REAR STRESS RELEASE FITTING FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

Abstract

The invention relates to a rear harness connector (15) (11) intended to be mechanically connected to a connector (10) comprising: - a fixed body (23) having a front end (23.1) and a rear end (23.2), - a swivel nut (24) rotatably mounted on the front end of the fixed body (23), said swivel nut (24) being intended to provide a removable mechanical connection between said rear connector (15) and the connector (10), and - a movable body (27) having a front end (27.1) and a rear end (27.2), the front end (27.1) of the movable body (27) being rotatably mounted relative to the rear end (23.2) of the fixed body (23), the rear end (27.2) of the movable body (27) having on its outer periphery a connection area (28) with an electrical and / or mechanical protective sheath (17). Figure for abbreviation: Figure 5

Description

Title of the invention: STRESS-RELIEVING REAR FITTING FOR AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

[0001] The present invention relates to a strain-relieving rear fitting for an electrical connector. The invention finds application in the field of transportation (land, aeronautical, space, nautical), construction (buildings and public works - BTP), or medicine for the transmission of electrical power between two electrical devices.

[0002] As is known per se, the function of transmitting electrical power between electrical equipment is ensured by electrical harnesses. An electrical harness comprises at least one electrical cable that may contain one or more electrical conductors, as well as connectors arranged at the ends of the cable(s) to establish electrical connections with one or more electrical devices. Several branches may compose a harness. The harness may optionally include an electrical and / or mechanical protective sheath that may take the form of a textile or metallic braid. The harness is said to be "shielded" when the sheath is conductive and provides protection against electromagnetic interference (called EMI protection), as is the case, for example, with a metallic braid.

[0003] Figure 1 shows a connection between a movable part, called a plug, 10 of an electrical connector of a harness 11 and a fixed part, called a socket 12 of an electrical connector associated with electrical equipment 13. In this case, the plug 10 is screwed onto the socket 12. In the remainder of this document, the term "connector" refers interchangeably to the fixed part, i.e., the plug, or the movable part, i.e., the socket. The body of the socket 12 is electrically connected to a structure of the electrical equipment 13 constituting an electrical ground. The plug 10 has electrical contacts designed to cooperate with electrical contacts of complementary shape on the socket 12. A rear fitting 15 is screwed onto the plug 10 by means of a screw ring 16.

[0004] An electrically protective sheath 17 in the form of a shielding braid is electrically connected to the rear connector 15 in a connection area to ensure optimal operation of the electrical systems with respect to lightning, electric arcs, partial discharges, and electromagnetic compatibility. For this purpose, a clamp 18 secures the shielding braid 17 to a connection area of ​​the rear connector 15.

[0005] In order to avoid reversing functions on electrical equipment or the redundancy of electrical systems, a plug 10 and a corresponding socket 12 are coupled via a keying system 21, as shown in [Fig.2],

[0006] This keying system 21 includes a reference lug 22.1 corresponding to the angular reference of the connector, which consists of a plug 10 and a base 12. This reference lug 22.1 is used as an orientation marker for the connector. For this purpose, it is positioned in a chosen direction. Additional lugs 22.2, 22.3, 22.4, 22.5 are arranged, for example, at predefined angles A, B, C, D in the example of [Fig. 2], to form a keying system. The same connector will be available with different keying systems (additional lugs at different angles) to prevent the connections of several harness ends arriving at the same equipment from being reversed. This keying system is used on most circular connectors in the transport sector, whether they are of European standardization (BNAE, EN, or others) or American (MIL, SAE).

[0007] If the various lugs of the base 12 and the plug 10 are not arranged opposite each other, it is impossible to connect the two elements 10, 12 together.

[0008] For applications in which harnesses 11 are made of small cables with a diameter of a few millimeters, the harnesses 11 are considered "flexible". As illustrated in Figures 3a and 3b, these harnesses 11 allow a twist enabling the plug 10 to pivot along arrow Fl and align itself to match the keying of the plug 10 and the base 12. It is then possible to establish the connection between the plug 10 and the base 12 along arrow F2.

[0009] However, to meet the increased need for electrical power inside new generation aircraft, the harnesses 11 include large diameter single-wire cables, which can be assembled to form multi-wires of several conductors, and which are covered by a shielding braid 17. The diameter of the single-wire cables is preferably between 5 and 25 mm and even more preferably between 8 and 20 mm.

[0010] This type of harness 11 is very rigid, which makes it difficult to connect to electrical equipment. Indeed, during installation on an aircraft, one end of the harness 11, fitted with a plug 10, is connected to a first electrical device. The harness 11 is then uncoiled and secured to the aircraft structure with clamps. The opposite end must then be able to be connected to a second electrical device. This operation can cause significant torsional stress on the end of the harness 11, particularly when aligning the keying tabs of the plug 10 and the base 12. The handling can also damage and / or deform the braid of shielding 17 by creating irregular openings at the level of the strand layers, which greatly reduces the electromagnetic protection performance.

[0011] In addition, there are single-way plugs or bases for single-wire cables, whose rotation around the cable is free, which accentuates the possibilities of deformation of the braid.

[0012] The problem described is not limited to the plug side; it is similar on the base side when the connector is used to join two harnesses together. In this case, the base is also equipped with a rear connector and a shielding braid. The problem arises when attaching the base to its support. The base, generally with a square flange and four retaining screws, must be positioned in a specific orientation, which may require twisting the end. The invention therefore also applies to a base.

[0013] To resolve this problem, it is possible to connect the shielding braid 17 to the rear connector 15 during the installation of the harness 11, after connecting it to the electrical equipment 13. However, this requires an operator to perform a braid connection for each aircraft, resulting in additional cost, significant implementation complexity, and a risk of defects. This solution is therefore not feasible for mass production. Furthermore, quality control checks on the products cannot be tracked during production in the factories.

[0014] Another solution is to manufacture the harness 11 in 3D in a factory so that it has a morphology identical to its final installation. This entails a significant additional manufacturing cost for carrying out this complex operation, which requires specific tooling and a 3D model of the installation on the aircraft, which is not always available.

[0015] The invention aims to effectively remedy the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a rear harness connector intended to be mechanically linked to a connector comprising: - a fixed body comprising a front end and a rear end, - a rotating nut rotatably mounted on the front end of the fixed body, said rotating nut being intended to provide a removable mechanical connection between said rear fitting and the connector, and - a movable body comprising a front end and a rear end, the front end of the movable body being mounted to rotate relative to the rear end of the fixed body, the rear end of the movable body having on its external periphery a connection area with an electrical and / or mechanical protection sheath.

[0016] The invention thus makes it possible, thanks to the movable body of the rear connector, to angularly reorient the plug of a harness relative to a base connector associated with a Electrical equipment by reducing the torsional stresses applied to the electrical and / or mechanical protective sheath to prevent any risk of degradation of said sheath in the area behind the connector. The invention also has the advantage of not requiring any modification to the harness on the aircraft, as well as having a low impact on the overall harness mass and a limited implementation cost.

[0017] According to one embodiment of the invention, the front end of the fixed body has a plurality of teeth arranged along its circumference intended to cooperate with teeth of complementary shape arranged on the connector.

[0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, a sealing O-ring is interposed radially between the front end of the fixed body and an inner face of the rotating nut.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one locking element is arranged radially between a periphery of the fixed body and a periphery of the moving body, so as to link the moving body in translation relative to the fixed body while allowing a rotation of the moving body relative to the fixed body.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the invention, the locking element is an elastic ring.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, a sealing O-ring is interposed radially between a periphery of the fixed body and a periphery of the moving body.

[0022] According to one embodiment of the invention, said rear fitting comprises an electrical continuity joint arranged radially between a periphery of the fixed body and a periphery of the moving body.

[0023] According to one embodiment of the invention, the annular locking element is arranged axially between the sealing O-ring and the electrical continuity seal.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the invention, the movable body includes a shoulder or a groove for the attachment of a heat-shrink tubing tip.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the invention, said rear fitting includes a locking device for rotation of the moving body relative to the fixed body.

[0026] According to one embodiment of the invention, the fixed body, the rotating nut, and the moving body are made of an electrically conductive material, in particular a metallic material or a plastic material having a conductive coating.

[0027] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a connector and a rear fitting as previously defined, said rear fitting being screwed onto said connector.

[0028] The present invention will be better understood and other features and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description, which includes embodiments given by way of illustration with reference to the accompanying figures, presented by way of non-limiting examples, which may serve to complete the understanding of the present invention and the explanation of its implementation and, where appropriate, contribute to its definition, on which:

[0029] [Fig-1] The [Fig. 1], already described, is a side view illustrating a connection between a plug of a harness according to the prior art with a base of an electrical equipment;

[0030] [Fig.2] Fig.2, already described, is a front view illustrating a system of error correction on an electrical connector of the state of the art;

[0031] [Fig.3a] [Fig.3b] Figures 3a and 3b, already described, are representations schematics illustrating the connection of a plug associated with a flexible harness on a base;

[0032] [Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a side view of a rear fitting of an electrical connector according to the present invention;

[0033] [Fig. 5] Fig. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a rear fitting according to the invention;

[0034] [Fig. 6] [Fig. 6] is a perspective view of a portion of a continuity joint electrical component intended to be interposed between the fixed body and the moving body of the rear fitting according to the invention;

[0035] [Fig.7] Fig.7 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of a fitting rear of an electrical connector according to the invention equipped with a locking nut for rotation of the moving body relative to the fixed body.

[0036] It should be noted that in the figures, the structural and / or functional elements common to the different embodiments have the same reference numerals. Thus, unless otherwise stated, such elements have identical structural, dimensional and material properties.

[0037] In the following description, the relative terms of the type "front", "rear" are understood by reference to the positioning of the element relative to the connector when the rear fitting is mounted on the connector, a "front" element being disposed on the side of the connector while a "rear" element is disposed on the opposite side of the connector.

[0038] Figures 4 and 5 show a rear fitting 15 with axis X intended to be mechanically linked to a plug-type connector 10, or a base-type connector comprising a fixed body 23, a rotating nut 24 intended to ensure a removable mechanical link between said rear fitting 15 and the connector and a movable body 27 which is movable in rotation relative to the fixed body 23. The body 23 is said to be "fixed" insofar as the body 23 is fixed relative to the connector when the rear fitting 15 is screwed onto the connector by means of the rotating nut 24.

[0039] More specifically, as shown in [Fig. 5], the fixed body 23 has a front end 23.1 and a rear end 23.2. The fixed body 23 has an annular shape with axial orientation about the X-axis. The fixed body 23 has an internal diameter greater than that of the cable around which the rear fitting 15 is positioned. The fixed body 23 can rotate around a harness cable, which can be a single cable, before its attachment to the plug 10.

[0040] The front end 23.1 of the fixed body 23 has a plurality of teeth 29 arranged around its circumference, designed to cooperate with complementary teeth (not shown) arranged on the plug 10. These teeth 29 are arranged in a ring about axis X. These teeth 29 project axially from a plane perpendicular to the axis X. This toothing mechanically prevents rotation of the connection between the plug 10 and the fixed body 23. Furthermore, the contact between the teeth ensures electrical continuity with the lowest possible resistance, which is necessary for electromagnetic protection. In the case of high-voltage wiring, the teeth must also withstand the backfeed currents from the shields due to inductive coupling, which can reach several hundred amperes.

[0041] The swivel nut 24 is rotatably mounted on the front end 23.1 of the fixed body 23. For this purpose, an annular locking element 25, such as a spring ring, is disposed inside a groove 26 formed partly in an inner periphery of the swivel nut 24 and partly in an outer periphery of the fixed body 23. The swivel nut 24 is mounted on a thread of the plug 10. The thread may be of the self-locking type in order to resist vibrations.

[0042] Furthermore, in one embodiment, a sealing O-ring 32 is interposed radially between an external periphery of the front end 23.1 of the fixed body 23 and an internal periphery of the rotating nut 24. The sealing O-ring 32 is disposed inside a groove 33 formed partly in the fixed body 23 and partly in the rotating nut 24.

[0043] The movable body 27 has a front end 27.1 and a rear end 27.2. The movable body 27 has an annular shape with axial orientation with respect to the X axis. An internal diameter of the front end of the movable body 27 is substantially equal to the external diameter of the rear end of the fixed body 23.

[0044] The front end 27.1 of the movable body 27 is rotatably mounted relative to the rear end 23.2 of the fixed body 23. The rear end 27.2 of the movable body 27 has, on its outer periphery, a connection zone 28 with an electrical and / or mechanical protective sheath 17. The sheath 17 may, for example, be in the form of a metallic braid sized to provide electromagnetic shielding. The connection zone 28 is formed by a section of the movable body 27 around which the shielding braid is held by means of a hose clamp (not shown). Alternatively, the sheath 17 may be a mechanical protective braid composed of metallic, textile, plastic, or composite strands. The mechanical protective braid may, for example, be made of a The sheath 17 is made of a thermoplastic material of the polyetheretherketone type known as "PEEK". It can also be composed of several braids to jointly provide electromagnetic and mechanical protection. In one variant, the sheath 17 may be of the corrugated or convoluted conduit type, or a rigid tube.

[0045] At least one locking element 36 is arranged radially between a periphery of the fixed body 23 and a periphery of the moving body 27, so as to bind the moving body 27 in translation relative to the fixed body 23 while allowing rotation of the moving body 27 relative to the fixed body 23. The locking element 36 is arranged inside a groove 37 formed partly in the periphery of the fixed body 23 and partly in the periphery of the moving body 27. The fixed body 23 may be arranged inside the moving body 27 or conversely the moving body 27 may be placed inside the fixed body 23. In this case, the locking element 36 is arranged radially between the outer periphery of the fixed body 23 and the inner periphery of the moving body 27. Alternatively, in the case of inverted mounting, the locking element 36 is arranged radially between the inner periphery of the fixed body 23 and the outer periphery of the moving body 27.

[0046] The locking element 36 can be an elastic ring, in particular of the circlip type (trade name) of square, rectangular or cylindrical shape (ring), or any other device allowing the fixed body 23 and the mobile body 27 to be blocked in translation while leaving freedom in rotation.

[0047] A sealing O-ring 40 is interposed radially between a periphery of the fixed body 23 and a periphery of the moving body 27. The sealing O-ring 40 is located inside a groove 41 formed partly in the fixed body 23 and partly in the moving body 27. In this case, the sealing O-ring 40 is interposed radially between the outer periphery of the fixed body 23 and the inner periphery of the moving body 27. Alternatively, in the case of reversed mounting, the sealing O-ring 40 is interposed radially between the inner periphery of the fixed body 23 and the outer periphery of the moving body 27.

[0048] An electrical continuity joint 44 is arranged radially between a periphery of the fixed body 23 and a periphery of the moving body 27. In this case, the electrical continuity joint 44 is interposed radially between the outer periphery of the fixed body 23 and the inner periphery of the moving body 27. Alternatively, in the case of reversed mounting, the electrical continuity joint 44 is interposed radially between the inner periphery of the fixed body 23 and the outer periphery of the moving body 27.

[0049] As illustrated in [Fig. 6], the electrical continuity joint 44 may comprise a plurality of convex metal strips 45 arranged side by side in an annular shape. These metal strips 45 are intended to be compressed between the periphery of the fixed body 23 and the periphery of the moving body 27 to ensure electrical continuity with low electrical resistance between these two elements 23, 27. The electrical continuity joint 44 is dimensioned according to a return of shielding current during inductive couplings of the order of several hundred amperes.

[0050] In the example shown, the annular locking element 36 is arranged axially, relative to the X axis of the rear fitting 15, between the sealing O-ring 40 and the electrical continuity seal 44. However, the relative axial positioning of these three elements 36, 40, 44 may vary from one application to another.

[0051] The movable body 27 may also include a shoulder 48 or, alternatively, a groove for attaching the end of a heat-shrink tubing (not shown). The shoulder 48 extends radially from an outer periphery of the movable body 27. Alternatively, the groove 48 extends radially from an outer periphery of the movable body 27. This heat-shrink tubing ensures a seal between the wiring and the rear connector 15.

[0052] Advantageously, the fixed body 23, the rotating nut 24, and the movable body 27 are made of an electrically conductive material, in particular a metallic material. These various elements 23, 24, 27 are preferably made of steel or aluminum, which have the advantage of good mechanical strength as well as electrical and thermal conductivity for dissipating heat. These elements may be coated, for example, with a thin layer of nickel, further improving the surface electrical conductivity. Alternatively, the fixed body 23, the rotating nut 24, and the movable body 27 are made of a plastic material having a conductive coating.

[0053] In certain applications, it may be desirable to block the rotation of the moving body 27 relative to the fixed body 23, particularly in the case of use of the electrical harness in vibrating areas.

[0054] For this purpose, it is possible to glue the movable body 27 with the fixed body 23 after connecting the connector to the base of the equipment.

[0055] Alternatively, as can be seen in [Fig. 7], the rear connector 15 has a nut 46 for rotationally locking the movable body 27 relative to the fixed body 23. The nut 46 carried by the movable body 27 is designed to engage with a threaded hole in the fixed body 23. The threaded hole may be self-tightening. Once the plug 10 is connected to the base 12 of the equipment, the nut 46 can be screwed onto the threaded hole in the fixed body 23 to permanently lock the position of the rear connector 15 of the harness.

[0056] Any other locking device can be used to stop the rotation of the moving body 27 relative to the fixed body 23, such as, for example, a set screw or a washer braking system.

[0057] Of course, the different features, variants and / or embodiments of the present invention can be combined with each other in various ways insofar as they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive.

[0058] Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and provided solely by way of example. It encompasses various modifications, alternative forms, and other variants that a person skilled in the art may consider within the scope of the present invention, and in particular all combinations of the different modes of operation described above, which may be taken separately or in combination.

Claims

Demands

1. Rear harness fitting (15) (11) intended to be mechanically linked to a connector (10), characterized in that said rear fitting (15) comprises: - a fixed body (23) having a front end (23.1) and a rear end (23.2), - a swivel nut (24) rotatably mounted on the front end of the fixed body (23), said swivel nut (24) being intended to provide a removable mechanical link between said rear fitting (15) and the connector (10), and - a movable body (27) having a front end (27.1) and a rear end (27.2), the front end (27.1) of the movable body (27) being rotatably mounted relative to the rear end (23.2) of the fixed body (23), the rear end (27.2) of the moving body (27) comprising on its outer periphery a connection zone (28) with an electrical and / or mechanical protection sheath (17), and - an electrical continuity joint (44) arranged radially between a periphery of the fixed body (23) and a periphery of the moving body (27).

2. Rear fitting according to claim 1, characterized in that the front end (23.1) of the fixed body (23) has a plurality of teeth (29) arranged along its circumference intended to cooperate with complementary shaped teeth arranged on the connector (10).

3. Rear fitting according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a sealing O-ring (32) is interposed radially between the front end (23.1) of the fixed body (23) and an inner face of the rotating nut (24).

4. Rear fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one locking element (36) is arranged radially between a periphery of the fixed body (23) and a periphery of the moving body (27), so as to link in translation the moving body (27) with respect to the fixed body (23) while allowing a rotation of the moving body (27) with respect to the fixed body (23).

5. Rear fitting according to claim 4, characterized in that the locking element (36) is an elastic ring.

6. A rear fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a sealing O-ring (40) is interposed radially between a periphery of the fixed body (23) and a periphery of the moving body (27).

7. Rear fitting according to claim 6, characterized in that the annular locking element (36) is arranged axially between the sealing O-ring (40) and the electrical continuity seal (44).

8. Rear fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the movable body (27) has a shoulder or a groove (48) for the attachment of a heat shrink tubing tip.

9. Rear fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises a device (46) for locking the movable body (27) against rotation relative to the fixed body (23).

10. Rear fitting according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the fixed body (23), the rotating nut (24), and the movable body (27) are made of an electrically conductive material, in particular a metallic material or a plastic material having a conductive coating.

11. Assembly comprising a connector (10) and a rear fitting (15) as defined according to any one of the preceding claims, said rear fitting (15) being screwed onto said connector (10).

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