Overmolded connector assembled with a cable

Abstract

A pre-assembled, overmolded connector (200) with a cable (30), comprising an assembly consisting of a connector housing (10) and a cylindrical overmolded adapter sleeve (20) for screwing onto the connector housing (10), wherein the overmolded adapter sleeve (20) has a thread at one end (21a) with which it is connected to a mating thread of the connector housing (10), and the overmolded adapter sleeve (20) has an internally extending channel (23) for the passage of the cable (30), wherein a plurality of ribs (25) and / or grooves (26) are further provided on the outer jacket (24) of the overmolded adapter sleeve (20), and the area with the ribs (25) and / or grooves (26) and together with the cable (30) are overmolded with a plastic (K), characterized in thatthat the plug connector (200) has a rotatably mounted screw sleeve (201) on the plug connector housing (10) for screwing to a correspondingly designed mating connector, and an annular gap (202) is present between the screw sleeve (201) and the plug connector housing (10), in which an annular gap a seal (203) is arranged, and an annular housing-side section (26a) of the overmolding adapter sleeve (20), on which the thread of the overmolding adapter sleeve (20) is formed, projects into the annular gap (202).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an overmolded connector assembled with a cable.

[0002] It is known in the art that connectors are arranged at the end of a cable or cable harness. For this purpose, the connectors, consisting of the plug and mating plug, must be equipped with a strain relief to absorb the tensile or compressive forces acting on the connector and thus relieve the contacts within the connector of these forces, particularly to avoid or prevent faults and interference.

[0003] From the documents US 2009 / 0186506 A1, US 2004 / 0082222 A1, US 6,679,730 B2, US 5,641,307 A and US 2,949,642 A, connectors are known in which the connector has an overmolding at least in part.

[0004] It is known from electrical installation that a connector housing has a crossbar that can be screwed to the connector housing, which is arranged over an end region of the cable and which, after being screwed, exerts a compressive force on the cable sheath.

[0005] Another common solution in the state of the art is the use of screwable cable strain relief elements. A cable gland typically works by exerting increasing compressive force on the cable as it is screwed in, causing a clamping cage, for example, to grip the cable securely.

[0006] Such connectors are usually designed as re-connectable connectors with the disadvantage that the cable glands can also be accidentally loosened, resulting in unsafe conditions in the connector.

[0007] In addition to such rewireable connectors, so-called non-rewireable connectors are known in the prior art. For such connectors, it is common for the connector housing to be manufactured using an injection molding / molding process. During the injection molding process, the immediate area of ​​the cable that enters the mold is inserted into the injection molding / molding tool and overmolded with the same material as the connector housing.

[0008] The disadvantage is that the finished connector housing often does not form a sufficient connection with the material of the cable sheath, since the requirements for the material of the connector housing are completely different from the requirements for the material of the cable sheath.

[0009] Another disadvantage is that with such connector designs, only a non-rewireable connector can be manufactured. However, if a user wants to use such a connector as a rewireable connector, a completely new connector would have to be designed.

[0010] It is therefore desirable that existing rewireable connectors, to which a cable gland is usually attached as a cable seal and strain relief, be designed in such a way that such a connector can be used both as a rewireable and as a non-rewireable connector.

[0011] The invention is therefore based on the object of overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages and of proposing a connector which can be used on the one hand as a re-connectable connector and on the other hand also as a non-re-connectable connector.

[0012] It is a particular object of the present invention to propose a solution for attaching an overmold to an actual rewireable connector without significantly modifying the connector design or having to modify it at all.

[0013] This object is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of a cable-assembled, overmolded connector having the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention can be found in the dependent patent claims.

[0014] A basic idea of ​​the present invention is to provide a specifically designed overmolding adapter sleeve which can be screwed onto the connector housing and which at the same time has contours with which a stable overmolding around the overmolding adapter sleeve can be realized.

[0015] According to the invention, it is further proposed that the overmolding adapter sleeve has a thread at one end in order to be connected to a mating thread of the connector housing and the overmolding adapter sleeve has an internally extending channel for the passage of a cable, wherein a plurality of ribs and / or grooves are further provided on the outer jacket of the overmolding adapter sleeve and the area with the ribs and / or grooves is designed as intended for joint overmolding with a plastic in an overmolding tool with a cable.

[0016] It is particularly advantageous if the overmolded adapter sleeve has a thread that can be screwed onto a thread on a connector housing that was originally intended to be connected to a cable gland.

[0017] According to the invention, it is thus possible to convert a rewireable connector into a non-rewireable connector. For explanation, a method for modifying a rewireable connector with a detachable cable gland into a non-rewireable connector is described, comprising the following steps: a. Loosen and remove the cable gland; b. Applying the overmolded adapter sleeve and c. Overmolding of the connector in the area of ​​the overmolding adapter sleeve together with a section of the cable which is located directly at the cable entry-side through-opening of the overmolding adapter sleeve.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the above-mentioned arrangement is characterized in that the ribs and / or grooves of the overmolding adapter sleeve are formed on the outside partially or completely circumferentially around the overmolding adapter sleeve.

[0019] It is also advantageous to provide several ribs around the outside of the overmolding adapter sleeve.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the overmolding adapter sleeve is formed from a housing-side section, a cable entry-side section and an intermediate section located therebetween, wherein the ribs and / or grooves are provided in the region of the cable entry-side section.

[0021] It is further advantageous if a receiving groove is provided in the intermediate section, into which a resilient, preferably annular or partially annular adapter element can be inserted or is releasably clipped.

[0022] It is also advantageous if the color of the adapter element differs from the color of the connector so that visible color coding can be applied to the connector housing.

[0023] It is further advantageous if the receiving groove is arranged between two collars that protrude from the outer circumference of the housing-side section. It is also advantageous if the two collars also protrude from the outer circumference of the cable entry-side section, opposite the ribs.

[0024] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the overmolding adapter sleeve further includes two diametrically opposed wrench surfaces for engaging a tool. It is particularly advantageous if the wrench surfaces also protrude beyond the ribs of the overmolding adapter sleeve, so that they are overmolded during the overmolding process and provide additional support for the overmolding.

[0025] A further aspect of the present invention provides that the overmolding adapter sleeve is screwed to the connector housing and is provided with a plastic overmolding in the region of the plurality of ribs and / or grooves, wherein the plastic overmolding encloses at least part of the cable sheath of the cable in a form-fitting manner.

[0026] In an embodiment according to the invention, it is provided that the plug connector has a rotatably mounted screw sleeve on the plug connector housing for screwing to a correspondingly designed plug connector, i.e. mating plug, and an annular gap is present between the screw sleeve and the plug connector housing, into which an annular housing-side section of the overmolding adapter sleeve, on which the thread of the overmolding adapter sleeve is formed, projects.

[0027] The annular gap is designed as an annular gap that is open in the plug-in direction, so that when the overmolded adapter sleeve is plugged on in the assembly direction, it can be inserted into the annular gap with its threaded section by screwing it onto the thread and moving a little further into the annular gap with each thread turn.

[0028] It is further provided according to the invention if a seal is located in the region of the annular gap, which seal is arranged between the annular housing-side section of the overmolding adapter sleeve and the connector housing, so that when the overmolding adapter sleeve is screwed into the annular gap, the overmolding adapter sleeve rests against the seal with a sealing flange as soon as the overmolding adapter sleeve has been brought into its fully screwed-in position.

[0029] It is also advantageous if a potting compound is applied between the cable sheath and the inner sheath of the connector's overmolded adapter sleeve. This ensures, in a particularly suitable manner, that no plastic overmold compound can reach the contact chambers during the overmold process, or possibly through the contact chambers to the connector's mating face.

[0030] Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are presented in more detail below, together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figures. They show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of an overmolded adapter sleeve; Fig. 2 a sectional view through a connector housing with a contact carrier and a cable without mounting of an overmolded adapter sleeve; Fig. 3 a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, wherein an overmolding adapter sleeve according to the invention is further screwed to the connector housing; Fig. 4 a sectional view through an embodiment of a connector according to the invention with overmolding; Fig. 5 a perspective view of the connector from Fig. 4 with an adapter ring in a position prepared for mounting; Fig. 6 a sectional view similar to the illustration according to Fig. 4, wherein a casting is also provided.

[0031] In the following, the invention is described with reference to the Fig. 1 to 6, wherein the same reference numerals indicate the same functional and / or structural features.

[0032] In the Fig. 3 is an arrangement of a as in the Fig. 2 shown connector housing 10 and one as in Fig. 1 shown overmolding adapter sleeve 20.

[0033] The overmolding adapter sleeve 20 has a cylindrical shape open on both sides and is designed with a thread for screwing to the connector housing 10. The overmolding adapter sleeve 20 therefore has a corresponding screw thread at the end 21a in order to be able to be screwed, ie connected, to the mating thread of the connector housing 10.

[0034] The overmolding adapter sleeve 20 further comprises an internally extending channel 23 for the passage of a cable 30, wherein a plurality of ribs 25 are provided on the outer jacket 24 of the overmolding adapter sleeve 20, between which grooves 26 remain. The ribs 25 and grooves 26 serve to grip an overmolding and are intended for joint overmolding with an injection-moldable plastic in an overmolding tool with a cable 30, as shown in the sectional view of the Fig. 4 is shown.

[0035] As in the Fig. 1, the ribs 25 and thus the grooves 26 run completely around the overmolding adapter sleeve 20.

[0036] The overmolding adapter sleeve 20 consists of a housing-side section 26a, a cable entry-side section 26b and an intermediate section 26c therebetween, wherein the ribs 25 and grooves 26 are provided in the region of the cable entry-side section 26b.

[0037] Adjacent to this, in the intermediate section 26c, a receiving groove 27 is provided for receiving a resilient annular or partially annular adapter element 28, which can be inserted or clipped into the receiving groove 27, as shown in the perspective view of the Fig. 5 is evident.

[0038] The receiving groove 27 is formed between two collars 27a, 27b, which protrude from the outer circumference in the housing-side section 26a and also from the outer circumference in the cable entry-side section 26b, as shown in the Fig. 1 can be seen.

[0039] In the Fig. 1 it can further be seen that the overmolding adapter sleeve 20 further has a wrench surface 29 for engagement of a tool, wherein a further, not visible, wrench surface 29 is provided diametrically opposite the wrench surface 29 shown in this view, so that the overmolding adapter sleeve 20 can be screwed with a wrench tool comprising two diametrically opposite wrench jaws.

[0040] It is particularly advantageous if the overmolding adapter sleeve 20 can be screwed with a torque wrench so that specific sealing and screwing conditions can be achieved.

[0041] The following is with reference to the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 shows an overmolded connector 200 according to the invention, assembled with a cable 30. The connector 200 has the previously explained overmolded adapter sleeve 20, which is screwed to the connector housing 10 via the thread and is provided with a plastic overmold K in the region of the plurality of ribs 25 and grooves 26, wherein the plastic overmold K encloses at least part of the cable sheath 31 of the cable 30 in a form-fitting manner.

[0042] The connector 200 further comprises a rotatably mounted screw sleeve 201 for screwing to a correspondingly designed mating connector (not shown in detail).

[0043] In the Fig. 4 in the sectional view it can also be seen that between the screw sleeve 201 and the connector housing 10 there is an annular gap 202 which, when the overmolded adapter sleeve 20 is not inserted, as in Fig. 2, is open in the plug-in direction or opposite to the plug-in direction, so that the overmolded adapter sleeve 20 can be screwed into this annular gap 202 with its collar-shaped housing-side section 26a. In this state, the annular housing-side section 26a of the overmolded adapter sleeve 20, on which the thread of the overmolded adapter sleeve 20 is formed, thus projects into the annular gap 202.

[0044] Furthermore, in the sectional view according to Fig. 4 that a seal 203 is arranged between the annular housing-side section 26a of the overmolding adapter sleeve 20 and the connector housing 10 in the region of the annular gap.

[0045] A similar design can be found in Fig. 6, wherein here a potting compound 40 was further introduced between the cable sheath 31 of the cable 30 and the inner sheath of the overmolding adapter sleeve 20.

[0046] For example, as in the Fig. 6 in the sectional view, the gap for the annular adapter element 28 can also be omitted, and only a collar 27a protrudes on the outer circumference of the overmolding adapter sleeve 20. This collar 27a serves as a stop surface so that the overmolding can reach the collar 27a in an overmolding tool. List of reference symbols 10 connector housings 20 overmolded adapter sleeve 21a End 21b Through opening 23 Channel 24 Outer jacket 25 ribs 26 grooves 26a housing-side section 26b cable entry section 26c Intermediate section 27 mounting groove 27a, 27b collar 28 Adapter element 29 key area 30 cables 31 Cable sheath 32 cable sections 40 Casting compound 102 contacts 200 connectors 201 screw sleeve 202 Annular gap 203 Seal K Overmolding with plastic

Claims

[1] An overmolded connector (200) assembled with a cable (30), comprising an assembly consisting of a connector housing (10) and a cylindrical overmolded adapter sleeve (20) for screwing onto the connector housing (10), wherein the overmolded adapter sleeve (20) has a thread at one end (21a) with which it is connected to a mating thread of the connector housing (10), and the overmolded adapter sleeve (20) has an internally extending channel (23) for the passage of the cable (30), wherein a plurality of ribs (25) and / or grooves (26) are further provided on the outer jacket (24) of the overmolded adapter sleeve (20), and the area with the ribs (25) and / or grooves (26) and together with the cable (30) are overmolded with a plastic (K), characterized bythat the plug connector (200) has a rotatably mounted screw sleeve (201) on the plug connector housing (10) for screwing to a correspondingly designed mating plug, and an annular gap (202) is present between the screw sleeve (201) and the plug connector housing (10), in which an annular gap a seal (203) is arranged, and an annular housing-side section (26a) of the overmolding adapter sleeve (20), on which the thread of the overmolding adapter sleeve (20) is formed, projects into the annular gap (202). [2] A molded connector (200) assembled with a cable (30) according to claim 1, characterized by that the ribs (25) and / or grooves (26) of the overmolding adapter sleeve (20) are formed on the outside partially or completely circumferentially around the overmolding adapter sleeve (20). [3] A molded connector (200) assembled with a cable (30) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized bythat the overmolding adapter sleeve (20) is formed from a housing-side section (26a), a cable entry-side section (26b) and an intermediate section (26c) located therebetween, wherein the ribs (25) and / or grooves (26) are provided in the region of the cable entry-side section (26b). [4] A molded connector (200) assembled with a cable (30) according to claim 3, characterized by that a receiving groove (27) is provided in the intermediate section (26c), into which a resilient annular or partially annular adapter element (28) can be inserted or detachably clipped. [5] A connector (200) assembled with a cable (30) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by that the receiving groove (27) between two collars (27a, 27b) which protrude relative to the outer circumference in the housing-side section (26a) and preferably also relative to the outer circumference of the cable entry-side section (26b). [6] A molded connector (200) assembled with a cable (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that two diametrically opposed key surfaces (29) for engagement of a tool are further provided on the overmolding adapter sleeve (20). [7] A molded connector (200) assembled with a cable (30) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a casting compound (40) is introduced between a cable sheath (31) of the cable (30) and an inner sheath of the overmolding adapter sleeve (20).

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