Method for manufacturing an assembly consisting of a plastic tube portion having at least one tube-wire insert and a terminal connector

In order to manufacture an assembly consisting of a plastic tube portion having at least one tube-wire insert and a terminal connector, an electrical conducting component group is first prefabricated. Conducting components of the conducting component group provide an electrical connection with the at least one tube-wire insert, in the assembled state. A conducting component configuration is separated from the prefabricated conducting component group. The conducting component configuration is electrically contacted with the at least one tube-wire insert. The terminal connector is connected to the plastic tube portion. This results in an assembly manufacturing method which is suitable for mass production. The conducting component group is part of a multi-lead frame which has a plurality of different, selectable conducting component configurations that can be specified by selecting appropriate conducting components depending on the electrical contacting requirements.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. DE 10 2020 212 441.8, filed Oct. 1, 2020, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety as if fully set forth herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an assembly consisting of a plastic tube portion having at least one tube-wire insert and a terminal connector. Furthermore, the invention relates to an assembly manufactured by means of the method and to a multi-lead frame having a conducting component group for use within the method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A plastic tube portion having a wire insert is known through obvious prior use. EP 0 142 944 A2 discloses means for self-locking electrical and mechanical connection in the context of a plastic tube portion in which helical wire inserts are incorporated. DE 11 2014 005 831 T5 discloses humidifi-cation system connections.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a manufacturing method of the type mentioned above which is suitable for mass production.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a method for manufacturing an assembly consisting of a plastic tube portion having at least one tube-wire insert and a terminal connector, comprising the steps of prefabricating an electrical conducting component group, the conducting components of which, in the assembled state, provide an electrical connection with the at least one tube-wire insert, separating a conducting component configuration from the conducting component group, electrically contacting the conducting component configuration with the at least one tube-wire insert, connecting the terminal connector to the plastic tube portion.

According to the invention, it has been recognized that an electrical contact between the at least one tube-wire insert and either the terminal connector or a further component connected thereto can be simplified and, in particular, standardized by using a prefabricated electrical conducting component group. This further component may be a component integrated into the terminal connector and/or a component arranged separately from the terminal connector. The manufacturing method can be largely or completely automated. The terminal connector can be made of plastic. Electrical contacting of the conducting component configuration with the at least one tube-wire insert may be performed by soldering, by stirrup soldering, by welding, by bonding, by gluing or by crimping. By means of electrical contacting, an electrical as well as mechanical connection can be provided between the tube-wire insert and the conducting components of the conducting component configuration. A dome/mandrel can be inserted as a counter support during electrical contacting. It is particularly advantageous if such a dome or mandrel serves as a stop shape for bending the conducting components during assembly manufacture. The conducting components of the conducting component configuration may have contacting pads and/or plug members. The conducting components of the conducting component configuration may have additional contacting structures for electrically contacting further components independently of the terminal connector. A typical di-ameter of the conducting components of the conducting component configuration can be smaller than 0.5 mm and can be in the range between 50 μm and 200 μm.

The prefabricated electrical conducting component group may have conducting components and retaining components retaining the latter. The conducting components of the conducting component group are present within the conducting component group in at least one conducting component configuration. When separating a conducting component configuration to be selected from the conducting component group, retaining components and/or unneeded conducting components may be separated from the selected conducting component configuration.

Upon separation, the conducting component configuration is separated from at least one remaining component of the conducting component group.

The manufacturing method may include equipping the terminal connector with a component to be electrically and/or mechanically connected, in particular an electronic component and/or a sensor component, and/or covering the terminal connector.

The at least one terminal connector of the assembly can be arranged at one end of the plastic tube portion. Alternatively or additionally, the at least one terminal connector can also be connected to a tube sheath of the plastic tube portion at another position of the plastic tube portion between its ends. For the preparation of such a terminal connector, the plastic tube portion can be stripped in an assembly portion of the terminal connector in such a manner that the tube-wire insert is accessible from the outside at least in portions.

A signal transmission and/or a current or voltage supply can take place via the tube-wire insert. The wires of the wire insert can have a round cross-section or a cross-sectional shape that deviates from a round cross-section. The at least one wire of the wire insert may be a metallic wire and/or a plastic wire. In this case, the plastic wire includes, for example, at least one conductive polymer.

The assembly can be used in particular in connection with the use of smart sensors. For example, the assembly can be connected to an external control system and/or other components of a larger system.

The assembly can be used within the scope of the following applications:heated tubes for hot drinks, for example coffee, in particular made of silicone;brake lines/hydraulic tubes, in particular for bicycles;cooling tubes, in particular for X-ray systems;silicone tubes in general, in particular for white goods (refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers . . . );data lines in general.

Corresponding or additional applications of the assembly are, for example, heatable tubes, coolant tubes with wire insert, in particular for contacting integrated temperature sensors, hydraulic tubes with signal lines for monitoring hydraulic brakes. Other medical and/or automotive or other mechanical engineering applications of the assembly are also possible.

In the prefabrication and electrical contacting, wherein the conducting components of the prefabricated electrical conducting component group, in the assembled state, provide an electrical connection between the at least one tube-wire insert and associated electrical terminals of the electrical terminal connector, the terminal connector is electrically contacted with the at least one tube-wire insert via the conducting component configuration. Via this, an electrical connection with a component that is accommodated in the terminal connector, for example with a sensor module, can be established. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to provide a connection with terminal contacts of the terminal connector via which the latter can in turn be electrically contacted, for example via a plug connection, with a further component. Alternatively, it is possible that the terminal connector itself does not have its own electrical terminal contacts, wherein an electrical connection with another component, in particular an electronic component, is then established via free ends of the conducting components of the conducting component configuration.

Prefabrication of the conducting component group and the separation of the conducting component configuration which is performed by producing a lead frame comprising the conducting component configuration and a frame carrier component, and by punching out the conducting component configuration from the lead frame has proven itself in practice. The lead frame can be prefabricated as a mass product. The lead frame can be a grid made of metal, in particular copper. Alternatively, the lead frame may also be a thermoset conduction carrier, for example made of PCB, and/or a conductor board.

After punching the conducting component configuration and prior to electrically contacting the latter to the at least one tube-wire insert, component portions of the conducting component configuration may be bent to increase a contact area between those components and the associated wires of the wire insert. Such a bending step may improve a definition of a relative positioning of the conducting component configuration on the tube-wire insert.

The conducting component configuration that is punched out of the lead frame can be the final conducting component configuration that is used in the manufacturing method. Alternatively, it is possible to punch out a conducting component configuration including surplus carrying components, wherein the surplus carrying components, in particular remaining webs, can then be subsequently separated from the conducting components of the conducting component configuration towards the end of manufacture, in particular via predetermined breaking points. Corresponding predetermined breaking points are not mandatory. The use of such a lead frame increases the robustness of the conducting components during electrical contacting as well as during connection of the terminal connector, in particular during overmolding of portions of the conducting components with plastic material of the terminal connector. If necessary, surplus carrying components of the conducting component configuration can be removed only after the connection of the terminal connector with plastic tube portion in order to keep the conducting components and their free ends serving a subsequent electrical contacting in a correct position during this connection step, in particular during overmolding. Upon separation, the conducting component configuration can be specified which is actually used later after electrical contacting in the assembly, in particular for signal transmission; however, a configuration can also be separated which, in addition to the actual conducting component configuration, also contains supporting or carrying members in order to ensure robustness of the conducting component configuration that is actually used for transmission during the electrical contacting and the connection of the terminal connector.

An extrusion method in which the plastic tube portion having the tube-wire insert is manufactured by extrusion has proven itself in practice. If the tube-wire inserts are made of plastic, this can be a coextrusion method.

A stripping step in which the at least one tube-wire insert is stripped before the electrical contacting enables safe electrical contacting of the at least one tube-wire insert.

A surface coating, at least in portions, of the at least one tube-wire insert which is carried out prior to the electrical contacting, can be used in particular by a low-resistance electrical contacting. Corrosion of contact regions of the tube-wire insert can also be avoided.

A surface of the lead frame can also be coated in the region, in particular, of contact pads of the conducting components and possibly of further contact points with the wire insert. The coating can be a tin coating.

A method comprising equipping the conducting component configuration and/or the terminal connector with an electronic component leads to an assembly which is ready for sensory use. For example, a pressure sensor and/or a temperature sensor or also a sensor for chemical analysis can be used as an electronic component or sensor component. Also, for example, a humidity sensor or an acceleration sensor can be used. A sensor for deter-mining a gas flow or an amount of liquid transported through the tube portion can also be used.

A mechanical connection comprising an additional mechanical connection of the plastic tube portion to the terminal connector results in a robust assembly. The mechanical connection of the terminal connector to the plastic tube portion can be achieved by overmolding the plastic tube portion and the conducting component configuration. The overmolding can in particular protect the conducting component configuration. Undesired corrosion and/or undesired short circuits can be avoided.

Alternatively, a mechanical connection between the terminal connector and the plastic tube portion can also be established exclusively via the electrical contact.

An injection molding manufacture of the terminal connector has proven itself in practice.

An injection molding step in which injection molding of the terminal connector takes place after electrical contacting of the conducting component configuration with the tube-wire insert enables the terminal connector to be produced in the course of assembly manufacture. A prefabricated assembly of the plastic tube portion and the conducting component configuration that is electrically contacted therethrough can then be used as an insert in an injection molding tool used to manufacture the terminal connector. The fluidic channel and the sensor surface can be kept free in the injection molding process by means of a dome or mandrel and, if necessary, further slides.

The advantages of an assembly manufactured by means of a method according to the above description, with a plastic tube portion having at least one tube-wire insert, with a terminal connector and with a conducting component configuration for electrical contacting with the tube-wire insert correspond to those already explained above with reference to the manufacturing method.

This applies accordingly to the assembly configured such that the tube-wire insert has a surface coating at least in sections, configured such that the conducting component configuration has contacting pads and/or connector elements and comprising at least one electronic component that is electrically contacted to the at least one tube-wire insert via the conducting component configuration and to a multi-lead frame having a conducting component group for use within a method according to the above description, comprising a plurality of different selectable conducting component configurations which can be specified by selecting respective conducting components according to electrical contacting requirements. The latter can be used flexibly for different assemblies to be manufactured, which differ in particular in their electrical contacting requirements.

The multi-lead frame may have a frame carrier component that carries the conducting component group. Components of the conducting component group that are not used for a respectively selected conducting component configuration can then be part of the frame carrier component. Such components that are not used for electrical transmission can also be punched out first and removed later and, if necessary, even after electrical contacting.

FIG.1shows an assembly1which can be used in a sensor application in connection with a fluid guide through a tube. The assembly can, for example, be part of a patient ventilation system. Applications of the assembly1are, for example, heatable tubes, coolant tubes with wire insert, in particular for contacting integrated temperature sensors, hydraulic tubes with signal lines for monitoring hydraulic brakes. Other medical and/or automotive or other mechanical engineering applications of assembly1are also possible.

The assembly1has a plastic tube portion2and a mechanical and/or electrical terminal connector3. The tube portion has a total of four tube-wire inserts, i.e. four conductive wires4,5,6,7(cf. alsoFIG.2). The plastic tube portion is manufactured with the wire inserts4to7by extrusion.

The wires of the wire inserts4to7can be electrical conductor elements made of copper, aluminum, silver or electrically conductive polymers. Conducting elements with non-circular cross-sections, for example sheet metal and plastic conductive elements, are also to be understood as wires in the following. The wire inserts4to7protrude from the end face of the plastic tube portion2. The wire inserts4to7can have a surface coating, for example of tin or silver, at least in portions.

The terminal connector3is made of plastic.

A conducting component configuration8with conducting components9,11and12is used for the electrical contacting of the wire inserts4to7with the associated electrical terminals of the terminal connector3. Only end contact pads of the conducting components11and12can be seen inFIG.1. Instead of contact pads, plug elements can also be provided at the free end of the conducting components9to12. The conducting component9is electrically connected to the wire4. The conducting component10is electrically connected to the wire5. The conducting component11is electrically connected to the wire6. The conducting component12is electrically connected to the wire7. The conducting components9to12are electrically contacted with the wires4to7. This electrical contact can be established by soldering, stirrup soldering, welding, bonding, gluing or crimping. The conducting components9to12can have additional contacting structures for mechanical and electrical contacting of further, in particular electronic external components, in particular sensor components, electronic components and modules, micro-controllers, LEDs, further conductor boards, powerline communication chips and/or other components.

The routing of the conducting components9to12is such that these conducting components9to12are insulated from each other. The end-side contact pads of the conducting components9to12are arranged in an installation space13in which a further component, in particular a sensor component, can be accommodated in the terminal connector3. A sensor of the sensor component can be a thermal sensor and/or a pressure sensor. Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to accommodate a signal-pro-cessing unit, for example a processor, in the installation space13via the conducting components9to12. In particular, an assembled printed circuit board can be accommodated in the installation space13. Via the wires4to7and the conducting components9to12of the conducting component configuration8, signals can be transmitted from and to the component of the terminal connector3that is to be accommodated in the installation space13.

Depending on the requirements, the installation space13is used for electrical contacting of an external component, which is also not shown, by means of a cable or plug that is not shown.

In particular, fluidic sensor components can be oriented towards the lumens15,16in the installation space13. Electronic components that do not re-quire media access to the medium guided in the lumen15,16can also be overmolded when overmolding of the terminal connector3takes place, so that no separate installation space needs to be provided for these components.

The installation space13is covered with a lid14. A plug for contacting the conducting components9to12with an external component can be arranged in the lid14. Such a plug can alternatively or additionally be overmolded with the terminal connector3.

The terminal connector3has a connector lumen15which is aligned with a tube lumen16of the tube portion2. A region of the tube portion2facing the terminal connector3can, together with the conducting component configuration8, form an insert for an injection molding tool with which the terminal connector3is manufactured still without the lid by overmolding this insert.

The terminal connector3can be designed as a carrier for a sensor module17. Alternatively, the conducting component configuration8can serve as a carrier for the sensor module17. The sensor module17can be electrically contacted with the contact pads of the conducting components9to12and later be overmolded when connecting the terminal connector. If media ac-cesses or sensitive sensor structures are not to be overmolded, they can be protected from overmolding by sliders during the injection molding process.

In the embodiment according toFIG.3, a conductor board18contacts the sensor module17on the one hand with the conducting components9to12on the other hand. The sensor module17has a sensor surface19oriented towards the connector lumen15. The sensor surface19can be a pressure- and/or temperature-sensitive sensor surface. A sensor surface that allows the detection of a concentration of a medium or a proportion of a certain composition of a medium that is guided via the lumens15,16can also be used.

FIG.4shows a multi-lead frame20with a conducting component group21, from which a conducting component configuration in the manner of the conducting component configuration8can be selected and separated for manufacturing the assembly1according toFIG.1or3. The conducting components9,10,11,12are components of the conducting component group21and are connected to each other and to an outer circumferential frame carrier component22of the multi-lead frame20via various predetermined breaking points SB.

The multi-lead frame20can be provided in rolls.

The multi-lead frame20contains a plurality of different, selectable conducting component configurations, which can be selected according to the requirements for electrical contacting by separating the various predetermined breaking points of the conducting component group21. Components of the conducting component group21of the multi-lead frame20that are not used for the respective selected conducting component configuration, i.e. for example the conducting component configuration8according toFIGS.1and3, can then serve as part of the frame carrier component.

FIG.5, in a representation similar toFIGS.1and3, shows the plastic tube portion2with the wire inserts4to7and a variant of a conducting component configuration23which can be used instead of the conducting component configuration8and which at the same time represents the complete conducting component group21of the multi-lead frame20. Retaining bridges of the conducting component configuration23, which are still to be removed after the electrical contacting of this configuration23with the wires4to7of the wire insert, are marked23aand23binFIG.5. These retaining bridges increase stability of the initially separated conducting component configuration23. Contacting of the wire inserts4and5on the one hand and6and7on the other hand is provided via this conducting component configuration23. Signals which are given via the contact pads to the free ends of the conducting components9to12of the conducting component configuration23are present simultaneously on the one hand on the wires4and5and on the other hand simultaneously on the wires6and7of the tube portion2.

After attaching the conducting component configuration23to the free ends of the wire inserts4to7and before making final electrical contact with the latter, the conducting component configuration8according toFIGS.1and3can be created by separating corresponding portions of the conducting component group21(cf. predetermined break points SB, indicated inFIGS.4and5), as is also made clear by comparingFIG.5, which shows the conducting component configuration23, withFIG.8, which shows the conducting component configuration8.

FIG.10shows the assembly1according toFIG.2before it is covered, before it is contacted with a plug or cable and before the installation space13of the terminal connector3is equipped with further electronic components.

When the assembly1is manufactured, the conducting component group21is first prefabricated in the form of the multi-lead frame20. Then the de-sired conducting component configuration, for example the conducting component configuration8, is in each case selected from the conducting component group21and separated. This is done by punching out and, if necessary, subsequently separating the conducting components9to12from the conducting component group21of the multi-lead frame20.

Thereafter, the conducting component configuration is electrically contacted with at least one of the wires4to7, i.e. with all wires4to7if the conducting component configuration8is used. In this process, partial portions of the conducting components9to12that are associated with the wires4to7are bent over accordingly so that a contact area between these partial portions of the conducting components9to12and the facing lateral surfaces of the wires4to7is enlarged. Subsequently, soldering, in particular stirrup soldering, welding, bonding, gluing or crimping is carried out to establish the electrical contact.

Via the free ends of the conducting components9to12, electrical contacting can then take place with a component that is accommodated in particular in the terminal connector3, for example with a sensor component in the form of the sensor module17, which again can be performed by one of the contacting methods. If the conducting components9to12are provided with plug elements instead of the contacting pads, this contacting can also be carried out by plugging.

Prior to electrical contacting, the insulation of the at least one tube-wire insert4to7can be stripped, in particular by removing a region of the plastic tube portion.

As part of the manufacturing method, the terminal connector3is connected to the plastic tube portion2. This can be done by overmolding the electrically contacted plastic tube portion including the conducting component configuration with the plastic material of the terminal connector3. Due to the overmolding, the terminal connector3is mechanically connected to the plastic tube portion2. After overmolding, electronic components, in particular sensor components, can be inserted into the installation space13of the terminal connector3. The electronic component can be aligned with the lumen15,16of the assembly1, as shown for example inFIG.3. Additional circuit boards, controllers and further electrical components beyond a sensor component, for example, can also be integrated into the installation space13.

With reference toFIGS.11to15, a further embodiment of an assembly25is described below, which can be used instead of or in addition to assembly1. Components and functions that correspond to those already explained above with reference toFIGS.1to10bear the same designations and, where applicable, reference signs and are not discussed again in detail.

In the assembly25, a terminal connector26, which otherwise corresponds to the terminal connector3, is not attached at the end face to one end of the plastic tube portion2, but on the sheath side, i.e. in the region of a tube sheath of the plastic tube portion2. For this purpose, the tube sheath of the plastic tube portion2is stripped in the region of a mounting portion of the terminal connector26, so that the wires4to7are exposed to the outside. Conducting components9to13of a conducting component configuration27, the function of which corresponds to that explained above in connection with conducting component configurations8and23, are connected to the wires4to7of the tube-wire insert. Contact pads of the conducting components9to12of this conducting component configuration27are in contact with associated contacts of a sensor module28of the assembly25, which in turn corresponds to the sensor module17with regard to its function.

The stripped region of the tube sheath, the conducting component configuration27and the sensor module28are again overmolded by the terminal connector26during the manufacture of the assembly25. This overmolding produces in the manufacture of the assembly25in accordance with what has been explained above in relation to the assembly1according toFIGS.1to10. During the overmolding process, plastic material also flows into gaps between the conducting components9to12and the wires4to7, in order to avoid undesirable electrical contacts there. Corresponding insulation gaps between, for example, the conducting component9and the wire5that is not to be contacted with the latter are apparent from the end side views, for example, according toFIGS.13and14.

The sensor module28again has a sensor surface19aligned with the connector lumen15. This sensor surface19may be arranged to be recessed in the sensor module28, as can be seen from the perspective illustration shown inFIG.15.

In another embodiment of an assembly30, in which only the wires4to7of the wire insert and the conducting component configuration27are shown inFIG.16, the sensor module28is missing. In this case, the terminal connector26is overmolded around the plastic tube portion2in the region of the tube sheath of the stripped plastic tube portion2in such a manner that the installation space13remains accessible via a lid of the terminal connector26. In this case, the assembly30can still be subsequently sup-plemented or completed by appropriate installation and/or contacting steps.