Patent Application
20070243730
This invention relates to an electrical connector and connection system that is shielded to prevent electromagnetic interference with electronic devices in the vicinity. Such devices are commonly referred to as EMI shielded electrical connectors and connection systems.
Motor vehicles that use internal combustion engines as well as electric motors to power the vehicle are referred to as hybrid vehicles. Hybrid vehicles use high voltage batteries and power generating devices, such as inverters and DC to DC converters which have a voltage on the order of 42 volts to 500 volts. Electrical connections for the high voltage batteries and power generating devices are typically EMI shielded electrical connections.
Recent developments in hybrid vehicles has resulted in configurations where the power generating devices are electrically connected to a vehicle chassis ground. This has resulted in the need for an EMI shielded electrical connection where the electrical terminals and the shield components of the electrical connection are isolated from each other electrically to avoid establishment of a short circuit between the electrical terminals and the EMI shield.
In one aspect this invention provides a shielded electrical connector having an inner insulator housing and an outer housing of conductive material. The inner insulator housing has an inner longitudinal terminal passage that extends through it from a terminal inlet to a terminal outlet. A shielded electric cable has a conductive core, an inner insulation jacket, a conductive shield outward of the inner insulation jacket, and an outer insulation jacket outward of the conductive metal shield. A terminal is attached to an end portion of the electric cable and that is in electrical contact with the conductive core. The terminal is preferably removeably, disposed in the terminal passage of the inner insulator housing with the electric cable extending out of the terminal inlet of terminal passage. A shunt member of conductive material contacts the conductive shield of the cable and the outer housing of conductive plastic material to enhance electrical continuity between the conductive shield and the outer housing of conductive plastic material.
The shunt member is preferably disposed in a shunt chamber that communicates with the terminal inlet and preferably a cable seal engages the outer insulation jacket of the shielded electric cable and an inlet of the shunt chamber to seal the shunt chamber at one end.
The shunt member may be selected from a group consisting of a coiled metal spring, a stamped metal spring contact, a conductive plastic spring contact, and a conductive elastomeric seal.
In another aspect, the invention provides a shielded electrical connection system having a first electrical connector and a second electrical connector. The first electrical connector comprises a first inner insulator housing and a first outer housing of conductive material that has a plug portion. The second electrical connector comprises a second inner insulator housing and a second outer housing of conductive plastic material that has a socket portion for receiving the plug portion of the first outer housing. A shunt member of conductive material contacts the plug portion and the socket portion when the plug portion is plugged into the socket portion to enhance electrical continuity between the first outer housing and the second outer housing.
The shunt member may be selected from a group consisting of a coiled metal spring, a stamped metal spring contact, a conductive plastic spring contact, and a conductive elastomeric seal.
The shunt member is preferably disposed in a shunt chamber defined by the plug portion and the socket portion and the shielded electrical connection system preferably includes a connector seal engaging the socket portion and the plug portion to seal the shunt chamber at one end.
In still another aspect, one inner housing of the shielded electrical connection system has an inner longitudinal terminal passage that extends through it from a terminal inlet to a terminal outlet, and the shielded electrical connection system includes a shielded electric cable that has a conductive core, an inner insulation jacket, a conductive shield outward of the inner insulation jacket, and an outer insulation jacket outward of the conductive shield, and a terminal that is attached to an end portion of the electric cable and that is in electrical contact with the conductive core. The end portion of the electric cable and the terminal are disposed in the terminal passage of the one inner housing with the electric cable extending out of the terminal inlet of the terminal passage. A cable seal may engage the outer insulation jacket of the electric cable and the electrical connector having the one inner housing to seal the inlet of the terminal passage.
This connector may have a second shunt chamber communicating with the terminal inlet, and a second shunt member that is disposed in the second shunt chamber engaging the conductive shield of the cable and the connector's outer housing of conductive plastic material. The connector may include a cable seal that engages the outer jacket of the cable and an enlarged inlet of the second shunt chamber to seal the second shunt chamber as well as the inlet of the terminal passage.
Either or both of the shunt members may be a metal spring ring, a stamped metal spring contact, a conductive plastic spring contact or a conductive elastomeric seal.
The inner housing of the mating electrical connector preferably has a mating terminal passage that communicates with the terminal passage of the one inner housing when the first electrical connector is mated to the second electrical connector in which case the shielded electric connection system preferably includes an annular elastomeric connector seal for sealing an interface of the inner housings.
The outer housing of the mating electrical connector may be adapted to be grounded, for instance by being adapted to be connected to a conductive casing, in which case, the outer housing preferably carries a second connector seal for sealing an interface between the outer housing and the conductive casing.
Referring now to
The first electrical connector 14 comprises a first inner housing 28 of non-conductive material and a first outer housing 30 of conductive material that has a socket portion 32. On the other hand, the second electric connector 16 comprises a second inner housing 34 of non-conductive material and a second outer housing 36 of conductive material that has a plug portion 38. Socket portion 32 receives the plug portion 38 of the first outer housing 36 when the electrical connectors 14 and 16 are mated as shown in
When the electrical connectors 14 and 16 are mated, the outer housings 30 and 36 being of a conductive material form part of a magnetic circuit that depends in part on the fit of the plug portion 38 in socket portion 32. The connection system 10 includes a shunt member 42 of magnetic material that contacts the plug portion 38 and the socket portion 32 when the plug portion 38 is plugged into the socket portion 32 to enhance electrical continuity between the first outer housing 30 and the second outer housing 36. The electrical continuity is also preferably enhanced by a snug fit of socket portion 38 in hood 40.
Shunt member 42 may take the form of a coiled metal spring ring that is disposed in a shunt chamber 44 that is formed near the open end of the socket portion 32 by the plug portion 38 and the socket portion 32 when electrical connector 16 is plugged into electrical connector 14. Shunt member 42 is preferably partially disposed in an annular groove 45 of plug portion 38 for retention with electrical connector 16 when it is unplugged. The connection system 10 also preferably includes an annular connector seal 46 of elastomeric material that engages plug portion 38 and socket portion 32 to seal chamber 44 at the open end of socket portion 32 and protect shunt member 42 from damage by water and other deleterious matter.
In one aspect, an important component of the shielded electrical connection system 10 is the electrical connector 16 that is attached to a shielded electric cable 18. By way of background, a shielded electric cable, such as cable 18, comprises a inner conductive core 20, an inner insulation jacket 22 that surrounds the inner conductive core 20 and a conductive shield 24 that is covered by an outer insulation jacket 26. Conductive shield is usually a metal wire mesh that is woven around the inner insulation jacket 22.
The inner housing 34 of electrical connector 16 has an inner longitudinal terminal passage 47 that extends through it from a terminal inlet to a terminal outlet. A terminal 48 is attached to an end portion of the electric cable 18 so that it is in electrical contact with the conductive core 20. Terminal 48 and the end portion of electric cable 18 are disposed in terminal passage 47 with cable 18 extending out of the terminal inlet and through a communicating shunt chamber 49 formed by outer housing 36 behind inner housing 34. Shielded electric cable 18 has an inner end of its conductive shield 24 stripped and terminated by a compression ring 50 located at the inlet of terminal passage 47.
Shunt chamber 49 has an enlarged inlet 52. Electrical connector 16 preferably includes a second shunt member 54 in the shunt chamber 49 that contacts the conductive shield 24 of cable 18 and the inner wall of shunt chamber 49 to enhance electrical continuity between conductive shield 24 and the outer housing 36 of conductive material. Shunt member 54 may also be a coiled metal spring ring. Cable 18 which extends through inlet 52 is preferably prepared so that conductive shield 24 is exposed in the inner end of the chamber 49 for contact with shunt member 54 while the outer insulation jacket 26 is left on the portion of the cable 18 that is disposed in the enlarged inlet 52.
The outer housing 36 of electrical connector 16 is preferably molded of a conductive plastic material. Inner insulator housing 34 is also preferably molded of a non-conductive plastic material and the outer housing 36 is preferably molded over the inner housing 34 of non-conductive plastic material.
Electrical connector 16 also preferably includes a cable seal 56 behind shunt member 54 to seal the inlet 52 of the shunt chamber 49 formed in outer housing 36, around the outer insulation jacket 26 of electric cable 22 to protect the second shunt member 54 against damage from water and other deleterious matter.
Electrical connector 16 also may include an optional terminal position assurance (TPA) device 58 that is attached to the end of outer housing 30. TPA device 58 operates in a well known manner to insure that terminal 48 is fully inserted and properly positioned in terminal passage 47. It should be noted that terminal 48 can be removed from terminal passage 47 through the shunt chamber 49 for repair or replacement on the end of electric cable 18. Terminal 48 may be retained in terminal passage 47 by a releasable latch tang that must be released before terminal 48 can be removed.
The electrical connection system 10 also includes a mating electric connector 14 which for convenience is termed the second electrical connector as indicated above. The inner housing 28 of electrical connector 14 also has an inner longitudinal terminal passage 62 that extends through it from a terminal inlet to a terminal outlet. A terminal 64 is attached to an end of a non-shielded electric cable 66 that has a conductive core 67 and an outer insulation jacket 68. Terminal 64 and the end portion of electric cable 66 are disposed in terminal passage 62 with cable 66 extending out of the terminal inlet.
Electrical connector 14 also may include an annular elastomeric cable seal 69 that engages the outer insulation jacket of electric cable 66 and the terminal passage 62 to seal the inlet of the terminal passage 62 around the insulation jacket 68 of electric cable 66.
The outer housing 32 of electrical connector 14 is also preferably molded of a conductive plastic material. Inner insulator housing 28 is also preferably molded of a non-conductive plastic material and the outer housing 32 is preferably molded over the inner housing 28 of non-conductive plastic material.
The shielded electrical connection system 10 is grounded by the outer housing 30 of electrical connector 14. Thus the outer housing 30 may be adapted for attachment to a conductive casing 71 having an inlet for receiving the projecting portion of inner housing 28. In such a case, as shown in
Electrical connector 14 also may include an interface seal 70 for engaging an inner surface of the inlet of casing 71 to prevent ingress of water and other deleterious matter. Electrical connector 14 may also include an optional terminal position assurance (TPA) device 72 that is attached to the end of inner housing 28. TPA device 72 operates in a well known manner to insure that terminal 64 is fully inserted and properly positioned in terminal passage 62. It should be noted that terminal 64 can be removed from terminal passage 62 via the terminal inlet for terminal passage 62 for repair or replacement on the end of electric cable 66. Terminal 64 may be retained in terminal passage 62 by a releasable latch tang that must be released before terminal 64 can be removed.
Referring now to
Referring now to
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The electrical connection system 310 may also include a connector seal 370 that is made of a conductive elastomeric material to enhance the shield connection to ground when the electrical connector 314 is attached to a conductive casing (not shown) as described above.
It will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those described above, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.
