METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MEDIA-TIGHT MATERIAL COMPOSITE, METAL SLEEVE AND SENSOR HAVING A METAL SLEEVE OF THIS TYPE

Abstract

A method for producing a media-tight material composite, in particular comprising a metal solid body and an optionally electrically insulating plastic at least partially surrounding the solid body, preferably as a component of a preferably shielded electrical interface, wherein surfaces of the solid body that the plastic contacts are subjected to a surface pretreatment in order to promote the adhesion of the plastic to the solid body. The disclosure further relates to a cylindrical metal sleeve, in particular as part of a plug connector, and a plug connector or sensory comprising a metal sleeve, produced by the foregoing method.

Claims

1. A method for producing a media-tight material composite, comprising: a metallic solid body; and a plastic at least partially surrounding the solid body, wherein surfaces of the solid body contacted by the plastic are pretreated by a pretreatment to promote an adhesion of the plastic to the solid body.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solid body is encapsulated with the plastic.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solid body is cast with the plastic.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solid body is encased by sintering with the plastic.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the solid body is a sleeve or comprises a sleeve having a metallic sleeve surface, which at least partially has direct contact with the plastic via a contact region, wherein said contact region is pretreated.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the pretreatment is a mechanical and/or chemical and/or physical pretreatment.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the pretreatment comprises a cleaning of the metallic sleeve surface.

8. The method according to claim 5, wherein the sleeve is part of a pre-mounted interface and coated by the plastic, and is activated by UV irradiation.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the pretreatment improves a wetting between the surfaces of the solid body and the plastic, resulting from an optimization of an interface energy of the interface.

10. A metallic sleeve that is a component of a plug connector having a plastic surrounding the sleeve produced according to the method of claim 1.

11. A sensor comprising a metallic sleeve that is surrounded by a plastic, produced according to the method of claim 1.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plastic is an electrically-insulating plastic.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metallic solid body and the plastic at least partially surrounding the solid body is a component of an electrical plug.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the electrical plug is a shielded electrical plug.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the metallic solid body and the plastic at least partially surrounding the solid body forms a plug sleeve of the electrical plug.

16. The method according to claim 9, wherein the optimization is an optimization of a contact angle between the surfaces of the solid body and the plastic with respect to a sum of surface energies of the surfaces of the solid body and the plastic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] 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 one hand, to the claims and, on the other, to the subsequent explanation of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the disclosure by means of the drawings. Generally preferred designs and developments of the teaching are also explained in conjunction with the explanation of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the drawings. Shown in the drawings are the following:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of a plug connector encased in plastic,

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of the plug connector shown schematically in FIG. 1 in detail, and

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of a further exemplary embodiment of a plug connector encased in plastic and having a cast seal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The figures, beginning with FIG. 1, together show a plug connector which is, for example, encapsulated in plastic, comprising an insulating encapsulation 1 made of plastic—optionally, a casting compound—and a molding 1′ in the interior of a sleeve 2, which has a metallic surface 3. The sleeve consists of metal and is completely encased by the surface 3, which has photocatalytic properties. For this purpose, the surface 3 is photocatalytically treated over the entire region of the sleeve 2, i.e., on the outside and inside, and thus coated with titanium dioxide, for example, thereby improving the wettability by plastic. The surface 3 can be applied, for example, in a dipping method or in another known manner. The adhesion of the injection-molded plastic of the encapsulation 1 on the surface 3, and also in the region of a through-hole 4 in the sleeve 2, is promoted.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows the same essential features as FIG. 1 on the basis of a plug connector which can be seen in detail, rendering further statements superfluous.

[0036] With regard to the teaching according to the disclosure, the following statements relate to examples of the injection-molded encasing with the insulating encapsulation 1. The underlying problem is that, in the case of the sleeves 2 encapsulated with plastic,—in particular in the context of plug connectors, a media-tight connection between the components is difficult to achieve permanently. This is due to the aging process of the materials and different coefficients of thermal expansion, as well as solidification stresses in the plastic.

[0037] Photocatalytic and photohydrophilic titanium dioxide layers on the surfaces 3 can be used to produce the following important properties/effects. Cleaning, also with regard to organic contamination, self-sterilization, anti-fogging effect, hydrophilization, gas and liquid cleaning. Photocatalytic self-cleaning is also possible.

[0038] The method for producing a media-tight material composite functions, particularly in the case of the process-reliable, media-tight insulating encapsulation 1, by means of plastic injection molding, in particular in a hot spraying method. Furthermore, it can also be used as a cleaning method during emptying, gluing, low-pressure casting, or for other positive substance connections.

[0039] The coated metal parts or sleeves 2 can be stored for several years without loss of effectiveness, since the activation by the UV irradiation allows the photochemical effects to be reactivated. In order to pre-treat the surfaces according to the method, it is possible in particular to clean or activate metal parts with titanium dioxide-coated surfaces 3 by means of UV irradiation—photocatalytic combustion or photo-induced hydrophilicity—in particular, at a lesser time interval before encapsulation with the insulating encapsulation 1.

[0040] The arrangement according to FIG. 3 proceeds from the following problem: Gaps can form between the metallic sleeve 2 and the casting compound of the insulating encapsulation 1, or micro cracks can arise at the interface or in the casting compound of the insulating encapsulation 1. To avoid this problem, the pretreatment can be carried out in the manner previously described for the injection molding process.

[0041] The UV irradiation takes place from the connection side, i.e., according to FIG. 3, from above, so that the inner photocatalytic surfaces 3 of the sleeve 2 and the connection-side outer surface 3 of the contact region are activated. Even with different coefficients of expansion of the metal of the sleeve 2 and of the plastic of the insulating encapsulation 1, the formation of gaps and the formation of micro cracks can be considerably reduced or prevented.

[0042] With regard to other advantageous embodiments of the teaching according to the disclosure, in order to avoid repetition, reference is made to the general part of the description and also to the accompanying claims.

[0043] Finally, it is expressly pointed out that the exemplary embodiments of the teaching according to the disclosure described above serve only to explain the claimed teaching, but do not restrict it to the exemplary embodiments.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0044] 1 Insulating encapsulation

[0045] 1′ Molding

[0046] 2 Sleeve

[0047] 3 Surfaces

[0048] 4 Through-hole