Method for assembling a plug on a multi-core sheathed cable, and electrical plug

Abstract

A method assembles a plug on a multi-core sheathed cable which extends in a longitudinal direction and has multiple wires surrounded by a cable sheath. A sealing element made of a sealing material is applied to the multiple wires. The sealing element has individual passages formed through the sealing material for the wires. Subsequently, the wires are assembled in a plug housing, wherein the plug housing has an opening at a rear end thereof, and the sealing element is inserted into the opening and shifted preferably along the wires such that the sealing element sits in the opening in a sealing manner. A sealing coating is then applied, which extends from the rear end of the plug housing to the cable sheath.

Claims

1. A method for fitting a plug to a multi-core sheathed cable extending in a longitudinal direction and the multi-core sheathed cable having a plurality of cores which are surrounded by a cable sheath, which comprises the steps of: applying a sealing element composed of a sealing material to the plurality of cores, wherein the sealing element has an individual bushing through the sealing material for each of the cores; subsequently fitting the cores into a plug housing, wherein the plug housing has a receptacle formed therein on a rear-side end and the sealing element is pushed into the receptacle and, to this end, is moved along the cores, so that the sealing element is situated in the receptacle in a sealing manner; and applying a sealing-off sheathing extending from the rear-side end of the plug housing to the cable sheath.

2. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises first applying the sealing element to the plurality of cores and then a contact element is attached to an end side of each of the cores.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is a prefabricated component which is pushed onto the cores.

4. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises forming the sealing element to be softer than the plug housing.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element is a solid and integral component, the component has a lateral surface that is smooth and free of ribs or grooves, the sealing element is a prefabricated component pushed onto the cores, attaching a contact element to the end side of a respective core, subsequently fitting the cores are fitted into the plug housing, the sealing element tapers conically in the longitudinal direction, the receptacle has a conical configuration which complements the sealing element, the sealing element is softer than the plug housing, the sealing element is manufactured from a thermoplastic polyurethane material, applying the sealing-off sheathing by injection molding for exerting a press-in force directed in the longitudinal direction on the sealing element and pressing the sealing element into the receptacle.

6. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises applying the sealing-off sheathing by injection molding.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein when the sealing-off sheathing is applied by the injection molding, exerting a press-in force which is directed in the longitudinal direction on the sealing element, so that the sealing element is pressed into the receptacle.

8. The method according to claim 1, which further comprises tapering the sealing element in the longitudinal direction.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the sealing element tapers conically in the longitudinal direction.

10. An electrical plug, comprising: a multi-core sheathed cable extending in a longitudinal direction and having a plurality of cores surrounded by a cable sheath; a plug housing having a rear-side end with a receptacle formed therein, said cores being inserted into said plug housing through said receptacle; contact elements each having an end side fitted to one of said cores and disposed in said plug housing; a sealing-off sheathing extending from said rear-side end of said plug housing to said cable sheath; and an integral sealing element composed of a sealing material is disposed in said receptacle, wherein said cores are individually guided through said sealing material.

11. The plug according to claim 10, wherein said sealing element is a solid and integral component, said component has a lateral surface that is smooth and free of ribs or grooves.

12. The plug according to claim 10, wherein said sealing-off sheathing is configured as a cast or injection-molded component and rests on said sealing element and exerts a force component on said sealing element in the longitudinal direction.

13. The plug according to claim 10, wherein said multi-core sheathed cable is a twin-core sheathed cable with two of said cores.

14. The plug according to claim 10, wherein said sealing element is a solid and integral component, the component has a lateral surface that is smooth and free of ribs or grooves; said sealing element tapers conically in the longitudinal direction; said receptacle has a conical configuration which complements the sealing element; said sealing element is softer than said plug housing; said sealing element is manufactured from a thermoplastic polyurethane material; said sealing-off sheathing is configured as a cast or injection-molded component and rests on said sealing element and exerts a force component on said sealing element in the longitudinal direction.

15. The plug according to claim 10, wherein said sealing element tapers in the longitudinal direction.

16. The plug according to claim 15, wherein said sealing element tapers conically in the longitudinal direction.

17. The plug according to claim 10, wherein said sealing element has a lateral surface which is oriented so as to run in an encircling manner at an acute angle in relation to the longitudinal direction.

18. The plug according to claim 17, wherein said lateral surface of said sealing element is configured entirely in a smooth manner and without encircling ribs or grooves.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) A variant embodiment will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures in which, in partially simplified illustrations:

(2) FIG. 1: shows a perspective illustration of a sheathed cable with an attached sealing element and also attached contact elements before it is fitted into a plug housing,

(3) FIG. 2: shows the components illustrated in FIG. 1 after the contact elements and the sealing element have been pushed into the plug housing, and

(4) FIG. 3: shows the finished plug with a fitted sheathed cable having a sheathing which is applied by injection molding.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective exploded illustration of a prefabricated plug 2 which is fitted to a sheathed cable 4.

(6) In the exemplary embodiment, the sheathed cable 4 is designed as a twin-core sheathed cable with two cores 10 which are surrounded by a cable sheath 12. The cores 10 are each stripped of insulation at their front end (that is to say the end by way of which they are arranged in the plug 2). A contact element 14 is attached to the area of the cores 10 which is stripped of insulation. A sealing element 16 which consists of a soft, elastic plastic material, in particular TPU, is pushed onto the two cores 10. The sealing element 16 is designed as a conical element, that is to say has a lateral surface 18 which tapers with respect to a longitudinal direction 20 at an acute angle in relation to this longitudinal direction 20. In order to push the sealing element 16 onto the cores 10, the sealing element 16 has an individual bushing 17 for the cores 10.

(7) In the exemplary embodiment, the sealing element 16 has an at least approximately oval base area. To this end, the base area has two opposite straight sections which are connected to one another in each case by means of a (circular) arc. As an alternative to this, the base area can also be circular. The lateral surface 18 is therefore designed, in particular, in the manner of a lateral surface of a cone.

(8) In addition, the plug 2 has a plug housing 6. The plug housing 6 is preferably a plastic housing and has a receptacle 22, which is designed for receiving the sealing element 16, on its rear-side end which is directed toward the sheathed cable 4. In particular, this receptacle 22 preferably likewise has a conical configuration which complements the sealing element 16.

(9) As can further be seen with reference to FIG. 1, the plug housing 6 has fins 24 or ribs on its outer wall 21 in the region of the receptacle 22.

(10) The fins 24 are of encircling design, wherein a central fin 24 is interrupted in the exemplary embodiment. An interlocking connection to a sheathing 8 (cf. FIG. 3) is formed by the fins 24, which interlocking connection is active in and against the longitudinal direction 20. In addition, an interlocking connection which is active in the circumferential direction is also formed by the interruption in the central fin 24.

(11) As viewed in the longitudinal direction 20 toward the front end, the fins 24 are delimited by an encircling collar 26. A sheathing 8 which is applied by injection molding or casting and extends as far as the cable sheath 12 of the sheathed cable and therefore ensures reliable and secure sealing off is applied to said rear-side region with the encircling fins 24 as far as the collar 26—as can be seen with reference to FIG. 3.

(12) FIG. 2 shows the plug 2 in an intermediate state of manufacture. Here, the cores 10 which are provided with the contact elements 14 have been inserted into the plug housing 6. The sealing element 16 which is pushed onto the cores 10 is arranged, preferably in an interlocking manner, in the receptacle 22 of the plug housing 6 here.

(13) FIG. 3 illustrates the completed plug 2 with the sheathed cable 4 fitted. In this case, the plug 2 has the plug housing 6 and a sheathing 8 which is applied by injection molding and encloses the region in which the sheathed cable 4 is inserted into the plug housing 6. The sheathing 8 extends as far as the collar 26 and bears against said collar at the end side. Said sheathing is applied by casting or injection molding and is of solid design. The sealing element 16 is pushed into the receptacle 22 in the longitudinal direction 20 by the pressure which is produced during the application, and therefore the sealing action is improved.

(14) The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment described above. Rather, other variants of the invention can also be derived therefrom by a person skilled in the art, without departing from the subject matter of the invention. In particular, all of the individual features described in connection with the exemplary embodiment can furthermore also be combined with one another in a different way, without departing from the subject matter of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(15) 2 Plug 4 Sheathed cable 6 Plug housing 8 Sheathing 10 Core 12 Cable sheath 14 Contact element 16 Sealing element 18 Lateral surface 20 Longitudinal direction 21 Outer wall 22 Receptacle 24 Fins 26 Collar