ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND CONNECTOR SYSTEM

Abstract

An electrical connector, in particular for signal and/or power transmission, preferably for charging electric vehicles or of accumulators of electrical vehicles, has a coupling housing for connection to a corresponding second electrical connector. A locking clip on the coupling housing can be moved from an open position to a closed position. The locking clip has a recess into which a locking element of the second connector can be inserted in the open position of the locking clip, and in the closed position of the locking clip, the locking element is arranged in the recess such that the coupling housing is form-fit and/or force-fit connected to the second connector. A latching apparatus with at least one latching element engages in a latching receptacle of the locking clip in the closed position. An electrically movable locking element is arranged which inhibits movement of the latching element in a locking position.

Claims

1. An electrical connector, comprising: a coupling housing for connection to a corresponding second electrical connector, wherein a locking clip is arranged on the coupling housing such that the locking clip can be moved from an open position into a closed position, wherein the locking clip has a recess into which a locking element of the second electrical connector can be inserted in the open position of the locking clip, and wherein, in the closed position of the locking clip, the locking element is arranged in the recess in such a manner that the coupling housing is form-fit and/or force-fit connected to the second electrical connector; and a latching apparatus with at least one latching element arranged on the coupling housing, wherein the at least one latching element engages in a latching receptacle of the locking clip in the closed position of the locking clip; and an electrically movable blocking element arranged to inhibit movement of the at least one latching element in a blocking position.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the at least one latching element is an elastic latching element.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein two latching elements are arranged, and wherein the blocking element is arranged between the latching elements in the blocking position.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the locking clip has two side arms and a connection element connecting the side arms, and the latching receptacle is arranged on the connection element.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein a latching protrusion is arranged on the latching receptacle, behind which the at least one latching element engages in the closed position of the locking clip.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein an insertion slope is arranged on the latching protrusion of the latching receptacle to facilitate insertion of the at least one latching element.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the latching apparatus has a sealing element, and wherein a passage for the blocking element is arranged on the sealing element.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 7, wherein at least one sealing lip is arranged on and/or in the passage and/or at least one sealing lip is arranged on a side of the sealing element facing away from the at least one latching element.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is arranged on the coupling housing.

10. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is pin-shaped, elliptical, or disc-shaped and/or the blocking element is arranged as an eccentric shaft.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the blocking element is movable via an electric drive.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein the electrical drive is a linear actuator and/or a rotary actuator, in particular a solenoid and/or a shape memory actuator and/or a servomotor and/or a rotary solenoid.

13. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion is arranged on the locking clip, wherein by moving the locking clip into an emergency unlocking position, the at least one latching element can be pushed away from the blocking element by the protrusion.

14. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein an acoustic apparatus and/or an optical apparatus is/are arranged such that an acoustic and/or optical signal can be generated to indicate the closed and/or the open position of the locking clip and/or to indicate a current flow.

15. A connector system, comprising an electrical connector according to claim 1 and a second electrical connector having at least one locking element.

16. The electrical connector according to claim 2, wherein the at least one latching element has a latching hook arranged at a free end.

17. The electrical connector according to claim 3, wherein the two latching elements are arranged in mirror image of one another.

18. The electrical connector according to claim 4, wherein the latching receptacle is arranged on the connection element centrally between the side arms.

19. The electrical connector according to claim 5, wherein the at least one latching element engages behind the latching protrusion with a latching hook.

20. The electrical connector according to claim 8, wherein the at least one sealing lip on and/or in the passage is a circumferential sealing lip and/or the at least one sealing lip on the side of the sealing element facing away from the at least one latching element is a circumferential sealing lip.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] There are various possibilities for designing and developing the teaching of the present disclosure in an advantageous manner. To this end, reference is made, on the one hand, to the claims referring back to claim 1 and, on the other, to the subsequent explanation of preferred exemplary embodiments of the disclosure based upon the drawings. In connection with the explanation of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the disclosure based upon the drawings, generally preferred embodiments and developments of the teaching are also explained. In the drawings:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic diagram an exploded view of an embodiment of a connector system according to the present disclosure,

[0026] FIG. 2 shows in a schematic diagram a perspective view of the connector system in accordance with FIG. 1,

[0027] FIG. 3 shows in a schematic diagram an enlarged view of a detail of FIG. 2,

[0028] FIG. 4 shows in a schematic diagram a perspective view of the latching apparatus of the connector system in accordance with FIGS. 1 to 3, and

[0029] FIG. 5 shows in a schematic diagram a sectional side view of the latching apparatus in accordance with FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] FIGS. 1 to 5 show an embodiment of a connector system according to the disclosure, which has a connector 2 according to the disclosure and a second connector 1. The same elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an exploded view of a connector system with an electrical connector 2 according to the disclosure, which has a coupling housing 22 and a locking clip 21, wherein the locking clip 21 comprises two side arms and a connecting element arranged between them. The coupling housing 22 can be closed by means of a housing cover. The locking clip 21 is hinged to the coupling housing 22 via two hinges 31. Furthermore, a second electrical connector 1 is represented.

[0032] The connector according to the disclosure further has an electrical drive 41 or actuator, a latching apparatus 42 and a latching receptacle 211 arranged in the locking clip 21.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged representation of detail 4 of FIG. 2. This shows that the blocking element 411 of the actuator 41, for example of a solenoid 410, is located in the blocking position between the latching elements 427 of the latching apparatus 42, which are designed as latching arms, and thus blocks any deflection of the latching arms 427 so that unlocking is not possible in this arrangement.

[0034] The latching apparatus 42 (cf. FIGS. 4 and 5) has a latching mechanism 422 in the form of two latching elements 427 arranged in mirror image, while a second, sealing part, namely the sealing element 421, implements the housing-side seal or radial seal of the movable blocking element 411. The sealing element 421 has a passage 423 with circumferential sealing lips. Furthermore, a second sealing geometry 424 in the form of circumferential sealing lips is designed on a side 425 facing away from the latching elements 427.

[0035] The latching apparatus 42 may preferably be of one-piece construction, for example, multi-component as a hard-soft joint. Without a sealing lip on the flat contact surface 425, an O-ring can in principle still be used directly adjacent.

[0036] The latching mechanism 422 is designed by means of two movable latching elements 427 arranged in mirror image. Latching hooks 428 are arranged on each of the latching elements 427. Insertion slopes 429 implemented as chamfers ensure that both engagement and disengagement are optimally possible. For this purpose, the latching elements 427 are designed to be movable, moving along a latching geometry of the latching apparatus 42 during latching or unlatching. Locking is achieved by the interaction of the electromechanical actuator 41 and the blocking element 411.

[0037] If the force of the actuator 41 is not sufficient to retract the blocking element 411 during unlocking, for example due to the battery level, a mechanical aid is provided. By pressing down the locking clip 21, the protrusion 212 pushes the two latching elements 427 apart. This exposes the blocking element 411 such that it can retract without force.

[0038] Both the movable blocking element 411 and the coupling housing 22 are sealed. The sealing element 421 is pressed against the face side of the coupling housing 22. Furthermore, the latching apparatus 42 may also be manufactured using a multi-component plastic injection molding process. For this purpose, the sealing element 421 can be molded as an elastomer onto the latching elements 427, which are designed as a hard part, for example. In this manner, an optimization of the respective functions can be achieved. Another sealing alternative is also conceivable by bonding the latching apparatus 42 into the coupling housing 22.

[0039] The function is thus as follows: When the locking clip 21 is closed, the latching apparatus 42, which is fixedly connected to the coupling housing 22, is received by the latching receptacle 211 located in the locking clip 21. Due to a corresponding constructive design, the locking clip 21 can be realized in such a manner that the closing of the locking clip 21 is comfortably possible even with large insertion forces. With the aid of the locking elements 11 located on the second connector 1, which are designed here, for example, as pins, and a corresponding recess, for example notch, in the locking clip 21, the coupling housing 22 is properly pulled in by the second connector 1.

[0040] During both opening and closing, the individual latching elements 427 are positively guided by the latching receptacle 211 of the operating bracket 21. Thus, when the locking clip 21 is closed, the two mirror-image, elastically designed latching arms 427 are pressed together in the area of the latching hooks 428. Corresponding insertion slopes 429 on the latching hooks 428 or on the symmetrically designed inner latching receptacle 211 facilitate insertion. After overcoming the constriction, both latching elements 427 relax again, such that they are arranged in the latching receptacle 211 without further mechanical load. The actual locking of the locking clip 21 is then performed by blocking the latching elements 427 by means of the blocking element 411.

[0041] With regard to further advantageous embodiments of the device according to the present disclosure, reference is made to the general part of the description and to the appended claims in order to avoid repetitions.

[0042] Finally, it is expressly pointed out that the exemplary embodiments described above of the device according to the disclosure serve only to explain the claimed teaching, but do not limit it to the exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0043] 1 Second connector [0044] 2 Plug connector [0045] 21 Locking clip [0046] 211 Latching receptacle [0047] 212 Projection [0048] 22 Clutch housing [0049] 31 Joint [0050] 4 Detail [0051] 41 Actuator [0052] 410 Solenoid [0053] 411 Blocking element [0054] 42 Latching apparatus [0055] 421 Sealing element [0056] 422 Latching mechanism [0057] 423 Passage [0058] 424 Second sealing geometry [0059] 425 Remote side [0060] 427 Latching element [0061] 428 Latching hook [0062] 429 Insertion slope

[0063] The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. 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.