Contact device

Abstract

Contacting device (1) for electrical contacting, with a component (3) arranged in a wet room (2) which has an electrical contact (4) for supplying electrical power to the component (3), wherein the contacting device (1) has a housing (5) sealed against the wet room (2), within which the electrical contact (4) of the component (3) is arranged, characterized in that the housing (5) is cup-shaped and the component (3) has a sensor board (8) which together with the housing (5) forms a sealed space.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a contacting device for electrically contacting a component / consumer arranged in a wet space, such as a hydraulic pump located in an oil chamber, in particular within an electric drive of a motor vehicle.

[0002] From the publication DE 11 2012 001 496 T5, a generator motor connected to an output shaft of an internal combustion engine in a work machine is known, which comprises a junction box arranged outside a wet space, in which a plurality of plug-in connectors for connecting an external power supply cable to the generator motor are accommodated.

[0003] Contacting devices for electrical contacts within a wet room are already known from the prior art, in which the electrical contacts are led to the outside and contacted there, for example, via a plug contact or are implemented, for example, via cable bushings sealed with casting compounds.

[0004] However, within a wet room, especially within a hydraulic oil environment, conventional environmentally sealed systems cannot be used; only oil-tight connector systems can be used. However, these oil-tight connector systems are not available for every requirement, meaning that for a certain number of pins, an existing oil-tight connector system cannot be used, and thus a new oil-tight connector system would have to be developed, which would be associated with high costs.

[0005] Cable bushings sealed with potting compounds have the disadvantage that they cannot be removed and are therefore not suitable for planned multiple use of the component to be contacted, such as the hydraulic pump or pump module, due to their lack of flexibility.

[0006] The object of the invention is therefore to avoid or at least mitigate the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, a contacting device is to be provided with which electrical contacts within a wet room can be contacted easily, safely, and detachably, and routed to an area outside the wet room.

[0007] The object of the invention is achieved by a contacting device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject of the subclaims.

[0008] Accordingly, the object of the invention is achieved by a contacting device for electrical contacting, comprising a component arranged in a wet space, which has an electrical contact for supplying the component with electricity, and a housing sealed from the wet space, within which the electrical contact of the component is arranged. The housing is pot-shaped, and the component comprises a sensor board which, together with the housing, forms a sealed space. This means that an additional housing is provided that separates the electrical contact from the fluid and ensures a fluid-tight arrangement of the electrical contact.

[0009] This has the advantage that it is not necessary to use oil-tight plug-in systems for the electrical contact of the component arranged in the wet room, since the electrical contact of the component is surrounded by fluid, but is arranged within the fluid in a sealed manner.

[0010] According to a preferred embodiment, the contacting device can comprise a flexible element sealed from the wet space and designed to connect the housing to a dry space. This means that an interior of the additional, rigid housing can be connected to the dry space via the flexible element. This has the advantage that the same housing can be used in different applications, and the required connection to the dry space can be compensated / adapted via the flexibility of the flexible element. This makes the contacting device particularly versatile.

[0011] According to the preferred embodiment, the flexible element can have a cavity that can be connected to the interior of the housing and the dry space, which cavity is designed to accommodate electrical lines for connecting the electrical contact. Thus, the electrical contacting of the component can be continued via the flexible element.

[0012] According to the preferred embodiment, the flexible element can be flexible about its longitudinal axis. This means that a first end opening is offset from a second end opening of the flexible element. For example, the flexible element can be bent into an S-shape. This has the advantage of allowing use in axes with different connections.

[0013] According to the preferred embodiment, the flexible element can be substantially tubular or tube-shaped. This has the advantage that the electrical wires can be accommodated within the interior of the flexible element. Preferably, the flexible element can have a cross-section that is substantially constant along its longitudinal axis, for example, circular. This ensures that the electrical wires accommodated therein have sufficient space and are not constricted in places.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the contacting device can have at least one environmentally sealed plug-in system that is connected to the electrical contact within the housing. The arrangement within the sealed housing thus allows the use of cost-effective plug-in systems available for many applications.

[0015] According to the preferred embodiment, the contacting device can comprise at least one cable arranged in the flexible element, through which the environmentally sealed plug-in system can be connected to an electrical contact point arranged in the drying chamber, such as an electrical machine housing. This ensures the electrical supply from an electrical source, which is usually arranged in the drying chamber.

[0016] According to the preferred embodiment, the component can have a hydraulic chamber, and the sensor board can be sealed from the hydraulic chamber by an adhesive layer. By using the adhesive layer, the sensor board can be sealed from the hydraulic chamber in a particularly simple manner. A compact arrangement can be selected.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment, the component can be a hydraulic pump. The contacting device according to the invention has proven particularly advantageous for a hydraulic pump that, due to its functionality, must be arranged within an oil chamber.

[0018] In other words, the invention relates to an encapsulation of the electrical contact of a hydraulic pump unit within an electric axle drive. Prior art solutions, in which the electrical contacts are routed directly from the hydraulic oil environment, pose the problem that conventional environmentally sealed connector systems cannot be used. This is because, for thermal, electromagnetic compatibility, and sealing reasons, the pump must be located in the oil sump, yet no oil-tight connector systems exist for the required number of pins or the existing requirements. Furthermore, assembly processes prevent the application of the prior art, and the planned multiple use of the pump module necessitates a flexible interface.

[0019] In the solution according to the invention, the electrical contact is separated from the fluid by an additional housing, allowing the use of conventional, environmentally sealed connector systems. Furthermore, a flexible element can be incorporated to enable use in axes with different connections. In particular, a sensor board on the pump can be separated from the hydraulic chamber by a suitable housing / potting, for example, with an adhesive as a seal. The additional housing provides the interface in the form of a sealing element, which, together with the sensor board, forms a sealed chamber. Within this chamber, a plug-in connection is possible using commercially available connector systems.The cables can be routed to a second housing through a flexible element, whereby this flexible element offers the possibility of adaptation for different installation space boundary conditions, so that the connection to the outside and the connection to the pump can remain the same for the corresponding installation spaces.

[0020] The invention is explained below with the aid of drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a contacting device according to the invention, Fig. 2 a perspective longitudinal section of the contacting device, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the contacting device.

[0021] The figures are merely schematic and serve solely to clarify the invention. The same elements are designated by the same reference numerals.

[0022] Fig. 1 to 3 show various representations of a contacting device 1 according to the invention for electrical contacting. The contacting device 1 comprises a component 3 arranged in a wet space 2. The component 3 has an electrical contact 4 for supplying electrical power to the component 3. In particular, the contacting device is designed for use in a motor vehicle, in particular in an electric drive of a motor vehicle.

[0023] According to the invention, the contacting device 1 has a housing / potting 5 sealed from the wet space 2. The electrical contact 4 of the component 3 is arranged within the housing 5. Thus, the electrical contact 4 is arranged separate from the fluid and sealed from the wet space 2.

[0024] Component 3 is a hydraulic pump 6. Hydraulic pump 6 has a hydraulic chamber 7 and a sensor board 8. Sensor board 8 is sealed from hydraulic chamber 7. Preferably, sensor board 8 can be separated from the hydraulic chamber of hydraulic pump 6 by an adhesive layer 9 or the like.

[0025] The sensor board 8, together with the housing 5, forms a sealed space in which the electrical contact 4 is arranged, as described above. The housing 5 is essentially pot-shaped and is sealed to the outside in a fluid-tight manner, for example, by a first sealing ring 10 arranged between the sensor board 8 and the housing 5.

[0026] In the embodiment shown, the housing 5 is connected to an electric machine housing 11 and is sealed fluid-tight to the outside, for example via a second sealing ring 12 which is arranged between the electric machine housing 11 and the housing 5.

[0027] The electrical contact 4 is connected within the housing 5 via an environmentally sealed connector system 13 to electrical lines in the form of cables 14, which are routed through the interior of the housing 5 into the electric machine housing 11. Thus, neither the electrical contact 4 nor the cables 14 come into contact with the fluid of the wet space 2.

[0028] Preferably, the contacting device 1 can have a flexible element 15 sealed against the wet space 2 (cf. Fig. 2 and Fig.3). The flexible element 15 is designed to connect the housing 5 to a dry space, in particular the electric machine housing 11. The flexible element 15 is particularly flexible about its longitudinal axis, so that it can, for example, assume an S-shape and can be used in axes with different connections.

[0029] The flexible element 15 has a cavity that can be connected to the interior of the housing 5 and the dry space. The cavity is designed to accommodate the cables 14 for connecting the electrical contact 4. The flexible element 15 can, for example, be tubular. List of reference symbols 1 contact device 2 wet room 3 Component 4 electrical contact 5 housings 6 Hydraulic pump 7 Hydraulic room 8 Sensor board 9 Adhesive layer 10 first sealing ring 11 Electrical machine housing 12 second sealing ring 13 environmentally sealed plug-in system 14 cables 15 flexible element

Claims

[1] Contacting device (1) for electrical contacting, with a component (3) arranged in a wet space (2) which has an electrical contact (4) for the electrical supply of the component (3), wherein the contacting device (1) has a housing (5) sealed off from the wet space (2), within which the electrical contact (4) of the component (3) is arranged, characterized by that the housing (5) is pot-shaped and the component (3) has a sensor board (8) which together with the housing (5) forms a sealed space. [2] Contacting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the contacting device (1) has a flexible element (15) which is sealed against the wet space (2) and is designed to connect the housing (5) to a dry space. [3] Contacting device (1) according to claim 2, characterized bythat the flexible element (15) has a cavity which can be connected to an interior of the housing (5) and the dry space and which is designed to receive electrical lines (14) for connecting the electrical contact (4). [4] Contacting device (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by that the flexible element (15) is flexible about its longitudinal axis. [5] Contacting device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by that the flexible element (15) is essentially tubular. [6] Contacting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by that the contacting device (1) has at least one environmentally sealed plug-in system (13) which is connected to the electrical contact (4) within the housing (5). [7] Contacting device (1) according to claim 6, characterized bythat the contacting device (1) has at least one cable (14) arranged in the flexible element (15), by means of which the environmentally sealed plug-in system (13) can be connected to an electrical contact point arranged in the dry space. [8] Contacting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the component (3) has a hydraulic chamber (7), and the sensor board (8) is sealed off from the hydraulic chamber (7) by an adhesive layer (9). [9] Contacting device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by that the component (3) is a hydraulic pump (6).

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