Connector, control unit and method for manufacturing a connector

Abstract

A connector (1), in particular for a control unit, comprising at least one electrical conductor (2) and a mating connector contour (3) made of a first plastic, wherein the at least one electrical conductor (2) is held at a first end (E1) by the mating connector contour (3) and the mating connector contour (3) is configured for connecting the connector (1) to an external electrical circuit, wherein the at least one electrical conductor (2) is overmolded by a second plastic in a sealing area (4) adjacent to the mating connector contour (3) and wherein a second end (E2) of the at least one electrical conductor (2) is exposed and configured for connection to a conductor track (12, 13, 14), wherein between the second end (E2) of the at least one electrical conductor (2) and the sealing area (4) there is a space directly adjacent to the sealing area (4),the pre-sealing area (5) which fluid-tightly encloses at least one electrical conductor (2) is formed from the first plastic.

Description

The present invention relates to a plug, a control device and a method for producing a plug according to the features of independent claims 1, 5 and 6.Plugs are known in the art in many embodiments. Usually, the contacts of a plug are sealed by means of a thermoplastic material. However, this results in problems with regard to the production costs and the high requirements for the material, in particular with regard to the temperature range with a required tightness above 150° C. In other variants, specially turned pins are used as contacts for sealing. This results in problems with regard to the limited possibility of variation of the plug owing to the limited shape of the contact pins.DE 38 09 209 A1 discloses an insulating body which is assembled from two parts and assembled in a shaping process to form a one-piece insulating body. The insulating body is designed for electrical plug connectors with a plurality of socket contacts arranged parallel and at a distance from one another in a fixed manner in the insulating body.WO 2014 / 013871 A1 provides a thin-film-containing structure which has excellent sealing properties.DE 10 2008 061 926 A1 discloses an elongate metal element for injection into a component, wherein the metal element is injection-molded over a region of its length with a sealing element made of a plastic material, wherein the region provided with the plastic material of the sealing element can be injection-molded in the final assembled state with a second plastic material forming an injection-molded body.U.S. Pat. No. 6,582,251B1 discloses a printed connector which establishes a print-tight, electrically conductive connection through a passage.It is an object of the invention to specify a plug which has good tightness with respect to fluid-like media at temperatures above 150° C. A further object is to specify a control unit and a production method.These objects are achieved with the subject matters of independent claims 1, 5 and 6. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of dependent claims.A plug is proposed, in particular for a control device, having at least one electrical conductor, wherein the electrical conductor is held at a first end by a mating plug contour made of a first plastic and the mating plug contour is designed for connecting the plug to an external electrical circuit, wherein the electrical conductor is encapsulated by a second plastic in a sealing region adjoining the mating plug contour and wherein a second end of the electrical conductor is exposed and designed for connection to a conductor track.In the following, a mating plug contour is understood to mean a contour which is formed by the plastic-also referred to as molding compound. This contour is suitable for providing an interface to a mechanically contacting mating connector. The contour can be formed either as a socket or as a plug. Furthermore, the contour can assume any contour required in the specific application in order to receive the plug of an external electronic circuit or in order to be received by a plug socket of an external electronic circuit.The sealing region is understood to mean a section of the electrical conductor which envelopes the electrical conductor in this section. The sealing region is formed in such a way that fluid entering from outside the sealing region cannot flow along the electrical conductor within the sealing region. The sealing region also forms an area of contact (boundary surface) with the mating plug contour, i.e. the sealing region directly adjoins the mating plug contour.In one embodiment of the invention, the plug is formed in such a way that a pre-sealing region directly adjoining the sealing region and enclosing the at least one electrical conductor in a fluid-tight manner is formed from the first plastic between the second end of the electrical conductor and the sealing region.The presealing region is thus arranged opposite the mating plug contour on the electrical conductor with respect to the sealing region. The presealing region envelopes the at least one electrical conductor in a predetermined section. Moreover, it forms an interface with the sealing region. The presealing region is expediently produced with the same material as the mating plug contour. In the production method of the plug, the additional formation of the sealing region results in an advantage in the execution of the production process.In a further embodiment of the invention, the electrical conductor is a stamped grid. However, it is also possible for the electrical conductor to be a stranded wire or a conductive wire.In a further embodiment of the invention, the first plastic has a higher viscosity than the second plastic, in particular the first plastic is a thermoplastic and the second plastic is a thermosetting plastic. The thermosetting plastic, which forms the sealing region, hermetically seals the electrical conductor against penetrating fluid. Although the penetrating fluid can penetrate the boundary surface between the mating plug contour made of thermoplastic and the sealing region made of thermosetting plastic, it cannot move any further along the electrical conductor because of the tight closure of the electrical conductor by the thermosetting plastic.In a further embodiment of the invention, the sealing region has a circumferential groove for receiving a seal, which groove forms a seal of the plug in a housing. This groove can run either axially or radially in the sealing region and expediently forms a closed curve. The encircling seal which can be inserted into the groove serves for sealing off the housing into which the plug is introduced.The free end of the electrical conductor is expediently designed in such a way that it can be inserted into a correspondingly provided printed circuit board or that stamped grids or strands can be welded or soldered on.Furthermore, a control device with a plug according to the invention is proposed.A method for producing a plug according to the invention is proposed, which comprises the following steps: a) providing at least one electrical conductor and introducing the at least one electrical conductor into a first injection-molding tool, b) producing a pre-injection-molded part, wherein a mating plug contour made of a first plastic is injection-molded in the first injection-molding tool at a first end section of the electrical conductor, said mating plug contour holding the first end of the electrical conductor, c) introducing the pre-injection-molded part into a second injection-molding tool, and enveloping the electrical conductor with a second plastic in a sealing region adjoining the mating plug contour.In a further embodiment of the invention, a presealing region is additionally produced from the first plastic in the first injection-molding tool during step b), wherein a region located between the second end of the electrical conductor and the mating plug contour and not directly adjoining the mating plug contour is injection-molded. When the pre-molded part is introduced into the second injection mold, the mating plug contour and the pre-sealing region serve as a seal of the pre-molded part, i.e. the region of the electrical conductor between the pre-sealing region and the mating plug contour can be encapsulated with the second plastic without further sealing measures.The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to figures. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a plug according to the invention in a first variant, and FIG. 2 shows a plug according to the invention in a second variant, FIG. 3 shows a plug for explaining the invention, introduced into a housing, and FIG. 4 shows a plug according to the invention with three connection possibilities.FIG. 1 shows the plug according to the invention in a first variant. The plug 1 encloses 3 electrical conductors 2 by way of example. These electrical conductors can be stamped grids made of brass, for example. The electrical conductors 2 are surrounded at a first end E 1 by a mating plug contour 3 made of a first plastic, for example thermoplastic. The respective ends of the conductors 2 are of course designed in such a way that an electrical contact can be made from the outside, for example a plug.In a section adjoining the mating plug contour 3, the plug 1 has a sealing region 4 made of a second plastic, e.g. thermosetting plastic.The mating plug contour 3 and the sealing region 4 have an interface 6. This boundary surface 6 can be planar, but it is also conceivable for the boundary surface 6 to have any desired surface. In particular, it is possible for the sealing region 4 to enclose the mating plug contour 3 at least partially.This region, in which the sealing region 4 at least partially encloses the mating plug contour 3, is indicated by the reference sign 6.A pre-sealing region 5 envelopes a portion between the second end E 2 of the conductor 2 and the sealing region 4 in such a way that the second end E 2 of the conductor 2 is freely accessible, i.e. an electrical connection can be produced from the outside. The presealing region 5 and the sealing region 4 form a further boundary surface 7. This further interface 7 can likewise have any desired surface.FIG. 2 shows a second variant of the plug, in which the electrical conductor 2 extends over a predefined geometry, as a result of which the sealing region 4 is formed in such a way that it follows the course of the electrical conductor 2. This variant is characterized in that, viewed from the mating plug contour 3, a first sealing region 4 adjoining the mating plug contour 3 is present, to which a first presealing region 5 adjoins. This first pre-sealing region 5 is adjoined by a further sealing region 4. This further sealing region 4 is adjoined by a further presealing region 5. The second end E2 of the conductor 2 is freely accessible.FIG. 3 shows a plug inserted into a housing.For this purpose, the housing 10 has an aperture 11. The sealing region 4 has a groove 8. A seal 9 is inserted in this groove 8, which seal abuts a housing 10, into which the plug 1 is inserted, and separates the inner region I from the outer region A.In the left illustration of FIG. 3, it is illustrated that the sealing region 4 is formed in such a way that it bears against a main surface H of the housing 10 and against the surface of the aperture 11. The groove 8 is designed in such a way that the inserted seal 9 likewise abuts this main surface H of the housing. In the right-hand illustration of FIG. 3, it is illustrated that the seal 9 is arranged within the aperture 11.FIG. 4 shows a plurality of connection possibilities of the plug 1, It is shown that the free second end E 2 of the conductor 2 can be inserted either into a printed circuit board 12 (left illustration). The middle illustration shows that a stranded wire 13 can be welded or soldered to the conductor 2. In the right-hand illustration, it is shown that a stamped grid 14 can be welded or soldered to the conductor 2.Reference numerals denote reference numerals1 Plug 2 Electrical conductor 3 Mating plug contour 4 Sealing region 4 a Weiterer sealing region 5 Presealing region 5 a Weiterer presealing region 6 Boundary surface 7 Further boundary surface 8 Groove 9 Seal 10 Housing 11 Aperture in the housing 12 Printed circuit board 13 Stranded wire 14 Stamped grid E 1 First end E 2 Second end H Main surface of the printed circuit board

Claims

Plug (1), in particular for a control device, having at least one electrical conductor (2) and a mating plug contour (3) made of a first plastic, wherein the at least one electrical conductor (2) is held at a first end (E1) by the mating plug contour (3) and the mating plug contour (3) is designed for connecting the plug (1) to an external electrical circuit, wherein the at least one electrical conductor (2) is encapsulated by a second plastic in a sealing region (4) adjoining the mating plug contour (3), and wherein a second end (E2) of the at least one electrical conductor (2) is exposed and is designed for connection to a conductor track (12, 13, 14), wherein between the second end (E2) of the at least one electrical conductor (2) and the sealing region (4) a conductor directly adjoining the sealing region (4) is formed, the pre-sealing region (5) enclosing the at least one electrical conductor (2) in a fluid-tight manner is formed from the first plastic.Plug (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least one electrical conductor (2) is a stamped grid.Plug (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first plastic has a higher viscosity than the second plastic, in particular the first plastic is a thermoplastic and the second plastic is a thermosetting plastic.Plug (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing region (4) has a seal (9) and a circumferential groove (8) for receiving the seal (9), which groove makes it possible to seal the plug (1) in a housing (10).Control device having a plug (1) according to one of the preceding claims.Method for producing a plug (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps: a) providing at least one electrical conductor (2) and introducing the at least one electrical conductor (2) into a first injection-moulding tool, b) producing a pre-injection-moulded part, wherein a mating plug contour (3) made of a first plastic is injection-moulded in the first injection-moulding tool on a first end section of the electrical conductor (2), said mating plug contour holding a first end (E1) of the at least one electrical conductor (2), c) introducing the pre-injection-moulded part into a second injection-moulding tool and enclosing the at least one electrical conductor (2) with a second plastic in a sealing region (4) adjoining the mating plug contour (3).Method according to Claim 6, characterized in that, in the first injection-moulding tool, during step b), a presealing region (5) is additionally produced from the first plastic, wherein a region which is located between a second end (E2) of the at least one electrical conductor (2) and the mating plug contour (3) and does not directly adjoin the mating plug contour (3) is injection-moulded.Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that, in step c), the sealing region (4) of the at least one electrical conductor (2) between the mating plug contour (3) and the presealing region (5) is sheathed with the second plastic.

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