Shielded Connector Sealing for Watertight Electrical Continuity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electrical connectors used in high voltage/intensity applications face challenges in maintaining shielding continuity while ensuring watertightness, due to difficulties in manufacturing, mounting, and cost considerations.

Innovation Solution

The proposed electrical connector employs an outer shielding means with applied sealing means to ensure watertightness, while also maintaining shielding continuity between a braid and an inner shielding means, using a deep-drawn metal outer shielding and flexible blades for electrical contact.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an outer shielding means is used to provide shielding continuity, then electrical continuity is improved, but achieving watertightness becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshielding continuityVSAvoidwatertightness implementation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the shielding function and sealing function into a single integrated component - the outer shielding means serves both as an electrical shield and as a mounting surface for sealing means, eliminating the need for separate shielding and sealing components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The outer shielding means performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides electromagnetic shielding, serves as a structural support for the sealing means, and contributes to the overall watertight enclosure of the connector

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If sealing means are applied onto the outer shielding means, then watertightness is improved, but manufacturing and mounting complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovewatertightnessVSAvoidmanufacturing and mounting
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing means is pre-mounted onto the outer shielding means during the shielding component fabrication process, so that when the connector is assembled, the sealing function is already integrated and requires no additional separate mounting operations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The manufacturing processes for creating the shielding means and attaching the sealing means are combined into a single integrated production step, simplifying the overall manufacturing workflow

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4318816B1Shielded and sealed connector
Publication Date: 2025.05.21 APTIV TECHNOLOGIES AG
  • EP4318816B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4318816B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4318816B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

An electrical connector (2) comprising - an inner housing (3) and an outer housing (9), - inner shielding means (6) and outer shielding means (4), the inner shielding means (6) being in electrical contact with the outer shielding means (4), - annular sealing means (23,24), characterized in that the outer shielding means (4) is formed as a single annular band, the sealing means (23, 24) are in sealing contact, on the one hand, with both the outer housing (9) and the outer shielding means (4), and on the other hand with both the inner housing (3) and the outer shielding means (4).