Plug-in connector having a sealing element

Abstract

Plug-in connector, which has a housing (10), wherein one contact chamber or a plurality of contact chambers is / are present in the housing (10), wherein a contact partner (1) is inserted into a contact chamber, wherein the contact partner (1) is arranged and electrically contacted at the end of an electrical conductor (2), which is arranged within a cable (3) having a cable sheath, wherein the cable sheath of a cable (3) is provided with a sealing element (4), which seals off the cable sheath from the housing (10), wherein, owing to an excess length of the sealing element (4), in particular realized by a peripheral seal (5) on the outer sheath of the cable (3) and an additional peripheral seal (8) spaced-apart therefrom on the cable sheath, the creepage distance, which is critical for high-voltage applications in particular, is increased and / or the sealing element (5), at the end, is provided with a peripheral collar which, owing to the overlap with the housing (10) of the plug-in connector in the outlet region of the cable out of its contact chamber, prevents direct ingress of a high-pressure water jet to the sealing lip and said high-pressure water jet is weakened by deflection.

Description

[0001] CONNECTOR WITH SEALING ELEMENT

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a connector having a housing, wherein one or more contact chambers are present in the housing, wherein a contact partner is inserted in a contact chamber, wherein the contact partner is arranged and electrically contacted at the end of an electrical conductor arranged within a cable having a cable sheath, wherein the cable sheath of each cable is provided with a sealing element which seals the cable sheath against the housing, according to the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0004] Technical design:

[0005] New single wire seal (also called single conductor seal, ELA) with excess length with steam jet protection for one connector

[0006] The new single wire seal solves two independent tasks separately or in combination:

[0007] Creepage distance: The extra length of the sealing element (in particular, realized by a circumferential seal on the outer sheath of the cable and an additional circumferential seal spaced apart from it on the cable sheath) increases the creepage distance, which is particularly critical for high-voltage applications, without requiring additional installation space. This is achieved by an additional seal (in particular, a sealing lip) at the end of the ELA with its sealing element, which also prevents the ingress of dirt and water. High-voltage: Voltages greater than or equal to 48 volts.

[0008] Damp / water jet protection: The ELA is provided with a circumferential collar at the end. This overlaps with the connector housing, preventing a high-pressure water jet from directly penetrating the sealing lip toward the contact chamber. This is attenuated by deflection. Additionally, the ELA features a conical outlet area to optimally deflect the high-pressure water jet and prevent it from penetrating the housing, particularly into a contact chamber within the housing where a contact partner is located. This design can, but does not necessarily, also be used in high-voltage applications.

[0009] In a further development of the invention, the sealing element has a circumferential sealing collar as a circumferential seal. The sealing collar effectively prevents water from penetrating the housing of the connector, thereby preventing water impinging on the sealing collar, in particular a high-pressure water jet, from penetrating the contact chamber. The sealing collar ensures that the water jet cannot directly impact the sealing element, in particular its sealing lip (to be described later), and is deflected accordingly. The high water pressure of the penetrating high-pressure water jet presses the sealing collar against the housing of the connector. This makes further penetration more difficult and ultimately reduces the water pressure acting on the sealing element (in particular its sealing lip) inside the housing, as well as significantly reducing the amount of water penetrating the housing.Depending on the pressure and amount of water, the water jet is completely deflected and no water penetrates into the interior of the connector housing.

[0010] In a further development of the invention, the circumferential sealing collar has a conical outlet area protruding from the housing. This ensures that the sealing element not only prevents moisture, especially water (high-pressure jet), dirt particles, or the like, from entering the contact chamber, but also that a water jet, especially a high-pressure water jet, striking the conical outlet area is deflected, ideally completely deflected and attenuated (in terms of its volume and / or pressure), and thus can no longer penetrate the contact chamber completely or partially, but significantly reduced or even prevented from penetrating at all.

[0011] In a further development of the invention, a connection area of ​​the sealing element extends from the circumferential sealing collar and / or from the one additional circumferential seal into the interior of the housing. Via this connection area, the sealing element can be connected to other elements, for example, to an additional sealing element, the outer sheath of the cable, the inner contour of the contact chamber, or the like. This increases the overall sealing effect of the connector, since the housing or the contact of the connector is further sealed against external influences by this additional design.

[0012] In a specific embodiment of the connection area, the connecting area of ​​the sealing element connects the sealing collar and the additional seal. By arranging the sealing element approximately at one end of the contact chamber and the additional seal approximately at the other, opposite end of the contact chamber, and connecting these two sealing elements to each other, the interior of the contact chamber is further sealed against external influences, particularly moisture, water, and the like.

[0013] To further increase the sealing of the contact chamber against external influences, at least one, preferably precisely one, additional circumferential sealing lip is arranged in the region of the sealing collar. The circumferential sealing collar of the sealing element, together with this additional circumferential sealing lip, forms an extension of the creepage distance in the form of a labyrinth, thereby further increasing the sealing effect within the contact chamber of the connector housing. In a preferred embodiment, the circumferential sealing collar or the additional sealing lip arranged in its region are connected to the additional sealing lip via the connection area.

[0014] In a further development of the invention, the sealing lip is arranged approximately at the level of the free circumferential end of the sealing collar, viewed in the axial direction of the cable. This additional circumferential sealing lip is thus arranged in one end region of the contact chamber (either exactly in the end region or just before or just behind it, viewed in the axial direction of the cable). This arrangement prevents any residual moisture, water, dirt particles, or the like from entering the contact chamber of the connector housing, should it penetrate through the circumferential sealing collar toward the contact chamber.

[0015] To further enhance the sealing effect, a further development of the invention provides for at least one, preferably exactly one, additional sealing lip to be arranged alongside the circumferential sealing lip. Thus, should any type of contamination (dirt particles, moisture, water, or the like) still penetrate the contact chamber despite the measures described above, this at least one, preferably exactly one additional sealing lip, further prevents this contamination from advancing toward the electrical contact.

[0016] In a further development of the invention, the housing has a collar in the exit area of ​​a cable. This collar, which, for example, protrudes somewhat from the connector housing in an approximately cylindrical shape, can either be covered by the circumferential sealing collar of the sealing element, or the circumferential sealing collar of the sealing element can be arranged within the inner contour of the collar. In either of these two cases, the operative connection of the collar of the connector housing together with the circumferential sealing collar, preferably with the aid of its conical exit area, effectively prevents contaminants from penetrating the contact chamber within the connector housing.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the circumferential sealing collar is arranged at least partially within the collar of the housing. For example, the cylindrical part of the circumferential sealing collar is inserted completely within the collar of the housing, and the collar is flush with the conical outlet area, or the latter is also recessed slightly within the collar of the connector's housing. This measure further extends the creepage distance for potential penetrating contaminants, and at the same time, a water jet is effectively deflected by the collar in conjunction with the conical outlet area of ​​the sealing element, thus preventing penetration into the contact chamber.

[0018] Possible areas of application:

[0019] Applications that have a cable exiting the connector housing, which is sealed using a single-wire seal and is to be protected against the ingress of steam or water jets, such as requirements for protection class IPx9k; IPx6k or similar.

[0020] Applications in the range of high electrical voltages (from 48 volts up to 400 / 800 volts for electric vehicles and possibly even higher), which have high requirements for creepage distances.

[0021] The terms “outer sheath” and “cable sheath” mean the same thing.

[0022] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the figures. It may, but does not necessarily, involve a connector for electric vehicles (such as electric bicycles, which operate particularly in the 48-volt range, or cars, which operate particularly in the 400 / 800-volt range).

[0023] An embodiment according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

[0024] Figure 1 shows an assembly used within a housing of a connector. This assembly, which is pre-assembled in practice, for example, comprises an electrical contact 1 arranged at one end of an electrical conductor 2 of a line 3 (also referred to as a cable). Without limitation to the design, the electrical contact 1 is, for example, crimped to the electrical conductor 2. The line 3 has, in a conventional manner, an outer sheath on which a sealing element 4 is arranged according to the various embodiments of the invention.

[0025] To solve all the stated tasks and to achieve the best possible sealing effect, the sealing element 4 has a circumferential sealing collar 5 arranged at one end of the sealing element 4. The circumferential sealing collar 5 preferably has a conical outlet region 6.

[0026] Within a cylindrical section of the circumferential sealing collar 5, the sealing element 4 has at least one, preferably exactly one additional sealing lip 7 to extend the creepage distance. This additional sealing lip 7 is arranged coaxially within the sealing collar 5 or slightly beyond the circumferential end region of the sealing collar 5 (when viewed axially with reference to the line 3). A large portion of a water jet impinging from the outside is deflected by the conical outlet region 6 and does not enter the interior of the contact chamber. Should a small remainder of the water jet still partially move towards the contact chamber despite this deflection, its pressure is significantly weakened and its volume significantly reduced and it cannot ultimately overcome the sealing lip 7. This water cannot therefore penetrate further towards the contact.

[0027] At least one sealing lip 8 is arranged in the other end region of the sealing element 4, opposite the sealing collar 5. In the embodiment according to Figure 1, two sealing lips 8 are arranged next to one another. More than two sealing lips 8 can also be provided.

[0028] This at least one sealing lip 8 is connected via a connecting region 9 of the sealing element 4 to the additional sealing lip 7 or, if the additional sealing lip 7 is not present, to the end region of the sealing collar 5, preferably to its conical outlet region 6.

[0029] The sealing element 4 is pushed over the outer jacket of the cable 3, thus forming a single-wire seal. The outer contours of the sealing lip 7 and the at least one sealing lip 8 come into contact with an inner contour of a contact chamber of a connector housing when the arrangement shown in Figure 1 is inserted there. The circumferential sealing collar 5 terminates at an end region of the connector housing, preferably with a collar protruding therefrom. The sealing element 4 is preferably made of an elastically deformable material.

[0030] Figures 2 and 3 show a housing 10 of the connector. It can also be seen there that the assembly according to Figure 1 is inserted into the housing 10. Although not shown, the outer contours, more precisely the outer peripheries of the sealing lip 7 and the at least one sealing lip 8, are press-fitted to the inner contours of the contact chamber of the housing.

[0031] In contrast, the circumferential sealing collar 5 terminates at an end region of the housing 10. In the preferred embodiment of the housing 10 shown in Figures 2 and 3, the housing has a collar 11 for each line 3, into which collar the circumferential sealing collar 5 is inserted together with its conical outlet region 6. For example, the end region of the conical outlet region 6, which extends in the direction of the line 3, terminates at the circumferential end region of the collar 11. This end region of the outlet region 6 can, however, also protrude somewhat inside the collar 11 or protrude beyond this end region. In Figure 2 in particular, it can also be seen that the additional sealing lip 7 for extending the creepage distance for contaminants comes into contact with another part of the housing 10.This further part of the housing 10 is designed as a cylindrical part protruding from the housing 10, wherein this part is arranged coaxially within the collar 11 of the housing 10. This forms a kind of labyrinth, with which the extension of the creepage distance can be realized either on its own or in conjunction with the connecting region 9 and the at least one sealing lip 8.

[0032] As an alternative to the above-mentioned arrangements of the sealing collar 5 within the collar 11, the cylindrical part of the sealing collar 5 may not be arranged within the collar 11 as shown, but may be slipped over it.

[0033] While the connector according to the exemplary embodiment is designed to accommodate exactly two arrangements, each arranged at the end of the line 3, the connector can also be designed to accommodate only one line 3 with a corresponding arrangement according to Figure 1 or more than two lines 3 with corresponding arrangements according to Figure 1.

[0034] List of reference symbols

[0035] 1. Electrical contact (also called contact partner)

[0036] 2. Electrical conductor

[0037] 3. Line (also called cable)

[0038] 4. Sealing element

[0039] 5. Circumferential sealing collar

[0040] 6. Conical outlet area

[0041] 7. Additional sealing lip

[0042] 8. Additional sealing lip

[0043] 9. Connection area

[0044] 10. Housing

[0045] 11 . Collar

Claims

Single wire sealing with excess length and steam jet protection Patent claims 1. A connector having a housing (10), wherein one or more contact chambers are present in the housing (10), wherein a contact partner (1) is inserted in a contact chamber, wherein the contact partner (1) is arranged and electrically contacted at the end of an electrical conductor (2) arranged within a cable (3) having a cable sheath, wherein the cable sheath of a cable (3) is provided with a sealing element (4) that seals the cable sheath against the housing (10), characterized in that by an excess length of the sealing element (4), in particular realized by a circumferential seal (5) on the outer sheath of the cable (3) and an additional circumferential seal (8) spaced therefrom on the cable sheath, the creepage distance, which is critical in particular for high-voltage applications, is increased, and / or the sealing element (5) is provided with a circumferential collar at the end,which, by overlapping with the housing (10) of the connector in the exit area of ​​the cable from its contact chamber, prevents direct penetration of a high-pressure water jet to the sealing lip and is attenuated by deflection.

2. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the sealing element (4) has a circumferential sealing collar (5) as a circumferential seal.

3. Connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the circumferential sealing collar (5) has a conical outlet region (6) protruding from the housing (10).

4. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a connecting region (9) of the sealing element (4) extends from the circumferential sealing collar (5) and / or from the one additional circumferential seal (8) into the interior of the housing (10).

5. Connector according to claim 4, characterized in that the connecting region (9) of the sealing element (4) connects the sealing collar (5) and the additional seal (8) to one another.

6. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one, preferably exactly additional, circumferential sealing lip (7) is arranged in the region of the sealing collar (5).

7. Connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the sealing lip (7) is arranged approximately at the level of the free circumferential end of the sealing collar (5) when viewed in the axial direction of the cable (3).

8. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one, preferably exactly one further sealing lip (8) is arranged next to the circumferential sealing lip (8).

9. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (10) has a collar (11) in the exit area of ​​a cable (3).

10. Connector according to claim 9, characterized in that the circumferential sealing collar (5) is arranged at least partially within the collar (11) of the housing (10).

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