Contact device

Abstract

The invention relates to a contacting device (100) with a contact point (102) consisting of at least one electrical conductor and with an electromagnetic shield (104) associated with the contact point (102), wherein the electromagnetic shield (104) comprises a Faraday cage (106) surrounding the contact point. A shield contact point (108) is associated with the Faraday cage (106), which can be connected to or is connected to a pickup point that is electrically insulated from the conductor.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a contacting device for electrical contacts, such as those used in high-voltage contacting systems.

[0002] Contacting systems formed with a shield can be found, for example, in the publications DE 10 2021 123 635 A1, DE 20 2020 102 528 U1 and JP 3 832 809 B2.

[0003] In known high-voltage contact systems, a Faraday cage is used to shield electromagnetic waves. The shield itself is typically contacted via a spring contact that connects to the receptacle of the high-voltage component being connected. This contact is usually enclosed by the connector housing. When such known contact devices are used in vehicles, for example, electric vehicles, the shield contact is subject to stresses from temperature fluctuations, vibrations, or simply a loss of strength due to aging. Ensuring reliable shield contact requires increased manufacturing and / or assembly effort. Furthermore, the existing variety of shield contact designs leads to an increase in the number of variations in the shield contact itself.

[0004] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a contacting device which takes into account the aforementioned disadvantages.

[0005] This problem is solved by a contacting device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments with expedient further developments are specified in the dependent claims.

[0006] The contacting device is specifically designed for high-voltage applications, i.e., for voltages greater than 60 volts up to 1.5 kilovolts, and comprises at least one contact point for at least one electrical conductor. The contacting device also includes electromagnetic shielding associated with the contact point. This electromagnetic shielding comprises a Faraday cage surrounding the contact point, to which a shield contact point is assigned. This shield contact point can be connected to, or is connected to, a pickup point that is electrically isolated from the conductor.

[0007] In this way, it is possible to connect the shield contact, in the form of the shield contact point, to a pickup point away from the high-voltage component being contacted. This means that the electrical connection of the shield can also be made away from and outside of a contact housing.

[0008] Although the contacting device for at least one conductor has been described above, it can easily be scaled to two conductors, three conductors, or even more than three conductors (for example, a maximum of 50 conductors). For instance, there is a common connection point, or there is a separate connection point for each conductor.

[0009] It has proven particularly reliable when the shield contact point is formed by a pin that is joined, in particular welded or soldered, to a wall of a contact housing enclosing the contact point and the shielding. Alternatively or additionally, the pin can also be joined, in particular welded or soldered, to the Faraday cage.

[0010] An alternative design, which is also very reliable, is characterized by the fact that the shield contact point is formed by a contact screw that is screwed through a wall of a contact housing that encloses the contact point and the shielding. In this way, the part of the contact screw located outside the contact housing can be used as a tap to create electromagnetic shielding within the contact housing. Potentially flowing shield or equalizing currents can thus be diverted from the contact housing.

[0011] Furthermore, the use of a contact screw offers the advantage of utilizing Faraday cages of varying sizes and dimensions within the contact housing. Therefore, it is beneficial if the contact screw is detachably connected to the Faraday cage, allowing it to be screwed into and out of an internal volume of the contact housing to connect Faraday cages of different dimensions.

[0012] Operational reliability is increased if the contact screw is fitted with a seal such that the contact housing is also sealed and / or electrically insulated at the screw penetration. This ensures that the tap, i.e., the shield connection, can be located away from the contact housing.

[0013] It is possible that the contacting device has multiple poles, each with its own shield. Thus, the number of shields corresponds to the number of poles. Preferably, the number of shield contact points also corresponds to the number of Faraday cages, and therefore to the number of shields.

[0014] To reduce the number of components, it is advantageous if a single shield contact point is assigned to two or more (preferably no more than ten) of the Faraday cages simultaneously, with this single shield contact point electrically contacting the two or more Faraday cages simultaneously to effect the shield connection. It is, of course, possible that only a single common Faraday cage exists for multiple contact points, which is then characterized by a single shield tap.

[0015] For reliable contact of a contact screw or pin, it has proven advantageous for the Faraday cage to be formed by a shielding plate. Alternatively or additionally, the Faraday cage can be formed by a wire mesh, which can be easily adapted to the dimensions and thus the conditions within the contact housing.

[0016] If the contacting device is used, for example, in an (electric) vehicle, it is preferred if the pickup point, which is electrically connected to the shield contact point, is an electrically conductive body part (so-called "ground part"). However, it is also possible that the contacting device is used in a boat, in which case it has proven advantageous if the pickup point is an electrically conductive part of a boat hull ("ground part").

[0017] For this reason, a boat equipped with the contacting device described above is also disclosed. Furthermore, a vehicle, in particular an electric vehicle, with a high-voltage battery, is disclosed, which is provided with a contacting device as described above. The advantages, configurations, and effects described in connection with the contacting device according to the invention apply equally to the boat or vehicle equipped with such a contacting device.

[0018] The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as those subsequently mentioned in the figure description and / or shown in the figures alone, can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, embodiments that are not explicitly shown or explained in the figures, but which can be derived and generated from the explained embodiments by separate combinations of features, are also to be considered as encompassed and disclosed by the invention.

[0019] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the following description of preferred embodiments, and the drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a perspective illustration of a first contacting device in which each individual pole is assigned its own shield contact point, Fig. 2 a perspective illustration of a second contacting device in which all poles are assigned a single common shield contact point, Fig. 3 A schematic, side-sectional illustration of the two contacting devices from the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 corresponds to, and Fig. 4 a schematic, horizontal cross-sectional illustration through the contacting device made of Fig. 2.

[0020] In the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3 to Fig. Section 4 describes a contacting device 100 comprising a contacting housing 114. This contacting housing 114 encloses a contact point 102 consisting of at least two electrical conductors and an electromagnetic shield 104 associated with the contact point 102. The contact point 102 is not necessarily to be understood as a position of direct connection between the two conductors, but the term "contact point" 102 also includes configurations in which, for example, an electrically conductive bridge is present that electrically connects the two conductors. Furthermore, the contacting device 100 has poles 118, which are marked (+) and (-), respectively.

[0021] The (high-voltage) contacting device 100 shown in the figures also has at least one shield contact point 108, wherein in Fig. 1 two of the screen contact points 108 are shown, and wherein in Fig. 2 only a single shield contact point 108 is shown.

[0022] Out of Fig. 3 and Fig. Figure 4 shows that within the contacting device 100, the contact point 102 is electromagnetically shielded by a Faraday cage 106. This Faraday cage 106, which is formed, for example, as a shielding plate or a wire mesh, is electrically connected to the shield contact point 108, which is led to the outside through a wall 112 of the contacting housing 114.

[0023] Out of Fig. Figure 3 shows that a seal 116 is associated with the shield contact point 108, which is made in particular of an electrical insulator material to ensure a seal and electrical insulation from the wall 112 of the contact housing 114. Outside the contact housing 114, the shield contact point 108 is electrically connected to a pickup point. This pickup point is therefore electrically insulated from the conductors and is located outside the contact housing 114.

[0024] In this way it is therefore possible to bring several shield contact points 108 out through the wall 112 of the contact housing 114 (see Fig. 1) to "remove" several Faraday cages 106 within the contact housing 114. Each shield contact point 108 can, for example, be formed by a pin that is joined to the wall 112 of the contact housing 114. Furthermore, the pin can be joined to the Faraday cage 106, in particular by soldering or welding.

[0025] Alternatively, as shown in the figures, the shield contact point 108 can be formed by a contact screw 110, which is screwed through the wall 112 of the contact housing 114 that encloses the contact point 102 and the shield 104. The seal 116 is associated with the screw in such a way that the contact housing 114 is also sealed at the screw passage and, in particular, electrically insulated.

[0026] While in the design according Fig. 1. Each of the Faraday cages 106 within the contacting housing 114 is assigned its own shield contact point 108, the following refer to Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 on the possibility that a single shield contact point 108, for example the contact screw 110, is assigned to two or more than two of the faradaic cages 106 simultaneously, wherein this single shield contact point 108 electrically contacts the two or more than two of the faradaic cages 106 simultaneously so that a pickup can take place at the (not shown in detail) pickup point.

[0027] The end of the shield contact point 108 facing away from the faraday cage 106 is therefore electrically connected to a pickup, i.e., to the pickup point, which can be, for example, a body part of a vehicle or an electrically conductive part of a boat hull.

[0028] In this way, the present invention provides a shield contact that is particularly robust and subject to only minimal aging under load. Furthermore, the chosen configuration allows for an increase in the number of identical parts, thus reducing costs. REFERENCE MARK LIST: 100 contacting device 102 Contact point 104 Shielding (EMC shielding) 106 Faraday cage 108 Shield contact point 110 Contact screw 112 Wall (contact housing) 114 Contact housing 116 Seal (and / or insulation) 118 poles QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2021 123 635 A1

[0002] DE 20 2020 102 528 U1

[0002] JP 3 832 809 B2

[0002]

Claims

Contacting device (100) with a contact point (102) consisting of at least one electrical conductor and with an electromagnetic shield (104) associated with the contact point (102), wherein the electromagnetic shield (104) comprises a faradaic cage (106) surrounding the contact point (102), characterized in that a shield contact point (108) is associated with the faradaic cage (106), which can be connected to or is connected to a pickup point that is electrically insulated from the conductor. Contacting device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the shield contact point (108) is formed by a pin which is joined to a wall (112) of a contacting housing (114) enclosing the contact point (102) and the shield (104). Contacting device (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the shield contact point (108) is formed by a contact screw (110) which is screwed through a wall (112) of a contacting housing (114) enclosing the contact point (102) and the shield (104). Contacting device (100) according to claim 3, characterized in that the contact screw (110) is detachably connected to the faraday cage (106), wherein the contact screw (110) can be screwed into and unscrewed from an inner volume of the contacting housing (114) in order to contact faraday cages (106) with different dimensions. Contacting device (100) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that a seal (116) is associated with the contact screw (110) such that the contacting housing (114) is also sealed and / or electrically insulated in the screw passage. Contacting device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a single shield contact point (108) is assigned to two or more than two of the faradaic cages (106) simultaneously, and that this single shield contact point (108) electrically contacts the two or more than two of the faradaic cages (106) simultaneously. Contacting device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a plurality of poles (118) are present, and that a separate shield (104) is present for each of the poles (118). Contacting device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the faradaic cage (106) is formed by a shielding plate. Contacting device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the faradaic cage (106) is formed by a wire mesh. Contacting device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the pickup point is a body part of a vehicle or an electrically conductive part of a boat hull.

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