EP-4736280-A1 - PLUG WITH TEMPERATURE SENSOR AS MEANS OF SECURING THE PLUG CONTACT

EP4736280A1EP 4736280 A1EP4736280 A1EP 4736280A1EP-4736280-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plug for connection to a counterpart, the plug having a plug contact, a housing component and a temperature sensor, wherein in an end position of the plug contact, the plug contact is arranged in the housing component and the temperature sensor is arranged with respect to the housing component in such a way that the temperature sensor bears against the plug contact and measures the temperature of the plug contact, and that the temperature sensor secures the plug contact against slipping out of the housing component. The invention additionally relates to a method for producing such a plug and of a plug connector system consisting of such a plug and a counterpart.

Inventors

GREGOR, Christian
KOTLYAR, OLEG
PANITZ, GREGOR

Assignees

Schaltbau GmbH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20250827

Claims (15)

1. Plug for connection with a counterpart, wherein the plug has a plug contact, a housing component and a temperature sensor, wherein the plug contact is in an end position of the plug contact in the housing component and the temperature sensor is arranged to the housing component such that the temperature sensor rests against the plug contact and measures the temperature of the plug contact and that the temperature sensor secures the plug contact against slipping out of the housing component.
2. Connector according to claim 1, wherein the connector is designed such that the plug contact is inserted into the housing component in an insertion direction to the end position and subsequently the temperature sensor is inserted into the housing component in a measuring position such that the temperature sensor rests against the plug contact in the measuring position and secures the plug contact against slipping out of the housing component in the opposite direction of insertion.
3. Connector according to claim 2, wherein the housing component has a retaining arm under which the temperature sensor can be slid into the measuring position and which limits movement of the temperature sensor against the insertion direction.
4. Connector according to claim 3, wherein the retaining arm is designed to be spring-loaded such that the temperature sensor is pressed onto the plug contact in the insertion direction.
5. Connector according to one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the connector has a temperature sensor locking element arranged on the housing component in such a way that it partially surrounds the temperature sensor in such a way that the temperature sensor is secured against slipping out of the measuring position at least in a first direction obliquely, preferably perpendicularly, to the insertion direction by the temperature sensor locking element, wherein the temperature sensor locking element preferably has a spring section designed in such a way that the spring section bears against the temperature sensor and presses the temperature sensor against the plug contact in the first direction.
6. Connector according to claim 4, wherein the connector has a spring block which is to be arranged on the retaining arm and blocks the spring action of the retaining arm, wherein the spring block is preferably formed as part of the temperature sensor locking element.
7. Connector according to one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the connector has a contact-blocking element which is arranged on the housing component in a contact-blocking position such that at least one locking section of the contact-blocking element rests on the plug contact and secures the plug contact against slipping out of the housing component in the opposite direction of insertion, in addition to the temperature sensor.
8. Connector according to claim 5 or 7, wherein the contact blocking element and the temperature sensor safety element are integrally formed together.
9. Connector according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the connector has an outer housing that fixes the contact locking element and/or the temperature sensor locking element relative to the housing component, wherein the outer housing preferably supports the resilient section of the temperature sensor locking element.
10. Connector according to one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the plug contact has an undercut opposite to the insertion direction, which has a surface with a normal having an angle of less than 90°, preferably equal to 0°, to a direction opposite to the insertion direction, wherein the temperature sensor in the measuring position rests against the surface, wherein preferably the at least one locking section of the contact blocking element also rests against the surface.
11. Connector according to claim 10, wherein the undercut is formed by a circumferential collar and the surface is formed as an annular surface, wherein preferably the temperature sensor and one of the at least one locking section of the contact blocking element are located at opposite ends of the annular surface along an outer diameter of the annular surface.
12. Plug according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plug contact is a pin, a tab, or a socket contact.
13. Plug according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plug has a second plug contact and a second temperature sensor.
14. Method for manufacturing a connector according to any one of claims 2 to 13, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a. Inserting the plug contact in the insertion direction into the housing component into the final position, b. Inserting the temperature sensor into the housing component in the measuring position, so that the temperature sensor rests against the plug contact in the measuring position and secures the plug contact against slipping out of the housing component in the opposite direction of insertion, c. preferably arranging the temperature sensor locking element on the housing component, d. preferably arranging the contact blocking element in the contact blocking position, e. further preferably arranging the outer housing of the plug to fix the contact blocking element in the contact blocking position relative to the housing component.
15. Connector system comprising a plug according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and a mating connector. ...

Description

Plug with temperature sensor as a safety device for the plug contact The present invention relates to a plug for connection with a counterpart. A plug of this type comprises a plug contact, a housing component and a temperature sensor, wherein the plug contact is arranged in an end position of the plug contact in the housing component and the temperature sensor is arranged in the plug such that the temperature sensor measures the temperature of the plug contact. These types of connectors often suffer from the problem that the temperature sensor is awkwardly integrated into the connector housing and only makes contact with the plug contact itself via intermediate thermal interface materials. This leads to problems with temperature monitoring and increases the overall size of the connector with the temperature sensor. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved plug of the generic type which enables improved temperature monitoring of the plug contact and more efficient use of the installation space of the plug. The problem is solved by the features of independent claim 1. Accordingly, in the case of a plug for connection with a counterpart, a solution to the problem according to the invention exists if the plug has at least one plug contact, a housing component and at least one temperature sensor, wherein the plug contact is arranged in an end position of the plug contact in the housing component and the temperature sensor is arranged to the housing component such that the temperature sensor is in contact with the plug contact and measures the temperature of the plug contact and that the temperature sensor secures the plug contact against slipping out of the housing component. The solution according to the invention offers the advantage that the connector can be designed to be particularly compact, since the temperature sensor at least partially forms the contact seal against the housing component. At the same time, direct and precise temperature monitoring is possible, as the temperature sensor is in direct contact with the plug contact. According to the invention, the temperature sensor comprises a temperature sensor. In addition, the temperature sensor may include temperature sensor connections that connect the temperature sensor to the associated electronics of the connector, and/or a temperature sensor housing directly surrounding the temperature sensor. Further elements directly surrounding the temperature sensor or the temperature sensor housing, such as thermal interface materials, are not part of the temperature sensor. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are the subject of the sub-claims. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the temperature sensor has a housing made of metal or hard plastic. This gives the temperature sensor greater stability and secures the plug contact against slipping out of the housing component, even under greater forces acting on it. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the connector is designed such that the plug contact is inserted into the housing component in an insertion direction to its end position, and subsequently the temperature sensor is inserted into the housing component into a measuring position such that the temperature sensor rests against the plug contact in the measuring position and secures the plug contact against slipping out of the housing component in the opposite direction of insertion. This enables a compact design of the connector. Preferably, the housing component has a retaining arm under which the temperature sensor can be slid into the measuring position and which limits movement of the temperature sensor against the insertion direction. In a preferred embodiment, the retaining arm is designed to be resilient such that the temperature sensor is pressed onto the plug contact in the insertion direction. This ensures that the temperature sensor is pressed onto the plug contact with a predetermined contact pressure in the opposite direction to the insertion direction, thereby improving the reliability of the temperature monitoring. The retaining arm can be designed to be resilient by means of material cutouts. According to a further preferred embodiment, the connector has a temperature sensor locking element arranged on the housing component such that it partially surrounds the temperature sensor, preventing the sensor from slipping out of the measuring position at least in a first direction, preferably perpendicular to the insertion direction. This ensures that the temperature sensor remains in the measuring position, thereby improving the reliability of the temperature monitoring and simultaneously securing the contact of the plug connector in the end position. Preferably, the temperature sensor locking element has a spring-loaded section designed such that The spring-loaded section rests against the temperature sensor and presses the temperature se