Cable connector arrangement, cable connector and pressing means

Abstract

A cable connector arrangement includes a cable connector and an electrical cable with a plurality of individual lines each having a respective insulation and electrical conductor. The connector may include a front section configured for connection to a mating connector, a rear section in which the individual lines are surrounded by a cable sheath, and a central section. The electrical conductors of two individual lines have a first mutual distance in the rear section and a greater, second mutual distance in the front section with the mutual distance being increased in the central section. At least one pressing means in the central section may press at least the two individual lines together such that their insulations undergo mechanical deformation in a region of common contact.

Claims

1. A cable connector arrangement, comprising: an electrical cable and a cable connector connected to the electrical cable, the cable connector arrangement including a front section, a rear section and a central section, the front section, the rear section and the central section each extending along a longitudinal axis of the cable connector, the central section being interposed longitudinally between the front section and the rear front section, the electrical cable having at least two individual lines, each of the individual lines having a respective insulation and a respective electrical conductor, the front section being configured for connection to a mating connector; the electrical cable further including a cable sheath; the cable sheath surrounding the individual lines in the rear section, the cable sheath being not present in the front section, the cable sheath being not present in the central section; the respective electrical conductors of two of the individual lines having respective cross-sectional center points which are mutually spaced from one another by a mutual distance; the mutual distance being a first mutual nominal distance, in the rear section, the mutual distance in the front section, being a second mutual distance, the second mutual distance being greater than the first mutual nominal distance; the central section having at least one pressing means which influences an impedance of the cable connector by pressing the two individual lines against one another to compress the respective insulations of both of the two individual lines causing the respective insulations of both of the two individual lines to be mechanically deformed in an area in which the respective insulations of the two individual lines are in common contact with one another, the area being located within the central section, the respective insulations of the two individual lines being mechanically deformed in a way which results in the mutual distance in the area being a third mutual distance which is less than the first mutual nominal distance.

2. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the respective insulations of the two individual lines have an oval cross section after being mechanically deformed.

3. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third mutual distance is smaller than would be the case in the event of the two individual lines being placed against one another in a force-free manner.

4. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one pressing means presses the two individual lines together in such a way that an impedance in a region of the central section is 85 ohms to 115 ohms.

5. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one pressing means is of a material which has a permittivity that at least approximately corresponds to a permittivity of the cable sheath.

6. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable connector further includes a connector housing along which at least the front section extends.

7. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the central section extends along the connector housing and the at least one pressing means is located in the connector housing.

8. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein, the connector housing has an interior, the at least one pressing means is formed in one piece with the connector housing and the at least one pressing means comprises a rib that projects into the interior of the connector housing.

9. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one pressing means comprises a rib that projects into the interior of the connector housing.

10. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one pressing means is formed independently of the connector housing and the at least one pressing means comprises a clamp.

11. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connector housing has a central axis and the at least one pressing means guides the two individual lines through the central section along the central axis.

12. A cable connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rear section extends along the connector housing.

13. A cable connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one of: (i) the connector housing and (ii) the pressing means is formed to minimize air inclusions in the central section.

14. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connector housing has at least one lower shell and one upper shell.

15. A cable connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the connector housing has at least one fastening means for fixing the cable sheath axially to provide strain relief of the cable.

16. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a plurality of contact elements located in the connector housing, the contact elements being electrically connected to the respective electrical conductors of the respective individual lines.

17. A cable connector arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front section has at least one separating means for separating the contact elements from one another.

18. A cable connector for connecting a mating connector with an electrical cable of a type having a cable sheath, at least two individual lines, each of the individual lines having a respective insulation and an a respective electrical conductor, the cable connector comprising: a front section configured for connection to the mating connector; a rear section within which the individual lines are surrounded by the cable sheath of the electrical cable; and a central section interposed longitudinally between the front section and the rear section; the electrical conductors of two of the individual lines having respective cross-sectional center-points which are mutually spaced from one another by a mutual distance; in the rear section the mutual distance being a first mutual nominal distance, in the front section the mutual distance being a second mutual distance, the second distance being greater than the first mutual nominal distance; the central section having at least one pressing means which influences an impedance of the cable connector by pressing the respective insulations of both of the two individual lines against one another to compress the respective insulations of both of the two individual lines causing the respective insulations of both of the two individual lines to be mechanically deformed an area in which the respective insulations of the two individual lines are in common contact with one another, the area being located within the central section, the respective insulations of the two individual lines being mechanically deformed in a way which results in the mutual distance in the area being a third mutual distance which is less than the first mutual nominal distance.

19. A cable connector as claimed in claim 18, wherein the cable connector further includes a connector housing and wherein the rear section, the central section and the front section are housed in the connector housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows schematically, a plan view of a cable connector arrangement, comprising an electrical cable and a cable connector having a connector housing according to the prior art;

(2) FIG. 2 shows schematically, a plan view of a cable connector arrangement according to the invention, comprising an electrical cable and a cable connector having a connector housing;

(3) FIG. 3 shows schematically, a cross section through the cable connector of FIG. 2 according to section line III;

(4) FIG. 4 shows schematically, a cross section through the cable connector of FIG. 2 according to section line IV;

(5) FIG. 5 shows schematically, a detail illustration of force-free, parallel guidance of two individual lines in cross section;

(6) FIG. 6 shows schematically, a detail illustration of parallel guidance of two individual lines pressed together in cross section;

(7) FIG. 7 shows schematically, exemplary time domain reflector diagrams of a cable connector arrangement according to the prior art and a cable connector arrangement according to the invention; and

(8) FIG. 8 shows schematically, a plan view of a further cable connector arrangement according to the invention, comprising an electrical cable and a cable connector having a connector housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a cable connector arrangement 1 according to the prior art. The cable connector arrangement 1 comprises an electrical cable 2 and a cable connector 3 having a connector housing 4.

(10) The electrical cable 2 is formed in the present case, for example, as a two-core, unshielded twisted-pair cable (UTP cable). In principle, however, the invention may be able to be used for any electrical cable, for example even for shielded electrical cables.

(11) The connector housing 4 has a rear section 5, into which the electrical cable 2 is inserted, a front section 7 for connection to a corresponding mating connector (not illustrated), and a central section 6, which extends between the rear section 5 and front section 7 along a longitudinal axis A of the connector housing 4.

(12) Beginning from the central section 6, the electrical cable 2 is freed of its cable sheath 8. The central section 6 is formed to guide a plurality of individual lines 9, in the present case two individual lines 9, of the electrical cable 2 from the rear section 5 to the front section 7, wherein each individual line 9 has an insulation 10 and an electrical conductor 11 (cf. for example FIG. 3).

(13) In the cable connector 3 according to the prior art illustrated in FIG. 1, it is problematic that the signal path becomes more inductive in the central section 6 on account of the removed cable sheath 8 and the required spreading or what is known as changing the pitch of the individual lines 9 (that is to say the change in the distance between the individual lines 9 with respect to one another). As a result, a change in impedance is caused, which can lead to undesired reflections of the HF signal.

(14) In FIG. 7, for illustration, two exemplary time domain reflector diagrams are illustrated. The curve provided with the reference sign 12 shows the curve profile of a cable connector arrangement 1 according to the prior art. It can be identified that the impedance of the cable connector arrangement 1 according to the prior art does not meet the transmission standard generally required in the automotive field of 100 ohms+/−5%.

(15) FIG. 2 illustrates a cable connector arrangement 1 according to the invention. The following text deals substantially with the differences between the cable connector arrangement 1 according to the invention and the known cable connector arrangement 1 of FIG. 1.

(16) According to the invention, at least one pressing means 13 is provided in the central section 6 and is formed to press together at least two of the individual lines 9, in the present case both individual lines 9, in such a way that the insulations 10 thereof undergo a mechanical deformation in the region of a common contact area B (cf. in particular FIG. 3 and FIG. 6).

(17) As a result, the impedance in the transition region or in the central section 6 can be influenced in a targeted manner and therefore controlled. The required standards, for example the aforementioned exemplary automotive standard of 100 ohms+/−5%, is able to be met in accordance with the invention by way of technically simple measures. For illustration, in FIG. 7, a curve, which is provided with the reference sign 14, of a cable connector arrangement 1 according to the invention is illustrated by way of example.

(18) The cable connector arrangement 1 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a preferred embodiment of the invention. In principle, in the context of the invention, provision can be made for the cable connector arrangement 1 to comprise the front section 7, which is configured for connection to a corresponding mating connector, the rear section 5, in which the individual lines 9 are still surrounded by a cable sheath 8, and the interposed central section 6. Therefore, the front section 7, the central section 6 and/or the rear section 5 do not necessarily have to correspond to a front section, central section or rear section of the cable connector 3. In the context of the invention, it is only essential that the electrical conductors 11 of two of the individual lines 9 have a first mutual nominal distance D.sub.1 in the rear section 5 of the cable connector arrangement (cf. for example FIG. 5) and have a second mutual distance D.sub.2 in the front section of the cable connector arrangement 1 (cf. for example FIG. 4), which second distance is greater than the first distance D.sub.1, wherein the distance between the electrical conductors 11 of the two individual lines 9 in the central section 6 of the cable connector arrangement increases in the direction of the front section of the cable connector arrangement 1.

(19) FIG. 8 is intended to serve for further illustration of this basic principle. FIG. 8 shows a cable connector arrangement 1, in which the electrical cable 2 and the pressing means 13 are not received in the connector housing 4. Only the front section 7 and a front region of the central section 6 extend along the connector housing 4.

(20) At this point, it should furthermore be mentioned that the invention may also be suitable for use with angular cable connectors. However, only cable connectors 3 that run in a straight line are illustrated In the exemplary embodiments, for simplification purposes.

(21) The principle of pressing together the individual lines 9 is further illustrated based on FIGS. 5 and 6.

(22) FIG. 5 shows in cross section two individual lines 9 guided in parallel in a force-free state, with the result that they only bear tightly against one another and have a nominal distance D.sub.1 between the center points of the electrical conductors 11 thereof.

(23) FIG. 6 shows the individual lines 9 of FIG. 5 when they are pressed together by the at least one pressing means 13 (illustrated by two arrows). By pressing together the individual lines 9, a common contact area B between the individual lines 9 is formed, which causes a mechanical deformation of the insulations 10. The individual lines 9 are generally pressed together in such a way that the insulations 10 thereof have an oval cross section after the pressing, proceeding from the—at least in the ideal and tolerance-free case—round cross section, as illustrated in FIG. 5 in the unloaded state.

(24) The pressing means 13 can preferably be formed to press together the at least two individual lines 9 in such a way that the distance D.sub.3 between the center points of the electrical conductors 11 thereof is smaller than is the case in the force-free case of FIG. 5.

(25) In particular, provision can also be made for the at least one pressing means 13 to be formed to press together the at least two individual lines 9 in such a way that the distance D.sub.3 between the center points of the electrical conductors 11 thereof is smaller than the minimum distance between the electrical conductors 11 thereof within the cable sheath 8 of the cable 2.

(26) Finally, provision can be made, in particular, for the at least one pressing means 13 to be formed to press together the at least two individual lines 9 in such a way that the impedance in the central section 6 or at least in a region of the central section 6 covered by the at least one pressing means 13 is 85 ohms to 115 ohms, preferably 90 ohms to 110 ohms, particularly preferably 95 ohms to 105 ohms and very particularly preferably 100 ohms or is sufficiently matched to the impedance in the front section 7 and in the rear section 5.

(27) In the context of controlled impedance matching, provision can also be made for the material of the at least one pressing means 13 to have a permittivity that corresponds or at least approximately corresponds to the permittivity of the cable sheath 8. For example, the at least one pressing means 13 and the cable sheath 8 can be formed from the same dielectric material.

(28) Provision can be made for the at least one pressing means 13 to be formed in one piece with the connector housing 4, preferably as a rib that projects into the interior of the connector housing 4. This is the case in the exemplary embodiments. Alternatively or in addition, however, provision may also be made for the at least one pressing means 13 to be formed independently of the connector housing 4, preferably to be formed as a clamp. In this case, the at least one pressing means 13 does not even have to be arranged in the connector housing 4, as is illustrated in FIG. 8.

(29) Any number of pressing means 13 may be provided. In the exemplary embodiment, two pressing means 13 are provided in the form of ribs.

(30) As is also the case in the exemplary embodiment, provision can be made for the at least one pressing means 13 to be formed to guide the at least two individual lines 9 through the central section 6 as centrally as possible along the longitudinal axis A of the connector housing 4. As a result thereof, the individual lines 9 can be guided as far away as possible from the inner walls of the connector housing 4, which can reduce the risk of a short circuit between one or more electrical conductors 11 and conductive components surrounding the cable connector 3 in the event of severe mechanical damage to the cable connector 3.

(31) In principle, provision can be made for the connector housing 4 and/or the at least one pressing means 13 to be formed to prevent or at least to minimize air inclusions in the central section 6. However, this is not substantially important.

(32) Provision can be made for the individual lines 9 at least in the central section 6, particularly preferably within the connector housing 4, to be encapsulated with a filling material, for example with a filling material that has a permittivity that corresponds or at least approximately corresponds to the permittivity of the cable sheath 8. An elastic filling material is preferably provided.

(33) In the exemplary embodiment, provision is made for the connector housing 4 to be of multi-part form and to have at least one lower shell 15 and one upper shell 16. This can be seen particularly well based on the sectional illustrations in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4 along the section lines III and IV illustrated in FIG. 2. In FIGS. 1 and 2, only the respective lower shells 15 are illustrated; FIG. 3 shows the upper shell using dashed lines.

(34) The upper shell 16 may be formed in the manner of a cover part and can fix or at least cover the components housed in the lower shell 15, in particular the individual lines 9 and the electrical cable 2 when the upper shell 16 is placed on the lower shell 15. Latching means can be provided to latch together the upper shell 16 and the lower shell 15. The upper shell 16 can have a mechanical coding feature to enable contact-connection only with a specific mating connector and possibly also only in one or more defined orientations. In particular based on the two-part configuration, the cable connector 3 can be of modular design, according to which, for example, the lower shell 15 can be identical for various forms of the cable connector 3 and may be able to be combined with various upper shells 16 for connection to various mating connectors.

(35) Provision can be made for the connector housing 4 to have in the rear section 5 at least one fastening means, in the exemplary embodiment clamps 17, for the axial and/or radial fastening of the cable sheath 8, in particular for strain relief of the cable 2.

(36) A plurality of contact elements 18 can be provided in the front section 7 of the connector housing 4, said plurality of contact elements being electrically connected, preferably crimped, to the electrical conductors 11 of the individual lines 9. In the exemplary embodiments, two contact elements 18 are provided in a manner corresponding to the number of individual lines 9. In principle, however, the number of contact elements 18 and the number of individual lines 9 do not have to correspond and may each be different.

(37) The front section 7 of the connector housing 4 can extend proceeding from a front end 19 of the connector housing 4 facing the mating connector up to a rear end 20 of the contact elements 18 facing the electrical cable 2.

(38) Provision can be made, in particular, for the connector housing 4 to have at least one separating means 21 in the front section 7 and/or at least in a front region of the central section 6 facing the front section 7 in order to separate the contact elements 18 and/or the individual lines 9 from one another. In the present case, the separating means 21 is formed as a separating wall, which is formed in one piece with the lower shell 15 of the connector housing 4 and separates the contact elements 18 in the front section 7 of the connector housing 4 and the individual lines 9 in the front region of the central section 6 from one another. In particular, provision can advantageously be made for the at least one pressing means 13 to be arranged and formed in the central section 6 in such a way that the individual lines 9 are sufficiently pressed together at least in this region in order to achieve desired impedance matching.

(39) While the invention has been described with reference to various preferred embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation or application of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed but rather, that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or under the Doctrine of Equivalents.