Patent Description:
The present disclosure relates to an electrical connector assembly for a vehicle and the electrical assembly may include a male connector and female connector.

In order to operate and control a vehicle, the vehicle is equipped with various electric and mechanical devices such as an engine, a transmission, a fuel tank, wheels etc., and electrical cables and connectors are used to transfer electric power or signals between those devices. Depending on locations of those devices and electric components (connectors, cables), those are exposed to different environments and thus are specifically designed to be suitable for the use in specific locations and conditions.

For example, a fuel tank to store fuel for a vehicle includes a fuel pump to discharge the fuel from the fuel tank to an engine of the vehicle through a fuel line, and the delivered fuel is injected into cylinders of the engine to be burned to generate power to run the engine. The fuel pump operates with electric power transferred from a battery or a generator via electric power cables, and the power cables are connected to the fuel pump and other sensors like a fuel level sensor that gages the level of fuel inside the fuel tank. As the fuel tank is filled with fuel, those electric cables and connectors disposed inside of the fuel tank are in direct contact with the fuel.

Since the electric cables are electrically connected to the fuel pump and sensors via electric connectors, the connections between the electric cables, the connectors, and electrical terminals for the fuel pump and sensors need a certain type of sealing that inhibits or prevents the entry of fuel into the connectors for the electric terminals and cables of the pump and sensors.

Permeation of fuel into the connectors causes the electrical terminals of the pump or the sensors to contact with the fuel and results in chemical and/or electrolytic corrosion of the electric terminals of the pump and sensors. In particular, highly conductive fuel such as alcohol-mixed fuel or ethanol-fixed fuel dramatically increases conductivity than ordinary gasoline, and thus the electrolytic corrosion of the electric terminals becomes much more problematic.

In general, electrolytic corrosion occurs when two terminals with opposite polarities are exposed to fuel in the same space. For example, if a positive terminal and a negative terminal coexist in the same space (e.g., a chamber) of an electric connector, a current path is formed via the fuel when it has entered into the chamber. As a result, electrochemical corrosion (electrolytic corrosion) is caused in both the terminals and eventually breaks in electric continuity between the terminals housed in the electrical connector. The alcohol blended fuel or the ethanol type fuel escalates electrolytic corrosion. We have discovered that such electrolytic corrosion is more easily produced if a distance between both the terminals (i.e., positive and negative terminals) which coexist in the same chamber of the electric connector is shorter and thus separation of the terminals and longer distance between the terminals are desired. D1 (<CIT>) discloses the preamble of claim <NUM>. D1 provides an electrical connector assembly including a female part having a peripheral outer wall and a plurality of inner walls subdividing a cavity into a plurality of reception chambers housing corresponding electrical contact pins. The assembly further includes a locking part with an accommodation with the same number of inner walls as the female part subdividing the interior of the accommodation into a number of insulated housing chambers identical to the number of reception chambers. An electrical terminal is housed inside each of the reception chambers. A connecting cover with a through-hole is attached around each electrical terminal, each cover having an upper portion housed inside each housing chamber and a lower portion extending beyond the end of the respective housing chamber when the locking part is encased inside the female part.

The present disclosure provides a compact connector assembly with individual chamber for each terminal to improve sealing effect and reduce the risk of electrolytic corrosion so that the durability and lifetime of electric connectors is improved.

The invention as claimed in claim <NUM> provides an electrical female connector having an upper open end for an electrical male connector formed with a plurality of partition walls. The electric female connector includes: a lower plate; a peripheral outer wall extended from the lower plate in a first direction (Z-direction) transversely and configured to delimit an inner cavity of the electric female connector with the lower plate, wherein the peripheral wall has a plurality of slots that is formed along the first direction and configured to divide the peripheral outer wall into a plurality of wall sections; and a plurality of protruding side walls each protruding from the peripheral outer wall outwardly and respectively configured to continuously connect at least two divided wall sections of the plurality of wall sections to each other such that the peripheral outer wall and the plurality of protruding side walls form a continuous exterior wall of the electrical female connector.

According to the invention, each of the plurality of protruding side walls forms a chamber to receive a corresponding portion of partition walls of the electrical male connector, and the respective slot and the respective chamber form a cross sectional profile compatible with a cross sectional profile of the corresponding portion of the partition wall of the electrical male connector. With this arrangement, when the partition walls of the electrical male connector are respectively inserted into the corresponding chambers of the electrical female connector along the respective slot, the inner cavity of the electrical female connector is divided into a plurality of insulated chambers for each electrical post.

Preferably, the chambers are open to the inner cavity through the corresponding slot.

According to the invention, the electrical female connector further includes a plurality of inward protrusions that each protrudes inwardly from the corresponding protruding side walls and respectively divides the corresponding slot of the plurality of slots into a first sub-slot and a second sub-slot. Preferably, at least two inward protrusions of the electrical female connector face to each other and form a gap "G" to receive a corresponding portion of the partition walls of the electrical male connector. In one form, a length of inward protrusion of the facing partition walls is set to be different from each other.

Preferably, the plurality of protruding side walls and the first and second sub-slots are formed in pairs, and each pair has the inward protrusion and first and second sub-slots facing the other inward protrusion and first and second sub-slots of the pair, whereby each pair forms an opening profile compatible with a H-shaped cross section of the corresponding partition wall of the electrical male connector so as to form the plurality of insulated chambers.

In other form of the present disclosure, an electrical connector assembly is provided, and the connector assembly includes a female member according to the invention coupled with a male member.

The male member may include a plurality of partition walls sized to be received by corresponding second interior spaces and slots, whereby the partition walls separate the first interior space into corresponding chambers for each electrical prong of the male member.

In still other form, a plurality of electrical posts may be arranged on a lower plate of the female member, and each of the electrical post is housed in the corresponding chamber and configured to couple with the corresponding electrical prong of the male member.

<FIG> shows an electrical connector assembly <NUM> as one form of the present disclosure. The electrical connector assembly <NUM> includes an electrical female connector <NUM> and an electrical male connector <NUM>. The electrical male connector <NUM> is fitted into the electrical female connector <NUM> in a water tight manner to inhibit intrusion of liquid such as fuel into the inside of the electrical connector assembly so as to reduce risk of electrolytic corrosion between electrical terminals housed inside of the electrical connector assembly. In one form, the electrical connector assembly <NUM> is disposed inside of a fuel tank of a vehicle and thus exposed to fuel stored in the fuel tank.

The structure of the electrical female connector <NUM> and male connector <NUM> in one form of the present disclosure will be described in detail with <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective view of the electrical female connector <NUM>, and <FIG> is a top view of the electrical female connector <NUM>. <FIG> is a front view of the electrical female connector <NUM>, <FIG> is a side view of the electrical female connector <NUM>, and <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the electrical female connector along B-B line in <FIG> in one form of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the electrical female connector <NUM> has an upper open end into which the electrical male connector <NUM> is inserted, and the electric female connector <NUM> further includes: a lower plate <NUM>; a peripheral outer wall <NUM> that is extended from the lower plate in a first direction (Z-direction) transversely and delimits an inner cavity <NUM> of the electric female connector with the lower plate. In particular, the peripheral wall <NUM> has a plurality of slots <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) that is formed along the first direction and divides the peripheral outer wall <NUM> into a plurality of wall sections <NUM>. The divided wall sections <NUM> are continuously connected to each other by protruding side walls <NUM>. Each of the protruding side walls <NUM> protrudes from the peripheral outer wall <NUM> outwardly and continuously connects at least two divided wall sections <NUM> to each other such that the peripheral outer wall <NUM> and the plurality of protruding side walls <NUM> form a continuous exterior wall of the electrical female connector <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, a far-left wall section and a far-right wall section <NUM> have a different shape compared to the other wall section that are arranged between the far-right and far-left wall sections. In one form, the far-left wall section and the far-right wall section <NUM> are in a semi-annular shape, and the other middle positioned wall sections are a flat shape.

<FIG> and <FIG> illustrate the detailed structure of the electrical male connector <NUM>. <FIG> is a front view of the electrical male connector <NUM> in one form of the present disclosure, <FIG> is a bottom view of the electrical male connector, <FIG> is a side view of the electrical male connector, and <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the electrical male connector along A-A line in <FIG>. <FIG> is a perspective view of the electrical male connector in one form of the present disclosure.

Referring to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, each of the plurality of protruding side walls forms a chamber <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) to receive a corresponding portion of partition walls <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM>, and the respective slot <NUM> and the respective chamber <NUM> of the electrical female connector <NUM> form a cross sectional profile compatible with a cross sectional profile of the corresponding portion of the partition wall <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM>. With this configuration, when the partition walls <NUM> of the electrical male connector are respectively inserted into the corresponding chambers of the electrical female connector along the respective slot, the inner cavity <NUM> of the electrical female connector is divided into a plurality of insulated chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> for each electrical post <NUM> and a corresponding electrical prong <NUM> of the electrical male connector that is coupled with the electrical post in one of the insulated chambers.

As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, a plurality of electrical posts <NUM> are arranged on the lower plate <NUM> of the female connector <NUM>, and each of the electrical posts <NUM> is housed in the corresponding chamber <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and coupled with the corresponding electrical prong <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM>.

In one form, the chambers <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the electrical female connector <NUM> are open to the inner cavity <NUM> through the corresponding slot <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>), and a downward end portion of the partition walls <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM> is respectively fitted into grooves <NUM> formed in the upper surface of the lower plate <NUM> when the partition walls <NUM> of the electrical male connector are inserted into the chambers <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the slots <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) of the electrical female connector such that the inner cavity <NUM> of the electrical female connector <NUM> is divided into a plurality of insulated chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> in which respective electrical post <NUM> and electrical prong <NUM> are mechanically and electrically connected to each other.

For example, a negative electrical post <NUM> is coupled to a negative electrical prong <NUM> in the insulated chamber <NUM> whereas a positive electrical post <NUM> is coupled to a positive electrical prong in another insulated chamber <NUM>. The insulated chambers <NUM> and <NUM> are separated by the inserted partition wall <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM> and also by partition walls (i.e., inward protrusions) <NUM>, <NUM> of the electrical female connector <NUM> which will be described in detail below.

In one form, the electrical female connector <NUM> includes a plurality of inward protrusions <NUM>, <NUM> that each protrudes inwardly from the respective protruding side walls <NUM> and respectively divides the corresponding slot <NUM> of the plurality of slots into a first sub-slot <NUM> and a second sub-slot <NUM> as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. In another form, at least two inward protrusions <NUM>, <NUM> of the electrical female connector <NUM> face to each other and form a gap "G" to receive a corresponding portion <NUM> of the partition walls <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM>. In another form, the two facing inward protrusions <NUM>, <NUM> of the electrical female connector <NUM> are integrated in one wall without any gap, forming a single partition wall if desired.

In another form, a length of the inward protrusions <NUM>, <NUM> is set to be different from each other. For example, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the length "L1" of the inward protrusion <NUM> in a X direction is longer than the length "L2" of the other inward protrusion <NUM>, forming the gap "G". The long and short inward protrusions <NUM>, <NUM> may be alternatively arranged along the exterior wall of the electrical female connector <NUM> in a Y direction. This arrangement provides additional barrier to interrupt circulation of fuel inside of the electrical connector assembly or female connector when the fuel enters inside of the electrical female connector.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view of the electrical female connector along B-B line in <FIG> and illustrates different depths to receive electrical prongs <NUM> and the partition walls <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM>. In detail, the depth "D1" of the insulated chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> of the female connector <NUM> to receive the electrical prongs <NUM> is less that the depth of portions of the female connector <NUM> to receive the partition walls <NUM> of the male connector <NUM> such that the partition walls <NUM> of the male connector are more tightly and securely fitted into the lower plate <NUM>. In addition, the difference in the depths creates another barrier to block the flow of fuel that enters into the female connector between the insulated chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> so that the risk of electrolytic corrosion that occurs when opposite polarities are exposed to the same fuel in same space is significantly reduced.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the portion <NUM> of the partition walls <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM> is in a form of a web connecting two neighboring partition walls <NUM>,which are parallel to each other, and forms together a "H" shape cross-section. Thus, the electrical female connector <NUM> provides an opening profile compatible with the H-shaped cross section of the partition wall 210of the electrical male connector <NUM> so as to tightly engage with each other.

As described above, since the long and short inward protrusions <NUM>, <NUM> may be alternatively arranged along the exterior wall of the electrical female connector <NUM>, the position of the gap "G" formed between the two inward protrusions <NUM>, <NUM> of the electrical female connector <NUM> varies accordingly and thus the position of the portion <NUM> of the partition walls <NUM> is respectively arranged according to the position of corresponding gap "G" of the female connector to be properly engaged.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the plurality of protruding side walls <NUM> and the first and second sub-slots <NUM>, <NUM> are formed in pairs. For example, a first pair has the inward protrusion <NUM> and first and second sub-slots <NUM>, <NUM>, and a second pair that faces the first pair has other inward protrusion <NUM> and first and second sub-slots <NUM>, <NUM> such that the first and second pairs that face to each other form an opening profile compatible with a H-shaped cross section of the corresponding partition wall 210of the electrical male connector <NUM> such that the plurality of insulated chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are formed. The multiple partition walls <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM> arranged along the Y direction are set to be identical to the number of the chambers <NUM> (<NUM>, <NUM>) so as to divide the inner cavity <NUM> of the electrical female connector into the desired independent/insulated chambers <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the electrical male connector <NUM> includes a terminal part <NUM> that is encased into the electrical female connector <NUM>, and a body part <NUM> embedded with electric cables <NUM>, <NUM>. The body part <NUM> and the electric cables <NUM>, <NUM> may be formed in one body by molding, and each cables <NUM>, <NUM> may be tied together by an intermediate flange <NUM> made of polyoxymethylene (POM) or the like. An upper plate <NUM> is disposed between the body part <NUM> and the terminal part <NUM>, and has a shape compatible with the upper opening of the electrical female connector <NUM> so as to fully cover the upper opening when the terminal part <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM> is encased into the female connector. The partition walls <NUM> and electrical prongs <NUM> of the male connector <NUM> are projected from the upper plate in opposite direction to the electric cables <NUM>, <NUM> (namely, in a downward direction toward the female connector), and fitted into the corresponding slots and electrical posts <NUM> of the female connector <NUM>. When the terminal part <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM> is inserted into the female connector <NUM>, the upper surface <NUM> of the exterior wall of the female connector abuts against the lower surface of the upper plate <NUM> and is sealed together.

The electrical male connector <NUM> also has an outer locking means <NUM> to enable to lock to a projection <NUM> of the electrical female connector <NUM> to provide better fastening between the electrical male and female connectors. As illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, the outer locking means of the electrical male connector is a clamp <NUM> which extends from one of the side peripheral edges of the upper plate <NUM>, extending downward, in parallel to the exterior wall of the protruding side wall <NUM>. This clamp has a cut out in its central part to assist in fastening and enable the coupling between the female and male connectors. In contrast, the projection <NUM> of the electrical female connector is in a form of a projection molded on the outer face of the protruding side wall <NUM>, and has a shape and sized to be compatible with the cut out of the clamp <NUM> to be fixedly engaged together.

As described above in connection with <FIG> and <FIG>, the electrical female connector <NUM> provides an opening profile compatible with the H-shaped cross section of the partition wall 210of the electrical male connector <NUM>. With this structure, a negative electrical post <NUM> may be coupled to a negative electrical prong <NUM> in the insulated chamber <NUM> whereas a positive electrical post <NUM> may be coupled to a positive electrical prong in another insulated chamber <NUM>. The insulated chambers <NUM> and <NUM> are separated by the inserted partition wall <NUM> of the electrical male connector <NUM> and also by partition walls (i.e., inward protrusions) <NUM>, <NUM> of the electrical female connector <NUM>. This coupling structure between the electrical male connector and female connector improves sealing as well as delays or inhibit electrolytic corrosion by providing better fittings and a long creepage distance between the positive and negative electrical prong/post as described below.

Claim 1:
An electrical female connector (<NUM>) having an upper open end for an electrical male connector (<NUM>) formed with a plurality of partition walls (<NUM>), the electric female connector comprising:
a lower plate (<NUM>);
a peripheral outer wall (<NUM>) extended from the lower plate (<NUM>) in a first direction transversely and configured to delimit an inner cavity (<NUM>) of the electric female connector with the lower plate (<NUM>),
characterized in that the peripheral outer wall (<NUM>) has a plurality of slots (<NUM>) that is formed along the first direction and configured to divide the peripheral outer wall (<NUM>) into a plurality of wall sections (<NUM>);
a plurality of protruding side walls (<NUM>) each protruding from the peripheral outer wall (<NUM>) outwardly and respectively configured to continuously connect at least two divided wall sections (<NUM>) of the plurality of wall sections to each other such that the peripheral outer wall (<NUM>) and the plurality of protruding side walls (<NUM>) are configured to form a continuous exterior wall of the electrical female connector (<NUM>); and
a plurality of inward protrusions (<NUM>, <NUM>) each protruding inwardly from the corresponding protruding side walls (<NUM>) and respectively configured to divide the corresponding slot (<NUM>) of the plurality of slots into a first sub-slot (<NUM>) and a second sub-slot (<NUM>),
wherein each of the plurality of protruding side walls is configured to form a chamber (<NUM>) configured to receive a corresponding portion of partition walls (<NUM>) of the electrical male connector (<NUM>), and
wherein the respective slot (<NUM>) and the respective chamber (<NUM>) form a cross sectional profile compatible with a cross sectional profile of the corresponding portion of the partition wall (<NUM>) of the electrical male connector (<NUM>) such that when the partition walls of the electrical male connector are inserted into the chambers of the electrical female connector along the respective slot, the inner cavity (<NUM>) of the electrical female connector is divided into a plurality of insulated chambers (<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>,<NUM>) for each electrical post (<NUM>).