A connector

Abstract

The application discloses a connector, comprising a connecting row, a heat shrink tube and two plugs, the two plugs are respectively injection molded on both ends of the connecting row, the heat shrink tube is sleeved outside the connecting row, both ends of the heat shrink tube are respectively connected with the two plugs, and a silica gel sleeve is sleeved at the connection of the heat shrink tube and the two plugs. The application adopts injection molding and heat shrink sealing, avoids bubble deformation of the heat shrink tube, eliminates burr defects, improves the problem of poor end sealing, and simultaneously, the double-layer protection design of the heat shrink tube and the silica gel sleeve not only reduces the medium penetration risk, but also effectively covers the uneven surface of the heat shrink tube after shrinkage, and significantly improves the product appearance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of connectors, and more particularly to a connector. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of electrical connections, flexible copper busbar plugs are key electrical connection components, and their insulation performance and reliability are crucial to the stable operation of the entire electrical system. Currently, existing flexible copper busbar plugs mainly adopt a single-layer insulation treatment, commonly in the form of pure injection molding or heat shrink tubing protection.

[0003] For injection molding, ordinary thermoplastic materials are typically used to directly coat the copper busbar conductor. While this method provides basic insulation, it has several drawbacks. Firstly, the ends do not shrink properly, leading to loosening after prolonged use and compromising the durability and stability of the insulation. Secondly, under conditions of vibration and dynamic bending, the bond strength between the insulation material and the copper busbar is insufficient, easily creating gaps. This significantly limits its application in industrial environments with high reliability requirements.

[0004] However, using heat shrink tubing for protection also presents a series of drawbacks. During injection molding, due to the smooth surface and limited temperature resistance of the heat shrink tubing, molten plastic easily overflows along the edges, forming burrs. These burrs not only affect the product's appearance but also complicate subsequent assembly processes, increasing production costs and time. Furthermore, heat shrink tubing is prone to localized overheating in high-temperature injection molding environments. Residual air inside the tubing expands upon heating, forming bubbles. These bubbles, after cooling and solidifying, create cavities in the insulation layer, severely impacting the product's electrical insulation performance and mechanical strength, thus reducing overall product quality. Simultaneously, the difference in shrinkage rates between the heat shrink tubing and the injection molding material can lead to internal stress at the interface. Over time, delamination may occur at the interface, further weakening product reliability. This delamination problem not only increases the cost of subsequent finishing processes but may also pose safety hazards, threatening the normal operation of electrical systems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a connector that can solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] On one hand, a connector is provided, comprising: a connecting strip, a heat shrink tubing, and two plugs, wherein the two plugs are respectively injection molded at both ends of the connecting strip, the heat shrink tubing is sleeved on the outside of the connecting strip, and both ends of the heat shrink tubing are respectively connected to the two plugs, and a silicone sleeve is provided at the connection between the heat shrink tubing and the two plugs.

[0008] Furthermore, the plug includes a housing, on which a connecting portion extends into the heat shrink tubing is provided. A locking boss protrudes from the outer side of the connecting portion. The heat shrink tubing includes a main body and sleeve portions respectively disposed at both ends of the main body. The sleeve portions are sleeved onto the connecting portion, and the inner side of the sleeve portions is provided with a locking groove that cooperates with the locking boss for locking. The silicone sleeve is sleeved onto the outer side of the sleeve portions.

[0009] Furthermore, the connecting part is provided with a backstop groove, and a backstop part is formed at the connection between the outer side of the sleeve part and the outer side of the main body. Two backstop protrusions are symmetrically arranged on the inner side of the silicone sleeve, and the two backstop protrusions respectively cooperate with the backstop groove and the backstop part to form a connection.

[0010] Furthermore, the plug also includes a crown spring disposed within the housing.

[0011] Furthermore, the plug also includes a locking member disposed on the housing, the plug being able to be inserted into the socket, and the locking member locking the plug and the socket.

[0012] Furthermore, the plug also includes a seal disposed on the housing, the plug can be inserted into the socket, and the connection between the plug and the socket is sealed by the seal.

[0013] Furthermore, the outer casing is provided with a finger-proof step.

[0014] Furthermore, the middle portion of the connecting row is a deformable portion.

[0015] Furthermore, the connecting busbar is a soft copper busbar.

[0016] Furthermore, the connecting strip is tightly fitted to the inner side of the heat shrink tubing.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: The plug is injection molded onto the end of the connector. During the injection molding process, the plastic can be evenly and tightly filled into the connection area between the plug and the connector, ensuring a high degree of sealing at the end. This greatly improves the overall sealing performance of the connector and effectively reduces the risk of electrical failures caused by poor sealing. Subsequent heat shrink sealing further strengthens the overall protection, allowing the connector to better adapt to complex and changing environments. In addition, the heat shrink tubing, as the first protective layer, can block most external media from intruding and play an insulating role; the silicone sleeve, as the second protective layer, tightly wraps the connection between the heat shrink tubing and the plug, not only covering the unevenness of the surface after the heat shrink tubing shrinks, significantly improving the product appearance and making it more neat and beautiful, but also further reducing the risk of media penetration, creating a more reliable sealing environment inside the connector and effectively extending the service life of the connector. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the connector described in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the connector described in an embodiment of this application;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the heat shrink tubing described in the embodiments of this application;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the silicone sleeve described in the embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the plug described in an embodiment of this application.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Connecting strip; 2. Heat shrink tubing; 201. Main body; 202. Socket part; 2021. Locking groove; 2022. Anti-reverse part; 3. Plug; 301. Outer shell; 302. Crown spring; 303. Locking element; 304. Sealing element; 305. Anti-finger step; 3011. Connecting part; 3012. Locking boss; 3013. Anti-reverse groove; 4. Silicone sleeve; 401. Anti-reverse boss. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the technical problems solved by this application, the technical solutions adopted, and the technical effects achieved clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application are further described in detail below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0027] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0028] like Figures 1-5 As shown, this embodiment provides a connector, including: a connecting strip 1, a heat shrink tubing 2, and two plugs 3. The two plugs 3 are respectively injection molded at both ends of the connecting strip 1. The heat shrink tubing 2 is sleeved on the outside of the connecting strip 1. The two ends of the heat shrink tubing 2 are respectively connected to the two plugs 3, and a silicone sleeve 4 is provided at the connection between the heat shrink tubing 2 and the two plugs 3.

[0029] Based on the above scheme, the two plugs 3 are first fixed to both ends of the connecting strip 1 by injection molding. During the injection molding process, the plastic material can tightly fill the space between the plug 3 and the connecting strip 1, forming a strong and sealed connection structure, avoiding problems such as molten plastic overflow and burrs caused by the presence of heat shrink tubing 2 in traditional injection molding, as well as local overheating, bubbling, and deformation of heat shrink tubing 2. Because there is no heat shrink tubing 2 interfering with the injection molding process at this time, the plastic can be evenly wrapped around the connection part 3011 between the plug 3 and the connecting strip 1 according to the design requirements, ensuring the sealing of the end. Subsequently, heat shrink sealing is performed, and heat shrink tubing 2 is sleeved on the outside of the connecting strip 1. After heating, heat shrink tubing 2 will shrink and fit tightly against the surface of the connecting strip 1, further enhancing the overall sealing effect. This sequential arrangement of injection molding followed by heat shrinking fully utilizes the advantages of each injection molding and heat shrinking, while avoiding the defects caused by mutual interference between the two.

[0030] Meanwhile, since the heat shrink tubing 2 itself has a certain degree of insulation and protection, it can prevent external media from corroding the interior of the connector 1. However, the surface of the heat shrink tubing 2 may be uneven after shrinking, and the protection provided by the heat shrink tubing 2 alone may have certain limitations in terms of preventing media penetration. Therefore, a silicone sleeve 4 is fitted at the connection between the heat shrink tubing 2 and the two plugs 3. The silicone sleeve 4 has good elasticity and sealing properties. It can tightly wrap around the connection part 3011 between the heat shrink tubing 2 and the plug 3, on the one hand, covering the uneven surface of the heat shrink tubing 2 after shrinking, improving the appearance of the product; on the other hand, the silicone sleeve 4 forms an additional sealing layer, further reducing the risk of media penetration into the interior of the connector 1, providing more reliable protection for the connector 1.

[0031] It is important to note that the two plugs 3 are the positive and negative plugs, respectively. In a DC circuit, current flows in a fixed direction, exiting from the positive terminal of the power supply, passing through the load, and returning to the negative terminal. The positive and negative plugs correspond to the positive and negative output terminals of the DC power supply, respectively, establishing a complete current path by connecting them to the matching socket or device. Connector 1, as a conductive component, has its two ends connected to the positive and negative plugs, ensuring that current can be smoothly transmitted from the positive plug through connector 1 to the negative plug, and then flow into the subsequent circuit.

[0032] Furthermore, the plug 3 includes a housing 301, on which a connecting portion 3011 extends into the heat shrink tubing 2. A locking boss 3012 protrudes from the outer side of the connecting portion 3011. The heat shrink tubing 2 includes a main body 201 and sleeve portions 202 respectively disposed at both ends of the main body 201. The sleeve portions 202 are fitted onto the connecting portion 3011, and the inner side of the sleeve portions 202 is provided with a locking groove 2021 that engages with the locking boss 3012 for locking. The silicone sleeve 4 is fitted onto the outer side of the sleeve portions 202. When the sleeve portion 202 of the heat shrink tubing 2 is fitted onto the connecting portion 3011 of the plug 3, the locking boss 3012 will embed into the locking groove 2021. Because the shapes and sizes of the locking boss 3012 and the locking groove 2021 match, this fitting structure creates a mechanical locking relationship between the heat shrink tubing 2 and the plug 3. Under external forces, such as vibration or pulling, the engagement of the locking boss 3012 and the locking groove 2021 prevents relative sliding or separation between the heat shrink tubing 2 and the plug 3, thus ensuring the stability and firmness of their connection. The silicone sleeve 4, fitted onto the outside of the socket 202, serves two purposes: firstly, the elasticity of the silicone further tightens the connection between the socket 202 and the plug 3 connection 3011, enhancing the seal and preventing the ingress of external media; secondly, the silicone sleeve 4 protects the socket 202, reducing wear and damage caused by external factors.

[0033] Furthermore, the connecting portion 3011 is provided with a retaining groove 3013, and a retaining portion 2022 is formed at the connection between the outer side of the sleeve portion 202 and the outer side of the main body 201. Two retaining protrusions 401 are symmetrically arranged on the inner side of the silicone sleeve 4, and the two retaining protrusions 401 respectively cooperate with the retaining groove 3013 and the retaining portion 2022 to form a connection. When the silicone sleeve 4 is fitted onto the outer side of the sleeve portion 202, the retaining protrusions 401 on the inner side of the silicone sleeve 4 will respectively embed into the retaining groove 3013 of the connecting portion 3011 and the retaining portion 2022 at the connection between the sleeve portion 202 and the main body 201. Due to the elasticity of the silicone material, the retaining protrusions 401 will undergo a certain degree of elastic deformation during the fitting process, thus smoothly entering the retaining groove 3013 and the retaining portion 2022. After entering the anti-reverse groove 3013 and the anti-reverse part 2022, the elastic recovery of the silicone causes the anti-reverse boss 401 to fit tightly against the inner wall of the anti-reverse groove 3013 and the outer wall of the anti-reverse part 2022, forming a locking connection. This locking structure can effectively prevent the silicone sleeve 4 from axially sliding or falling off on the sleeve part 202, ensuring that the silicone sleeve 4 is always tightly wrapped around the outside of the sleeve part 202, providing a continuous and stable seal and protection for the connection part 3011 between the heat shrink tubing 2 and the plug 3.

[0034] In some embodiments, the plug 3 further includes a crown spring 302 disposed within the housing 301. The crown spring 302 is a special conductive component composed of multiple elastic spring contacts. When the plug 3 is inserted into a matching conductor (such as a socket), the elastic spring contacts of the crown spring 302 undergo elastic deformation. These spring contacts tightly wrap around the surface of the conductor in the socket, forming multiple contact points. Due to the elasticity of the spring contacts, they continuously apply a certain pressure to the conductor, ensuring that good electrical contact is always maintained between the conductor and the crown spring 302. This multi-contact connection method greatly increases the contact area between the conductor and the plug 3, while the elastic pressure also ensures that the contact will not easily break when subjected to external forces such as vibration or shaking, maintaining a stable electrical connection.

[0035] The plug 3 further includes a locking element 303 and a sealing element 304 disposed on the housing 301. The plug 3 can be inserted into the socket, and the locking element 303 locks the plug 3 and the socket together, while the sealing element 304 seals the connection between the plug 3 and the socket. The locking element 303 typically employs a specific mechanical structure, such as a snap-fit, threaded engagement structure, or elastic locking tongue. During the insertion of the plug 3 into the socket, the locking element 303 interacts with the corresponding structure on the socket. Once the plug 3 is inserted into the appropriate position, the locking element 303 securely fixes the plug 3 to the socket through mechanical engagement, thread tightening, or elastic locking, preventing the plug 3 from accidentally dislodging due to external forces (such as vibration or pulling), thereby ensuring the stability and reliability of the electrical connection. Simultaneously, the sealing element 304 functions at the connection between the plug 3 and the socket. The sealing element 304 is generally made of a material with elasticity and sealing properties, such as rubber or silicone. When the plug 3 is inserted into the socket, the seal 304 is squeezed between the contact surfaces of the plug 3 and the socket. Its elastic deformation fills the tiny gap between the two, forming an effective sealing barrier to prevent external moisture, dust, impurities and other media from entering the connection part 3011 of the plug 3 and the socket, thus avoiding problems such as electrical short circuits and reduced insulation performance caused by media intrusion.

[0036] Meanwhile, the outer casing 301 is provided with an anti-finger step 305. Structurally, the anti-finger step 305 is a protrusion or recess with a certain height, width, and specific shape formed at a specific location on the outer casing 301. Before the plug 3 is inserted into the socket, the anti-finger step 305 acts as a physical barrier. Due to the specific size and shape of human fingers, under normal circumstances, it is difficult for fingers to cross the anti-finger step 305 to touch the live parts inside the plug 3. This is because the anti-finger step 305 increases the spatial distance between the finger and the live parts, and its irregular shape structure hinders direct finger contact, effectively preventing operators from accidentally touching live parts before the plug 3 is inserted, thereby avoiding electric shock accidents.

[0037] In some embodiments, the middle portion of the connecting strip 1 is a deformable portion. From a material perspective, the deformable portion is made of a material with a certain degree of flexibility and ductility that can guarantee basic electrical performance, such as a special alloy or a treated metal sheet. These materials can deform without breaking under stress. Structurally, the deformable portion may adopt a specific shape, such as a wave-like, serpentine, or thin-walled hollow structure. After the two plugs 3 are connected, if it is necessary to adjust the distance between the plugs 3, an external force is applied to the plugs 3, and the external force is transmitted to the connecting strip 1 through the plugs 3. At this time, due to its special shape and material properties, the deformable portion can undergo bending, stretching, or compression deformations to adapt to the adjustment requirements of the plug distance. At the same time, this deformation is within the tolerable range and will not affect the electrical connection performance and overall structural stability of the connecting strip 1.

[0038] Specifically, the connecting busbar 1 is a flexible copper busbar. The choice of flexible copper busbar 1 is primarily based on its unique material and physical properties to achieve its function. Flexible copper busbars are typically made of high-purity copper, which has excellent conductivity, ensuring extremely low current loss during transmission. Simultaneously, the flexible copper busbar undergoes special processing techniques, giving it high flexibility and ductility. When the distance between the two plugs 3 needs to be adjusted after connection, an external force is applied to the plugs 3, and this force is transmitted to the flexible copper busbar through the plugs 3. Due to its flexibility, the flexible copper busbar can bend and twist like a soft metal ribbon, easily adapting to changes in the distance between the plugs 3; its ductility allows it to elongate appropriately under tension and undergo a certain degree of compressive deformation under pressure, always maintaining an effective connection with the plugs 3. Moreover, this deformation occurs without damaging the internal conductive structure of the flexible copper busbar and does not affect its electrical connection performance.

[0039] It is worth mentioning that the connecting strip 1 is tightly fitted to the inner side of the heat shrink tubing 2. The heat shrink tubing 2 is typically made of a polymer material with heat-shrink properties, which shrinks and tightly wraps around the object being covered after heating. The connecting strip 1, as a conductive component, has a relatively flat surface and a certain degree of hardness. During assembly, through proper process control, such as adjusting the force and position when the heat shrink tubing 2 is inserted into the connecting strip 1, the heat shrink tubing 2 is tightly fitted to the surface of the connecting strip 1. This tight fit provides the connecting strip 1 with a flat and stable shrinkage base for the heat shrink tubing 2. When the heat shrink tubing 2 is heated, due to the flatness of the connecting strip 1 surface, the heat shrink tubing 2 can be evenly stressed during shrinkage, shrinking uniformly along the shape of the connecting strip 1, rather than experiencing uneven shrinkage due to an uneven base surface, thus effectively preventing wrinkles in the heat shrink tubing 2. At the same time, the tight fit allows the heat shrink tubing 2 to fully exert its insulation performance, isolating the connector 1 from the external environment and playing a basic insulation role; in addition, the heat shrink tubing 2 wrapped around the outside of the connector 1 can also provide a certain mechanical protection for the connector 1, preventing the connector 1 from being damaged by external collisions, friction and other damage.

[0040] In the description herein, it should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and other orientations or positional relationships are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used merely for descriptive distinction and have no special meaning.

[0041] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0042] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style of the specification is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0043] The technical principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. These descriptions are merely for explaining the principles of this application and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application in any way. Based on this explanation, those skilled in the art can readily conceive of other specific embodiments of this application without inventive effort, and these embodiments will all fall within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A connector, characterized in that, include: The connector (1), heat shrink tubing (2), and two plugs (3) are provided. The two plugs (3) are respectively injection molded at both ends of the connector (1). The heat shrink tubing (2) is sleeved on the outside of the connector (1). The two ends of the heat shrink tubing (2) are respectively connected to the two plugs (3). The connection between the heat shrink tubing (2) and the two plugs (3) is covered with a silicone sleeve (4).

2. The connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plug (3) includes a housing (301), on which a connecting portion (3011) extends into the heat shrink tube (2). A locking boss (3012) protrudes from the outer side of the connecting portion (3011). The heat shrink tube (2) includes a main body (201) and sleeve portions (202) respectively disposed at both ends of the main body (201). The sleeve portion (202) is sleeved on the connecting portion (3011), and the inner side of the sleeve portion (202) is provided with a locking groove (2021) that cooperates with the locking boss (3012) for locking. The silicone sleeve (4) is sleeved on the outer side of the sleeve portion (202).

3. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting part (3011) is provided with a backstop groove (3013). A backstop part (2022) is formed at the connection between the outer side of the sleeve part (202) and the outer side of the main body (201). Two backstop protrusions (401) are symmetrically arranged on the inner side of the silicone sleeve (4). The two backstop protrusions (401) cooperate with the backstop groove (3013) and the backstop part (2022) respectively to form a connection.

4. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The plug (3) also includes a crown spring (302) disposed within the housing (301).

5. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The plug (3) also includes a locking member (303) disposed on the housing (301), the plug (3) can be inserted into the socket, and the plug (3) and the socket are locked by the locking member (303).

6. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The plug (3) also includes a seal (304) disposed on the housing (301), the plug (3) can be inserted into the socket, and the connection between the plug (3) and the socket is sealed by the seal (304).

7. The connector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer casing (301) is provided with a finger-proof step (305).

8. The connector according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The middle part of the connecting row (1) is a deformable part.

9. The connector according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The connecting bus (1) is a soft copper bus.

10. The connector according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The connecting strip (1) is tightly fitted to the inside of the heat shrink tubing (2).

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