Shielding decoupling for electrical contact points

Abstract

Shield connection (1) for high-current interfaces (3), the shield connection (1) comprising a shield socket (5); a shield plug (7); wherein the shield socket (5) is designed to receive the shield plug (7) and to establish electrical contact with the shield plug (7); characterized in that the shield socket (5) has a first region (9) and a second region (11) designed separately from the first region (9); wherein the first region (9) is electrically conductively connected to the second region (11) by means of a flexible element (13), wherein recesses (25) are provided on the second region (11) of the shield socket (5); wherein positioning tabs (21) are provided on the first region (9); wherein the positioning tabs (21) are designed to engage with the recesses (25).

Description

Prior ArtIn high-current applications, for example between 60 V and 1500 V or between 50 A and 300 A, all components should be shielded as far as possible on all sides and continuously, since otherwise the electromagnetic waves would impede the flow of the high current.For this purpose, shielding can be provided in particular at an interface or contact point of the high-current plug connection. The shielding can be provided both on a socket and on a plug and is correspondingly referred to as a shielding socket and shielding plug. The shield jack is connected to the jack and the shield jack is connected to the plug. If the plug is inserted into the socket, the shield plug is also simultaneously inserted into the shield socket.For example, plug connections of this type can be used for connecting different components in a motor vehicle. During operation of the motor vehicle, the plug connections can be exposed to high loads, in particular vibrations or shaking loads.Due to the shaking stress, in shielded plug connections the shielding socket and the shielding plug move relative to each other. Such relative movements can lead to wear at an electrical contact-making point between shield plug and shield socket and thus to a higher contact resistance or a shorter service life of the shield connection.From the post-published DE 10 2013 200 810 A1, an electrical shielding arrangement for an electrical plug connection is known.Disclosure of the InventionThere may therefore be a need for an improved shield connection for high-current interfaces and for a corresponding production method for shield connections, which in particular allow a reduction of the wear or a longer service life of the shield connection.This need can be met by the subject matter of the present invention according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are described in the dependent claims.Features, details and possible advantages of a device according to embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail below.According to the first aspect of the invention, a shield connection for high current interfaces is presented. The shield connection comprises a shield socket and a shield plug. The shielding socket is designed to receive the shielding plug and to establish an electrical contact with the shielding plug. The shielding bushing has a first region and a second region separate from the first region. The first region is electrically conductively connected to the second region by means of a flexible element.In other words, the concept of the invention is based on decoupling the contact-making point at which the shielding socket is electrically conductively connected to the shielding plug from the remaining shielding, for example on the shielding socket side, and thus at least damping distortions and vibrations. For this purpose, the shielding bushing is divided into two separate regions which are initially produced separately from one another. The two regions are electrically conductively connected to one another by means of a flexible or elastic element. In this way, relative movements between the contacting point provided on the first region of the shielding socket and the shielding plug can be avoided. This also prevents premature wear of the contacting point and possibly increases the service life of the plug connection. In particular, umbrella connections according to the invention can also be used at cultivation sites with higher shaking profiles than previously.The flexible element can be a conductive, elastic element. For example, the flexible element can react reversibly to an acting force and cushion it. In particular, the flexible element can comprise a fabric, such as a copper fabric. Furthermore, the flexible element can be designed in the form of a metallic spring, for example made of spring steel. Furthermore, the flexible element can have flexible copper wires or cable strands. In this case, the flexible element can be provided circumferentially as a hose or band at the separation point between the first and second region of the shielding bushing. Alternatively, the flexible element can be provided in a segment or strip shape between the first and the second region of the shielding bushing.The shield connection can be used, for example, on high-current interfaces of motor vehicles. In this case, the voltages at the high-current interface can be between 60 V and 1500 V and the currents can be between 50 A and 300 A. In particular, the shield connection can be used on high-current interfaces or contacts in the engine compartment or on engine components of a motor vehicle.The shield connector, also referred to as shielding times, surrounds a connector of the high-current interface. In this case, the shield plug can be provided, for example, at an interface of a unit. A unit can be an electric machine, for example.The shielding bushing, also referred to as a shielding female, can be provided on a cable harness, for example. The cable harness can be connected, for example, to a control unit of the motor vehicle. The shielding socket surrounds the socket of the high-current interface into which the plug can be inserted.Both the shield socket and the shield plug comprise an electrically conductive material such as sheet metal to shield electromagnetic waves. When the high current interface is merged, the plug is plugged into the jack. At the same time, the shield plug is also inserted into the shield socket.The shielding bushing is composed of two separate regions. The first region and the second region of the shielding bushing are initially electrically and spatially separated from one another and manufactured separately. The second region of the shielding socket can be fixed rigidly to the cable harness connector or to the housing of the cable harness connector. The first region has the contact point with the shield connector, which establishes an electrical contact between the shield bushing and the shield connector. The contacting point can be designed, for example, as an axially running lamella or as a radially inwardly directed projection. The first region is connected to the second region, for example, only via the flexible element. In this way, the contact point is decoupled from the movements of the cable harness plug.A shielding connection can have, for example, a plurality of shielding plugs and a plurality of shielding bushes. In this case, all shielding bushes of the shielding connection can have a common second region. The second region can be referred to as a base body in this case and run substantially perpendicular to a plug-in direction or to a longitudinal axis of the shielding connection. Alternatively, the number of second regions of a shielding bushing corresponds to the number of first regions. Further, the number of the first portions of the shield bushes corresponds to the number of the shield plugs, for example.According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the flexible element is connected to the first region and / or to the second region in a materially integral manner. The material-bonded connection produces both a mechanical and an electrical connection between the flexible element and the regions of the shielding bushing. Thanks to the material-bonded connection, the connection partners are held together by atomic or molecular forces. The material connection is a non-detachable connection. For example, the material-to-material connection can be produced by soldering, adhesive bonding and preferably by welding. In this case, the flexible element can be welded both to the first and to the second region of the shielding bushing. The flexible element can be designed, for example, as a tube which at least partially overlaps both regions. Alternatively, the flexible element can be embodied in one piece with one of the regions and welded to the respective other region.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the flexible element is embodied integrally or integrally with the first region of the shielding bushing. That is, the flexible member is made of the same material as the first portion and made together with it. For example, the flexible element can be punched out of an edge region of the first region and rolled. In one region, the flexible member remains connected to the first region even after punching.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a contact point is provided on the first region of the shielding socket, which contact point exerts a clamping force on the shielding plug. The flexible member exerts a restoring force that resists axial displacement of the second portion toward the first portion. The flexible element is designed in such a way that the restoring force is less than the clamping force. This means that the clamping or frictional connection at the contact point is stronger than, for example, the flexibility of the flexible element designed as a band or as a spring. Furthermore, the flexible element can exert a restoring force in the radial direction.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, a stop element is provided between the first region and the second region in such a way that a minimum distance is predefined between the first region and the second region in the axial direction of the shielding connection. The stop element can also be referred to as an end stop and is designed, for example, as a shoulder, as a step, as a protrusion or as an L-profile. In particular, the stop element can protect against overpressing during assembly, i.e. during the joining together of the first and the second region. If the flexible element is designed as a spring, the stop element can have a higher spring constant or strength than the flexible element, in particular a significantly higher spring constant or strength.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the flexible element is designed as a spring element. The spring element can be three-dimensionally flexible. Further, the spring member may yield under load and return to the original shape after relief. This means that the spring element can behave elastically restoringly. For example, the spring element can have a Z-shaped profile or can be Z-shaped in cross section. The spring element can comprise a metal such as sheet metal, copper or spring steel.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the flexible element is designed as a hose or as a band and overlaps both the first region and the second region of the shielding bushing. In this case, the flexible element can be connected to the first and to the second region in a materially integral manner at the overlap points.According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the flexible element is designed as a copper strip or copper mesh or copper mesh. Alternatively, the flexible element can consist of individual copper wires or cable strands.According to the invention, recesses are provided on the second region of the shielding bushing. Furthermore, positioning tabs are provided on the first region. The positioning tabs are designed to engage with the recesses. Thanks to the cooperation of the positioning tabs with the recesses, the separately designed areas of the shielding bushing can be correctly and easily aligned and positioned with respect to each other. Furthermore, the positioning tabs can also serve for fixing. This is particularly advantageous if a plurality of first regions have a common second region which runs substantially perpendicular to the plug-in direction.According to a second aspect of the invention, a method for establishing an above-described screen connection for high-current interfaces is presented. The method comprises the following steps: providing a shielding plug; providing a shielding socket which is designed to receive the shielding plug and to establish electrical contact with the shielding plug; providing a first region and a second region, which is designed separately from the first region, on the shielding socket; connecting the first region to the second region in an electrically conductive manner by means of a flexible element.Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to a person skilled in the art from the following description of exemplary embodiments, which, however, should not be interpreted as limiting the invention, with reference to the enclosed drawings. FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a screen connection according to a first exemplary embodiment of the invention FIG. 2A shows a cross section through a screen connection according to a second exemplary embodiment of the invention FIG. 2B is a plastic view on a shield connection shown in FIG. 2A FIG. 3A shows a plan view of a shielding bushing of a shielding connection having a plurality of first regions according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention FIG. 3B shows a side view of the shielding bushing shown in FIG. 3A FIG. 3C shows the shielding bushing illustrated in FIG. 3A from below FIG. 4 shows a plastic top view of a shielding bushing of a shielding connection having a plurality of first regions according to a further exemplary embodiment of the inventionAll the figures are merely schematic representations of apparatuses according to the invention or their constituent parts according to exemplary embodiments of the invention. In particular, distances and size relationships are not reproduced to scale in the figures. In the various figures, corresponding elements are provided with the same reference numerals. Furthermore, already known elements are provided with a prime at the reference number.FIG. 1 shows a cross section through a shielding connection 1. The interface or contact point of the high-current plug connection 3 located in the interior of the shield connection 1 is not shown in the figures. The shield connection has a shield socket 5 and a shield plug 7. The shield socket 5 is connected to the socket of the high-current plug connection 3 and the shield plug 7 is connected to the plug of the high-current plug connection 3. When the plug is inserted into the socket, the shield plug 7 is also simultaneously inserted into the shield socket 5. The shielding socket 5 makes electrical contact with the shielding plug 7 and thus shields the electromagnetic waves of the high-current interface 3.To establish the electrical contact between the shielding socket 5 and the shielding plug 7, a contact point 15 is provided on the inner side of the shielding socket 5. The contact point 15 can be designed as an elevation directed radially inward with respect to the shield connector 7. Alternatively, the contact point 15 can be designed as a lamella running in the axial direction.The shielding connection 1 can be used, for example, in motor vehicles. For example, the shield socket 5 may be provided on a harness connector. The corresponding shield plug 7 can be provided at an interface of an electric machine, for example in the engine compartment of the motor vehicle. During operation of the motor vehicle, the plug-in connection 1 can be exposed to high shaking stresses and vibrations.In order to avoid a relative movement of shielding socket 5 and shielding plug 7, in particular at the contact point 15, the shielding socket 5 is embodied in two parts. The shielding bushing 5 has a first region 9 and a second region 11 which is embodied separately from the first region 9. The first region 9 is electrically conductively connected to the second region 11 via a flexible element 13.In this way, the contact point 15 is decoupled from the movement of the cable harness or of the cable harness plug, so that wear at the contact point 15 is avoided. As a result, the service life of the shielding connection 1 can be increased or the field of use of the shielding connection 1 can be extended to higher shaking loads.The contact point 15 exerts a clamping force on the shield plug 7, while the flexible element 13 exerts a restoring force on the first region 9 or on the second region 11. The restoring force thereby counteracts an approach of the second region 11 to the first region 9 in the axial direction 17. A flexibility or spring constant of the flexible element 13 is selected in such a way that the restoring force is smaller than the clamping force.Furthermore, a stop element 19 is provided between the first region 9 and the second region 11 in such a way that a minimum distance is predefined between the first region 9 and the second region 11 in the axial direction 17 of the shielding connection 1. In particular, the stop element 19 can prevent overpressing when the first region 9 and the second region 11 are joined together.In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the flexible element 13 is designed as a circumferential tube, for example made of copper fabric. The hose overlaps both the first region 9 and the second region 11 of the shielding bushing 5. Furthermore, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the stop element 19 is designed as a step or shoulder. Furthermore, the regions 9, 11 arranged along a longitudinal axis or plug-in direction 17 of the shield connection 1 are positioned with respect to one another by an overlapping region, which can be referred to as a clearance fit 27.In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the shielding bushing 5 has a common second region 11 for a plurality of individual first regions 9. The second region 11 is designed as a base body which extends substantially perpendicular to the plug-in direction or to the axial direction 17 of the shield connection 1. FIG. 2B shows a plastic view of the shield connection 1 and FIG. 2A shows a cross section through the shield connection 1 shown in FIG. 2B.In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the flexible element 13 is embodied in one piece with the first region 9 of the shielding bushing 5. In particular, the flexible element 13 is stamped and rolled from an edge region of the first region 9. In this case, the flexible element 13 is not circumferential but is designed in the form of a plurality of individual segments. The individual segments are Z-shaped in cross section and are supported resiliently on the second region 11. In particular, the lower regions of the flexible elements 13 can be welded to the second region 11. Furthermore, the stop elements 19 in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 are designed as L-profiles. The stop elements 19 can be made stronger than the elastic elements 13 and define a minimum distance in the axial direction 17 between the upper edge of the first region 9 and the surface of the second region 11. The flexible elements 13 can be referred to as Z feet and the stop elements 19 as L feet.FIG. 3 shows different views of a shielding bushing 5. The shielding bushing 5 is embodied here in a similar manner to the shielding bushing 5 from FIG. 2. FIG. 3A shows a top view, FIG. 3B a side view and FIG. 3C a view from below of the shielding bushing 5. the shielding bushing 5 has a common second region 11 for three individual first regions 9. The second region 11 extends perpendicular to the plug-in direction 17.In contrast to FIG. 2, the flexible element 13 is designed as copper wire, as copper stranded wire or as copper fabric. A flexible element 13 connects a plurality of first regions 9 to the common second region 11. Furthermore, the stop elements 19 are likewise embodied integrally with the first region 9, but are bent differently from in FIG. 2.Furthermore, the second region 11 in FIG. 3 has a plurality of recesses 25 into which positioning tabs 21 of the first regions 9 can be inserted. In this way, the plurality of first regions 9 can be positioned and optionally fixed easily during the assembly on the first region.FIG. 4 shows a shielding bushing 5 which is designed in a similar manner to FIG. 3. The shielding bushing 5 has a common second region 11 for three individual first regions 9. In contrast to FIG. 3, each first region 9 has separate flexible elements 13. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2, the flexible elements 13 are embodied integrally with the respective first region 9. In contrast to FIG. 2, however, the flexible elements 13 are not Z-shaped, but rather have an arc or C-shape which runs at least partially tangentially to the first region 9. As a result, a radial positioning and support of the first regions 9 relative to the second region 11 can also be ensured.Finally, it is noted that terms such as "comprising" or the like are not intended to exclude that further elements or steps may be provided. It should also be noted that "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality. In addition, features described in connection with the various embodiments may be combined with each other as desired. It is further noted that the reference numerals in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

A shield connection (1) for high-current interfaces (3), the shield connection (1) comprising a shield socket (5); a shield plug (7); wherein the shield socket (5) is configured to receive the shield plug (7) and to establish electrical contact with the shield plug (7); characterized in that the shield socket (5) comprises a first region (9) and a second region (11) configured separately from the first region (9); wherein the first region (9) is electrically conductively connected to the second region (11) by means of a flexible element (13), wherein recesses (25) are provided on the second region (11) of the shield socket (5); wherein positioning tabs (21) are provided on the first region (9); wherein the positioning tabs (21) are configured to engage with the recesses (25).Screen connection (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flexible element (13) is connected to the first region (9) and / or to the second region (11) in a materially integral manner.The umbrella connection (1) according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the flexible element (13) is formed integrally with the first region (9) of the umbrella bushing (5).Shielding connection (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein a contact point (15) is provided on the first region (9) of the shielding socket (5) and exerts a clamping force on the shielding plug (7); wherein the flexible element (13) exerts a restoring force which counteracts an approach of the second region (11) to the first region (9) in the axial direction (17); wherein the flexible element (13) is designed such that the restoring force is less than the clamping force.Shielding connection (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein a stop element (19) is provided between the first region (9) and the second region (11) in such a way that a minimum distance is predefined between the first region (9) and the second region (11) in the axial direction (17) of the shielding connection.Screen connection (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the flexible element (13) is designed as a spring element.The umbrella connection (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the flexible element (13) is designed as a hose that overlaps the first region (9) and the second region (11).Screen connection (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the flexible element (13) is designed as a copper strip.Method for producing a shielding connection (1) for high-current interfaces (3) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, the method comprising the following steps: providing a shielding plug (7); providing a shielding socket (5) according to Claim 1, which is designed to receive the shielding plug (7) and to produce an electrical contact with the shielding plug (7); the method characterized in that it furthermore comprises providing a first region (9) and a second region (11), which is designed separately from the first region (9), on the shielding socket (5); connecting the first region (9) to the second region (11) in an electrically conductive manner by means of a flexible element (13).

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