Patent Application
20210344132
The present disclosure relates to electrical connectors, and, in particular, to a shielded electrical connector system having a spring actuated electrical connector assembly. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to an electrical connector system for use in motor vehicles, including passenger and commercial vehicles, for high-power, high-current and/or high-voltage applications where connector assemblies are essential to provide mechanical and electrical connectivity while meeting strict industry standards, production, and performance requirements.
Over the past several decades, the number of electrical components used in automobiles, and other on-road and off-road vehicles such as pick-up trucks, commercial vans and trucks, semi-trucks, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and sports utility vehicles (collectively “motor vehicles”) has increased dramatically. Electrical components are used in motor vehicles for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to, monitoring, improving and/or controlling vehicle performance, emissions, safety and creates comforts to the occupants of the motor vehicles. These electrical components are mechanically and electrically connected within the motor vehicle by conventional connector assemblies, which consist of an eyelet and a threaded fastener. Considerable time, resources, and energy have been expended to develop connector assemblies that meet the varied needs and complexities of the motor vehicle market; however, conventional connector assemblies suffer from a variety of shortcomings.
Motor vehicles are challenging electrical environments for both the electrical components and the connector assemblies due to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, space constraints that make initial installation difficult, harsh operating conditions, large ambient temperature ranges, prolonged vibration, heat loads, and longevity, all of which can lead to component and/or connector failure. For example, incorrectly installed connectors, which typically occur in the assembly plant, and dislodged connectors, which typically occur in the field, are two significant failure modes for the electrical components and motor vehicles. Each of these failure modes lead to significant repair and warranty costs. For example, the combined annual accrual for warranty by all of the automotive manufacturers and their direct suppliers is estimated to be between 50 billion and 150 billion, worldwide.
A more appropriate, robust connector assembly that is impervious to harsh operating conditions, prolonged vibration and excessive heat, especially heat loads that accumulate “under the hood” of the vehicle. In order to create a robust solution, many companies have designed variations of spring-loaded connectors. Unfortunately, although the more recent connectors are an improvement over dated connectors using an eyelet and threaded connector, there are still far too many failures. Part of the reason that spring-actuated connector assemblies fail in motor vehicle applications is because of the design of the assembly—namely that the spring element, such as a tab, is located on the periphery of the connector. By placing the spring tab on the exterior surface of the connector, manufacturers attempt to make the engagement of the assembly's components obvious to the worker assembling the part in the factory. Unfortunately, for both plastic and metal, the increased temperatures of an automotive environment make a peripheral spring prone to premature failure. It is not uncommon for the engine compartment of a motor vehicle to exceed 100° C., with individual components of a motor vehicle engine reaching or exceeding 180° C. At 100° C., most plastics start to plasticize, reducing the retention force of the peripheral spring-actuated element. At 100° C., the thermal expansion of the spring steel will reduce the retention force of a peripheral spring-actuated connector. Also, spring-actuated features formed from spring steel are prone to residual material memory inherent in the spring steel as the spring steel is thermally cycled on a repeated basis between high and low temperatures. After many temperature cycles, the spring steel will begin to return to its original, pre-formed shape, which reduces the spring-actuated element's retention force with other components of the connector assembly. This behavior makes the conventional connector assembly susceptible to vibration and failure over time, each of which significantly reduces the performance and reliability of conventional connectors. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a low-cost, vibration-resistant, temperature-resistant connector assembly.
Another problem in the art is that high power wires can emit electromagnetic fields (“EMF”), which can cause false signals in sensitive circuits found in motor vehicles (e.g., windshield wiper controls, heads-up display, accident recorder, instrument cluster, air deployment, electric power steering, automatic braking, and etc.). The suppression of EMF is becoming more important because today's electronic devices are using lower supply voltages, higher clock frequencies, and increased electronic packaging density. One approach to suppressing EMF's is to utilize a shielded cable. The effectiveness of the electromagnetic shielding is typically limited by openings or seams in the shield. To mitigate shielding loss from these openings or seams, it is desirable to shield the connectors that are coupled to the shielded cable.
Another problem in the art is that the female portion of the connector assembly must have an opening therein to receive the male portion of the connector assembly. Typically, this opening is large enough, such that a foreign object may accidentally touch a conductive part of the connector assembly. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a connector that helps reduce the risk that a foreign body can come into contact with the conductive part of the connector assembly. Additionally, it is desirable to minimize the amount of time that foreign objects can come into contact with the terminal assemblies when power is applied to these terminals. Thus, it is desirable that the connector does not supply power to the terminals when the terminals are not properly connected within each other.
This disclosure addresses the shortcomings discussed above and other problems and provides advantages and aspects not provided by conventional connector assemblies and the prior art of this type. A full discussion of the features and advantages of the present disclosure is deferred to the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present disclosure relates to a shielded electrical connector system, which has a spring actuated electrical connector assembly residing within a housing assembly. The housing assembly provides shielding capabilities and contains: (i) certain components that are made from a conductive material and (ii) certain components that are made from a non-conductive material. The electrical connector system is primarily intended for use in motor vehicles, including passenger and commercial vehicles, for high-power, high-amperage, and/or high-voltage applications where connector assemblies are essential to meet industry standards, production, and performance requirements. The electrical connector system can also be used in military vehicles, such as tanks, personnel carriers and trucks, and marine applications, such as cargo ships, tankers, pleasure boats and sailing yachts, or telecommunications hardware, such as servers.
According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the shielded connector system includes a male connector assembly and a female connector assembly. Both the male and female connector assemblies have their own housing, which contains a terminal. The male terminal assembly is designed and configured to fit within the female terminal, which forms both a mechanical and electrical connection between these terminals. The male terminal assembly includes an internal spring actuator or spring member, which is designed to interact with an extent of the male terminal to ensure that a proper connection is created between the male terminal and the female terminal. More specifically, the female terminal forms a receiver that is configured to receive an extent of the male terminal assembly. The male terminal assembly has a male terminal body, which includes a plurality of contact arms. A spring member is nested inside the male terminal body. The spring member resists inward deflection and applies outwardly directed force on the contact arms thereby creating a positive connection and retention force between the male and female terminals. Unlike other prior art connection systems, the connection between the male terminal and the female terminal becomes stronger when the connector system experiences elevated ambient and/or operating temperatures, electrical power and loads.
The male and female terminals may be substantially encased by housings that are formed from non-conductive materials (e.g., non-conductive plastic). These non-conductive housings are in direct contact with the terminals and expose only certain extents of the male and female terminals (e.g., contact arms and an inner surface of the tubular member of the female terminal). Minimizing the exposure of the male and female terminals may be beneficial as it may reduce the chances of foreign metal objects being lodged within the connector assemblies. Also, certain parts of the non-conductive housings are substantially encased by housings that are made from conductive materials (e.g., conductive plastic). These conductive housings may be connected to ground and may act as a shield, which helps suppress EMFs when the shielded connector assembly is in operation.
In one embodiment, the female terminal has a tubular configuration that is fabricated from a sheet of highly conductive copper. The highly conductive copper can be C151 or C110. One side of the sheet of highly conductive copper can be pre-plated with silver, tin, or top tin, such that the inner surface of the tubular member may be plated. The male terminal assembly includes a male terminal body and a spring member. The male terminal body has a plurality of contact arms (e.g., four contact arms). The four contact arms can be placed at 90° increments, meaning that each contact arm has one arm directly opposing a side wall of the female terminal. Each contact arm has a thickness, a termination end, and a planar surface with a length and a width.
A spring member is configured to be nested inside the male terminal body. The spring member has spring arms, a middle section, and a rear wall or base. The spring arms are connected to the middle or base section. The spring arms have a termination end, a thickness, and a planar surface with a length and width. In the illustrated embodiments, the spring member has the same number of spring arms as the contact element has contact arms. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring arms can be mapped, one-to-one, with the contact arms. The spring arms are dimensioned so that the termination end of the associated contact arm engages the planar surface of the spring arm. The spring arms of the illustrated embodiments are even in number, symmetrical, and evenly spaced.
The male terminal fits inside the tubular member of the female terminal such that the contact arms engage the inner surface of the tubular member. The spring arms help ensure that the contact arms create an electrical connection with the tubular member. The termination end of the contact arm meets the planar surface of the spring arm, forcing the contact arm to form a substantially perpendicular or at least an obtuse with respect to the outer surface of the spring arm.
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate disclosed embodiments and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings:
In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth by way of examples in order to provide a thorough understanding of the relevant teachings. However, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present teachings may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and/or circuitry have been described at a relatively high-level, without detail, in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring aspects of the present teachings.
While this disclosure includes a number of embodiments in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail particular embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the disclosed methods and systems, and is not intended to limit the broad aspects of the disclosed concepts to the embodiments illustrated. As will be realized, the disclosed methods and systems are capable of other and different configurations and several details are capable of being modified all without departing from the scope of the disclosed methods and systems. For example, one or more of the following embodiments, in part or whole, may be combined consistently with the disclosed methods and systems. As such, one or more steps from the flow charts or components in the Figures may be selectively omitted and/or combined consistently with the disclosed methods and systems. Accordingly, the drawings, flow charts and detailed descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, not restrictive or limiting.
The Figures show a shielded connector system 100, which is designed to mechanically and electrically couple a device (e.g., radiator fan, heated seat, power distribution component, or another current drawing component) to a power source (e.g., alternator, battery, or power distribution component). The shielded connector system 100 may be used in an electrical system, which may be contained within an airplane, motor vehicle, a military vehicle (e.g., tank, personnel carrier, heavy-duty truck, and troop transporter), a bus, a locomotive, a tractor, a boat, a submarine, a battery pack, a 24-48 volt system, for a high-power application, for a high-current application, for a high-voltage applications, or for another other application where electrical connector assemblies are essential to meet industry standards and production requirements. It should be understood that the shielded connector system 100 can be used in a single application. For example, a number of shielded connector systems 100 can be used with the various devices and component contained within a single motor vehicle. Other examples and additional details about how the shielded connector system 100 may be used are described in connection with PCT Application PCT/US2019/36127.
Referring to
As shown in the
It should be understood that these terms, as used herein, shall generally mean the following. “non-conductive materials” shall include non-conductive plastic or a material that has a surface resistivity greater than a value derived from testing the material pursuant to one or more standards ESD STM 11.11, ASTM D257, FTMS 101C, FTMS 4046, and ASTM D4935. For example, testing of the material pursuant to these standards yields a value of 10{circumflex over ( )}12 ohms per square. Examples of non-conductive plastics include thermoplastics or other types of plastics such as (i) polyamide (“PA”), (ii) polyphthalamide (“PPA”), (iii) polyethylene (“PE”), (iv) polybutylene terephthalate (“PBT”), (v) polypropylene (“PP”), and (vi) polyvinyl-chloride (“PVC”).
“Conductive materials” shall include conductive plastic or a material that has a surface resistivity less than a value derived from one or more standards ESD STM 11.11, ASTM D257, FTMS 101C, FTMS 4046, and ASTM D4935. For example, testing of the material pursuant to these standards yields a value of 10{circumflex over ( )}12 ohms per square. Examples of such include thermoplastics or other types of plastics that have at least one conductive additive such as (i) carbon, (ii) metals or (iii) conductive polymers. Further examples of both conductive and non-conductive materials are provided below.
“High power” shall mean an application experiencing: (i) a voltage of between 20 volts to 600 volts, regardless of the current or (ii) a current greater than or equal to 80 amps, regardless of the voltage. “High current” shall mean current greater than or equal to 80 amps, typically greater than 80 amps in the automotive industry, regardless of the voltage. “High voltage” shall mean between 20 volts to 600 volts, typically greater than 47 volts in the automotive industry, regardless of the current.
In the system 100, when structure A is encased by structure B, then structure A is enclosed by structure B. When structure A is substantially encased, then a major extent of structure A is enclosed by structure B, however, a small or minor extent of structure A is unenclosed by structure B. When structure A is partially encased, then a minor extent of structure A is enclosed by structure B, however, a greater or major extent of structure A is unenclosed by structure B.
As shown in
It should be understood that the external male housing 280 is made using any known technique (e.g., injection molding techniques, 3D printing, cast, thermoformed, or etc.) from a conductive material. In particular, the external male housing 280 may be made from a number of conductive plastics that are discussed below. Making the external male housing 280 from at least one of these conductive materials attenuates the EMF that is emitted through the system 100. Further, in order to increase the efficiency of the EMF shielding or increasing the attenuation, the openings within the external male housing 280 are minimized Nevertheless, it should be understood that all openings cannot be eliminated because the wire 590 must enter the housing 280 and the male terminal assembly 430 must be able to be connected to the female terminal 800.
The seal 270 is configured to help seal the shielded connector system 100 by interacting with the female housing assembly 620. The seal 270 is positioned: (i) over the arrangement of side walls 281a-281d and (ii) between the seal retainer 282 and the frontal cap 286. The seal 270 may be made from a flexible non-conductive material (e.g. silicon) or may be made from a flexible conductive material (e.g., silicon that contains conductive particles, strands, etc.). As best shown in
The frontal cap 286 includes a plurality of openings 286a, wherein said openings 286a include: (i) openings 290 for the male terminal assemblies 430, (ii) openings 291 for the high-voltage interlock 217, and (iii) opening 289, which is a part of the frontal cap coupling means 287. The frontal cap 286 is operably coupled to the arrangement of side walls 281a-281d by the frontal cap coupling means 287, which in this embodiment is: (i) a projection 288 that extends from side walls 281b, 281d and (ii) openings 289, which act as receivers for the projections 288. As shown in
Like the seal 270, the frontal cap 286 may be formed from a non-conductive material (e.g., thermoplastic) or may be made from a conductive material (e.g., thermoplastic that contains conductive particles, strands, etc.). In certain embodiments, it is desirable to use a non-conductive material for at least the frontal cap 286 to help ensure that the male terminal assembly 430 is isolated from the rest of the external male housing 280. This isolation helps ensure that the male terminal assembly 430 does not accidentally make contact with the ground or another foreign body.
The grounding channel 285 that is formed by two grounding projection 286a-286b is configured to receive a grounding leadframe 276. The grounding leadframe 276 is configured to be placed into contact with both the external male housing 280 and the fastener 284. The grounding leadframe 276 helps to ensure that electrostatic charges can be distributed throughout a portion of the external male housing 280 and are not just limited to where the fastener 284 couples the external male housing 280 to the ground. This configuration helps reduce failures in the external male housing 280. In some embodiments, the grounding leadframe 276 may have holes or openings formed therein, which are configured to interact with projections that extend from the outer surface of the external male housing 280. In another embodiment, the grounding leadframe 276 may be molded into the external male housing 280, while in other embodiments the grounding leadframe 276 may be formed separately from the external male housing 280 and press-fit into the external male housing 280. Further, in other embodiments, the grounding leadframe 276 may be coupled to the fastener 284, may be sprayed/painted onto the external male housing 280 (e.g., thermal spray, cold spray), welded (resistive, laser, sonic/vibe) to the external male housing 280, or thermally bonded to the external male housing 280.
This grounding leadframe 276 is made from a conductive material, such as metals or other materials disclosed herein. Examples of conductive materials that may be utilized include stainless steel, nickel, aluminum, silver, gold, copper, nickel-plated copper, nickel-plated glass, steel, zinc, brass, bronze, iron, platinum, lead, molybdenum, calcium, tungsten, lithium, tin, or other similar materials. In certain embodiments, the grounding leadframe 276 may be made from highly conductive plastics or other highly conductive materials. It should be understood that in certain embodiments it is desirable for the grounding leadframe 276 to have lower resistance in comparison to the external male housing 280 to help ensure that electricity flows from the external male housing 280, to the grounding leadframe 276, to the fastener 284, and finally to ground.
As shown in
As shown in
It should be understood that the further the extent of the male terminal assembly 430 extends past the outer surface 274, there is a greater chance that this extent will accidentally come into contact with in a foreign body. Thus, the extent of the male terminal assembly 430 that extends past the outer surface 274 needs to balance the ability to form a proper connection with the female terminal 800. The design disclosed herein balances these factors and the extent of the male terminal assembly 430 extends beyond the outer surface 274 by less than 2 mm and preferably less than 0.5 mm. In comparison to the length of the male terminal openings 268a-268d, the extent of the male terminal assembly 430 extends beyond the outer surface 274 is less than 8% of the length and preferably less than 4% of the length.
The internal male housing 224 is configured to be placed in contact with the male terminal assembly 430 and thus it is desirable to form the internal male housing 224 from a non-conductive material (e.g., PA, PPA, PE, PBT, PP, PVC, other thermoplastics or other similar polymers and/or plastics). It should be understood that the non-conductive material that is chosen should be able to sufficiently isolate the terminal assembly 430, even when a high current load is flowing through the terminal assembly 430. As discussed above and in other parts of this application, the internal male housing 224 may be formed using any suitable method, such as injection molding techniques, 3D printing, cast, thermoformed, or any other similar technique.
In other embodiments, the configuration of the receptacle 260 and the male terminal openings 268a-268d may have a different configuration to accommodate a different shaped male terminal assembly 430. For example, the receptacle 260 may have an elongated rectangular configuration to accept the male terminal assemblies shown in
The retaining means 214 of the internal male housing 224 is configured to aid in the retention of the male terminal assembly 430 within the internal male housing 224. Specifically, the retaining means 214 includes: (i) a wire receiver 215 with a diameter that is the same or just barely larger than the exterior diameter of the coating 592a that encircles the wire 590 and (ii) a coupling mechanism 216 that is configured to interact with a projection that extends from side walls 228a, 228c. The retaining means 214 helps prevent the wire 590 from applying stress on the male terminal assembly 430 or the area where the wire 590 is coupled to the male terminal assembly 430. The retaining means 214 is made from a non-conductive material and is typically formed from a rigid plastic.
The high-voltage interlock 217 of the internal housing 224 is designed to prevent the terminals 430, 800 from being exposed to forging bodies, when power is applied to them. Specifically, the high-voltage interlock 217 acts as a switch in a circuit loop consisting of any number of similar switches, any one of which, when opened, interrupts the flow of current through the entire loop. This opening of the circuit is a signal to a control device to take action to de-energize the power to the system 100. In other words, the system 100 does not apply power to the terminals 430, 800 until the male terminal assembly 430 is properly connected within the female terminal 800. Typically, high-voltage interlocks 217 are required when the connector system is designed to handle more than 100 volts. Accordingly, the system 100 that is disclosed herein has a high-voltage interlock 217 because it is designed to handle more than 100 volts. Additional details about high-voltage interlocks are disclosed within the following U.S. patents, which are fully incorporated herein by reference, U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,084,361, 7,586,722, 7,641,499, and 8,597,043.
In this system 100, the high-voltage interlock 217 of the internal housing 224 includes an arrangement of side walls 218 that form a plurality of high-voltage interlock receivers 219a, 219b. Wherein each high-voltage interlock receiver within the plurality of high-voltage interlock receivers 219a, 219b is configured to receive a high-voltage interlock projection that is contained within the plurality of high-voltage interlock projections 690a, 690b, wherein the plurality of projections 690a, 690b extend from the internal female housing 621. Additionally, the plurality of high-voltage interlock receivers 219a, 219b contains a metallic element that extends between the high-voltage interlock receivers 219a, 219b. This metallic element forms a closed circuit with the wires contained within the plurality of high-voltage interlock projections 690a, 690b when the male terminal assembly 430 is properly connected within the female terminal 800. Closing this circuit allows power to be applied to the terminals 430, 800. It should be understood that until and unless this circuit is completed, power will not be supplied to the terminals 430, 800. As described above, this helps prevent foreign bodies from contacting the terminals 430, 800 when power is applied to them. It should be understood that other types of high-power interlocks may be utilized in addition to or in replace of the interlock 217 disclosed herein. Such interlocks may be described within U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,084,361, 7,586,722, 7,641,499, and 8,597,043. The high-voltage interlock receivers 219a, 219b and high-voltage interlock projections 690a, 690b are made from a non-conductive material and are typically formed from a rigid plastic.
Referring to
The base spring sections 450a-450d are positioned between the arched sections 448a-448d and the spring arms 452a-452h. As shown in
Like the base spring sections 450a-450d, the spring arms 452a-452h are not connected to one another. In other words, there are spring arm openings that extend between the spring arms 452a-452h. Due to the spring arm openings and the spring finger apertures, the individual spring fingers 452a-452h are not connected to one another or connected to a structure other than the base spring sections 450a-450d. This configuration allows for the omnidirectional movement of the spring arms 452a-452h, which facilitates the mechanical coupling between the male terminal 470 and the female terminal 800. In other embodiments, the spring arms 452a-452h may be coupled to other structures to restrict their omnidirectional expansion. The number and width of individual spring arms 452a-452h and openings may vary. In addition, the width of the individual spring arms 452a-452h is typically equal to one another; however, in other embodiments one of the spring arms 452a-452h may be wider than other spring arms.
The spring member 440a is typically formed from a single piece of material (e.g., metal). Therefore, the spring member 440a is a one-piece spring member 440a or has integrally formed features. In particular, the following features are integrally formed: (i) the rear spring wall 444, (ii) the curvilinear sections 448a-448d, (iii) the base spring sections 450a-450d, and (iii) the spring finger 452a-452h. To integrally form these features, the spring member 440a is typically formed using a die forming process. The die forming process mechanically forces the spring member 440a into shape. As discussed in greater detail below and in PCT/US2019/036010, when the spring member 440a is formed from a flat sheet of metal, installed within the male terminal 472 and connected to the female terminal 800, and is subjected to elevated temperatures, the spring member 440a applies an outwardly directed spring thermal force STF on the contact arms 494a-494h due in part to the fact that the spring member 440a attempts to return to a flat sheet. However, it should be understood that other types of forming the spring member 440a may be utilized, such as casting or using an additive manufacturing process (e.g., 3D printing). In other embodiments, the features of the spring member 440a may not be formed from a one-piece or be integrally formed, but instead formed from separate pieces that are welded together.
As shown in
The arrangement of contact arm openings 496a-496l is integrally formed with the intermediate portion 500a-500d of the male terminal side walls 482a-482d. The contact arm openings 496a-496l extend along the lateral length of the contact arms 494a-494h in order to create a configuration that permits the contact arms 494a-494h not to be laterally connected to: (i) another contact arm 494a-494h or (ii) a structure other than the extent of the male terminal side wall portion 492a-492d to which the contact arms 494a-494h are coupled thereto. Additionally, the contact arm openings 496a-496l are aligned with the spring arm openings. This configuration of openings forms the same number of spring arms 452a-452h as the number of contact arms 494a-494h. In other words,
The contact arms 494a-494h extend away from the rear male terminal wall 484 at an outward angle. In particular, the outward angle may be between 0.1 degree and 16 degrees between the outer surface of the extent of the male terminal side wall 492a-492d and the outer surface of the first extent of the contact arms 494a-494h, preferably between 5 degrees and 12 degrees and most preferably between 7 degrees and 8 degrees. This outward angle is shown in multiple figures, but may be best visualized in connection with
As shown in
The male terminal 470 is typically formed from a single piece of material (e.g., metal). Therefore, the male terminal 470 is a one-piece male terminal 470 and has integrally formed features. To integrally form these features, the male terminal 470 is typically formed using a die-cutting process. However, it should be understood that other types of forming the male terminal 470 may be utilized, such as casting or using an additive manufacturing process (e.g., 3D printing). In other embodiments, the features of the male terminal 470 may not be formed from a one-piece or be integrally formed, but instead formed from separate pieces that are welded together. In forming the male terminal 470, it should be understood that any number (e.g., between 1 and 100) of contact arms 494a-494h may be formed within the male terminal 470.
Positioning the spring member 440a within the male terminal assembly 430 occurs across multiple steps or stages.
The third stage of assembling the male terminal assembly 430 is shown in
The next step in the process is shown in
The final step in the process is shown in
Once the male locking member 300 has overcome the second male locking member projection 234b, the first extent 310 of the male locking member 300 will return to its original or non-deformed state. The return of the first extent 310 of the male locking member 300 may cause an audible sound (e.g., click) when it moves from the deformed state to the non-deformed state. This audible sound will inform the assembler that the male locking member 300 is properly connected to the internal male housing 224; thus meeting industry standards and/or requirements (e.g., USCAR). Additionally, when the male locking member 300 is properly connected to the male housing assembly 220 (see
The male locking member 300 may also position an extent (not shown) of the male locking member 300 behind the male terminal assembly 430, when the male locking member 300 is properly connected to the male housing assembly 220. The extent of the male locking member 300 may be similar to the secondary lock, which is shown and described in connection with
Without being able to disconnect the male terminal assembly 430 from the male housing assembly 220, it would be difficult for the assembler to couple (e.g., weld) the wire 590 to the male terminal assembly 430 without potentially compromising the integrity of the male housing assembly 220. Nevertheless, there are alternative embodiments that need this functionality. For example, the wire 590 may be coupled to the male terminal assembly 430 and then the housing may be formed around the male terminal assembly 430 using an injection molding or additive manufacturing process. In another example, the male housing assembly 220 may not need to be capable of being disassembled, if a different method (e.g., push in attachment method) of connecting the wire 590 to the male terminal assembly 430 was utilized. In further embodiments, the male housing 220 may be configured to provide a secondary locking component, such as the component 712 that is described in connection with the female housing in PCT/US2019/36070.
The cable seals 552 help absorb forces that may be applied to the cables 590. The retainer 554 has a rear wall 556 that is configured to keep the cable seals 552 in the correct position. Like the seal 270 and the frontal cap 286, the retainer 554 may be formed from a non-conductive material (e.g., thermoplastic) or may be made from a conductive material (e.g., any of the materials discussed below). In certain embodiments, it is desirable to use a conductive material for at least the retainer 554 to help maximize the efficiency of the external housing's 280 shielding effects.
The retainer 554 is configured to be coupled to the arrangement of side walls 281a-281d by a retainer coupling means 556. Specifically, the retainer coupling means 556 in this embodiment is: (i) a projection 558 that extends from side walls 281b, 281d and (ii) openings 559, which act as receivers for the projections 558. As shown in
Both the casing 330 and the securing member 332 may be made from a conductive material (e.g., metal or any conductive material that is described below). It should be understood that the casing 330 may be made from a woven or braided metal material or may be made from flexible conductive plastic. Specifically, the casing 330 and the securing member 332 may be made from stainless steel, nickel, aluminum, silver, gold, copper, nickel-plated copper, nickel-plated glass, steel, zinc, brass, bronze, iron, platinum, lead, molybdenum, calcium, tungsten, lithium, tin, or other similar metals. This design may be most effective for high energy electromagnetic fields created by alternated currents.
The external female housing 623 includes: (i) a mounting flange 670, (ii) a body 671 that is formed from an arrangement of side walls 672a-672d, (iii) and female house coupling means 674. The mounting flange 670 has a substantially rectangular shape and includes multiple openings 675 therethrough, wherein the openings 675 are configured to receive elongated fasteners to enable the mounting flange 670 to be coupled to a device (e.g., alternator, power distribution system, a starter, etc.). As shown in
It should be understood that the external female housing 623 is made using any known technique (e.g., injection molding techniques, 3D printing, cast, thermoformed, or etc.) from a conductive material. In particular, the external male housing 2 external female housing 623 may be made from a number of conductive plastics that are discussed below. Making the external female housing 623 from at least one of these conductive materials attenuates the EMF that is emitted through the system 100.
The internal female housing 621 further includes a body 640 and an interface area 680. The body 640 is comprised of an arrangement of side walls 642a-642d that form an internal female housing receptacle 653, which is configured to receive the female terminal assembly 800 (see
As best shown in
Again referring to
It should be understood that in other embodiments, the sloped or angled configuration of the internal segment 651 may not be constant, may not be recessed from the leading edge of the housing 620, the dimensions may be different, and the internal segment 651 may not be continuous within the housing 620; instead, it may be discontinuous and thus only be present in certain locations. It should also be understood that the internal segment 651 is typically formed from the same material that the rest of the female housing is formed from, such as a polymer (e.g., nylon or plastic). Utilizing a polymer material is beneficial because there is less friction between the metal contact arms 494a-494h and the polymer material in comparison to the friction between the metal contact arms 494a-494h and the metal female terminal 800. In alternative embodiments, a coating, liner or other materials may be used to line or coat the internal surface 652 to reduce the friction with the contact arms 494a-494h.
As shown in the Figures, including
The female terminal 800 is typically formed for a single piece of material (e.g., metal). Therefore, the female terminal 800 is a one-piece female terminal 800 and has integrally formed features. In particular, the connection plate 816 is integrally formed with female terminal body 810 and specifically is integrally formed with the one female terminal side wall 812c. To integrally form these features, the female terminal 800 is typically formed using a die-cutting process. However, it should be understood that other types of forming the female terminal 800 may be utilized, such as casting or using an additive manufacturing process (e.g., 3D printing). In other embodiments, the features of the female terminal 800 may not be formed from a one-piece or be integrally formed, but instead formed from separate pieces that are welded together.
The next step in the process of coupling of the female terminal 800 within the female housing assembly 620 occurs when the assembler applies a second insertion force, FI, on the female terminal 800 to cause: (i) the forwardmost extent 818 of the female terminal 800 to be positioned against the rearmost extent 654 of the internal segment 651, (ii) the rearmost extent 820 of the female terminal 800 to be positioned against the securing arms 648. At this point, the securing arms 648 can return to their original or non-deformed state due to the fact the securing arm 648 can fit into a rearmost extent 654 of the female terminal 800. The return of the securing arm 648 may cause an audible sound (e.g., click) when it moves from the deformed state to the non-deformed state. This audible sound will inform the assembler that the female terminal 800 is properly positioned within the female housing assembly 620; thus meeting industry standards and/or requirements (e.g., USCAR). Also, as shown in
While the ability to disconnect the female terminal 800 from the female housing assembly 620 is beneficial because it makes manufacturing easier and less expensive, this functionality may provide a greater benefit to connectors that have alternative configurations. For example, if the female terminal 80 was connected to a wire instead of utilizing a post 816; then this disconnection functionality may provide a greater benefit because it would be difficult for the customer to couple (e.g., weld) the wire 890 to the female terminal 800 without potentially compromising the integrity of the male housing 620. Nevertheless, there are alternative embodiments that allow void the need to be able to disassemble the female housing assembly 620. For example, the housing 620 may be formed around the female terminal 800 using an injection molding or additive manufacturing process. In further embodiments, the female housing 620 may be configured to provide a secondary locking component as described within PCT/US2019/36070 (see component 712).
The touch proof probe is configured to fit within the female terminal 800 is designed to reduce the chance that a foreign object (e.g., human finger) is placed in contact with the female terminal 800. Thus, the distance between the inner surface 822 to the outermost edge 782 of the touch proof probe is smaller than 10 mm and preferably less than 6 mm. The shape of the touch proof probe opening 510 is configured to substantially match the shape of the touch proof probe 780. Matching these shapes helps ensure proper insertion of the touch proof probe 780 with the touch proof probe opening 510. In addition, matching and dimensioning the touch proof probe and opening 780 and 510 may provide a reduction in the vibration between the male connector assembly 200 and the female connector assembly 600. This reduction in the vibration between these components may help reduce failures of the shielded connector system 100.
In alternative embodiments, the touch proof probe 780 and opening 510 may have different configurations, including different shapes. The touch proof probe 270 is typically formed from the same material as the female housing 620, which is a non-conductive material (e.g., plastic or nylon). In other embodiments, the touch proof probe 780 may be formed for other materials. However, for the touch proof probe 780 to operate as intended the material should not be highly conductive because such a material would transfer the current from the female terminal 800 to the probe 270; thus, removing one of the purposes of the touch proof probe 780. Further, it should be understood that more than one touch proof probe may be utilized in connection with a single male terminal assembly 430.
From the intermediate position PI the assembler continues to apply a coupling force, Fc, on the male connector assembly 200 to force the male connector assembly 200 towards the female connector assembly 600. This force causes the connector assemblies 200, 600 to move into a connected position PC (see
Additionally, in the connected position PC, the following component are positioned within the female housing 623: (i) at least an extent of the internal female housing 621, (ii) at least an extent of the internal male housing 224, (iii) at least an extent of the external male housing 280, (iv) at least an extent of the male terminal 470, (v) at least an extent of the spring member 440a, and (vi) at least an extent of the female terminal 800. In other words, at least an extent of the internal female housing 621, at least an extent of the internal male housing 224, at least an extent of the external male housing 280, at least an extent of the male terminal 470, at least an extent of the spring member 440a, and at least an extent of the female terminal 800 reside within the external female housing 623 in the connected position. Further, in the connected position PC, the following component are positioned within the internal female housing 621: (i) at least an extent of the internal male housing 224, (ii) at least an extent of the male terminal 470, (iii) at least an extent of the spring member 440a, and (iv) at least an extent of the female terminal 800. In other words, at least an extent of the internal male housing 224, at least an extent of the male terminal 470, at least an extent of the spring member 440a, and at least an extent of the female terminal 800 reside within the internal female housing 621 in the connected positon. Moreover, in the connected position PC, at least an extent of the male terminal 470 and at least an extent of the spring member 440a are positioned within the female terminal 800. In other words, at least an extent of the male terminal 470 and at least an extent of the spring member 440a reside within the female terminal 800 in the connected position. Also, in the connected position PC, at least an extent of the male terminal 470 and at least an extent of the spring member 440a are positioned within or reside within the internal male housing 224. Additionally, a major extent of both the male terminal 470 and the spring member 440a extend beyond the external male housing 280.
As shown in
This configuration of the male connector assembly 200 and the female connector assembly 600 is beneficial over the connectors described in connection in PCT/US2018/019787 for the reasons described in the graph shown in
Next, the lines 960 and 962 describe the insertion force that is required to move the connector from the intermediate position PI towards the connected position PC. In particular, line 960 is associated with the connector described herein, while line 962 is the connector described within PCT/US2018/019787. The slope of line 960 is less than the slope of line 962. This means a more gradual amount of force is required by the connector assemblies 200, 600 described herein in comparison to the connector assembly described within PCT/US2018/019787. This is because the contact arms 494a-494h described in this application are sliding along the polymer or plastic material surface of the internal segment 651, while the contact arms described within PCT/US2018/019787 are sliding along a metal surface. This is another benefit of the shielded connector system 100 described herein over the connector system described within PCT/US2018/019787. In other words, the shielded connector system 100 described herein can utilize a spring member 440 that has a larger biasing force while staying within the USCAR 25 specification in comparison to the connector system described within PCT/US2018/019787. This is beneficial because the use of a spring member that has a larger biasing force will ensure that the shielded connector system 100 remains properly connected while receiving larger amounts of power.
Finally, after the contact arms 494a-494h described herein have cleared the rearmost edge 654 of the internal segment 651, the insertion force for the connection system 100 described herein levels off after point 964. This is because the contact arms 494a-494h, at this point, have been fully compressed and thus very little, if any, force is required to move the male terminal assembly 400 from the rearmost edge 654 of the internal segment 651 to the connected position. The leveling off of the insertion force at this point almost feels like the shielded connector system 100 is pulling the male connector assembly 200 towards the female connector assembly 600. In contrast, the insertion force required for the connector system described within PCT/US2018/019787 only increases. This is because the contact arms described within PCT/US2018/019787 are not fully compressed until the male connector is coupled to the female connector. This is another benefit for why the connector system described herein is beneficial over the connector system described within PCT/US2018/019787.
The Figures show that the shielded connector system 100 provides a connector that is 360° compliant, which meets a certain car or automotive specifications. As shown in this embodiment, the contact arms 494a-494h are symmetrical and evenly spaced. The shielded connector system 100 is 360° compliant because the outer surface of the contact arms 494a-494h are in contact with each side wall 482a-482d of the female terminal 800 and the spring biasing force SBF applies out a force that is generally directed outward from the center 490 in all four primary directions (e.g., up, down, left, and right). The 360° compliance attribute of the shielded connector system 100 aids in maintaining mechanical and electrical connections under strenuous mechanical conditions, e.g., vibration. In a traditional blade or fork-shaped connectors, i.e., connection on only two opposing sides, vibration may develop a harmonic resonance that causes the connector to oscillate with greater amplitude at specific frequencies. For example, subjecting a fork-shaped connector to harmonic resonance may cause the fork-shaped connector to open. The opening of the fork-shaped connector during electrical conduction is undesirable because the momentary mechanical separation of the fork-shaped connector from an associated terminal may result in electrical arcing. Arcing may have significant negative effects on the terminal as well as the entire electrical system of which the terminal is a component. However, the 360° compliance feature of the present disclosure may prevent catastrophic failures caused by strong vibration and electrical arcing.
The male terminal 470, including the contact arms 494a-494h, may be formed from a first material such as copper, a highly-conductive copper alloy (e.g., C151 or C110), aluminum, and/or another suitable electrically conductive material. The first material preferably has an electrical conductivity of more than 80% of IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard, i.e., the empirically derived standard value for the electrical conductivity of commercially available copper). For example, C151 typically has 95% of the conductivity of standard, pure copper compliant with IACS. Likewise, C110 has a conductivity of 101% IACS. In certain operating environments or technical applications, it may be preferable to select C151 because it has anti-corrosive properties desirable for high-stress and/or harsh weather applications. The first material for the male terminal 470 is C151 and is reported, per ASTM B747 standard, to have a modulus of elasticity (Young's modulus) of approximately 115-125 gigapascals (GPa) at room temperature and a coefficient of terminal expansion (CTE) of 17.6 ppm/degree Celsius (from 20-300 degrees Celsius) and 17.0 ppm/degree Celsius (from 20-200 degrees Celsius). The spring member 400a, 400b may be formed from a second material such as spring steel, stainless steel (e.g., 301SS, ¼ hard), and/or another suitable material having greater stiffness (e.g., as measured by Young's modulus) and resilience than the first material of the male terminal 470. The second material preferably has an electrical conductivity that is less than the electrical conductivity of the first material. The second material also has a Young's modulus that may be approximately 193 GPa at room temperature and a coefficient of terminal expansion (CTE) of approximately 17.8 ppm/degree Celsius (from 0-315 degrees Celsius) and 16.9 ppm/degree Celsius (from 0-100 degrees Celsius).
Based on the above exemplary embodiment, the Young's modulus and the CTE of the spring member 400a, 400b is greater than the Young's modulus and the CTE of the male terminal 470. Thus, when the male terminal 470 is used in a high power application that subjects the shielded connector system 100 to repeated thermal cycling with elevated temperatures (e.g., approximately 150° Celsius) then: (i) the male terminal 470 become malleable and loses some mechanical resilience, i.e., the copper material in the male terminal 470 softens and (ii) the spring member 400a, 400b does not become as malleable or lose as much mechanical stiffness in comparison to the male terminal 470. Thus, when utilizing a spring member 440a that is mechanically cold forced into shape (e.g., utilizing a die forming process) and the spring member 440a is subjected to elevated temperatures, the spring member 440a will attempt to at least return to its uncompressed state, which occurs prior to insertion of the male terminals assembly 430 within the female terminal 800, and preferably to its original flat state, which occurs prior to the formation of the spring member 440a. In doing so, the spring member 400a, 400b will apply a generally outward directed thermal spring force STF (as depicted by the arrows labeled “STF” in
Overall, the system 100 is a T4/V4/S3/D2/M2, wherein the system 100 meets and exceeds: (i) T4 is exposure of the system 100 to 150° C., (ii) V4 is severe vibration, (iii) S1 is sealed high-pressure spray, (iv) D2 is 200 k mile durability, and (v) M2 is less than 45 newtons of force is required to connect the male connector assembly 200 to the female connector assembly 600. The system 100 requires less than 10 newtons of force to coupled the male connector assembly 200 to the female connector assembly 600, while having a normal force that is greater than 10 newtons. The terminal assemblies 430, 800 shown in the following figures are rated to carry at 55° C. RoA or 80° C. with a derating of 80%: (i)
As discussed above, the terminals 430, 800 are formed from conductive materials. As such, this section focuses on conductive materials that may be utilized within the system 100 in connection with structures other than: (i) structures that are made from a non-conductive material and (ii) terminals 430, 800. Specifically, the following structures may be made from a conductive material: (i) the external male housing 280, (ii) grounding leadframe 276, (iii) seal 271, (iv) frontal cap 286, (v) retainer 554, (vi) elongated fastener 284, (vii) casing 330, (viii) protective member 340, and (ix) external female housing 623. These structures may be formed from conductive plastics or polymers using any technique known in the art (e.g., injection molding techniques, 3D printing, cast, thermoformed, or any other similar technique) into the desired shapes. Examples of conductive plastics that may be used include, but are not limited to, a non-conductive plastics (e.g., PA, PPA, PE, PBT, PP, PVC, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), polyurethane, nylon 6/6 (PA66), polycarbonate—acrylonitrile butadiene styrene mix (PC-ABS), other similar polymers) that have at least one of the following additives:
a. Metal flakes, strands, fibers, particles, nanowires, powders (e.g., stainless steel, nickel, aluminum, silver, gold, copper, nickel-plated copper, nickel-plated glass, steel, zinc, brass, bronze, iron, platinum, lead, molybdenum, calcium, tungsten, lithium, tin, nickel carbon (NiC) or other similar metals). Said flakes, strands, fibers, particles, nanowires, powders should be small enough to intersperse through the plastic without affecting the shape of the conductive housing;
b. Carbon (e.g., carbon black, single-wall carbon nanotubes, multi-wall carbon nanotubes, graphene sheets, carbon fibers, carbon filaments, vapor grown carbon nanofibers, graphite nanoparticles, graphite fibers, or fullerene nanoparticles). Said carbon materials should be small enough to intersperse through the plastic without affecting the shape of the conductive housing;
c. Metal coated carbon, wherein the metal may include any metal listed above in “a” and the carbon may include any carbon material listed above in “b.”;
d. Conductive polymers (e.g., polyaniline, polypyrrole, poly(fluorene)s, polyphenylenes, polypyrenes, polyazulenes, polynaphthalenes, polycarbazoles, polyindoles, polyazepines, Poly(acetylene)s(PAC), Poly(p-phenylene vinylene), poly(thiophene)s, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), or poly(p-phenylene sulfide)).
e. Doped polymers (e.g., polyacetylene, poly(p-phenylene), polyphenylene sulfide or polypyrrole may be doped with iodine or arsenic or electron-donating substance like sodium metal); and
f. Metal mesh (e.g., honeycomb mesh).
It should be understood that the above list is only exemplary and any similar additive is included herein. In addition, all of the chemical compositions, methods of making, and all other related information, which is contained within U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,377,585, 8,268,222, 7,829,006, 7,759,002, 7,726440, 7,708,920, 7,613,003, 7,503,776, 7,393,218, 7,244,890, and 7,223,469 are of which are fully incorporated herein by reference for any purpose.
The shielding effectiveness of examples of these materials is shown in connection with
In other embodiments, the direction of the fibers, strands, nanowires, nanotubes, sheets, or filaments may be aligned in a specific direction. This may be done by applying an electrical field to the conductive housing 250 during the manufacturing process. Also, the length and the thickness of the fibers, strands, nanowires, nanotubes, sheets, or filaments may be purposefully selected to maximize shielding effects. For example, it may be desirable to have longer and thinner fibers, strands, nanowires, nanotubes, sheets, or filaments mixed with shorter and thicker fibers, strands, nanowires, nanotubes, sheets, or filaments.
In other embodiments, the conductive material may include only a single type of additive component that is listed above. In other embodiments, the conductive material may include a combination of multiple additive components. For example, the conductive material may be comprised of: i) the non-conductive thermoplastic(s), ii) a carbon based substance (e.g., between. 01%-10% by weight), iii) conductive polymer (e.g., between 1%-30% by weight) and iv) metal fibers (e.g., between 10%-60% by weight). In an alternative example, the conductive material may be comprised of: i) the non-conductive thermoplastic(s), ii) a carbon-based substance (e.g., between 1%-20% by weight), and iii) metal fibers (e.g., between 10%-80% by weight). In a further example, the conductive material may be comprised of: i) the non-conductive thermoplastic(s), ii) a carbon based substance (e.g., between 1%-20% by weight), and iii) conductive polymer (e.g., between 1%-30% by weight)). As discussed above, the orientation of these materials may be altered by applying a magnetic field during the formation of the conductive material.
In other embodiments, the external male housing 280 may be formed from non-conductive thermoplastics that are externally coated (e.g., cold spray or hot spray) with a conductive material (e.g., metal, carbon, conductive polymer, or other similar substances). In a further alternative embodiment, the external male housing 280 may be formed from a combination of one of the conductive materials that are listed above and an external coated (e.g., cold spray or hot spray) with a conductive material (e.g., metal, carbon, conductive polymer, or other similar substances).
In other embodiments, the component 271, 276, 280, 284, 286, 330, 340, 554, and 623 may have multiple levels of conductive material (e.g., up to 15 different layers of conductive material). For example, the external male housing 280 may be made from two layers of conductive plastic, wherein the inner material has the lowest amount of additive and the outer layer has a higher amount of additive. Alternatively, the external male housing 280 may be made from two layers of conductive plastic, wherein the outer material has the lowest amount of additive and the inner layer has a higher amount of additive. In another embodiment, the external male housing 280 may have three layers, wherein the inner and outer may have the same amount of additive; however, there may be secondary material (e.g., metal, air, or etc.) that is placed between the inner layer and the outer layer.
In other embodiments, the external male housing 280 may also include conductive material inlays that are molded into the housing 280. The conductive inlays may have lower resistance in comparison to the rest of the external male housing 280 and these inlays may be directly coupled to the casing 400 and/or the grounding leadframe 276. In further embodiments, component 271, 276, 280, 284, 286, 330, 340, 554, and 623 may be formed from a conductive metal, such as a stamped metal shield.
Similar to the shielded connector system 100 that as described above in connection with
PCT Application Nos. PCT/US2019/36127, PCT/US2019/36070, PCT/US2019/36010, and PCT/US2018/019787 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/194,891, each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
SAE Specifications, including: J1742_201003 entitled, “Connections for High Voltage On-Board Vehicle Electrical Wiring Harnesses—Test Methods and General Performance Requirements,” last revised in March 2010, each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
ASTM Specifications, including: (i) D4935-18, entitled “Standard Test Method for Measuring the Electromagnetic Shielding Effectiveness of Planar Materials,” and (ii) ASTM D257, entitled “Standard Test Methods for DC Resistance or Conductance of Insulating Materials,” each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
American National Standards Institute and/or EOS/ESD Association, Inc Specifications, including: ANSI/ESD STM11.11 Surface Resistance Measurements of Static Dissipative Planar Materials, each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
DIN Specification, including Connectors for electronic equipment—Tests and measurements—Part 5-2: Current-carrying capacity tests; Test 5b: Current-temperature derating (IEC 60512-5-2:2002), each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
USCAR Specifications, including: (i) SAE/USCAR-2, Revision 6, which was least revised in February 2013 and has ISBN: 978-0-7680-7998-2, (ii) SAE/USCAR-12, Revision 5, which was last revised in August 2017 and has ISBN: 978-0-7680-8446-7, (iii) SAE/USCAR-21, Revision 3, which was last revised in December 2014, (iv) SAE/USCAR-25, Revision 3, which was revised on March 2016 and has ISBN: 978-0-7680-8319-4, (v) SAE/USCAR-37, which was revised on August 2008 and has ISBN: 978-0-7680-2098-4, (vi) SAE/USCAR-38, Revision 1, which was revised on May 2016 and has ISBN: 978-0-7680-8350-7, each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
Other standards, including Federal Test Standard 101C and 4046, each of which are fully incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
The above disclosure may represent an improvement in the art because it improves the mechanical and electrical connection between a male connector assembly 200 and a female connector assembly 600. Such improvements include a shielded connector system 100 that is 70% lighter, 30-50% smaller, and 30-40% cheaper than conventional prior art connectors. In some embodiments, the male connector assembly 200 may have a height that is 38 mm, a length that is 74 mm, and a width that is 50 mm, while the female connector assembly 600 may have a height that is 21 mm, a length that is 28 mm, and a width that is 50 mm.
While some implementations have been illustrated and described, numerous modifications come to mind without significantly departing from the spirit of the disclosure; and the scope of protection is only limited by the scope of the accompanying claims. For example, the overall shape of the shielded connector system 100 may be changed to: a triangular prism, a pentagonal prism, a hexagonal prism, octagonal prism, sphere, a cone, a tetrahedron, a cuboid, a dodecahedron, a icosahedron, a octahedron, a ellipsoid, or any other similar shape. While the overall shape of the shielded connector system 100 may be altered, the shape of the male terminal assembly 430 and the female terminal 800 may not be altered to match the shape of the overall shielded connector system 100. For example, the shape of the shielded connector system 100 may be a hexagonal prism, while the male terminal assembly 430 and the female terminal 800 may be substantially cubic. In other embodiments, the shape of the male terminal assembly 430 may be changed to: a triangular prism, a pentagonal prism, a hexagonal prism, octagonal prism, sphere, a cone, a tetrahedron, a dodecahedron, a icosahedron, a octahedron, a ellipsoid, or any other similar shape. If the shape of the male terminal assembly 430 is altered to be any one of the above shapes, then it should be understood that the female terminal 800 may be altered to facilitate insertion, electrical connection, and extraction of the male terminal assembly 430 from the female terminal 800. Additionally, as described above, while the shape of the male terminal assembly 430 and the female terminal 800 may be altered, the overall shape of the shielded connector system 100 may not be altered to match the shape of the male terminal assembly 430.
The shielded connector system 100 may have any number of male terminal assemblies 430 and any number of female terminals 800. For example, the shielded connector system 100 may have: (i) X number of male terminal assemblies, wherein X can be any positive whole number, and Y number of female terminals 800, wherein Y is equal to X, or (ii) X number of male terminal assemblies, wherein X can be any positive whole number, and Y number of female terminals 800, wherein Y is not equal to X (e.g., multiple male terminal assemblies 430 may fit within a single female terminal 800). Preferably, the shielded connector system 100 has between 1 and 50 pairs of male and female terminals 430, 800, preferably between 1 and 15 pairs of male and female terminals 430, 800, more preferably between 1 and 8 pairs of male and female terminals 430, 800, and most preferably between 1 and 4 pairs of male and female terminals 430, 800. It should be understood these pairs of male and female terminals 430, 800 may be arranged in any manner within the housings 220, 620. For example, four pairs of male and female terminals 430, 800 may be organized into a cube format, wherein two pairs are on top and a two pairs are positioned directly below the top two pairs. It should further be understood that when multiple connectors are contained within the shielded connector system 100, the system designer may need to reduce the absolute current/voltage terminal to account for creepage.
In other embodiments, one or both of the rear spring wall 444 may be omitted. The spring member 440a may have a different configuration, such as: (i) having curvilinear shoulder disposed near the free end 446, (ii) having a wall that is positioned opposite of the rear wall and is connected to an extent of one of the spring fingers in order to limit movement of the free end 446, (iii) the width of the spring arms may be greater than the width of the middle sections, (iv) the width of the spring fingers may not match the width of the contact arms (e.g., spring fingers may be wider or narrower than the contact arms), (v) or any combination of these features.
In other embodiments, the male terminal body 472 may have a different configuration, such as: (i) the contact openings may not be linear (e.g. curvilinear), may be different lengths, may have different widths, may extend past where the contact arms intersect the side walls or may not span the entire length of each contact arm, (ii) the contact arms may not extent from the side walls at an outward angle, (iii) not gap may not be formed between the spring member and the contact arms, (iv) may be comprised of different materials (e.g., c151 is plated with (a) silver, (b) tin, (c) ss301, (d) other similar materials, or (e) a combination of a plurality of these materials).
Headings and subheadings, if any, are used for convenience only and are not limiting. The word exemplary is used to mean serving as an example or illustration. To the extent that the term include, have, or the like is used, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term comprise as comprise is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. Relational terms such as first and second and the like may be used to distinguish one entity or action from another without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions.
Phrases such as an aspect, the aspect, another aspect, some aspects, one or more aspects, an implementation, the implementation, another implementation, some implementations, one or more implementations, an embodiment, the embodiment, another embodiment, some embodiments, one or more embodiments, a configuration, the configuration, another configuration, some configurations, one or more configurations, the subject technology, the disclosure, the present disclosure, other variations thereof and alike are for convenience and do not imply that a disclosure relating to such phrase(s) is essential to the subject technology or that such disclosure applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A disclosure relating to such phrase(s) may provide one or more examples. A phrase such as an aspect or some aspects may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa, and this applies similarly to other foregoing phrases.
Numerous modifications to the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing description. Preferred embodiments of this disclosure are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventors for carrying out the disclosure. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the disclosure.
This application is a continuation of International Patent Application No. PCT/US20/13757, filed Jan. 15, 2020, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/792,881, filed on Jan. 15, 2019, which are incorporated in its entirety herein by reference and made a part hereof.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62792881 | Jan 2019 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/US20/13757 | Jan 2020 | US |
| Child | 17376390 | US |
