Connectors and connector arrangement

Abstract

A connector is disclosed. The connector comprises a housing with a mating end and a wiring end opposite the mating end. The wiring end includes a first cable passage into which a first cable is inserted to be connected to a first terminal installed in the housing. The first cable passage is filled with silica gel. The mating end is formed with a mating cavity for inserting a mating connector, which is connected to the connector, and the mating cavity is filled with silica gel at one end near the first cable passage. A connector assembly comprising the connector is also disclosed. In the present disclosure, the watertight sealing function is achieved by filling the housing with silica gel before the cable is assembled, and the sealing effect can be achieved after the cable is inserted, which is practical and improves production efficiency for the customer.

Description

Reference to related registrations

[0001] This application claims priority from Chinese patent application No. CN 202420870814.X, which was filed with the State Intellectual Property Administration of the People's Republic of China on April 24, 2024, and the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical field

[0002] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a connector and, in particular, to a connector and a connector arrangement comprising the connector. background

[0003] A sealed connector offers excellent water and dust resistance and can therefore be used in a wider range of applications than conventional connectors, particularly in environments requiring long-term operation under harsh conditions. In related engineering, waterproof sealing solutions for connectors typically involve the installation of rubber O-rings or gaskets after crimping the terminal. This necessitates separate, custom-made O-rings or gaskets for different connector types, and thus the molding of the O-rings or gaskets, increasing costs, lengthening the development cycle, and reducing assembly efficiency. Summary

[0004] One purpose of the present disclosure is to solve at least one of the aforementioned problems and disadvantages that exist in the related technology.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a connector is provided comprising a housing, wherein the housing comprises a mating end and a wiring end opposite the mating end, the wiring end comprising a first cable passage into which a first cable is inserted to be connected to a first terminal installed in the housing, the first cable passage being filled with silica gel, the mating end being formed with a mating cavity for inserting a mating connector connected to the connector, and the mating cavity being filled with silica gel at one end near the first cable passage.

[0006] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the first cable passage comprises a first section near the opposite end, a third section far from the opposite end, and a second section connecting the first section and the third section, wherein the size of the third section of the first cable passage is larger than the size of the first section of the first cable passage, and the silica gel is filled into the second section and the third section of the first cable passage.

[0007] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, an inner surface of the first cable passage, which is in contact with the silica gel, is shaped with a pattern.

[0008] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the connector further comprises a first stop section extending radially inwards from the inner surface of the first cable passage.

[0009] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the first stop section is formed at an end of the third section that is away from the first section.

[0010] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, an inner surface of the counter cavity, which is in contact with the silica gel, is shaped with a pattern.

[0011] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the connector further comprises a second stop section which extends radially inwards from the inner surface of the mating cavity.

[0012] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the silica gel is poured into the housing before hardening and hardened in the housing in order to be firmly bonded to the housing.

[0013] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a connector arrangement is provided comprising: the connector according to the above-mentioned embodiments; and a mating connector configured to be inserted into the mating cavity of the connector.

[0014] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the mating connector comprises a mating housing with a first end configured to be inserted into the mating cavity of the connector and a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising a second cable passage into which a second cable is inserted to be connected to a mating terminal installed in the mating housing, and the second cable passage being filled with silica gel.

[0015] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the second cable passage comprises a first section near the first end of the mating housing, a third section located away from the first end of the mating housing, and a second section connecting the first section and the third section, wherein the size of the third section of the second cable passage is larger than the size of the first section of the second cable passage, and the silica gel is filled into the second section and the third section of the second cable passage.

[0016] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, an inner surface of the second cable passage, which is in contact with the silica gel, is shaped with a pattern.

[0017] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the mating connector further comprises a third stop section extending radially inwards from the inner surface of the second cable passage.

[0018] According to some exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, the third stop section is formed at one end of the third section of the second cable passage remote from the first section of the second cable passage.

[0019] The connector and connector assembly provided by the foregoing exemplary embodiments of this disclosure employ a pre-sealing solution; that is, the waterproof sealing function is achieved by injecting silica gel before the cable is assembled, and the sealing effect can be achieved after the cable is inserted, which is practical and improves production efficiency for the customer. Furthermore, it can be applied to a variety of connector types and accommodates a wider range of cable diameters with improved compatibility. Brief description of the drawings Fig. Figure 1 is a schematic view showing a connector arrangement according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure in an unassembled state; Fig. Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the connector arrangement of Fig. 1 shows; and Fig. Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the connector arrangement of Fig. 1 shows after assembly. Detailed description of implementation examples

[0020] Although the present disclosure is fully described with reference to the drawings, which contain preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the person skilled in the art may modify the present disclosure described herein while achieving the technical effect of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is necessary to understand that the above description is a broad disclosure for the person skilled in the art and is not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments described in the present disclosure.

[0021] Furthermore, numerous specific details are listed in the following detailed description to provide a comprehensive understanding of the disclosed embodiments. However, it will be clear that one or more embodiments can also be implemented without these specific details. In other cases, known structures and devices are shown schematically to simplify the drawing.

[0022] According to a general technical concept of the present disclosure, a connector is provided. The connector comprises a housing with a mating end and a wiring end opposite the mating end. The wiring end includes a first cable passage into which a first cable is inserted to be connected to a first terminal installed in the housing. The first cable passage is filled with silica gel. The mating end is formed with a mating cavity for inserting a mating connector connected to the connector, and the mating cavity is filled with silica gel at one end near the first cable passage.

[0023] According to a further general technical concept of the present disclosure, a connector arrangement is provided comprising: the above-mentioned connector; and a mating connector configured to be inserted into the mating cavity of the connector.

[0024] With reference to the Fig. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a connector 10 is provided as described in Figures 1 to 3. The connector 10 comprises a housing 11, the housing 11 comprising a mating end and a wiring end opposite the mating end. The wiring end comprises a first cable passage 14 into which a first cable 30 is inserted to be connected to a first terminal 16 installed in the housing 11, and the first cable passage 14 is filled with silica gel 152 to prevent water, moisture, and other substances from penetrating the connector 10 through the first cable passage 14, thereby improving the sealing performance of the connector.Similarly, the opposite end is formed with a counter cavity 12 for inserting a mating connector 20, which is connected to the connector 10. The counter cavity 12 is filled with silica gel at one end near the first cable passage 14 to prevent water, moisture, and other substances from penetrating the connector 10 through a gap between the connector 10 and the mating connector 20, thus further improving the sealing performance. During assembly, uncured silica gel can be poured into the first cable passage 14 of the housing 11 and cures within the first cable passage 14 to a gel-like state, which is then bonded to the housing 11. In this way, the watertight sealing function is achieved after the insertion of the first cable 30. In the embodiments of the present disclosure, the connector uses a pre-sealing solution, i.e.,The waterproof sealing function is achieved by filling the silicone tube with silica gel before cable assembly, and the sealing effect can be realized after the cable is inserted, which is convenient and improves assembly efficiency for the customer. Furthermore, it can be applied to various types of connectors, such as plate-type and multi-pole connectors, and can be adapted to a wider range of cable diameters with improved compatibility.

[0025] Since the silica gel is as soft as jelly after curing and the cured surface is naturally sticky, it can easily adhere to most substrates without a primer, thus improving physical adhesion. This allows it to bond easily to the inner surface of the first cable entry 14. Furthermore, the silica gel is extremely soft, so the cable can be easily inserted later. In addition, the natural stickiness of the silica gel has regenerative properties, so it adheres to subsequently inserted cables and significantly improves the sealing performance of the connector.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, as described in the Fig. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the first cable passage 14 comprises a first section 141 near the opposite end, a third section 143 located away from the opposite end, and a second section 142 connecting the first section 141 and the third section 143, wherein the size of the third section 143 is larger than the size of the first section 141, and the size of the first section 141 is adapted to the overall size of the first cable 30. The silica gel is filled into the second section 142 and the third section 143.

[0027] In an embodiment not shown in the present disclosure, the inner surface of the first cable passage 14, which is in contact with the silica gel, is shaped with a pattern to increase the contact force between the silica gel and the inner surface of the first cable passage 14 and thus prevent the silica gel from escaping from the first cable passage 14.

[0028] In an embodiment not shown in the present disclosure, the connector 10 further comprises a first stop section extending radially inwards from the inner surface of the first cable passage 14 to prevent the silica gel from escaping from the first cable passage 14. Preferably, the first stop section is formed, for example, on the third section 143 of the first cable passage 14, for example, at an end of the third section 143 that is furthest from the first section 141.

[0029] In an embodiment not shown in the present disclosure, an inner surface of the counter cavity 12, which is in contact with the silica gel, is formed with a pattern to increase the contact force between the silica gel and the inner surface of the counter cavity 12 and thereby prevent the silica gel from escaping from the counter cavity 12.

[0030] In an embodiment not shown in the present disclosure, the connector 10 further comprises a second stop section (not shown) extending radially inward from the inner surface of the mating cavity 12 to prevent the silica gel from escaping from the mating cavity 12. It should be noted that the second stop section should be positioned so that it does not interfere with the insertion of the mating connector 20 into the mating cavity 12.

[0031] According to another aspect of the present revelation, as in Fig. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a connector arrangement is also provided, comprising: the above-mentioned connector 10; and a mating connector 20 configured to be inserted into the mating cavity 11 of the connector 10.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, as described in the Fig. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the mating connector 20 comprises a mating housing 21. The mating housing 21 includes a first end configured to be inserted into the mating cavity 11 of the connector 10, and a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising a second cable passage 24 into which a second cable 40 is inserted to connect to a mating terminal 26 installed in the mating housing 21. The second cable passage 24 is filled with silica gel to prevent water, moisture, and other substances from penetrating the mating connector 20 through the second cable passage 24, thereby further improving the sealing performance of the mating connector 20 and the connector assembly.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, as described in the Fig.As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the second cable passage 24 comprises a first section 241 near the first end of the mating housing 21, a third section 243 located away from the first end of the mating housing 21, and a second section 242 connecting the first section 241 and the third section 243, wherein the size of the third section 243 is larger than the size of the first section 241, and the size of the first section 241 is adapted to the overall size of the first cable 30. The silica gel 25 is filled into the second section 242 and the third section 243.

[0034] In an embodiment not shown in the present disclosure, an inner surface of the second cable passage 24, which is in contact with the silica gel 25, is shaped with a pattern to increase the contact force between the silica gel 25 and the inner surface of the second cable passage 24 and thereby prevent the silica gel from leaking out of the second cable passage 24.

[0035] In an embodiment not shown in the present disclosure, the mating connector 20 further comprises a third stop section extending radially inward from the inner surface of the second cable passage 24 to prevent the silica gel from escaping from the second cable passage 24. Preferably, the third section is formed, for example, on the third section 243 of the second cable passage 24, for example, at an end of the third section 243 that is away from the first section 241.

[0036] The connector and connector assembly provided by the foregoing exemplary embodiments of this disclosure employ a pre-sealing solution; that is, the waterproof sealing function is achieved by injecting silica gel before the cable is assembled, and the sealing effect can be realized after the cable is inserted, which is practical and improves production efficiency for the customer. Furthermore, it can be applied to a variety of connector types and adapted to a wider range of cable diameters with better compatibility.

[0037] The person skilled in the art should understand that the above embodiments serve only for illustration and that they can make many modifications to them. Furthermore, different structures described in different embodiments can be freely combined without conflicting configurations or principles.

[0038] Although the present disclosure has been previously described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be noted that the embodiments disclosed in the accompanying drawings are intended to illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure by way of example and should not be interpreted as limiting the present disclosure.

[0039] Although some embodiments of the general inventive concept of the present disclosure have been shown and described, it would be understandable to the person skilled in the art that changes or modifications can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.

[0040] It should be noted that the word "include" or "comprise" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the word "a" or "an" does not exclude more than a plurality. Furthermore, all reference punctuation marks in the claims should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. 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] CN 202420870814

[0001]

Claims

[1] Connector comprising a housing, wherein the housing comprises a mating end and a wiring end opposite the mating end, the wiring end comprising a first cable passage into which a first cable is inserted to be connected to a first terminal installed in the housing, the first cable passage being filled with silica gel, the mating end being formed with a mating cavity for inserting a mating connector connected to the connector, and the mating cavity being filled with silica gel at an end near the first cable passage. [2] Connector according to claim 1, wherein the first cable passage comprises a first section near the opposite end, a third section away from the opposite end and a second section connecting the first section and the third section, wherein the size of the third section of the first cable passage is larger than the size of the first section of the first cable passage and the silica gel is filled into the second section and the third section of the first cable passage. [3] Connector according to claim 2, wherein an inner surface of the first cable passage which is in contact with the silica gel is shaped with a pattern. [4] Connector according to claim 3, wherein the connector further comprises a first stop section extending radially inwards from the inner surface of the first cable passage. [5] Connector according to claim 4, wherein the first stop section is formed at an end of the third section which is away from the first section. [6] Connector according to claim 1, wherein an inner surface of the mating cavity which is in contact with the silica gel is formed with a pattern. [7] Connector according to claim 6, wherein the connector further comprises a second stop section extending radially inwards from the inner surface of the mating cavity. [8] Connector according to claim 1, wherein the silica gel is poured into the housing before curing and is cured in the housing in order to be joined to the housing. [9] Connector arrangement comprising: the connector according to claim 1; and a mating connector configured to be inserted into the mating cavity of the connector. [10] Connector arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the mating connector comprises a mating housing comprising a first end configured to be inserted into the mating cavity of the connector and a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising a second cable passage into which a second cable is inserted to be connected to a mating terminal installed in the mating housing, and wherein the second cable passage is filled with silica gel. [11] Connector arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the second cable passage comprises a first section near the first end of the mating housing, a third section located away from the first end of the mating housing, and a second section connecting the first section and the third section, wherein the size of the third section of the second cable passage is larger than the size of the first section of the second cable passage, and the silica gel is filled into the second section and the third section of the second cable passage. [12] Connector arrangement according to claim 11, wherein an inner surface of the second cable passage which is in contact with the silica gel is shaped with a pattern. [13] Connector arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the mating connector further comprises a third stop section extending radially inwards from the inner surface of the second cable passage. [14] Connector arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the third section is formed at one end of the third section of the second cable passage remote from the first section of the second cable passage.

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