PLUG-IN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPATIBLE WITH HIGH FREQUENCY SIGNAL

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical connector (1) for cooperating with a housing (110) of a circuit, comprising a handling body (2) with shoulders (21) for its insertion under pressure into a housing (110), a pin (4) with a foot (7) and an elastically deformable zone (6) pluggable into a housing (110), the body (2) comprising at least one recess (8) delimiting with the external contour (22) of the body (2) arms (9) of minimum section greater than or equal to that of a constriction (5) located between the body (2) and the pin (4), to ensure resistance to buckling, and less than 6 times the product of the thickness of the body (2) and the skin thickness corresponding to the highest frequency of the current intended to pass through the electrical connector (1), to minimize disturbances during transmissions of high-frequency signals. Abstract figure: Fig. 5

Description

Title of the invention: PLUG-IN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR COMPATIBLE WITH A HIGH FREQUENCY SIGNAL

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical connector for an automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit, said automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit comprising at least one female housing arranged for receiving said electrical connector, which electrical connector comprises, in a longitudinal direction and extending on either side of a handling body comprising support shoulders for its insertion under pressure into said female housing, a head for fixing a member to be connected to said automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit, and a pin, which pin comprises, between its ends formed by on the one hand a constriction adjoining said body and on the other hand a foot pluggable into said female housing, an elastically deformable zone arranged to, in a compressed position when it is inserted into a said female housing, hold said electrical connector in said female housing.

[0002] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one automotive electrical and / or electronic circuit comprising at least one female housing, and comprising at least one such electrical connector.

[0003] The invention also relates to a method for producing such an electrical connector.

[0004] Plug-in electrical connectors, also called "press-fit pins", are known from the prior art, comprising a compressible part for its cooperation with a female housing in which such a connector is inserted in its service position.

[0005] Signal alterations are observed, particularly during high frequency transmission, and the losses observed can be dangerous for the components controlled by electrical circuits in which such standard connectors are plugged. When such an electrical or / and electronic circuit controls components of a vehicle or machine, the signal must be transmitted without distortion or alteration, to guarantee the safety of the installation concerned.

[0006] Currently, the solution in such cases of high-frequency transmission is to use soldered connectors, not plug-in connectors. This complicates development and requires additional control operations, particularly at the soldering point.

[0007] The objective of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a new design of plug-in connector, guaranteeing, on the one hand, its good mechanical resistance to buckling to prevent any damage when inserted into a female electrical or / and electronic circuit housing, and on the other hand correct transmission of the signal at certain frequency levels without alteration or loss due mainly to a harmful skin effect.

[0008] To achieve this objective, the invention proposes an electrical connector for an automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit, said automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit comprising at least one female housing arranged for receiving said electrical connector, which electrical connector comprises, in a longitudinal direction and extending on either side of a handling body comprising support shoulders for its insertion under pressure into said female housing, a head for fixing a member to be connected to said automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit, and a pin, which pin comprises, between its ends formed by on the one hand a constriction adjoining said body and on the other hand a foot pluggable into said female housing, a deformable zone capable of returning to its shape after having ceased to exert a force arranged for, in a compressed position when it is inserted into a said female housing,maintain said electrical connector in said female housing and ensure contact and electrical continuity.

[0009] According to the invention, said body comprises at least one recess delimiting with the external contour of said body arms whose minimum section measured in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction is greater than or equal to the section of said necking to ensure resistance to buckling when pressure is exerted on said shoulders during insertion of said electrical connector into said female housing, and said minimum section measured in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction is less than or equal to 6 times the product of the local thickness of said body and the skin thickness corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector, to minimize the disturbances caused by the skin effect during transmissions of high-frequency signals.

[0010] Thanks to the invention, good mechanical resistance to buckling of this connector is ensured, and correct transmission of the signal is ensured at certain frequency levels for which the recesses have been calculated.

[0011] Advantageously, said body comprises several said recesses separated by tabs of material, and the minimum section of each said tab of material formed between two neighboring recesses is greater than or equal to the section of said constriction, and the minimum section of each said tab of material is less than or equal to 6 times the product of the local thickness of said body and the skin thickness corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector.

[0012] Thus the body of the connector is subdivided so as to reduce the number of areas of large section where a harmful skin effect could exist.

[0013] Advantageously, the minimum section of said arms, measured in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction, is greater than or equal to the product of a first coefficient by the section of said constriction, said first coefficient being greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than or equal to 2.0, and is less than or equal to the product of a second coefficient by the product of the local thickness of said body and the skin thickness corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector, said second coefficient being greater than or equal to 2.0 and less than or equal to 6.0.

[0014] It is thus possible to refine the reduction of the sections at the edge of the connector body.

[0015] Advantageously, the minimum section of each said tab of material is greater than or equal to the product of said first coefficient by the section of said constriction, and is less than or equal to the product of said second coefficient by the product of the local thickness of said body and the skin thickness corresponding to the highest frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector.

[0016] It is thus possible to refine the reduction of the sections within the body of the connector.

[0017] Advantageously, said body is flat and of constant thickness.

[0018] Thus the production of the body is easy by stamping or similar.

[0019] Advantageously, said electrical connector, with the exception of said foot, is flat and of constant thickness.

[0020] Thus its production is easy by stamping or similar.

[0021] Advantageously, said electrical connector is a single-piece.

[0022] Any internal connection problem is thus eliminated.

[0023] Advantageously, at least said body is coated with indium or tin or silver, to reduce the skin effect.

[0024] This minimizes the skin effect, which is responsible for the disturbances.

[0025] Advantageously, each said recess has a length, measured along said longitudinal direction, which is greater than or equal to its width measured along a transverse direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction.

[0026] This arrangement is better for buckling behavior.

[0027] Advantageously, at least one of said recesses is oval or oblong.

[0028] This arrangement can make it possible to reduce the number of recesses.

[0029] Advantageously, each said recess is oval or oblong.

[0030] It is thus possible to create arms or tabs of material with a fairly regular section.

[0031] Advantageously, said body is symmetrical with respect to a body plane passing through said shoulders and parallel to said longitudinal direction, and said electrical connector is entirely symmetrical with respect to an orthogonal plane of symmetry said body plane and parallel to said longitudinal direction.

[0032] Thus the division of the signal trajectory is entirely symmetrical, without disturbance associated with different paths.

[0033] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle, comprising at least one automotive electrical and / or electronic circuit comprising at least one female housing, and comprising at least one such electrical connector, where at least said female housing is arranged for receiving said electrical connector.

[0034] This ensures the safety of signal transmission, even at high frequency, and therefore the operational safety of this motor vehicle.

[0035] The invention also relates to a method for producing such an electrical connector, according to which the material of said electrical connector, its magnetic permeability, its electrical conductivity, the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector are defined, said corresponding skin thickness is calculated, a range of impedance values ​​of said electrical connector is defined, an admissible disturbance threshold of the signal intended to pass through said electrical connector is defined, a range of thickness values ​​of said body of said electrical connector is defined, simulations of the signals intended to pass through said electrical connector are carried out at frequencies lower than or equal to said maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector,the shapes and output values ​​of said signals are processed to determine the shape and number of said recesses and the values ​​of said first coefficient and said second coefficient.

[0036] Thus, it is possible to simulate the application of different frequency ranges for different types of connectors, to ensure good resistance both to buckling and to signal transmission.

[0037] Advantageously, the thickness of said body, and the real part of the impedance of said electrical connector, and the values ​​of said first coefficient and said second coefficient are imposed.

[0038] This simplifies the simulations.

[0039] The invention will be further detailed by the description of non-limiting embodiments, and on the basis of the appended figures illustrating variants of the invention, in which: - [Fig.l] schematically illustrates in plan view an electrical connector according to the invention, extending in a longitudinal direction, and comprising, from the top to the bottom of the figure, a head for fixing a member to be connected to a said circuit, a handling body comprising support shoulders for its insertion under pressure into a housing, and a pin which comprises a constriction adjoining the body, an elastically deformable zone, and a plug-in foot; the body has two circular recesses arranged transversely and which each define an arm with the external contour of the body, and which define between them a tab of material forming an isthmus; - [Fig.2] illustrates schematically and in a similar way to [Fig.l] another electrical connector according to the invention, comprising two circular recesses arranged longitudinally; - [Fig.3] illustrates schematically and in a manner similar to [Fig.l] another electrical connector according to the invention, comprising two recesses, the upper one being oblong in the longitudinal direction, the lower one being circular, and arranged longitudinally; - [Fig.4] illustrates schematically and in perspective another connector electrical connector according to the invention, comprising two oblong recesses in the longitudinal direction, arranged longitudinally; the connector is flat and symmetrical, on the one hand with respect to a body plane, on the other hand with respect to a plane of symmetry perpendicular to the previous one and crossing it in the longitudinal direction; - [Fig.5] schematically illustrates and cross-sections according to the body plane, another electrical connector according to the invention, in a position plugged into a female housing of an electrical circuit; its fixing head is connected to a cable of a data bus, its elastically deformable zone is compressed in cooperation with a bore of the female housing, its foot cooperates with another element of the female housing or of the electrical circuit; this connector comprises three oblong recesses in the longitudinal direction, two arranged transversely in symmetry, and the third arranged longitudinally in alignment with the axis of the two previous ones; - [Fig.6] schematically illustrates a motor vehicle, comprising an automotive electrical and / or electronic circuit comprising at least one female housing, and comprising such electrical connectors connected by a bus to a transmitting or receiving unit.

[0040] The invention relates to a new design of the pressfit pin to ensure its compatibility with the high frequency signal.

[0041] It applies in particular to any electronic device with high frequency signals and connectors.

[0042] Pressfit type connections are currently widely used for connectors for standard signals (<100 Mbit / s).

[0043] However, the design of pressfit pins disrupts the integrity of high frequency signals (i.e. 100 Mbit / s Ethernet).

[0044] The invention aims to reduce disturbances on the transmitted signals in order to meet the requirements of data transmission standards, and to ensure the safety of the equipment and installations controlled by the electrical and electronic circuits processing these signals.

[0045] Different variants of connectors according to the invention are illustrated schematically in [Fig.l], [Fig.2], [Fig.3], [Fig.4], [Fig.5].

[0046] Each of these electrical connectors 1 is provided for connection with an automotive electrical and / or electronic circuit 100, comprising at least one female housing 110 arranged for receiving such an electrical connector 1.

[0047] This electrical connector 1 comprises, in a longitudinal direction D, and extending on either side of a handling body 2 comprising support shoulders 21 for its insertion under pressure into a female housing 110, a head 3 for fixing a member to be connected 31 to an automotive electrical and / or electronic circuit 100, and a pin 4. This pin 4 comprises, between its ends formed by on the one hand a constriction 5 adjoining the body 2 and on the other hand a foot 7 pluggable into a female housing 110, an elastically deformable zone 6, that is to say capable of returning to its initial shape after having ceased to exert a force. This area capable of returning to its initial shape after having ceased to exert a force 6 is shown in its free position in [Fig.l] to [Fig.4], and it is arranged for, in a compressed position when it is inserted into a female housing 110 as visible in [Fig.5], hold the electrical connector 1 in this female housing 110. .

[0048] According to the invention, the body 2 comprises at least one recess 8, which delimits arms 9 with the external contour 22 of the body 2. The minimum section of these arms 9, measured in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D is, on the one hand, greater than or equal to the section of the necking 5 to ensure resistance to buckling when pressure is exerted on the shoulders 21 during insertion of the electrical connector 1 into a female housing 110, and on the other hand is less than or equal to 6 times the product of the local thickness of the body 2 and the skin thickness δ corresponding to the highest frequency of the current intended to pass through the electrical connector 1, to minimize the disturbances caused by the skin effect during transmissions of high-frequency signals.

[0049] The skin thickness ô depends on the material of the electrical connector 1, its magnetic permeability q, its electrical conductivity o, and the maximum frequency f of the current intended to pass through this electrical connector 1, according to the formula: o * q * f * ji = 1 / ô2.

[0050] For example, for a copper conductor transmitting a signal at 100 kHz, the skin thickness δ is 0.21 mm.

[0051] More particularly, the body 2 comprises several recesses 8 separated by tabs of material 28 forming isthmuses, and the minimum section of each tab of material 28 formed between two neighboring recesses 8 is greater than or equal to the section of the constriction 5, and is less than or equal to 6 times the product of the local thickness of the body 2 and the skin thickness ô corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through the electrical connector 1.

[0052] More particularly, the minimum section of the arms 9, measured in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D, is greater than or equal to the product of a first coefficient kl by the section of the constriction 5, this first coefficient kl being between 1.0 and 2.0 terminals inclusive, and the minimum section of the arms 9, measured in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D, is less than or equal to the product of a second coefficient k2 by the product of the local thickness of the body 2 and the skin thickness ô corresponding to the highest frequency of the current intended to pass through the electrical connector 1, this second coefficient k2 being between 2.0 and 6.0 terminals inclusive.

[0053] More particularly, the minimum section of each material tab 28 is greater than or equal to the product of the first coefficient k1 by the section of the constriction 5, and the minimum section of each material tab 28 is less than or equal to the product of the second coefficient k2 by the product of the local thickness of the body 2 and the skin thickness ô corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through the electrical connector 1.

[0054] More particularly, the body 2 is flat and of constant thickness.

[0055] More particularly, the electrical connector 1, with the exception of the foot 7, is flat and of constant thickness. More particularly still, the connector 1 is entirely flat.

[0056] More particularly, the electrical connector 1 is a single-piece.

[0057] More particularly, at least the body 2 is coated with indium, or tin, or silver, or any suitable metal or alloy, to reduce the skin effect. More particularly still, the connector 1 is entirely coated with indium, or tin, or silver, or any such suitable metal or alloy.

[0058] More particularly, each recess 8 has a length, measured in the longitudinal direction D, which is greater than or equal to its width measured in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D.

[0059] More particularly, at least one of the recesses 8 is oval or oblong.

[0060] More particularly, each recess 8 is oval or oblong.

[0061] More particularly, the body 2 is symmetrical with respect to a body plane PT passing through the shoulders 21 and parallel to the longitudinal direction D; and the electrical connector 1 is entirely symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry PS orthogonal to the body plane PT and parallel to the longitudinal direction D.

[0062] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle 200, comprising at least one automotive electrical and / or electronic circuit 100 comprising at least one female housing 110, and comprising at least one such electrical connector 1, and where at least one female housing 110 is arranged for receiving an electrical connector 1. As visible in [Fig.6], the electrical connectors 1 are connected by cables 31 of a bus 310 to a transmitter or receiver member 300, which the vehicle 200 comprises.

[0063] The invention also relates to a method for producing such an electrical connector 1, according to which the material of the electrical connector 1 is defined, its magnetic permeability q, its electrical conductivity o, the maximum frequency f of the current intended to pass through the electrical connector 1, the corresponding skin thickness ô is calculated, in that a range of impedance values ​​of the electrical connector 1 is defined, an admissible disturbance threshold of the signal intended to pass through the electrical connector 1 is defined, a range of thickness values ​​of the body 2 of the electrical connector 1 is defined, and simulations of the signals intended to pass through the electrical connector 1 are carried out at frequencies lower than or equal to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through the electrical connector 1,the shapes and output values ​​of the signals are processed to determine the shape and number of the recesses 8 and the values ​​of the first coefficient kl and the second coefficient k2.

[0064] More particularly, the thickness of the body 2, and the real part of the impedance of the electrical connector 1, and the values ​​of the first coefficient kl and of the second coefficient k2 are imposed.

[0065] In summary, the invention makes it possible to have a pluggable electrical connector compatible with a high frequency signal, and the invention provides significant advantages.

[0066] The specific design of the connector according to the invention aims to define a suitable geometry, in the vicinity of the shoulders used to push the connector into a female housing of an electrical and / or electronic circuit, to avoid any change in impedance along the connector.

[0067] To ensure the stability of signal transmission, and in particular to avoid harmful skin effects which lead to signal alteration, the invention proposes to produce one or more recesses in the connector, each recess being designed and adjusted using signal integrity simulations according to the targeted frequency.

[0068] The use of high frequency signal is novel in automotive applications. The invention allows the use of pressfit connectors for high frequency signal instead of a soldered connector.

[0069] The invention relates to all electronic devices with high frequency signals on the connector.

[0070] The specific design is easy to implement in an operation stamping for the manufacture of pressfit connectors, since it is sufficient to add, at the appropriate locations, classic stamping shaping tools, to stamp circular, oblong, oval, or other recesses.

[0071] Simulations to compare signal integrity with the design allow the number and position of recesses to be calculated for each signal configuration to be transmitted by the connector.

Claims

Claims

1. Electrical connector (1) for an automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit (100), said automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit (100) comprising at least one female housing (110) arranged for receiving said electrical connector (1), which electrical connector (1) comprises, in a longitudinal direction (D) and extending on either side of a handling body (2) comprising support shoulders (21) for its insertion under pressure into said female housing (110), a head (3) for fixing a member to be connected to said automotive electrical or / and electronic circuit (100), and a pin (4), which pin (4) comprises, between its ends formed by on the one hand a constriction (5) adjoining said body (2) and on the other hand a foot (7) pluggable into said female housing (110), a deformable zone capable of returning to its initial shape after having ceased to exert a force (6) arranged for,in a compressed position when inserted into a said female housing (110), maintaining said electrical connector (1) in said female housing (110) and ensuring contact and electrical continuity, characterized in that said body (2) comprises at least one recess (8) delimiting with the external contour (22) of said body (2) arms (9) whose minimum section measured in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction (D) is greater than or equal to the section of said constriction (5) to ensure resistance to buckling when pressure is exerted on said shoulders (21) when inserting said electrical connector (1) into said female housing (110),and said minimum section measured in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction (D) is less than or equal to 6 times the product of the local thickness of said body (2) and the skin thickness corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector (1), to minimize the disturbances caused by the skin effect during transmissions of high frequency signals.,

2. Electrical connector (1) according to claim 1 characterized in that said body (2) comprises several said recesses (8) separated by tabs of material (28), and in that the minimum section of each said tab of material (28) formed between two neighboring recesses (8) is greater than or equal to the section of said constriction (5), and the minimum section of each said tab of material (28) is less than or equal to 6 times the product of the local thickness of said body (2) and the skin thickness corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector (1).

3. Electrical connector (1) according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the minimum section of said arms (9), measured in a plane perpendicular to said longitudinal direction (D) is greater than or equal to the product of a first coefficient kl by the section of said constriction (5), said first coefficient kl greater than or equal to 1.0 and less than or equal to 2.0, and is less than or equal to the product of a second coefficient k2 by the product of the local thickness of said body (2) and the skin thickness corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector (1), said second coefficient k2 being greater than or equal to 2.0 and less than or equal to 6.

0.

4. Electrical connector (1) according to claim 3 characterized in that the minimum section of each said tab of material (28) is greater than or equal to the product of said first coefficient kl by the section of said constriction (5), and is less than or equal to the product of said second coefficient k2 by the product of the local thickness of said body (2) and the skin thickness corresponding to the maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector (1).

5. Electrical connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that said body (2) is flat and of constant thickness.

6. Electrical connector (1) according to claim 5 characterized in that said electrical connector (1), with the exception of said foot (7), is flat and of constant thickness.

7. Electrical connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterized in that said electrical connector (1) is in one piece.

8. Electrical connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that at least said body (2) is coated with indium or tin or silver to reduce the skin effect.

9. Electrical connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that each said recess (8) has a length, measured in said longitudinal direction (D), which is greater than or equal to its width measured in a transverse direction perpendicular to said longitudinal direction (D).

10. Electrical connector (1) according to claim 9 characterized in that at least one of said recesses (8) is oval or oblong.

11. Electrical connector (1) according to claim 10 characterized in that each said recess (8) is oval or oblong.

12. Electrical connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 characterized in that said body (2) is symmetrical with respect to a body plane (PT) passing through said shoulders (21) and parallel to said longitudinal direction (D), and in that said electrical connector (1) is entirely symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry (PS) orthogonal to said body plane (PT) and parallel to said longitudinal direction (D).

13. Motor vehicle (200), comprising at least one automotive electrical and / or electronic circuit (100) comprising at least one female housing (110), and comprising at least one electrical connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 characterized in that at least said female housing (110) is arranged for receiving said electrical connector (1).

14. Method for producing an electrical connector (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 12 characterized in that the material of said electrical connector (1) is defined, its magnetic permeability p, its electrical conductivity o, the maximum frequency f of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector (1), in that said corresponding skin thickness ô is calculated, in that a range of impedance values ​​of said electrical connector (1) is defined, in that an admissible disturbance threshold of the signal intended to pass through said electrical connector (1) is defined, in that a range of thickness values ​​of said body (2) of said electrical connector (1) is defined, in that simulations of the signals intended to pass through said electrical connector (1) are carried out at frequencies lower than or equal to said maximum frequency of the current intended to pass through said electrical connector (1),in that the shapes and output values ​​of said signals are processed to determine the shape and number of said recesses (8) and the values ​​of said first coefficient kl and said second coefficient,

15. KZ. Method for producing an electrical connector (1) according to claim 14 characterized in that the thickness of said body (2) and the real part of the impedance of said electrical connector (1) are imposed, and the values ​​of said first coefficient kl and of said second coefficient k2.

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