Method for manufacturing a conducting electrical connection

The invention relates to a method for producing a galvanic connection between a structural part placed in a housing, equipped with electrical contacts, which through the opening in the housing wall is accessible from the outside and connected to a power source using a plug-in element equipped with electric counter-contacts. at the end of a power line connected to the power source equipped with at least two insulated wires.

[0002] Such a method is used, for example, in automotive technology to connect parts contained in a closed housing, e.g. various types of sensors, via an electric line to a power source located at the control unit. The "power source" can in this case be a current source or a signal source or a combined current-signal source. A preferred area of ​​application for the method according to the invention is contact with the power steering sensor which is housed in a housing connected to the car steering wheel. The contact element connected to such a sensor should be placed in such a way that no shocks or vibrations occurring during the use of the car are transmitted to the sensor.

[0003] DE 197 52 921 A1 discloses an electrical plug connector for producing a galvanic connection extending through the housing. The plug connector consists of a pin housing provided with electrical contacts and a guide bushing that can be releasably connected to the pin housing. For example, it is used to electrically connect the transmission control systems in cars. In the use position, the sealed guide sleeve is located in the opening of the housing wall through which it projects through as accessible on both sides. The stem housing is secured with a bayonet closure on the guide sleeve.

[0004] The object of the invention is to shape the method mentioned at the outset so that the structural part can be easily galvanically connected to the power source without mechanical stress.

[0005] This task is solved according to the present invention in this way,

- that first the plug element with attached wires is fastened at one end of a plastic handle whose external dimensions are smaller than the clearance of the housing opening,

- that the plug element is then passed through the housing opening and attached to the contacts of the structural part by means of the handle, and that the handle immediately after reaching the final position of the plug element, remaining in the housing or its opening, is detached from the plug element.

[0006] With this method, the plug element is placed in its end position by means of the handle which serves as assembly aid, in which the counter contacts are placed on the contacts of the construction part to be connected to the power source. Immediately thereafter, the handle inside the housing is detached from the plug element, so that shocks or vibrations that affect the handle from the outside are not transferred to the plug element and the structural part. The handle, through which the cables connected to the plug- in element are also routed, remains in the housing, or in its opening in which, or in which, it is finally fixed.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the handle has a closing element for closing the housing opening, which, after the process has been completely completed, closes the opening in the housing, preferably with a moisture seal. The structural part, including the plug-in element, as well as other parts in the housing, are also protected against moisture.

[0008] The method of the present invention is explained based on the drawings in embodiments.

[0009] In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a simplified view of a structural housing portion to be contacted by the method of the present invention.

Figures 2 and 3 show different views of a holder suitable for use in the method.

Fig. 4 shows the holder according to Figs. 2 and 3 with a plug element arranged thereon.

Fig. 5 shows the handle detached from the plug element.

Figures 6 and 7 show a different embodiment of the handle than that of Figures 2 and 3.

[0010] By 1 is meant an electrical construction part which is equipped with electrical contacts

2. It is then marked as "sensor 1". Sensor 1 is pre-assembled in the housing that is to be closed. The contacts 2 are made, for example, as plug-in studs. In principle, the closed housing 3 has an unclosed opening 4, at which the sensor is placed 1, and through which sensor 1 is available for galvanic connection to a source not shown.

[0011] The sensor 1 may be, for example, a component of the power steering system of the car to be galvanically connected to the control unit in which the current source and / or the signal source is provided as the power source. Accordingly, in Fig. 1 the steering column of the car 5 is shown, broken by a dashed line, around which the housing 3 is mounted. The construction of the sensor 1 is within the wide limits arbitrary. For this reason, you do not go further into its description. It can also be coupled, for example, to an element that is moved together with the steering column 5.

[0012] To connect the sensor 1 to the power source, the plug element 6 with the contacts 7 for the contacts 2 of the sensor 1, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, can be connected to which the insulated wires 8 of the corresponding connection line, not shown, are connected. The counter contacts 7 are, for example, made as plug-in sleeves which are mounted on the plug-in pins of the sensor 1. The plug-in element is attached according to fig. 4 on a plastic handle 9, whose construction is, for example, as in Figures 2 and 3.

[0013] The handle 9 consists of two arms 10 and 11 running in parallel at a certain distance from each other, which are sized in such a way that the external dimensions of the handle 9 are smaller than the clearance of the entrance opening 4 of the housing 3 and are connected to each other by means of the closing element 12. At its 12 outer ends opposite the closing element, each of the arms 10 and 11 has a recess 13 or 14 in the form of a groove. The closing element 12 also has an O-ring 15 for sealing the opening 4 in the housing. In the assembled position, the plug element 6 according to Fig. 4 is fixed between the ends of the arms 10 and 11 so that it protrudes significantly beyond them, i.e. beyond the handle 9, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. plug-in 6, the protrusions go into the recesses 13 and 14 of the arms 10 and 11.

[0014] Matched by its outer contour to the dimensions of the opening 4 of the housing 3, the closing element 12 is provided with openings 16 through which the pipes 8 can be passed tightly, as shown in Fig. 5.

[0015] The method according to the invention is carried out, for example, as follows:

[0016] The assembly position of the plug elements in the holder 9 results from Fig. 4. In addition, the housing wall 3, in which the opening 4 is located, is marked by 17. To achieve the mounting position, provided with the contact element 6, the holder 9 is inserted through the opening 4 inside the housing far enough that the plug element 6 is completely placed on the contacts 3 of the sensor 1. After reaching the assembled position, the closing element 12 of the handle 9 is located in the hole 4, which is therefore preferably closed tightly to moisture. In Fig. 4, for clarity, the sensor 1 is not shown, on which the contacts 2 in the assembled position are mounted, the plug element 6.

[0017] This also applies to Fig. 5, which shows the position of the handle 9 after detachment from the plug element

6. For this purpose, the handle 9 from the assembled position is rotated about the axis of the plug element 6, in particular preferably by an angle of 90 °, so that the arms 10 and 11 of the plug element 6 are released and separated from it by an air gap. With the corresponding rotation of the handle 9, the closing element 12 in the opening 4 also rotates together and, for example, by means of a bayonet closure, is fixed in the opening 4 permanently and with a moisture seal. At the end of the process, there are no more connections between the handle 9 and the plug element 6, so that no shocks are transmitted from the handle 9 to the sensor 1. This also applies in principle to the line 8 attached to the plug element, which preferably runs non-linearly, i.e. in a wavy manner, between the plug element 6 and the closing element 12, as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

[0018] The handle 9 may in another embodiment be provided at the outer ends of its arms 10 and 11 also with slants 18 and 19, which are used to remove the arms 10 and 11 from the plug element 6. In this embodiment of the handle 9 it is in the direction plug-in sliding outwards after the plug element 6 after this element reaches the assembled position on the sensor 1. In the housing 3 in this embodiment, on both sides of the sensor 1 there are diagonal ramps 20 or 21 marked on simplicity in Fig. 1, on which the arms 10 and 1 are slid with their bevels 15 and 16, until they are released from the plug element 6. At the end of this path in this embodiment of the handle 9, the closing element 12 is also permanently mounted in the window 4, e.g. by snapping, and closes it tightly to moisture.

Nexans

Proxy:

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43P24195PL00

EP 1 986 281 B1