Vehicle wire harness connector integrated with fly-wheel diode

Abstract

The utility model provides an automobile wire harness connector integrated with a fly-wheel diode, which relates to the technical field of automobile electronic connectors, and comprises a connector shell, a connecting piece and a connecting piece, the conductive terminal is arranged in the mounting cavity, and the conductive terminal comprises a first end used for being connected with an external wire and a second end used for being connected with a butt joint terminal in an inserted mode; the fly-wheel diode is integrated in the conductive terminal and forms a parallel loop with the conductive terminal; wherein the freewheeling diode is transversely fixed on the conductive terminal through an elastic sheet clamping structure. According to the utility model, the fly-wheel diode is integrated in the mounting cavity of the vehicle wire harness connector, so that external devices do not need to be additionally arranged, and miniaturization and high integration are realized; meanwhile, an existing wire harness system does not need to be changed, and the device is suitable for electronic connection systems of various vehicles and convenient to popularize and apply.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of automotive electronic connector technology, specifically to an automotive wiring harness connector with an integrated freewheeling diode. Background Technology

[0002] In the operation of automotive electronic systems, inductive loads such as electromagnetic relays, solenoids, and motors are widely used. Because these inductive loads have inductive characteristics, they generate a high back electromotive force (EMF) when de-energized. This back EMF can not only damage the electrical system but also interfere with other electronic devices, affecting the normal operation of the automotive electronic system.

[0003] To address the aforementioned issues, existing technologies typically employ freewheeling diodes to eliminate the back electromotive force generated by inductive loads. Currently, the main integration methods for freewheeling diodes in electrical systems are as follows: First, external soldering, where the diode is soldered separately to a PCB board or terminal block and then connected to a wiring harness via a connector; second, wiring harness embedding, where the diode is connected in series inside the cable and its end is connected to a plug or terminal; and third, modular mounting, where the freewheeling diode is designed as an independent electronic module, encapsulated in an additional housing, and connected in parallel with a wiring harness or relay.

[0004] However, the aforementioned existing technical solutions have many drawbacks: external welding or modular installation methods increase the number of additional components, resulting in a larger overall size and severely limiting the optimization of vehicle wiring; since diodes are exposed or connected through external wiring, they are prone to aging due to vibrations during vehicle operation and environmental factors such as humidity and high temperature, leading to poor contact or failure, resulting in reliability issues; and when diodes are damaged, it is often necessary to replace the entire connector or wiring harness, which greatly increases maintenance costs and causes inconvenience for later maintenance. Utility Model Content

[0005] The technical problem this invention aims to solve is how to design a highly integrated and compatible automotive wiring harness connector.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides an automotive wiring harness connector with an integrated freewheeling diode, comprising:

[0007] Connector housing with mounting cavity;

[0008] A conductive terminal is built into the mounting cavity, the conductive terminal including a first end for connecting an external wire and a second end for inserting into a mating terminal;

[0009] A freewheeling diode is integrated inside the conductive terminal and forms a parallel circuit with the conductive terminal; wherein, the freewheeling diode is laterally fixed to the conductive terminal by a spring clip structure.

[0010] Furthermore, the spring clip holding structure and the conductive terminal are electrically connected by ultrasonic welding.

[0011] Furthermore, the spring clip clamping structure includes two symmetrically arranged metal spring clips. The metal spring clips extend outward from the inner wall of the conductive terminal and clamp the two poles of the freewheeling diode. The clamping surface of the metal spring clips is in close contact with the electrode surface of the freewheeling diode.

[0012] Furthermore, the clamping surface of the metal spring is provided with a serrated or corrugated contact surface.

[0013] Furthermore, the free end of the metal spring is provided with a guide bevel to guide the assembly of the freewheeling diode and the conductive terminal.

[0014] Furthermore, the conductive terminal is L-shaped, and the L-shaped bent portion of the conductive terminal is embedded in the fixing groove of the connector housing to limit the axial displacement of the conductive terminal.

[0015] Furthermore, the inner wall of the mounting cavity is provided with a sealing groove, which is filled with a silicone sealing layer. The thickness of the silicone sealing layer covers the joint gap between the conductive terminal and the connector housing.

[0016] Furthermore, the model of the freewheeling diode is selected to match the current, voltage, and inductance characteristics of the inductive load in order to eliminate the back electromotive force of the inductive load.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] This invention integrates a freewheeling diode within the mounting cavity of the automotive wiring harness connector, eliminating the need for additional external components and achieving miniaturization and high integration. Furthermore, it does not require alteration to the existing wiring harness system, making it suitable for electronic connection systems in various vehicles and facilitating widespread application. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure disclosed in the embodiment of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the conductive terminal and the freewheeling diode disclosed in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a top view of the assembly of the conductive terminal and the freewheeling diode disclosed in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the assembly of the conductive terminal and the freewheeling diode disclosed in an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit disclosed in the embodiment of this utility model.

[0024] In the picture:

[0025] 10. Connector housing; 11. Mounting cavity; 20. Conductive terminal; 21. Metal spring; 30. Freewheeling diode. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the technical solutions and effects of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are some embodiments of this utility model, but not all embodiments.

[0027] This invention aims to provide an automotive wiring harness connector with an integrated freewheeling diode. By embedding the freewheeling diode inside the conductive terminal of the wiring harness connector, a parallel circuit is directly formed in the current path. When the inductive load is de-energized, the reverse electromotive force is quickly released through the diode, protecting the circuit from high-voltage surges. No additional external components are required, and the existing wiring harness system remains unchanged.

[0028] Please see Figure 1 The automotive wiring harness connector mainly includes a connector housing 10, conductive terminals 20, and a freewheeling diode 30. The connector housing 10 has a mounting cavity; the conductive terminals 20 are built into the mounting cavity 11; the freewheeling diode 30 is integrated inside the conductive terminals 20 and forms a parallel circuit with the conductive terminals 20.

[0029] In this embodiment, the connector housing 10 is injection molded from high-temperature resistant nylon material, and has multiple mounting cavities 11 inside, each of which accommodates a conductive terminal 20. The external dimensions of the connector housing 10 conform to industry standards to ensure compatibility with existing vehicle wiring harness systems. The inner wall of the mounting cavity 11 has a sealing groove filled with a silicone sealing layer. The thickness of the silicone sealing layer covers the joint gap between the conductive terminal 20 and the connector housing 10 for waterproofing and dustproofing.

[0030] In this embodiment, the conductive terminal 20 is formed by stamping copper alloy. The conductive terminal 20 includes a first end for connecting external wires and a second end for inserting into a mating terminal. The first end is a crimping structure for fixing the external wires with a crimping tool. The second end is a plug-in end with a chamfered surface to facilitate insertion and removal from the mating terminal. The conductive terminal 20 is L-shaped, and the L-shaped bend of the conductive terminal 20 is embedded in the fixing groove of the connector housing 10 to limit the axial displacement of the conductive terminal 20, provide mechanical support, and resist vibration or temperature deformation.

[0031] Please see Figure 2-4 The freewheeling diode 30 is laterally fixed to the conductive terminal 20 by a spring clip structure. The spring clip structure is used to ensure the precise positioning and reliable contact of the freewheeling diode 30 before welding. Specifically, the spring clip structure and the conductive terminal 20 are electrically connected by ultrasonic welding. The ultrasonic welding uses high-frequency vibration to fuse the metal interface, forming a low-resistance, high-strength electrical connection, avoiding the problems of poor soldering or oxidation in traditional welding.

[0032] The spring-loaded clamping structure includes two symmetrically arranged metal springs 21. The metal springs 21 extend outward from the inner wall of the conductive terminal 20 and clamp the two electrodes of the freewheeling diode 30. The clamping surface of the metal springs 21 is in close contact with the electrode surface of the freewheeling diode 30. Preferably, the clamping surface of the metal springs 21 has a serrated or corrugated contact surface to enhance the electrical conductivity stability between the freewheeling diode 30 and the conductive terminal 20. Preferably, the free end of the metal springs 21 has a guide bevel to guide the assembly of the freewheeling diode 30 with the conductive terminal 20. The model of the freewheeling diode 30 is selected according to the current, voltage, and inductance characteristics of the inductive load to eliminate the back electromotive force of the inductive load.

[0033] The spring-loaded clamping structure, used for holding the connector before soldering, avoids open circuits caused by solder joint aging or stress compared to traditional soldering methods, thus improving long-term reliability. This structure also allows the wiring harness connector to withstand vibrations, high temperatures, and humidity variations in the automotive environment, enhancing its durability.

[0034] The principle of back electromotive force suppression in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, when the inductive load in the vehicle is de-energized, its inductive characteristics generate a back electromotive force. In this wiring harness connector, the freewheeling diode 30 is connected in parallel with the load to form a low-impedance loop, allowing the reverse current to be quickly released through the freewheeling diode 30, preventing high-voltage surges from damaging other electronic components.

[0035] The manufacturing method of the automotive wiring harness connector in this embodiment includes the following steps:

[0036] 1) The freewheeling diode 30 is pre-fixed in the conductive terminal by means of a spring clip structure.

[0037] 2) The contact area between the spring clip holding structure and the conductive terminal 20 is ultrasonically welded to form a low-resistance electrical connection.

[0038] 3) Assemble the welded conductive terminal 20 into the connector housing 10, and mechanically lock it in place through the bending part and the fixing groove.

[0039] The beneficial effects of the technical solution provided by this utility model are:

[0040] Firstly, it reduces the need for external soldering and additional modules, simplifies the manufacturing process, improves production efficiency, and reduces production costs. Secondly, it effectively suppresses the high-voltage back electromotive force generated by inductive loads, preventing damage to the electrical system and improving the stability of the automotive electronic system. Furthermore, when the freewheeling diode fails, only the connector assembly needs to be replaced, rather than the entire wiring harness, reducing maintenance costs.

[0041] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An automotive wiring harness connector with an integrated freewheeling diode, characterized in that, include: Connector housing (10) has mounting cavity (11); A conductive terminal (20) is built into the mounting cavity (11). The conductive terminal (20) includes a first end for connecting an external wire and a second end for plugging into a mating terminal. A freewheeling diode (30) is integrated inside the conductive terminal (20) and forms a parallel circuit with the conductive terminal (20); wherein the freewheeling diode (30) is laterally fixed to the conductive terminal (20) by a spring clip clamping structure.

2. The integrated freewheel diode automotive wire harness connector of claim 1, wherein, The spring clip holding structure and the conductive terminal (20) are electrically connected by ultrasonic welding.

3. The automotive wiring harness connector with integrated freewheeling diode according to claim 1, characterized in that, The spring clip clamping structure includes two symmetrically arranged metal spring clips (21). The metal spring clips (21) extend outward from the inner wall of the conductive terminal (20) and clamp the two poles of the freewheeling diode (30). The clamping surface of the metal spring clips (21) is in close contact with the electrode surface of the freewheeling diode (30).

4. The integrated freewheel diode automotive wire harness connector of claim 3, wherein, The clamping surface of the metal spring (21) is provided with a serrated or corrugated contact surface.

5. The integrated freewheel diode automotive wire harness connector of claim 3, wherein, The free end of the metal spring (21) is provided with a guide slope to guide the assembly of the freewheeling diode (30) and the conductive terminal (20).

6. The automotive wiring harness connector with integrated freewheeling diode according to claim 1, characterized in that, The conductive terminal (20) is L-shaped, and the L-shaped bent portion of the conductive terminal (20) is embedded in the fixing groove of the connector housing (10) to limit the axial displacement of the conductive terminal (20).

7. The automotive wiring harness connector with integrated freewheeling diode according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner wall of the mounting cavity (11) is provided with a sealing groove, and the sealing groove is filled with a silicone sealing layer. The thickness of the silicone sealing layer covers the joint gap between the conductive terminal (20) and the connector housing (10).

8. The automotive wiring harness connector with an integrated freewheeling diode according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The model of the freewheeling diode (30) is selected to match the current, voltage and inductance characteristics of the inductive load in order to eliminate the back electromotive force of the inductive load.

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