HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONNECTOR SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The invention is based on a high-performance connector system according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0002] Such high-performance connector systems are required to transmit and / or distribute high electrical voltages and high electrical currents. Particular attention is paid to their applicability in the underfloor areas of rail vehicles, especially for connecting railcars and railcars to each other. State of the art

[0003] The state of the art includes solutions that enable the transmission and / or distribution of high electrical currents and / or voltages between vehicles or between vehicles with attached modules. However, these solutions generally involve an unfavorable and sometimes irreversible fixation of the corresponding contact elements.

[0004] A particular disadvantage of the current state of the art is its lack of ease of maintenance and, as a rule, its increased space requirements. However, especially for contact elements subject to high levels of wear, such as those used in rail transport, the ever-increasing demands on repair and maintenance are increasing, for example, due to increased electrical erosion caused by high currents exceeding 500A.

[0005] The German Patent and Trademark Office has searched the following prior art in the priority application for this application: DE 41 35 391 C1.

[0006] US 2012 / 021650 A1 discloses an electrical connector assembly, for example for load break switches, comprising a housing with a viewing area for checking contact positions.

[0007] US 3 845 458 A discloses a busbar connection arrangement, wherein the connection of the busbars takes place within a sealed housing and wherein the interior of the connector housing is filled with an insulating liquid.

[0008] US 2012 / 018217 A1 discloses a feedthrough arrangement for electrical connectors, for example for load break switches, wherein the electrical connector can be fixed in the feedthrough arrangement with a screw in order to secure the electrical connection. Task

[0009] The object of the invention is to provide a space-saving, safe and cost-effective cable connection housing, particularly suitable for use in underfloor rail-bound vehicles, for the transmission and / or distribution of high electrical currents.

[0010] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0011] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description.

[0012] The invention is based on a high-performance connector system comprising a cable connection housing for connecting at least two electrical high-performance connectors for transmitting and / or distributing high currents. The high-performance connectors are designed in particular for currents greater than or equal to 80 amperes, preferably currents over 500 amperes, specifically currents in the 1000 ampere range. This ensures, in particular, that they can be used in rail vehicles, particularly underfloor in wagons, railcars, and railcars. Furthermore, the cable connection housing accommodates at least two insulating bodies. The insulating bodies are each designed to accommodate a high-performance contact.The insulating bodies advantageously have fastening means, such as threads, extensions for bayonet locks, springs, grooves, or similar means for securing the insulating body in the cable connection housing. Furthermore, the insulating bodies are provided with a profile or ribbing, at least inside the cable connection housing, for example, with a corrugated profile or radially extending springs and / or grooves. This advantageously increases the clearances and creepage distances inside the cable connection housing. The longitudinal axes of the high-performance contacts are generally arranged in one plane and offset from one another.Furthermore, the high-performance contacts are electrically connected to one another by means of an electrically conductive rail, wherein, to reduce the spatial requirement, the at least two high-performance contacts are provided with a recess into which the electrically conductive rail fits at least partially. This can also mean a rail which is provided with openings into which the at least two high-performance contacts are inserted, each with at least one recess. In this case, a connection of known shaft-hub connections can be aimed for, for example. An embodiment of the cable connection housing which accommodates more than two high-performance contacts is particularly preferred; in particular, one cable connection housing accommodates three high-performance contacts. The high-performance contact is preferably designed at least partially as a cylindrical profile.Particularly preferably, at least one region of the high-performance contact to be connected is formed as a cylindrical solid profile. The use of other geometric profiles is known to those skilled in the art and can be employed advantageously. The cylindrical high-performance contact preferably has a fundamentally flat region in a region of the circumferential surface, which is provided for connection to the electrically conductive rail. This flat region can, for example, be removed by machining, in particular by milling. Furthermore, a groove could also be machined into the high-performance contact. Ideally, the groove should reach a depth sufficient to at least partially accommodate the electrically conductive rail. By connecting the rail to the high-performance contacts, whether by a flat contact surface or a machined groove, spatial space can be saved.In addition, the high-power contacts are prevented from twisting around their longitudinal axes within the insulating bodies that accommodate the high-power contacts. In principle, forming manufacturing processes are also conceivable for producing a roughly flat surface on the high-power contact. The recesses of the at least two high-power contacts lie roughly in one plane, so that the rail is attached resting on the recesses. This prevents both the rotation of the high-power contacts and axial displacement in the direction of the long axis of the high-power contacts. The cable connection housing and the insulating bodies attached to it basically absorb the forces acting in the long direction of the high-power contacts. The rail further secures the high-power contacts both lengthwise and also against twisting around the long axis.The high-performance contacts protrude from a housing wall of the high-performance connector into the interior of the cable connection housing, with the high-performance contacts being positioned free-standing within the interior and locked in place by the rail. The insulating bodies are designed in such a way that they are detachably connected to the cable connection housing. Ideally, the insulating bodies are mounted to the cable connection housing using screw connections. In a clever way, the insulating bodies are guided through a through-opening and secured there in the cable connection housing. A high-performance connector is designed in such a way that it can be detachably secured to the cable connection housing. The high-performance connector is ideally equipped with its own housing, which can be inserted into the cable connection housing with a form-fitting connection and can be detachably fastened to the cable connection housing using securing elements, such as screws.This design allows all forces occurring in the cable connection housing to be absorbed and absorbed by the high-performance connector and the cable connection housing itself, allowing the rail with the high-performance contacts to be easily installed within the cable connection housing without additional retaining elements. Insulating bodies with the aforementioned profiling, for example, with generally wave-shaped shapes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, are particularly advantageous in this regard. The free-standing insulating bodies, along with the aforementioned profiling, have an excellent effect on the required clearances and creepage distances.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the rail is positively connected to the high-power contacts. A rail can, for example, have several identical first openings into which the high-power contacts are inserted. According to the invention, these openings are generally designed as cylindrical openings, but with molded extensions that engage with the recesses of the corresponding high-power contacts. To connect the rail to the high-power contacts, a locking pin, a split pin, or a similar locking element can, for example, be inserted through the respective high-power contacts. A second opening can also be provided in the rail, which generally runs approximately orthogonally to a first opening and can be aligned with a corresponding opening in the respective high-power contacts.A locking element can be inserted through this second opening to achieve positive locking. The second opening in the rail can be designed as either a through hole or a blind hole.

[0014] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the rail is non-positively connected to the high-power contacts. For this purpose, the rail rests, for example, on the recesses of the high-power contacts. Various non-positive securing elements can be used as securing elements, for example wedges, screws, grub screws, threaded bolts or rivets. In one embodiment, the rail has at least one through-hole for each high-power contact, through which at least one securing element with an external thread is guided, wherein the securing element is connected to an internal thread in the high-power contact. Screws are preferably inserted through the through-holes in the rail and screwed into a threaded opening in a corresponding high-power contact. The threaded opening can be a blind hole. It can also be a through-hole with a thread.

[0015] In one expedient embodiment, the at least two high-power contacts are arranged opposite one another in the cable connection housing. Since the high-power contacts are connected in the cable connection housing, the high-power contacts can make contact with one another. The rail according to the invention ensures secure contact between the at least two high-power contacts. Particularly preferred is an embodiment with at least three high-power contacts which can be electrically connected in the cable connection housing by the rail. At least one high-power contact and the at least two remaining high-power contacts are located opposite one another. The rail is connected to the high-power contacts parallel to a plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the high-power contacts. In one embodiment, the longitudinal axes of the high-power contacts are generally parallel to one another.In this embodiment, the rail is aligned parallel to the plane formed by the longitudinal axes of the high-power contacts and at least fundamentally orthogonal to the longitudinal axes of the high-power contacts.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment, the rail has a vertical center plane which is at least partially pierced by each of the at least two high-power contacts. This embodiment ensures that the rail can provide sufficient bearing surface or contact surface with the high-power contacts. A further advantage is that, for example, when at least three high-power contacts are used, the longitudinal axes of the opposing high-power contacts are offset from one another, positioned parallel in a common horizontal plane. This results in a particularly space-saving design, since the high-power contacts do not abut against a holding element or a rail, but are guided past the rail or through the rail. Since the basic aim is to transmit voltages and currents, the high-power contacts can also be positioned close to one another here.

[0017] A logical embodiment therefore provides for the rail to be connected at least largely flush with the end faces of the at least two high-power contacts. According to the aforementioned embodiment, this means that the high-power contacts extend beyond the center plane of the rail to the corresponding edge of the rail. This ensures secure contact between the rail and the at least two high-power contacts.

[0018] A particularly maintenance-friendly design accordingly provides for the securing elements to be aligned orthogonally to the center plane of the rail. The cable connection housing of the high-performance connector is provided with a housing cover to ideally seal off the interior of the cable connection housing in an airtight and watertight manner. If the housing cover is removed, the securing elements, which ideally are screws, pointing from the housing cover towards the bottom of the cable connection housing can be easily reached by maintenance personnel for repair or maintenance purposes. It should be noted that the housing cover of the cable connection housing is sensibly directed towards the ground, while the bottom of the cable connection housing is attached outside below the floor of a vehicle, for example a railcar, or a transport element attached to a vehicle that can be moved by a vehicle, for example a railcar.This allows maintenance or repair personnel to easily access the interior of the cable connection housing, particularly the high-performance contacts and / or the rail. Example

[0019] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show: Fig. 1 shows a partial section of a perspective view of a high-performance connector system according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section along a longitudinal axis of the high-performance connector system according to the invention; Fig. 3 shows a vertical section along a longitudinal axis of the high-performance connector system according to the invention; Fig. 4 shows a cross-section along a rail of the high-performance connector system according to the invention.

[0020] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In some cases, identical reference symbols are used for identical, but possibly not identical, elements. Different views of identical elements may be scaled differently.

[0021] Directional directions such as "left", "right", "top" and "bottom" are to be understood with reference to the respective figure and may vary in the individual representations compared to the object depicted.

[0022] The Figure 1shows a perspective view of a high-performance connector system according to the invention with a horizontal section along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis of a cable connection housing 1. The embodiment shown has three high-performance contacts 2. One high-performance contact 2 is positioned opposite two identical high-performance contacts 2. Two high-performance contacts 2 are shown without an insulating body 3. The insulating body 3 accommodates the corresponding high-performance contact 2. The high-performance contacts 2 are connected to one another by means of an electrically conductive rail 4. For this purpose, the high-performance contacts 2 and the associated insulating body(s) 3 have recesses 5. The rail 4 has corresponding through-openings 6. The illustrated securing elements 7 are guided through these through-openings 6 and connected to the corresponding high-performance contacts 2.In the design shown, the securing elements 7 are screws with a hexagon screw head. In order to screw the rail 4 and the high-performance contact 2 together, the high-performance contacts 2 have through-openings 6 which are provided with an internal thread. Instead of a thread in the through-openings 6, a nut or similar threaded receptacle can follow on the side opposite the rail 4. Alternatively, the high-performance contacts 2 are each designed with a blind hole which is provided with an internal thread.Other connection options, in particular shaft-hub connections, are known to those skilled in the art and can be used as an alternative to the illustrated securing elements 7. To establish a secure and at least sufficient electrical connection, the high-performance contacts 2 are aligned with their end faces 8 at least partially flush with the edge of the rail 4 opposite the housing opening 14 of the corresponding high-performance contact 2. The cable connection housing 1 has a housing wall 9. This circumferential housing wall 9 forms an interior space 10.

[0023] The insulating body 3 shown has a profiling 11 on the area from a rail 4 to a housing wall 9 of the cable connection housing 1, which is shown as an example. The profiling 11 simply and advantageously increases the air gaps and creepage distances between the connection area of ​​the rail 4 and the high-performance contact 2 shown therein. Furthermore, it can be seen that both the insulating body 3 and the high-performance contact 2 located therein each have a recess 5. This recess 5 can be formed, for example, using a machining process. The insulating bodies 3 are designed in a particularly ingenious way. In addition to the profiling 11, they are provided with fastening elements 12. The fastening elements 12 are formed as basically flat, part-circular extensions on the insulating body 3.The housing openings 14 belonging to the insulating bodies 3 in the housing wall 9 of the cable connection housing 1 have recesses that correspond at least to the dimensions of the fastening elements 12 of the insulating bodies 3. The fastening elements 12 and the recesses in the housing openings 14 are positioned such that the fastening elements 12 secure the housing against axial displacement in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the respective high-power contact 2 as soon as the high-power contact 2 is releasably fixed to the associated insulating body 3 and to the rail 4 by the securing element 7. In other words, the fastening element 12 of the insulating body 3 can be connected to the housing wall 9 in a manner comparable to a bayonet lock.

[0024] In the Figure 2the inventive embodiment of a high-performance connector system with cable connection housing 1 is shown in a sectional view comparable to the sectional view of the Figure 1 , but shown in a direct top view. The Figure 1 and the Figure 2 show that the housing wall 9 has through-openings for connecting high-power connectors 15 to corresponding high-power contacts 2. However, if a cable connection housing 1 only accommodates two high-power contacts 2, a closure cap 16 can be inserted into the said through-openings of the cable connection housing 1 in order to both secure the insulating body 3 of the corresponding high-power contact 2 and to protect the cable connection housing 1 against the ingress of, for example, water, oil, dust or similar undesirable foreign substances.

[0025] The Figure 3shows the embodiment of the high-performance connector system according to the invention with the cable connection housing 1 in a vertical section along the longitudinal axis L of a high-performance contact 2. The small spatial dimensions of the interior 10 are particularly clear in this illustration. In addition, the access for assembly and maintenance of the cable connection housing 1 is made clear by a housing cover 14. The housing cover 14 is shaped in such a way that a closure cap 16 can be connected to the housing cover 14 if the closure cap 16 is not required. The connection of the rail 4 to the high-performance contacts 2 is also clearly visible in this sectional view. The high-performance contacts 2 have a recess 5. For this purpose, the recesses 5 of the high-performance contacts 2 lie in a horizontal plane EA.The rail 4 can be mounted on the recesses 5 such that the rail 4 is flush with the respective high-performance contacts 2 at their end faces 8. As a result, the high-performance contacts 2 protrude beyond the center plane EM of the rail 4. This design achieves a small size of the cable connection housing 1 compared to the prior art.

[0026] A vertical cross-section of a high-performance connector system, consisting of the cable connection housing 1 and components in the interior 10 is shown in the Figure 4shown. The arrangement of the high-power contacts 2 and the positioning of the recesses 5 in the plane EA is particularly clear here. Since the section runs along the center plane EM of the rail 4, the connections between the rail 4 and the high-power contacts 2 by the securing elements 7 can be clearly seen. The securing elements 7 are aligned along their longitudinal axis parallel to the center plane EM of the rail 4, orthogonal to the plane EA. This allows easy maintenance access after removing the housing cover 14. The fastening elements 12 of the two insulating bodies 3 of the outer high-power contacts 2, which are designed as part-circular formations on the respective insulating body 3, are also very clearly visible.These fastening elements 12 can be aligned with corresponding recesses in the housing openings 13 by rotating the insulating bodies 3 after loosening and removing the rail 4 from the high-performance contacts 2. Subsequently, as soon as the fastening elements 12 and the recesses in the housing openings 13 align, the insulating bodies 3 with the high-performance contacts 2 can be removed from the cable connection housing 1 and / or inserted and / or replaced.

[0027] Although various aspects or features of the invention are shown in combination in the figures, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art—unless otherwise stated—that the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only possible ones. In particular, corresponding units or feature complexes from different embodiments can be interchanged. High-performance connector system List of reference symbols

[0028] 1Cable connection housing 2High-performance contact 3Insulating body 4Rail 5Recess 6Through opening 7Securing element 8End face 9Side wall 10Interior 11Profiling 12Fastening element 13Housing cutout 14Housing cover 15High-performance connector 16Closing cap LLongitudinal axis EA plane EM median plane

Claims

1. A high-power plug connection system having a cable connection housing (1) for connecting at least two electrical high-power plug connectors (15) for transmitting and / or distributing high electrical currents and / or high electrical voltages, at least two insulating bodies (3) for receiving, respectively, at least one high-power contact (2) and at least one electrically conductive busbar (4), wherein the longitudinal axes (L) of the high-power contacts (2) are arranged fundamentally in a plane and are offset relative to one another, and wherein the high-power contacts (2) are connected electrically conductively to one another by means of an electrically conductive busbar (4), wherein the at least two high-power contacts (2) are provided with at least one recess (5) into which the electrically conductive busbar (4) fits at least partially, characterized in that the recesses (5) of the at least two high-power contacts (2) lie approximately in a plane (EA) such that the busbar (4) is fastened lying on top of the recesses (5) and thus prevents both radial twisting and axial displacement in the direction of the longitudinal axis (L) of the high-power contacts (2) and wherein the high-power contacts (2) in the corresponding insulating bodies (3) project from a housing wall (9) of the cable connection housing (1) into an interior space (10) of the cable connection housing (1), wherein the high-power contacts (2) are positioned in a free-standing manner in the interior (10) and are locked by the busbar (4).

2. The high-power plug connection system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the busbar (4) is connected in a form-fitting manner to the high-power contacts (2).

3. The high-power plug connection system as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the busbar (4) is connected in a force-fitting manner to the high-power contacts (2).

4. The high-power plug connection system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the busbar (4) has, per high-power contact (2), at least one through opening (6), through which at least one securing element (7) with an external thread is passed, wherein the securing element (7) is connected to an internal thread in the high-power contact (2).

5. The high-power plug connection system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one high-power contact (2) is arranged opposite to the remaining at least one high-power contact (2) in the cable connection housing (1).

6. The high-power plug connection system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the busbar (4) has a vertical central plane (EM) which is pierced by each high-power contact (2) at least partially.

7. The high-power plug connection system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that he busbar is connected at least largely flush with the front faces (8) of the at least two high-power contacts (2).

8. The high-power plug connection system as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the securing elements (7) are oriented parallel to the central plane (EM) of the busbar (4).

9. A high-power plug connection system having a cable connection housing (1) for connecting at least two electrical high-power plug connectors (15) for transmitting and / or distributing high electrical currents and / or high electrical voltages, at least two insulating bodies (3) for receiving, respectively, at least one high-power contact (2) and at least one electrically conductive busbar (4), wherein the longitudinal axes (L) of the high-power contacts (2) are arranged fundamentally in a plane and are offset relative to one another, and wherein the high-power contacts (2) are connected electrically conductively to one another by means of an electrically conductive busbar (4), wherein the at least two high-power contacts (2) are provided with at least one recess (5) into which the electrically conductive busbar (4) fits at least partially, characterized in that the insulating bodies (3) accommodate the high-power contacts (2) in such a way that the high-power contacts (2) and the busbar (4) retain each other in the interior (10) in the connected-together state, wherein the busbar only contacts the high-power contacts (2).