Patent Description:
In the field of automotive vehicles, including electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles, high intensity currents can be transmitted through cables, cable harnesses and / or electrical power circuits, such as those interconnecting a battery, an electric motor, a converter, etc. When it is necessary to integrate connectors into cable networks intended to transmit such high intensity currents, connectors must be equipped with terminals having sufficient size and section so as to transmit these high intensity currents without excessive heating. Further, it is required to provide such male and/or female power terminals with an IP2X protection at their free end located near the mating face of the connector within which they are accommodated. For example, documents <CIT>, <CIT> and <CIT> disclose a connector assembly, comprising a male power connector and a female power connector. In <CIT>, the male power connector comprises a male connector housing <NUM> and at least one male terminal <NUM>. The female connector comprises a female power connector housing <NUM> and at least one female terminal <NUM> (see <FIG>). In this prior art terminal assembly, the male terminal <NUM> comprises a male connection portion (not shown on <FIG>) and a male contact portion <NUM>. The male contact portion <NUM> comprises a cylindrical hollow portion <NUM> made of an electrically conductive material, with an outer contact surface <NUM> and an inner surface <NUM>. A protection element <NUM> made of insulting material is also mounted in the cylindrical hollow portion <NUM>, so as to ensure, together with the mating face of the male connector housing <NUM>, a "finger touch" prevention function (for example according to the IP2X standard).

The female terminal <NUM> comprises a female connection portion <NUM> and a female contact portion <NUM>. The female contact portion <NUM> comprises.

The present disclosure aims at providing a connection solution for limiting the heating of the power terminals through which high intensity currents are transmitted.

<CIT> discloses a gas-sensor connected to a counter-connector, the connection being sealed through an upper shield.

In this context it is disclosed a female power terminal according to claim <NUM>. This female power terminal may also optionally include at least one of the features of any one of claims <NUM> to <NUM>.

The disclosure also relates to a male and female power terminal assembly according to any one of claims <NUM> to <NUM> and a female power connector according to claim <NUM>. Thanks to these provisions, connection solutions for high intensity currents are improved. Indeed, electrical contacts can be created, not only between the inner surface of the sleeve of a female terminal and the outer surface of the pin (i.e. the hollow portion mentioned above), but also between the inner surface of the hollow portion of the male terminal and the outer surface of the finger of the female terminal. More contact points contribute to carry higher currents intensities. Nevertheless, such terminals do not pose a problem in terms of IP2X protection.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from reading the detailed description that follows, and the attached drawings, given as nonlimiting examples and in which:.

Two examples of examples of embodiments of male and female terminal assemblies <NUM> are described below.

According to these two examples, the male and female terminal assemblies <NUM> comprise a male terminal <NUM> extending longitudinally in a back-to-front direction BF. The back-to-front direction BF is parallel to a mating direction, i.e. a direction along which the male terminal <NUM> is inserted in a female terminal <NUM> during the mating operation of the male and female connectors, respectively the male <NUM> and female <NUM> terminals. The male and female connectors comprise respectively a male connector housing <NUM> and a female connector housing <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>. The male and female connector housings <NUM>, <NUM> are made of insulating material and are not described in detail as they can be of any type suitable for high intensity current and/or high voltage applications. For example, the male and female connector housings <NUM>, <NUM> each have, as illustrated in <FIG> for a prior art connector assembly (the housings of the present disclosure are identical or similar to the housings of the prior art connectors), at least one cavity 100A, respectively 200A, accommodating a male <NUM> or a female <NUM> power terminal. Each cavity 100A, 200A opens into an aperture 100B, respectively 200B, made in the respective mating face of the male or female connector housing <NUM>, <NUM>. Each aperture 100B, 200B is configured so as to provide, together with appropriate protection elements <NUM>, <NUM> respectively mounted on the male <NUM> or female <NUM> terminal, a "finger touch" prevention function.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the male terminal <NUM> comprises a male connection portion <NUM> and a male contact portion <NUM>. The male connection portion <NUM> and the male contact portion <NUM> are integrally formed with each other. In other words, the male connection portion <NUM> and the male contact portion <NUM> form a single-piece part. The male connection portion <NUM> and the male contact portion <NUM> are made of an electrically conductive material, such as a copper alloy. The male connection portion <NUM> is configured for electrically connecting, by crimping, soldering, bolting, etc. the male terminal <NUM> to an electrical cable, a busbar or any other appropriate equipment. The male contact portion <NUM> comprises a cylindrical solid portion <NUM> and a cylindrical hollow portion <NUM>. The cylindrical hollow portion <NUM> extends in the back-to-front direction BF between the cylindrical solid portion <NUM> and a front end <NUM>. The front end <NUM> is provided with an opening <NUM> and fitting features <NUM> configured to mount a protection element <NUM>. For example, the protection element <NUM> has an essentially annular shape arranged in front and around the opening <NUM>. The gap between the male connector housing <NUM> and the protection element <NUM> is such that the "finger touch" prevention function is ensured.

For a male power terminal <NUM> having a diameter of <NUM> millimetres, the wall <NUM> of the cylindrical hollow portion <NUM> has for example a thickness T of about <NUM> millimetres. Such a thickness T is sufficient for carrying high intensity current at least up to <NUM> Amps. The cylindrical hollow portion <NUM> has an outer contact surface <NUM> and an inner surface <NUM>. A connecting member <NUM>, made of an electrically conductive material, is placed inside the cylindrical hollow portion <NUM> of the male terminal <NUM>. The connecting member <NUM> placed inside the cylindrical hollow portion <NUM> comprises a plurality of resilient strips <NUM> each extending essentially longitudinally between two rings <NUM>. Each ring <NUM> is in electrical contact with the inner surface <NUM> of the cylindrical hollow portion <NUM>. Each strip <NUM> is bent so as to be able to resiliently be pushed toward the inner surface <NUM> and to exert a contact force at at least one contact point.

As illustrated in <FIG>, according to the first embodiment, the female terminal <NUM> extends longitudinally parallel to, and in the reverse direction to, the back-to-front direction BF, from a female connection portion <NUM> to a female contact portion <NUM>. The female connection portion <NUM> and the female contact portion <NUM> are integrally formed with each other. In other words, the female connection portion <NUM> and the female contact portion <NUM> form a single-piece part. The female connection portion <NUM> and the female contact portion <NUM> are made of an electrically conductive material, such as a copper alloy. In the embodiment, illustrated in <FIG>, the female connection portion <NUM> is configured for electrically connecting, by crimping and/or soldering, the female terminal <NUM> to an electrical cable. According to variations, the female connection portion <NUM> is configured to connect to a busbar or any other appropriate equipment.

The female contact portion <NUM> comprises a sleeve <NUM> and a finger <NUM>. The sleeve <NUM> and the finger <NUM> are integrally formed with each other. In other words, the sleeve <NUM> and the finger <NUM> form a single-piece part. The sleeve <NUM> and the finger <NUM> are made of an electrically conductive material. The sleeve <NUM> is configured so to receive the male contact portion <NUM> when the male and female connectors are mated. The sleeve <NUM> extends, in the reverse direction to the back-to-front direction BF, up to an annular opening <NUM>. The annular opening <NUM> extends in a plane perpendicular to the back-to-front direction BF. The sleeve <NUM> comprises a plurality of resilient blades <NUM> extending longitudinally, parallel to the back-to-front direction BF, up this plane. The finger <NUM> comprises a conductive portion <NUM> made of an electrically conductive material. The conductive portion <NUM> extends in the reverse direction to the back-to-front direction BF essentially up this plane too. The protection element <NUM> is attached to the conductive portion <NUM> by overmolding, or by insertion of a portion of the protection element <NUM> into the conductive portion <NUM>, or by insertion of a portion of the conductive portion <NUM> into the protection element <NUM>, etc. The protection element <NUM> is made of an electrically insulating material, and attached at the free end of the finger <NUM>. The protection element <NUM> sticks out further from the annular opening <NUM> formed by the free end of the blades <NUM>. In other words, the protection element <NUM> is placed essentially on the other side of the plane with regard to the free end of the blades <NUM>. The gap between the female connector housing <NUM> and the protection element <NUM> is such that the "finger touch" prevention function is ensured.

Each blade <NUM> is provided with at least one contact point. In the vicinity of the female connection portion <NUM>, each blade <NUM> is provided with a narrow portion <NUM> in order to make the blade <NUM> more flexible. In the vicinity of its free end, on its inner surface <NUM>, each blade <NUM> is provided with a bulge <NUM> extending from the inner surface <NUM> of each blade <NUM> toward the finger <NUM>. In the vicinity of its free end, on its outer surface <NUM>, each blade <NUM> is provided with a notch <NUM> configured to accommodate a spring ring (not shown) that both strengthens the female contact portion <NUM> and increases the contact force at the contact point located on each bulge <NUM>.

When the male and female connectors are mated, the male contact portion <NUM> is inserted in the female contact portion <NUM>. More particularly, the outer contact surface <NUM> of the male contact portion <NUM> faces (at least over a certain area) the inner surface <NUM> of the blades <NUM>, and the bulges <NUM> make an electrical contact with the outer contact surface <NUM> of the male contact portion <NUM>. Further, the inner surface <NUM> of the wall <NUM> of the cylindrical hollow portion <NUM> faces (at least over a certain area) the outer surface <NUM> of the finger <NUM>, and the bent portion of the resilient strips <NUM> makes an electrical contact with the outer surface <NUM> of the finger <NUM>. Therefore, between the male <NUM> and female <NUM> terminals, there are contact points between each blade <NUM> of the female terminal <NUM> and the male contact portion <NUM>, but also between the finger <NUM> and the inner surface <NUM> of the male contact portion <NUM> through the connecting member120 (see <FIG>). Such a configuration allows for a conduction of higher current intensities through the male <NUM> and female <NUM> terminals without excessive heating.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, according to the second embodiment, the female terminal <NUM> differs from the first embodiment essentially by the sleeve <NUM> of its female contact portion <NUM>. The female connection portion <NUM>, the finger <NUM> and the protection element <NUM> are similar or the same as those already disclosed in connection with the first embodiment. They will not be described again.

The sleeve <NUM> and the finger <NUM> are integrally formed with each other. In other words, the sleeve <NUM> and the finger <NUM> form a single-piece part. The sleeve <NUM> and the finger <NUM> are made of an electrically conductive material. The sleeve <NUM> is configured so to receive the male contact portion <NUM> when the male and female connectors are mated. The sleeve <NUM> extends in the reverse direction to the back-to-front direction BF up to an annular opening <NUM>. The annular opening <NUM> extends in a plane perpendicular to the back-to-front BF direction. The sleeve <NUM> comprises a cylindrical wall <NUM> with an annular rib <NUM> around the annular opening <NUM>. The rib <NUM> extends toward the finger <NUM>, so as to maintain a connecting member <NUM> placed in said sleeve <NUM>. The movement of the connecting member <NUM> parallel to the back-to-front direction BF is blocked in one direction by the rib <NUM> and in the opposite direction by a ledge <NUM> located at the bottom of the sleeve <NUM>. The connecting member <NUM> comprises a plurality of resilient strips <NUM> extending between two rings <NUM> stopped respectively by the ledge <NUM> and the rib <NUM>. Each ring <NUM> is in electrical contact with the inner surface <NUM> of the cylindrical wall <NUM> of the female contact portion <NUM>. Each strip <NUM> is bent toward the finger <NUM> so as to form a contact zone or contact point configured for electrically contacting the outer contact surface <NUM> of the male power terminal <NUM>, when the male and female connectors are mated.

Claim 1:
Female power terminal (<NUM>) extending parallel to a longitudinal direction, from a female connection portion (<NUM>) to a female contact portion (<NUM>), the female contact portion (<NUM>) comprising
- a sleeve (<NUM>) made of an electrically conductive material, said sleeve (<NUM>) extending up to an opening (<NUM>) extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and
- a finger (<NUM>) extending inside the sleeve (<NUM>), parallel to a longitudinal direction, from a base attached to the sleeve (<NUM>) to a free end, wherein said finger comprises a conductive portion (<NUM>) made of an electrically conductive material,
characterized in that said finger (<NUM>) forms a single-piece part with the sleeve (<NUM>).