Abstract:
A socket for a vehicle passenger compartment comprising a socket body and at least one electrical connection element fixed to the socket body by clinching. The socket is adapted for use on multiple vehicles of different manufacturers.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to the French application 1551658 filed Feb. 26, 2015, which application is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The invention concerns sockets for vehicle passenger compartments. 
         [0004]    These so-called “12 volt” sockets, although they also accommodate voltages of 24 V, enable connection of electrical devices such as GPS devices, baby bottle heaters, electrical converters or chargers, etc. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    There is known for this purpose a product of the applicant. This socket, situated at the level of or under the dashboard of the vehicle, comprises four components: a cap, a holding body comprising a so-called “negative” connection tongue, a ring with an integrated connection body and a so-called “positive” electrical connection tongue. On opening the cap, the user can plug in one of their electrical devices. 
         [0007]    The disadvantage of this product is that it is compatible only with vehicles manufactured by a limited number of motor vehicle manufacturers. Thus the socket body of the product is designed to accept only the appropriate negative electrical connection tongue. 
         [0008]    A parallel product intended for another motor vehicle manufacturer comprises nine components, but those of these components that are similar to those of the first socket have different dimensions. The product matches the dimensions of the dashboard, its interior layout and the manufacturer&#39;s design. At nine, the number of components is relatively high, which generates costs, notably for the manufacture and inventory management of all these parts. Likewise, the socket body for the vehicles of this manufacturer is designed to accept only the negative electrical connection tongue designed for those vehicles. The same disadvantage applies to other manufacturers supplied with vehicle passenger compartment sockets by the applicant. 
         [0009]    The same situation may arise for other suppliers of sockets for vehicles, who must then produce a plurality of different products for the various manufacturers, although the components of those products are similar. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    An object of the invention is to propose a product that can be adapted to a plurality of types of manufacturers. 
         [0011]    To this end there is provided an assembly for producing a socket for a vehicle passenger compartment, the assembly comprising:
       a socket body; and   at least one electrical connection element fixed to the socket body by clinching.       
 
         [0014]    The socket body is therefore compatible with a plurality of different electrical connection elements, for example so-called negative connection tongues, and it is no longer obligatory to design a socket body for each different socket type corresponding to a different motor vehicle manufacturer. This also enables the socket to be manufactured from a relatively small number of parts, for example five parts (see below). 
         [0015]    Moreover, the fixing of the electrical connection element fixed to the socket body by clinching avoids the addition of material during fixing and makes it possible to ensure better electrical conductivity between these two parts. 
         [0016]    Furthermore the invention possesses the following characteristics, considered in isolation or in combination:
       the fixing between the socket body and the electrical connection element is designed to allow electrical contact between the socket body and the connection element;   the socket body comprises an opening emerging onto a receptacle intended to receive a connector for the electrical power supply of an electrical device;   the socket body comprises at least one plane back opposite to the opening of the receptacle;   the plane back of the socket body comprises at least one main emergent hole;   the main emergent hole is situated at the center of the plane back of the socket body;   the main emergent hole has an outline comprising at least one circular arc;
           the at least one electrical connection element comprises a plane support, and a tongue projecting from the support;   
           the plane support is fixed to the plane back of the socket body by clinching;
           the plane support borders at least in part the main emergent hole;   
           the socket comprises a base fixed in a predetermined position to the body;   the base is a ring;   the base has a raised pattern projecting from a back of the base so as to form an abutment in the socket upon receiving a connector;   the electrical connection element being a first electrical connection element, the socket furthermore comprises at least one second electrical connection element;   the at least one second electrical connection element has a substantially hexagonal electrical connection hole;   the first electrical connection element is fixed to the body by clinching at the level of at least one fixing point;   the first electrical connection element is fixed to the body by two fixing points, obtained by clinching;   the at least one fixing point is of circular, conical, rectangular, polygonal shape, or of hybrid shape obtained from the above shapes;   the at least one fixing point is of circular shape;       the at least one fixing point is a twin fixing point;
       the socket comprises at least one cap for closing a housing of the socket;   the socket body and the at least one electrical connection element are formed of at least one electrically conducting material; and   the socket body is formed of the at least one electrically conducting material comprised of aluminum and/or copper.   
       
 
         [0039]    The subject of the invention is also a method of manufacture of a socket for a vehicle passenger compartment comprising a socket body and an electrical connection element, the electrical connection element being fixed to the socket body according to the following steps:
       placing the electrical connection element and the socket body in contact; and   fixing the electrical connection element to the socket body by clinching.       
 
         [0042]    Moreover the invention possesses the following characteristics, considered in isolation or in combination:
       the first element is fixed to the body by at least one fixing point obtained by clinching;   the fixing point obtained by clinching is a twin point. Advantageously, this characteristic makes it possible to avoid the rotation of the electrical connection element;   the first element is fixed to the body by at least two fixing points obtained at the same time by clinching. Advantageously, this characteristic makes it possible to avoid the rotation of the electrical connection element;   the step of fixing the electrical connection element to the socket body is carried out without addition of material;   the electrical connection element is stamped in the socket body;   the stamping of the electrical connection element in the socket body creates at least one first impression in the connection element and a second impression in the socket body so that a part of an exterior wall of the first impression projects into an interior wall of the second impression;   the socket body is stamped in the electrical connection element;   the method of manufacture comprises a step of inserting the socket body into a base; and   the method of manufacture comprises a step of fixing a cap on the base.       
 
         [0052]    These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
         [0053]    Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly apparent on reading the following description given by way of nonlimiting illustrative example with reference to the appended drawings in which: 
           [0054]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a socket produced using an assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0055]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the body and a first electrical connection element of the socket from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0056]      FIG. 3  shows the two components from  FIG. 2  fixed to each other; 
           [0057]      FIGS. 4 and 5  show the socket body from  FIG. 2  respectively from the side and from below; 
           [0058]      FIGS. 6, 7 and 8  are perspective views of respectively three first electrical connection elements of the assembly in accordance with this embodiment of the invention; 
           [0059]      FIGS. 9 to 14  are views of different elements of the socket from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0060]      FIGS. 15 to 20 and 21 to 26  are analogous views showing two other sockets produced from this assembly; 
           [0061]      FIG. 27  is a sectional view showing the arrangement of a second connection element (positive tongue) in one of the sockets; 
           [0062]      FIGS. 28 and 29  are top views of two caps of the aforementioned sockets; and 
           [0063]      FIGS. 30 to 33  show clinching methods. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0064]      FIG. 1  shows a 12 V socket outlet or power socket  10  for a vehicle passenger compartment produced using an assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
         [0065]    Shown in  FIG. 1  are an opening cap  1  and a socket body  2 , which is the only component of this assembly that is identical in all the sockets that are described. Also shown are a base or ring  3  adapted to receive the socket body  2 , a first electrical connection element  5  referred to hereinafter as the negative tongue, and a second electrical connection element  4  referred to hereinafter as the positive tongue. 
         [0066]      FIG. 2  shows more clearly the socket body  2  and the negative tongue  5 . The socket body  2  is of tubular general shape in its main part  22 , here a circular cylinder with an axis  29 . One end  21  includes a circular rim or flange  26 . This circular rim or flange  26  surrounds at least partially an opening  27  (shown in  FIG. 5 ) of the socket body  2 . This opening  27  emerges onto a receptacle intended to receive a connector for the electrical power supply of an electrical device. The opposite end or plane back  23  may have at the center a main emergent hole  24  formed of a semicircle contiguous with a rectangle. As a variant, the opposite end  23  may be complete. 
         [0067]    At the level of the walls of the main part  22 , the socket body  2  has two rectangular holes extending circumferentially and aligned vertically, one of which is slightly longer than the other. 
         [0068]    The socket body  2  is therefore compatible with a plurality of negative tongues but can receive only one of them at a time. 
         [0069]      FIG. 3  shows, as seen from below, the fastening by a twin point  28  obtained by clinching, of the negative tongue  5  into the end  23  of the socket body  2 . In this configuration the twin point  28  is obtained by stamping of the socket body  2  in the negative tongue  5 . 
         [0070]    With reference to  FIG. 6 , the negative tongue or first electrical connection element  5  comprises a plane support  51  which has substantially a semicircular shape, and a projecting plane part  54 , which forms the connection tongue as such. The connection tongue  54  is oriented perpendicularly to the plane support  51 . The connection tongue  54  is situated in line with the semicircle formed by the plane support  51 . Where the manufacture of this first electrical connection element is concerned, it is initially manufactured flat. The dashed lines moreover show the position of the connection tongue  54  when the first electrical connection element is flat. This first electrical connection element is produced by cutting a flat metal sheet, the connection tongue  54  as such is folded so as to be oriented perpendicularly to the plane support  51 . 
         [0071]    The negative tongues for first electrical connection elements ( 6 ,  7 ) from  FIGS. 7 and 8  include the same elements but they have different dimensions and/or positions. 
         [0072]    Accordingly, in the negative tongue  6  shown in  FIG. 7 , the connection tongue  64  is situated on the center of the semicircular support  61 . Moreover, the connection tongue  64  has a base  65  narrower than a main part  66  that is wider than the connection tongue  54  of the first electrical connection element  5 . 
         [0073]    In  FIG. 8 , the connection tongue  74  as such is situated at the same location as the first electrical connection element  5  (shown in  FIG. 6 ), i.e. in line with the semicircular support  71 . The connection tongue  74  as such, i.e. the plane part, has larger dimensions in length and in width than the tongues  54  and  64  of the first two electrical connection elements ( 5 ,  6 ) described above. 
         [0074]      FIG. 9  shows a power socket  10  produced with the elements from  FIG. 1 . 
         [0075]      FIG. 9  shows the cap  1  that enables the power socket  10  to be opened to plug a connector into it and the socket body  2  that is received and retained in the base  3 . The base  3  comprises a circular part  31 , shown in  FIG. 11 , that is identical for the three socket bases described here, although these bases are different so as to match the corresponding three negative tongues and the corresponding three positive tongues. 
         [0076]      FIG. 12  is a view of the assembly in which can be seen the socket body  2  retained in the base  3 , the points for fixing by clinching  52  and  53  of the negative element  5  in the socket body  2 , and in the middle of the base  3 , a second electrical connection element  4  having a positive tongue. The socket body  2  and the base  3  sandwich the negative tongue  5  between their backs. In this configuration the points for fixing by clinching  52  and  53  are obtained by stamping of the plane support  51  of the negative tongue  5  in the plane back  23  of the socket body  2 . 
         [0077]    The arrangement of the second electrical connection element  4  with the positive tongue can also be seen in  FIG. 27 . It has a plane part  41  as well as a tongue  42  as such, which extends in a direction perpendicular to the plane part or support  41 . The positive tongue has at its center a hexagonal hole  43  identified in  FIG. 12 . 
         [0078]    Moreover as shown in  FIG. 12 , the base  3 , disposed between the socket body  2  and the positive tongue  4 , electrically insulates the positive tongue  4  relative to the socket body  2 . 
         [0079]    A raised pattern  32  on the back of the base  3 , seen in  FIG. 27 , projects through the hole in the back of the socket body  2  and serves as an abutment when connecting a connector to this power socket  10 . This circular raised pattern  32  surrounds the plane part  41  of the positive tongue  4 . 
         [0080]    As indicated above, one of the particular features of this power socket  10  is that the negative tongue  5  is fixed to the socket body  2  by two fixing points  52  and  53  obtained by clinching. This fixing is effected by stamping of the two parts between a punch, guided by a press, and a die. The punch can stamp the socket body  2  in the negative tongue  5  or the negative tongue  5  in the socket body  2 . The withdrawal of the punch leaves a cavity at the level of the fixing point. It follows from this that the parts undergo cold plastic deformation forming a connection point so that the negative tongue  5  cannot be withdrawn from the socket body  2  without damaging the socket body  2  or the negative tongue  5 . This type of fixing corresponds to clinching. In this instance, the type of clinching used is “TOX-micropoint”. Indeed, this method is suitable for the miniaturization of the parts since it allows assembly of the negative tongue  5  and of the socket body  2  onwards of 0.1 mm in thickness. A clinching method of “TOX-micropoint” type is shown in  FIG. 30 . A negative tongue  91  is impressed in a socket body  92 . This is represented schematically in  FIG. 31 . It is also possible to stamp the socket body  92  in the negative tongue  91 . Other types of clinchings are used, such as “RivetClinch TOX”, represented schematically in  FIG. 32 . In the case of “RivetCLINCH TOX”, the point retention strengths are comparable to those of a self-punching rivet, but at lower cost. Another type of clinching is “TOX-TWINpoint” or twin fixing point, represented in  FIG. 33 . The twin point prevents the rotation of the point and the retention strengths are about twice those of a single-point method. All these types of clinching furthermore offer excellent electrical conductivity and are performed without addition of material. 
         [0081]      FIG. 13  is an end view similar to that of  FIG. 12 , but without the socket body or the positive and negative tongues. Thus a central location  37  is intended to receive the plane support  41  of the positive tongue  4  while the contours  38  of the base  3  are adapted to retain the socket body  2  in a fixed position. The base  3  also includes two rectangular openings  34  and  35  and a central hole  36 . These openings  34  and  35  allow the passage of the tongue of the electrical connection element. 
         [0082]      FIGS. 15 to 20  show a second power socket  110  in which the socket body  2  is identical to that of the first embodiment. Likewise, the base  103  comprises a portion  31  identical to that of the first embodiment. 
         [0083]    The main particular feature of this power socket  110  is that it is the negative tongue  6  that is fixed to the socket body, instead of the negative tongue  5 . As  FIG. 20  shows, the fixing points  62  and  63  of the negative tongue  6  are positioned on either side of the negative tongue  6  and at the ends of the plane support  61  of the negative tongue  6 , the plane support  61  having a semi-circular shape. In this configuration, the points for fixing by clinching  62  and  63  are obtained by stamping of the plane support  61  of the negative tongue  6  in the plane back  23  of the socket body  2 . 
         [0084]      FIG. 18  is a top view of the assembly of this second power socket  110 , again without the cap, which comprises a positive tongue  104  different from the tongue  4  in the first embodiment in terms of the shape of its plane support  141 , and there are seen the fixing points  62  and  63  of the negative tongue  6 , fixed to the socket body  2 . 
         [0085]      FIGS. 16,17 and 19  are views of the base  103 , which differs from the previous base  3 . In particular, there is no round central hole. However, the base  103  includes two rectangular openings  135  and  136  that can be seen in  FIG. 19 , which this time are parallel to each other. 
         [0086]      FIG. 21  shows a third power socket  210 . The socket body  2  is again identical, and this power socket  210  has the main particular feature of including the negative tongue  7  that is fixed to the socket body  2  by the fixing points  72  and  73 , as can be seen in  FIGS. 24 and 26 . In this configuration, the points for fixing by clinching  72  and  73  are obtained by stamping of the plane back  23  of the socket body  2  in support of the negative tongue  7 . The base  203  includes the identical portion  31 , but matches the negative tongue  7  and the positive tongue that is specific to it and its support  241 , shown in  FIG. 24 . In particular, the rectangular openings  234  and  235  are perpendicular, like those of the first power socket  10 , but are longer, as shown in  FIG. 25 , while there is a round central hole  236 , unlike the support  141  of the second power socket  110 . 
         [0087]    The socket body  2  is therefore adapted to receive the three types of negative tongue elements, but only one at a time. 
         [0088]    Finally,  FIGS. 28 and 29  show two possible types of opening cap for the various sockets. The cap  351  shown in  FIG. 28  is conventional while the cap  352  shown in  FIG. 29  is chromium-plated and carries markings (for example “ 12  V”). 
         [0089]    These sockets can therefore be manufactured from an assembly comprising:
       identical sockets bodies  2 ; and   first electrical connection elements or negative tongues  5 , here of three types. The elements of each type are identical to one another and different from those of the other types. They correspond to the aforementioned sockets.       
 
         [0092]    The assembly also comprises bases  3  adapted to be fixed to the socket body  2 . Here the bases  3  are also of three types that differ from one another but include an identical portion  31 . 
         [0093]    The assembly further comprises three different types of second electrical connection elements or positive tongues  4 . 
         [0094]    It finally comprises two different types of caps for closing a housing of the power socket, for example. 
         [0095]    For the manufacture of a power socket, such an assembly is procured and one of the negative tongues  5 ,  6  or  7  is fixed to the socket body  2 . One of the positive tongues is also added, plus a base and a cap. 
         [0096]    This assembly therefore makes it possible to manufacture three different types of power sockets and therefore to obtain an assembly that here comprises three different socket types. Here each power socket comprises five components in total. 
         [0097]    Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof. 
         [0098]    The number of positive tongues or negative tongues that are different, the number of bases and the number of caps in the assembly could be modified. 
         [0099]    While the system, apparatus, process and method herein described constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise system, apparatus, process and method, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.