High-temperature-resistant plug connector for knock sensor

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for mounting a plug connecter (1), comprising a contact carrier (30), which is designed to receive at least one contact partner (22) that is arranged on an electrical conductor (21) of a cable (20), wherein the contact carrier (30) is inserted in an outer housing (40). The invention is characterized in that the contact carrier (30) is provided with a latching lug (31) for fixing the at least one contact partner (22) in the contact carrier (30), and at least one latching hook (32) arranged at the end thereof and acting on the cable (20). Both the latching lug (31) and the at least one latching hook (32) are moved from an initial position into a functional position whenever the contact carrier (30) is inserted into the outer housing (40).

Claims

1. A plug connector comprising: a contact support configured for holding at least one contact mounted on an electrical conductor of a cable; an outer housing fittable over and containing the contact support and having an inner surface; a latch lug movable on the contact support between an outer starting position spaced from the contact and an inner position engaging and fixing the contact in the contact support; and a latch hook mounted on an end of the latch lug and movable between an outer starting position spaced from the cable and an inner position bearing on and fixing the cable in the contact support, the surface bearing on the hook and lug and pressing same into the inner positions when the contact support is fitted in the outer housing.

2. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the contact support is formed with a circumferential groove in which a housing seal is fitted.

3. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing comprises at its end a seat into which a cable seal that forms a seal on the cable is fitted.

4. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the outer housing comprises on its end a unitary cable seal that forms a seal on the cable.

5. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the contact support comprises at its end two diametrally opposite latch hooks that act on the cable.

6. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the cable comprises an outer sheath made of a high temperature-resistant material.

7. A method of assembling a plug connector, comprising a contact support that is configured for receiving at least one contact that is mounted on an electrical conductor of a cable and the contact support is inside an outer housing having an inner surface, the method comprising the steps of: providing the contact support with a latch lug for fixing the at least one contact in the contact support and with a latch hook that is mounted on an end of the latch lug and acts on the cable; and moving both the latch lug and also the at least one latch hook from a starting position out of the engagement with the cable and with the contact by engagement with the inner surface of the outer housing into a functioning position bearing on the cable and contact and fixing same in the contact support when the contact support is inside the outer housing.

8. The method of assembling a plug connector according to claim 7, wherein the outer housing comprises on its end a seat into which a cable seal that in its functioning position forms a seal on the cable is moved into the seat by inserting the contact support into the outer housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The method relating to the assembly procedure according to the invention and also two similar embodiments are described and explained below with reference to the figures.

(2) FIGS. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the invention; and

(3) FIGS. 5 to 8 show a second embodiment.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) Both variants are based on a plug connector 1 that is to be produced and then installed in a high temperature region, in particular in an automotive environment. The plug connector 1 forms together with a mating plug connector (not shown) a plug connection, and the mating plug connector may be likewise mounted as the plug connector 1 itself on an end of a cable but may also be a component of an electronic device, for example of a control device in a vehicle.

(5) The plug connector 1 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted on an end of a cable 20 and comprises a contact support 30, and the end of the cable 20 and also the major part of the contact support 30 are fixed inside an outer housing 40. The contact support 30 and also the outer housing 40 are components that are produced separately from one another and may be produced by way of example from identical or different materials, preferably in high numbers, using a synthetic-resin injection-molding procedure.

(6) It is important and a starting point for the entire invention, not only with regard to the embodiments, that the outer sheath of the cable 20 is made of a high temperature-resistant material that cannot be injection molded using a synthetic-resin injection-molding procedure with a corresponding injection molding mass to make it longitudinally water-tight and provide strain relief.

(7) FIG. 2 shows different views of those elements that are combined to form the plug connector 1.

(8) The illustration bottom right shows the cable 20 that comprises at least one electrical conductor 21, in this case precisely two electrical conductors 21. A number of contacts 22 that corresponds to the number of electrical conductors 21 of the cable 20 are mounted on the ends of the electrical conductors 21.

(9) The contacts 22 in this embodiment are pin contacts. Each contact 22 may be but does not have to be mounted on its respective electrical conductor 21 via a crimp connection 23. A crimp connection 23 provides the particular advantage that in this manner it is possible both to electrical contact and also mechanically fix the contact 22 to its electrical conductor 21 in a reliable, permanent and also where appropriate automated manner.

(10) The illustration top left in FIG. 2 shows the contact support 30 that comprises at least one latch lug 31. Moreover, the contact support 30 comprises on its one end at least one latch hook 32, in this case two diametrally opposite latch hooks 32. Moreover, this contact support 30 is formed with a circumferential groove 33.

(11) FIG. 2 shows the outer housing 40 that comprises a seat 41 for a mating plug connector (not shown). A seat 42 for receiving a cable seal (still to be described) is provided on the end of the outer housing 40 lying opposite the seat 41.

(12) The upper middle illustration shows a housing seal 50 and a cable seal 60 is apparent in the lower left illustration in FIG. 2.

(13) In particular the geometric design of the housing seal 50 and of the cable seal 60 is only exemplary and may be modified, in other words adjusted each depending upon the shape of the contact support 30 or of the outer housing 40.

(14) FIG. 3 shows the steps for assembling the plug connector 1, the elements shown in FIG. 2 being used.

(15) It is apparent in the upper left illustration that in a first step the housing seal 50 is fitted into the circumferential groove 33. This may be done by hand or in an automated manner, wherein this design has the advantage that it is possible to visually check as to whether the housing seal 50 has been inserted into the groove 33 or not.

(16) In a second step, the prepared cable 20 (apparent in the lower right illustration in FIG. 2) is pushed starting from the seat 42 of the outer housing 40 forward with the contacts 22 through this outer housing. It is also conceivable depending upon the design of the entire cable to push the end of the cable 2 that is remote from the contacts 22 from the seat 41 into the outer housing 40.

(17) Moreover, it is apparent in the upper right illustration in FIG. 3 that the correspondingly prepared end of the cable 20 is provided with the cable seal 60.

(18) After this preparation, the contact support 30 is fitted into the outer housing 40. In other words, when viewing the lower illustration in FIG. 3, the contact support 30 is inserted toward the right into the outer housing 40. As the contact support 30 moves longitudinally in the direction of the interior of the outer housing 40, the cable seal 60 moves from its fixed position on the cable 20 in the direction of the seat 42 of the outer housing 40 and is fixed there. As an alternative thereto, it is also conceivable, prior to pushing in the cable 20, to insert the cable seal 60 in advance into the seat 42 of the outer housing 40. The variant shown in FIG. 3 (bottom) does however have the advantage that by fixing the cable seal 60 to the cable 20 in advance it is possible to ascertain that the cable seal 60 is in place and may be moved into its intended position. This also renders it possible on the other hand to visually check that this cable seal 60 is not forgotten.

(19) If the contact support is moved further in the direction of the interior of the outer housing 40, not only the cable seal 60 fixed in the intended manner in the seat 42 but rather the at least one latch hook 32, in particular the two diametrally opposite latch hooks 32, come to lie against the internal surfaces of the outer housing 40. In this case, this internal geometry is selected in such a manner (for example with an oblique extension) that the internal geometry presses on the outer surface of the at least one latch hook 32, which in turn ensures that the contacting surfaces of the latch hook 32 act in a positive-locking manner on the outer sheath of the cable 20, in particular is pressed against this outer sheath. As a result, this positive-locking arrangement produces the longitudinal water tightness in this region and also the strain relief.

(20) When the contact support 30 is in the outer housing 40, not only the two latch hooks 32 are actuated in this embodiment but rather also the at least one latch lug 31 is actuated (or in the case that multiple latch lugs are provided all latch hooks are actuated). This means that the internal surfaces of the outer housing 40 act on the latch hook 31, which is initially in an oblique position, and moves this latch hook 31 out of its starting position into its functioning position in order to primarily lock the contacts 22 that are inserted into the contact chambers of the contact support 30. This primary locking arrangement does not function if even only one of the contacts 22 is not located in its desired position in its contact chamber of the contact support 30. As a consequence, in addition to achieving the longitudinal water tightness and the strain relief, it is not only possible to achieve the primary locking arrangement in one assembly step but rather it is also possible to perform a check as to whether the contacts 22 are mounted in the intended manner in their contact chambers.

(21) The above described procedure may be viewed in FIG. 4 that shows the cable seal 60 is mounted in the intended manner in its seat 42 of the outer housing 40, the two latch hooks 32 have been moved from their starting position into their functioning position in order for a positive-locking connection (press-fit connection) to produce the longitudinal water tightness in this region and also the strain relief, the at least one latch lug 31 has been moved into its intended functioning position in order to provide the primary locking arrangement of the contacts, and the housing seal 50 produces the longitudinal water tightness between the contact support 30 and the outer housing 40.

(22) Finally, it is still necessary to reliably and permanently fix the contact support 30 in its intended position within the outer housing 40. It is possible to perform this with a latching connection (as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4). It is also possible as an alternative or in addition thereto to provide further latching connections that are to produce the connection with an adhesive procedure or to fix the contact support 30 with a press-fit connection inside the outer housing 40.

(23) The second embodiment that is shown in FIGS. 5 to 8 is fundamentally based on the elements and the assembly sequence that is shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and described in this regard.

(24) The only difference resides in the fact that the outer housing 40 comprises a cable seal 70 at its end. This cable seal 70 is produced during the production of the outer housing 40, for example using a two-component synthetic-resin injection-molding procedure. If the outer housing 40 and the cable seal 70 are a one-piece component, it is possible to omit the separate cable seal 60 that would otherwise be necessary in the case of the embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 4. This has the particular advantage that one less separate component is required and one less separate component needs to be assembled.

(25) In other respects, the plug connector 1 is assembled in accordance with the second embodiment in a precise manner as shown and described with regard to the first embodiment.

(26) Both in the case of the first embodiment and also in the case of the second embodiment, it is then possible to likewise omit the housing seal 50 that is shown in this embodiments if this seal is likewise produced as one piece with the contact support 30 likewise using a two-component synthetic material injection molding method.