EP1565963B1 - High-amperage electrical bushing connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The connector has an insulator (21) that partially covers a socket (15) fixed on an electric cable. The socket has a cap with a hollow central and a block to fix the cap, where the cap covers the insulator partially. A fixing unit (29) attaches another insulator (28) onto a circuit. The latter insulator encircles a pin and includes a hollow central for receiving the former insulator while inserting the socket in the pin.

Description

The present invention relates to a connector for high amperage electrical crossing.

One of the common techniques for preparing ultra-high vacuum layers is Molecular Beam Epitaxy ("MBE"). With this technique, epitaxial layers are obtained by transporting a material, containing the constituent elements of the layer to be formed, to a substrate, metal or semiconductor, where it is adsorbed. This transport of material is carried out in a vacuum chamber and preferably under ultra-high vacuum, ie at a pressure of less than 10 ^-9 mbar in order to obtain films which are free of any contamination.

The most common source of material for this molecular beam epitaxy is evaporation from a Knudsen source. It is then a crucible heated by Joule effect. The crucible which can be made of boron nitride or graphite of high purity, for example, has a cylindrical or conical shape.

The Joule effect is generally obtained by the use of a resistant element, for example a filament. To evaporate certain materials, temperatures above 1000 ° C are necessary, which involves the injection into the resistant element of a high intensity current. A chain of suitable elements is therefore necessary to deliver the required current to the resistive element. Electrical bushings 1 with high amperage for example at least of the order of 50 A are thus implemented to establish a connection between the resistive elements located inside the vacuum chamber and the outside of the enclosure where the generators are placed (Figure 1). Electrical cables 2 of appropriate cross-section, for example 10 mm ² for a current 1 between 35 and 50 A, provide the connection between these generators and the electrical bushings 1. Electrical connectors 3 with copper lugs are used to carry out the connection between high amperage bushings and power cables 2.

However, this type of connection does not allow easy handling of the power cables 2. Thus the assembly / disassembly of the power cables 2, for example to change a cell, requires the screwing / unscrewing of the screws 5 at the level of the cable. lug 3. The electrical feedthrough 1 is then subject to twisting may result in a leakage of said bushing 1. In addition, any action on electrical connections 3 lug involves a problem of electrical safety for the user because this manipulation requires the removal of any electrical insulation. DE-U-8 713 117 discloses a connector according to the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the present invention is to provide a connector for high amp electrical crossing, simple in its design and economical, being excellent conductor while allowing easy handling of power cables and high protection for the user .

For this purpose, the invention relates to a connector according to claim 1.

• les premier et deuxième isolants et le chapeau sont réalisés en un matériau plastique rigide et électriquement isolant,
• ledit matériau est le polyétheréthercétone,
• le chapeau comprend un évidement cylindrique placé en regard du premier isolant,
• les moyens de fixation comprennent des boulons.

In various embodiments, the present invention also relates to the following features:

• the first and second insulators and the cap are made of a rigid and electrically insulating plastic material,
• said material is polyetheretherketone,
• the cap comprises a cylindrical recess placed opposite the first insulator,
• the fastening means comprise bolts.

• la figure 1 est une représentation schématique d'une chaîne d'alimentation électrique comportant un raccord électrique à cosse en cuivre pour traversée électrique à forte intensité de l'art antérieur;
• la figure 2 est une représentation schématique d'un connecteur pour traversée électrique à fort ampérage, selon l'invention;
• la figure 3 est une représentation schématique d'une chaîne d'éléments pour alimenter en courant un élément résistant d'un creuset comportant un connecteur, selon un mode de mise en oeuvre de l'invention.

In various possible embodiments, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a power supply chain comprising a copper lug electrical connection for high current electrical crossing of the prior art;
• Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a connector for high amperage electrical crossing, according to the invention;
• Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a chain of elements for supplying current to a resistor element of a crucible comprising a connector, according to an embodiment of the invention.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector 10 for electrically connecting a power supply cable to an electric bushing 11 at high amperage. These bushings 11 are well known and allow the realization of electrical connections between elements placed in a closed volume and a generator located outside this volume. This crossing electrical 11 comprises at least one pin 12 having a first main axis 13 and of diameter d. In one embodiment, said pin 12 is welded to a flange 14 to be mounted on a vacuum system. However, the connector 10 according to the invention is not limited to this single embodiment and is intended for electric bushings 11 with high amperage in general.

Referring to Figure 2, the connector 10 comprises a first assembly comprising a socket 15 having a second main axis 16. This socket 15 is intended to be fixed, typically crimped, on an electric cable 17. It further comprises a part 19 having a recess 20 centered on the second main axis 16 and of diameter d intended to surround the pin 12 of the electrical bushing 11 when the electrical connection is established between said cable 17 and said bushing 11. This bushing 15 is made of a very thin material. good conductor and low contact resistance, preferably high quality copper, silver. Said first set also comprises a first insulation 21 intended to cover at least partially the socket 15.

In a preferred embodiment, said insulator 21 completely covers the socket 15 with the exception of said recesses 18, 20 for receiving the pin 12 or the power cable 17.

The first assembly further comprises a cap 22 having a first recess 23 centered on the second main axis 16 of the sleeve and locking means 24 for fixing the cap 22 on the first insulator 21. This is called a "hat", a piece of insulating material having a wall 25 integral with a bottom 26. The inner diameter D of this part is at least equal to the outer diameter of the first insulator 21 so that after fixing the cap 22 on the first insulator 21, this it then partially covers said insulator.

Advantageously, the cap 22 comprises a second cylindrical recess 27 placed facing the first insulator 21 and the locking means 24 then comprise a flat head screw. The cap 22 is thus fixed by pressing the flat-head screw on the outer face of the first insulator.

We will now describe a method of assembling the first set. Before crimping the bushing 15 on the supply cable 17, said cable is passed through the first recess 23 of the cap 22. Once the bushing 15 is crimped, the cap 22 is fixed on the first insulator 21 covering the bushing 15 and is blocked by screwing the locking means 24.

The connector comprises a second assembly comprising a second insulator 28 and fixing means 29 for fixing the second insulator on the electrical bushing. These fixing means 29 comprise for example bolts.

The second insulator 28 surrounds the pin 12 and has at least one recess centered on the first main axis 13 whose internal diameter is such that it surrounds the first insulator 21 to the cap 22 after insertion of the socket 15 into the pin 12.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and second insulators 21, 28 and the cap 22 are made of a rigid and electrically insulating plastic material such as polyetheretherketone ("PEEK" - polyetheretherketone) or a polyimide such as VESPEL, or other.

The outer side faces of the first insulator 21 and inside the cap 22 and the second insulator 28 are at least partially threaded. During the assembly of the connector, the cap 22 is screwed on the first insulator 21 thus partially covering said insulator 21. And the latter during the connection of the power cable 17 to the electrical bushing 11 is itself screwed on the second insulator 28 advantageously allowing a solid connection.

In another embodiment, the inside diameter D of the cap 22 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first insulator 21 so that the cap 22 is fixed on said first insulator 21 by stamping.

The inner diameter of the second insulator 28 is equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the first insulator 21 so that the first set can be introduced or extracted freely from the second set.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention in which the connector makes an electrical connection to an effusion source 30. The flange 31 also includes a temperature reading 32 via a thermocouple bushing.

The fixing means 29 for fixing the second insulator 28 to the electrical feedthrough 11 comprise the screws and the nuts making it possible to fix the flange 14 of the high-amperage electric bushing 11 on the support flange of the effusion source 30.

This connector can advantageously be used for any system requiring the injection of a high intensity current and thus the use of high amperage traversing. Advantageously, the polyetheretherketone insulators have a good temperature resistance (250.degree. C. over more than 20,000 hours) and the connectors according to the invention can be used on systems subjected to high temperatures.

Claims (5)

1. A connector for high amperage electric crossing (11) of a vacuum chamber, the crossing comprising at least one pin (12) having a first main axis (13), the connector comprising a first assembly including a socket (15) having a second main axis (16), said socket (15) being intended to be attached to an electric cable (17), a first insulator (21) intended to cover at least partially the socket (15), the connector (10) comprising a second assembly including a second insulator (28) and fastening means (29) to attach the second insulator (28) to the electric crossing (11), said second insulator (28) surrounding said pin (12) when the connector (10) is connected to the crossing (11) and including at least a recess centred on the first main axis (13) to receive the first insulator (21) and when the connector (10) is connected to the crossing (11), the pin (12) is inserted into the socket (15), the first assembly comprises a cap (22) including a recess (23) centred on the second main axis (16) of the socket (15), characterised in that:

   - said cap (22) comprises locking means (24) including a flat head screw allowing to attach said cap (22) on the external face of said first insulator (21) by pressure, said cap (22) then covering partially said insulator (21),

   - the external lateral faces of the first insulator (21) and the internal faces of the cap (22) and of the second insulator (28) are at least partially threaded in order to screw said cap (22) on the first insulator (21) on the one hand and the first insulator (21) on the second insulator (28) on the other hand.
2. A connector according to claim 1 characterised in that the first and second insulators (21, 28) and the cap (22) are made of a rigid and electrically insulating plastic material.
3. A connector according to claim 2 characterised in that said material is polyether ether ketone.
4. A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the cap (22) comprises a cylindrical recess (27) facing the first insulator (21).
5. A connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the fastening means (29) comprise bolts.

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