Electrical contact for electrical connection to electrical conductor

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical contact (10) comprising a contact portion (20), a connection portion (22) and a transition portion (24). The connection portion (22) comprises a contact surface (38), in particular a flat contact surface (38), configured for electrical connection with an electrical conductor. The transition portion (24) is arranged between the contact surface (38) and the connection portion (22) along a longitudinal direction (100) of the electrical contact (10). The at least one first side wall protrudes from the contact surface (38) and extends at least along the transition portion (24) with respect to a longitudinal direction (100) of the electrical contact (10).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrical contact for making an electrical connection with an electrical conductor, such as a connector cable or a bus bar. The present invention also relates to a connection assembly comprising the electrical contact and the electrical conductor. Background Art

[0002] In most applications, it is desirable to provide a stable and durable electrical connection between an electrical contact and a connector cable or bus bar. Ultrasonic welding, resistance welding or induction welding are known methods for welding electrical contacts to connector cables or bus bars. Ultrasonic welding is a welding process that uses high-frequency vibration energy. It is a solid-state welding process characterized in that the materials to be welded do not undergo melting, unlike resistance welding. Resistance welding is performed under pressure and high current. With induction welding, heat is electromagnetically induced in the electrical contact.

[0003] For example, in the automotive industry, in particular for charging electric vehicles, it is desirable to provide electrical contacts with high current transmission capabilities. Poor current transmission capabilities may lead to undesirable overheating of the electrical contacts.

[0004] Figure 1 An electrical contact known in the prior art is shown in FIG. Figure 1 The electric contact 1 comprises a contact portion 2, a connecting portion 3 and a transition portion 4 arranged between the contact portion 2 and the connecting portion 3 along a longitudinal direction 100 of the electric contact 1. The connecting portion 3 comprises a flat contact surface 5. The end 6 of the electric conductor 7 is welded to the flat contact surface 5 by means of ultrasonic welding. The cross-sectional view (A) transverse to the longitudinal direction 100 shows that the cross-sectional view of the electric contact 1 at this point is equal to the sum of the cross-sectional view A1 of the end 6 of the electric conductor 7 and the cross-sectional view A2 of the connecting portion 3. At the boundary between the connecting portion 3 and the transition portion 4, the cross-sectional view of the electric contact 1 is equal to only the cross-sectional view A2 of the connecting portion 3, as shown in the cross-sectional view (B) transverse to the longitudinal direction 100. Figure 1 In the example of FIG. 1 , the cross section decreases by almost 50% between the cross-sectional view (A) and the cross-sectional view (B).

[0005] A cross section at the transition section that is too small is undesirable since this may not allow satisfactory current transmission, in particular the transmission of high-voltage direct current. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an electrical contact for electrical connections which is improved compared to the prior art.

[0007] The object of the present invention is achieved by means of an electrical contact, the electrical contact comprising: a contact portion, a connecting portion and a transition portion, the connecting portion comprising a flat contact surface configured to be electrically connected to an electrical conductor, the transition portion being arranged between the flat contact surface and the contact portion along the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact, at least one first side wall protruding from the flat contact surface and extending at least along the transition portion relative to the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact.

[0008] The characteristics of the side wall allow the cross section of the transition section to be increased. The increase in cross section allows the electrical resistance to be reduced. The reduction in electrical resistance allows overheating of the electrical contact to be avoided during the passage of current. Thus, the transition section is further adapted to the passage of high currents.

[0009] The transition portion is defined as a portion adjacent to the contact surface. In particular, the contact surface and the transition portion do not overlap each other, or even partially overlap each other. Only the contact surface of the connecting portion can be configured to contact the surface of the electrical conductor. In particular, the transition portion is not suitable for receiving the electrical conductor. The transition portion can be configured not to contact the surface of the electrical conductor when the electrical conductor is electrically connected to the electrical contact.

[0010] Increasing the cross section at the transition portion is particularly advantageous because, since the transition portion is not configured to receive an electrical conductor, the electrical conductor will not contribute to the cross section at this point.

[0011] The increase in the cross section at the transition section allows an advantageous reduction in the cross section at the connection section, since at the connection section the cross section of the electrical conductor contributes to the total cross section. The possible reduction in the cross section of the connection section allows in particular a reduction in the thickness of the connection section at the flat contact surface. The thinned flat contact surface is, for example, advantageous for facilitating certain welding processes and / or allows saving of material.

[0012] In particular, the contact surface of the connecting portion is limited to a flat surface. A flat surface is a surface such that a straight line passing through two points thereof is completely contained therein.

[0013] The side wall may be integrally connected to the transition portion. The side wall may protrude in an inclined manner relative to the flat contact surface, in particular at an inclination between 45° and 135°, more particularly at an inclination between 80° and 95°. The side wall may protrude perpendicularly to the flat contact surface, i.e. at an inclination of 90°. Thus, for example, the side wall may be parallel to the lateral side of the busbar. This may facilitate welding or gluing between the parallel surfaces of the side wall and the lateral side of the busbar.

[0014] In particular, the electrical contact is configured to be electrically connected to a bus bar including an insulating or non-insulating coating through a welding process.

[0015] The connecting portion may include an opposing surface that is geometrically opposite to the flat contact surface. The opposing surface may be flat. The opposing surface may be parallel to the flat contact surface. Alternatively, the opposing surface may be a curved surface.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the side wall may extend from the connecting portion to the transition portion, in particular from the distal end of the connecting portion to the transition portion. This may allow improving the mechanical strength of the electrical connector.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the electrical contact may include a second side wall, and the two side walls may be arranged opposite to each other along a longitudinal direction of the electrical contact, respectively.

[0018] The presence of the second side wall allows the cross section of the transition section to be further increased.

[0019] Furthermore, when a conductor cable or a bus bar is inserted between the two side walls, the two side walls may allow the inserted conductor cable or bus bar to be guided by welding.

[0020] The two side walls may be symmetrical to each other along the longitudinal direction.The electrical contact may be easily formed by a cold forming process.

[0021] At least one cross section of the connecting portion or the transition portion or both may have a "U" shape. The "U" shape refers to the shape of the letter "U" according to the Latin alphabet, wherein the central part of the "U" shape is flat, as it corresponds to a flat contact surface. This particular geometry allows to improve the mechanical strength of the electrical contact, which is particularly advantageous, for example, for better resistance to vibrations caused by ultrasonic welding. Ultrasonic welding can indeed involve frequencies between 20 and 70 kHz, which generate strong mechanical vibrations in the electrical contact.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the maximum cross section of the electrical contact at the connection portion is equal to or smaller than the minimum cross section of the transition portion. In particular, the maximum cross section of the electrical contact at the connection portion is strictly smaller than the minimum cross section of the transition portion. Therefore, the electrical contact can be thinned at the connection portion.

[0023] At least a part of the transition section may protrude from the contact section and the connecting section. The at least one protruding portion may each form a support portion or a locking surface, against which the connector housing may abut, for example, in particular in the longitudinal direction. The at least one protruding portion may allow the connection device to be maintained between the housing and the housing cover.

[0024] The transition portion may include a first portion. The first portion may have a solid and disc-shaped cross-section. The first portion may have a constant cross-section. The first portion may provide a surface suitable for temperature measurement. The temperature measurement may be performed with the aid of a temperature sensor. In practice, it is sometimes necessary to monitor the temperature of the electrical contacts, particularly when handling electrical contacts for charging electric vehicles in a charging base. Alternatively or in combination, the first portion may provide a surface suitable for maintaining the electrical contacts during the ultrasonic welding process.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the flat contact surface can be configured to be electrically connected to the electrical conductor by laser welding, ultrasonic welding, resistance welding, induction welding or cold gluing with a conductive adhesive. The contact surface is particularly suitable for welding and gluing because it is flat. In particular, a flat contact surface is particularly desirable for ultrasonic welding.

[0026] The electrical contacts may be configured to make electrical connections without a crimping process.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the electrical contact may include a transition surface and at least one first locking surface, the first locking surface being substantially transverse to the planar contact surface and the transition surface connecting the first locking surface to the planar contact surface.

[0028] The transition surface is defined by the at least one side wall, in particular by the two side walls. The transition surface may be a flat surface. The transition surface may be formed by a descending slope from the transition portion to the flat contact surface. Alternatively, the transition surface may be a curved surface, or at least partially curved. The transition surface may be convex. The transition surface may be concave. This allows saving of material.

[0029] The transition portion may include a second portion, wherein the second portion may be arranged between the first portion of the transition portion and the connecting portion. The second portion of the transition portion may include a transition surface.

[0030] The locking surface may be formed by a protruding portion of the transition section, in particular by a protruding portion of the first portion of the transition section.The locking surface may be perpendicular to the flat contact surface.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the flat contact surface can be offset in parallel with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the contact portion. This allows the central longitudinal axis of the electrical conductor connected to the contact surface to be aligned with the longitudinal center axis of the contact portion. The alignment of the central longitudinal axis of the electrical conductor with the central longitudinal axis of the contact portion allows a more compact electrical contact to be obtained. This alignment allows the size of the cavity of the sealing element to be reduced, and the electrical conductor can be received in this cavity.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the height of the side wall relative to the flat contact surface can at least partially vary in an increasing manner in the direction from the connection portion to the contact portion. Compared to a side wall with a constant height, this allows reducing the height of the side wall and thus saving material for forming the electrical contact.

[0033] Alternatively, the height of the side wall relative to the flat contact surface may be constant in the direction from the connection area to the contact area. This allows an increase in the mechanical strength to be obtained in a uniform manner along the longitudinal direction.

[0034] The contact portion may be configured to be plugged with a mating electrical connector. The contact portion may be male or female. The male contact portion may be a pin. The female contact portion may include a hollow tubular housing for receiving a mating male connector. According to one embodiment, the contact portion may be a solid contact pin. The contact pin may have a cylindrical shape. The contact pin may have one or more metal coatings. The contact pin may have several metal coatings of the same composition. Alternatively, the contact pin may have several metal coatings of different compositions from each other. As an example, the contact pin may have a silver coating and a nickel base layer. The contact pin may have an electroplated coating including silver, gold or tin. The end of the contact portion may be provided with a cap. The cap allows the end of the contact pin to be protected and the risk of touching is reduced. Thus, the cap provides finger protection, more generally referred to as "touch safety". The cap may be detachably arranged at the contact portion. The cap may be made of a dielectric material, such as a plastic material.

[0035] Alternatively, the contact portion may be a contact socket. Unlike a solid contact pin having a solid structure, a contact socket has a hollow structure. The hollow structure of the contact socket is suitable for receiving an electrical conductor.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the electrical contact may be integrally formed as a single piece. This avoids assembly steps. The electrical connector may be formed of a conductive material. The electrical connector may be formed of a metallic material. The electrical connector may be formed by a cold forming process. The electrical contact may be made of copper or a copper alloy, in particular a copper alloy with a high copper content. The use of copper is advantageous because it has very good electrical conductivity. The electrical contact may be made of aluminum or iron.

[0037] The object of the invention is also achieved by a connection assembly comprising an electrical conductor and an electrical contact according to at least one of the above embodiments, the electrical conductor being in particular a conductor cable or a busbar, wherein the electrical conductor is welded or glued to the flat contact surface.

[0038] The conductor cable or busbar can in particular be welded or glued only to the flat contact surface. The connection assembly can be characterized in that there is no welding between the at least one side wall and the conductor cable or busbar. This embodiment is particularly suitable for ultrasonic welding between the conductor cable or busbar and the electrical contact. The conductor cable or busbar can be arranged in the connection part in such a way that each side wall is spaced apart from the conductor cable or busbar. The maximum distance between the first side wall and the second side wall can be at least 5% and at most 30% greater than the lateral dimension of the conductor cable or busbar in a plane parallel to the flat contact surface. The maximum distance between the first side wall and the second side wall can be greater than the diameter of the first part of the transition part. The first part can be a cylindrical solid part.

[0039] Alternatively, the conductor cable or busbar can be welded or glued to both the flat contact surface and the at least one side wall, in particular welded or glued to the two side walls. This advantageously allows an increase in the contact surface between the conductor cable or busbar and the electrical contact. This embodiment is particularly suitable for resistance welding between the conductor cable or busbar and the electrical contact.

[0040] In the connection assembly, the longitudinal central axis of the conductor cable or busbar can be aligned with the longitudinal central axis of the contact part. This advantageously allows a reduction in the volume of the connection assembly. This alignment can be used to reduce the size of the cavity of the sealing element in which the conductor cable or busbar can be received.

[0041] The busbar can be a metallic material in the form of a substantially rigid bar. The busbar can have a solid cross-section. The busbar can include at least one flat surface. The busbar can have a rectangular cross-section. Alternatively, the busbar can have a cylindrical shape. The busbar can have a disc-shaped cross-section.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the connection assembly can include an electrical contact and a busbar, in particular a busbar including at least one flat surface, more particularly a busbar having a rectangular cross-section.

[0043] The conductor cable can include a plurality of conductor metal strands, such as conductor metal strands made of copper. The conductor cable can have a substantially circular cross-section before welding. The part of the conductor cable welded to the flat contact surface can have a rectangular cross-section.

[0044] The cross-section of the transition part corresponds to the surface of the transition part in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact.

[0045] The cross-section of the connection part corresponds to the surface of the connection part in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact.

[0046] The cross-section of the contact part corresponds to the surface of the contact part in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact.

[0047] According to another aspect of the present invention, the object of the present invention can be achieved by means of an electrical contact, the electrical contact comprising: a contact portion, a connecting portion and a transition portion, the connecting portion comprising a contact surface configured to be electrically connected to an electrical conductor, the transition portion being arranged between the contact surface and the contact portion along the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact. At least one first side wall protrudes from the contact surface and extends at least along the transition portion relative to the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact.

[0048] According to one embodiment of this aspect, the contact surface may be a flat surface. The flat contact surface is suitable for making electrical connections with a conductor cable that can be flattened or pressed against the flat contact surface. The flat contact surface is particularly suitable for making electrical connections with a busbar having at least one flat surface.

[0049] Alternatively, according to another embodiment of this aspect, the contact surface may be a curved surface. The curved contact surface is suitable for making electrical connection with a conductor cable. The curved contact surface is particularly suitable for making electrical connection with a columnar busbar (ie, having a disc-shaped cross section).

[0050] According to another aspect of the present invention, the object of the present invention can be achieved by means of a connection assembly comprising an electrical contact and a busbar having a cylindrical cross section. The electrical contact may include: a contact portion, a connection portion, the connection portion including a curved contact surface and a transition portion, the transition portion being arranged between the curved contact surface and the contact portion along the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact. At least one first side wall may protrude from the curved contact surface and extend at least along the transition portion relative to the longitudinal direction of the electrical contact. An electrical connection may be made between the electrical contact and the busbar at the curved contact surface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] The invention and its advantages will be explained in more detail below with the aid of exemplary embodiments and on the basis of the following drawings, in which:

[0052] [ Figure 1 ] schematically shows an electrical contact according to the prior art;

[0053] [ Figure 2 ] schematically shows an electrical contact according to a first embodiment;

[0054] [ Figure 3 ] schematically illustrates a connection assembly according to a first embodiment;

[0055] [ Figure 4 ] schematically shows an electrical contact according to a second embodiment;

[0056] [ Figure 5 ] schematically shows an electrical contact according to a third embodiment;

[0057] [ Figure 6 ] schematically shows an electrical contact according to a fourth embodiment;

[0058] [ Figure 7 ] schematically shows an electrical contact according to a fifth embodiment;

[0059] [ Figure 8 ] schematically shows a partial cross-sectional view of a connector housing including two electrical connectors according to a first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] Figure 2 The electrical contact 10 according to the first embodiment is schematically shown. The electrical contact 10 is made of a conductive material. The electrical contact 10 can be integrally formed as a single metal piece. The electrical contact 10 includes three parts along the longitudinal direction 100: a contact portion 20, a connecting portion 22 and a transition portion 24. The transition portion 24 is arranged between the contact portion 20 and the connecting portion 22 along the longitudinal direction 100.

[0061] The contact portion 20 can be plugged into a mating electrical contact (not shown), in particular in the longitudinal direction 100. In the example shown, the contact portion 20 is a contact pin 26, more generally referred to as a "contact pin". The contact pin 26 has a generally cylindrical shape and a generally circular cross-section. The contact pin 26 has a longitudinal center axis 110. The longitudinal center axis 110 is parallel to the longitudinal direction 100. The contact pin 26 has a solid structure.

[0062] The contact pin 26 extends between a first end 30 and a second end 32 opposite the first end 30 with respect to the longitudinal direction 100. The first end 30 is connected to the transition portion 24. The second end 32 may be provided with a cap 28, such as Figure 2 as shown in the example.

[0063] The contact pin 26 may include a circumferential shoulder 34. In particular, the contact pin 26 may include a single circumferential shoulder 34 over its length. The presence of the circumferential shoulder 34 forms a segment 36 between the first end 30 and the circumferential shoulder 34. The cross-section at the segment 36 is greater than the cross-section at the rest of the contact pin 26. The segment 36 of the contact pin 26 is configured to receive the seal 12 (e.g., Figure 3 36 ), in particular an annular seal 12. The seal 12 may have an inner diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the segment 36. The seal 12 may be frictionally retained to the segment 36.

[0064] The contact portion 20 may be characterized by the absence of a collar. The collar may be formed between two consecutive circumferential shoulders. For example, three consecutive collars can be seen on the contact portion 2 of the electrical contact 1 according to the prior art (see Figure 1). The presence of a single circumferential shoulder 34 on the contact portion 20 advantageously allows the length of the contact portion 20 to be reduced while allowing the seal 12 to be satisfactorily retained. It will be appreciated that the length of the contact portion is defined by the longitudinal center axis 110.

[0065] The connecting portion 22 is configured to make electrical connection with the electrical conductor, in particular electrical connection and mechanical connection (such as Figure 3 The connecting portion 22 has a contact surface 38. The contact surface 38 is configured to be connected to the electrical conductor ( Figure 3 The contact surface 38 is flat. The flat contact surface 38 may have a rectangular shape. The flat contact surface 38 may have a surface area between 5 square millimeters and 1000 square millimeters, in particular between 50 square millimeters and 250 square millimeters. The flat contact surface 38 serves as a support for welding or gluing with an electrical conductor. An electrical conductor, in particular a rigid busbar, may preferably be placed flat on the flat contact surface 38.

[0066] When making an electrical connection by using an ultrasonic welding process, the active portion of the sonotrode may be brought over the bus bar and send vibrations to weld the bus bar to the electrical contact 10 at the flat contact surface 38 .

[0067] Figure 3 A longitudinal section through the electrical contact 10 and two cross-sectional views through the electrical contact 10 are shown. Figure 3 Also shown is an electrical conductor 7, the end 6 of which is arranged on the flat contact surface 38 of the electrical contact 10. The electrical contact 10 and the electrical conductor 7 form a connection assembly. Figure 2 and Figure 3 .

[0068] The connecting portion 22 includes a second surface 40 opposite the flat contact surface 38. Figure 2 In the example of FIG. 2 , the second surface 40 is a flat surface. The flat contact surface 38 and the second surface 40 are parallel to each other and to the longitudinal direction 100. The distance between the flat contact surface 38 and the second surface 40, in other words, the thickness of the connecting portion 22, is Figure 2 and Figure 3 Indicated by reference numeral 42.

[0069] The transition portion 24 includes a first portion 44 and a second portion 50 .

[0070] The first portion 44 has a cylindrical shape defined by an outer circumferential wall 46 extending between the first circular base 52 and the second circular base 54. The first portion 44 has a disc-shaped cross section. In other words, the first portion 44 has a solid structure. The first portion 44 has a longitudinal center axis 120. The longitudinal center axis 120 of the first portion 44 is aligned with the longitudinal center axis 110 of the contact portion 20. The contact portion 20 is directly adjacent to the second circular base 54. The diameter of the first portion 44 is greater than the diameter of the contact pin 26. The diameter of the first portion 44 corresponds to the diameter of the first circular base 52 and, correspondingly, to the diameter of the second circular base 54. The thickness of the first portion 44 corresponds to the distance between the first circular base 52 and the second circular base 54. The thickness of the first portion 44 may be adapted to allow temperature measurement on the circumferential wall 46 of the transition portion 24, in particular to monitor the temperature of the electrical contact 100 when current flows through the electrical contact 100. The thickness of the first portion 44 may be adapted to make it easier to handle the electrical contact 100 during a welding or gluing process, or when assembling the electrical contact 100 in a connector housing, or both.

[0071] Part II 50 (see Figure 3 ) A first circular base 52 connects the connecting portion 22 to the first portion 44. In the example shown, the first circular base 52 is perpendicular to the flat contact surface 38. In the example shown, the second portion has a solid structure, such as Figure 3 As shown in the cross-sectional view.

[0072] The second portion 50 includes a transition surface 48. In the first embodiment, the transition surface 48 defines a slope 56, in particular a slope of 30° to 45° relative to the flat contact surface 38. The slope 56 may have a rounded portion 58, in particular toward the top of the slope 56 (eg, Figure 3 ). The ramp 56 descends in a direction from the transition portion 24 toward the flat contact surface 38. The transition surface 48 is inclined relative to the first circular base 52.

[0073] The second portion 44 protrudes relative to the first portion 50. At least one protruding surface of the second portion 44 can be used as a locking surface by forming, for example, an abutment surface for the connector housing. The locking lance of the connector housing can abut on the locking surface, which will be further described in the following paragraphs. Involuntary rotation, involuntary translational movement, or both of the electrical contact 100 can be avoided. The first circular base 52 of the first portion 44 may include a first locking surface 60. The first locking surface 60 is a flat surface. The first locking surface 60 is oriented toward the flat contact surface 38. The transition surface 48 connects the first locking surface 60 to the flat contact surface 38.

[0074] The first circular base 52 of the first portion 44 may include a second locking surface 62 (eg, Figure 3 ). The second locking surface 62 is a flat surface. The second locking surface 62 is oriented toward the second surface 40.

[0075] In another embodiment, the first circular base 52 of the transition portion 24 may have a single locking surface, or no locking surface.

[0076] The flat contact surface 38 is arranged parallel to and offset from the longitudinal center axis 110 of the contact portion 20 and the longitudinal center axis 120 of the transition portion 24. Thus, the flat contact surface 38 is eccentrically positioned relative to the first circular base 52 of the first portion 44. This offset of the flat contact surface 38 allows the longitudinal center axis 130 of the electrical conductor to be aligned with the longitudinal center axis 110 of the contact portion 20 and the longitudinal center axis 120 of the transition portion 24 (e.g., Figure 3 This arrangement allows the volume of the electrical contact 10 to be reduced.

[0077] Compared with the electrical contact 1 according to the prior art (see Figure 1 ), the electrical contact 10 further comprises two side walls 64, 66. In the first embodiment, the side walls 64, 66 are symmetrical to each other. Therefore, hereinafter, the description of the side wall 64 also applies to the side wall 66.

[0078] The side wall 64 protrudes from the flat contact surface 38. In particular, the side wall 64 protrudes perpendicularly to the flat contact surface 38. The side wall 64 extends along the longitudinal direction 100 of the electrical contact 10 and is connected to the transition portion 24, in particular to the first circular base 52 of the first portion 44. The two side walls 64, 66 extend on both sides of the second portion 50 of the transition portion 24. Therefore, the transition surface 48 is at least partially defined by the side walls 64, 66, respectively. The side wall 64 has a free edge 70. The free edge 70 can be rounded.

[0079] At the connecting portion 22, as Figure 3 As shown in the view (A) of FIG. 2 , the side wall 64 has a height 68 defined between the flat contact surface 38 and the free edge 70. In this example, the height 68 is defined in a direction perpendicular to the flat contact surface 38. The height 68 of the side wall 64 may be between 1 mm and 50 mm. The height 68 of the side wall 64 may be greater than the thickness 42 of the connecting portion 22. In addition, at the connecting portion 22, the side wall 64 has a thickness 69 defined in a direction parallel to the flat contact surface 38, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown in view (A) of . The thickness 69 may be substantially the same as the thickness 42. Preferably, the thickness 69 may be greater than the thickness 42.

[0080] At the first portion 50, as Figure 3 As shown in view (B) of FIG. 6 , side wall 64 has a height 67 . Height 67 may be substantially equal to height 68 .

[0081] The first portion 50 has a thickness 43, such as Figure 3 The thickness 43 of the second portion 50 may be substantially the same as the thickness 42 of the connecting portion 22. Preferably, the thickness 43 of the second portion 50 may be greater than the thickness 42 of the connecting portion 22. This allows providing an electrical contact having a connecting portion 22 that is thinner than the second portion 50.

[0082] The two side walls 64, 66 are arranged opposite to each other along one side of the flat contact surface 38 in the longitudinal direction 100 of the electric contact 10. The presence of the two side walls 64, 66 imparts a "U"-shaped cross section at the connecting portion 22. The "U" shape refers to the shape of the letter "U" according to the Latin alphabet, wherein the central portion of the "U" shape is flat, as it corresponds to the flat contact surface 38.

[0083] Transverse to the longitudinal direction 100 Figure 3 The cross-sectional view (A) of FIG. 1 shows that the cross-sectional view of the electrical contact 10 at this point is equal to the sum of the cross-sectional view A1 of the end 6 of the electrical conductor 7 and the cross-sectional view A3 of the connecting portion 22. The cross-sectional view A3 of the connecting portion 22 includes the cross-sectional view 42 of the thickness and the cross-sectional view of each of the side walls 64 and 66. The cross-sectional view A3 of the electrical contact 10 is greater than the cross-sectional view A1 of the connecting portion 22. Figure 1 The cross section A2 of the electric contact 1 of the prior art and not including the side walls is shown. Increasing the cross section allows reducing the electrical resistance. The reduction of the electrical resistance allows avoiding overheating of the electric contact during the passage of current.

[0084] Advantageously, the side walls 64 , 66 allow in particular to increase the cross section of the electrical contact 10 in the transition portion 24 , in particular in the second portion 50 of the transition portion 24 . Figure 3 The cross-sectional view (B) shows the second portion 50, which is the portion beyond which the end 6 of the electrical conductor 7 does not extend. At this time (see the cross-sectional view (B) of the figure), the cross section of the electrical contact 10 is defined only by the cross section A4 of the second portion 50 of the transition portion 24.

[0085] The cross-section A4 of the electrical contact 10 is larger than Figure 1 A cross section A2 of an electrical contact 1 of the prior art is shown and does not include side walls.

[0086] The cross section A4 of the transition portion 24 may be substantially equal to the cross section A3 of the connecting portion 22. Preferably, the cross section A4 of the transition portion 24 is larger, in particular strictly larger, than the cross section A3 of the connecting portion 22.

[0087] In particular, the sum of the cross-sections A1 and A3 is at most twice as large as the cross-section A4, in particular at most 1.5 times as large. This prevents the cross-section A4 of the electrical connector 10 at the transition portion 24 from being too small compared to the cross-section (A1+A3) at the connection portion 22, to which the cross-section A1 of the electrical conductor 6 contributes.

[0088] Better continuity of current transmission can be achieved, in particular at the second portion 50 of the transition section 24, i.e. the end 6 of the conductor 7 does not extend beyond this second portion 50 and therefore at the location of this second portion 50 the conductor 7 does not contribute to the cross section capable of conducting current.

[0089] Figure 4 An electrical contact 80 according to a second embodiment is schematically shown. In the following, elements having the same reference numerals as those described above will not be described again, and reference is made to their description in the preceding paragraphs.

[0090] The electrical contact 80 according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the first locking surface 82 formed by the flat portion of the first circular base 52 of the transition portion 24 is larger than the first locking surface 60 in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the inclination of the slope 56 of the transition surface 48 can be reduced compared to the first embodiment.

[0091] In the first embodiment, the height 68 of the side walls 64, 66 is constant along the flat contact surface 38. The electrical contact 80 according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the height of each side wall 84, 86 relative to the flat contact surface 38 varies at least partially in an increasing manner in the direction from the connecting portion 22 to the transition portion 24. In the second embodiment, a ramp 88 connects the flat contact surface 38 to each corresponding free edge 70. Therefore, the volume of material required to manufacture the walls 84, 86 in the second embodiment is less than the volume of material required to manufacture the walls 64, 66 in the first embodiment.

[0092] In the second embodiment, each of the side walls 84, 86 may be spaced a distance 90 from a distal end 92 of the connecting portion 22 in the plane of the contact surface 38. The distal end 92 corresponds to the outermost free edge of the planar contact surface 38. The cross-section of the connecting portion 22 at the distal end 92 may have a trapezoidal shape, such as Figure 4 shown.

[0093] The electrical contact 80 according to the second embodiment allows for a reduction in the amount of material required to manufacture the electrical contact while ensuring satisfactory transmission continuity, since the cross-section A4 of the transition portion 24 (i.e., the cross-section A4 at the second part 50 of the transition portion 24) is at least substantially the same as that at the cross-section represented in Figure 3 view (B) of

[0094] Figure 5 Figure 6 schematically shows an electrical contact 90 according to a third embodiment. Hereinafter, elements having the same reference numerals as those above will not be described again, and reference is made to the description thereof in the previous paragraphs.

[0095] The electrical contact 90 according to the third embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that, in the connecting portion 22, the second surface 92 opposite to the flat contact surface 38 is a second convex surface 92. In other words, the second surface 92 is a curved surface, while the second surface 40 is a flat surface. Different from the uniform thickness 42 in the first embodiment, the thickness 94 between the contact surface 38 and the second convex surface 92 varies between the two walls 64, 66 in a plane perpendicular to the contact surface 38.

[0096] Figure 6 Figure 7 schematically shows an electrical contact 140 according to a fourth embodiment. Hereinafter, elements having the same reference numerals as those above will not be described again, and reference is made to the description thereof in the previous paragraphs.

[0097] The electrical contact 140 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the first locking surface 82 formed by the flat portion of the first circular base 52 of the transition portion 24 is larger than the first locking surface 60 according to the first embodiment. In the fourth embodiment, the inclination of the inclined surface 56 of the transition surface 48 can be reduced relative to the first embodiment.

[0098] The first locking surface 82 in the fourth embodiment can be substantially the same as the first locking surface 82 in the second and third embodiments, respectively.

[0099] The electrical contact 140 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment, the second embodiment and the third embodiment respectively in that the transition portion 24, in particular the first portion 44 of the transition portion 24, is provided with a flange 142. The flange 142 is arranged on the outer circumferential wall 46 of the transition portion 24. The flange 142 defines a support surface 144. The support surface 144 is a flat surface. The support surface 144 can be parallel to the first circular base 52. Alternatively, the support surface 144 can be inclined relative to the plane of the first circular base 52. The support surface 144 of the flange 142 can be used to hold the electrical contact 140 in the connector housing, in particular in the direction from the contact portion 20 to the connection portion 22. The support surface 144 can be configured to abut against an element of the connector housing. Therefore, the retention of the electrical contact 140 in the connector housing can be improved by the flange 142.

[0100] Figure 7 An electrical contact 150 according to a fifth embodiment is schematically shown. Hereinafter, elements having the same reference numerals as those described above will not be described again, and reference is made to the description thereof in the preceding paragraphs.

[0101] The electrical contact 150 is different from the electrical contacts according to the previous embodiments in that the transition portion 24 includes a recess 152. The characteristics of the recess 152 allow saving of material for manufacturing the electrical contact. In particular, the material volume of the transition portion 24 according to the fifth embodiment is smaller than the material volume of the transition portion 24 according to the other embodiments described above.

[0102] The recess 152 extends partially into the first portion 44. The recess 152 extends partially into the second portion 50. The bottom 154 of the recess 152 defines a flat surface parallel to the contact surface 38. The bottom 154 of the recess 152 can serve as a transition surface between the connecting portion 22 and the transition portion 24. Therefore, unlike the previous embodiment, the transition surface (i.e., the bottom 154 in the fifth embodiment) is parallel to the contact surface 38. In the previous embodiment, the transition surface 48 is inclined relative to the contact surface 38.

[0103] The bottom 154 of the recess 152 extends to a wall 156 of the second portion 44 of the transition portion 24. The wall 156 may be substantially parallel to the second circular base 54. Alternatively, the wall 156 may be inclined relative to the plane of the circular base 54.

[0104] Due to the presence of the recess 152, the transition section 24 is provided with two side walls 158, 160, which extend in the longitudinal direction 100, respectively. The outer face of each side wall 158, 160 corresponds to a portion of the outer circumferential wall 46, respectively. The transition section 24 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, at least up to the wall 156. Beyond the wall 156, the first portion 44 of the transition section 24 has a cylindrical cross section. In addition to the side walls 64, 66, the side walls 158, 160 also contribute to the transmission of the current in the transition section 24. The nature of the recess 152 allows saving material while ensuring satisfactory current transmission in the transition section 24.

[0105] The thickness 42 of the connecting portion 22 may be less than the thickness of the bottom 154 of the recess 152. This difference in thickness may form a shoulder between the contact surface 38 and the bottom 154 of the recess 152.

[0106] like Figure 7 As shown, at the connection portion 22, the distance 170 between the side walls 64, 66 is greater than the distance 172 between the side walls 158, 160, particularly 1.2 to 1.5 times greater. The distance 170 is defined parallel to the contact surface 38. The distance 172 is defined parallel to the bottom 154 of the recess 152. The characteristics of the recess 152 can simplify the form factor of the electrical contact 150 by facilitating the transition between the U-shaped connection portion 22 and the cylindrical portion of the second portion 44.

[0107] Figure 8 A cross-sectional view of a connector housing 200 including two electrical connectors 10 is schematically shown. Figure 8 Only a partial view of the connector housing 200 is shown. Hereinafter, elements having the same reference numerals as those described above will not be described again, and reference is made to the description thereof in the previous paragraphs.

[0108] The connector housing 200 may be made of plastic, in particular by a plastic injection molding process. The connector housing 200 comprises a respective housing 202 for receiving each contact pin 26 of the electrical connector 10. Each housing 202 comprises an opening 204 through which the contact pin 26 is inserted, in particular in the longitudinal direction 100. The opening 204 may have a circular shape. The size of the opening 204 is complementary to the diameter of the contact pin 26, in particular to the diameter of the contact pin 26 between the circumferential shoulder 34 and the end 28. The section 36 of the contact pin 26 may have a larger diameter than the opening 204. Therefore, the insertion of the contact pin 26 in the longitudinal direction 100 may be blocked by the abutment on the shoulder 34. Alternatively or in combination, a seal 12 arranged on the periphery of the section 36 may block the contact pin 26 from further insertion into the housing 202.

[0109] The seal 12 provides a seal between the receiving portion 202 and the opening 204. The seal 12 is arranged between a tubular chimney portion 206 of the housing 200 and the segment 36 of the contact pin 26. The tubular chimney portion 206 extends from the opening 204 parallel to the longitudinal direction 100 and in a direction from the contact portion 20 to the connecting portion 22. The tubular chimney portion 206 has a circumferential edge 208. The circumferential edge 208 can rest on the second circular base 54 of the transition portion 24 of the electrical contact 10. In particular, the circumferential edge 208 can rest on a chamfer or fillet defined between the second circular base 54 and the segment 36 of the contact pin 26. Figure 8 In the example shown, the section 36 of the contact pin 26 is covered by the seal 12 .

[0110] The housing 200 includes an interface 210 through which the electrical connector 10 is inserted. The interface 210 may be covered by a cover 212. The cover 212 includes a locking lance 214 that abuts against the first locking surface 60 and the second locking surface 62 of each electrical contact 10, respectively. The respective abutment of the locking lance 214 against the locking surfaces 62, 64 allows for improved retention of each electrical contact 10 in the connector housing 200.

[0111] The above description applies to the same each electrical connector 10 and each receiving portion 202. The number of receiving portions 202 in the connector housing 200 is not limiting. The connector housing 200 may be adapted to receive the electrical contact 80 according to the second embodiment. The connector housing 200 may be adapted to receive the electrical contact 90 according to the third embodiment. The connector housing 200 may be adapted to receive the electrical contact according to the fourth embodiment. The connector housing 200 may be adapted to receive the electrical contact according to the fifth embodiment.

[0112] In each embodiment, the connection portion 22 can be configured so that only the contact surface 38 is weldable or glueable to the electrical conductor. Alternatively, the connection portion 22 can be configured so that at least one of the side walls 64, 66 and the contact surface 38 are weldable or glueable to the electrical conductor.

[0113] All the above embodiments are not restrictive, but are used as examples to illustrate the features and advantages of the present invention. It should be understood that all or some of the above features can also be combined in different ways. It should be noted that the individual features described with respect to one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment.

[0114] Reference numerals list

[0115] 1: Electrical contacts according to the prior art

[0116] 2: Contact part

[0117] 3: Connection part

[0118] 4: Transition

[0119] 5: Flat contact surface

[0120] 6: End

[0121] 7: Electrical conductor

[0122] 10: Electrical contact according to the first embodiment

[0123] 12: Seals

[0124] 20: Contact part

[0125] 22: Connection part

[0126] 24: Transition

[0127] 26: Contact pin

[0128] 28: Hat

[0129] 30, 32: Ends of contact pins

[0130] 34: Shoulders

[0131] 36: Contact pin section

[0132] 38: Flat contact surface

[0133] 40: Second surface of the connecting part

[0134] 42: Thickness of the connecting part

[0135] 43: Thickness of the first part

[0136] 44: First part of the transition section

[0137] 46: Peripheral wall

[0138] 48: Transition surface

[0139] 50: The second part of the transition

[0140] 52: First circular base

[0141] 54: Second circular base

[0142] 56: Bevel

[0143] 58: Circular part

[0144] 60: First locking surface

[0145] 62: Second locking surface

[0146] 64, 66: Sidewall

[0147] 67: Height of the side wall at the first section

[0148] 68: Height of the side wall at the connection

[0149] 69: Thickness of the side wall at the connection

[0150] 70: Free edge of the side wall

[0151] 80: Electrical contact according to the second embodiment

[0152] 82: First locking surface

[0153] 90: Electrical contact according to the third embodiment

[0154] 92: Convex surface

[0155] 94: Thickness in the second embodiment

[0156] 100: vertical direction

[0157] 110, 120, 130: longitudinal center axis

[0158] 140: Electrical contact according to the fourth embodiment

[0159] 142: Flange

[0160] 144: Supporting surface of flange

[0161] 150: Electrical contact according to the fifth embodiment

[0162] 152: Concave

[0163] 154: Bottom of the recess

[0164] 156: wall

[0165] 158, 160: Sidewall

[0166] 170, 172: Distance between side walls

[0167] 200: Connector housing

[0168] 202: Accommodation

[0169] 204: Opening

[0170] 206: Tubular chimney section

[0171] 208: Circumferential edge

[0172] 210: Interface

[0173] 212: Cover

[0174] 214: Locking Spear

[0175] A1, A2, A3, A4: Cross section

Claims

1. An electrical contact (10), comprising: Contact portion (20), Connecting part (22), The connecting portion (22) includes a planar contact surface (38) configured for electrical connection with an electrical conductor, and Transition section (24), The transition portion (24) is arranged between the flat contact surface (38) and the contact portion (20) along the longitudinal direction (100) of the electrical contact (10), It is characterized in that At least one first side wall protrudes from the flat contact surface (38) and extends at least along the transition portion (24) relative to a longitudinal direction (100) of the electrical contact (10).

2. The electric contact (10) according to claim 1, comprising a second side wall, wherein the two side walls are arranged opposite to each other along a longitudinal direction (100) of the electric contact (10).

3. The electrical contact (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The maximum cross-section of the electrical contact (10) at the connecting portion (22) is equal to or smaller than the minimum cross-section of the transition portion (24).

4. The electrical contact (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The flat contact surface (38) is configured to make electrical connection with an electrical conductor by: Laser welding, Ultrasonic welding, Resistance welding, Induction welding, or Cold glue with conductive adhesive.

5. The electrical contact (10) according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a transition surface (48) and at least one first locking surface (60), wherein the first locking surface (60) is substantially transverse to the flat contact surface (38) and the transition surface (48) connects the first locking surface (60) to the flat contact surface (38).

6. The electrical contact (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The flat contact surface (38) is offset parallel to a longitudinal center axis (110) of the contact portion (20).

7. The electrical contact (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The height of the side walls (84, 86) relative to the flat contact surface (38) varies at least partially in an increasing manner in the direction from the connecting portion (22) to the transition portion (24).

8. The electrical contact (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The contact portion (20) is a solid contact pin (26).

9. The electrical contact (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The electrical contact (10) is integrally formed as a single piece.

10. A connection assembly comprising an electrical conductor (7), in particular a conductor cable or a busbar, and an electrical contact (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The electrical conductor (7) is welded or glued to the flat contact surface (38), in particular only welded or glued to the flat contact surface (38).

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