ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

Abstract

An electrical connector is provided for a wire having a wire end, wherein an uninsulated wire segment extending out of the wire end and an insulated wire segment adjoining the uninsulated wire segment together form an insertion section. The electrical connector comprises a connector body, the connector body having a channel for receiving the insertion section. The connector further comprises an electrical con-nection element, wherein the electrical connection element has a wire contact area, arranged in the channel, for making contact with the uninsulated wire segment and a connection area arranged on the outside of the connector body, wherein the electrical connection element is formed by metallization, in particular a partial metallization, of the connector body. The electrical connector further comprises a cover element, the cover element having a clamping structure. The clamping structure does not project into the channel in an open configuration and projects into the channel from the open channel top side in a closed configuration. The clamping structure is configured to clamp, in the closed configuration, the insertion section between the channel base and the clamping structure and to keep the uninsulated wire segment in contact with the wire contact area.

Claims

1. An electrical connector for a wire with a wire end, wherein an uninsulated wire segment extending from the wire end and an insulated wire segment adjoining the uninsulated wire segment together form a lead-in section, wherein the electrical connector can be transferred from an open configuration into a closed configuration, the electrical connector comprising: a connector body with a proximal and a distal connector body side and a connector body top side, wherein the connector body has a channel for receiving the lead-in section, wherein the channel extends in the connector body along a channel axis from a proximal channel end in a distal direction, wherein the proximal channel end opens out into the proximal connector body side, wherein the channel has a channel top side open toward the connector body top side, and a channel bottom, and wherein the connector body is formed from electrically insulating material; an electrical connection element, wherein the electrical connection element has a wire contact surface arranged in the channel for the purpose of contacting the uninsulated wire segment and an electrical connection surface arranged on the outside of the connector body, wherein the electrical connection element is formed by metallization of the connector body; and a cover element, wherein the cover element has a clamping structure, wherein the clamping structure does not project into the channel in the open configuration and projects into the channel from the open channel top side in the closed configuration, and is configured to clamp the lead-in section between the channel bottom and the clamping structure in the closed configuration and to hold the uninsulated wire segment in contact with the wire contact surface.

2. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body and the cover element are formed as a single piece.

3. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body and the cover element are connected by a hinge, wherein the hinge pivotably connects the distal connector body side and a distal cover element side, and has a hinge axis oriented transversely to the channel.

4. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector further comprises a latching device, wherein the latching device comprises a connector-body latching structure arranged on the connector body and a cover-element latching structure arranged on the cover element, wherein the connector-body and cover-element latching structures are designed to lock in latching fashion the connector body and the cover element together by positive engagement of the connector-body and cover-element latching structures.

5. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector has a wire stop for axially positioning the lead-in section of the wire with respect to the electrical connector.

6. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the channel bottom and the clamping structure are configured to deform the uninsulated wire segment during the transfer from the open configuration into the closed configuration.

7. The electrical connector according to claim 6, wherein the channel bottom and the clamping structure are configured to form a number of curved sections in the uninsulated wire segment along the channel axis.

8. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the wire contact surface runs at least partially on the channel bottom.

9. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the wire contact surface comprises a plurality of contact surface segments which are electrically connected to one another by a connecting conductor of the metallization.

10. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connector has a strain relief.

11. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the channel bottom at a distal channel end in an end socket, wherein the end socket is configured to receive an end section, extending from the wire end, of the uninsulated wire segment, wherein the end socket runs at an angle to the channel axis.

12. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the metallization electrically connects the wire contact surface and the electrical connection surface through a perforation or a plurality of perforations in the connector body.

13. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector body has an electrical connection structure, wherein the electrical connection surface is arranged at least partially on the electrical connection structure.

14. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the cover element has guide elements, wherein the guide elements project in the closed configuration from the connector body top side on both sides of the channel axis into the connector body.

15. A connector/wire arrangement, comprising: an electrical connector according to claim 1; and a wire with a wire end, wherein an uninsulated wire segment extending from the wire end and an insulated wire segment adjoining the uninsulated wire segment together form a lead-in section, wherein the lead-in section is received in the channel.

16. A method for electrically connecting a wire, the method comprising: providing an electrical connector in an open configuration, and a wire with a wire end, wherein an uninsulated wire segment extending from the wire end and an insulated wire segment adjoining the uninsulated wire segment together form a lead-in section, and wherein the connector includes: a connector body with a proximal and a distal connector body side and a connector body top side, wherein the connector body has a channel, wherein the channel extends in the connector body along a channel axis from a proximal channel end in a distal direction, wherein the proximal channel end opens out into the proximal connector body side, wherein the channel has a channel top side open toward the connector body top side, and a channel bottom, and wherein the connector body is formed from electrically insulating material; an electrical connection element, wherein the electrical connection element has a wire contact surface arranged in the channel for the purpose of contacting the uninsulated wire segment and an electrical connection surface arranged on the outside of the connector body, wherein the electrical connection element is formed by metallization of the connector body; and a cover element, wherein the cover element has a clamping structure, wherein the clamping structure does not project into the channel in the open configuration and projects into the channel from the open channel top side in a closed configuration, and is configured to clamp the lead-in section between the channel bottom and the clamping structure in the closed configuration and to hold the uninsulated wire segment in contact with the wire contact surface; and transferring the electrical connector from the open configuration into the closed configuration, as a result of which the lead-in section is inserted into the channel and clamped between the clamping structure and the channel bottom and the uninsulated wire segment is brought into contact with the wire contact surface.

17. The electrical connector according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection is formed by a partial metallization of the connector body.

18. The electrical connector according to claim 11, wherein the end socket runs at a right angle to the channel axis.

19. The electrical connector according to claim 13, wherein the connector body has at least one protruding electrical connection pin, and wherein the electrical connection surface is arranged at least partially on the at least one protruding electrical connection pin.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an electrical connector in an open configuration, together with a wire in an initial state in a longitudinal cross-section.

[0064] FIG. 2 shows an illustration, corresponding to FIG. 1, with an electrical connector not shown in cross-section.

[0065] FIG. 3 shows a distal detailed view corresponding to FIG. 2.

[0066] FIG. 4 shows the electrical connector with a wire according to FIG. 1 in an intermediate state during the transfer from the open configuration into a closed configuration.

[0067] FIG. 5 shows the electrical connector with a wire according to FIG. 1 in an end state after the closed configuration is reached.

[0068] FIG. 6 shows the electrical connector and wire according to FIG. 1 in the closed configuration in a perspective view as an exploded illustration.

[0069] FIG. 7 shows a side view corresponding to FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0070] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with additional reference to the Figures. For reasons of clarity, not all the features in all the Figures are here provided with reference signs. Likewise, the same or corresponding features which are present multiple times are not necessarily provided in each case individually with reference signs.

[0071] A proximal and a distal direction are designated by P and D, respectively. In addition, a Cartesian coordinate system with coordinate axes x, y, z (FIG. 2) is provided, wherein a direction from proximal to distal corresponds, for example, to the positive x direction.

[0072] A hinge axis is designated by SA (FIG. 1), wherein its direction corresponds, for example, to the direction of the z axis or is parallel to it and at the same time defines the lateral direction. A channel axis is designated by KA and a cover element axis by GA and a wire axis by DA (each in FIG. 2). In the illustration shown, the y axis of the coordinate system moreover designates the depth direction.

[0073] The structure of an electrical connector 1 will be described below first, in particular, with the aid of FIGS. 1, 2, wherein a section of a wire 2 with a lead-in section 21 is additionally illustrated. An elongated connector body 11 extends from a proximal connector body side 11P in a distal direction to a distal connector body side 11D. The electrical connector 1 is, for example, mirror symmetrical, wherein a connector body axis (not indicated separately) corresponding to the channel axis KA runs in the mirror plane which is perpendicular to the lateral direction. Moreover, the mirror plane runs through the cover element axis GA of a cover element 12.

[0074] In a side view, the connector body 11 has, for example, an essentially rectangular shape. A front view along the channel axis KA is, for example, likewise essentially rectangular or square such that an elongated cuboid shape results overall. Other embodiments are also possible.

[0075] The connector body 11 here has an essentially smooth or plane connector body underside 11u and a connector body top side 110 parallel thereto, as well as lateral connector body sides 11b parallel to each other. The lateral connector body sides 11b or their outer faces are also smooth or plane in the example shown such that, if required, a plurality of electrical connectors 1 or connector bodies 11 can be arranged in a row, side by side.

[0076] A channel 111 extends from the connector body top side 110 in the depth direction in the direction of the connector body underside 11u into the connector body 11. The channel 111 has an open channel top side 1110 which serves to insert the wire 2 or a lead-in section 21 thereof as described below. The channel 111 is delimited laterally by two channel side faces 111b. The channel 111 extends along a channel axis KA which coincides with the connector body axis in the example shown. The channel 111 moreover has a channel bottom 111a which is arranged between the channel side faces 111b and connects the latter. A perpendicular spacing between the open channel top side 1110 and the channel bottom 111a specifies a channel depth which, in the example shown, varies along the channel axis KA as described below. A lateral spacing transverse to the channel axis KA corresponds to the channel 111 width which, in the example shown, also varies along the channel axis KA. The channel bottom 111a is moreover not continuous in the example shown along the channel axis KA and instead has interruptions or openings to the connector body underside 11u. The channel side faces 111b produce, together with the channel bottom 111a, an essentially U-shaped channel cross-section.

[0077] At a distal channel end, the channel bottom 111a opens into a blind hole 118, extending in the direction of the connector body underside 11u, as an end socket and wire stop. The blind hole 118 here extends, for example, from the channel bottom 111a perpendicularly to the channel axis KA in the direction of the connector body underside 11u. A through hole can also be provided as an alternative to a blind hole.

[0078] A cover element 12 of the electrical connector 1 has, in the embodiment shown, a cover element base 126 in the form of a flat rectangular plate or a lid. A top view of the cover element 12 corresponds, for example, essentially to the top view of the connector body 11. The cover element 12 extends from a proximal cover element side 12P along a cover element axis GA to a distal cover element side 12D.

[0079] The connector body 11 and the cover element 12 are, in the embodiment shown, connected by a hinge 14 at their respective distal sides 11D, 12D, wherein the hinge axis SA runs in a lateral direction. The cover element 12 can be pivoted about the hinge axis relative to the connector body 11.

[0080] The connector body 11 and the cover element 12 are, for example, designed as two separate components, wherein the connector body 11 and the cover element 12 are each a typically injection-molded plastic part. A hinge part of the hinge 14 is here designed as integral with the connector body 11 and the other hinge part as integral with the cover element 12. In principle, however, the connector body 11 and the cover element 12 can also be designed as a single piece together with the hinge 14. In this case, the hinge 14 is implemented, for example, as a film or foil hinge. In an alternative embodiment, the connector body 11 and the cover element 12 can also be separate parts with no hinge, wherein the cover element is, for example, placed onto the connector body in order to transfer from the open into the closed configuration.

[0081] The cover element 12 has a clamping structure with, for example, three curved segments 122a which are arranged one behind the other along the cover element axis GA and are together designed as a web 122. The web 122 width transverse to the channel axis or in a lateral direction is here slightly narrower than the channel width such that the web 122 can be plunged into the channel 111 from the open channel top side 1110. The connector body 11 has, along the connector body axis or channel axis KA, a mating clamping structure which, for each curved segment 122a of the clamping structure, comprises a corresponding complementary element in the form of a curved segment 112. The curved segments 112 here each form a part of the channel bottom 111a.

[0082] In the embodiment shown, the curved segments 112 meet the channel side faces 111b at an angle such that the channel bottom 111a has a V-shaped cross-section in the region of the curved segments 112.

[0083] Guide elements, in the form of guide tongues 125 with, for example, a rectangular cross-section, which are each situated in pairs opposite each other with respect to the cover element axis GA are arranged along the cover element axis GA between the curved segments 122a or at the boundary between successive curved segments 122a. The guide tongues 125, like the clamping structure or the web 122 forming the curved segments 122a, protrude perpendicularly from the cover element base 126. The guide tongues 125 here protrude further than the curved segments 122a or protrude beyond them.

[0084] For each guide tongue 125, the connector body 11 has a corresponding guide element socket or guide tongue socket 115 in order to receive the guide tongues 125. The guide tongue sockets 115 are implemented by socket recesses which in this embodiment are continuous in the depth direction or between the connector body top side 11a and the connector body underside 11u, on the inner sides of the connector body side walls 11a or lateral bulges of the channel 111. As a result, the channel bottom 111a is also interrupted along the channel axis KA in each case between the curved segments 112 of the mating clamping structure.

[0085] The electrical connector 1 moreover has a latching device. The latching device comprises a cover-element latching structure which are implemented by catches 124 which are resilient in the lateral direction or transversely to the cover element axis GA. The resilient catches 124 protrude from the cover element base 126 in a similar fashion to the guide tongues 125 and, like the latter, are arranged in pairs on both sides of the cover element axis GA. The catch faces of the resilient catches 124 are directed outward or away from the cover element axis GA. The inner sides, facing each other, of the resilient catches 124 have a clearance relative to each other such that they can hold the uninsulated wire or the uninsulated wire segment 211 between them but not the insulated wire segment 212 such that they can serve at the same time as a wire stop.

[0086] In order to receive the resilient catches 124, the connector body 11 has an upper catch socket 1140 and a lower catch socket 114u for each of the two resilient catches 124. The upper catch sockets 1140 are here open to the connector body top side 110, and the lower catch sockets 114u are open to the connector body underside 11u such that the channel bottom 111a is interrupted in the region of the catch sockets 1140, 114u. The upper and lower catch sockets 1140, 114u are here each implemented by a recess on the inner sides of the connector body side walls 11a, wherein the upper catch socket 1140 and the lower catch socket 114u are each not continuous relative to each other. The upper and lower catch sockets 1140, 114u together form a connector-body latching structure. If the electrical connector 1 is to be designed in such a way that it can be transferred from the closed back into the open configuration, the resilient catches 124 can be elastically deformed inward in the lateral direction from below, for example by a tool such as a correspondingly designed pair of pliers, such that they can be released from the lower catch sockets 114u. Moreover, for this purpose, corresponding perforations can optionally, alternatively or additionally, be provided in the connector body side walls 11a.

[0087] The connector body 11 moreover has a strain relief with a connector-body strain relief structure 113 a cover-element strain relief structure 123 complementary therewith which engage in each other in the closed configuration. The connector-body strain relief structure 113 here forms a proximal part of the channel bottom 111a. The resilient catches are arranged following the cover-element strain relief structure 123 in the distal direction, and the catch sockets 1140, 114u are arranged following the connector-body strain relief structure 113 in the distal direction D.

[0088] A partial metallization 13 is applied to the connector body 11. The metallization 13 here covers the channel bottom 111a, in particular in the region of the base-shaped segments 112 of the mating clamping structure, as a result of which a wire contact surface 131 is jointly formed. The individual segments or sections of the wire contact surface 131 (corresponding to the curved segments 112 of the mating clamping structure) are here connected via a connecting conductor 133 which also forms part of the partial metallization 13. The connecting conductor 133 is routed in this embodiment via the channel side faces 111b and the connector body top side 110.

[0089] Protruding from the connector body underside 11u, the connector body 11 moreover has a number of, for example three, positioning pins 117 arranged along the connector body axis. One of the positioning pins 117, for example the middle one, at the same time serves as an electrical connection pin 116 in the embodiment shown. For this purpose, the metallization 13 is routed via the inner wall of an adjoining guide tongue socket 115 to the outer surface of the electrical connection pin 116, as a result of which the metallization 13 forms an electrical connection surface 132 on the electrical connection pin 116. When the positioning pins 117, and in particular the electrical connection pin 116 are received in corresponding bores, for example of a printed circuit board or an assembly, the electrical connection surface 132 can be electrically contacted, for example, by soldering or clamping the electrical connection pin 116.

[0090] A method for electrically connecting the wire 2 will be explained below with additional reference to FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. The lead-in section 21 of the wire 2 here has an insulated wire segment 112 and an adjoining uninsulated wire segment 211, wherein the uninsulated wire segment 211 terminates in a wire end 22 as an end face. Although not obligatory, the wire 2 is here received with a round cross-section or rotational symmetry about the wire axis DA.

[0091] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, the wire 2 is positioned or supplied such that its wire axis DA is aligned with the axis of the blind hole 118 and its end section 23 is inserted in the insertion direction E into the blind hole 118 with the wire end 22 at the front until the wire end 22 abuts its bottom serving as a wire stop.

[0092] The electrical connector 1 is here situated in the open configuration and the wire 2 or its lead-in section 21 extends, after insertion of the end section 23 into the blind hole 118, essentially perpendicularly to the connector body top side 110.

[0093] Moreover, the wire 2 and the cover element 12 are positioned relative to each other such that the uninsulated wire segment 211 lies respectively between the resilient catches 124, situated opposite each other along the cover element axis GA, and guide tongues 125.

[0094] Removal of the insulation in the uninsulated wire segment 211 can take place in advance using a separate tool or stripping device, integrated into the electrical connector or molded on, as described above. Moreover, the wire can be already supplied in a corresponding prefabricated form.

[0095] Next, the electrical connector 1 is transferred from the open configuration into the closed configuration, this taking place by a pivoting movement of the cover element 12 about the hinge axis SA with a pivoting direction S onto the connector body 11 (FIG. 4). The wire end 22 is thus fastened or fixed in the blind hole 118 and the wire is bent by the cover element 12 at the transition between the blind hole 118 and the channel bottom 111a.

[0096] When the pivoting movement continues, the cover element 12 finally comes to lie on the connector body 11 or its connector body top side 110 (FIG. 5). The uninsulated wire segment 211 is thus deformed in the course of the pivoting movement between the curved segments 122a of the clamping structure and the curved segments 112 of the mating clamping structure such that a corrugated profile results in the region of the uninsulated wire segment 211 (FIGS. 6, 7).

[0097] Also, in the course of the pivoting movement, the guide tongues 125 are plunged from the connector body top side 110 into the guide tongue sockets 115 and, in a last stage shortly before reaching the closed configuration, the resilient catches 124 are plunged first into the respective upper catch sockets 1140. The resilient catches 124 are first elastically deformed laterally inward or toward the cover element axis GA by virtue of an edge at the transition from the upper catch sockets 1140 to that part of the channel side face 111b situated between the upper catch sockets 1140 and the lower catch sockets 114u. At the transition into the respective lower catch sockets 114u, the resilient catches 124 spring back outward in a lateral direction, wherein each resilient catch 124 latches into the associated lower catch socket 114u such that the cover element 12 is locked to the connector body 11. The latching or locking is here associated with audible acoustic feedback, in particular a click, which marks the final state or when the closed configuration is reached.

[0098] In this state, the insulated wire segment 212 is also held and clamped between the connector-body strain relief structure 113 and the cover-element strain relief structure 123, and the lead-in section 21 of the wire 2 is inserted completely in the channel 111. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the wire 2 protrudes from the channel 111 at the proximal connector body side 11P.

[0099] By virtue of the locking of the connector body 11 and the cover element 12, the uninsulated wire segment 211 is firmly clamped between the curved segments 122a of the clamping structure and the curved segments 112 of the mating clamping structure or the channel bottom 111a and secure contact pressure of the uninsulated wire segment 211 with the wire contact surface 131 is thus ensured.

[0100] In the closed configuration of the electrical connector 1, the proximal end sides 124P of the resilient catches 124 moreover serve as a wire stop. If a through hole is provided instead of the blind hole 118, the end sides 124P serve as a wire stop also for initially positioning the wire. If the blind hole 118 is present, it is optionally possible to omit a wire stop using the resilient catches 124 or their proximal end sides.

[0101] The whole sequence can be performed by a user using just one hand and is thus as far as possible error-proof. It is particularly advantageous if the transfer of the electrical connector from the open into the closed configuration and hence the electrical connection of the wire 2 takes place with a single movement, namely the pivoting movement of the cover element 12.

[0102] It will be appreciated that aspects of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments.

[0103] 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.