/or structure of which is/are similar or identical to elements of the previous embodiment.

In the embodiment of Fig. 5 and 6, the electric plug element is identically constructed to the plug element 1 of the first embodiment of Fig. 3 and 4, with the exception of the short-circuiting link 7.

In the second embodiment, the contact elements 6, 6' are also mirror-symmetrical, and each contact element 6, 6' comprises a resilient short-circuiting arm 24, 24', which together form the short-circuiting link 7.

In contrast to the short-circuiting arms 24, 24' of the first embodiment from Fig. 3 and 4, in which straight short-circuiting arms 24, 24', which extend away from one short- circuiting element 6 perpendicular to the activation direction A and perpendicular to the other contact element 6, 6', in the second embodiment of Fig. 5 and 6, the short-circuiting arms 24, 24' are curved in an arcuate manner.

The short-circuiting arms 24, 24' substantially form semicircular arcs, which curve away from the contact element 6, 6', more precisely from the line region 23 thereof, firstly in the direction of the other contact element 6, 6' and then in the activation direction A. In the apex region 37, the short-circuiting arms 24, 24', which are curved in an arcuate manner, abut one another in the rest position, which is schematically shown in Fig. 6B, in the contact zone 25 of the short-circuiting link 7.

The short-circuiting link 7 formed from the arcuate short-circuiting arms 24, 24' of the embodiment according to Fig. 5 and 6 therefore has a feed bevel 38 tapering from its attachment point on the line region 23 in the activation direction A to the contact zone 25. The free end 36 of the activation pin 28 is associated with the feed bevel 38 or the contact zone 25 and, on displacement of the activation body 8 in the activation direction A, impinges on the feed bevel 38. Owing to the feed bevel 38 running to the contact zone 25, the activation pin 28 is securely guided in to the contact zone 25.

Because of the mirror-symmetrical configuration of the contact elements 6, 6' with short-circuiting arms 24, 24' which are curved in an arcuate manner and touch one another at their apexes 37 in the contact zone 25, a symmetrical, funnel-shaped feed bevel 38 is formed, which tapers from the two contact elements 6, 6' in the activation direction A to the contact zone 25.

When the short-circuiting link 7 is opened by displacing the activation body 8 in the activation direction A, the activation body 8 impinges with the free end 36 of the activation pin 28 in the region of the contact zone 25 substantially tangentially on the short-circuiting arms 24, 24' which are curved in an arcuate manner. Since in the embodiment of Fig. 5 and 6, the activation direction A in the contact zone 25 runs substantially tangentially to the short-circuiting arms 24, 24', the forces exerted by the activation body 8, which move the spring arms 33 from the rest position counter to their spring force into the deflected position of the activation position (Fig. 6C), are transmitted particularly gently to the resilient short-circuiting arms 24, 24'. Furthermore, the short- circuiting arms 24, 24' are only deflected to the extent required to release the short- circuiting link 7.

As it is ensured despite the small deflection of the short-circuiting arms 24, 24' that the latter can no longer touch one another in the activation position, the activation body 8 in the embodiment of Fig. 5 and 6, in the activation position, is arranged in the contact zone 25, i.e. the activation pin 28 is located between the apexes 37 of the curved short-circuiting arms 24, 24'. This ensures that even when there are strong vibrations, to which airbag connections are exposed during operation of a motor vehicle, the short- circuiting link 7 is always open in the activation position.

A further embodiment of a short-circuiting link 7 for an electric plug element 1 is shown in Figs. 8 and 9. Only the differences from the previous embodiments will be dealt with, in this case, below. The same reference numerals as in the previous embodiments will be used for elements, the functioning and/or structure of which is/are similar or identical to elements of the previous embodiments.

The short-circuiting link 7 according to the embodiment of Figs. 8 and 9 is suitable, in particular, for electric plug elements 1 which comprise a plug housing 3 which can be plugged together with a counter-plugging element 2 in a plug-in direction E, at least two electrically conductive contact elements 6, 6', a short-circuiting link 7 and an activation body 8, which can be moved relative to the plug housing 3 along an activation direction A from a deactivation position (Fig. 9B), in which the short-circuiting link 7 electrically connects the two contact elements 6, 6' (omitted for the sake of clarity in Figs. 8 and 9), into an activation position (Fig. 9C), in which the short-circuiting link 7 is open.

The short-circuiting link 7 in the embodiments of Figs. 8 and 9 can be used in a plug element 1 of the previous embodiment, in which the short-circuiting link 7 is formed by at least one contact element 6, 6' and the activation direction A of the activation body 8 substantially corresponds to the plug-in direction E. These are, however, optional preferred embodiments with regard to a plug element 1 with a short-circuiting link 7 according to the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In a plug element 1 with a short- circuiting link 7 according to Figs. 8 and 9, the short-circuiting link 7 may just as well be configured as a separate component and/or the activation direction A of the activation body 8 may not run in the plug-in direction.

The short-circuiting link 7 of the embodiment according to Fig. 8 and 9 comprises two short-circuiting arms 24, 24', which, in the embodiment shown, are both configured as spring elements 33, 33'. The two short-circuiting arms 24, 24' are both arranged in a short-circuiting chamber 39, the free ends 34, 34' of the spring arms 33, 33' being associated with one another in such a way that these free ends in the deactivation position shown in Fig. 9B touch one another in an electrically conductive manner and are spaced apart from one another in the activation position shown in Fig. 9C.

The two contact arms 24, 24' extend substantially along the same direction which corresponds to the activation direction A in the embodiment shown, in the short-circuiting chamber 39, into which the activation pin 28 of the activation body 8 also projects.

In the embodiment shown, the activation body 8, more precisely its activation pin 28, is associated with a short-circuiting arm 24. This short-circuiting arm 24, within the short-circuiting chamber 39, has a substantially arcuate or S-shaped cross-section, the curvature of the arc with the free end 34 of the short-circuiting arm 24 pointing away from the other short-circuiting arm 24' and the free end 34 of the short-circuiting arm 24 being directed substantially to the free end 34' of the other short-circuiting arm 24. This arc 41 is the contact zone 25, in which the activation body impinges on the short- circuiting link 24.

The short-circuiting arm 24 comprises a through-opening 40 for the activation pin

28 of the activation body. The through-opening 40 is configured in the short-circuiting arm 24 in such a way that when the plug element 1 is assembled, more precisely when the activation body 8 is assembled in the plug housing 3, the activation pin 28 is guided through the through-opening 40. For this purpose, the activation body 8 is inserted in the activation direction A until it is preassembled in the deactivation position shown in Fig. 9B. During this assembly, i.e. on insertion of the activation body and its transfer from the starting position shown in Fig. 9A into the preassembly position shown in Fig. 9B, the deactivation position, the free end 36 of the activation pin 28 impinges on the contact zone 25 formed by the arcuate portion 41 of the short-circuiting arm 24. In this case, the activation pin 28 deforms the short-circuiting arm and deflects it in such a way that the free end 34 thereof is pressed against the free end 34' of the other short-circuiting arm 24. The short-circuiting link 7 according to the embodiment of Fig. 8 and 9 is therefore closed by the activation body 8 in the deactivation position.

The other short-circuiting arm 24' also has a spring element 33'. For this purpose, the distal region 42 projects with the free end 34' away from the wall of the short- circuiting chamber 39 into the chamber substantially in the direction of the free end 34 of the other short-circuiting arm 24.

In the deactivation position shown in Fig. 9B, the free end 36 of the short- circuiting arm 28 therefore deflects one resilient short-circuiting arm 24 in such a way that its free end 34 is pressed against the free end 34' of the other short-circuiting arm. Owing to this pressure, the short-circuiting arm 24 in turn deflects the spring element 33' of the other short-circuiting arm 24' counter to its spring force, which means that the restoring force of this spring element 33' presses this short circuiting arm 24' against the free end 34 of the other short-circuiting arm, so the electric connection between the two short-circuiting arms 24 and 24' is ensured.

On transfer of the short-circuiting link 7 from the deactivation position of Fig. 9B into the activation position of Fig. 9C, the activation body 8 is moved in the activation direction A relative to the plug housing 3, the activation pin 28 being moved deeper into the short-circuiting chamber 39 substantially to the base 43. During the activation of the plug element 1, the free end 36 of the activation pin 28 is moved with its nose 44 beyond the apex of the arc portion 41 of the short-circuiting arm 24. As the greatest amount of the deflection of the short-circuiting arm 24 is achieved in the deactivation position of Fig. 9B, where the nose 44 of the activation pin 28 is arranged substantially in the region of the apex of the arc region 41 of the short-circuiting arm 24, the displacement of the nose 44 beyond the apex in the direction of the base 43 of the short-circuiting chamber 39 therefore leads to the restoring force of the resilient short-circuiting arm 24 moving the latter back in the direction of the starting position, in other words away from the other short-circuiting arm 24. The contact between the free ends 34, 34' of the two short- circuiting arm 24, 24' is eliminated thereby and the short-circuiting link opened. The nose 44 of the activation body 8 and the forms of the short-circuiting arms 24 and 24' are thus designed in the embodiments 8 and 9 such that one spring arm 24 is deflected strongly enough by the activation body 8 in the deactivation position to touch the other short- circuiting arm 24'. Furthermore, the activation arm 24 in the activation position has to be able to spring back to such an extent that the electrical connection between the two short- circuiting arms 24 and 24' is released, with care having to be taken that an adequate safety spacing is maintained between the regions of the short-circuiting arms 24 and 24', which touch one another in the deactivation position, in order to avoid an unintentional closing of the short-circuiting link.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the short-circuiting link of Figs. 8 and 9 may be formed by two short-circuiting arms 24 and 24', which are formed by a respective contact element 6, 6', the activation direction A substantially corresponding to the plug-in direction E of the plug element 1 into the counter-plug element 2.

As the embodiments shown of the plug element 1 according to the invention show, the plug element 1 is simply and compactly constructed and easy to handle, but in the process reliably ensures that the electric plug element 1 of the airbag connection is deactivated until the plug element 1 is completely plugged together with the corresponding counter-plug element 2.

Obviously, further configurations of the short-circuiting link 7 are also possible, for example those in which only one of the contact elements 6 or 6' is provided with a short-circuiting arm, which, in the deactivation position, extends to the other contact element. Furthermore, instead of a short-circuiting arm which is curved in an arcuate manner, a substantially V-shaped short-circuiting arm with a bent point can also be used in order to, in a simple manner, provide the short-circuiting link with a feed bevel 28 running in the activation direction A to the contact zone 25.

Claims

1. Electric plug element (1) for an airbag connection, comprising a plug housing (3), which can be plugged together with a counter-plug element (2) in a plug-in direction (E), at least two electrically conductive contact elements (6, 6'), a short-circuiting link (7), which is formed by at least one contact element (6, 6'), and comprising an activation body (8), which is movable relative to the plug housing (3) along an activation direction (A) from a deactivation position, in which the short-circuiting link (7) electrically connects the two contact elements (6, 6'), into an activation position, in which the short-circuiting link (7) is open, characterised in that the activation direction (A) substantially corresponds to the plug-in direction (E).

2. Electric plug element (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that at least one contact element (6, 6') has a short-circuiting arm (24, 24'), which, as part of the short- circuiting link (7), extends, at least in portions, in the direction of the other contact element (6, 6').

3. Electric plug element (1) according to claim 2, characterised in that a spring element (33) projecting substantially perpendicularly from the contact element (6, 6') forms the at least one short-circuiting arm (24, 24').

4. Electric plug element (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the short- circuiting arm (24, 24') extends away from one contact element (6, 6') perpendicularly in the direction of the other contact element (6, 6').

5. Electric plug element (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the at least one short-circuiting arm (24, 24') extends substantially perpendicular to the activation direction (A).

6. Electric plug element (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the short-circuiting link (7) forms a feed bevel (38) running in the activation direction (A) toward a contact zone (25).

7. Electric plug element (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the at least one short-circuiting arm (24, 24') firstly extends from one contact element (6, 6') in the direction of the other contact element (6, 6') and then in the activation direction (A).

8. Electric plug element (1) according to claim 7, characterised in that the at least one short-circuiting arm (24, 24') is curved in an arcuate manner.

9. Electric plug element (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the short-circuiting link (7) is formed by at least two short-circuiting arms (24, 24') of the contact elements (6, 6'), which touch one another in the contact zone and are formed on one of the two contact elements (6, 6').

10. Electric plug element (1) according to claim 9, characterised in that the activation body (8), in the activation position, is arranged in the contact zone (25) between the two contact elements (6, 6').

11. Electric plug element (1) according to claim 9 or 10, characterised in that the two contact elements (6, 6') are mirror-symmetrical.

12. Electric plug element (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 1 1, characterised in that the short-circuiting link (7), in the deactivation position, is closed by the activation body (8).

13. Electric plug element (1) according to claim 12, characterised in that one short- circuiting arm is resiliently deformed by the activation body (8) to close the short- circuiting link (7).

14. Electric plug element (1) according to claim 13, characterised in that the contact link (7) has at least two spring elements (33), one spring element (33) being resiliently deformed by the activation body (8) in the deactivation position counter to its spring force in such a way that one spring element (33) touches the other spring element (33') and resiliently deforms it counter to its spring force.

15. Electric plug element (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that the short-circuiting link has a through-opening (40) for the activation body (8).