High-current connector comprising an insulating bush

Abstract

The connection side of a high-current connector is provided with an insulating bush which is used to maintain the required air gaps and leakage distances between current-conducting and earth-connected parts while allowing a compact installation space.

Claims

1. A high-current connector (1), having a connector housing (2) and a high-current contact element (3), wherein the high-current connector (1) has a plug-in side (S) and a connection side (A), wherein the high-current contact element (3) is arranged in an interior of the connector housing (2), wherein the high-current contact element (3) has a plug-in region (3.1) and a connection region (3.2), wherein an electrical conductor (5.0) of a high-current cable (5) can be connected to the connection region (3.2), wherein the high-current cable (5) can be fastened to the connection side (A) of the high-current connector (1) by a cable fastening, wherein the high-current connector (1) comprises an insulating bush (4) which is or can be fastened to the connection side, and wherein the insulating bush (4) has a cable connection-side hollow-cylindrical section (4.3) and a housing connection-side funnel-like fastening section (4.4) for maintaining prespecified clearances and creepage paths.

2. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an encircling step (4.11, 4.12) is integrally formed on an outer side of the fastening section (4.4).

3. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the encircling step comprises at least one encircling raised portion (4.11, 4.12).

4. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the encircling step (4.1) comprises at least one encircling recess.

5. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow-cylindrical section (4.3) of the insulating bush (4) can be introduced between a stranded insulation (5.3) and a shielding braid (5.1) of the high-current cable (5).

6. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cable fastening is a cable gland.

7. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating bush (4) has at least one rotation-prevention means (4.21, 4.22).

8. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insulating bush (4) is composed of an electrically insulating plastic.

9. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the high-current connector (1) is of angled design.

10. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the high-current contact element (3) is of two-part design.

11. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plug-in region (3.1) and the connection region (3.2) are separate element, both being composed of metal.

12. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plug-in region (3.1) and the connection region (3.2) are electrically and mechanically connected to one another by a screw connection or by a shrink-fitting connection.

13. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plug-in region (3.1) and the connection region (3.2) are connected to one another at a right angle.

14. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector housing (2) is at least partially formed from an electrically insulating plastic.

15. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector housing (2) is at least partially composed of an electrically conductive material.

16. The high-current connector (1) as claimed in claim 15, wherein the connector housing (2) is at least partially composed of metal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail in the text which follows.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of an insulating bush.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a high-current connector comprising the insulating bush and a connected high-current cable.

(4) FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration through the high-current connector comprising the insulating bush and the high-current cable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) The figures contain partially simplified, schematic illustrations. In some cases, identical reference symbols are used for elements which are similar but may not be identical. Different views of similar elements could be scaled differently.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of an insulating bush 4. In this illustration, the cable connection side K of the insulating bush 4 is shown at the back right. In the region of its cable connection-side end, the insulating bush 4 has a cylindrical section 4.3.

(7) The housing connection side G of the insulating bush 4 is illustrated at the front left in this illustration, opposite said cable connection side. In the region of its housing connection-side end, the insulating bush 4 has an inside radius which increases in size in the direction of the housing connection-side end.

(8) A step is integrally formed on an outer region of a funnel-like fastening section 4.4 which is formed as a result. In this example, the step is formed from a first raised portion 4.11 and a second raised portion 4.12 and serves to increase the size of an outer creepage path along the surface of the insulating bush 4.

(9) In this case, the first raised portion 4.11 is arranged more in the direction of the cable connection side K of the insulating bush 4 than the second raised portion 4.12. The first raised portion 4.11 is higher than the second raised portion 4.12 which is arranged comparatively more in the direction of the housing connection side G of the insulating bush 4. The two raised portions 4.11, 4.12 can additionally serve to fasten the insulating bush 4 to the connector housing 2.

(10) Furthermore, the insulating bush 4 has, on its housing connection side G, a first rotation-prevention means 4.21 and a second rotation-prevention means 4.22. The first rotation-prevention means 4.21 is a molding on the first raised portion 4.11, wherein the molding 4.21 points in the direction of the housing connection side G and therefore is arranged between the two raised portions 4.11, 4.12. The second rotation-prevention means 4.22 is a recess with a chamfer which is arranged on the housing connection-side end of the insulating bush and has both an inner and an outer contour. Therefore, in this example, at least two types of rotation-prevention means 4.21, 4.22 are shown, but the use of, for example, only the first rotation-prevention means 4.21 or only the second rotation-prevention means 4.22 is also possible.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of a high-current connector 1. The high-current connector 1 has a plug-in side S and a connection side A. The plug-in side S and the connection side A are arranged at a right angle in relation to one another.

(12) Therefore, the high-current connector 1 has an angled connector housing 2. A high-current contact element 3 is accommodated in the connector housing 2, which high-current contact element is concealed by the connector housing 2 in this illustration and therefore is not visible. However, the high-current contact element 3 can be clearly seen in FIG. 3. The insulating bush 4 is attached to the connector housing 2 on the connection side A, wherein only the hollow-cylindrical section 4.3 and the first raised portion 4.11 of the insulating bush 4 can be seen in this illustration.

(13) A high-current cable 5 is passed, by way of its end which is stripped of sheathing, through the insulating bush 4. In the region which is stripped of insulation, the insulating bush 4 is pushed, by way of its hollow-cylindrical section 4.3, beneath a shielding braid 5.1 of the high-current cable 5. The shielding braid 5.1 is bent back through 180° in the connection region. In this region, the high-current cable 5 can be fastened to the connector housing 2 by means of a cable fastening, not illustrated in the drawing, specifically a cable gland, for the purpose of strain relief and possibly for the purpose of ground connection.

(14) FIG. 3 shows a sectional illustration of the above arrangement.

(15) In this illustration, the high-current cable 5 can be clearly seen in cross section. In the interior, said high-current cable has an electrical conductor in the form of a stranded conductor 5.0. The stranded insulation 5.3, which is removed from the connection side, that is to say the high-current cable 5 is stripped of insulation on the connection side, is located over said stranded conductor. The shield in the form of a shielding braid 5.1 is usually located on the stranded insulation. The sheath 5.2 of the high-current cable 5 is located over said shielding braid. The high-current cable 5 is partially stripped of sheathing on the connection side. The region which is stripped of sheathing is larger than that region which is stripped of insulation. In the intermediate region which is formed as a result, the shielding braid is exposed in a subsection and can be bent away through 180° from the connection region, as is illustrated in the drawing.

(16) Furthermore, the two-part high-current contact element 3 of the high-current connector 1 can be clearly seen in this sectional illustration.

(17) A plug-in region 3.1 with a connecting section 3.11 and a plug-in contact 3.12, which is embodied as a socket contact, that is to say is provided with a contact socket, in this case, forms part of the high-current contact element 3. In another embodiment, the plug-in region 3.1 could instead be provided with a pin contact in the same way, that is to say the plug-in contact 3.12 could be embodied as a contact pin.

(18) Furthermore, the high-current contact element 3 has a connection region 3.2 which is embodied using crimping technology in this case. In a further embodiment however, said connection region may be an axial screw connection. The connection region 3.2 has a round connecting opening 3.0, in which the cylindrical connecting section 3.11 of the plug-in region 3.1 is held in an interlocking and force-fitting manner, for the purpose of connection to the plug-in region. The stranded conductor 5.0, which is stripped of insulation, of the high-current cable 5 is electrically conductively connected to the connection region 3.2 of the high-current contact element 3 in the form of a crimp connection or an axial screw connection for power transmission within the high-current connector 1.

(19) As already explained with respect to FIG. 1, the insulating bush 4 has, in its funnel-like fastening section 4.4, a step in the form of two raised portions 4.11, 4.12. A recess, not specifically designated, is formed between the two raised portions 4.11, 4.12. An internally encircling molded-on fastening portion, not specifically designated, of the connector housing 2 latches into said recess and in this way fixes the insulating bush 4 to the connector housing 2. The rotation-prevention means 4.21, 422 cannot be identified in this illustration.

(20) It is easy to imagine that the clearances and creepage paths between the connection region 3.2 and the stranded conductor 5.0 on one side and the cable braid 5.1 and the cable gland on the other side is extended by the insulating bush 4. Finally, the shortest outer electrical path leads through the air from the connection region 3.2, past the funnel-like fastening section 4.4, on a clear diverted path to the cable braid 5.1. The direct clearance passes through the insulating bush and undergoes an effective electrical extension due to the plastic material of said insulating bush in line with the associated permittivity.

(21) The outer creepage path, which the step in the form of the two raised portions 4.11 and 4.12 has to pass through, is also increased in size, that is to say covers a substantially larger distance in order to pass from the connection region 3.2 to the cable braid 5.1.

(22) On the cable connection side, the insulating bush 4 is pushed, by way of its hollow-cylindrical section 4.3, onto the stranded insulation 5.3 and is arranged, at least in regions, between the shielding braid 5.1 and the stranded insulation 5.3. As a result, the inner creepage path between the stranded conductor 5.0, which is stripped of insulation, and the shielding braid 5.1 of the high-current cable 5 is also increased in size. Finally, the creepage current cannot flow directly from the connection region of the high-current contact element 3 to the shielding braid, but rather it first has to completely pass through the cylindrical molding 4.3.

(23) It can be clearly seen that the outer and the inner creepage path are of approximately the same length. This is expedient since the creepage current would seek the shortest path in any case.

(24) The same also applies, in principle, to the inner and the (effective) direct clearance, wherein the material thickness of the insulating bush 4 in the relevant region can also be somewhat thicker for reasons of stability. However, this cannot be so easily understood with reference to the drawing since the length of the effective direct clearance does not correspond to its geometric length.

(25) In the present embodiment, the cable braid 5.1 is also illustrated in a manner removed relatively far away from the connection region 3.2 for reasons of clarity. If the connector housing 2 is a plastic housing, the distance between the connection region 3.2 and the cable braid 5.1, which is bent back through 180°, is then nevertheless relevant for the clearances and creepage paths. If, however, said connector housing is an at least partially metal connector housing 2, this distance can then nevertheless also be relevant for the direct clearance, provided that the effective clearance between the high-current contact element 3 and the electrically conductive regions of the connector housing 2 is greater.

(26) Therefore, a compact design of the high-current connector 1 is rendered possible by the insulating bush 4. Finally, a comparable high-current connector without this insulating bush 4 would have to have substantially larger dimensions for achieving correspondingly large clearances and creepage paths. Conversely, this means that the dimensions of the connector 1 are particularly compact owing to the insulating bush 4.

(27) Even though various aspects or features of the invention are shown respectively in combination in the figures, it is clear to a person skilled in the art—unless stated otherwise—that the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only ones possible. In particular, mutually corresponding units or feature complexes from different exemplary embodiments can be exchanged with one another.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

(28) 1 High-current connector 2 Connector housing 3 High-current contact element 3.0 Connecting opening 3.1 Plug-in region 3.11 Connecting section 3.12 Plug-in contact 3.2 Connection region 4 Insulating bush 4.11 First raised portion 4.12 Second raised portion 4.21 First rotation-prevention means 4.22 Second rotation-prevention means 4.3 Hollow-cylindrical section 4.4 Fastening section 5 High-current cable 5.0 Stranded conductor 5.1 Shielding braid 5.2 Sheath 5.3 Stranded insulation K Cable connection side of the insulating bush G Housing connection side of the insulating bush S Plug-in side of the high-current connector A Connection side of the high-current connector