Sealing device and plug-in connector

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sealing device for sealing a cable passage through a plug-in connector housing (101), comprising a sealing element (3) and a retaining element (5). The sealing element (3) is tubular in shape to enclose the circumference of a cable (105) along a cable passage direction (K). The retaining element (5) is fixed to a first end region (9), oriented in the cable passage direction (K), of the sealing element (3). The retaining element (5) is made of a harder and / or more rigid material than the sealing element (3). The cross-sectional circumference (Q4) of the retaining element (5) is shaped for insertion with a form-complementary locking mechanism in the plug-in connector housing (101). The invention also relates to a plug-in connector (10) comprising said sealing device (1). Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Sealing device and plug-in connector

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing device for sealing a cable passage through a plug-in connector housing. The present invention also relates to a connector, comprising the sealing device.

[0002] It is known to attach a sealing element to an electric cable so that the passage of the electric cable through a plug-in connector housing is sealed against moisture or gases.

[0003] However, it may happen that the sealing element moves, crushes or twists due to mechanical stresses on the cable or on the plug-in connector housing, which may lead to a failure of the seal.

[0004] The aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a device for improving the sealing of a cable passage through a plug-in connector housing.

[0005] The object of the present invention is achieved by means of a sealing device for sealing a cable passage through a plug-in connector housing. The sealing device comprises a sealing element and a retaining element. The sealing element is tubular in shape to envelop the circumference of a cable along a cable passage direction. The retaining element is fixed to a first end region, oriented in the cable passage direction, of the sealing element. The retaining element is made of a harder and / or stiffer material than the sealing element and the cross-sectional circumference of the retaining element is shaped for insertion with positive locking into the plug-in connector housing.

[0006] The sealing device according to the present invention thus connects a sealing element to a harder and / or more rigid retaining element suitable for insertion into the plug-in connector housing. The fact that the cross-sectional circumference of the retaining element is shaped in such a way that it can be inserted with a form-fitting locking into the plug-in connector housing prevents twisting or crushing of the sealing device. The retaining element thus improves the protection of the arrangement of the sealing device.

[0007] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional circumference of the retaining element may have a non-circular, in particular elongated, shape. If the sealing device is arranged at a cable passing through a plug-in connector housing, twisting of the cable also causes twisting of the retaining element in the plug-in connector housing. Thus, a non-circular shape of the retaining element helps to counteract torsion of the sealing device better than with sealing elements that are circular to fit the cable circumference.

[0008] Preferably, the non-circular shape may be an oval shape or an elliptical shape or a shape in which two parallel parts, in particular identical ones, connect together two arcs, in particular semicircles, adjacent to the opposite ends of said parts. Said non-circular shapes have the advantage of being without edges or angles despite their elongated shape, thus achieving a more difficult torsion in a housing without angularity hindering their fit in a plug-in connector housing.

[0009] In one embodiment, the cross-sectional circumference of the first end region of the sealing element may correspond to the cross-sectional circumference of the retaining element. Since the cross-sectional circumferences correspond to each other, i.e., they have the same shape and dimension, the retaining element can be arranged on a cable in a plug-in connector housing in a space-saving manner and in a single movement with the sealing element.

[0010] In one embodiment, the sealing element may be made of silicone rubber, in particular self-adhesive and oil-exuding silicone rubber, preferably with a Shore value between 30 and 50, and the retaining element may be made of thermoplastic polyester, in particular polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), preferably with a glass fiber reinforcement. With these materials, the retaining element is sufficiently harder than the sealing element. At the same time, the materials can be compatible with each other and good sealing performance can be achieved with both materials.

[0011] In one embodiment, the retaining element can be fastened in a form-fitting manner to the first end region of the sealing element. A form-fitting fastening allows the retaining element and the sealing element to be manufactured separately and inexpensively and only to be joined together during assembly at the cable. Furthermore, a form-fitting fastening can be designed to be removable, so that the sealing element and the retaining element can be separated and replaced individually.

[0012] In one embodiment, the sealing element may have at least one protruding portion, the protruding portion(s) extending from the first end region in the cable passage direction and being formed for form-fitting locking with the retaining element. Since the protruding portion(s) extend(s) from the first end region in the cable passage direction, it(they) can be used for form-fitting locking with the retaining element without affecting the configuration of the cross-sectional circumference of the retaining element or the sealing element.

[0013] Preferably, the protruding portion(s) may be mushroom-shaped. Mushroom-shaped protruding portions enable a particularly stable form-fitting locking. Mushroom-shaped protruding portions are also edgeless and are therefore suitable for absorbing external forces without damage.

[0014] In one embodiment, the retaining element can be fixed to the sealing element with interlocking by material complementarity, in particular by injection molding, preferably by overmolding or co-injection molding or insert molding, also called Insert-Molding according to the English terminology. Thanks to such joint manufacturing, the fixing of the retaining element at the sealing element is particularly robust and there is no longer any step of assembling the retaining element at the sealing element.

[0015] The present invention also relates to a plug-in connector, comprising a plug-in connector housing, a cable passing through an orifice in the plug-in connector housing, and a sealing device according to any of the preceding embodiments. The inner cross-sectional circumference of an entry region of the orifice corresponds to the cross-sectional circumference of the retaining member, and the sealing device is arranged on the cable such that the retaining member is interlockingly fitted into the entry region and the sealing member seals the entry region.

[0016] In the connector according to the present invention, the cable passage of a cable through the plug-in connector housing is sealed using the sealing device. In particular, the plug-in connector is adapted to benefit from the advantages of the embodiments of the sealing device described above.

[0017] In one embodiment, the connector may include a cover for the entry region. The cover includes a cable passage structure for the cable. The cable passage structure has an inwardly directed projection formed such that assembly of the cover with the plug-in connector housing exerts pressure on the sealing device through contact of the projection with the protruding portion of the sealing member.

[0018] When a cover thus formed is assembled with the connector housing, the action of the assembly force of the cover and the plug-in connector housing can also be transferred from the projection to the projecting portion. This advantageously compresses the sealing element along the direction cable passage and increase the sealing performance. Said effect is further enhanced because the projecting part of the sealing element ensures form-fitting locking with the retaining element, and the action of the assembly force of the cover is then applied uniformly over the entire cross-section of the sealing element by the retaining element.

[0019] The present invention is explained in more detail below by way of example with the aid of advantageous configurations with reference to the figures. The advantageous developments or advantageous configurations shown as well as their characteristics are independent of one another and can be combined with one another in any manner as required.

[0020] [Fig.l] is a perspective representation of a sealing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] [Fig.2A] is a perspective representation of a pluggable connector according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] [Fig.2B] shows a side view of the plug-in connector of [Fig.2A].

[0023] [Fig.3A] shows a cross-sectional view of the plug-in connector according to the section AA of [Fig.2A], including the sealing device of [Fig.l].

[0024] [Fig.3B] shows another cross-sectional view along section BB of [Fig.3A].

[0025] [Fig.4A] is a perspective representation of alternative sealing devices according to second and third embodiments of the present invention.

[0026] [Fig.4B] is a perspective representation of alternative sealing devices according to second and third embodiments of the present invention.

[0027] Identical references in the figures refer to identical elements of the present invention.

[0028] [Fig. 1] shows a sealing device 1 according to a first configuration of the present invention. The sealing device 1 is suitable for sealing a cable passage through a plug-in connector housing. An embodiment of such a plug-in connector housing 101 will be described below, with reference to FIGS. 2A to 3B.

[0029] The sealing device 1 comprises a sealing element 3 and a retaining element 5. The sealing element 3 is in the form of a pipe. This creates an orifice 7 passing through the sealing element 3 along a central axis Z. This orifice 7 is suitable for receiving a cable and confining the circumference of the cable.

[0030] The tubular-shaped sealing element 3 has a first end region 9 and a second end region 11. The first end region 9 is oriented in a cable passage direction coaxial with the central axis Z. The second end region 11 is oriented in a direction opposite to the cable passage direction K.

[0031] Ribs are formed on the outer surface 13 of the sealing member 3. In the present embodiment, these are three ribs 15 surrounding the circumference. Inner ribs 19 may also be correspondingly formed on the inner surface 17 of the sealing member. The ribs 15, 19 increase the sealing performance in use due to an increased frictional force of the sealing device 1.

[0032] While the orifice 7 for the cable has a substantially circular cross-section Q1, the cross-sectional circumference Q2 of the sealing element 3, i.e. the outer circumference of the sealing element 3 in a plane orthogonal to the cable passage direction K, has a non-circular shape, in particular a shape in which two identical parallel portions connect together two adjacent semicircles at the opposite ends of the sections. In an alternative embodiment, the parallel portions may have different lengths and arc-shaped sections may be used instead of the semicircles.

[0033] The retaining element 5 is fixed to the first end region 9 of the sealing element 3 and has an opening, i.e., an inner circumference of circular cross-section Q3 as well as a circumference of cross-section Q4 corresponding to the non-circular shape described above and to the dimensions of the sealing element 3. This allows the fixed retaining element 5 to bear on the first end region 9 of the sealing element 3 in a conforming manner to the latter. Thus, the sealing device 1 is suitable for passing a cable along the cable passage direction K and for being arranged at the surface of said cable, and can seal a cable passage through a plug-in connector housing, for example the housing 101.

[0034] Since, in said embodiment, the cross-sectional circumference Q4 essentially coincides with the cross-sectional circumference Q2, the retaining element acts as an extension of the sealing element 3. The retaining element 5 is thus arranged at the sealing element 3 compactly with respect to the radial direction of the central axis Z and can be inserted in a single movement into a plug-in connector housing 101.

[0035] Advantageously, the cross-sectional circumference of the retaining element 5 is suitable for insertion with form-fitting locking into the plug-in connector housing to be sealed, for example the housing 101. In variants, the cross-sectional circumference Q4 of the retaining element 5 can therefore be differently elongated, in particular be oval or elliptical in shape. Since the cross-sectional circumference Q4 is not circular, crushing of the sealing element 3 by accidental twisting can be counteracted.

[0036] In the present embodiment, the retaining element 5 is fixed to the sealing element 3 by means of a form-fitting locking of two protruding parts 21 of the sealing element 3 in corresponding holes, masked in the figures by the protruding parts 21, of the retaining element 5. The protruding parts 21 extend from the first end region 9 of the sealing element 3 in the cable passage direction K and are arranged in pairs so as to have a central symmetry with respect to the cable passage direction K coaxial with the central axis Z.

[0037] The protruding parts 21 are here mushroom-shaped and elastic, so that they can be pushed through the holes by means of a predefined force, but risk accidental removal eliminating the fixation. The respective tips 23 of the protruding parts 31 are frustoconical.

[0038] The sealing element 3 is made of an impermeable and elastically flexible material, here a self-adhesive and oil-exuding silicone rubber with a Shore value between 30 and 50. The retaining element 5 is made of a harder and / or stiffer material than the sealing element 3, in the present embodiment of PBT with a glass fiber reinforcement, for example 30% glass fiber reinforcement. In other embodiments, the retaining element 5 may also be made of filler-free PBT.

[0039] Figures 2A and 2B show a plug-in connector 100, comprising a plug-in connector housing 101, a rear cover 103 for an entry region of the plug-in connector housing 101, and electrical cables 105 passing through the plug-in connector housing 101. In addition, the plug-in connector 100 comprises a connector locking element 107, in English Connector Position Assurance (CPA), for locking a mating of the plug-in connector 100 with a mating plug-in connector, as well as a terminal position assurance element 109, in English Terminal Position Assurance (TPA), for ensuring the position of the electrical connection terminals 111 provided at the cables 105, see [Fig. 3A].

[0040] In the present embodiment, the plug-in connector 100 comprises four electrical cables 105 which pass through four respective inlets 113 of the respective ports 115, see [Fig. 3A]. In other variants, the plug-in connector 100 may have fewer ports, for example one or two, or more ports, for example six or eight, for the electrical cables 105.

[0041] In particular, the plug-in connector 100 may also have a plurality of orifices intended for the passage of electrical cables, not all of the orifices being respectively occupied or used. In Figures 3A and 3B, the plug-in connector 100 is shown, a single electrical cable 105 being shown, for reasons of simplicity. Alternatively, the connector may comprise, according to the present invention, only a single electrical cable 105, and consequently, among the four, only one orifice 115 and a single inlet 113 leading to an orifice 115 are occupied.

[0042] [Fig. 3A] shows the plug-in connector 100 in cross-sectional view along the section plane AA shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, with the cable 105 passing through the opening 115 of the plug-in connector housing 101. In particular, a female electrical connection terminal 111, here comprising a conductor end sleeve 119 crimped onto an end region 117 of the electrical cable 105 and an outer contact sleeve 121, is recognizable in the view of [Fig. 3A]. [Fig. 3A] also shows the connection protection element 109 and a front seal 123 for sealing the mating of the plug-in connector 100 with a mating plug-in connector.

[0043] [Fig. 3B] shows the plug-in connector 100 in cross-sectional view along the section plane BB shown in [Fig. 3A]. In [Fig. 3B], as well as in [Fig. 3A], the sealing device 1 comprising the sealing element 3 and the retaining element 5 is shown.

[0044] The sealing device 1 is arranged between the cable 105 and the plug-in connector housing 101 in order to protect the opening 115 inside the plug-in connector 101 against moisture. For this purpose, the cable 105 is passed through the sealing device 1, so that the circumference of the cable 105 is surrounded by the sealing element 3 but the sealing device 1 can be moved up and down along the cable 105. The inner ribs 19 are located on the circumference of the cable 105.

[0045] At the same time, the sealing device 1 is arranged in an inlet region 123 of the plug-in connector housing 101. The retaining element 5 is inserted in a form-fitting manner into the inlet region 123 and the outer ribs 15 rest, sealing the inlet region 123, on the plug-in connector housing 101. Since the cross-sectional circumference Q4 of the retaining element 5 is shaped for form-fitting insertion into the plug-in connector housing 101, and the cross-sectional circumference Q4 of the retaining element 5 corresponds to the inner cross-sectional circumference Q5 of an inlet region 123 of the hole 115, a rotation of the retaining element 5 about the passage direction cable K is prevented. The fastening at the sealing element 3 also prevents the sealing element 3 from being crushed by rotation.

[0046] The cover 103 for the inlet region 123 also includes a cable passage structure 125, arranged at the hole 113, which helps guide the cable 105 through the hole 113. The cable passage structure 125 includes an inwardly facing projection 127, i.e., projecting into the hole 115 of the plug-in connector housing 101. [Fig. 3B] shows that the projection 127 is essentially arc-shaped along the inlet 113.

[0047] The projection 127 is formed so as to engage with the projecting portion 21. When assembling the cover 103 with the plug-in connector housing 101, the projection 127 encounters the projecting portion 21 projecting beyond the retaining member 5 in the cable passage direction K. Upon said encounter, pressure is exerted on the projecting portion 21 of the sealing member 3 at the contact point P.

[0048] The pressure brings the sealing element 3 in the inlet region 123 closer to an inner protruding portion 129 of the housing 101, and then compresses the sealing element 3 in the cable passage direction K, in order to improve the sealing performance of the ribs 15, 19 compared to a non-brought-together state of the sealing element 3. Due to the rigidity and / or hardness of the retaining element 5, the pressure can be distributed uniformly over the non-circular circumference of the sealing element 3.

[0049] The sealing device 1 and the plug-in connector 101 connect a sealing element 3 to a harder and / or more rigid retaining element 5 suitable for fitting into the plug-in connector housing 5. Since the cross-sectional circumference Q4 of the retaining element 5 is shaped so that it can be inserted with a form-fitting locking into the plug-in connector housing 101, twisting or crushing of the sealing device 1 can be prevented. The retaining element 5 thus protects the arrangement of the sealing device 1, which improves the cable passage through the plug-in connector housing 101.

[0050] Figures 4A and 4B respectively show variants of sealing devices 1', 1" different from each other according to second and third embodiments of the present invention. The sealing devices 1', 1" are also respectively individually suitable for sealing a cable passage through a plug-in connector housing. For example, the sealing devices 1', 1" are also suitable for sealing the passage of the cable 105 through one of the four holes 115 in the plug-in connector housing 101, instead of the sealing device 1, in one or more of the holes 115.

[0051] The sealing device 1' shown in [Fig.4A] differs from the sealing device 1 in that the projecting parts 21' are not mushroom-shaped, but in the form of an arc around the central axis Z. In addition, the tips 23' of the projecting parts 21' project outwards for a form-fitting locking engagement with the retaining element 5'.

[0052] The retaining element 5' has holes corresponding to the shape of the protruding parts 21' in order to accommodate the protruding parts 21. The holes are not visible in the figures. The holes are in particular made so as not only to pass through the retaining element 5' along the cable passage direction K, but also so as to present a passage 25' without interruption towards the central orifice 7' intended to accommodate the cable 105.

[0053] The sealing device 1', and in particular the protruding portions 21' and the passages 25', are configured so that the retaining element 5' can be easily applied and removed manually at the sealing element 3'.

[0054] The sealing device 1" shown in [Fig.4B] differs from the sealing devices 1 and 1', the retaining element 5" not being fixed to the sealing element 3" by positive locking but by positive locking. The retaining element 5" is fixed at the first end region 9" of the sealing element 3" by injection molding, in particular by overmolding or co-injection molding or insert molding. The fastening is therefore more robust than a fastening with positive locking and the sealing device 1" can be manufactured, transported and installed in one piece.

[0055] Numerical references 1, 1', 1“ Sealing device 3, 3', 3“ Sealing element 5, 5', 5“ Retaining element 7, 7' Orifice in the sealing element 9, 9“ First end region of the sealing element 11 Second end region of the sealing element 13 Outer surface of the sealing element 15 Sealing element rib 17 Inner surface of the sealing element 19 Inner rib of the sealing element 21, 21' Projecting part of the sealing element 23, 23' Tip of the projecting part 25' Passage of the hole 100 Plug-in connector 101 Plug-in connector housing 103 Cover for the plug-in connector housing 105 Electric cable 107 Connector locking element 109 Connection protection element 111 Electrical connection terminal 113 Orifice entrance 115 Hole in plug-in connector housing 117 Electric cable end region 119 Conductor end sleeve 121 Contact Module 123 Entry region of the hole in the plug-in connector housing 125 Cover cable passage structure 127 Projection directed towards the inside of the cable passage structure 129 Inner protruding part of the housing P Point of contact of the projection with the projecting part of the sealing element Z Central axis K Cable Passage Direction AA Sectional Plan BB Sectional Plan Q1 Inner circumference of the sealing element Q2 Outer circumference of the sealing element Q3 Inner circumference of the retaining element Q4 Outer circumference of the retaining element Q5 Inner circumference of the entrance region

Claims

Claims

1. A sealing device for sealing a cable passage through a plug-in connector housing (101), comprising a sealing element (3) and a retaining element (5), wherein the sealing element (3) is tubular in shape to envelop the circumference of a cable (105) along a cable passage direction (K), wherein the retaining element (5) is fixed to a first end region (9), oriented in the cable passage direction (K), of the sealing element (3), wherein the retaining element (5) is made of a harder and / or stiffer material than the sealing element (3), and wherein the cross-sectional circumference (Q4) of the retaining element (5) is shaped for insertion with positive locking into the plug-in connector housing (101).

2. A sealing device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional circumference (Q2) of the first end region (9) of the sealing member (3) corresponds to the cross-sectional circumference (Q4) of the retaining member (5).

3. Sealing device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cross-sectional circumference (Q4) of the retaining element (5) has a non-circular, in particular elongated, shape, preferably an oval shape or an elliptical shape, or a shape in which two parallel parts connect together two adjacent arcs at opposite ends of the parts.

4. A sealing device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sealing element (3) is made of a silicone rubber, in particular a self-adhesive and oil-exuding silicone rubber, preferably with a Shore value between 30 and 50, and the retaining element (5) is made of a thermoplastic polyester, in particular a polybutylene terephthalate, preferably with a glass fiber reinforcement.

5. A sealing device according to any preceding claim, wherein the retaining element (5) is secured in a form-fitting manner to the first end region (9) of the sealing element (3).

6. Sealing device according to claim 5, wherein the sealing element (3) has at least one protruding portion (21), wherein the protruding portion(s) (21) extend(s) from the first end region (9) in the cable passage direction (K), and the protruding portion(s) (21) is / are shaped to lock in a form-fitting manner with the retaining element (5), in particular wherein the protruding portion(s) (21) is / are mushroom-shaped.

7. A sealing device according to claim 6, wherein the sealing element (3) has an even number of protruding portions (21), the protruding portions (21) being arranged respectively in pairs respecting a central symmetry with respect to the cable passage direction (K).

8. Sealing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the retaining element (5) is fixed in a material-locking manner to the first end region (9) of the sealing element (3), in particular by injection molding, preferably by overmolding or co-injection molding or insert molding.

9. A plug-in connector, comprising a plug-in connector housing (101), a cable (105) passing through an opening (115) in the plug-in connector housing (101), and a sealing device (1, 1', 1") according to any preceding claim, wherein the inner cross-sectional circumference (Q5) of an inlet region (123) of the opening (115) corresponds to the cross-sectional circumference (Q4) of the retaining element (5), and wherein the sealing device (1, 1', 1") is arranged on the cable (105) such that the retaining element (5) is fitted in a form-fitting manner into the inlet region (123) and the sealing element (3) seals the inlet region (123).

10. A connector according to claim 9 in conjunction with claim 6, further comprising a cover (103) for the inlet region (123), wherein the cover (103) comprises a cable passage structure (125) for the cable (105), wherein the cable passage structure (125) has an inwardly directed projection (127) formed such that the assembly of the cover (103) with the plug-in connector housing (101) exerts pressure on the sealing device (1) via contact (P) of the projection (127) with the projecting part (21) of the sealing element (3).

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