Plug connector with steam injection protection

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug connector comprising a housing (1) having a plurality of contact chambers (9) for receiving contact partners, a seal (2) being arranged around all contact chambers (9) on or in a circumferential flange (3) of the housing (1), the sealing element (2) seals a housing (1) of a plug connector relative to a housing of a mating plug connector or relative to a housing of a device. According to the invention, at least one recess (4) is provided in the flange (3) next to the seal (2) on the side of the seal opposite the contact chamber (9) and the at least one recess (4) has at least one opening (5) in the flange (3) facing the outside, behind which opening (5) a rib (6) is arranged in a retracted manner.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a plug connector according to the features of the preamble of claim 1, having a housing having a plurality of contact cavities for receiving contact mating parts, and a seal provided on or in a surrounding flange of the housing around all contact cavities, the seal sealing the housing of the plug connector relative to the housing of a mating plug connector or relative to the housing of a device.

[0002] The automotive industry is making significant strides in sustainability and increasingly using materials derived from recycled processes. This leads to increased susceptibility to corrosion, particularly crevice corrosion in mating connectors with seals. Furthermore, the requirements for the vapor jet stability of mating connectors have not diminished. Experience shows that when the jet directly impacts the seal, the seal cannot withstand the jet and may even be lifted off.

[0003] Figure 1 The initial configuration is shown, in which the plug-in connector can withstand water jets, especially steam jets, from different directions. Figure 1 The diagram illustrates four steam jet generators acting from different directions on a schematically shown plug connector. The different directions and number of steam jet generators are merely illustrative. In practice, when cleaning a vehicle, such as when cleaning the engine compartment, the plug connector will be subjected to a single, arbitrarily chosen steam jet.

[0004] Currently, there are no known plug connectors with sealed housings that can provide corrosion resistance and / or steam jet sealing while using low-cost and recycled materials.

[0005] The problem is especially based on Figure 1 The nozzle of the steam jet generator at 0° is positioned so that it is directly aligned with the seal and its water or steam jet can penetrate into the gap between the seal / housing and / or the seal / housing wall.

[0006] The increased proportion of recycled materials, especially copper and plastic, reduces the corrosion resistance of the connector housing material.

[0007] Another critical point is that gaps and bolt holes, determined by the design, should be sealed (if possible). Gaps smaller than 0.5 mm are particularly detrimental because they draw in aqueous media based on capillary action, which leads to crevice corrosion due to the formation of ventilation elements. Crevice corrosion occurs between metal / metal and metal / plastic surfaces. Crevice corrosion can also cause leaks in seals. Gaps that could lead to crevice corrosion should be avoided through proper machining.

[0008] High-quality and corrosion-resistant substrates are unsustainable and costly, and should be avoided.

[0009] If the water jet impacts the seal directly and unimpeded (at the nozzle at 0°), the water jet will penetrate the seal. The gaps required to prevent crevice corrosion exacerbate this effect. Currently known remedies (existing technology) include… Figure 2 and 3 As shown in the image, the plug (connector) is recessed into the device's housing. Figure 2 However, this leads to costly processing and the risk of water accumulation. A rib is erected on the casing of the equipment. Figure 3 This also leads to costly processing and the risk of water accumulation. The housing is specially coated and the plug housing fits 100% and this remains after storage. All of these solutions require additional processing, coating, and material costs. They do not meet sustainability requirements.

[0010] From this point onward, the terms "water jet" and "steam jet" are used synonymously. In general, it refers to a high-pressure jet of liquid used to clean components. It does not refer to a jet that uses hard materials (such as sand or similar granular materials) to abrade the impacted component.

[0011] The objective of this invention is to avoid the disadvantages described at the beginning.

[0012] This task is solved by the features of claim 1.

[0013] According to the invention, at least one notch is provided in the flange next to the seal on the side of the seal opposite to the contact cavity, and the at least one notch has at least one outwardly facing opening in the flange, behind which a rib is provided in retraction. The volume of water jet impacting the connector housing from the outside can accumulate in the notch through the opening in the flange and be directed out. Unfavorable capillary action is therefore not generated and water jet penetration of the seal can be prevented. The rib retracting behind the opening thus advantageously breaks off (deflects and prevents intrusion into the housing) most of the volume of water jet impacting the housing from the outside, and only a small portion of the water jet is directed into the notch and received there. Therefore, the connector according to the invention has the advantage that the water jet is broken off or mostly deflected by the rib retracting behind the opening and also by the flange surface impacted by the water jet (when the water jet impacts the side of the flange). The portion of the water jet that can penetrate into the casing through the opening will continue to be selectively deflected by the ribs behind the opening and accumulate in the at least one recess, from which it can be selectively discharged.

[0014] The aforementioned advantages are particularly supported by the fact that the connector housing is made of recycled plastic material. This material is inexpensive and sustainable. At the same time, the slightly reduced resistance due to recycling avoids crevice corrosion that could occur without the measures according to the invention.

[0015] In one extended embodiment of the invention, a plurality of recesses are provided circumferentially distributed in the seal. This has the advantage that a small volume of water jet entering the housing through only one single opening impacted by the water jet (other openings may exist that are not impacted by the water jet or are only partially impacted by it) can accumulate in the plurality of recesses.

[0016] In one extended embodiment of the invention, all notches are provided with at least one outwardly facing opening in the flange. This has the advantage that when the volume of the intruding water jet has accumulated in the multiple notches, the water jet volume can also be discharged again from the housing of the connector through the multiple openings.

[0017] In one extended embodiment of the invention, a rib extending around the seal is provided behind the flange, the free end region of which is lower than the free end region of the flange. This lowered rib prior to the seal advantageously prevents capillary action. Therefore, corrosion is advantageously reduced rather than exacerbated by crevice corrosion.

[0018] In one extended embodiment of the invention, the free end region of the rib retracted behind the opening has the same height as the free end region of the flange. Thus, the recesses, preferably side-by-side and separated by the retracted ribs, are filled with the intruding water jet volume in substantially the same or identical manner, because the bottom of the opening is retracted relative to the free end of the flange and directs the intruding volume into the two side-by-side recesses.

[0019] In one extended embodiment of the invention, the bottom of the at least one notch is specified to be lower than the free end region of the opening. This provides a sufficiently large volume behind the flange within the housing of the plug connector for the volume of water jets also entering the housing.

[0020] Other advantageous design options are given in the dependent claims.

[0021] The invention will now be described and explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Figure 1The diagram illustrates the possible angles of incidence for the water jet WS to impact the mating connector SV. Only four different directions (0°, 30°, 60°, and 90°) are shown as examples. In practice, typically only one unique jet impacts the mating connector from an arbitrary, unpredictable direction.

[0023] Figure 2 and 3 Disadvantageous designs of plug connectors according to the prior art are shown, which have been mentioned in the foregoing background section.

[0024] Figure 4 A partial view shows a plug connector according to the invention. The plug connector has a housing 1 with a seal 2. The housing 1 has a surrounding flange 3 in its outward-facing region. At least one notch 4 is present behind the flange 3. According to... Figure 4 In this embodiment, a plurality of notches 4 are provided circumferentially on the flange 3. At least one opening 5 is provided in the sidewall of the housing 1 forming the flange 3. Such openings 5 ​​can be multiple and arranged around the flange 3. When a water jet impacts any location on the flange 3, most of the water jet's volume is deflected. However, a small portion of its volume is specifically guided into the interior of the housing 1 of the connector. The opening 5 is located below the upward-facing end region of the flange 3 along the insertion direction. Furthermore, at least one rib 6 is present, retracting behind the opening 5. This rib 6 can also be multiple, particularly corresponding to the number of openings 5. The circumferential rib formed by the flange 3 is provided with reference numeral 7. From an external perspective, a descending circumferential rib 8 is present behind the flange 3. According to… Figure 4 In one embodiment, the descending rib 8 extends generally parallel to the seal 2, but may alternatively have a different orientation than that of the seal 2. For completeness, it should be proposed that a contact area for a plug-in connector is provided within the seal 2. This contact area is formed by a contact carrier (contact carrier), which, when observed... Figure 4 It is located within the seal 2 and may be part of the housing 1, protruding upward from the flange 3. At least one contact cavity (in practice, usually multiple contact cavities) is provided within this contact carrier, and each contact cavity contains an electrical contact mating element. When in Figure 4 When the plug connector shown in part is inserted into its mating plug connector to form a plug connection, the electrical contact mating element (or multiple contact mating elements) contacts its mating contact mating element in the mating plug connector.

[0025] The free end region of the rib 7 of flange 3 is preferably in a common plane with the free end region of the rib 6 that retracts behind the opening 5. The bottom of the opening 5 is recessed relative to this plane. The same applies to the free end region of the recessed rib 8. The bottom of the opening 5 and the free end region of the recessed rib 8 may also lie in a common plane. However, their planes may differ from each other. Furthermore, the bottom of the notch 4 is advantageously located in a plane lower than the bottom of the opening 5. This observation is suitable for... Figure 4 Observations.

[0026] Figure 5 As shown, the descending rib 8 in front of the seal 2 does not produce capillary action. Therefore, corrosion is not exacerbated by crevice corrosion, but rather advantageously at least reduced or completely prevented. It can also be seen that an opening can be provided in the mounting opening area (e.g., configured as a socket) within the connector housing.

[0027] Figure 6 As shown, the outer rib 7 breaks the water jet, so that the water jet cannot directly impact the seal 2 and therefore will not damage the seal 2.

[0028] Figure 7 As shown, the water jet WS is "broken" by the partition wall (rib 6) covered by the slit and therefore does not impact the seal 2. If a small portion of the impacting water jet volume is directed toward the notch on the right and / or left side of the rib 6, this portion of the water jet volume can be discharged again from the housing of the connector through at least one additional opening located next to its entry opening. See below for more details. Figure 8 The volume of the discharge is indicated by an arrow.

[0029] Figure 8 Finally, it is shown that water can drain regardless of the assembly orientation of the plug connector in its mounting position. Multiple contact cavities 9 of the plug connector are also shown in this view, disposed within the contact carrier of the plug connector within the surrounding seal 2. The contact mating elements in the contact cavities 9 are not shown. List of reference numerals

[0030] 1. Shell

[0031] 2 seals

[0032] 3 flanges

[0033] 4 notches

[0034] 5 openings

[0035] 6 ribs

[0036] 7 ribs

[0037] 8 descending ribs

[0038] 9 contact cavity

[0039] WS water jet

[0040] SV plug connector

Claims

1. A plug connector having a housing (1) having a plurality of contact cavities (9) for receiving mating contacts, and a seal (2) disposed on or in a flange (3) surrounding all the contact cavities (9) of the housing (1), the seal (2) sealing the housing (1) of the plug connector relative to the housing of a mating plug connector or relative to the housing of a device, characterized in that, In the flange (3), at least one notch (4) is provided on the side of the seal (2) opposite to the contact cavity (9), and the at least one notch (4) has at least one outward opening (5) in the flange (3), behind which a rib (6) is provided in a retracted manner.

2. The plug connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are multiple notches (4) distributed circumferentially on the seal (2).

3. The plug connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, All notches (4) have at least one outward-facing opening (5) in the flange (3).

4. The plug connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, A rib (8) extending around the seal (2) is provided behind the flange (3), and the free end region of the rib (8) is lower than the free end region of the flange (3).

5. The plug connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The free end region of the rib (6) that retracts to the back of the opening (5) has the same height as the free end region of the flange (3).

6. The plug connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The bottom of the at least one notch (4) is lower than the free end region of the opening (5).

7. The plug connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The free end region of the rib (7) of the flange (3) and the free end region of the rib (6) that retracts behind the opening (5) are located in a common plane, and the bottom of the opening (5) and / or the free end region of the descending rib (8) are descended relative to this plane.

8. The plug connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The bottom of the opening (5) and the free end region of the descending rib (8) lie in a common plane.

9. The plug connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The bottom of the opening (5) and the free end region of the descending rib (8) are located in different planes.

10. The plug connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The bottom of the notch (4) is located in a plane that is lower than the bottom of the opening (5).

11. The plug connector according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The shell (1) is made of recycled plastic material.

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