High-performance connector with detachable contact securing means

Abstract

The invention relates to a high-performance connector for receiving at least one electrical cable, having a contact holder for fixing a contact element connected to the cable in place in an insulating body, wherein the contact holder has an at least essentially hollow-cylindrical main body on which at least two contact arms are arranged, and wherein the contact arms are designed to form, starting from the main body, a diameter which decreases in a direction away from the main body.

Description

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

[0002] Such high-performance connectors 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. Another area of ​​application is in power generation and / or power transmission, particularly in photovoltaic systems and / or wind turbines. State of the art

[0003] CN 111934122 A shows a high-performance connector for a high-performance connector system, particularly for use in the application area of ​​rail vehicles.

[0004] US 5,575,691 A discloses a retention device comprising a retaining clip having a set of tabs spaced apart along the retaining clip so that they can receive a portion of an electrical contact in a gap between them. When a tool for removing an electrical contact is inserted into the retaining clip, the arcuate element bends away from the electrical contact, causing the tabs to move together away from the electrical contact and allowing the electrical contact to be removed from the front or rear of the connector housing.

[0005] Other solutions are known in the state of the art that enable the transmission and / or distribution of high electrical currents and / or voltages. However, some of these solutions are outdated and have barely been updated or modernized.

[0006] A particular disadvantage of the current state of the art is a comparatively complex assembly process. This complexity unnecessarily complicates the repair and / or maintenance of high-performance connectors. Task

[0007] The object of the invention is to offer a high-performance connector that is easy to assemble and maintain.

[0008] The problem is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1.

[0009] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description.

[0010] The high-performance connector according to the invention is designed to accommodate at least one electrical cable. The high-performance connector has an at least one-part housing and an at least one-part insulating body for receiving an electrical contact element. The contact element is brought into electrically conductive connection with the cable. Furthermore, the high-performance connector has a contact holder for fixing the contact element in the insulating body. In addition, the high-performance connector has a cable fixation for securing the cable to the housing. The contact holder has an at least fundamentally hollow-cylindrical base body on which at least two contact arms are arranged. The contact arms, tapered from the base body, project in the plug-in direction, and the contact holder is connected to the housing reversibly and without the use of tools.Such high-performance connectors are also known as single-pole connectors. The high-performance connector is primarily designed to transmit high electrical current and / or high electrical voltage to a cable connection housing or a mating connector. "High electrical current" refers to a current of over 100 amperes. In particular, this refers to a current of over 500 amperes. A current of over 800 amperes is especially important. A current of greater than or equal to 1,000 amperes is also conceivable. The term "high electrical voltage" refers to a voltage of over 1 kilovolt. In particular, this refers to a voltage of over 10 kilovolts. A voltage of over 15 kilovolts is especially important. A voltage of greater than or equal to 25 kilovolts is also conceivable.By connecting a high-performance connector to the connection area, the invention creates a media-tight seal of the interior at the corresponding location. For this purpose, the housing of the high-performance connector is shaped such that the housing engages in a fundamentally congruently designed connection area. For improved sealing, both the said high-performance connector and / or the connection area of ​​the cable connection housing or mating connector are provided with a seal. The term contact holder refers to a fixing element which is inserted into the insulating body and / or the housing in order to hold the contact element in position at the intended location in the insulating body. The tapering of the contact arms arranged on the contact holder ensures that the contact element can be inserted into the insulating body in the plug-in direction from the direction of the cable fixing, usually embodied as a cable gland.A flange and / or stop arranged around the circumference of the contact element is initially used to elastically displace the contact arms outward. Upon reaching the desired position, the contact arms elastically spring back behind the contact element stop and secure it. In order to remove the contact element from the high-performance connector in the event of repair and / or maintenance, the contact holder can be removed from the designated position without tools. In this case, "tool-free" preferably means that the contact holder can be removed entirely by hand from the insulating body and / or the housing. Alternatively, removal of the contact holder without special tools is conceivable. However, the use of a blade, a flat-head screwdriver, or similar tools is conceivable. The contact holder can be made of a dielectric material.However, under certain circumstances, the use of electrically conductive materials may also be considered. To avoid safety risks, the housing should be made of an appropriate material. A plastic housing is conceivable and sensible in certain cases. The housing is preferably made of a metallic material. In contrast to the housing, the contact holder is preferably made of plastic.

[0011] In a further developed design, the contact arms have a substantially curved taper, with the curve increasing from the base body. This design allows for a certain degree of elastic resilience even with relatively rigid base materials.

[0012] Another embodiment provides for the contact arms of the contact holder to be separated from each other by recesses, with the contact arms and the recesses being arranged alternately around the circumference. This means that each contact arm is separated from every other contact arm by a recess in every direction of rotation. This provides advantageous flexibility, which is useful for inserting the contact element, particularly in the case of relatively inflexible or inelastic materials.

[0013] A clever design proposes that the width of the contact arms decreases from the base body to the end of the contact arms. This structural adjustment saves material, especially in high-volume production, allowing for a more cost-effective yet high-performance contact holder.

[0014] One embodiment proposes that the width of the recesses be greater than or equal to the width of the contact arms. This relatively simple adjustment ensures a generally sufficient holding force of the contact arms, while allowing sufficient space for elastic deformation of the contact arms.

[0015] A particularly advantageous embodiment provides for at least one housing arm to be arranged circumferentially on the base body of the contact holder. Such a housing arm enables reversible engagement particularly advantageously. The housing arm is ideally provided with locking means that interact with corresponding locking means of the housing and / or the insulating body. For this purpose, the housing arm can protrude beyond the base body of the contact holder. This allows the housing arm to be easily released from engagement with the housing and / or the insulating body without the use of special tools. A housing arm that can be operated manually is particularly preferred.

[0016] In a space-saving embodiment, the housing arm is arranged within the base body and separated from the base body by two circumferential recesses. This means that the housing arm can be a separate or delimited part of the base body, which can be designed to be elastically deformable by the flanking recesses. Thus, the housing arm can be easily arranged on the base body and / or in the base body in a spring-elastic manner and can be designed such that the contact holder engages positively with the insulating body and / or the housing.

[0017] Furthermore, one embodiment provides that the housing arm has a recess which is designed to receive a holding form, wherein the holding form is arranged within the insulating body and / or within the housing.

[0018] In addition, it is proposed that the recess within the housing arm is at least partially surrounded by a reinforcing element.

[0019] For this purpose, an alternative embodiment proposes that the housing arm has a holding shape which is brought into engagement with a recess, wherein the recess is arranged within the insulating body and / or within the housing.

[0020] A particularly preferred embodiment proposes that the contact holder has at least four contact arms and at least two housing arms. This embodiment has proven particularly reliable in terms of holding force and ease of installation in tests.

[0021] A further embodiment provides that the housing arms in the connected state in the housing and / or in the insulating body are released from the connected state with the housing and / or the insulating body by applying a force in order to remove a contact element from the housing and / or the insulating body.

[0022] A further embodiment provides that the force for releasing the connected state of the contact holder and the housing and / or the insulating body is directed substantially inwards, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the contact holder.

[0023] An alternative embodiment provides that the force for releasing the connected state of the contact holder and the housing and / or the insulating body is directed substantially outwards, in the direction of the housing of the high-performance connector. Example

[0024] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show: Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a high-performance connector according to the invention in longitudinal section; Fig. 2 shows a perspective representation of a contact holder according to the invention; Fig. 3 shows a view of a contact holder according to the invention with a focus on a housing arm.

[0025] Some of the figures contain simplified, schematic representations. Identical reference symbols are used for similar, but possibly not identical, elements. Different views of identical elements may be scaled differently. Directional references such as "left," "right," "top," and "bottom" are to be understood with reference to the respective figure and may vary in the individual illustrations relative to the object depicted.

[0026] The Figure 1shows a high-performance connector 1 according to the invention in a longitudinal section. The high-performance connector 1 initially has a housing 10. The housing 10 is preferably made of a metallic material. An alternative embodiment of the housing 10 made of a plastic is provided. An insulating body 11 is introduced into the housing 10. The insulating body 11 is shaped to receive a contact element 12. The contact element 12 has a crimp inlet 13 on the cable side, i.e., an opening for inserting a stripped cable 4, wherein the contact element 12 is pressed or crimped onto the conductor 41 of the cable 4. On the plug-in side, the contact element 12 is provided with at least one contact reinforcement 14. To improve the electrical contact, contact reinforcements 14 in the form of spring-elastic beryllium strips and / or so-called Balseal springs are often used in the field of high-performance connectors 1.To seal the housing 10 to a mating connector (not shown) or a connection housing (not shown), the high-performance connector 1 has a sealing element 15 on the plug-in side. A rubber-containing O-ring or correspondingly flexible, elastic alternatives is often used here. On the plug-in side, the housing 10 also has at least one coding element 16. The coding element 16 can be designed as a variable coding element. The coding element 16 can therefore be introduced at different positions on the plug-in face in order to prevent an incorrect and / or unwanted connection from being made when multiple high-performance connectors 1 are used. The contact element 12 has a further insulating element 17 on the plug-in side. The insulating element 17 can be plugged on, pressed on, cast on, or injection-molded on.The housing 10 has a housing stop 18, which prevents a high-performance connector 1 from being brought into engagement with a terminal housing and / or mating connector further than intended. The contact element 12 has a contact inlet 19 on the plug-in side. A contact of a terminal housing and / or mating connector is inserted into this contact inlet 19, thus establishing an electrically conductive connection. This connection is, as previously mentioned, improved by the use of contact reinforcements 14. On the cable side, the housing 10 is terminated by a cable fixing 20. Such cable fixings 20 are usually designed as cable glands. To protect against foreign media such as dust and / or fluids, the cable fixing 20 is provided with a cable seal 21. The cable seal 21 is pressed onto the insulation 40 of the cable 4 by the cable fixing 20.

[0027] The Figure 2shows a perspective view of a contact holder 3 according to the invention. The contact holder 3 is constructed on a substantially hollow-cylindrical base body 30. The base body 30 has contact arms 31 on the plug-in side, which extend inward from the base body 30 in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the base body 30. As a result, the plug-in end of the contact holder 3 is tapered such that a contact element 12 can be guided through the contact holder 3 on the cable side. As soon as the contact element 12 has passed the plug-in end of the contact arms 31, the latter spring back into their original position and prevent the removal or unintentional release of the contact element 12. The contact arms 31 are flanked circumferentially in every direction of rotation by a recess 34'. In the area of ​​the base body 30, a housing arm 32 can also be seen.The housing arm 32 has a recess 34 which can be engaged, for example, with a locking element, for example a locking hook or a locking lug, of an insulating body 11 and / or the housing 10. The housing arm 32 is flanked laterally by recesses. In this way, the housing arm 32 can be designed as part of the base body 30. In order to be better protected against forces, in particular during a plugging process of the high-performance connector 1, a reinforcing element 33 is arranged on the housing arm 32. The contact element 12 is held in position by the contact arms 31, wherein the contact arms 31 absorb a force counter to the plugging direction. The force acting on the contact holder is transmitted through the recess 34 to a locking element in the housing 10 and / or the insulating body 11.Particularly in an embodiment with a recess 34 for engagement with a locking shape, a reinforcing element 33 is suitable, arranged at least opposite to the vector of the insertion force, around the recess 34. Alternatively, the reinforcing element 33 can also be arranged all around the recess 34.

[0028] Figure 3 shows a top view of the housing arm 32 within the base body 30. This illustrates a sensible design of the housing arm 32, which is flanked by recesses in the base body 30. A sensible design of the contact arms 31 is also evident. The reinforcing element 33 is positioned facing in the plugging direction, thus better absorbing a force transmitted to the housing arm 32 by a locking element. Applicant: HARTING Electric Stiftung & Co. KG Title: High-performance connectors with removable contact locking List of reference symbols

[0029] 1High-performance connector 10Housing 11Insulating body 12Contact element 13Crimping inlet 14Contact reinforcement 15Sealing element 16Coding element 17Insulating element 18Housing stop 19Contact inlet 20Cable fixing 21Cable seal 3Contact holder 30Base body 31Contact arm 32Housing arm 33Reinforcing element 34Recess 4Cable 40Insulation 41Conductor

Claims

1. High-performance plug connector (1) for receiving at least one electrical cable (4), having an at least one-piece housing (10), an at least one-piece insulating body (11) for receiving an electrical contact element (12), which is brought into electrically conductive connection with the cable (4), and a contact holder (3) for fixing the contact element (12) in the insulating body (11), wherein the contact holder (3) has an at least basically hollow cylindrical base body (30), on which at least two contact arms (31) are arranged, and wherein the distance of the contact arms (31) from the longitudinal axis, starting from the base body (30), decreases in the insertion direction characterized in that the high-performance plug connector (1) has a cable fixing (20) for fixing the cable (4) to the housing (10) and that the contact holder (3) is connected to the housing in a tool-free and reversible manner.

2. High-performance connector (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that the contact arms (31) have a substantially curved taper, with the curve increasing starting from the base body (30).

3. High-performance connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the contact arms (31) of the contact holder (3) are separated by recesses (34') and wherein the contact arms (31) and the recesses (34') are arranged alternately on the periphery.

4. High-performance connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the width of the contact arms (31) decreases from the base body (30) in the direction of insertion.

5. High power connector (1) according to claim 3 or claim 4 if depending on claim 3 characterized in that the width of the recesses (34') is greater than or equal to the width of the contact arms (31).

6. High-performance connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that at least one housing arm (32) is arranged on the circumference of the base body (30) of the contact holder (3).

7. High-performance connector (1) according to claim 6 characterized in that the housing arm (32) is arranged inside the base body (30) and is separated from the base body (30) by two peripheral recesses.

8. High power connector (1) according to one of claims 6 or 7 characterized in that the housing arm (32) has a recess (34) which is designed to receive a retaining mold, the retaining mold being arranged inside the insulating body (11) and / or inside the housing (10).

9. High-performance connector (1) according to claim 8 characterized in that the recess (34) within the housing arm (32) is at least partially surrounded by a reinforcing element (33).

10. High power connector (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 9 characterized in that the housing arm (32) has a retaining shape which is brought into engagement with a recess, the recess being arranged inside the insulating body (11) and / or inside the housing (10).

11. High power connector (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 10 characterized in that the housing arm (32) is arranged resiliently on the base body (30) and / or in the base body (30) and is designed in such a way that the contact holder (3) is brought into positive engagement with the insulating body (11) and / or the housing (10).

12. High power connector (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 11 characterized in that the contact holder (3) has at least four contact arms (31) and at least two housing arms (32).

13. High power connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the contact arms (31), when connected to the housing (10) and / or the insulating body (11), allow a contact element (12) to be inserted in the plug-in direction and fix the contact element (12) in a plugged-in state by means of the taper.

14. High power connector (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 12 or according to claim 13 when depending on any one of claims 6 to 12 characterized in that the housing arms (32) are released in the connected state in the housing (10) and / or the insulating body (11) by applying a force from the connected state to the housing (10) and / or the insulating body (11) in order to remove a contact element (12) from the housing (10) and / or the insulating body (11).

15. High-performance connector (1) according to claim 14 characterized in that the force for releasing the connected state of the contact holder (3) and housing (10) and / or insulating body (11) is essentially directed inwards, in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the contact holder.

16. High-performance connector (1) according to claim 14 characterized in that the force for releasing the connected state of the contact holder (3) and housing (10) and / or insulating body (11) is essentially directed outwards, in the direction of the housing (10) of the high-power connector (1).

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