HIGH-POWER PLUG CONNECTOR

Abstract

A high-power plug connection system is provided comprising a cable connection housing for connecting at least two electric high-power plug connectors in order to transmit and/or distribute high electric current strengths and/or high electric voltages, at least two insulating bodies for receiving a respective high-power contact and at least one electrically conductive rail, wherein the longitudinal axes of the high-power contacts are arranged essentially in one plane in an offset manner from each other, the high-power contacts being connected together in an electrically conductive manner by the electrically conductive rail, said high-power contacts being provided with at least one recess, into which the rail at least partly fits, and wherein an interior space formed in the cable connection housing is at least partially encapsulated with a dielectric substance.

Claims

1. A high-power plug connector system, comprising: a cable connection housing for connecting at least two electrical high-power plug connectors in order to transmit and/or distribute high electrical current strengths and/or high electrical voltages, at least two insulating bodies for receiving at least one high-power contact each and at least one electrically conductive rail, wherein the longitudinal axes of the high-power contacts are arranged basically in one plane and offset from one another, wherein the high-power contacts are electrically conductively connected to one another by the at least one electrically conductive rail, and wherein the high-power contacts are provided with at least one recess, into which the at least one electrically conductive rail at least partially fits, and wherein an interior space formed in the cable connection housing is at least partially potted with a dielectric substance.

2. The high-power plug connector system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dielectric substance substantially surrounds the high-power contacts.

3. The high-power plug connector system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dielectric substance has a high thermal conductivity coefficient.

4. The high-power plug connector system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dielectric substance transfers heat generated by the high-power contacts to the cable connection housing.

5. The high-power plug connector system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dielectric substance has a thermal coefficient of greater than or equal to 1 W/mK.

6. The high-power plug connector system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dielectric substance is produced from at least two components.

7. The high-power plug connector system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dielectric substance consists of at least one epoxy resin.

8. The high-power plug connector system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dielectric substance consists of at least one silicone-containing component.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and is explained in more detail below. In the drawings:

[0014] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a high-power plug connector system; and

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a view into the cable connection housing of a high-power plug connector system.

[0016] The figures may contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In part, identical reference signs are used for like but possibly non-identical elements. Different views of like elements could be scaled differently. Directional indications such as “left,” “right,” “top,” and “bottom” are to be understood with reference to the figure in question and may vary in the individual representations with respect to the object shown.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] FIG. 1 shows a high-power plug connector system 1 according to an embodiment of the invention having a cable connection housing 2 and two high-power plug connectors 3. The cable connection housing 2 is provided with extensions 11, each of which has a recess 10 that allows the cable connection housing 2 to be fastened to a carrier element. Floors of rail-bound vehicles are particularly provided as a carrier element. The cable connection housing 2 further has two contact surfaces 12, which allow the connection of ground cables. Thus, it makes sense to manufacture the cable connection housing 2 from a conductive material. Preferred here is an electrically conductive thermoset. Particularly preferred is a metal material, for example made of a steel, aluminum or a correspondingly useful alloy. For assembly purposes and/or maintenance purposes, the cable connection housing 2 is provided with a housing cover 13. This housing cover 13 has an indentation 14 which can receive, for example, blanking plugs for the connection regions 9, if these blanking plugs are not required.

[0018] FIG. 2 provides a view of the interior space 7 of a cable connection housing 2 according to an embodiment of the invention. The housing cover 13 shown in FIG. 1, which is located on the housing bottom side G.sub.U, and the high-power plug connectors 3 are not shown. The interior space 7 has three insulating bodies 4 for associated high-power contacts 5. The high-power contacts 5 are mechanically connected to an electrically conductive rail 6. In order to maintain the required clearances and creepage distances in such a compact high-power plug connector system 1, or to circumvent the problem of clearances and creepage distances, the interior space 7 is filled with a dielectric substance 8. In an advantageous way, a gel may be used for this purpose which basically hardens. To simplify a repair process, a silicone-containing dielectric substance 8 is used in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. This can be separated from the interior space 7 to a large extent by simple methods, if desired or necessary. Furthermore, the dielectric substance 8 used in accordance with embodiments of the invention has a thermal conductivity coefficient of greater than or equal to 1 W/mK. Thus, heat accumulation in the interior space 7 is effectively prevented, since the substance 8 can dissipate the heat generated at high current strengths to the cable connection housing 2. The cable connection housing 2 can then dissipate the absorbed heat in the direction of the housing top side Go to the surroundings and/or a supporting component. When the high-power plug connector system 1 is used in the underfloor area of rail-bound transport vehicles, an airstream can additionally be used for cooling.

[0019] Even though various aspects or features of the invention are shown in each case in combination in the figures, it is apparent to a person skilled in the art—unless otherwise indicated—that the combinations shown and discussed are not the only possible ones. In particular, corresponding units or feature complexes from different exemplary embodiments may be interchanged with each other. In other words, aspects of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments.

[0020] In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.