Cable for connecting to an electrical component

Abstract

The invention relates to a cable for connecting to an electrical component, wherein the cable (2) has at least one electrical conductor (4).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to cables. In addition, the present invention relates to components, connection systems and methods. Background Art

[0002] It is known from the state of the art that power cables are used pre-assembled during the installation of electrical systems, or are only assembled on site to the desired length. However, the use of pre-assembled cables is inflexible and may be limited by the availability of the corresponding cables. On the other hand, on-site assembly is more flexible, but is usually a time-consuming process.

[0003] To assemble the cable, the cable may first be stripped and crimped and then connected to the plug connector. A crimping tool, for example, is used to securely connect the plug connector to the cable conductor by applying pressure and deformation. The stripping tool may also be used to cut the outer insulation of the cable without damaging the conductor underneath.

[0004] It is also known from the latest technology that current Ethernet technology is often too complex and oversized for use in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). In particular, in many cases, conventional plug connectors and cables are not optimal for use in the field. This makes the integration of sensors and other components more difficult, especially due to cabling requirements and limited cable lengths. The simplified Ethernet standard Single Pair Ethernet (SPE) has provided a solution here by combining long cable lengths, compact design and durable cabling.

[0005] However, traditional solutions are still expensive when it comes to always having the correct cable length available in the field. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is therefore to at least partially eliminate the above-mentioned disadvantages. The object of the present invention is in particular to further simplify the installation technology and to provide the correct cable length for the application in an improved manner. In particular, an improved, more flexible and / or simpler connection technology that can be used in this field is to be provided.

[0007] The subject matter of the invention is a cable, a component and a connection system. Further features and details of the invention are apparent from the description and the drawings. Features and details described in conjunction with the cable of the invention naturally also apply to the component of the invention, the connection system of the invention and the method of the invention, and vice versa, so that the disclosures concerning the individual aspects of the invention always refer to each other or can refer to each other.

[0008] The invention is particularly directed to a cable, preferably a power cable, for connecting to a component, preferably an electrical component, such as a plug connector or a device such as a sensor, an actuator or a fieldbus module.

[0009] For example, a plug connector of the type M8 or M12 or RJ45 can be used as a plug connector. In addition, the plug connector can be designed as a plug connector of a substantially cylindrical shape (such as M8, M12) or a rectangular shape (such as RJ45). In addition, the diameter of the plug connector, in particular the maximum diameter, can be in the range of 1mm to 30mm, preferably in the range of 2mm to 20mm, preferably in the range of 5mm to 14mm. Specifically, the diameter of M8 can be substantially 8mm, and the diameter of M12 can be substantially 12mm. The diameter can especially refer to the outer diameter of the thread of the plug connector, which is used to connect it to the device. The outer diameter of the cable can be in the range of 1mm to 30mm, preferably in the range of 2mm to 20mm, preferably in the range of 3mm to 10mm. For example, in the case of an M12 cable, the diameter can vary in the range of 4mm to 6mm.

[0010] The cable can also be designed as a power cable, a data cable or a hybrid cable. As a hybrid cable, a single cable can be used for example for power and data transmission. For example, one or more data lines and one or more power lines are provided for this purpose. Each cable, in particular a data cable and / or a power cable, can have an electrical conductor surrounded by a sheath, in particular an insulating sheath or a shield. The shield can be made of a conductive material, in order to, for example, shield electromagnetic interference. Materials such as copper or aluminum can be used here. On the other hand, the insulating sheath can be made of an electrically insulating material. Materials such as ceramics, glass or plastic can be used here. Each data line can be designed as an electrical or optical data line and is preferably designed as a fieldbus and / or Ethernet line.

[0011] The component and in particular the plug connector can be used to establish a reliable and secure connection with a cable, in particular for applications in the field of automation technology. This can allow current for power transmission and / or signals for data transmission and / or at least another medium to be received from the cable and / or transmitted to a device.

[0012] The component may have at least one or more contact mechanisms, each of which may be in electrical and / or mechanical contact with the assigned (related) conductor of the cable, so as to preferably establish a connection between the cable and the component. In this case, in the case of several conductors of the cable, it may or should also be provided that the component has multiple contact mechanisms to achieve a reliable and complete connection, and the contact mechanisms may be electrically and / or mechanically connected to the conductors. In other words, a relevant contact mechanism may be provided for each cable conductor to be contacted, and the contact mechanism is therefore connected to the relevant conductor. For example, the allocation between the contact mechanism and the conductor may be performed according to a predetermined allocation. It may be provided that only one contact mechanism is connected (contacted) to exactly one relevant conductor at a time until all contact mechanisms of the component are in contact with the relevant conductor to complete the connection.

[0013] The respective contact means can be designed as an electrical contact means, i.e. electrically conductive, and the respective conductors can be designed accordingly as electrical conductors. The assignment of the contact means can be taken into account when connecting the cable to the component, i.e. the contact means are connected to the cable conductors provided for this purpose. Thus, the assignment defines which conductors are assigned / belong to which contact means. In other words, this depends on the specific arrangement and / or assignment of the component contact means and the cable conductors.

[0014] The cable can have at least one electrical conductor. Preferably, the cable is provided with at least two or three or four or more or at most 10 or at most 15 or at most 20 electrical conductors. Each electrical conductor can particularly preferably be designed as a stranded wire. A stranded wire is understood in particular to be an electrical conductor having thin individual wires and thus being flexible, the individual wires being made, for example, predominantly of copper. The individual wires can be surrounded by a common insulating sheath (insulation); in this case, such a cable with conductors can also be referred to as a stranded cable.

[0015] Furthermore, at least one coding may be provided on the cable. The coding may be formed spatially on the cable, i.e. in particular three-dimensionally. Furthermore, the coding may be arranged on a contact surface, in particular a cutting surface, of the cable. The coding may also be provided on several or all cross sections of the cable to provide possible contact surfaces and / or cutting surfaces. This is the case, for example, if the coding repeats or extends continuously in the longitudinal direction of the cable so as to be arranged on the cutting surface, even if the cable is cut at any point along this extension.

[0016] Coding can be used to clearly define (especially predetermine) the specific (especially the above-mentioned) arrangement and / or allocation of the contact mechanism, especially the electrical contact mechanism of the component and the conductor, especially the electrical conductor of the cable, preferably to clearly define and / or guide the connection. Coding can preferably be understood to mean the systematic shaping and / or systematic arrangement of contact points and / or mechanical elements to ensure a specific connection configuration. Coding can therefore be used to avoid incorrect connections and to ensure the correct alignment of the component relative to the cable during the connection process (such as in the form of a plug connector). Therefore, the coding advantageously defines the correct orientation of the component, i.e. the correct orientation of the cable (preferably relative to the cable), and achieves optimized signal transmission and power supply by ensuring compatibility. The arrangement of the contact mechanism together with the conductor can, for example, mean a spatial arrangement according to an allocation, i.e. a predetermined allocation, so that the "correct" contact mechanism (especially the contact movement) contacts the "correct" conductor.

[0017] The connection between the component and the cable can be done directly at the contact surface, in particular at the cut surface of the cable. The contact surface can specify a surface, in particular a cross section of the cable, at which the respective conductors of the cable can or may become accessible from the outside to contact the contact mechanism of the component. The surface can be arranged orthogonally to the cable axis. The respective conductors of the cable can be adjacent to the outer area of ​​the cable at the contact surface, and thus connected to the contact mechanism of the component without cutting through the sheath and / or insulation of the cable. The respective conductors can also be separated at the contact surface flush with the contact surface. The cable can be designed to provide such a contact surface after the cable is cut to size.

[0018] The cable can be formed in such a way that, preferably after the cable has been cut to length, the respective conductors of the cable can or become accessible for contacting with the associated contact means. This is to be understood in particular to mean that the respective conductors can or become accessible from the outside (i.e. outside the cable), in particular can be electrically contacted from the outside without further measures such as stripping. This is in particular due to the fact that the respective conductors (for contacting) have an exposed conductor cross section, in particular after the cable has been cut to length. Alternatively or additionally, the cable can also have contact surfaces and / or accessible conductors in their initial state (e.g. not cut to length upon delivery).

[0019] The coding can be arranged directly on the cable (so not on the plug or not only on the plug). The coding can be formed in particular between areas and / or in areas on the cable and / or through the conductor and / or insulation and / or in or on the cable sheath (e.g. inner sheath and / or outer sheath). Coding is known in plug connectors, in particular by electrical coding, wherein the contact points are arranged so that only a correct electrical connection is possible. According to the invention, the coding can be transferred to the cable, i.e. alternatively or additionally arranged on the cable, for example in the form of mechanical coding and / or electrical coding. The coding can also be alternatively referred to as coding or connection structure.

[0020] While coding in the form of mechanical coding preferably involves a systematically predetermined at least one portion of the cable or a special shape on the cable, in the case of electrical coding, the cable conductors can be arranged in such a way that only a correct electrical connection to the component is possible. Producing the coding on the cable can have the advantage of significantly simplifying and speeding up the connection process between the cable and the component. This is due to the fact that the component can be directly and immediately connected to the cable.

[0021] The cable according to the invention may have a coding and / or connection structure extending in the axial direction (longitudinal direction) of the cable and / or the cable conductor. The connection structure may have a coding and / or insertion structure and / or a (geometric) profile. In addition, the connection structure, in particular the coding and / or insertion structure and / or the profile may extend over the substantially entire or main length of the cable and / or be arranged continuously and / or repeatedly. In other words, the connection structure may have a structural part that repeats in the axial direction of the cable.

[0022] The coding or the connection structure, in particular the structural part and / or the insertion structure may comprise at least one or more or exactly one cavity, preferably each in the form of a channel. A part of the component, for example a respective guide pin, may be inserted into the cavity or one or each cavity. The coding may be provided by a special geometric shape (in particular a polygon) of the (respective) cavity. In addition, the coding may also be defined by a plurality of angles and / or sides of such a shape. It is also conceivable that the coding is provided by several of the cavities, for example based on the arrangement and / or size and / or possible different shapes of the cavities.

[0023] The coding or connection structure can especially significantly reduce the assembly steps required for the connection process between the cable and the component. In addition, even after the cable is cut to length, the cut cable itself may already have the required structure to allow the direct connection of the component.

[0024] The cut cable may have an insertion structure, in particular provided by the coding and / or connecting structure. In other words, the cable may also be designed to have an insertion structure on the cut surface even after the cable has been cut to length. This has the advantage that the cable can be directly connected to the component after cutting to the desired length. This is in particular due to the fact that the insertion structure is continuous or repeated along the axial direction of the cable. Therefore and thus immediately after cutting, the cut cable may already have the necessary structure on its cut surface to allow direct connection of the component.

[0025] It is also conceivable within the scope of the invention to provide (at least) one contact surface on the cable, at which the respective conductor can be approached to contact the relevant contact mechanism, and preferably a coding is provided at the contact surface. The contact surface can be located in the cutting plane of the cable. In other words, the contact surface can be located at the plane where the cable is cut. Therefore, the cable can also be designed to have a contact surface preferably with coding on the cutting surface after cutting. This or these conductors can be adjacent to or protrude from the inside and outside of the cable at the contact surface or cutting plane and can be seen from outside the cable. In addition, the respective conductors preferably protrude from the contact surface or are located in a recessed position in the cable. It is also conceivable that the respective exposed conductor cross-section is also located in the cutting plane. This provides a structure that is easy to connect, which allows the cable to be inherently designed as a plug or socket.

[0026] It is also advantageous if the respective contact means is designed to be inserted into, preferably pierce and / or penetrate the exposed conductor cross section of the associated conductor. In other words, in the case of a plurality of conductors, each contact means can be inserted into the conductor cross section provided for this purpose. Furthermore, the respective conductor with the (respectively) exposed conductor cross section and the (respectively) inserted, preferably pierced contact means can be at least partially surrounded by an insulating sheath. Thus, it is not necessary to strip the conductor, i.e. remove the insulating sheath, in order to make the connection. This simplifies and speeds up the installation of the cable.

[0027] The special design of the cable according to the invention has the advantage that when the cable is connected to the component, it is not necessary to first strip the cable in a complex process and connect the plug connector to the cable using, for example, a crimp connector. Instead, the component can be connected directly to the cut cable, since the cable already has structures, preferably insertion structures and / or coding, for mechanical connection and / or electrical contact at the cut surface. The cable conductors can also be designed such that they already provide a favorable contact surface at the cut surface. This is achieved in particular by the strands whose diameter allows the contact mechanism to be inserted and / or pierced into the strands.

[0028] It is also advantageous that at least one coding comprises a mechanical coding and / or a geometric coding of the cable, wherein the geometric profile, in particular the spatial shape and / or the outer shape, extends in the axial direction of the cable, for example in a continuous or repeated arrangement. The profile may define at least one cavity, in particular a guide cavity, preferably defining the spatial shape and / or the outer shape of the cavity. The at least one cavity may be provided for a pin, or the at least one guide cavity (for guidance) may be provided for a guide such as a guide pin of a component, thereby predetermining a specific orientation of the component (relative to the cable) for the connection, and / or preventing the connection of the component to the cable in the event of a deviation from a specific orientation. The specific orientation may also be predetermined by a specific shape of the at least one cavity, for example by the shape of the wall and / or by the opening formed by the wall. For example, the opening may have a rectangular or trapezoidal shape corresponding to the shape of the pin, in particular the guide pin. This ensures that the component or pin is inserted in the correct position without tilting or twisting. In other words, the opening of the cavity may be shaped to allow at least one contact mechanism of the component and / or at least one pin to be inserted therein only in the correct orientation of the component. In addition, the at least one cavity may have a length corresponding to the length of the pin inserted into the corresponding cavity. It is also conceivable that a plurality of cavities form a grid on the contact surface and / or cutting surface of the cable, which are arranged such that at least one contact means and / or at least one pin of the component can only be inserted therein with a correct orientation of the component.

[0029] It is also possible that the or at least another bore, in particular the guide bore, is designed for transmitting a fluid, preferably a medium such as air or a liquid. Thus the cable can be used not only for transmitting electrical energy, but also optionally for transmitting a fluid, for example a medium such as air or a liquid. In other words, the coding can also be used for transmitting a medium other than electrical energy. This allows the cable to be used in a variety of ways. Thus, the cable can be designed not only as a power cable, but also alternatively or additionally as an air cable and / or a fluid cable.

[0030] According to another possible solution, it can be provided that the at least one coding comprises a geometrical profile and / or an extruded profile of a cable and / or a tube and / or a grommet, the coding being arranged in the cable, in particular in a cable sheath of the cable and / or outside the cable sheath and / or on the cable sheath. In particular, the mechanical coding and / or the geometrical coding can be provided by a cable having a specific geometrical profile. For example, the specific geometrical profile can be provided by the shape of at least one bore and / or of the bore opening of the cable.

[0031] In addition, boundaries such as cable walls can be provided, which for example form openings and cavities. The boundaries can be arranged and shaped in a way that creates a specific geometric profile. The boundaries are for example made of plastic. The boundaries and / or profiles can advantageously be extruded directly onto the cable, for example by forming the boundaries and in particular the walls in the cable.

[0032] Mechanical coding and / or geometric coding and / or profile can also be subsequently attached to the cable, for example by means of guides and / or grommets, preferably guide grommets and / or cable sheaths and / or hoses. Grommets can be connected to the cable from the outside. For example, hoses can also be guided in the cable. This can make it easy to produce coded cables. In addition, the coding can be arranged in the cable, in particular in the cable sheath of the cable (i.e. in particular in the channel formed by the cable sheath) and / or outside the cable sheath and / or on the cable sheath.

[0033] In addition, the shape of the coding may not be the (particularly original geometric) basic shape of the cable, preferably not the cylindrical basic shape of the cable such as the cylindrical structure provided by the cable sheath. In other words, the coding may be a structure specifically arranged on the cable, which is arranged on the cable specifically for allowing a specific arrangement and / or distribution as described above.

[0034] The cable may also optionally have a grommet, in particular a cable jacket. The grommet may have a specific profile, such as a specific square or round shape, which provides coding. The grommet may also be used to insulate and mechanically protect the electrical conductors in the cable. The grommet may be made of a high temperature resistant material such as polyethylene or silicone and designed to provide optimal strain relief for the conductors contained in the cable. In addition, the grommet may be provided with a special coating to minimize electrical conductivity and thus reduce the risk of short circuits. The grommet may also include one or more cavities for separating individual conductors from each other, thereby improving electrical insulation and / or providing coding (by the shape and / or arrangement of the cavities).

[0035] The at least one coding can be formed by a cross section of the cable without rotational symmetry, in particular by an inner and / or outer shape of the cable without rotational symmetry. This ensures that the cable can only be electrically connected to the component at a position corresponding to a clear assignment of the contact mechanism to the cable conductor. The outer shape without rotational symmetry can be formed by a cable sheath or a cable outer peripheral surface, preferably in the following manner, the cross section of the cable has a circular basic shape and at least one recess, in particular a groove and / or at least one protrusion, in particular a flange. The groove or protrusion, in particular the flange is preferably the coding. Alternatively, the outer shape can be a free shape or a polygon. The inner shape can be formed by a circular fluid line, which forms a coding due to its position and / or shape in the cable cross section. Alternatively, the fluid line can have a free shape or a polygonal shape. Due to the coding, the component with the coding can be regarded as a key, and the component with a matching corresponding coding can be regarded as a lock. This ensures the expected specific contact between the conductor and the contact mechanism. It is also conceivable within the scope of the invention that, as an alternative or in addition to the mechanical coding and / or geometric coding, at least one coding comprises an electrical coding of the cable, in which the rational arrangement of the electrical conductors of the cable is specified, thereby predetermining a specific allocation of the electrical contact means of the component for the connection. This can be understood to mean that the cable conductors have a predetermined arrangement in which the conductors are spaced differently from each other (especially in the transverse direction) according to the coding specification. These differences must also be provided in the contact means of the component, i.e. the component must have a corresponding corresponding coding so that the connection can be realized. This ensures that a correct electrical connection is established between the contact points.

[0036] It is also advantageous that the electrical conductors of the cable are all formed as strands in order to form (especially in the axial direction of the conductor) a socket for inserting at least one electrical contact means of the component, preferably a socket for inserting and / or piercing a respective contact means in the form of a contact tip, especially in the axial direction of the cable and / or on a contact surface, wherein on the contact surface the conductor is preferably in the immediate vicinity of the cable outer area. Designing as a stranded wire has the following advantages, the stranded wire can have several single wires, which can provide better accommodation for the contact means due to its flexibility. In particular, the mechanical deformation capacity of the single wire can be used during the connection process in order to insert the contact means into the stranded wire and obtain reliable contact when inserting / piercing the contact means.

[0037] In order to connect and preferably insert the respective contact mechanisms, i.e., in particular to insert and / or pierce, a mechanical force can be applied to the cable and / or conductor in the axial direction of the cable and / or conductor (i.e., the longitudinal direction of the cable). In particular, this may trigger a contact movement of the component and / or cable. However, the pilot contact mechanism and / or the (possibly also pilot) guide pin of the component can first be applied to the cable cutting surface so that the contact mechanism is subsequently inserted into the relevant (distribution) conductor or the guide pin is inserted into at least one cavity of the cable. In this process, the other contact mechanisms of the component eventually contact the cable conductor on the cutting surface. Then, a force can be applied in the longitudinal direction of the cable to insert / pierce the contact mechanism into the conductor and thus cause a contact movement. This process can also be referred to as "piercing", but unlike conventional solutions, this is not done on the cable side, but axially on the cable cutting surface.

[0038] It can also be provided that a recurring mark is provided, which indicates the penetration depth of the electrical contact means, preferably in the form of a piercing means. For example, the mark can be provided on the outer surface of the cable sheath, for example printed on the cable sheath. The mark can be repeated at fixed intervals in the longitudinal direction of the cable, so that after the cable has been cut, an indication of the depth to which the contact means has been correctly inserted is obtained starting from the cut surface. This makes the connection simpler and more reliable. The mark can also help determine the cable orientation for the connection.

[0039] The electrical conductor can preferably extend only and / or directly to a contact surface of the cable, in particular on an end face, and / or adjoin it, preferably in order that contact means, in particular in the form of a contact tip and / or a piercing means, can penetrate the electrical conductor at the contact surface, whereby the contact surface can preferably extend transversely, in particular perpendicularly to the direction of extension of the cable, and wherein the contact surface can in particular form a cable cutting surface and / or a cable end of the cable, at which the cable has preferably been shortened to the desired length. The contact surface can preferably be formed by cutting at any point along the extension of the cable, in particular if the coding extends over the entire length of the cable. The contact means is preferably designed in such a way that the electrical conductor of the cable can only be pierced by the contact means, in particular without being cut.

[0040] The cable can have a plurality of profiles, in particular strain relief profiles, preferably in the form of circumferential recesses, in particular grooves or notches, or protrusions, in particular flanges or steps, preferably for heat shrink tubing or strain relief along its outer circumference, preferably at orderly intervals from one another. The strain relief profile can be used to prevent accidental disconnection of the electrical connection between the cable and the component in the event of accidental pulling of the cable. Alternatively, the coding on the outer circumference of the cable or the cable jacket can form the strain relief profile. In other words, if the coding extends along the entire length of the cable, the strain relief profile can extend along the entire length of the cable. This allows the cable to be shortened at any point without affecting the strain relief function. Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide a separate strain relief profile for the coding in this way, since the coding already forms the strain relief profile, which significantly simplifies cable production.

[0041] The cable can have microcapsules to form a seal, in particular on the outer peripheral surface and / or contact surface of the cable, wherein the filling of the microcapsules can be released in particular by supplying heat, radiation, in particular supplying light preferably in the form of ultraviolet light, contact with an activating substance or supplying light and combining moisture, or wherein the cable can have an activating substance for the microcapsules, in particular on the outer peripheral surface and / or contact surface, so as to release the microcapsule filling to form a seal when in contact with the microcapsules. If the cable has an activating substance, the component preferably has microcapsules, and vice versa. Such microcapsules eliminate the need for manufacturing steps involving external treatment of sealing compounds. The microcapsules can have a sealing compound or an adhesive, in particular for electrical insulation. Alternatively, the microcapsules can include chemical substances, which form a combination of substances and substances for sealing when released. Alternatively or additionally, the seal can be formed at the end face of the cable, preferably at the contact surface. To this end, the microcapsules and / or the activating substance can be arranged accordingly, preferably at the contact surface and / or at the component point in contact with the contact surface. In order to allow light or radiation to reach the microcapsules, it can be provided that the component comprises a material that is permeable to light or radiation, in particular a transparent material. Preferably, the component can be produced for this purpose by a two-component injection molding process. The first material component of the injection molding process can be a permeable plastic, in particular a transparent plastic. The second material component of the injection molding process can be another plastic, for example an electrically insulating material or a material that gives the component its strength.

[0042] The electrical conductors of the cable can preferably be twisted together, in particular in the form of one or more twisted pairs, twisted threes or twisted fours. The at least one encoding can have a continuous direction and / or a direction that matches the twisting along the cable length, so that at any point along the cable length, the at least one encoder and the electrical conductor can have the same relative position to each other, in particular in a plane that is transverse to the cable extension direction, preferably perpendicular to the cable extension direction. In other words, the encoding on the cable sheath can have a continuous spiral or a continuous spiral direction in the cable extension direction, preferably with a constant pitch, which is particularly matched with the twisting. The encoding can be in the form of a recess, in particular a notch or a groove or a protrusion, in particular a shoulder or a flange. Twisting can reduce electromagnetic interference. By twisting the conductor, the induced electromagnetic fields significantly cancel each other, reducing the sensitivity to interference. However, this changes the conductor position along the cable length, making the contact between the component contact mechanism and the cable conductor more difficult. This problem can be solved by the coding and the prescribed constant relative position of the coding along the cable with respect to the conductors, and the intended contact between the component contact mechanism and the corresponding conductor of the cable can be achieved at any point in the cable, because the coding can have a continuous course that matches the twist. The various strands or twists can be spaced apart and / or evenly distributed in the cable cross section. If the cable has a fluid line, it is preferred that the strands are evenly arranged around the fluid line in order to best ensure even cooling of the conductors or strands.

[0043] The electrical conductors of the cable may be twisted, in particular in the form of one or more twisted pairs, three twisted pairs or four twisted pairs. The cable may have at least two or four or six or eight or ten electrical conductors, preferably in the form of twisted strands. A maximum of two, four, six, eight or ten electrical conductors may also be provided in the cable, preferably in the form of twisted strands.

[0044] As mentioned above, at least one (or exactly one) code of the cable may have a continuous course along the length of the cable and / or a course matched to the twisting, so that at any point in the cable, at least one code and the electrical conductor may have the same relative position to each other, in particular in a plane transverse to the direction of extension of the cable, preferably perpendicular to the direction of extension of the cable. However, this may not provide any information about the direction of the cable without further adjustments.

[0045] As an alternative or in addition, at least one (or exactly one) coding of the cable can also be designed to indicate the alignment / orientation of the cable. Depending on which side of the cable the contact is made, different orientations of the electrical conductors may have to be taken into account. In this case, simple codings, such as simple notches or markings, generally only allow for an ambiguous assignment. For example, protection against polarity reversal can be provided if the coding is adapted in such a way that it also indicates the alignment and / or orientation of the cable. For example, the cable can be designed as a round cable. The coding can be a geometric adaptation, preferably distinguishing the cable from conventional round cables.

[0046] The encoding may include at least one of the following adjustments and / or formations and / or additions in order to preferably provide alignment / orientation of the cables and / or prevent polarity reversal and / or protect mirror image connections:

[0047] - Asymmetrical construction,

[0048] - asymmetric geometric shapes,

[0049] - at least one asymmetrical profile,

[0050] - Especially asymmetric geometric fixed encoding,

[0051] - the design of the cross-section (of the rope or cable), in particular an asymmetrical design,

[0052] - another second coding having a different design / geometry than the first coding, in particular notches,

[0053] - Markers, preferably colored ones,

[0054] A cross-sectional design which preferably differs from the design of the cable cross-section and does not have rotational symmetry.

[0055] In addition to the first coding, a second coding may be provided to index the orientation thereof, thereby achieving a directional index. The coding or one of the codings may be formed as a recess, in particular a notch or a groove, or as a raised portion, in particular a shoulder or a flange. The coding may in particular prevent a cable or a device connected to it from being connected in a wrong way.

[0056] The cable can have a fluid line, in particular a liquid line or a gas line, preferably an air line or a compressed air line, whereby the at least one coding can be formed partially or only by the fluid line, whereby the electrical conductor, in particular the strand or strands, surround the fluid line along the cable extension, in particular uniformly, so as to preferably ensure that the conductor is uniformly cooled by a fluid such as air, compressed air, coolant, oil or lubricant that can be guided through the fluid line. Preferably, the fluid line contributes to the coding by its cross-sectional shape, in particular a cross-sectional shape transverse to or perpendicular to the direction of extension of the cable and / or its position in the cable cross section, in particular a position transverse to or perpendicular to the direction of extension of the cable. For example, contributing to the coding may mean that the cable sheath geometry or the cable profile also contributes to the coding. In other words, the geometry of the cable sheath or the profile of the cable together with the fluid line, in particular the shape and / or position of the fluid line can form the coding. Or preferably, only the fluid line forms the coding by its cross-sectional shape, in particular a cross-sectional shape transverse to or perpendicular to the direction of extension of the cable and / or its position in the cable cross section, in particular a position transverse to or perpendicular to the direction of extension of the cable. Another object of the present invention is a component, in particular an electrical component, for being connected to a cable, in particular a power cable and preferably a cable according to the present invention. The component may have at least one contact mechanism, in particular an electrical contact mechanism, for forming contact, in particular electrical contact, with at least one conductor, in particular an electrical conductor, of the cable in the axial direction of the cable or conductor. In addition, the at least one contact mechanism may be designed to form contact in the cable and / or the conductor of the cable, in particular in it. Therefore, the component of the present invention has the same advantages as those described in detail with reference to the cable of the present invention. Unlike conventional solutions, since the contact is not made outside the cable, for example by stripping the cable, but can be made in the cable and / or the conductor, the connection is simplified. Therefore, no additional steps such as stripping are required. Therefore, contact in the cable can be understood as contact in the cable sheath and / or cable insulation and / or in the conductor sheath and / or cable conductor. Contact in the conductor can be understood as contact formed by piercing the contact mechanism into the conductor.

[0057] It is conceivable that the component also includes:

[0058] a coping coding in order to unambiguously define a specific arrangement and / or assignment of the at least one electrical contact means to the at least one electrical conductor of the cable during connection, wherein the coping coding can be designed to supplement the coding of the cable and / or the coping coding can interact with and / or can be matched to the cable coding, and / or

[0059] - at least one contact means, each in the form of a piercing means and designed to pierce the relevant electrical conductor in the form of an electrical strand of the cable in the axial direction of the cable or conductor, preferably the exposed conductor cross section of the relevant electrical conductor, and / or

[0060] - a safety contact mechanism which is designed to lead relative to the at least one (other) contact mechanism, and / or

[0061] In particular at least one guide pin which is designed to provide axial guidance in a connection of a component and / or a cable, preferably in a cable, and which is preferably designed to cope with the coding, the guide pin being preferably designed to lead relative to the at least one contact means.

[0062] The guide pin can be designed to lead by protruding further away from the component than the other contact mechanisms. This means that the guide pin contacts the cable before the other contact mechanisms, especially once the component is close to the cutting surface of the cable.

[0063] In addition, several, preferably at least three or at least four or at least five contact means may be provided in order to electrically contact one of the respective conductors of the cable. Thus, the cable may have a corresponding number of respective conductors. The conductors and / or the contact means may be arranged at different distances from one another, in particular lateral distances, in order to form a coding of the cable or a complementary co-ordination coding of the components. The co-ordination coding may also be formed by a pin profile of the component, i.e. a profile element such as a guide pin and / or a lug, which may be precisely matched to a bore coding in the cable.

[0064] In another possible solution, it can be provided that at least one of the contact mechanisms is designed as a safety contact mechanism, which is designed to be ahead of at least one or all other contact mechanisms, preferably in order to contact one of the electrical conductors of the cable before at least one or another contact mechanism when making a connection. In other words, the safety contact mechanism can be designed to be ahead by protruding further away from the component than the other contact mechanisms. This means that, in particular, once the component approaches the cutting surface of the cable, the safety contact mechanism contacts the cable before the other contact mechanisms. The safety contact mechanism can preferably be designed as a protective conductor and / or a grounding conductor.

[0065] It is also advantageous to provide a sealing mechanism so as to achieve a seal between the cable sheath of the cable and the component during assembly to establish the connection. The sealing mechanism may be, for example, a possibly elastic plastic part of the component which at least partially surrounds the contact surface, preferably the cutting surface, of the cable after connection.

[0066] Preferably, the at least one or more contact means, in particular their design and / or arrangement and / or dimensions, can be designed for the electrical conductors, in particular the dimensions and / or course of the electrical conductors and / or the arrangement of the electrical conductors on the contact surface, so that preferably due to the twisting of the electrical conductors, electrical contact of a plurality of electrical conductors by only one contact means, in particular by a contact means which electrically contacts a first electrical conductor and another electrical conductor behind or beside the first electrical conductor in the direction of extension of the cable, in the contact surface is excluded. In this way, erroneous contact, i.e. unintentional contact of several conductors by a single contact means, is avoided.

[0067] The component may have a strain relief for the cable, which is designed to interact with one of the profiles, in particular one of the strain relief profiles, of the cable, preferably in the form of a circumferential recess, in particular a groove or notch, or a plurality of protrusions or projections, in particular a flange or a shoulder, so that the cable is strain-relieved, and / or the component may have a heat shrink tube and a fastener for the heat shrink tube, preferably in the form of a fastening profile, in order to form a strain relief for the cable, in particular by means of the heat shrink tube. Preferably, the strain relief is designed such that the strain relief pre-tightens the cable to the component, preferably in the extension direction and / or the contact direction of the cable. It may furthermore be preferred that the strain relief is designed to engage in a recess or behind a projection, in particular as seen from the component. In other words, the strain relief may engage behind a projection. Furthermore, the strain relief may comprise a clamping arm for rearward engagement or clamping. The strain relief may be made of plastic and / or formed integrally with the component. The strain relief may also be adjustable, so that the pre-tightening of the cable to the component can be adjusted. The pre-tightening may be adjusted stepwise or continuously. The strain relief can preferably be designed in such a way that a strain relief connection to the strain relief profile is established during the contact movement in order to produce an electrical connection between the cable and the component.

[0068] The component may have microcapsules for forming a seal, in particular in the area in contact with the outer circumference and / or the contact surface of the cable, wherein the microcapsule filling may be released, in particular, by supplying heat, radiation, particularly preferably light in the form of UV or ultraviolet light, contact with an activating substance or supplying light and in combination with moisture, or wherein the component may have an activating substance for the microcapsules, in particular in the area in contact with the outer circumference and / or the contact surface of the cable, in order to release its filling upon contact with the microcapsules. Alternatively or conversely, the component may have an activating substance for the microcapsules or said microcapsules, in particular in the area in contact with the outer circumference and / or the contact surface of the cable, in order to release the microcapsule filling upon contact with the microcapsules. The details given for the cable, in particular for the microcapsules and the activating substance, may also apply to the component.

[0069] The contact mechanism can be energized to the electrical contact conductor of the plug assembly or the socket assembly of the component, whereby the position and / or arrangement and / or distribution and / or size setting of the electrical contact conductor is different from that of the contact mechanism, particularly on the contact surface. Preferably, a plug with such a plug assembly or a socket with such a socket assembly can be formed on the component. The guiding path of the contact conductor from the contact mechanism to the plug or the socket can preferably not be straight, but tilted at least at one point of the path, preferably tilted vertically, or curved, whereby the plug or the socket is formed on one side of the component transverse to or perpendicular to the insertion direction or contact direction of the cable. The plug can be designed to establish an electrical and / or form-fitting connection with the socket. The socket can be designed to establish an electrical and / or form-fitting connection with the plug. Alternatively, the plug or the socket can be formed on the side of the component, which is facing away from the side of the component where the cable can be electrically contacted with the contact mechanism. In addition, the guiding path of the contact conductor from the contact mechanism to the plug or the socket is designed so that the arrangement and / or distribution of the electrical conductor of the plug or the socket is different from that of the contact mechanism. For example, an electrical connection can be made from a small cable cross section of a cable to a large plug assembly or socket assembly. Preferably, the distance between at least two contact conductors of the socket assembly or plug assembly in the cable cross section is greater or less than the distance between the cable electrical conductors in the cable cross section.

[0070] The component can have a fluid channel for connecting to a fluid line of the cable for transmitting fluid, in particular in order to form a preferably fluid-tight transition from the fluid line of the cable to the fluid channel of the component. The fluid channel of the component can be designed as a counter-coding of the cable coding, which is preferably designed as a fluid line. In this way, for example, other codings can be omitted.

[0071] It can be provided within the scope of the invention that the component is designed as a plug or a sensor or an actuator or a module such as a fieldbus module, preferably for industrial automation, preferably in electrical devices for industrial automation. Fieldbus modules are used, for example, to transmit data and / or receive control commands via a fieldbus and are to be connected to at least one device such as a sensor and / or an actuator in order to read the sensor and / or control the actuator.

[0072] The cable according to the present invention can also be designed as an Ethernet cable, preferably a single pair Ethernet (SPE) cable. The cable can also be provided as a power cable and / or a signal cable and / or a data cable and / or a fieldbus cable and / or a hybrid cable, that is, preferably also a combination of the above cables. The cable can be a combination of a data cable and a power cable in particular, in which case electrical energy can be transmitted in addition to data. A hybrid cable can, for example, combine at least a fieldbus conductor and a power line (e.g., 24V). It is conceivable that, in addition to electrical signals such as electrical energy and data, other media such as air or liquid can also be transmitted through the cable. In addition, the maximum cable length of the cable can exceed 100 meters. The cable can provide a simple connection technology that can be used on site, in which the cable can be unwound from a cable drum and cut to the required length, for example. Due to the structure, in particular the coding, the cable can be directly inserted after cutting without taking further measures such as crimping. The sealing mechanism can also be used to provide an automatic seal and strain relief device. The strain relief device can also be optionally provided by a mechanical locking mechanism, for example, the mechanical locking mechanism cuts into the cable sheath in a form-fitting manner when closed and / or has a force-locking clamping mechanism.

[0073] Another object of the invention may be a connection system comprising a cable according to the invention and a component according to the invention. The cable and the component can be electrically connected to each other, in particular by means of contact means which penetrate into the electrical conductor at a contact surface.

[0074] An electrical connection can be established between the cable and the component, in particular by inserting a contact mechanism into the relevant conductor, the connection system comprising a seal, in particular a material lock and / or a force lock and / or a form-fitting seal, which seals the connection and in particular a cable section adjacent to the connection relative to the environment of the connection system, in particular according to IP20 or IP67, wherein the seal can preferably be formed by a heat shrink tubing or a heat shrink tubing forming a strain relief device, in particular in the case of a form-fitting seal. For example, such a form-fitting seal can be made with a heat shrink tubing. IP20 may be a protection and / or certification, which indicates protection against the ingress of foreign bodies. IP67 may be a protection and / or certification, which indicates protection against dust and water resistance for up to 30 minutes at a maximum depth of 1 meter underwater. Preferably, IP20 and IP67 refer to protection levels and / or certifications that come into effect on September 27, 2024, in particular in the Federal Republic of Germany.

[0075] The seal can seal and / or electrically insulate the transition from the fluid line to the fluid channel in a fluid-tight manner relative to a contact point formed by the conductor contacting a contact means on a contact surface, and / or wherein the seals electrically insulate and / or seal the contact point formed by the conductor contacting a contact means on a connection surface. In this way, fluid leakage or failure is prevented.

[0076] In particular, a positive-fitting seal can preferably be formed by a heat shrink tube, which preferably serves as a strain relief for the cable, because the heat shrink tube forms a positive fit, in particular with the strain relief contour of the cable, preferably because the heat shrink tube engages behind or in the strain relief contour and is connected to the component via an attachment of the component, in particular the attachment contour of the component, thus preferably forming a pretensioning of the cable to the component. Alternatively, it is conceivable that the heat shrink tube serves only as a seal.

[0077] The seal can be formed by a sealing compound, in particular an adhesive or a potting compound, whereby, in particular in the direction of extension of the cable and / or perpendicularly to the direction of extension of the cable, a sealing cavity can be formed between the cable, in particular the cable contact surface and the component to accommodate the sealing compound, the sealing compound being located in the sealing cavity and preferably completely filling the sealing cavity, wherein the sealing cavity can preferably have a filling opening for the sealing compound, the filling opening can be closed in particular by the sealing compound, wherein the sealing cavity can preferably have an outlet hole for the sealing compound agent, the outlet hole can be closed in particular by the sealing compound, wherein the section of the component defining the sealing cavity is in particular formed by a transparent material, so that the extent to which the sealing cavity is filled with the sealing compound can be visually determined. The sealing compound can be filled into the sealing cavity in a liquid state through the filling opening. Through the outlet hole, the excess sealing compound filled can escape from the sealing cavity in a liquid state, so that it can be determined whether the sealing compound is evenly distributed in the sealing cavity. The sealing compound is preferably curable and / or electrically insulating. Closing the opening with a sealing compound prevents foreign matter or moisture from entering the sealing cavity.

[0078] The seal can be formed by releasing the filling of the microcapsules, in particular the cable or the component. The filling of the microcapsules can preferably be released by providing heat, providing radiation and in particular light preferably in the form of UV light, contact with an activating substance or providing light in combination with moisture.

[0079] The cable can be connected to the component by means of a force-fitting and / or form-fitting and / or material-joining connection. For example, a threaded connection, a clamping connection or a snap-on connection can be provided for this purpose. A strain relief device can also be provided and / or dimensioned and / or designed for this purpose.

[0080] The component can have a strain relief for the cable, in particular a heat shrink tubing designed as a strain relief, which can preferably be attached to the component, whereby the strain relief can interact with one of the outer shapes of the cable, in particular one of the strain relief device outer shapes, so that the cable is strain-relieved by the strain relief forming a positive fit with the outer shape of the cable, in particular the strain relief device outer shape, and the cable is strain-relieved by the strain relief forming a shape fit with the outer shape of the cable, in particular the strain relief device outer shape, preferably by the strain relief being engaged behind the outer shape, in particular the strain relief device outer shape or engaged in the strain relief device outer shape.

[0081] The connection system may comprise an insertion mechanism, in particular a screw mechanism, a lever mechanism or a plug mechanism, for performing a contact movement, the insertion mechanism preferably being designed to move the cable towards the component during the contact movement, the connection system or the insertion mechanism preferably comprising an adjustment mechanism for adjusting a predetermined penetration depth of the contact mechanism for inserting the conductor at the insertion mechanism, preferably depending on the cable type of the cable and / or continuously and / or in several predetermined steps, wherein the connection system or the insertion mechanism preferably comprises an index or indexing device, which is suitable for indexing the current penetration depth for the user during the contact movement.

[0082] The screw mechanism is preferably designed as a union nut or comprises a rear union nut, which establishes an electrical connection when screwed onto the component. The lever of the lever mechanism can preferably be mounted on the component. The actuation of the lever can cause a contact movement. The component preferably comprises a thread, preferably an external thread, such as an M8 or M12 thread, and the union nut comprises a matching thread, preferably an internal thread.

[0083] The insertion mechanism can comprise, for example, a clamping jaw. The insertion mechanism or the clamping jaw can be part of the component, attached to the component or independent of the component. The clamping jaw can clamp the cable or the cable end, preferably in this case the clamping jaw clamps or holds the cable or the cable end. For this purpose, the clamping jaw preferably interacts with the strain relief device shape and / or the coding of the power cable, preferably in this case the clamping jaw is clamped behind a protrusion or engaged in a recess. The clamping jaw preferably has a coping coding. In other words, the cable can only be clamped by the clamping jaw in the intended orientation in order to establish a given electrical connection between the cable and the component, in particular between the electrical conductor of the cable and the contact means of the component.

[0084] The insertion mechanism can preferably be used not only to establish an electrical connection, but also to establish the required surface pressure for a seal, in particular an elastomeric seal, on the component. The seal can be arranged so that it is in physical contact with the contact surface when the electrical connection is formed. The seal can be produced by a multi-component injection molding process during the component manufacturing process. The seal can seal the transition between the electrical conductor and the contact mechanism and / or the fluid conduit and / or the liquid channel from the sub-contact point, and / or seal the contact surface relative to the environment of the connection system. Through the insertion mechanism, the cable held and / or limited by the clamping jaws can be moved toward the component, so as to preferably establish an electrical connection between the cable and the component, in particular between the electrical conductor of the cable and the contact mechanism. The insertion mechanism is designed so that the contact mechanism can only be contacted by piercing the electrical conductor of the cable at the contact surface.

[0085] The index can be designed as a scale or an acoustic feedback and / or tactile feedback of the user. For example, the locking noise of the locking mechanism caused by the contact movement may cause such acoustic feedback. It is also conceivable that a joint mechanism or the engagement of the joint mechanism during the contact movement produces tactile feedback. For this purpose, a scale can be formed on the component, and the insertion mechanism, in particular the screw mechanism, the lever mechanism or the plug mechanism can preferably serve as a pointer to the scale.

[0086] The adjusting mechanism can be designed as an adjustable movement limiter of an insertion mechanism, in particular a screw mechanism, a lever mechanism or a plug mechanism, which preferably limits the maximum penetration depth or maximum puncture depth of the contact mechanism into the conductor. The adjusting mechanism can be adjustable, for example, by a screw or a union nut and / or a rotational movement.

[0087] The insertion mechanism preferably has a motion converter which can be designed to convert or can convert an actuating motion, in particular a pressure motion, a pivoting motion or a rotational motion, into a contact motion.

[0088] In principle, the two interacting codes can be referred to as encoding and coping coding.

[0089] The cable and / or components and / or connection system can be designed for single pair Ethernet (SPE) and / or have only one wire pair / conductor pair. Unlike traditional Ethernet, which usually has four wire pairs or conductor pairs per cable, SPE reduces the demand for cables, resulting in compact and cost-effective connections. Such cables preferably have only one pair of wires or only one pair of conductors. The cable preferably can include the twisting of this pair of wires or this pair of conductors. A single wire pair or conductor pair can be designed to transmit data and current or voltage, preferably at a distance of up to 1000 meters and / or with a maximum data transmission speed of 10Mbps, 100Mbps or 1Gbps. In addition, the cable can be designed to provide current or voltage to a terminal device and transmit data simultaneously according to power over data line (PoDL). The cable and / or components and / or connection system can preferably be used for or be applicable to industry 4.0, Internet of Things (IoT), automotive industry or building automation applications. The conductor pair or wire pair preferably comprises or is composed of copper or a copper alloy. The cable preferably corresponds to a single-pair Ethernet cable according to IEEE 802.3bw, preferably under this standard which comes into force on September 27, 2024, in particular in the Federal Republic of Germany. The cable can preferably be designed for full-duplex communication.

[0090] The component can preferably be a single pair Ethernet plug connector (SPE plug connector) in particular according to the IEC 63171 standard, preferably in accordance with the state of September 27, 2024, in particular valid for the Federal Republic of Germany. Particularly preferably, the component can be designed as a plug connector or a round plug connector with an M8 or M12 thread. The plug assembly or socket assembly of such a plug connector can have a thread for attachment, in particular, to an electrical device or a sensor. In addition, the cable and / or the component and / or the connection system can be designed for transmitting a maximum power of 50 Watts or 60 Watts.

[0091] In principle, unless otherwise specified, the conductor is preferably a conductor of a cable. In other words, if it is clearly indicated that they are conductors of a plug assembly or a socket assembly, they can preferably only be conductors of a plug assembly or a socket assembly.

[0092] The connection system according to the invention may have a strain relief which ensures that the connection between the cable and the component cannot be accidentally separated, in particular that the component cannot be accidentally pulled out of the cable. The strain relief may be provided by a mechanical locking mechanism which cuts into the cable jacket of the cable in a positive fit manner when the connection is completed and / or provides a force-fit clamping with the cable jacket and / or the cable conductor. This holds the cable firmly to the component and prevents accidental separation. Thus, a strain relief may be provided as a function or device of the connection system, which serves to secure and protect the cable with the component and prevent the cable connection from being damaged due to tensile loads.

[0093] If it is necessary to separate the connection again, this can be done using an unlocking mechanism, preferably without tools. The connection technology required for this purpose on the component can, for example, be directly integrated on the printed circuit board of the component or in the plug of the component. The tool-free unlocking mechanism can also be actuated by a simple manual action, which further simplifies the operation of the component. For this purpose, the tool-free unlocking mechanism can, for example, have an unlocking tab or an unlocking button, which is arranged or formed on the housing of the component to allow easy unlocking without tools. The locking mechanism can be implemented by a locking device, which is activated by turning or pressing on a specific area of ​​the component. The locking device can have one or more locking lugs, which engage in corresponding recesses or cutouts. Then, the unlocking mechanism can be implemented by an unlocking button or an unlocking lever, which releases the locking device and separates the connection by simple actuation. Alternatively, the unlocking mechanism can be implemented by a strain relief device, which is released by a simple twist or press on a specific point of the cable or component. This separates the connection and the cable can be removed.

[0094] In addition, the connection system and in particular the component can have a large number of contact mechanisms, which establish an electrical connection between the conductor of the cable and the electrical contacts of the component. The electrical contacts are used, for example, to transmit energy and / or data to devices such as sensors or actuators, for which the component can be connected to the device. The contact mechanism can be designed as a plug contact and / or a pin or other suitable connector. The connection system can also have a protective device, which protects the contact mechanism from damage caused by external influences such as dust, dirt or moisture. For this reason, a protective cap, a seal or other suitable protective device can be provided, which shields the contact mechanism from harmful environmental influences.

[0095] Furthermore, at least one or more contact means of the component can be designed to be inserted, preferably pierced and / or passed through the exposed conductor cross section of the relevant conductor of the cable. The respective conductor with its exposed conductor cross section and the preferably pierced contact means can be at least partially surrounded by an insulating sheath and in this way form a conductor, preferably a stranded conductor. For contacting, the cable can be designed to provide a contact surface after cutting, in which the conductor cross section is preferably completely exposed.

[0096] In addition, all or at least one or at least two conductors or wires of the cable can be surrounded by at least one shield, in particular individually or in pairs. The paired shielding of the wire pairs in the cable is particularly useful for hybrid cables and / or for data lines. The shield can then be contacted, for example, by a contact surface of the component axially penetrating into the cable. This may have the advantage that a higher transmission reliability and lower electromagnetic interference of the individual conductors can be achieved. The shielding of the conductors or wires of the cable can be made of a conductive material such as copper or aluminum. This ensures high conductivity and effective shielding against external interference.

[0097] A preferred option for contacting the shield is to use a contact surface that penetrates the cable axially and thus ensures an effective connection with the shield. For this purpose, the contact surface can be designed as a conductive coating on the component, so as to establish a direct connection with the shield in this way, for example. Alternatively, the contact surface can also be designed as a separate unit, which is inserted into the component and then connected to the shield. The contact surface can also be designed as a spring contact, which pushes through the shield and thus establishes a reliable connection. The spring contact is attached to the housing, for example, and can therefore be pressed through an opening in the shield to establish a reliable connection. The shield can extend over the entire length of the cable or only in certain sections, depending on the requirements of the application. The shield may also consist of several layers to obtain an even higher level of shielding.

[0098] Cables can be used, for example, in industrial automation, for example to control tensioners or as drag chain cables for drag chains. Cables that are suitable for withstanding high mechanical loads and are highly flexible are therefore particularly suitable for industrial automation requirements. They must also be extremely resistant to environmental influences such as moisture, oil and chemicals to ensure reliable control of pneumatic tensioners or, in the case of drag chains, to be used as drag chain cables. Examples are cables made of polyurethane (PUR), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) or polyolefins (PO).

[0099] Another object of the invention is a connection system comprising a cable, in particular a power cable and / or in particular a cable according to the invention and a component, in particular an electrical component and / or a component according to the invention. The connection system according to the invention thus has the same advantages as described in detail with reference to the cable according to the invention and the component according to the invention.

[0100] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for forming electrical contact between a cable, in particular a power cable and / or a cable according to the present invention and a component, in particular an electrical component and / or a component according to the present invention. The method may include unwinding the cable and / or assembling and / or cutting the cable to a desired length. This may result in a contact surface, in particular a cutting surface, of the cable, at which at least one conductor of the cable becomes accessible. In addition, the method may include establishing a direct connection between the component and the cable, whereby a connection may be directly established between at least one contact mechanism of the component and the relevant conductor of the cable, and / or whereby the component (at least part of the component such as the contact mechanism) is directly inserted and / or pierced into the cable or vice versa to establish electrical contact and / or mechanical contact. For example, the contact mechanism may be pierced into the relevant conductor, preferably into the exposed conductor cross section of the cable conductor. Therefore, the method of the present invention has the same advantages as described in detail with reference to the cable and components of the present invention. Since the assembly of the cable is simple, the effort required for its use can be reduced. It can also prevent the formation of loops and save materials.

[0101] According to another advantageous development of the invention, it can be provided that the mechanical seal between the cable and the component is also produced at least partially or only by forming this connection. For this purpose, the component can have a sealing mechanism, which is directly transferred into the correct sealing position by means of a mechanical connection without taking further measures. The sealing mechanism can, for example, comprise a wall and / or a sealing lip. The sealing mechanism can comprise a wall and / or a sealing lip and is directly transferred into the correct sealing position by means of a mechanical connection without taking further measures in order to reliably seal the contact surface of the cable. For this purpose, the sealing mechanism, in this position, for example, surrounds the contact surface of the cable in the circumferential direction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0102] Other advantages, features and details of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the description may be important to the invention individually or in any combination. The drawings show:

[0103] Figure 1 The cables and components according to the embodiments of the present invention are shown in cross-sectional views.

[0104] Figure 2 The components of the components according to the embodiments of the present invention are shown in cross-sectional views.

[0105] Figure 3 Each of the various conductors of the cable according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown in perspective view,

[0106] Figure 4 A perspective view showing a contact surface or a cutting surface of a cable according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0107] Figure 5 A perspective view showing the contact side of a component according to an embodiment of the invention,

[0108] Figure 6 A perspective view showing components according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0109] Figure 7 A perspective view showing components according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0110] Figure 8 A cross-sectional view showing a cable and components connected thereto according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0111] Fig. 9 A perspective view showing a contact surface or a cutting surface of a cable according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0112] Fig.10 shows a top view of a cable according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0113] Fig.11The method according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0114] Fig.12 A perspective view showing a guide device according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0115] Fig.13 A perspective view showing a cable according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0116] Fig.14 Another perspective view showing a cable according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0117] Fig.15 A schematic diagram showing an insertion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0118] Fig.16 Another schematic diagram showing components of an insertion mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0119] Fig.17 Another schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a connection system,

[0120] Fig.18a Another schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a component,

[0121] Fig.18b Another schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a component,

[0122] Fig.19a A schematic diagram showing another embodiment of a connection system having a seal,

[0123] Fig.19b A schematic diagram showing another embodiment of a connection system having a seal, and

[0124] Fig.19c A schematic diagram of another embodiment of a connection system with a seal is shown.

[0125] Reference numerals list

[0126] 1 System, connection system

[0127] 2 Cables

[0128] 4-core wire, twisted wire, conductor

[0129] 6-hole cavity

[0130] 7. Contour

[0131] 8Sheath, cable sheath

[0132] 9Contact surface, cutting surface

[0133] 10. Filling

[0134] 12 Single Line

[0135] 14 Seal for condensate

[0136] 20 Components

[0137] 22 Locking and unlocking

[0138] 24 screw connection

[0139] 26Guide parts and guide mechanisms

[0140] 27 Response Code

[0141] 28Contact mechanism, pin

[0142] 29 Safety contact mechanism

[0143] 30 Pin tip

[0144] 40 Connector Assembly

[0145] 42 Printed Circuit Board

[0146] 44 locking device, anti-twist protection, sealing

[0147] 45 Lock pin

[0148] 50 Encoding

[0149] 51 First Code

[0150] 52 Second code

[0151] 60 Structure

[0152] 62 Depth Marker

[0153] 70 Guide device

[0154] 71 Guide structure

[0155] 72 Guide housing

[0156] 76 First side

[0157] 77 Second side

[0158] 80 Insertion mechanism

[0159] 81 Pressure parts

[0160] 82 Transmission components

[0161] 83 Indexing device, index

[0162] 84 Adjustment mechanism

[0163] 85 Nut

[0164] 86 Thread

[0165] 87 Guiding Space

[0166] 88 Retaining parts

[0167] 89 Coping retainer

[0168] 90 penetration depth

[0169] 91 Starting position

[0170] 92 Final Position

[0171] 93 Itinerary

[0172] 100 Methods

[0173] 101 First Process Step

[0174] 102 Second process step

[0175] A-axis

[0176] 217 Cable end

[0177] 171 Strain relief device

[0178] 172 Strain relief device outline

[0179] 180 Contact conductor

[0180] 181 plug, plug assembly

[0181] 191 Heat Shrink Tube

[0182] 193 Microcapsules

[0183] 194 Activated Matter

[0184] 195 Sealing Compound

[0185] 196 Packing opening

[0186] 197 Exit hole

[0187] 198 Sealed Chamber DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0188] In the following figures, the same reference numerals are used for the same technical features even for different embodiments.

[0189] Figures 1 to 10 Embodiments of the invention are schematically shown. In particular, a plurality of variants of a cable 2 for connecting to an electrical component 20 are shown. To this end, the cable 2 can have at least one electrical conductor 4. Furthermore, a connection system 1 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown, which can include a cable 2 and a component 20. Section planes AA and GG are marked in the various views.

[0190] exist Figure 1 2, the cable 2 is in a state of being fully electrically and mechanically connected to the component 20 as shown. It can be seen that in this state the contact mechanism 28 is inserted into the cable 20, in particular the electrical conductor 4 of the cable 20 to establish a firm mechanical and electrical contact. It can be clearly seen here that the contact mechanism 28 has a tip 30 in order to penetrate into the conductor 4. The component 20 is designed here as a plug connector, which may have a threaded screw connection arranged in the area 24 in order to attach to a connection mechanism of a device such as a fieldbus module, an actuator or a sensor. This allows the cable 2 to be connected to a device for transmitting electrical energy and / or data via the plug connector.

[0191] Unlike conventional solutions, the design of the cable 2 can significantly simplify the connection between the component 20 and the cable 2. To this end, a structural addition can be made to the cable 2, such as at least one coding 50 formed in a spatial manner on the cable 2. Figure 1 It can be seen that the cable 2 has at least one cavity 6, which is used to form at least one code 50 on the cable 2, such as Fig. 9 As further shown (see Fig. 9 ). Such a coding 50 can also be provided on the component 20 and is in particular referred to as a corresponding coding 27 if it is formed complementary to the coding 50 on the cable 2. The coding of the bore 6 means that a corresponding corresponding coding pin, preferably a guide pin 26, can only be inserted into the bore 6 as a guide means 26 if the orientation of the component 20 relative to the cable 2 is correct (i.e. according to the lock and key principle). Otherwise, other parts of the cable 2 may hinder the insertion of the pin 26 into the bore 6. This may then also prevent the establishment of a connection between the cable 2 and the component 20. Thus, the coding 50 on the cable 2 can clearly specify a specific arrangement and allocation of the electrical contact means 28 of the component 20 and the electrical conductors 4 of the cable 2.

[0192] The at least one coding 50 may comprise a mechanical coding and / or a geometric coding 50 of the cable 2, in which a geometric profile 7 extends in the axial direction A of the cable 2. Figure 1 and Fig. 9 In the embodiment, the profile 7 can be provided by a T-shaped opening of the bore 6 on the cable 2 and a corresponding T-shaped coding 27 can be provided on the component 20. The bore 6 can also be designed for conveying a fluid, preferably a medium such as air or liquid. In addition to the T-shaped coding, L-shaped or Y-shaped coding or other shapes are also conceivable.

[0193] Figure 2 An embodiment of a component 20 in the form of a plug connector is shown, where a protruding wall 40 is provided for the connector assembly 40 (see also Figure 6 and Figure 7). The wall 40 can be attached, for example, to a printed circuit board 42 of the component 20 in order to provide a locking device and / or anti-twist protection and / or a seal 44 on the cable 2. The wall 40 can optionally have a locking mechanism 22 to allow a secure attachment to the cable 2.

[0194] Figure 3 and Figure 4 It is further shown that the cable can have a plurality of conductors 4 in the form of twisted strands, which are also referred to as stranded conductors. Each of these stranded conductors can have several thin strands 12, which can be Figure 4 The cable 2 is surrounded by an identifiable insulating layer (insulation). This insulation is made of materials such as polyethylene or polyvinyl chloride, for example. It can be used to insulate the conductors 4 from each other and from the external environment. In addition, the insulation can usually be color-coded for easier identification and routing. In order to minimize electromagnetic interference, a shield made of a metal mesh or a metal foil can be arranged around the insulated conductor 4 as a filler 10. In addition, an additional inner sheath can be placed around the shield to improve the mechanical stability of the cable 2. In addition, the entire cable 2 can have a strong outer sheath 8, which is preferably made of a material such as PVC, PE or a thermoplastic elastomer and can have specific properties such as flame retardancy or oil resistance. This multilayer structure allows the cable 2 to have high flexibility and robustness, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.

[0195] In other optional designs of the cable 2, the conductor can be extremely flexible and equipped with a 360° full shield. This full shield can effectively shield electromagnetic interference (EMC), thereby ensuring the integrity of data transmission. Other optional versions include an overmolded version of the cable 2 with a highly resistant PUR overmolding, which is specially designed for application in harsh environments. The cable can be designed to be self-assembled, that is, assembled on site (on site on the system). In particular, this means that the cable itself has structural adaptability, which allows it to be quickly and easily connected and separated and adapted to the desired length. In this way, the cable can be quickly adjusted or replaced as needed without the need for special tools or expert knowledge.

[0196] The electrical conductor 4 can be made of, for example, copper or aluminum. Depending on the application, other materials such as gold, silver, carbon fiber and conductive polymers can also be used as components of the conductor 4. In addition, composite materials made from various of these elements can also be used in special applications to optimize specific properties such as conductivity, weight and corrosion resistance.

[0197] Furthermore, the at least one coding 50 may include the geometry of the cable 2 and / or the extrusion profile 7 and / or the conduit (not explicitly shown) and / or the grommet. The at least one coding 50 may also include an electrical coding 50 of the cable 2, in which a systematic arrangement of the electrical conductors 4 of the cable 2 is specified, thereby predetermining a specific assignment of the electrical contact means 28 of the component 20 for the connection. Figure 5, a corresponding coding 50 is shown in which the contact means 28 of the component 20 are arranged in a corresponding manner at different lateral spacings.

[0198] exist Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figures 5 to 8 Schematically shown in FIG. 2 is a component 20 for connecting to a cable 2. The component may have at least one electrical contact mechanism 28 for making electrical contact with at least one electrical conductor 4 of the cable 2 in the axial direction A of the cable 2 or the conductor 4. The axial direction A or longitudinal direction of the cable 2 Figure 1 In addition, at least one electrical contact mechanism 28 can be designed to produce an electrical contact in the cable 2, ie, in particular in the cable 2 or in the sheath 8.

[0199] Figure 6 and Figure 7 It is further shown that another structure such as a locking structure and / or an orientation structure 60 can be provided, for example to further simplify the correct alignment of the component 20 relative to the cable 2 during the connection process. The structure 60 is formed, for example, in the form of a groove or material recess on the component 20 and / or the cable 2.

[0200] Figure 8 The bore 6 of the cable 2 is shown to also be interrupted by a connection 14. The connection 14 can repeatedly interrupt the bore 6 in the axial direction A of the cable 2. In particular, it acts as a seal for condensation. This has the advantage of preventing moisture from penetrating the cable 2, thus ensuring that it is always effective. The connection 14 can thus also act as a seal.

[0201] also, Figure 8 A locking pin 45 is shown which may be provided on the contact mechanism 28 to secure the position on the cable 2 after the connection has been made. More generally, a locking device 45 may be provided on the component 20 or the cable 2 to secure an established connection.

[0202] Figure 8 and Fig. 9 It is further shown that the coding 50 may include a first coding 51 provided by the shape of the cavity 6. This refers in particular to a first coding 51 having a Fig. 9 The opening shape of the cavity 6 is a contour 7 that can be recognized in the drawing. Alternatively or additionally, a second coding 52 provided by the arrangement and / or formation of the conductor 4 can be provided. In particular, the coding can be provided here by forming the strand 4 to the tip 30 of the contact means 28, or conversely, the corresponding coding can be provided by forming the tip 30 of the contact means 28 to the strand 4. Due to the tip 30, the contact means 28 can be designed accordingly as a needle, which then penetrates the conductor cross section 5 of the conductor 4 in order to make contact during the connection process (see Fig.13 ). Different lengths of the contact mechanism 28 can also be provided, for example, for leading the safety contact mechanism 29.

[0203] Figure 8 It is further shown that the component 20 can include at least one contact means 28 in the form of a piercing means which is designed to be penetrated into an electrical conductor 4 in the form of an electrical strand 4 of the cable 2 in the axial direction A of the cable 2 or the conductor 4 . Figure 8 The individual wires of the strand 4 are shown to be bent apart at the pin tip 30 .

[0204] exist Figure 1 It is further shown by dashed lines that at least one of the contact mechanisms 28 can be designed as a safety contact mechanism 29, which is designed to be in front relative to at least one or all other contact mechanisms 28. This allows the safety contact mechanism 29 to contact one of the electrical conductors 4 of the cable 2 before at least one or another of the contact mechanisms 28 when making a connection, i.e. during the contact movement.

[0205] Fig.10 It is shown that recurring markings 62 (e.g., one every 5 mm) can be provided on the cable 2, which indicate the penetration depth of the electrical contact means 28, which is preferably in the form of a piercing means. For example, the markings 62 can be printed thereon. The markings 62 can, for example, be provided in the form of lines or dots. The markings 62 can also be mechanical markings, which, for example, interact with the insertion means 80.

[0206] exist Fig.12 In FIG. 1 , according to a further embodiment of the invention, a connection system 1 having a component 20 and a cable 2 can be seen. The component 20 can be configured to be connected to the cable 2. To this end, the component 20 can include a plurality of contact means 28 for making contact with the conductors 4 of the cable 2. In the illustrated cable 2, the conductors 4 are accessible from the outside for making contact with the contact means 28. Fig.12 In the embodiment, the conductor 4 is surrounded by an insulating sheath 11 and is therefore part of a wire 13, in particular a stranded wire 13 (see Fig.13 ). Both the contact means 28 and the conductor 4 are electrically conductive. Furthermore, the conductor 4 may have an exposed conductor cross section 5 for contacting (see Fig.13 and Fig.14 ).

[0207] The connection system 1 can be designed to make the contact means 28 contact the conductor 4 in the axial direction A of the cable 2 or the conductor 4 so as to electrically connect the contact means 28 directly to the exposed conductor cross section 5. For this purpose, Fig.13 As shown, the contact means 28 can each have a pointed end 30 and / or be needle-shaped. In other words, the conductor 4 can be contacted by piercing the exposed conductor cross section 5 along the axial direction A with the contact means 28 .

[0208] exist Figure 12 to Figure 14In particular, a contact surface 9 is provided on the cable 2, at which the conductor 4 is accessible for contact with the contact mechanism 28. Specifically, the contact surface 9 can be located in a cutting plane of the cable 2, which is formed, for example, by cutting the cable 2 at this point. It can be seen that the conductor 4 can be approached from the inside of the cable 2 to the outside (see Fig.13 and Fig.14 ) or protrusion (see Fig.12 ), so that it is visible and accessible from outside the cable 2. Fig.13 and Fig.14 In the figure, the respective exposed conductor cross section 5 is also located in the section plane.

[0209] according to Fig.13 Each conductor 4 can form a wire 13 with the surrounding insulating sheath 11, whereby the wire 13 protrudes from the contact surface 9 (see Fig.12 ) or flush with the contact surface 9 ( Fig.13 and Fig.14 ). Furthermore, the solution according to the embodiment of the invention can avoid stripping, so that the protruding conductor 4 and / or the exposed conductor cross section 5 are still completely or partially surrounded by the insulating sheath 11. However, the protruding conductor 13 can be at least partially or completely free from the cable sheath 8 of the cable 2 over the entire circumference (see Fig.12 ).

[0210] The connection system 1 may have Fig.12 The guide device 70 shown is formed separately from the cable 2 and the component 20 and / or is movably or detachably connected to the cable 2 and / or the component 20. The guide device 70 can be designed to mechanically guide the contact in the axial direction A of the cable 2 and preferably guide the conductor 4, in particular the wire 13 and / or the contact mechanism 28 for contact in the axial direction A of the cable 2. In other words, the guide device 70 can provide linear guidance for the cable 2 and / or the component 20. When the component 20 and the cable 2 are moved relative to each other in a linearly guided manner to make contact, this can also be called a contact movement.

[0211] The guide device 70 may include a guide housing 72 with a guide structure 71. Fig.12 In the embodiment, the guide structure 71 is provided in particular in the form of an opening of a guide housing 72 in order to provide mechanical guidance for the respective conductor 4, in particular the cable 13 and / or the contact mechanism 28. Fig.12 As shown, the guide structure 71 can be formed on a first side 76 of the guide housing 72 for accommodating the conductor 4, in particular the cable 13, and can be formed on the other opposite second side 77 (facing away from the first side 76) of the guide housing 72 for accommodating the contact mechanism 28.

[0212] Fig.12The lines 13 in the may have different colors and can thus be color-coded. Corresponding colors can also be provided in the area of ​​the openings 71 to facilitate allocation.

[0213] Furthermore, at least one coding 50 or counter coding 27 having the above-described properties can also be provided on the guide device 70 , for example in the form of a guide grommet.

[0214] Fig.12 The component 20 and / or a part 44 of the guide 70 can seal the contact surface 9 in the connected state and / or mechanically lock it and / or provide anti-twist protection. Here, for example, an O-ring or a sealing lip on the guide 70 can be considered as a seal. A locking lug (not explicitly shown) or a locking hook can be used as a locking element. A projection or a groove can serve as anti-twist protection.

[0215] Fig.15 and Fig.16 An example of an insertion mechanism 80 is shown, which can be arranged on the guide structure 71 for controlling the contact movement so as to insert at least one or more electrical contact mechanisms 28 into the relevant electrical conductor 4 along the axial direction A of the conductor 4 and / or cable 2 to a predetermined penetration depth 90.

[0216] The insertion mechanism 80 can be designed to insert, in particular pierce, the respective contact mechanism 28 linearly guided by the contact movement into the relevant electrical conductor 4 with a predetermined penetration depth 90, in particular a piercing depth 90, and the predetermined penetration depth 90 is preferably in the range of 0.5 mm to 10 mm, preferably 1 mm to 6 mm, preferably 2 mm to 4 mm.

[0217] The insertion mechanism 80 may also include a pressure piece 81 and a transmission assembly 82. Here, the transmission assembly 82 may be connected to the pressure piece 81 in a force-transmitting manner so that the pressure piece 81 moves when a force is applied manually or mechanically to the transmission assembly 82. In this way, the respective electrical contact means 28 may be introduced or inserted into the relevant electrical conductor 4 through the pressure piece 81 by means of a contact movement. Here, the stroke 93 of the pressure piece 81 between the starting position 91 and the final position 92 may be determined by a predetermined penetration depth 90 and / or may be predetermined by the structure. In addition, an adjustment mechanism 84 may be provided for adjusting the predetermined penetration depth 90, preferably the stroke 93, in the insertion mechanism 80, preferably depending on the cable type of the cable 2 and / or continuously and / or in several predetermined stages.

[0218] also, Fig.15The schematically shown insertion mechanism 80 can be designed as a lever mechanism 80, in which the transmission assembly 82 comprises a lever arm 82. It can be used to transmit a manual or machine force on the transmission assembly 82 into a controllable contact movement, in which the control is carried out in such a way that the contact movement is linearly guided and / or the penetration depth 90 is predetermined and / or controlled and / or limited and / or preset and / or the current penetration depth 90 is indexed for the user.

[0219] In addition, you can set Fig.15 An indexing device 83 is shown to indicate the current penetration depth 90 during the contact movement in a visual, tactile or audible manner.

[0220] Fig.16 It is shown that the insertion device 80 can also have a nut 85, preferably a union nut 85, which is designed to establish a mechanical connection between the component 20 and the cable 2 and is screwed onto the thread 86 for this purpose. In addition, a transmission assembly 82 can be provided, which is designed to transmit the movement, in particular the rotational movement, of the nut 85 on the thread 86 to the pressure piece 81. In addition, the pressure piece 81 can be arranged in the area of ​​a guide space 87 and guided so that it is guided through the guide space 87 of the guide structure 71 by the transmission movement along the longitudinal axis of the strand 86, so as to thereby apply a force for inserting the electrical contact device 28, wherein the guide space 87 is designed to accommodate a part of the component 20 and / or at least one electrical contact device 8.

[0221] In addition, according to Fig.16 A retaining member 88 may be provided which is firmly connected to the pressure member 81 in order to limit the contact movement when the retaining member 88 encounters a counter retaining member 89 .

[0222] Fig.11 A method 100 for achieving electrical contact between a cable 2 and a component 20 is schematically shown. According to a first step 101, the cable 2 can be unwound and / or assembled to a desired length. According to a second step 102, a direct connection of the component 20 to the cable 2 can be established. To this end, the component 20 can be directly inserted and / or pierced into the cable 2 or vice versa to establish electrical and mechanical contact. In addition, a mechanical seal between the cable 2 and the component 20 can be established at least partially or exclusively by establishing this connection.

[0223] Fig.17An embodiment of a connection system 1 according to the invention is schematically shown, which comprises an embodiment of a component 20 according to the invention and an embodiment of a cable 2 according to the invention. The cable 2 has a plurality of mutually spaced strain relief profiles 172. The strain relief profiles 172 are formed as circumferential grooves and are evenly spaced along the cable 2. The strain relief 171 of the component 20 engages in such strain relief profiles 172, wherein the strain relief 171 is formed integrally with the component 20 and prevents accidental pulling of the cable 2 leading to accidental separation of the electrical connection between the cable 2 and the component 20. The electrical connection is established by sharpened contact means, each of which is penetrated into only one predetermined electrical conductor of the cable. The electrical conductors of the cable 2 extend twisted with each other along the length of the cable 2. The cable 2 also has a coding 50, which interacts with a counter-coding of the component 20, so that the contact means of the component 20 only electrically contacts the electrical conductor provided for this purpose during the establishment of the electrical connection between the component 20 and the cable 2, because the coding 50 and the counter-coding together form a guide and prevent any other contact between the conductors of the contact means. To this end, the coding 50 of the cable 2 is formed on the circumference of the cable as a spiral groove or a thread groove extending in the direction in which the cable 2 extends. Alternatively, a flange of similar design can be provided instead of the groove. The coding 50 has a continuous direction along the direction in which the cable 2 extends and has the same relative position relative to the electrical conductor of the cable 2 transversely or perpendicularly to the direction in which the cable 2 extends at each point along the extension of the cable 2. In other words, the cable 2 can be shortened to a desired length at any point in the cable 2 in order to establish an electrical connection between the cable 2 and the component 20, because the constant relative position along the cable ensures the expected electrical contact. The contact surface 9 is formed at the cable end 217, where the contact mechanism is inserted into the cable conductor.

[0224] Fig.18a An exemplary embodiment of a component 20 according to the invention is shown. A contact mechanism 28 for contacting an electrical conductor of a cable can be seen. The contact mechanism 28 is electrically connected to a contact conductor 180 of a plug 181 of the component 20, which here forms a plug assembly 181. The guide path from the contact mechanism 28 to the contact conductor 180 of the plug 181 is not formed in a straight line, but is preferably inclined at least once in the vertical direction, whereby the plug 181 is formed on one side of the component 20 extending transversely or perpendicularly to the insertion direction of the cable 2. Instead of a plug 181 with a plug assembly 181, a socket with a socket assembly can be provided.

[0225] Fig.18b Another exemplary embodiment of a component 20 according to the invention is shown. Fig.18aThe embodiment of the present invention differs in that the plug 181 is formed on the side of the component 20 that faces away from the side of the component 20 where the cable can be electrically contacted with the contact mechanism 28. In addition, the guide path of the contact conductor 180 from the contact mechanism 28 to the plug 181 is formed in such a way that the arrangement and / or distribution of the contact conductor 180 of the plug 181 differs from that of the contact mechanism 28.

[0226] Fig.19a An embodiment of a connection system 1 is shown. Here, the strain relief 171 is formed by a heat shrink tube 191. The heat shrink tube 191 also serves to seal the electrical connection between the cable 2 and the component 20. The heat shrink tube 191 engages in a circumferential groove forming the strain relief profile 172. Furthermore, the heat shrink tube is attached to the component 20.

[0227] Fig.19b A further embodiment of the connection system 1 is shown. Here, the cable 2 has microcapsules 193 which, when in contact with the activating substance 194, release a sealing compound which seals the electrical connection between the cable 2 and the component 20 relative to the environment. Of course, it is also possible that the component 20 has the microcapsules and the cable 2 has the activating substance. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the activation, i.e. the release of the microcapsules, takes place by heat, light, radiation or another suitable means.

[0228] Fig.19c Another embodiment of the connection system 1 is shown. Here, the sealing cavity 198 in the component, which is bounded by the cable 2 and the component 20, is sealed from the environment by a sealing compound 195. The component 20 preferably has a filling opening 196 for filling the sealing compound 195. In addition, the component 20 can have an outlet hole 197, from which the filled sealing compound 195 can escape if the sealing cavity 198 has been filled with the sealing compound 195. Alternatively or additionally, the component 20 can have an observation window delimiting the sealing cavity 198, whereby the user can visually recognize the extent to which the sealing cavity 198 is filled with the sealing compound 195.

[0229] For ease of representation, the contact mechanism is Fig.17 and Figures 19a to 19c is not shown or is not visible due to the selected diagram.

[0230] The above-mentioned embodiment explanations describe the invention only by way of example. Of course, without departing from the scope of the invention, the individual features of the embodiment can be combined freely with one another, as long as this is technically advantageous.

Claims

1. A power cable (2) for connection to an electrical component (20), the cable (2) having at least one electrical conductor (4), characterized in that At least one code (50) is spatially formed on the cable in order to predetermine the specific arrangement and allocation of the electrical contact mechanism (28) of the electrical component (20) and the electrical conductor (4) of the cable (2).

2. The cable (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that The at least one coding (50) comprises a mechanical coding and / or a geometric coding (50) of the cable (2), wherein a geometric profile (7), in particular a spatial shape and / or an outer shape, extends in the axial direction (A) of the cable (2), and wherein the profile (7) preferably defines a guide cavity (6) for a guide mechanism (26) and preferably for a guide pin of the electrical component (20), thereby predetermining a specific orientation of the electrical component (20) for the connection to prevent connection of the electrical component (20) when the orientation deviates from the specific orientation, wherein the guide cavity (6) is particularly preferably designed for transmitting a fluid, in particular for transmitting a medium such as air or a liquid.

3. The cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The at least one coding (50) comprises a geometric profile and / or an extruded profile (7) of the cable (2) and / or the tube and / or the grommet, the coding being arranged in the cable (2), in particular on the inside of a cable sheath (8) of the cable and / or on the outside of the cable sheath (8) and / or on the cable sheath (8), the shape of the coding (50) preferably being different from the basic shape of the cable (2).

4. The cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The at least one coding (50) is formed by a non-rotationally symmetrical cross section of the cable (2), in particular by a non-rotationally symmetrical inner contour and / or outer contour of the cable (2).

5. The cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The at least one coding (50) also includes an electrical coding (50) of the cable (2), in which a systematic arrangement of the electrical conductors (4) of the cable (2) is provided, thereby predetermining a specific assignment of the electrical contact means (28) of the electrical component (20) for the connection.

6. Cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The electrical conductors (4) of the cable (2) are each formed as a twisted wire (4) to form a socket, which is used to insert at least one electrical contact mechanism (28) of the electrical component (20), preferably for piercing the contact mechanism (28) in the form of a contact tip on a contact surface (9) of the cable (2) in the axial direction (A) of the cable (2), wherein preferably, the electrical conductor (4) is adjacent to an outer area of ​​the cable (2) on the contact surface (9).

7. The cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Recurring markings (62) are provided, which indicate the penetration depth of the electrical contact means (28), which are preferably in the form of piercing means.

8. Cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The electrical conductor (4) extends only and / or directly extends and / or adjoins a contact surface (9) of the cable (2), preferably in order to allow the contact means (28), in particular in the form of a contact tip and / or a piercing means, to penetrate into the electrical conductor (4) at the contact surface (9), the contact surface (9) preferably extending transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the extension direction of the cable (2), and the contact surface (9) in particular forms a cutting surface (9) of the cable (2) and / or a cable end (217) of the cable (2), the cable (2) preferably having been shortened to a desired length at the cutting surface (9).

9. Cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The cable (2) has a plurality of contours, in particular strain relief device contours (172), preferably at orderly intervals from one another on its outer circumference along its extension range. The plurality of contours are particularly preferably in the form of circumferential recesses, in particular grooves or notches, or protrusions, in particular bead flanges or steps, and are preferably used for heat shrink tubes (191) or strain relief devices (171).

10. The cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The cable (2) has microcapsules (193) for forming a seal, in particular on the outer circumference of the cable (2) and / or on the contact surface (9), the filling of the microcapsules being capable of being released in particular by supplying heat, radiation, in particular supplying light preferably in the form of ultraviolet rays, contact with an activating substance or light supply in combination with moisture, or the cable (2) has an activating substance for the microcapsules (193), in particular on the outer circumference and / or on the contact surface (9), so as to release the filling of the microcapsules (193) when in contact with the microcapsules (193) to form a seal.

11. The cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The electrical conductors (4) of the cable (2) are twisted together, in particular in the form of one or more pairs of twisted wires, three twisted wires or four twisted wires, wherein the at least one code (50) has a continuous direction along the length of the cable (2) and a direction matching the twisting, so that at each point of the cable (2) along the length of the cable (2), the at least one code (50) and the electrical conductor (4) have the same relative position to each other, in particular in a plane transverse to, in particular perpendicular to, the extension direction of the cable (2).

12. The cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The cable (2) has a fluid line, in particular a liquid line or a gas line, the at least one coding (50) being formed partially or exclusively by the fluid line, the electrical conductor (4), in particular the stranded wire, surrounding the fluid line along the extension of the cable (2) in order to preferably ensure that the conductor (4) is uniformly cooled by a fluid that can be guided through the fluid line.

13. A component (20) for connection to a power cable (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, the component (20) comprising: - at least one electrical contact mechanism (28) for making electrical contact with at least one electrical conductor (4) of the power cable (2) in the axial direction (A) of the power cable (2), characterised in that the at least one electrical contact mechanism (28) is designed to form electrical contact in the power cable (2).

14. The component (20) according to claim 13, characterized in that The component (20) further comprises: a coping coding (27) in order to predetermine during said connection a specific arrangement and assignment of said at least one electrical contact means (28) to said at least one electrical conductor (4) of said cable (2), preferably said coping coding (27) interacting with said coding of said cable (2) and / or matching said coding (50) of said cable, - In particular, at least one guide pin (26) is designed to provide axial guidance in a component (20) in preferably the cable (2) and / or in the connection of the cable (2), and is preferably designed to correspond to the coding (27), the guide pin (26) being preferably designed to be in front relative to the at least one contact mechanism (28).

15. A component (20) according to claim 13 or 14, characterised in that The component (20) further comprises: - at least one of the contact means (28) is in the form of a piercing means, and the contact means (28) is designed to pierce into the associated electrical conductor (4) in the form of an electrical strand (4) of the cable (2) in the axial direction (A) of the conductor (4), preferably into the exposed conductor cross section (5) of the conductor (4), wherein preferably several, preferably at least three or at least four or at least five, contact means (28) are provided so as to electrically contact one of the conductors (4) of the cable (2).

16. A component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that At least one of the contact mechanisms (28) is designed as a safety contact mechanism (29), and the safety contact mechanism (29) is designed to be in front relative to at least one of the other contact mechanisms (28) or all the other contact mechanisms (28), so as to contact one of the electrical conductors (4) of the cable (2) before the at least one contact mechanism or the other contact mechanism when making a connection.

17. A component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that A sealing mechanism (44) is provided to achieve a seal (44) between the cable jacket (8) of the cable (2) and the component (20) during assembly to establish the connection.

18. A component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 17, characterized in that The configuration and / or arrangement and / or dimensioning of the multiple contact mechanisms (28), in particular the configuration and / or arrangement and / or size setting of the multiple contact mechanisms (28), are designed for the electrical conductor (4), in particular the dimensioning and / or course of the electrical conductor (4) and / or the arrangement of the electrical conductor (4) on the contact surface (9), and electrical contact of several electrical conductors (4) through only one of the contact mechanisms (28), in particular through one contact mechanism (28) that electrically contacts a first electrical conductor (4) in the contact surface (9) and another electrical conductor (4) behind or beside the first electrical conductor (4) in the extension direction of the cable (2) is excluded.

19. A component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 18, characterized in that The component (20) has a strain relief device (171) for the cable (2), the strain relief device being designed to interact with one of the profiles of the cable (2), preferably in the form of a circumferential recess, in particular a groove or notch, or a protrusion or protrusion, in particular a flange or a shoulder, in particular one of the strain relief device profiles (172), so that the cable (2) is strain-relieved, and / or The component (20) has a heat shrink tube and a fastening mechanism for the heat shrink tube (191), preferably in the form of a fastening profile, in order to form the strain relief device (171) for the cable (2), in particular by means of the heat shrink tube (191).

20. A component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 19, characterised in that The component (20) comprises microcapsules (193) for forming a seal, in particular in the region for contact with the outer circumference of the cable (2) and / or the contact surface (9), the filling of the microcapsules (193) being released in particular by supplying heat, radiation, in particular light, preferably in the form of ultraviolet or UV light, in contact with an activating substance (194) or in combination with moisture, or The component (20) has an activating substance for microcapsules (193), particularly in the area for contact with the outer circumference of the cable (2) and / or the contact surface (9), so as to release the filling of the microcapsules (193) when in contact with the microcapsules (193).

21. A component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 20, characterized in that The contact mechanism (28) is electrically connected to an electrical contact conductor (180) of a plug assembly (181) or a socket assembly of the electrical component, and the position and / or arrangement and / or distribution and / or dimensioning of the electrical contact conductor (180) is different from the position and / or arrangement and / or distribution and / or dimensioning of the contact mechanism (28), especially on the contact surface (9).

22. A component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 21, characterised in that The component (20) has a fluid passage for connecting to a transmission fluid of the fluid line of the cable (2).

23. A component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 22, characterized in that The component (20) is designed as a plug or a sensor or an actuator or a module preferably for use in industrial automation and preferably in an electrical device for industrial automation.

24. A connection system (1) comprising a cable (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 and a component (20) according to any one of claims 13 to 23.

25. Connection system (1) according to claim 24, characterized in that An electrical connection is in particular established between the cable (2) and the component (20) so that the contact mechanism (28) is pierced into the relevant conductor (28), the connection system (1) comprises a seal, in particular a material-locking seal and / or a force-locking seal and / or a form-locking seal, which seals the connection and in particular a cable section near the connection relative to the environment of the connection system (1) in particular according to IP20 or IP67, the seal is preferably formed by a heat shrink tube (191), in particular in the case of a form-locking seal, or by the heat shrink tube (191) forming the strain relief device (171).

26. Connection system (1) according to claim 25, characterized in that The seal seals and / or electrically insulates the transition from the fluid line to the fluid channel in a fluid-tight manner relative to the contact point, the contact point being formed by contact between the conductor (4) and the contact means (28) on the contact surface (9), and / or wherein the seals electrically insulate and / or seal the contact point relative to each other, the contact point being formed by contact between the conductor (4) and the contact means (28) on the contact surface (9).

27. Connection system (1) according to claim 25 or 26, characterized in that The seal is formed by a sealing compound (195), in particular an adhesive or a potting compound, wherein, in particular in the extension direction of the cable (2) and / or in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the cable (2), a sealing cavity (198) for accommodating the sealing compound (195) is formed between the cable (2), in particular the contact surface (9) of the cable (2), and the component, wherein the sealing compound (195) is located in the sealing cavity and preferably completely fills the sealing cavity (198), wherein the sealing The sealing cavity (198) preferably has a filling opening (196) for the sealing compound (195) which is in particular closed by the sealing compound (195), wherein the sealing cavity (198) preferably has an outlet (197) for the sealing compound (195) which is in particular closed by the sealing compound (195), wherein the section of the component (20) defining the sealing cavity (198) is in particular formed from a transparent material, so that the extent to which the sealing cavity (198) is filled with the sealing compound (195) can be visually determined.

28. Connection system (1) according to any one of claims 25 to 27, characterized in that The seal is formed by the released filling of the microcapsule (193), in particular of the cable (2) or of the component (20).

29. The connection system (1) according to any one of claims 24 to 28, wherein: The cable (2) is attached to the component (20) by a force-fit connection and / or a form-fit connection and / or a material-fit connection.

30. The connection system (1) according to any one of claims 24 to 29, characterized in that The component (20) has a strain relief device (171) for the cable (2), in particular a heat shrink tube (191) formed as a strain relief device (171), the heat shrink tube (191) is preferably fastened to the component (20), the strain relief device (171) interacts with one of the outer shapes of the cable (2), in particular one of the strain relief device outer shapes (172), so that the cable (2) is strain relieved, and the strain relief device (171) forms a shape fit with the outer shape of the cable (2), in particular the strain relief device outer shape (172), preferably by the strain relief device (171) being engaged behind the outer shape, in particular the strain relief device outer shape (172) or engaged in the strain relief device outer shape (172).

31. The connection system (1) according to any one of claims 24 to 30, characterized in that The connection system (1) comprises an insertion mechanism (80), in particular a screw mechanism, a lever mechanism or a plug mechanism, for performing a contact movement, wherein the insertion mechanism (80) is preferably designed to move the cable (2) in the direction of the component (20) during the contact movement, and the connection system (1) or the insertion mechanism (80) preferably comprises an adjustment mechanism (84) for adjusting the predetermined penetration depth (90) of the contact mechanism (28) inserted into the conductor (4) at the insertion mechanism (80), preferably in relation to the cable type of the cable (2) and / or continuously and / or in several predetermined stages, wherein the connection system (1) or the insertion mechanism (80) preferably has an indexing mechanism (83), which is designed to index the current penetration depth (90) for a user during the contact movement.

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