Connector for providing an electrical connection and method

Abstract

Connector (100) for providing an electrical connection, the connector (100) comprising: - a collective seal (10), - a template (40), - at least one electrically conductive plug contact (30), wherein the collective seal (10) has at least one through-opening (11), wherein the at least one electrically conductive plug contact (30) can be passed through the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10), wherein the template (40) is provided for the at least one through-opening (11) in order to support the at least one plug contact (30) when passing through the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10), wherein the template (40) is foil-like, wherein the template (40) has at least one guide unit (41) for aligning the at least one plug contact (30) in the direction of the at least one through-opening (11), and wherein the template (40) has hinged guide elements (42) which can be opened in the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10) by the at least one plug contact (30), characterized by that the guide elements (42) are fastened to the at least one guide unit (41) by means of hinge elements (45) of the connector (100).

Description

The invention relates to a plug connector for providing an electrical connection to a device part in a motor vehicle, such as a door handle, an engine or an airbag control device, according to the preamble of the independent device claim. The invention further relates to a method for producing a corresponding plug connector according to the preamble of the independent method claim.In plug connectors which have an arrangement optimized for installation space, combined plug connections are often used, for example with the aid of collective seals in the form of mat seals, in order to save installation space for individual line insulations of different plug contacts. Such collecting seals are suitable for passing relatively thin plug contacts through the plug connectors on the socket side (female). In the plug connectors on the piercing side (male), thicker plug contacts are used than on the socket side. During contact assembly, the contact elements are pushed through the mat seal. There is the risk that the plug contacts may damage, for example puncture, the relatively soft mat seal during the assembly of the plug contact. For this reason, mat seals have been used only in connection with plug connectors on the socket side (female). On the piercing side, the plug contacts are usually easily encapsulated with a potting compound inside a plug housing. However, the injection molding can only take place after the final assembly of all contact elements in the plug housing. However, this restricts the freedom of assembly with different plug contacts or with a different number of plug contacts and excludes subsequent modification and / or subsequent maintenance of such plug connectors. In addition, the stamped edges of the plug contacts must be produced carefully without burring for passage through the collective seals in order to avoid damage to the seal during contact assembly, which is associated with a considerable production outlay.Exemplary plug connectors according to the preamble of the independent device claim are known from DE 699 37 083 T2, JP 2003-092 165 A, WO 2015 / 121 874 A1, JP 2013-073 719 A, JP 2014-017 171 A, US 2005 / 0 159 046 A1, JP 2002-164 143 A, DE 10 2011 006 836 A1, JP 2016-122 524 A, US 6 174 200 B1 and US 2006 / 0 189 191 A1.The object of the invention is therefore to overcome at least partially at least one disadvantage known from the prior art in a plug connector. In particular, it is the object of the invention to provide a plug connector for providing an electrical connection to a device part in a motor vehicle, such as a door handle, an engine or an airbag control device, which is simple, cost-effective and quick to produce, which allows automatic fitting of the plug connector, which is reliably sealed, which has an extended service life and which can be assembled and / or converted in an adaptive manner and can be easily maintained.The object according to the invention is achieved by a plug connector for providing an electrical connection having the features of the independent device claim, in particular from the characterizing part, and by a method for producing a corresponding plug connector having the features of the independent method claim, in particular from the characterizing part. Preferred developments of the invention are set forth in the dependent claims. Features disclosed with respect to the individual aspects of the invention can be combined with one another in such a way that with respect to the disclosure with respect to the aspects of the invention, mutual reference is always made.The invention provides a plug connector for providing an electrical connection, in particular to a device part in a motor vehicle, such as a door handle, an engine or an airbag control device, having: a collective seal or a mat seal having at least one through-opening and at least one electrically conductive plug contact, which can be passed through the at least one through-opening of the collective seal. For this purpose, it is provided according to the invention that a template is provided for the at least one through-opening in order to support the at least one plug contact when passing through the at least one through-opening of the collective seal.The template in the sense of the invention can be understood to mean a guiding and / or centering device, in particular a guiding and / or centering foil, with a corresponding guiding unit for the through-opening. The template, in particular the guide unit, can in turn have an imaging guide geometry for the through-opening. The guide geometry can preferably be designed as a (3D) guide geometry with a specific depth. According to the invention, the template is configured in a film-like manner and can be arranged flat on one side of the collecting seal. By the template resting on one side of the collective seal, the guide geometry can at least partially penetrate into the through-opening.The plug connector according to the invention is suitable in particular as a device plug, preferably on the piercing side (male) or on the device side of two complementary plug connections, which can have relatively hard and / or thick plug contacts. However, it is also conceivable that the invention can also be advantageous in the case of plug connectors on the socket side (female), in order to increase the quality and the safety and to simplify the production thereof in the case of the plug sockets as well. In the case of a plug contact in the sense of the invention, the plug contact can be formed with a connecting line both on the socket side and on the piercing side.The inventive concept is that, for the production of the plug connector, a template for the through-opening is provided, which, when the plug contact is passed through, aligns the tip of the contact plug with the through-opening of the collective seal, so that the plug tip does not penetrate into the seal, but rather is guided in a targeted manner through the through-opening in the collective seal. The template brings about an alignment of the plug contact along the surface of the template, according to the invention on a guide unit of the template, until the plug tip exactly hits the through-opening in the mat seal and is subsequently gently guided through this through-opening. This can be achieved by a special shaping of a, for example funnel-shaped, guide geometry, which can at least partially protrude into the through-opening of the collecting seal, and / or a specific material composition, for example in the form of an elastic film, of the template. The formation of the guide geometry can influence the angle of incidence of the plug tip on the surface of the collective seal, which can cause it to slide along the template instead of being pierced by the plug tip into the material of the mat seal. Preferably, the template can be designed in the form of an elastic film, which can bring about a damped attachment of the plug tip. The template can be applied as a retrofit component for the plug connector, at least temporarily or permanently.Collecting seals usually have a plurality of through-openings which can be fitted with plug contacts as required. Advantageously, the template in the sense of the invention can be formed with a corresponding guide geometry for all through-openings of the collective seal. In other words, the template in the sense of the invention can have a guide geometry which reproduces all the passage openings of the collective seal. According to the invention, the template has a guide unit for each through-opening. The respective guide unit can have a funnel-shaped guide geometry, which narrows in the direction of the through-openings of the collective seal. The guide unit can furthermore have a complementary opening for the through-opening at a lower point. According to the invention, it is provided that the guide unit has flaps which can be opened in the direction of the passage openings of the collecting seal. In addition, the guide unit can have a predetermined breaking geometry, for example between the flaps, in order to facilitate passage of the plug tip.Thus, a connector is made possible which is simple, cost-effective and quick to produce, which allows automatic fitting of the connector, which is reliably sealed, which has an extended service life and which can be assembled and / or converted in a conformable manner and can be easily maintained.According to the invention, it is provided in a plug connector that the template is configured in a film-like manner. Preferably, the template can additionally be elastic. Such a template can advantageously spring and deform in a flexible manner in order to be able to align the plug contact in an advantageous manner. In addition, such a template can have a thin material thickness and can be arranged in the plug connector without substantial installation space losses.Furthermore, in the case of a plug connector, the invention can provide that the template bears loosely against the collecting seal. Thus, the mounting of the template within the plug connector or the assembly of the plug connector can be carried out simply and without great assembly effort.Within the scope of the invention, it is furthermore conceivable that the template can have a material thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, preferably 0.15 mm. Thus, a thin stencil having elastic properties can be provided.In addition, it is conceivable that the template can have a depth of 1 mm to 1.2 mm, in particular 1.1 mm. Thus, a partial penetration of a guide unit of the template into the respective through-opening can be effected, so that the plug tip can be aligned precisely with the through-opening of the collecting seal.According to the invention, it is further provided in a plug connector that the template has at least one guide unit in order to align the plug contact in the direction of the through-opening.The guide unit can preferably have a funnel-shaped guide geometry. The funnel-shaped guide geometry can preferably have a depth of 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm, preferably 0.6 mm. Thus, the template can provide an imaging guide geometry for the through opening. The guide unit advantageously ensures that the plug tip, when the collective seal is fitted, first of all strikes the template and is aligned with the through-opening by the guide unit before it is guided through the through-opening. It is thus possible to prevent the plug tip from piercing the collecting seal.According to the invention, the template has hinged guide elements which can be opened in the through-opening of the collective seal by the plug contact. Thus, the orientation of the plug tip can be significantly simplified and almost smooth passing of the plug tip through the through hole can be enabled.According to the invention, the guide elements are fastened to the at least one guide unit by means of hinge elements of the plug connector.Furthermore, in the case of a plug connector, the invention can provide that the template has a predetermined breaking geometry which can be opened in the direction of the through-opening by the plug contact. Additionally or instead, the template may have a complementary opening for the through opening. The predetermined breaking geometry advantageously ensures that, after the alignment of the plug tip, trouble-free passage of the plug tip through the through-opening can be made possible.Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, the template can have a collar element which can serve for positioning a holding element or a seal-holding grid for the template on a plug housing. The collar element can surround the template in a shell-shaped manner, so that a receptacle for the holding element is created within the template. By attaching the holding element, the template can be arranged on the collective seal in a captive manner at the same time. The template is thus arranged between the collective seal and the holding element. The collar element can surround the foot of the holding element in the region of the bearing surface on the template.Furthermore, the object according to the invention is achieved by a method for producing a plug connector, having: a collective seal having at least one through-opening and at least one electrically conductive plug contact, which is passed through the at least one through-opening of the collective seal. For this purpose, it is provided according to the invention that, when the at least one plug contact is passed through the at least one through-opening of the collective seal, a template is used in order to guide the at least one plug contact in a targeted manner through the at least one through-opening of the collective seal. According to the invention, it is provided that the template is formed in a film-like manner, wherein the template is formed with at least one guide unit in order to align the at least one plug contact in the direction of the at least one through-opening. According to the invention, it is further provided that the template is formed with fold-open guide elements which are opened in the at least one through-opening of the collective seal by the at least one plug contact. According to the invention, it is further provided that the guide elements are fastened to the at least one guide unit by means of hinge elements of the plug connector.With the aid of the method according to the invention, the same advantages are achieved that have been described above in connection with the plug connector according to the invention. In order to avoid repetitions, reference is made here in its entirety to this.Furthermore, the method can provide that the template remains on the collective seal after the plug contact has been passed through the through opening of the collective seal during normal operation of the plug connector. Thus, the startup of the connector can be accelerated.Further measures which improve the invention are illustrated in more detail below with the description of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention on the basis of the figures. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description can be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. It should be noted that the figures have only descriptive character and are not intended to limit the invention in any form. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a sectional illustration and different views of an assembled plug connector after the fitting of a collecting seal with a plug contact, FIG. 2 shows an enlarged illustration of a plug contact when passing through a template in the sense of the invention, FIG. 3 shows different views of a plug contact after passing through a template in the sense of the invention, and FIG. 4 shows different views of a template within the meaning of the invention.In the following figures, the identical reference numerals are also used for the same technical features of different exemplary embodiments.FIG. 1 shows a plug connector 100 after fitting a collective seal 10 in the form of a mat seal 10 with an electrically conductive plug contact 30, the mat seal 10 having a plurality of through-openings 11 for a respective plug contact 30, which can be fitted or left free as required. Together, the mat seal 10 with a holding element 20 or a seal holding grid with an opening 21 for a connecting line 33 is accommodated in a plug housing 50.The collective seals 10 are conventionally fitted only with relatively thin plug contacts 30 in the plug connectors 100 on the socket side (female). In the plug connectors 100 on the piercing side (male), thicker plug contacts 30 are used than on the socket side. When such thicker contact elements are passed through the mat seal 10, it may happen that the plug contacts 30 can damage, for example pierce, the relatively soft mat seal 10.The invention provides a plug connector 100 which makes it possible to gently equip the collecting seal 10 with relatively thick plug contacts 30 even in the case of a plug connector 100 on the piercing side without damaging the collecting seal 10.For this purpose, the invention provides a template 40 for the through opening 11 in order to support the plug contact 30 when passing through the through opening 11 of the collective seal 10.As can be seen in FIG. 1, the template 40 can be designed in the form of a guiding and / or centering film. The guide film is designed with a corresponding guide unit 41 for the respective through-opening 11 of the mat seal 10. The template 40, in particular the guide unit 41, can have an imaging guide geometry for the through-opening 11 (cf. FIG. 2 ). Within the scope of the invention, the guide geometry can be designed as a (3D) guide geometry with a specific depth t 2 (cf. FIG. 4 ). The template 40 can be applied as a retrofit component for the plug connector 100, at least temporarily for equipping the mat seal 10 or permanently for the operation of the plug connector 100.As can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 3, the template 40 is arranged flat on one side of the collective seal 10, so that the respective guide unit 41 can at least partially penetrate into the corresponding through-opening 11 of the mat seal 10 (cf. FIG. 2 ). The template 40 need only be loosely disposed on the collection seal 10. When the holding element 20 is positioned on the template 40, the template 40 can no longer slip. In other words, the template 40 is positioned between the mat seal 10 and the holding member 20. The template 40 can furthermore have a collar element 44 in order to at least partially enclose the holding element 20 in the region of the bearing surface on the template 40. Thus, the stencil 40 is reliably held in position.Subsequently, a terminating grid 51 or a locking plate is placed in front of the other side of the plug connector 100. The termination grid 51 and / or the plug housing 50 in the region of the termination grid 51 can interact with a plug geometry 32 or with a so-called contact box on the plug contact 30 in a form-fit and / or force-fit manner in order to fasten the plug contact 30 to the plug connector 100.As FIG. 2 shows, the template 40 according to the invention helps to pass the plug tip 31 through the through-opening 11 of the collective seal 10 by precisely aligning the plug tip 31 with the aid of the guide unit 41 so that the plug tip 31 does not penetrate into the collective seal 10 but is rather guided in a targeted manner through the through-opening 11 in the collective seal 10.As FIG. 2 also shows, the template 40 brings about an alignment of the plug contact 30 on the guide unit 41 of the template 40 until the plug tip 31 exactly meets the through-opening 11 in the mat seal 10. The plug tip 31 can then be gently guided through the through-opening 11.Since the collective seals 10 usually have a plurality of through-openings 11 which are equipped with plug contacts 30 as required, the template 40 can also be shaped, in the sense of the invention, for all through-openings 11 of the collective seal 10 with a corresponding guide geometry which can form all through-openings 11 of the collective seal 10 (cf. FIG. 4 ). Within the scope of the invention, the template 40 can each have a guide unit 41 for each through-opening 11. The respective guide unit 41 can have a funnel-shaped guide geometry, which can taper in the direction of the through-openings 11 of the collecting seal 10.As FIG. 3 shows, the guide unit 41 can have guide elements 42 in the form of flaps, which can be opened in the direction of the through opening 11 of the collecting seal 10.The guide elements 42 can preferably be fastened to the respective guide unit 41 with the aid of hinge elements 45, in particular in the form of film hinges. In addition, the guide unit 41 can have a predetermined breaking geometry 43, for example between the flaps, in order to facilitate passage of the plug tip 31. Additionally or instead, the guide unit 41 can have a complementary opening 46 for the through-opening 11 at a lower point.Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows the template 40 in isolation within the scope of the invention. The template 40 can have a material thickness d of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, preferably 0.15 mm, and a depth t 1 of 1 mm to 1.2 mm, in particular 1.1 mm. The depth t2of the funnel-shaped guide geometry can be in the range from 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm, preferably 0.6 mm.The above description of the figures describes the present invention solely in the context of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided that it is technically expedient, without departing from the scope of the invention.List of reference characters10 Collective seal, mat seal 11 Through opening 20 Holding element 21 Opening 30 Plug contact 31 Plug tip 32 Plug geometry 33 Connecting line 40 Template 41 Guide unit 42 Guide element 43 Predetermined breaking geometry 44 Collar element 45 Hinge element 46 Complementary opening 50 Plug housing 51 Termination grid 100 Plug connector d Material thickness t1 Depth t2 Depth

Claims

Plug connector (100) for providing an electrical connection, the plug connector (100) having: - a collective seal (10), - a template (40), - at least one electrically conductive plug contact (30), wherein the collective seal (10) has at least one through-opening (11) and, wherein the at least one electrically conductive plug contact (30) can be passed through the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10), wherein the template (40) is provided for the at least one through-opening (11) in order to support the at least one plug contact (30) when passing through the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10), wherein the template (40) is of film-like design, wherein the template (40) has at least one guide unit (41) in order to align the at least one plug contact (30) in the direction of the at least one through-opening (11), and wherein the template (40) has hinged guide elements (42), which can be opened in the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10) through the at least one plug contact (30), characterized in that the guide elements (42) are fastened to the at least one guide unit (41) with the aid of hinge elements (45) of the plug connector (100).Plug connector (100) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the template (40) bears loosely against the collective seal (10).Plug connector (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the template (40) has a material thickness (d) of 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm, preferably 0.15 mm, and / or in that the template (40) has a depth (t1) of 1 mm to 1.2 mm, in particular 1.1 mm.Plug connector (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one guide unit (41) has a funnel-shaped guide geometry, and / or in that the or a funnel-shaped guide geometry of the at least one guide unit (41) has a depth (t2) of 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm, preferably 0.6 mm.Plug connector (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the template (40) has a predetermined breaking geometry (43) which can be opened by the at least one plug contact (30) in the direction of the at least one through-opening (11).Plug connector (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug connector (100) has a retaining element (20) for the template (40) and a plug housing (50), and in that the template (40) has a collar element (44) which serves for positioning the retaining element (20) on the plug housing (50).Method for producing a plug connector (100), the plug connector (100) having: - a collective seal (10), a template (40), - at least one electrically conductive plug contact (30), wherein the collective seal (10) has at least one through-opening (11), wherein the at least one electrically conductive plug contact (30) is passed through the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10), wherein the template (40) is used for passing the at least one plug contact (30) through the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10) in order to guide the at least one plug contact (30) in a targeted manner through the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10), wherein the template (40) is formed in a film-like manner, wherein the template (40) is formed with at least one guide unit (41) in order to align the at least one plug contact (30) in the direction of the at least one through-opening (11), and wherein the template (40) is formed with fold-open guide elements (42), which are opened in the at least one through-opening (11) of the collective seal (10) by the at least one plug contact (30), characterized in that the guide elements (42) are fastened to the at least one guide unit (41) with the aid of hinge elements (45) of the plug connector (100).Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the template (40) remains on the collective seal (10) after the at least one plug contact (30) has been passed through the at least one through opening (11) of the collective seal (10) during normal operation of the plug connector (100).

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