Automobile wire harness connector platform structure and assembling method thereof

Abstract

The automobile wire harness connector platform structure comprises a connector body and a tail clamp arranged on the connector body, the connector body comprises a connector male end and a connector modular female end connected with the connector male end in an inserted mode, and the connector modular female end can be adjusted according to actual requirements. The platform structure of the automobile wire harness connector solves the problem that automobile wire harness connectors are various in variety, unifies the standard of the automobile wire harness connectors, facilitates reduction of inventory cost and management difficulty, facilitates improvement of production efficiency and improves the performance expansibility of the automobile wire harness connectors, and the invention further provides an assembling method of the platform structure of the automobile wire harness connector. Therefore, the assembly of the connector modularized female end and the automobile wire harness connector is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of automotive wiring harness connector technology. Specifically, this invention relates to a platform-based structure for automotive wiring harness connectors and its assembly method. Background Technology

[0002] In automotive manufacturing, automotive wiring harness connectors are the "nerve nodes" of the automotive electrical system. They are responsible for achieving electrical connections between wiring harnesses and equipment, and between wiring harnesses themselves. They are core components ensuring stable transmission of current and signals, and their performance directly affects the reliability of the vehicle's powertrain, chassis, body, and smart cockpit systems. Automotive wiring harness connectors are mainly classified into power connectors and signal connectors based on the transmission object. Power connectors can transmit high currents and are used in batteries, motors, generators, etc., requiring high current carrying capacity and high temperature resistance. Signal connectors can transmit low-current signals from sensors, controllers, etc.

[0003] With the increasing complexity of automotive electronic systems, the demand for wiring harness connectors is also becoming more diversified. This has led to a wide variety of automotive wiring harness connectors, causing numerous inconveniences in the automotive production process. Different car models, and even different configurations of the same model, use significantly different connectors. This results in the need to stock a large number of connectors of different specifications during production, increasing inventory costs and management difficulties. The diverse connector designs also reduce production efficiency and are not conducive to large-scale production. In addition, existing connectors have insufficient performance scalability, making it difficult to meet the flexible configuration of different current requirements and different pin counts. When high current is required, miniaturization is difficult to achieve; while when small pin count connectors are needed, they cannot be flexibly split and used from existing large-specification connectors. Furthermore, some connectors are not perfectly matched in performance, affecting the stability and safety of the automotive electrical system.

[0004] Therefore, in order to improve or solve at least one of the above problems, a platform structure and assembly method for automotive wiring harness connectors is provided that can solve the problem of the wide variety of automotive wiring harness connectors, unify the standard of automotive wiring harness connectors, reduce inventory costs and management difficulties, improve production efficiency, and enhance the performance scalability of automotive wiring harness connectors. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention addresses the aforementioned problems and aims to provide a platform-based structure and assembly method for automotive wiring harness connectors that solves the problem of the wide variety of automotive wiring harness connectors, standardizes automotive wiring harness connectors, reduces inventory costs and management difficulties, improves production efficiency, and enhances the performance scalability of automotive wiring harness connectors. To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows: The present invention provides a platform structure for automotive wiring harness connectors, characterized by including a connector body and a tail clip disposed on the connector body. The connector body includes a male connector terminal and a modular female connector terminal that is inserted into the male connector terminal.

[0006] In the platform structure of automotive wiring harness connector provided by the present invention, it may also have the following features: the modular female end of the connector includes a socket housing, a core, and a core module. The core is disposed in the socket housing, the core has a cavity, and the core module is disposed in the cavity.

[0007] In the platform structure of automotive wiring harness connector provided by the present invention, it may also have the following feature: the core module includes a first socket terminal and a second socket terminal, and the first socket terminal and the second socket terminal are arranged in the cavity.

[0008] The platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector provided by the present invention may also have the following features: locking flanges and locking grooves are respectively provided on both sides of the cavity, and interlocking flanges and interlocking grooves are respectively provided on both sides of the first socket terminal and the second socket terminal.

[0009] In the platform structure of automotive wiring harness connector provided by the present invention, it may also have the following feature: the modular female end of the connector further includes a module locking housing, which is sleeved on the core and located inside the socket housing.

[0010] In the platform structure of automotive wiring harness connector provided by the present invention, it may also have the following features: the modular female end of the connector further includes a core locking housing, the core locking housing is snapped onto the module locking housing, the core locking housing is provided with a limiting flange, the limiting flange abuts against the core; the core locking housing is provided with a limiting reinforcing flange, the limiting reinforcing flange abuts against the core.

[0011] The platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector provided by the present invention may also have the following feature: the modular female end of the connector further includes a sealing ring, which is disposed on the socket housing and located on the mating surface between the male end of the connector and the modular female end of the connector.

[0012] The platform structure of automotive wiring harness connectors provided by the present invention may also have the following features: the male end of the connector is provided with a plug-in locking protrusion; the male end of the connector is provided with an installation limiting flange.

[0013] In the platform structure of automotive wiring harness connector provided by the present invention, it may also have the following feature: the tail clip includes a protective shell upper cover and a protective shell lower cover connected to the protective shell upper cover, and the protective shell upper cover and the protective shell lower cover are connected to the socket housing.

[0014] This invention also provides an assembly method based on the above-mentioned automotive wiring harness connector platform structure, characterized by the following steps: Step S1, selecting different combinations of first and second socket terminals according to different expansion requirements to expand and assemble the core module; Step S2, installing the core module in the cavity of the core, and installing the core in the socket housing; Step S3, assembling the module locking housing, sealing ring, and core locking housing to complete the assembly of the connector modular female end; Step S4, mating and locking the connector male end with the connector modular female end; Step S5, splicing the protective shell cover and the protective shell cover together to form the protective shell; Step S6, conducting multiple rounds of testing. The technical effects of this invention are as follows: The platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector provided by this invention includes a connector body and a tail clip disposed on the connector body. The connector body includes a male connector terminal and a modular female connector terminal that plugs into the male connector terminal. The modular female connector terminal can be adjusted according to actual needs, solving the problem of the wide variety of automotive wiring harness connectors, unifying automotive wiring harness connector standards, reducing inventory costs and management difficulties, improving production efficiency, and enhancing the performance expandability of automotive wiring harness connectors. This invention also provides an assembly method for the platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector, thereby realizing the assembly of the modular female connector terminal and the automotive wiring harness connector. Attached Figure Description

[0015] This manual includes the following figures, which illustrate the following: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the modular female connector structure in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the modular female connector structure in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the modular female end of the connector in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the modular female end of the connector in the front view direction in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the core module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0016] The components in the diagram are labeled as follows: Connector body-10, Connector male terminal-11, Plug-in locking protrusion-111, Mounting limiting flange-112, Connector modular female terminal-12, Socket housing-121, Core-122, Cavity-1221, Locking flange-1222, Locking groove-1223, Support flange-1224, Core module-123, First socket terminal-1231, Second socket terminal-1232, Interlocking flange-1233, Interlocking groove-1234, Module locking housing-124, Core locking housing-125, Limiting flange-1251, Limiting reinforcing flange-1252, Sealing ring-126, Tail clip-20, Protective shell upper cover-21, Protective shell lower cover-22, Slot-23. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in order to help those skilled in the art to have a more complete, accurate and in-depth understanding of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention, and to facilitate its implementation.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the automotive wiring harness connector platform structure provided by this invention includes a connector body 10 and a tail clip 20 disposed on the connector body 10. The connector body 10 includes a connector male terminal 11 and a connector modular female terminal 12 that plugs into the connector male terminal 11. The connector male terminal 11 and the connector modular female terminal 12 adopt a modular design concept. According to different expansion requirements, the connector modular female terminal 12 is expanded and assembled, and the connector male terminal 11 is adjusted accordingly based on the connector modular female terminal 12. This allows the connector modular female terminal 12 to be adjusted according to actual needs. For the pin count expansion module, the pins are installed on the pluggable plug-in module according to the standard pin size and spacing, and the connection structure between the plug-in module and the basic module is precisely matched. The automotive wiring harness connector platform structure provided by this invention can meet the expansion requirements from 6 pins to 18 pins. In the basic module, an expandable pin mounting position is reserved, and the expandable module is a plug-in module with pins. When the number of pins needs to be increased, the corresponding plug-in module is inserted into the reserved mounting position of the base module according to the predetermined connection method. Through precise mechanical positioning and electrical contact design, the reliable electrical connection between the new pins and the base module is ensured, while also guaranteeing the stability of the entire connector structure. For the current carrying capacity expansion module, the pin specifications can be designed according to the current carrying capacity. The pins are manufactured using special high-conductivity materials, and the internal electrical connection structure of the plug-in module is optimized to meet the requirements of high current carrying capacity. To meet the current carrying capacity range of 0A to 25A, the automotive wiring harness connector platform structure provided by this invention uses copper alloy materials for the pins and electrical connection components. The pins are made of copper alloy materials with high conductivity and high current carrying capacity. By optimizing the cross-sectional shape and size of the pins, the current conduction area is increased, and the resistance is reduced, thereby reducing heat generation and improving the current carrying capacity. The electrical connection components use low-resistance contact materials and reliable contact structures to ensure that the contact resistance of the connection part is stable when a large current is carried, and there will be no overheating or poor contact. For low current requirements, through reasonable circuit design and pin configuration, the electrical performance of the connector is guaranteed to be stable under low current. This addresses the issue of the wide variety of automotive wiring harness connectors, standardizes automotive wiring harness connectors, reduces inventory costs and management difficulties, improves production efficiency, and enhances the performance scalability of automotive wiring harness connectors.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the modular female connector structure in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the modular female connector structure in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the modular female end of the connector in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the modular female connector end in the front view direction in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 , Figure 5 as well as Figure 6 As shown, the modular female connector 12 includes a socket housing 121, a core 122, and a core module 123. The core 122 is disposed within the socket housing 121 and is used to support the female terminal. A cavity 1221 is provided on the core 122. The core module 123 is disposed within the cavity 1221 of the core 122. The core module 123 includes a first socket terminal 1231 and a second socket terminal 1232. The first socket terminal 1231 and the second socket terminal 1232 are arranged within the cavity of the core 122. The arrangement of the socket terminals 1232 can be selectively set according to actual needs. The cavity 1221 of the core 122 can accurately position the metal terminals, so that the first socket terminal 1231 and the second socket terminal 1232 can be neatly arranged and stably contact the male pin of the connector 11, realizing accurate transmission of current and signal. This allows the hole layout of the core module 123 to follow specific coding rules, which can not only avoid terminal assembly errors, but also adapt to the partitioned transmission requirements of different functional signals, such as arranging power terminals and signal terminals separately to reduce mutual interference.

[0022] The cavity 1221 is provided with locking flanges 1222 and locking grooves 1223 on both sides. The first socket terminal 1231 and the second socket terminal 1232 are provided with interlocking flanges 1233 and interlocking grooves 1234 on both sides. The first socket terminal 1231 and the second socket terminal 1232 are tightly arranged in the cavity 1221 of the core 122 through the interlocking flanges 1233 and interlocking grooves 1234.

[0023] The core 122 is also provided with a support flange 1224. The support flange 1224 can guide the core 122 to be inserted into a preset position in the socket housing 121, ensuring that the core 122 will not sway left and right or move back and forth in the socket housing 121, thereby ensuring that the terminals of the core 122 can accurately align with the male pins, avoiding poor contact, and further limiting the displacement of the core 122. Even if the vehicle vibrates at high frequency for a long time, the core 122 will not shift, ensuring stable contact between the terminals.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the core module in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] like Figure 7As shown, the first socket terminal 1231 and the second socket terminal 1232 have multiple arrangement methods within the cavity 1221 of the core 122, allowing the modular female terminal 12 of the connector to be adjusted according to actual needs. In accordance with the standard pin size and spacing, the pins on the male terminal 11 of the connector are correspondingly mounted on the pluggable plug-in module, ensuring that the connection structure between the plug-in module and the basic module is precisely matched. The platform structure of the automotive wiring harness connector provided by this invention can meet the expandable requirements from 6 pins to 18 pins. In the basic module, expandable pin mounting positions are reserved, and the expandable module is a plug-in module with pins.

[0026] The connector modular female terminal 12 also includes a module locking housing 124, which is sleeved on the core 122 and located inside the socket housing 121. The module locking housing 124 is used to fix the core module 123 group to the socket housing 121. After the core module 123 is installed into the module locking housing 124, the module locking housing 124 is fastened by buckles or bolts to prevent the core module 123 from shifting and to ensure the overall stability when multiple terminals work together.

[0027] The connector modular female terminal 12 also includes a core locking housing 125, which is snapped onto the module locking housing 124, thereby further locking the core 122 and the core module 123 onto the socket housing 121. The core locking housing 125 is provided with a limiting flange 1251, which abuts against the core 122. The core locking housing 125 is also provided with a limiting reinforcing flange 1252, which abuts against the core 122. Through the limiting flange 1251 and the limiting reinforcing flange 1252, secondary locking is achieved. When the core module 123 is inserted into the core 122, the limiting flange 1251 and the limiting reinforcing flange 1252 lock the terminal and the core 122, preventing the terminal from retracting or loosening during vibration, further improving reliability, and ensuring stable signal transmission of key components such as sensors.

[0028] The connector modular female 12 also includes a sealing ring 126, which is disposed on the socket housing 121 and located on the mating surface between the connector male terminal 11 and the connector modular female terminal 12. The sealing ring 126 deforms due to the interference compression after the connector male terminal 11 and the connector modular female terminal 12 are assembled, filling the assembly gap and achieving a waterproof and dustproof seal to prevent rainwater and dust from entering and corroding the internal terminals, thereby achieving the IP67 protection level commonly used in automobiles.

[0029] The male connector 11 has a locking protrusion 111, and the modular female connector 12 has a groove that matches the locking protrusion 111. When the male connector 11 and the modular female connector 12 are inserted, the locking protrusion 111 engages with the groove on the modular female connector 12 to prevent accidental disengagement due to vehicle bumps, ensuring connection stability. The male connector 11 has a mounting limiting flange 112, which limits the depth and angle of insertion of the male connector 11 into the modular female connector 12, preventing damage to the terminals due to excessive insertion or poor contact due to insertion misalignment. It also helps prevent mistaken insertion and damage to components caused by reverse insertion of the male and female connectors.

[0030] The tail clip 20 is installed on one side of the socket housing 121. The tail clip 20 includes a protective housing upper cover 21 and a protective housing lower cover 22 connected to the protective housing upper cover 21. The protective housing upper cover 21 and the protective housing lower cover 22 are connected to the socket housing 121. The tail clip 20 is a transition and fixing component between the wire harness and the connector, used to fix the wire harness and prevent vibration during vehicle operation from pulling the wire harness, thereby preventing the terminals from loosening or the pins from coming off at the connection point with the wire harness. At the same time, it can also help enhance the tail seal and reduce the seepage of moisture and dust into the connector along the wire harness. The protective housing upper cover 21 and the protective housing lower cover 22 are provided with a slot 23 for fastening the protective housing upper cover 21 and the protective housing lower cover 22.

[0031] The present invention also provides an assembly method based on the above-described automotive wiring harness connector platform structure, comprising the following steps: Step S1, selecting different combinations of first socket terminals 1231 and second socket terminals 1232 according to different expansion requirements to expand and assemble the core module 123; Step S2, installing the core module 123 in the cavity 1221 of the core 122, and installing the core 122 in the socket housing 121; Step S3, assembling the module locking housing 124, the core locking housing 125, and the sealing ring 126 to complete the assembly of the connector modular female terminal 12; Step S4: Connect and lock the male connector 11 and modular female connector 12 to ensure complete engagement. Step S5: Assemble the protective housing cover 21 and cover 22 to secure the wiring harness and prevent pulling. Step S6: Conduct multiple rounds of testing to eliminate potential issues such as loose connections and short circuits. This includes electrical performance testing (conductivity, insulation resistance, withstand voltage, etc.), mechanical performance testing (insertion and extraction force, mechanical strength, etc.), and environmental adaptability testing (high and low temperature testing, humidity testing, salt spray testing, etc.). Only after ensuring the connector's performance fully complies with connector standards can it be used in the automotive production process.

[0032] The automotive wiring harness connector platform structure provided by this invention includes a connector body 10 and a tail clip 20 disposed on the connector body 10. The connector body 10 includes a connector male terminal 11 and a connector modular female terminal 12 that plugs into the connector male terminal 11. The connector male terminal 11 and the connector modular female terminal 12 adopt a modular design concept. According to different expansion requirements, the connector modular female terminal 12 is expanded and assembled, and the connector male terminal 11 is adjusted accordingly based on the connector modular female terminal 12. This allows the connector modular female terminal 12 to be adjusted according to actual needs. For the pin count expansion module, the pins are installed on the pluggable plug-in module according to the standard pin size and spacing, and the connection structure between the plug-in module and the basic module is precisely matched. The automotive wiring harness connector platform structure provided by this invention can meet the expansion requirements from 6 pins to 18 pins. In the basic module, expandable pin mounting positions are reserved, and the expandable module is a plug-in module with pins. When the number of pins needs to be increased, the corresponding plug-in module is inserted into the reserved mounting position of the base module according to the predetermined connection method. Through precise mechanical positioning and electrical contact design, the reliable electrical connection between the new pins and the base module is ensured, while also guaranteeing the stability of the entire connector structure. For the current carrying capacity expansion module, the pin specifications can be designed according to the current carrying capacity. The pins are manufactured using special high-conductivity materials, and the internal electrical connection structure of the plug-in module is optimized to meet the requirements of high current carrying capacity. To meet the current carrying capacity range of 0A to 25A, the automotive wiring harness connector platform structure provided by this invention uses copper alloy materials for the pins and electrical connection components. The pins are made of copper alloy materials with high conductivity and high current carrying capacity. By optimizing the cross-sectional shape and size of the pins, the current conduction area is increased, and the resistance is reduced, thereby reducing heat generation and improving the current carrying capacity. The electrical connection components use low-resistance contact materials and reliable contact structures to ensure that the contact resistance of the connection part is stable when a large current is carried, and there will be no overheating or poor contact. For low current requirements, through reasonable circuit design and pin configuration, the electrical performance of the connector is guaranteed to be stable under low current. This addresses the issue of the wide variety of automotive wiring harness connectors, standardizes automotive wiring harness connectors, reduces inventory costs and management difficulties, improves production efficiency, and enhances the performance scalability of automotive wiring harness connectors.

[0033] The present invention has been described above by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited to the above-described manner. Any non-substantial improvements made using the inventive concept and technical solution; or the direct application of the inventive concept and technical solution to other situations without modification, are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An automotive wire harness connector platformization structure characterized by comprising: The connector body (10) comprises a connector male end (11) and a connector modular female end (12) which is plugged with the connector male end (11).

2. The automotive wire harness connector platformization structure according to claim 1, characterized by, The connector modular female end (12) comprises a socket shell (121), a core body (122) and a core body module (123), the core body (122) is arranged in the socket shell (121), the core body (122) is provided with a cavity (1221), and the core body module (123) is arranged in the cavity (1221).

3. The automotive wire harness connector platformization structure according to claim 2, characterized by, The core body module (123) comprises a first jack terminal (1231) and a second jack terminal (1232), and the first jack terminal (1231) and the second jack terminal (1232) are arranged in the cavity (1221).

4. The automotive wire harness connector platformization structure according to claim 2, characterized by, The cavity (1221) is respectively provided with a locking flange (1222) and a locking groove (1223) on two sides, and the first jack terminal (1231) and the second jack terminal (1232) are respectively provided with an interlocking flange (1233) and an interlocking groove (1234) on two sides.

5. The automotive wire harness connector platformization structure according to claim 4, characterized by, The connector modular female end (12) further comprises a module locking shell (124), the module locking shell (124) is sleeved on the core body (122) and located in the socket shell (121).

6. The automotive wire harness connector platformization structure according to claim 5, characterized by, The connector modular female end (12) further comprises a core body locking shell (125), the core body locking shell (125) is clamped on the module locking shell (124), the core body locking shell (125) is provided with a limiting flange (1251), the limiting flange (1251) abuts against the core body (122), and the core body locking shell (125) is provided with a limiting reinforcing flange (1252), the limiting reinforcing flange (1252) abuts against the core body (122).

7. The automotive wire harness connector platforming structure according to claim 6, characterized by, The connector modular female end (12) further comprises a sealing rubber ring (126), the sealing rubber ring (126) is arranged on the socket shell (121) and located on a connecting surface between the connector male end (11) and the connector modular female end (12).

8. The automotive wire harness connector platformization structure according to claim 1, characterized by, The connector male end (11) is provided with a plug locking protrusion (111), and the connector male end (11) is provided with a mounting limiting flange (112).

9. The automotive wire harness connector platforming structure according to claim 2, characterized by, The tail clamp (20) comprises a protective shell upper cover (21) and a protective shell lower cover (22) connected with the protective shell upper cover (21), and the protective shell upper cover (21) and the protective shell lower cover (22) are connected with the socket shell (121).

10. A method of assembling the platform structure of the automobile wire harness connector according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by, The method comprises the following steps: The connector body (10) comprises a connector male end (11) and a connector modular female end (12) which is plugged with the connector male end (11). Step S1, according to different expansion requirements, select different combination of first jack terminal (1231) and second jack terminal (1232), expansion assembly core module (123); Step S2, the core module (123) is installed in the cavity (1221) of the core (122), and the core (122) is installed in the socket shell (121); Step S3, assembly module locking shell (124), sealing rubber ring (126) and core locking shell (125), complete the assembly of the connector modular female end (12); Step S4, the male end (11) and the female end (12) are connected and locked; Step S5, the protective shell upper cover (21) and the protective shell upper cover (22) are spliced to protect the shell; Step S6, multiple detection tests.

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