Electrical connector with minimal torsional load transfer

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electrical connector (1) configured to be mated to a mating connector (4), the electrical connector (1) comprising a housing assembly (8) and a core assembly (10), the core assembly comprising: a contact assembly (16) having a contact (18), the contact (18) being configured to electrically contact a mating contact of the mating connector (4), a finger protection assembly (20) configured to at least partially cover the contact assembly (16), and a cable retention assembly (22) configured to be attached to a cable (24), wherein the core assembly is rotatably retained within the housing assembly. The housing assembly and the core assembly are rotationally separated from each other. Torsional load transfer between the housing assembly and the cable (24) is minimized. The housing assembly may include a connector housing (26) provided with a rotationally asymmetric outer profile (138). The asymmetric outer profile (138) can be freely oriented relative to the cable, thereby facilitating handling of the electrical connector (1) during wiring of the cable (24).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to electrical connectors, such as high voltage connectors for example for automotive applications. However, the applicability of the invention is not limited to high voltage automotive applications, but may also extend to other applications in the field of electrical engineering. Background Art

[0002] In applications involving power and / or signal transmission, spaced technical units can be electrically connected in a detachable manner using electrical connectors via cables. When establishing such electrical connections, the electrical connectors are usually handled manually or by robots to route the cables along available cable paths. During the handling and routing process, the electrical connectors and cables may be subject to significant forces. This is especially true in high voltage and / or high current applications where the cables are typically thick and hard. These significant forces may damage the electrical connectors, the cables, and / or the connection between the cables and the electrical connectors. In addition, when establishing an electrical connection, the thickness and hardness of the cables may complicate the process. Summary of the invention

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector which is easier to handle and less prone to damage.

[0004] The object is achieved by providing an electrical connector, such as a high voltage connector, configured to mate to a mating connector, the electrical connector comprising a housing assembly and a core assembly, the core assembly comprising a contact assembly having contacts configured to electrically contact mating contacts of the mating connector, a finger protection assembly configured to at least partially cover the contact assembly, and a cable retention assembly configured to be attached to a cable, wherein the core assembly is rotatably retained within the housing assembly.

[0005] The above solution is advantageous because the core assembly comprises all necessary components required to establish an electrical connection between the mating connector and the cable while being rotationally decoupled from the housing assembly. In particular, the transmission of circumferential forces between the housing assembly and the cable retention assembly, which is part of the core assembly, is limited. Thus, when the cable retention assembly is attached to the cable, only minimal torsional loads can be transmitted from the housing assembly to the cable. This makes handling of the electrical connector easier due to the increased flexibility of movement and also reduces the risk of damage to the electrical connector.

[0006] The term "circumferential force" is understood to refer to a force acting in a circumferential direction relative to the relative rotationality between the core assembly and the housing assembly.

[0007] The above solution may be further improved by adding one or more of the following optional features. Each of the following optional features is advantageous in itself and may be independently combined with any other optional feature.

[0008] In a possible embodiment of the electrical connector, the core assembly can be rotated relative to the housing assembly up to an angle of 360° or any multiple of 360° with any integer. In particular, the core assembly can be completely and / or unlimitedly rotatably retained within the housing assembly. In this way, the angular relative movement between the core assembly and the housing assembly is unrestricted, further reducing the risk of torsional load transmission between the electrical connector and the corresponding attached cable.

[0009] The electrical connector may be configured to be mated to the mating connector along a mating direction, wherein the core assembly is preferably rotatable relative to the housing assembly about a rotation axis parallel to the mating direction.

[0010] Each of the housing assembly and the core assembly can be a separate integral module. Preferably, both the housing assembly and the core assembly are integral modules, which are respectively preassembled and easily mountable to each other. In particular, the core assembly can be inserted into the housing assembly along an assembly direction parallel to the mating direction. This embodiment is advantageous because it results in less effort and time required during the assembly process of the electrical connector. In addition, the maintainability of the electrical connector is improved because the housing assembly or the core assembly can be easily replaced in the event of damage or failure.

[0011] Alternatively, only the core assembly may be a preassembled integral module, and the shell assembly is assembled only after the core assembly is inserted along the assembly direction. This will be described in further detail below.

[0012] According to another possible embodiment, the contact may have a sleeve-shaped portion configured for electrical termination of a cable. For example, the sleeve-shaped portion may be crimped to the end of a cable conductor. Alternatively, the sleeve-shaped portion may be welded, fused or otherwise bonded to the end of the conductor.

[0013] In addition, the contact may have a socket-shaped portion configured to receive and electrically contact the pin-shaped portion of the mating contact. Optionally, the contact assembly may include a flexible conductive contact spring arranged in the socket-shaped portion of the contact to increase the contact force and / or reduce the mating force.

[0014] It should be understood that the term "conductive" refers to the property of the contact spring, which has an electrical conductivity comparable to that of the contacts and higher than that of the finger guard assembly.

[0015] Alternatively, the contact may have a pin-shaped portion which is configured to be inserted into a socket-shaped portion of a mating contact in order to establish electrical contact therewith. A contact spring may optionally be arranged on the pin-shaped portion of the contact.

[0016] For safety reasons, the finger protection assembly may include an outer protection element and a front protection element, which protect the contact from unwanted touching by a human finger or other parts other than the mating contact. The outer protection element may surround the contact, thereby covering the contact in a radial direction relative to the mating direction. The front protection element may cover a front part of the contact in an axial direction relative to the mating direction. In particular, the front protection element may cover a front end of the contact extending toward the outside of the housing assembly. In particular, the front end of the contact may be a free end of the contact.

[0017] In an embodiment comprising a contact having a socket-shaped portion, the outer protection element and the front protection element can be integrally connected to form a protective collar around the entire outer surface of the socket-shaped portion of the contact. Preferably, the protective collar is also formed around the entire outer surface of the sleeve-shaped portion of the contact. Therefore, the socket-shaped portion and the sleeve-shaped portion of the contact can be inserted into the protective collar. The protective collar can be press-fitted on the socket-shaped portion and / or the sleeve-shaped portion of the contact. Alternatively or cumulatively, the finger protection assembly can include a spacer sleeve, which can also be inserted into the protective collar after the contact is inserted. The spacer sleeve can be connected to the protective collar, for example, by a latch. The contact can be axially supported by the protective collar and the spacer sleeve from two opposite directions, thereby preventing the contact from being removed from the protective collar.

[0018] Optionally, the finger protection assembly may further include an inner protection element surrounded by the socket-shaped portion of the contact. In particular, the inner protection element may be a cup-shaped or cylindrical body inserted into the socket-shaped portion of the contact.

[0019] The outer protection element, the front protection element, and the inner protection element may each be made of an electrically insulating material having a lower electrical conductivity than the contacts.

[0020] Alternatively, in an embodiment comprising a contact having a pin-shaped portion, the front protection element may be a protection cap attached to the tip of the pin-shaped portion.

[0021] According to another possible embodiment, the electrical connector may include a locking structure configured to lock the core assembly to the housing assembly, preventing translational relative movement between the core assembly and the housing assembly. By means of the locking structure, the core assembly can be kept captured to the housing assembly. Thus, the loss of the core assembly or the housing assembly is prevented, while the relative rotatability between the core assembly and the housing assembly is maintained.

[0022] According to an embodiment that is easy to manufacture, the locking structure may include at least one pair of locking elements that engage with each other, wherein one locking element is a circumferential groove, preferably continuous, and the other locking element is at least one form-fitting element that extends into the corresponding circumferential groove. In particular, the at least one form-fitting element may be formed on one of the shell component and the core component, and the corresponding circumferential groove may be formed on the other of the shell component and the core component, respectively.

[0023] Optionally, the locking element of the core assembly can be located on the cable retention assembly.Therefore, the cable retention assembly can also achieve the function of rotatably attaching the housing assembly to the cable.

[0024] According to a further embodiment, the core assembly may comprise a shielding sleeve, in which the contact assembly is at least partially accommodated. Preferably, the contact assembly is completely accommodated in the shielding sleeve. Optionally, the finger protection assembly may also be at least partially, preferably completely, accommodated in the shielding sleeve. Furthermore, the cable retention assembly may optionally be at least partially accommodated in the shielding sleeve. Preferably, the shielding sleeve is electrically conductive and can thus be used in particular to prevent electromagnetic interference caused by or affecting the contacts. In particular, the shielding sleeve may radially surround the contacts along the entire length of the contacts. Furthermore, the shielding sleeve may be continuously spaced apart and insulated from the contacts by an outer protection element of the finger protection assembly.

[0025] It should be understood that the term "conductive" refers to the property of the shield sleeve, which has an electrical conductivity comparable to that of the contacts and higher than that of the finger guard assembly.

[0026] According to another embodiment, the shielding sleeve may include at least one radially inwardly protruding portion that engages with one of the finger protection assembly and the cable retention assembly. Preferably, the shielding sleeve includes at least one radially inwardly protruding portion for each of the finger protection assembly and the cable retention assembly that engages with the finger protection assembly and the cable retention assembly, respectively. Through the engagement, the shielding sleeve can hold the contact assembly, the finger protection assembly, and the cable retention assembly together as a unit, thereby maintaining the integrity of the core assembly.

[0027] Optionally, at least one radially inwardly projecting portion may extend around the shielding sleeve in a continuous or discontinuous manner along the circumferential direction. In particular, at least one radially inwardly projecting portion may be formed by a step, a flange, a shoulder or a tapered portion extending toward the inside of the shielding sleeve. Alternatively or in addition, at least one radially inwardly projecting portion may be formed by a plurality of latching projections distributed around the circumference of the shielding sleeve and extending obliquely toward the inside of the shielding sleeve.

[0028] According to another embodiment, the shielding sleeve may include at least one radially outward protrusion engaged with the housing assembly. Similarly, the at least one radially outward protrusion may extend around the shielding sleeve in a continuous or discontinuous manner along the circumferential direction. In particular, the at least one radially outward protrusion may be formed by a step, a flange, a shoulder or a tapered portion extending outside the shielding sleeve. Alternatively or in addition, the at least one radially outward protrusion may be formed by a plurality of latch protrusions, which are distributed around the shielding sleeve circumference and extend obliquely to the outside of the shielding sleeve.

[0029] The above-mentioned locking element of the core assembly can be located on the shielding sleeve. In particular, the locking element of the core assembly can be implemented by one of at least one radially outward protrusion and a radially inward protrusion. In other words, at least one radially outward protrusion can provide a form-fitting element. Alternatively, at least one radially inward protrusion can provide a circumferential groove.

[0030] According to another embodiment, the shielding sleeve can form an outer shell of the core assembly. In particular, the shielding sleeve can provide an outer bearing surface for the relative rotational movement between the core assembly and the housing assembly. Additionally or alternatively, the shielding sleeve can provide an inner bearing surface for the relative rotational movement between the shielding sleeve and the contact assembly, the finger protection assembly and the cable retention assembly. Preferably, the inner and / or outer bearing surfaces are respectively rotationally symmetric with respect to a rotation axis parallel to the mating direction. Thus, the shielding sleeve can be used as a sliding sleeve and / or sliding bushing.

[0031] For grounding purposes, the shielding sleeve may be arranged to be accessible by a grounding contact of a mating connector. Specifically, a front portion of the shielding sleeve may extend out of the housing assembly and be configured to contact a grounding contact of the mating connector. Additionally or alternatively, at least one access slot may be provided on the housing assembly to allow the grounding contact to access the shielding sleeve. This will be described in further detail below.

[0032] According to yet another embodiment, the cable holding assembly may include a cable fixing sleeve configured to radially abut against the cable insulation of the cable. In particular, the cable fixing sleeve may be sleeved on the end of the conductor surrounded by the cable insulation. The cable fixing sleeve may thus achieve the function of fixing the cable at least in the radial direction.

[0033] Optionally, the cable fixing sleeve can further be pressed radially against the cable insulation and fix the cable in the axial direction, thereby serving as a strain relief for the cable. In particular, the cable fixing sleeve can be pressed radially against the cable insulation by the housing assembly, which will be described in further detail below.

[0034] The above-mentioned locking element of the core assembly can be located on the cable fixing sleeve. In particular, the cable fixing sleeve can have an annular body with a chamfered, barbed circumferential bead. The circumferential bead can be continuous or discontinuous and can extend into a corresponding circumferential groove of the housing assembly as at least one form-fitting element. The chamfered nature of the circumferential bead facilitates the introduction of the circumferential groove in the above-mentioned assembly direction. The barbed nature of the circumferential bead prevents removal from the circumferential groove in a direction opposite to the assembly direction.

[0035] Optionally, the cable fixing sleeve may include inwardly facing teeth which engage in the cable insulation of the cable and additionally fix the cable in the axial direction. Preferably, the teeth are hook-shaped and inclined in the mating direction. Thus, the cable fixing sleeve may be easily put on the cable insulation of the cable against the mating direction while preventing removal of the cable fixing sleeve.

[0036] In an alternative embodiment, the cable fixing sleeve may comprise a circumferential groove as a locking element and the housing assembly may comprise a circumferential bead as another locking element, respectively.

[0037] According to yet another embodiment, the cable retention assembly may include a shielding support sleeve configured to support the shielding of the cable. In particular, the shielding support sleeve may radially support the contact area between the shielding sleeve and the shielding of the cable. In other words, the shielding support sleeve may provide a circumferential seat surface on which the shielding sleeve and the shielding of the cable are superimposed on each other. To this end, the shielding support sleeve may be sleeved on the end of the cable and located below at least one layer of the shielding of the cable. In particular, the shielding of the cable may be partially exposed and opened so that the shielding support sleeve is assembled below the shielding of the cable. Alternatively, the exposed shielding of the cable may be rolled back and covered on the shielding support sleeve.

[0038] It should be understood that the shielding of the cable may, for example, include a braided shield and / or a foil shield surrounded by cable insulation. The shielding further surrounds the conductor of the cable and is separated from the conductor by the insulation layer of the cable. In this case, the prepositions "under" and "below" are each understood to refer to a radial position between the shielding and the insulation layer. In addition, the term "exposed" refers to a portion of the cable insulation being removed so that the shielding of the cable is exposed.

[0039] Preferably, the difference between the outer diameter of the shielding support sleeve and the inner diameter of the shielding sleeve allows the shielding of the cable to be clamped therebetween. More preferably, the difference allows the shielding of the cable to be press-fitted between the shielding sleeve and the shielding support sleeve in order to improve the electrical contact. As an alternative to the press-fit, the shielding sleeve may also be press-fitted onto the shielding support sleeve.

[0040] According to a further embodiment, the shield support sleeve may be preferably arranged between the cable fixing sleeve and the finger protection assembly in the axial direction. In particular, the cable fixing sleeve, the shield support sleeve and the finger protection assembly may be coaxially aligned along the mating direction. Thus, the above-mentioned contact area between the shield sleeve and the shield of the cable may be sufficiently far away from the contact and the exterior of the electrical connector.

[0041] The outer protection element and / or the spacer sleeve of the finger guard assembly can be axially against the shield of the cable, folded over the shield support sleeve. In addition, the outer protection element of the finger guard assembly can be axially supported from two opposite directions by the shield sleeve and the cable retention assembly. Alternatively, the outer protection element of the finger guard assembly can be axially supported from two opposite directions by the housing assembly and the cable retention assembly. To this end, the housing assembly can include an inward protrusion, which will be further described below. Therefore, the relative position of the outer protection element can be maintained within the electrical connector.

[0042] According to yet another possible embodiment, the cable retention assembly may include a sealing device arranged between the cable fixing sleeve and the shielding support sleeve. The sealing device may include at least one sealing element arranged between the cable fixing sleeve and the shielding support sleeve, preferably having an annular shape. For example, at least one sealing element may radially abut against the shielding sleeve and the cable insulation, thereby preventing moisture and / or dust from passing through the gap between the shielding sleeve and the cable. Alternatively, at least one sealing element may directly abut against the housing assembly, rather than the shielding sleeve, thereby preventing moisture and / or dust from passing through the gap between the housing assembly and the cable. Advantageously, the direct abutment of at least one sealing element against the housing assembly may generate a certain frictional resistance, which hinders the housing assembly from rotating loosely around the cable, while not completely inhibiting rotatability.

[0043] In another possible embodiment, the sealing device may include at least two sealing elements and a sealing support sleeve having a higher rigidity than the at least two sealing elements. The sealing support sleeve may be mainly used to prevent axial deformation of the core assembly, for example due to compression of the at least two sealing elements. To this end, the sealing support sleeve may be arranged between the cable fixing sleeve and the shielding support sleeve to axially abut against the cable fixing sleeve and the shielding support sleeve, respectively. At least two sealing elements may be arranged between the adjacent areas of the sealing support sleeve and the cable fixing sleeve and the adjacent areas of the sealing support sleeve and the shielding support sleeve. Due to its higher rigidity, the sealing support sleeve creates a mechanical reinforcement structure for the at least two sealing elements, for example when the cable is pulled in the axial direction. In an embodiment of an electrical connector with a contact spring, it is particularly important to prevent axial deformation, which requires precise positioning of the contact spring relative to the mating connector.

[0044] At least two sealing elements may be arranged on opposite surfaces of the seal support sleeve. One of the at least two sealing elements may radially abut the seal support sleeve and the cable insulation, while the other of the at least two sealing elements may radially abut the seal support sleeve and the housing assembly. In particular, one of the at least two sealing elements may be located on the outer circumferential surface of the seal support sleeve, preferably in a circumferential seal receiving recess formed on the outer circumferential surface of the seal support sleeve. The other of the at least two sealing elements may be located on the inner circumferential surface of the seal support sleeve, preferably in another circumferential seal receiving recess formed on the inner circumferential surface of the seal support sleeve.

[0045] When the electrical connector is assembled on the cable, the sealing support sleeve can also be used to pre-position at least two sealing elements and other components of the core assembly, such as the shielding support sleeve. In addition, at least two sealing elements can be offset from each other along the mating direction to save space in the radial direction.

[0046] Alternatively, the cable fixing sleeve and the shielding support sleeve may be integrally connected with a sealing support sleeve of the sealing device to form a single sleeve-shaped component.

[0047] According to another possible embodiment, the housing assembly may include a connector housing, through which the socket extends in a mating direction for accommodating a cable, preferably an end of a cable. In addition, the socket may also be configured to accommodate a core assembly. In particular, the receptacle may be formed by an introduction opening extending through the connector housing. Thus, the core assembly may be accessible by a mating connector at one end of the introduction opening and a cable at the other end of the introduction opening. The cable may be installed in the receptacle of the connector housing by attaching a cable retaining assembly, wherein the attachment may be performed before or after the core assembly is accommodated in the receptacle.

[0048] Preferably, the receptacle has an inner surface which is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the mating direction. Thus, the core assembly may be rotationally symmetrical with respect to the mating direction. In particular, the contact, the outer protection element, the inner protection element, the front protection element, the cable fixing sleeve, the shielding support sleeve and / or the sealing device may be rotationally symmetrical with respect to the mating direction.

[0049] The above-mentioned locking element of the housing assembly can be formed in the connector housing adjacent to the receptacle. In particular, one of a circumferential groove and a circumferential bead can be formed on the inner surface of the connector housing.

[0050] In order to reduce manufacturing costs, the connector housing can be a single, preferably injection-moulded component. Alternatively, the connector housing can comprise at least two housing halves, each housing half comprising a recess which forms a receptacle together with the recesses of the remaining housing halves. The housing halves can be attached to each other perpendicular to the mating direction. The housing halves can be connected to each other in particular by latching, clamping, gluing, welding and / or screws.

[0051] Furthermore, in addition to the connector housing, the housing assembly may include a housing cover. The housing cover may be a substantially hollow cylindrical structure that is sleeved over the cable and at least partially surrounds the rear portion of the connector housing, the rear portion of the connector housing being located opposite the front portion of the contact relative to the mating direction. After the core assembly is inserted into the receptacle of the connector housing, the housing cover may be attached to the connector housing along the mating direction. In particular, the housing cover may be connected to the connector housing by a force transfer connection that is capable of transferring force along the assembly direction. For example, the housing cover may be connected to the connector housing by latching, clamping, gluing, welding and / or screws.

[0052] In order to prevent translational relative movement between the core assembly and the housing assembly, the connector housing and the housing cover can cooperate to keep the core assembly captured. To this end, a circumferential inner shoulder representing the above-mentioned inward protrusion of the housing assembly can be formed at the front of the connector housing, which is located opposite to the rear of the connector housing with respect to the mating direction. Therefore, the housing cover can also form a circumferential inner shoulder adjacent to the rear of the connector housing. With the help of two circumferential inner shoulders, the core assembly can be locked to the housing assembly.

[0053] Optionally, the housing cover may include a tapered inner surface that widens in the mating direction. At a location overlapping the tapered inner surface, the cable fixing sleeve may include a tapered outer surface that widens in the mating direction, the minimum diameter of the tapered inner surface being smaller than the maximum diameter of the tapered outer surface. When the housing cover is attached to the connector housing, these tapered surfaces abut and slide along each other, resulting in a gradual increase in the radial pressure of the cable fixing sleeve applied to the cable insulation. In the assembled state of the electrical connector, the cable fixing sleeve can thus serve as a strain relief for the cable.

[0054] The tapered outer surface of the cable fixing sleeve may include a normal vector including a component against the above-mentioned assembly direction, while the tapered inner surface of the housing cover may include a normal vector including a component pointing in the assembly direction. Therefore, in the case of pulling the cable against the assembly direction, for example in the mating state of the electrical connector and the mating connector, the radial pressure applied by the cable fixing sleeve to the cable insulation is further increased due to the abutment of the tapered outer surface of the cable fixing sleeve with the tapered inner surface of the housing cover. This allows the inwardly facing teeth of the cable fixing sleeve to grip the cable insulation more firmly.

[0055] Furthermore, the abutment of these tapered surfaces in combination with the force-transmitting connection between the housing cover and the connector housing establishes a closed force flux between the rear and front parts, which prevents disassembly of the core assembly in case the cable is pulled against the assembly direction.

[0056] The frictional resistance described above may also advantageously occur between the tapered inner surface of the housing cover and the tapered outer surface of the cable securing sleeve, thereby preventing the housing assembly from loosely rotating about the cable while not completely inhibiting rotatability.

[0057] According to another possible embodiment, the connector housing can have a rotationally asymmetric outer contour relative to the mating direction. Advantageously, the asymmetric outer contour does not impose restrictions during the handling of the electrical connector, because the connector housing can be freely oriented relative to the core assembly and the cable. In particular, the routing of the cable has no effect on the final angular orientation of the connector housing, because the housing assembly is generally rotatable, in particular the connector housing is rotatable relative to the cable. Therefore, the restrictions in the design of the connector housing are alleviated, because the outer contour of the connector housing can be designed so that it does not need to meet the symmetry condition, and the disadvantage of the asymmetric design of the connector housing being non-rotatable relative to the cable will not occur.

[0058] According to a further possible embodiment, the rotationally asymmetric outer contour of the connector housing may be derived from at least one of a rotationally asymmetric locking feature, a rotationally asymmetric coding feature and a rotationally asymmetric arranged circuit element. The locking feature may in particular be a mechanical structure for fixing the connector housing to the mating connector. The coding feature may be a mechanical structure that defines a specific relative angular orientation between the connector housing and the mating connector, which is required for mating. The circuit element may be part of a monitoring circuit configured to close an open complementary circuit located in the mating connector. In particular, the monitoring circuit may be a high-voltage interlock circuit for detecting a mated state and an unmated state of the electrical connector and the mating connector.

[0059] Additionally or alternatively, the rotationally asymmetric outer profile of the connector housing may result from at least one rotationally asymmetric grounding feature. The grounding feature may be the at least one access slit mentioned above. Specifically, the at least one access slit may be a substantially rectangular transverse slot in the connector housing extending along the mating direction at a position overlapping the shielding sleeve. Through the at least one access slit, a ground contact of the mating connector may pass through and reach the shielding sleeve for the purpose of grounding the shielding sleeve.

[0060] Alternatively, the connector housing may include a combination of multiple such locking features, coding features, grounding features, and / or circuit elements.

[0061] Advantageously, electrical connectors in general and connector housings in particular may be provided with the aforementioned auxiliary features (i.e. locking features, coding features, circuit elements) for interacting with complementary features of a mating connector without resulting in a restriction on the angular orientation required between the mating connector and the cable during mating. This is particularly advantageous in applications with relatively thick and stiff cables, which are inherently resistant to twisting. The angular orientation required for mating is limited only by the complementary features of the mating connector, which must be matched with the auxiliary features. Since the auxiliary features are provided on a connector housing separate from the cable, the cable itself does not have to be twisted in order to orient the connector housing relative to the mating connector. This facilitates handling of the electrical connector and the cable.

[0062] Additional sealing elements may optionally be disposed in and on the electrical connector. For example, one of the radially outwardly projecting portion and the radially inwardly projecting portion of the shielding sleeve may provide a seat for accommodating a first additional sealing element in the form of a sealing ring. A second additional sealing element may be disposed on an outer surface of the connector housing. The second additional sealing element may include an outer sealing surface configured to seal a gap between the connector housing and a connector face of a mating connector.

[0063] Below, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments shown and described are for explanation purposes only. The combination of features shown in the embodiments may be changed according to the previous description. For example, if the technical effect associated with the feature is beneficial to a specific application, a feature not shown in the embodiment but described above may be added. Vice versa, if the technical effect associated with the feature is not needed in a specific application, the feature shown as part of the embodiment may be omitted as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0064] In the figures, elements which correspond to one another in terms of function and / or structure are provided with the same reference symbols.

[0065] In the accompanying drawings,

[0066] Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing a perspective view of an electrical connector according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0067] Figure 2 Shown according to Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a front view of the electrical connector of the illustrated embodiment;

[0068] Figure 3 Shown according to Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a cross-sectional side view of the electrical connector of the illustrated embodiment;

[0069] Figure 4 Shown according to Figure 1A schematic diagram of a perspective view of the electrical connector and the mating connector of the illustrated embodiment;

[0070] Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing a perspective view of an electrical connector according to another possible embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0071] Figure 6 Shown according to Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a cross-sectional side view of the electrical connector of the illustrated embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] Below, refer to Figures 1 to 6 The exemplary embodiment shown explains the structure of a possible embodiment of an electrical connector 1 according to the invention.

[0073] Figure 1 1 shows a perspective view of an electrical connector 1 according to a possible embodiment of the present disclosure. The electrical connector 1 may in particular be a high voltage connector 2, for example for automotive applications. The electrical connector 1 is configured to preferably mate to a mating connector 4 along a mating direction 6 (see Figure 4 ).

[0074] As in Figure 1 As can be seen in the figure, the electrical connector 1 includes a housing assembly 8 and a core assembly 10, wherein the core assembly 10 is rotatably held in the housing assembly 8. Preferably, the core assembly 10 is rotatable relative to the housing assembly 8 about a rotation axis 12 parallel to the mating direction 6. In addition, the core assembly 10 can be rotated relative to the housing assembly 8 by an angle of 360° or any multiple of any integer of 360°. In particular, the core assembly 10 can be completely and / or unrestrictedly rotatably held in the housing assembly 8. This is Figure 1 and 2 Indicated by arrow 14.

[0075] The following will refer to Figure 3 As described, the core assembly 10 includes: a contact assembly 16 having a contact 18, which is configured to electrically contact a mating contact (not shown) of the mating connector 4, a finger protection assembly 20, which is configured to at least partially cover the contact assembly 16, and a cable retention assembly 22, which is configured to be attached to the cable 24.

[0076] The housing assembly 8 may include a connector housing 26, through which a receptacle 28 extends in the mating direction 6 for receiving the cable 24, preferably for receiving an end 30 of the cable 24. Furthermore, the receptacle 28 may also be configured for receiving the core assembly 10. In particular, the receptacle 28 may be formed by an introduction opening 32 extending through the connector housing 26. Thus, the core assembly 10 may be accessible by the mating connector 4 located at one end 34 of the introduction opening 32 and the cable 24 located at the other end 36 of the introduction opening 32.

[0077] The contact 18 may be a turned, forged, cast, or drawn contact element 38 made of copper or other conductive material. Alternatively, the contact 18 may be a stamped and bent portion. In addition, the contact 18 may have a sleeve-shaped portion 40 configured for electrical termination of the cable 24. For example, the sleeve-shaped portion 40 may be crimped onto an end 42 of a conductor 44 of the cable 24 (see Figure 6 ). Alternatively, the sleeve-shaped portion 40 may be welded, fused or otherwise joined to the end 42 of the conductor 44.

[0078] exist Figure 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the contact 18 has a socket-shaped portion 46 which is configured to receive and electrically contact a pin-shaped portion (not shown) of a mating contact. The socket-shaped portion 46 is positioned opposite the sleeve-shaped portion 40 with respect to the mating direction 6 .

[0079] exist Figure 5 and 6 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the contact assembly 16 further includes a flexible electrically conductive contact spring 19 which is arranged within the socket-shaped portion 46 of the contact 18 .

[0080] According to an alternative embodiment not shown, the contact 18 may have a pin-shaped portion configured to be inserted into a socket-shaped portion of a mating contact in order to establish electrical contact therewith. A contact spring may optionally be arranged on the pin-shaped portion of the contact.

[0081] The finger protection assembly 20 may include an outer protection element 48 and a front protection element 50 that protect the contact 18 from unwanted touching by a human finger or other components other than the mating contact. The outer protection element 48 may surround the contact 18 so as to cover it in a radial direction 52 relative to the mating direction 6, while the front protection element 50 may cover a front portion 56 of the contact 18 in an axial direction 54 relative to the mating direction. In particular, the front protection element 50 may cover a front end 58 of the contact 18 that extends toward the exterior of the housing assembly 8.

[0082] exist Figure 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the outer protection element 48 and the front protection element 50 are integrally connected to each other and form a protection collar 60 around the entire outer surface 62 of the socket-shaped portion 46 of the contact 18. Therefore, the front portion 56 of the contact 18 can extend to the outside of the housing assembly 8 and be covered by the protection collar 60.

[0083] from Figure 3 and 6 As can be seen in the cross-sectional view of , the protective collar 60 is also formed around the outer surface of the sleeve-shaped portion 40 of the contact 18. Therefore, the socket-shaped portion 46 and the sleeve-shaped portion 40 of the contact 18 can be inserted into the protective collar 60. Figure 3 In the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the protective collar 60 is press-fitted onto the sleeve-shaped portion 40 of the contact 18 . Figure 6 In the embodiment of the present invention, the finger protection assembly 20 further includes a spacer sleeve 61 which can be inserted into the protection collar 60 after the contact 18 is inserted. The spacer sleeve 61 is attached to the protection collar 60 by a latch. Therefore, the contact 18 is axially supported by the protection collar 60 and the spacer sleeve 61 from two opposite directions.

[0084] Optionally, the finger protection assembly 20 may further include an inner protection element 64 surrounded by the socket-shaped portion 46 of the contact 18. In particular, the inner protection element 64 may be a cup-shaped or cylindrical body 66 inserted into the socket-shaped portion 46 of the contact 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the body 66 has a cup-shaped section 68 and a cylindrical section 70.

[0085] Alternatively, in an embodiment comprising a contact having a pin-shaped portion, the front protection element may be a protection cap (not shown) attached to the tip of the pin-shaped portion.

[0086] from Figure 3 As can be seen in the cross-sectional view of , the electrical connector may include a locking structure 72 configured to lock the core assembly 10 to the housing assembly 8, thereby preventing translational relative movement between the core assembly 10 and the housing assembly 8. The locking structure 72 may include at least one pair of locking elements 74a, 74b that engage with each other. One 74a of the locking elements may be a preferably continuous circumferential groove 76. The other 74b of the locking elements may be at least one form-fitting element 78 that extends into the corresponding circumferential groove 76. At least one form-fitting element 78 may be formed on one of the housing assembly 8 and the core assembly 10. Therefore, the corresponding circumferential groove 76 may be formed on the corresponding other of the housing assembly 8 and the core assembly 10.

[0087] As will be described in further detail below, Figure 3 Each circumferential groove 76 in the exemplary embodiment shown is formed on the housing assembly 8, while each form-fitting element 58 is formed on the core assembly 10. Specifically, the locking structure 72 includes two pairs of locking elements 74a, 74b that are respectively engaged with each other. Therefore, two circumferential grooves 76a, 76b are formed on the housing assembly 8. More specifically, two circumferential grooves 76a, 76b are formed in the connector housing 26 adjacent to the receptacle 28.

[0088] The core assembly 10 may also include a shielding sleeve 80 in which the contact assembly 16 is at least partially housed. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the contact assembly 16 is completely contained within the shielding sleeve 80. Figure 3In the embodiment of FIG. 8 , the finger protection assembly 20 and the cable retention assembly 22 are also completely contained within the shielding sleeve 80 . Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the cable retention assembly 22 is only partially contained, while the contact assembly 16 and the finger guard assembly 20 are completely contained within the shield sleeve 80. In particular, the shield sleeve 80 can radially surround the contact 18 along the entire length 82 of the contact 18. In addition, the shield sleeve 80 can be continuously spaced apart from and insulated from the contact 18 by the outer guard member 48 of the finger guard assembly 20.

[0089] The shielding sleeve 80 may include at least one radially inward protrusion 84 that engages with one of the finger protection assembly 20 and the cable retention assembly 22. The at least one radially inward protrusion 84 may extend continuously or discontinuously around the shielding sleeve 80 along a circumferential direction 86 relative to the mating direction 6. In particular, the at least one radially inward protrusion 84 may be formed by a step, a flange, a shoulder or a tapered portion 88 extending toward the inside of the shielding sleeve 80. Alternatively or in addition, the at least one radially inward protrusion 84 may be formed by a plurality of latch protrusions that are distributed circumferentially around the shielding sleeve 80 and extend obliquely toward the inside of the shielding sleeve.

[0090] The shielding sleeve 80 may further include at least one radially outward protrusion 90 that engages with the housing assembly 8. Similarly, the at least one radially outward protrusion 90 may extend in a continuous or discontinuous manner along the circumferential direction 86 around the shielding sleeve 80. In particular, the at least one radially outward protrusion 90 may be formed by a step, a flange 92, a shoulder 94, or a tapered portion extending toward the outside of the shielding sleeve 80. Alternatively or in addition, the at least one radially outward protrusion 90 may be formed by a plurality of latch protrusions 96 that are distributed circumferentially around the shielding sleeve 80 and extend obliquely toward the outside of the shielding sleeve 80.

[0091] exist Figure 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the shield sleeve 80 includes a radially inwardly projecting portion 84a in the form of a tapered portion 88 for engaging with the finger protection assembly 20, and a radially inwardly projecting portion 84b in the form of a tapered portion 88 for engaging with the cable retention assembly 22. In addition, Figure 3 The shield sleeve 80 shown includes a radially outward projection 90a in the form of a shoulder 94, a radially outward projection 90b in the form of a flange 92, and a radially outward projection 90c in the form of a plurality of latch projections 96. The flange 92 and projections 96 respectively engage with the housing assembly 8 in two mutually opposite directions.

[0092] The shoulder 94 embodies the above-mentioned form-fitting element 78 and thus represents one of the locking elements 74b of the locking structure 72. In particular, the shoulder 94 extends into the circumferential groove 76a of the connector housing 26, as shown in FIG. Figure 3 shown.

[0093] The cable retention assembly 22 may include a cable securing sleeve 98 configured to radially abut against a cable insulation 100 of the electrical cable 24. In particular, the cable securing sleeve 98 may be placed over the end 42 of the conductor 44 surrounded by the cable insulation 100. Alternatively, the cable securing sleeve 98 may be radially pressed against the cable insulation 100, thereby securing the electrical cable 24 in the axial direction 54.

[0094] Specifically, the cable securing sleeve 98 can have an annular body 102 with a chamfered, barbed circumferential bead 104. The circumferential bead 104 can be continuous or discontinuous and can extend into the circumferential groove 76b of the connector housing 26 as at least one form-fitting element 78. The chamfered nature of the circumferential bead 104 facilitates introduction into the corresponding circumferential groove 76b in the assembly direction 106. The barbed nature of the circumferential bead 104 prevents removal from the circumferential groove 76b in a direction opposite to the assembly direction 106.

[0095] According to an alternative embodiment not shown, the cable fixing sleeve can comprise a circumferential groove as one locking element and the connector housing can comprise a circumferential bead as another locking element, respectively.

[0096] The cable retention assembly 22 may also include a shield support sleeve 108 configured to support a shield 110 of the cable 24. In particular, the shield support sleeve 108 may radially support a contact area 112 between the shield 110 of the cable 24 and the shield sleeve 80. Figure 3 As can be seen in the cross-sectional view of FIG, the shield support sleeve 108 provides a circumferential seat surface 114, on which the shield sleeve 80 and the shield 110 of the cable 24 are superimposed on each other. To this end, the shield support sleeve 108 is sleeved on the end 30 of the cable 24 and is located under at least one layer of the shield 110 of the cable 24. In particular, the shield 110 of the cable 24 can be partially exposed, opened and rolled back onto the shield support sleeve 108.

[0097] The shield 110 of the cable 24 may include, for example, a braided shield 110 and / or a foil shield that is surrounded by the cable insulation 100. The shield 110 itself surrounds the conductors 44 of the cable 24 and is separated from the conductors 44 by an insulation layer 118 of the cable 24.

[0098] like Figure 3It is evident that the difference between the outer diameter 120 of the shield support sleeve 108 and the inner diameter 122 of the shield sleeve 80 preferably allows the shield 110 of the cable 24 to be clamped therebetween. A press fit of the shield 110 between the shield sleeve 80 and the shield support sleeve 108 is even more preferred. As an alternative to a press fit, the shield sleeve 80 can also be crimped onto the shield support sleeve 108.

[0099] The shield support sleeve 108 may be preferably arranged between the cable fixing sleeve 98 and the finger protection assembly 20 along the axial direction 54. In particular, the cable fixing sleeve 98, the shield support sleeve 108 and the finger protection assembly 20 may be coaxially aligned along the mating direction 6, such as Figure 3 shown.

[0100] Additionally, the cable retention assembly 22 may include a sealing device 125 disposed between the cable securing sleeve 98 and the shield support sleeve 108. Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the sealing device 125 comprises at least one sealing element 124, preferably having an annular shape, arranged between the cable fixing sleeve 98 and the shielding support sleeve 108. The at least one sealing element 124 can radially abut the shielding sleeve 80 and the cable insulation 100, thereby preventing moisture and / or dust from passing through the gap between the shielding sleeve 80 and the cable 24. Alternatively, the at least one sealing element 124 can directly abut the housing assembly 8, instead of the shielding sleeve 80.

[0101] exist Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the sealing device 125 includes two sealing elements 124 and a sealing support sleeve 123 having a higher rigidity than the two sealing elements 124. The sealing support sleeve 123 is located between the cable fixing sleeve 98 and the shielding support sleeve 108 to axially abut against the cable fixing sleeve 98 and the shielding support sleeve 108, respectively. The two sealing elements 124 are arranged between the adjacent areas of the sealing support sleeve 123 and the cable fixing sleeve 98 and the adjacent areas of the sealing support sleeve 123 and the shielding support sleeve 108.

[0102] from Figure 6 It can also be seen in FIG. 1 that two sealing elements 124 are arranged on opposite surfaces of the sealing support sleeve 123. In particular, one of the two sealing elements 124 radially abuts against the sealing support sleeve 123 and the housing assembly 8 while being located on the outer circumferential surface of the sealing support sleeve 123, in a circumferential seal receiving recess 121 formed on the outer circumferential surface of the sealing support sleeve 123. The other of the two sealing elements 124 is located on the inner circumferential surface of the sealing support sleeve 123 while being radially abutted against the sealing support sleeve 123 and the cable insulation 100.

[0103] According to an alternative embodiment not shown in the figures, the cable fixing sleeve and the shielding support sleeve may be integrally connected with the sealing support sleeve 123 of the sealing device 125 to form a single sleeve-shaped component.

[0104] The outer protection element 48 of the finger protection assembly 20 can be axially supported from two opposite directions by the shielding sleeve 80 and the cable retention assembly 22. Figure 3 , where the outer protective element 48 abuts axially against the tapered portion 88 of the shielding sleeve 80 while also abutting axially against the shield 110 of the cable 24 folded over the shield support sleeve 108 of the cable retention assembly 22 .

[0105] Alternatively, the outer protection element 48 of the finger protection assembly 20 may be axially supported by the housing assembly 8 and the cable retention assembly 22 from two opposite directions, such as Figure 6 To this end, the housing assembly 8, in particular the connector housing 26, includes an inward protrusion 29 that forms a circumferential inner shoulder 25a at the front portion 31 of the connector housing 26, which is located adjacent to the front portion 56 of the contact 18. Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, both the outer protective element 48 and the spacer sleeve 61 abut axially against the shield 110 of the cable 24 folded over the shield support sleeve 108 of the cable retention assembly 22 .

[0106] like Figure 5 and 6 As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1 , in addition to the connector housing 26, the housing assembly 8 can include a housing cover 27. The housing cover 27 can be a substantially hollow cylindrical structure that fits over the cable 24. In addition, the housing cover 27 can at least partially surround a rear portion 33 of the connector housing 26, which is located opposite to the front portion 31 of the connector housing 26 relative to the mating direction 6. After the core assembly 10 is inserted into the receptacle 28 of the connector housing 26, the housing cover 27 can be attached to the connector housing 26 along the mating direction 6. Figure 5 and 6 In the embodiment shown, the housing cover 27 is connected to the connector housing 26 by latching. Alternatively, clamping, gluing, welding and / or screws may be utilized.

[0107] Figure 6 The cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 clearly shows how the connector housing 26 and the housing cover 27 cooperate to hold the captured core assembly 10. In particular, the core assembly 10 is locked to the housing assembly 8 by one circumferential inner shoulder 25a of the connector housing 26 and another circumferential inner shoulder 25b formed on the housing cover 27 away from the circumferential inner shoulder 25a of the connector housing 26. In other words, the circumferential shoulders 25a, 25b axially support the core assembly 10 from two opposite directions.

[0108] Alternatively, the housing cover 27 may include a tapered inner surface 35 having a minimum diameter 39 and widening in the mating direction 6, such as Figure 6 As shown. At a position overlapping the tapered inner surface 35, the cable fixing sleeve 98 may include a tapered outer surface 37 having a maximum diameter 41 and widening in the mating direction 6. The minimum diameter 39 of the tapered inner surface 35 is smaller than the maximum diameter 41 of the tapered outer surface 37, so that when the housing cover 27 is attached to the connector housing 26, these tapered surfaces 35, 37 slide along each other. Therefore, the radial pressure of the cable fixing sleeve 98 applied to the cable insulation 100 gradually increases.

[0109] The shielding sleeve 80 may form an outer shell 126 of the core assembly 10. In particular, the shielding sleeve 80 may provide an outer bearing surface 128 for relative rotational movement between the core assembly 10 and the housing assembly 8. Additionally or alternatively, the shielding sleeve 80 may provide an inner bearing surface 130 for relative rotational movement between the shielding sleeve 80 and the contact assembly 16, the finger protection assembly 20, and the cable retention assembly 22. Preferably, the inner and / or outer bearing surfaces 128, 130, respectively, are rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis 12. Thus, the receptacle may have an inner surface 132 that is rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis 12. Likewise and correspondingly, the contact 18, the outer protection element 48, the inner protection element 64, the front protection element 50, the cable fixing sleeve 98, the shield support sleeve 108, and / or the at least one sealing element 124 may be rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotation axis 12.

[0110] from Figure 1 As can be seen in FIG. 8 , the front portion of the shielding sleeve 80 can extend out of the housing assembly 8 and is configured to contact a grounding contact (not shown) of the mating connector 4. Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, at least one access slot 43, preferably a plurality of access slots 43, are provided on the housing assembly 8 to allow the grounding contact to access the shielding sleeve 80. This will be described in further detail below.

[0111] exist Figure 4 , the electrical connector 1 is shown together with an exemplary embodiment of a mating connector 4 in a ready-to-mate position. The mating connector 4 is shown as a socket 134 having a female connector face 136 configured to at least partially receive the electrical connector 1 along the mating direction 6. Mating contacts (not shown) are arranged in the female connector face 136 and can be touched by the contacts 18 of the electrical connector 1 during mating.

[0112] As can be seen, the connector housing 26 of the electrical connector 1 has an outer contour 138 that is rotationally asymmetric relative to the rotation axis 12. The female connector face 136 of the mating connector 4 has an inner contour 140 that is complementary to the outer contour 138. Therefore, a certain relative angular orientation between the connector housing 26 and the female connector face 136 is required in order for the electrical connector 1 to mate with the mating connector 4. Due to the above-mentioned rotatability of the housing assembly 8 in general and the connector housing 26 in particular, the connector housing 26 can be oriented in the correct angular orientation relative to the mating connector 4 without having to twist or otherwise rotate the cable 24.

[0113] The rotationally asymmetric outer profile 138 of the connector housing 26 may result from at least one of the rotationally asymmetric locking features 142, the rotationally asymmetric encoding features 144, and the rotationally asymmetric arrangement of circuit elements 146. Figure 1 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the connector housing 26 includes each of these features 142, 144, 146. Accordingly, the mating connector includes complementary features (not shown) for interacting with the features 142, 144, 146.

[0114] The locking feature 142 can be a mechanical structure for fixing the connector housing 26 to the mating connector 4, such as a cantilevered protrusion 148. In particular, the cantilevered protrusion 148 can have a support end 150 connected to an outer surface 152 of the connector housing 26 and a free end 154 extending obliquely away from the outer surface 152 while pointing or facing the mating direction 6. The free end 154 can be configured to axially abut against an inner edge (not shown) formed in the concave connector face 136 of the mating connector 4. The mating connector 4 can include an unlocking slider 156 for pushing the free end 154 out of abutment with the inner edge, thereby releasing the connector housing 26 from the mating connector 4.

[0115] The coding feature 144 can be a mechanical structure, such as an axial fin 158, that defines a specific relative angular orientation required for mating between the connector housing 26 and the mating connector 4. In particular, the axial fin 158 can extend along the outer surface 152 of the connector housing 26 in the mating direction 6. A slot (not shown) having a shape complementary to the axial fin 158 can be formed in the female connector face 136 of the mating connector 4 and configured to receive the axial fin 158.

[0116] In applications involving multiple mating pairs of the electrical connector 1 and the mating connector 4 , the coding feature 144 may also be used to prevent confusion of the connectors by allowing only mating of mating pairs according to a key lock principle.

[0117] The circuit element 146 may be integrated in a circuit container 160 formed on the outer surface 152 of the connector housing 26. The mating connector 4 may include an open circuit (not shown) of a monitoring circuit 162, wherein the circuit element 146 may be a part of the monitoring circuit 162, and the monitoring circuit 162 is configured to close the open circuit when mating. The monitoring circuit 162 may be a high-voltage interlock circuit for detecting the mating state and the unmated state of the electrical connector 1 and the mating connector 4.

[0118] Additionally or alternatively, the rotationally asymmetric outer profile 138 of the connector housing 26 may also result from at least one rotationally asymmetric grounding feature 145. The grounding feature 145 may be the at least one access slot 43 described above. Figure 5 In the illustrated embodiment, a plurality of such entry slits 43 are formed by generally rectangular transverse slots 45 in the connector housing 26, which extend along the mating direction 6 at a position overlapping the shielding sleeve 80. Through these entry slits 43, the grounding contacts of the mating connector 4 can pass through and reach the shielding sleeve 80 for grounding purposes. Additional sealing elements can be provided in or on the electrical connector 1. For example, one of the radially outward protrusions 90 and the radially inward protrusions 84 of the shielding sleeve 80 can provide a seat 164 for accommodating a first additional sealing element 166 in the form of a sealing ring 168. A second additional sealing element 170 can be provided on the outer surface 152 of the connector housing 26. The second additional sealing element 170 may include an external sealing surface 172, which is configured to seal a gap between the connector housing 26 and the concave connector face 136 of the mating connector. The external sealing surface 172 may extend outwardly of the circuit element 146 relative to the receptacle 28. This Figure 2 This is most clearly shown in , where for every point on the exterior surface of the circuit element 146 , there is a point on the exterior sealing surface 172 that has a greater distance from the receptacle 28 .

Claims

1. An electrical connector (1) configured to be mated to a mating connector (4), the electrical connector (1) comprising a housing assembly (8) and a core assembly (10), the core assembly (10) comprising: a contact assembly (16) having a contact (18) configured to electrically contact a mating contact of a mating connector (4), - a finger protection assembly (20) configured to at least partially cover the contact assembly (16), and - a cable retention assembly (22) configured to be attached to a cable (24), The core assembly (10) is rotatably held in the housing assembly (8).

2. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The finger protection assembly (20) includes an outer protection element (48) surrounding the contact (18) and a front protection element (50) covering a front portion (56) of the contact (18).

3. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 2, wherein: The electrical connector (1) includes a locking structure (72) configured to lock the core assembly (10) to the housing assembly (8) to prevent translational relative movement between the core assembly (10) and the housing assembly (8).

4. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 3, wherein: The locking structure (72) includes at least one pair of locking elements (74a, 74b) engaged with each other, one of the locking elements (74a) is a circumferential groove (76, 76a, 76b), and the other of the locking elements (74b) is at least one shape-fitting element (78) extending into the corresponding circumferential groove (76, 76a, 76b), wherein the at least one shape-fitting element (78) is formed on one of the shell assembly (8) and the core assembly (10), and wherein the corresponding circumferential groove (76, 76a, 76b) is formed on the other of the shell assembly (8) and the core assembly (10).

5. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 4, wherein: The locking elements (74a, 74b) of the core assembly (10) are located on the cable retention assembly (22).

6. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The core assembly (10) includes a shielding sleeve (80) in which the contact assembly (16), the finger protection assembly (20) and the cable retention assembly (22) are at least partially housed.

7. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 6, wherein: The shield sleeve (80) includes at least one radially inwardly projecting portion (84, 84a, 84b) that engages one of the finger guard assembly (20) and the cable retention assembly (22).

8. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 7, wherein: The shielding sleeve (80) includes at least one radially outwardly protruding portion (90, 90a, 90b, 90c) that engages with the housing assembly (8).

9. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 8, wherein: The shielding sleeve (80) forms an outer shell (126) of the core assembly (10).

10. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 9, wherein: The cable retention assembly (22) includes a cable securing sleeve (98) configured to radially abut against cable insulation (100) of the electrical cable (24).

11. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 10, wherein: The cable retention assembly (22) includes a shield support sleeve (108) configured to support a shield (110) of the cable (24).

12. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 11, wherein: The shield support sleeve (108) is disposed between the cable securing sleeve (98) and the finger protection assembly (20).

13. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 12, wherein: The cable retention assembly (22) includes a sealing device (125) disposed between the cable securing sleeve (98) and the shield support sleeve (108).

14. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 13, wherein: The housing assembly (8) comprises a connector housing (26), a receptacle (28) for accommodating the cable (24) extending through the connector housing (26) along a mating direction (6), and wherein the connector housing (26) has a rotationally asymmetric outer contour (138) relative to the mating direction (6).

15. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 14, wherein: The rotationally asymmetric outer profile (138) of the connector housing (26) results from at least one of a rotationally asymmetric locking feature (142), a rotationally asymmetric encoding feature (144), a rotationally asymmetric grounding feature (145), and a rotationally asymmetric arranged circuit element (146).

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