GB2282013A

GB2282013A - Current connector for a multicore cable

Info

Publication number: GB2282013A
Application number: GB9417397A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gregor Zeller; Helmut Bonn
Original assignee: Petri AG
Current assignee: Petri AG
Priority date: 1993-08-30
Filing date: 1994-08-30
Publication date: 1995-03-22
Anticipated expiration: 2014-08-30
Also published as: DE4329117A1; FR2709609A1; JP3411943B2; BR9403354A; GB9417397D0; JPH07169545A; GB2282013B; DE4329117C2; FR2709609B1

Description

2282013 A CURRENT CONNECTOR FOR A MULTICORE CABLE The present invention

relates to an electrical connector for a multicore cable, in particular for a cable used in an electrical rotary connection comprising a stator and a rotor.

Current connectors of this type are especially used in the construction of automotive vehicles to establish an electrically conductive connection between the terminals of a steering wheel and a connector for rotary conduction disposed in the steering column. Such connections can present great problems, since a plurality of functions, for example the direction indicator and the windscreen wiper or the like, in addition to the signal horn, are to be controlled from the steering wheel. Further, problems arise if a shock-preventing airbag safety system is installed.

In known current connectors of this type, the wires or lines to be connected are selectively either provided with a bush and a pin plug or are directly soldered together. In such case, there is the particular disadvantage that the type of connection has to be determined at the actual time when the connection element is manufactured, i.e. either the user is bound by the type of connection prescribed by the manufacturer, or the manufacturer is obliged to produce and store a relatively large number of different connectors.

An object of the present invention is to provide a current connector of the described type, which permits the manufacturing process to be standardised and easily permits the manufacturer or user to adjust the connection element subsequently either f or a plug-in connection or for a soldered connection.

According to the present invention there is provided a current connector for a multicore cable which extends in a housing, the connector being connectable in the region of a wall of the housing to a plurality of wires which extend outwardly to a current source or to a consuming device, said connector comprising: on the one hand, a bush in which a plurality of tubular pins are loosely retained, each of said pins being connectable to a respective conductor wire, and, on the other hand, by a plug in the f orm of a cover housing having an external dimension corresponding to the internal dimension of the bush, a plurality of insert pins being retained with tight fitting- in said plug, said insert pins being insertable into the tubular pins, each insert pin being connectable to a respective conductor wire of said multicore cable.

Further details of the present invention are explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view through an electrical rotary connector having current connectors according to the invention; Fig. 2 illustrates a current connector after the bush and the plug have been joined together; and Fig. 3 is a view of the current connector illustrated in Fig. 2 prior to joining of the bush and the plug.

The current connector illustrated in Fig. 1 is 01 1 particularly intended for use with a multicore cable 3 (a wire with several, separately insulated cores). The cable 3, shown as a ribbon cable, extends in a housing, for example in an electrical rotary connection comprising a stator 1 (mountable on the steering column) and a rotor 2 (mountable ' on the steering wheel). As shown in Fig. 1, cable 3 lies in a coil around rotor 2. Cable 3 is of such a length that it can f ollow the movement of the steering wheel, which is usually about 3 turns to either side. Cable 3 establishes a connection between two terminals, which are disposed in the stator 1 and rotor 2 respectively and are connected to a current source, or respectively a consuming device, by means of an external and an internal wire.

The connector comprises, on the one hand, a bush 4, in which tubular pins 6 are f reely retained, said pins, for their part, each forming endpieces of a conductor wire 5 - see also Figs. 2 and 3. The bush serves to accommodate a plug in the form of a cover housing 8, 9, which has an external dimension corresponding to the internal dimension of the bush 4, insert pins 10 being retained with precise fitting in said plug and being insertable into the tubular pins 6, each insert pin being connectable to a respective conductor wire.

The elements of the connector may be mounted at any stage in the process for manufacturing the electrical rotary connector so that, depending on the particular technical requirements, the finishing process can even be postponed until the time of final assembly, and the connection may be effected, as desired, by direct soldering or by a plug-in connection. For such purpose, on the one hand only the bush needs to be mounted as a result of the conductor wires 5 being clamped or soldered 4 - to the tubular pins 6 and, on the other hand, the plug 8/9 needs to be clipped onto the counter conductor 7, then these elements are joined together to form the unit - illustrated in Fig. 2. In such case, the insert pins 10 may be mounted in the housing as separate elements or - if they are sufficiently strong - they may be formed by the conductor wire itself, which is exposed as a result of being stripped.

The housing of the stator 1, or respectively of the rotor 2, is advantageously provided with a means for retaining the bush 4, or respectively the plug 8, 9, in a force- or form-locking manner. The housing 8 and the housing cover 9 are also interconnected by means of a film hinge 12 and are provided with clip-in locking bars or detents 13 and 14. This arrangement considerably simplifies mounting of the appropriate conductor end. It is sufficient for the conductor to be inserted into the opened housing, for the partially stripped wires to be connected to the insert pins, and f or the cover 9 to be clipped onto the housing 8 after its inversion by means of the film hinge 12. To aid connection of the wires of cable 18 to the insert pins a printed circuit board or boards acting as a terminal board may be provided (where insert pins 10 are shown in dashed lines).

Insulating webs 16 and separating webs 17 are provided in the bush 4 and the plug 8, 9 respectively. The webs 16/17 ensure that the conductors are retained in an electrically insulated manner and simultaneously define the plug-in movement so that, when the component parts are joined together, the insulating webs 16 and the bush itself lie against the separating webs 17 and in this manner, on the one hand, they define the plug-in depth and, on the other hand., they form closed channels which prevent current from flowing to an adjacent 1 conductor.

The anti-buckling clamp 18 is required for connectors f or current conduction of this type and, when it is mounted directly on the plug 8/9, both the manufacturing process and the assembly process, which can be particularly costly are considerably simplified.

Claims

1. A current connector f or a multicore cable which extends in a housing, the connector being connectable in the region of a wall of the housing to a plurality of wires which _extend outwardly to a current source or to a consuming device, said connector comprising: on the one hand, a bush in which a plurality of tubular pins are loosely retained, each of said pins being connectable to a respective conductor wire, and, on the other hand, by a plug in the f orm of a cover housing having an external dimension corresponding to the internal dimension of the bush, a plurality of insert pins being retained with tight fitting in said plug, said insert pins being insertable into the tubular pins, each insert pin being connectable to a respective conductor wire of said multicore cable.

2. A current connector as claimed in claim wherein the housing, comprising a stator and a rotor, is provided with a means respectively the plug, manner.

for retaining the bush or in a force- or form-locking

3. A current connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the insert pins are each f ormed by a respective conductor wire of said multicore cable.

4. A current connector as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein receiving means for establishing a connection with the conductor wires of the multicore cable are disposed in the interior of the cover housing.

5. A current connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the or each said receiving means is a printed circuit board.

i i 3

6. A current connector as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the housing and the housing cover are connected by means of a film hinge and are provided with clip-in locking bars.

7. A currenit connector as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the bush and the plug are provided with insulating web, which simultaneously act jointly as a stop means, i.e. as a means for defining the plug-in movement.

8. A current connector as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the bush, or respectively the plug is provided with an anti-buckling clamp, which abuts against the outgoing line.

9. A current connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.