Attachment housing with seal

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical attachment housing for receiving a high-current plug connector, comprising at least one housing, an electrical contact element and a sealing element. The housing has a device side and a plug side. The stop is arranged in the circumferential direction on the housing and the plug side has at least one fastening device which engages with a fastening form of the high-current plug connector. Furthermore, the plug side has at least one device for encoding, which prevents a plug-in process with an improper plug connector or prevents a plug-in process with the high-current plug connector in an undesired direction. According to the invention, the sealing element is embodied as a one-piece, substantially hollow cylindrical sleeve having a sealing flange and at least one circumferential sealing contour.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an attachment housing with a seal of the type specified in independent claim 1 .

[0002] Such an additional housing is required in order to enable the electrical connection of electrical conductors, usually insulated cables, into devices such as transformers, energy storage devices, working machines, switch cabinets and / or working machines. Background Art

[0003] Many different variants and numbers of attachment housings are known in the prior art. Even in the case of single-conductor connectors, there are attachment housings that can meet a variety of different functions.

[0004] A disadvantage of the known solutions is the insufficient tightness against foreign media, in particular fluids. This disadvantage is particularly disadvantageous when the means for coding, i.e. for preventing incorrect / unwanted plug connections or incorrect / unwanted orientation of a correct plug connector, are arranged on the inside of the attachment housing. Summary of the invention

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

[0006] A further object of the present invention is to provide a plug connector system having an attachment housing according to the invention which is provided with a sealing element.

[0007] Finally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for producing an attachment housing having a sealing element.

[0008] This object is achieved by the subject matter of independent claim 1 .

[0009] A further object is achieved by the subject matter of the coordinated claim 14 .

[0010] Finally, this object is achieved by the subject matter of the coordinated claim 16 .

[0011] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims and in the following description.

[0012] In order to achieve the above-mentioned task, the present invention proposes an electrical attachment housing for accommodating a high-current electrical plug connector, which has at least one housing, an electrical contact element and a sealing element. The housing has a device side and a plug side. The stop is arranged on the housing in the circumferential direction and the plug side has at least one fastening device, which engages with the fastening form of the high-current plug connector. In addition, the plug side has at least one device for coding, which prevents a plug-in process with an unsuitable plug connector or a plug-in process with a high-current plug connector in an undesired orientation. According to the invention, the sealing element is implemented as an integral, essentially hollow cylindrical sleeve with a sealing flange and at least one circumferential sealing contour.

[0013] An “additional housing” is to be understood in particular to mean a device which is designed to enable an electrical connection of a device, such as a working machine, a switch cabinet, a transformer or an energy storage device, to an electrical line, in particular a cable.

[0014] In particular in the context of the present invention, a "high-current plug connector" is understood to be a plug connector which can be connected to an attachment housing and is designed to transmit high currents. The current strength is therefore greater than or equal to 50 amperes (A), preferably greater than or equal to 120 A, in particular greater than or equal to 200 A and in conceivable applications even greater than or equal to 400 A.

[0015] "Housing" should be understood as a housing and / or outer cover of any structure, which surrounds and / or accommodates contact elements to a large extent before touching or contacting with foreign media. Preferably, the housing is designed to be guided through the wall of the previously described device, wherein the internal space of the device is preferably also protected from the influence of foreign media, such as dust, dirt or fluids, such as oil or water. For this reason, different seals can be provided in, around or on the housing, which are used for sealing between the device wall and the housing. The housing can be basically divided into two areas, namely the plug side and the device side. The plug side is designed to be connected to the high-current plug connector and has a fastening device, which can be engaged with the corresponding fastening form arranged on the high-current plug connector. The device side is designed to be at least partially introduced into the corresponding device. Preferably, the device side has a fixed molding, whereby the attached housing can be connected to the device wall. Threads, particularly external threads, latch hooks or openings for connecting elements (such as screws, bolts or rivets) are suitable as fixed moldings.

[0016] A “contact element” is to be understood as an electrically conductive component which is at least partially arranged in the housing. The contact element attached to the housing is preferably a pin contact which receives a touch protection element at its plug-side end to protect it from being touched by a person.

[0017] The term "sealing element" refers to a device for sealing the attachment housing against foreign media, in particular dust, dirt and / or fluids, such as water, oil or similar operating media. The sealing element should be suitable, on the one hand, for protecting the device on which the attachment housing is arranged. On the other hand, it should seal the area in which the electrical connection between the attachment housing and the high-current plug connector is realized when they are plugged into each other.

[0018] A "stop" is preferably understood to be a shaped element on the housing which is suitable for limiting the introduction into the device. Usually, annular or disk-shaped shaped parts and / or attachments are used here. These stops usually allow for the accommodation of seals, such as O-rings, in order to protect the device from the intrusion of foreign media around the attached housing. In addition, the stops can achieve a reliable fastening of the attached housing, for example by bringing a fixing element, such as a lock nut, from the interior of the device to a fixing shaped part, such as a thread, of the housing and engaging each other there.

[0019] The terms "fastening means" and "fastening form" refer to corresponding elements on the attachment housing or the high-current plug connector, which are designed to engage with each other in order to ensure a mechanical connection. Usually, a latching hook is introduced into a latching recess, preferably in a reversible embodiment, in particular as a push-pull locking device, a push-push locking device, or an element such as a bayonet locking device, a screw connection or a locking lever. In this case, the fastening means is primarily assigned to the attachment housing and the fastening form is assigned to the high-current plug connector, but a fastening form on the attachment housing and a fastening means on the high-current plug connector are also conceivable.

[0020] "Means for coding" are understood to mean means which enable an unambiguous assignment of a high-current plug connector to an attachment housing. In particular, the plugging of an unsuitable plug connector to an attachment housing should be prevented or at least hindered. The coding can and should also prevent or at least make more difficult the plugging of a correct high-current plug connector but in an undesired orientation and / or alignment.

[0021] Another embodiment provides that the sealing contour is arranged as an annular profile on the outside of the sealing element. Preferably, the sealing contour is implemented as a circumferential thin plate. The sealing contour should therefore be implemented as a thin-walled ring around the sleeve of the sealing element. As a result, the sealing element, more precisely the thin plate, should be able to compensate and seal the device for coding that is otherwise unfavorable to the seal in a simple but helpful way. Preferably, the sealing contour is arranged on the sleeve at least twice, at different intervals along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. The sealing contour is cleverly arranged three times along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. Quadruple or otherwise multiple forms of the sealing contour along the longitudinal axis of the sleeve are also conceivable.

[0022] Another embodiment provides that the flange outer diameter of the sealing flange is quantified to at least 80% of the inner diameter on the device side. Particularly preferably, the sealing flange is implemented with a flange outer diameter that is 90% of the inner diameter on the device side. Ideally, the flange outer diameter fills 100% of the inner diameter on the device side. This means that the sealing flange is as close as possible to the inner side of the wall of the attachment housing. In an embodiment with 80% diameter conformity, complete sealing is achieved, for example, by a pressure acting on the sealing flange, which is applied to the sealing flange by the plug connector housing of the high-current plug connector when the attachment housing and the high-current plug connector are plugged together, so that the sealing flange is elastically deformed and abuts against the inner side of the wall.

[0023] Another embodiment provides that at least the sealing flange is made of an elastic material, which is connected to the inner side of the attached housing in a material-locked manner. Preferably, the sealing element is made of an elastic material, wherein at least the sealing flange is connected to the inner side of the attached housing, in particular the inner side of the device side, in a material-locked manner. For this purpose, in one embodiment, the sealing element is connected to the wall of the inner side of the attached housing by a joining method, preferably an adhesive bonding method. Particularly preferably, the seal is introduced into the attached housing by a molding method. Casting methods such as die casting or injection molding are suitable for this. Preferably, the sealing element is molded into the attached housing by a low-pressure die casting method, in particular by injection molding around the contact element.

[0024] Another embodiment provides that the sealing contour forms a sealing engagement with the inner wall of the high-current plug connector. In other words, the sealing contour, which is preferably embodied as a double or multiple lamella, rests sealingly against the inner wall of the high-current plug connector. As a result, the contact elements of the high-current plug connector and the contact sockets electrically conductively connected to the contact elements are substantially protected from the intrusion of foreign media. It is particularly advantageous that the sealing element can be arranged around the device for encoding arranged on the inside, wherein sealing against foreign media can be achieved by means of a sealing contour which is arranged around one or more regions of the sleeve on the circumference and extends radially from these regions in order to mechanically contact the inner wall of the high-current plug connector.

[0025] Another embodiment provides that the sealing contour has a contour outer diameter which is smaller than or equal to the flange outer diameter. In this way, it is possible to influence in a meaningful way how the predetermined embodiment of the high-current plug connector is to be solved. Thus, in the case of a wide wall of the plug connector housing, a smaller contour outer diameter can be selected than is required in the case of a thinner wall in order to achieve a reasonable sealing against foreign media.

[0026] Another embodiment provides that the sealing contour accommodates or surrounds the means for encoding in a flexible manner and seals it against foreign media. This means that the sealing contour can be deformed elastically around the built-in means for encoding in order to achieve the desired tightness. This also means that in the case of a sealing element introduced by a casting method, the means for encoding can be bypassed from the outset, so that the sealing contour can contain, surround or, by means of a correspondingly elastic design, bypass the device.

[0027] Another embodiment provides that the contact element has a connection area, a contact area and a fixing area, wherein the connection area is separated from the contact area by the fixing area, and wherein the contact area is substantially cylindrical. Here, the area of ​​the contact element arranged in the interior of the device can be understood as a connection area, which is implemented to be connected to the conductor and / or cable in the interior of the device. The contact area is implemented to establish a conductive connection with the plug connector contact. Preferably, the contact area is cylindrical, that is, it is ideally implemented as a pin contact. The fixing area should be understood as such a form, that is, it makes it possible to fasten the contact element preferably surrounded by the housing by a casting method. For this purpose, a molded part, such as a protrusion, a radial spring, a circumferential ring or a similar molded part can be considered, and a screw, a pin, a thread or a hook can also be considered. In addition, a recess can be considered as a possible form for the fixing area, such as a groove, a through hole, a blind hole opening, a notch or a cut.

[0028] Another embodiment provides that the contact element has a touch protection locking mechanism, which is designed to fix the touch protection part. In this case, different molded elements can be used, which improve and / or simplify the latching, bonding, pressing, screwing or similar material-locking, form-locking or force-locking connection between the touch protection part and the contact element.

[0029] A further embodiment provides that the sealing element is arranged with a sealing flange on the fastening region and that the sleeve surrounds at least one quarter of the length of the contact region.

[0030] Another embodiment provides that the sealing element is introduced into the housing by a molding method. An alternative embodiment provides that the sealing element is molded onto the contact element by a molding method. These embodiments allow the housing and / or the contact element to be prepared so that the subsequent assembly of the contact element and the housing produces an attached housing according to the invention.

[0031] In addition, the present invention also provides a plug connector system, which has an electrical attachment shell according to the present invention and a corresponding high-current electrical plug connector, wherein the attachment shell has a fastening device, which itself accommodates the fastening form of the high-current plug connector so as to achieve mechanical fixation of the electrical connection, and wherein the attachment shell has a shell and a contact element, wherein the shell is formed around the contact element by a molding method, and the high-current plug connector has a plug connector shell and a plug connector contact, wherein the plug connector shell is formed around the plug connector contact by a molding method, and wherein the attachment shell has a sealing element, which has at least one sealing flange, a sleeve and at least one sealing contour, wherein the sealing element is molded into the attachment shell by means of a molding method, or wherein the attachment shell has a sealing element, which has at least one sealing flange, a sleeve and at least one sealing contour, wherein the sealing element is molded onto the contact element by means of a molding method.

[0032] A further embodiment provides that the sealing element surrounds the means for coding in a manner that is tight against foreign media or accommodates the means for coding in a manner that is tight against foreign media, the means for coding being arranged in at least one of the attachment housing or the component of the high-current plug connector.

[0033] Finally, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing an attached shell for accommodating a high-current electrical plug connector, wherein the attached shell has at least one shell, an electrical contact element and a sealing element, wherein the shell has a device side and a plug side, the stop is arranged circumferentially on the shell, and the plug side has at least one fastening device, which is engaged with the fastening form of the high-current plug connector, and wherein the plug side also has at least one device for coding, which prevents a plug-in process with an unsuitable plug connector or a plug-in process with a high-current plug connector in an undesired orientation, and wherein the sealing element is introduced between the shell and the contact element by a molding method and is elastically implemented in such a way that the device for coding is sealed and accommodated or sealed. Surrounded. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It is shown in the drawings:

[0035] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a plug connector system according to the invention along the length of the plug connector system;

[0036] Figure 2 A detailed view of the arrangement of the sealing element in the attachment housing is shown in a sectional view.

[0037] The drawings include partially simplified schematic representations. In some cases, the same reference numerals are used for identical, but possibly different, elements. Different views of the same element may be scaled differently. Directional indications, such as "left", "right", "upper" and "lower", are to be understood with reference to the respective drawings and may vary in the individual illustrations relative to the object shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Figure 1 and Figure 2 An attachment housing 1 according to the invention is shown, which is connected to a high-current plug connector 2, wherein a sealing element 3 is arranged in the attachment housing 1 such that in the plugged state shown, the housing 10 and the plug connector housing 20 are sealed against the ingress of foreign media. Figure 2 The cut-out focuses in particular on the sealing element 3 according to the invention. The high-current plug connector 2 is designed here at an angle and accommodates an electrical conductor 4. The attachment housing 1 is essentially divided into two areas, namely the device side G and the plug side S. The housing 10 has a fastening device 100, which enables mechanical fixation with a fastening form 200. In addition, a stop 101 ensures that the attachment housing 1 is meaningfully assembled into the wall of a device, such as a working machine, a switch cabinet, a transformer or an accumulator. Preferably, a seal, such as an O-ring, is assigned to the stop 101 pointing in the direction of the device side G, in order to protect the interior of the device from the intrusion of foreign media. In order to fasten the attachment housing 1 to the wall of the device, the housing 10 has a housing fastening form 102 on the device side G. Figure 1 and Figure 2 The external thread is shown in a simple manner, however, alternatives such as latching hooks, grooves, springs, curved tracks or similar elements are conceivable. In addition, a release device 103 is arranged on the plug-in side S of the housing 10, which is designed to release the mechanical fastening of the fastening device 100 to the fastening form 200 during actuation. The contact element 11 is arranged in the housing 10. The contact element 11 is basically fastened in the device side G, but as shown, it can extend into the plug-in side S beyond the stop 101 located outside the housing 10, depending on the embodiment. The contact element 11 is basically divided into a connection area 110, a contact area 111 and a fixing area 113. In the illustrated embodiment, the touch protection locking mechanism 112 is arranged in the direction of the plug-in side S pointing to the contact area 111. These touch protection locking mechanisms 112 and the touch protection member 12 engaged therewith are arranged in a Figure 2. The touch protection locking mechanism 112 is designed so that the touch protection member 12 can be arranged on the described end of the contact element 11. The design consisting of at least two latching hooks arranged substantially opposite each other is shown in a simple manner. Alternatively, a single pin with a (partial) conical protrusion can be selected to simplify the manufacturing in the turning process. The high-current plug connector 2 has a plug connector housing 20, which can be connected to the attachment housing 1 at one end and to the wire 4 at the other end. A cable having at least one outer insulation part 40 and at least one conductor 41 is usually used as the wire 4. The plug connector housing 20 has a fastening form 200, which can be engaged with the fastening device 100 of the attachment housing 1. In addition, the plug connector housing 20 has an end face 201, which is introduced into the attachment housing 1. The inner wall 202 is in sealing contact with the sealing element 3. The contact receiving portion 203 should fix the plug connector contact 21 of the high current plug connector 2 on the one hand and ideally protect the contact socket 210 from unintentional contact by personnel. Here, the contact socket 210 should be designed to be electrically contacted with the contact area 111 of the contact element 11. A conductor receiving portion 211 is arranged on the opposite end of the plug connector contact 21, and the conductor receiving portion is implemented to accommodate the wire 4, especially the electrical conductor 41 located therein. In addition, a safety device receiving portion 212 for accommodating the contact safety device 22 is provided in the contact socket 210, so as to ensure the electrical connection between the contact element 11 and the plug connector contact 21 even under load, such as vibration. Finally, the sealing element 3 is clear together with its different areas. The sealing element 3 has a sealing flange 30, which is arranged on the sleeve 31. A sealing contour 32 is formed on the sleeve 31, which is supported by another sealing contour 32' in the example shown. The sealing contours 32 and 32' are arranged staggered along the length of the sleeve 31. The sealing element 3 is designed in one piece. Advantageously, the sealing element 3 is molded around the contact element 11 by a molding method, in particular an injection molding method, particularly preferably an injection molding method. The combination of the contact element 11 and the sealing element 3 is then completed together with the housing 10 by a casting method to form the attached housing 1. As an alternative, it is proposed that the contact element 11 is first provided with the housing 10, which can be carried out by an assembly method or, preferably here, also by a molding method, particularly a suitable and / or mentioned casting method. Subsequently, the combination of the housing 10 and the contact element 11 is provided with the sealing element 3, which is inserted into the housing 10 by one of the above-mentioned methods or similar methods.

[0039] The details of this implementation are Figure 2. The high-current plug connector 2 is only hinted at, whereby the areas relevant to the invention can be identified. It is particularly clear that the end face 201 of the plug connector housing 20 at least partially achieves a first sealing effect with the sealing flange 30 in an ingenious manner. The sealing contours 32 and 32' are in contact with the inner wall 202 of the plug connector housing 20 and can, in particular by means of a double design, accommodate and / or surround the molded part in a sealing manner, and also in particular accommodate and / or surround the molded part provided as a means for coding in a sealing manner. In an ingenious embodiment, the sealing element 3 is molded into the already existing combination of the housing 10 and the contact element 11. In this way, it is also ensured that the sealing flange 30 is connected to the housing 10, the contact element 11 or both in a flush manner, ideally even in a material-locked manner.

[0040] Even if different aspects or features of the invention are shown in combination in the drawings, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the combinations shown and discussed are not the only possible ones, unless otherwise indicated. In particular, corresponding units or feature complexes composed of different embodiments can be interchanged.

[0041] Reference numerals list

[0042] 1 Attach the housing

[0043] 10 Housing

[0044] 100 Fastening device

[0045] 101 Stop

[0046] 102 Shell fastening form

[0047] 103 Release Device

[0048] 11 Contact elements

[0049] 110 Connection area

[0050] 111 Contact area

[0051] 112 Touch protection locking mechanism

[0052] 113 Fixed Area

[0053] 12 Touch protection element

[0054] 2 High current plug connectors

[0055] 20 Plug connector housing

[0056] 200 Fastening type

[0057] 201 End face

[0058] 202 Inner wall

[0059] 203 contact receiving portion

[0060] 21 Plug connector contacts

[0061] 210 Contact socket

[0062] 211 conductor receiving portion

[0063] 212 Safety device housing

[0064] 22 Contact safety device

[0065] 3 Sealing elements

[0066] 30 Sealing flange

[0067] 31 Sleeve

[0068] 32 Sealing profile

[0069] 4 Wires

[0070] 40 Insulation

[0071] 41 Conductor

[0072] G Equipment side

[0073] S Plug side

Claims

1. An electrical attachment housing (1) for accommodating a high-current electrical plug connector (2), comprising at least one housing (10), electrical plug contacts (11) and a sealing element (3), wherein: The housing (10) has a device side (G) and a plug side (S), wherein a stop (101) is arranged circumferentially on the housing (10), and the plug side (S) has at least one fastening device (100) which engages with a fastening form (200) of the high-current plug connector (2), and wherein the plug side (S) also has at least one device for coding, which prevents a plug-in process with an unsuitable plug connector or a plug-in process with the high-current plug connector (2) in an undesired orientation, It is characterized in that The sealing element (3) is designed as a one-piece, essentially hollow-cylindrical sleeve (31) having a sealing flange (30) and at least one circumferential sealing contour (32).

2. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing contour (32) is arranged as an annular molding on the outer side of the sealing element (3).

3. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The device for encoding is arranged in the interior of the plug side.

4. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flange outer diameter of the sealing flange (30) is quantified to be at least 80% of the inner diameter of the equipment side (G).

5. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing flange (30) is made of an elastic material and is connected to the inner side of the device side (G) in a materially bonded manner.

6. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that: The sealing contour (32) is in sealing engagement with an inner wall (202) of the high-current plug connector (2).

7. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that: The sealing profile (32) has a profile outer diameter that is smaller than or equal to the flange outer diameter.

8. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sealing contour (32) accommodates or surrounds the means for encoding in a flexible manner and in a manner that is sealed against foreign media.

9. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that: The plug contact (11) comprises a connection region (110), a contact region (111) and a fixing region (113), wherein the connection region (110) is separated from the contact region (111) by the fixing region (113), and wherein the contact region (111) is substantially cylindrical.

10. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The plug contact (11) has a touch protection locking mechanism (112) which is designed to secure the touch protection element (12).

11. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealing element (3) is arranged with the sealing flange (30) on a fastening region (113) of the plug-type contact (11), and the sleeve (31) surrounds at least one quarter of the length of the contact region (111) of the plug-type contact (11).

12. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealing element (3) is introduced into the housing (10) by a molding method.

13. The attachment housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that The sealing element (3) is formed onto the plug-type contact (11) by a molding process.

14. Plug connector system, comprising an electrical attachment housing (1) according to claim 1 and a corresponding high-current electrical plug connector (2), wherein: The attachment housing (1) comprises a fastening device (100) which accommodates a fastening form (200) of the high-current plug connector (2) in order to enable mechanical fixing of the electrical connection, wherein the attachment housing (1) comprises a housing (10) and a plug contact (11), wherein the housing (10) is formed around the plug contact (11) by a molding method, and the high-current plug connector (2) comprises a plug connector housing (20) and a contact element (21), The plug connector housing (20) is formed around the contact element (21) by a molding method, characterized in that: The attachment housing (1) comprises a sealing element (3) comprising at least one sealing flange (30), a sleeve (31) and at least one sealing contour (32), wherein the sealing element (3) is molded into the attachment housing (1) by means of a molding method, or The attachment housing (1) comprises a sealing element (3) having at least one sealing flange (30), a sleeve (31) and at least one sealing contour (32), wherein the sealing element (3) is formed onto the plug-type contact (11) by means of a forming method.

15. The plug connector system according to claim 14, characterized in that The sealing element (3) surrounds a device for encoding in a manner sealed against foreign media, the device for encoding being arranged in at least one of the components of the attachment housing (1) or the high-current plug connector (2), or the sealing element (3) accommodates the device for encoding in a manner sealed against foreign media.

16. Method for producing an attachment housing (1) for accommodating a high-current electrical plug connector (2), the attachment housing comprising at least one housing (10), electrical plug contacts (11) and a sealing element (3), wherein: The housing (10) comprises a device side (G) and a plug side (S), wherein a stop (101) is arranged circumferentially on the housing (10), and the plug side (S) has at least one fastening device (100) which engages with a fastening form (200) of the high-current plug connector (2), and wherein the plug side (S) also has at least one device for coding which prevents a plug-in process with an unsuitable plug connector or a plug-in process with the high-current plug connector (2) in an undesired orientation, characterized in that the sealing element (3) is introduced between the housing (10) and the plug contact (11) by a molding method and is elastically constructed in such a way as to accommodate or surround the device for coding in a sealing manner.

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