WO2013000609A1

WO2013000609A1 - Plug-type connector having a litz wire protection element

Info

Publication number: WO2013000609A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/058434
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Schoenfeld; Mohamed Lamdiziz
Original assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-06-27
Filing date: 2012-05-08
Publication date: 2013-01-03
Also published as: TW201320472A; DE102011078093A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug-type connector (1), as can be attached at the end of a cable (3) for example, wherein several such plug-type connectors (1) can be accommodated in a housing of a multi-plug connector. The plug-type connector (1) comprises an elongated contact receptacle (5) a cable mount (7) attached to the contact receptacle (5), said cable mount having a holding area (9) for holding litz wires (11) of the stripped cable (3). According to the invention, the plug-type connector (1) comprises an additional litz wire protection element (29), which is designed to prevent ends of the litz wires (11) being held in the cable mount (7) from laterally protruding from the cable mount (7). Thus, cable ends protruding from the plug-type connector (1) can be prevented from causing damage when, for example, feeding the plug-type connector (1) through a sealing mat of a multi-plug connector.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Connector with strand protection element

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a connector in which at an elongated contact receiving an attached cable holder is provided with a holding portion for holding strands of a stripped cable.

STATE OF THE ART

In the automotive sector in particular, a large number of cables is often combined to harnesses nowadays. For example, to simply connect the cables of such wiring harnesses to a control unit, multiple plugs are usually used, in which each of the cables at its end with a so-called

Connector is provided and the plurality of connectors is received and fixed in a common connector housing.

Each of the connectors may in this case have an elongated contact receiving, which may be provided at its distal end either as a plug-like or bush-like structure and serves to cooperate with a corresponding counterpart in a mating connector to produce both a mechanical and an electrical connection. In the region of its proximal end, the contact is thereby equipped in a cable holder in order to fix one of the cables of the cable harness mechanically fixed to the contact receptacle and to ensure electrical contact between strands of the cable and the preferably metallic contact. For this purpose, the cable holder has a

Holding area, for example in the form of a crimp, which is designed to enclose and hold strands of a stripped cable. A conventional connector is described for example in DE 10 2005 043 694 A1.

In order to fix the plurality of connectors with the attached cables in the housing of the multiple plug, they are conventionally from a

Inserted rear side of the housing in corresponding support structures and fixed there, for example latching.

Since it can often be desired to protect the multiple plug against ingress of dirt or moisture, the connectors must be there

optionally pushed through a mat seal. The

Matt seal can in this case consist of a layer of flexible material in which openings are provided for pushing through the connector at appropriate locations. Thus, the mat seal can tightly nestle around the connector or attached cable, the openings are smaller than the circumference of the connector or the cable chosen.

After passing conventional connectors through the mat seal of a multiple connector, damage to the mat seal was observed.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

With a connector according to the independent claim, a

Probability of the occurrence of such damage to the mat seal can be reduced.

Aspects of the present invention are based on the following findings: It has been found that in conventional connectors, the strands of a stripped cable are usually attached to a holding portion of the contact receiving that ends of the strands in the longitudinal direction of the connector over the

Protrude holding area. Such a fastening of the strands to the holding region is selected by default because it should be ensured that the strands are enclosed by the holding region along the entire length of the holding region. This can be ensured in particular by observing that the strands lead into the holding region at one end and at another end protrude beyond this holding area. However, since the process of attaching the cable to the connector can often be a semi-automated or manual process by garment manufacturers and garages, it is not always possible to reliably prevent the ends of the strands projecting beyond the holding area of the contacting from bending and then laterally over

Protect plug connectors. Such protruding copper strands can lead to damage to the sealing mat and thus ultimately to leaky multiple plugs, especially when pushing through the connector by a sealing mat. According to the invention, therefore, a connector is proposed, in addition to a

Litzenschutzelement which is adapted to ends of in the

Cable holder kept strands to protrude laterally from the cable holder. In other words, on the connector in a region in which the strands of a cable to be abutted typically end, a strand protection element is provided which, by virtue of its structural configuration and arrangement, prevents the ends of the strands from being bent outwards and thus prevents: that these ends of the strands laterally beyond the contact of the connector.

The strand protection member may be spaced from the retention area in a direction along the cable support. In other words, that should

Litzenschutzelement be provided as spatially separated from the holding area element. By the spacing between the strand protection element and the holding region, it can be achieved that strands of a stripped cable can be introduced into the holding region of the cable holder during the abutment of the cable such that the holding region completely encloses the strands. A distal end of the strands can extend beyond the holding area up to the strand protection element. Because between the holding area and the

Litzenschutzelement due to the intended spacing between these two components, a region exists in which the strands are exposed, can still be visually recognized whether the inserted into the cable holder strands extend completely through the holding area and protrude at the distal end of the holding area. The cable support may have a crimping region at which the strands can be crimped such that ends of the strands in the crimped state extend beyond the crimping region along the cable support. The crimping area can be designed such that parts of the cable holder can be plastically deformed so that they completely enclose the previously inserted strands and hold them by clamping. A crimping of strands on a contact of a connector is a reliable method for attaching cables to the contact of the connector, while a very good electrical contact with the contact can be ensured.

In a special embodiment, the contact of the connector consists of at least two individual components. On the one hand, a contact inner part is provided, which can be configured such that it reliably engages with a corresponding counterpart of a mating connector and can establish an electrical connection. This contact inner part can be integral with the

Cable holder be formed. On the other hand, a so-called contact body may be provided with a contact over-spring, which encloses the contact inner part. The contact body may be configured, inter alia, to fix the connector, for example, in the housing of the multiple plug. For this purpose, the contact body may have an outer geometry adapted to a receiving space of the multiple plug. For example, the contact body may be formed cuboid. Furthermore, the contact body can have latching elements, for example in the form of projecting lances. In two different embodiments, the proposed here Litzenschutzelement can be mounted either on the contact body or on the inner contact part. If the Litzenschutzelement is arranged on the inner contact part, such solutions can in principle be applied to one-piece connectors. However, this can lead to a higher complexity of the inner part and a weakening of the inner part with respect to rigidity at the contact neck. If the Litzenschutzelement is arranged on the contact body, _können higher design options exist and a

Weakening of the inner contact part can be avoided. However, such a design works only with two-piece connectors. The strand protection member may be formed with a cantilevered end directed toward the ends of the strands held in the cable support. In other words, the strand protection member may be provided as a structure attached at one end to a component of the connector or integrally formed therewith. For example, one end of the Litzenschutzelementes be attached to the contact body or the inner contact part or formed integrally therewith. A preferably opposite end of the

Litzenschutzelementes is not connected to one of the components of the connector, but cantilevered off. A longitudinal direction of the

Litzschutzelementes, that is, a direction from the fixed end to the cantilevered end, it may correspond substantially to the direction of the course of the strands, that is, the cantilevered end protrudes toward the end of the strands and preferably overlaps. In this case, this cantilevered end is preferably designed and arranged such that ends of the strands of a cable attached to the connector are at least partially enclosed by this cantilevered end and thereby prevented from leaving the cable mount

to be bent out.

The strand protection element may be formed as a crimping region similar to the holding region of the cable holder. For example, the strand protection element may be formed with at least one or preferably two cantilevered ends, which is / are directed transversely to the ends of the strand held in the cable support. Preferably, a crimping area may be provided, in which two

Partial areas can be bent and plastically deformed in such a way that they completely or at least with their cantilevered ends of the ends of the strands

surrounded as far as possible. In contrast to the crimping area of the cable holder, however, the crimping area of the strand protection element does not necessarily have to be designed to be mechanically stable and does not need to be so highly plastically deformed that the ends of the strands would be completely compressed and thus protected against being pulled out in the longitudinal direction of the strands would.

Instead, it may be sufficient to design the crimping region of the strand protection element only in such a way that, in the crimped state, it prevents the ends of the strands from slipping out of the cable support transversely to the longitudinal direction of the strands. The strand protection element may be elastic. The elasticity can be achieved, for example, in that the structure of the Litzenschutzelementes is connected only at one end to the connector and the cantilevered end is resiliently formed. This can be achieved that the Litzenschutzelement can better withstand mechanical stress.

It is noted that various features and advantages of embodiments of the connector according to the invention are described herein. A person skilled in the art will recognize that the features can be combined in any way with one another, so as to obtain further advantageous embodiments, effects and advantages

To achieve synergy effects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings

Drawings further explained, wherein neither the drawings nor the description are to be construed as limiting the invention.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a connector according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the connector of FIG. 1. FIG.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of a connector according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

4 shows an enlarged view of the connector of FIG. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a connector according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

6 shows an enlarged view of the connector of FIG. 5.

The figures are only schematic and not to scale. Identical or equivalent components are labeled with the same reference numerals. EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a connector 1 with a cable 3 attached thereto.

At an elongated contact 5 is a cable holder 7 with a

Holding area 9 is provided. The holding region 9 encloses strands 1 1 of the stripped cable 3 at its end.

In the illustrated example, the holding portion 9 is formed as a crimping, in which two tabs 13 and a bottom 15 of the cable holder, the bundle of strands 1 1 completely encloses and clamped by plastic deformation. The strands 1 1 are thereby protected against slipping out of the holding area 9 in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, a second crimping area 17 is provided, in which two tabs 19 can be placed around an insulation of the cable 3 and clamped with this. While the second crimping 17 only for a mechanical

Fixing the cable 3 to the connector 1 provides or supports this, the first crimping area 9 also provides a reliable electrical connection between the metallic connector 1 and the strands 1 1 of the cable 3 forth.

At a distal end region, the connector 1 has a box-shaped contact body 21 which surrounds a contact inner part 23 received therein. The contact body 21 has a latching lance 25, by means of which the connector 1 in a housing of a multiple plug (not shown) can be fixed latching. The inner contact part 23 has at its distal end an opening 27 into which, for example, a pin of a corresponding mating connector (not shown) can engage in order to produce a mechanical and electrical connection with the connector 1 can.

As can clearly be seen in the enlarged view from FIG. 2, a tongue acting as a strand protection element 29 protrudes from the contact inner part 23 in a longitudinal direction of the contact receptacle 5 towards the ends of the strands 11. The cantilevered end 31 of the Litzenschutzelementes 29 extends beyond the ends of the strands 1 1 and thus prevents them from it out of the cable holder 7 out to be bent and to get over this. The tongue of the Litzenschutzelementes 29 and the contact 5 of the connector 1 are formed such that together they form a geometry in which the held in the holding portion 9 strands 1 1 are completely surrounded at their ends by the Litzenschutzelement 29 and the contact receptacle 5 and thus can not survive laterally.

In order to be able to detect whether the strands 1 1 completely protrude when striking the cable 3 to the connector 1 through the holding portion 9 and thus a complete, mechanically and electrically reliable crimping is ensured, the Litzenschutzelement 29 and its cantilevered end 31 is spaced arranged by the holding portion 9. Thus, a region 33 results between the holding region 9 and the strand protection element 29, in which the ends of the strands are exposed and can be recognized from the outside.

For striking the cable 3 to the connector 1, the end of the cable 3 can first be stripped and the strands 1 1 are thus exposed. Subsequently, the strands 1 1 can be inserted into the not yet bent holding portion 9 in such a way that the ends of the strands 1 1 project beyond the holding region 9 towards the distal end of the connector 1, that is, toward the contact body 23. The ends of the strands 1 1 are thereby already pushed when inserting into the holding portion 9 under the cantilevered end 31 of the Litzenschutzelementes 29 so that they are then protected against bending out of the contact 5.

In Figs. 3 and 4, another embodiment of a connector V is shown. A Litzenschutzelement 29 'protrudes as a tongue with a cantilevered end of a contact body 21' towards the ends of the strands 1 1 ', which in turn are fixed by a crimping region 9' to the cable holder 7 '. The cantilever end 31 'of the Litzenschutzelementes 29' is slightly bent down towards the cable holder 7 'and is preferably on lateral flanks 35 of the cable holder 7' on. In this way, again, it is avoided that ends of the strands 1 1 'from the cable holder 7' can slip out and possibly damage this sealing mat when pushing the connector 1 'through a sealing mat of a multiple plug. A further embodiment of a connector 1 "is shown in Figures 5 and 6. In this connector 1", a strand protection element 29 "is additional

Crimping area 37 is provided. This crimping region 37 is formed with two tabs 39 which before, during or after the crimping of the crimping of the

Holding region 9 "around the ends of the strands 1 1" can be bent around. The two tabs 39 enclose in the bent-around state, the ends of the strands 1 1 "while largely so and thus prevent them from the side of the

Stand out connector 1 "The additional crimp 37 of the

Litzenschutzelementes 29 "is spaced from the crimping region of the holding portion 9" in the longitudinal direction of the connector 1 by a few millimeters, so that between these Crimpbereichen an exposed portion 33 "forms, which can be used to detect whether the strands 1 1" when hitting the cable 3 "completely pass through the holding area 9".

Claims

claims

1 . Connector (1) comprising:

an elongated contact (5); and

a cable holder (7) attached to the contact receptacle (5), having a holding region (9) for holding strands (1 1) of a stripped cable (3); characterized in that

the connector (1) further comprises a strand protection element (29) adapted to prevent ends of the strands (11) held in the cable support (7) from projecting laterally from the cable support (7).

2. Connector according to claim 1, wherein the Litzenschutzelement (29) from the holding portion (9) in a direction along the cable holder (7) is spaced.

3. Connector according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cable holder (7) in the holding region (9) has a crimping region on which the strands (1 1) can be crimped such that ends of the strands (1 1) in the crimped state along the Cable holder (7) protrude beyond the crimping area.

4. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the

Contact (5 ') has a contact body (21') with a Kontaktüberfeder, and wherein the Litzenschutzelement (29 ') on the contact body (21') is mounted.

5. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the

Contact (5) has a contact inner part (23) and wherein the Litzenschutzelement (29) is attached to the inner contact part (23).

6. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the

Litzenschutzelement (29) is formed with a cantilevered end (31), that is directed towards the ends of in the cable holder (7) held strands (1 1).

Connector according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the

Litzenschutzelement (29 ") is formed as a crimping region (37).

A connector according to claim 7, wherein the strand protection member (29 ") is formed with at least one cantilevered end directed transversely to the ends of the strands (11") held in the cable support (7 ").

Connector according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the

Litzenschutzelement (29) is elastic.