WO2009077817A1

WO2009077817A1 - Connector arrangement

Info

Publication number: WO2009077817A1
Application number: PCT/IB2007/055402
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Bernhard Pabst; Hans-Otto Geltsch; Harald Pankau
Original assignee: FCI SA; Framatome Connectors International SAS
Current assignee: FCI SA
Priority date: 2007-12-18
Filing date: 2007-12-18
Publication date: 2009-06-25
Anticipated expiration: 2010-06-18
Also published as: EP2223390A1; CN101904055A

Abstract

Connector arrangement for connecting at least a first conductor with at least a second conductor (21), comprising a first connector accommodating at least the first conductor; and a counter second connector corresponding to the first connector accommodating at least the second conductor, which second connector is connectable to the first connector to achieve an electrical connec- tion between the first and second conductors; characterized in that the end of the second conductor (21) is provided with a hitching portion (31) which is formed to interact with a correspondingly formed shoulder (28) provided in the first connector, for mounting the second conductor in the first connector.

Description

Connector arrangement

1. Field of the invention

The invention relates to a connector arrangement for connecting at least a first conductor, which is a wire conductor such as a stranded wire, to a second one which can be a flat conductor, another wire conductor, etc.

2. Prior art

Wire conductors are usually connected to other conductors thanks to terminals having a rear portion crimped around the wire and a front portion which is brought into contact with the corresponding conductor. This terminal is a supplementary part which has a cost. Further the crimped connection between cable and terminal, as any connection along a conductive line can be subject to failure.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a connector arrangement for connecting at least a wire conductor with another conductor, which reduces the above-described disadvantages and which provides a good electrical connection or continuity between the wire conductor and the other conductor.

3. Summary of the invention

According to the invention, it is provided a connector arrangement according to claim 1. Thanks to interaction of the hitching portion and the shoulder the sec- ond conductor can be maintained in the second connector.

In the context of this application, the term "hitching portion" means any shape of the first connector that allows it to be maintained in the second connector with complementary shapes fitting one in the other. Consequently, "shoulder" denotes any kind of projection, recess, flange, stop member or the like, which is formed to interact with the hitching portion at the end of the second conduc- tor. The hitching portion has for instance a bending of at least 90°, more preferably of about 180° to provide for a particular secure form- fitting between hook and shoulder.

Preferably, the second conductor comprises a stranded wire. The free end of the stranded wire is compacted into a preferably solid portion by means of pressure and preferably heat. Most preferably, the compacting of the stranded wire is achieved by means of resistance welding, i.e. the stranded wire is compacted and welded into an essentially solid portion. This is e.g. achieved by compacting the stranded wire in a suitable press and then resistance welding the same by applying an electric current to the compacted strands. Advantageously after the compacting of the conductor, the same can be shaped to achieve the hitching portion required for the secure form fitting of the second conductor and connector. Since no terminal is necessary, very good electrical continuity can be achieved between the second conductor and the corresponding connecting surfaces of the first conductor. In a most preferred embodiment, the compacted portion has an essentially rectangular cross-section. Advantageously the surface of the compacted portion which contacts the first conductor in assembled condition of first and second connector is preferably provided with a convex curvature, to improve the contact between the first and second conductors. Such a convex curvature of the compacted portion can easily be achieved by using appropriate press tools during the compacting of the second conductor.

Preferably, the second connector is provided with multiple channels being arranged parallel to each other to accommodate multiple round conductors in a side-by- side relationship.

In one aspect of the invention, the second connector comprises two parts, namely a female housing part for reception of the first connector and a cover part attachable to the female housing part, which part comprises a plurality of open channels to receive the round conductors therein and wherein the shoulders are provided at each end of said channels.

4. Description of the preferred embodiments In the following, the invention is described exemplarily with reference to the enclosed figures, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a connector arrangement for connecting a flat conductor to several round conductors according to the invention,

Fig. 2 shows the connector arrangement of fig. 1 in a detached condition,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the connectors shown in fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one part of the connector of fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a detail showing the free end of a round conductor according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a connector assembly 1 in assembled condition, comprising a first connector 10, accommodating a flat conductor 11 and a second connector 20. The flat conductor 11 is e.g. a flat flexible cable. The second counter connector 20 is shown plugged in the first connector. It accommodates four round conductors 21. Thus, in the assembled condition shown in fig. 1, an electrical connection between the flat conductor 11 and the round conductors 21 is established. It is clear that the number of round conductors shown is purely exemplary and that also embodiments with more or less conductors are possible.

Fig. 2 shows the same connector assembly as fig. 1, but in a detached or disconnected condition. As can be seen from fig. 2, the first connector 10 is pro- - A -

vided with a plug-in portion 13, which can be inserted in a correspondingly shaped plug-in recess provided in the second connector 20. Further, the first connector 10 is provided with a latching projection 12, which snap-fits into a corresponding latching recess 22, provided on the second connector 20. Both connectors may be provided with further suitable latching means as it is known in the art. The attachment of the flat conductor 11 in the first connector housing 10 may be conventional or the flat conductor may e.g. be fastened to its connector as it is described in the application WO 2004/040712 Al filed on October 29, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference.

Fig. 3 shows the connector 20 of fig. 1 rotated by 180° around the vertical axis in the figure. As can be seen from fig. 3, the connector 20 consists of two parts, a female housing part 25 and a cover part 24. The female housing part 25 is provided with an opening 23 to accommodate the plug-in part 13 of the first connector 10. The cover part 24 is provided with four open channels 26 on its side facing the female part 25 of second connector 20. Further, the cover 24 is provided with latching means 27, which snap into corresponding latching recesses provided in the female part 25 (not shown) in assembled condition. As can be seen from fig. 3, each round conductor 21 is arranged in one of the channels 26. The free ends of the conductors 21 are provided with a compacted portion 31 , as will be described in more detail below. The compacted portion 31 is arranged at the end of the channels and, when connectors 10 and 20 are in the assembled condition shown in fig. 1, is in contact with corresponding contact surfaces provided on the flat conductor 11 , where the insulation layer has been striped off. Advantageously, a better electrical contact and as known in the art, the contact surfaces at one or both of the round conductors and the flat conductors are coated with appropriate material such as tin.

In fig. 4, the cover 24 is shown in a more detailed view. In fig. 4, one of the round conductors 21 is shown detached from its respective channel 26. When inserting the conductor 21 into the channel 26, suitably formed retaining ribs 29 on one of the inner side walls of the channel 26 provide a further fastening of conductor 21 with cover 24. Conductor 21 consists essentially of a stranded wire, e.g. a stranded copper wire, which is surrounded by an insulation sheath 30. In the schematic view of fig. 4, the conductor 21 is shown as cut off at the right side, the right ends of conductor 21 being e.g. connected to a corresponding electronic device or ending in a further connector, as may be required. On the left hand side of conductor 21, the insulation 30 is removed to some extent, e.g. for about 3 - 15 mm, and the stranded wire is compacted into an essentially solid portion. As can best be seen from fig. 4, the compacted portion is provided in the form of a hook having a curvature 32 and a hook end portion 33. In the preferred embodiment shown, the bending radius of the hook is about 180°, such that the hook end 33 runs parallel with the part of the compacted portion 31 close to the insulation. Obviously, other bending radii are also possible, like e.g. 90° or similar. The cover part 24 is provided with a cor- respondingly shaped shoulder 28 which is engaged by the hook when the conductor 21 is mounted to the cover. In this way, a secure mounting of the conductor 21 in the cover 24 is achieved and it is in particular secured that the conductor 21 cannot be accidentally pulled out of the connector 20 by e.g. applying a pulling force to the right hand end of conductor 21 in fig. 4.

Fig. 5 shows a detailed and cut view of the conductor 21 shown in fig. 4. As can be seen from the detail in fig. 5, the conductor 21 consists of a number of stranded wires 35 surrounded by a suitable insulation 30. The wires 35 are compacted into an essentially solid portion 31 by means of e.g. resistance welding. In the embodiment shown in fig. 5, the compacted portion 31 has an essentially rectangular cross-section. Further, in the embodiment of fig. 5, the upper surface 34 of the compacted portion 31 is provided with a convex curvature, which improves considerably the quality of the electrical contact between the round conductor 21 and the flat conductor 10 in assembled condition of first and second connector. Further, due to the compacting of the wires 35, a relatively smooth and uniform upper contact surface 34 is achieved which further contributes to the good electrical contact between the conductors.

By compacting the free end of conductors 21 into an essentially solid portion by means of e.g. resistance welding, a contact surface with advantageous properties is achieved. For one, no terminals are necessary with the invention, thus saving production costs. Further, due to the relatively smooth surface of the compacted portion a good electrical continuity between round conductor and flat conductor is achievable, which is even enhanced by providing the contact surface of the compacted portion with a convex curvature. Since the compacted portion is preferably pressed into an essentially solid portion it is possible to form the end of the round wire in the shape of a hook. By means of this hook shape a particularly good mechanical connection between round conductor and its connector housing is achievable, which prevents, among others, that the conductor may be pulled out of the connector housing.

It should be noted that the figures show the embodiments in a considerably enlarged view. In reality, the length of the connectors 10, 20 is e.g. in the range of a few millimeters, e.g. 10 - 30 mm. The compacted portion 31 may have a length in the order of 10 mm and a thickness of maybe 0.5 mm up to 2 mm. Connectors 10 and 20 are preferably made from an insulating plastic material and the stranded wires from copper or a copper alloy.

Claims

1. Connector arrangement (1) for connecting at least a first conductor (11) with at least a second conductor (21), comprising a first connector (10) accommodating at least the first conductor; and a counter second connector (20) corresponding to the first connector accommodating at least the second conductor, which second connector is connectable to the first connector to achieve an electrical connection be- tween the first and second conductors; characterized in that the end of the second conductor (21) is provided with a hitching portion (31) which is formed to interact with a correspondingly formed shoulder (28) provided in the first connector, for mounting the second conductor in the first connector.

2. Connector arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the second conductor is a stranded wire, the free end of which is compacted.

3. Connector arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the free end of the second conductor is compacted by resistance welding in an essentially solid portion (31).

4. Connector arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the hitching portion and the corresponding shoulder (28) are shaped to pro- vide a form fitting.

5. Connector arrangement according any preceding claim, wherein the first conductor is a flat conductor.

6. Connector arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the interior of the first connector is provided with channels (26) to receive one end of the second conductor and the shoulder is provided at the bottom of said channels.

7. Connector arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the hitching portion (31) has an essentially rectangular cross-section.

8. Connector arrangement according to any preceding claim, wherein the surface (34) of the hitching portion (31) is arranged for contacting a first conductor (11) and is provided with a convex curvature to improve the contact between the second conductor and the first conductor in assembled condition of first and second connectors.

9. Connector arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the hitching portion is shaped as a hook with a bending of ap- proximately 180°.

10. Connector arrangement according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first connector comprises two parts: a female housing part (25) for reception of the second connector (10), and a cover part (24) attachable to the female housing part, which cover part comprises at least one open channel (26) for receiving the second conductor therein and wherein the shoulder (28) is provided at the bottom of said open channel.