Electrical connectors – Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient... – Screw-thread operated securing part
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-14
2001-10-02
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Metallic connector or contact having movable or resilient...
Screw-thread operated securing part
C483S064000, C483S064000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296532
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to a connecting device for detachably connecting an electrical conductor for high currents which is disposed therein, to at least one electrical contact. The invention also relates to a structural assembly consisting of a connecting device of this kind and a contact.
Connecting devices of this kind are particularly known in the field of motor vehicle engineering. They serve for connecting, for example, a generator or a starter. The currents to be transmitted under those circumstances reach an order of magnitude of 100 A or more.
Very recently, consideration has been given to combining the starter and the generator to form one integrated component. At the same time, the idea is being contemplated of driving various structural assemblies, which are currently driven mechanically direct from the engine, electrically in future so as to be able to have driving power which is matched to the particular requirements, freely available. With respect to the integrated starter/generator power which is then needed, connecting devices are required which are capable of transmitting currents up to the order of magnitude of 400 A. At the same time, it is desirable for the connecting device to be detachable, so that the outlay during assembly or in the event of replacement of the integrated starter/generator remains as small as possible.
The object of the invention thus consists in providing a connecting device with which the high currents supplied can be reliably transmitted, even over a period of years, and which requires little outlay for connection purposes.
To this end there is provided, in a connecting device of the kind initially mentioned, at least one wedging face by means of which the electrical conductor can be loaded against the contact. In the connecting device according to the invention, the wedging face has a double function: On the one hand, the said wedging face makes it possible to supply suitably high forces by means of which the electrical conductor can be pressed against the contact. These high forces guarantee a reliable electrical connection between the electrical conductor and the contact, so that the high currents required can be transmitted with the desired reliability, even over a period of years. On the other hand, the wedging face opens up the possibility of severing the connection again, through the fact that the forces which press the electrical conductor against the contact are abolished by means of suitable relative displacement.
According to one preferred form of embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the wedging face to be part of a wedge which rests against a supporting face on the connecting device. The wedge, which can be brought into the desired position by hand, for example, or even by a screw, makes it possible to set very precisely the force acting between the electrical conductor and the contact. The higher the desired force, the further forwards the wedge is moved.
According to another preferred form of embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the wedging face to be part of a gripping jaw which rests against a supporting face on the connecting device. Two gripping jaws which lie opposite one another and constitute part of the electrical conductor, and between which the contact can be disposed, are preferably provided. The gripping jaws thus engage around the contact from two sides and lead to a reliable electrical connection. The said gripping jaws can be automatically brought by the wedging faces, for example during assembly of the connecting device, into the position in which they act firmly on the contact.
According to one preferred form of embodiment of the invention, a spring is provided, by means of which the electrical conductor can be loaded against the contact. A spring of this kind guarantees, on the one hand, that the desired high forces between the electrical conductor and the contact are reliably reached and adhered to. Minor tolerances can be compensated for by the spring, the active force of the latter changing only slightly. On the other hand, the spring makes it possible to offset creepage and settlement phenomena between the connecting device and the contact. Any creepage and settlement phenomena then merely lead to a slight decline in the active force, which decline is not critical.
According to one form of embodiment of the invention, provision is made for the spring to be formed by a portion of the electrical conductor having an arcuate cross-section. In this refinement, no additional component supplying the desired spring action is required. Assuming that the electrical conductor has the material properties required for the spring action, a spring which is able to apply the high contact forces desired is formed in this way. If the contact has a flat contact face, the conductor portion with the arcuate cross-section rests against the said contact face by means of its outer edges. In this way, the electrical connection between the contact and the electrical conductor is achieved in precisely defined face regions. In conjunction with the appropriately chosen spring force, a precisely defined surface pressure, which guarantees reliable electrical connection between the conductor and contact, is achieved in the said regions.
According to another form of embodiment, provision is made for the spring to be a resilient lamella which can be disposed between the electrical conductor and the contact. In this way, it is guaranteed that the electrical connection from the conductor to the resilient lamella and then from the resilient lamella to the contact is produced only in precisely defined face regions. The surface pressure required for a reliable electrical connection is then produced in the connecting regions, in conjunction with the spring force pre-determined by the resilient lamella.
Provision is preferably made for the contact to have a flat contact face, and the electrical conductor a flat conductive face, and for the resilient lamella to be disposed between the contact face and the conductive face. This refinement is distinguished by a low overall outlay. The electrical conductor merely has to be of flat configuration on one side as the conductive face, for example as a result of milling-off or flat pressing, and the resilient lamella is disposed between the electrical conductor and the contact before these two parts are joined together. In the final joining-together operation, the wedging face ensures that the electrical conductor and the contact are loaded against one another in a suitable manner, the said resilient lamella absorbing any tolerances and ensuring the necessary surface pressure between the electrical conductor and the resilient lamella and also between the resilient lamella and the contact.
Advantageous refinements of the invention emerge from the subclaims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3891297 (1975-06-01), Poliak et al.
patent: 5795195 (1998-08-01), Karlsberger
patent: 331 499 (1921-01-01), None
patent: 12 41 887 (1967-06-01), None
patent: 90 07 120 U1 (1990-11-01), None
patent: 197 43 867 C1 (1999-04-01), None
patent: 535 862 (1922-04-01), None
patent: 1 038 086 (1953-09-01), None
Harting Dietmar
Krause Jens
Leve Ludger
Bradley Paula
Cook Alex McFarron Manzo Cummings & Mehler, Ltd.
Harting KGAA
Nguyen Truc
LandOfFree
Electrical connecting device for high currents does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electrical connecting device for high currents, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electrical connecting device for high currents will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2580842