Patent Description:
There is a trend that electrical devices are becoming increasingly smaller. This miniaturization requires smaller housings and consequently smaller electric connectors for power supply and/or data transmission. A problem associated with this miniaturization is that the pull-out forces of the electric cables and connectors attached to the housings of the electrical devices are often very small and might not comply with the relevant safety regulations. <CIT> discloses a cable protection cover according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

The object of the invention is to provide a solution that increases the pull-out force of electric cables and/or connectors attached to housings of electrical devices.

According to the invention, this is achieved with a cable protection cover configured to be attached to a housing of an electrical device, the cable protection cover comprising a housing attachment section adapted for securing the cable protection cover to the housing, the housing attachment section further being adapted to receive an electric connector attached to the housing and including a connector lock the connector lock having at least one locking member adapted to restrain the electric connector in its position attached to the housing at least in a pull-out direction of the connector, the locking member of the connector lock protrudes inwards perpendicular to the pull-out direction and establishes a positive fit against the pull-out direction between the cable protection cover and the electric connector. Thus, the electric connector is at least indirectly secured to the housing.

The housing attachment section, in particular with its connector lock, mechanically secures the electric connector to the housing along the pull-out direction and thus increases the pull-out force. The solution according to the invention can further be improved by the following further developments and advantageous embodiments, which are independent of each other and can be combined arbitrarily, as desired.

To further increase the pull-out force, the cable protection cover may comprise a strain relief section adapted to receive at least one cable of the electric connector. As will be described further below, the strain relief section may comprise at least one cable strain relief element. If the electric connector itself has integrated means for strain relief, the strain relief section of the cable protection could be used in addition or omitted.

Optionally, the cable protection cover may further comprise a tube attachment section adapted to engage a cable tube surrounding the at least one cable. This allows the provision of added protection for the at least one cable. In particular, the tube attachment section may comprise a tube locking element adapted to engage the cable tube, such as a corrugated tube surrounding the at least one cable. This tube locking element can protrude inwards and/or be shaped as a collar. Preferably, the tube locking element may be formed complementarily to the outside of the corrugated tube. For this, the tube locking element may comprise at least one protrusion adapted to enter between two ribs of the corrugated tube. According to another possible embodiment, the housing attachment section may comprise a positive fit arrangement that protrudes inwards and is adapted to establish a positive fit with the housing in an assembled state at least in the pull-out direction. This way, the cable protection cover may be directly secured to the housing.

In a space-saving configuration, the positive-fit arrangement can be located at an end of the cable protection cover. It can be a sidewall or outer wall of the cable protection cover. It can thus have a double function. The volume thus does not have to increase although an additional function is added.

At least one of the positive fit arrangement and connector lock can be part of a collar or formed as a collar. Such a solution can save space and weight. The collar can protrude inwards from a sidewall. A collar can be an element that protrudes perpendicular to the pull-out direction. The collar can extend around the cable at least <NUM> % of the circumference of the cable.

The positive fit arrangement and the connector lock can be flat parts. They can extend basically perpendicular to the pull-out direction. A dimension in the pull-out direction can be less than the dimensions perpendicular to the pull-out direction, in particular by a factor of at least three, preferably at least five.

At least one of the positive fit arrangement and the connector lock can be part of a wall or formed as a wall. Such an embodiment can save space and weight while providing sufficient stability.

In an advantageous embodiment, the positive fit arrangement and the at least one locking member of the connector lock protrude from a common sidewall of the cable protection cover. This can increase the stability of the cable protection cover. A particularly stable configuration can be achieved when at least one of the positive fit arrangement and the at least one locking member of the connector lock protrude perpendicularly from the common sidewall of the cable protection cover.

At least one of the positive fit arrangement and the connector lock, preferably both, can advantageously be integral with the common sidewall of the cable protection cover to further increase stability.

In an advantageous embodiment of the cable protection cover, the strain relief section is located between the tube attachment section and the housing attachment section, the strain relief section comprising a cavity and at least one deflection wall protruding into the cavity perpendicular to the pull-out direction. Such a strain relief section can further increase the pull-out force by taking up forces exerted onto the at least one cable. In order to be able to mechanically interact with the at least one cable, the strain relief section may separate the tube attachment section, if present, from the housing attachment section. In particular, the strain relief section may comprise a deflection zone, in which the cavity is U-, V- or W-shaped.

The cavity can comprise an inlet and an outlet for the at least one cable and the deflection wall can intersect a direct connection volume between the inlet and the outlet. This way, the cable is automatically bent and contacts the deflection wall. A pull-out force is thus increased due to friction and diversion of the force into the deflection wall.

To increase this effect, any direct connection line between the inlet and the outlet can intersect the deflection wall. For this, the at least one deflection wall may extend past the center of the cavity.

In particular, the deflection wall can block at least <NUM> % of the cross-section of the cavity. This can increase the bending and the diversion effect. The cross-section can in particular be taken perpendicular to the pull-out direction. Advantageously, the deflection wall blocks at least <NUM> %, preferably at least <NUM> % of the cross-section.

The deflection wall can be connected to the sidewalls at at least <NUM> % of the inner circumference of the cavity. This can increase the mechanical stability of the cable protection cover. Preferably, this value is at least <NUM> %, especially at least <NUM> %.

Advantageously, the deflection wall is a continuous wall with no holes in it. The deflection wall can have an edge at the end that runs straight from one side to the other. This can avoid damage to the cable. For easy manufacturing, the deflection wall can be integral with at least one sidewall of the cavity.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the strain relief section comprises at least two deflection walls protruding into the cavity from opposing sides, wherein the two deflection walls overlap in the pull-out direction. The overlap increases the pull-out force in particular because the necessary bending of the cable is increased. An overlap can be defined such that when looking along the pull-out direction, one deflection wall is located behind the other.

In order to save space, the second deflection wall can define the outlet or the inlet. Such a deflection wall then has a double function.

Further, the housing attachment section and the tube attachment section, if present, may form the cavity jointly with the strain relief section as a continuous cavity to achieve a compact structure. The continuous cavity may extend through the cable protection cover, in particular, along the pull-out direction.

For easy production and assembly, the cable protection cover can comprise two parts that are connected by at least one film hinge. Two fitting parts are then connected by the film hinge and it is not necessary to have two different feed lines for the two parts or to look for two fitting parts during an assembly step.

In an alternative embodiment, the cable protection cover comprises two separate parts. Such an embodiment can be easier to manufacture.

The cable protection cover can comprise two part shells that, together, form the cable protection cover. The two part shells may be adapted to be closed around the at least one cable and the cable tube, if present. This can facilitate the manufacturing process.

In particular, at least one deflection wall can be located on each part. In such an embodiment, the cable can be placed on one of the parts. When the two parts are then mounted to each other, the deflection walls will automatically deflect the cable.

Advantageously, a mounting direction along which the two parts are mounted to each other is perpendicular to the pull-out direction. This allows a simple assembly process.

The assembly process can be further simplified when a separation plane between the two parts is parallel to the pull-out direction.

In an advantageous embodiment, the cable protection cover comprises an inspection hole through which the presence of the tube is detectable from outside in the assembled state. The inspection through hole may be directed into an interior of the tube attachment section. In particular, the inspection through hole may extend substantially perpendicular to the direction of the continues cavity. A correct implementation of the assembly process can thereby be verified in a simple way.

The invention further relates to an assembly comprising at least one of the housing, the connector, or the tube in addition to the cable protection cover. The assembly may in particular comprise the cable protection cover according to any one of the above embodiments. The connector can be plugged into the housing along a plugging direction that is substantially parallel to the pull-out direction. To achieve this, the housing may comprise a connector interface adapted to be connected to the electric connector. In the assembled state, the connector interface and the electric connector are at least partly covered by the cable protection cover, wherein the electric connector in the connector interface is blocked in the pull-out direction by the cable protection cover. Further, in the assembled state, the at least one cable extends through the strain relief section, if present.

In particular, the assembly can comprise the housing, the connector and the cable protection cover.

In order to achieve a good mechanical supporting effect, the distance between opposing inner surfaces of the positive fit arrangement and the connector lock can be equal to the distance between corresponding outer surfaces on the housing and the connector in the assembled state. The distance can in particular be measured along the pull-out direction. If a slight pressing effect for pressing the connector into the housing is designed, the distance between the opposing inner surfaces of the positive fit arrangement and the connector lock should be slightly shorter than the distance between corresponding outer surfaces on the housing and the connector in the assembled state.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the inner surfaces of the positive fit arrangement and/or the connector lock and/or outer surfaces on the housing and the connector in the assembled state are perpendicular to the pull-out direction. Such an embodiment can be easy to manufacture, for example when the cable protection cover is produced by injection molding.

In a further advantageous embodiment at least one of the inner surfaces of the positive fit arrangement or the connector lock or outer surfaces on the housing or the connector is slightly tilted towards the pull-out direction in order to achieve an automatic pressing of the connector into the housing during a mounting step.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the cable protection cover can be a connector position assurance for the connector in the housing. The cable protection cover can then only be attached when the electric connector is plugged into the housing correctly, in particular along the entire designated travel of the plugging movement. To achieve this, the electric connector may, for example, block a fixation of the cable protection cover to the housing if the electric connector is not fully mounted to the connector interface. Moreover, a closing of the two parts of the cable protection cover around at least one of the cable and the electric connector may be blocked by the electric connector not fully mounted to the connector interface. This prevents errors during the installation of the electric connector.

In particular, the housing attachment section may comprise at least one blocking protrusion abutting the electric connector, wherein the electric connector is arranged between the housing and the at least one blocking protrusion. Preferably, the electric connector is arranged between the housing and the at least one blocking protrusion, when it is in the assembled state. Otherwise, the at least one blocking protrusion abuts the electric connector. Thus, the function of the connector position assurance may be achieved through the blocking protrusion, which advantageously also serves to secure the electric connector to the housing.

The assembly can further comprise the tube.

The tube can be a cable protection tube. The tube can be flexible, in particular due to the corrugated structure.

The connector can comprise terminals for cables or wires. The terminals can be inserted or insertable into the connector housing along the pull-out direction. The connector can comprise cavities for the terminals and/or terminal latching elements for securing the terminals in the connector.

The terminals can be attached to the cables by a crimping connection.

To create the positive fit, the tube attachment section can comprise at least one further positive fit element. Like the other positive fit elements, this positive fit element can protrude inwards and/or be shaped as a collar.

The cable protection cover can comprise a receptacle for the electric connector on the cable.

The invention will now be described in greater detail and in an exemplary manner using advantageous embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The described embodiments are only possible configurations in which, however, the individual features as described above can be provided independently of one another or can be omitted.

The drawings show exemplary embodiments of the inventive cable protection cover and assembly, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements. The invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments shown in the drawings and described below. These embodiments are rather provided so that the present disclosure is thorough and fully conveys the concept of the invention to those skilled in the art. <FIG> show a first embodiment of a cable protection cover <NUM> as part of an assembly <NUM>. In <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, the assembly <NUM> is shown in an assembled state <NUM>. Such an assembly <NUM> can, for example, be used in automobiles for measuring the rotational speed of an axle.

The assembly <NUM> comprises a sensor <NUM> with a housing <NUM>. Instead of or in addition to the sensor <NUM>, any other electrical device <NUM> with a housing <NUM> could be used as in the assembly <NUM> as well. Into a connector interface <NUM> of the housing <NUM>, an electric connector <NUM> can be plugged along a plugging direction P. The connector interface <NUM> can be formed at least complementary to the connector <NUM>. Further, the connector interface <NUM> can comprise openings for the terminals <NUM>.

Cables <NUM> are fixed to the connector <NUM> through terminals <NUM> that are crimped onto the cables <NUM> and secured in corresponding cavities <NUM> by terminal latching elements <NUM> that are formed as deflectable arm-like elements. This connection between the cables <NUM>, the terminals <NUM>, the connector <NUM> and the housing <NUM> can take up part of the pull-out forces that act when forces are applied to the cables <NUM> counter to a pull-out direction C, along which the cables <NUM> extend. However, as for smaller connectors this connection might not provide a high enough pull-out force to comply with the relevant regulations, the cable protection cover <NUM> can take up further forces, as will be described below.

The cable protection cover <NUM> may comprise a tube attachment section <NUM> that serves for attaching a tube, such as a corrugated tube <NUM>. The tube attachment section <NUM> may also be adapted to be used in combination with other tube types. Purely by way of example, the tube attachment section <NUM> of the shown exemplary embodiment is used in combination with a corrugated tube <NUM> and therefore has tube locking element <NUM> engaging the corrugations of the tube <NUM> that act as positive fit elements <NUM>. The corrugated tube <NUM> is adapted for receiving the cables <NUM>. Due to the corrugations, the tube <NUM> has a certain flexibility that allows a bending, while providing a stable inner volume for the cables <NUM>. The corrugated tube <NUM> thus acts as a cable protection tube. Each cable <NUM> can comprise a core <NUM> made from an electrically conducting material like copper and an insulator <NUM> around the core <NUM>.

At the other end of the cable protection cover <NUM>, a housing attachment section <NUM> is present. The housing attachment section <NUM> in particular comprises a positive fit arrangement <NUM> that protrudes inwards from a sidewall <NUM> and secures the cable protection cover <NUM> along the pull-out direction C by engaging a corresponding positive fit element <NUM> on the housing <NUM>. The positive fit arrangement <NUM> on the cable protection cover <NUM> and the positive fit element <NUM> on the housing <NUM> are shaped as collars <NUM> that protrude perpendicular to the pull-out direction C from the rest of the cable protection cover <NUM> or the housing <NUM>, respectively. The positive fit arrangement <NUM> has a double function, as it is located at an end and forms an end wall <NUM> of the cable protection cover <NUM>. The electric connector <NUM> is partially located in a receptacle <NUM> of the cable protection cover <NUM>.

The cable protection cover <NUM> further comprises a connector lock <NUM> with at least one locking member <NUM> that secures the connector <NUM> against being pulled out from the housing <NUM> counter to the pull-out direction C. Similar to the positive fit arrangement <NUM>, the at least one locking member <NUM> of the connector lock <NUM> is also shaped as a collar <NUM> and protrudes inwards. It engages a corresponding positive fit element <NUM> on the connector <NUM>.

The connector lock <NUM> protrudes from the same sidewall <NUM> as the positive fit arrangement <NUM>. The positive fit arrangement <NUM> and the connector lock <NUM> are both integral with the side wall <NUM>. The cable protection cover <NUM> can for example be made from a plastic material and be formed by injection molding to achieve such a configuration. The positive fit arrangement <NUM> and the connector lock <NUM> are both flat parts that protrude as walls or wall-like sections from the sidewall <NUM>.

Each of the cable protection covers shown in the figures comprises another positive fit element <NUM> that creates a direct positive fit between the cable protection cover <NUM> and the housing <NUM> in and against the pull-out direction C by engaging a corresponding positive fit element <NUM> in the form of a through-hole in the housing <NUM>. This indirectly strengthens the connection between the housing <NUM> and the connector <NUM>.

The cable protection cover <NUM> acts as a cable protection cover that protects the cables <NUM> from external influences.

The two embodiments of the cable protection cover <NUM> shown in <FIG> each comprise two parts <NUM>, <NUM> that are connected to each other by a film hinge <NUM>. This can facilitate the assembling process as two fitting parts are already connected and the step of looking for two fitting parts can be skipped. However, as shown in the embodiment in <FIG>, the cable protection cover <NUM> can also comprise two separate part <NUM>, <NUM>. This has the advantage that different versions of cable protection covers <NUM> can be produced for example by mating one version of the first part <NUM> with different versions of the second part <NUM>. In any case, the two parts <NUM>, <NUM> are two part shells that in combination with each other and the housing <NUM> form a closed shell. In other embodiments, the cable protection cover <NUM> could be only a single part.

As can for example be seen in <FIG>, a separation plane <NUM> between the first part <NUM> and the second part <NUM> runs parallel to the pull-out direction C in the assembled state <NUM>. The mounting of the cable protection cover <NUM> can be performed sideways and is thus simple. The separation plane <NUM> is further defined by a first transverse direction T1 that is perpendicular to the pull-out direction C. The first part <NUM> is attached to the second part <NUM> by latching elements <NUM>.

The assembly <NUM> shown in <FIG> comprises a further connector <NUM> and a further cable protection cover <NUM> located at the other end of the tube <NUM>. At this side, the assembly <NUM> can be attached to devices that receive the signals measured by the sensor <NUM>. The further connector <NUM> can for example be connected to an engine control unit (ECU) and/or to another type of electrical device.

The connector <NUM> shown in the embodiment of <FIG> comprises a first part <NUM> and a second part <NUM> that is engaged with the first part <NUM>. In other embodiments, however, the connector <NUM> could comprise a single part only. Further, sealing elements <NUM> inhibit the ingress of dirt or fluids.

For further increasing the pull-out force, the embodiment shown in <FIG> comprises a strain relief section <NUM> with at least one cable strain relief element <NUM>. Said cable strain relief element <NUM> may be a deflection wall <NUM> protruding into a cavity <NUM> perpendicular to the pull-out direction C. The deflection wall <NUM> serves for bending the cables <NUM> perpendicular to the cable direction C and for thereby converting the pull-out force into deformation energy for deforming the cables <NUM>. The deflection wall <NUM> bends the cables <NUM> along a second transverse direction T2 that is perpendicular to the pull-out direction C and perpendicular to the first transverse direction T1.

The cables <NUM> can enter the cavity <NUM> at an inlet <NUM> and exit the cavity <NUM> at an outlet <NUM>. The deflection wall <NUM> intersects a direct connection volume <NUM> between the inlet <NUM> and the outlet <NUM>. In the depicted embodiment, the deflection wall <NUM> blocks the direct connection volume <NUM> entirely. Any abstract direct connection line between the inlet <NUM> and the outlet <NUM> extends through the deflection wall <NUM>.

The deflection wall <NUM> is located entirely on one of the two parts of the cable protection cover <NUM>, namely on the first part <NUM>. It is integral with the rest of the first part <NUM> and extends from a sidewall <NUM>. The deflection of the cables <NUM> can be achieved automatically when the first part <NUM> is mounted onto the second part <NUM> in which the cables <NUM> are already located. The mounting direction M along which the first part <NUM> is mounted to the second part <NUM> can be parallel to the second transverse direction T2.

To increase the mechanical stability of the cable protection cover <NUM>, the deflection wall <NUM> is connected to the sidewalls <NUM> at at least <NUM> % of the inner circumference of the cavity <NUM>. Preferably, this value is at least <NUM> %, especially at least <NUM> %.

The deflection wall <NUM> blocks at least <NUM> percent of the cross section of the cavity, wherein the cross section is taken perpendicular to the pull-out direction C. The deflection wall <NUM> terminates in a straight edge. The remaining opening between the deflection wall <NUM> and the opposing sidewall is about <NUM> to <NUM> times the thickness of one of the cables <NUM>.

The wall defining the inlet <NUM> or the wall defining the outlet <NUM> can be seen as further deflection walls <NUM> that deflect the cables <NUM>. Each of them can protrude perpendicular to the pull-out direction C from a sidewall <NUM>. Two or more deflection walls <NUM> can be arranged such that they overlap along the pull-out direction C, that means that parts of them are behind each other when viewed along the pull-out direction C. This helps to increase the amount of bending in the cables <NUM> and thus to improve the pull-out force. Advantageously, when two deflection walls <NUM> are present, they protrude from different sides into the interior of the cable protection cover <NUM>.

Each of the cable protection covers <NUM> comprises at least one inspection hole <NUM> through which the presence of the tube <NUM> is detectable from outside in the assembled state <NUM>. Such a detection can for example be performed by a human or by a machine.

An advantageous development of the dimensions that is however also valid for the first embodiment of <FIG>, can for example be seen in <FIG> relating to the second embodiment. The distance <NUM> between opposing inner surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> of the positive fit arrangement <NUM> and the connector lock <NUM> is equal to the distance <NUM> between corresponding outer surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> on the housing <NUM> and the connector <NUM> in the assembled state <NUM>. This allows a tight fit with no play. As a result, the pull-out forces can be increase efficiently. These distances <NUM>, <NUM> are measured along the pull-out direction C.

The inner surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> of the positive fit arrangement <NUM> and the connector lock <NUM> as well as the outer surfaces <NUM>, <NUM> on the housing <NUM> and the connector <NUM> extend perpendicular to the pull-out direction C in the assembled state <NUM>.

The cable protection cover <NUM> also acts as a connector position assurance for the connector <NUM> in the housing <NUM>. The cable protection cover <NUM> can only be attached when the connector <NUM> is plugged correctly into the housing <NUM>, in particular when it has travelled the complete desired distance. For this purpose, the housing attachment section <NUM> may comprise at least one blocking protrusion <NUM> abutting the electric connector <NUM>. In particular, the connector lock <NUM> may serve as the at least one blocking protrusion <NUM>. Additionally or alternatively, the positive fit arrangement <NUM> may fulfil this function. If the connector <NUM> is only plugged partially into the housing <NUM>, the positive fit arrangement <NUM> and/or the connector lock <NUM> thus block a mounting of the cable protection cover <NUM> over the cables <NUM> by abutting surfaces along the second transverse direction T2.

In addition to the housing <NUM>, the sensor <NUM> comprises a sensor element <NUM> for taking up the physical properties to be measured, a printed circuit board (PCB) <NUM> on which the sensor element <NUM> and further electrical elements, for example for signal processing, can be located, contact elements <NUM> that can connect the terminals <NUM> with the PCB <NUM>, and a cover <NUM> that is permeable for the physical property to be measured. The cover <NUM> closes a receptacle <NUM> in which the PCB <NUM> is located. Mounting holes <NUM> serve for mounting the sensor <NUM> to external elements.

The assembly <NUM> is shown as comprising the sensor <NUM>, the connector <NUM>, the tube <NUM> and the cable protection cover <NUM>. In other embodiments, the assembly <NUM> can comprise more or fewer elements, but at least one in addition to the cable protection cover <NUM>.

The plugging direction P, along which the connector <NUM> is plugged into the housing <NUM>, is parallel to the pull-out direction C. The terminals <NUM> can be inserted into the connector <NUM> along the pull-out direction C to make the assembly process easy.

The embodiment shown in <FIG> and <FIG> does not comprise a deflection wall <NUM> for bending the cables <NUM>. Rather, only an empty cavity <NUM> is formed between the tube attachment section <NUM> and the housing attachment section <NUM>.

Claim 1:
Cable protection cover (<NUM>) configured to be attached to a housing (<NUM>) of an electrical device (<NUM>),
the cable protection cover (<NUM>) comprising a housing attachment section (<NUM>) adapted for securing the cable protection cover (<NUM>) to the housing (<NUM>),
the housing attachment section (<NUM>) further being adapted to receive an electric connector (<NUM>) attached to the housing (<NUM>) and including a connector lock (<NUM>), the connector lock (<NUM>) having at least one locking member (<NUM>) adapted to restrain the electric connector (<NUM>) in its position attached to the housing (<NUM>) at least in a pull-out direction (C) of the electric connector (<NUM>),
the cable protection cover (<NUM>) characterized in that
the at least one locking member (<NUM>) of the connector lock (<NUM>) protrudes inwards perpendicular to the pull-out direction (C) thereby further establishing a positive fit against the pull-out direction (C) between the cable protection cover (<NUM>) and the electrical connector.