Abstract
A shielded electrical connector is provided, comprising a plurality of wire elements, a plurality of wire element sheaths, an outer shielding sleeve, at least one inner shielding sleeve, a connector housing for accommodating terminal members, a shield divider for defining at least two shielding sectors, wherein the first subset of wire elements is extended into a first shielding sector and a second subset of wire elements is extended into a second shielding sector, at least one sealing insert for being arranged in one of the shielding sectors for sealing off a cable side from a connector side in the area of the shield divider, and an electrically conductive shielding bridge for electrically connecting the outer shielding sleeve to the at least one inner shielding sleeve and to the shield divider.
Claims
1. A shielded electrical connector, comprising: a plurality of wire elements; a plurality of wire element sheaths for electrically insulating the individual wire elements; an outer shielding sleeve surrounding the plurality of wire elements at least partially or at least in sections thereof; at least one inner shielding sleeve jointly surrounding a first subset of the wire elements at least partially or at least around portions thereof for shielding them from the other wire elements; a connector housing for accommodating terminal members; a shield divider; for defining at least a first and a second shielding sector, wherein the first subset of the wire elements is extended into the first shielding sector and a second subset of the wire elements is extended into the second shielding sector; at least one sealing insert in one of the shielding sectors for sealing off a cable side from a connector side in the area of the shield divider; and an electrically conductive shielding bridge for electrically connecting the outer shielding sleeve to the at least one inner shielding sleeve and to the shield divider.
2. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the wire elements form part of a cable or of a plug-in connector; and/or wherein the wire elements are electrically connected to a cable comprising a plug-in connector.
3. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the wire elements are provided in pairs of two wire elements per pair and wherein the inner shielding sleeves are adapted for shielding pairs of the wire elements from each other; and/or wherein the wire elements are provided in subsets of at least two wire elements per subset and wherein the inner shielding sleeves are adapted for shielding respective subsets of wire elements from each other.
4. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive shielding bridge establishes a non-releasable bond to the outer shielding sleeve, to the inner shielding sleeves, and to the shield divider, so that the electrically conductive shielding bridge forms a non-releasable connection between the shielding sleeves and the shield divider.
5. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shielding bridge also extends between the wire elements and seals or fills the area between the wire elements, so that the individual wire elements are surrounded by the shielding from all sides; and/or wherein the shielding bridge is arranged around the wire element sheaths.
6. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive shielding bridge is made in one piece; and/or wherein the shielding bridge is made of a metallic material.
7. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shielding bridge is arranged directly and immediately adjoining the wire element sheaths or a second wire element sheaths of the wire elements.
8. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shielding bridge is molded in situ around the wire element sheaths and between the wire elements by a metal casting process, so that the shielding bridge radially encloses the wire elements from all sides.
9. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shielding bridge is adapted to anchor the inner shielding sleeves and the outer shielding sleeve on the shield divider.
10. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shield divider is electrically connected to the connector housing; and/or wherein the shield divider has at least two or three, or four shielding webs, with a shielding sector defined between each pair of shielding webs.
11. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shielding bridge is made of a low-melting metallic material.
12. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one second wire element sleeve which jointly encloses at least two wire elements, wherein the electrically conductive shielding bridge radially encloses the second wire element sleeves from all sides.
13. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shield divider has at least four shielding webs which are arranged at equal angular distances to one another, with the shielding sector defined between shielding web, wherein a pair of two wire elements is extended through each shielding sector, so that the shield divider shields the pairs of wire elements from one another; and wherein each shielding web of the shield divider is electrically connected and non-detachably bonded to the shielding bridge.
14. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector housing is made of die-cast zinc and is made integrally with the shield divider.
15. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the shield divider comprises an inner hollow element; and/or wherein the shield divider has a coding means, the coding means indicating the correct orientation of the wire elements in the connector, and wherein the coding means is arranged in the inner hollow element.
16. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the sealing inserts which are arranged radially around the shield divider, wherein the shield divider has at least two shielding webs, with the shielding sector defined between the shielding webs, and wherein each shielding sector has one sealing insert arranged therein.
17. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector housing comprises a radial shielding which at least partially encloses the shield divider externally.
18. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 17, wherein the sealing inserts are arranged between the shield divider and the radial shielding thereby electrically and fluid-tightly insulating the cable side from the connector side in an annular portion.
19. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the sealing inserts are made of plastics material and each sealing insert has at least two passage openings for extending therethrough the wire ends of the wire elements and/or the terminal members.
20. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the sealing inserts are made of potting compound which is cast in situ around at least two of the wire elements in each case in order to seal off the cable side from the connector side.
21. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 20, wherein the potting compound is epoxy resin or an adhesive material.
22. The shielded electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the sealing inserts are produced using a shaping process.
23. A method for producing a shielded electrical connector, comprising the steps of: exposing an outer shielding sleeve, inner shielding sleeves and wire element sheaths at one cable end; connecting each one of wire elements with a respective terminal member; arranging the wire elements and/or the terminal members in subsets, or in pairs as a pair of wires, in a respective shielding sector of a shield divider; attaching or applying a sealing inserts on or around each subset of wire elements within the area of the shield divider; applying an electrically conductive shielding bridge onto and between the wire elements and at the same time electrically connecting the exposed shielding sleeve, the exposed inner shielding sleeves, and the shield divider to the electrically conductive shielding bridge.
24. The method of claim 23, wherein the shielding bridge is applied onto and radially all around the wire element sheaths of the wire elements or around second wire element sheaths.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein the shielding bridge is made from liquid metal which is cast in situ onto the wire element sheaths or the second wire element sheaths and between the wire elements and in situ solidifies to form the shielding bridge.
26. The method of claim 23, wherein a non-detachable connection comprises material bonding.
27. The method of claim 23, wherein the step of applying the electrically conductive shielding bridge comprises: placing the wire elements with terminal members in a casting mold; closing the casting mold and filling the casting mold with liquid metallic material to in situ produce the shielding bridge around and between the wire elements of the shielded electrical connector.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0062] In the figures:
[0063] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable comprising a plurality of connecting elements;
[0064] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cable comprising a plurality of connecting elements with sealing inserts attached;
[0065] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cable comprising a plurality of wire elements and terminal members attached thereto;
[0066] FIG. 4 shows the cable of FIG. 3 with a connector housing;
[0067] FIG. 5 shows the cable of FIG. 4 with overmolded shielding bridge;
[0068] FIG. 6 shows the cable of FIG. 5 with a plastic jacket applied thereto;
[0069] FIG. 7 shows a casting mold for producing the shielding bridge;
[0070] FIG. 8 shows the casting mold of FIG. 7 with the connector placed therein;
[0071] FIG. 9 shows the casting mold with the connector placed therein and with the overmolded shielding bridge;
[0072] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a connector housing;
[0073] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a connector housing;
[0074] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a connector with a plurality of wire elements and terminal members attached thereto;
[0075] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a terminal sleeve;
[0076] FIG. 14 shows the connector of FIG. 12 with terminal sleeves;
[0077] FIG. 15 shows an alternative embodiment of a connector with crossed wire elements;
[0078] FIG. 16 shows an alternative embodiment of a connector with second wire element sheaths;
[0079] FIG. 17 shows a connector with connector housing;
[0080] FIG. 18 shows one embodiment of a sealing element;
[0081] FIG. 19 shows the connector of FIG. 17 with sealing elements installed;
[0082] FIG. 20 shows the connector of FIG. 19 with overmolded shielding bridge;
[0083] FIG. 21 shows the connector of FIG. 20 with a plastic contact protection jacket;
[0084] FIG. 22 is a side view of a connector;
[0085] FIG. 23 is a sectional view through a connector;
[0086] FIG. 24 is a perspective sectional view through a connector;
[0087] FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of an electrical connector;
[0088] FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a connector housing;
[0089] FIG. 27 is a top view of a connector;
[0090] FIG. 27a is a longitudinal sectional view through a connector;
[0091] FIG. 27b is another longitudinal sectional view through a connector comprising second wire element sheaths;
[0092] FIG. 27c is a cross-sectional view through a connector;
[0093] FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a connector with crossed wire elements;
[0094] FIG. 29 is a perspective view of a connector with second wire element sheaths;
[0095] FIG. 30 is a front view of the mating face of a connector;
[0096] FIG. 31 is a longitudinal sectional view through a connector;
[0097] FIG. 32 is a side view of a connector with a printed circuit board;
[0098] FIG. 33 is a top plan view of the mating face of a printed circuit board of a connector;
[0099] FIG. 34 is a longitudinal sectional view through a connector with a printed circuit board.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE
[0100] FIGS. 1 to 6 show a first variant of sub-steps for making a cable connector 100. First, FIG. 1 shows a cable end 10 where the ends 2a of wire elements 2 have been stripped. Cable 10 has a cable jacket or cable insulation 4 which provides protection against accidental contact and makes the cable 10 easy to handle. The cable jacket 4 has been stripped within an annular portion where the outer shielding sleeve 20 is exposed. For example, the outer shielding sleeve 20 is in the form of a braided wire. Adjacent thereto, a portion 4a of the cable jacket is remaining around the wire elements 2.
[0101] The wire elements are combined in pairs and have inner shielding sleeves 24 for each pair of wire elements 2. Moreover, each of the wire elements 2 is provided with a wire element sheath 8. The wire element sheath 8 provides the electrical insulation for the wire element 2 from its surroundings, i.e. in particular from the other wire elements 2. Accordingly, the wire element sheath 8 of each wire element 2 typically extends through the entire cable 10 and is only stripped at the ends thereof, as shown in FIG. 1.
[0102] As shown in FIG. 2, sealing inserts 12 are fitted onto the stripped ends 2a of the wire elements 2. The sealing inserts 12 have a cable side facing towards the inserted cable, and a connector side facing towards the later connector. Typically, the wire elements are extended through the sealing insert 12 from the cable side. It is also possible to first fit the terminal members 14 to the wire ends 2a and then the sealing inserts 12.
[0103] In the example of FIG. 2, each sealing insert 12 has two passage openings, so that two wire elements 2 can be introduced into each sealing insert 12. For example, the sealing inserts 12 are slid onto the stripped conductor ends 2a until abutting at the wire element sheaths 8 or so that the sealing inserts 12 partially overlap with the wire element sheaths 8. In other words, each sealing insert 12 provides sealing in cooperation with the wire element sheaths 8. In the present example, four sealing inserts 12 are threaded onto the eight wire elements 2 shown, each in pairs, resulting in an annular arrangement of the four sealing inserts 12 on the stripped conductor end 2a.
[0104] As shown in FIG. 3, terminal members 14 are then fitted to the stripped conductor ends 2a and mechanically connected to the stripped conductor ends 2a, for example crimped or soldered thereto, or the like. The sealing inserts 12 are then fixed on the wire elements 2 from both sides, for example with the wire element sheaths 8 abutting on the sealing inserts 12 from the cable side, and with the terminal members 14 abutting on the sealing inserts 12 from the housing side. The sealing inserts 12 can also be fixed on the wire elements 2, with the sealing inserts 12 being fitted partially on the wire element sheaths 8 and initially being fixed in terms of their position by being clamped on the wire element sheaths 8, for example. It may be sufficient for the sealing inserts 12 to initially only be retained in their position adequately or provisionally, i.e. clamped, for example, since final and more stable positional fixing of the sealing inserts 12 may be accomplished only when the shielding bridge 25 is overmolded later, for example.
[0105] Subsequently to FIG. 3, the housing part 30 can be fitted to the terminal members 14. In other words, the terminal members 14 are introduced into the housing part 30. The sealing inserts 12 will thereby engage in the shield divider 35, specifically one respective sealing insert 12 in each shielding sector 33. The shield divider 35 comprises a plurality of shielding webs 34, each pair of shielding webs 34 defining a shielding sector 33 therebetween. A shielding sector 33 thus defines an accommodation area for a respective sealing insert 12, so to speak.
[0106] The shield divider 35 furthermore comprises a radial ring 32, and the sealing inserts 12 partially engage below the radial ring 32 so as to seal off the respective shielding sector 33 together with the radial ring 32 in a media-tight manner.
[0107] Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, for example, the shielding bridge 25 can be applied around the wire element sheaths 8 of the wire elements 2 that are still exposed. In this way, a shielding bridge 25 is formed, as shown in FIG. 5, which joins the outer shielding sleeve 20, the inner shielding sleeves 24, and the housing part 30 to one another in an electrically conductive and non-releasable manner, in particular by a material bond.
[0108] As illustrated by FIG. 6, a flexible jacket 50 is then applied to the connector 100, for example for sealing and strain relief purposes, but also for aesthetic reasons and moreover in order to provide protection against accidental contact. Thus, the commercial form of the connector 100 is finally obtained.
[0109] FIGS. 7 to 9 show the making of the shielding bridge 25 in a casting mold 300. First, FIG. 7 shows the empty casting mold 300 which has a filling opening for the material used to produce the shielding bridge 25, for example a low-melting metal alloy. Furthermore, the casting mold 300 has a connector receiving opening 304 in which the connector 100 can be placed. Typically, the casting mold 300 will consist of two halves which can be mated with one another and locked, while each of FIGS. 7 to 9 only show one half of the casting mold, for better comprehension of the structure thereof.
[0110] FIG. 8 shows the casting mold 300 with the connector 100 placed therein. Here, the portion to be overmolded is exposed, and the shielding bridge is to be cast onto, i.e. overmolded around the exposed wire element sheaths 8, the sealing inserts 12, the shield divider 35, and the outer shielding sleeve 20.
[0111] FIG. 9 shows the casting mold 300 with the connector 100 placed therein, including the shielding bridge 25 that has been completely cast and has solidified and cooled down. With the shielding bridge 25, the electrical connection between the housing part 30 and the outer shielding sleeve 20 and the inner shielding sleeve 24 has been completed.
[0112] FIG. 10 shows a detailed view of a housing part 30 comprising a sealing ring 28, the shield divider 35 including the radial ring 32 and the shielding webs 34. Sealing ring 28 in particular serves as a seal in the casting mold when casting the still liquid shielding bridge 25, i.e. in particular for the liquid metal. On the later finished plug-in connector 100, it can moreover be useful in combination with the final overmold, i.e. the flexible jacket 50, as a sealing element against the ingress of moisture. The ends of terminal sleeves 16 are introduced into the shielding sectors 33, each terminal sleeve 16 having two passage openings 161, 162 (see FIG. 13). Sealing inserts 12 are installed in the remaining areas of the shielding sectors 33, see FIG. 18. Finally, the housing part 30 has a screw thread 40 in order to connect the housing part 30 with a further connecting part.
[0113] Shield divider 35 has an inner hollow portion 38 in which a coding lug 36 is provided. The coding lug 36 indicates the correct orientation for connection of the wire elements 2 to the respective shielding sectors 33 of the housing part 30.
[0114] FIG. 11 shows a housing part 30 with a shield divider 35 and four shielding webs 34. In this example, no terminal sleeves 60 are provided or required. This type of housing part 30 can be provided, for example, if an internal thread or a connection means other than the screw thread 40 is to be provided on the distal end of the housing part 30. For example, the embodiment of FIG. 11 shows a detail of FIG. 10.
[0115] FIG. 12 shows a further plug-in connector 100 in a partially assembled state, with the end of cable 10 stripped of the cable insulation 4 and the conductor ends 2 exposed. In any case, electrical contact can be established to the outer shielding sleeve 20 between the insulation 4 and the portion 4a of the cable insulation, but also at the end portion of cable insulation 4. The stripped wire ends 2a (see FIG. 1, for example) have already been equipped with the terminal members 14, which are fitted so as to abut on the wire element sheaths 8 or are mounted such that a small exposed area of the wire elements 2 remains between the terminal members 14 and the wire element sheaths 8.
[0116] A terminal sleeve 16 can be slid onto the terminal members 14, each of which is able to accommodate a pair of two terminal members 14. The terminal sleeve 16 is fitted on the terminal members 14 by introducing the terminal members 14 into the passage openings 161, 162 and approaching the terminal sleeve 16 until it abuts on the wire element sheaths 8. For better insulation, the terminal sleeve 16 furthermore has an insulating collar 163 between the two passage openings 161, 162. Finally, the sleeve extension 164 of terminal sleeve 16 also covers a major portion of the terminal members 14.
[0117] FIG. 14 shows the plug-in connector 30 equipped with the terminal sleeves 16 illustrated in FIG. 13 in a partially assembled state, with two respective wire elements 2 inserted in each respective terminal sleeve 16. Since the cable 10 of the example of FIG. 14 has eight wire elements 2, four terminal sleeves 16 are provided, with two wire elements 2 inserted into each one thereof.
[0118] FIG. 15 shows an alternative embodiment to that of FIG. 14, in which the wire elements 2 are twisted or overcrossing one another in pairs in the exposed area, like what is known as a “twisted pair” arrangement. The wire elements 2 which are each twisted together in the exposed area are inserted into a terminal sleeve 16 in pairs.
[0119] FIG. 16 shows yet another alternative embodiment to that of FIGS. 14 and 15, which may optionally also be equipped cumulatively, with FIG. 16 illustrating second wire element sheaths 9 in the exposed area, with the wire elements 2 arranged in pairs and inserted into second wire element sheaths 9 in pairs. The second wire element sheaths 9 in particular consist of a piece of heat-shrink tube or an electrically insulating material.
[0120] FIG. 17 now shows the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 14 with the housing part 30 attached, which has been slid onto the wire elements 2 or onto the terminal elements 14 from the front to such an extent that the ends or the passage openings 161, 162 of the terminal sleeves 16 are arranged in the respective shielding sector 33, for example below radial ring 32. Optionally, a small portion of the stripped conductor end 2a might even protrude from the terminal sleeves 16. This is not crucial since these areas will be covered later.
[0121] FIG. 18 shows an embodiment of a sealing insert 12 that is adapted for being inserted into a shielding sector 33 of the shield divider 35. The sealing insert 12 has first and second passage openings 121, 122 for extending wire elements 2 therethrough. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18, these are two passage openings 121, 122, so that a pair of wire elements 2 can be extended through one sealing insert 12. In other words, one sealing insert 12 seals one pair of wire elements 2 in a media-tight manner. The plug-in connector 100 in its assembled form as shown in FIG. 19 can now be provided with the shielding bridge 25. The shielding bridge 25 is provided over a range that starts at the outer shielding sleeve 20 and extends over the portion of cable insulation 4a, the exposed wire element sheaths 8, the sealing inserts 12, the shield divider 35 and as far as to the sealing ring 28. This can be accomplished using a casting mold as shown in FIG. 7, for example.
[0122] FIG. 20 shows the plug-in connector 100 equipped with the shielding bridge 25 for establishing the shielding envelop, in particular a gapless shielding envelop extending from the outer shielding sleeve to the sealing ring 28, which is also electrically connected to the inner shielding sleeves 24 and by virtue of the shield divider 35 also extends in the interior between the wire elements 2. In this way, the intermediate shielding between the wire elements 2, in particular between each pair of wire elements 2 and the other wire elements 2, remains intact over the entire length of the plug-in connector 100 and also over the entire extension length of the wire elements 2 from the plug-in connector 100 to the cable 10. In fact, the material of the shielding bridge 25 flows in between the wire elements 2, since the shielding bridge 25 is cast directly onto the wire element sheaths 8, and flows there between the wire elements 8, 2. In other words, with the shielding bridge 25 applied, each wire element 2 will be radially surrounded from all sides by the material of the shielding bridge 25, i.e. in particular against the other wire elements 2 of the other wire element pairs. Furthermore, the shielding bridge 25 will also be electrically connected to the shield divider 35 and in particular to all shielding webs 34 of the shield divider 35. The shielding bridge 25 is connected to the shielding webs 34 of the shield divider 35 by a material bond. It is moreover preferred if the same material bond can also be produced to the outer shielding sleeve 20 and to the inner shielding sleeves 24, so that the shielding bridge 25 establishes a connecting bridge in the form of a material bond between the shield divider 35 via the shielding bridge 25 to the outer shielding sleeve 20 and the inner shielding sleeves 24.
[0123] Finally, FIG. 21 shows the connector of FIG. 20, with a protective jacket 50 applied to the portion including the shielding bridge 25, for example by overmolding, as is customary commercially. Optionally, the protective jacket 50 can be clamped or crimped in order to secure it in its position on the cable 10 or to achieve strain relieve and/or media seal.
[0124] FIG. 22 shows a top view of a plug-in connector 100 in its fully assembled state, with cutting lines A and B representing the lines along which the views of FIGS. 23, 24, and 25 have been taken. FIG. 23 shows a longitudinal sectional view along line A-A through a plug-in connector as indicated in FIG. 22. The plug-in connector 100 illustrated by FIG. 23 is shown in its final completed state, even with the protective jacket already applied. The longitudinal section of FIG. 23 clearly shows the profile of shielding bridge 25 which extends around the wire elements 2, between the wire elements 2 and beyond the section 4a of the cable insulation 4. The shielding bridge 25 establishes contact to the housing part 30, 32 by a material bond and thus entirely establishes the shielding bridge. In the interior, the shielding bridge 25 contacts the shield divider 35.
[0125] The cable has a cable core 5 which is used to improve the symmetry of the cable (in terms of RF properties), for example, and/or to stiffen the cable. In the example shown here, the cable includes the two wire elements 2 each of which is surrounded by a wire element sheath 8. An inner shielding sleeve 24 surrounds each wire element 2. In addition, the cable as a whole is shielded against the environment by the outer shielding sleeve 20. On the outside, the cable 10 comprises the cable insulation 4.
[0126] The stripped wire ends 2a of wire elements 2 are inserted into terminal members 14 and secured therein. Terminal sleeves 16 are arranged around the terminal members 14 for accommodating the terminal members 14. Within the area of shield divider 35, sealing inserts 12 are arranged in order to seal the terminal sleeves 16 and the plug-in connector side from the shielding bridge 25 and the cable side of the shield divider in a media-tight manner. The cable 10 as shown in FIG. 23 may also comprise a plurality of wire elements 2 which are not illustrated in the view of FIG. 23 due to the selected perspective.
[0127] FIG. 24 shows a further example of a plug-in connector 100 in the final completed state, with a plurality of eight wire elements 2 electrically connected to terminal members 14 inside the housing part 30. By way of example, two wire elements 2 are shown in sectional profile, each of the wire elements 2 being enclosed by a wire element sheath 8. The shielding bridge 25 has been overmolded in situ onto the wire elements 2 and their wire element sheaths 8, from cast metal material, in particular a low-melting metal alloy, so that the shielding bridge 25 preferably extends integrally, i.e. in one piece, radially all around each of the wire elements 2. Furthermore, the shielding bridge 25 contacts both the outer shielding sleeve 20 and the inner shielding sleeve 24 in order to electrically connect both or all shielding sleeves 20, 24 with the shielding contacts 28, 35 of the housing part 30 of the plug-in connector 100. Here, the shielding effect for the wires is in particular also maintained completely and in an uninterrupted manner between the pairs of wire elements 2.
[0128] FIG. 25 shows a radial sectional view along section line A-A as indicated in FIG. 22. Within the area of shield divider 35, the wire elements 2 are extended through four sealing inserts 12, and each shielding sector 33 has a respective sealing insert 12 arranged therein. Coding means 36 indicates the correct orientation of the wire elements 2 in the housing part 30 during assembly.
[0129] FIG. 26 shows an embodiment of the housing part 30 of plug-in connector 100, where the terminal sleeves 16 are arranged in the area of shielding sectors 33 of the shield divider 35. The terminal sleeves 16 extend through the housing part 30 to end just before the mating face 18 (see FIG. 31). For example, the housing part 30 can be provided in this partially assembled form with preassembled terminal sleeves 16 for further assembly of the plug-in connector, so that the wire elements 2 equipped with terminal members can be introduced into the terminal sleeves 16 and thus also into the housing part 30.
[0130] FIG. 27 shows a side view of a plug-in connector 100 in its final completed state, with cutting lines A, B, and D indicated, along which the sectional views of FIGS. 27a, 27b, 27c as illustrated below have been taken, as well as the front view E shown in FIG. 30.
[0131] FIG. 27a shows a radial sectional view along cutting line A-A as indicated in FIG. 27, i.e. cut through the shielding bridge 25 in an area where all the wire elements are radially enclosed all around even individually, that is even between each pair of wire elements, as well as between the pairs of wire elements 2 and the other pairs of wire elements 2. In this area, the wire elements 2 are each surrounded by wire element sheaths 8 in an electrically insulating manner. The wire elements 2 therefore do not have an electrical shielding insert 25.
[0132] FIG. 27b shows an alternative embodiment to that of FIG. 27a, again illustrating a radial sectional view along cutting line B-B in the area of shielding bridge 25 of the plug-in connector 100, as shown in FIG. 27. Each pair of wire elements 2 is additionally enclosed by a second wire element sheath 9. Thus, considered from the inside out, a wire element 2 is first radially surrounded all around by the wire element sheath 8, then radially surrounded all around by the second wire element sheath 9, and on top of this it is surrounded by the shielding bridge 25, preferably radially all around. Depending on the embodiment, the area between a pair of wire elements 2, i.e. the space inside the second wire element sheath 9, is not filled by the shielding bridge 25. Anyhow, it will be obvious that even in this case each wire element 2 is preferably still radially surrounded by the shielding bridge 25 from all sides with respect to the outside. For example, the wire element 2 denoted at the top left in FIG. 27b is adjacent to its partner which is arranged inside the same second wire element sheath 9. This partner lies on an imaginary alignment line from wire element 2 to the next pair of wire elements 2. Nevertheless, there is material of the shielding bridge 25 between this wire element 2 and the next pair of wire elements 2 which is surrounded by a further second wire element sheath 9. Thus, material of the shielding bridge 25 is arranged around each wire element 2 in all radial directions. It is desirable that material of the shielding bridge 25 is arranged between each pair of wire elements 2 which is surrounded by a common second wire element sleeve 9, and the other pairs of wire elements 2 which are surrounded by further second wire element sheaths 9 and thus causes a shielding effect between the pairs of wire elements 2. Thus, the pairs of wire elements 2 are also shielded from one another.
[0133] FIG. 27c shows a radial sectional view along section line D-D as indicated in FIG. 27, i.e. in the area of the cable 10. Each pair of wire elements 2 is shielded from the other pairs of wire elements 2 by an inner shielding sleeve 24. Furthermore, the outer shielding sleeve 20 surrounds all wire elements 2 together. The wire pairs which are arranged in an inner shielding sleeve 24 in each case, are embedded in and thus fixed by cable filling material such as cable rubber. The inner shielding sleeve 24 may be a thin aluminum foil, for example, or a plastic film with aluminum or another metal material vapor-deposited thereon. Metal material is preferred for insulation, here. If the inner shielding sleeve 24 and/or the outer shielding sleeve 20 is made of a metallic material or comprises a metallic material, it is possible to produce a material bond with the shielding bridge 25.
[0134] FIG. 28 shows a further alternative embodiment of a partially assembled plug-in connector 100, with the wire elements 2 twisted in the area that is still exposed and inserted into the terminal sleeves 16.
[0135] FIG. 29 shows yet another alternative embodiment of the partially assembled plug-in connector 100, with the respective pairs of wire elements 2 each provided with a second wire element sleeve 9 such as a shrink tube.
[0136] FIG. 30 shows a front view of a plug-in connector 100, as seen along cutting line E-E in FIG. 27. This radial sectional view is arranged inside the housing part 30 so that the radial sectional view cuts through the terminal sleeves 16 and the shield divider 35. The terminal members 14 are arranged inside the terminal sleeves 16. Furthermore, section line C1 is shown in FIG. 30 indicating the longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 31.
[0137] FIG. 31 shows a longitudinal sectional view along cutting line C1-C1 of FIG. 30 through a final completed plug-in connector 100. The cable 10 comprises a plurality of wire elements 2 which are introduced into contact elements 14 in the housing part 30. The shielding bridge 25 surrounds the wire elements 2 in the connection area between cable 10 and housing part 30, preferably radially all around, that is between the wire elements 2 as well. Here, the shielding bridge 25 extends from an exposed area between portion 4a of the cable insulation and cable insulation 4 on the side of the cable as far as to the contact ring 28 of the housing part on the side of the housing and thereby makes contact with the shield divider 35 as well as the inner shielding sleeves 24 and the outer shielding sleeve 20.
[0138] FIG. 32 shows an embodiment of the final completed plug-in connector 100 which is screwed into a mounting part 44 that comprises a printed circuit board or mounting board 42.
[0139] For this case, FIG. 33 shows a view of the mating face 18b of mounting part 44. The mating face 18b is provided on a printed circuit board or mounting board 42.
[0140] Finally, FIG. 34 shows a longitudinal sectional view through the connector 100 according to FIG. 32 with the mounting part 44 assembled thereto.
[0141] The present disclosure thus described a plug-in connector 100 in which a complete shielding of individual wires 2 of a cable 10 can be achieved not only by the outer shielding 20, but also a shielding between the individual pairs of wire elements 2, and this in a particularly cost-efficient and effective manner. Here, a shielding bridge is applied on the exposed area between cable 10 and housing part 30 in such a way that the shielding bridge 25 also extends between the individual wire elements 2 or at least between the pairs of wire elements 2, so that each wire element 2 is radially enclosed all around by material of the shielding bridge 25 in this area, that is in particular radially surrounded by the shielding bridge 25 from all sides. In this way, uninterrupted and complete shielding can be achieved to the outside with regard to the outer shielding and thus to the outer shielding sleeve 20 and at the same time also between the wire elements 2, i.e. to the inner shielding sleeve 24 of the respective pair of wire elements and to the shield divider 35 and the housing part 30, 32. For this purpose, an integral, i.e. one-piece shielding bridge is used, which also creates a non-releasable connection from the shielding elements 20, 24 of the cable 10 to the contact elements 28, 35 of the housing part 30. The non-releasable connection provided by the shielding bridge 25 is in particular a material bond, for example as produced by a soldering process. The shielding bridge 25 presented here is preferably cast in situ from a metallic material directly and immediately onto the wire element sheaths 8 and/or second wire element sheaths 9 in the illustrated annular portion.
[0142] It will be apparent to a person skilled in the art that the embodiments as described above are meant to be exemplary and that the present disclosure is not limited thereto but can rather be varied in many ways without departing from the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it will be apparent that irrespective of whether disclosed in the description, the claims, the figures, or otherwise, the
features also individually define components of the present disclosure, even if they have been described together with other features. Throughout the figures, the same reference numerals designate the same pieces of subject-matter, so that a description of pieces of subject-matter that are possibly only mentioned in one or at least not in conjunction with all figures can also be transferred to such figures with regard to which the piece of subject-matter has not explicitly been described in the specification.
