Add-on housing with seal

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical mounting housing for receiving a high-current electrical connector, comprising at least one housing, an electrical contact element, and a sealing element. The housing has a device side and a plug-in side. A stop is arranged circumferentially on the housing, and the plug-in side has at least one fastening device which engages with a fastening feature of the high-current connector. The plug-in side further comprises at least one coding device which prevents a plug-in operation with an unsuitable connector or a plug-in operation with the high-current connector in an undesired orientation. According to the invention, the sealing element is designed as a one-piece, essentially hollow cylindrical sleeve with a sealing flange and at least one circumferential sealing contour.

Description

[0001] The invention is based on an attachment housing with a seal according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0002] Such add-on housings are required to enable an electrical connection from an electrical conductor, usually an insulated electrical cable, into a device, for example transformers, energy storage devices, work machines, control cabinets and / or work machines. State of the art

[0003] In the state of the art, there are numerous and diverse types of bulkhead housings. Even in the case of single-conductor connectors, there are bulkhead housings that can fulfill a variety of different functions.

[0004] A disadvantage of known solutions is their insufficient sealing against foreign media, especially fluids. This disadvantage becomes particularly noticeable when a coding device, i.e., to prevent incorrect / unwanted plug connections or the incorrect / unwanted alignment of correct connectors, is located inside the panel-mounted housing. Task

[0005] The object of the invention is to provide an electrical enclosure for individual conductors with a coding device, which is protected by a sealing element in an advantageous and space-saving manner against the ingress of foreign media.

[0006] A further object of the invention is to offer a connector system with an attachment housing according to the invention provided with a sealing element.

[0007] Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide a method for producing an add-on housing with a sealing element.

[0008] The problem is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1.

[0009] A further problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claim 14.

[0010] Finally, a problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claim 16.

[0011] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description.

[0012] To achieve this object, the invention proposes an electrical panel-mounted housing for accommodating an electrical high-current plug connector, comprising at least one housing, an electrical contact element, and a sealing element. The housing has a device side and a plug-in side. A stop is arranged circumferentially on the housing, and the plug-in side has at least one fastening device that engages with a fastening form of the high-current plug connector. The plug-in side further has at least one coding device that prevents plugging in with an unsuitable plug connector or prevents plugging in with the high-current plug connector in an undesired orientation. According to the invention, the sealing element is designed as a one-piece, essentially hollow-cylindrical sleeve with a sealing flange and at least one circumferential sealing contour.

[0013] The term "mounted housing" is therefore to be understood in particular as a device which is designed to enable an electrical connection from a device, for example a working machine, a control cabinet, a transformer or an energy storage device to an electrical line, in particular an electrical cable.

[0014] A "high-current connector," particularly in the context of the invention, refers to a connector that can be connected to the terminal housing and is designed to transmit high currents. This refers to currents of greater than or equal to 50 amperes (A), preferably greater than or equal to 120 A, particularly greater than or equal to 200 A, and in conceivable applications even greater than or equal to 400 A.

[0015] A "housing" is understood to mean any designed enclosure and / or outer casing that largely surrounds and / or accommodates a contact element, protecting it from contact with external media. The housing is preferably designed to pass through a wall of a previously mentioned device, with the interior of the device preferably remaining protected from external media such as dust, dirt, or fluids such as oil or water. For this purpose, various seals can be provided in, around, or on the housing, which are used to seal between the device wall and the housing. The housing can essentially be divided into two areas: a plug-in side and a device side.The plug-in side is designed to be connected to a high-current connector and has a fastening device that can be engaged with a corresponding fastening form arranged on the high-current connector. The device side is designed to be at least partially inserted into the corresponding device. The device side preferably has a fixing form, whereby the add-on housing can be connected to the device wall. Suitable fixing forms include threads, particularly external threads, locking hooks, or openings for connecting elements such as screws, bolts, or rivets.

[0016] A "contact element" is an electrically conductive component that is at least partially arranged within the housing. The contact element of the add-on housing is preferably a pin contact, which has a contact guard at its plug-in end to protect against contact by a person.

[0017] The term "sealing element" refers to a device for sealing the add-on housing against foreign media, especially dust, dirt, and / or fluids such as water, oil, or similar operating media. The sealing element should, on the one hand, be suitable for protecting the device to which the add-on housing is attached. On the other hand, it should provide sealing protection for the area in which the electrical connection between the add-on housing and the high-current connector is made when mated together.

[0018] A "stop" is preferably understood to mean a shaped element on the housing that is suitable for limiting insertion into the device. Typically, ring-shaped or disc-shaped projections and / or attachments are used here. These stops often accommodate a seal, such as an O-ring, to protect the device and the attachment housing from the ingress of foreign media. Furthermore, the stop enables the secure attachment of the attachment housing by, for example, placing a fixing element, such as a union nut, from within the device onto a fixing element, such as a thread, on the housing, where they are brought into engagement.

[0019] The terms "fastening device" and "fastening form" refer to corresponding elements on the bulkhead housing or high-current connector, respectively, which are designed to engage with each other to secure a mechanical connection. Typically, locking hooks are inserted into locking recesses, preferably in a reversible design, particularly as push-pull locks, push-push locks, or elements such as bayonet locks, screw connections, or locking levers. In this case, the fastening device is initially assigned to the bulkhead housing, and the fastening form to the high-current connector. However, a fastening form on the bulkhead housing and a fastening device on a high-current connector are also meant.

[0020] A "coding device" refers to a device that enables the unambiguous assignment of a high-current connector to a bulkhead housing. The purpose of this coding is to prevent or at least impede the mating of unsuitable connectors with the bulkhead housing. This coding can and should also prevent or at least impede the mating of a correct high-current connector, albeit in an undesired orientation and / or alignment.

[0021] A further embodiment provides for the sealing contour to be arranged as an annular formation on the outside of the sealing element. The sealing contour is preferably designed as a circumferential lamella. The sealing contour should therefore be designed as a thin-walled ring around the sleeve of the sealing element. This should enable the sealing element, or more precisely the lamella, to compensate for and seal off a coding device that would otherwise be detrimental to the seal in a simple but helpful manner. The sealing contour is preferably arranged on the sleeve at least twice, spaced differently along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. Cleverly, the sealing contour is arranged three times along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. A four-fold or even more multiple embodiment of the sealing contour along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve is also conceivable.

[0022] A further embodiment provides that an outer flange diameter of the sealing flange measures at least 80% of the inner diameter of the device side. The sealing flange is particularly preferably designed with an outer flange diameter that measures 90% of the inner diameter of the device side. Ideally, the outer flange diameter fills 100% of the inner diameter of the device side. This means that the sealing flange nestles as closely as possible against the inner side of a wall of the bulkhead housing. In a design with 80% diameter match, complete sealing can be achieved, for example, by pressure on the sealing flange, which is exerted on the sealing flange by a connector housing of the high-current connector when the bulkhead housing and high-current connector are mated, so that the sealing flange nestles elastically against the inner side of the wall.

[0023] A further embodiment provides that at least the sealing flange is made of an elastic material which is materially connected to the inside of the add-on housing. The sealing element is preferably made of an elastic material, wherein at least the sealing flange is materially connected to the inside of the add-on housing, in particular the inside of the device side. For this purpose, in one embodiment the sealing element is connected to the wall of the inside of the add-on housing using a joining process, preferably gluing. Particularly preferably the seal is introduced into the add-on housing using a primary forming process. Casting processes, for example die casting or injection molding, are suitable for this. The sealing element is preferably formed around the contact element in the add-on housing using a low-pressure casting process, in particular by overmolding.

[0024] A further embodiment provides that the sealing contour is brought into sealing engagement with an inner wall of the high-current connector. In other words, the sealing contour, preferably designed as a double or multiple lamella, nestles sealingly against the inner wall of the high-current connector. This essentially protects the contact element, as well as a contact socket of the high-current connector, which is brought into electrically conductive connection with the contact element, against the ingress of foreign media. Particularly advantageously, the sealing element can be arranged around an internally arranged coding device, wherein the seal against foreign media can be achieved by the sealing contour, which is arranged circumferentially around one or more regions of the sleeve and extends radially from these regions to mechanically contact the inner wall of the high-current connector.

[0025] Another embodiment provides for the sealing contour to have an outer diameter that is less than or equal to the flange outer diameter. This allows for a meaningful influence on how the intended design of the high-current connector is to be addressed. For example, with a wide wall of the connector housing, a smaller outer diameter can be selected than is necessary for a thinner wall in order to effectively achieve a seal against external media.

[0026] A further embodiment provides for the sealing contour to flexibly accommodate or enclose the coding device, sealing it against external media. This means that the sealing contour can elastically deform around an internal coding device, thus achieving the desired tightness. Furthermore, this means that, especially with a sealing element introduced by casting, the coding device can be circumvented from the outset in such a way that the sealing contour encloses, encompasses, or can ignore it through a correspondingly elastic design.

[0027] A further embodiment provides that the contact element has a connection region, a contact region and a fixing region, wherein the connection region is separated from a contact region by a fixing region and wherein the contact region is substantially cylindrical. The connection region is understood to be the region of the contact element arranged inside the device, which is designed to be connectable to a conductor and / or cable inside the device. The contact region is designed to produce an electrically conductive connection with a plug-in connector contact. The contact region is preferably cylindrical, i.e. ideally designed as a pin contact. The fixing region is understood to be a shape which enables the contact element to be fastened in a housing, preferably by a casting process.For this purpose, formations such as a bead, a radial spring, a circumferential ring, or a similar shape are just as conceivable as bolts, pins, threads, or hooks. Recesses are also conceivable as possible shapes for the fixing area, such as grooves, through holes, blind holes, notches, or incisions.

[0028] A further embodiment provides for the contact element to have a contact protection lock, which is designed for attaching a contact protection device. Various shaped elements can be used here, which improve and / or facilitate locking, gluing, pressing, screwing, or similar material-locking, form-fitting, or force-fitting connections between the contact protection device and the contact element.

[0029] A further embodiment provides that the sealing element with the sealing flange is arranged on the fixing area and the sleeve encloses at least a quarter of the length of the contact area.

[0030] A further embodiment provides for the sealing element to be introduced into the housing using a primary forming process. An alternative embodiment provides for the sealing element to be integrally formed onto the contact element using a primary forming process. These embodiments allow for preparation of the housing and / or the contact element, so that subsequent assembly of the contact element and housing produces a bulkhead housing according to the invention.

[0031] Furthermore, the invention provides a connector system comprising an electrical add-on housing according to the invention and a corresponding electrical high-current connector, wherein the add-on housing has a fastening device which accommodates a fastening form of the high-current connector in order to enable mechanical securing of the electrical connection, and wherein the add-on housing has a housing and a contact element, wherein the housing is formed around the contact element in a primary forming process, and the high-current connector has a connector housing and a connector contact, wherein the connector housing is formed around the connector contact in a primary forming process, and wherein the add-on housing has a sealing element which has at least one sealing flange, a sleeve, and at least one sealing contour, wherein the sealing element is formed into the add-on housing by means of a primary forming process,or wherein the attachment housing has a sealing element which has at least one sealing flange, a sleeve and at least one sealing contour, wherein the sealing element is formed onto the contact element by means of a primary forming process.,

[0032] A further embodiment provides that the sealing element encloses a coding device, which is arranged in at least one of the components, the add-on housing or the high-current connector, in a sealing manner against external media or receives the coding device in a sealing manner against external media.

[0033] Finally, the invention provides a method for producing a panel-mounted housing for receiving an electrical high-current connector, wherein the panel-mounted housing has at least one housing, an electrical contact element and a sealing element, wherein the housing has a device side and a plug-in side, wherein a stop is arranged circumferentially on the housing and the plug-in side has at least one fastening device which is brought into engagement with a fastening form of the high-current connector, and wherein the plug-in side further has at least one coding device which prevents a plug-in process with an unsuitable connector or prevents a plug-in process with the high-current connector in an undesired orientation, and wherein the sealing element is introduced between the housing and the contact element in a primary forming process and is designed to be elastic,that the coding device is sealed or sealed. Example

[0034] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show: Fig. 1A connector system according to the invention in a sectional view along the length of a connector system; Fig. 2A detailed view of the arrangement of the sealing element in the attachment housing in a sectional view.

[0035] Some of the figures contain simplified, schematic representations. Identical reference symbols are used for similar, but possibly not identical, elements. Different views of the same elements may be scaled differently. Directional references such as "left," "right," "top," and "bottom" are to be understood with reference to the respective figure and may vary in the individual illustrations relative to the object depicted.

[0036] The Figure 1 and Figure 2 show a housing 1 according to the invention, which is connected to a high-current connector 2, wherein a sealing element 3 is arranged in the housing 1 such that in the plugged-in state shown, a housing 10 and a connector housing 20 are sealed against the ingress of foreign media. The section of the Figure 2a special focus on the sealing element 3 according to the invention. The high-current plug connector 2 is angled and accommodates an electrical cable 4. The add-on housing 1 is essentially divided into two areas, namely a device side G and a plug-in side S. The housing 10 has a fastening device 100 which enables mechanical fastening using a fastening form 200. Furthermore, a stop 101 ensures practical installation of the add-on housing 1 in a wall of a device, for example a machine, a control cabinet, a transformer or an energy storage device. Preferably, the stop 101 is assigned a seal pointing in the direction of the device side G, for example an O-ring, in order to protect the interior of the device from the ingress of foreign media. In order to fasten the add-on housing 1 to a wall of a device, the housing 10 has a housing fastening form 102 on the device side G.In a simple way, in the . Figures 1 and 2an external thread is shown, although alternatives such as locking hooks, grooves, springs, curved tracks or similar elements are conceivable. Furthermore, a release device 103 is arranged on the plug-in side S of the housing 10, which is designed to release the mechanical fastening of the fastening device 100 with the fastening form 200 when actuated. A contact element 11 is arranged in the housing 10. The contact element 11 is essentially fastened in the device side G, but can, as shown, depending on the design, protrude beyond the stop 101 located on the outside of the housing 10 into the plug-in side S. The contact element 11 is essentially divided into the areas connection area 110, contact area 111 and fixing area 113. In the design shown, a contact protection lock 112 is arranged on the contact area 111 pointing in the direction of the plug-in side S.This contact protection lock 112, as well as the contact protection 12 engaged with it, are shown in the . Fig. 2more clearly visible. The contact protection lock 112 is designed such that a contact protection 12 can be arranged on the described end of the contact element 11. A simple embodiment comprising at least two locking hooks arranged essentially opposite one another is shown. Alternatively, a single pin with a (partially) conical extension can be selected in order to simplify production in a rotating process. The high-current plug connector 2 has a plug connector housing 20, which can be connected at one end to the add-on housing 1 and at the other end to a line 4. A cable is usually used as the line 4, which has at least one outer insulation 40 and at least one conductor 41. The plug connector housing 20, in turn, has a fastening form 200, which can be brought into engagement with the fastening device 100 of the add-on housing 1.The connector housing 20 further comprises an end face 201, which is inserted into the add-on housing 1. An inner wall 202 is brought into sealing contact with the sealing element 3. A contact receptacle 203 is intended, on the one hand, to secure a connector contact 21 of the high-current connector 2 and, ideally, to protect a contact socket 210 from accidental contact by a person. The contact socket 210 is designed to make electrical contact with the contact area 111 of the contact element 11. A conductor receptacle 211 is arranged at the opposite end of the connector contact 21, which is designed to receive the cable 4, in particular the electrical conductor 41 located therein.Furthermore, a fuse holder 212 is provided within the contact socket 210, which holds a contact fuse 22 to ensure the electrical connection between the contact element 11 and the connector contact 21 even under load, for example vibration. Finally, the sealing element 3 with its various areas becomes clear. The sealing element 3 has a sealing flange 30, which is arranged on a sleeve 31. A sealing contour 32 is formed on the sleeve 31, which in the example shown is supported by a further sealing contour 32'. The sealing contours 32 and 32' are arranged offset along the length of the sleeve 31. The sealing element 3 is designed in one piece. Advantageously, the sealing element 3 is formed around the contact element 11 using a primary forming process, in particular an injection molding process, particularly preferably an overmolding process.The combination of contact element 11 and sealing element 3 is then completed with the housing 10 in a casting process to form the add-on housing 1. Alternatively, it is proposed to first provide the contact element 11 with the housing 10, either by an assembly process or, also preferred here, by a primary forming process, in particular suitable and / or specified casting processes. Subsequently, the combination of housing 10 and contact element 11 is provided with the sealing element 3, which is inserted into the housing 10 by one of the aforementioned processes or a comparable process.

[0037] Details of this embodiment are given in the Figure 2clearer. The high-current connector 2 is merely indicated, whereby the areas relevant to the invention can be seen. In particular, it is clear that the end face 201 of the connector housing 20 cleverly achieves, at least in part, a first sealing effect with the sealing flange 30. The sealing contours 32 and 32' nestle against the inner wall 202 of the connector housing 20 and, particularly due to their double design, are able to sealingly accommodate and / or enclose formations, in particular those provided as a coding device. In a clever design, the sealing element 3 is molded into an existing combination of housing 10 and contact element 11. This ensures, among other things, that the sealing flange 30 is flush, ideally even materially connected, with the housing 10, the contact element 11, or both.

[0038] Although various aspects or features of the invention are shown in combination in the figures, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art—unless otherwise stated—that the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only possible ones. In particular, corresponding units or feature complexes from different embodiments can be interchanged. List of reference symbols

[0039] 1 Bulkhead housing 10 Housing 100 Fastening device 101 Stop 102 Housing fastening form 103 Release device 11 Contact element 110 Connection area 111 Contact area 112 Contact protection lock 113 Fixing area 12 Contact protection 2High-current connectors 20Connector housing 200Mounting form 201End face 202Inner wall 203Contact receptacle 21Connector contact 210Contact socket 211Conductor receptacle 212Fuse receptacle 22Contact fuse 3Sealing element 30Sealing flange 31Sleeve 32Sealing contour 4Cable 40Insulation 41Conductor GDevice side SSocket side

Claims

1. Electrical attachment housing (1) for receiving an electrical high-current plug connector (2), comprising at least one housing (10), an electrical plug contact (11) and a sealing element (3), wherein the housing (10) has a device side (G) and a plug-in side (S), wherein a stop (101) is arranged circumferentially on the housing (10) and the plug-in side (S) has at least one fastening device (100) which is brought into engagement with a fastening form (200) of the high-current plug connector (2), and wherein the plug-in side (S) further has at least one coding device which prevents a plug-in process with an unsuitable plug connector or prevents a plug-in process with the high-current plug connector (2) in an undesired orientation characterized in that the sealing element (3) is designed as a one-piece, substantially hollow-cylindrical sleeve (31) with a sealing flange (30) and at least one circumferential sealing contour (32).

2. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the sealing contour (32) is arranged as an annular formation on the outside of the sealing element (3).

3. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the coding device is arranged in an interior space of a plug-in side.

4. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that an outer flange diameter of the sealing flange (30) measures at least 80% of the inner diameter of the device side (G).

5. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the sealing flange (30) is made of an elastic material which is firmly connected to the inside of the device side (G).

6. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 2 characterized in that the sealing contour (32) is brought into sealing engagement with an inner wall (202) of the high-current connector (2).

7. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 5 characterized in thatthe sealing contour (32) has an outer contour diameter which is less than or equal to the flange outer diameter.

8. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the sealing contour (32) flexibly accommodates or encloses the coding device and seals it against foreign media.

9. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the plug contact (11) has a connection area (110), a contact area (111) and a fixing area (113), wherein the connection area (110) is separated from a contact area (111) by a fixing area (113) and wherein the contact area (111) is substantially cylindrical.

10. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 9 characterized in that the plug contact (11) has a contact protection lock (112) which is designed to fasten a contact protection (12).

11. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in thatthe sealing element (3) with the sealing flange (30) is arranged on the fixing area (113) and the sleeve (31) encloses at least a quarter of the length of the contact area (111) plug contact (11).

12. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the sealing element (3) is introduced into the housing (10) in a primary forming process.

13. Mounting housing (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the sealing element (3) is formed onto the plug contact (11) in a primary forming process.

14. A connector system comprising an electrical attachment housing (1) according to claim 1 and a corresponding electrical high-current connector (2), wherein the attachment housing (1) has a fastening device (100) which accommodates a fastening form (200) of the high-current connector (2) in order to enable mechanical securing of the electrical connection, and wherein the attachment housing (1) has a housing (10) and a plug contact (11), wherein the housing (10) is formed around the plug contact (11) in a primary forming process, and the high-current connector (2) has a connector housing (20) and a contact element (21), wherein the connector housing (20) is formed around the contact element (21) in a primary forming process, characterized in thatthe attachment housing (1) has a sealing element (3) which has at least one sealing flange (30), a sleeve (31) and at least one sealing contour (32), wherein the sealing element (3) is formed into the attachment housing (1) by means of a primary forming process OR that the attachment housing (1) has a sealing element (3) which has at least one sealing flange (30), a sleeve (31) and at least one sealing contour (32), wherein the sealing element (3) is formed onto the plug contact (11) by means of a primary forming process.

15. Connector system according to claim 14 characterized in that the sealing element (3) encloses a coding device which is arranged in at least one of the components, the add-on housing (1) or the high-current connector (2), in a sealing manner against external media or receives the coding device in a sealing manner against external media.

16. A method for producing a panel-mounted housing (1) for receiving an electrical high-current plug connector (2), comprising at least one housing (10), an electrical plug contact (11), and a sealing element (3), wherein the housing (10) has a device side (G) and a plug-in side (S), wherein a stop (101) is arranged circumferentially on the housing (10), and the plug-in side (S) has at least one fastening device (100) which is brought into engagement with a fastening form (200) of the high-current plug connector (2), and wherein the plug-in side (S) further has at least one coding device which prevents a plug-in process with an unsuitable plug connector or prevents a plug-in process with the high-current plug connector (2) in an undesired orientation, characterized in thatthe sealing element (3) is introduced between the housing (10) and the plug contact (11) in a primary forming process and is designed to be elastic in such a way that the coding device is sealingly received or sealingly enclosed.

Images