VEHICLE ELECTRICAL CABLE CONNECTOR RIGID ENCLOSURE

Abstract

A rigid vehicle connector housing (22) arranged to hold electrical contacts (24) in place when connected to a connector counterpart, the rigid housing (22) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprising: - a first transverse face (28) including an opening (30) to receive the connector counterpart and, - a second axial face (32) closed around the longitudinal axis (X) including an outer surface (34) and an inner surface (36), a wall (38) separating the outer surface (34) and the inner surface (36), and at least one window (40) having a first side (41) facing the first face (28), characterized in that the rigid housing (22) further includes at least one recess (44) arranged between the first face (28) and the first side (41) of the window.

Description

DP-323461 Rigid Enclosure TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to the field of cable connectors and more particularly to a charging socket for electric vehicles. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electric vehicles must be regularly recharged using a charging socket connector powered by an electric charging station. This charging socket then allows the battery located in the vehicle to be charged. The cables are effectively secured and held at their ends by an electrical cable connector, also called a charging socket connector. The connector must comply with IEC 62196-1 §26 on mechanical impact resistance and Chapter §33 on connector rolling resistance, as well as IEC 62196-2 / Standard Sheet 2-II on connector shape. Some automotive manufacturers have tightened their impact resistance requirements by increasing the number of impacts (500 impacts) the connector must withstand. This initially necessitates a change of material to one with greater impact resistance. However, this modification is insufficient to meet the 500-impact resistance requirement demanded by some automotive manufacturers. The connector breaks at the housing of the female contact holder, also called the rigid casing or receptacle. The term "rigid casing" will be used hereafter. The object of the present invention is to provide a solution that overcomes these drawbacks.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to solve the problem of impact and crush resistance of the rigid housing. The invention consists of a rigid vehicle connector housing arranged to maintain electrical contacts in place when connected to a connector counterpart. The rigid housing extends along a longitudinal axis. The rigid housing comprises: - a first transverse face including an opening to receive the connector counterpart, and - a second (axial) face closed around the longitudinal axis including an outer surface and an inner surface, a partition separating the outer and inner surfaces, and at least one window having a first side facing the first face. The rigid housing further includes at least one recess arranged between the first face and the first side of the window.Furthermore, the first face comprises a first straight portion and a second semi-elliptical portion, the periphery of the opening being in contact with the second face. In a first embodiment, the axial recess 10 defines a substantially rectangular shape with four sides. In a second embodiment, the axial recess defines a substantially isosceles trapezoidal shape, two sides of which are not parallel to each other. The recess forms an angle between the longitudinal axis and each of the non-parallel sides. The axial recess may extend from the side of the window to the first face. In a third embodiment, the recess defines an angle between a transverse axis and each of the longitudinal sides of the recess. For all three embodiments, the second face may include at least one longitudinal boss arranged on the inner surface. The boss may be located between the window and the periphery of the opening.The boss can extend from the first side of the window to the periphery of the opening on the first face. In all three embodiments, the second face comprises four windows, and the second portion of the first face can have a radius of between 0.2 and 2 mm in the vicinity of each of the three windows. An electrical cable connector can include a housing, a stiffening sleeve for the contacts crimped onto the cable wires, a device for holding the contacts in position, and the rigid casing as described in the preceding embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features, objectives, and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description that follows, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting example, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic view of a rechargeable electric vehicle powered by a charging connector.3060875 3 - Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the charging port connector. - Figure 3 is a perspective view of a rigid enclosure according to the invention. - Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the recess according to the first embodiment. 5 - Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the recess according to the second embodiment. - Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the recess according to the third embodiment. - Figure 7 is a perspective view of the rigid enclosure. 10 DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS To facilitate and clarify the following description, the top-to-bottom orientation is chosen arbitrarily, and words and expressions such as "above, below, top, bottom..." may be used without any intention of limiting the invention.As schematically represented in Figure 1, an electric vehicle 10 may include a connector base 12 to which a connector 14, powered by an electric charging station 16, can be connected via a cable 18. The connector 14 then allows a battery located in the vehicle 10 to be charged. As shown in Figure 2, the connector 14 comprises a housing 19 having a first shell 20 and a second shell 21, a rigid casing 22, electrical contacts 24, and a stiffening sleeve 26. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the invention describes a first embodiment. The rigid casing 22 of the vehicle connector is arranged to hold the electrical contacts 24 (not shown) in place when connected to a corresponding connector (not shown). The rigid enclosure 22 protects the user from any contact with the electrical contacts 24 (not 30 shown) that it covers or encloses.The term rigid enclosure refers to any covering device, made of plastic, capable of suppressing or significantly limiting deformations of the electrical contacts it covers or encloses, which would be caused by mechanical or thermal stress from the external environment. The rigid enclosure 22 extends along a longitudinal axis X. The enclosure 22 comprises a first face 28 transverse to the longitudinal axis X, a second axial face 32 extending along the axis X, and a third transverse face 42 separated from the first face 28 by the second axial face 32. The first transverse face 28 includes an opening 30 to receive the connector counterpart (not shown). The opening 30 includes a periphery 43.As shown in Figure 4, the second axial face 32 comprises an outer surface 34 and an inner surface 36, a wall 38 separating the outer surface 34 and the inner surface 36, and at least one window 40 having a first side 41 facing the first face 28. As described in Figure 4, the first side 41 of the window is substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis X. As shown in Figure 4, the first side 41 has a midpoint (not shown) of the segment of length L41 that is closer to the periphery 43 of the opening 30 of the first face of the rigid casing 15 than to the midpoints (not shown) of the other sides 45, 47, 49 of the window 40. The term "close" will be used in the sense of "not far away," "nearby," as defined in the Larousse dictionary. In the representation of figure 3, the second face 32 comprises a straight portion 46 and a second semi-elliptical portion 48.The second face 32 20 comprises four windows 40, one window 40 arranged on the first straight portion 46 and three windows 40 arranged on the second semi-elliptical portion 48. The third transverse face 42 is separated from the first face 28 by the second axial face 32. In order to withstand the 500 impacts recommended by automobile manufacturers, the rigid casing 22 includes at least one axial recess 44 25 extending along the longitudinal axis X and arranged in a space between the first face 28 and the window 40. In Figure 3, the rigid casing 22 includes three recesses 44 (one not shown), each arranged near the three windows 40 of the second semi-elliptical portion 48 of the second face 32.As shown in Figure 3, the opening 30 comprises a first straight portion 30 62 in contact with the first portion 46 and a second semi-elliptical portion 64 in contact with the second portion 48 of the second face, the two portions 62,64 defining the periphery 43 of the opening 30 of the first face 28. In Figure 4, the recess 44 has a substantially rectangular shape. 3060875 5 As described in Figure 4, the recess 44 essentially defines a rectangle with four sides 52, 54, 56, 58 and a depth 60. As shown in Figure 4, the first side 41, whose midpoint (not shown) of the segment of length L41 is closer to the periphery 43 of the opening 30 of the rigid envelope 5 than to the midpoints (not shown) of the other sides 45, 47, 49 of the window 40. The term "close" will be used in the sense of "not far away," "nearby" as defined in the Larousse dictionary.The depth 60 has a constant value along the longitudinal sides 52 and 54. In a second embodiment illustrated in Figure 5, which differs from the first embodiment by the shape of the recess 44, the recess 44 is isosceles trapezoidal in shape. The non-parallel sides 52 and 54 define an angle A with the longitudinal axis X, ranging from 2 to 20 degrees. The depth 60 is measured along the transverse axis Y. The recess 44 near side 41 is at the same level as side 41 of the window, and the recess 44 is located below the position of the side near the periphery 43 of the opening 30. In a third embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the recess 44 differs from the first embodiment by an inclination of the recess 44 with respect to an axis Y transverse to the axis X. The recess 44 is substantially rectangular. Sides 52 and 54 define an angle B with the transverse axis Y. Angle B is between 2 and 20 degrees.As shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the second face 32 includes a boss 50 arranged in the recess 44 and on the same side as the outer surface 34 of the second face 32. The boss 50 further improves the impact resistance of the rigid casing 22. The boss 50 25 extends longitudinally between the window 40 arranged opposite the straight portion 46 (not shown) and the periphery 43 of the first face 28. The boss 50 can be present with the recess 44 of the rigid casing in all three embodiments. In alternatives to each of the three embodiments, the recess 44 does not have a boss 50. 30 The production of the rigid envelope 22 can be done by plastic injection of thermoplastic material, such as polyamide 66 with 30 percent glass fibers or polyamide 66 with 33 percent glass fibers and with elastomer-based additives.3060875 6 The assembly of the connector 14 is now described. As shown in Figure 3, the two shells 20, 21 are fixed to each other, for example by screws, the rigid casing 22 and the sleeve 26 are held, by a set of grooves and ribs, in the housing 19 which is then closed.LIST OF REFERENCES USED 10 vehicle 12 connector base 14 connector 16 electric charging station 18 cable 19 housing 20 first shell 21 second shell 22 casing 24 electrical contact 26 sleeve 28 first face 30 opening 32 second face 34 outer surface 36 inner surface 38 window wall 41 first side of the window 42 third face 44 recess 43 periphery of the first face second side of the window 46 First straight portion 47 third side of the window 48 semi-circular portion of the second face 49 fourth side of the window boss 52 side of the recess 54 side of the recess 56 side of the recess 58 side of the recess 60 depth 62 first portion 64 second portion 3060875 7 X longitudinal axis Y transverse axis L41 length of one side.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Rigid vehicle connector housing (22) arranged to hold electrical contacts (24) in place when connected to a connector counterpart, the rigid housing (22) extending along a longitudinal axis (X) and comprising: - a first transverse face (28) comprising an opening (30) to receive the connector counterpart and, -a second axial face (32) closed around the longitudinal axis (X) comprising an outer surface (34) and an inner surface (36), a wall (38) separating the outer surface (34) and the inner surface (36), and at least one window (40) having a first side (41) facing the first face (28), ✓ characterized in that the rigid envelope (22) further comprises at least one recess (44) arranged between the first face (28) and the first side (41) of the window, the axial recess (44) defining a substantially isosceles trapezoidal shape of which sides (52,54) are not parallel to each other and the recess (44) making an angle between the longitudinal axis (X) and each of the non-parallel sides (52, 54).

2. Rigid envelope (22) according to the preceding claim, in which the opening (30) comprises a first straight portion (46) and a second semi-elliptical portion (48) whose periphery (43) of the opening is in contact with the second face (32).

3. Rigid enclosure (22) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the axial recess (44) defines a substantially rectangular shape.

4. Rigid enclosure (22) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the axial recess (44) extends from a first side (41) of the window to the first face (28).

5. Rigid casing (22) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the recess (44) defines an angle between a transverse axis (Y) and each of the sides (52,54) of the recess.

6. Rigid enclosure (22) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the second face (32) comprises at least one longitudinal boss (50) arranged on the inner surface (34), the boss being located between the window (40) and the periphery (43) of the opening (30).

7. Rigid casing (22) according to claim 6, in which the boss (50) extends from the first side (41) of the window to the periphery (43) of the opening (30).

8. Rigid envelope (22) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the second face (32) comprises four windows (40) and the second portion (48) of the first face has a radius between 0.2 and 2 mm in the vicinity of each of the three windows (40).

9. Electrical cable connector (14) comprising a housing (19), a sleeve (26) and the rigid sheath (22) according to any one of the preceding claims.