Shielded plug connector housing

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug connector housing (10), which is formed from an at least partially open-pore, electrically conductive housing body (1), through at least part of which a non-conductive plastic material (4) passes. The invention also relates to a plug connector that uses such a plug connector housing. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a plug connector, wherein an open-pore, metal housing body (1) is produced in a casting method or a sintering process, wherein the housing body (1) is inserted in an injection moulding tool, wherein in the injection moulding process the outside of the housing body (1) is encased with a plastic material (4) at least in some regions, wherein plastic material (4) also enters the open pores and the interior of the housing body (1).

Description

[0001] Title: Shielded connector housing

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention is based on a connector housing according to the preamble of independent claim 1. The invention further relates to a connector having such a connector housing according to claim 6 and to a method for producing a connector according to claim 7.

[0004] Connector housings, in particular, house the contact elements of connectors. They are used in a wide variety of applications and must therefore meet a wide range of requirements. The connector housing according to the invention is used in particular to electromagnetically shield the housing interior, thereby ensuring improved signal integrity of such a connector.

[0005] The quality of such electromagnetic shielding is typically determined by a transfer impedance measurement (also called coupling resistance). The lower the transfer impedance, the greater the shielding effectiveness of the connector housing.

[0006] State of the art

[0007] Connector housings with a homogeneous material composition are known from the state of the art. It is not uncommon for parts of the surface of the connector housing to be overmolded with a plastic material. However, this plastic part only performs haptic or sealing functions and is not an integral part of the connector housing. DE 202011 105 009 U1 shows a metallic connector housing, and DE 20 2010 002 396 U1 shows a plastic connector housing. Both materials (plastic and metal) have advantages and disadvantages. The housing materials are selected depending on the function and application of a connector.

[0008] From DE 10 2012 102 275 A1 a connector housing is known whose base body consists of metal, which is covered with a plastic material.

[0009] In this connector housing, the metal component forms a base of the connector housing, while the plastic component is added only for sealing reasons.

[0010] The German Patent and Trademark Office has searched the following prior art in the priority application for the present application: US 2019 / 0 146 169 A1 and US 4 713 277 A.

[0011] Task

[0012] The object of the invention is to provide a connector housing that is lightweight and simultaneously offers high EMC shielding. Furthermore, the connector housing should be cost-effective to manufacture.

[0013] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0014] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description.

[0015] The connector housing according to the invention comprises an at least partially open-pored, electrically conductive housing body. The housing body has, for example, the shape of a hollow cuboid or a hollow cylinder. An open plug-in side and an open cable outlet are already formed on the housing body.

[0016] Open porosity, as defined by the invention, exists when an outer opening and an inner opening in the wall of the housing body are connected via a cavity. Instead of a cavity, the connection between the two openings could also be referred to as a passage or tube.

[0017] Open porosity is achieved, for example, through the use of porous metals or metal foams. A solid metal housing body could also be provided with fine holes to achieve comparable properties. However, such a housing body would be too complex and therefore expensive to manufacture.

[0018] The pore distribution can be influenced or adjusted by the manufacturing process of the housing body. The manufacturing process for the connector housing is explained in more detail below. A suitable pore distribution can positively influence the electromagnetic shielding properties of the connector housing compared to a pore-free material of the same thickness. Likewise, a suitable pore distribution can achieve high surge protection.

[0019] The connector housing according to the invention is at least partially penetrated by a non-conductive plastic material. In this case, the pores are particularly permeated by liquid or viscous media, such as plasticized polymer.

[0020] Preferably, the housing body is encased in the plastic material on the outside. Additionally or alternatively, the housing body is encased in the plastic material on the inside. Encased means that the plastic material is flatly formed on the surface of the housing body and is held thereon and / or to it, or connected thereto. Due to its open porosity, the housing body can also be permeated with the plastic material.

[0021] On the outside, the plastic material forms the outer skin of the connector housing. The outer skin is sealed to prevent the ingress of foreign media, such as fluids and / or dust. The outer skin can also have grooves and / or notches in certain areas to improve the feel of the connector housing.

[0022] The housing body can be made of a conductive plastic. However, the housing body is preferably made of an open-pore metal foam.

[0023] As mentioned above, open porosity can be described by a large number of pores in the housing body, with several pores each having a cavity that has an opening on both the outside and inside of the housing body. The housing wall of the housing body thus has cavities through which material can flow from the outside to the inside and vice versa.

[0024] The aforementioned cavity or cavities of the housing body are filled with plastic material. To do this, the housing body is exposed to a polymer on the outside under a specific pressure, for example, in an injection molding process. The polymer penetrates into the cavities or cavities of the housing body and thus also reaches the interior of the housing body. It is also conceivable to use a die-casting process from the inside of the housing body. In this process, a polymer is subjected to pressure from the inside of the housing body, causing it to pass through these cavities to the outside.

[0025] A connector according to the invention consists of a connector housing as described above and an insulating body. The insulating body is fused to the plastic material of the connector housing, completely encased in this plastic material, or formed from this plastic material. In addition to the connector housing, all components required for the connector are inserted into an injection mold. This allows such a connector to be manufactured in a few steps.

[0026] The connector housing according to the invention is manufactured as follows: First, an open-pored, metallic housing body is produced in a casting process or a sintering process.

[0027] The resulting semi-finished product (housing body) is then inserted into an injection molding tool and coated on the outside with a plasticized polymer.

[0028] The polymer encloses the housing body, at least in part. The polymer also penetrates the open pores and through them into the interior of the housing body. The housing body is encased on the outside and penetrates through the open pores into the interior of the housing body. The polymer hardens and forms a plastic.

[0029] Preferably, the housing body and the contact elements arranged therein are inserted into the injection molding tool. Then, in the injection molding process described above, an insulating body can be formed that encompasses or encloses the electrical contact elements. The overmolding and insulating body are thus produced in a single injection cycle.

[0030] Using such a process, a connector, especially an electromagnetically shielded connector, can be manufactured very quickly, in just a few process steps. This is achieved by using an open-pore material that forms the base body. This material can be penetrated by liquid or viscous media such as plasticized plastics. The pore distribution of the material also ensures improved EMC shielding compared to corresponding non-porous materials.

[0031] Alternatively, an insulating body for contact elements can be inserted into the injection molding tool. The insulating body is then arranged within the housing body. During the injection molding process, the insulating body can be at least partially encased in the plastic material and / or fused to it. Contact elements are then preferably already arranged in the insulating body.

[0032] The contact elements mentioned above are preferably already electrically connected to the conductors of a multi-core cable. In this case, a fully assembled connector with a connected cable would be created after the injection molding process.

[0033] In this case, a suitable cable strain relief could also be directly injected onto the housing body and cable or cable sheath at a cable outlet during the injection molding process.

[0034] Example

[0035] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show:

[0036] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a base body of a connector housing according to the invention,

[0037] Fig. 2 a perspective view of the base body with a fixing sleeve arranged on the plug-in side,

[0038] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a connector equipped with a connector housing according to the invention,

[0039] Fig. 4 is a further perspective view of the connector equipped with a connector housing according to the invention and

[0040] Fig. 5 is a perspective sectional view of the connector housing according to the invention.

[0041] Some of the figures contain simplified, schematic representations. Identical reference symbols are used for similar, but possibly not identical, elements. Different views of the same 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.

[0042] Figure 1 shows an open-pored housing body 1 made of an electrically conductive material, in particular a metallic material. In the present patent application, "open-pored" means that the housing wall of the housing body has a cavity (also referred to as a tube or passage) that connects an opening on the outside of the housing body with an opening inside the housing body. The openings and the associated cavity must be designed such that a plastic liquefied for an injection molding process can pass through the cavity into the interior of the housing body via the external opening.

[0043] The housing body 1 is made of an electrically conductive material, such as a metal. For example, a foamed metal material can be used.

[0044] The housing body 1 is essentially shaped like a hollow cylinder that tapers in diameter toward the cable connection side. On the plug-in side, the housing body 1 has a circumferential groove 3.

[0045] In the embodiment shown here, a locking sleeve 2 is snapped onto the housing. The locking sleeve 2 can be retracted and retracted along the main axis of symmetry of the housing body 1, allowing a so-called push-pull locking mechanism with a mating connector (not shown). The locking sleeve 2 can also be designed as a so-called knurled screw and implement a corresponding screw connection with a mating connector or socket.

[0046] The housing body 1 is inserted into an injection mold (not shown). Thermoplastics are typically used in the injection molding process. Such plastics liquefy when heated and solidify again upon cooling. In this process, the housing body 1 is partially coated with a liquefied plastic. The non-conductive plastic material 4 also permeates the housing body 1.

[0047] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a connector housing according to the invention. In this illustration, the view is directed towards the cable connection side of the connector housing 10. The plastic material 4 here forms a plastic sheath 5, with which the housing body 1 is partially covered. The plastic sheath 5 thus essentially represents the connector housing sheath. Furthermore, the plastic material 4 forms a strain relief 6 for a connected cable (not shown) at the cable outlet. The cable is inserted into the injection mold and encompassed or enclosed by the plastic material. The cable sheath of the cable is briefly melted if necessary and fused with the injected plastic material 4.

[0048] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a connector 11 having a connector housing 10. The view in this illustration is directed toward the mating face of the connector 11. The connector 11 is equipped with an insulating body 8, in which the contact elements (not shown for illustrative reasons) are arranged. The contact elements are each electrically connected to individual electrical conductors (not shown) of a multi-core cable 7.

[0049] The insulating body 8 is fused to the plastic material 4 of the connector housing 10. During the injection molding process, the plastic material of the insulating body is slightly melted on the surface, allowing the plastic material 4 to form a so-called interlocking fusion bond. Alternatively, the insulating body 8 can simply be completely encased in the plastic material 4. In a further alternative variant, the insulating body 8 is formed from the plastic material 4.

[0050] Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a section of a connector housing 10. It can be seen that the open porosity of the connector housing 10 is formed by a plurality of pores 9 in the housing body 1. The pores 9 comprise a cavity (tube or passage) that has an opening on both the outside and inside of the housing body 1. This allows liquid plastic material, which acts on the outside of the housing body 1, to penetrate into the interior of the housing body 1 during the injection molding process described above. The connected cable 7 can be fused to the plastic material 4 or encased in it in a manner analogous to the insulating body.

[0051] List of reference symbols

[0052] Housing body

[0053] Locking sleeve

[0054] Circumferential groove

[0055] plastic material

[0056] Housing shell

[0057] Strain relief

[0058] Cable

[0059] Insulating body

[0060] pore

[0061] Connector housing

[0062] connectors

Claims

Claims: Connector housing (10) formed from an at least partially open-pored, electrically conductive housing body (1) which is at least partially penetrated by a non-conductive plastic material (4). Connector housing (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing body (1) is at least partially encased on the outside by the plastic material (4) and / or the housing body (1) is at least partially encased on the inside by the plastic material (4). Connector housing (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing body (1) is formed from an open-pored metal foam or a sintered material.A connector housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the open porosity is formed by a plurality of pores (9) in the housing body (1), wherein several pores (9) have a cavity that has an opening both on the outside and on the inside of the housing body (1). A connector housing (10) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the cavity is filled with plastic material (4). Connector (11) consisting of a connector housing (10) according to one of the preceding claims and an insulating body (8) which is fused to the plastic material (4) or completely encased by the plastic material (4) or formed from the plastic material (4). Method for manufacturing a connector (11) wherein an open-pore, metallic housing body (1) is inserted into an injection mold, wherein the housing body (1) is at least partially encased on the outside with a plastic material (4) during the injection molding process, wherein the plastic material (4) also enters the open pores and the interior of the housing body (1). Method for manufacturing a connector (11) characterized in that the housing body (1) is manufactured in a casting process or a sintering process.A method according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that contact elements are inserted into the injection mold, wherein the contact elements are arranged within the housing body (1), or that an insulating body for contact elements is inserted into the injection mold. A method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that an insulating body is formed in the injection molding process, which insulates the contact elements. electrical contact elements are included, or that the insulating body is made of plastic material during the injection molding process. (4) is at least partially encased and / or fused to it.

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