Patent Abstract:
A high voltage and interlock loop assembly has first and second high voltage connector housings complementarily constructed for releasable engagement with each other and for having a high voltage circuit running therethrough. First and second connectors for an interlock loop circuit are complementarily constructed for releasable engagement with each other with one of the interlock loop connectors being mounted on one of the high voltage connector housings. The first and second interlock loop connectors have complementarily abutment shoulders with one abutment shoulder being on a flexible tab. The flexible tab is movable to misalign its abutment shoulder from the other abutment shoulder when the high voltage connector housings are properly engaged together to allow full engagement of the first and second interlock loop connectors.

Full Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The field of this invention relates to a high voltage connector assembly and more particularly for a high voltage connector assembly that incorporates a high voltage interlock loop connector assembly for automotive applications. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Vehicles that are propelled by internal combustion engines have low voltage circuits that are used to operate numerous devices for example, turn signals, headlights, brake lights, radios, and electronic instrument panels. Electric or hybrid vehicles on the other hand need to have a high voltage circuitry to provide the needed wattage to run the main electric motors and other devices that have typically been belt driven. It is foreseen that many more electric type vehicles will enter the commercial market that use high voltage (typically 300V or higher) to power these devices and will need high voltage connectors for the circuits. 
   In order to allow easy installation and disconnection of various electrical components for repair and replacement, the high voltage circuit for these electric and hybrid vehicles may have several conveniently placed high voltage connectors that may be connected together or disconnected from each other. 
   Furthermore, due to the high voltage and large amperage involved, it is a prerequisite to shut down the high voltage circuit in question before an automotive technician or other individual disconnects any high voltage connector. To prevent premature physical contact with the high voltage circuit, interlock loop circuitry, often referred to as high voltage interlock loops (HVIL), have been devised which when triggered will activate a shut-off program to shut down the high voltage circuit. One such trigger is an interlock loop connector in the HVIL circuit that often is piggybacked onto the high voltage connectors to allow the high voltage electrical circuit to shut down and adequately discharge after the HVIL circuit becomes disconnected but before the connector housing of the high voltage connector assembly can become disconnected. 
   Present HVIL connectors system are costly, bulky and contain extra parts which are subject to grease and grime buildup that may eventually interfere in its operation. 
   What is needed is a smaller and more reliable connector for an HVIL system. What is also needed is an HVIL connector that uses as part of its structure a connection position assurance device on the high voltage connector housing. 
   SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a high voltage and interlock loop connector assembly has first and second high voltage connector housings as part of a high voltage circuit running therethrough. The first and second high voltage connector housings are complementarily constructed for releasable engagement with each other. First and second connectors for an interlock loop circuit are also complementarily constructed for releasable engagement with each other. The first and second interlock loop connectors preferably are movable to disconnect and break an interlock loop circuit running therethrough. One of the first or second interlock loop connectors is mounted on one of the high voltage connector housings. The first and second interlock loop connectors each have complementarily abutment shoulders with one abutment shoulder being on a flexible tab. The abutment shoulders abut each other and prevent full engagement of the connectors when the first and second high voltage connector housings are not fully engaged with each other. The flexible tab is movable by one of the high voltage connector housings to misalign its abutment shoulder from the other abutment shoulder when the high voltage connector housings are properly engaged together to allow full engagement of the first and second interlock loop connectors. 
   Preferably, the first and second high voltage connector housings have a latching handle mechanism constructed to be non-releasable when the first and second interlock connectors are engaged to each other. It is also preferred that the high voltage connector housings require engagement with a tool to complete disconnection of the high voltage circuit within the high voltage connector housings after disconnection of the interlock loop circuit within the interlock loop interlock loop connectors. 
   In one embodiment, one of the high voltage connector housings has a connector positioned assurance device. Preferably, the connector position assurance device has a slide member with a locking protrusion that extends into an opening in the first high voltage connector housing when in the engaged position. The locking protrusion is recessable out of the opening by a tool sized to enter the opening to allow the connector position assurance slide member to move to its disengaged position and to allow the latching handle mechanism to be releasable and to allow disconnection of the first and second high voltage connector housings. Furthermore, the locking protrusion may be positioned at a distal end of a resiliently flexible tongue section of the slide member. The tongue section is flexible to allow the locking protrusion to flex and descend out of the opening under a stop shoulder. It is desired that the opening and the locking protrusion are covered by the interlock loop connectors when the interlock connectors are engaged. 
   In one embodiment, the flexible tab is deflectable upward by a surface of the connector position assurance slide member when the high voltage connector housings are in the fully engaged position and the connector position assurance slide member is in the locked position. One of the interlock loop connectors and the high voltage connector housings have a groove to receive the flexible tab to let it resiliently bias back downward to a rest position when the interlock loop connectors are fully engaged. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Reference now is made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective assembled view of a high voltage and HVIL connector assembly showing the first and second HVIL connectors assembled on top of the first and second high voltage connector housings; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the second HVIL connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the first high voltage connector housing shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3A  is a top plan partially broken view of the first high voltage connector housing illustrating the connection position assurance slide member; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the first HVIL connector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the assembly shown in  FIG. 1  with the high voltage connector housing fully engaged and the HVIL connectors in position to be engaged; 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  with the HVIL connectors fully engaged; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  with the HVIL first connector disengaged and the high voltage connector housing ready to be disengaged; 
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  with the connector position assurance mechanism slid back to allow the main latching device to be operated to unlock the high voltage connector housings; 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  illustrating another improper installation attempt with the high voltage housing connected but the connection position assurance device not positioned in the installed position; and 
       FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view similar to  FIG. 5  illustrating an improper sequence of installation of the HVIL connectors. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a high voltage and HVIL connector assembly  10  is shown with a male high voltage housing  12  connected to a female high voltage housing  14 . A latching device  16  and connection position assurance device  18  are housed on the female connector housing  14 . High voltage wires  20  extend from each housing  12  and  14  and connect together when the two housings  12  and  14  are connected as part of a high voltage circuit  21 . 
   A male HVIL connector  22  is piggy backed on top of the male housing  12 . The connector  22  may be integrally formed with the male housing  12 . A female HVIL connector  24  is removably mounted on top of the female housing  14 .  14 . Low voltage HVIL wires  26  are operably connected to the HVIL connectors  22  and  24  that contact each other to form part of an HVIL circuit  27 . When the connectors  22  and  24  become disconnected the HVIL circuit  27  becomes open and is programmed to open the high voltage circuit  21  by disconnecting from a high voltage source (not shown). A period of time, for example 5 seconds, is required to insure an adequate discharge of the voltage to less than 60 volts after the high voltage circuit  21  is disconnected from the high voltage source. 
   In order to assure that the appropriate period of time occurs between the opening of the HVIL circuit  27  and the access to the high voltage circuit  21 , the high voltage connector housings  12  and  14  and the HVIL connectors  22  and  24  are constructed to take time to disconnect. In particular, the period of time needs to be long enough from first disengagement of the HVIL circuit  27  and when the HVIL connector housings are disengaged to the time the high voltage connector housing  12  and  14  become accessible and are first pulled apart to open the high voltage circuit  21 . 
   It is desired that the latching device  16  is inoperable and/or inaccessible when the HVIL connectors  22 ,  24  are engaged. Furthermore, once the HVIL low voltage circuit  27  is open by pulling apart the two connectors  22  and  24 , the needed use of a tool provides time when a person picks up the tool and uses it to access a mechanism before the full disconnection of the two high voltage housings  12  and  14  is possible. 
   A male low voltage connector  22  is housed or mounted on the male high voltage housing  12  as more clearly shown in  FIG. 2 . The low voltage connector  22  may be integrally formed with the high voltage housing  12 . The low voltage connector  22  has a stop shoulder  30  formed near the male entry end  32  for the low voltage electric terminal connectors (not shown). A slot  34  is formed between the stop tab  30  and the end  32  that axially extends rearwardly. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the female high voltage connector housing  14  has a first end  36  for receiving an end  38  of the male connector housing  12  and has high voltage terminals  40  that engage complementary high voltage terminals. (not shown) in male connector housing  12 . At a top surface, the latch device  16  has a latch handle  44  that operates locking latches  46  that releasably engage complementary recesses  48  in the male housing  12  to latch and lock the two high voltage housings  12  and  14  together. 
   The connector position assurance device  18  includes a slide member  50  that slides along a groove  54  in the female connector  14  under the latch handle  44 . The male connector  12  as more clearly shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  has an abutment section  56  which receives and deflects the slide  50  upwardly within the groove  54  when pushed to the assured position. When the movable slide member  50  is fully engaged, its thicker handle end  55  prevents the latch handle  44  from being operably depressed to pivot the latches  46  upward. Therefore, the latches  46  cannot lift and disengage from the male connector housing  12 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , the connector  24  has a female end  58  with low voltage terminals  59  for the HVIL circuit  27 . A flexible tab  60  is formed with one abutment shoulder  61  at end  58  that can be radially flexed inwardly (upwardly as shown in the Figures) but resiliently biased to its rest position as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , when the two low voltage connectors  22  and  24  are engaged after the high voltage connector housings  12  and  14  are engaged, the flex tab  60  is flexed upwardly as it rides on top of the slide  50 . Slide  50  misaligns its abutment shoulder  61  to pass over the stop shoulder  30  and enter slot  34  to the engaged position as shown in  FIG. 6 . In the engaged position as shown in  FIG. 6 , terminals  58  engage terminals  63  in housing  24 . The latch handle  44  even though exposed is not operational because of the lock out function of the CPA device  18 , particularly by the interposition of thicker section  55 . Once the low voltage connectors  22  and  24  are fully engaged the flex tab  60  is allowed to resiliently flex back to a rest position as shown in  FIG. 6  by engaging a recess  65  within the slot  34 . This alleviates long term stress on the flex tab  60  during the installed position and increases it durability. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the flex tab  60  has a canted surface  72  to allow the female connector  24  to be axially pulled and disengaged from the male connector housing  22 . Once the female connector housing  24  is disengaged from the assembly  10 , the slide  50  member has a lock protrusion  64  extending into an opening  66  in the latch handle  44 . The opening  66  may be continuous with groove  54 . A lock shoulder  67  is at one end of opening  66 . The lock protrusion  64  is at a distal end of resilient tongue section  52 . A tool, for example a small screw example a small screw driver or a pick, needs to push the protrusion  64  downwardly as shown by arrow  75  to disengage it from the opening  66  to bypass shoulder  67  in order to allow the slide member  50  to slide back to the set position as shown in  FIG. 8 . Aperture  70  with stop shoulder  71  prevents the slide member  50  from undesirably disengaging from housing  14 . After the slide member  50  is moved back to the set position as shown in  FIG. 8 , the latch handle  44  becomes free to be depressed and release the latches  46  to unlock high voltage housings  12  and  14  from each other. The time it takes for an operator to pick up a tool, press it into opening  66  and slide the slide  50  seems to generally well exceed the preferred 5 second period of time to adequately lower the voltage below the 60 volt level. 
   Furthermore, with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the HVIL connectors  22  and  24  cannot be engaged without the high voltage connector housings  12  and  14  previously being engaged. If the slide member  50  is not in the engaged position as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the flex tab  60  is in a lower position by flexing into groove  54  and its shoulder  61  abuts against the stop shoulder  30  and prevents full engagement. For example in  FIG. 10  when the female high voltage connector  14  is not there, it can be seen that the tab  60  abuts the stop shoulder  30 . Even if the female connector housing  14  as shown in  FIG. 9  is there and partially engages but the slide member is not properly engaged, the slide  50  does not fill groove  54  and the flex tab  60  is allowed to drop into the same groove  54  and abut the stop shoulder  30 . 
   In this fashion, an HVIL connector system for a high voltage connector provides several advantages of a system that prevent unwanted and undesirable premature connection of the low voltage HVIL circuit while also preventing unwanted and undesirable premature disconnection of a high voltage circuit of an electrically driven motor vehicle before the low voltage circuit is disconnected. 
   It will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those described above, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description, without departing from the substance or scope of the present present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1