Mounting bracket, connector assembly and vehicle

Abstract

This application provides a mounting bracket, a connector assembly, and a vehicle, relating to the field of vehicle technology. The mounting bracket is used to mount a connector to a structural component of a vehicle. The mounting bracket includes: a tubular portion, one end of which corresponds to a through-hole in the structural component, the through-hole and the tubular portion for inserting a connector, and the tubular portion for fixed connection with the connector; and a support portion connected to the tubular portion for supporting the structural component. Through the technical solution of this application, the connector does not need to be installed to the vehicle's structural components using screws or other fasteners, but is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket. By fixing the connector to the vehicle's structural components using the mounting bracket, the connector is not directly fixed to the rigid body of the vehicle. The mounting bracket can effectively attenuate vibrations from the vehicle body, reduce the impact of body vibrations on the connector, and improve the connection reliability between the connector and the vehicle, as well as the electrical performance of the connector.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle technology, and more specifically, to a mounting bracket, connector assembly, and vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of intelligent automotive cockpits, the number of electronic functional modules that need to be integrated into the cockpit is increasing, such as mobile terminal devices, action cameras, gimbals, and wireless charging devices. These electronic functional modules can be electrically connected to the vehicle via connectors, thereby enabling interaction between the vehicle and the electronic functional modules and improving the user experience of both. The connection performance between the connector and the vehicle affects the connection performance between the electronic functional modules and the vehicle, thus impacting the interaction between them. Therefore, improving the connection performance between the connector and the vehicle is a technical issue that requires continuous attention. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application provides a mounting bracket, a connector assembly, and a vehicle, which can improve the connection performance between the connector and the vehicle.

[0004] In a first aspect, a mounting bracket is provided for mounting a connector to a structural component of a vehicle. The mounting bracket includes: a tubular portion, one end of which is disposed corresponding to a through hole in the structural component, the through hole in the structural component and the tubular portion being used to insert a connector, and the tubular portion being used to fixably connect with the connector; and a support portion connected to the tubular portion, the support portion being used to support the structural component.

[0005] Optionally, the connector can be a female connector, or the connector can be a male connector. Optionally, the structural component can include trim panels inside the vehicle cabin, or it can also include other structural components such as sheet metal parts or frame parts of the vehicle. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the type of the structural component.

[0006] Through the technical solution of this application embodiment, the connector can be installed on structural components such as vehicle trim panels using a mounting bracket. In this connection method, the connector does not need to be installed to the vehicle's structural components using fasteners such as screws, but is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket securely positions the connector to the vehicle's structural components, thus the connector is not directly fixed to the rigid body of the vehicle. The mounting bracket effectively attenuates vibrations from the vehicle body, reducing the impact of body vibrations on the connector, improving the connection reliability between the connector and the vehicle, and enhancing the connector's electrical performance. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mounting bracket may include a support portion, which can support the structural components, helping to disperse concentrated stress on the structural components and the connector. This improves the support strength of the structural components and the mounting bracket for the connector, as well as the connector's bending and torsional stiffness. It effectively suppresses harmful deformation of the connector under insertion, extraction, locking, and vibration loads, reducing the risk of connector failure to a certain extent and further improving the connector's reliability. Moreover, in this embodiment, connector installation does not require disassembly of structural components, facilitating connector installation, disassembly, and maintenance, thereby improving the efficiency of connector assembly and maintenance.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the support portion surrounds the tubular portion, thereby uniformly distributing concentrated stress along the circumference of the tubular portion. In some embodiments, the support portion may include an annular portion, or, in other embodiments, the support portion may include a plurality of discrete columnar portions.

[0008] Optionally, the support portion includes a plurality of first columnar portions arranged around the tubular portion. One end of any one of the first columnar portions contacts the structural member and serves to support the structural member. These multiple first columnar portions can better support the structural member and facilitate the uniform distribution of concentrated stress on the structural member and connector in multiple directions, thereby further improving the structural member's support strength for the connector, as well as the connector's bending stiffness and torsional stiffness.

[0009] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the support portion further includes a column top support portion, which is disposed at one end of at least one of the plurality of first columnar portions near the structural member, for supporting the structural member. Optionally, the column top support portion may be disposed on the end face or side face of the first columnar portion to further enhance the supporting effect of the first columnar portion on the structural member and improve the stability of the structural member.

[0010] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the support portion further includes a plurality of column top support portions, which are arranged around the side of at least one of the plurality of first column portions near one end of the structural member.

[0011] In this embodiment, the column top support can laterally support the structural member, withstand shear force and bending moment, and transfer the load (vertical force, and sometimes horizontal force) borne by the structural member to the first column to which it is attached. In addition, the arrangement of multiple column top supports helps to distribute the load borne by the first column more evenly from multiple directions, making the stress on the first column more uniform, thereby improving the overall structural stability and reliability of the mounting bracket.

[0012] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, at least one of the plurality of first columnar portions is used to fix the connecting structural member. In this embodiment, it is beneficial to improve the reliability of the connection between the mounting bracket and the structural member.

[0013] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, at least one first columnar portion is a hollow columnar portion, and the hollow columnar portion is provided with threads. In conjunction with the hollow columnar portion, the structural component may also be provided with a through hole or groove corresponding to the hollow columnar portion, and the through hole and groove may also be provided with threads. The structural component and the hollow columnar portion can be fixedly connected by screws / bolts.

[0014] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the support portion includes a plate-like portion for supporting at least one second columnar portion protruding toward the plate-like portion in the structural member. In this embodiment, the plate-like portion in the mounting bracket can support the structural member by supporting at least one second columnar portion, which can be used to distribute concentrated stress on the structural member and the connector, thereby improving the structural member's support strength for the connector and the connector's bending and torsional stiffness.

[0015] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the plate-like portion is used to support a plurality of second columnar portions of the structural member that protrude toward the plate-like portion, the plurality of second columnar portions being arranged around the tubular portion, thereby facilitating the uniform distribution of concentrated stress in multiple directions.

[0016] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the tubular portion includes a first limiting structure for limiting the connector in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion.

[0017] By setting this first limiting structure, the connector and the tubular part can be aligned more accurately in the circumferential direction, which improves the connection accuracy between the connector and the tubular part, that is, improves the installation accuracy between the connector and the mounting bracket, reduces the installation tolerance of the connector, and thus helps to improve the assembly efficiency and connection reliability of the connector.

[0018] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the first limiting structure includes a receiving structure, which includes a groove disposed on the inner wall of the tubular portion or a through hole penetrating the wall of the tubular portion, and the receiving structure is used to receive a protrusion disposed on the outer wall of the connector.

[0019] Optionally, the receiving structure can be located in a portion of the tubular portion in the circumferential direction, and the protruding structure can be located in a portion of the connector in the circumferential direction. The cooperation between the receiving structure and the protruding structure allows for limiting the connector's position in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion. Optionally, the receiving structure can extend along the axial direction of the tubular portion to form a guide groove or guide through hole, thereby guiding the insertion and removal of the connector in the axial direction of the tubular portion. In this embodiment, the connection limiting method between the mounting bracket and the connector has low complexity and achieves better limiting effect, enabling precise alignment between the mounting bracket and the connector.

[0020] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the protruding structure includes the electrode structure of the connector. In this embodiment, the receiving structure in the tubular portion can cooperate with the electrode structure in the connector, not only achieving a limiting effect but also protecting the electrode structure, thereby improving the reliability of the connector. Furthermore, reusing the electrode structure as a limiting structure also helps reduce the structural complexity of the connector.

[0021] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the protruding structure includes a protective element covering at least a portion of the electrode structure of the connector. Thus, the protective element can further enhance the protection of the connector's electrode structure. Furthermore, reusing the protective element of the electrode structure as a limiting structure also helps reduce the structural complexity of the connector.

[0022] In some embodiments, the multiple electrode structures of the connector can be centrally arranged, and the multiple electrode structures can be covered by the same protective member. Corresponding to the one protective member, a receiving structure can be provided in the tubular part of the mounting bracket.

[0023] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the tubular portion further includes a second limiting structure, which is used to limit the connector in the axial direction of the tubular portion. This helps to further improve the installation accuracy and connection reliability between the connector and the mounting bracket.

[0024] In conjunction with the first aspect, in some implementations of the first aspect, the connector further includes a first connecting structure for passing through the tubular portion away from the first end of the structural member; the first connecting structure is used to be fixed to the first end of the tubular portion by a second connecting structure.

[0025] Optionally, the first connection structure includes a first threaded connector, and the second connection structure includes a second threaded connector. The first threaded connector may include a screw / bolt, and the second threaded connector may include a nut. In this embodiment, the fastening force between the threaded connectors can achieve both a fixed connection between the connector and the mounting bracket, and a fixed connection between the mounting bracket and the structural component. This embodiment offers a lower complexity in the installation and connection methods between the connector, mounting bracket, and structural component, facilitating efficient assembly and disassembly.

[0026] In other embodiments, the first and second connecting structures may further include other types of connecting structural members. These two connecting structural members may include detachable or non-detachable connectors. For example, detachable connectors may include pin connectors, snap-fit ​​connectors, wedge connectors, etc., while non-detachable connectors may include welded components, riveted components, adhesive components, interference fit connectors, etc. The embodiments of this application do not limit the specific types of the first and second connecting structures.

[0027] In a second aspect, a connector assembly is provided, comprising: a connector, and a mounting bracket as described in the first aspect or any implementation thereof.

[0028] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the connector includes a female connector, and the connector assembly also includes a male connector, which is detachably connected to the female connector.

[0029] In conjunction with the second aspect, in some implementations of the second aspect, the connector assembly also includes a bracket that is connected to the male connector.

[0030] Thirdly, a vehicle is provided, comprising: a structural member, and a connector assembly as described in the second aspect or any implementation thereof; wherein a connector in the connector assembly is mounted to the structural member via a mounting bracket. Optionally, the structural member includes a trim panel within the vehicle's cabin. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the installation of a connector in a vehicle according to an embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 2 This illustration shows an installation diagram of a connector and mounting bracket provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 3 This illustration shows an installation diagram of another connector and mounting bracket provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 4This illustration shows an installation diagram of another connector and mounting bracket provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 5 An exploded view of a connector, mounting bracket, structural component, and connection structure provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0036] Figure 6 An exploded view of another connector, mounting bracket, structural component, and connection structure provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0037] Figure 7 An exploded view of another connector, mounting bracket, structural component, and connection structure provided in an embodiment of this application is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0038] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] This application relates to an intelligent driving device, which may include road vehicles, water vehicles, air vehicles, industrial equipment, agricultural equipment, or entertainment equipment. For example, the intelligent driving device can be a vehicle, which is a broad concept and can include transportation vehicles (such as commercial vehicles, passenger cars, motorcycles, flying cars, trains, etc.), industrial vehicles (such as forklifts, trailers, tractors, etc.), engineering vehicles (such as excavators, bulldozers, cranes, etc.), agricultural equipment (such as lawnmowers, harvesters, etc.), amusement equipment, toy vehicles, etc. This application does not specifically limit the type of vehicle. For example, the vehicle in this application may include pure electric vehicles (pure EV / battery EV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), range-extended electric vehicles (REEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), or new energy vehicles (NEV), etc.

[0040] More specifically, embodiments of this application relate to connectors in intelligent driving devices, and mounting members for mounting the connectors. The connector can be mounted to structural components of the intelligent driving device via the mounting member. Optionally, in some embodiments, the connector can be mounted to trim panels within the cockpit of the intelligent driving device; or, in other embodiments, the connector can be mounted to sheet metal parts or other vehicle body structural components of the intelligent driving device. In embodiments of this application, the connector can be used to connect electronic devices such as mobile terminal devices, action cameras, gimbals, wireless charging devices, and charging brackets, thereby enabling the transmission of current or signals between the vehicle and the electronic devices.

[0041] In some embodiments, the vehicle and the electronic device may each be provided with two mating connectors that can be plugged in to achieve an electrical connection. One connector may be referred to as a female connector, or a socket connector; the other connector may be referred to as a male connector, or an insertion connector. The male connector may include a raised conductive structure or a conductive structure disposed on an insulating raised portion. The female connector may include a recessed socket, in which a conductive structure may be provided. When the insertion end and the socket end are plugged in, the conductive structures in the socket end and the insertion end come into contact with each other, thereby achieving an electrical connection between them.

[0042] In some embodiments, the vehicle may be equipped with a female connector, and electronic devices may be connected to the vehicle via a male connector. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the vehicle may be equipped with a male connector, and electronic devices may be connected to the vehicle via a female connector.

[0043] As an example, Figure 1 This illustration shows a schematic diagram of the installation of a connector in a vehicle according to an embodiment of this application.

[0044] like Figure 1 As shown, connector 102 can be disposed on the trim panel 101 of the vehicle. Optionally, connector 102 can be a female connector, or connector 102 can be a male connector. In some embodiments, connector 102 can be disposed in a through hole of trim panel 101, and at least a portion of connector 102 can be located in a body cavity formed by the vehicle body structural members, thereby reducing the exposed volume of connector 102 in the cabin and improving the aesthetics of connector 102 installation in the vehicle. Connector 102 may include mounting ears 1021, and connector 102 can be fixedly connected to the body sheet metal or frame members below trim panel 101 via mounting ears 1021 and screws 103. Figure 1(Not shown in the image) thereby enabling the connector 102 to be installed in the vehicle. The technical solution of this embodiment requires high manufacturing precision for the vehicle, and the connector needs to have high installation precision. Accumulated installation tolerances can easily lead to problems such as misalignment and loose connection when the male connector and the female connector are mated, affecting assembly efficiency and connection reliability. Secondly, under this technical solution, the connector is directly fixed to the rigid body, which cannot effectively attenuate vibrations from the body. Over time, this may cause the connector terminals to loosen, affecting the electrical performance of the connector. Furthermore, when it is necessary to repair or replace the connector, it may be necessary to disassemble a large area of ​​the trim panel, which is extremely inconvenient.

[0045] In view of this, the present application provides a technical solution that uses a mounting bracket to fix the connector in the vehicle, which helps to improve at least one of the above problems and improve the connection performance between the connector and the vehicle.

[0046] Figure 2 This illustration shows an installation diagram of a connector and mounting bracket provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0047] like Figure 2 As shown, the connector 300 can be mounted on the structural component 400 of the vehicle via the mounting bracket 200. Optionally, the connector 300 can be a female connector, or it can be a male connector. Optionally, the structural component 400 can include trim panels inside the vehicle cabin, or it can also include other structural components such as sheet metal parts or frame parts of the vehicle. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the type of the structural component 400.

[0048] In this embodiment, the mounting bracket 200 includes a tubular portion 210 and a support portion 220. One end of the tubular portion 210 can be correspondingly disposed with a through hole in the structural member 400. The through hole of the structural member 400 and the tubular portion 210 can be used to insert a connector 300, and the tubular portion 210 can be fixedly connected to the connector 300. The support portion 220 is connected to the tubular portion 210 and is used to support the structural member 400.

[0049] Through the technical solution of this application embodiment, the connector can be installed on structural components such as vehicle trim panels using a mounting bracket. In this connection method, the connector does not need to be installed to the vehicle's structural components using fasteners such as screws, but is fixedly connected to the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket securely positions the connector to the vehicle's structural components, thus the connector is not directly fixed to the rigid body of the vehicle. The mounting bracket effectively attenuates vibrations from the vehicle body, reducing the impact of body vibrations on the connector, improving the connection reliability between the connector and the vehicle, and enhancing the connector's electrical performance. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the mounting bracket may include a support portion, which can support the structural components, helping to disperse concentrated stress on the structural components and the connector. This improves the support strength of the structural components and the mounting bracket for the connector, as well as the connector's bending and torsional stiffness. It effectively suppresses harmful deformation of the connector under insertion, extraction, locking, and vibration loads, reducing the risk of connector failure to a certain extent and further improving the connector's reliability. Moreover, in this embodiment, connector installation does not require disassembly of structural components, facilitating connector installation, disassembly, and maintenance, thereby improving the efficiency of connector assembly and maintenance.

[0050] In some embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the connector 300 may include a connecting structure 310, which can pass through the tubular portion 210 and is fixed to the tubular portion 210 by a connecting structure 500. Specifically, the connecting structure 310 can pass through one end of the tubular portion 210 away from the structural member 400 and is fixed to the end of the tubular portion 210 by the connecting structure 500.

[0051] As an example, Figure 2 The connecting structures 310 and 500 shown may include threaded connectors, wherein connecting structure 310 may include screws / bolts, and connecting structure 500 may include nuts. In this embodiment, the fastening force between the threaded connectors can achieve both a fixed connection between the connector 300 and the mounting bracket 200, and a fixed connection between the mounting bracket 200 and the structural component 400. This embodiment offers a low complexity in the installation and connection methods between the connector 300, the mounting bracket 200, and the structural component 400, facilitating efficient assembly and disassembly.

[0052] In other examples, connection structure 310 and connection structure 500 may also include other types of connection structural components, which may include detachable or non-detachable connectors. For example, detachable connectors may include pin connectors, snap-fit ​​connectors, wedge connectors, etc., while non-detachable connectors may include welded components, riveted components, adhesive components, interference fit connectors, etc. This application does not limit the specific type of connection structure 310 and connection structure 500 in its embodiments.

[0053] Optionally, in this embodiment, a fastening connector may be provided between the mounting bracket 200 and the structural member 400, or it may not be provided. In some embodiments, when a fastening connector is provided between the mounting bracket 200 and the structural member 400, the fastening connector can be used to connect the support portion 220 of the mounting bracket 200 and the structural member 400, thereby further improving the connection stability between the mounting bracket 200 and the structural member 400, and further improving the connection stability between the connector 300 and the structural member 400. Optionally, the fastening connector may include any detachable connector or non-detachable connector in the above embodiments, and this embodiment does not limit the specific type of the fastening connector.

[0054] Optionally, the support portion 220 may surround the tubular portion 210, thereby uniformly distributing concentrated stress along the circumference of the tubular portion 210. In some embodiments, the support portion 220 may include an annular portion, or in other embodiments, the support portion 220 may include a plurality of discrete columnar portions.

[0055] Figure 3 This illustration shows an installation diagram of another connector and mounting bracket provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0056] like Figure 3 As shown, the mounting bracket 200 may include a tubular portion 210, a plurality of columnar portions 221, and a plate-like portion 230. The plurality of columnar portions 221 may belong to the support portion 220 in the above embodiment; in other words, the support portion 220 may include a plurality of columnar portions 221. These plurality of columnar portions 221 may be arranged around the tubular portion 210. As an example, Figure 3 Two columnar portions 221 are shown. These two columnar portions 221 can be respectively disposed on both sides of the tubular portion 210 in the radial direction. Alternatively, in other examples, the support portion 220 may include three or more columnar portions 221, which may be arranged around the tubular portion 210. In the embodiments of this application, optionally, the plurality of columnar portions 221 may be equally spaced around the tubular portion 210, or they may be non-equally spaced around the tubular portion 210; optionally, the distance between the plurality of columnar portions 221 and the tubular portion 210 may be equal or unequal; optionally, the dimensions of the plurality of columnar portions 221 may be the same or different. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the number, arrangement, or size of the columnar portions 221.

[0057] In this embodiment, one end of any one of the plurality of columnar portions 221 can contact the structural member 400 and support the structural member 400, while the other end can be directly or indirectly connected to the tubular portion 210. The plurality of columnar portions 221 can better support the structural member 400 and facilitate the uniform distribution of concentrated stress on the structural member 400 and the connector 300 in multiple directions, thereby further improving the support strength of the structural member 400 to the connector 300 and the bending stiffness and torsional stiffness of the connector 300.

[0058] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the mounting bracket 200 also includes a plate-shaped portion 230, and multiple columnar portions 221 (or support portions 220) and tubular portions 210 can be disposed on the side of the plate-shaped portion 230 facing the structural member 400. The plate-shaped portion 230 can be interconnected with the multiple columnar portions 221 and tubular portions 210, thereby realizing the integration of the mounting bracket 200 and facilitating the installation of the mounting bracket 200 with the connector 300 and the structural member 400. In some embodiments, the plate-shaped portion 230, support portion 220 and tubular portion 210 can be integrally formed to form the mounting bracket 200; or, in other embodiments, the plate-shaped portion 230, support portion 220 and tubular portion 210 can also be multiple separate components, which are fixedly connected to each other by a detachable or non-detachable connection method.

[0059] In other embodiments, the mounting bracket 200 may be omitted. Figure 3 The plate-shaped portion 230 shown, for example, is... Figure 2 As shown, multiple columnar portions 221 (or support portions 220) can be connected to the side of the tubular portion 210.

[0060] Figure 4 This illustration shows an installation diagram of another connector and mounting bracket provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0061] like Figure 4 As shown in this embodiment, the support portion 220 in the mounting bracket 200 may include not only a plurality of columnar portions 221, but also a column-top support portion 222. The column-top support portion 222 is disposed at one end of at least one of the columnar portions 221 near the structural member 400, and is used to support the structural member 400. Optionally, the column-top support portion 222 may be disposed on the end face or side face of the columnar portion 221 to further enhance the support effect of the columnar portion 221 on the structural member 400 and improve the stability of the structural member 400.

[0062] In some embodiments, the column top support 222 can be connected to the side of the column portion 221 and used to support the structural member 400. The column top support 222 can be a cantilever beam structure, a plate structure, or a box structure, etc. The column top support 222 can laterally support the structural member 400, withstand shear force and bending moment, and transfer the load (vertical force, and sometimes horizontal force) borne by the structural member 400 to the column portion 221 to which it is attached. In this embodiment, the column top support 222 can share the load borne by the column portion 221, making the force on the column portion 221 more even, thereby helping to improve the overall structural stability and reliability of the mounting bracket 200.

[0063] Optionally, such as Figure 4 As shown, a plurality of column top support portions 222 may be provided on the side of the columnar portion 221 near the end of the structural member 400. These plurality of column top support portions 222 may be arranged around the side of the end of the columnar portion 221. The arrangement of multiple column top support portions 222 helps to distribute the load borne by the columnar portion 221 more evenly from multiple directions, thereby further improving the overall structural stability and reliability of the mounting bracket 200.

[0064] As one possible embodiment, in the mounting bracket 200, each of the plurality of columnar portions 221 may be provided with one or more column top support portions 222 at its top. Alternatively, as another possible embodiment, some of the plurality of columnar portions 221 may be provided with one or more column top support portions 222 at their tops.

[0065] Optionally, to improve the connection reliability between the mounting bracket 200 and the structural member 400, at least one columnar portion 221 of the mounting bracket 200 can be used for fixed connection to the structural member 400. Specifically, the at least one columnar portion 221 can be fixedly connected to the structural member 400 by any detachable or non-detachable connection method. The detachable or non-detachable connection method can be found in the relevant descriptions of the embodiments above, and will not be elaborated further here for the sake of indirectness.

[0066] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, at least one columnar portion 221 in the mounting bracket 200 can be a hollow columnar portion, which may have a through hole extending in the axial direction, and the inner sidewall of the hollow columnar portion may be threaded. Corresponding to the hollow columnar portion, the structural member 400 may also have a through hole or groove corresponding to the hollow columnar portion, and the through hole and groove may also be threaded. The structural member 400 and the hollow columnar portion can be fixedly connected by screws / bolts. Optionally, in Figure 4In the illustrated embodiment, the hollow columnar portion is also connected to the plate-shaped portion 230. The plate-shaped portion 230 may also be provided with a through hole corresponding to the hollow columnar portion, thereby facilitating the connection of the hollow columnar portion and the structural component through the through hole of the plate-shaped portion 230. Optionally, the through hole in the plate-shaped portion 230 may be threaded or be a smooth hole.

[0067] Figure 5 An exploded view of a connector, mounting bracket, structural component, and connection structure provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0068] like Figure 5 As shown in the embodiment of this application, the structural member 400 may include a plate-shaped structural member, and the mounting bracket 200 may be provided with a plurality of columnar portions 221. When the mounting bracket 200 is mounted on the structural member 400, the plurality of columnar portions 221 may abut against the surface of the plate-shaped structural member. Optionally, Figure 5 The plate-like structural member shown may include a planar plate-like structural member and / or a curved plate-like structural member. Optionally, a schematic diagram of the structural member 400 assembled with the mounting bracket 200 can be found above. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The relevant descriptions of the embodiments shown will not be repeated here.

[0069] Figure 6 An exploded view of another connector, mounting bracket, structural component, and connection structure provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0070] like Figure 6 As shown in the embodiments of this application, the structural member 400 may include a plate-shaped structural member 410 and at least one columnar portion 420. As an example, Figure 6 Two columnar portions 420 are illustrated. Optionally, the plate-like structural member 410 may include a planar plate-like structural member and / or a curved plate-like structural member. The mounting bracket 200 may include a plate-like portion 230 and a tubular portion 210, wherein when the mounting bracket 200 is mounted on the structural member 400, at least one columnar portion 420 may abut against the surface of the plate-like portion 230. Optionally, the plate-like portion 230 may include a planar plate-like portion and / or a curved plate-like portion. In some embodiments, the shape of the plate-like portion 230 may match a partial shape of the plate-like structural member 410, for example, be similar to or the same as a partial shape of the plate-like structural member 410. In this embodiment, the plate-shaped portion 230 can support the plate-shaped structural member 410 by supporting at least one column-shaped portion 420. The column-shaped portion 420 has a similar function to the column-shaped portion 221 in the above embodiment, and can be used to disperse the concentrated stress on the plate-shaped structural member 410 and the connector 300, thereby improving the support strength of the structural member 400 to the connector 300 and the bending stiffness and torsional stiffness of the connector 300.

[0071] Optionally, when the structural member 400 includes a plurality of columnar portions 420 and the mounting bracket 200 is mounted on the structural member 400, the plurality of columnar portions 420 may surround the tubular portion 210, thereby facilitating the uniform distribution of concentrated stress in multiple directions. As an example, when the mounting bracket 200 is mounted on the structural member 400, Figure 6 The two columnar portions 420 shown can be respectively disposed on both sides of the tubular portion 210 in the radial direction. Alternatively, in other examples, the structural member 400 may include three or more columnar portions 420, which may be disposed around the tubular portion 210. In the embodiments of this application, optionally, the plurality of columnar portions 420 may be equally spaced around the tubular portion 210, or they may be non-equally spaced around the tubular portion 210; optionally, the distance between the plurality of columnar portions 420 and the tubular portion 210 may be equal or unequal; optionally, the size of the plurality of columnar portions 420 may be the same or different. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the number, arrangement, and size of the columnar portions 420.

[0072] Optionally, to improve the connection reliability between the mounting bracket 200 and the structural member 400, at least one columnar portion 420 of the structural member 400 can be used for fixed connection to the mounting bracket 200. Specifically, the at least one columnar portion 420 can be fixedly connected to the mounting bracket 200 by any detachable or non-detachable connection method. The detachable or non-detachable connection method can be found in the relevant descriptions of the above embodiments, and will not be elaborated further here for the sake of indirectness.

[0073] In some embodiments, at least one columnar portion 420 in the structural member 400 may be a hollow columnar portion, which may be provided with a through hole or groove extending in the axial direction, and the inner sidewall of the hollow columnar portion may be provided with threads. Corresponding to the hollow columnar portion, the plate-shaped portion 230 in the mounting bracket 200 may also be provided with a through hole corresponding to the hollow columnar portion, and the sidewall of the through hole is also provided with threads, thereby facilitating the connection of screws / bolts through the through hole of the plate-shaped portion 230 to connect the hollow columnar portion and the structural member.

[0074] In some embodiments, one or more column top supports may be provided on the side of the columnar portion 420 near the end of the plate-shaped structural member 410 to support the plate-shaped structural member 410. The provision of one or more column top supports helps to distribute the load borne by the columnar portion 420 more evenly from multiple directions, thereby further improving the overall structural stability and reliability of the structural member 400.

[0075] For that Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the structure assembled with structural component 400 and mounting bracket 200 can be the same as described above. Figure 3 and Figure 4 The structure of the illustrated embodiment is similar and can be... Figure 3 and Figure 4 The columnar portion 221 shown is replaced by a columnar portion 420, the structure of which may be similar to or the same as the structure of the columnar portion 221 in the above embodiment.

[0076] In the above embodiments, the structural member 400 may include a plurality of separate columnar portions 420 surrounding the tubular portion 210. Optionally, in other embodiments, the structural member 400 may include an annular portion surrounding the tubular portion 210.

[0077] Figure 7 An exploded view of another connector, mounting bracket, structural component, and connection structure provided in an embodiment of this application is shown.

[0078] like Figure 7 As shown in the embodiment of this application, the mounting bracket 200 may include a tubular portion 210, which may be provided with a limiting structure. This limiting structure can be used to limit the connector 300 in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 210. By setting this limiting structure, the connector 300 and the tubular portion 210 can be more accurately aligned in the circumferential direction, improving the connection accuracy between the connector 300 and the tubular portion 210, that is, improving the installation accuracy between the connector 300 and the mounting bracket 200, reducing the installation tolerance of the connector 300, thereby helping to improve the assembly efficiency and connection reliability of the connector 300.

[0079] In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the limiting structure of the tubular portion 210 may include a receiving structure 211. The receiving structure 211 may include a groove disposed on the inner wall of the tubular portion 210 or a through hole penetrating the wall of the tubular portion 210. The groove may be located in a portion of the inner wall of the tubular portion 210 in the circumferential direction, and the through hole may be located in a portion of the tubular portion 210 in the circumferential direction. The receiving structure 211 can be used to receive a protrusion 321 disposed on the outer wall of the connector 300. The protrusion 321 may be located in a portion of the outer wall of the connector 300 in the circumferential direction. Through the cooperation of the receiving structure 211 and the protrusion 321, the connector 300 can be limited in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion 210. Optionally, the receiving structure 211 may extend along the axial direction of the tubular portion 210 to form a guide groove or a guide through hole, thereby guiding the insertion and removal of the connector 300 in the axial direction of the tubular portion 210. In this embodiment, the connection and limiting method between the mounting bracket 200 and the connector 300 is less complex and can achieve a better limiting effect, thus achieving precise alignment between the mounting bracket 200 and the connector 300.

[0080] Optionally, in the connector 300, the protrusion structure 321 can be dedicated to limiting; or, in other embodiments, the protrusion structure 321 in the connector 300 used for other purposes can be reused to achieve limiting. In other words, the protrusion structure 321 can not only be used to achieve limiting but also have other uses. In some embodiments, the protrusion structure 321 in the connector 300 may include the electrode structure of the connector 300, which may include, for example, the metal terminals of the connector. The receiving structure 211 in the tubular portion 210 can be configured to cooperate with the electrode structure in the connector 300. The cooperation between the receiving structure 211 and the electrode structure not only achieves the limiting effect but also helps to protect the electrode structure, thereby improving the reliability of the connector 300. In addition, reusing the electrode structure as a limiting structure also helps to reduce the structural complexity of the connector 300.

[0081] In some embodiments, to further enhance the protection of the electrode structure of the connector 300, at least a portion of the electrode structure of the connector 300 is covered by a protective member, and the protrusion structure 321 in the connector 300 may include the protective member. As an example, multiple electrode structures of the connector 300 may be centrally located, and the same protective member may be used to cover these multiple electrode structures. Figure 7 The protrusion structure 321 shown can at least partially cover multiple electrode structures. Figure 7 The protective element (shown as a black dashed frame) corresponds to the raised structure 321. Figure 7 A receiving structure 211 may be provided in the tubular portion 210 shown. In other examples, the protective element may also be provided in other ways, such as covering a single electrode structure, etc.

[0082] Optionally, in the above embodiments, a protrusion 321 in the connector 300 and a receiving structure 211 in the tubular portion 210 can cooperate to limit the positioning of the connector 300. Optionally, the protrusion 321 may include any electrode structure in the connector 300, or a protective member covering one or more electrode structures. In other embodiments, multiple protrusions 321 in the connector 300 and multiple receiving structures 211 in the tubular portion 210 can cooperate to limit the positioning of the connector 300. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the number of protrusions 321 and receiving structures 211.

[0083] In some embodiments, in order to improve the installation accuracy and connection reliability between the connector 300 and the mounting bracket 200, the tubular portion 210 in the mounting bracket 200 may also be provided with a limiting structure for limiting the connector 300 in its axial direction.

[0084] Optionally, such as Figure 7 As shown, the connector 300 may include a main body structure 320 and a connecting structure 310. The connecting structure 310 and the main body structure 320 may be arranged and connected along the axial direction, and the radial dimension of the main body structure 320 may be larger than the radial dimension of the connecting structure 310. The tubular portion 210 may include an annular structure 212. The inner diameter of the annular structure 212 may be larger than the diameter of the connecting structure 310 of the connector 300, but smaller than the diameter of the main body structure 320 of the connector 300. The annular structure 212 may serve as a limiting structure to limit the connector 300 in the axial direction.

[0085] Optionally, the annular structure 212 can be disposed on the inner wall of the tubular portion 210, or it can be disposed at the end of the tubular portion 210. In some embodiments, such as Figure 7 As shown, the annular structure 212 can be disposed at the end of the tubular portion 210 opposite to the structural member 400. Optionally, if the mounting bracket 200 also includes a plate portion 230, the annular structure 212 can be integrated into the plate portion 230, or in other words, the annular structure 212 can be formed using the plate portion 230.

[0086] In other embodiments, besides the annular structure 212, the tubular portion 210 can also employ other methods to limit the connector 300 in the axial direction, such as an interference fit between the connector 300 and the tubular portion 210, an elastic retaining ring, a snap ring, etc. This application does not specifically limit the method of limiting the connector 300 and the tubular portion 210 in the axial direction.

[0087] Figure 7 As an example, structural member 400 is shown to include plate-like structural member 410 and columnar portion 420, in Figure 7 In the illustrated embodiment, the structural member 400 may exemplary include three columnar portions 420. Due to the viewing angle, Figure 7 Only one columnar portion 420 is shown; the other two columnar portions 420 are obscured by the plate-like structural member 410. Corresponding to these three columnar portions 420, the plate-like portion 230 of the mounting bracket 200 may be provided with three through holes. Figure 7 The number and arrangement of the central columnar portions 420 are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the embodiments of this application.

[0088] in addition, Figure 7 The intermediate structural member 400 may not include the columnar portion 420, while the mounting bracket 200 may include one or more columnar portions 221. The technical solutions for these one or more columnar portions 221 can be found in the relevant descriptions of the embodiments above; for brevity, they will not be elaborated upon here.

[0089] This application also provides a connector assembly, including: the connector 300 in any of the above embodiments, and the mounting bracket 200 in any of the above embodiments.

[0090] In some embodiments, the connector 300 may include a female connector, and the connector assembly may further include a male connector, wherein the male connector is detachably connected to the female connector.

[0091] In some embodiments, the connector assembly may further include a bracket that can be connected to the male connector. When an electronic device such as a mobile terminal is mounted on the bracket, an electrical connection between the electronic device and the vehicle can be achieved through the connection between the male connector and the female connector. For example, this can enable the vehicle to charge the electronic device, and / or enable information exchange between the vehicle and the electronic device.

[0092] This application also provides a vehicle, including: a structural member 400 from any of the embodiments described above, and a connector assembly from the embodiments described above, namely a connector 300 and a mounting bracket 200. In some embodiments, the structural member 400 may include a trim panel within the vehicle's cabin.

[0093] The technical solution provided in this application offers a mounting bracket for installing a connector, which can be an adapter bracket. This mounting bracket can be placed flush against the underside of a vehicle's trim panel. The connector can pass through both the trim panel and the mounting bracket. One end of the connector can be fitted with a screw / bolt, and this end can be secured with a nut. This connection eliminates the complex operation of fixing the trim panel with screws, increasing the convenience of installation and subsequent maintenance.

[0094] The surface of the mounting bracket may be integrally formed with multiple reinforcing ribs extending along its insertion or extended stress direction. These reinforcing ribs can be tightly fitted to the trim panel, providing a certain level of support strength to both the trim panel and the connector. The reinforcing rib structure may include the support portion of the mounting bracket in any of the embodiments described above. This reinforcing rib structure is configured to uniformly distribute concentrated stress, improve the connector's bending stiffness in the insertion direction and circumferential torsional stiffness, effectively suppressing harmful deformation of the connector under insertion, locking, and vibration loads, and reducing the risk of failure to a certain extent.

[0095] Furthermore, the mounting bracket can also be equipped with a limiting structure to facilitate the positioning of the connector in the trim panel and during the installation process.

[0096] For ease of description, only the parts relevant to this application are shown in the accompanying drawings. The exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar structures, and therefore their detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0097] The directional terms appearing in the description of this application refer to the directions shown in the figures and are not intended to limit the specific structure of this application. In the description of this application, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, terms such as "installation" and "connection" should be interpreted broadly; for example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0098] The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The singular expressions “a,” “an,” “the,” “the,” “the,” and “this” are intended to also include expressions such as “one or more,” unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In the following embodiments of this application, “at least one” and “one or more” refer to one, two, or more than two. The term “and / or” is used to describe the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist; for example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character “ / ” generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an “or” relationship.

[0099] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" as described in this application mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized.

[0100] The prefixes such as "first" and "second" used in this application embodiment are merely for distinguishing different descriptive objects and do not limit the position, order, priority, quantity, or content of the described objects. The use of ordinal numbers and other prefixes used to distinguish descriptive objects in this application embodiment does not constitute a limitation on the described objects. The description of the described objects is given in the context of the embodiments, and the use of such prefixes should not constitute unnecessary restrictions. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0101] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A mounting bracket, characterized in that, The mounting bracket is used for mounting the connector to a structural component of a vehicle, and includes: A tubular portion, one end of which is correspondingly disposed to the through hole of the structural member, the through hole of the structural member and the tubular portion being used to insert the connector, and the tubular portion being used to be fixedly connected to the connector; A support portion is connected to the tubular portion and is used to support the structural member.

2. The mounting bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support portion surrounds the tubular portion.

3. The mounting bracket according to claim 2, characterized in that, The support portion includes a plurality of first columnar portions arranged around the tubular portion, with one end of any one of the first columnar portions contacting the structural member and serving to support the structural member.

4. The mounting bracket according to claim 3, characterized in that, The support portion further includes a column top support portion, which is disposed at one end of at least one of the plurality of first columnar portions near the structural member, and is used to support the structural member.

5. The mounting bracket according to claim 4, characterized in that, The support portion further includes a plurality of column top support portions, which are arranged around the side of at least one of the plurality of first column portions near one end of the structural member.

6. The mounting bracket according to claim 3, characterized in that, At least one of the plurality of first columnar portions is used to fix and connect the structural member.

7. The mounting bracket according to claim 6, characterized in that, The at least one first columnar portion is a hollow columnar portion, and the hollow columnar portion is provided with threads.

8. The mounting bracket according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support portion includes a plate-shaped portion for supporting at least one second columnar portion of the structural member that protrudes toward the plate-shaped portion.

9. The mounting bracket according to claim 8, characterized in that, The plate-shaped portion is used to support a plurality of second columnar portions of the structural member that protrude toward the plate-shaped portion, and the plurality of second columnar portions are arranged around the tubular portion.

10. The mounting bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The tubular portion includes a first limiting structure for limiting the connector in the circumferential direction of the tubular portion.

11. The mounting bracket according to claim 10, characterized in that, The first limiting structure includes a receiving structure, which includes a groove disposed on the inner wall of the tubular portion or a through hole penetrating the wall of the tubular portion, and the receiving structure is used to receive a protrusion disposed on the outer wall of the connector.

12. The mounting bracket according to claim 11, characterized in that, The protrusion structure includes the electrode structure of the connector.

13. The mounting bracket according to claim 11, characterized in that, The protruding structure includes a protective element covering at least a portion of the electrode structure of the connector.

14. The mounting bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The tubular portion further includes a second limiting structure, which is used to limit the connector in the axial direction of the tubular portion.

15. The mounting bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, The connector further includes a first connecting structure for passing through the tubular portion away from a first end of the structural member; the first connecting structure is used to be fixed to the first end of the tubular portion by a second connecting structure.

16. The mounting bracket according to claim 15, characterized in that, The first connection structure includes a first threaded connector, and the second connection structure includes a second threaded connector.

17. A connector assembly, characterized in that, include: Connector, and mounting bracket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16.

18. The connector assembly according to claim 17, characterized in that, The connector includes a female connector, and the connector assembly further includes a male connector, which is detachably connected to the female connector.

19. The connector assembly according to claim 18, characterized in that, The connector assembly also includes a bracket connected to the male connector.

20. A vehicle, characterized in that, include: Structural components, and connector assemblies as described in any one of claims 17 to 19; The connector in the connector assembly is mounted to the structural component via a mounting bracket.

21. The vehicle according to claim 20, characterized in that, The structural components include the trim panels inside the vehicle's cabin.

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