[go: up one dir, main page]

EP4471995A1 - Integrierte anschlusspositionssicherung und entsprechender elektrischer verbinder - Google Patents

Integrierte anschlusspositionssicherung und entsprechender elektrischer verbinder Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP4471995A1
EP4471995A1 EP24158322.8A EP24158322A EP4471995A1 EP 4471995 A1 EP4471995 A1 EP 4471995A1 EP 24158322 A EP24158322 A EP 24158322A EP 4471995 A1 EP4471995 A1 EP 4471995A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
terminal
connector
position assurance
male
connector housing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP24158322.8A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Dongdong Li
Suibin HUANG
Zhaofei MA
Vinu ARUMUGAM
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Aptiv Electrical Centers Shanghai Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Aptiv Electrical Centers Shanghai Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from CN202310498882.8A external-priority patent/CN118523109A/zh
Application filed by Aptiv Electrical Centers Shanghai Co Ltd filed Critical Aptiv Electrical Centers Shanghai Co Ltd
Publication of EP4471995A1 publication Critical patent/EP4471995A1/de
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/40—Securing contact members in or to a base or case; Insulating of contact members
    • H01R13/42—Securing in a demountable manner
    • H01R13/436—Securing a plurality of contact members by one locking piece or operation
    • H01R13/4364—Insertion of locking piece from the front
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/66—Structural association with built-in electrical component
    • H01R13/70—Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in switch
    • H01R13/707—Structural association with built-in electrical component with built-in switch interlocked with contact members or counterpart

Definitions

  • the present patent application relates to electrical connection technology, and in particular to an integrated terminal position assurance device supporting both male end locking and female end locking, such integrated terminal position assurance device being capable of being installed into a first connector housing, and when the first connector housing and another mating connector housing are mated in place, being capable of simultaneously acting as a terminal position assurance device for the terminals in both connector housings.
  • An EEA system typically consists of wire harness products which include various connectors.
  • Electric connector products used in the wire harness products typically include a male connector and a female connector that are to be used in pair, the male connector and the female connector each includes an insulated outer plastic housing, and, according to the design requirements, may or may not include an insulated inner housing.
  • Metal terminals for electrical conduction are mounted and positioned in the male and female connectors. When a male connector and a female connector are connected together, the terminals contained in each are also connected together to establish an electrical connection between them.
  • a female connector refers to a connector loaded with female terminals in the form of, for example, a cable end plug connector
  • a male connector refers to a connector loaded with male terminals in the form of, for example, a socket connector, or another cable end plug connector.
  • FIGS. 1A and 1B show an inner housing 100 in a commercially delivered male electrical connector, wherein FIG. 1A shows the mating end of the inner housing 100 and FIG. 1B shows the cable inlet tail of the inner housing 100.
  • the inner housing 100 is an insulating housing that includes a plurality of terminal channels, each of which may have a terminal mounted therein accordingly.
  • FIG.1A illustrates the spatial dimension relationship of three unloaded TPA devices 120 and the inner housing 100
  • FIG. 1C shows a perspective view of a single TPA device 120
  • the TPA device 120 includes a base plate 121, baffles 122 and 123 vertically extending from both sides of the base plate 121, and also a latching plate 124 extending therefrom that is perpendicular to and connected to the two baffles.
  • a latching beam 125 is provided at the top of the latching plate 124.
  • the three TPA devices 120 are to be loaded from the mating end of the inner housing 100 (i.e., an end opposite to the cable inlet tail shown in FIG. 1B ).
  • FIG. 1D shows a cross-sectional view of a male connector 10 consisting of an inner housing 110 and a corresponding outer housing 130.
  • the inner housing 110 is provided with terminal channels 114 at both the upper potion and lower portion thereof, and the TPA device 120 is mounted in a TPA containing cavity 115 which is in the middle of the inner housing 100and between the terminal channels, wherein the latching beam 125 of the TPA device 120 and the latching protrusion 1151 on the inner wall of the TPA containing cavity 115 form a latching and positioning relationship to prevent accidental withdrawal of the TPA device 120.
  • a part of the sidewall 1142 (the upper and lower sidewalls in FIG.
  • the TPA containing cavity 115 form a locking wall of the terminal channel 114.
  • the TPA component 120 mounted in place will press the locking walls 1142 of the terminal channel 114 on both its upper and lower sides, thereby causing the locking walls 1142 of the terminal channel 114 to deform toward the inside of the terminal channels, and the latching protrusion 1146 disposed on the inner side of the locking walls 1142 (on the side toward the terminal) will sufficiently enter into the latching notch of the terminals 800 after deformation of the locking walls 1142, with the effect of preventing accidental withdrawal of the terminals 800.
  • FIG. 1E shows a cross-sectional view of the male connector 10 shown in FIG. 1D and another mating female connector 70 when they are in a mated state.
  • the inner housing 110 is mounted in the outer housing 130 and a male terminal 800 is loaded into the inner housing 110, constituting a male connector 10
  • the inner housing 710 is mounted in the outer housing 730 and a female terminal 900 is loaded into the inner housing 710, constituting a female connector 70 in a form of a plug.
  • the mounted male and female terminals in FIG. 1E may be, for example, APEX terminals which can be commercially ordered from APTIV PLC.
  • the TPA device 120 needs to be installed into the inner housing 110 of the male electric connector at the customer end (e.g., in an assembly plant of an OEM), which requires the use of a specialized installation tool due to the small shape of the TPA device 120 and the deep installation location. This would result in a bad experience of use at the customer end.
  • the TPA device 120 only achieves terminal position assurance for the male terminal 800 in the male connector 10, while the female terminal 900 in the mating female connector 70 requires an additional TPA device to get locked.
  • a terminal position assurance device which comprises one or more Terminal Position Assurance (TPA) components, wherein each TPA component comprises a male terminal lock structure on one side and a female terminal lock structure on another side.
  • TPA Terminal Position Assurance
  • the TPA component comprise a transverse substrate, the male terminal lock structure and the female terminal lock structure extend from each end of the transverse substrate.
  • the TPA components further comprise a positioning arm extending from the male terminal lock structure or the female terminal lock structure.
  • the positioning arm comprises two forwardly extending axial beams (2151) and a locking crossbeam (2152) located at the end of the axial beams and connecting said two axial beams.
  • the male terminal lock structure comprises a male baffle
  • the female terminal lock structure comprises a female baffle
  • the number of the TPA components is two or more, and the terminal position assurance device further comprises a transverse connection part (221, 222) connecting respective TPA components.
  • an electric connector which comprises: a first connector housing comprising a plurality of first terminal channels; and a terminal position assurance device comprising one or more Terminal Position Assurance (TPA) components, wherein each TPA component comprises a male terminal lock structure on one side and a female terminal lock structure on another side, the terminal position assurance device being capable of being installed in a terminal position assurance cavity of the first connector housing.
  • TPA Terminal Position Assurance
  • the terminal position assurance cavity has an opening facing a mating end of the first connector housing.
  • the first connector housing is a male connector housing for receiving a male terminal
  • the male terminal lock structure of the terminal position assurance device is capable of being installed in the terminal position assurance cavity of the male connector housing.
  • the male terminal lock structure comprises a male baffle (2125), and the male baffle is to press a side wall of the adjacent terminal position assurance cavity, and the side wall to be pressed forms a locking wall of the first terminal channel, and a latching protrusion is provided on a side of the locking wall facing the interior of the terminal channel.
  • the TPA components further comprises a positioning arm extending from the male terminal lock structure, and the positioning arm is to position the terminal position assurance device in the terminal position assurance cavity of the male connector housing.
  • the female terminal lock structure comprises a female baffle.
  • the first connector housing comprises two or more columns of terminal channels, the number of the TPA components is correspondingly two or more, and the two or more TPA components are integrally connected to each other by means of a transverse connection part.
  • the transverse connection part is a connection crossbeam structure.
  • the transverse connection part comprises a connection block structure.
  • the first connector housing comprises a high-voltage interlocking (HVIL) cavity between two adjacent columns of terminal channels, and the connection block structure has a width matching the width of the HVIL cavity.
  • HVIL high-voltage interlocking
  • the first connector housing is an inner housing.
  • an electric connector assembly which comprises: a first electric connector comprising a first connector housing, the first connector housing having a plurality of first terminal channels, the first electric connector further comprising a terminal position assurance device, the terminal position assurance device comprising one or more Terminal Position Assurance (TPA) components, wherein each TPA component comprises a first terminal lock structure on one side and a second terminal lock structure on another side, and the terminal position assurance device is capable of being installed in a terminal position assurance cavity of the first connector housing, thus pressing a locking wall of the first terminal channel by the first terminal lock structure; a mating second electric connector comprising a second connector housing, the second connector housing having a plurality of second terminal channels, the second connector housing being capable of be mated and connected with the first connector housing, and the terminal position assurance device presses a locking wall of the second terminal channel by means of a second terminal locking structure when the first connector housing and the second connector housing are mated and connected.
  • TPA Terminal Position Assurance
  • the first electric connector is a male connector
  • the first connector housing is a male inner housing
  • the second electric connector is a female connector
  • the second connector housing is a female inner housing
  • the connector inner housing 300 is a six-position (6P) connector inner housing 300 with an upper row and a lower row, which is designed to allow a terminal positioning device to be loaded from mating side.
  • 6P six-position
  • three TPA components 210A, 210B, and 210C are connected together by transverse connection parts 221 and 222, thereby constituting a single-piece terminal position assurance device 200.
  • the connector inner housing 300 with six positions in two rows only one part needs to be assembled to accomplish additional locking of all terminals.
  • the front end of the connector inner housing 300 is accordingly constructed to receive the single-piece terminal position assurance device 200. Specifically, the front end of the connector inner housing 300 is constructed to receive the three TPA components 210A, 210B, and 210C, as well as the transverse connecting parts 221 and 222 therebetween, without inducing physical interference to them.
  • TPA components 210A, 210B, and 210C each include a male terminal lock structure 212 and a female terminal lock structure 214, wherein the male terminal lock structure 212 is disposed at the front end of the TPA component 210, i.e., the end that is to be inserted towards the inner housing 300, and the female terminal lock structure 214 is disposed at the rear end of the TPA component 210, i.e., an end opposite the direction of insertion.
  • the male terminal lock structure 212 and the female terminal lock structure 214 are connected by a middle transverse substrate 213.
  • the female terminal lock structure 214 includes a pair of female baffles 2145, which may be two baffles (i.e., two cantilever plates) that extend from the transverse substrate 213 and being separate from each other. An opening is formed between the two female baffles 2145. This opening design helps to achieve positioning of the female baffles 2145 in the corresponding connector inner housing.
  • the two female baffles 2145 press the walls of the female terminal channel on both sides.
  • the male terminal lock structure 212 includes a pair of male baffles 2125 which extend from the transverse substrate 213 and can be connected with the side baffles 2126 at upper and lower side thereof. This is conducive to enhancing its mechanical strength and thus its terminal locking force.
  • the two male baffles 2125 press the walls of the male terminal channel on both sides.
  • the male terminal lock structure 212 may further include a positioning arm 215 extending toward the front end.
  • the positioning arm 215 includes two forwardly extending axial beams 2151, and a locking crossbeam 2152 located at the end of the axial beams and connecting the two axial beams. With the help of the positioning arm 215, the mounting positioning of the TPA component 210 in the male inner housing 300 can be achieved.
  • FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a receptacle connector 30 comprising a male inner housing 300 and a male outer housing 330, wherein a terminal position assurance device 200 as shown in FIG. 3A has been disposed in a TPA containing cavity 350 of the male inner housing 300, and whereby a portion of a sidewall 345 of the TPA containing cavity 350 (the upper sidewall and the lower sidewall in FIG. 4 ) constitutes a locking wall of the terminal channel 340.
  • Male baffles 214 of the TPA component 210 mounted in place will press the locking wall 345 of the terminal channel on both the upper and lower sides, thereby causing the locking wall 345 of the terminal channel to deform toward the inside of the terminal channel, and the latching protrusion 352 disposed on the inner side of the locking wall 345 (on the side toward the terminal channel) will sufficiently enter into the latching notch of the male terminal 800 after deformation of the locking wall 345, with the effect of preventing accidental withdrawal of the male terminal 800.
  • FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the male connector 30 shown in FIG. 4 and another corresponding female connector 40 when they are in a mated state.
  • the female connector 40 includes a female inner housing 500 and a female outer housing 600 assembled together, with female terminals 900 being disposed in terminal channels of the female inner housing 500.
  • the female outer housing 600 is capable of forming a mating connection relationship with the male outer housing 400.
  • the female inner housing 500 is also capable of forming a mating connection relationship with the male inner housing 300, wherein the front end cavity of the female inner housing 400 is received by the front end cavity of the male inner housing 300 so that the terminal apertures at the front of them are aligned.
  • Pins of the male terminal 800 pass through the front terminal apertures of the male inner housing 300 and through the front terminal apertures of the female inner housing 400 so as to enter and be gripped by the terminal acceptance frame of the female terminal 900.
  • a TPA containing cavity 450 is provided in the middle of the female inner housing 400, and female baffles of the TPA component 210 press on a side wall 445 of the TPA containing cavity 450 (which forms a portion of a terminal channel), thereby causing the side wall 445 to deform inwardly toward the terminal channel, and a latching protrusion 452 disposed on the inner side of the side wall 445 (on the side facing the terminal channel) sufficiently enters into a latching notch of the female terminal 900 after the deformation of the side wall 445, which has the effect of preventing the accidental withdrawal of the female terminal 900.
  • the TPA component 210 having both a male terminal lock structure and a female terminal lock structure, the need to develop, produce, and assemble separate TPA devices for the male inner housing 300 and the female inner housing 500 is eliminated.
  • both the manufacturing cost and the assembly cost are further reduced.
  • Transverse connecting parts 221 and 222 may be simple connection crossbeam structure, or be a connection block structure that better conforms with the inner wall of the inner housing 300 to enhance the structural strength and mounting stability of the single-piece terminal position assurance device 200.
  • the transverse connection part 222 is designed to be a connection block that has a width matching the width of the HVIL cavity 3101 and a height occupying the other half of the height of the inner housing 300.
  • the inner housing 300 is further provided with an idle cavity 3102 that is symmetrical to the HVIL cavity, and the transverse connection part 221 thus has a similar symmetrical design.
  • a single-piece terminal position assurance device 200 including three TPA components 210 is illustrated, but it is to be understood that, the number of TPA components 210 is not to be limited in the present application. Accordingly, the terminal position assurance device of the present application shall cover implementations in which there is only one integrated TPA component 210 and hence no transverse connection part is required.
  • a positioning arm 215 is provided at the end of the male terminal lock structure 212, so that the TPA component 210 is to be loaded into the male inner housing, and then with the aid of the engagement of the male inner housing and the female inner housing, the female terminal lock structure of the TPA member 210 enters into a terminal locking position.
  • a positioning arm 215 of suitable form may be provided at the end of the female terminal lock structure 214, so that the TPA component is to be loaded into the female inner housing, and then with the aid of the engagement of the female inner housing and the male inner housing, the male terminal lock structure of the TPA component enters a terminal locking position.
  • the specific constructions of the male inner housing and the female inner housing are only examples. It is to be understood that the present application shall cover combinations of male and female inner housings of various types, wherein the integrated terminal position assurance device is adapted to be mounted into one of the male and female inner housings, and wherein a pressing action is to be applied to the walls of the terminal channels in both the male and female inner housings to lock the terminals when the male and female inner housings are mated in place.
  • the specific constructions of the male outer housing and the female outer housing are only examples as well. In possible embodiments, only one connector housing is provided, and it is not divided into an outer housing and an inner housing.
  • one TPA component is used to press two terminal channels, and it is to be understood that the number of terminal channels may be one, or some other number, as long as they are capable of being pressed simultaneously by a single TPA component.

Landscapes

  • Connector Housings Or Holding Contact Members (AREA)
EP24158322.8A 2023-02-17 2024-02-19 Integrierte anschlusspositionssicherung und entsprechender elektrischer verbinder Pending EP4471995A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CN202310134928 2023-02-17
CN202310498882.8A CN118523109A (zh) 2023-02-17 2023-05-05 集成式端子位置保持装置和对应的电连接器

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP4471995A1 true EP4471995A1 (de) 2024-12-04

Family

ID=89984662

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP24158322.8A Pending EP4471995A1 (de) 2023-02-17 2024-02-19 Integrierte anschlusspositionssicherung und entsprechender elektrischer verbinder

Country Status (1)

Country Link
EP (1) EP4471995A1 (de)

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0356222A2 (de) * 1988-08-26 1990-02-28 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Elektrischer Verbinder mit Befestigungsglied
EP3361578A1 (de) * 2017-02-14 2018-08-15 Delphi Technologies LLC Elektrischer verbinder mit anschlusspositionsbestätigungsvorrichtung

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0356222A2 (de) * 1988-08-26 1990-02-28 Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd. Elektrischer Verbinder mit Befestigungsglied
EP3361578A1 (de) * 2017-02-14 2018-08-15 Delphi Technologies LLC Elektrischer verbinder mit anschlusspositionsbestätigungsvorrichtung

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5380220A (en) Connector
US6851967B2 (en) Wire connector
EP0928046A1 (de) Abgeschirmte elektrische Verbinderanordnung
EP1562262B1 (de) Verbinder und Verfahren zum Montieren in eine elektrische Anordnung
EP2149936B1 (de) Verbinder
CN109616829B (zh) 连接器
US6942504B2 (en) Connector
US6767239B2 (en) Connector with interengageable rib and groove for guiding connection and a method of assembling such a connector
EP1104048A2 (de) Elektrischer Verbinder mit Einsteckhilfe und mechanischer Unterstützungsanordnung
US5433630A (en) Spring-incorporated flat type terminal structure
US6183299B1 (en) Automotive cellular phone connector assembly
EP0330497A1 (de) Blindsteckbare abgeschirmte Eingangs/Ausgangsverbinderanordnung
EP4471995A1 (de) Integrierte anschlusspositionssicherung und entsprechender elektrischer verbinder
US7232341B2 (en) Connector in which a shell can be readily assembled to a connector housing
US11955750B2 (en) Joint connector
US20240283187A1 (en) Integrated terminal position assurance and corresponding electric connector
US20230119493A1 (en) Connector and connector manufacturing method
JP7410562B2 (ja) 電気コネクタ
US11165187B2 (en) Connector
US6669508B2 (en) Connector
JP2001257024A (ja) コネクタ
JP4382223B2 (ja) 電気コネクタ
US6875030B2 (en) Electrical connector box with customizable bus bar circuit assembly
CN219659022U (zh) 分体式的连接器壳体和相应的电连接器
CN220420941U (zh) 端子及车辆

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN PUBLISHED

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC ME MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR