CN222851695U

CN222851695U - Electrical connector and connector system

Info

Publication number: CN222851695U
Application number: CN202420287637.2U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 杨兴瑞; 邹超
Original assignee: Amphenol Commercial Products Chengdu Co Ltd
Current assignee: Amphenol Commercial Products Chengdu Co Ltd
Priority date: 2024-02-06
Filing date: 2024-02-06
Publication date: 2025-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 2034-02-06

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an electrical connector and a connector system. The electrical connector includes a plurality of connector terminals, each of which has a mating contact end and a cable attachment end respectively located at both ends, the mating contact end is configured to be used for electrical contact with an adapting electrical connector, and the cable attachment end is configured to receive a cable, and the plurality of connector terminals include two first connector terminals and a second connector terminal, each of the cable attachment ends of the two first connector terminals is configured to receive a first type of cable, and the cable attachment end of the second connector terminal is configured to receive a second type of cable, and the second type is different from the first type. By providing a plurality of connector terminals insulated from each other in the electrical connector, it is possible to conveniently electrically connect to an energy storage device. In compliance with industry standards, the wire diameter of the cable can be reasonably configured to reduce costs and weight.

Description

Electrical connector and connector system

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of connector technology, and in particular, to an electrical connector and connector system, for example, for transmitting electrical power. The electrical connector is particularly suitable for use in energy storage devices.

Background

Energy storage devices, such as energy storage cabinets, have high charge and discharge power output capabilities to meet instantaneous high power demands, such as peak load demands and emergency backup power demands. The energy storage device may store energy during low electricity usage periods and provide electrical energy to the power grid during peak electricity usage periods. Moreover, the energy storage device can store and release electric power generated by unstable and discontinuous energy sources such as wind energy, solar energy and the like, so that the interference of the energy sources on a power grid is reduced, the fluctuation of the power grid voltage is relieved, and the efficient utilization of the energy sources is achieved.

The energy storage device typically includes a plurality of energy storage units, such as battery packs, supercapacitors, and the like. The energy storage units and/or the energy storage units and other modules of the energy storage device, such as an inversion module, can be connected with each other through the energy storage connector, so that the modular assembly is realized, and the construction, the transfer or the dismantling of the energy storage device are convenient. The energy storage device may also be electrically connected to the external device through an energy storage connector, such that the energy storage device may be capable of powering the external device, or may be chargeable by the external device.

Disclosure of utility model

To at least partially solve the problems of the prior art, a first embodiment of the present disclosure provides an electrical connector. The connector includes a plurality of connector terminals, each of the plurality of connector terminals having a mating contact end and a cable attachment end at each end, the mating contact end configured for electrical contact with an adapter electrical connector, the cable attachment end configured for receiving a cable, the plurality of connector terminals including two first connector terminals each configured for receiving a first type of cable and one second connector terminal, the cable attachment end of the second connector terminal configured for receiving a second type of cable, the second type being different from the first type.

The electrical connector includes a first housing within which a plurality of connector terminals are secured, the first housing having a mounting portion configured for mounting to a board.

The electrical connector further includes a lock assembly disposed on the first housing, the lock assembly pivotable between a locked position for locking with the mating electrical connector and an unlocked position for unlocking with the mating electrical connector.

The lock assembly includes a wrench spanning the first housing in a lateral direction, both ends of the wrench being pivotally connected to the first housing about a pivot axis parallel to the lateral direction between a locked position and an unlocked position, and a pair of supports respectively connected inboard of both ends of the wrench and pivotable therewith, wherein both ends of the wrench and the pair of supports together form a hook configured to lock with the adapter electrical connector when the wrench is in the locked position.

Illustratively, a plurality of first mounting channels extending in the axial direction are provided in the first housing, a plurality of connector terminals are inserted into the plurality of first mounting channels correspondingly,

A clip is provided in each of the plurality of first mounting channels, and each of the plurality of connector terminals is secured in a corresponding first mounting channel by the clip.

The mounting portion is, for example, provided with an annular groove in the side of the first housing facing the plate, in which groove a first waterproof ring is provided.

Illustratively, the electrical connector is a plug connector.

Illustratively, the mating contact end of each of the plurality of connector terminals has a first receptacle within which is disposed a first crown spring for receiving and electrically contacting the connector terminal of the mating electrical connector.

Illustratively, the cable attachment end of each of the plurality of connector terminals has a second receptacle, the electrical connector further comprising a plurality of cable terminals for respectively connecting the plurality of cables, the plurality of cable terminals being correspondingly inserted into and in electrical contact with the cable attachment end of the plurality of connector terminals.

The electrical connector further comprises a plurality of cables connected to the plurality of cable terminals, respectively, the plurality of cables comprising two cables of a first type connected to the two first connector terminals and one cable of a second type connected to the second connector terminal.

Illustratively, the plurality of connector terminals have a second housing over-molded thereon, with the cable attachment end and the plurality of cable terminals being located within the second housing.

The second housing has a mounting opening configured to allow the plurality of cable terminals to be connected to the cable attachment end via the mounting opening, the electrical connector further includes a waterproof gasket sealing the mounting opening, the waterproof gasket being provided with a plurality of threading holes coaxial with the plurality of cable terminals, respectively, the plurality of threading holes being for the plurality of cables to pass through, respectively, the waterproof gasket being further configured to form a seal between the plurality of cables, and a rear cover connected to the second housing and fixing the waterproof gasket within the second housing.

Illustratively, the electrical connector further comprises a rigid straight tube received within the second housing, the straight tube being located between the waterproof gasket and the rear cover, one end of the waterproof gasket being inserted into the straight tube, the rear cover resting against the straight tube.

The electrical connector further includes a mounting tray mounted within the second housing via a mounting opening, the mounting tray having a plurality of tray through holes disposed therein, each of the plurality of tray through holes receiving a cable attachment end of one of the plurality of connector terminals and a corresponding cable terminal, the mounting tray having first and second ends opposite along an extension of the plurality of cable terminals, the first end abutting the waterproof gasket, the second end abutting the second housing.

Illustratively, a slot is provided on the second end that divides the second end into a plurality of fixation posts independent of each other, through which the plurality of disk through holes pass correspondingly.

Illustratively, a side of each of the plurality of cable terminals is provided with a stop flange having first and second stop surfaces that are opposed along the extending direction of the plurality of cable terminals, each of the plurality of connector terminals abuts against the first stop surface of the stop flange of the corresponding cable terminal, a side of each of the plurality of tray through holes is provided with a step surface facing the corresponding connector terminal, and the second stop surface of the stop flange abuts against the step surface.

The electrical connector further comprises a second waterproof ring sleeved on the second shell and clamped between the second shell and an end part of the rear cover sleeved on the second shell.

Illustratively, each of the plurality of connector terminals further includes a curved intermediate section connected between the cable attachment end and the mating contact end, and the second housing is overmolded onto the mating contact end and the intermediate section of the plurality of connector terminals.

Illustratively, a second crown spring is disposed within the second receptacle, the second crown spring having a corresponding cable terminal inserted therein and in electrical contact with the corresponding cable terminal.

The mating interface of the second housing for mating with the mating electrical connector is illustratively provided with a third waterproof ring configured for forming a seal between the second housing and the mating electrical connector.

Illustratively, the electrical connector is a receptacle connector.

Illustratively, the two first connector terminals have opposite polarities.

Illustratively, the first type of cable has a diameter of 4-6AWG and the second type of cable has a diameter of 6-8AWG.

Illustratively, the two connector terminals are each of opposite polarity, and the second connector terminal is a ground terminal.

Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a connector system including at least one group connector, each of the at least one group connector including a plug connector mounted to a board, the plug connector including a plurality of plug connector terminals, and a receptacle connector including a plurality of receptacle connector terminals, one end of the plurality of receptacle connector terminals being mated to the plug connector such that the plurality of receptacle connector terminals are in electrical contact with the plurality of plug connector terminals, each of the plurality of receptacle connector terminals being provided with a receptacle at the other end, the receptacle being configured for receiving a cable.

Illustratively, the connector system includes two sets of connectors with the receptacles of the receptacle connectors of the two sets facing each other and receiving two ends of the plurality of cables, respectively.

Illustratively, the connector system includes two sets of connectors, the receptacles of the receptacle connectors in the two sets of connectors facing in the same direction and respectively receiving two ends of the plurality of cables.

Illustratively, the plug connector has a plug mating interface that mates with the receptacle connector, the receptacle connector has a receptacle mating interface that mates with the plug connector, the plug mating interfaces of the plug connectors in the two sets of connectors are mirror images of each other, and the receptacle mating interfaces of the receptacle connectors in the two sets of connectors are mirror images of each other.

Illustratively, the plug mating interface and the receptacle mating interface each include a fool-proof structure configured to mate the plug mating interface and the receptacle mating interface with each other in a predetermined direction.

The inventors have further appreciated and appreciated that by providing a plurality of connector terminals insulated from one another in one electrical connector, electrical connection with an energy storage device may be facilitated. The plurality of connector terminals may include a positive terminal, a negative terminal and a ground terminal, so that connection between power lines can be accomplished through one connector, and the operation is more convenient. The connector terminals can be connected with different types of cables, such as cables with different wire diameters, and the connector terminals can be easily noticed during the assembly process of a user, so that errors in assembly are effectively avoided. Under the condition of meeting international and domestic standards, the wire diameter of the cable is reasonably configured, so that the cost of the cable can be reduced, and the weight of the cable can be reduced. The plurality of connector terminals of the plug connector are in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of connector terminals of the socket connector, and electric connection can be established only when the plug connector and the socket connector are correctly connected, so that the situation that elements are damaged due to reverse connection of lines can be effectively avoided.

In the summary, a series of concepts in a simplified form are introduced, which will be further described in detail in the detailed description section. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Advantages and features of the disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Drawings

The following drawings of the present disclosure are included as part of the disclosure herein for purposes of understanding the same. Embodiments of the present disclosure and descriptions thereof are shown in the drawings to explain the principles of the disclosure. In the drawings of which there are shown,

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a connector system according to one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the connector system shown in FIG. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the first electrical connector and the second electrical connector in a separated state.

FIG. 4A illustrates an exploded view of the first electrical connector shown in FIG. 1;

Fig. 4B illustrates a perspective view of the connector terminals of the first electrical connector shown in fig. 4A;

fig. 4C shows a cross-sectional view of the connector terminals of the first electrical connector shown in fig. 4A;

Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the first housing and lock assembly of the first electrical connector from the rear;

figure 5B shows a perspective view of the first waterproof ring shown in figure 4A;

figure 5C shows a cross-sectional view of the first water-repellent loop shown in figure 4A;

FIG. 6A illustrates a cross-sectional view of the first electrical connector of FIG. 1 taken along a centerline of a first mounting channel;

FIG. 6B shows an enlarged partial view of the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 6A;

fig. 6C shows a cutaway portion of the first connector terminal of the cross-sectional view shown in fig. 6A;

Fig. 6D illustrates a cutaway portion of the first connector terminal and a portion of the clip shown in the cross-sectional view of fig. 6A;

FIG. 6E shows a perspective view of the clip in the cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 6A;

FIG. 7A illustrates an exploded view of the second electrical connector shown in FIG. 1;

Fig. 7B is a side view of a second connector terminal of the second electrical connector shown in fig. 7A;

fig. 7C is a cross-sectional view of the second connector terminal shown in fig. 7B;

Fig. 8A shows a top view of a portion of the structure of the second electrical connector shown in fig. 1;

FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view of the second electrical connector shown in FIG. 8A taken along the A-A plane;

FIG. 9A illustrates an exploded view of the second electrical connector shown in FIG. 1;

fig. 9B shows a cross-sectional view of the second electrical connector shown in fig. 9A;

FIG. 9C illustrates a top view of the mounting plate of the second electrical connector shown in FIG. 9A;

FIG. 9D illustrates a cross-sectional view of the mounting plate shown in FIG. 9C along the B-B plane;

Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the cable terminal of the second electrical connector shown in fig. 1;

fig. 11 is a view showing an assembled structure of the second electrical connector shown in fig. 9A;

FIG. 12 illustrates a schematic diagram of a connector system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 13 shows a schematic view of a connector system according to another embodiment of the present disclosure;

fig. 14A and 14B illustrate perspective views of two first electrical connectors that are mirror images of each other, respectively, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 15A and 15B show front views of two first electrical connectors shown in fig. 14A and 14B, respectively, that are mirror images of each other;

fig. 16A and 16B illustrate rear views of the two first electrical connectors shown in fig. 14A and 14B, respectively, as mirror images of each other;

17A and 17B illustrate perspective views of two second electrical connectors that are mirror images of each other, respectively, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

Fig. 18A and 18B show front views of two second electrical connectors that are mirror images of each other shown in fig. 17A and 17B, respectively.

Wherein the above figures include the following reference numerals:

100. A first electrical connector; 110, connector terminals; 110A, cable attachment end; the contact end portion 110B, the cable receiving hole, the contact end portion 110D, the limit step face, the contact end 110E, the through hole, the contact end 110F, the tapered face, the contact end 110G, the abutment face, the contact end 111, the first connector terminal 112, the second connector terminal, the contact end 120, the first housing, the contact end 120A, the mating interface 120B, the cable interface 121, the mounting portion 1211, the mounting hole, the contact end 122, the pivot boss 123, the first mounting channel 1231, the first stop boss 1232, the second stop boss 1233, the arc groove 1234, the gap 124, the first polarity indicator, the contact end 125, the annular groove 126, the gap 127, the recess 130, the first collar 131, the inner ring sealing layer 132, the outer ring sealing layer 140, the locking assembly, the contact end 141, the wrench 141A, the pivot hole 142, the support member 143, the fixing member 170, the collar 171, the reed 172, the slit 180, the insulating cap 200, the second electrical connector 210, the connector terminal 211, the first connector terminal 212, the second connector terminal 212, the first housing, the first flange 211, the second connector terminal 212, the first flange portion 212, the second connector terminal, the annular groove 125, the annular groove 126, the opening, the 126, the gap portion 126, the gap end portion 127, the recess 130, the first collar portion, the sealing end portion, the flange, the inner portion, the flange, the sealing, and sealing, fitting, and fitting, and fitting and connector fitting and connector fitting and fitting, annular ribs 290, a mounting disc, 291, a disc through hole, 291A, a step surface, 292, a first end, 293, a second end, 294, a slot, 295, a fixed column, 300, a first cable and 400, a second cable.

Detailed Description

In the following description, numerous details are provided to provide a thorough understanding of the present disclosure. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the following description illustrates preferred embodiments of the present disclosure by way of example only and that the present disclosure may be practiced without one or more of these details. Furthermore, some technical features that are known in the art have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present disclosure.

Conventional energy storage connectors typically each house only one terminal for transmitting power. The inventors have appreciated and appreciated that each energy storage connector may include a plurality of terminals, which may reduce the number of connectors used by the energy storage system. The inventors have also appreciated and appreciated a connector design that enables an energy storage connector to support multiple cable diameters and multiple polarities. For example, the energy storage connector may include power terminals for connecting the positive and negative poles of a power source. Optionally, the energy storage connector may further comprise a ground terminal. The present disclosure provides an electrical connector including a plurality of connector terminals. Each of the plurality of connector terminals has a mating contact end and a cable attachment end at both ends, respectively. The mating contact end may be configured for electrical contact with the mating electrical connector. The cable attachment end may be configured to receive a cable. The plurality of connector terminals includes two first connector terminals and one second connector terminal, the cable attachment ends of the two first connector terminals being configured to receive a first type of cable, the cable attachment ends of the second connector terminals being configured to receive a second type of cable, the second type being different from the first type. For example, the first cable and the second cable may have different wire diameters, for example, the wire diameter of the cable connected to the ground terminal may be smaller than the wire diameter of the cable connected to the power terminal, thereby reducing costs.

The connector designs described above may be directed to different types of connectors, such as plug connectors and receptacle connectors. The inventors have appreciated and appreciated that in order to reduce the space taken up by connecting the plug connector and the receptacle connector to each other, one of the plug connector and the receptacle connector is a vertical connector and the other is a right angle connector. The vertical connector is typically secured to a panel of the device to be connected, and the terminals therein may be perpendicular to the panel. After the right angle connector is matched with the vertical connector, the height of the two connectors protruding out of the panel can be reduced.

In addition, the inventor is aware of and knows a connector arrangement in which two vertical connectors can be mounted on two devices to be connected, respectively, and two right-angle connectors are connected to two ends of a cable, respectively, so that quick connection of the two devices to be connected can be achieved, and the requirements on the relative positions and the spacing of the two devices to be connected are low. For example, when two devices to be connected are located on the same side, the cable attachment ends of the two right angle connectors at both ends of the cable may be opposed to each other, and thus the cable therebetween may be generally in a straight shape. For example, when two devices to be connected are disposed opposite to each other, the cable attachment ends of the two right angle connectors at both ends of the cable may face in the same direction, and thus, the cable therebetween may generally have a bridge-like structure.

The inventors have further appreciated and appreciated a lock assembly suitable for use with such connectors. The lock assembly may be provided on a connector for securing to a panel of equipment to be connected. The electrical connector connected to the cable can be detached and separated from the device to be connected, possibly being left free, with the risk of scraping with other objects causing damage to the lock assembly. Providing the lock assembly on that connector which is fixed to the device to be connected ensures the stability and reliability of the lock assembly and thus ensures that the two electrical connectors being mated are reliably locked together. Illustratively, the lock assembly may be pivotally mounted to the electrical connector so that it is easy to operate and relatively simple in construction.

Energy storage devices are typically used outdoors, and the electrical connectors provided by the present disclosure may promote a level of waterproofing, such as compliance with the IP67 standard set forth by the european electronic technology standardization committee. The waterproof grade of the IP67 can be achieved at least after the two matched electric connectors are connected with each other, so that the conditions of corrosion, abrasion, short circuit, electric leakage and the like of a wiring terminal caused by water inflow or dust inflow in the connectors due to rain, dust emission and the like are avoided under a long-term outdoor working environment. For example, an electrical connector mounted on an energy storage device may have holes that only prevent entry of larger foreign objects, and the protection level may be IP20. The IP20 standard is to prevent intrusion of solid objects greater than 12.5mm, and specific functions are to prevent contact of a person's fingers with internal parts of the electrical connector, and to prevent intrusion of other medium-sized foreign objects. With such an electrical connector, it is possible to effectively prevent a user from erroneously touching a live portion such as a connector terminal or the like at the time of use, resulting in an electric shock risk. For the adapter connector, a waterproof ring and other structures and a process of integrally molding are combined, so that the internal connector terminal cannot be contacted with external water vapor. After the two matched electric connectors are matched, the gap between the two electric connectors can be sealed through the sealing ring and the lock assembly, so that even if the two electric connectors are soaked in water with the depth of 1m for 30min, water vapor does not invade the electric connectors through the gap between the electric connectors. Thereby achieving the waterproof and dustproof effects of the IP67 level.

The inventor also consciously and knows that the waterproof performance and the yield of the finished product can be effectively improved by secondarily molding the second shell on the connector terminal of the second electric connector, and the technology is mature. The overmoulding can make there be little gap between the connector terminal and the second housing, thereby effectively preventing the intrusion of moisture. Reducing the number of exposed gaps, as well as reducing the size of the gaps, is another effective means of improving water resistance. Because the second electric connector has more parts and parts are required to be isolated from water vapor, the parts are accommodated in the second shell, and the waterproof gasket and the external sealing are relatively simple in design and high in cost performance.

The inventors have further appreciated and appreciated that the difficulty of connecting the second cable increases substantially because the connector terminals are relatively fixed to the second housing and the cable attachment end to which the second cable is connected is located within the cavity of the second housing. For this reason, the inventors designed the cable attachment end portion of the connector terminal connection cable to be a structure that can be connected by simply pulling out the insertion row. To ensure consistency and reliability of the electrical connection, the cable terminals may first be connected on the second cable and then inserted into the cable attachment end. To further ensure the reliability of the connection, a second crown spring is also provided at the cable attachment end portion, and the cable terminal is inserted into the second crown spring so as to be tightly fitted with the cable attachment end portion. Although the second crown spring improves the reliability of the electrical connection, it is relatively difficult to insert the cable terminal, also due to the elastic force of the second crown spring, especially when a flexible wire is used as the cable. The user may need other elongated tools to grip the cable terminal and insert the cable terminal into the corresponding second crown spring. In this regard, the inventors devised a mounting plate that can be inserted into a corresponding second crown spring by pushing the mounting plate into a cavity of the second housing by abutting against a protruding portion of the cable terminal so that a user only has to pass the second cable and cable terminal through corresponding through holes of the mounting plate. The size of the mounting plate allows the user to retain the cable terminals without the use of an elongated tool, simplifying the difficulty of installation. On the other hand, after the assembly is completed, the mounting plate can continuously abut against the cable terminal, and even if the mounting plate is used for a long time, the mounting plate cannot loose.

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a connector system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is a side view of the connector system shown in fig. 1. Referring to fig. 1 and 2 in combination, the connector system may include a first electrical connector 100 and a second electrical connector 200. The first electrical connector 100 and the second electrical connector 200 may be adapted to connect. One of the first and second electrical connectors 100, 200 is a plug connector and the other is a receptacle connector. The first electrical connector 100 may be mounted on a panel of devices to be connected. The second electrical connector 200 may be connected to another device to be connected by a cable, and thus the devices to be connected may be electrically connected to each other by the first electrical connector 100 and the second electrical connector 200 to transmit power. Or alternatively, two second electrical connectors 200 may be connected to both ends of the cable, respectively, and the two second electrical connectors 200 may be connected to two first electrical connectors 100 fixed to the panels of two devices to be connected, respectively, so as to electrically connect the two devices to be connected to each other to transmit power. The first and second electrical connectors 100 and 200 can be simply and quickly separated or connected from each other. Fig. 1-2 show the first electrical connector 100 and the second electrical connector 200 in a connected state, and fig. 3 shows the first electrical connector 100 and the second electrical connector 200 in a disconnected state.

Fig. 4A shows an exploded view of the first electrical connector 100. The first electrical connector 100 may include a plurality of connector terminals 110. Three connector terminals 110 are shown, two above being first connector terminals 111 and one below being second connector terminals 112. The first connector terminals 111 may be power terminals for connecting positive and negative poles of a dc power supply, respectively. The second connector terminal 112 may be a ground terminal for connecting to ground. The first electrical connector 100 may also be used for ac power, in which case the first connector terminals 111 may be used for connecting live and neutral wires, respectively, for example. In the illustrated embodiment, three connector terminals 110 are arranged in a triangle. In an embodiment not shown, the three connector terminals 110 may also have other arrangements, for example, may be arranged in a "straight" shape. The three connector terminals 110 may have the same structure to reduce the kinds of parts and reduce the processing cost.

As shown in fig. 4B, one end of each connector terminal 110 is a cable attachment end 110A for connection with a cable, and the other end is a mating contact end 110B, the mating contact end 110B being for electrical contact with a corresponding connector terminal of an electrical mating connector, such as a second electrical connector 200 to be mentioned below. The mating contact end 110B may be cylindrical and may be provided with an insulating cap 180 at its distal end to prevent a user from touching by mistake to get an electric shock. Each of the connector terminals 110 may be made of a metal material such as a copper alloy, and specifically may be made of brass, for example, so as to have good electrical conductivity. The mating contact end 110B may have good mechanical properties, thereby reducing deformation and wear when mating with the mating second electrical connector 200. The cable attachment end 110A at the other end of each connector terminal 110 may be connected with the first cable 300. In some embodiments, a cable receiving hole 110C may be provided in the cable attachment end 110A, and a corresponding first cable 300 may be inserted into the cable receiving hole 110C, see fig. 4C. After the first cable 300 is inserted into the cable receiving hole 110C, the cable attachment end 110A may be crimped onto the end of the first cable 300 located in the cable receiving hole 110C by a crimping tool, thereby tightly bonding the connector terminal 110 with the first cable 300 and forming a good electrical connection. At this time, it is required that at least a portion of the connector terminal 110 where the cable attachment end portion 110A is formed has good ductility so as to avoid occurrence of cracks at the time of crimping, and should be closely fitted with the first cable 300 after crimping without occurrence of a gap due to rebound.

In another embodiment, the connection may be performed by soldering or resistance welding after inserting the corresponding first cable 300 into the cable receiving hole 110C of the cable attachment end 110A. In the above-described use scenario, taking brazing as an example, the cable attachment end 110A should be able to use common brazing materials to form a good wetting, thereby avoiding separation or formation of a gap of the first cable 300 from the cable attachment end 110A after welding. In summary, the first cable 300 may be well connected to the corresponding connector terminal 110 by any suitable method, ensuring electrical and mechanical properties.

The first electrical connector 100 may be a plug connector. The mating contact end 110B may be thinner than the cable attachment end 110A. As shown in fig. 4C, the mating contact end 110B may be solid and may be inserted into the connector terminal 210 of the mating second electrical connector 200. And the cable attachment end 110A may be hollow, thereby forming a cable receiving hole 110C into which the first cable 300 is inserted. A limiting step surface 110D may be formed between the mating contact end 110B and the cable attachment end 110A. The limit step surface 110D may abut against the first housing 120 to be mentioned later, thereby playing a limit role on the connector terminal 110. A through hole 110E is provided on a side wall of the cable attachment end 110A. The through hole 110E may communicate with the cable receiving hole 110C. Illustratively, the first cable 300 is connected to the cable attachment end 110A by brazing. Illustratively, a brazing material (e.g., tin paste) may be injected into the cable receiving aperture 110C, and the first cable 300 may be inserted into the cable receiving aperture 110C, followed by bulk heating. During the heating process, the gas generated by the soldering flux of the soldering material can be discharged through the through hole 110E, so that the molten soldering material is prevented from being splashed due to pressure, and thus the soldering material can well infiltrate with the inner walls of the first cable 300 and the cable receiving hole 110C, the soldering quality is ensured, and the contact resistance is reduced.

The connector terminal 110 may be straight, with the mating contact end 110B and the cable attachment end 110A extending opposite each other. The connector terminals 110 may be perpendicular to a panel of the device to be connected to which the first electrical connector 100 is mounted, and thus the first electrical connector 100 may be referred to as a vertical electrical connector.

It should be noted that the second connector terminal 112 may have the same structure as the first connector terminal 111, but their sizes may be different. Alternatively, the length of the first connector terminal 111 may be the same as the length of the second connector terminal 112. The outer diameter of the first connector terminal 111 may be larger than the outer diameter of the second connector terminal 112. Or alternatively, the first connector terminal 111 and the second connector terminal 112 may have the same structure and outer dimensions. Alternatively, the inner diameter of the cable receiving hole 110C of the second connector terminal 112 may be different from the inner diameter of the cable receiving hole 110C of the first connector terminal 111, so that the cable attachment ends 110A of the first connector terminal 111 and the second connector terminal 112 may receive cables of different specifications.

Fig. 7A shows an exploded view of the second electrical connector 200 shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 7A, the second electrical connector 200 includes a plurality of connector terminals 210. The connector terminals 210 may be adapted in position and number to the connector terminals 110 of the first electrical connector 100. The plurality of connector terminals 210 may have a similar structure to each other. Each connector terminal 210 may include mating contact ends and cable attachment ends at both ends. The mating contact end of the connector terminal 210 is structurally complementary to the mating contact end 110B of the connector terminal 110, e.g., the mating contact end 110B of the connector terminal 110 may be inserted into the mating contact end of the connector terminal 210 such that upon mating of the first electrical connector 100 with the second electrical connector 200, the mating contact end 110B of the first electrical connector 100 may contact the mating contact end of the second electrical connector 200 to form an electrical connection. The second electrical connector 200 may be a receptacle connector.

The electrical connector needs to include a ground wire of a proper specification in order to prevent personal injury due to leakage caused by insulation breakage, a humid environment, etc. According to the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard, a power cable for transmitting electric power may be thicker than a ground cable, e.g., the cross-sectional area of the power cable may be 1.5-2 times the cross-sectional area of the ground cable. The first cable 300 may include a first type of cable connected to the first connector terminal 111 and a second type of cable connected to the second connector terminal 112. The two types of cables may have different wire diameters. Accordingly, the cable attachment ends that connect to the first type of cable and the second type of cable are also different. Illustratively, under the american wire gauge (AMERICAN WIRE gauge, AWG), the first type of cable may have a diameter of 4-6AWG and the second type of cable may have a diameter of 6-8AWG. Therefore, the first type of cable can safely transmit a larger current, and relatively, the weight and cost of the cable can be reduced by adopting a smaller wire diameter on the premise of meeting international and domestic standards because the ground wire does not need to pass a large current. Illustratively, both first connector terminals may have opposite polarities, whether first electrical connector 100 or second electrical connector 200. As described above, the two first type cables to which the first connector terminals are connected may be positive and negative electrodes, respectively. By having the second connector terminals disposed below the two first connector terminals, a fool-proof effect can be achieved without causing the two connectors 100 and 200 to mate with each other at an incorrect angle.

In some embodiments, the first electrical connector 100 may include a first housing 120, as shown in fig. 4A. A plurality of connector terminals 110 may be fixed within the first housing 120. The first housing 120 may be molded from an insulating material such as plastic. The plastic may include, but is not limited to, liquid Crystal Polymer (LCP), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), high temperature nylon, polyphenylene oxide (PPO), or polypropylene (PP), or other materials may be used. In some cases, the plastic may be a thermoset. In some cases, the insulating plastic may comprise an insulating material such as fiberglass reinforced. The first housing 120 may function to accommodate the plurality of connector terminals 110 and to keep the plurality of connector terminals 110 insulated from each other. A first polarity indicator 124 that identifies the use of the connector terminal 110 may be provided on the outer side of the first housing 120. The first housing 120 may have a mounting portion 121 configured for mounting to a panel of the device to be connected. The mounting portion 121 may be integrally formed on the first housing 120. The integral molding can make the first housing 120 have enough mechanical strength and precision, and requires less processing procedures, so that the cost is lower.

In some embodiments, the mounting portion 121 may surround a side of the first housing 120. Illustratively, the mounting portion 121 may be a flange surrounding the first housing 120. The mounting portion 121 may be provided with a mounting hole 1211. The panel to be connected to the device can be fixed through the mounting hole 1211. The surface of the mounting portion 121 facing the panel may be provided with an annular groove 125, and a first waterproof ring 130 is provided in the annular groove 125. As described above, the mounting portion 121 may be formed of the above-described flange, which may limit the first electrical connector 100 when the first electrical connector 100 is mounted to the panel. Fig. 5A is a perspective view of the first housing 120 and the lock assembly 140 of the first electrical connector 100 from the rear. As shown, the mounting portion 121 may be provided with an annular groove 125, and the annular groove 125 may limit the first waterproof ring 130 (see fig. 5B and 5C). Illustratively, the mounting portion 121 is positioned on the front side of the panel when the first electrical connector 100 is mounted to the panel, and thus the annular groove 125 is positioned on the back side of the mounting portion 121. The mounting hole 1211 may be provided at the periphery of the first waterproof ring 130. After being fixed to the panel through the mounting holes 1211 by the fasteners, the mounting portion 121 and the panel may clamp the first waterproof ring 130 therebetween, thereby forming a waterproof between the first electrical connector 100 and the panel. The first waterproof ring 130 may be made of a flexible material such as silicone rubber. As shown in fig. 5B and 5C, the cross section of the first waterproof ring 130 may have a "concave" shape, and the opening of the "concave" shape may be installed toward the panel. Thus, the first waterproof ring 130 may include an inner ring sealing layer 131 and an outer ring sealing layer 132. When pressed, the inner ring seal layer 131 and the outer ring seal layer 132 may be appropriately deformed, respectively, to form a double-layer seal between the mounting portion 121 and the panel, thereby enhancing the waterproof effect. The annular groove 125 may receive a portion of the first waterproof ring 130 so that the mounting portion 121 may be closely fitted to the panel without generating a gap. Meanwhile, deformation of the first waterproof ring 130 after being extruded is in a certain range, and accelerated aging of the first waterproof ring 130 caused by overlarge pressure is prevented.

The first electrical connector 100 may be mounted on and form a seal with a panel of the device to be connected. After the first electrical connector 100 and the mating second electrical connector 200 are plugged into each other, a waterproof ring may be disposed therebetween. Thus, the waterproof level of the connector system including the first and second electrical connectors 100 and 200 can be made to meet a high requirement, for example, P67. The first electrical connector 100 itself may have a relatively low level of waterproofing, and after all the outside of the device to be connected to which the first electrical connector 100 is mounted may also be provided with a housing. Thus, the cost can be reduced.

In some embodiments, the first electrical connector 100 may further include a lock assembly 140 disposed on the first housing 120. The lock assembly 140 may be pivotable between a locked position and an unlocked position. The lock assembly 140 is locked with the mating second electrical connector 200 when in the locked position, ensuring the reliability of the connection between the first electrical connector 100 and the second electrical connector 200. The first and second electrical connectors 100, 200 may be separated from each other or plugged into each other when the lock assembly 140 is in the unlocked position. In some embodiments, the lock assembly 140 may be pivotally connected to the first housing 120 so as to be pivotable between a locked position and an unlocked position. Referring to fig. 3, 4A and 5A in combination, in the particular embodiment shown, a cylindrical pivot boss 122 may be provided on the first housing 120, and the lock assembly 140 may include an opening that mates with the pivot boss 122, with the opening of the lock assembly 140 being over the pivot boss 122 such that the lock assembly 140 may pivot about a central axis of the pivot boss 122 (i.e., a pivot axis described below). The lock assembly 140 is provided, so that the first electric connector 100 and the second electric connector 200 can be locked, and the conditions of poor contact, arc and the like caused by looseness between the first electric connector 100 and the second electric connector 200 due to external factors such as vibration, pulling and the like are prevented. The lock assembly 140 may also provide pressure to the waterproof assembly (if any) between the first electrical connector 100 and the mating second electrical connector 200, preventing the seal from crevice, resulting in ingress of moisture, causing problems such as rust, electrochemical corrosion, and even shorting.

In some embodiments, as shown in fig. 3 and 4A, the lock assembly 140 may include a wrench 141 and a pair of supports 142. The wrench 141 spans across the first housing 120 in a lateral direction. Both ends of the wrench 141 are pivotably connected to the first housing 120 about a pivot axis parallel to the lateral direction between a locked position and an unlocked position. A pair of supporting members 142 are respectively connected to inner sides of both ends of the wrench 141 and are pivotable with the wrench 141. Both ends of the wrench 141 form hooks together with a pair of supporters 142. The hook may be configured to lock with the mating second electrical connector 200 when the wrench 141 is in the locked position. The second electrical connector 200 may be provided with a locking protrusion 251, and the hook may be engaged with the locking protrusion 251.

With continued reference to fig. 4A, the wrench 141 may include an upwardly curved "bill" that a user may apply to rotate the wrench 141 about the pivot axis. As described above, both sides of the first housing 120 may be provided with the pivot protrusions 122, respectively, and the pivot protrusions 122 protrude outward along the pivot axis from the outer side surface of the first housing 120. Both ends of the wrench 141 may be provided with pivot holes 141A. The wrench 141 is pivotably connected to the pivot boss 122 through the pivot hole 141A. The wrench 141 may have a U shape with a downward opening, and a distance between both ends of the wrench 141 is smaller than a distance between protruding ends of the two pivoting bosses 122. During installation, both ends of the wrench 141 may be deformed by external force such that the pivot protrusions 122 are engaged with the pivot holes 141A on both ends of the wrench 141. In this way, the wrench 141 can be conveniently mounted to the first housing 120. The wrench 141 may be made of a material having a certain deformability and a high mechanical strength. Illustratively, the wrench 141 may be made of various suitable materials, such as plastic, metal, etc. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the wrench 141 is made of metal and is formed by a sheet metal process. The sheet metal process can rapidly produce parts in large batches and has lower cost. The thickness of the sheet metal part can influence the processing difficulty, and the too thick plate can have defects such as cracks after bending. Therefore, the wrench 141 may be made of a metal having a relatively thin thickness. Since a large tensile force may be experienced between the first electrical connector 100 and the mating second electrical connector 200, the lock assembly 140 needs to be strong enough to resist the tensile force. For this purpose, the supporting member 142 may be provided, and the supporting member 142 may be produced by punching or the like without a complicated structure, and may have a thickness larger than that of the wrench 141. The support 142 may pivot coaxially with the wrench 141, and both ends of the wrench 141 and the pair of support 142 together form a hook. Referring back to fig. 1-2, the hooks may cooperate with the housing of the adapted second electrical connector 200, thereby preventing separation of both the first electrical connector 100 and the second electrical connector 200. The wrench 141 and the supporter 142 may be fixed to each other by a fixing member 143 such as a rivet to pivot synchronously about a pivot axis. The user simply lifts the wrench 141 to pivot the lock assembly 140 to the unlocked position. Illustratively, each support 142 may have a substantially V-shape, one end of which is fixed with the wrench 141 by the fixing member 143, and the other end of which is pivotably connected to the pivot boss 122 together with the wrench 141, to strengthen the connection strength of the wrench 141 with the first housing 120. A pair of supporting pieces 142 may be respectively located at inner sides of both ends of the wrench 141. In this way, the pair of the supporting pieces 142 can play a reinforcing role in connection between the wrench 141 and the first housing 120 and in locking of the wrench 141 and the second electrical connector 200, but when the wrench 141 to which the supporting pieces 142 are fixed is mounted to the first housing 120, the supporting pieces 142 may not affect the deformability of the wrench 141 and thus the mounting of the wrench 141.

In some embodiments, a plurality of first mounting channels 123 extending in an axial direction may be disposed within the first housing 120, as shown in fig. 4A, 5A, and 6A-6D. The first housing 120 has mating interfaces 120A and cable interfaces 120B at both ends thereof. The plurality of first mounting channels 123 each extend from the mating interface 120A to the cable interface 120B. The plurality of connector terminals 110 are correspondingly inserted into the plurality of first mounting channels 123. A clip 170 may be disposed in each first mounting channel 123. Each connector terminal 110 may be secured within a corresponding first mounting channel 123 by a clip 170. Fig. 6C removes the connector terminal 110 as compared to fig. 6A-6B, and fig. 6D removes the clip 170 as compared to fig. 6C. The clip 170 may be made of a material having a large mechanical strength and a certain elasticity, and may be made of metal or hard plastic, for example. As shown in fig. 6E, the clip 170 may be tubular with a slit 172. When an external force in the radial direction is applied, the width of the slit 172 is reduced to reduce the diameter of the clip 170, and the clip can return to the original size after the external force is removed. Of course, in other embodiments, the clip may take other suitable shapes.

As shown in fig. 6C and 6D, a first stopping protrusion 1231 and a second stopping protrusion 1232 are provided on the inner sidewall of each first mounting channel 123, respectively. The second stopping protrusions 1232 and the first stopping protrusions 1231 are sequentially disposed along the insertion direction of the connector terminal 110 into the first mounting channel 123 and spaced apart from each other. The clip 170 is mounted from the rear end into the first mounting channel 123. During installation, the clip 170 first passes over the second stop tab 1232 and then remains between the first stop tab 1231 and the second stop tab 1232. Illustratively, the rear surface of the first stopping protrusion 1231 is obliquely disposed to form a part of a tapered surface gradually shrinking in the insertion direction of the connector terminal 110. The clip 170 is gradually pressed by the rear surface of the first stopping protrusion 1231 during installation, so that the slit 172 is narrowed until passing over the second stopping protrusion 1232. And finally, the deformation is restored to be embedded between the first stopping protrusion 1231 and the second stopping protrusion 1232.

The first and second stopping protrusions 1231 and 1232 may each have a ring shape. Alternatively, the first and second stopping protrusions 1231 and 1232 may also include one protrusion or a plurality of protrusions discretely distributed along a circumferential direction around the first mounting passage 123, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the first stopping protrusion 1231 is ring-shaped, and the size of the first stopping protrusion 1231 protruding into the first mounting channel 123 is larger than the size of the second stopping protrusion 1232 protruding along the radial direction. The first opening formed around the first stop projection 1231 only allows the thinner mating contact end 110B of the connector terminal 110 to pass. The limit step surface 110D of the connector terminal 110 also abuts against the first stop protrusion 1231. The second opening formed around the second stop protrusion 1232 is to allow the thicker cable attachment end 110A of the connector terminal 110 to pass. In addition, the second opening is sized larger than the first opening to facilitate installation of the clip 170.

Illustratively, the second stopping protrusion 1232 may include a plurality of protrusions discretely distributed along the circumferential direction as shown in fig. 6D. Adjacent bumps have a space 1234 therebetween. A plurality of arc-shaped grooves 1233 may be formed on the annular first stopping protrusion 1231 at positions corresponding to the plurality of protrusions in the axial direction. That is, if the second stopping protrusion 1232 is projected onto the first stopping protrusion 1231 in the axial direction, the exposed region of each arc-shaped slot 1233 can completely cover the projection of the corresponding bump. The aforementioned exposure area may be greater than or equal to the projection. While the portion of the first stop boss 1231 corresponding to the space 1234 may be solid. As described above, the first housing 120 may be formed by injection molding. Since the space between the first and second stopping protrusions 1231 and 1232 is thicker than the first opening formed by the first stopping protrusion 1231 and the second opening formed by the second stopping protrusion 1232, the plurality of arc-shaped grooves 1233 formed in the first stopping protrusion 1231 can facilitate the mold opening. The space between the first stop boss 1231 and the second stop boss 1232 can be machined by drawing a mold in a rearward direction through the space 1234 and a forward direction through the arcuate slot 1233, respectively, with two complementary shaped molds.

Referring to fig. 6A to 6E in combination, the clip 170 may be provided with inwardly bent springs 171 on its side walls. The reed 171 is bent inward along the insertion direction of the connector terminal 110 into the first mounting passage 123. Referring back to fig. 4B-4C, the side of the cable attachment end 110A of the connector terminal 110 is provided with a tapered surface 110F. The outer diameter of the tapered surface 110F becomes gradually smaller in the insertion direction of the connector terminal 110, and an abutment surface 110G is formed behind the limit step surface 110D. The abutment surface 110G faces rearward. After the clip 170 is installed in place within the first mounting channel 123, the connector terminal 110 may be inserted into the first mounting channel 123. During the insertion process, the limit step surface 110D passes through the clip 170 and presses the reed 171 to expand outwards in the radial direction, and when the part between the limit step surface 110D and the abutment surface 110G completely passes over the reed 171, the reed 171 resumes its deformation and closes, for example, abuts against the tapered surface 110F, thereby limiting the abutment surface 110G of the connector terminal 110. The connector terminal 110 is caught by the first catching protrusion 1231 in the forward direction and is caught between the reed 171 and the first catching protrusion 1231. Preferably, the connector terminal 110 may be mounted into the clip 170 and the first mounting channel 123 after being connected to the first cable 300.

As shown in fig. 6A, the first mounting channel 123 may be configured to be long enough such that the connector terminal 110 may be located entirely within the first mounting channel 123, at least such that the mating contact end 110B of the connector terminal 110 may be located entirely within the first mounting channel 123. Further, the mating contact end 110B of the connector terminal 110 may be provided with an insulating cap 180. The insulating cap 180 is also preferably located within the first mounting channel 123. The gap between the insulating cap 180 and the inner side wall of the first mounting channel 123 is small enough to avoid danger of accidental touching of the connector terminal 110 by a human hand inserted into the gap. The insulating cap 180 covers only the tip of the mating contact end 110B, and the connector terminals of the adapted second electrical connector 200 can be inserted into the gap between the outer side wall of the mating contact end 110B and the inner side wall of the first mounting channel 123, so that both of these connector terminals can be electrically contacted.

The second electrical connector 200 provided according to some embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Although in the illustrated embodiment, the second electrical connector 200 is a receptacle connector, alternatively, the second electrical connector 200 may be a plug connector. The connector terminals 210 of the second electrical connector 200 may include two first connector terminals 211 and one second connector terminal 212. After the first electrical connector 100 and the second electrical connector 200 are mated, the first connector terminal 111 of the first electrical connector 100 is in electrical contact with the first connector terminal 211 of the second electrical connector 200 and the second connector terminal 112 of the first electrical connector 100 is in electrical contact with the second connector terminal 212 of the second electrical connector 200.

The first connector terminal 211 may include a mating contact end 211C and a cable attachment end 211D at both ends thereof, and the second connector terminal 212 may include a mating contact end 212C and a cable attachment end 212D at both ends thereof. The first connector terminal 211 and the second connector terminal 212 may be curved with an included angle between the mating contact ends 211C, 212C and the cable attachment ends 211D, 212D. Referring to fig. 7A-7C, the included angle shown in the figures may be 90 ° and the angled electrical connector may be suitable for applications where an included angle between the cable and the connector fitting is desired. Of course, in embodiments not shown, the included angle may also be smaller or larger. An intermediate section 211E is connected between the mating contact end 211C and the cable attachment end 211D, and an intermediate section 212E is connected between the mating contact end 212C and the cable attachment end 212D. The intermediate sections 211E and 212E are curved such that there is an included angle between the mating contact ends 211C, 212C and the cable attachment ends 211D, 212D. The first connector terminal 211 may semi-surround the second connector terminal 212 such that the first connector terminal 211 is longer than the second connector terminal 212. In this way, the mating contact ends 211C, 212C of the three connector terminals 210 may lie on the same plane, while the cable attachment ends 211D, 212D may lie on the same plane.

The first connector terminal 211 and the second connector terminal 212 may have substantially similar structures except for length. The first connector terminal 211 and the second connector terminal 212 may have the second housing 250 integrally formed thereon. The second housing 250 may be over-molded on the bent connector terminal 210 by injection molding or the like. The second housing 250 formed by the secondary molding can form a tight fit with the plurality of connector terminals 210, thereby effectively preventing the invasion of foreign matters such as water vapor and improving the waterproof level. The use of injection molding can also reduce the cost of production. The surface of the second housing 250 may also be provided with a second polarity identification 252 corresponding to the connector terminal 210. The two first connector terminals 211 may be power terminals for connecting positive and negative poles of a power source, respectively, and the second polarity indicator 252 may be used to identify polarities of the two first connector terminals 211. The second connector terminal 212 may be a ground terminal.

In some embodiments, the mating contact end 211C of the first connector terminal 211 and the mating contact end 212C of the second connector terminal 212 may have first receptacles 211A and 212A, respectively. First receptacles 211A and 212A have first crown springs 221 disposed therein, first crown springs 221 for receiving and electrically contacting connector terminals 110 of the mated first electrical connector 100. The connector terminal 110 of the first electrical connector 100 is inserted into the first crown spring 221 to overcome a certain elastic force so that the first crown spring 221 and the connector terminal 110 can form a sufficient electrical connection. The first crown spring 221 may be welded or interference fit within the first insertion holes 211A and 212A such that the first crown spring 221 may be in sufficient electrical contact with the first connector terminal 211 and the second connector terminal 212. The connector terminal 210 may be made of a metal material such as a copper alloy, and specifically may be made of brass, for example, so as to have good electrical conductivity. As shown in fig. 7A to 7B, the first crown spring 221 may have a substantially tubular shape, and a middle portion of the first crown spring 221 may be contracted with respect to both ends thereof, forming a configuration of both ends thick and thin in the middle. The side surface of the first crown spring 221 may have a through slit. The inner diameters of the first insertion holes 211A and 212A may be slightly smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the corresponding first crown spring 221 in a natural state. The first crown springs 221 may be forced to reduce in diameter after being mounted to the corresponding first insertion holes 211A and 212A, and are held in the first insertion holes 211A and 212A by their own elastic force. Also, both ends of the first crown spring 221 can be sufficiently contacted with the inside of the first insertion holes 211A and 212A, thereby ensuring the reliability of the electrical connection. After the connector terminals 110 of the first electrical connector 100 are inserted into the first crown springs 221, the contracted middle portions of the first crown springs 221 may be outwardly expanded, exerting a certain pressure on the connector terminals 110 of the first electrical connector 100, thereby forming a sufficiently large contact area while playing a fixing role. In addition, the first crown spring 221 and the surface of the connector terminal 110 of the first electrical connector 100 may also generate an oxide layer or be stained. When the connector terminal 110 is inserted into the first crown spring 221, the surfaces of the two can be scraped with each other, so that stains or oxide layers are peeled off and damaged to a certain extent, and good electrical connection is ensured.

As described above, the plurality of connector terminals 210 are over-molded with the integral second housing 250. The second housing 250 has mating interfaces 250A and cable interfaces 250B at both ends thereof. The plurality of connector terminals 210 are each connected to the mating interface 250A and the cable interface 250B. The mating interface 250A has a plurality of outwardly projecting tabs into which the mating contact ends 211C, 212C of the plurality of connector terminals 210 extend in a one-to-one correspondence. These protrusions may be inserted into the first mounting channels 123 of the first electrical connector 100 when the first and second electrical connectors 100, 200 are connected to each other. The exposed corresponding connector terminals 210 on these protrusions are smaller in opening, avoiding the risk of electric shock by touching the connector terminals 210 inside with a finger.

In some embodiments, the cable attachment end 211D of the first connector terminal 211 and the cable attachment end 212D of the second connector terminal 212 may include second receptacles 211B and 212B, respectively. A second crown spring 222 may be disposed within each of the second receptacles 211B and 212B. The second crown spring 222 may be configured to receive and electrically contact a connection end of a second cable 400 (see fig. 11). The second crown spring 222 is similar in shape and structure to the first crown spring 221 and may be installed in the second insertion holes 211B and 212B in a similar manner. As shown, to improve the waterproof level, the cable attachment end 211D of the first connector terminal 211 and the cable attachment end 212D of the second connector terminal 212 may be located in the second housing 250, for example, within the cable interface 250B of the second housing 250. Therefore, it is difficult to connect the second cable 400 to the cable attachment end 211D of the first connector terminal 211 and the cable attachment end 212D of the second connector terminal 212 by conventional means such as welding or crimping. Accordingly, the connection end portion of the second cable 400 may be directly inserted into the second insertion holes 211B and 212B such that the connection end portion of the second cable 400 is in electrical contact with the second crown spring 222. In this way, the plurality of connector terminals 210 need not be connected to the second cable 400 before the second housing 250 is over-molded over the plurality of connector terminals 210, in other words, the second electrical connector 200 need not have the second cable 400. The user can connect the second cable 400 to be connected to the second electrical connector 200 to the connector terminal 210 by way of insertion, thereby reducing the difficulty of connection. The plurality of second cables 400 may include two first type cables connected to the two first connector terminals 211 and one second type cable connected to the second connector terminal 212. The two types of cables may have different wire diameters. Illustratively, the first type of cable may have a diameter of 4-6AWG and the second type of cable may have a diameter of 6-8AWG. The first type of cable can safely transmit larger current, and the second type of cable adopts smaller wire diameter, so that the weight and cost of the cable can be reduced.

Common cables include flexible wires and hard wires, with the hard wire having a complete wire connection end that can be easily inserted into the second crown spring 222 mounted in the connector terminal 210 to form a good electrical connection. In the case of the cord, the connection end of the cord is formed by a plurality of thin conductive wires which are gathered or twisted, and when the second crown spring 222 is inserted, the situation such as bifurcation may occur, and there is a high probability that contact failure occurs. The conductive wire may also be wound around the second crown spring 222, resulting in difficulty in installation, or the conductive wire may also carry the second crown spring 222 out of the second insertion holes 211B and 212B of the connector terminal 210 when it is desired to remove the cable. To solve the above problem, the connection end portion of the cable may be soldered into one strand and then inserted into the second crown spring 222. However, as described above, in order to improve the waterproof level, the cable attachment ends 211D and 212D of the connector terminal 210 are both located inside the second housing 250, as shown in fig. 8B. Whether flexible wires or hard wires are used, the connection between the cable 400 and the cable attachment ends 211D and 212D needs to be made within the second housing 250, which may cause inconvenience in operation and may not confirm whether the cable 400 is sufficiently and reliably electrically contacted with the cable attachment ends 211D and 212D.

Based on this, in some embodiments, cable terminals 230 may be provided, see fig. 10. The connection ends of the plurality of second cables 400 may be connected to the cable attachment ends 211D of the first connector terminals 211 and the cable attachment ends 212D of the second connector terminals 212, respectively, through the plurality of cable terminals 230. The connection end of each second cable 400 may be fixed with a cable terminal 230. The cable terminals 230 may be inserted into the second insertion holes 211B and 212B of the cable attachment ends 211D and 212D, respectively, and in electrical contact with the second crown springs 222, thereby making electrical connection between the second cable 400 and the corresponding connector terminal 210. The assembly of the second cable 400 with the cable terminal 230 may be performed outside the second housing 250. The cable interface 250B of the second housing 250 may have a mounting opening 254. The cable terminals 230 may be connected to the corresponding cable attachment ends 211D and 212D via the mounting openings 254.

As shown in fig. 10, the cable terminal 230 may have opposite terminal attachment ends 231 and cable attachment ends 232. The terminal attachment ends 231 may be solid to provide sufficient rigidity to be easily inserted into the corresponding second insertion holes 211B or 212B. Preferably, the terminal attachment end 231 may press the second crown spring 222 within the corresponding second receptacle such that the second crown spring 222 may apply a certain pressure to the terminal attachment end 231 in the radial direction. In this way, it is possible to ensure that the terminal attachment end 231 is in sufficient electrical contact with the second crown spring 222, and also to firmly hold the terminal attachment end 231 within the second receptacle. A cable receiving hole 233 may be provided in the cable attachment end 232. The corresponding second cable 400 may be inserted into the cable receiving hole 233. After the second cable 400 is inserted into the cable receiving hole 233, the cable attachment end 232 may be crimped onto the end of the second cable 400 located in the cable receiving hole 233 by a crimping tool, thereby tightly bonding the cable terminal 230 with the second cable 400 and forming a good electrical connection. At this time, it is required that at least a portion of the cable terminal 230 where the cable attachment end 232 is formed has good ductility so as to avoid occurrence of cracks at the time of crimping, and should be closely fitted with the second cable 400 after crimping without occurrence of a gap due to rebound. Illustratively, the connection may also be made by soldering or resistance welding after the second cable 400 is inserted into the cable receiving hole 233. In the above-described use scenario, taking brazing as an example, the cable attachment end 232 should be able to use common brazing materials, forming a good wetting, so as to avoid separation or formation of a gap between the second cable 400 and the cable attachment end 232 after welding.

A stop flange 234 may be formed between the terminal attachment end 231 and the cable attachment end 232. The limit flange 234 may limit the depth of insertion of the terminal attachment end 231 into the second insertion hole 211B or 212B of the corresponding connector terminal 210. Optionally, the limiting flange 234 further protrudes from an outer sidewall of the cable attachment end 232 in the radial direction, such that the limiting flange 234 may also rest against a mounting plate 290, which will be mentioned later, to facilitate insertion of the plurality of cable terminals 230 together into the second insertion holes 211B and 212B of the plurality of connector terminals 210, respectively.

Similar to the connector terminal 110, a through hole 235 is provided on a side wall of the cable attachment end 232. The through hole 235 may communicate with the cable receiving hole 233. Illustratively, the second cable 400 is connected to the cable attachment end 232 by brazing. Illustratively, a brazing material (e.g., tin paste) may be injected into the cable receiving hole 233, and the second cable 400 may be inserted into the cable receiving hole 233, followed by bulk heating. During the heating process, the gas generated by the soldering flux of the soldering material can be discharged through the through holes 235, so that the molten soldering material is prevented from being splashed due to pressure, and therefore, the soldering material can well infiltrate with the inner walls of the second cable 400 and the cable receiving hole 233, the welding quality is ensured, and the contact resistance is reduced. Optionally, excess solder may also overflow from the via 235.

In some embodiments, the second electrical connector 200 may further include a rear cover 260 and a waterproof gasket 280, as shown in fig. 9A, 9B, and 11. The rear cover 260 may be coupled to the second housing 250 in any suitable manner, such as by a threaded connection, an adhesive, an interference fit, or the like. The rear cover 260 may close the mounting opening 254 of the second housing 250. The rear cover 260 surrounds the second housing 250 to form a receiving chamber. The cable attachment ends 211D and 212D of the plurality of connector terminals 210 protrude into the receiving cavity, and the cable terminals 230 may be located within the receiving cavity. Referring to fig. 7A and 8B in combination, the second housing 250 is injection molded over the mating contact ends 211C and 212C and over the intermediate sections 211E and 212E of the connector terminal 210. The cable attachment ends 211D and 212D, while located within the second housing 250, are not attached together with the material forming the second housing 250.

The waterproof gasket 280 may seal the mounting opening 254 of the second housing 250 to improve waterproof performance. The waterproof gasket 280 may be made of an elastic material, for example, a material such as silica gel or rubber. The waterproof gasket 280 may be provided with a plurality of threading holes 281 coaxial with the plurality of cable terminals 230, respectively. The plurality of second cables 400 connected to the plurality of cable terminals 230 extend outside the rear cover 260 through the plurality of threading holes 281 in a one-to-one correspondence. The waterproof gasket 280 seals between the plurality of second cables 400 in addition to sealing the mounting opening 254. Thus, a larger rear cover opening 261 may be provided in the rear cover 260 through which all of the second cables 400 may pass, as shown in fig. 8B and 9B. The rear cover 260 functions to hold the waterproof gasket 280 in the second housing 250 and protect the parts in the second housing 250. In order to enhance the sealing effect, a plurality of annular ribs 282 may be provided on the inner side wall of each of the threading holes 281, as shown in fig. 9B. The plurality of annular beads 282 are disposed at intervals along the axial direction of the threading hole 281. When the corresponding second cable 400 passes through the threading hole 281, the plurality of annular ribs 282 respectively contact with the outer side surface of the second cable 400 and form a multi-layer seal, thereby enhancing the waterproof effect. But also the contact area of the inner sidewall of the threading hole 281 and the second cable 400 can be reduced so that the second cable 400 is more easily threaded into the threading hole 281.

The inner diameter of the threading hole 281 may be slightly larger or slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the second cable 400. For the threading hole 281 slightly thinner than the second cable 400, when the user penetrates the second cable 400, the threading hole 281 is deformed so as to closely fit the outer surface of the second cable 400. The other portions of the waterproof gasket 280 may then be pressed after the second housing 250 and the rear cover 260 are coupled, so that the waterproof gasket 280 functions as a seal and waterproof between the second housing 250 and the rear cover 260. For the threading hole 281 slightly thicker than the second housing 250 and the rear cover 260, the second cable 400 may be more easily threaded through the threading hole 281. After the rear cover 260 is assembled, the rear cover 260 and the second housing 250 may compress the waterproof gasket 280 such that the thickness of the waterproof gasket 280 is thinned. The diameter of the threading hole 281 becomes smaller so as to be closely attached to the second cable 400, thereby playing a waterproof role. The waterproof gasket 280 thus provided can play a good waterproof role even if there is a processing deviation.

In some embodiments, the second electrical connector 200 may further include a rigid straight tube 270 housed within the second housing 250, as shown in fig. 9A and 9B. A plurality of second cables 400 may pass through the straight tube 270. The straight tube 270 may be positioned between the waterproof gasket 280 and the rear cover 260. One end of the waterproof gasket 280 is inserted into the straight pipe 270, and the rear cover 260 abuts against the straight pipe 270. The rear cover 260 may be made of a rigid material. In the case where the rear cover 260 is screw-coupled to the second housing 250, the rear cover 260 rotates while pressing the waterproof gasket 280 when being mounted in place during assembly, thus causing an increase in resistance to rotation and also extremely causing abrasion of the waterproof gasket 280. As shown in fig. 9A, a rigid straight tube 270 may be provided between the waterproof gasket 280 and the rear cover 260. The rigid straight pipe 270 may be made of engineering plastic, teflon or other materials, and may have self-lubricating properties. So that even if the straight pipe 270 is pressed by the rear cover 260 when the rear cover 260 rotates, there is less friction with the rear cover 260. In this way, there is no great resistance until the rear cover 260 is rotated to the locking position, and even if the disassembly is repeated, the waterproof gasket 280 is not worn out to deteriorate the waterproof performance.

In some embodiments, the second electrical connector 200 may also include a mounting plate 290. The mounting plate 290 may be mounted into the second housing 250 via the mounting opening 254. The mounting plate 290 is provided with a plurality of plate through holes 291. Each tray through hole 291 may receive therein a cable attachment end of one connector terminal 210 and a cable terminal 230 connected to the cable attachment end. The mounting plate 290 may be made of an insulating material. The mounting plate 290 may electrically insulate the cable attachment ends of the plurality of connector terminals 210 and the plurality of cable terminals 230 from each other. The mounting plate 290 has a first end 292 and a second end 293 opposite along the extending direction of the cable terminal 230, the first end 292 abutting the waterproof gasket 280, the second end 293 abutting the second housing 250. The mounting plate 290 is sandwiched between the waterproof gasket 280 and the second housing 250. The mounting plate 290 may hold the cable attachment end of each connector terminal 210 and each cable terminal 230 in a desired position. Furthermore, the mounting plate 290 also has the ability to maintain the position and shape of the waterproof gasket 280, avoiding the waterproof gasket 280 from deforming to affect waterproof performance. The inner diameter of the disc through hole 291 may be adapted to the cable terminal 230.

However, in practical assembly, since the cable terminal 230 requires a certain external force to be reliably inserted into the second crown spring 222 of the connector terminal 210, and the cable terminal 230 needs to be completely embedded into the second housing 250 after being mounted in place, a certain space is preferably left between the cable terminal 230 and the mounting opening 254 of the second housing 250 to place the waterproof gasket 280. Inserting the cable terminal 230 into the second housing 250 through the second crown spring 222 requires the use of an elongated tool so that the tool can extend into the second housing 250 through the mounting opening 254. In addition, as the size of the connector becomes smaller, the operation space for assembly is limited, and the above-mentioned various reasons increase the difficulty of assembly and further increase the cost. The inventors recognized and appreciated that the cable terminal 230 may be plugged into the second crown spring 222 of the connector terminal 210 using the mounting plate 290.

Illustratively, the side of each cable terminal 230 may be provided with a stop flange 234, as shown in fig. 10. The stop flange 234 may be located between the terminal attachment end 231 and the cable attachment end 232. The stopper flange 234 has a first stopper surface 234A and a second stopper surface 234B opposed along the extending direction of the cable terminal 230. Each connector terminal 210 may rest against a first stop face 234A of a stop flange 234 of a corresponding cable terminal 230. The side surface of each disk through-hole 291 may be provided with a step surface 291A as shown in fig. 9D. The step face 291A may face the corresponding connector terminal 210. Then, the portion of the disk through hole 291 between the step face 291A and the first end 292 of the mounting disk 290 has a thicker inner diameter, and the portion of the disk through hole 291 between the step face 291A and the second end 293 of the mounting disk 290 has a thinner inner diameter.

Illustratively, the assembly process of the cable terminal 230 with the second crown spring 222 is as follows:

First, the second cables 400 may be passed through the plurality of disk through holes 291 on the mounting disk 290 in a one-to-one correspondence. In the case where the second electrical connector 200 includes the straight tube 270 and the waterproof gasket 280, before the step of passing the second cable 400 through the mounting plate 290, the second cable 400 may be passed through the rear cover 260, the straight tube 270 and the waterproof gasket 280 in this order and then passed through the mounting plate 290 in a one-to-one correspondence, as shown in fig. 11.

Then, the cable ends protruding from the first ends 292 of the mounting tray 290 are connected in one-to-one correspondence with the cable terminals 230.

Next, the second cable 400 is pulled so that all the cable terminals 230 are inserted into the tray through holes 291 from the first end 292.

The cable terminals 230 are then aligned with the second crown springs 222 in the connector terminals 210, applying an upward force directly to the mounting plate 290 such that all of the cable terminals 230 are inserted together into the second crown springs 222, thereby completing the assembly quickly.

After assembly, the second stop surface 234B of the stop flange 234 may rest against the step surface 291A. Moreover, under the extrusion of the waterproof gasket 280 and the rear cover 260, the step surface 291A of the disc through hole 291 can always abut against the second limiting surface 234B of the limiting flange 234, so that the connection reliability of the cable terminal 230 and the second crown spring 222 is ensured.

Illustratively, the mounting plate 290 may include fool-proof structures, e.g., the diameter of the plate through-holes 291 through which the first type of cables pass may be larger than the diameter of the plate through-holes 291 through which the second type of cables pass. The opening of the disc through hole 291 near the second end 293 may be gradually opened toward the outside, thereby facilitating penetration of the second cable 400 into the disc through hole 291. Illustratively, a locating structure may also be provided on the outer sidewall of the mounting plate 290, which may extend in the axial direction to the ribs. A corresponding groove may be provided on the inner sidewall of the second housing 250. The direction in which the mounting plate 290 is fitted into the second housing 250 may be determined by the positioning structure so that the cable terminal 230 to which the corresponding type of cable is connected can be mated with the appropriate connector terminal 210.

In some embodiments, slots 294 may be provided on the first end 292 of the mounting plate 290, as shown in fig. 9A and 9C, with the slots 294 separating the first end 292 into a plurality of fixed posts 295. The slot 294 may extend in the axial direction from an end surface (i.e., an upper surface in the drawing) of the first end 292 toward the interior of the mounting plate 290. Each slot 294 may extend from the center of the mounting plate 290 to the side wall such that the spaced apart securing posts 295 are independent of one another. The plurality of disk through holes 291 correspondingly pass through the plurality of fixing posts 295. The slot 294 may have a certain width and depth while ensuring mechanical strength of the first end 292. Illustratively, the plurality of fixed posts 295 may be of approximately equal size.

The electrical connector may be suitable for higher voltage applications, as described above, where the two first connector terminals 211 are connected to the positive and negative poles, respectively, and the second connector terminal 212 is connected to ground. Taking the two first connector terminals 211 connecting the positive and negative electrodes as an example, when the voltage is sufficiently large, and under certain conditions such as dirt, dust, etc. on the insulator surface, a creepage phenomenon may occur on the insulator surface between the connector terminals. In particular, the insulating strength of the contaminants may be lower than the insulating strength of the insulator and the insulating strength of the air, thus resulting in the insulating strength of the insulator surface being lower than the insulating strength of the insulator interior and the insulating strength of the air between the connector terminals. Continuing with the example of two first connector terminals 211, when contaminants are present on the surface of the insulator therebetween, one of the first connector terminals 211 may break down with air between the contaminants, which may also break down near the other first connector terminal 211, thereby forming a positive-contaminant-negative path, creating an arc and thus a creepage. Contaminants may be introduced during assembly, for example, which may leave contaminants at the first end 292 of the mounting plate 290 that are not noticeable to the naked eye. The slot 294 ensures that even if the surface of the first end 292 is contaminated, the slot 294 ensures sufficient insulation strength to avoid the occurrence of creepage. On the other hand, after the mounting plate 290 is mounted in the second housing 250, even if the surface is contaminated with contaminants, the inner wall of the second housing 250 corresponding to the slit 294 is not contaminated due to the slit 294, so that sufficient insulation strength can be ensured and a creepage phenomenon is not generated along the inner surface of the second housing 250.

From another perspective, slot 294 may also increase the creepage distance and clearance between the two terminals. In some power delivery systems, an isolation distance, such as a creepage distance and/or clearance, may be provided between electrical contacts that differ in voltage. Specifically, for example, a connector carrying high voltage may be designed with a creepage distance to prevent arcing of the connector in the intended operating environment. As described above, the creepage distance refers to the path length on the surface between two conductors where a high voltage may exist. The connector may be designed with a gap that prevents arcing. The gap may be set based on the shortest path between two conductors that in use are at high voltage via air. The creepage distance and clearance distance that prevents arcing may depend on various factors such as the voltage value between adjacent terminals in the connector and the degree of contamination in the environment of use. The presence of the slot 294 may lengthen the creepage distance of the two terminals on the end face of the first end 292, in other words, the creepage distance transitions from an original straight path to a path that at least partially passes through the inner wall of the slot, thereby greatly lengthening the path. Thus, the slot 294 can prevent the possible creepage phenomenon, ensure the insulation strength of the electric connector and ensure the reliability of use.

As described above, in some embodiments, the rear cover 260 may be provided with internal threads and the second housing 250 may be provided with external threads, such that at least a portion of the rear cover 260 is fit over the second housing 250. At least a portion of the second housing 250 is inserted into the rear cover 260. At the mounting opening 254 where the second housing 250 is inserted into the rear cover 260, a seal may be formed between the second housing 250 and the rear cover 260 by the waterproof gasket 280, or the mounting opening 254 may be directly sealed by the waterproof gasket 280. For the end of the rear cover 260 that is fitted over the second housing 250, sealing may be achieved by a second waterproof ring 241, as shown in fig. 9B. The second waterproof ring 241 may be sleeved on the second housing 250 and clamped between the second housing 250 and the end portion of the rear cover 260, thereby preventing moisture from entering between the threads, resulting in loosening of the connection between the rear cover 260 and the second housing 250, and further improving the waterproof sealing level. Illustratively, the cross-section of the second waterproof ring 241 may be circular, oval, rectangular, etc.

As shown in fig. 11, a second waterproof ring 241 may first be fitted over the second housing 250 at a suitable position. After the second cable 400 is connected to the cable terminal 230 through the rear cover 260, the straight tube 270, the waterproof gasket 280 and the mounting plate 290 in this order, the cable terminal 230, the mounting plate 290, the waterproof gasket 280 and the straight tube 270 may be pushed into the second housing 250 together by the rear cover 260, and then the rear cover 260 is rotated, and the cable terminal 230 is inserted into the corresponding second crown spring 222 by the pressure of the mounting plate 290 during the process of tightening the rear cover 260. When the rear cover 260 is screwed down, the second waterproof ring 241 may further seal the gap between the rear cover 260 and the second housing 250. Thereby, the assembly of the second electrical connector 200 can be simply completed.

In some embodiments, the mating interface 250A of the second housing 250 for mating with the mating electrical connector is provided with a third water-resistant ring 242, as shown in fig. 9B, the third water-resistant ring 242 being configured for forming a seal between the second housing 250 and the mating first electrical connector 100. The third waterproof ring 242 may be sleeved on the end of the second housing 250, and may have a sufficient contact area with the second housing 250, thereby preventing the third waterproof ring 242 from being accidentally dropped. Illustratively, the third waterproof ring 242 may be "concave" shaped in cross-section. The surface of the third waterproof ring 242 facing the first electrical connector 100 may be provided with a groove. The edge of the first housing 120 of the first electrical connector 100 may be inserted into the recess. This prevents the third waterproof ring 242 from being displaced when pressed, thereby forming a water leakage point. When the lock assembly 140 is pivoted to the locking position as described above, the inclined surface of the lock assembly 140 may be engaged with the locking protrusion 251 on the second housing 250, so that the first housing 120 and the second housing 250 together press the third waterproof ring 242, thereby securing the waterproof effect. After the first electrical connector 100 is mated with the mating second electrical connector 200, the overall connector system may achieve a waterproof level of IP 67.

In some embodiments, a method of operating a connector system is also provided that includes pushing a second electrical connector 200 onto a first electrical connector 100 mounted to a board, and rotating a lock assembly 140 on the first electrical connector 100 to lock the second electrical connector 200 to the first electrical connector 100.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure also provide a connector system that may include at least one group connector. Each set of connectors may include a plug connector and a receptacle connector. The plug connector may be, for example, the first electrical connector 100 mentioned previously, and the receptacle connector may be, for example, the second electrical connector 200 mentioned previously. The plug connector may be mounted to the board. The plug connector may include a plurality of plug connector terminals. The receptacle connector may include a plurality of receptacle connector terminals, one end of which is mated to the plug connector such that the plurality of receptacle connector terminals are in electrical contact with the plurality of plug connector terminals. The plurality of receptacle electrical connector terminals are provided with receptacles at the other end, the receptacles configured for receiving cables.

In some embodiments, two devices to be connected may be connected by the connector system. In this case, the connector system may include two sets of connectors, the receptacles of the receptacle connectors in the two sets of connectors may face each other and receive the two ends of the cable, respectively. As shown in fig. 12, one set of connectors may include a first electrical connector 100 mounted on the board 10 and a second electrical connector 200 mated with the first electrical connector 100, and the other set of connectors may include a first electrical connector 100 'mounted on the other board 10' and a second electrical connector 200 'mated with the first electrical connector 100'. The mating interface of the first electrical connector 100 and the mating interface of the second electrical connector 200 may be adapted to connect. The mating interfaces of the first electrical connector 100 'and the second electrical connector 200' may be adapted to connect. The plate 10 and the plate 10' may be located on different housings or panels of the devices to be connected. The cable interfaces of the second electrical connectors 200 and 200' are connected to both ends of the plurality of second cables 400, respectively. Thus, two devices to be connected can be connected together by the plurality of second cables 400 and the second electrical connectors 200 and 200'. Such an electrical connector may be suitable for a variety of applications. Typically, the connector system may be used for two devices to be connected arranged side by side, e.g. the plates 10 and 10' of the two devices to be connected may be oriented in the same direction.

In other embodiments, the connector system includes two sets of connectors, the receptacles of the receptacle connectors in the two sets of connectors may be oriented in the same direction and connected at both ends of the plurality of cables. As shown in fig. 13, one set of connectors may include a first electrical connector 100 mounted on the board 10 and a second electrical connector 200 mated with the first electrical connector 100, and the other set of connectors may include a first electrical connector 100 'mounted on the other board 10' and a second electrical connector 200 'mated with the first electrical connector 100'. The mating interface of the first electrical connector 100 and the mating interface of the second electrical connector 200 may be adapted to connect. The mating interfaces of the first electrical connector 100 'and the second electrical connector 200' may be adapted to connect. The plate 10 and the plate 10' may be located on different housings or panels of the devices to be connected. The cable interfaces of the second electrical connectors 200 and 200' are connected to both ends of the plurality of second cables 400, respectively. Unlike the connector system shown in fig. 12, the connector system can be used for two devices to be connected which are arranged opposite to each other, for example the plates 10 and 10' of the two devices to be connected can be oriented towards each other. Bridging between multiple devices can thus be accomplished.

For example, for the connector systems shown in fig. 12 and 13, the mating interfaces of the first electrical connectors 100 and 100' may be mirror images of each other in structure, as shown in fig. 14A, 14B and 15A, 15B. The mating interface 120A of the first electrical connector 100 and the mating interface 120A 'of the first electrical connector 100' are mirror images of each other in structure. At the mating interface 120A of the first electrical connector 100, two first connector terminals 111 and one second connector terminal 112 are included. At the mating interface 120A 'of the first electrical connector 100', two first connector terminals 111 'and one second connector terminal 112' are included. The two first connector terminals 111 have opposite polarities, the two first connector terminals 111 'have opposite polarities, and the two first connector terminals 111' are disposed in mirror image with each other. This is seen in the first polarity designation 124 provided on the first electrical connector 100 and the first polarity designation 124 'on the first electrical connector 100'. To avoid the second electrical connector 200 from being erroneously mated to the first electrical connector 100', while the second electrical connector 200' is erroneously mated to the first electrical connector 100, the mating interfaces 120A and 120A ', respectively, may include fool-proof structures. Illustratively, the fool-proof structure may include cutouts 126 and 126 'provided on the inner sidewalls of the first mounting passages 123 and 123'. As shown, for the first electrical connector 100, the left side wall of the first mounting channel 123 at the mating interface 120A may be provided with a notch 126. Preferably, the notch 126 may be provided on the side wall of the first mounting passage accommodating the second connector terminal 112, because the first housing herein has a sufficient size, without causing a decrease in structural strength after the notch 126 is provided. The first electrical connector 100' and the first electrical connector 100 may be mirror images of each other in the left-right direction. In other words, a right side wall of the first mounting passage 123' accommodating the second connector terminal 112' may be provided with a notch 126'. Referring to fig. 17A, 17B and 18A, 18B, the mating interfaces 250A and 250A 'of the second electrical connectors 200 and 200' may also be mirror images of each other in the left-right direction. For the second electrical connector 200, the protruding portion mounted on the second connector terminal 212 may include a bead 253 corresponding to the notch 126. When the first electrical connector 100 is connected to the second electrical connector 200, the ribs 253 are engaged with the notches 126, so that the protruding portion of the mating interface 250A of the second electrical connector 200 can be engaged with the recess of the first mounting channel 123 at the mating interface 120A, the first connector terminal 111 is electrically connected to the first connector terminal 211, and the second connector terminal 112 is electrically connected to the second connector terminal 212. Similarly, when the first electrical connector 100 'is mated with the second electrical connector 200', the ribs 253 'and the cutouts 126' may also be mated so that an electrical connection is established therebetween. As described above, the second electrical connector 200 'and the second electrical connector 200 are mirror images of each other in the left-right direction, and thus if the second electrical connector 200' is inserted into the first electrical connector 100, the first connector terminal 211 of the connection positive electrode of the second electrical connector 200 'is caused to be connected with the first connector terminal 111 of the connection negative electrode of the first electrical connector 100, while the first connector terminal 211 of the connection negative electrode of the second electrical connector 200' is caused to be connected with the first connector terminal 111 of the connection positive electrode of the first electrical connector 100. To avoid this, when the second electrical connector 200 'attempts to establish a connection with the first electrical connector 100, it is avoided that the ribs 253' are not embedded in the cutouts 126, so that an electrical connection is established between them.

In a specific embodiment not shown, the shape and size of the gap 126 and the gap 126' may be different. In other words, it is only ensured that the bead 253 can be inserted into the notch 126 but cannot be inserted into the notch 126', and that the bead 253' can be inserted into the notch 126 but cannot be inserted into the notch 126. This ensures that a user does not mate the second electrical connector 200 to the first electrical connector 100 'by mistake or the second electrical connector 200' to the first electrical connector 100 by mistake, resulting in equipment damage and even threatening personal safety. That is, the first electrical connector 100 and the first electrical connector 100 'are not necessarily mirror images of each other, nor are the second electrical connector 200 and the electrical connector 200' adapted thereto necessarily mirror images of each other. Preferably, the first electrical connector 100 and the first electrical connector 100 'are arranged mirror images of each other, and the design of the first electrical connector 100 can be modified to the first electrical connector 100' with less design changes. Therefore, the design difficulty can be greatly reduced, and the links of processing and production can be simplified, so that the cost is greatly reduced. And in the case of arranging a plurality of electric connectors on one device, the symmetrical structure is more attractive.

As shown in fig. 16A and 16B, the cable interfaces 120B and 120B 'of the first electrical connectors 100 and 100' may be mirror images of each other. Taking the cable interface 120B of the first electrical connector 100 as an example, the cable interface 120B of the first housing 120 includes a recess 127 therein, and the recess 127 may be used to position the first electrical connector 100. Illustratively, an opening may be provided on the board 10 to which the first electrical connector 100 is to be mounted that mates with the cable interface 120B such that the first electrical connector 100 may be just embedded in the opening. Also, an opening may be provided in the board 10' to which the first electrical connector 100' is to be mounted that mates with the cable interface 120B '. Since cable interface 120B and cable interface 120B ' are mirror images of each other, cable interface 120B cannot fit into the opening reserved for 120B ' and cable interface 120B ' cannot fit into the opening reserved for 120B. Even if a small amount of first electric connectors 100' are mixed into a large amount of first electric connectors 100, the first electric connectors 100 and the first electric connectors 100' are not mixed due to the fact that the first electric connectors 100 and the first electric connectors 100' cannot be distinguished, and therefore the situation that the electric connectors which are mirror images of each other are mixed to cause installation errors is effectively avoided.

As shown in fig. 13, the mating interfaces of the second electrical connectors 200 and 200' may be mirror images of each other in structure. Thus, any of the plurality of second cables 400 are parallel to one another along the length thereof. But as a whole, the plurality of second cables 400 are freely bendable to improve the adaptation to complex scenes.

Thus, the present disclosure has been described in terms of several embodiments, but it will be appreciated that numerous variations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art in light of the teachings of the present disclosure, and are within the spirit and scope of the disclosure as claimed. The scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof. The foregoing embodiments are provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended to limit the disclosure to the embodiments described.

In the description of the present disclosure, it should be understood that the azimuth or positional relationships indicated by the azimuth terms such as "front", "rear", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "transverse", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", etc., are generally based on the azimuth or positional relationships shown in the drawings, merely to facilitate description of the present disclosure and simplify the description, and that these azimuth terms do not indicate and imply that the apparatus or elements referred to must have a specific azimuth or be configured and operated in a specific azimuth, without necessarily being so limited to the scope of protection of the present disclosure, and that the azimuth terms "inside", "outside" refer to inside and outside with respect to the outline of each component itself.

Spatially relative terms, such as "above," "upper" and "upper surface," "above" and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe a spatial positional relationship of one or more components or features illustrated in the figures to other components or features. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass not only the orientation of the elements in the figures but also different orientations in use or operation. For example, if the element in the figures is turned over entirely, elements "over" or "on" other elements or features would then be included in cases where the element is "under" or "beneath" the other elements or features. Thus, the process is carried out, the exemplary term "above" may be included. Upper and lower. Two orientations below. Moreover, these components or features may also be positioned at other different angles (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or other angles), and all such cases are intended to be encompassed herein.

It is noted that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of exemplary embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular is also intended to include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and furthermore, it is to be understood that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising" when used in this specification are taken to specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, components, assemblies, and/or combinations thereof.

It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," and the like in the description and claims of the present disclosure and in the foregoing figures are used for distinguishing between similar objects and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the data so used may be interchanged where appropriate such that embodiments of the disclosure described herein may be implemented in sequences other than those illustrated or described herein.

Claims

1. An electrical connector comprising a plurality of connector terminals, each of the plurality of connector terminals having a mating contact end and a cable attachment end at each end, the mating contact end configured for electrical contact with an mating electrical connector, the cable attachment end configured for receiving a cable,

The plurality of connector terminals including two first connector terminals and one second connector terminal, each of the cable attachment ends of the two first connector terminals being configured for receiving a first type of cable, the cable attachment end of the second connector terminal is configured to receive a cable of a second type, the second type being different from the first type.

2. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector includes a first housing within which the plurality of connector terminals are secured, the first housing having a mounting portion configured for mounting to a board.

3. The electrical connector of claim 2, further comprising a lock assembly disposed on the first housing, the lock assembly pivotable between a locked position for locking with the mating electrical connector and an unlocked position for unlocking with the mating electrical connector.

4. The electrical connector of claim 3, wherein the lock assembly comprises:

A wrench spanning the first housing in a lateral direction, both ends of the wrench being pivotably connected to the first housing about a pivot axis parallel to the lateral direction between the locked position and the unlocked position, and

A pair of supporting members connected to inner sides of both ends of the wrench, respectively, and pivotable with the wrench,

Wherein the two ends of the wrench together with the pair of supports form a hook configured to lock with the adapter electrical connector when the wrench is in the locked position.

5. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein a plurality of first mounting channels extending in an axial direction are provided in the first housing, the plurality of connector terminals being correspondingly inserted into the plurality of first mounting channels,

A clip is disposed within each of the plurality of first mounting channels, and each of the plurality of connector terminals is secured within a corresponding first mounting channel by the clip.

6. The electrical connector of claim 2, wherein the mounting portion surrounds a side of the first housing, an annular groove is provided in a face of the mounting portion facing the board, and a first water-proof ring is provided in the annular groove.

7. The electrical connector of any one of claims 2-6, wherein the electrical connector is a plug connector.

8. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the mating contact end of each of the plurality of connector terminals has a first receptacle having a first crown spring disposed therein for receiving and electrically contacting a connector terminal of the mating electrical connector.

9. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the cable attachment end of each of the plurality of connector terminals has a second receptacle,

The electrical connector further includes a plurality of cable terminals for respectively connecting a plurality of cables, the plurality of cable terminals being correspondingly inserted into and electrically contacting the cable attachment ends of the plurality of connector terminals.

10. The electrical connector of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of cables correspondingly connected to the plurality of cable terminals, the plurality of cables including two cables of a first type connected to the two first connector terminals and one cable of a second type connected to the second connector terminal.

11. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein the plurality of connector terminals are over-molded with a second housing, the cable attachment end and the plurality of cable terminals being located within the second housing.

12. The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the second housing has a mounting opening configured to allow the plurality of cable terminals to be connected to the cable attachment end via the mounting opening, the electrical connector further comprising:

A waterproof gasket sealing the mounting opening, the waterproof gasket being provided with a plurality of threading holes coaxial with the plurality of cable terminals, respectively, the plurality of threading holes being for passing the plurality of cables, respectively, the waterproof gasket being further configured for forming a seal between the plurality of cables, and

And a rear cover connected to the second housing and fixing the waterproof gasket in the second housing.

13. The electrical connector of claim 12, further comprising a rigid straight tube received within the second housing, the straight tube being positioned between the waterproof gasket and the rear cover, one end of the waterproof gasket being inserted into the straight tube, the rear cover abutting the straight tube.

14. The electrical connector of claim 12, further comprising a mounting tray mounted within the second housing via the mounting opening, the mounting tray having a plurality of tray through holes disposed therein, each of the plurality of tray through holes receiving the cable attachment end of one of the plurality of connector terminals and a corresponding cable terminal,

The mounting plate has first and second ends opposite along an extending direction of the plurality of cable terminals, the first end abutting the waterproof gasket, the second end abutting the second housing.

15. The electrical connector of claim 14, wherein a slot is provided on the second end portion, the slot separating the second end portion into a plurality of securing posts independent of each other, the plurality of tray through holes passing through the plurality of securing posts, respectively.

16. The electrical connector of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of cable terminals is provided with a retention flange on a side thereof, the retention flange having first and second opposing retention surfaces along a direction of extension of the plurality of cable terminals, each of the plurality of connector terminals abutting against the first retention surface of the retention flange of the corresponding cable terminal,

The side face of each of the plurality of tray through holes is provided with a step face facing the corresponding connector terminal, and the second limit face of the limit flange abuts against the step face.

17. The electrical connector of claim 12, further comprising a second waterproof ring sleeved on the second housing and clamped between the second housing and an end of the rear cover sleeved on the second housing.

18. The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of connector terminals further includes a curved intermediate section connected between the cable attachment end and the mating contact end, the second housing being overmolded onto the mating contact end and the intermediate section of the plurality of connector terminals.

19. The electrical connector of claim 9, wherein a second crown spring is disposed within the second receptacle, the second crown spring having a corresponding cable terminal inserted therein and in electrical contact with the corresponding cable terminal.

20. The electrical connector of claim 11, wherein the mating interface of the second housing for mating with the mating electrical connector is provided with a third water-resistant ring configured to form a seal between the second housing and the mating electrical connector.

21. The electrical connector of any one of claims 8-20, wherein the electrical connector is a receptacle connector.

22. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the two first connector terminals have opposite polarities.

23. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the first type of cable has a diameter of 4-6AWG and the second type of cable has a diameter of 6-8AWG.

24. The electrical connector of claim 1, wherein the two connector terminals are each of opposite polarity and the second connector terminal is a ground terminal.

25. A connector system comprising at least one group connector, each group of the at least one group connector comprising:

A plug connector mounted to the board, the plug connector including a plurality of plug connector terminals, and

A receptacle connector comprising a plurality of receptacle connector terminals having one end mated to the plug connector such that the plurality of receptacle connector terminals are in electrical contact with the plurality of plug connector terminals, each of the plurality of receptacle connector terminals being provided with a receptacle at the other end, the receptacle being configured for receiving a cable, wherein:

The plurality of receptacle connector terminals includes two first connector terminals each having a receptacle configured to receive a first type of cable and one second connector terminal having a receptacle configured to receive a second type of cable, the second type being different from the first type.

26. The connector system of claim 25, wherein the connector system includes two sets of connectors, the receptacles of the receptacle connectors in the two sets of connectors facing each other and receiving two ends of a plurality of cables, respectively.

27. The connector system of claim 25, wherein the connector system includes two sets of connectors, the receptacles of the receptacle connectors in the two sets of connectors facing in the same direction and receiving two ends of a plurality of cables, respectively.

28. The connector system of claim 26 or 27, wherein the plug connector has a plug mating interface that mates with a receptacle connector, the receptacle connector has a receptacle mating interface that mates with the plug connector,

The plug mating interfaces of the plug connectors in the two sets of connectors are mirror images of each other,

The receptacle mating interfaces of the receptacle connectors in the two sets of connectors are mirror images of each other.

29. The connector system of claim 28, wherein the plug mating interface and the receptacle mating interface each include a fool-proof structure configured to mate the plug mating interface and the receptacle mating interface with each other in a predetermined orientation.