阅读说明：本技术 安全约束系统的电插头连接器的电接触端子 (Electrical contact terminal of an electrical plug connector of a safety restraint system ) 是由 R·莱曼 P·努特泽勒 于 2020-04-15 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及安全约束系统的电插头连接器的电接触端子(500a)。电接触端子由单片弯曲且切割的金属板制成。电接触端子包括配合端部(510a),配合端部具有适于与配对连接器的对应的配对接触件电接触的至少一个接触面(512a),配合端部限定电接触端子的配合方向(A)。电接触端子还包括安装端部(520a),安装端部具有适于电连接到电缆的线缆端部(626a)的安装面(526a),安装端部限定电接触端子的线缆延伸方向(C)。另外,电接触端子包括短路夹部(530a)和锚固腿(540a),锚固腿包括第一抵接面(544a),第一抵接面是金属板的切割面,并且第一抵接面的表面法线面向线缆延伸方向(C)。(The invention relates to an electrical contact terminal (500a) of an electrical plug connector of a safety restraint system. The electric contact terminal is made of a single piece of bent and cut metal plate. The electrical contact terminal comprises a mating end (510a) having at least one contact face (512a) adapted to be electrically contacted by a corresponding mating contact of a mating connector, the mating end defining a mating direction (a) of the electrical contact terminal. The electrical contact terminal further comprises a mounting end (520a) having a mounting face (526a) adapted to be electrically connected to a cable end (626a) of an electrical cable, the mounting end defining a cable extension direction (C) of the electrical contact terminal. In addition, the electrical contact terminal includes a shorting clip portion (530a) and an anchor leg (540a), the anchor leg includes a first abutment surface (544a), the first abutment surface is a cut surface of the metal plate, and a surface normal of the first abutment surface faces the cable extending direction (C).)

1. Electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) of an electrical plug connector (10) of a safety restraint system, wherein the electrical contact terminal is made of a single piece of bent and cut metal plate, the electrical contact terminal comprising:

a mating end (510a, 510b) having at least one contact face (512) adapted for electrical contact with a corresponding mating contact of a mating connector, wherein the mating end defines a mating direction (A) of the electrical contact terminal;

a mounting end (520a, 520b) having a mounting face (526a, 526b) adapted to be electrically connected to a cable end (626a, 626b) of an electrical cable (600a, 600b), wherein the mounting end defines a cable extension direction (C) of the electrical contact terminal;

a shorting clip (530a, 530b) adapted to short circuit the electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) with another electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) if the electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) is provided in an electrical plug connector (10) and if the electrical plug connector (10) is in an uncoupled condition or an incorrectly coupled condition;

An anchoring leg (540a) comprising a first abutment face (544a), wherein the first abutment face is a cut face of the metal plate, and wherein a surface normal of the first abutment face faces the cable extension direction (C).

2. The electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) according to claim 1, wherein the anchoring leg (540a) further comprises a first bearing surface (545a), wherein the first bearing surface (545a) is a cut surface of the metal plate, and wherein a surface normal of the first bearing surface (545a) faces the mating direction (a).

3. The electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the anchoring leg (540a) extends in the mating direction (a), and wherein the anchoring leg (540a) further comprises an anchoring protrusion (542a) extending in the cable extension direction (C), wherein the first abutment surface (544a) and/or the first bearing surface (545a) is provided on the anchoring protrusion (542 a).

4. The electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) according to any preceding claim, wherein the anchoring leg (540a) comprises at least one reinforcement element (547a), wherein the reinforcement element (547a) is preferably a raised element.

5. The electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) further comprises a securing plate portion (550a, 550b) comprising a second abutment surface (552a), wherein the second abutment surface (552a) is a main surface of the metal plate, and wherein a surface normal of the second abutment surface faces the cable extension direction (C).

6. The electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) of claim 5, wherein the securing plate portion (550a, 550b) comprises a test contact portion (553a, 553 b).

7. The electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) further comprises a support protrusion (570a, 570b), the support protrusion (570a, 570b) being arranged on a support end of the electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) opposite to the mounting end (520a, 520b), wherein the support protrusion (570a, 570b) comprises a second support surface (575a, 575b), wherein the second support surface (575a, 575b) is a cut surface of the metal plate, and wherein a surface normal of the second support surface (575a, 575b) faces the mating direction (a).

8. The electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the mounting end (520a, 520b) is a soldering end, and wherein the mounting face (526a, 526b) is adapted to be soldered to a cable end (626a, 626b) of an electrical cable (600a, 600 b).

9. An electrical plug connector (10) of a safety restraint system, preferably an airbag ignition system, the electrical plug connector (10) comprising:

at least a first electrical contact terminal (500a) and a second electrical contact terminal (500b), each electrical contact terminal being an electrical contact terminal according to any one of claims 1 to 8;

a housing (400) having a receiving portion which at least partially receives the first contact terminal (500a) and the second contact terminal (500b) such that a shorting clip portion (530a) of the first contact terminal (500a) and a shorting clip portion (530b) of the second contact terminal (500a) form a shorting clip which shorts the electrical contact terminals (500a, 500b) and which shorts out the electrical contact terminals (500a, 500b) if the electrical plug connector (10) is in an uncoupled condition or in an incorrectly coupled condition

Wherein the housing comprises at least one first opposite abutment surface (444) and/or at least one first opposite bearing surface (445),

Wherein the first opposite abutment face (444) abuts at least the first abutment face (544a) of one of the electrical contact terminals (500a, 500b), and wherein the first opposite bearing face (445) supports at least the first bearing face (545a) of one of the electrical contact terminals (500a, 500 b).

10. Electrical plug connector (10) according to claim 9, wherein the housing further comprises at least one second opposite bearing surface (475), the second opposite bearing surface (475) supporting at least the second bearing surface (575a) of one of the electrical contact terminals (500a, 500 b).

11. Electrical plug connector (10) according to one of claims 9 or 10, the electrical plug connector (10) further comprising a cover (200), the cover (200) being coupled to the housing and covering the receptacle, wherein the cover (200) comprises at least one positioning groove (250), wherein the positioning groove (250) at least partially receives the fixing plate portion (550) of one of the electrical contact terminals, and

wherein the positioning groove forms a second opposing abutment surface (252), the second opposing abutment surface (252) abutting the second abutment surface (552) of the electrical contact terminal whose securing plate portion (550) is received in the positioning groove.

12. The electrical plug connector (10) of claim 11, wherein the cover further comprises a clamping projection (226), the clamping projection (226) clamping the mounting end (520) of the received electrical contact terminal with the housing (400).

13. Electrical plug connector (10) according to one of claims 9 to 12, the electrical plug connector (10) further comprising an auxiliary locking member (100), the auxiliary locking member (100) being insertable into the housing (400) of the electrical plug connector (10) and, once fully inserted into the housing (400) of the plug connector (10), the auxiliary locking member (100) separating the short-circuit contact between the at least two short-circuit clip portions (530a, 530b) forming the short-circuit clip.

14. Electrical plug connector (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the shorting contact between the at least two shorting clip portions (530a, 530b) forming the shorting clip is adapted to be separated as a result of a mechanical contact with a separator means of a counterpart connector once the plug connector (10) is correctly coupled with the counterpart connector.

15. Method of assembling an electrical plug connector (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 14, comprising the steps of:

Providing at least two electrical contact terminals (500a, 500b) according to any one of claims 1 to 8;

providing a housing (400); and is

-inserting the electrical contact terminal (500a, 500b) into the receiving portion of the housing such that the shorting clip portion (530a) of the first electrical contact terminal (500a) and the shorting clip portion (530b) of the second electrical contact terminal (500b) form a shorting clip that shorts the electrical contact terminals (500a, 500b) if the electrical plug connector (10) is in an uncoupled condition or an incorrectly coupled condition, and such that the first opposing abutment surface (444) of the housing abuts at least the first abutment surface (544a) of one of the electrical contact terminals (500a, 500 b).

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electrical contact terminal of an electrical plug connector of a safety restraint system, preferably an airbag ignition system, and to an electrical plug connector. An electrical plug connector comprising at least two of said electrical contact terminals allows to electrically or electronically monitor the correct coupling of the plug connector with a suitable counterpart connector.

Background

Passenger vehicles today have many safety restraint systems, such as seat belt pretensioners or airbags (e.g., front and side airbags), which are used to cushion or limit the impact of a passenger with, for example, interior components of the passenger vehicle in the event of an accident. Deceleration sensors in passenger cars detect high deceleration values in the event of an accident when these high deceleration values occur and send a trigger signal via a wire or cable to the safety restraint system. An explosive device called a squib inflates the airbag or tightens the seat belt. The wires or cables of the deceleration sensor are connected to an electronic control unit and then to the squib by means of a so-called squib connector.

Until now, squibs have often been provided with a socket or socket comprising two contact pins. The squib connector comprises a plug portion or plug connector corresponding to the socket, the plug portion having two electrical contact terminals for receiving the contact pins of the squib socket. In order to improve the connection between the squib and the plug connector, retainer inserts have been developed which are adapted to fit into the socket of a standard squib and facilitate and secure the connection between the squib and the plug connector. As an alternative to the use of a retainer, secondary locking members have been developed, also referred to as connector position assurance members, better known as CPA members, which mate with the plug connector after the plug connector is coupled to the corresponding counterpart connector. Such CPA members are designed such that mating with the plug connector is only possible if the plug connector is correctly coupled to the corresponding counterpart connector, i.e. the CPA member cannot mate with the plug connector if the plug connector is in an uncoupled condition or an incorrectly coupled condition.

Usually, the electrical contact terminals of the plug connector or the plug connector, respectively, are also provided with so-called shorting clips, which are usually conductive metal spring members, formed by corresponding shorting clip portions of the electrical contact terminals. The shorting clip shorts the electrical contact terminals of the plug connector. The short-circuiting of the electrical contact terminals can be used to prevent accidental explosion of the pyrotechnic charge due to, for example, a potential difference occurring between the electrical contact terminals during mating of the plug connectors. After the plug connectors are properly coupled with the corresponding plug connectors, the short circuit established by the shorting clip is separated and broken. Alternatively, the shorting clip may be disconnected by the CPA member. The short circuit between the electrical contact terminals is automatically broken after the plug connector is properly coupled with its counterpart. This can be detected by means of suitable electrical/electronic monitoring means, as is well known to the skilled person. Thus, alternatively or additionally, the shorting clip is used to electrically and/or electronically monitor the proper coupling of the plug connector with its counterpart.

Document WO 2010/143078 discloses a squib connector allowing a correct coupling of an electrical monitoring connector. Thus, when the plug connector is in an uncoupled condition or an incorrectly coupled condition, the terminals of the connectors are in electrical contact with each other. Such electrical contact between the terminals is adapted to be disengaged upon proper coupling with the corresponding mating connector, either automatically (i.e., by the retainer) or by an actuating action such as mating CPA member. Thus, disconnection of the terminals can be monitored by an appropriate monitoring device.

Reliable monitoring requires that the shorting clip reliably short. However, during handling or insertion of the electrical plug connector, the shorting clip, in particular the shorting clip portion of the electrical contact terminal, can be damaged or displaced. This is because the terminal is connected with an electric cable (e.g., an electric cable of a cable harness). Thus, during manufacturing shipping or further processing, such as during installation of the plug connector in a passenger car, excessive retention forces at the cable can damage or displace the terminals and/or shorting clip. Such damage or displacement may not be visible from the outside, but may result in the shorting clip opening. Thus, neither ignition protection nor monitoring whether the electrical plug connector is correctly coupled to the corresponding counterpart can be provided. This is undesirable.

There is a need in the art to provide an electrical contact terminal and a corresponding plug connector that can withstand increased retention forces of a cable. In addition, it is desirable that the electrical contact terminal is not or at least slightly deformed and/or displaced by the pulling force on the cable. However, possible defects of the plug connector should be visible from the outside of the plug connector housing, provided that the retention force exceeds the allowable retention force. Therefore, the electrical terminal should be prevented from being deformed, displaced or broken. Alternatively, the connection between the electrical contact terminal and the cable should be broken, provided that the allowable retention force is exceeded.

In addition, because assembly space in passenger cars is typically limited, it is desirable to reduce the overall size of the electrical plug connectors and electrical contact terminals.

Disclosure of Invention

These and other objects which will become apparent upon reading the following description are achieved by the electrical contact terminal of the invention, the electrical plug connector of the invention and the method of assembling the electrical plug connector of the invention.

In particular, the above object is achieved by an electrical contact terminal of an electrical plug connector of a safety restraint system. The safety restraint system may be a seat belt pretensioning system or an airbag system or the like. The electrical contact terminal is made of a single piece of bent and cut metal plate, thereby allowing for a reduced manufacturing cost and good electrical conductivity, since there is no interface between the mating end of the electrical contact terminal and the (cable) mounting end of the electrical contact terminal.

The electrical contact terminal comprises a mating end having at least one contact face adapted to electrically contact a corresponding mating contact of a mating connector, wherein the mating end defines a mating direction a of the electrical contact terminal. In addition, the mating end portion may have a plurality of contact surfaces (such as two, three or four contact surfaces) arranged around a receiving portion of the electrical contact terminal, the receiving portion being adapted to receive corresponding mating contacts of a mating connector to establish electrical contact. The mating direction a is the direction in which an electrical plug connector comprising electrical contact terminals is mated. In addition, the mating direction a faces away from the electrical contact terminals and the electrical plug connector, respectively.

In addition, the electrical contact terminal includes a mounting end having a mounting face adapted to be electrically connected to a cable end of an electrical cable. The connection between the cable end and the mounting surface may be soldered, crimped or otherwise established. In particular, soldering allows good electrical and mechanical connection while requiring only a small contact surface. Thus, the welding allows the length of the mounting end to be reduced. The length of the mounting end may be in the range of about 3.5mm to 7.5mm, preferably in the range of 3.8mm to 6.4mm, and most preferably in the range of 4.1mm to 4.5mm, in particular about 4.3 mm. In addition, the mounting end defines a cable extension direction C of the electrical contact terminal, wherein the cable extension direction C faces away from the electrical contact terminal and the electrical plug connector, respectively.

The cable extension direction C and the mating direction a may be parallel to each other, resulting in a straight electrical plug connector. Alternatively, the cable extension direction C and the mating direction a may be angled, resulting in an angled electrical plug connector. For example, the cable extension direction C and the mating direction a may enclose an angle in the range of 70 to 120 degrees, preferably in the range of 80 to 110 degrees and most preferably about 90 degrees. The angled electrical plug connector allows for facilitating the provision of a secondary locking member (such as a CPA) because the back of the electrical plug connector is not blocked by the extension cable. Thus, the rear side of the electrical plug connector may be provided with an auxiliary locking member. The provision of an auxiliary locking member at the rear of the electrical plug connector allows actuating (mating) the auxiliary locking member in the mating direction. Thus, a single mating movement of the plug connector may firstly couple the electrical plug connector with its counterpart and secondly lock the auxiliary locking member, thereby disconnecting the shorting clip.

In addition, the electrical contact terminal comprises a shorting clip portion adapted to short the electrical contact terminal with the other electrical contact terminal if the electrical contact terminal is provided in the electrical plug connector and if the electrical plug connector is in an uncoupled condition or an incorrectly coupled condition. The shorting clip may be used to electrically and/or electronically monitor proper coupling of the plug connector with its counterpart and/or to prevent accidental detonation of the pyrotechnic charge of the safety restraint system due to, for example, potential differences that occur between the electrical contact terminals during mating of the plug connectors.

The shorting clip may include a flexible arm having a shorting face on a distal portion. In an electrical plug connector comprising at least two electrical contact terminals, the shorting clip portions of the respective electrical contact terminals form a shorting clip. When in the uncoupled condition or the incorrectly coupled condition, the flexible arm of the respective electrical contact terminal serves to press the short-circuiting surface against the short-circuiting surface of the corresponding electrical contact terminal, thereby short-circuiting the electrical contact terminals to each other. The spring force of the flexible arms allows for example to maintain a short circuit during vibration and shock. In order to open the short-circuit clip, one or both flexible arms of the respective electrical contact terminal can be deflected, thereby separating the contacts of the short-circuit surface.

In addition, the electrical contact terminal comprises an anchor leg, the cover anchor leg comprising a first abutment face, wherein the first abutment face is a cut face of the metal plate, and wherein a surface normal of the first abutment face faces the cable extension direction (C). The anchoring legs can be separated from the flexible arms and can be designed to be stiffer.

The abutment surfaces are intended to abut against opposite abutment surfaces provided in the housing of the electrical plug connector. In addition, since the first abutment surface is a cut surface, the abutment surface can be manufactured very accurately compared to, for example, a curved abutment surface. Thereby, the electrical contact terminals can be positioned very accurately within the housing of the electrical plug connector, and consequently the positions of the mating ends and the shorting clip can be determined very accurately in the cable extension direction C. In addition, since the first abutment surface faces the cable extending direction and abuts the first opposite abutment surface, the allowable holding force can be increased. The allowable retention force defines a maximum pulling force at the cable that does not result in plastic deformation, dislodging or breaking of the terminal and/or flaking of the cable.

In addition, in the case of providing a separate anchoring leg separate from the flexible arm, the position of the shorting clip is less affected if there is a pulling force on the cable. The anchoring legs have a main plane corresponding to the plate plane of the preformed metal plate. The main plane of the anchoring legs may be parallel to the mating direction a, while being parallel to the cable extension direction C. Thereby, the cut and/or stamped design of the anchor legs can be designed to provide a high area second moment, whereby the deformation of the anchor legs due to pulling forces in the cable extension direction can be reduced.

In particular, the design of the anchoring leg may be chosen such that a pulling force on the cable will first cause the cable to break or the cable to peel off before the electrical contact terminal is displaced, plastically deformed or even broken. Thus, in case of damage, the damage will occur at the cable or at the connection between the cable and the mounting end. Then such damage will be visible from the outside of the housing. Thus, damage due to exceeding the retention force at the cable can be seen and the risk of assembling a damaged electrical plug connector in a passenger car or vehicle can be reduced.

The anchoring leg may further comprise a first bearing surface, wherein the first bearing surface may be a cut surface of the metal plate, and wherein a surface normal of the first bearing surface faces the mating direction a. By providing the first bearing surface as a cutting surface and facing the mating direction a, the electrical contact terminal, in particular the shorting clip, can be positioned very precisely in the mating direction a. This allows the mating connectors to be contacted more reliably, in addition to making the short-circuiting of the respective electrical contact terminals more reliable.

In addition, the anchoring leg may extend in the mating direction a and may further comprise an anchoring projection extending in the cable extension direction C, wherein the first abutment surface and/or the first bearing surface is provided on the anchoring projection. In the case where the anchor protrusion extending in the cable extending direction C is provided, the second moment of the area of the anchor leg can be further increased. Thereby, plastic deformation caused by pulling forces at the cable may be minimized. Thus, a more reliable electrical contact terminal and a more reliable electrical plug connector can be provided.

The anchoring leg may comprise at least one reinforcing element, wherein the reinforcing element may be a protruding element. In the case of the provision of at least one reinforcing element, the anchoring legs are less susceptible to plastic deformation, so that the permissible holding force can be further increased. The reinforcing element may be a raised element embossed into the anchor leg. In the case of a plurality of reinforcing elements, the elements can be embossed into the anchoring legs from different sides of the main plane of the anchoring legs. Thus, the overall stiffness of the anchor leg may be further increased.

The electrical contact terminal may further include a fixing plate portion including a second abutment surface, wherein the second abutment surface is a principal surface of the metal plate, and wherein a surface normal of the second abutment surface faces the cable extending direction C. Providing a second abutment surface further increases the allowable retention force and reduces the likelihood of undesired plastic deformation or displacement of the electrical contact terminal.

In particular, the second abutment surface may be arranged in close proximity to the mounting end of the electrical contact terminal. There may be only a single bend between the mounting end and the fixing plate portion comprising the second abutment surface. Thereby, a pulling force exerted on the cable connected to the mounting end of the electrical contact terminal may be directly transmitted to the housing and/or the cover of the plug connector, whereby displacement and plastic deformation of the electrical contact terminal may be further reduced, resulting in an increase in allowable retention force. The second abutment face may be adapted to abut an opposite abutment face of a housing or cover of the electrical plug connector if the electrical contact terminal is received within the respective electrical plug connector, as will be described in more detail below.

The fixing plate portion may include a test contact portion. The test contacts can be evaluated from the outside of the plug connector and can thus be used to monitor the correct coupling of the electrical plug connector comprising the electrical contact terminals with its counterpart. The provision of the test contact at the fixing plate portion does not affect the mating end or the shorting clip during monitoring. Thus, damage to these parts, for example due to incorrect test contacts, may be reduced.

The electrical contact terminal may further comprise a support protrusion arranged on a support end of the electrical contact terminal opposite the mounting end, wherein the support protrusion comprises a second support surface. The second bearing surface may be a cut surface of a metal plate. The surface normal of the second bearing surface faces the mating direction a. In the case of providing a second bearing surface adapted to be supported by a corresponding opposite bearing surface of the electrical plug, the electrical contact terminals can be positioned very accurately in the mating direction a within the electrical plug connector. In addition, in the case where the second bearing surface is provided on the bearing end portion of the electric contact terminal opposite to the mounting end portion, the electric contact terminal can be prevented from being undesirably inclined within the plug connector. Thereby, a reliable short-circuiting of the respective electrical contact terminals by the shorting clip can be provided.

Additionally, the mounting end may be a soldering end, and the mounting face may be adapted to be soldered to a cable end of the electrical cable.

Thus, the cable end can be soldered to the mounting surface of the mounting end, thereby providing good electrical conductivity and high mechanical strength. For example, the desired mechanical strength of the welded connection can be adjusted by changing the length of the mounting end and/or the welding zone. Thus, the allowable retention force in the cable direction C of the soldered cable may be selected to be below a threshold value, wherein the threshold value defines the point at which the electrical contact terminal will start to plastically deform or even break due to a pulling force applied to the soldered cable in the cable extension direction. Therefore, damage due to exceeding the holding force that would cause undesired deformation or breakage of the electric contact terminal can be prevented. Precisely, due to said exceeding of the holding force, the soldered connection will break and the electrical contact terminal remains intact.

In addition, the above object is achieved by an electrical plug connector of a safety restraint system, preferably an airbag ignition system. The electrical plug connector comprises at least a first and a second electrical contact terminal having at least some of the features as described above. In addition, the electrical plug connector comprises a housing having a receiving portion which at least partially receives the first electrical contact terminal and the second electrical contact terminal such that the shorting clip portion of the first electrical contact terminal and the shorting clip portion of the second electrical contact terminal form a shorting clip. The shorting clip shorts the electrical contact terminals if the electrical plug connector is in an uncoupled condition or an incorrectly coupled condition. The housing comprises at least one first opposing abutment surface and/or at least one first opposing bearing surface. The first opposing abutment surface abuts at least the first abutment surface of one of the electrical contact terminals. The first opposing bearing surface may support at least a first bearing surface of one of the electrical contact terminals.

As mentioned above, providing a first abutment surface and a first opposite abutment surface allows the allowable holding force to be increased. In addition, the electrical contact terminal can be positioned more accurately within the electrical plug connector in the cable extension direction C, thereby providing a more reliable short circuit.

Furthermore, the first abutment surface being a cut surface of the anchoring leg allows designing the anchoring leg with a high area second moment and is therefore less prone to plastic deformation due to a pulling force in the cable extension direction C at the cable. In addition, the provision of the first bearing surface and the first opposite bearing surface allows a precise positioning of the electrical contact terminal in the mating direction a within the electrical plug connector.

The housing further includes at least one second opposing bearing surface that supports at least a second bearing surface of one of the electrical contact terminals. The provision of the second bearing surface in the respective second, opposite bearing surface allows for an accurate positioning of the electrical contact terminal in the mating direction a within the electrical plug connector. Thereby, the mating end and/or the shorting clip can be precisely positioned, resulting in more reliable electrical contact between these parts.

The electrical plug connector may also include a cover coupled to the housing and covering the receptacle. The coupling may be achieved by any suitable means and may be reversible, for example by means of a locking element, or may be permanent, for example due to gluing or welding. The cover includes at least one positioning groove that at least partially receives the fixing plate portion of one of the electric contact terminals. In addition, the positioning groove may form a second opposing abutment surface that abuts a second abutment surface of the electric contact terminal whose fixing plate portion is received in the positioning groove.

The provision of the positioning groove allows the electrical contact terminal to be accurately positioned in the cable extending direction C. In addition, in the case of providing a second abutment surface and a corresponding second opposite abutment surface, the allowable holding force may be further increased and the possibility of undesired displacement or plastic deformation of the electrical contact terminal or even fracture of the electrical contact terminal may be reduced.

The cover may further include a clamping protrusion clamping the mounting end of the received electrical contact terminal with the housing. Upon coupling (clamping engagement) of the cover with the housing, the clamping projection clamps the mounting end of the received electrical contact terminal with the housing. The mounting end and/or the cable connected to the mounting end are thus mechanically fixed in the housing of the electrical plug connector. The pulling force provided at the cable is guided directly into the housing via the clamping engagement. Therefore, since the tensile force is directly guided to the housing without being transmitted through other portions of the electric contact terminal, the plastic deformation of the electric contact terminal can be effectively prevented.

The electrical plug connector may further comprise an auxiliary locking member which can be inserted into the housing of the electrical plug connector and which separates the short-circuit contacts between the at least two short-circuit clip parts forming the short-circuit clip once fully inserted into the housing of the plug connector. The provision of a secondary locking member, also referred to as a connector position assurance member (CPA), allows the correct insertion to be monitored electrically or electronically. This is because the CPA can be inserted into the housing only if the plug connector and the corresponding counterpart connector are correctly coupled to each other, and thus only the shorting contact is separated (i.e., the shorting clip is disconnected).

The shorting contact between the at least two shorting clip portions forming the shorting clip may be adapted to be separated due to mechanical contact with a separator device of the counterpart connector once the plug connector is correctly coupled with the corresponding counterpart connector. This allows the contact between the shorting clips to be automatically separated. Thus, the insertion of the plug connector is facilitated and no additional parts, such as CPA members, are necessary. In addition, proper insertion can be monitored electrically or electronically.

The electrical plug connector may be free of ferrite elements. Thus, the overall size of the electrical plug connector may be reduced. The length of the electrical plug connector (in the cable extension direction C) may be in the range of 19mm to 23mm, preferably in the range of 19.5mm to 21mm, most preferably in the range of 20mm to 20.5 mm.

In addition, the above object is achieved by a method of assembling an electrical plug connector as described above. The method comprises the following steps:

providing at least two electrical contact terminals;

providing a housing; and is

Inserting the electrical contact terminals into the receptacles of the housing such that the shorting clip portion of the first electrical contact terminal and the shorting clip portion of the second electrical contact terminal form a shorting clip, the shorting clip shorting the electrical contact terminals if the electrical plug connector is in an uncoupled condition or an incorrectly coupled condition, and such that the first opposing abutment surface of the housing abuts at least the first abutment surface of one of the electrical contact terminals.

Drawings

The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 shows a schematic exploded view of an electrical plug connector;

figure 2A shows a schematic perspective view of the electrical plug connector with the cover and CPA removed;

FIG. 2B shows a schematic perspective view of the electrical plug connector;

fig. 3 shows a schematic top view (in the mating direction) of two adjacent electrical contact terminals connected to a cable;

fig. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of two adjacent electrical contact terminals;

fig. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of a single electrical contact terminal;

figure 6 shows a schematic cross-section of the electrical plug connector cut through a first opposite abutment face of the housing;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrical plug connector cut through a gripping tab of a cover;

figure 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of an electrical plug connector cut through the positioning groove of the cover, an

Figure 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a transversely cut electrical plug connector.

List of reference symbols

10 electric plug connector

100 auxiliary locking member (CPA)

200 cover

226 grip tab

250 positioning groove

252 second opposing abutment surface

400 casing

444 first opposite abutment surface

445 first opposite bearing surface

475 second opposite bearing surface

500a, b electrical contact terminal

510a, b mating ends

512a, b contact surface

520a, b mounting end

526a, b mounting surface

530 short circuit clip

530a, b shorting clip

532a short circuit surface

534a, b flexible arm

540a anchoring leg

542a anchoring projection

544a first contact surface

545a, b first bearing surface

547a, b Reinforcement element

550a, b fixing plate part

552a second abutment surface

553a test contact

555a holding part

561a first bending part

562a second bend

563a third bend

564a fourth bend

565a fifth bend

566a sixth bend

570a, b support protrusions

575a, b second bearing surface

600a, b cable

626 stripped cable end

A direction of engagement

C direction of cable extension

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic exploded view of an electrical connector 10. The plug connector includes a housing 400. The housing 400 has a receiving portion adapted to at least partially receive the first electrical contact terminal 500a and the second electrical contact terminal 500 b. These terminals 500a, 500b will be described in more detail with reference to fig. 4 and 5.

The electrical contact terminals 500a, 500b are electrically connected to the cables 600a, 600 b. After being received within the housing, the housing 400 may be covered by the cover 200, wherein the cover 200 is coupled to the housing 400, for example, by a locking device. Alternatively, the housing may be permanently fixed to the cover, for example by gluing or welding. In addition, the electrical plug connector 10 comprises an auxiliary locking member 100 (also referred to as a connector position assurance member (CPA)). The auxiliary locking member 100 can be inserted into the cover 200 and the housing 400 of the plug connector 10. Once fully inserted into the housing 400, the auxiliary locking member 100 may disengage to form a shorting contact between at least two shorting clip portions 530a, 530b of the shorting clip 530 (see fig. 3).

Fig. 2A shows a housing 400 of the electrical plug connector 10, wherein the electrical contact terminals 500a, 500b are received within the housing. The respective cable 600a, 600b coupled with each of the electrical contact terminals 500a, 500b is received within a cable groove of the housing 400 and extends in a cable extension direction C, wherein the cable extension direction C faces away from the housing 400 of the plug connector 10.

Figure 2B is a schematic perspective view of the electrical plug connector 10 as described with reference to figures 1 and 2A. The housing 400 is covered by the cover 200, and the secondary locking member (CPA)100 is inserted into the housing 400 and the cover 200. In the configuration shown in fig. 2B, the electrical plug connector 10 is in an uncoupled condition or an incorrectly coupled condition, and the auxiliary locking member 100 is unlocked. It can be seen that the secondary locking member 100 is protruding from the rear of the electrical plug connector 10 (from the rear of the cover 200, respectively). The secondary locking member CPA 100 may be further inserted into the housing and will be substantially flush with the back of the cover 200 provided the plug connector is properly connected to the counterpart. Thus, there is visual feedback for proper coupling of the plug connector 10. In addition, since the CPA 100 will break the shorting contact of the shorting clip 530 between the first electrical contact terminal 500a and the second electrical contact terminal 500b, proper coupling can be electrically or electronically monitored.

Fig. 3 shows a perspective top view (in the mating direction a) of two adjacent electrical contact terminals 500a, 500 b. The configuration shown in fig. 3 corresponds to the configuration of the electrical contact terminals within the housing 400 of the plug connector 10. Here, the shorting clip 530a of the first electrical contact terminal 500a electrically contacts the shorting clip 530b of the electrical contact terminal 500b via the shorting plane, thereby shorting the terminals. The shorting clip can be opened if the electrical plug connector 10 is properly coupled to its counterpart.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic perspective view of two adjacent electrical contact terminals 500a, 500 b. The contact terminal 500a is shown in more detail in a perspective view in fig. 5. Generally, the first electrical contact terminal 500a is formed symmetrically to the electrical contact terminal 500 b. Accordingly, the features of the electrical contact terminal will now be described with reference to fig. 5. All features of the electrical contact terminal 500a are referenced with a reference numeral bearing a lower case letter "a". However, all these features are also present in the second electrical contact terminal 500 b. Like features have like reference numerals, wherein the features of the first electrical contact terminal are labeled with a lower case letter "a" and the features of the second electrical contact terminal 500b are labeled with a lower case letter "b".

Fig. 5 shows a schematic perspective view of a single electrical contact terminal 500 a. The following description is valid for the second electric contact terminal 500b, respectively. The electrical contact terminal 500a includes a mating end 510a for electrically contacting and receiving an electrical contact (such as a contact pin) of a corresponding mating connector. The mating end 510a includes a contact face 512a, the contact face 512a making electrical contact with a corresponding electrical contact pin of a corresponding counterpart connector if the plug connector is electrically coupled to the corresponding counterpart connector. The contact surface 512a may be plated with a Ni-containing alloy and/or an Au-containing alloy to improve the electrical conductivity of the electrical contact and provide oxidation resistance.

The extension of the mating end defines a mating direction a of the electrical contact terminals 500a and thus of the electrical plug connector. In the upper part, the mating end 510a has a substantially cylindrical form, wherein the first bend 561a extends transversely. The first bent portion 561a connects the fitting end portion 510a with the supporting protrusion 570 a. The supporting protrusion 570a is disposed on a supporting end of the electric contact terminal 500a, particularly, opposite to the mounting end 520 a. The support protrusion 570a includes a second support surface 575a as a cut surface of the metal plate. The surface normal of the second support surface 575a faces the fitting direction. The second rest surface 575a may be supported by a second, opposite rest surface of the electrical plug connector, thereby defining the position of the electrical contact terminal 500a within the plug connector housing 400 in the mating direction a (see fig. 6).

The supporting protrusion 570a is connected with the shorting clip 530a of the electric contact terminal 500a via the second and third bent portions 562a and 563 a. The shorting clip 530a includes a flexible arm 534a and a shorting face 532 a. In addition, the flexible arms 534a provide a contact force that closes the shorting clip 530 and maintains the shorting clip 530 in a closed condition, for example, under external forces (such as vibration).

In addition, the electrical contact terminal 500a includes an anchor leg 540a separate from the flexible arm 534 a. The main plane of the anchoring leg 540a may be arranged parallel to the mating direction a and the cable extending direction C defined by the extending direction of the mounting end 520a of the electrical contact terminal 500 a. The anchor leg 540a extends in the mating direction a and includes an anchor projection 542 a. The anchor projections 542a extend in the cable direction C.

The first abutment surface 544a is provided at the anchor projection 542a, and is a cut surface of the metal plate. A surface normal of the first abutment surface 544a faces the cable extending direction C. Thus, the stiffness of the anchor leg 540a in the direction of the cable extension direction C can be designed by designing the shape of the anchor leg 540a, since the stiffness depends on the second moment of the area of the anchor leg and thus the cut or punched design of the anchor leg 540 a.

In addition, the anchoring protrusion 542a includes a first bearing face 545a, and the first bearing face 545a may be supported by a first opposite bearing face 445 of the plug connector housing 400 (see fig. 6), thereby accurately positioning the electrical contact terminal 500a in the mating direction a. By providing the first and second bearing surfaces 545a, 575a, the electrical contact terminal 500a may be prevented from being undesirably tilted within the housing of the plug connector. Additionally, the anchor leg 540a may include a reinforcing element 547a provided in the form of a raised element. These raised elements may be on different sides of the anchor leg 540a, thereby further strengthening the anchor leg.

The electric contact terminal 500a further includes a fixing plate portion 550a, and the fixing plate portion 550a is connected to the anchoring leg 540a via a fourth bent portion 564a and a fifth bent portion 565 a. The fixing plate portion 550a includes a second abutment surface 522a formed by a main surface of the metal plate. The surface normal of the second abutment surface 552a faces the cable extending direction C. The second abutment surface is adapted to abut a second opposite abutment surface 252 of the cover 200 of the plug connector 10, thereby increasing the allowable extension force (see fig. 9).

The mounting end portion 520a of the electric contact terminal 500a is connected to the fixing plate portion 550a via the sixth bent portion 566 a. Thus, the fixing plate portion 550a is disposed in close proximity to the mounting end portion 520a of the electric contact terminal 500 a. Thereby, a pulling force exerted on the cable or the mounting end 520a may be guided to the cover 200 and/or the housing 400 of the plug connector 10 via the second abutment surface 552a of the fixing plate portion 550 a. Therefore, the electric contact terminal 500a is less susceptible to undesired displacement, plastic deformation, and breakage.

The securing plate portion 550a may include a test contact 553a, and the test contact 553a may be electrically contacted, for example, to monitor proper coupling of the electrical plug connector, as described above. In addition, the securing plate portion 550a may include a grip portion 555a, the grip portion 555a for gripping the electrical contact terminal 500a during the assembly process. With the provision of the unique grip 555a, no electrically function-related parts need to be gripped, such as the mating end, mounting end or shorting clip, thereby reducing the risk of negatively affecting the mounting face 526a, contact face 512a and/or shorting face 532a of the electrical contact terminal 500 a.

In addition, the electrical contact terminal 500a, and particularly the mounting end 520a, includes a mounting face 526a that may be plated with an Sn-containing alloy. As shown in fig. 3, the mounting face 526a may be soldered to a cable end 626a of the cable 600 a.

Hereinafter, reference numerals without a lower case letter "a" or "b" are used. Therefore, the following description is valid for the first electric contact terminal and the second electric contact terminal. Fig. 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical plug connector 10 cut through the first opposite abutment surface 445 of the housing 400 of the plug connector 10.

As shown in fig. 6, the first abutment surface 545 of the electrical contact terminal 500 abuts the first opposite abutment surface 445 of the housing 400. Therefore, in case a pulling force is applied to the cable 600 in the cable extending direction C, the first abutment face 545 serves to guide the pulling force to the housing 400 of the plug connector 10. Thus, the likelihood of undesired displacement, deformation or breakage of the electrical terminal may be reduced, and the allowable retention force may be increased.

In addition, the first abutment surface allows for a precise positioning of the electrical contact terminal 500 within the housing 400 in the cable extension direction C. In addition, the first seating surface 545 of the electric contact terminal 500 is supported by the first opposite seating surface 445 of the case 400, thereby precisely positioning the electric contact terminal 500 in the fitting direction a. On the front end of the electric contact terminal 500, a support protrusion 570 is provided to have a second support surface 575. The second bearing surface 575 is supported by a second opposing bearing surface 475 of the housing 400. Therefore, the electric contact terminal is accurately positioned in the housing in the fitting direction a, and the terminal 500 can be prevented from being inclined.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical plug connector 10 cut through the grip tabs 226 of the cover 200. In case the cover 200 is coupled to the housing 400, the clamping protrusions 226 clamp the mounting end 520 (the mounting surface 526, respectively) and the cable end 626 of the cable 600 connected thereto with the cover 200. A pulling force applied to the cable 600 in the cable extending direction C can be guided to the housing and/or the cover via the clamping protrusions 226, whereby a displacement, plastic deformation or fracture of the electrical contact terminal can be effectively avoided.

Fig. 8 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical plug connector 10 cut through the positioning groove 250 of the cover 200. The positioning groove 250 at least partially receives the fixing plate portions 550a, 550b of the respective electric contact terminals 500a, 500 b. The cover 200 may include a single detent 250 or separate detents. The positioning groove 250 forms a second opposite abutment surface 252, the second opposite abutment surface 252 abutting against a second abutment surface 552 of the electric contact terminal 500, the fixing plate portion 550 of the electric contact terminal 500 being received in the positioning groove 250. Thereby, the allowable holding force may be further increased, and the possibility of undesired displacement, deformation, or breakage of the electric contact terminal 500 may be reduced. In addition, the test contacts 553a and 553b are accessible through corresponding openings in the housing 400, thereby allowing the correct coupling of the electrical plug connector to be monitored electrically or electronically.

Fig. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the electrical plug connector 10, wherein the housing is not shown. As depicted in fig. 9, the fixing plate portion 550 of the electric contact terminal 500 is received within the positioning groove 250 of the cover, and the second abutment surface 552 abuts the second opposing abutment surface 252 of the cover 200.