Patent Publication Number: US-11664620-B2

Title: Joint connection assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) of German Patent Application No. 102020204456.2, filed on Apr. 7, 2020. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a connection assembly and, more particularly, to a connection assembly having a first housing part and a second housing part configured to be plugged together with the first housing part. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A connection assembly has a first housing part and a second housing part configured to be plugged together with the first housing part. Known connection assemblies, however, are not sufficiently secure. 
     SUMMARY 
     A connection assembly includes a first housing part, a second housing part pluggable with the first housing part, and a joint connector held between the first housing part and the second housing part. The first housing part has a plurality of contact element receptacles and a plurality of latching elements. The latching elements latch a plurality of contact elements in the contact element receptacles. The second housing part has a locking section locking one of the latching elements in a latching position. The joint connector connects at least two of the contact elements. 
    
    
     
       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    shows a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of a connection assembly; 
         FIG.  2    shows a schematic exploded view of the embodiment from  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  3    shows a schematic sectional view through the embodiment from  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  4    shows a schematic, partially sectioned side view of the embodiment from  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  5    shows a detailed view of  FIG.  4   ; 
         FIG.  6    shows a schematic, partially sectioned side view of the embodiment from  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  7    shows a detailed view of  FIG.  6   ; 
         FIG.  8    shows a schematic exploded perspective view of the first embodiment from a different viewing direction; 
         FIG.  9    shows a schematic perspective view of the first embodiment from a further viewing direction; 
         FIG.  10    shows a schematic top view of a step of manufacturing parts of the connection assembly; 
         FIG.  11    shows a schematic side view of the manufacturing step of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  12    shows a schematic perspective view of the manufacturing step of  FIG.  10   ; 
         FIG.  13    shows a schematic top view of a step of manufacturing parts of the connection assembly; 
         FIG.  14    shows a schematic side view of the manufacturing step of  FIG.  13   ; 
         FIG.  15    shows a schematic perspective view of the manufacturing step of  FIG.  13   ; 
         FIG.  16    shows a schematic top view of a step of manufacturing parts of the connection assembly; 
         FIG.  17    shows a schematic side view of the manufacturing step of  FIG.  16   ; and 
         FIG.  18    shows a schematic perspective view of the manufacturing step of  FIG.  16   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S) 
     In the following, the invention shall be described by way of example in detail with reference to the drawings using advantageous configurations. The advantageous developments and configurations illustrated are each independent of each other and can be combined with one another. 
     A connection assembly  100  according to an embodiment is shown in  FIGS.  1 - 9   . The connection assembly  100  serves to establish the same electrical potential on different lines, which for this purpose are connected via contact elements  12  to a joint connector  40 , or synonymously a comb connector. 
     As shown in  FIGS.  2 ,  8 , and  9   , the joint connector  40  comprises, in an embodiment, a single metal part that has a connection section  41  with which external contacting is possible, for example, in order to establish a connection to ground, and a contact section  42 . 
     The connection assembly  100  comprises a first housing part  10  that comprises contact element receptacles  11  for contact elements  12  and latching elements  14  for latching of contact elements  12  in contact element receptacles  11 , as shown in  FIGS.  1  and  3 - 7   . Latching elements  14  are each configured as a projection  60  in the form of an arm  15  which at a fixed end is connected integrally to the remainder of first housing part  10  and can be resiliently deflected at a free end. The latching element  14  in a force-free state projects into contact element receptacle  11 . When inserting a contact element  12  along a direction of insertion E, the free end of latching element  14  is deflected along a direction of deflection A which runs perpendicular to direction of insertion E. When the end position of contact element  12  has been reached in contact element receptacle  11 , latching element  14  latches automatically and thereby secures contact element  12  in contact element receptacle  11 . 
     Connection assembly  100  has a second housing part  20  which can be plugged together with first housing part  10  along a plugging direction Z and then forms a housing  110 , as shown in  FIG.  1   . In the plugged state, joint connector  40  is held between first housing part  10  and second housing part  20 . If contact elements  12  are plugged in, then joint connector  40  connects these contact elements  12  to one another in an electrically conductive manner. The joint connector  40  can contact several contact elements  12  with the contact section  42 , for example, to make them assume the same potential. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS.  2 ,  5 , and  7   , second housing part  20  comprises several locking sections  21 , where a respective locking section  21  locks a latching element  14  in a latching position  94 . Latching position  94  is the position in which latching element  14  secures contact element  12  in contact element receptacle  11 . In the example shown, a respective latching element  14  is associated with a contact element  12  and a contact element receptacle  11 . In other embodiments, several contact elements  12  can be secured with a latching element  14  and/or a locking section  21  can be used for several contact elements  12  and/or latching elements  14 . Due to the lock, the contact elements  12  cannot come loose and the connection assembly  100  is more secure. 
     The latching elements  14  in a force-free state can protrude into the contact element receptacles  11 ; they can be deflectable such that they do not protrude or protrude less into the contact element receptacles  11  in the deflected state. This enables automatic latching. The latching elements  14  can be deflected by the contact elements  12  during insertion and can latch with the contact elements  12  when the latter are completely inserted. 
     Locking sections  21  are each configured as projections  22  which project with respect to a base plate  23  of second housing part  20 , as shown in  FIGS.  2  and  3   . In the example shown, several locking sections  21  are arranged on a common base  25 , which in turn protrudes from the base plate  23 . Locking sections  21  are configured as arms  28 , as shown in  FIGS.  5  and  7   , which become narrower in a direction away from base plate  23 , i.e. taper and are wedge-shaped. The locking section  21  can be configured, for example, as an arm  28  or strip in order to be particularly space-saving. The arm  28  or strip can be fixed at one end and movable at another end. 
     When housing parts  10 ,  20  are plugged together, locking sections  21  extend from second housing part  20  into first housing part  10 . Each locking section  21  is disposed at least in part adjacent to a contact element receptacle  11 . When viewed from second housing part  20 , each locking section  21  extends beyond first half  16  of the contact element receptacle  11  facing second housing part  20 , as shown in  FIG.  5   . 
     First housing part  10  comprises several receptacles  18  each receiving a free end of locking section  21 , as shown in  FIG.  3   . In the plugged state, parts of locking sections  21  are disposed in receptacles  18  and block a deflection of associated latching elements  14  in a positive-fit and/or a mechanical manner. Locking section  21  is there arranged between latching element  14  and a wall section  19  of first housing part  10 . The locking section  21  can abut against the latching element  14  and the wall section  19  and mechanically block a motion of the latching element  14  towards the wall section  19 . The locking section can be supported by the wall section  19 . 
     In the plugged state, locking sections  21  are each located in a slot  17  in first housing part  10 . Slot  17  runs parallel to contact element receptacle  11 . The slot  17  can be complementary at least in part to the locking section  21 . The slot  17  and the contact element receptacle  11  can each be configured as elongate cavities, for which the extension in one direction is significantly greater than in the other directions by about a factor of 2 or more. 
     Receptacles  18  are each disposed behind associated latching element  14 , i.e. are defined by latching element  14  and wall section  19 , as shown in  FIG.  3   . Latching element  14  is functionally disposed between contact element  12  and locking section  21  of second housing part  20 . At the same time, contact element  12  is disposed between latching element  14  and a base plate  23  of second housing part  20 . The latching element  14  can be locked when the part of the locking section  21  is received in the receptacle  18 . 
     Locking sections  21  are each connected integrally to the remainder of second housing part  20 , as shown in  FIGS.  2  and  3   . 
     Connection assembly  100  further comprises a sealing element  30  which can be inserted into first housing part  10 , as shown in  FIGS.  2 - 4   . Locking sections  21  extend through sealing element  30 . For this purpose, sealing element  30  comprises passage holes  32 , shown in  FIGS.  3  and  8   , which, in particular, receive common bases  25  in a sealing manner. The sealing element  30  can be made of flexible, in particular compressible material or comprise such a material for obtaining a good seal. The sealing element  30  can seal in the region of the common base  25  in order to keep the sealing surface smaller than in the case of separately sealing several locking sections  21 . For this purpose, the sealing element  30  can comprise a single passage hole  32  for the common base  25 . 
     Joint connector  40  likewise extends through sealing element  30 , as shown in  FIG.  2   . Joint connector  40  furthermore extends through second housing part  20 , which comprises a passage hole  24  for this purpose as shown in  FIG.  3   . Joint connector  40  is connected to sealing element  30  by way of injection molding. During the manufacturing process, sealing element  30  is injected around joint connector  40 , as a result of which passage hole  34  is created automatically. Joint connector  40  is then embedded into sealing element  30  at least in part. The connection section  41  protrudes from the first housing part  10 . 
     First housing part  10  and/or second housing part  20  in the assembled state can exert pressure upon sealing element  30  in order to compress it and thereby obtain a good sealing effect. A sealing element receptacle  13  in first housing part  10 , shown in  FIG.  2   , can be smaller than sealing element  30  in order to automatically compress it. When plugged together, second housing part  20  can furthermore generate pressure and compress sealing element  30 . Two closed circumferential projections  31  on sealing element  30  interact with closed circumferential recesses  33  on first housing part  10 , so that sealing element  30  is held in a positive-fit sealing manner. 
     Connection assembly  100  furthermore comprises an attachment mechanism  50  in the form of a latching mechanism  51  with which second housing part  20  can be attached to first housing part  10 , as shown in  FIGS.  1 - 3   . In a latching position  52 , in which first housing part  10  is latched to second housing part  20 , second housing part  20  automatically locks latching elements  14  by way of locking elements  21 . 
     A direction of insertion E shown in  FIG.  1   , along which contact elements  12  are plugged into contact element receptacles  11 , is anti-parallel to a locking direction V along which locking sections  21  can be displaced relative to contact element receptacles  11 . A plugging direction Z, along which second housing part  20  is plugged together with first housing part  10 , is also anti-parallel to direction of insertion B and parallel to a direction of compression K, along which second housing part  20  exerts pressure upon sealing element  30 . Second housing part  20  is arranged on a side of first housing part  10  which is disposed opposite to a side at which contact elements  12  are inserted. Handling is easier if at least two of the directions V, Z, B, and K run parallel or anti-parallel. With such configurations, in particular transverse forces which can lead to damage or make operation more difficult can be prevented or reduced. 
     The manufacture of a part of the connection assembly  100  is shown in  FIGS.  10  to  18   . After a corresponding piece of the joint connector  40  has been punched out of a sheet of metal, it is bent to enable contacting in different planes, as shown in  FIGS.  10  to  15   . In a subsequent step, shown in  FIGS.  16 - 18   , the sealing element  30  is molded or sprayed onto joint connector  40  that has been created.