EP2779318A1

EP2779318A1 - Method for assembling an electrical connector and electrical connector

Info

Publication number: EP2779318A1
Application number: EP13158658.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Vedran Mahovic; Tvrtko Rebic
Original assignee: Yazaki Europe Ltd
Current assignee: Yazaki Europe Ltd
Priority date: 2013-03-11
Filing date: 2013-03-11
Publication date: 2014-09-17

Abstract

Method for assembling an electrical connector 1 the connector comprising
a housing 2; and
at least one receiving arrangement in the housing 2 comprising a channel 14 extending in the housing 2 parallel to a longitudinal axis L, a wire 13, having a conductor 27 and an insulation 29, and a terminal 15;
wherein the terminal 15 has a stop face 23 to be supported against a support face 21 of the housing 2;
the method comprising the steps of:
inserting the wire 13 in axial direction through the channel 14 from a back side 4 of the housing 2 until a front end 30 of the wire 13 projects out of the channel 14 on the front side 3 of the housing 2;
connecting the terminal 15 to the conductor 27; and
pulling back the wire 13 until the stop face 23 of the terminal 15 is supported against the support face 21 of the housing 2.

Description

The invention relates to a method for assembling an electrical connector and to such an electrical connector. The invention relates particularly to a high-speed data connector preferably for use in the automotive sector. The requirements for high-speed data connection systems are increasing greatly. These requirements are being driven by the growth and complexity of telematic and information applications being introduced, especially in the automotive sector.
High-speed data connection systems have to transmit high frequencies. In order to avoid signal reflections between different wires resulting in losses in the signal, the impedance, describing the current/voltage ratio, along the entire signal propagation direction shall be constant. Due to mechanic reasons usually the impedance of a connector is different from the impedance of a cable. The impedance is largely defined by the connector geometry, the distance between the contact terminals and the dielectric constant. In order to achieve a constant impedance in the cable the wires of the cable are twisted inside an outer covering of the cable. However, the wires are untwisted within the connector. This can result in a change of the characteristic impedance in the region of the connector. If the characteristic impedance of the transmission system is not uniform, a loss in adaptation is observed. In particular, this problem occurs when high frequency currents are conveyed. Losses in the signals can occur by reflection.
In order to avoid these problems EP 1 193 812 B1 proposes to have a connector with a body and an insulator being inserted within the body. The insulator has channels for receiving at one end the wires and at another end terminals wherein the wires and the terminals are electrically connected. The terminals together with the wires are inserted in a radial direction into the channels. Therefore, the channels are radially open to an outer circumferential surface of the insulator. The body is formed as a sleeve with the cylindrical insulator being inserted in this sleeve-like body in an axial direction. To ensure that via the complete transmission system the impedance is nearly the same, the channels are arranged symmetrically with regard to a longitudinal axis of said cylindrical insulator, according to a characteristic impedance of the cable.
Other connectors having an insulator with radially open channels for inserting terminals in radial direction are disclosed in EP 0 444 478 A1 and EP 1 825 575 B1 . Both publications disclose connectors having a body in which the insulator together with the terminals is inserted.
Object of the present invention is to provide a method for assembling a connector and such a connector having less parts and enabling an easy method for assembling.
The object is solved by a method according to claim 1 and a connector according to claim 5. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent subclaims.
The invention is directed to a method for assembling an electrical connector wherein the connector comprises a housing and at least one receiving arrangement comprising a channel extending in the housing parallel to a longitudinal axis, a wire, having a conductor and an insulation, and a terminal. The receiving arrangement is provided in the housing. In contrary to the prior art the connector does not have separate elements such as a central insulator being mounted to a sleeve-like outer body. Since the channels extend in an axial direction through the housing the terminals have to be inserted in axial direction. The channels are radially closed and just have an opening at a front end and an opening at a back end of the housing for inserting the a terminal and a wire, respectively. Further, in order to provide for a simple terminal design without any elastic lances on the terminal to secure the terminal within the housing the terminal has to be inserted into the channel in an axial direction from the front side of the housing until a stop face of the terminal comes into supporting contact to a supporting face of the housing. In addition, the wires have to be inserted from the back side of the housing in an axial direction into the channels. This results to the requirement that before the terminal be contacted to the conductor of the wire, the wire has to be passed through the channel of the housing. Afterwards, the terminal can be connected to the conductor of the wire. Preferably, the wire is passed through the channel with a front side of the wire being completely insulated, i.e. the insulation of the front end of the wire is not stripped off the conductor. This makes the step of inserting the wire into the channel easier. The insulation can be stripped off the conductor after the wire has been pushed and passed through the channel. However, alternatively, the insulation of the wire at the front end can be stripped-off prior pushing them through the channel. As soon as the terminal has been connected to the conductor of the wire, the wire is being pulled back until the terminal is supported against the support face of the housing.
Inserting the terminal means, that at least a part of the terminal is received within the channel. The terminal partly projects out of the channel. Alternatively, the entire terminal can be received within the channel without a part of the terminal projecting out of the channel. The wire, inserted into the channel, is received with a front end within the channel while a back end of the wire leads out of the channel at the back side of the housing.
In order to protect the terminal against outer influences avoiding for example a deformation of the terminal, a front cover can be provided which is mounted to a front side of the housing and which covers the terminal and the channel. The front cover additionally makes sure that the terminals cannot moved out of the channels. The front cover is a stop against movement in a direction opposite to the insertion direction of the terminals. In order to enable the insertion of a counter-terminal into the housing to make contact with the terminal the front cover has an opening in alignment to the channel through which the counter-terminal can be passed through. The opening being part of the receiving arrangement.
Preferably, the terminal is connected to the conductor by crimping. Alternatively the terminal can be soldered or connected to the conductor by any other well known method.
The electrical connector comprises connection means on the housing for connecting the housing to a counter-connector. The means can be for instance locking arms projecting from an outer circumferential surface of the housing and which can be locked to locking means of a counter-connector, such like outer projections or notches of the counter-connector. The at least one receiving arrangement is arranged in a channel portion of the housing wherein the housing comprising the channel portion and the means for connecting the housing to a counter-connector is formed integrally in one piece. This reduces the number of parts of the electrical connector resulting in a simpler design and in a less complex assembly.
Preferably, a front cover is mounted to the housing at the front side of the housing and the receiving arrangement comprises an opening in the front cover in alignment with the channel. The opening enables a counter-terminal to be inserted through the opening reaching into the housing in order to come into electrical contact with the terminal.
The wire can be inserted into the channel from a back side of the housing. The terminal can be inserted into the channel from a front side of the housing, i.e. from an opposite side than the wire.
The terminal may have a contact portion to be mated with a counter-terminal for electrical connection and a connection portion to be connected to the conductor of the wire. The conductor of the wire can be crimped, soldered or in other well known manner be connected to the connection portion.
The terminal may have at least one projection, preferably in form of an annular flange, defining the stop face. The projection is arranged on an outer surface of the terminal projecting in a substantial radial direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the terminal.
The contact portion and the connection portion may be arranged on opposite sides of the at least one projection.
The channel may have a radial step defining the support face. This radial step can be formed in the transition between two channel portions having different dimensions in a radial direction. The channel may be circular in cross-section. The step may extend partially or entirely around a circumference of the channel and around the terminal.
The terminal may project out of the channel on the front side of the housing.
The front cover may have a receiving chamber receiving and radially supporting the terminal, in particular, the part of the terminal that projects out of the channel of the housing. The receiving chamber and the channel are aligned to each other and are receiving the terminal together.
Preferably, a plurality of receiving arrangements is provided, for example four receiving arrangements. The receiving arrangements are further preferably arranged, viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, on a circle and being distributed equidistant.
A preferred embodiment is described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the connector 1 according to the invention;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the connector 1, and
Figure 3 a front view of the connector 1.

The connector 1 comprises a one-piece housing 2 with a front side 3 and a back side 4. At the front side 3 the housing 2 has a front portion 5. It has a substantially cylindrical shape. The front portion 5 has an elastic locking arm 6 on its outer circumference. The front portion 5 is adapted to be inserted into a receptacle of a counter-connector, e.g. in the form of a socket (not shown). The locking arm 6 can be locked to the counter-connector by a cam 7 on the outside of the locking arm 6, wherein the cam 7 can be locked into a locking notch of the counter-connector.
The front portion 6 has a cavity 8 open to the front side 3 of the housing 2 and being centered relative to a longitudinal axis L of the housing 2. The cavity 8 receives a front cover 9 which has a cavity 10 open to the front side 3 of the housing 2 and being centered relative to the longitudinal axis L. The cavity 10 of the front cover 9 can receive a portion of the counter-connector having counter-terminals.
The front cover 9 is provided with four openings 11 each for passing through one counter-terminal.
On the back side 4 of the housing 2 a cable 12 is provided comprising four wires 13 being twisted. Each wire 13 is inserted from the back side 4 of the housing 2 into channels 14 of the housing 2. The channels 14 are located in a channel portion 26 of the housing 2. The channels 14 penetrate the housing 2 from the back side 4 to the front side 3 and are open towards the cavity 8 of the front portion 5 of the housing 2. Further, the connector 1 comprises four terminals 15 inserted from the front side 3 of the housing 2 into the channels 14 and being connected to conductors 27 of the wires 13. Each channel receives, at least partly, one terminal and one wire being connected to said terminal.
The terminals 15 are partly inserted into the channels 14 and project over a bottom face 18, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L, of the cavity 8 of the front portion 5 into the cavity 8. The front cover 9 has a covering portion 16 with receiving chambers 17 for each of the terminals 15 so that the parts of the terminals 15 which project out of the channels 14 and into the cavity 8 are received within the receiving chambers 17 of the front cover 9. Each of the openings 11 is aligned with one of the channels 14 so that a counter-terminal can be inserted into the opening 11 into the receiving chamber 17 in order to get into electrical contact with the terminals 15.
The channels 14 each have a first part 19 open to the front side 3 of the housing 2 and a second part 20 open to the back side 4 of the housing 2. The first part 19 of the channels 14 has a greater diameter than the second part 20 so that between the first part 19 and the second part 20 the step is formed defining a support face 21 facing in the direction of the front side 3. The terminals 15 each have a flange 22 having a ring-shape outer circumference. The flange 22 defining a stop face 23 facing the support face 21 of the housing 2. In the position as shown in Figure 2 the stop face 23 of the terminals 15 is in supporting contact to the support face 21 of the channels 14 so that the terminals 15 cannot be pushed further into the channel 14 from the front side 3.
One of the terminals 15 is shown in more detail in Figure 4. The terminal 15 has a connection portion 24 for connecting the terminal 15 to a conductor 27 of one of the wires 13. The connection portion 24 is formed as a crimping portion for crimping the terminal 15 to the conductor 27. However, alternatively the connection portion 24 can also be a portion for soldering the terminal 15 to the conductor 27 or to connect the terminal 15 in another well known manner to the conductor 27.
Further, the terminal 15 has a contact portion 25 in the form of a hollow tube. At the end of the terminal 15 directed towards the front side 3 spring arms 28 are provided. A counter-terminal of the socket connector can be inserted into the hollow terminal 15 from a front side and between the spring arms 28 wherein the spring arms 28 are clamping the counter-terminal.
The terminal further has a flange 22 formed into the tube like portion of the terminal 15. Hence, the flange 22 provides for a very robust solution for locking the terminal 15 within the channel 14, by supporting the stop face 23 of the flange 22 against the support face 21 of the housing. The connection portion 24 and the contact portion 25 are arranged on opposite sides of the flange 22.
The housing 2 has a one-piece design, that means the channel portion 26 of the housing 2 is integral with the locking arm 6, which locking arm 6 is a means for connecting the housing 2 to a counter-connector (socket connector). Preferably, the housing 2 is molded from a resin material in one-piece so that the connector 1 has a low number of components and can be produced less expansive. In addition, there is no need for assembling a high number of components.
Figures 5 to 11 show the method for assembling the electrical connector. In a first step (Figure 5) the single wires 13 are pushed through the channels 14 from the back side 4 of the housing 2 until they project out of the channels 14 on the front side 3 of the housing 2. The wires 13 each have a central conductor 27 and an insulation 29 surrounding the conductor 27. Preferably, the single wires 13 are pushed through the channels 14 with the insulation covering the conductor 27 on a front end 30 of the wire 13 which projects out of the channels 14. After all wires 13 have been pushed through the channels 14 (Figure 6) the insulation is being stripped off the conductors 27 at the front ends 30 of the wires 13 (Figure 7). Then the terminals 15 are connected with the conductors 27 of the wires 13, for instance by crimping (Figure 8). Afterwards, the wires 13 are pulled back into the channels 14 until the stop faces 23 of the terminals 15 come into contact to the support faces 21 of the channels 14 (Figure 9). When all of the wires 13 have been pulled back the front cover 9 is mounted into the cavity 8 of the front portion 5 of the housing 2 (Figure 10).

At the end the wires 13 are twisted closely together. For cost optimization a shielding around the twisted wires can be omitted.

Reference numerals

1	connector
2	housing
3	front side
4	back side
5	front portion
6	locking arm
7	cam
8	cavity
9	front cover
10	cavity
11	opening
12	cable
13	wire
14	channel
15	terminal
16	covering portion
17	receiving chamber
18	bottom face
19	first part
20	second part
21	support face
22	flange
23	stop face
24	connection portion
25	contact portion
26	channel portion
27	conductor
28	spring arm
29	insulation
30	front end
L	longitudinal axis

Claims

Method for assembling an electrical connector (1) the connector comprising a housing (2); and
at least one receiving arrangement in the housing (2) comprising a channel (14) extending in the housing (2) parallel to a longitudinal axis (L), a wire (13), having a conductor (27) and an insulation (29), and a terminal (15); wherein the terminal (15) has a stop face (23) to be supported against a support face (21) of the housing (2);
the method comprising the steps of:
inserting the wire (13) in axial direction through the channel (14) from a back side (4) of the housing (2) until a front end (30) of the wire (13) projects out of the channel (14) on the front side (3) of the housing (2);

connecting the terminal (15) to the conductor (27); and

pulling back the wire (13) until the stop face (23) of the terminal (15) is supported against the support face (21) of the housing (2).
Method according to claims 1,
characterized in
that a front cover (9) is mounted to a front side (3) of the housing (2).
Method according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in
that after the wire (13) has been passed through the channel (14) the insulation (29) is stripped off the conductor (27) at the front end (30) of the wire (13).
Method according to any one of the preceding claims,
characterized in
that the terminal (15) is connected to the conductor (27) by crimping.
Electrical connector comprising:
a housing (2) with connection means (6) for connecting the housing (2) to a counter-connector; and

at least one receiving arrangement in a channel portion (26) of the housing (2) the receiving arrangement comprising a channel (14) extending parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) within the housing (2), a wire (13) inserted into the channel (14) in axial direction and a terminal (15) connected to the wire (13) and inserted into the channel (14) in axial direction;

wherein the terminal (15) has a stop face (23) supported against a support face (21) of the housing (2) and

wherein the housing (2) comprising the channel portion (26) and the means (6) for connecting the housing (2) to a counter-connector is formed integrally in one piece.
Electrical connector according to claims 5,
characterized in
that a front cover (9) is mounted to the housing (2) at the front side (3) of the housing (2),
that the receiving arrangement further comprises an opening (11) in the front cover (9) in alignment with the channel (14).
Electrical connector according to any one of claims 5 or 6,
characterized in
that the wire (13) is inserted into the channel (14) from a back side (4) of the housing (2).
Electrical connector according to any one of claims 5 to 7,
characterized in
that terminal (15) is inserted into the channel (14) from a front side (3) of the housing (2).
Electrical connector according to any one of claims 5 to 8,
characterized in
that the terminal (15) has a contact portion (25) to be mated with a counter-terminal for electrical connection and a connection portion (24) to be connected to the conductor (27) of the wire (13).
Electrical connector according to any one of claims 5 to 9,
characterized in
that the terminal (15) has at least one projection, preferably in form of an annular flange (22), defining the stop face (23).
Electrical connector according to claims 10,
characterized in
that the contact portion (25) and the connection portion (24) are arranged on opposite sides of the at least one projection (22).
Electrical connector according to any one of claims 5 to 11,
characterized in
that the channel (14) has a radial step defining the support face (21).
Electrical connector according to any one of claims 5 to 12,
characterized in
that the terminal (15) projects out of the channel (14) on the front side (3) of the housing (2).
Electrical connector according to claims 13,
characterized in
that the front cover (9) has a receiving chamber (17) receiving and radially supporting the part of the terminal (15) that projects out of the channel (14) of the housing (2).
Electrical connector according to claims 14,
characterized in
that the receiving chamber (17) and the channel (14) are in alignment to each other.
Electrical connector according to any one of claims 5 to 15,
characterized in
that a plurality of receiving arrangements is provided.