Appliance inlet

Details Appliance inlet Appliance inlet

1997-10-31

1999-07-20

Paumen, Gary

Electrical connectors

With supporting means for coupling part

Coupling part or mating part extending into panel opening

439206, H01R 1373

Patent

active

059248939

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns an appliance inlet for vehicles, especially cars, a contact part in the form of a plug arranged to be connected with an appliance cable and a mounting device for mounting the plug on a mounting surface in the vehicle, the plug on the receiver end comprising a contact section in the form of a cavity, wherein in the bottom section of the cavity there are provided contact pins which are cast via cables in a central section formed in one piece with the plug and which can be connected to an engine heater or the vehicle's electrical system, via the appliance cable provided in the vehicle, the contact section being arranged to receive a socket on the contact pins in order to provide connection to an external power source such as the electricity mains, and the contact section's opening on the receiver side being supplied with a watertight, self-closing cap.
The invention also concerns a method for mounting such an appliance inlet.


DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Vehicles, especially cars, are often equipped with an appliance inlet to enable an external power source to be connected when the vehicle is at rest. In particular the appliance inlet is used for the supply of power for battery charging or engine heaters in cars. Such appliance inlets comprise a contact part connected to the appliance cable and are often mounted under the car's bumper by means of a bracket, which, for example, is attached to the bumper. The appliance cable is then attached to the bracket in such a manner that the end of the appliance cable with the contact part, i.e. the plug which has to receive a socket which is connected to the external power source, for example the electricity mains, extends some distance past the contact part. The outermost end of the appliance cable and the contact part are therefore suspended loosely under the car's bumper.
Appliance inlets of this kind have a number of disadvantages. The aesthetic impression created by the actual mounting is not very pleasing and results in the appliance inlet being prone to damage during driving. The mounting can lead to both the contact part and the mounting bracket being damaged, if, e.g., the car drives into snow banks or the like. If, e.g., the cap on the contact part is damaged, salt solution can penetrate into the contact part, which in turn can lead to creeping currents when the contact part is connected to an external power source with a view to supplying charging current or current for the engine heater and the rest of the car's heating system. There is also a danger that the contact part can be damaged if one forgets to disconnect the contact part and the external power supply's socket before driving. The socket will then be torn out of the appliance inlet, which may damage both the contact part and cause the mounting bracket to loosen.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an appliance inlet for the vehicle, especially a car, where the above-mentioned and other drawbacks are avoided. A further object of the invention is to provide a method for mounting an appliance inlet of this kind, with the result that after mounting the appliance inlet is more aesthetic in appearance and at the same time is safeguarded against the possibility of damage both to the contact part, the appliance cable and the mounting device.
These above-mentioned objects are achieved according to the invention with an appliance inlet wherein the plug from the central section on the appliance side comprises an externally threaded housing which receives in its interior, the appliance cable, wherein at the contact section's opening on the receiver side there is provided a circumferential flange, wherein the mounting device comprises a mounting housing with internal threading arranged to be screwed on to the externally threaded housing to abut against the inside of the mounting surface, with the result that the mounting housing and the circumferential flange in abutment against the inside and outside of the

REFERENCES:
patent: 4037907 (1977-07-01), Klimek et al.
patent: 4793819 (1988-12-01), Berg
patent: 4822293 (1989-04-01), Robson

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