Electrical connector, vehicle and installation method

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical connector (1) comprising an electrically conductive sleeve (6) having a surface region provided as a contact surface with a first electrical conductor (L1); an electrically insulating insulating element (10) laterally surrounding the sleeve (6); an electrically insulating bolt (3) which can be inserted into the sleeve (6) and which has at least one electrically insulating bolt head (4) and a contact element (5) which is arranged on the bolt (3) in a displaceable and loss-proof manner and which has a surface region (8) provided as a contact surface with the second electrical conductor (L2), the contact element (5) and the sleeve (6) being in electrical contact when the bolt (3) is tightened. The invention also relates to a vehicle (F), in particular an electric vehicle, having at least one electrical connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims. The invention relates in particular to a connector which can be advantageously used in an energy on-board electrical system of a vehicle, in particular in an on-board electrical system of a high-voltage part of an electric vehicle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical connector, comprising an electrically conductive sleeve and a bolt which can be inserted into the sleeve, wherein the sleeve has a surface area which is arranged as a contact surface with a first electrical conductor. The invention also relates to a vehicle having at least one such electrical connector. The invention also relates to a method for mounting a connector on a component. The invention can be advantageously applied in particular to a connector in an energy onboard power supply system of a vehicle, in particular a connector in a high-voltage partial onboard power supply system of an electric vehicle. Background Art

[0002] Hitherto, in contact protection applications, busbars arranged on opposite sides of a component have been connected to one another via conductive sleeves guided through the component, in that the busbars are clamped to one another by means of screws passing through the busbars and the sleeves. In non-contact protection applications, sheet metal composites are mostly used. The disadvantage here is that when the screws are unscrewed, the two connected components continue to be in contact, so that after the screws have been unscrewed and removed, the two busbars can still be under voltage, without this being apparent from the removed screws. This in turn is a potential source of danger for the fitter or maintenance technician who unscrews the screws. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to provide a particularly reliable method for interrupting the contact of an electrical line connected via a sleeve when a screw is unscrewed.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claim. Preferred embodiments can be gathered in particular from the dependent claims.

[0005] This task is solved by an electrical connector, which comprises:

[0006] an electrically conductive sleeve having a surface area arranged as a contact surface for the first electrical conductor,

[0007] an electrically insulating insulating element which laterally surrounds the sleeve,

[0008] a bolt which can be inserted into the sleeve and which has at least an electrically insulating bolt head,

[0009] a contact element which is arranged on the bolt in a movably and captively manner and has a surface area which is arranged as a contact surface for the second electrical conductor,

[0010] The contact element and the sleeve are in electrical contact when the screw is tightened.

[0011] The connector has the advantage that it provides a current path between the first and second electrical conductors at least through the sleeve and the contact element when it is clamped (i.e. when the screw is tightened). If the screw is conductive or not electrically insulating, the current can also be conducted between the contact element and the sleeve through the screw. If the screw is unscrewed, the screw drives the contact element, thereby reliably interrupting the current path between the electrical conductors. This can be advantageously recognized by simply observing the unscrewed screw. Another advantage is that the connector is contact-safe on this side due to the electrically insulating screw head in the clamped state and, for example, a tool that contacts the screw head is not under voltage.

[0012] The conductive sleeve has in particular a tubular portion which is configured as a tube open on both sides. The sleeve can therefore be a tubular sleeve or at least have a tubular portion. The sleeve can be made of metal, such as copper. An electrical connection with the first electrical conductor can be established through the contact surface of the sleeve. The first electrical conductor can be fixed to the sleeve, for example, by screwing, soldering, welding, etc. In particular, the first electrical conductor can be mounted on an exposed end face that is not covered by an insulating element and serves as a contact surface. A particularly advantageous, reliable expansion scheme is that the sleeve is configured integrally with the first electrical conductor.

[0013] The first electrical conductor and / or the second electrical conductor may be a busbar, but is not limited thereto and may in principle also be a cable having a ring cable lug or the like mounted on the end side.

[0014] The electrically insulating insulating element which surrounds the sleeve laterally or circumferentially is in particular a separately manufactured component. By making the component contact only with the insulating element, it is ensured that the component is not exposed to voltage via the connector. The insulating element can be made of plastic or ceramic, for example. The insulating element can have at least one fastening option for fastening to the component, for example one or more threaded holes. Additionally or alternatively, the insulating element can be adhesively bonded to the component.

[0015] In an extension, at least the bolt head of the bolt can be electrically insulated from the bolt, which can include at least the outer side of the bolt head being electrically insulated. This can be achieved, for example, by at least covering the outer side with an electrically insulating layer. In an extension, the threaded screw can also be designed to be electrically insulating at least in sections. In an extension, the bolt can be completely electrically insulated, for example by completely covering the bolt with an electrically insulating layer or the bolt is completely made of an electrically insulating material, such as ceramic.

[0016] The contact element is movably and anti-lostly arranged on the bolt, in particular, including that the contact element is movable along a screw rod with a thread. For this purpose, the contact element can have a hole, through which the screw rod passes. For example, the contact element can be prevented from slipping off by an increased cross section of the screw rod on the free end section of the screw rod opposite to the bolt head. An extension scheme is that the contact element is movable until the bolt head of the bolt. In particular, in this case, the screw rod can have a threadless section connected to the bolt head, along which the contact element can slide, and the threadless section transitions to a section with a thread in the direction of the tip, which section is wider than the hole of the contact element. Therefore, the contact element will not slip off the screw rod through the threaded section, but will be carried along when the bolt is removed. The contact element can be made of metal, such as copper.

[0017] The contact element or the contact surface provided by it is designed for electrical contacting with the second electrical line.

[0018] When clamped or when the screw is tightened, the contact element and the sleeve are in mechanical and therefore also electrical contact and thus close the current path between the electrical conductors.

[0019] In one embodiment, a contact region protruding in the direction of the sleeve or on the side facing away from the bolt head is provided on the contact element for contacting the second electrical conductor. This advantageously provides a particularly well-defined and reliable contact with the second electrical conductor, in particular a busbar. The contact region has or forms a surface region serving as a contact surface with the second electrical conductor. In one embodiment, the contact region is an annular contact region, which provides a very particularly reliable contact.

[0020] One design solution is that there is a recess on the side of the bolt head on the screw side, into which the contact element can be sunk in sections. As a result, the following advantage is achieved, namely that the contact element is effectively protected from contact by the electrically insulating bolt head. This design solution includes that the contact element, in particular its protruding contact area, partially protrudes from the recess in the clamped state, thereby preventing the contact with the second busbar from being deteriorated. Therefore, the section-wise sunk includes in particular that the contact area can only be partially sunk into the recess in the direction along the bolt or the screw. In the clamped state, the contact element is pressed onto the second electrical conductor, in particular by the bolt head.

[0021] In one embodiment, the bolt head has a laterally protruding, annular disk-shaped outer edge, which is covered by a layer of electrically insulating material, such as a plastic layer, and which extends beyond the outer edge of the annular disk in the direction of the contact element. The outer edge of the annular disk and the protruding portion of the electrically insulating layer form a recess. The recess has a depth sufficient to partially accommodate the contact element along the bolt or screw, which depth is less than the depth of the contact element.

[0022] In one embodiment, the contact element has a tubular projection through which the bolt is inserted, the cross section of which at least partially intersects the cross section of the sleeve on the contact element side, so that when the bolt is inserted into the sleeve, the sleeve-side end face of the tubular projection can rest on the bolt-side end face of the sleeve. Thus, the contact between the contact element and the sleeve can be established particularly simply and reliably. The tubular projection forms the hole of the contact element.

[0023] In one embodiment, the tubular projection can be inserted into the insulating element, in particular into its tubular section. This advantageously allows particularly simple production and assembly.

[0024] In one embodiment, the sleeve can be inserted into the insulating element, in particular into its tubular section, ie on the side opposite the insertion bolt, in particular also the tubular projection of the contact element. This advantageously allows particularly simple production and assembly.

[0025] In one embodiment, the insulating element has a laterally projecting projection ("flange") and the second electrical conductor can be clamped between the contact element and the flange when the screw is tightened. This allows the electrical conductor to be securely fitted to the connector with simple assembly. In one embodiment, the flange is an annular flange, which enables a particularly secure fit. In particular, the contact element, in particular its contact region, and the flange are oriented parallel to one another. In one embodiment, the insulating element has a tubular section from which the annular flange projects laterally.

[0026] One design is that the sleeve has a thread for screwing in a bolt. This advantageously enables particularly simple installation. Alternatively, the bolt can extend through the sleeve and be fixed or tightened at its free end by means of a nut (optionally with a washer).

[0027] The object is also achieved by a vehicle having at least one electrical connector according to any of the preceding claims. The vehicle can be designed similarly to the connector and has the same advantages.

[0028] One embodiment is that the vehicle is an electric vehicle, such as a plug-in hybrid vehicle or a fully electric vehicle. However, the vehicle can also be a vehicle driven by means of an internal combustion engine. The vehicle can be a car, a truck, a motorcycle, a bus, etc. The connector can be part of the vehicle's onboard energy supply system.

[0029] In one embodiment, the first electrical conductor can be connected to a storage battery, in particular a battery, in particular a drive battery, of the vehicle. Due to its particularly high separation reliability, the connector can be used particularly advantageously in power grids with higher power grid voltages, such as 48V, 60V, 120V, 400V, 800V or more.

[0030] Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method for mounting a connector on a component, in particular a component of a vehicle, wherein:

[0031] - fastening the insulating element to the structure,

[0032] - insert the sleeve into the insulating element,

[0033] - inserting the bolt together with the contact element into the sleeve from the other side so that the tubular projection is opposite the sleeve in the insulating element and

[0034] -The bolt is then screwed into the sleeve. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] The above-mentioned characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention and the manner of achieving them can be more clearly and specifically understood by combining the schematic description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are as follows:

[0036] Figure 1 Two electrical conductors are shown in a side view, which are electrically connected or connectable to each other by means of an electrical connector shown in an exploded view;

[0037] Figure 2 Shown in a view from obliquely above Figure 1 Components of the invention, wherein the electrical connector is shown in an exploded view;

[0038] Figure 3 Shown in side view Figure 1 A component wherein the electrical connector is in its installed state;

[0039] Figure 4 Shown as a sectional view in side view Figure 1 a component wherein the electrical connector is during engagement; and

[0040] Figure 5 Shown as a sectional view in side view Figure 1 A component in which the electrical connector is in a final installed state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] Figure 1 A first electrical conductor in the form of a first busbar L1 and a second electrical conductor in the form of a second busbar L2 are shown in a side view, which are electrically connected or connectable to one another by means of an electrical connector 1 shown in an exploded view. Purely by way of example, the first busbar L1 is connected to a power source of a vehicle F, in particular an electric vehicle, for example to a battery (“battery side”). The connector 1 can, for example, connect a drive battery of a vehicle F designed as an electric vehicle to an associated onboard energy system. Figure 2The connector 1 having the bus bars L1 and L2 is shown in an oblique view (referred to herein as “obliquely from above”), wherein the electrical connector 1 is also shown in an exploded view. Figure 3 The connector 1 is shown in a side view together with the busbars L1 and L2 in its mounted state. Figure 4 Shown as a sectional view in side view Figure 1 Component in which the electrical connector 1 is in an engaged state. Figure 5 Shown as a sectional view in side view Figure 1 Component in which the electrical connector 1 is in its final installed state.

[0042] Busbar L2 has hole 2 (see Figure 2 and Figure 4 ), an electrically insulating bolt 3 with an electrically insulating bolt head 4 can be inserted into the hole from above. The bolt head 4 has here, for example, a metal head area with a disc-shaped widening 4A, which is covered on the upper side by an electrically insulating layer 4B. Alternatively, the bolt 3 can be made completely of an electrically insulating material, for example, as a ceramic bolt. A disc-shaped contact element 5 is movably and securely arranged on the screw rod of the bolt 3, which is electrically conductive. For this purpose, the screw rod has a thread-free section 3A connected to the bolt head 4 (see Figure 4 and Figure 5 ), the contact element 5 can slide along the non-threaded section until the section 3B provided with threads. In addition to being in contact with the bolt head 4, the contact element 5 can also move along the disc-shaped widened portion 4A of the bolt head. The contact element 5 can be made of metal, for example copper. The bolt 3 can be inserted into a conductive sleeve 6 made of copper, for example, and can be screwed to the sleeve. For this purpose, the sleeve 6 can have a section that can be screwed to the threaded section 3B of the bolt 3 (above). As shown Figure 2 As shown, the sleeve 6 can have a constriction 7 on the inside to ensure contact protection.

[0043] The contact element 5 also has an annular contact area 8 on its edge region which protrudes toward the sleeve 6. Figure 4 and Figure 5 It can be seen that the bolt head 4 has a recess 9 on its bolt-side side, into which the contact element 5 can be partially sunk, so that at least the projection 8 at least partially protrudes from the recess 8. The recess 9 is formed by the disk-shaped widening 4A and the annular portion of the electrically insulating layer 4B that protrudes beyond the edge of the widening 4A in the direction of the sleeve 6.

[0044] The lateral circumference of the sleeve 6 is at least partially surrounded by an electrically insulating element 10, which has a tubular portion 11 and an annular flange 12 extending laterally from the tubular portion, into which the sleeve 6 is inserted. The flange 12 serves as a bearing surface for the busbar L2 that is fitted onto the tubular portion 11. Thus, the busbar L2 can be clamped between the contact element 5 and the flange 12 when clamped by tightening the bolts 3.

[0045] The sleeve 6 merges integrally at its end facing away from the contact element into the first busbar L1 or forms an end region of the first busbar L1 . The sleeve 6 may optionally have a widening 13 .

[0046] The contact element 5 also has a tubular projection 14, through which the unthreaded section 3A of the bolt 3 can be inserted movably. The tubular projection 14 can be inserted into the insulating element 10 through an opening opposite the sleeve 6. The cross section of the tubular projection 14 at least partially intersects the cross section of the sleeve 6 on the contact element side, so that Figure 4 It is shown that when the bolt 3 is inserted into the sleeve 6 , the sleeve-side end face 15 of the tubular extension 14 can come into contact with the bolt-side end face 16 of the sleeve 6 .

[0047] exist Figure 5 1 shows the connector 1 in the final installation state, in which the bolt 3 is tightened. Therefore, the end faces 15 and 16 are in contact with each other. When tightening the bolt 3, the contact element 5 is further tightened in the direction of the sleeve 6, so that contact occurs between the end faces. In this case, the annular contact area 8 is also pushed onto the busbar L2. The connector 1 thus provides at least one current path, which passes from the busbar L2 through or by means of the sleeve 6, through the contact element 4 and via its annular protruding protrusion 9 to the second busbar L2 (or vice versa). In this case, the connector 1 is actually contact-safe in the clamped state based on the electrical insulation of the bolt 3 and the insulating element 10. If the screw is also conductive, the current conduction between the sleeve 6 and the contact element 4 can be carried out additionally through the screw. If the bolt 3 is unscrewed and the contact element 5 is separated from the sleeve 6, the current interruption between the busbar L1 and the busbar L2 is ensured.

[0048] The connector 1 can be mounted on a component B, which is in the form of a metal sheet, for example, as follows:

[0049] The insulating element 10 is inserted through a hole in the component B and fixed to the component, for example, via a blind hole present in the underside of the flange 12 (top figure).

[0050] Beforehand, simultaneously or subsequently, the bolt 3 with the contact element 5 is inserted into the sleeve 6 from the other side, here from the top, so that the tubular projection 14 lies opposite the sleeve 6 in the insulating element 10 .

[0051] The bolt 3 is then screwed onto the sleeve 6 , whereby (a) the busbar L2 is clamped between the contact element 5 and the flange 12 and (b) the projection 14 approaches the sleeve 6 until it contacts it.

[0052] Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown.

[0053] Generally speaking, the terms “a” and “an” may be understood as being singular or plural, especially in the sense of “at least one” or “one or more” etc., as long as this is not explicitly excluded, for example by the expression “exactly one”.

[0054] Numerical specifications may also include exactly the specified number as well as the customary tolerance range, unless this is explicitly excluded. Reference numerals list

[0055] 1 Connector

[0056] 2 holes

[0057] 3 bolts

[0058] 3A Unthreaded section

[0059] 3B thread section

[0060] 4 Bolt head

[0061] 4A Layer made of electrically insulating material

[0062] 5Contact elements

[0063] 6 sleeves

[0064] 7 Narrowing

[0065] 8 Annular contact area

[0066] 9 recesses

[0067] 10 Insulation elements

[0068] 11 Tubular portion of insulating element

[0069] 12 Flange of insulating element

[0070] 13 Widening part

[0071] 14 Tubular protrusion

[0072] 15. Sleeve side end surface of tubular protrusion

[0073] 16 Bolt side face of sleeve

[0074] B Component

[0075] F Vehicle

[0076] L1 first bus

[0077] L2 Second bus

Claims

1. Electrical connector (1), comprising - an electrically conductive sleeve (6) having a surface area arranged as a contact surface with the first electrical conductor (L1), an electrically insulating insulating element (10) which laterally surrounds the sleeve (6), a screw (3) which can be inserted into the sleeve (6) and has at least an electrically insulating screw head (4), a contact element (5) arranged on the bolt (3) in a movably and captively arranged manner, the contact element having a surface area (8) arranged as a contact surface with the second electrical line (L2), The contact element (5) and the sleeve (6) are in electrical contact when the screw (3) is tightened.

2. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 1, wherein: On the contact element (5) there is a contact area which protrudes in the direction of the sleeve (6), in particular an annular contact area, for contacting the second electrical line (L2).

3. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 2, wherein: The screw head (4) has a recess (9) on its shank-side side, into which the contact element (5) can be inserted in sections.

4. The electrical connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The contact element (5) has a tubular protrusion (14) through which the bolt (3) is inserted, and the cross section of the tubular protrusion at least partially intersects with the contact element side cross section of the sleeve (6), so that when the bolt (3) is inserted into the sleeve (6), the sleeve side end face of the tubular protrusion (14) can be placed on the bolt side end face of the sleeve (6).

5. The electrical connector (1) according to claim 4, wherein: The tubular projection (14) can be inserted into the insulating element (10).

6. The electrical connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The sleeve (6) can be inserted into the insulating element (10).

7. The electrical connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The insulating element (10) has a laterally protruding collar (12), and the second electrical line (L2) can be clamped between the contact element (5) and the collar (12) when the screw (3) is tightened.

8. The electrical connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The sleeve (6) has a thread for screwing the bolt (3) therein. 9 . A vehicle (F), in particular an electric vehicle, comprising at least one electrical connector ( 1 ) according to claim 1 .

10. The vehicle (F) according to claim 9, wherein: The first electrical line (L1) can be connected to a storage battery, in particular a battery, in particular a drive battery, of a vehicle (F).

11. A method for mounting a connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 on a component (B), wherein: - fixing the insulating element (10) to the component (B), - inserting the sleeve (6) into the insulating element (10), - inserting the bolt (3) together with the contact element (5) into the sleeve (6) from the other side so that the tubular projection (14) is opposite the sleeve (6) in the insulating element (10) and then - Screw the bolt (3) into the sleeve (6).

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