Self-repairing locking cable joint

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of cable connectors, and provides a self-repairing locking type cable joint which comprises a shell and a conductive plate, the conductive plate is arranged in the shell, at least two wire end portions are arranged on the conductive plate, and the at least two wire end portions are respectively used for being connected with cables to be connected; at least two memory alloy locking portions are arranged in correspondence with the wire end portions and are connected to the conductive plate, the memory alloy locking portions are provided with plug-in interfaces, the plug-in interfaces are located on the outgoing sides of the wire end portions, and are used for accommodating the cables passing through the wire end portions; a flexible conductive filling layer is arranged in the plug-in interfaces and is used for surrounding the cables to be connected; and the memory alloy locking portions are deformed by heating to make the plug-in interfaces shrink, so as to extrude the flexible conductive filling layer and the cables to be connected. The self-repairing locking type cable joint solves the problem that the mechanical locking type joint in the prior art is prone to loosening and poor contact under the influence of vibration and metal fatigue for a long time.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of cable connector technology, and more specifically, to a self-healing locking cable connector. Background Technology

[0002] In cable connection, connectors are typically the main components of cables connecting circuits, and their performance directly affects the stability and safety of the system. With increasingly complex operating environments for electrical equipment, such as high temperatures, vibrations, and high humidity, electrical connectors are prone to poor contact.

[0003] Currently, connectors are typically traditional mechanical locking connectors, which achieve cable connection through mechanical structures such as bolts and clips. Their structure includes a housing, bolts, and cable clamps. For example, bolt-type connectors secure the cable by tightening the bolts during operation, thus establishing an electrical connection. However, after prolonged use, this method is prone to loosening due to factors such as vibration and metal fatigue. This can lead to increased contact resistance, resulting in localized overheating and posing a safety risk.

[0004] Therefore, existing technologies still need to be improved and developed. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a self-healing locking cable connector, which solves the problem that mechanical locking connectors in the prior art are prone to loosening and poor contact under the long-term effects of vibration and metal fatigue.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted in this application is as follows:

[0007] This application provides a self-healing locking cable connector, including a housing and a conductive plate. The conductive plate is disposed inside the housing and has at least two terminals, each for connecting to a cable to be connected. The self-healing locking cable connector further includes:

[0008] At least two shape memory alloy locking parts are provided to mate with the terminal and are connected to the conductive plate. The shape memory alloy locking parts have a plug interface located on the through side of the terminal and used to accommodate the cable passing through to the terminal.

[0009] A flexible conductive filler layer is disposed within the connector and is used to surround the cable to be connected.

[0010] The shape memory alloy locking part shrinks the plug interface by thermal deformation, thereby squeezing the flexible conductive filler layer and the cable to be connected.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the shape memory alloy locking part includes: a connecting piece connected to a conductive plate;

[0012] Multiple elastic pieces, with one end of each elastic piece arranged in a circle and spaced apart on the connecting piece, and the other end forming an opening for a connector, with the opening of the connector facing the corresponding wiring end.

[0013] Multiple elastic plates contract toward the center of the insertion interface after being heated.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the elastic sheet includes: a concave bend, one end of which opposite to the corresponding terminal forms a receiving cavity, and a flexible conductive filling layer is disposed in the receiving cavity.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, the elastic sheet further includes inclined sections disposed on the side of the concave bend away from the receiving cavity, and a plurality of inclined sections surround the opening of the insertion interface.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, the elastic sheet further includes an arc-shaped connecting segment, one end of which is connected to the connecting piece and the other end of which is connected to the concave bend.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, the connecting piece includes a connecting ring, and a plurality of elastic pieces are disposed on the connecting ring. The connecting ring is welded to the conductive plate or fixed to the conductive plate by screws.

[0018] In an optional embodiment, the flexible conductive filler layer is a conductive gel layer of silver nanoparticles.

[0019] In an optional embodiment, the housing is a thermochromic insulating housing that changes color when heated.

[0020] In an optional embodiment, the wiring end includes: a pressure seat, which is disposed inside the housing and forms a wire pressing port, and the end of the conductive plate passes through the wire pressing port;

[0021] Studs are threaded through the housing and screwed onto the pressure seat;

[0022] The pressure plate is movably installed inside the wire clamping port. One end of the stud is movably connected to the pressure plate. The pressure plate moves closer to or away from the end of the conductive plate by turning the stud. The pressure plate and the end of the conductive plate are used to clamp the cable.

[0023] In an optional embodiment, the housing is provided with a pressing plate, and the wiring end includes: an elastic convex bend, the elastic convex bend is connected to the conductive plate and forms a wire pressing port between it and the inner wall of the housing, the elastic convex bend opens the wire pressing port by pressing the pressing plate, and the elastic convex bend presses the cable inserted into the wire pressing port by elastic force.

[0024] The beneficial effects of the self-healing locking cable connector provided in this application are at least as follows: It connects to the cable to be connected via at least two existing terminals, and at least two shape memory alloy locking parts are provided inside the housing and connected to a conductive plate. The front end of the cable inserted into the terminal is placed in the insertion interface of the shape memory alloy locking part. Because a flexible conductive filling layer is provided inside the insertion interface of the shape memory alloy locking part to surround the cable to be connected, when the terminal and cable have poor contact, local overheating occurs inside the housing. This causes the shape memory alloy locking part to deform under heat, causing the insertion interface to shrink and compress the flexible conductive filling layer and the cable to be connected, thereby reconnecting the cable to the conductive plate and achieving electrical conductivity. This allows for automatic and dynamic adjustment and tightening of the connected cable, and the conductive filling layer can repair microscopic damage in real time, effectively improving the connection reliability, stability, and safety of the electrical connector, and reducing maintenance costs and safety risks. Attached Figure Description

[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0026] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of a self-healing locking cable connector using a first type of wiring end provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 2 An exploded view of the internal structure of a housing using a first type of wiring end in a self-healing locking cable connector provided in this application embodiment;

[0028] Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of the shape memory alloy locking part of a self-healing locking cable connector provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a self-healing locking cable connector using a first type of terminal block, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of a self-healing locking cable connector using a second type of wiring end, provided as an embodiment of this application.

[0031] The following are the labeling elements in the figure:

[0032] 100. Housing; 110. Pressing plate; 200. Conductive plate; 210. Metal support plate; 300. Wiring end; 310. Flexible convex bend; 320. Pressing base; 330. Pressing plate; 340. Stud; 350. Wire clamping port; 400. Shape memory alloy locking part; 410. Insertion interface; 411. Receiving cavity; 412. Opening; 413. Inner ring opening; 420. Connecting piece; 430. Elastic piece; 431. Inclined section; 432. Concave bend section; 433. Arc-shaped connecting section; 434. Arc-shaped section; 435. Horizontal extension section; 500. Flexible conductive filling layer. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0034] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it may be directly or indirectly located on that other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it may be directly or indirectly connected to that other component. The terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate orientations or positions based on the accompanying drawings, and are for ease of description only, and should not be construed as limiting the technical solution. The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features. "A plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0035] Existing traditional mechanical locking connectors cannot dynamically compensate for loosening caused by metal fatigue, vibration, or other factors, making it difficult to maintain a consistently good electrical connection and prone to poor contact problems. Some connectors incorporate simple temperature monitoring, adding a temperature sensor to the traditional structure to issue an alarm signal when an abnormal temperature rise is detected. However, this connector only serves a monitoring and warning function and cannot solve the problem of poor contact between cables. Furthermore, the temperature sensor requires external power, increasing system complexity and cost. Simultaneously, traditional electrical connectors cannot repair internal microscopic damage (such as contact surface cracks or oxidation), affecting conductivity and lifespan. Therefore, to address the above problems, this application proposes the following embodiments, as detailed below:

[0036] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, this embodiment proposes a self-healing locking cable connector, mainly comprising a housing 100 and a conductive plate 200, at least two shape memory alloy locking parts 400, and a flexible conductive filling layer 500. The housing 100 can be a square housing. For ease of structural description, the direction of the long side of the square housing 100 is taken as the front-back direction, the direction of the short side as the left-right direction, and the direction of the height as the up-down direction. The remaining components of this embodiment are described using this method as a reference.

[0037] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, in this embodiment, the front and rear sides of the housing 100 are open. The conductive plate 200 is disposed inside the housing 100 and can extend in the front-rear direction. Wiring terminals 300 are respectively provided at both ends of the conductive plate 200. The wiring terminals 300 can be existing screw-type structures or existing press-type structures. Therefore, the wiring terminals 300 at both ends are used to connect to the cables to be connected. When two cables to be connected are inserted into the housing 100 from the wiring terminals 300 at both ends, and the wiring terminals 300 press the cables, both ends of the cables are pressed against the conductive plate 200 to achieve electrical conduction. To prevent poor contact between the wiring terminals 300 and the cables, in this self-healing locking cable connector, a shape memory alloy locking part 400 is matched with the wiring terminal 300, so that the shape memory alloy locking part 400 is located in the front-rear direction inside the housing 100 and is located inside the wiring terminal 300. The side of the shape memory alloy locking part 400 facing away from the wiring terminal 300 is fixedly connected to the conductive plate 200. The shape memory alloy locking part 400 has a connector 410, with one end of the connector 410 facing the terminal 300 open as an opening 412. The connector 410 is located on the exit side of the terminal 300, which is the inner side of the terminal 300 in the front-rear direction, and also has an insertion side, which is the outer side of the terminal in the front-rear direction. When the cable to be connected passes through the terminal 300 from the insertion side, its end enters the exit side. At this time, the cable can be fixed by the terminal 300, and the cable end located on the exit side extends into the connector 410 of the shape memory alloy locking part 400. The flexible conductive filling layer 500 can be positioned within the connector 410, and the flexible conductive filling layer 500 surrounds the cable end extending into the connector 410. The shape memory alloy locking part 400 is made of shape memory metal, which has the characteristic of deforming when heated. When the terminal 300 has poor contact with the cable, heat is generated, which heats the shape memory alloy locking part 400. The deformation of the shape memory alloy locking part 400 causes the connector 410 to shrink, thereby squeezing the internal flexible conductive filling layer 500 and the cable to be connected. The flexible conductive filling layer 500 is squeezed and fills the cable more tightly. The cable conducts electricity to the conductive plate 200 through the flexible conductive filling layer 500 and the shape memory alloy locking part 400, thereby reconnecting the cable to the conductive plate 200 and achieving stable electrical conduction.

[0038] In this embodiment, at least two existing terminal blocks 300 are still connected to the cable to be connected. At least two shape memory alloy locking parts 400 are provided inside the housing 100 and connected to the conductive plate 200. The front end of the cable inserted into the terminal block 300 is placed in the insertion interface 410 of the shape memory alloy locking part 400. Since a flexible conductive filling layer 500 is provided inside the insertion interface 410 of the shape memory alloy locking part 400 to surround the cable to be connected, when the terminal block 300 has poor contact with the cable, local overheating occurs inside the housing 100. This causes the shape memory alloy locking part 400 to deform under heat, causing the insertion interface 410 to shrink, thus squeezing the flexible conductive filling layer 500 and the cable to be connected. This allows the cable to be reconnected to the conductive plate 200, achieving electrical conductivity. This enables automatic dynamic adjustment and tightening of the connected cable, and the conductive filling layer can repair microscopic damage in real time, effectively improving the connection reliability, stability, and safety of the electrical connector, while reducing maintenance costs and safety risks.

[0039] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, for ease of structural description, the front side is described using the wiring end 300, the shape memory alloy locking part 400, and the flexible conductive filling layer 500. The rear side structure is arranged in a mirror-symmetric manner with the front side. The relevant structures on the front side are as follows:

[0040] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the shape memory alloy locking part 400 in this embodiment further includes a connecting piece 420 and a plurality of elastic pieces 430. The connecting piece 420 may adopt a ring structure (connecting ring), which is welded and fixed to the conductive plate 200 or fixed to the conductive plate 200 by screws. For example, a metal support plate 210 is vertically welded and fixed to the conductive plate 200, and the connecting piece 420 is welded to one side of the metal support plate 210. A plurality of elastic pieces 430 are integrally formed on the connecting plate, with one end of the plurality of elastic pieces 430 surrounding the connecting piece 420 to form a circle and spaced at a certain distance. The other end of the plurality of elastic pieces 430 forms a plug-in interface 410, with the opening 412 of the plug-in interface 410 facing the corresponding wiring end 300. Using this structure, multiple elastic sheets 430 can be stably fixed on the conductive plate 200, and the multiple elastic sheets 430 are spaced apart to provide deformation space. After being heated, the multiple elastic sheets 430 can deform and shrink toward the center of the plug interface 410, thereby pressing the end of the cable located in the plug interface 410.

[0041] like Figure 1 , Figure 3As shown, the elastic sheet 430 in this embodiment further includes a concave bend 432. One end of the concave bend 432 facing away from the corresponding terminal 300 forms a receiving cavity 411, and a flexible conductive filling layer 500 is disposed in the receiving cavity 411. Specifically, each elastic sheet 430 has a concave bend 432 formed by bending. The concave bend 432 is U-shaped and extends towards the central axis of the insertion interface 410. This concave bend 432 forms an inner ring 413. The outer side of the inner ring 413 is the opening 412 of the insertion interface 410, and the inner side of the inner ring 413 is the receiving cavity 411. The diameter of the inner ring 413 is smaller than both the opening 412 of the insertion interface 410 and the diameter of the receiving cavity 411, thus stably accommodating the flexible conductive filling layer 500 within the receiving cavity 411 formed on the inner side. In this embodiment, the flexible conductive filling layer 500 is a conductive gel layer of nano-silver particles. The conductive gel layer is in a flexible solid state, resembling a jelly-like gel. The flexible conductive filling layer 500 is blocked and limited by the rear connecting piece 420 and the front concave bend 432, preventing it from easily detaching from the shape memory alloy locking part 400. A central open hole in the flexible conductive filling layer 500 facilitates the insertion of cables into and surrounding it. Furthermore, during operation, the conductive gel layer composed of nano-silver particles can fill small gaps between the cable contact surfaces under pressure, reducing contact resistance. The gel possesses self-healing properties; when small gaps arise between conductive metal parts due to vibration, the dynamic chemical bonds in the conductive gel layer of nano-silver particles automatically break and recombine, repairing the crack and maintaining good conductivity. When the gel surface oxidizes, silver ions migrate to the surface, restoring its antioxidant capacity and ensuring the stability of the electrical connection.

[0042] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 As shown, the elastic sheet 430 in this embodiment further includes an inclined section 431, which is integrally disposed on the front side of the concave bend section 432 and can be formed by bending. Multiple inclined sections 431 form an opening 412 of the connector 410. The inclined sections 431 are arranged gradually closer to the central axis of the connector 410 from front to back, so that the opening 412 formed by the inclined sections 431 forms a flared shape with a front inner diameter larger than a rear inner diameter. This guides the end of the inserted cable, making it easier for the end to enter the connector 410.

[0043] like Figure 1 , Figure 3As shown, the elastic sheet 430 in this embodiment further includes an arc-shaped connecting segment 433. The rear end of the arc-shaped connecting segment 433 can be integrally formed with the connecting piece 420 or welded to the connecting piece 420. The front end of the arc-shaped connecting segment 433 is connected to the concave bend segment 432. The arc-shaped connecting segment 433 may include a rear arc-shaped segment 434 and a front horizontal extension segment 435. The rear end of the arc-shaped segment 434 is located near the central axis of the connector 410, and the front end of the arc-shaped segment 434 is away from the central axis of the connector 410. The horizontal extension segment 435 is connected to the end of the arc-shaped segment 434 away from the central axis of the connector 410. The concave bend segment 432 is connected to the horizontal extension segment 435. The horizontal extension segment 435 can be adapted to fit the actual size. Utilizing the property of shape memory metal to straighten when heated, the arc-shaped connecting segment 433 straightens when heated, thereby causing the connector 410 to converge towards the central axis and clamp the flexible conductive filling layer 500 and the cable.

[0044] like Figure 1 , Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the housing 100 is a thermochromic insulating housing that changes color when heated. Specifically, the outer layer of the housing 100 is made of a thermochromic material, which is transparent under normal conditions and does not affect observation of the interior of the housing 100. When the temperature exceeds a set threshold (e.g., 80°C), the thermochromic material turns opaque red, providing a visible overheat warning, allowing staff to promptly detect and address any abnormalities.

[0045] The wiring terminal 300 in this embodiment can take various forms, the main two of which are as follows:

[0046] like Figure 1 , Figure 4 As shown, the first type of terminal 300 specifically includes: an elastic bend 310, which is integrally formed on the conductive plate 200 and can be formed by bending the front end of the conductive plate 200 upwards. A wire pressing port 350 is formed between the elastic bend 310 and the upper inner wall of the housing 100. The elastic bend 310 presses the cable inserted into the wire pressing port 350 by elastic force. A pressing plate 110 is provided on the housing 100. The pressing plate 110 penetrates the upper wall of the housing 100 and abuts against the elastic bend 310. The pressing plates 110 are spaced apart in the left and right directions, so that the gap between the two pressing plates 110 can be used for wire passage. Pressing down the pressing plate 110 causes the elastic convex bend 310 to press down, thus pressing the gap between the pressing plates 110 into the housing 100. The cable passes through the gap and enters the housing 100. Releasing the pressing plate 110 causes the elastic convex bend 310 to move back to its original position, thereby pressing the cable onto the housing 100 and achieving connection.

[0047] like Figure 5As shown, the second type of wiring terminal 300 specifically includes: a pressure base 320, a stud 340, and a pressure plate 330. The pressure base 320 is disposed within the housing 100 and forms a wire clamping opening 350, through which the end of the conductive plate 200 passes. The stud 340 passes through the housing 100 and is screwed onto the pressure base 320. The pressure plate 330 is movably disposed within the wire clamping opening 350, and one end of the stud 340 is movably connected to the pressure plate 330. The pressure plate 330 moves closer to or further away from the end of the conductive plate 200 by the turning of the stud 340, and the pressure plate 330 and the end of the conductive plate 200 are used to clamp the cable.

[0048] In summary, the self-healing locking cable connector proposed in this application can automatically and dynamically adjust the tightness of the connector during the connection process, effectively compensating for metal fatigue and loosening, and preventing an increase in contact resistance. Compared with traditional mechanical locking connectors, it greatly improves the reliability of electrical connections and reduces the probability of failures caused by poor contact. Through the clamping force of the shape memory alloy locking part, the flexible conductive filler layer restores its anti-oxidation ability, ensuring good conductivity of the conductor contact surface and reducing performance degradation caused by microscopic damage and oxidation, thereby extending the service life of the electrical connector. It effectively improves the connection reliability, stability, and safety of electrical connectors, and reduces maintenance costs. It effectively avoids connection failures and safety hazards caused by poor contact, preventing problems such as increased contact resistance, localized overheating, and even fires caused by poor contact. It is suitable for electrical connections in various complex environments, such as industrial equipment, transportation, and aerospace, and has broad application prospects.

[0049] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A self-healing locking cable connector, comprising a housing and a conductive plate, wherein the conductive plate is disposed within the housing, and the conductive plate is provided with at least two wiring terminals, each of the at least two wiring terminals being used to connect to a cable to be connected, characterized in that, The self-healing locking cable connector also includes: At least two shape memory alloy locking parts are provided to mate with the terminal and are connected to the conductive plate. The shape memory alloy locking parts have a plug-in interface located on the through side of the terminal and used to accommodate a cable passing through the terminal. A flexible conductive filler layer is disposed within the connector and is used to surround the cable to be connected. The shape memory alloy locking part deforms under heat to shrink the plug interface, thereby squeezing the flexible conductive filler layer and the cable to be connected.

2. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The shape memory alloy locking part includes: a connecting piece, which is connected to the conductive plate; Multiple elastic pieces, one end of which is arranged in a circle and spaced apart on the connecting piece, and the other end of which forms the opening of the plug interface, with the opening of the plug interface facing the corresponding wiring end; The multiple elastic sheets contract toward the center of the insertion interface after being heated.

3. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The elastic sheet includes: a concave bend, one end of which forms a receiving cavity away from the corresponding terminal end, and the flexible conductive filling layer is disposed in the receiving cavity.

4. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic sheet also includes an inclined section, which is disposed on the side of the concave bend away from the receiving cavity, and the plurality of inclined sections form the opening of the insertion interface.

5. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The elastic sheet further includes an arc-shaped connecting section, one end of which is connected to the connecting sheet and the other end of which is connected to the concave bend.

6. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting piece includes a connecting ring, and a plurality of elastic pieces are disposed on the connecting ring. The connecting ring is welded to the conductive plate or fixed to the conductive plate by screws.

7. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The flexible conductive filler layer is a conductive gel layer of silver nanoparticles.

8. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The shell is a thermochromic insulating shell, which changes color when heated.

9. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The wiring end includes: a pressure base, which is disposed inside the housing and forms a wire pressing port, and the end of the conductive plate passes through the wire pressing port; A stud, which passes through the housing and is screwed to the pressure seat; A pressure plate is movably disposed within the wire clamping port. One end of a stud is movably connected to the pressure plate. The pressure plate moves closer to or further away from the end of the conductive plate by the rotation of the stud. The pressure plate and the end of the conductive plate are used to clamp the cable.

10. The self-healing locking cable connector as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The housing is provided with a pressing plate, and the wiring end includes an elastic convex bend. The elastic convex bend is connected to the conductive plate and forms a wire pressing port between it and the inner wall of the housing. The elastic convex bend opens the wire pressing port by pressing the pressing plate, and the elastic convex bend presses the cable inserted into the wire pressing port by elastic force.

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