1. Field of the Invention
A connector assembly includes a preassembly frame to which the ends of a number of high-voltage transmission lines are connected, whereupon the preassembly frame is mounted in an open-ended chamber contained in a connector housing. The frame includes a first end wall having openings that receive intermediate portions of the transmission lines, which first end wall carries a grounding plate having projections for engaging exposed portions of braided shielding layers of the transmission lines. The free ends of the transmission lines are provided with contact members that are supported by insulation sleeves in wall openings contained in a second end wall of the preassembly frame. A coding arrangement prevents the connector assembly from being connected to an unauthorized companion electrical device.
2. Description of Related Art
To transmit high-voltage power outputs, it is necessary so to design connector arrangements that one can make sure, with maximum probability, that the assembly of the housing will not cause the contacts to be bent, twisted or shifted, or perhaps even separated. Besides, the contacting of any possible sheaths of the conductors is a problem that so far has been solved only inadequately.
Against this background, it is the object of the present invention to solve the two abovementioned problems in each case independently of each other. According to a preferred embodiment, a connector arrangement is also to be created where the two mentioned problems are solved together.
Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide a connector arrangement including a rigid preassembly frame to which the ends of a plurality of insulated and shielded transmission lines are connected, which frame is subsequently mounted in a protective outer housing. Prior to assembly in the housing, exposed portions of the braided electrically conductive shielding layers of the transmission lines are connected with a grounding plate fastened to a first end wall of the preassembly frame. The free ends of the transmission lines are supported in openings contained in the second end wall of the preassembly frame by cylindrical contact members crimped or otherwise fastened to the bare ends of the transmission line core conductors, and by tubular insulation sleeves arranged concentrically about the contact members.
According to a more specific object of the invention, coding means are provided for preventing connection of the connector arrangement to an unauthorized electrical device, such as a companion connector arrangement.
According to another object of the invention, the connector arrangement is characterized by the provision of a rigid frame on which the conductors and the contacts can be preassembled and which can be placed in the protective housing in the preassembled state. The frame first of all constitutes a stable assembly space or limits such a space in which the conductors and the contacts can be connected with each other. Optionally, a ground plate is also placed in the frame in a conducting manner for engagement with the braided shielding layers of the transmission lines. Only then is the unit, thus preassembled, inserted in the housing, or only then is the housing preferably pushed up upon the frame. The frame prevents the elements that are preassembled in or around the frame from being jiggled or damaged during the assembly of the housing.
In particular, the free ends of the transmission line core leads of the transmission lines are connected with the frame by means of contact members fastened to the core conductor bare ends, respectively. Optionally, moreover, the shielding layer contacting device for contacting of one or more transmission line sheaths is arranged in the frame.
Here it is practical when the housing is a circumferentially enclosed casing with a preferably rectangular cross-section. This casing is furthermore preferably laterally open at its two axial ends and can be pushed upon the frame.
In a preferred variant, the frame has two base plates that are aligned parallel to each other and that are connected with each other by means of studs in the area of their corners. This frame is designed to be stable and can be put together with simple means during the assembly of the patch plug.
With regard to the sheath-contacting device, it is provided that the latter preferably have contact projections that engage on the outside against the shielding sheath layer, whereby the conductors and the contact projections bridges are bordered by attachment means such as preferably metallic screw-operated hose clamps or metal cable clamps with which the contact projections are pressed against the braided sheaths of the transmission lines. At this point, it is furthermore particularly advantageous when the sheath-contacting device has a ground plate with integral contact projections.
The sheath-contacting device makes it possible in a simple manner to contact the braided conductive sheath layer securely and quickly, specifically in such a way that the conducting connection will also be suitable for the temporary shunting of higher outputs.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, when viewed in the light of the accompanying drawing, in which:
a is an exploded front view of the front end portion of a first connector arrangement,
a, 10b, and 10c are corresponding views of a companion second connector arrangement;
Referring first more particularly to
Referring to
As shown in
As is shown in
Referring now to
According to an important feature of the invention, coding means are provided for preventing the connection of the connector assembly with an unauthorized second connector or other electrical device. To this end, the external surfaces of the protruding portions of the insulating sleeves 26 of
Following the complete assembly of the components on the preassembly frame 11, the frame is inserted longitudinally into the connector housing 12 of
By way of example, while three transmission lines 4 have been shown to be connected to the connector 1, the number of transmission lines 4 should be considered as purely exemplary. Transmission lines 4 preferably are those with single-core lead or multi-core lead transmission-line core leads 5 with a relatively large cross-section that are suitable for the transmission of high power outputs such as they are needed, for example, to supply electric motors for the purpose of driving rail vehicles (for example, more than 500 A current intensity and more than 1 kV voltage).
The layers surrounding the transmission line core lead 5 are staggered or stripped to be remote from the end of conductor 4 in various axial lengths so that it is possible to provide the transmission line core lead 5 with the contact casing 2 and to abut the sheath 7 thereof in an electrically conducting manner separately against a shield-contacting device 9 of the connector 1 (see
Because of the high outputs to be transmitted, it is necessary to design the connector 1 such that mistakes can be ruled out as much as possible during its assembly. Furthermore, braided shield layer 7 preferably is to be so contacted that it will, on the one hand, be contactable in a simple manner, but, on the other hand, it will also be suitable for the shunting of higher outputs, at any rate, for a predefined span of time. Thus, the connector 1 has a frame 11 (FIG. 8),which is so designed that, upon it, transmission line 4 as well as the cable shielding layer are first assembled or contacted in a conclusive manner before a housing 12 is assembled upon frame 11. In this way, it is possible first of all to create a preassembled unit whose configuration is error free. That can also be checked out easily by visual means. Only then is housing 12 assembled. In this way, it is possible in a particularly simple manner to contact the shield layers 7 of the transmission lines 4 in a secure and simple fashion. In this way, one can make sure that the connectors 1 and 3 cannot be stuck together in a twisted position. The corresponding patch plug is fashioned like the previously described patch plug except for the contact casings 2′ (
First of all, frame 11 is preassembled with the parts shown in
While in accordance with the provisions of the Patent Statutes the preferred forms and embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made without deviating from the invention described above.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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20 2009 007 276.2 | May 2009 | DE | national |