Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) Protection Method for a High-Voltage Connector Assembly with High-Voltage Vertical Disk Ferrules

Abstract

A method for reducing the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing EMI protection for a connector assembly using at least one vertical disc ferrule, the method including the steps of providing a flared portion of a wire shield to at least one vertical disc ferrule or securing between two vertical disc ferrules, and one of providing a ferrule having a surface that directly contacts a metal connector housing or providing a flared portion of the wire shield that directly contacts the metal connector housing, wherein EMI is directed from the metal connector housing to the ferrule or flared portion, further EMI is directed to the flared portion of the wire shield, further EMI is directed through a second portion of the wire shield, and further EMI is directed to ground, where EMI is generated by at least the metal connector housing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This patent application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 051,517, filed on July 14, 2020, and the entire content thereof is incorporated herein by reference as part of this specification.

[0002] [Background of the Invention] Electromagnetic interference (EMI) affects electrical circuits by disturbances from a power source through electromagnetic induction, electrostatic coupling, or conduction. EMI can reduce the performance of a circuit or even stop its function. If a circuit includes a data path, EMI can affect the effectiveness of the data path by increasing the error rate for total data loss. Power sources that can cause current and voltage changes that can induce EMI can include, for example, an automotive injection system, a cellular phone cellular network, etc. Therefore, it is essential to manage the generation of EMI to avoid the harmful effects caused by EMI and, as a result, maximize the effectiveness of electrical circuits that would otherwise be vulnerable to the harmful effects of EMI.

[0003] Methods for avoiding or reducing the harmful effects of EMI include conduction, shielding, etc. EMI protection by conduction is achieved by the conduction of EMI between physically contacting conductive elements or conductors, and EMI protection by shielding is achieved by shielding the EMI radiated by induction (i.e., without physical contact between conductors). In a connector assembly, the conducted EMI is directed through the paths of adjacent conductive elements or conductors towards the device to which the connector assembly is attached, and the device acts as a ground.

[0004] Accordingly, the ferrule structure or structural arrangement used in the high-voltage connector of the present invention can provide complete or substantial EMI shielding that enables complete coverage within the opening of each connector housing in which it is used. Also, when fixed to the wire braid shield, the ferrule does not require secondary cutting, thereby minimizing or reducing the possibility of the frayed wires of the wire braid shield (ground circuit) contacting the wire core (power circuit). It is also desirable for the ferrule to provide a lift or tolerance allowance for improving its assembly method.

Summary of the Invention

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The present invention relates to a method of reducing the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) by providing EMI protection to a high-voltage connector assembly employing a high-voltage vertical disk ferrule (plate-like base) having different embodiments. The high-voltage vertical disk ferrule of the high-voltage connector assembly is a vertical disk-shaped structure, which is mainly formed from a flat surface, and the periphery, edge, or vertical shape or what limits it does not necessarily have to be circular, nor does it necessarily have to have any roundness. The high-voltage vertical disk ferrule of the high-voltage connector is a conductive device having a through hole or opening at its center. The through hole or hole is placed around the wire core and the wire braid shield, and part of the wire braid shield flares out and the end of the wire braid shield is fixed to the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule or fixed between the ferrules so as to be substantially perpendicular to the direction of the wire core. The central opening or hole of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule houses at least one of the wire core, the wire core insulator, and the wire braid shield inside, and the wire braid shield is around the wire core insulator.

[0006] The vertical disk ferrule of the high voltage connector assembly slides over the core insulator toward the point or location where the outer insulator is cut (the vertical plane of the outer insulator) once it is fixed to the wire braid shield. The wire braid shield is pushed back, enabling the wire braid shield to generate a natural spring force against the vertical disk ferrule. The wire braid shield is compressed, bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded upon itself, and thus, when the wire is pushed, it is pushed back in the direction in which the ferrule has moved along the wire core, pushing the vertical disk ferrule forward (toward the cut end of the wire or terminal attached thereto). By this force, the high voltage vertical disk ferrule or the wire braid shield of the high voltage connector assembly remains in contact with the ground structure of the high voltage connector assembly during use if they are between them, or presses the wire braid shield against the housing or ferrule when used as a single high voltage vertical disk ferrule.

[0007] In different embodiments, the structural arrangement of the high voltage disk-shaped structure of the high voltage vertical disk ferrule of the high voltage connector assembly can take any shape that can be punched out, which enables it to provide complete or substantially complete electromagnetic interference (EMI) protection when used with a corresponding metal connector housing that may require a specific shape. Further, unlike conventional ferrules and conventional punched shields that may allow EMI leakage, when used with such a corresponding metal connector housing into which a wire or terminal is inserted, it covers the opening or hole into which the wire or terminal is inserted, thereby allowing little or no EMI leakage.

[0008] The high-voltage vertical disc ferrules in the present invention also provide sufficient clearance between the wire core or terminal (power circuit) and the wire braid shield or ferrule (ground circuit), and limit the possibility of the frayed wires of the wire braid shield contacting the power circuit, thereby limiting the possibility of contact between the power circuit and the ground circuit during operation.

[0009] For example, in an embodiment of the present invention where at least one high-voltage vertical disc ferrule is in direct contact with, for example, a metal connector housing that houses a terminal, the generated EMI travels from the metal connector housing to at least one high-voltage vertical disc ferrule and enters the flare portion of the wire braid shield. The path of the EMI further proceeds from the flare portion of the wire braid shield to the compressed, bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braid shield and passes through these, and the path of the EMI is finally led from the compressed, bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braid shield to the ground. Alternatively, in this embodiment of the present invention, two high-voltage vertical disc ferrules are provided together with the flare portion of the wire braid shield sandwiched therebetween, and one of the high-voltage vertical disc ferrules is in direct contact with the metal connector housing.

[0010] For example, in another embodiment of the present invention, the flare portion of the wire braid shield is in direct contact with the metal connector housing, while the high-voltage vertical disc ferrule is in direct contact with the flare portion of the wire braid shield. In this embodiment, the generated EMI has a path that proceeds from the metal connector housing to the compressed, bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braid shield and passes through these, and a path that is finally led from the compressed, bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braid shield to the ground.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] The high-voltage connector assembly of the present invention, generally referred to by reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1, employs a first embodiment of a high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3. The first embodiment of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3 includes at least a first high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 5 having a front surface 5a and a second first high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 7 having a rear surface 7a. As will be more fully described below, the first high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 5 and the second high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 7 are mounted on a wire core insulator 9 that extends into a metal container housing 12. Inside the metal container housing 12, in addition to the wire core insulator 9, there is a wire core 15 and a terminal 18 connected thereto. Adjacent to the first embodiment of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3 is a wire braid shield 23, which includes a compressed, bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23, as will be more fully described below. At one end of the compressed, bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23 is an outer insulator 25 of a wire 30. The terminal 18, the wire core 15, the wire core insulator 9, the vertical disk ferrule 3 of the first embodiment (comprising the first and second high-voltage disk ferrules 5, 7), the outer insulator 25, and the wire 30 are all connected to form the high-voltage connector assembly 1.

[0013] The high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) can be made of any conductive material (not limited to, for example, copper, tin-plated copper, steel, brass alloy, bronze, etc., or any similar type of conductive metal known in metallurgy). As shown in FIG. 6, the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) is composed of an outer edge 102, an inner edge 104 defining an opening or through-hole 106, a front surface 5a that is flat, and a rear surface 7a that is also flat. The first high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 5 and the second high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 7 that constitute the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 7 of the first embodiment of the first embodiment of the high-voltage connector assembly 1 of the present invention may have substantially the same configuration. Preferably, the outer edge 102 is perpendicular to the front surface 5a, and similarly, the outer edge 102 is perpendicular to the rear surface 7a. Also, the inner edge 104 is perpendicular to the front surface 5a, and similarly, the inner edge 104 is perpendicular to the rear surface 7a. Therefore, the distance or length of the outer edge 102 and the inner edge 104 in a direction parallel to the wire 30 or in the axial direction with respect to the wire 30 defines the thickness or length of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 100 employed in the high-voltage connector assembly 1(30, 60) (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 4) of the present invention.

[0014] Also, the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) employed in the high-voltage connector 1(30, 60) of the present invention, although not limited thereto, preferably has a rounded, circular vertical disk-like structure. The disk-like structure is mainly composed of the vertical flat surfaces of the front surface 5a and the rear surface 7a, and the boundary, edge or vertical shape of the outer edge 102 is not necessarily formed to be rounded, nor does it necessarily have to be rounded, and furthermore, it can take any shape that can be punched out. For example, the shape of the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) can take the shape of an oval, an ellipse, or any other arbitrary shape allowed by the punching means that defines the outer edge 102. Preferably, the shape of the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) completely or substantially covers the corresponding hole or through hole (not shown) in the connector housing where the associated wire 30 or terminal 18 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4) is to be attached and used together with the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7). Therefore, the shape of the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) enables complete or substantial electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression or coverage when used with the corresponding metal connector housing 12 (see FIGS. 1, 2 and 4). The corresponding metal connector housing 12 itself may need to be of a specific shape such that the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) fits into its recess or cavity (not shown). (In FIGS. 6 and 7, a substantially circular vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) is shown, but refer to the fact that its front surface 5a and rear surface 7a extend radially outward perpendicular to the respective wires 30 inserted and housed through the openings 106 and 106.)

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the wire 30 is composed of a wire core portion 15, a wire core insulator 9, a wire braid shield 23, and an outer wire insulator 25. As described above, the front surface 5a and the rear surface 7a of the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) are preferably generally perpendicular to the axial direction of the wire 30. The diameter or size of the front surface 5a and the rear surface 7a is large enough for the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) to cover the holes in the respective metal connector housings 12, and the holes are large enough to accommodate at least respective portions of either the wire core 15 or the wire core insulator 9 and the terminals 18. Therefore, although the sizes of the front surface 5a and the rear surface 7a of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) are not limited, their respective sizes need to be equal to or larger than the size of the outer insulator 25 of the wire 30. As a result, the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) can have an inner edge 104 that defines an opening 106 for the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7), which is of an appropriate size for proper use together with the size of each wire 30. On the other hand, the vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) has appropriate surfaces on the front surface 5a and the rear surface 7a for a proper ground with a ground element, functions properly during use, and the wire 30 maintains flexibility on the rear side of the ferrule 3(5, 7). The opening 106 of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) is also sized to allow the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3(5, 7) to move freely over the wire braid shield 23 of the wire 30, as required and described below.

[0016] The high voltage vertical disc ferrule 3(5, 7) contacts each ground element within its respective metal connector housing 12 at its respective front vertical surface 5a, or, when used as a single ferrule 3 with the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 interposed therebetween, contacts in combination with its respective front vertical surface 5a and the wire braid shield 23. The ground element within each metal connector housing 12 can be, for example, a plated surface, a conventional punched shield, a surface lined with foil, or other conductive material utilized within, on, or by the metal connector housing 12 for the purpose of grounding. The outer edge 102 of the high voltage vertical disc ferrule 3(5, 7) may also contact the ground element of each respective metal connector housing 12 if desired.

[0017] The thickness of the high voltage vertical disc ferrule 3(5, 7) in the axial direction is defined by the length of the outer edge 102, but is preferably 1 mm or less (however, at least either its size or length is not limited to this); also, the preferred thickness of the high voltage vertical disc ferrule 3(5, 7) in the axial direction is maintained thin enough to reduce the space required in each connector housing as compared to conventional crimp ferrules, thinner or shorter than conventional crimp ferrules, and, as further described below, enables proper winding of the wire 30. The thickness of the high voltage vertical disc ferrule 3(5, 7) is more preferably accommodated within the recess of each metal housing connector housing 12 such that the high voltage vertical disc ferrule 3(5, 7) is present within a portion of each metal connector housing 12, thereby providing the metal connector housing 12 with a much shorter design than conventional ferrules when the connector assembly 1(30, 60) of the present invention is assembled. The high voltage vertical disc ferrule 3(5, 7) may also be accommodated outside each metal connector housing 12 by substantially abutting against the surface or side of the metal connector housing 12 (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 4).

[0018] When assembling the high-voltage connector assembly 1 (30, 60) of the present invention, by pushing the wire 30 into the high-voltage vertical disc ferrule 3 (5, 7) and passing through the wire braid shield 23, the wire braid shield 23 is pushed back, and when two vertical disc ferrules 5 and 7 are used as in the first embodiment, a natural spring force is generated against the second vertical disc ferrule (or the last vertical disc ferrule) 7, and the wire braid shield 23 is in a state or situation where the bellows-shaped, pleated or folded portion 20 is unfolded with respect to itself. Therefore, when the wire 30 is being pushed, the high-voltage vertical disc ferrule 3 (5, 7) is pushed back in the direction in which it has moved along the wire core 15, and the high-voltage vertical disc ferrule 3 (5, 7) is pushed forward (or towards the cut end of the wire 30 or terminal 18 attached thereto). This force enables at least either the high-voltage vertical disc ferrule 3 (5, 7) or the wire braid shield 23 to continue to contact the ground structure of the connector housing 12 when either is between the vertical disc ferrule 3 and the metal connector housing 12. As is the case in the third embodiment (shown in FIG. 4), when a single vertical disc ferrule 3 is used, this force pushes the vertical disc ferrule 3 against the wire braid shield 23 that abuts against the ground element or the metal connector housing 12.

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a high voltage connector assembly 1, which is a preferred use of two vertical disk ferrules 5, 7. By using the two vertical disk ferrules 5, 7, the first vertical disk ferrule 5 and the second vertical disk ferrule 7, the wire braid shield 23 of the flare portion F of the wire 30 can be sandwiched between the front surface 5a of the first vertical disk ferrule 5 and the rear surface 7a of the second vertical disk ferrule 7. The first vertical disk ferrule 5 is arranged around the braid shield portion 23 such that the first vertical disk ferrule 5 and the second vertical disk ferrule 7 contact the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23. The above-described structural arrangement provides proper contact between the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23, the first vertical disk ferrule 5, and the second vertical disk ferrule 7. Solder or other mechanical or electromechanical means (not shown) may be used to further stabilize or facilitate the clamping or insertion of the flare portion F between the first and second vertical disk ferrules 5, 7, and, as further described below, to ensure the structural arrangement or relationship of these components to ensure complete continuity of the EMI path through these components.

[0020] When using two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 in the vertical disk ferrule 3, as described above, in order to hold and maintain the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 inserted or sandwiched between them, it is further or optimally desirable to firmly fix the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 to each other. To operate the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 properly, it is preferable to connect the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 using mechanical means or electromechanical means. For example, soldering, welding (resistance, spot, ultrasonic, etc.), or brazing are electromechanical methods that can be used to connect the respective metals that make up the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7. Also, mechanical joining using press fits or snap fits may be used. The means for fixing the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 together provides and facilitates at least one of a suitable conductive and physical substrate for connecting the second vertical disk ferrule 7 to the first vertical disk ferrule 5, and thus, when or if the first vertical disk ferrule 5 contacts the ground structure within the corresponding metal connector housing 12, it ensures a conductive connection and contact to the flare portion F of the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 (which constitute the vertical disk ferrule 3) or the wire braid shield 23. Alternatively, when using a single high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3 (5, 7) (as in the second and third embodiments of the present invention, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 respectively), the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 and the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3 (5, 7) may be soldered to securely combine and fix them.

[0021] Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the use of terminal 18 provided on wire 30. Terminal 18 is fixed to the end of wire 30 by being fixed (e.g., soldered) to the wire core portion 15 of wire 30. Figure 1 shows a vertical disk ferrule employing two vertical disk ferrules 5, 7. However, the second and third embodiments of the connector assemblies 30, 60 used in the present invention are not limited thereto, and substitution and use for a single vertical disk ferrule 5, 7 can be similarly applied to the structure, structural arrangement, or method of the present invention as illustrated and further described below.

[0022] In the first embodiment (Figure 1), when two vertical disk ferrules 5, 7 are used, one is placed around the wire shield 23 (the second vertical disk ferrule 7), and the other (the first vertical disk ferrule 5) is placed around the core insulator 9. Here, the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 is clamped between the first and second disk ferrules 5, 7. In the second embodiment (Figure 2), when a single vertical disk ferrule 3 is used to fix or face the wire braid shield 23 of the flare portion F to the rear surface 7a of the vertical disk ferrule 3, the vertical disk ferrule 3 is placed around the wire core insulator 9. In the third embodiment (Figure 4), when a single vertical disk ferrule 3 is used to fix or face the wire shield 23 to the front surface 5a of the vertical disk ferrule 3, the vertical disk ferrule 3 is placed around the wire braid shield 23.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, in the first embodiment of the present invention, the braided shield portion 23 of the wire 30 is fixed between two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7. The vertical disk ferrule 3 composed of the first and second vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 is such that a part of the wire shield 23 becomes flat along the insulator 9 of the core portion 15, and the flare end F of the wire braided shield portion 23 extends completely in a direction fixed so as not to move from the position between the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7. Therefore, it cannot move axially along the wire 30 toward the terminal 18 along the wire 30. The second vertical disk ferrule 7 is placed around the wire braided shield 23, and the first vertical disk ferrule 5 is placed around the core insulator 9. The wire 30 extends through the openings 106 of both vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 among what is regarded as "winding up" including bundling or bellows-forming the wire braided shield 23 (see the portion 20 of the wire braided shield 23). This is due to the looseness or tolerance with respect to the movement of the wire core 15 when the wire core 15 is further related to the exposed length of the wire braided shield 23. The wire braided shield 23 is bundled on the side of the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 opposite to the side where the terminal 18 and the wire core 15 extend. As the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7 move parallel to the wire 30 along the axial direction of the wire 30, the wire core 15 moves along and through the openings 106 of the two vertical disk ferrules 5 and 7. As a result, the wire braided shield portion 23 is bundled or bellows-formed as shown by reference numeral 20 when "winding up" of the wire 30 occurs. The wire braided shield 23 is bundled from the place where it is exposed by the outer insulator 25 of the wire 30 to the place where it can contact the rear surface 7a of the second vertical disk ferrule 7.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2, after the wire braid shield portion 23 is bundled or bellows-shaped, the portion 20 of the wire shield 23 that is bundled or made bellows-shaped applies a force to the rear surface 7a of the vertical disk ferrule 3. This is because the wire braid shield 23 is pressed against itself and compressed while being pushed up against the vertical disk ferrule 3. Therefore, the bellows-shaped portion 20 of this braid shield portion 23 applies a spring-like force to the rear surface 7a of the second vertical disk ferrule 7 of the vertical disk ferrule 3 in FIG. 1 or the rear surface 7a of the vertical disk ferrule 3 in FIG. 2 when the wire 23 is in this structural arrangement. The force provided by the wire shield 23 provides or guarantees that the second vertical disk ferrule 7 of the vertical disk ferrule in FIG. 1 or the vertical disk ferrule 3 in FIG. 1 is pressed against at least one of the surface of the metal connector housing 12 and each shielding means incorporated in the metal connector housing 12. On the other hand, the rear surface 7a of the second vertical disk ferrule 7 of the vertical disk ferrule 3 in FIG. 1 or the rear surface 7a of the vertical disk ferrule 3 in FIG. 2 also appropriately covers an opening or through hole (not shown) in the metal connector housing 12.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the path of EMI along the high-voltage connector assembly 1 adopting the first embodiment of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3 (5, 7). As shown in FIG. 3 (also refer to FIG. 1), in step 1 (S1), EMI is led from the metal connector housing 12 to the first high-voltage disk ferrule 5 of the high-voltage disk ferrule 3, and then in step 2 (S2), it moves to the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23. Here, since the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 is connected to the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23, in step 3 (S3), EMI is directly led from the flare portion F to the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23. Then, in step 4 (S4), EMI is led from the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23 to the ground.

[0026] In the second embodiment of the high-voltage connector assembly 30 of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 of the wire 30 is fixed to the rear surface 7a of the single vertical disk ferrule 3. Once the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 is attached, the vertical disk ferrule 3 cannot move further forward axially along the wire 30 towards the terminal 18 along the wire 30, because a part of the wire braid shield 23 is fully extended in the direction as taught and in the direction of being flattened along the wire core insulator 9 of the wire core 15, and the flare portion F of the wire braid shield portion 23 is fixed and adhered so as not to move from the position on the vertical disk ferrule 3, and may be further adhered to the rear surface 7a of the vertical disk ferrule 3 using solder. Further, the wire braid shield 23 may not be fixed or adhered to the vertical disk ferrule 3, but similarly moves away from the flare portion F of the braid shield portion 23. However, when the wire shield 23 is fixed, the single vertical disk ferrule 3 (second embodiment shown in FIG. 2) is axially movable towards the outer wire insulator 25 and movable in a direction away from the cut end of the wire or the attached terminal 18. Therefore, when the single vertical disk ferrule 3 is used to fix the wire braid shield 23 or abut it against the rear surface 7a of the vertical disk ferrule 3, the vertical disk ferrule 3 is placed around the wire core insulator 9 and not around the wire braid shield 23. As a result, the wire 30 extends through the opening 106 of the vertical disk ferrule 3 between what is regarded as "winding up" including bundling or bellows-forming (portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23) of the wire braid shield 23, which is due to looseness or tolerance with respect to the movement of the wire core 15 when the wire core 15 is further related to the exposed length of the wire braid shield 23. The wire braid shield 23 is bundled on the side of the vertical disk ferrule 3 opposite to the front surface 5a side of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3 where the terminal 18 and the wire core 15 extend.As the vertical disk ferrule 3 moves along the axial direction of the wire 30, along the wire core insulator 9, and parallel to the wire 30, the wire core 15 moves along and through the opening 106 of the vertical disk ferrule 3. As a result, when "winding up" of the wire 30 occurs, the wire braid shield portion 23 is bundled up or bellows-shaped to itself (see portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23). The wire braid shield 23 is bundled from the location where it is exposed by the outer insulator 25 of the wire 30 to where it can contact the rear surface 7 of the second vertical disk ferrule 3. As further shown in FIG. 2, after the wire braid shield portion 23 is bundled (as in portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23) or made bellows-shaped, this portion 20 of the wire shield 23 exerts a force on the rear surface 7a of the vertical disk ferrule 3. This is because the wire braid shield 23 is pressed against itself and compressed while being in contact with the vertical disk ferrule 3. Thus, more specifically, depending on whether the wire braid shield 23 is bundled or made bellows-shaped in the space between the vertical disk ferrule 3 and the outer insulator 25, the exposed portion of the wire braid shield 23 extends along the wire core insulator 9, and the end portion (or flare portion F) of the wire braid shield 23 is located between the vertical disk ferrule 3 and the bellows-shaped portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23. Thus, this bellows-shaped portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23 exerts a spring-like force on the vertical disk ferrule 3 when the wire 30 is in this state. The spring force provided by the wire braid shield 23 provides or guarantees that the front surface 5a of the vertical disk ferrule 3 is pressed against and contacts the surface of the metal connector housing 12 and the inside of the metal connector housing 12, or each such shielding means (not shown) inside, and the vertical disk ferrule 3 further appropriately covers an opening or through hole (not shown) in the metal connector housing 12.

[0027] What is similarly applicable in the second embodiment of the high-voltage connector assembly 30 of the present invention is the EMI path shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3. The flowchart of FIG. 3 shows the path taken by EMI along the high-voltage connector assembly 30 with respect to the second embodiment of the present invention, which adopts the second embodiment using the high-voltage vertical disc ferrule 3 alone. As shown in FIG. 3 (see also FIG. 2), in step 1 (S1), EMI is led from the metal connector housing 12 to the high-voltage disc ferrule 3, and then in step 2 (S2), it moves to the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23. Here, since the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 is connected to the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23, in step 3 (S3), EMI is directly led from the flare portion F to the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23. Thereafter, in step 4 (S4), EMI is led from the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23 to the ground.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 4, the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 of the wire 30 is fixed to the front surface 5a of the single vertical disc ferrule 3. Once the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 is attached, the vertical disc ferrule 3 cannot move further axially forward along the wire 30 towards the terminal 18, because a portion of the wire braid shield 23 is fully extended in the direction as taught and in the direction to lie flat along the wire core insulator 9 of the wire core portion 15, and the flare portion F of the wire braid shield portion 23 is fixed and adhered so as not to move from its position on the vertical disc ferrule 3 and may be further adhered to the front surface 5a of the vertical disc ferrule 3 using solder. Further, the wire braid shield 23 may not be fixed or adhered to the vertical disc ferrule 3, but similarly moves away from the flare portion F of the braid shield portion 23. However, when the wire braid shield 23 is fixed, the single vertical disc ferrule 3 is axially movable towards the vertical portion of the outer wire insulator 25 and movable in a direction away from the cut end of the wire or the attached terminal 18. Thus, when using a single vertical disc ferrule 3 to fix or face the wire braid shield 23 to the front surface 5a of the vertical disc ferrule 3, the vertical disc ferrule 3 is placed around the wire braid shield 23. Here, the wire extends through the opening 106 of the vertical disc ferrule 3 while being considered as a "winding up" including bundling or bellows-forming the portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23, which is due to the slack or tolerance for the movement of the wire core 15 when the wire core 15 is further related to the exposed length of the wire braid shield 23. The wire braid shield 23 is bundled on the side of the vertical disc ferrule 3 opposite to the front surface 5a side where the terminal 18 and the wire core 15 extend. As the vertical disc ferrule 3 moves along the axial direction of the wire 30, along the wire braid shield 23, and parallel to the wire 30, the wire core 15 moves along and through the opening 106 of the vertical disc ferrule 3.As a result, when "winding up" of the wire braid shield 23 occurs, the wire braid shield 23 is bundled up on itself as shown at portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23. The wire braid shield 23 is bundled from the location where it is exposed by the outer insulator 25 of the wire 30 to the point where it can contact the rear surface 7 of the second vertical disc ferrule 3. As shown in FIG. 4, after the wire braid shield portion 23 is bundled or made bellows-shaped as in its portion 20, this portion 20 of the wire shield 23 applies a force to the rear surface 7a of the vertical disc ferrule 3. This is because the wire braid shield 23 is pressed against itself and compressed while being abutted against the vertical disc ferrule 3. Therefore, more specifically, by bundling or making the wire braid shield 23 bellows-shaped in the space between the vertical disc ferrule 3 and the outer insulator 25, the exposed portion of the wire braid shield 23 extends along the wire core insulator 9, and the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 is located between the vertical disc ferrule 3 and the metal connector housing 12. Therefore, this bellows-shaped portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23 applies a spring-like force to the vertical disc ferrule 3 when the wire 30 is in this state. The spring force provided by the wire braid shield 23 provides or guarantees that the front surface 5a of the vertical disc ferrule 3 is pressed against and contacts the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23, or, if the wire braid shield 23 is further fixed or soldered and further fixed using additional fixing means, guarantees that the wire braid shield 23 is pressed against and contacts the surface of the metal connector housing 12 and the inside of the metal connector housing 12, or each such shielding means (not shown) inside, and the vertical disc ferrule 3 further appropriately covers an opening or through hole (not shown) in the metal connector housing 12.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the path taken by EMI along a high-voltage connector assembly 60 employing a second embodiment of the high-voltage vertical disk ferrule 3. As shown in FIG. 5, in step 1' (S1'), EMI is directly guided from the metal connector housing 12 to the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23, and the flare portion F abuts and contacts the metal connector housing 12. In step 2' (S2'), EMI then moves directly from the flare portion F to the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23, and the flare portion F of the wire braid shield 23 is connected to the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23. In step 3' (S3'), EMI is conducted from the compressed portion 20 of the wire braid shield 23 to ground.

[0030] The high-voltage vertical disk ferrules 3(5, 7) employed in the high-voltage connectors 1, 30, 60 of the present invention also increase the electrical clearance during operation. In other words, as a result of the distance of movement of the wire 30 into the metal connector housing 12, the vertical disk ferrules 3(5, 7) and the wire braid shield 23 (ground circuit) are located further away from the terminal 18 or the wire core 15 (power circuit), and also the terminal 18 or the wire core 15 extends away from the vertical disk ferrules 3(5, 7), the electrical clearance increases from these two components as compared to a conventional ferrule structure arrangement and assembly having a conventional ferrule closer to the attached terminal.

[0031] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various design changes, configuration changes, etc. can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. The above description relates to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but other modifications and changes will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it should also be noted that they can be implemented without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the structural arrangements or features described in connection with one embodiment of the present invention can be employed in other embodiments even if not explicitly described above.

Claims

1. A method for reducing the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule, comprising: providing a wire braid shield between an outer insulator of the wire and the at least one vertical disk ferrule, and providing the at least one vertical disk ferrule between the wire braid shield and a metal connector housing that houses a wire core of the wire; guiding the electromagnetic interference generated by the at least one metal connector housing to the at least one vertical disk ferrule; guiding the electromagnetic interference from the at least one vertical disk ferrule to the wire braid shield, wherein a first portion of the wire braid shield is fixed to a substantially flat surface of the at least one vertical disk ferrule; subsequently, guiding the electromagnetic interference from the wire braid shield to ground; providing a spring force by the wire braid shield to ensure that the at least one vertical disk ferrule is pressed against and in contact with the metal connector housing; A method for reducing the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule, comprising the above steps.

2. The method for reducing the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule according to claim 1, wherein the step of providing the wire braid shield to the connector assembly includes providing at least the first portion and the second portion to the wire braid shield.

3. The method for reducing the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule according to claim 2, wherein the first portion of the wire braid shield is a flare portion, and the second portion of the wire braid shield is a bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion.

4. Guiding at least the electromagnetic interference generated by the metal connector housing to the at least one perpendicular disk ferrule includes guiding the electromagnetic interference from the metal connector housing to a first perpendicular disk ferrule of two perpendicular disk ferrules, the method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one perpendicular disk ferrule according to claim 1.

5. The method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one perpendicular disk ferrule according to claim 4, further characterized by a step of guiding the electromagnetic interference from the first perpendicular disk ferrule to the wire braid shield.

6. The step of guiding the electromagnetic interference from at least one of the perpendicular disk ferrules includes guiding the electromagnetic interference from at least one of the perpendicular disk ferrules to the flare portion of the wire braid shield, and then guiding it to the bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braid shield, the method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one perpendicular disk ferrule according to claim 3.

7. The step of guiding the electromagnetic interference from the wire braid shield to the ground includes guiding the electromagnetic interference from the bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braid shield to the ground, the method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one perpendicular disk ferrule according to claim 3.

8. The step of providing the connector assembly includes sandwiching the flare portion of the wire braid shield between two perpendicular disk ferrules and providing the bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braid shield between the perpendicular disk ferrule and the outer insulator of the wire, the method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one perpendicular disk ferrule according to claim 3.

9. The two vertical disk ferrules that sandwich the flare portion of the wire braided shield contact or abut against the metal connector housing, and are provided between the metal connector housing, the housing of the wire braided shield, and the bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braided shield. A method for providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule to reduce the influence of electromagnetic interference (EMI), as claimed in claim 8.

10. The step of providing the connector assembly includes contacting or abutting the vertical disk ferrule against the metal connector housing, and disposing the flare portion of the wire braided shield between the vertical disk ferrule and the bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braided shield. The bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion of the wire braided shield is disposed between the flare portion of the wire braided shield and the outer insulator of the wire. A method for providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule to reduce the influence of electromagnetic interference (EMI), as claimed in claim 3.

11. A method for providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule to reduce the influence of electromagnetic interference (EMI), comprising: providing the connector assembly having a first portion of a wire braided shield between a metal connector housing that houses a wire core of a wire and the vertical disk ferrule, and a second portion of the wire braided shield between an outer insulator of the wire and the vertical disk ferrule; guiding electromagnetic interference generated at least by the metal connector housing to the first portion of the wire braided shield and fixing the first portion of the wire braided shield to a substantially flat surface of the at least one vertical disk ferrule; guiding the electromagnetic interference from the first portion of the wire braided shield to the second portion of the wire braided shield; A method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule, including the step of guiding the electromagnetic interference from the second portion of the wire braid shield to ground.

12. The method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule according to claim 11, wherein the first portion of the wire braid shield is a flare portion, and the second portion of the wire braid shield is a bellows-shaped, pleated, or folded portion.

13. The method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a spring force by the wire braid shield to ensure that the flare portion of the wire braid shield is pressed against and in contact with the vertical disk ferrule.

14. The method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule according to claim 11, further comprising the step of providing a spring force by the wire braid shield to ensure that the flare portion of the wire braid shield is pressed against and in contact with the metal connector housing.

15. The method for reducing the impact of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and providing electromagnetic interference protection to a connector assembly having at least one vertical disk ferrule according to claim 11, further comprising the step of providing a spring force by the wire braid shield to ensure that the vertical disk ferrule is pressed against and in contact with the flare portion of the wire braid shield.

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