EP0844696B1 - Male/femaleconnection device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to optical units lighting or signaling of motor vehicles and more precisely the connection devices between the lamps of these optical units and the vehicle wiring harness.

We know the principle of such devices. We have shown in Figure 1 a connection device conforms to those used today. On the lamp holder 300 is crimped a cut circuit 400 to which are connected electrically the bulbs of traffic lights. This circuit breaker 400 incorporates a set of male pins 420 usually arranged in one direction perpendicular to the plane of the rest of the cut circuit. These male pins can be, as shown in the figure 1, contact blades. In the event that the blades of contact are an integral part of the cut circuit, their orientation is obtained by plastic deformation at the base of the blades, during the circuit folding operation cut.

The connection between the cut circuit and the supply circuit is carried out by a device male plug-female plug, the male plug being constituted by the male pins, the female socket 100 being a connector connected to the vehicle harness and comprising holes 110 each corresponding to a male pin.

Each pin 400-connector hole 100 provides the specific electrical connection to the order a particular function (reversing, flashing, stop ...), or connection to ground.

The female connector 100, once fully plugged in, is fixed to the blade holder 300 by a clip system known per se.

These known electrical connections between the lamp holder and the electrical harness present however a drawback.

Indeed, when mounting the lamp holder, the male pins may have deviations from their ideal position of alignment with the orifices of the female connector.

In this case, plugging the connector onto the pins can be made tedious or even impossible, and improper penetration of a blade into its hole can cause even more radical folding of the blade.

Ultimately, such a folding can cause breakage of the pins concerned, or, if the installer does not not be aware of the incident, a malfunction of traffic lights which it is sometimes difficult to identify the cause.

The causes of such imperfections of the pin positioning can come from a spindle deformation occurring during handling of the lampstand. In the case of blades integrated into the circuit cut, these imperfections can also come from inhomogeneities of elasticity from one blade to another. These inhomogeneities cause variations in the positions of the blades subjected to the same operation of folding.

It has also been proposed, in document GB 2 208 759 A, a holding device for pins contact of an electrical connector, comprising a plate provided with holes, able to slide along the pins.

This document has also proposed provide this device with a spring capable of recalling the tray in a position where it cooperates with free ends of contact pins.

Provide such a device with a spring type known has many drawbacks.

A connection device comprising a spring is tedious to assemble, on the one hand due to a high number of parts, secondly because a spring small dimensions is particularly impractical to manipulate.

In addition, a common type spring is often expensive compared to other connector parts.

The main object of the present invention is to propose a connection device to ensure contact pin alignment of a male connector with holes of a female connector when plugging in the device, which includes means for recall of a pin holder in a pin holding position, and which does not have these different drawbacks.

To this end, the invention proposes a set of male / female electrical connection between a lamp holder and the wiring harness of a motor vehicle, said assembly comprising a plurality of male pins contact integral with the lamp holder and extending in a direction of insertion of a connected female connector to the beam, further comprising an insulating member holding pins with walls between which pins are retained in at least one transverse direction and able to slide in the direction of the pins so as to occupy, before plugging in, a first position in which said organ cooperates with the free end region of the pins to align with holes of the female connector, and able to be moved by said female connector, when plugged in, to a second position, retracted, characterized in that it has at least two oblique flexible tabs arranged on two sides of the holding member and at least two bases attached to the lamp holder, and that the legs flexible slides on the bases while bending when the insertion of the female connector so as to exert on the retaining member a return effort towards the first position.

• l'ensemble comporte des moyens de retenue de l'organe de maintien dans la première position ;
• les pattes souples comportent chacune un décrochement, et les embases comportent chacune un ergot, de sorte que les ergots soient en appui sur les décrochements dans la première position de manière à retenir l'organe de maintien dans la première position ;
• les décrochements sont des orifices ;
• les ergots comportent une face arrondie apte à permettre l'extraction par glissement de chacun des ergots hors de l'orifice de la patte souple correspondante lorsque le connecteur femelle est enfiché ;
• les parois de retenue de l'organe de maintien sont constituées par les bords d'orifices formés dans une plaque appartenant audit organe ;
• lesdits orifices sont évasés de manière à guider les extrémités des broches vers une zone d'écartement des parois plus faible ;
• l'organe de maintien comporte des moyens de guidage du connecteur femelle vers une position dans laquelle les orifices du connecteur femelle sont dans le prolongement des broches lorsqu'elles sont maintenues par l'organe de maintien ;
• les moyens de guidage du connecteur femelle sont constitués par une jupe dont les dimensions intérieures sont complémentaires des dimensions extérieures du connecteur femelle ;
• les broches sont des lames de contact ;
• l'ensemble comporte des moyens de guidage de l'organe de maintien lors de son glissement le long des broches ;
• les moyens de guidage de l'organe de maintien comprennent au moins une nervure et au moins une gorge prévues sur l'organe de maintien et sur le porte-lampes ;
• les moyens de guidage de l'organe de maintien comprennent des murets disposés sur le porte-lampes, coopérant avec les faces latérales des pattes souples.

According to advantageous but not limiting provisions,

• the assembly includes means for retaining the holding member in the first position;
• the flexible tabs each have a recess, and the bases each have a lug, so that the lugs are supported on the recesses in the first position so as to retain the holding member in the first position;
• the recesses are orifices;
• the pins have a rounded face capable of allowing the extraction by sliding of each of the pins out of the orifice of the corresponding flexible tab when the female connector is inserted;
• the retaining walls of the holding member consist of the edges of orifices formed in a plate belonging to said member;
• said orifices are flared so as to guide the ends of the pins towards a region of smaller spacing of the walls;
• the holding member comprises means for guiding the female connector to a position in which the orifices of the female connector are in the extension of the pins when they are held by the holding member;
• the means for guiding the female connector consist of a skirt, the internal dimensions of which are complementary to the external dimensions of the female connector;
• the pins are contact blades;
• the assembly includes means for guiding the holding member when it slides along the pins;
• the means for guiding the holding member comprise at least one rib and at least one groove provided on the holding member and on the lamp holder;
• the means for guiding the holding member comprise low walls arranged on the lamp holder, cooperating with the lateral faces of the flexible tabs.

For the same purpose, the invention also proposes a lighting or signaling device in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising a lamp holder and a connector comprising a plurality of male pins contact, integral with the lamp holder and extending in a plugging direction, further comprising a insulating pin holding member comprising walls between which the pins are retained in at least one transverse direction and able to slide in the direction of the pins so as to occupy, before plugging in with a female connector, a first position in which said organ cooperates with the free end region of the pins to ensure their alignment with the holes of the female connector, and able to be moved by said female connector, when plugging in, to a second position, retracted, this device comprising at least two flexible tabs obliques arranged on two sides of the holding and at least two bases integral with the lamp holder, and the flexible legs sliding on the bases bending when inserting the female connector so as to exert an effort on the holding member recall to the first position.

• la figure 1 représente, en coupe dans le plan des lames, un ensemble de connexion selon l'art antérieur, en position non connectée;
• la figure 2 représente, en coupe dans le plan des lames, un ensemble de connexion conforme à la présente invention, avec une pièce de maintien dans une première position où elle coopère avec les extrémités des lames;
• la figure 3 représente, en coupe selon un plan transversal perpendiculaire au plan des lames, un ensemble de connexion conforme à la présente invention;
• la figure 4 représente, en coupe dans le plan des lames, un dispositif de connexion conforme à la présente invention, en position connectée.

Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the present invention will appear on reading the detailed description which follows, and with reference to the appended drawings given by way of nonlimiting examples, and in which:

• Figure 1 shows, in section in the plane of the blades, a connection assembly according to the prior art, in the unconnected position;
• 2 shows, in section in the plane of the blades, a connection assembly according to the present invention, with a holding part in a first position where it cooperates with the ends of the blades;
• Figure 3 shows, in section along a transverse plane perpendicular to the plane of the blades, a connection assembly according to the present invention;
• 4 shows, in section in the plane of the blades, a connection device according to the present invention, in the connected position.

The general structure of the connection device shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4 includes a female connector 100 connected to the electrical harness of the vehicle, a holding part 200 and a lamp holder 300.

In the preferred embodiment of the Figures 2 to 4, the female connector 100 is shaped cuboid. It has elongated cavities 110, suitable for receiving blades 420 connected to the lamps by through a chopped circuit 400 to which said blades are integrated.

The holding part 200 has a cavity parallelepipedic 220 whose dimensions are complementary to those of the female connector 100, so that connector 100 can slide into the cavity 220 to a position where the face 120 is in contact with the bottom 230 of cavity 220.

In this position, the mouths 115 of the 110 long cavities correspond to the holes 235 of the bottom plate 230 of the part holding 200.

Each orifice 235 is intended to receive a blade 420. Each orifice 235 has a length and a width complementary to the transverse dimensions of the blade 420 which corresponds to it.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 4, the holes are aligned and the blades are in a plane. According to a variant, the blades may not be arranged in the same plane, the orifices of the maintenance will then have the same layout as the bases blades.

Each of the openings 235 has a flare 237 in its lower part. These flares are exposed on the face of the bottom plate 230 facing the circuit cut and are intended to facilitate the implementation initial place of the piece 200.

The holding member 200 is provided with two tabs flexible elastic 210 and 212 inclined with respect to the direction of the blades. These flexible legs 210 and 212 each have a transverse recess 211, 213 able to receive a lug 315, 317 arranged on a base 310, 312 integral with the lamp holder 300. According to a variant, this step can be replaced by a hole on the blade. The pins can then have a rounded part capable of sliding on an edge of the orifice, and thus to extract the lug from the orifice when the holding piece slides towards the bulb holder. Each base has two vertical walls 320, 322 and 324, 326 arranged parallel to the direction of extension flexible legs, the spacing of which is complementary the width of the flexible legs.

The lamp holder further includes a groove vertical 370 carried by a lateral base 360, suitable for cooperate with a rib 270 placed on a lateral face not carrying flexible legs 210, 212, of the lamp holder 200. A vertical beam 375 is placed on the lamp holder 300, so as to be in contact with the face of the female connector opposite to that carrying the rib.

In the position for holding the ends of the blades shown in Figure 2, the legs exert on the bases a force directed outwards from the connection assembly, so that each flexible tab 210, 212 is retained in translation in the axis of symmetry of the device by the pins 315, 317 and is supported on a horizontal edge 330, 340 of the base 310, 312 which corresponds to him.

The holding member is therefore retained in the axial direction by the reaction of the pins on the flexible legs, in the direction perpendicular to the plane section of Figure 2 by the vertical walls 320, 322, 324, 326, as well as the lateral base 360 and the beam vertical 375, and in the horizontal direction contained in the section plane of Figure 2 by the action of the groove 370 on rib 270.

The operation of the connection assembly which just described is basically the following:

In the position for holding the ends of the blades shown in Figure 2, the ends of the blades 420 are housed in the openings 235 of the plate 230 which correspond to them, and are therefore maintained in the alignment position required.

The fitter can therefore introduce the connector female in guide device 220 without worrying of the arrangement of the blades 420.

When the face 120 of the female connector 100 enters in contact with the bottom plate 230 of the holding 200, each cavity 235 of the bottom plate 230 is extended by the orifice 115 which corresponds to it on the female connector 100.

The female connector then drives the organ holding 200 in its movement.

At the same time, the blades 420 pass through the bottom plate 230 and enter the hole matching female connector.

The sliding of the connector assembly female / retaining organ continues until the holding member 200 comes into abutment against the lamp holder 300. In this last phase, the flexible legs slide against the bases 310, 312 and flex towards inside. The movement of the connector assembly female-holding member is guided transversely in the direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of flexible legs 210, 212 by the vertical walls 320, 322, 324, 326, the base 360 and the vertical beam 375, and transversely in the direction of extension of the legs flexible by the sliding of the rib 270 in the throat 370.

In the final position of Figure 4, the elastic stress exerted on the flexible legs in oblique position by the bases 310, 312, results in feedback of the bases on the holding part in the upright vertical direction, so that if the fitter extract the female connector from the blades, the steps previously described occur in reverse order. Thus, the holding member, guided by the walls vertical, the vertical beam 375, the base 360 and the throat 370 / rib 270 assembly, accompanies the connector female until lugs press on the hooks 211, 213, then the lugs retain the holding member in the position for holding the ends of the blades (figure 2). In a final phase, the female contactor is separated from the holding member.

The connection assembly is then ready for a new insertion of the female connector.

Claims (14)

1. Male/female electrical connection assembly between a lamp holder (300) and the electrical bundle of a motor vehicle, the said assembly comprising a plurality of male contact pins (420) fixed to the lamp holder (300) and extending in a direction of plugging into a female connector (100) connected to the bundle, also comprising an insulating member (200) for holding the pins (420) having walls between which the pins are held in at least one transverse direction and able to slide in the direction of the pins (420) so as to occupy, before plugging in, a first position in which the said member (200) cooperates with the free end region of the pins (420) in order to ensure their alignment with the orifices (110) in the female connector (100), and able to be moved by the said female connector (100), during plugging in, towards a second, retracted, position, characterised in that it has at least two oblique flexible lugs (210, 212) disposed on two sides of the holding member (200) and at least two bases (310, 312) fixed to the lamp holder (300), and in that the flexible lugs (210, 212) slide over the bases (310, 312) whilst flexing during the plugging in of the female connector (100) so as to exert on the holding member (200) a return force towards the first position.
2. Electrical connection assembly according to Claim 1, characterised in that the assembly has means (211, 213, 315, 317) of retaining the holding member in the first position.
3. Electrical connection assembly according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the flexible lugs (210, 212) each have a recess (211, 213), and the bases (310, 312) each have a nose (315, 317), so that the noses (315, 317) are in abutment on the recesses (211, 213) in the first position so as to retain the holding member in the first position.
4. Electrical connection assembly according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the recesses (211, 213) are orifices.
5. Electrical connection assembly according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the noses (315, 317) have a rounded face able to allow the extraction by sliding of each of the noses (315, 317) out of the orifice in the corresponding flexible lug (210, 212) when the female connector is plugged in.
6. Electrical connection assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the retaining walls of the holding member consist of the edges of orifices (235) formed in a plate (230) belonging to the said member (200).
7. Electrical connection assembly according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the said orifices (235) are splayed so as to guide the ends of the pins (420) towards a smaller wall separation area.
8. Electrical connection assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding member (200) has means (220) of guiding the female connector (100) towards a position in which the orifices (110) of the female connector (100) are in line with the pins (420) when they are held by the holding member (200).
9. Electrical connection assembly according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the means of guiding the female connector consist of a skirt (220) whose internal dimensions are complementary to the external dimensions of the female connector (100).
10. Electrical connection assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the pins are contact blades (420).
11. Electrical connection assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the assembly has means (320, 322, 324, 326, 360, 270, 370, 375) of guiding the holding member during its sliding along the pins.
12. Electrical connection assembly according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the means of guiding the holding member comprise at least one rib (270) and at least one groove (370) provided on the holding member (200) and on the lamp holder (300).
13. Electrical connection assembly according to Claim 11, characterised in that the means of guiding the holding member (200) comprise low walls (320, 322, 328, 326) disposed on the lamp holder (300), cooperating with the side faces of the flexible lugs (210, 212).
14. Lighting or indicating device, particularly for a motor vehicle, comprising a lamp holder (300) and a connector comprising a plurality of male contact pins (420), fixed to the lamp holder (300) and extending in a plugging-in direction, also comprising an insulating member (200) for holding the pins (420) comprising walls between which the pins are retained in at least one transverse direction and able to slide in the direction of the pins (420) so as to occupy, before plugging in with a female connector, a first position in which the said member (200) cooperates with the free end region of the pins (420) in order to ensure their alignment with the orifices (110) of the female connector (100), and able to be moved by the said female connector (100), during plugging in, towards a second, retracted, position, characterised in that it comprises at least two oblique flexible lugs (210, 212) disposed on two sides of the holding member (200) and at least two bases (310, 312) fixed to the lamp holder (300), and in that the flexible lugs (210, 212) slide over these bases (310, 312) whilst flexing during the plugging in of the female connector (100) so as to exert on the holding member (200) a return force towards the first position.

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