Patent Application
20230307865
This application is a U.S. non-provisional application claiming the benefit of French Application No. 22 02535, filed on Mar. 22, 2022, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The disclosure relates to an electrical connector, suitable for being used, e.g. for producing an electrical through-wall connection, commonly called an electrode, for supplying current to an element of an exhaust line.
As illustrated in
An exhaust pipe carries the exhaust gases at the outlet of a heat engine. Same integrates different equipment for purifying exhaust gases along the length thereof. The electrode is more particularly designed for supplying a heating element, apt to heat the exhaust gases circulating in the exhaust line and the purification equipment, such as catalysts.
The conductor 2 is surrounded throughout the periphery thereof by a housing 4 in the zone surrounding the crossing through the metal wall 7. The substantially tubular housing 4 is typically made of metal and is rigidly attached to the metal wall 7 of the exhaust line through which the housing crosses in a sealed manner.
Since the wall 7 of the exhaust line is at the chassis ground potential, i.e. has a potential different from the potential of the conductor 2, an insulator 3 surrounding the conductor 2 is arranged between the conductor 2 and the housing 4.
The mating connector 11 comprises a monopolar electric mating conductor 12, substantially central with respect to the axis of the conductor 2, apt to come into contact with the conductor 2. The mating connector 11 further comprises a mating housing 14 surrounding the mating conductor 12. The mating housing 14 is commonly metallic and is in electrical contact with the mating conductor 12.
To prevent any risk of liquid being present between the connector 1 and the mating connector 11, mainly at the interface between the conductor 2 and the mating conductor 12, which could generate a leakage current or a short circuit between the first potential, common to the conductor 2, the mating conductor 12 and the mating housing 14 and the second, different, potential of the housing 4, the mating housing 14 is extended longitudinally so as to cover the longitudinal end 6 of the connector 1 by surrounding said end. Such conformation makes it possible to achieve a constriction resisting a penetration of liquid resulting from a projection.
The mating conductor 12 and the mating housing 14 can be two distinct parts or a single part.
Since the housing 4 is at a second potential, different from the first potential, such surrounding is necessarily produced without contact.
Thereby a delicate compromise arises between a space, too large, between housing 4 and the mating housing 14, carrying the risking of allowing a liquid to enter, and a space too small which carries the risk of generating a contact which could lead to a short-circuit or a proximity which could lead to a current leak due to deformation or a tolerance deviation.
One solution, as proposed by DE 102016209282, more particularly illustrated in
However, the end of the insulator 3, which is a more fragile material, at the end 6 left bare, tends to disintegrate.
In order to combat such disintegration, the disclosure proposes to add, at an end 6, a reinforcing ring 5, encircling the end of the insulator 3 in order to protect the insulator against such disintegration.
To this end, the disclosure relates to an electrical connector, comprising an electrical conductor, an electrical insulator surrounding the conductor, a housing surrounding the insulator and a ring surrounding the insulator, arranged in the continuation of the housing, longitudinally at the end of the insulator and spaced longitudinally from the housing by a length at least equal to one times the thickness of the insulator.
Particular features or embodiments, which can be used alone or in combination, are:
In a second aspect, the disclosure relates to an assembly comprising a connector having the above features and an electrical mating connector connected to the connector, the mating connector comprising a substantially central linear monopolar electrical mating conductor in contact with the conductor and a mating housing surrounding the mating conductor, where a longitudinal end of the mating housing surrounds the ring, covering same longitudinally, at least partially.
Particular features or embodiments, which can be used alone or in combination, are:
In a third aspect of the disclosure, a heating element for an exhaust line, comprising at least one electrode, wherein said at least one electrode comprises, at the outer end thereof, such a connector.
The disclosure will be better understood upon reading the following description, given only as an example and making reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:
According to a first embodiment of the disclosure, illustrated in
According to one feature, the connector 1 further comprises a ring 5. The ring 5 surrounds the insulator 3. The ring 5 is arranged in the continuation of the housing 4. Same is arranged substantially at the longitudinal end of the insulator 3. The arrangement thereof is such that the ring is longitudinally distant from the housing 4 by a length L. Said length L is at least equal to one times the thickness e of the insulator 3.
The housing 4 makes it possible to retain and to protect the insulator 3. In order to withstand the high heat which could be encountered in the vicinity of an exhaust line, the housing 4 is generally made of metallic material. Thus, the housing 4, in contact with the wall 7 of the exhaust line, is at the same potential as said wall 7, i.e. conventionally the vehicle chassis ground. The mating housing 14 is, for the same reasons, also made of metal. Same is in contact with the mating conductor 12 and thus at the same electrical potential as the mating conductor 12 and the conductor 2. Also, there should be no contact and even no proximity between the housing 4 and the mating housing 14. The ring 5 is at a distance from the housing 4 in order to prevent the ring 5 from being at the potential of the housing 4 or at chassis grounds. The above is required because the mating housing 14, according to the embodiment, either touches the ring 5 or might touch it.
According to another feature, the ring 5 is spaced longitudinally from the housing 4 by a length L at least equal to one and a half times, preferentially at least two times, the thickness e of the insulator 3, in order to further increase the protection, e.g. for safety reasons.
According to another feature, the ring 5 is made of a metallic or ceramic material. The metallic material is preferentially stainless steel, a nickel chromium alloy or an iron chromium aluminum alloy.
The ring 5 is similar, in terms of radial dimensions, to the housing 4, which same extends.
According to a first embodiment, more particularly illustrated in
According to another embodiment, more particularly illustrated in
In the case of such a radial enlargement, the latter may be made of the same material as the insulator 3. Alternatively, same can be made of another material. Thus, e.g., the insulator 3 could be made of mica, whereas the radial enlargement filling could be made of glass.
As illustrated in
Alternatively, as illustrated in
It should be noted that ceramic-type materials can be hygroscopic. However, same can absorb water and thus generate a very low leakage current over a short length of such type.
According to another feature, the insulator 3 is made of ceramic, glass, mica or alumina or magnesium oxides or any other mineral material which is electrically insulating and resistant to heat. The application envisaged herein requires a resistance to a temperature of at least 900° C.
The disclosure further relates to an electrical mating connector 11, apt to connect with a connector 1, as described hereinabove. The mating connector 11 comprises an electrical mating conductor 12. The mating conductor 12 is preferentially monopolar. Same is arranged substantially centrally with respect to the mating connector 11. Same is apt to come into contact with the conductor 2. A mating housing 14 surrounds the mating conductor 12.
According to another feature, a longitudinal end 16 of the mating housing 14 is shaped so as to surround the ring 5, covering the ring longitudinally, at least partially.
According to a first embodiment, more particularly illustrated in
According to another embodiment, more particularly illustrated in
Because of the clamping, contact is created between the mating housing 14 and the ring 5. It follows therefrom that the ring 5 is at the potential of the conductor 2 and of the mating conductor 12. Thus, the risk of current leakage between the ring 5 and the housing 4 increases. Also, in such embodiment, the distance 1 between the ring 5 and the housing 4 is preferentially increased. In such embodiment, the ring 5 is spaced longitudinally from the housing 4 by a length L at least equal to two times the thickness e of the insulator 3.
The disclosure further relates to a heating element for an exhaust line, comprising at least one electrode, wherein said at least one electrode comprises, at the outer end thereof, such a connector 1.
The disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and the preceding description. Same should be considered as illustrative and given as an example and not as limiting the disclosure to said description alone. Many variants of embodiment are possible.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 02535 | Mar 2022 | FR | national |
