Patent Publication Number: US-11381010-B2

Title: Connection device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of French Patent Application No. 1914721, filed on Dec. 18, 2019. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connection device and, more particularly, to a connection device for electrically connecting a textile or a flexible material to at least one electrical contact of a connector. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The use of textiles or flexible materials comprising electrically conductive fibers, such as a silver coating, is known in order to heat a vehicle&#39;s interior. This type of textile or flexible material can also comprise graphite in order to further improve diffusion of the heat. These textiles or flexible materials are in particular disposed under a covering of the vehicle, for example the seats, the roof light, or the glove compartment. The use of textiles or flexible materials of this type provides for more rapid heating than that provided by the ventilation system of the vehicle&#39;s interior. This type of resistance heating provides immediate heating and, furthermore, can be used to reduce the energy consumption necessary to heat the vehicle&#39;s interior. 
     Textiles or flexible materials of this type are usually connected to electrical connectors provided with terminals and electrical contacts by crimping in order to produce an electrical connection with a power supply. However, it has been observed that crimping can damage the textile or the flexible material and thus deteriorate its properties, in particular its conductive properties. Crimping can also cause the textile or the flexible material to tear. 
     SUMMARY 
     A connection device electrically connects a textile to an electrical contact of a connector. The connection device is received in an insertion direction in the connector. The connection device includes a body and an attachment device. The body has a first end and a second end opposite the first end in the insertion direction. The body has a first surface extending between the first end and the second end and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The body has a portion at the first end extending essentially transversely from the first surface, the portion having an aperture into which the textile is inserted. The attachment device for the textile is connected to the second surface at the first end. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1 a    is a perspective view of a connection device according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 1 b    is a sectional side view of the connection device of  FIG. 1   a;    
         FIG. 2 a    is a perspective view of a connection device according to another embodiment; 
         FIG. 2 b    is a sectional side view of the connection device of  FIG. 2   a;    
         FIG. 3 a    is a perspective view of a textile and the connection device of  FIG. 1 a   , with an attachment device of the connection device in an open position; 
         FIG. 3 b    is a rear perspective view of the textile and the connection device of  FIG. 1 a   , with the attachment device in a closed position; 
         FIG. 3 c    is a front perspective view of the textile and the connection device of  FIG. 1 a   , with the attachment device in the closed position; 
         FIG. 4 a    is a sectional side view of the textile, a connector, and the connection device of  FIG. 1 a    in a locked position; and 
         FIG. 4 b    is a top view of the textile, the connector, and the connection device of  FIG. 1 a    in the locked position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     The invention will now be described in more detail using advantageous embodiments by way of example and with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described are simply possible configurations and it should be borne in mind that the individual features as described above may be provided independently of each other or may be omitted completely when implementing the present invention. 
     A connection device  10  according to an embodiment is shown in an unlocked position in  FIG. 1 a    and a locked position in  FIG. 1 b   . The connection device  10  is a device adapted for electrically connecting a textile to at least one electrical contact of a connector. The connection device  10  is configured so as to be received in a connector (not shown in  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   ; see  FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b   ) in an insertion direction D. 
     The connection device  10 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   , includes a body  12  in the form of a flat plate having a first surface  14  and a second surface  16  opposite to the first surface  14 . The first surface  14  and the second surface  16  of the body  12  are surfaces which are essentially flat and parallel to each other. The body  12  of the connection device  10  has a first end  18  and a second end  20  opposite to the first end  18  in the insertion direction D. The first end  18  corresponds to a first edge  22  of the body  12 , while the second end  20  corresponds to a second edge  24 , opposite to and parallel to the first edge  22 . 
     At the first end  18 , the body  12  has a portion  26  which extends essentially transversely from the first surface  14  of the body  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   . The portion  26  has an aperture  28  which corresponds to a substantially rectangular opening  28   a  in the portion  26  and the length L 1  extends parallel to the first edge  22  of the body  12 . The length L 1  and the width L 2  of the aperture  28  have dimensions which are suitable for a textile to be inserted into the aperture  28 . Each of the edges  30   a ,  30   b  of the length L 1  of the aperture  28  is rounded in order to avoid the presence of sharp edges which could cut or damage the textile inserted into the interior of the aperture  28  (the textile is not shown in  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   ; see  FIGS. 3 a  to 3 c   ). 
     At the first end  18 , the second surface  16  has an attachment device  32  for attaching the textile, as shown in  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   . In the first embodiment, the attachment device  32  is a hinge  32   a  in the shape of an “L”, wherein a first end  34  is fastened to the body  12  in a manner which is pivotable about an axis of rotation A. In the first embodiment, the attachment device  32  is integrally formed with the connection device  10 . 
     The attachment device  32  has a second end  36  which is free, provided with a snap fitting device  38  for snap fitting with a lateral edge  40  of the connection device  12 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   . The lateral edge  40  extends in a manner which is perpendicular to the first edge  22  and to the second edge  24 . A free end  36  of the snap fitting device  38  has a protuberance  42  which protrudes from an internal surface  44  orientated towards the internal angle of the “L” shape of the attachment device  32 . The lateral edge  40  has an opening  46  with dimensions such as to receive the protuberance  42  of the snap fitting device  38 . 
     As can be seen in  FIG. 1 b   , the attachment device  32  may be held in a locked position by snap fitting on the connection device  10 , via the recess for the protuberance  42  of the snap fitting device  38  in the opening  46  of the lateral edge  40 . 
     The body  12  of the connection device  10  has a second lateral edge  48 , which is parallel to the lateral edge  40 , and to which the first end  34  of the attachment device  32  is fastened. Each of the lateral edge  40  and the lateral edge  48  respectively has an opening  40   a ,  48   a  (the opening  40   a  is not visible in  FIG. 1 a   ) which is adapted to receive a locking device of a connector in a position of the connection device  10  which is said to be assembled with the connector. The technical effect of the openings  40   a ,  48   a  in the lateral edges  40 ,  48  of the connection device  10  will be described further with reference to  FIG. 4   b.    
     The attachment device  32  has a tongue  50  (only visible in  FIG. 1 b   ) which protrudes transversally from an internal surface  52  of the attachment device  32 . The internal surface  52  at the level of the tongue  50  is provided so that it will come to bear against a textile when the attachment device  32  is in the locked position, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 b   . The internal surface  52  is thus opposite to an external surface  54  of the attachment device  32  which acts as a gripping surface  54   a  for an operator for closing and snap fitting the attachment device  32  into the locked position. The tongue  50  has a length L 3  which, in the locked position of the attachment device  32 , is substantially parallel to the length L 1  of the aperture  28 . 
     The second surface  16  of the body  12  has a groove  56  at the first end  18 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   . The shape of the groove  56  is essentially complementary to the tongue  50  of the attachment device  32 . 
     The tongue  50  of the attachment device  32  and the groove  56  can be used to further compress the textile on the connection device  10  in the locked position and thus improve the hold on the textile. The technical effect of the tongue  50  will be detailed further with reference to  FIG. 4 a   . It should be noted that the shape and the geometry of the tongue  50  and of the complementary groove  56  are not limited to those illustrated in  FIGS. 1 a    and  1   b.    
     Two abutment elements  58 ,  60  for a textile protrude from the second surface  16  of the body  12  and partially extend along the first edge  22 , as shown in  FIG. 1   a.    
       FIG. 2 a    represents a diagrammatic view of a connection device  100 , in an unlocked position in accordance with a second embodiment.  FIG. 2 b    represents a sectional view of the same connection device  100 , in a locked position. The elements of the connection device  100  in common with those of the connection device  10  are indicated by reference numerals with the same tens references as those used in  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b   . Thus, elements with the same tens in the numerical references which have already been used for the description of  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b    will not be described again in detail, and reference should be made to their descriptions above. 
     The connection device  100  differs from the connection device  10  in the attachment device. The connection device  100  in accordance with the second embodiment comprises an attachment device  101  which is a detachable element. Thus, as a difference from the attachment device  32  in accordance with the first embodiment, the attachment device  101  is not constituted by a hinge  32   a  which is secured to the body  12 , 112 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b   , the attachment device  101  is substantially in the shape of a “U”, wherein the length L 4  of the central portion  103  corresponds to the length L 5  of the first edge  122  of the body  112 . An internal surface  105  of the central portion  103  is provided for the tongue  150 , which latter is adapted to be housed in the groove  156  of the body  112  of the connection device  100  in the locked position, as can be seen in  FIG. 2   b.    
     At a first end  107  and at a second end  109  of the central portion  103 , a respective wall  111 ,  113  protrudes from the internal surface  105  in a manner such as to provide the attachment device  101  with a “U” shape, as shown in  FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b   . Each of the walls  111 ,  113  has an internal surface  115 ,  117  from which a protuberance  119 ,  121  protrudes. The protuberances  119 , 121  constitute the snap fitting device  123  of the attachment device  101 . 
     The attachment device  101  is provided so that it can be clipped to the body  112  in accordance with a snap fitting direction E (see the arrow E in  FIG. 2 a   ). As can be seen in  FIG. 2 b   , the attachment device  101  may be held in a locked position by snap fitting to the connection device  100 ; the protuberances  119 ,  121  of the snap fitting device  123  engage in the corresponding openings  146  of the lateral edges  140 ,  148 . 
       FIGS. 3 a -3 c    represent successive steps in assembling a textile with a connection device  10  in accordance with the first embodiment. The elements with the same numerical reference numbers already used for the description of  FIGS. 1 a  and 1 b    will not be described again in detail, and reference should be made to their descriptions above. 
       FIG. 3 a    represents the connection device  10  in the unlocked position, i.e. the snap fitting device  38  (which is not visible in  FIG. 3 a   ) has not yet been clipped into the opening  46  of the lateral edge  40  of the connection device  10 . The hinge  32   a  of the attachment device  32  is thus in an open position in  FIG. 3   a.    
       FIG. 3 a    furthermore illustrates a textile  200 , in this case a fabric comprising an electrically conductive strip  202 . As an example, the strip  202  may be constituted by silver filaments. The connection device  10  is configured in order to hold the textile  200  for an electrical connection with a connector (not shown in  FIGS. 3 a  to 3 c   ; see  FIGS. 5 a  and 5 b   ). To this end, the textile  200  is introduced in the insertion direction D via the aperture  28  of the connection device  10 . The first surface  14  of the body  12  is then covered by the textile  200 . 
     The textile  200  is pulled in the insertion direction D then turned over at the second end  20 , over the second edge  24  of the body  12 . A fold  204  (which can be seen best in  FIG. 3 c   ) is thus formed in the textile  200  at the level of the second edge  24  of the body  12 . Thus, in addition to the first surface  14 , the textile  200  then also covers the second surface  16  of the body  12 . The textile  200  is pulled in the opposite direction to the insertion direction D until one end  206  of the textile  200  comes into abutment against the abutment elements  58 ,  60  disposed along the first edge  22 . The person skilled in the art will understand that the selection of the orientation of the textile  200  when it is being inserted into the connection device  10  is a function of the structure and the properties of the textile  200  itself. 
     It should be noted that, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 a   , the edges  30   a ,  30   b  of the aperture  28  are rounded in a manner such as to avoid the presence of sharp edges which could cut or damage the textile  200  inserted inside it. 
       FIGS. 3 b  and 3 c    represent the connection device  10  in the locked position, i.e. when the snap fitting device  38  (which is not visible in  FIGS. 3 b  and 3 c   ) is clipped into the opening  46  of the lateral edge  40  of the connection device  10 . The hinge  32   a  of the attachment device  32  is thus in a closed position in  FIGS. 3 b    and  3   c.    
     In the locked position shown in  FIGS. 3 b  and 3 c   , the textile  200  is held by the attachment device  32 , which is attached to the lateral edge  40 . In addition, the textile  200  is compressed between the tongue  50  of the attachment device  32  and the groove  56  of the second surface  16 . Thus, the textile  200  can be efficiently retained without the need for a step for crimping, which could damage it. In addition, the fold  204  of the textile  200  at the level of the second edge  24  can be used to reduce forces in the event of stress on the fabric, in particular in the event of tensile stress in a direction opposite to the insertion direction D. 
     In a variation, the body  12  may be provided with a transverse opening between the first surface  14  and the second surface  16 , in a manner such that the textile  200  which can be introduced into it is folded in order to be turned back to the abutment elements  58  and  60 , in the same manner as that explained above. The fold  204  of the textile  200  will then be disposed at the level of an internal edge of such an opening and no longer at the level of the free end  20  along the second edge  24 . 
     It should be noted that the steps described above for holding the textile  200  in the connection device  10  apply in the same manner to the connection device  100  in accordance with the second embodiment, with the exception of the closure of the attachment device. In fact, while in the case of the device  10 , the hinge  32   a  is pivoted about the axis A into the locked position, the attachment device  101  in accordance with the second embodiment is positioned and clipped to the lateral edges  140 ,  148  of the device  100  in the snap fitting direction E. 
       FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b    represent assembly of the connection device  10  and the textile  200  with a connector  300 . The elements with the same reference numerals already used for the description of  FIGS. 1 a -1 b  and 3 a -3 b    will not be described again in detail; reference should be made to their descriptions above. 
       FIG. 4 a    illustrates the connection device  10  in which the textile  200  is held and which is introduced into a connector  300 . The connector  300  comprises electrical contacts  302  (a single contact  302  is visible in the sectional view of  FIG. 4 a   ), which are in turn connected to a terminal  304 . 
     The connection device  10  as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 b , 3 c    has been introduced into the connector  300  in the insertion direction D up to the abutment of the lateral edges  40 ,  48  of the body  12  on an internal wall  306  of the connector  300 . In this assembled position of the connection device  10  with the connector  300 , a curved portion  308  of the electrical contact  302 , as illustrated in the dashed line zone of  FIG. 4 a   , exerts a pressure in a transverse direction P against the first surface  14  of the body  12 , which is covered by the textile  200 . Thus, the textile  200  is compressed against the first surface  14  by the curved portion  308  of the electrical contact  302 , ensuring electrical contact between the textile  200  and the connector  300 . 
       FIG. 4 a    can also be used to illustrate the compression of the textile  200  at the level of its end  206  between the tongue  50  of the attachment device  32  and the groove  56  of the second surface  16 . The tongue  50  and the complementary groove  56  features mean that the hold of the textile  200  in the connection device  10  is further improved, without however damaging the textile  200 , as could be the case, for example, with known crimping methods. Regarding the fold  204  of the textile  200  at the level of the second edge  24 , this can enable forces to be reduced in the event of stress on the fabric, in particular in the event of tensile stress in a direction opposite to the insertion direction D. 
     The zone in dashed lines in  FIG. 4 b    corresponds to a see-through view and illustrates the lateral edge  40  of the connection device  10 . In the assembled position, the head  310  of a locking latch  312  is housed in the opening  40   a  of the lateral edge  40 , thus allowing the connection device  10  to be easily locked on the connector  300  without the need for tools or complicated assembly steps. 
     The description of the assembled position made with reference to  FIGS. 4 a  and 4 b    applies in the same manner to the connection device  100  in accordance with the second embodiment. 
     A method for attaching the textile  200  to the connection device  10  comprises the steps of: a) introducing one end  206  of the textile  200  through the aperture  28  and pulling it up to the second end  20 ; b) folding the textile  200  at the level of the second end  20  in order to turn it over towards the second surface  16 ; c) pulling the end  206  of the textile  200  up to the attachment device  32 , d) attaching the textile  200  to the connection device  10  with the attachment device  32 . 
     The fold in the textile  200  allows decreasing the tensile stresses in the event of stress on the textile  200 , while the attachment device  32  can be used to hold the textile  200 . For this reason, the present method can be used without crimping by providing a simple and reliable method for holding the textile  200  without damaging it, in order to be able to produce an electrical connection with a corresponding connector. 
     The embodiments described are simply possible configurations and it should be borne in mind that the individual characteristics of the embodiments may be combined together or provided independently of each other. In addition, the illustrated geometry and the shapes of the connection device may be varied without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.