High-power three-phase power and signal connectors
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2026514325
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-08
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-09
Smart Images

Figure 2026530651000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] This disclosure relates to electrical connectors, including, in general, electrical connectors for transmitting high-current, multi-phase power, and signals. [Background technology]
[0002] Electrical connectors can provide protection against the ingress of foreign matter such as dust and water. Certain connectors may also be exposed to significant vibrations and other physical disturbances and must support the desired electrical or data transmission without excessive degradation of electrical signals or signals carried by conductors within the connector. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0003] [Figure 1A] This is a front perspective view of an exemplary electrical connector receptacle.
[0004] [Figure 1B] This is an exemplary front perspective view of an electrical connector plug.
[0005] [Figure 2A] Figure 1A is a front view of the electrical connector receptacle.
[0006] [Figure 2B] Figure 1B is a front view of an electrical connector plug.
[0007] [Figure 3A] Figure 1A is a rear view of the electrical connector receptacle.
[0008] [Figure 3B] Figure 1B is a rear view of the electrical connector plug.
[0009] [Figure 4A]FIG. 1A is a plan view of an electrical connector receptacle.
[0010] [Figure 4B] FIG. 1B is a plan view of an electrical connector plug.
[0011] [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a rear support assembly that may be used with the connector of the present disclosure.
[0012] [Figure 6] FIG. 1B is a partially exploded rear view of a portion of the electrical connector plug.
[0013] [Figure 7A] FIG. 1A is a rear view of the electrical connector receptacle in various states, each state corresponding to a respective set of electrical cable sizes used with the receptacle. [Figure 7B] FIG. 1A is a rear view of the electrical connector receptacle in various states, each state corresponding to a respective set of electrical cable sizes used with the receptacle. [Figure 7C] FIG. 1A is a rear view of the electrical connector receptacle in various states, each state corresponding to a respective set of electrical cable sizes used with the receptacle. [Figure 7D] FIG. 1A is a rear view of the electrical connector receptacle in various states, each state corresponding to a respective set of electrical cable sizes used with the receptacle.
[0014] [Figure 8A] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a portion of the electrical connector receptacle showing the latch catch of the receptacle in greater detail. [Figure 8B] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a portion of the electrical connector receptacle showing the latch catch of the receptacle in greater detail.
[0015] [Figure 9A] Figure 1B is a side view showing a more detailed example of the latch end portion of the plug.
[0016] [Figure 9B] Figure 9A is a side view of an exemplary latch in the exemplary latch catch of the connection part of Figure 1A. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0017] The novel electrical connectors described herein may provide a more secure connection between a plug and a receptacle (outlet) and an overall more secure electrical connection through a number of novel configurations. Firstly, the connector may include standard-required spacing between conductive elements for high-power applications while minimizing the size of the connector face and body. Secondly, the connector may provide a number of configurations for strain relief of cables extending from the connector, such as smooth, flat longitudinal surfaces defining holes and adjustable-size holes for the passage of cables and individual grommets within the connector body for each cable. Such adjustable-size holes and individual grommets may also simplify the assembly and manufacturing process in which the connector body should be used with a variety of cable sizes and combinations of cable sizes. Thirdly, the connector may include latches and latch interfaces without intersecting edges or sharp surfaces, thereby reducing the likelihood of latch failure in field use where large amounts of vibration or other disturbances may be present.
[0018] This disclosure includes a pair of connectors, namely a plug and a receptacle, which may be used together to create an electrical connection. That is, a plug may be paired (mate) with a receptacle and connected to the receptacle to create an electrical connection between wires and cables in the plug and wires and cables in the receptacle.
[0019] Next, similar numbers refer to drawings showing the same or similar configurations in various figures. Figures 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A show an electrical connector receptacle 100, and Figures 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D show an electrical connector plug 200. The plug 200, paired with the receptacle 100, may provide power and signal connections between two sets of electrical and signal cables coupled to the connectors 100 and 200. Both the receptacle 100 and the plug 200 include many novel configurations of this disclosure, many of which are discussed below in parallel. In the joint discussion, the term “connector” is used interchangeably to refer to both the receptacle 100 and the plug 200.
[0020] Connectors 100, 200 may include bodies 102, 202 that define the interior where multiple electrical contacts 104, 204 (including contacts 104d, 204d, and 104p, 204p, as discussed below) are arranged. The bodies 102, 202 may include front portions 106, 206 that provide access to the connector with the paired electrical contacts 104, 204, and rear portions 108, 208 into which electrical wires and cables may be inserted to electrically couple with the contacts 104, 204.
[0021] Connectors 100, 200 may include three electrical contacts 104p, 204p for transmitting power and multiple electrical contacts 104d, 204d for transmitting data. Eight data electrical contacts 104d, 204d are included in the illustrated embodiments of connectors 100, 200. Each connector 100, 200 further includes three power cable holes 110p, 210p and data cable holes 110d, 210d in the rear portions 108, 208 (see Figures 3A, 3B) (the data cable holes may collectively be referred to as cable holes 110, 210 with the power cable holes 110p, 210p in this specification). Cables are inserted into the cable holes 110, 210 and routed inside the bodies 102, 202, and the electrical wires of those cables may be electrically coupled to the electrical contacts 104, 204. The three power contacts 110p may be identical in size, shape, and material. Similarly, the three power contacts 210p may be identical in size, shape, and material.
[0022] Power contacts 104p and 204p may be positioned within connectors 100 and 200 to minimize the overall size of the connectors 100 and 200, while conforming to a standardized minimum spacing between power contacts 104p and 204p. For example, as shown in Figures 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B, the three power contacts 104p and 204p may be positioned within the dimensions of connectors 100 and 200 (e.g., width W). R , W P ) may be distributed over. In some embodiments, the three power contacts 104p, 204p may be positioned at three different locations across the widths WR, WP of the connector faces, as shown in the figure. The three power contacts 104p, 204p may be positioned across another dimension (e.g., height H) of the connector faces 100, 200. R H P ) may be distributed over. Width WR, WP is, height H R H P It may be perpendicular to it. In some embodiments, two of the three power contacts 104p, 204p are at height H R H Pmay be disposed at a first position along, and a third power contact among the three power contacts 104p, 204p is at a height H as illustrated R , H P may be disposed at a second position along. The power contacts 104p on the receptacle 100 may be positioned to connect to corresponding power contacts 204p on the plug 200. As a result of the layout of the power contacts 104p, 204p, each power contact 104p, 204p may be at least 0.7 inches from other power contacts 104p, 204p (measured from the center of the width of each contact 104p, 204p), while the overall size of the connector face is small, the height does not exceed 1.5 inches, and the width does not exceed 2.25 inches.
[0023] Data contacts 104d may be disposed on the receptacle 100 to transmit and receive data signals to and from corresponding contacts 204d on the plug 200. In some embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment, eight data contacts 104d, 204d may be provided. In other embodiments, more or fewer than eight data contacts 104d, 204d may be provided. Each data contact 104d, 204d may be coupled to a respective signal wire, and in some embodiments, two or more signal wires may be bundled, or otherwise provided in a cable through the body 102, 202 of the connectors 100, 200.
[0024] The contacts 104d, 104p meet the required spacing between high power lines (required, for example, by one or more standardization organizations or certification bodies), and may be disposed on the faces of the connectors 100, 200 to maintain appropriate spacing between data lines and power lines such that data signals are not unduly disrupted by adjacent high power transmission. For example, in some embodiments, one of the power contacts 104p, 204p may be offset along the height H relative to the other two power contacts 104p, 204p, and the data contacts 104d, 204d are arranged along the width W R , W P at the same position as the power contacts 104d, 204d offset across, and along the height H R , HP They may be arranged in the same group as the other two power contacts 104d along the same height H. R They may overlap along the same line, and two of the 210p power contacts are at height H P They may overlap along the same line.
[0025] Connectors 100, 200 may include first body portions 112, 212 and second body portions 114, 214 that can be fastened together to form connector bodies 102, 202. The rear portions 112a, 114a of the first and second body portions 112, 114 are shown in Figure 5. As will be discussed below, the rear portions 112a, 114a of the first body portion 112 and the second body portion 114 may include various configurations for defining the cable hole 110 and for sealing the connector to prevent foreign matter from entering the inside of the connector 100. The same configurations may be provided in the plug 200.
[0026] Referring to Figure 5, the connector 100 may include a multi-component clamp assembly in the rear portion 108, which includes a lower clamp portion 114a, an upper clamp portion 112a, a data cable clamp insert 116 (sometimes referred to as a clamp insert in this specification), and a data cable clamp 118. The upper clamp portion 112a and the lower clamp portion 114a may collectively define three power cable holes 110p positioned on the rear portion 108 in a configuration similar to the positioning of the power contacts 104p on the front portion 106 of the connector 100. That is, as shown, the three power cable holes 110p, 210p may be arranged in three different positions across a width W. The power cable holes 110p may be distributed across a height H on the face of the connector 100. In some embodiments, two of the three power cable holes 110p, 210p are located at height H R H PIt may be positioned at a first position H1 (see Figures 3A and 3B) along the line, and the third power cable hole of the three power cable holes 110p, 210p is at height H as shown in the figure. R H P It may be positioned at a second position H2 (see Figures 3A and 3B) along the same line.
[0027] The first body sections 112, 212 and the second body sections 114, 214 may intersect along longitudinal seams 120, 220 (see Figures 1A and 1B), and may include various configurations to reduce the intrusion of foreign matter through the seams 120, 220. For example, the first body section 112 may include an inner side wall 122 (see Figure 5) that abuts against the corresponding side wall 124 on the second body section 114. The inner side wall 122 of the first body section 112 may be tall enough to prevent the intrusion of foreign matter in both the folded configuration of the connector 100 (see Figures 7A and 7B for smaller cable sizes) and the extended configuration of the connector 100 (see Figures 7C and 7D for larger cable sizes). The folded and extended configurations are described further below.
[0028] Continuing to refer to Figure 5, the first body portion 112 may define a passage such as channel 126, and the data cable insert 116 and data cable clamp 118 may be positioned within the passage once assembled. When coupled together, the first body portion 112, data cable insert 116, and data cable clamp 118 may collectively define a data cable hole 110d, and the data cable may extend through the data cable hole to further extend through the inside of the connector 100 for electrical coupling to data contacts 104d.
[0029] The data cable insert 116 may have two configurations for assembly. In the first configuration, the data cable hole 110d may be of a first diameter. In the second configuration, the data cable hole 110d may be of a second diameter. The first configuration may differ from the second configuration depending on the rotational position or orientation of the data cable insert 116. For example, the first configuration may correspond to a first concave side 128 of the data cable insert facing the data cable clamp, as shown in Figure 5. The second configuration may correspond to a second concave side 130 of the data cable insert facing the data cable clamp. In some embodiments, the second concave side 130 may be opposite to the first concave side 128. Both the first and second concave sides 128, 130 may include a generally arched side wall 132 and one or more bridge members 134, 136 spanning the side wall. The height of the bridge member 134 of the first concave surface 128 may be greater than the height of the bridge member 136 of the second concave surface 130, thereby providing a larger opening for the data cable when the data cable hole 110d is formed by the second concave surface 130. The bridge member 134 of the first concave surface 128 may be in the same longitudinal position as the bridge member 136 of the second concave surface 130 and may have equivalent longitudinal thickness. In the assembly, the data cable insert 116 may be positioned at a desired position within the upper clamp portion passage 126, the data cable clamp 118 may be positioned on the data cable insert 116, and the data cable clamp 118 may be coupled to the upper clamp portion 112a by one or more fasteners through the fastener hole 133.
[0030] Referring to Figures 1A to 5, connectors 100 and 200 may include finger grips 134 and 234 on both lateral sides of connectors 100 and 200. The finger grips 134 and 234 may be located on the rear portions 108 and 208 of connectors 100 and 200 and may face forward. That is, connectors 100 and 200 may include a plurality of finger grip protrusions 136 and 236 located on the distal-facing surfaces 138 and 238 of the first and second body portions 112, 114, 212, and 214 of connectors 100 and 200. The distal-facing surfaces 138 and 238 may be generally arched, for example, concave.
[0031] The connectors 100 and 200 may include configurations for securely coupling the receptacle 100 to the plug 200. For example, the receptacle 100 may include one or more receiving formations 140, and the plug 200 may include one or more corresponding latches 240 for coupling with the receiving formations.
[0032] Referring to Figures 1B, 4B, 9A, and 9B, each latch 240 may include a body 242 having a longitudinal length parallel to the direction of movement of the plug 200 (in direction L, see Figure 4B) and a thickness perpendicular to that length (in direction T, see Figure 4B) to mate the plug with the receptacle 100. The latch 240 may further include a projection 244 extending from the thickness of the body 242 in at least one of inward or outward directions (as shown). The latch body 242 may define a hole 246 (see Figure 1B), and in some embodiments, the projection 244 may be adjacent to the hole 246. In some embodiments, the projection may be formed by cutting, stamping, or otherwise removing material from the body 242 of the latch 240, the removed material forming the projection 244, and the space emptied by the removed material forming the hole 246. As a result, the projection 244 has substantially the same width as the hole 246, and the projection 244 may be monolithic with the body 242. In some embodiments, the latch 240 may have a hooked end 248.
[0033] Figures 8A and 8B show the receiving configuration 140 in more detail. Each receiving configuration 140 on the receptacle 100 may include a recess 142 configured to receive the latch projection 244 of the latch 240, such that coupling the latch projection 244 with the recess 142 secures the receptacle 100 to the plug 200. The recess 142 may be adjacent to two longitudinal support arms 144 that are directly coupled to a longitudinally-facing surface 146 of the recess. The surface 146 may be in contact with the projection 244, and through this contact, may resist longitudinal movement of the latch 240 and decoupling of the latch 244 from the receiving configuration 140.
[0034] In some embodiments, as shown in the figure, the latch 240 may be provided on the plug 200 and the recess 140 may be provided on the receptacle. In other embodiments, the latch 240 may be provided on the receptacle 100 and the recess 140 may be provided on the plug 200.
[0035] The rear portions 108, 208 of the receptacles 100, 200 may include several configurations for sealing the inside of the connectors 100, 200 against the intrusion of foreign matter, for providing strain relief to the cables extending through the holes 104, 204 at the rear of the connectors 100, 200, and for facilitating assembly. The rear portions 108, 208 of the connectors 100, 200 include, as described above, first body portions 112, 212 and second body portions 114, 214 that collectively define the power cable holes 110p, 210p, and data cable inserts 116 and data cable clamps 118 that additionally define the data cable holes 110d, 210d together with the body portions 112, 114. The holes 110, 210 may be sized and shaped to provide a smooth, flat surface that minimizes strain on the inserted cables from bending and other torques. In addition, connector 200 may include four grommets 250a, 250b, 250c, and 250d. Each grommet 250 may be positioned around its respective cable (for example, each of the three power cable grommets 250b, 250c, and 250d may be positioned around its respective power cable, and data cable grommet 250a may be positioned around a data cable). Each cable and each cable hole 210 may have a separate individual grommet made of a separate piece of material from the other grommets. Although grommet 250 is shown with reference to plug 200, receptacle 100 may include similar individual grommets for each cable and each cable hole 110. As a result, different grommet sizes may be selected for different cables during assembly, so different combinations of cable sizes may be used with connectors 100 and 200 using modular grommet sets. In contrast, in known connectors, a single grommet body is provided for all cables, such that each combination of different cable sizes requires a unique grommet body. Thus, individual grommets, as in the present disclosure, allow for a simplified, modular assembly.
[0036] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrical connector comprising: a connector body having a connector surface; three power contacts distributed over a first dimension of the connector surface; and a plurality of signal contacts overlapping one of the three power contacts along the first dimension and offset from one of the power contacts along a second dimension of the connector surface, wherein the first dimension is perpendicular to the second dimension.
[0037] In the embodiment of the first aspect, one of the three power contacts is offset by a second dimension relative to the other two of the three power contacts.
[0038] In the embodiment of the first aspect, one of the three power contacts is positioned between the other two of the three power contacts in a first dimension.
[0039] In the embodiment of the first aspect, the three power contacts are identical in size, shape, and material to one another.
[0040] In the embodiment of the first aspect, the connector body has a rear portion opposite to the connector surface, the rear portion defining a plurality of cable holes, each of which has an adjustable size during the assembly of the connector.
[0041] In the embodiment of the first aspect, the connector body defines a recess configured to receive a projection of the latch of the second connector, and coupling the projection of the latch with the recess secures the connector body to the second connector.
[0042] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrical connector pair (electrical connector pair) comprising a plug having a plug body, a receptacle having a receptacle body configured to mate (pair) with the plug, and a latch disposed on one of the receptacle body or the plug body. The latch body has a longitudinal length parallel to the direction of movement of the one of the plug or receptacle and a thickness perpendicular to the length, so as to mate (pair) the plug with the receptacle. The latch further includes a projection extending at least one inward or outward from the thickness of the body, the projection having a surface facing longitudinally. The other of the receptacle body or the plug body defines a recess configured to receive the projection of the latch, and coupling the projection of the latch with the recess secures the receptacle body to the plug body.
[0043] In the second embodiment, the latch body defines a hole, and the projection is adjacent to the hole and has the same width as the hole.
[0044] In the second embodiment, the projection is monolithic with respect to the latch body.
[0045] In an embodiment of the second aspect, the recess is partially defined by a longitudinally facing surface configured to interface with a longitudinally facing surface of the projection. In a further embodiment of the second aspect, the other of the receptacle body or plug body includes two longitudinal support arms that are directly coupled to the longitudinally facing surface.
[0046] In the embodiment of the second aspect, the latch includes a hooked end, the tip of which is adjacent to the projection.
[0047] A third aspect of the present disclosure provides an electrical connector comprising a first body portion, a second body portion, and a clamp insert configured to be fixed to the first body portion or the second body portion at two or more positions to at least partially define a signal cable hole, wherein the first and second body portions are configured to clamp each other and collectively define one or more power cable holes, and when the clamp insert is in a first position of the two or more positions, the signal cable hole has a first size, and when the clamp insert is in a second position of the two or more positions, the signal cable hole has a second size, the first size being different from the second size.
[0048] In an embodiment of the third aspect, the first or second body portion defines a receiving formation, the first position including a first orientation of the clamp insert in the receiving formation, and the second position including a second orientation of the clamp insert in the receiving formation. In a further embodiment of the third aspect, the first orientation differs from the second orientation by a 180-degree rotation of the clamp insert.
[0049] In an embodiment of the third aspect, the connector further includes a signal cable clamp configured to be coupled to a first body portion or a second body portion so as to collectively define a signal cable hole with a clamp insert.
[0050] In an embodiment of a third aspect, the first body portion and the second body portion, when clamped together, collectively define two or more power cable holes, and the electrical connector further includes a first grommet positioned inside the first power cable hole of the two or more power cable holes and configured to be positioned around a first power cable positioned inside the first power cable hole, and a second grommet separate from the first grommet, positioned inside the second power cable hole of the two or more power cable holes and configured to be positioned around a second power cable positioned inside the second power cable hole.
[0051] In an embodiment of the third aspect, one or more power cable holes are defined at the first ends of the first and second body portions, the first ends facing proximal direction, and the electrical connector further includes a set of finger grip protrusions positioned on the distal surfaces of the first and second body portions. In a further embodiment of the third aspect, the distal surfaces are concave.
[0052] In the third embodiment, one or more power cable holes are adjustable in size.
[0053] While this disclosure describes specific embodiments, it will be understood that the claims are not intended to be limited to these embodiments unless expressly stated in the claims. Conversely, this disclosure is intended to cover substitutes, modifications, and equivalents that may fall within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the detailed description of this disclosure includes numerous specific details to provide a complete understanding of the embodiments of the disclosure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that systems and methods conforming to this disclosure may be implemented without these specific details. In other examples, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits are not described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure the various aspects of this disclosure.
Claims
1. A connector body having a connector surface, Three power contacts distributed across the first dimension of the connector surface, It includes a plurality of signal contacts that overlap one of the three power contacts along the first dimension and are offset from one of the power contacts along the second dimension of the connector surface, The first dimension is perpendicular to the second dimension. Electrical connector.
2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein one of the three power contacts is offset by the second dimension relative to the other two of the three power contacts.
3. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein one of the three power contacts is positioned between the other two of the three power contacts in the first dimension.
4. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the three power contacts are identical in size, shape, and material to each other.
5. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body has a rear portion opposite to the connector surface, the rear portion defines a plurality of cable holes, and each of the cable holes has a size that can be adjusted during the assembly of the electrical connector.
6. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body defines a recess configured to receive a projection of a latch of a second connector, and coupling the projection of the latch with the recess fixes the connector body to the second connector.
7. A plug having a plug body, A receptacle having a receptacle body configured to mate with the aforementioned plug, A latch disposed on either the receptacle body or the plug body, The aforementioned latch, The main body, The length of the plug or the receptacle in the longitudinal direction parallel to the one direction of movement of the plug or the receptacle is such that the plug is fitted with the receptacle, Having a thickness perpendicular to the aforementioned length, The main body and, The main body includes a projection that extends inward or outward from the thickness of the main body and has a surface facing the longitudinal direction, The other of the receptacle body or the plug body defines a recess configured to receive the projection of the latch, and coupling the projection of the latch with the recess secures the receptacle body to the plug body. Electrical connector pair.
8. The electrical connector pair according to claim 7, wherein the body of the latch defines a hole, and the projection is adjacent to the hole and has the same width as the hole.
9. The electrical connector pair according to claim 7, wherein the projection is monolithic with the body of the latch.
10. The electrical connector pair according to claim 7, wherein the recess is partially defined by a longitudinally facing surface configured to interface with the longitudinally facing surface of the projection.
11. The electrical connector pair according to claim 10, wherein the other of the receptacle body or the plug body includes two longitudinal support arms that are directly coupled to the longitudinally facing surface.
12. The pair of electrical connectors according to claim 7, wherein the latch includes a hooked end, the tip of the hook being adjacent to the projection.
13. The first main body part, The second main body section, Includes a clamp insert configured to be fixed to the first body portion or the second body portion at two or more positions such as to partially define a signal cable hole, The first and second main body portions are configured to clamp each other and collectively define one or more power cable holes. When the clamp insert is in the first of the two or more positions, the signal cable hole has a first size. When the clamp insert is in the second of the two or more positions, the signal cable hole has a second size. The first size is different from the second size. Electrical connector.
14. The first main body portion or the second main body portion defines the receiving configuration, The first position includes the first orientation of the clamp insert in the receiving configuration. The second position includes the second orientation of the clamp insert in the receiving configuration. The electrical connector according to claim 13.
15. The electrical connector according to claim 14, wherein the first orientation differs from the second orientation by a 180-degree rotation of the clamp insert.
16. The electrical connector according to claim 13, further comprising a signal cable clamp configured to be coupled to the first body portion or the second body portion so as to collectively define the signal cable hole with the clamp insert.
17. The first body portion and the second body portion, when clamped together, collectively define two or more power cable holes, and the electrical connector, A first grommet is provided, which is positioned inside the first power cable hole of the two or more power cable holes and is configured to be positioned around the first power cable located inside the first power cable hole. The system further includes a second grommet, separate from the first grommet, which is positioned inside the second power cable hole of the two or more power cable holes and configured to be positioned around the second power cable located within the second power cable hole. The electrical connector according to claim 13.
18. The one or more power cable holes are defined at the first ends of the first and second main body portions, and the first ends face in the proximal direction. The electrical connector further includes a set of finger grip protrusions arranged on the distal surfaces of the first and second main body portions. The electrical connector according to claim 13.
19. The electrical connector according to claim 18, wherein the distal surface is a concave surface.
20. The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein one or more of the power cable holes are adjustable in size.