Cable splitter and cable assembly

Abstract

Disclosed are a cable distributor and a cable assembly. The cable distributor (100) is used for connection between a first cable (10) and a second cable (20), and includes: a box body, in which a cavity for accommodating a connection portion where the first cable and the second cable are connected to each other is defined; and a sealant provided in the cavity for covering the connection portion.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of this disclosure relate to the field of power or signal distribution technology, and more specifically, to cable splitters with sealant and cable assemblies including the cable splitters. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of power or signal distribution, such as in the electrical systems of new energy vehicles, cable splitters are often used to connect main cables to branch cables, or to connect two or more separate cables, in order to transmit power / signals between cables, such as to transfer power / signals from the main power source / signal source to different devices or electrical components.

[0003] In conventional technology, in order to prevent water or moisture from entering the splitter and adversely damaging the connection between cables, it is usually necessary to set up a complex sealing structure on the splitter, set up multiple sealing spaces, perform single-line sealing (SWS) or radial sealing for each cable, and set sealing rings between the wire hole of the splitter and the cable, etc. This results in many parts, complex processes, high costs, and long standard production time for products. Utility Model Content

[0004] This disclosure is made in order to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned and other problems and defects existing in the prior art.

[0005] According to one aspect of this disclosure, a cable splitter is provided for connecting a first cable and a second cable, the cable splitter comprising: a housing defining a cavity within the housing for receiving a connection portion of the first cable and the second cable connected to each other; and a sealant disposed in the cavity for covering the connection portion.

[0006] In some embodiments, the sealant may include a gel.

[0007] In some embodiments, the housing may include a first housing and a second housing, which are connected to each other to define a cavity therebetween suitable for receiving the sealant and the connection portion.

[0008] In some embodiments, the first housing may define an annular groove, and the sealant may include a first sealant disposed in the annular groove, the first sealant being configured to surround the connection portion when the connection portion is received in the cavity.

[0009] In some embodiments, the first housing may include a spacer wall formed within the cavity, the spacer wall extending in an annular shape to define a wiring cavity adapted to receive the connection portion; and the annular groove may surround the spacer wall to be spaced apart from the wiring cavity via the spacer wall.

[0010] In some embodiments, the sealant may further include a second sealant. The second sealant is at least partially disposed in the second housing to cover the connection portion when the connection portion is received in the cavity.

[0011] In some embodiments, the second sealant is adapted to abut against the first sealant and the connection when the connection is received in the cavity, so as to circumferentially surround the connection together with the first sealant.

[0012] In some embodiments, the housing may be provided with a first wiring hole and a second wiring hole, the first wiring hole being adapted to receive a portion of an inserted first cable and the second wiring hole being adapted to receive a portion of an inserted second cable, so as to allow the connection portion of the first cable and the second cable to be accommodated in the cavity; and the sealant may be arranged to cover the connection portion in a manner that seals and isolates the connection portion accommodated in the cavity from the first wiring hole and the second wiring hole.

[0013] In some embodiments, the second wiring hole may include two or more spaced-apart wiring holes, each of which is configured to receive a second cable.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a cable assembly is also provided, comprising: a cable splitter as described in any embodiment of the present disclosure; and a first cable and a second cable, wherein a connection between the first cable and the second cable is accommodated within the cavity and sealed by the sealant.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first cable and the second cable each include partially exposed core conductors, the connection portion of the first cable is a first connection portion formed by a portion of its exposed core conductor, the connection portion of the second cable is a second connection portion formed by a portion of its exposed core conductor, and the first connection portion and the second connection portion are electrically connected to each other in the cavity.

[0016] In some embodiments, the cable assembly may further include a conductive adapter, and the first connection portion and the second connection portion may be soldered onto the adapter, respectively.

[0017] In some embodiments, the second cable may include two or more second cables electrically connected to the same first cable within the cavity.

[0018] In some embodiments, one of the two or more second cables and the first cable may be a single shared cable, and a portion of the core conductor of the single shared cable is exposed in the cavity to serve as a connection portion for welding onto the adapter.

[0019] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a cable splitter and a cable assembly are provided. A sealant is provided in the cavity of the cable splitter's housing to cover the connection points where cables connect to each other within the housing. This provides a seal for the conductive connections within the housing, directly covering and sealing the conductive connections that require waterproofing or moisture protection. This prevents the conductive connections housed within the housing from being exposed to air and moisture entering the housing, thus improving the sealing effect. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for sealing the housing itself or between the housing and the cables, reducing sealing structures and components, minimizing mold costs, and improving cable assembly efficiency. Using a gel as the sealant facilitates application within the housing and allows the sealant to adhere tightly to or conform to connections of different shapes. The cable splitter's housing can have a modular structure, facilitating the placement and sealing of the cable connections within the housing. This reduces assembly steps, simplifies the process, and facilitates automation. The main cable and branch cables connected in the cable splitter can share a common connection point, reducing the number of welding operations at the connection points. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of various embodiments of the present disclosure will become clearer from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of a cable assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0022] Figure 2 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of a cable splitter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0023] Figure 3 This is another perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of a cable splitter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0024] Figure 4 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating a portion of the structure of a cable splitter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0025] Figure 5 This is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating a portion of the structure of a cable splitter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0026] Figure 6 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of another part of a cable splitter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0027] Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of another part of a cable splitter according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view schematically illustrating the structure of a cable assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 9 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the sealing of the cable connection portion of a cable assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 10 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating the connection between cables of a cable assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0031] Figure 11 This is a perspective view schematically illustrating another connection between cables of a cable assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The embodiments of this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification, identical or similar components are indicated by identical or similar reference numerals. The following description of various embodiments of this disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings is intended to illustrate the overall concept of this disclosure and should not be construed as a limitation thereof.

[0033] Furthermore, in the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth for ease of explanation to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and apparatuses are illustrated to simplify the figures.

[0034] In the following detailed description, directional terms such as "front," "rear," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "upper part," "lower part," "inner," and "outer" are defined according to the accompanying drawings, but the shape and position of the parts are not limited by these terms and can be adjusted according to the actual application.

[0035] Furthermore, the terminology used herein is for describing exemplary embodiments and is not intended to limit and / or constrain this disclosure. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” “the” are also intended to include the plural forms. In this disclosure, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and similar terms are used to enumerate features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more of said features, quantities, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof.

[0036] Although the terms “first,” “second,” etc., may be used herein to describe a variety of different elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one element from another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, a first element may be referred to as a second element, and a second element may be referred to as a first element. The term “and / or” includes a combination of multiple related items or any one of multiple related items.

[0037] like Figure 1-11 As shown, an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure provides a cable splitter 100 for connecting a first cable 10 and a second cable 20, and also provides a cable assembly 1, which may include the cable splitter 100 and the first cable 10 and the second cable 20 connected to each other within the cable splitter 100. The provided cable splitter and cable assembly can be used for power or signal transmission or distribution, for example, in the electrical systems of new energy vehicles, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. As an example, the cables connected to each other in the cable splitter may be a main cable and branch cables, or two or more separate (e.g., disconnected or independent) cables for transmitting power / signal from a main power source / signal source to different electrical devices.

[0038] In the illustrated embodiment, the cable splitter 100 mainly includes a housing and sealant. The housing can be a box-shaped (e.g., rectangular or elongated) shell formed of an insulating material such as plastic, defining a cavity within it for accommodating the connection portion of the first cable 10 and the second cable 20 connected to each other. Unlike conventional sealing outside the housing, in the embodiments of this disclosure, sealant is provided in the cavity of the housing to cover the connection portion of the first cable 10 and the second cable 20 connected to each other within the housing, thereby providing a seal for the conductive connection portion within the housing. That is, providing a direct covering seal for the conductive connection portion of the cable that requires waterproofing or moisture protection, preventing the conductive connection portion contained within the housing from being exposed to air and moisture entering the housing, thereby improving the sealing effect. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for sealing the housing itself and the connection between the housing and the cable, reducing the number of sealing structures and components.

[0039] As an example, the sealant used in the cavity of the housing can include a variety of electronic product sealing materials, such as elastic or deformable sealing materials that can fit tightly to or conform to the joints of different shapes, including gels, silicone rubber, polyurethane, epoxy resin materials, etc.

[0040] like Figure 1-3As shown, the housing may be provided with a first wiring hole 103 and a second wiring hole 104 to allow a first cable 10 to pass through the first wiring hole 103 and extend outward from its connection portion inside the housing, and to allow a second cable 20 to pass through the second wiring hole 104 and extend outward from its connection portion inside the housing. Exemplarily, the inner diameter of the first wiring hole 103 and the second wiring hole 104 may be equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the corresponding cable, such that, with the connection portions of both the first cable 10 and the second cable 20 accommodated in the cavity of the housing, the first wiring hole 103 is adapted to receive and retain a portion of the first cable 10 along its length, and the second wiring hole 104 is adapted to receive and retain a portion of the second cable 20 along its length.

[0041] The second wiring holes provided on the housing may include two or more wiring holes spaced apart from each other, each wiring hole being configured to receive or lead out a second cable, allowing branch connections from the first cable 10 to two or more second cables 20 within the housing. In such cases... Figure 1-3 In the embodiment shown, the housing is provided with a first wiring hole 103 and two second wiring holes 104, which can form a pair of two-way wiring arrangement, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, the sealant can be arranged to cover the cable connection portion housed in the cavity of the housing in such a way that it seals and isolates the cable connection portion from the first wiring hole 103 and the second wiring hole 104. That is, the sealant directly covering the cable connection portion can prevent external water or moisture from reaching the interconnected connection portion of the cable in the housing through the first wiring hole 103 and the second wiring hole 104.

[0043] In some exemplary embodiments of this disclosure, such as Figure 1-8 As shown, the cable splitter 100 can have a split structure, including a first housing 110 and a second housing 120, each having an inner cavity or receiving space. The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 can have generally corresponding contours to engage with each other, such as by snapping or hinge, to define a cavity therebetween suitable for accommodating a connection portion of sealant and a cable. In the illustrated embodiment, the first housing 110 is provided with a fixing portion 116 having a connection hole, and the second housing 110 is provided with a fixing portion 126 having a connection hole. The first housing 110 and the second housing 120 can be fixedly connected via fasteners (not shown) inserted into the connection holes. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the first housing and the second housing can engage by snapping, can be hinged to each other via hinges or pivots, or can be fixed to each other via clamps or other suitable connectors. Exemplarily, the cable splitter 100 can be mounted on a device via fasteners (not shown) inserted into holes 105 formed in the housing, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0044] like Figure 4-8 As shown, the first housing 110 may have a first wiring groove 113 and a second wiring groove 114, and the second housing 120 may have a third wiring groove 123 and a fourth wiring groove 124. When the first housing 110 and the second housing 120 are connected to each other, each first wiring groove 113 cooperates with a corresponding third wiring groove 123 to define a first wiring hole 103, and each second wiring groove 114 cooperates with a corresponding fourth wiring groove 124 to define a second wiring hole 104.

[0045] In such Figure 4 , 5 In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the first housing 110 may define a recess 111, such as an annular groove. The sealant includes a first sealant 131 having a certain height or thickness disposed in the recess 111. The first sealant 131 is constructed and arranged to surround the cable connection portion when the cable connection portion is received in the cavity of the housing, such as circumferentially or 360° around the cable connection portion in a plane parallel to the bottom inner surface of the first housing 110, to establish at least a local sealing barrier between the cable connection portion and the first wiring hole 103 and the second wiring hole 104. Alternatively or additionally, sealant may also be provided in the area or space of the first housing 110 that receives the cable connection portion.

[0046] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 , 5 As shown in Figure 8, the first housing 110 may include a spacer wall 112 formed within the cavity of the housing, specifically within the inner cavity of the first housing 110, extending outward (upward in the figure) from the inner wall of the first housing 110 to a certain height. The spacer wall 112 extends in a generally annular shape, for example, to define an open wiring cavity 115 adapted to receive the connection portion of a cable, i.e., the connection portion of the first cable 10 and the second cable 20 that connects to each other can be placed within the wiring cavity 115. As an example, the spacer wall 112 may not be a completely annular wall, but may have partial notches or recesses to facilitate cable routing and placement. The spacer wall 112 may be spaced apart from the sidewalls of the first housing 110 defining its cavity to define an annular groove 111 therebetween, i.e., the annular groove 111 surrounds the spacer wall 112 to space it from the wiring cavity 115 via the spacer wall 111. The first sealant 131 filled in the annular groove 111 can partially seal and isolate the cable connection in the wiring cavity 115 from the external environment, such as at least partially preventing external water or moisture from reaching the cable connection in the wiring cavity 115 via the first wiring groove 113 and the second wiring groove 114.

[0047] In some embodiments, such as Figure 6-9As shown, the sealant disposed within the housing may further include a second sealant 132, which is at least partially disposed within the second housing 120 to cover the cable connection portion when it is received within the cavity of the housing, thereby improving the seal. As an example, the second sealant 132 may be generally block-shaped, directly facing and contacting the cable connection portion when it is received within the cavity of the housing. In some examples, the second sealant 132 may cover a large portion of the cable connection portion received within the cavity of the housing; for example, except for the portion of the connection portion facing the bottom surface of the wiring cavity 115 of the first housing 110, the second sealant 132 may cover the remaining portion of the connection portion placed in the wiring cavity 115 to improve the seal. Figure 7 As shown, multiple grooves or grids can be formed in the second housing 120 to reliably retain and stabilize the second sealant 132.

[0048] In some embodiments, such as Figure 9 As shown, the second sealant 132 is adapted to abut against the first sealant 131 and the connection portion when the cable connection is housed in the cavity of the housing, to circumferentially surround the connection portion together with the first sealant (optionally, together with the first sealant and the lower wall of the first housing), thereby providing a circumferential seal on the cable connection portion, making the cable connection portion housed within the cavity of the housing substantially invisible. As an example, the second sealant 132 and the first sealant 131 may circumferentially cover the cable connection portion housed within the cavity of the housing 360° to provide a substantially complete circumferential seal on the connection portion in both cross-sections perpendicular to and parallel to the cable axis.

[0049] like Figure 8-11 As shown, the first cable 10 and the second cable 20 each include partially exposed core conductors, such as sections of the core conductor exposed at the ends or middle of the cable. The connection portion of the first cable 10 is a first connection portion 11 formed by a portion of its exposed core conductor, and the connection portion of the second cable 20 is a second connection portion 21 formed by a portion of its exposed core conductor. The first connection portion 11 and the second connection portion 21 can be electrically connected together and placed in the cavity of the housing, such as in the wiring cavity 115 of the first housing 110.

[0050] The first connecting part 11 and the second connecting part 21 can be directly electrically and mechanically connected to each other, such as by welding or via fasteners, or they can be indirectly connected. Figure 8-11In the illustrated embodiment, the cable assembly may further include a conductive adapter 30, and the first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion 21 may be respectively connected (e.g., soldered) to the adapter 30, which may, for example, be disposed (e.g., snap-fitted) in the wiring cavity 115 of the first housing 110. For example, the first connecting portion 11 and the second connecting portion 21 may have flat portions, for example, formed by extruding core conductors, and the adapter 30 may be a flat member to facilitate soldering, but this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0051] The number of cables connected in the housing can be equal to or less than the number of wiring holes provided on the housing. As an example, the cable splitter can be a one-to-many splitter. In the case that the second wiring hole 104 includes two or more wiring holes, two or more second cables 20 can be connected on the housing. That is, the second cables 20 can include two or more second cables electrically connected to the same first cable 10 within the cavity of the housing.

[0052] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10 As shown, the first connecting portion 11 at the end of the first cable 10 and the second connecting portions 21 at the ends of two or more second cables 20 can be respectively connected (e.g., soldered) to the adapter 30, thereby realizing the electrical and mechanical connection between the first and second cables via the adapter. In other embodiments, such as Figure 11 As shown, for example, a first cable serving as the main cable and a second cable serving as a branch cable may be integrated or a single shared cable. A portion of the core conductor of this single shared cable is exposed at the midpoint of its length to serve as a connection for soldering onto the adapter 30, thereby reducing the number of soldering operations.

[0053] For example, when assembling a cable assembly, the connecting parts of the first cable 10 and the second cable 20 can be connected together, such as by soldering them onto the adapter 30. A first sealant 131 is applied (e.g., applied by dispensing) into the groove 111 (and optionally, the wiring cavity 115) of the first housing 110, and a second sealant 132 is applied (e.g., applied by dispensing) into the inner cavity of the second housing 120. Then, the connected connecting parts and the adapter 30 are placed inside the wiring cavity 115 of the first housing 110. The second housing 120 with the second sealant 132 is then fastened onto the first housing 110, allowing the first cable 10 to exit from the first wiring hole 103 and the second cable 20 to exit from the second wiring hole 104. Finally, fasteners are used to secure the second housing 120 to the first housing 110, forming a cable assembly with the cable connecting parts within the housing. This cable assembly offers more reliable sealing, fewer parts, a simpler assembly process, and lower cost.

[0054] Although embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that variations may be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present disclosure, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Furthermore, it should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” as used herein do not exclude other elements or steps. Additionally, any reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A cable splitter (100) for connecting a first cable (10) and a second cable (20), characterized in that, This cable splitter includes: A housing, within which a cavity is defined for accommodating the interconnected connection portions of a first cable and a second cable; and A sealant is disposed in the cavity to cover the connection portion.

2. The cable splitter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sealant includes a gel.

3. The cable splitter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a first housing (110) and a second housing (120), which are connected to each other to define a cavity therebetween suitable for receiving the sealant and the connection portion.

4. The cable splitter according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first box body is defined with an annular groove (111); and The sealant includes a first sealant (131) disposed in the annular groove, the first sealant being configured to surround the connection portion when the connection portion is received in the cavity.

5. The cable splitter according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first housing includes a spacer wall (112) formed within the cavity, the spacer wall extending in an annular shape to define a wiring cavity (115) adapted to receive the connection portion; and The annular groove surrounds the spacer wall to separate it from the wiring cavity via the spacer wall.

6. The cable splitter according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sealant also includes a second sealant (132), which is at least partially disposed in the second housing to cover the connection portion when the connection portion is received in the cavity.

7. The cable splitter according to claim 6, characterized in that, The second sealant is adapted to abut against the first sealant and the connection when the connection is accommodated in the cavity, so as to circumferentially surround the connection together with the first sealant.

8. The cable splitter according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The housing is provided with a first wiring hole (103) and a second wiring hole (104). The first wiring hole is adapted to receive a portion of an inserted first cable, and the second wiring hole is adapted to receive a portion of an inserted second cable, so that the connection between the first cable and the second cable can be accommodated in the cavity. and The sealant is arranged to cover the connection portion, which is contained in the cavity, in a manner that seals and isolates it from the first wiring hole and the second wiring hole.

9. The cable splitter according to claim 8, characterized in that, The second wiring hole includes two or more spaced-apart wiring holes, each of which is configured to receive a second cable.

10. A cable assembly (1), characterized in that, The cable assembly includes: The cable splitter according to any one of claims 1-9; and The first cable (10) and the second cable (20) are connected to each other, and the connection portion of the first cable and the second cable is contained in the cavity and sealed by the sealant.

11. The cable assembly according to claim 10, characterized in that, The first and second cables each include partially exposed core conductors. The first cable's connection portion is a first connection portion (11) formed by a portion of its exposed core conductor, and the second cable's connection portion is a second connection portion (21) formed by a portion of its exposed core conductor. The first connecting part and the second connecting part are electrically connected to each other in the cavity.

12. The cable assembly according to claim 11, characterized in that, The cable assembly also includes a conductive adapter (30), and The first connecting part and the second connecting part are respectively welded to the adapter.

13. The cable assembly according to claim 12, characterized in that, The second cable includes two or more second cables that are electrically connected to the same first cable within the cavity.

14. The cable assembly according to claim 13, characterized in that, One of the two or more second cables is a single shared cable with the first cable, and A portion of the core conductor of the single common cable is exposed in the cavity to serve as a connection for welding onto the adapter.

Images