Patent Application
20240039212
This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 102022118880.9, filed Jul. 27, 2022, the whole disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a connector assembly including an electrical plug connector and a mating plug connector.
Connector assemblies consisting of an electrical plug connector and a mating plug connector for electrical power transmission are known in which a housing interlock element, also called a connector position assurance (CPA) element, protects the connection between the plug connector and the mating plug connector by preventing unintentional disconnection. In automotive applications, for example, connector assemblies can be subject to high vibration loads. In these applications, the housing interlock elements help to achieve required connection reliability.
More specifically, it is known to arrange housing interlock elements on an electrical plug connector movably between a pre-latched position, in which the assembly connection is unprotected, and a final latched position, in which the assembly connection is protected or securely joined. In the pre-latched position in which the electrical plug connector is preferably supplied, the housing interlock element typically blocks an incorrect assembly connection due to additional positive locking features. In the final latched position, the housing interlock element typically prevents unintentional decoupling of the connector assembly.
Further, particularly in high-voltage applications (e.g., in automotive applications at a DC voltage of over 60 V), it is known to protect the current transmission by means of an interlock circuit, also called interlock loop or high-voltage interlock system (HVIL). The interlock circuit is adapted to signal the electrical coupling of the electrical plug connector with the mating plug connector by means of a leading signal contact, so that a relay of an associated switching system on the mating plug connector side activates the electrical current transmission. In addition to the power transmission contacts, a comparatively shorter signal contact is arranged in a plug connector for this purpose. The shorter signal contact closes the interlock circuit only when the connector assembly has been joined up to predetermined point.
However, in known solutions, the interlock circuit is already closed and current transmission enabled even if the connector assembly is not yet fully interlocked and protected. In this case, there is a risk that an electric arc may prematurely or in a poorly connected connector assembly falsely signal the switching system to switch on the interlock circuit.
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an improved protected connector assembly addressing these drawbacks.
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an electrical connector assembly includes an electrical plug connector and a mating plug connector. The electrical plug connector includes a connector housing, and a housing interlock element movable relative to the connector housing between a pre-latched position and a final latched position. The housing interlock element includes a switching element. The mating plug connector is securable to the connector housing via the housing interlock element, and includes a receiving element adapted to receive the housing interlock element. The receiving element comprises two electrical contacts of an electrical interlock circuit. The switching element is adapted to electrically connect the two electrical contacts when the housing interlock element is moved into the final latched position.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which:
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.
In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.
The housing cover 103 covers an opening 115 in a first region 117 of the connector housing 101 of the plug connector 100, which faces away from a plug-in region. The first region 117 of the connector housing 101 is configured along a body direction y orthogonal to the plug-in direction x. The opening 115 is for receiving at least two cables for insulated current conductors 119a, 119b. The housing cover 103 encloses the received cables 119a, 119b and preferably covers the opening 115 in a waterproof manner. Arranged within the connector housing 101 and not visible in
The first region 117 is arranged substantially perpendicular to a second region 121 of the housing 101. In this embodiment, the plug connector 100 is a right-angled, so-called 90° exit connector. Both the first region 117 and the second region 121 have a rectangular cross-section in this embodiment. The second region 121 holds the contact terminals of the current transmission contacts and is suitable for being plugged onto the mating plug connector 200 for coupling the connector assembly 1. However, other configurations of the connector geometry are also possible.
The lever 105 comprises two lever arms 123a, 123b and a cross beam 125 which is suitable for operation and is adapted, in particular, to be flat. The cross beam 125 has a recess 137. The lever arms 123a, 123b are connected to the cross beam 125 at their first end, which faces at least partially in the body direction y. At their second end, which faces at least partially counter to the body direction y, the lever arms 123a, 123b are arranged rotatably about respective pivot pins 127. The pivot pins 127 are arranged along a second axis of rotation D2 running through the connector housing 101 transversely to the plug-in direction x.
Engagement lugs 129 are also configured to face outwardly at the second end of the lever arms 123a, 123b, which are arranged about pivot pins 127. The engagement lugs 129, not visible in
In
In the second rotational position, the actuation element 111 is positioned at a second angle α2 with respect to the body direction y. Preferably, the second angle α2 has the same magnitude as the first angle α1 in the opposite direction of rotation about D2.
A receiving element 211 is arranged within the mating connector housing 203 in the x-y plane, here for example between the two contact terminals 205a, 205b. The receiving element 211 is provided with a guide body 213 having an opening 215 for receiving and inserting the housing interlock element 109. The guide body 213 is configured to be tubular along the plug-in direction x, and is provided with two notches 217a, 217b extending along the plug-in direction x. The notches 217a, 217b are grooves for guiding the housing interlock element 109, in particular, as explained in detail later with reference to
In the detailed view of
Furthermore, the detailed view of
At its first end opposite the plug-in direction x, the pin-shaped body 107 is firmly connected to the actuation element 111 arranged externally on the housing 101, in particular configured in one piece. The pin-shaped body 107 extends along the axis of rotation D2 running parallel to the plug-in direction x. In this embodiment, the pin-shaped body 107 is configured circularly symmetrical about its axis D2. In alternative configurations, the pin-shaped body 107 is not circularly symmetrical, for example due to additional positive locking elements formed on the surface of the pin-shaped body 107.
The electrically conductive element 131 is arranged at the second end of the pin-shaped body 107 facing in the plug-in direction x, for example via a positive connection. The electrically conductive element 131 has a metallic pin 133 with two ends 135a, 135b. The ends 135a, 135b project with respect to the pin-shaped body 107 transversely to the plug-in direction x and are configured as projections. The metallic pin 133 extends centrally through the pin-shaped body 107 of the housing interlock element 109. The electrical contacts 219a, 219b of the mating plug connector 200 extend along the plug-in direction x through the base 201. In particular, they extend along an inner surface of the receiving element 211 forming the opening 215 to the level of the ends 135a, 135b. In
The connector housing 101 is fitted onto the mating connector housing 203 such that the pin-shaped body 107 of the housing interlock element 109 is inserted into the receiving element 211. At the same time, the supporting bodies 207a, 207b for the contact terminals 205a, 205b (see
In
A cross-sectional view along the sectional axis S of
The ends 135a, 135b project from the pin-shaped body 107 in the body direction y transverse to the plug-in direction x. Thus, they are adapted to be inserted into the notches 217a, 217b when the plug connector 100 is mated and to maintain the rotational orientation of the housing interlock element 109 in the receiving element 211 when the pin-shaped body 107 is inserted into the guide body 213. As can be seen from
With reference to
In
In
As a result of the leverage force that can be exerted by the engagement lugs 129, the plug connector 100 and mating plug connector 200 were fully coupled by the rotation of the lever 105. By engaging a lug on the spring element of the plug connector 100 in a corresponding recess in the mating plug connector 200, unintentional disengagement of the coupling is prevented. In this position, the coupling of the current transmission contacts also takes place.
In this state, the contact arms 135a, 135b lie in the receiving element 211 such that they can be moved in a circle along the above-mentioned rotational cavity 229 in the receiving element 211 in the thickened part 221 of the guide body 213. The movement space created by the rotational cavity 229 bridges the 45° offset between notches 217a, 217b and contacts 219a, 219b. Thus, rotational movement of the contact arms 135a, 135b of the housing interlock element 109 is no longer blocked in the notches 217a, 217b of the receiving element 211.
In
Upon sliding the actuation element 111 over the cross beam 125, the actuation element 111 has also displaced the resilient securing element 145 projecting from the surface of the cross beam 125 from its rest position. When the actuation element 111 passes the elastic securing element 145 into the second rotational position, the securing element 145 snaps back into its rest position and blocks a return of the actuation element 111. In this way, the housing interlock element 109 is positively secured in the final latched position and the connector assembly 1 is locked.
To release the connector assembly 1, the housing interlock element 109 must first be rotated back from the second rotational position in the final latched state back to the first rotational position in the pre-latched state. In the first rotational position, the contact arms 135a, 135b projecting from the pin-shaped body 107 are no longer in the rotational cavity 229 but in the notches 217a, 217b, and thus the blocking of the metallic contact arms 135a, 135b against the plug-in direction x is canceled. Only then is the lever 105 also no longer blocked by the actuation element 111, and the lever 105 can be actuated to release the connector assembly 1. In this way, it is simultaneously and additionally ensured that the interlock circuit opens and the electrical current transmission is interrupted before the lever 105 can be actuated and the connector assembly 1 can be unlocked.
In this embodiment of the invention, when assembling the connector assembly 1, a further step of checking the state of the housing interlock 109 is obsolete, since the interlock circuit can only be closed in the final latched state. Thus, assembly of the connector assembly is faster and easier.
In the above described embodiment, the switching element of the connector assembly according to the invention is configured as the electrically conductive element 131 comprising the metallic pin 133 having projecting ends 135a, 135b. In an alternative embodiment, the switching element is a protrusion formed on the surface of the pin-shaped body 107. The protrusion is located at the end of the pin-shaped body 107 facing in the plug-in direction x, and projects transversely to the plug-in direction x. Preferably, the positioning and geometric shape of the protrusion on the pin-shaped body 107 may correspond to the positioning and geometric shape of the end 135a or the end 135b of the embodiment described above.
In this alternative embodiment, the receiving element 211 includes a switch, wherein the electrical contacts of the mating plug connector 200 are arranged to be short-circuited by the switch. Preferably, the switch is located at the level of the rotational cavity 229. Thus, with the movement of the housing interlock element from the pre-latched position to the end-latched position, i.e., the rotation of the pin-shaped body about the axis D1, the switch can be flipped by the protrusion to short-circuit the electrical contacts in the mating plug connector. During a backward movement from the final latched position back to the pre-latched position, the protrusion moves back to the initial position. Thus, the shorting of the electrical contacts of the mating plug connector is released and the interlock circuit is opened, as known from the preceding embodiment. In this alternative embodiment, the underlying problem can also be solved and the advantages of the invention can be achieved.
In addition, those areas in which it is believed that those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar, have not been described herein in order not to unnecessarily obscure the invention described. Accordingly, it has to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims.
It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrated, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle.
Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.
As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of the elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102022118880.9 | Jul 2022 | DE | national |
