DE102023207667A1 - Electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical connector (2) for establishing an electrical connection, comprising a plug contact (4a) with a contact surface (6) for connecting to a shape-corresponding plug contact (4b) of another electrical connector (2') for establishing an electrical connection, and a plug housing (10) for at least partially accommodating the plug contact (4a), wherein a water indicator (8) for detecting the ingress of moisture is arranged directly on the contact surface (6) of the plug contact (4a).

Description

The present invention relates to an electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection, a method for producing such an electrical connector and a connector system comprising a first and a second electrical connector.

Electrical connectors for establishing electrical connections are state of the art, e.g. from DE 10 2011 052 364 B3 For use in wet areas, the connectors are sealed to protect against water or moisture ingress. Despite sealing, small or large amounts of water can enter and cause malfunctions.

The disadvantage is that when malfunctions are detected without any clearly visible amounts of water or corrosion effects, it is very difficult to subsequently assess water ingress as the cause of the fault. In some cases, a water detection paste based on fluorescein is used to assess the cause of the fault, for example in fuel depots, which reacts sensitively to the presence of water with a color reaction.

However, in order to conduct reliable field analyses, it would be necessary to introduce a water indicator into the contact point before an event in question - but there is no reason to do this before the event in question.

Although the state of the art, e.g. from the JP 2013 011 654 A or the JP 07 146 241 A , methods and systems are known that attempt to at least partially solve the problem mentioned, but these methods and systems are structurally complex and costly to manufacture.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to at least partially remedy the disadvantages described above. In particular, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection which offers a simple and cost-effective way of assessing the ingress of water as a cause of a fault in an electrical connection in a straightforward and robust manner.

The above object is solved by the patent claims. Accordingly, the object is solved by an electrical connector with the features of independent claim 1, by a method with the features of the independent claim 10 and a connector system according to claim 11. Further features and details of the invention emerge from the subclaims, the description and the drawings. Features and details that are described in connection with the electrical connector according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the method according to the invention or the connector system according to the invention and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention, reference is or can always be made to each other.

According to the invention, an electrical connector is provided for establishing an electrical connection. The electrical connector has a plug contact with a contact surface for connecting to a shape-corresponding plug contact of another electrical connector for establishing an electrical connection, as well as a plug housing for at least partially accommodating the plug contact, wherein a water indicator for detecting the ingress of moisture is arranged directly on the contact surface of the plug contact.

According to the invention, the electrical connector in question is designed, in particular by means of the water indicator arranged directly on the contact surface of the plug contact for detecting the ingress of moisture, to ensure, in a simple and cost-effective manner, an uncomplicated and robust assessment of water ingress as a cause of error in an electrical connection.

The electrical connector according to the invention can be designed or configured both for the transmission of low current (e.g. microamperes to a few amperes) and for the transmission of medium current (e.g. a few dozen milliamperes to a few hundred amperes) or high current (e.g. up to a few hundred amperes). In the context of the invention, a direct arrangement can be understood in particular as a contacting, adjacent arrangement.

With regard to a structurally simple design of an electrical connector for producing a reliable electrical connection, it can advantageously be provided according to the invention that the plug contact is designed in the form of a plug pin for insertion into a plug socket or in the form of a plug socket for receiving a plug pin. Such a design of an electrical connector also promises a robust and versatile application with little space requirement.

Within the scope of a secure design of an electrical connector for producing a reliable electrical connection, it can advantageously also be provided that an insulation is provided for producing an insulated electrical connection, wherein the insulation is preferably arranged on the contact surface, in particular around the contact surface.

To ensure a reliable and stable electrical connection, it can advantageously be provided that an overspring is provided, wherein the overspring is preferably arranged at least partially around the plug contact. An overspring can in particular compensate for tolerances, ensure a high contact force, ensure high vibration resistance and low wear.

With regard to a reliable assessment of water ingress as a cause of the error, it can advantageously be provided according to the invention that the water indicator is arranged on the overspring, preferably on an inner surface of the overspring. Such an arrangement enables in particular protection of the water indicator from mechanical stress such as abrasion or the like. The water indicator can preferably be applied to the contact surface by printing or wetting.

In the context of simple and cost-effective production of an electrical connector in question, it can advantageously be provided that the water indicator is designed in the form of a coating, preferably in the form of a water-soluble coating. The coating can be sprayed on or vapor-deposited, preferably in the form of a vapor deposition process, in particular a PVD process. Alternatively, an application of a coating in the form of a CVD process can also be provided.

With regard to a meaningful and reliable assessment of water ingress as a cause of error, it can advantageously be provided according to the invention that the coating is made of a uniform material, wherein the coating preferably has a layer thickness of less than 1 µm. A uniform material coating can advantageously be understood here as a homogeneous coating that is made of only a single coating material and not, for example, different layers of different materials arranged one above the other. Such a coating promises in particular a simple and purposefully adaptable structure. As already explained above, a coating can advantageously be produced using a vapor deposition process.

Furthermore, it can be advantageous if the coating has an embossed pattern in order to provide a meaningful and reliable assessment of water ingress as the cause of the defect. If water or moisture is present, water ingress can then be detected by a change in the embossed pattern or pattern structure.

In order to provide a meaningful and reliable assessment of water ingress as a cause of failure and at the same time a sufficiently large contact surface for establishing an electrical connection, it can advantageously be provided that the water indicator covers part of the (contact) surface of the plug contact, wherein the part of the contact surface covered by the water indicator is preferably less than 20% of the total contact surface.

The invention also relates to a method for producing an electrical connector, preferably an electrical connector as described above. The method according to the invention comprises the steps of providing a plug contact with a contact surface for connection to a plug contact of the corresponding shape, arranging a water indicator for detecting the ingress of moisture directly on the contact surface of the plug contact, and arranging a plug housing for at least partially accommodating the plug contact. The method according to the invention therefore brings with it the same advantages as have already been described in detail with regard to the electrical connector according to the invention. The water indicator can preferably be in the form of a thin layer and can be applied in particular using a vapor deposition process.

It is also understood that individual, several or all of the mandatory and/or optional steps of the method according to the invention can be carried out in the suggested order, but also deviating from the suggested order. Individual, several or all of the mandatory and/or optional steps of the method according to the invention can be carried out repeatedly, for example cyclically. It is also understood that individual, several or all of the mandatory and optional steps of the method according to the invention rens objectively can also be carried out at least partially automatically or automated and/or self-learning, in particular can be implemented by a computer, preferably can be carried out via computer-implemented simulation methods.

The invention also relates to a connector system for producing an electrical connection, comprising a first and a second electrical connector as described above, wherein the connectors, in particular the plug contacts of the connectors, are designed to correspond in shape to one another. The connector system according to the invention thus brings with it the same advantages as have already been described in detail with regard to the electrical connector according to the invention or the method according to the invention.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description, in which embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description can each be essential to the invention individually or in any combination.

• 1 ein erfindungsgemäßes Steckverbindersystem zur Herstellung einer elektrischen Verbindung, aufweisend einen ersten und zweiten erfindungsgemäßen elektrischen Steckverbinder, und
• 2 die einzelnen Schritte eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens zur Herstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen elektrischen Steckverbinders.

They show schematically:

• 1 a connector system according to the invention for establishing an electrical connection, comprising a first and a second electrical connector according to the invention, and
• 2 the individual steps of a method according to the invention for producing an electrical connector according to the invention.

1 shows a connector system 1 according to the invention for establishing an electrical connection, comprising a first and a second electrical connector 2, 2' according to the invention.

As per 1 As can be seen, the first electrical connector 2 according to the invention (left) has two plug contacts 4a in the form of plug pins for connecting to two correspondingly shaped plug contacts 4b of the second connector 2' in the form of plug sockets for establishing an electrical connection. The plug contacts 4a, 4b have a contact surface 6 and a plug housing 10 for at least partially accommodating the plug contacts 4a, 4b. On the plug contacts 4a of the first electrical connector 2 (left), a water indicator 8 for detecting the ingress of moisture is also arranged directly on the contact surface 6 of the plug contact 4a.

For insulation purposes, an insulation (not shown here) can also be provided, which can be arranged, for example, on the contact surface 6.

Furthermore, for a reliable electrical connection, an over-spring (not shown here) can be provided, which is arranged, for example, at least partially around the plug contact.

The water indicator 8 can be arranged, for example, on an inner surface of such a spring.

As per 1 As shown, the water indicator 8 is designed in the form of a coating, which is preferably designed in the form of a water-soluble coating.

The coating is made of a uniform material and has a layer thickness of less than 1 µm.

To easily and reliably detect water ingress, the coating can, for example, have an embossed pattern.

2 shows the individual steps of a method according to the invention for producing an electrical connector 2 according to the invention.

As per 2 As can be seen, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of providing 100 a plug contact 4a with a contact surface 6 for connection to a shape-corresponding plug contact 4b, arranging 200 a water indicator 8 for detecting the ingress of moisture directly on the contact surface 6 of the plug contact 4a and arranging 300 a plug housing 10 for at least partially receiving the plug contact 4a.

The above explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention exclusively in the context of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided they are technically expedient, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

list of reference symbols

1

connector system

2

electrical connector

2'

additional electrical connector

4a

plug contact

4b

shape-corresponding plug contact

6

contact surface

8

water indicator

10

plug housing

100

Providing a plug contact with a contact surface

200

Arranging a water indicator directly on the contact surface

300

Arranging a plug housing to at least partially accommodate the plug contact

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 10 2011 052 364 B3 [0002]
• JP 2013 011 654 A [0005]
• JP 07 146 241 A [0005]

Claims (11)

Electrical connector (2) for establishing an electrical connection, comprising: - a plug contact (4a) with a contact surface (6) for connecting to a shape-corresponding plug contact (4b) of a further electrical connector (2') for establishing an electrical connection, and - a plug housing (10) for at least partially receiving the plug contact (4a), characterized in that a water indicator (8) for detecting the ingress of moisture is arranged directly on the contact surface (6) of the plug contact (4a). Electrical connector (2) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the plug contact (4a) is designed in the form of a plug pin for insertion into a plug socket or in the form of a plug socket for receiving a plug pin. Electrical connector (2) according to claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that an insulation is provided for producing an insulated electrical connection, wherein the insulation is preferably arranged on the contact surface (6). Electrical connector (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an overspring is provided, wherein the overspring is preferably arranged at least partially around the plug contact. Electrical connector (2) according to claim 4 , characterized in that the water indicator (8) is arranged on the overspring, preferably on an inner surface of the overspring. Electrical connector (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water indicator (8) is designed in the form of a coating, preferably in the form of a water-soluble coating. Electrical connector (2) according to claim 6 , characterized in that the coating is made of a uniform material, wherein the coating preferably has a layer thickness of less than 1 µm. Electrical connector (2) according to claim 6 or 7 , characterized in that the coating has an embossed pattern. Electrical connector (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water indicator (8) covers a part of the contact surface (6) of the plug contact (4a), wherein the part of the contact surface (6) covered by the water indicator (8) is preferably less than 20% of the total contact surface. Method for producing an electrical connector (2), preferably an electrical connector (2) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps: - providing (100) a plug contact (4a) with a contact surface (6) for connection to a shape-corresponding plug contact (4b), - arranging (200) a water indicator (8) for detecting the ingress of moisture directly on the contact surface (6) of the plug contact (4a) and - arranging (300) a plug housing (10) for at least partially receiving the plug contact (4a). Connector system (1) for establishing an electrical connection, comprising a first and a second electrical connector (2, 2') according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , wherein the electrical connectors (2, 2') are designed to correspond in shape to one another.

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