Bushing comprising a connection terminal, and housing and relay comprising such a bushing

Abstract

The invention relates to a bushing (10) comprising: a connection terminal (22), in particular for a high-power relay (200), having a housing part (12) with a through-opening (14) and having a connection terminal assembly (20) which passes through the through-opening (14) and is sealed against the through-opening (14) by means of a fixing material (16), the connection terminal assembly (20) having a connection terminal (22) made of a first material and a tubing guide (26) made of a second material, the tubing guide (26) surrounding at least a portion of the connection terminal (22), and the fixing material (16) being positioned between an outer wall of a sleeve portion (27) of the tubing guide (26) and an inner wall of the through-opening (14) in order to seal the connection terminal assembly (20), a first gap (32) being provided between an inner wall of the sleeve portion (27) and the connection terminal (22), and the connection terminal assembly (20) also comprising a flexible element (28) via which the tubing guide (26) is connected to the connection terminal (22), the flexible element (28) surrounding a pin portion of the connection terminal (22), and a second gap (34) being provided between the pin portion of the connection terminal (22) and the flexible element (28). According to the invention, the flexible element (28) is formed integrally with the tubing guide (26) as a thinner portion of the tubing guide (26), or the flexible element (28) is made of a third material, or the flexible element (28) is formed integrally with the connection terminal (22). The invention also relates to a housing and to a relay which each comprise at least one such bushing.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a feedthrough with a connection terminal, in particular for a high-performance relay, comprising a housing part with a through-opening and a connection terminal arrangement which extends through the through-opening and is sealed against the through-opening with a fixing material. Further aspects of the invention relate to a housing and a relay, each comprising at least one such feedthrough.

[0002] Relays capable of switching electrical currents on and off are known in the prior art. A prime example is the use of high-performance relays in electric or hybrid vehicles to safely disconnect a traction battery, which provides the vehicle's electrical energy, from the vehicle's electrical system. Such a relay comprises a housing, electrical bushings for the circuit to be switched, and a contacting device that connects or disconnects two terminals for switching the current. The contacting device can be actuated by an actuator, for example, an electromagnet. The interior of the housing is typically sealed to prevent moisture ingress and to contain any extinguishing gas present inside the housing for arc suppression.DE112015002850 T5 discloses a hermetic contact device with fixed terminals.

[0003] From EP3358593 B1, a hermetic connection is known which is particularly suitable for a high-power relay. The hermetic connection comprises a metal container with a through-hole, a tube guide passing through the through-hole, an insulating glass unit that hermetically seals the tube guide and the metal container, and a connection base that extends through the tube guide and is hermetically attached to it. The connection base is made of a low-resistance metal and is positioned in the connection such that a gap exists between an inner circumferential surface of a section of the tube guide that is in contact with the insulating glass unit and an outer circumferential surface of a corresponding section of the connection base. When the connection base expands thermally, the tube guide deforms, thus preventing damage to the insulating glass unit.

[0004] In known feedthroughs, the flexibility required to compensate for the thermal expansion of the connection terminal is provided by the pipe routing, which must therefore have a minimum length or height. Consequently, known feedthroughs have a comparatively high overall height. To enable housings with such feedthroughs to be designed more compactly, it is an object of the invention to provide a feedthrough with a connection terminal that has a low overall height.

[0005] The known pipe guides must be elastic to accommodate changes in length due to thermal expansion of a connection terminal. However, if pressure glazing is desired for a hermetic seal, the necessary counter-pressure cannot be generated by the known pipe guides. Accordingly, one object of the invention can be seen as providing a feedthrough suitable for pressure glazing.

[0006] When using screw connections between a connection terminal and a supply line, high torques can occur when tightening the connecting screws, which cannot be optimally absorbed by known hermetically sealed connection terminals. Accordingly, a further object of the invention can be seen as providing a feedthrough with a connection terminal in which the absorption and transmission of torques applied at the connection terminal is improved. Disclosure of the invention

[0007] A bushing with a connection terminal is proposed, which is particularly suitable for a high-power relay. The bushing comprises a housing part with a through-opening and a connection terminal assembly which extends through the through-opening and is sealed against the through-opening with a fixing material. The connection terminal assembly comprises a connection terminal made of a first material and a tube guide made of a second material, wherein the tube guide surrounds at least a portion of the connection terminal and the fixing material for sealing the connection terminal assembly is arranged between an outer wall of a sleeve section of the tube guide and an inner wall of the through-opening, wherein a first gap is present between an inner wall of the sleeve section and the connection terminal.The fixing material mechanically secures the connection terminal assembly in the through-opening and electrically insulates it from the housing part. Furthermore, the connection terminal assembly comprises a flexible element through which the pipe guide is connected to the connection terminal. The flexible element surrounds a pin section of the connection terminal, and a second gap exists between the pin section of the connection terminal and the flexible element. In a first variant (i), the flexible element is formed integrally with the pipe guide as a section of the pipe guide with reduced thickness. In a second variant (ii), the flexible element is made of a third material. In a third variant (iii), the flexible element is formed integrally with the connection terminal.

[0008] The connection terminal has a pin section that, in particular, serves as a conductor in the feedthrough. The pin section is preferably substantially cylindrical, especially in the form of a circular cylinder, although other shapes are also conceivable. For example, cylindrical shapes with oval, rectangular, or square cross-sections would also be possible. Furthermore, it would be conceivable for the pin section to be wholly or partially conical. The tube guide with the sleeve section and the flexible element at least partially surround the pin section. Preferably, their cross-sectional shape is selected to correspond to the cross-sectional shape of the pin section.

[0009] In the first embodiment of the invention, the elasticity of the flexible element portion of the pipe guide is increased by reducing its thickness. This reduction in thickness is achieved particularly with respect to the sleeve section, such that the thickness, especially the wall thickness, of the pipe guide in the area of ​​the flexible element is smaller than the thickness in the area of ​​the sleeve section.

[0010] In the second embodiment of the invention, the elasticity of the flexible element is increased by manufacturing it from a different material. The third material is preferably selected such that its modulus of elasticity is lower than that of the second material used for the pipe guide. This increases the elasticity even if the flexible element has the same wall thickness as the pipe guide in the sleeve area. Of course, the thickness of the flexible element can also be chosen to be smaller than the thickness of the pipe guide in the sleeve area to further increase the elasticity.

[0011] In the third variant, the flexible element is manufactured as a single piece with the connection terminal and is therefore made of the same material. The material of the connection terminal typically has a lower modulus of elasticity than the material of the pipe guide. Furthermore, the thickness of the flexible element can be selected independently of the thickness of the sleeve section of the pipe guide, resulting in a flexible element with good elastic properties. In particular, the thickness of the flexible element can be chosen to be smaller than the thickness of the pipe guide in the sleeve section.

[0012] All three variants allow the flexibility of the flexible element to be adjusted independently of the properties of the sleeve area of ​​the pipe guide, compared to conventional feedthroughs. They also enable a reduction in the length of the flexible element, thereby reducing the overall height of the feedthrough. Here, overall height refers specifically to the length by which the connection terminal assembly protrudes beyond the housing.

[0013] The flexible element is preferably connected to the connection terminal or the pipe guide by means of welding or soldering.

[0014] This connection is preferably hermetically sealed. Likewise, the seal between the pipe guide and the inner wall of the through-opening with the fixing material is preferably hermetically sealed.

[0015] The term "hermetically sealed" is understood in particular to mean that, at a pressure difference of 1 bar, the helium leakage rate is less than 1·10 -8< mbar l / s -1< , preferably less than 1·10 -9< mbar l / s -1< .

[0016] Preferably, the connection terminal has at least one collar. The collar is specifically designed as a region of the connection terminal within which the outer diameter of the connection terminal is larger than the outer diameter of the pin section. Such a collar can have a constant diameter. However, it can also be provided that the diameter in the region of the collar changes abruptly or continuously in one or more steps.

[0017] The at least one collar is preferably arranged on the connection terminal and dimensioned such that the collar is located outside the through-opening.

[0018] Preferably, the flexible element according to variant i) or ii) is connected to the collar on a side facing the through-opening. In the case of a one-piece embodiment of the flexible element with the connection terminal according to variant iii), it is preferred if the section of the connection terminal forming the flexible element begins on the side of the collar facing the through-opening.

[0019] The outer diameter of the collar and the outer diameter of the flexible element can be identical, so that the flexible element fits flush against the collar. Alternatively, the outer diameter of the flexible element can be smaller.

[0020] As an alternative to arranging the flexible element on a surface of the collar facing the through-opening, it is preferably provided that the flexible element is connected to the collar on a lateral surface according to variant i) or ii).

[0021] The connection terminal can include connecting elements on one or both end faces to facilitate the connection of an electrical supply line. These connecting elements are, for example, designed as a threaded bore that allows a screw connection to an electrical terminal. Preferably, such a threaded bore is arranged on at least one outward-facing side of the feedthrough.

[0022] Alternatively, the connecting elements can also be designed, for example, as a flat surface suitable for soldering or welding. In this context, it may be necessary to coat and / or roughen the surface to improve adhesion of such connections.

[0023] The pipe guide or the flexible element, if it is formed integrally with the pipe guide, may include a flange to simplify the connection to the connection terminal, in particular to the collar of the connection terminal. This may be achieved by folding a wall of the pipe guide to form a flange or by enlarging an end face of the pipe guide by adjusting the outer and / or inner diameter.

[0024] By providing such a flange, the diameter of a connection point can also be increased, which allows torques acting on the connection terminal to be transmitted better without damage to the connection point.

[0025] If the flexible element is not formed integrally with the pipe guide, it is preferably provided that the pipe guide has a continuous or abrupt increase in diameter on a side facing the flexible element outside the through-opening, and that the pipe guide is connected to the flexible element in this area with an increased diameter. Here, too, the resulting increased diameter can improve the transmission of torques acting on the connection terminal, so that, in particular, no damage to the feedthrough occurs when connecting a connecting cable to the connection terminal by screwing.

[0026] Preferably, the flexible element is arranged and designed such that the second gap between the flexible element and the pin section is larger than or equal to the first gap between the sleeve section and the pin section. For example, if the flexible element is formed by extending the tube guide with a reduced wall thickness, the inner diameter is preferably increased while the outer diameter is maintained to reduce the thickness.

[0027] Particularly when the feedthrough is intended for an electrical connection with high voltages, especially more than 100 V and particularly preferably more than 1000 V, the insulating distance provided by the fixing material is preferably extended by the addition of further insulating material. This can, in particular, reduce the occurrence of leakage currents and / or flashovers, which could otherwise overcome the insulating distance provided solely by the fixing material in the presence of impurities and / or moisture.

[0028] Preferably, the fixing material and an adjacent section of the housing part on a top and / or a bottom of the feedthrough are covered with an insulating material.

[0029] The insulating material can be in the form of an insulating disc made of electrically insulating material. Alternatively or additionally, the insulating material can be in the form of a coating, in particular a potting compound, made of an electrically insulating material.

[0030] When designed as an insulating disc, the insulating material can be selected from glass, glass-ceramic, ceramic, or plastic, with plastics being preferred. The insulating material could also be identical to the fixing material.

[0031] Preferably, the feedthrough is designed as a pressure glazing unit, in which the coefficient of thermal expansion of the housing part is greater than that of the fixing material. The fixing material, which is preferably glass, is then provided, for example, as a pressed piece of glass powder and inserted into the through-opening of the housing part together with the connection terminal assembly or at least together with the pipe guide. By heating this assembly, the fixing material is obtained from the pressed piece and adheres to the walls of the through-opening and the pipe guide. Upon cooling, the housing part contracts more than the fixing material due to the choice of expansion coefficients, so that in the finished feedthrough, pressure is continuously exerted on the fixing material by the housing part.This ensures, in particular, that the seal is of high quality and remains permanently tight, and especially hermetically sealed, even under difficult conditions such as frequent temperature changes and high mechanical demands. The pipework is designed and constructed in such a way that the fixing material within this pressure glazing is supported from the inside. For this purpose, the sleeve section has a thickness which, in combination with the material of the pipework, is selected to allow the sleeve section to exert sufficient counter-pressure.

[0032] For a design as a pressure-insulated glazing unit, the material of the housing part and the fixing material are preferably selected such that the coefficient of thermal expansion of the housing part αhousing is at least 20% greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the fixing material αglass. For example, αhousing is selected in the range of 12 × 10-6 < 1 / K to 19 × 10-6 < 1 / K and αglass in the range of 9 × 10-6 < 1 / K to 11 × 10-6 < 1 / K.

[0033] As an alternative to pressure glazing, the coefficients of thermal expansion of the housing part, fixing material and pipe penetration can also be selected to be adapted to each other, so that the coefficient of thermal expansion of the fixing material differs from those of the housing part and / or the pipe penetration by less than 20%, preferably less than 10% and particularly preferably by less than 5%.

[0034] Preferably, the first material used for the connection terminal has a lower electrical resistance than the second material used for the pipe penetration. Since the connection terminal acts as an electrical conductor during the penetration, a material with the lowest possible electrical resistance is preferred. This ensures, in particular, that the penetration does not overheat, even under high currents.

[0035] Particularly in variants of the design where the flexible element is integrally formed with the connection terminal, it is preferred that the first material has a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material. This allows elastic deformation of the flexible element even with greater material thicknesses.

[0036] If the flexible element is made of a third material and is therefore a separate component, the third material for the flexible element according to variant ii) preferably has a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material of the pipe guide. Furthermore, it is preferred that the third material also has a lower modulus of elasticity than the first material of the connection terminal.

[0037] Preferably, the first material of the connection terminal is selected from non-ferrous metals such as copper or a non-ferrous metal alloy such as a copper alloy, in particular brass, aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

[0038] Preferably, at least one inward-facing end face of the terminal is coated with a contact material to reduce contact resistance and / or sparking. Optionally, both end faces can be coated with such a contact material. The contact materials are characterized by good resistance to oxidation and are also resistant to wear caused by sparks and arcs occurring during switching operations.

[0039] Suitable contact materials include, in particular, silver, gold, and platinum. Suitable alloys for use as contact materials include, in particular, silver-nickel and silver-tin oxide.

[0040] The pipe guide is made of the second material. Preferably, the second material is selected to be a steel, in particular a ferritic steel, a steel alloy, in particular nickel steel alloys and chromium steels.

[0041] The housing component is preferably made of a metal, whereby the materials described in relation to the pipe guide are also generally suitable as materials for the housing component. Additionally, other steels, in particular austenitic steels, are also suitable. A material with a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the fixing material used is preferred.

[0042] Particularly in the case of pipework, the second material can also be a composite material made up of several layers. However, choosing a composite material would also be conceivable for a separate flexible element or for the connection pin.

[0043] If a separate flexible element is used, the third material is preferably selected from a non-ferrous metal or a non-ferrous metal alloy. Examples of suitable materials include copper, copper alloys, and especially brass.

[0044] The pipe guide can be designed as a solid component or as a folded sheet metal part. For example, the pipe guide is designed as a sheet metal part, where the thickness in the sleeve section is increased by one or more folds of the sheet metal compared to the section designed as a flexible element.

[0045] Preferably, the sheet metal part is a single-sided coated bleaching part, wherein the bleaching part is folded and arranged such that a coated side of the sheet metal part points towards a connection with the flexible element or the connection terminal and an uncoated side of the bleaching part points towards the fixing material.

[0046] The coating of the sheet metal part can be, in particular, a nickel layer or another layer that facilitates joining, especially by a soldering process. This is particularly advantageous when the sheet metal part is made of steel.

[0047] The coated sheet metal part is preferably always folded and arranged in such a way that the coating does not come into contact with the fixing material. Accordingly, the coated side in the area of ​​the sleeve section is preferably always located on the inside and does not border the fixing material. If the pipe guide is designed with a flange, the coating in the area of ​​this flange preferably points towards the joining partner. This ensures that the pipe guide can be provided with a surface that promotes welding and / or brazing, even if this surface does not bond as well with the fixing material. By appropriately folding the sheet metal part, the surface best suited for joining with the respective joining partner is always adjacent to it.

[0048] Even a solid pipe guide can be partially coated to simplify joining with the flexible element and / or the connection terminal, particularly in a soldering process. A nickel layer can also be used for this purpose. The coating is preferably applied selectively only to the surfaces facing the joining partner. In particular, the surfaces facing the fixing material preferably remain free of the coating.

[0049] The fixing material provides both mechanical support for the connection terminal assembly and electrical insulation from the housing part. Preferably, the fixing material is selected from a glass, a glass-ceramic, or a ceramic.

[0050] Glass is particularly preferred as the fixing material, and the glass is selected from borosilicate glass, sodium-barium glass, alkali glass, silicate glass, or soda glass. Borosilicate and sodium-barium glasses are especially suitable for custom glazing, while alkali, silicate, and soda glasses are particularly suitable for pressure glazing.

[0051] An example of material selection for the installation is copper as the first material for the connection terminal, and ferritic steel as the second material for the pipe guide. Soda-lime glass, for example, can be used as a fixing material.

[0052] Copper, at approximately 110 GPa, has a lower modulus of elasticity than the ferritic steel of the pipe fitting, which has a modulus of approximately 200 GPa. Therefore, an elastic element made from the copper material of the connecting pin, with the same geometry, can deform elastically even under lower force. This allows it to accommodate the deformation caused by thermal expansion of the connecting pin without transmitting harmful forces to the fixing material. While maintaining the elasticity of a pipe fitting made of ferritic steel, the dimensions of a copper elastic element can be smaller, resulting in a more compact fitting.

[0053] The connection terminal arrangement may additionally include another flexible element which is connected to the pipe guide, wherein the flexible element and the other flexible element are connected to the connection terminal on opposite sides with respect to the through-opening or, in the case of a one-piece design, merge into it.

[0054] The additional flexible element is also preferably designed in a substantially sleeve-like shape and preferably surrounds at least partially the pin section of the connection terminal. With respect to the through-hole in the housing part, one of the flexible elements can be oriented towards the top and the other towards the bottom, so that the connection terminal can be held from both sides of the housing part.

[0055] The described feedthroughs are particularly suitable for safely guiding large currents in the range of several amperes, especially more than 10 amperes and particularly preferably more than 100 amperes, through a hermetically sealed housing.

[0056] Another aspect of the invention is the provision of a housing which includes at least one of the feedthroughs described herein. The housing may, for example, be the housing of an electrical safety device, the housing of a control device such as a relay, or the housing of a battery module.

[0057] In a further aspect of the invention, a relay is proposed which comprises a housing with at least two of the feedthroughs described herein and a contacting device for establishing an electrical connection between the connection terminals of the two feedthroughs.

[0058] The contacting device can, in particular, include an actuator that can be controlled by an electrical signal, so that a current flow between the two connection terminals can be controlled depending on such a control signal. An example of such an actuator is an electromechanical actuator with an electromagnet and a movable armature. Additionally or alternatively, the contacting device can include a pyrotechnic actuator in which an explosive charge can be detonated by an electrical signal, causing a rapid interruption of the electrical connection between the two connection terminals. The housing can include further electrical feedthroughs for the transmission of the electrical signals.

[0059] The relay housing is preferably hermetically sealed, so that the interior is protected from environmental influences and nothing can escape from the inside. This makes it possible to fill the interior of the housing, or at least the area around the contacting device, with a so-called extinguishing gas. The purpose of such an extinguishing gas is to extinguish any arc that may occur when the electrical contact to the terminals is broken as quickly as possible.

[0060] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0061] They show: Fig. 1 : A first embodiment of the implementation in a schematic sectional view from the side, Fig. 2 : a second embodiment of the implementation in a schematic sectional view from the side, Fig. 3: a third embodiment of the implementation in a schematic sectional view from the side, Fig. 4 : a fourth embodiment of the implementation in a schematic sectional view from the side, Fig. 5 : a fifth embodiment of the implementation in a schematic sectional view from the side, Fig. 6 : a sixth embodiment of the implementation in a schematic sectional view from the side, Fig. 7 : a seventh embodiment of the implementation in a schematic sectional view from the side and Fig. 8 : an embodiment of a relay with two feedthroughs according to the invention in the sixth embodiment in a schematic sectional view from the side.

[0062] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a feedthrough 10 with a connection terminal 22. The feedthrough 10 comprises a housing part 12 with a through-opening 14 therein. A connection terminal assembly 20 is guided through this through-opening 14 and is held therein by a fixing material 16. The fixing material 16 hermetically seals the connection terminal assembly 20 against the walls of the through-opening 14, so that the through-opening 14 is hermetically sealed.

[0063] The connection terminal arrangement 20 comprises a connection terminal 22 and a pipe guide 26. In the illustrated embodiment, a longitudinal axis of the connection terminal 22 runs coaxially to a longitudinal axis of the pipe guide 26, with the pipe guide 26 surrounding a portion of the connection terminal 22. The fixing material 16 for sealing the connection terminal arrangement 20 is arranged between an outer wall of a sleeve section 27 of the pipe guide 26 and an inner wall of the through-opening 14, with a first gap 32 being present between an inner wall of the sleeve section 27 and the connection terminal 22. As shown in the illustration of the Figure 1 The sleeve section 27 is thus the section of the pipe guide 26 which is located directly adjacent to the fixing material 16 within the through-opening 14.

[0064] In the first embodiment of the Figure 1The pipe guide 26 has a section of reduced thickness that serves as a flexible element 28. In this reduced-thickness section, the outer diameter of the pipe guide 26 remains unchanged; only the inner diameter is reduced to decrease the thickness, thus reducing the wall thickness of the pipe guide 26 and consequently its overall thickness. As a result, a second gap 34 between the flexible element 28 and a cylindrically shaped pin section of the connection terminal 22 is larger than the first gap 32. Furthermore, the reduced thickness increases the flexibility of the pipe guide 26, allowing the resulting flexible element 28 to be comparatively shorter than known pipe guides and yet still compensate for changes in the dimensions of the connection terminal 22 caused by temperature fluctuations through elastic deformation.

[0065] At one upper end, the connection terminal 22 has a collar 24, which in the exemplary embodiment of the Figure 1 The terminal 22 is designed in the form of two stages, in each of which the diameter of the cylindrical terminal 22 increases. Furthermore, the terminal 22 has a threaded bore 23 on its upper surface. The threaded bore 23 is specifically designed to establish a connection with an electrical supply line (not shown), whereby the supply line is screwed to the terminal 22. In other embodiments, other connecting means can, of course, be provided instead of the threaded bore 23, or connecting means can be omitted altogether, so that the terminal 22 has, for example, a flat surface on its upper surface which can be connected to an electrical supply line, for example, by soldering or welding.

[0066] The flexible element 28 formed by the area of ​​reduced wall thickness of the pipe guide 26 is located in the Figure 1In the first embodiment shown, the flexible element 28 is connected to a side wall of the first stage of the collar 24 of the connection terminal 22. Accordingly, the outer diameter of the first stage of the collar 24 is smaller than the inner diameter of the fixing material 16. Furthermore, in the illustrated example, the outer diameter of the second, larger stage of the collar is smaller than the inner diameter of the through-opening 14. In further embodiments, however, this diameter could also be chosen to be larger than the diameter of the through-opening 14. In the illustrated example, the connection is made via a soldered connection 30, although other joining methods such as welding can, of course, also be used. The connection between the flexible element 28 and the collar 24 is also hermetically sealed, so that the feedthrough 10 as a whole hermetically seals the through-opening 14 of the housing part 12.

[0067] The portion of the flexible element 28 located between the collar 24 and the sleeve section 27 is designed and configured to deform elastically under force, with the first gap 32 and the second gap 34 providing the necessary space. In this way, it is possible, in particular without exerting a detrimental force on the fixing material 16, to absorb forces resulting from thermal expansion of the connection terminal 22 via an elastic deformation of the flexible element 28. Such thermal expansion can occur, in particular, when the connection terminal 22 is subjected to high electrical currents and heats up due to its electrical resistance.

[0068] Advantageously, the wall thickness of the pipe guide 26 in the sleeve section 27 is not reduced, so that the agitator guide 26, the fixing material 16, and the housing part 12 can form a pressure vitrification in which the coefficient of thermal expansion of the housing part 12 is chosen to be greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the fixing material 16. As a result, after vitrification of the fixing material 16, the housing part 12 contracts more than the fixing material 16 and thus exerts pressure on the fixing material 16. The pipe guide 26 with the greater wall thickness in the area of ​​the sleeve section 27 can thereby generate the necessary counter-pressure, while at the same time the flexible element 28 has the necessary elasticity to accommodate the thermal expansion of the connection terminal 22.

[0069] The connection terminal 22 of the first embodiment of the Figure 1The terminal assembly 20 is made of a first material, and the pipe guide 26 is made of a second material. This allows for the optimal selection of material properties for both parts of the terminal assembly 20. In particular, a material with low electrical resistance can be selected for the terminal assembly 22, and a rigid material with a high modulus of elasticity can be selected for the pipe guide 26, and especially for its sleeve section 27.

[0070] In Figure 2 A second embodiment of a feedthrough 10 is shown. In contrast to the one in Figure 1In the first embodiment shown, the pipe guide 26 is designed in two parts, such that the sleeve section 27 and the flexible element 28 are composed of two parts and are connected to each other via a connection 30, which is designed, for example, as a soldered or welded joint. This allows the section of the pipe guide 26 that serves as the flexible element 28 to be manufactured from a third material, while only the sleeve section 27 is manufactured from the second material. The third material is preferably selected such that it has a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material and can therefore exhibit elastic deformation even under lower force.

[0071] Figure 3 shows a third embodiment for a implementation 10. As already mentioned with reference to Figure 1As described, the feedthrough 10 has a housing part 12 with a through-opening 14 through which a connection terminal assembly 20 with a connection terminal 22 and a pipe guide 26 is passed. The connection terminal assembly is held in the through-opening 14 by a fixing material 16 and seals it hermetically.

[0072] Similar to the first two embodiments of the Figures 1 and 2 The connection terminal 22 has a collar 24 on one side, which is designed as a single-stage collar and is flush with one of the end faces of the connection terminal 22. A threaded bore 23 is provided in this end face, which allows it to be screwed to an electrical supply line.

[0073] The pipe guide 26 is used in the third embodiment of the Figure 3The sheet metal part is formed by a coated sheet metal part comprising a sheet 38 with a coating 39 applied to one side. The sheet metal part is essentially tubular and surrounds a cylindrical pin section of the connection terminal 22, with one longitudinal axis of the tube guide 26 running coaxially to a longitudinal axis of the connection terminal 22. The sheet metal part forms a sleeve section 27 of increased thickness at one end and a flange at a second end. The sheet metal part is designed such that the coating 39 faces inwards towards the cylindrical pin section of the connection terminal 22, and the uncoated side of the sheet metal part faces outwards. The sleeve section 27 is formed by folding the sheet metal part once or several times. In this process, the sheet metal part is formed such that the coating 39 of the sheet 38 is folded over itself and thus lies on the inside.Accordingly, the uncoated side of the sheet 38 in the sleeve area 27 points towards the fixing material 16. The flange is also obtained by forming the sheet metal part, whereby here the coating 39 of the sheet 38 points towards the collar 24 of the connection terminal 22 and is connected to it via a connection 30, which is designed, for example, as a soldered connection. In order to provide the largest possible area for the connection 30 with the flange, the outer diameter of the collar, as shown, is preferably chosen to be larger than the inner diameter of the fixing material 16. In the [reference to be added] Figure 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the diameter of the collar 24 is smaller than the inner diameter of the through-opening 14. However, to further increase the contact area, the outer diameter of the collar 24 can also be larger than the inner diameter of the through-opening 14.

[0074] Between the flange and the sleeve area 27, the sheet metal part is not folded and forms a section there that is thinner than the sleeve area 27 and serves as a flexible element 28. A first gap 32 between the sleeve area 27 and the cylindrical pin section of the connection terminal 22 is therefore smaller than a second gap 34 between the flexible element 28 and the cylindrical pin section of the connection terminal 22.

[0075] Figure 4 Figure 1 shows a fourth embodiment of a feedthrough 10. The feedthrough 10 again has a housing part 12 with a through-opening 14, through which a connection terminal assembly 20 with a connection terminal 22 and a pipe guide 26 is passed. The connection terminal assembly is held in the through-opening 14 by a fixing material 16 and seals it hermetically.

[0076] Similar to the first two embodiments of the Figures 1 and 2 The connection terminal 22 has a collar 24 on one side, which is also designed in multiple stages. Starting from a bottom surface opposite the top surface with a threaded bore 23, the collar 24 has a first stage and a second stage, the diameter of the first stage being larger than the diameter of the second stage. In other embodiments, it would of course also be possible to design the collar 24 differently, for example with only one stage, which is flush with the top surface of the connection terminal 22.

[0077] The pipe guide 26 is connected to the collar 24 on its underside via a connection 30, which is, for example, a soldered joint. The pipe guide 26 is designed in two parts: a sleeve section 27 opposite the fixing material 16 is made of the second material, and a part serving as a flexible element 28 is made of a third material with a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material. In the example shown, the two parts of the pipe guide 26 are also connected via a connection 30, which is, for example, a soldered joint. The pipe guide 26 is arranged such that the flexible element 28 points towards the collar 24.The pipe guide 26 is essentially cylindrical overall and surrounds a cylindrical pin section of the connection terminal 22 such that the longitudinal axis of the pipe guide 26 is coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the connection terminal 22. The dimensions of the collar 24 and the pipe guide 26 are chosen such that the outer diameter of the pipe guide 26 corresponds to the larger diameter of the collar 24, and the two parts thus transition seamlessly into one another.

[0078] Figure 5 shows a fifth embodiment of the implementation 10, which corresponds to the fourth embodiment of the Figure 4The fourth embodiment is similar. In contrast to the fourth embodiment, the diameter of the pipe guide 26 is smaller than the diameter of the collar 24. Furthermore, to improve the dielectric strength of the bushing 10, additional insulating material 36 is provided, which here is designed as two insulating discs. A first insulating disc covers a top surface of the fixing material 16 and an adjacent part of the top surface of the housing part 12. A second insulating disc covers a bottom surface of the fixing material 16 and an adjacent part of the bottom surface of the housing part 12. The insulating material 36 increases the creepage distance between the connection terminal arrangement 20 and the housing part 12, thus improving the dielectric strength of the bushing 10. Instead of insulating discs, the insulating material 36 could also be applied, for example, as an insulating coating.Furthermore, depending on the application, it may be sufficient to arrange the insulating material 36 only on one side, for example the top, of the passage 10.

[0079] Figure 6 Figure 1 shows a sixth embodiment of a feedthrough 10. The feedthrough 10 again has a housing part 12 with a through-opening 14, through which a connection terminal assembly 20 with a connection terminal 22 and a pipe guide 26 is passed. The connection terminal assembly 20 is held in the through-opening 14 by a fixing material 16 and seals it hermetically.

[0080] The connection terminal 22 has a collar 24 flush with a top surface having a threaded bore 23. A sleeve-shaped section of the connection terminal 22, serving as a flexible element 28, adjoins the underside of the collar 24, which faces the through-opening 14. In this example, the outer diameter of the sleeve-shaped section corresponds to the outer diameter of the collar 24, although the outer diameter can also be chosen to be smaller. Furthermore, in the Figure 6 In the illustrated embodiment, the outer diameter of the collar 24 is chosen to be larger than the inner diameter of the fixing material 16 and smaller than the inner diameter of the through-opening 14. Alternatively, the outer diameter of the collar 24 could also be chosen to be larger than the inner diameter of the through-opening 14.

[0081] The sleeve-shaped section serves as a flexible element 28 and is connected to a pipe guide 26 via a connection 30, which is, for example, a soldered connection. The pipe guide 26 comprises a sleeve section 27 that adjoins the fixing material 16. A first gap 32 exists between the sleeve section 27, which surrounds a cylindrical pin section of the connection terminal 22, and the connection terminal 22. In the Figure 6In the illustrated embodiment, the sleeve section 27 is extended upwards and widens at one end facing the collar 24 to form a connecting flange. The pipe guide 26 is connected to the flexible element 28 of the connection terminal 22 at the connecting flange. The pipe guide 26 is made of a second material which has a higher modulus of elasticity than the first material from which the connection terminal 22 is made. Accordingly, forces occurring during thermal expansion of the connection terminal 22 are absorbed by an elastic deformation of the flexible element 28 of the connection terminal 22. Advantageously, no force resulting from thermal expansion is transmitted via the pipe sleeve 26, and in particular its sleeve section 27, to the fixing material 16, or such transmission is at least reduced to a negligible level.

[0082] The sleeve-shaped section of the connection terminal 22, serving as a flexible element 28, encloses the cylindrical pin section of the connection terminal 22, wherein a longitudinal axis of the sleeve-shaped section is arranged concentrically to a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical pin section and a second gap 34 exists between an inner side of the sleeve-shaped section or the flexible element 28 formed by it and the cylindrical pin section.

[0083] Figure 7 shows a seventh embodiment of a feedthrough 10, in which, similar to the sixth embodiment, the Figure 6 a sleeve-shaped section of the connection terminal 22 is designed as a flexible element 28.

[0084] In contrast to the embodiment of the Figure 6The section of the connection terminal 22 serving as a flexible element 28 has a smaller outer diameter than the collar 24, and the collar 24 is similar to that in the embodiments of the Figures 4 and 5 The pipe guide 26 is designed in multiple stages. Furthermore, it does not have a section with an increased diameter serving as a connecting flange. In the illustrated example, the outer and inner diameters of the pipe guide 26 and the flexible element 28 are identical. Since the first material of the connection terminal 22, and thus of the integrally formed flexible element 28, has a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material of the pipe guide 26, forces arising from the thermal expansion of the connection terminal 22 are absorbed by elastic deformation of the flexible element 28, and the shape of the pipe guide 26 remains essentially unchanged.

[0085] In Figure 8Figure 200 is an example of a relay 200, which is designed, for example, as a high-performance relay for an electric vehicle. The relay 200 comprises a housing 100 with a housing part 12 designed as a cover. The housing part 12 includes two electrical feedthroughs 10 with connection terminals 22, to which a circuit to be switched by the relay 200 can be connected. For example, electrical connectors can be screwed to the connection terminals 22 for this purpose. In the Figure 8 The example shown is the implementation 10 as with reference to the Figure 6 The implementation described is designed as follows. However, other implementations described herein (10) can of course also be used.

[0086] Inside the housing 100, a contacting device 110 is arranged, which is configured to electrically connect the two terminals 22 in a first position, allowing current flow, and to electrically disconnect the two terminals 22 in a second position, preventing current flow. As shown in the illustration of the Figure 8 As shown, the connection terminals 22 can have a contact coating 40 on their end face facing the contacting device 110, which consists of a contact material. The contact material, for example silver or a silver-copper or silver-nickel alloy, is resistant to oxidation and reduces the electrical contact resistance between the respective connection terminal 22 and the contacting device 110.

[0087] To move the contacting device from one position to another, the following is required in the Figure 8In the illustrated embodiment, an actuator 120 is provided, which is designed as an electromagnetic actuator. For electrical contacting of the actuator 120, the housing 100 has further electrical feedthroughs, which are shown in the sectional view of the Figure 6 are not visible.

[0088] For example, the contacting device 110 can be moved into the first position by means of an electromagnet 122 of the actuator 120 when the electromagnet 122 is energized, so that an electric current can flow between the two connection terminals 22. When the energization of the electromagnet 122 is stopped, the contacting device 110 can be moved into the second position, for example by means of a spring 124, so that no further current flow is possible between the two connection terminals 22. To quickly extinguish any arc that may occur when the contacting device 110 is disconnected from the connection terminals 22, the interior of the housing 100 can be filled with a so-called extinguishing gas. Since the feedthroughs 10 according to the invention are hermetically sealed, the extinguishing gas cannot escape from the housing 100.

[0089] In the case of relay 200, it may be provided that, in addition to actuator 120, a further actuating device for moving the contacting device 110 is included. For example, a pyrotechnic device may be provided (in the Figure 8 (not shown), which, when an igniter is energized, triggers an explosive charge that then rapidly moves the contacting device 110 into the second position, in which the connection terminals 22 are electrically separated from each other. Reference symbol list

[0090] 10 Feedthrough 12 Housing part 14 Through opening 16 Fixing material 20 Connection terminal arrangement 22 Connection terminal 23 Threaded bore 24 Collar 26 Pipe guide 27 Sleeve section 28 Flexible element 30 Solder joint 32 First gap 34 Second gap 36 Insulation material 38 Sheet metal 39 Coating 40 Contact coating 100 Housing 110 Contacting device 120 Actuator 122 Electromagnet 124 Spring 200 relays

Claims

1. Bushing (10) with a connection terminal (22), in particular for a high-power relay (200), comprising a housing part (12) with a through-opening (14) and a connection terminal arrangement (20), which is fed through the through-opening (14) and is sealed from the through-opening (14) by a fixing material (16), wherein the connection terminal arrangement (20) comprises a connection terminal (22) made of a first material and a pipe lead (26) made of a second material, the pipe lead (26) enclosing at least a part of the connection terminal (22) and the fixing material (16) being arranged between an outer wall of a sleeve portion (27) of the pipe lead (26) and an inner wall of the through-opening (14) in order to seal the connection terminal arrangement (20), there being a first gap (32) between an inner wall of the sleeve portion (27) and the connection terminal (22), characterized in that the connection terminal arrangement (20) further comprises a flexible element (28) via which the pipe lead (26) is connected to the connection terminal (22), the flexible element (28) enclosing a pin portion of the connection terminal (22) and there being a second gap (34) between the pin portion of the connection terminal (22) and the flexible element (28), wherein i) the flexible element (28) is formed integrally with the pipe lead (26) as a portion of the pipe lead (26) having a reduced thickness, the pipe lead (26) being configured as a sheet-metal part and the thickness being increased in the sleeve portion (27) by single or multiple folding of the sheet-metal part in relation to the portion configured as a flexible element (28), or ii) the flexible element (28) is made from a third material, wherein the pipe lead (26) has a continuous or abrupt increase in diameter outside the through-opening (14) on a side facing towards the flexible element (28) and the pipe lead (26) is connected to the flexible element (28) in this region with an increased diameter, or iii) the flexible element (28) is formed integrally with the connection terminal (22) and is connected to the pipe lead (26).

2. Bushing (10) according to Claim 1, variant i) or ii), characterized in that the connection terminal (22) has a collar (24) and the flexible element (28) according to variant i) or ii) is connected to the latter on a side of the collar (24) facing towards the through-opening (14).

3. Bushing (10) according to Claim 1, variant iii), characterized in that the connection terminal (22) has a collar (24), wherein the portion of the connection terminal (22) forming the flexible element (28) starts on the side of the collar (24) facing towards the through-opening (14).

4. Bushing (10) according to Claim 1, variant i) or ii), characterized in that the connection terminal (22) has a collar (24) and the flexible element (28) according to variant i) or ii) is connected to the latter on a lateral face of the collar (24).

5. Bushing (10) according to one of Claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the collar (24) is arranged outside the through-opening (14).

6. Bushing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the connection terminal (22) has a threaded bore (23) on an outwardly facing side in order to fasten a connection line.

7. Bushing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the fixing material (16) and an adjacent portion of the housing part (12) are covered with an insulation material (36) on an upper side and / or on a lower side of the bushing (10), wherein the insulation material (36) is preferably configured as a disc of electrically insulating material or as a coating of an electrically insulating material.

8. Bushing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the bushing (10) is configured as a compression glass-to-metal seal in which a thermal expansion coefficient of the housing part (12) is higher than a thermal expansion coefficient of the fixing material (16).

9. Bushing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the first material has a lower electrical resistance than the second material and / or in that the first material has a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material and / or in that the third material according to variant ii) has a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material and preferably a lower modulus of elasticity than the first material.

10. Bushing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that an end side of the connection terminal (22) is coated with a contact material in order to reduce the contact resistance and / or to reduce sparking.

11. Bushing (10) according to Claim 1, variant i), wherein the sheet-metal part is a sheet-metal part coated on one side and the sheet-metal part is folded and arranged in such a way that a coated side of the sheet-metal part faces in the direction of a connection (30) to the flexible element (28) or to the connection terminal (22), and an uncoated side of the sheet-metal part faces in the direction of the fixing material (16).

12. Bushing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the first material is selected from a nonferrous metal such as copper or a copper alloy, in particular brass, aluminium or an aluminium alloy, and / or in that the second material is selected from a steel, in particular a ferritic steel, or a steel alloy, in particular a nickel-steel alloy or a chromium steel and / or in that the fixing material (16) is selected from a glass, a glass-ceramic or a ceramic, the glass preferably being selected from a borosilicate glass, a sodium-barium glass, an alkali glass, a silicate glass or a soda-lime glass.

13. Bushing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connection terminal arrangement (20) comprises a further flexible element which is connected to the pipe lead (26), the flexible element (28) and the further flexible element being connected on mutually opposite sides in relation to the through-opening (14) to the connection terminal (22) or, in an integral embodiment, merging into the latter.

14. Housing (100) comprising at least one bushing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 13.

15. Relay (200) comprising at least two bushings (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 13 or a housing according to Claim 14 and a contacting device (110) for establishing an electrical connection between the connection terminals (22) of the two bushings (10).

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