FIELD

The present invention relates to an electrical plug connector for plugging onto or into a counterpart plug connector, and to a plug connector assemblage having a plug connector of that kind.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The related art includes electrical plug connectors for plugging onto or into a counterpart plug connector.

When such plug connectors are used in high-current applications, the plug connector usually has at least two contact elements that are brought mechanically and electrically into contact with two counterpart contact elements on the counterpart plug connector. The counterpart contact elements can be embodied, for example, as contact blades or contact pins. The system made up of a plug connector and counterpart plug connector can be referred to as a “plug connector assemblage.”

It is important, specifically for the high currents that are transferred in the context of high-current applications between the plug connector and counterpart plug connector in such plug connector assemblages, for the contact elements (called “power terminals”) and counterpart contact elements (called “power pins”) through which the high currents are directed to be permanently insulated from one another. A short circuit between adjacent contact elements when a voltage is applied is absolutely to be avoided, since damage to the plug connector assemblage can occur as a result of the high currents in the event of a short circuit. A short circuit of this kind can be triggered, for example, by infiltrating liquid, for instance water or very generally an electrically conductive fluid medium. Loose contact elements that are not properly secured in the pertinent contact chambers can also represent a risk of causing a short circuit.

In order to avoid short circuits due to water or very generally an electrically conductive fluid medium, it is possible to provide seals that preclude the infiltration of water into the plug connector assemblage. For example, single-wire seals or sealing mats can be provided, or radial seals between the plug connector and the counterpart plug connector. The plug connector can be embodied, for instance, as a “female” type, and the counterpart plug connector as a “male” type.

German Patent Application No. DE 10 2014 216 281 A1 describes a plug connector assemblage for high-current applications in which a radial seal between the plug connector and the counterpart plug connector is said to prevent the infiltration of water.

SUMMARY

The present invention proceeds from the recognition that infiltration of water, or very generally of an electrically conductive fluid medium, into the plug connector assemblage can occur despite good sealing using sealing elements. For example, the seals can age or a seal can be damaged.

Since loose contact elements that are not properly secured in the relevant contact chambers can also represent a risk of causing a short circuit, it can be necessary to lock the contact elements in the contact chambers by way of a contact locking element that is displaceable, for instance, transversely to a plugging direction, i.e., to secure them against unintended release from the contact chamber, for instance oppositely to the plugging direction.

For example, at the currents used, which are more than 10 A, more than 50 A, more than 100 A, or even more than 400 A, and/or at voltages of more than 48 V, more than 450 V, or even more than 1000 V, short circuits can be a large risk to the plug connector assemblage, for instance due to the heat evolution occurring in that context. This applies even in a context of large conductor cross sections, which can be equal to more than 1 square millimeter (mm2), more than 5 mm2, or more than 16 mm2or even more than 100 mm2.

A need can therefore exist for furnishing a plug connector that on the one hand has a contact locking system in order to secure the high-current-carrying contact elements reliably in their contact chambers, and is configured to prevent infiltrating water, or very generally an infiltrating electrically conductive fluid medium, from forming a short-circuit path between the contact elements or in the plug connector assemblage between the counterpart contact elements. The intention is in particular to preclude a short-circuit path between mutually adjacent contact elements, since a particularly short water segment is sufficient here to generate a short circuit.

This need can be met by example embodiments of the present invention. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are described herein.

In the context of the Application, the terms “encompass” and “have” are used synonymously unless explicitly mentioned otherwise.

The plug connector is an electrical plug connector that is embodied in particular at least partly for the transfer of high currents.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, an example plug connector for plugging onto or into a counterpart plug connector in a plugging direction is provided, the counterpart plug connector having at least two counterpart contact elements.

The plug connector has a housing having a first plane that faces in the plugging direction. The housing has at least two contact chambers, each of which has an opening in the first plane. Each contact chamber is configured to receive one contact element that is configured for electrical and mechanical contacting of one of the at least two counterpart contact elements of the counterpart plug connector. A contact locking element is disposed on the first plane for locking the contact elements that are introducible into the contact chambers. At least two of the contact chambers in the housing are embodied separately from one another. Provision is made that a wall, which protrudes from the first plane when viewed oppositely from the plugging direction, is disposed between at least two mutually adjacent contact chambers.

Alternatively or additionally, at least one groove is disposed in the first plane between at least two mutually adjacent contact chambers.

In other words, the wall and/or the at least one groove are disposed in the first plane between the openings that belong to the adjacent contact chambers. The adjacent contact chambers can be directly adjacent contact chambers.

The advantageous result thereof is that on the one hand, secure locking by the contact locking elements of contact elements introducible into the contact chamber can be ensured. At the same time, it becomes considerably more difficult or entirely impossible for a liquid, for instance water, which might travel as far as the first plane to form a short-circuit path along the first plane. This is because the wall and/or the at least one groove redirects the water in channel-like fashion and prevents the water from flowing directly from one opening or contact chamber to the adjacent opening or contact chamber. The water can thus be directed by the wall and/or the at least one groove to the edge of the first plane, where it can flow out. Alternatively, the water flows separately in each of the mutually separated contact chambers, so that a short circuit between the contact elements, in particular on the first plane, is thereby also prevented.

If a large quantity of water happens to infiltrate, formation of the short-circuit path along the first plane is at least delayed by the wall and/or the at least one groove, since the water cannot flow directly along the shortest path between the contact chambers. In this case, for instance, a sensor additionally disposed in the plug connector or in a plug connector assemblage encompassing the plug connector can detect the infiltrating water. The current of the high-current connection can thereupon be interrupted before a short circuit of the contact elements occurs. A sensor of this kind, e.g., a water sensor, embodied e.g., as a resistance sensor, can be disposed, for instance, in at least one of the contact chambers or in the vicinity of one of the contact chambers. Upon detection of a defined moisture level or of standing water, the sensor can, for instance, transmit a signal to a control system which then interrupts the flow of current to the contact elements.

The wall and/or the at least one groove is advantageously embodied in such a way that it prevents the flow of water on the shortest path between adjacent contact chambers in all installation positions, i.e., for example, in an installation position in which the plugging direction points in the direction of gravity, or in which the plugging direction points in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction, or at all angles between those two positions. Even with a plugging direction that is pivoted more than 90° with respect to the direction of gravity, the wall and/or the at least one groove can contribute, as a kind of shield or adhesion block or flow block, to connecting infiltrated water directly on the shortest path between adjacent contact chambers or also contact chambers that are farther from one another.

The first plane can be embodied in such a way that there exists along the first plane a path that connects at least two of the contact chambers, or the openings thereof, to one another. In other words, the housing cannot be regarded as a block having contact chambers separate from one another, only one notional or virtual plane then being located in the block.

The contact chambers can be embodied to be completely separate from one another within the housing, i.e., below the openings in the first plane. They can thus each individually constitute a separate contact chamber. They are accordingly spaced apart from one another in a direction perpendicular to the plugging direction. This also applies to the openings belonging to the contact chambers.

Provision can be made that a respective wall is provided on the first plane between all mutually adjacent contact chambers, and/or at least one groove is provided in the first plane. These walls and grooves can be embodied in such a way that they do not interfere with displacement of the contact locking element.

It is understood that, generally, a flash formed in the context of an injection molding process is not to be regarded as a “wall” for purposes of the present invention.

The contact chambers can be disposed, for example, in a row in a direction perpendicular to the plugging direction. If more than two, or even more than three, contact chambers are present, the contact chambers can then also be embodied in a kind of matrix disposition in the housing, i.e., in rows and columns each perpendicular to the plugging direction.

The contact locking element can be, for example, a single contact locking element. In other words, only a single contact locking element is provided in the plug connector. With it, for example, all the contact elements introducible into the contact chambers can be secured simultaneously. The installation process is thereby advantageously simplified.

The contact element can be, for instance, displaceable along the first plane and can either completely expose or at least partly cover the openings of the contact chambers. For that purpose, the contact locking element can be, for example, displaceable or shiftable along the first plane in an insertion direction perpendicular to the plugging direction.

The counterpart plug connector has at least two counterpart contact elements that can be embodied, for instance, as contact blades or contact pins and are embodied, for instance, to transfer high currents of at least 10 A or at least 50 A, in particular at voltages of at least 12 V or at least 45 V or at least 100 V. The counterpart contact elements can have for that purpose, for instance, a cross section or contact area for the corresponding contact element of at least 2 mm2or at least 5 mm2or at least 10 mm2or at least 20 mm2or at least 50 mm2, for example 6 mm2or 50 mm2or 90 mm2.

The contact elements are correspondingly also embodied to conduct the high currents. For example, the contact elements are embodied to be plugged onto the counterpart contact elements.

The plug connectors or the contact elements can be embodied, for instance, as “female” type plug elements, and the counterpart plug connectors or counterpart contact elements as “male” type.

The fact that, in the case in which a wall is provided on the first plane between adjacent contact chambers, the wall projects beyond the first plane by at least 0.25 mm or at least 0.5 mm or at least 1 mm or at least 1.5 mm or at least 2 mm, advantageously ensures that infiltrating water cannot create the shortest short-circuit path between adjacent contact chambers.

The wall can have a width that is equal, for instance, to at least 0.25 mm or at least 0.5 mm or at least 1 mm or at least 1.5 mm or at least 2 mm.

Alternatively or additionally, provision can be made that in the case in which at least one groove is provided on or in the first plane, that at least one groove has a depth with respect to the first plane which is equal to at least 0.25 mm or at least 0.5 mm or at least 1 mm or at least 1.5 mm or at least 2 mm. The result is that, advantageously, a particularly effective runoff for the water is produced in the nature of a channel, or a particularly effective flow block is formed.

The at least one groove can have a groove width that, for instance, is equal to at least 0.25 mm or at least 0.5 mm or at least 1 mm or at least 1.5 mm or at least 2 mm.

In a refinement of the present invention, provision is made that a contact element is disposed in at least two of the at least two contact chambers.

The wall and/or the at least one groove thus advantageously precludes a short circuit between two contact elements due to infiltrating water.

If only two contact chambers are provided, both contact chambers are accordingly populated with contact elements. With more than two contact chambers, however, it can happen that the plug connector is used for a modular system and, depending on the application, only exactly two, more than two, or even all contact chambers are populated with contact elements. In the case in which not all contact chambers are populated, the wall and/or the at least one groove is embodied at least between the closest adjacent occupied contact chambers.

The advantageous result of the fact that the at least two contact chambers are embodied as a passthrough opening through the housing, when viewed in the plugging direction, is that water infiltrating as far as the first plane can flow out through the passthrough opening and leave the housing and thus the first plane.

The advantageous result of the fact that the wall extends at least along an overlap length of the lengths of the adjacent openings is that there exists, along an overlap region of a projection of the openings in a direction perpendicular to the plugging direction, no direct connecting path in the projection direction between the openings and thus between the contact chambers. The projection direction can extend, for instance, along the shortest connecting distance between the adjacent contact chambers or their openings. Infiltrating water is thus reliably prevented from flowing from one contact chamber into the adjacent contact chamber, and a short short-circuit path is thus also precluded. Particularly advantageously, the wall extends uninterruptedly at least along the projection length.

A refinement according to the present invention provides that the housing has an outer rim that surrounds the first plane and projects beyond the first plane oppositely to the plugging direction. The rim surrounds the first plane over a circumferential angle of at least 220° around the plugging direction. The wall and/or the at least one groove is guided through the rim in a radial direction perpendicular to the plugging direction. A respective cutout is provided in a circumferential direction on either side of the wall between the rim and the wall. In other words, outflow openings are provided between the wall and the rim. The advantageous result is that water that has been guided through the wall and/or the at least one groove as far as the rim, i.e., to the edge of the first plane, can flow off the first plane through the cutouts and, for example, run off along an outer side of the housing. Accumulation of water within the rim is thus advantageously avoided.

The rim can project beyond the first plane, i.e., project outward from the first plane oppositely to the plugging direction, for instance, by at least 0.25 mm or at least 0.5 mm or at least 1 mm or at least 1.5 mm or at least 2 mm.

It is understood that without a rim, water can readily flow off on an outer side of the housing after passing over the edge of the first plane.

A refinement of the present invention provides that the two cutouts extend, when viewed in the plugging direction, at least from the first plane of the housing to a second plane, facing away from the first plane, of the housing. In other words, the cutouts are each embodied as a kind of groove on an outer side of the housing, between the first plane and the second plane. They thus function advantageously as a kind of “rain gutter” or defined flow path or flow aid for liquid, e.g., water, along the outer side of the housing. For example, a sensor for detecting liquid, e.g., water, can be disposed on the second plane in the region of the cutouts, which sensor, if applicable, interrupts the flow when liquid is identified. The result of the configuration of the cutouts is that the liquid can be deliberately directed to such a sensor.

The advantageous result of the fact that the contact locking element is displaceable on the first plane perpendicularly to the plugging direction from a first position into a second position, such that when the contact locking element is in the second position, the contact elements are prevented by the contact locking element from being removed from the contact chambers oppositely to the plugging direction, is that a short circuit between contact elements during operation is prevented. Detachment of a contact element from the pertinent contacted counterpart contact element during operation is also prevented. In a context of transmission of high currents, in such a case there could, for instance, be undesired damage to a contact element and/or counterpart contact element, for instance due to an arc.

When the contact locking element is in the first position, the contact elements can be introducible into and removable from the contact chambers.

In accordance with the present invention, provision can be made that the contact locking element is movable repeatedly back and forth between the first and the second position, for instance for installation purposes and/or removal purposes.

A refinement of the present invention provides that the contact locking element has a latching apparatus. The wall and/or the at least one groove has, on an end face that faces in a direction opposite to the plugging direction, a structure which is complementary to the latching apparatus and into which the latching apparatus can latch. The advantageous result thereof is that upon installation, it is possible to determine by way of a haptic signal (latching) whether and that the contact locking element (contact lock) has been moved into the first or the second position. At the same time the first or the second position of the contact locking element is thereby secured against inadvertent displacement.

An assemblage on the end face of the wall has the further advantageous result that a flow of liquid along the first plane is not impaired by the latching apparatus, or that the flow is not diverted.

A refinement of the present invention provides that the contact locking element has two arms that protrude from a base element and are at a distance from one another, perpendicularly to their direction of extent, which is greater than a width of the wall transversely to the plugging direction. The two arms proceed on either side of the wall when the contact locking element is in the inserted state.

The distance between the arms can be, for instance, at most 1 mm greater or at most 0.2 mm greater than the width of the wall.

The advantageous result is that the wall also has, in addition to its separating function for the liquid, a guidance function for the contact locking element. Correct insertion of the contact locking element is thereby promoted, and thus also secure and reliable locking of the contact elements populating the contact chambers. The result of the wall is thus that the plug connector is particularly well protected against short circuits, on the one hand by the contact locking element against inadvertent detachment, and on the other hand against a short-circuit path due to infiltrating water.

A projection that protrudes from the arms transversely to a direction of extent of the arms can be disposed on the arms, for instance in the vicinity of the base element. The result that can thereby be obtained is that when the contact locking element is in the first position, the projection does not cover the corresponding opening, and in the second position it at least partly covers the opening. The projection can thereby represent a kind of undercut that prevents the contact element from moving out oppositely to the plugging direction.

It is understood that one arm or two arms can be provided on the contact locking element for several openings or for each opening, i.e., for several contact chambers or for each contact chamber. Those arms can all be disposed on the base element.

The contact locking element can also be embodied differently, i.e., configured without linear arms.

Lastly, the wall and the two arms create a kind of poka-yoke solution that prevents the insertion of an incorrect contact locking element into the plug connector. This is important in the context of installation, to ensure that a plug connector constructed from several individual parts is correctly assembled and can perform its function, i.e., in this case, for instance, to secure the contact elements inserted into the contact chambers.

A refinement of the present invention provides that the latching apparatus is connected to the two arms proceeding on either side of the wall. The latching apparatus connects the two arms at their free ends by way of a connecting element. The connecting element spans the wall, viewed oppositely to the insertion direction. The advantageous result thereof is on the one hand that the latching apparatus is stabilized and is embodied robustly in terms of mechanical loads. At the same time, the two mutually connected arms are stabilized. They can better withstand damage resulting, for instance, from skewed insertion of the contact locking element. The above-described poka-yoke solution is thereby further improved. In addition, slippage of the latching apparatus away from the end face of the wall is prevented.

If more than one wall is provided, it can be sufficient to provide a latching apparatus only on one wall on the end face. Several latching apparatuses are, however, also then conceivable.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an electrical plug connector assemblage is proposed.

The electrical plug connector assemblage has:a plug connector as described above;a counterpart plug connector having at least two counterpart contact elements.

The plug connector is plug-assembled and electrically contacted to the counterpart plug connector in a plugging direction.

The counterpart contact elements can be embodied, for instance, as contact blades or contact pins. Contact surfaces (called “lands”) on a circuit board are also possible.

In accordance with the present invention, the example plug connector assemblage is advantageously notable for particularly good reliability with respect to short circuits, by the fact that detachment of contact elements from the contact chambers is prevented by way of the, preferably single, contact locking element. At the same time, a short circuit resulting from water infiltrating into the plug connector assemblage is avoided by prevention of a short short-circuit path between adjacent contact chambers and/or contact elements.

