Shielded Vehicle Assembly Connector for Liquid-Tight Wall Grounding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical high-current and high-voltage connectors for vehicles face challenges in maintaining reliable connections in harsh environments, such as those found in electric vehicles, where they must handle high electrical charging and operating currents and voltages, while also being cost-effective and easy to manufacture and recycle.
Innovation Solution
An electrical assembly connector with a housing and contact receptacle that includes a shield contact adapter, which forms an electrically conductive connection with the assembly wall through a shield contact adapter, providing both direct and indirect electrical contacts, and is designed to be liquid-tight and adaptable for various configurations, including use in electric vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional electrical connectors are used in harsh environments, then they can transmit electrical energy, but they face challenges with corrosion, water ingress, and maintaining reliable connections
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into separate functional components: a housing with contact receptacles, a connector shield for electromagnetic shielding, and a shield contact adapter for electrical connection. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while working together to solve the overall problem of reliable electrical connection in harsh environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The shield contact adapter acts as an intermediary component that bridges the connector shield and the electrically conductive layer of the assembly wall. It provides a dedicated pathway for electrical connection that is separate from the mechanical mounting path, ensuring reliable electrical contact while allowing the housing to be securely mounted to the wall.
2Reliability
If screw contact connections are used for high-current applications, then mechanical and electrical paths can be separated, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing combines multiple functions into a single component: it provides mechanical support for the contacts, serves as a mounting structure for the connector shield, and integrates the contact receptacles. This merging reduces the number of separate parts needed while maintaining the separation of mechanical and electrical paths through the integrated shield contact adapter.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously serves as a structural support, a mounting interface for the shield, and a holder for the electrical contacts. The shield contact adapter similarly serves both mechanical attachment and electrical connection functions, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining reliable separation of mechanical and electrical paths.
3Power
If connectors are designed for high-current and high-voltage transmission, then they can handle electrical energy, but manufacturing and recycling costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connector design incorporates parameters optimized for high-current and high-voltage transmission, such as appropriately sized contact surfaces and conductive materials. The shield contact adapter provides a dedicated electrical path with low contact resistance, enabling high power transmission while using standard manufacturing processes and materials that remain cost-effective to produce and recycle.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures reliable, efficient, and cost-effective electrical connections in high-current and high-voltage applications, while also being easy to install and recycle, addressing issues of corrosion and water ingress in harsh environments.
Implementation Method 1
The shield contact adapter is electrically connected to the connector shield. The shield contact adapter has a connection configured to form an electrically conductive connection with an electrically conductive layer of the assembly wall such that the shield contact adapter electrically connects the connector shield to the electrically conductive layer of the assembly wall.
Data Source
AI summary
An electrical high-current and/or high-voltage assembly connector for an assembly of a vehicle, particularly an electrical energy storage device of an electric vehicle, the assembly connector on the one hand being structured in such a manner that it can be or is installed on and in an assembly wall; and the assembly connector on the other hand being formed in such a manner that in the installed state on and in the assembly wall, a connector shield of the assembly connector is electrically conductively connected to the assembly wall, and the electrically conductive connection of the connector shield to an electrically conductive layer of the assembly wall takes place by means of an electrically conductive shield contact adapter of the assembly connector.