CONNECTOR, CONNECTOR ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE CONNECTOR

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector for a flexible conductive film. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing the connector and a connector assembly comprising the connector. State of the art

[0002] Flexible conductive films with foil-insulated conductors are used today in a wide variety of areas, including consumer electronics and automotive manufacturing. These films are particularly useful where a highly flexible conductor structure is required with minimal weight and limited space. Flexible conductive films allow for the orderly parallel routing of numerous separate conductor tracks, enabling even large bends and thus allowing for the electrically conductive connection of components located in very confined spaces. Especially in automotive manufacturing, such conductive films must be able to withstand significant mechanical stresses, such as vibrations.

[0003] The contacting of the individual foil-insulated conductors is of particular importance. Especially in vehicle construction, this contacting must be reliable and resistant to external mechanical impacts, as well as to various temperature and environmental influences.

[0004] DE 10 2015 100 401 B4 describes a connector for flexible conductive films with foil-insulated conductors, comprising a connector housing in which at least one plug-in contact element is arranged. In a connection area, cutting edges electrically connected to the at least one plug-in contact element can penetrate and secure at least one foil-insulated conductor, thereby establishing an electrical contact. The connector housing comprises two nested housing parts. The first housing part supports the cutting edges and the at least one plug-in contact element electrically connected to them. The second housing part receives and supports the flexible conductive film.Furthermore, the second housing part has at least one cutting edge receptacle adapted to the cutting edges, the boundary surfaces of which are designed such that at least some of the cutting edges are bent towards the foil-insulated conductors when the two housing parts are pushed together. This bending of the cutting edges exerts pressure on the contact surface between the cutting edges and the conductor foil, thus increasing the electrical contact area. Simultaneously, the cutting edges are held under a certain tension within the connector housing. In this way, a reliable electrical and gas-tight connection can be achieved in the connector.

[0005] To insert the flexible conductor foil into the second housing part, it is inserted through a receiving opening in the connector. However, conductor foils have high tolerances, which means they are not always centered in the connector housing. If the cutting edges are moved towards a misaligned conductor foil to cut into it, they can cut into the edge of the conductor. While part of the cutting edges then still makes electrical contact with the conductor, another part extends only through the insulating material of the conductor foil. This impairs the electrical contact between the conductor and the connector element.

[0006] The DE 199 20 981 A1 This describes an electrical connector. It features an insulator with an opening section for receiving a connector at a predetermined position over a plurality of contacts. A crimped part is rotatably mounted on the insulator. A locking mechanism engages the crimped part with the insulator only when the locking mechanism is correctly positioned at the predetermined location. A detection mechanism detects incorrect positioning of the locking mechanism. The locking mechanism comprises a locking section formed on the insulator and an engagement projection formed on the crimped part that engages with the locking section. The detection mechanism comprises a pair of locking arms formed on the insulator and a detection projection formed on the crimped part.If the connecting part is partially inserted between the locking arms, the locking arms are pressed outwards and deformed, thus hindering the rotation of the pressed part.

[0007] In the DE 11 2013 003 215 T5 A flexible, integrated multi-wire connector is described. This connector comprises a pair of engagement hooks, each formed on both end faces of a mounting surface in the width direction, which engage in a pair of engagement holes, each drilled on both end faces of a connector part in the width direction.

[0008] From the US 4,577,920 A one-piece metal element for guiding a cable into a shielded connector housing is known, which has a cable retention base. Cable locators extend from the cable retention base to arrange a set of insulated conductors and a cable jacket between them.

[0009] It is an object of the invention to provide a connector for a flexible conductive film with foil-insulated conductors in which the conductive film can be positioned so precisely that it is ensured that all cutting edges of the connector always completely cut through the conductors through the conductive film. Further objects of the invention are to provide a method for manufacturing such a connector and to provide a connector assembly comprising the connector and a flexible conductive film. Disclosure of the invention

[0010] In a first aspect of the invention, one of these problems is solved by a connector for a flexible conductor film with foil-insulated conductors, which has a receiving area for the conductor film. The receiving area has a receiving direction. The receiving direction is understood to be the direction in which the conductor film can be inserted into the receiving area of ​​the connector from outside. Spring elements or resilient elements are arranged in the receiving area such that they spring orthogonally to the receiving direction. In particular, they are spring-loaded orthogonally to the receiving direction. This causes a conductor film that is inserted into the receiving area along the receiving direction to be subjected to a spring force acting orthogonally to the receiving direction. This allows the conductor film to be positioned at a desired position orthogonally to the receiving direction.Tolerances between the width of the conductive film and the width of the receiving area are not a problem. The receiving area can therefore be designed to be wide enough to easily insert the conductive film. It can also be designed for conductive films of different widths, provided the position of the conductors on the conductive film is identical for all films.

[0011] The connector is designed to have a first housing part and a second housing part. The first housing part has at least one plug contact element to which several cutting edges are electrically connected. The second housing part has the receiving area and the spring elements. The housing parts are nested within each other. This design of the connector allows the conductor foil to first be inserted into the receiving area of ​​the second housing part, and then the housing parts to be further nested so that the cutting edges are moved into the receiving area and cut through the conductor foil. The spring elements in the receiving area allow the conductor foil to be positioned within the receiving area so that each conductor of the foil rests over several cutting edges connected to the same plug contact element, with the cutting edges positioned centrally on each conductor.This ensures that the cutting edges only cut through the conductor and do not cut into any insulating material at the edge of the conductor.

[0012] The insertion area is designed so that a conductive film is inserted into it along the insertion direction with its front side facing inwards, while its back side remains outside the connector. The connector features two spring elements located on the left side of the insertion direction and two spring elements located on the right side. By applying pressure to the conductive film at two different positions on each side, it is not only centered within the insertion area, but this also prevents the longitudinal axis of the conductive film from twisting against the insertion direction. Furthermore, two spring elements per side provide redundant contact with the conductive film, ensuring centering even if one of the spring elements is damaged.

[0013] If the connector has several spring elements, preferably all spring elements are spring-loaded to the same degree so that pressure is applied evenly to the conductor foil.

[0014] It is further preferred that the receiving area has a stop for the conductive film, which is opposite the receiving opening for the conductive film. When the conductive film is guided with its front side through the receiving opening into the receiving area, it can subsequently only be pushed into the receiving area until the front side abuts the stop. To allow for visual verification that the conductive film has actually abutted the stop, it is preferred that at least one opening is arranged in the second housing part through which the stop is visible. The opening is particularly designed as a slot that runs orthogonally to the receiving direction. Its length corresponds in particular to a width of the receiving area.

[0015] The spring elements are preferably designed such that they have a spring arm that is arranged substantially parallel to the receiving direction. "Substantially parallel" in this context means, in particular, that a longitudinal axis of the spring arm forms an angle of no more than 10 degrees with the receiving direction. Furthermore, the spring element has a positioning element that projects from the spring arm orthogonally to the receiving direction into the receiving area. When the conductor foil is inserted into the receiving area, the spring element contacts the conductor foil at a defined position by means of the positioning element. The spring arm is thereby deflected relative to its longitudinal axis, causing a spring force to act on the conductor foil.

[0016] The spring arm and the positioning element are preferably designed as a one-piece solid casting in order to achieve a high spring force without the risk of the spring arm breaking when the conductor foil is inserted into the receiving area.

[0017] Although it is generally possible to integrate the spring element as a separate component into the connector, it is preferable for it to be formed integrally with the connector. This simplifies the manufacturing of the connector and reduces the risk of tolerances in the position of the spring element. If the connector has two housing parts, the spring elements are preferably formed integrally with the second housing part.

[0018] In a second aspect, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing a connector according to the first aspect of the invention. The second housing part, which includes the spring elements, is manufactured in a mold using a casting process. The casting process is, in particular, an injection molding process. In the casting process, the mold is filled with a casting compound, especially a molten plastic. The filling is carried out in such a way that the spring elements are not filled at the end of the mold filling process. By filling the part of the mold that serves to form the spring element at an early stage of the casting process, and by providing a sprue at a different position on the housing part, complete and uniform filling of this part of the mold is ensured. This prevents tolerances in the shape of a spring element from occurring due to uneven filling at this point.Such tolerances should be avoided because a flawless shape and positioning of the spring elements are important for accurate positioning of the conductor foil in the connector.

[0019] In a third aspect, the invention relates to a connector arrangement comprising a connector according to the first aspect of the invention and a flexible conductor film with foil-insulated conductors. The conductor film is arranged in the receiving area such that at least one spring element presses against a first side of the conductor film, for example, against a left side, and at least one spring element presses against a second side of the conductor film opposite the first side, for example, a right side. This particularly preferably achieves the centering of the conductor film in front of the spring elements in the receiving area.

[0020] It is preferred that the conductive foil is guided into the receiving area through a receiving opening and abuts a stop located opposite the receiving opening. The stop and the spring elements enable precise positioning of the conductive foil both along and perpendicular to the receiving direction. Brief description of the drawings

[0021] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description. Figure 1a Figure 1 shows components of a connector arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention in a first assembly step in an isometric view. Figure 1b Figure 1 shows components of a connector arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention in a first assembly step in a cutaway isometric view. Figure 1cshows components of a connector arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention in a first assembly step in a top view. Figure 1d Figure 1 shows components of a connector arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention in a first assembly step in an isometric section view. Figure 2 shows a top view of a spring element of a connector according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 3a Figure 1 shows a connector arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention in a second assembly step in an isometric view. Figure 3b Figure 1 shows a connector arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention in a second assembly step in a sectional isometric view. Figure 3c shows a connector arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention in a second assembly step in a top view. 3D figureFigure 1 shows a connector arrangement according to an embodiment of the invention in a second assembly step in an isometric section view. Exemplary embodiments of the invention

[0022] In the Figures 1a to 1d Figure 1 shows a first assembly step of a connector assembly according to an embodiment of the invention. A connector 10 and a flat, flexible conductor film 20 with foil-insulated conductors 21 are provided. The connector 10 has a first housing part 30 and a second housing part 40. Several plug-in contact elements 31 are arranged in the housing part 30. Each plug-in contact element 31 is electrically connected to five cutting edges 33 via a cutting edge strip 32. The second housing part 40 has a receiving area 41 for the conductor film 20. This receiving area is funnel-shaped towards the outside of the connector 10 to facilitate insertion of the conductor film 20.

[0023] The conductive foil 20 can be inserted into the receiving area 41 along a receiving direction R. Two spring elements 42, 43 are arranged along the receiving direction R on the left side of the receiving area 41. Two further spring elements 44, 45 are arranged along the receiving direction R on the right side of the receiving area 41. The conductive foil 20 is inserted into the receiving area 41 through a slot-shaped receiving opening 46. The receiving area 41 ends at a stop 47, against which the conductive foil 20 abuts with its front side when it is pushed into the receiving area 41 through the receiving opening 46. The second housing part 40 has a slot-shaped opening 48 on its upper side through which the stop 47 is visible.

[0024] Figure 2Figure 1 shows one of the spring elements 42. This spring element has a spring arm 421 which is arranged parallel to the receiving direction R in the receiving area 41. A positioning element 422 projects from one end of the spring arm 421 orthogonally to the receiving direction towards the conductive foil 20 into the receiving area 41. The end of the spring arm 421 opposite the positioning element 422 is connected to the base body of the second housing part 40. This pre-tensions the spring element 42. All elements of the second housing part 40, including the spring arms and positioning elements of all spring elements 42 to 45, are formed in one piece from a plastic material.

[0025] A second assembly step of the connector assembly is in the Figures 3a to 3dThe conductive foil 20 was inserted into the receiving area 41 of the connector 10 until it abutted the stop 47, so that the conductive foil 20 was supported in the receiving area 41. The abutment of the conductive foil 20 against the stop 47 can be visually verified through the opening 48, through which the contact of the conductive foil against the stop 47 is visible. All spring elements 42 to 45 now bear against the sides of the conductive foil 20 at a single point each. The positioning elements of the first two spring elements 42, 43 press against the left side of the conductive foil 20, and the positioning elements of the subsequent spring elements 44, 45 press against the right side of the conductive foil 20. Before the conductive foil 20 was inserted, the free area within the receiving area 41, defined by the positioning elements, was slightly narrower than the conductive foil 20.Upon insertion into the receiving area 41, the spring arms of all spring elements 42 to 45 deform in order to move the positioning elements away from the conductive foil 20 and thus enable their insertion into the receiving area 41. All spring elements 42 to 45 now press against the conductive foil 20 by means of their spring force and position it in the center of the receiving area 41. This positions each conductor track 21 precisely over a cutting edge 32. In a third assembly step (not shown), when the two housing parts 30, 40 are moved towards each other so that the cutting edges 33 cut through the conductive foil 20, this ensures that each cutting edge 33 cuts through one of the conductor tracks 21 in the center.

[0026] The two housing parts 30, 40 of the connector 10 can be manufactured using an injection molding process. For this purpose, molten thermoplastic material is injected into a mold. When casting the second housing part 40, the sprue is positioned so that all spring elements 42 to 45 are completely formed from the casting material at the beginning of the mold filling process, before the remaining areas of the second housing part 40 are formed.

Claims

1. A connector (10) for a flexible conductor foil (20) with foil-isolated conductors (21) including a reception region (41) for the conductor foil (20) having a reception direction (R), wherein the connector (10) includes a first housing part (30) including a male contact member (31) having a plurality of blades (33, 34) connected thereto in an electrically conducting manner, and includes a second housing part (40) including the reception region (41), wherein the first housing part (38) and the second housing part (40) are in telescoping engagement, characterized in that the second housing part (14) includes two spring members(42, 43) elastically arranged on a left side of the reception direction (R) in the reception region (41) and two spring members (44, 45) elastically arranged on a right side of the reception direction (R) in the reception region (41).

2. The connector (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the reception region (41) includes a stop (47) for the conductor foil (20) facing a reception opening (46) for the conductor foil (20) and in that at least one opening (48) is provided in the second housing part (14) through which the stop (47) is visible.

3. The connector (10) according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the spring members (42-45) each include a spring arm (421) which is essentially parallel to the reception direction (R) and a positioning element (422) protruding from the spring arm (421) into the reception region (41) orthogonally to the reception direction (R).

4. The connector (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that the spring arm (421) and the positioning element (422) are configured as a single solid casting.

5. The connector (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the spring members (42-45) are formed integrally with the second housing part (40) of the connector (10).

6. A method for manufacturing a connector (10) according to claim 5, wherein the second housing part (40) including the spring members (42-45) is manufactured by means of a casting method in a mould wherein the spring members (42-45) are not formed from a casting material at the end of the process of filling the mould.

7. A connector arrangement including a connector (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and a flexible conductor foil (20) with foil-isolated conductors (21) arranged in the reception region (41) so that at least one spring member (42, 43) presses against a first side of the conductor foil (20) and at least one spring member (44, 45) presses against a second side of the conductor foil (20) opposing the first side.

8. The connector arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the conductor foil (20) is centred by the spring members (42-45) in the reception region (41).

9. The connector arrangement according to claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the connector (10) is a connector (10) according to claim 2, wherein the conductor foil (20) is guided through a reception opening (46) into the reception region (41) and abuts against a stop (47) opposing the reception opening (46).