WO2001073899A1

WO2001073899A1 - Pin, pluggable connection between the pin and a socket and use of the pin

Info

Publication number: WO2001073899A1
Application number: PCT/IB2001/000502
Authority: WO
Inventors: Josef Kern; Thomas Schoepf
Original assignee: Tyco Electronics AMP GmbH
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
Priority date: 2000-03-31
Filing date: 2001-03-28
Publication date: 2001-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 2002-09-30
Also published as: AU4268501A

Abstract

A pin (1) for inserting into a socket (2) which has an insulating portion (3) at its end to be inserted into the socket (2), to which portion a conductive portion (4) is connected, wherein the cross-section of the pin (1) increases in the form of a step at the transition from conductive portion (4) to insulating portion (3) and decreases again in the shape of a wedge towards the end of the pin (1) that can be used particularly advantageously together with a socket (2) which has two spring arms (6) encompassing the pin (1) so that when the wedge-shaped insulating portion (3) has been pushed into the socket (2) the spring arms (6) snap onto the conductive portion (4) and therefore ensure quick and reliable contacting of the pin which is particularly advantageous for motor vehicle fuses in a 42 V vehicle electrical system.

Description

PIN, PLUGGABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PIN AND A SOCKET AND USE OF THE PIN

The invention relates to a pin for inserting into a socket contact and to a pluggable connection between the pin and a socket in which the pin is formed as a flat pin that is especially useful in a motor vehicle.

Pins are known that, for example, form the terminal pins of fuses of the type found in motor vehicles. These pins are inserted into sockets. At the ends facing the sockets, the pins have conical portions which facilitate insertion into the socket. The fuses used in motor vehicles generally protect the load circuit connected to the vehicle electrical system. When the fuses are inserted into the appropriate sockets, there is often a skewing of the pins relative to the socket, as a result of which an unreliable contact is produced between pin and socket at least during insertion of the pin into the socket. This unreliable contact is accompanied by fluctuating contact gaps between pin and socket which can, at the same time, indicate a strongly fluctuating contact resistance with corresponding drop in power. Electric arcs form with the contact gaps which conventionally occur in these cases. When using a conventional 12 V motor vehicle electrical system, these fluctuating contact resistances and the corresponding drop in power at the pins are of a value which damages neither the pin nor the socket.

However, there is a development in vehicle electrical systems away from the 12 V 'to a 42 V supply. When using the above-described motor vehicle fuses in such a vehicle electrical system operated with increased voltage, a considerable amount of heat is generated upon insertion of the fuses which can at least partially destroy the pin or leads to bonding of pin and socket. A large drop in power at the fluctuating contact resistance between pin and socket is produced in particular when a new fuse is inserted into a load circuit which is still defective, i.e. a load circuit which has been short-circuited. It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a pin which avoids the occurrence of strongly fluctuating contact resistances and electric arcs upon insertion of the pin into a socket.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a pin for inserting into a socket comprising a pin and an insulating portion at an end to be inserted into the socket, to which a conductive portion is connected, wherein the cross-section of the pin increases in the form of a step at the transition from conductive portion to insulating portion and decreases again in the shape of a wedge towards the end of the pin. Advantageous developments of the invention and a pluggable connection between the pin according to the invention and a socket and the use of the pin can be inferred from the claims . The invention provides a pin for inserting into a socket which pin has an insulating portion at its end to be inserted into the socket. Owing to this insulating portion, sufficient contact resistance is produced when the pin first touches the socket to prevent the formation of an electric arc and a corresponding power consumption at the contact point between pin and socket. A conductive portion is connected to the insulating portion, wherein the cross-section of the pin increases in the form of a step at the transition from conductive portion to insulating portion and decreases again in the shape of a wedge towards the end of the pin. A pin formed in this way is particularly suitable for insertion into a socket having spring arms . After the pin first touches the socket, the pin is pushed further into the socket, wherein the wedge-shaped insulating portion pushes the spring arms apart without an electric arc being produced at this instant. Once the insulating portion has passed the contact point between the spring arms and the pin, the cross-section of the pin decreases abruptly, as a result of which the spring arms snap onto the conductive portion immediately behind the insulating portion. A considerably increased resilient force is produced as a result, so that quick and reliable contacting of the pin can be achieved without the occurrence of a changeable contact resistance.

The pin is particularly advantageous in which, according to the invention, the conductive portion is formed as an electrically conductive pin with a wedge- shaped end. The insulating portion is formed as insulating layer in this case which encloses the wedge- shaped end of the pin. A pin formed in this way is particularly easy to produce from pins, which are already known, and form, the terminals of motor vehicle fuses and in which an electrically conductive terminal pin has a wedge-shaped end. In addition, the wedge- shaped end of the pin is already formed by the conductive portion, which only has to be coated with a thin insulating layer.

The insulating portion of the pin can be formed particularly advantageously according to the invention by extrusion coating a part of the conductive portion with a plastics material. Production of the insulating portion carried out in this way can also be carried out particularly easily for large numbers of pieces. A thermoplastic or thermosetting plastics material is considered particularly advantageous as material for the insulating portion. These plastics materials can be injected very easily as they liquefy upon heating. These plastics materials are also obtainable at reasonable prices. A pin which is formed as a terminal pin of an electronic component is also particularly advantageous. This electronic component can, in particular, be a fuse for a motor vehicle. Damage to the fuse upon insertion in a motor vehicle with a 42 V electrical system is avoided by the shaping according to the invention of the terminal pin. Further additional electronic components can be considered in addition to the design of the electronic component as a fuse, for example pluggable components for motor vehicles, such as relays, modules or sensors.

The invention also provides a pluggable connection between a pin according to the invention and a socket, the pin being designed as a flat pin. The cross-section of the pin increases in the form of a step at its flat sides symmetrically about a plane and decreases in the shape of a wedge towards its end. The socket has two conductive spring arms arranged symmetrically about the plane which are pressed apart upon insertion of the pin. During the course of the insertion process, the spring arms snap abruptly onto the conductive portion immediately behind the insulating portion. As a result, quick and reliable contacting of the pin with the socket is ensured. Furthermore, the invention provides the use of the pin according to the invention in a motor vehicle in which the vehicle electrical system voltage is more than 12 V. Use of the pin is particularly advantageous in this case because, as a result, the occurrence of electric arcs which destroy the terminal pins or terminal sockets can be avoided upon insertion of electronic components in a vehicle electrical system with increased system voltage. The invention will be described in more detail below with the aid of embodiments and the drawings pertaining thereto:

Figure 1 shows a pin according to the invention in schematic cross-section;

Figure 2 shows a pluggable connection according to the invention at the start of the insertion process in schematic cross-section;

Figure 3 shows a pluggable connection according to the invention at the end of the insertion process in schematic cross-section; and

Figure 4 shows an electronic component with the pins according to the invention as terminal pins in schematic cross-section. Figure 1 shows a pin 1 according to the invention which has a conductive portion 4 and an insulating portion 3. The conductive portion 4 is electrically conductive whereas the insulating portion 3 acts in an insulating manner with respect to direct voltages of at least 60 V. The cross-section of the pin 1 increases in the form of a step at the transition from conductive portion 4 to insulating portion 3 and decreases again in the shape of a wedge towards the lower end of the pin 1.

Figure 2 shows a pluggable connection according to the invention with a pin 1 and a socket 2. The socket 2 has two spring arms 6 which encompass the pin 1 on opposing sides. The spring arms 6 are electrically conductive and are connected, for example, to the electrical system of a motor vehicle. The pin 1 is designed in such a way that the conductive portion 4 is formed as an electrically conductive pin with a wedge- shaped end and the insulating portion 3 is formed as an insulating layer enclosing the end of the pin. This insulating layer can, for example, be formed from injected thermosetting plastics material. Upon insertion of the pin 1 in the direction of the arrow into the socket 2, the two spring arms 6 are initially pushed apart by the insulating portion 3. Towards the end of the insertion process, the insulating portion 3 passes the narrow points formed by the spring arms 6. This instant is shown in Figure 3. The spring arms 6 pushed apart by the insulating portion 3 are under the influence of a resilient force F which allows the spring arms 6 to snap abruptly onto the conductive portion 4 now adjoining the narrow point of the socket 2. A particularly reliable and quick contacting of the pin 1 is achieved hereby.

Figure 4 shows an electronic component 5 which is formed as a fuse for a motor vehicle and has the pin 1 according to the invention as a terminal pin. The pin 1 consists of a conductive portion 4 which is formed as an electrically conductive pin with a wedge-shaped end, as is conventional in motor vehicle fuses. The insulating portion 3 is formed as an insulating layer enclosing the end of the pin. With the pins according to the invention the electronic component 5 formed as a fuse can be inserted in a socket without bonding of the pins 1 to the socket receiving the pin 1. It is, of course, also possible to equip only one of the terminals of the electronic component 5 with the pin according to the invention.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown by way of example but is defined in its most general form by claim 1.

Claims

1. A pin (1) for inserting into a socket (2) comprising a pin and an insulating portion (3) at an end to be inserted into the socket (2), to which a conductive portion (4) is connected, wherein the cross- section of the pin (1) increases in the form of a step at the transition from conductive portion (4) to insulating portion (3) and decreases again in the shape of a wedge towards the end of the pin (1) .

2. The pin according to claim 1, in which the conductive portion (4) is formed as an electrically conductive pin with a wedge-shaped end and the insulating portion (3) is formed as an insulating layer which encloses the end of the pin.

3. The pin according to claim 2, in which the insulating portion (3) is formed by extrusion coating part of the conductive portion (4) with a thermoplastic or ther osetting plastics material.

4. The pin according to claim 1 to 3, which is formed as a terminal pin of an electronic component (5) .

5. The pin according to claim 4, in which the component (5) is a fuse.

6. The pluggable connection between a pin according to claim 1 to 5 and a socket (2) in which the pin (1) is formed as a flat pin in which the cross-section of the pin (1) increases in the form of a step on its flat sides symmetrically about a plane and decreases again in the shape of a wedge and in which the socket (2) has two conductive spring arms (6) arranged symmetrically about the plane which are pushed apart when the pin (1) is introduced and abruptly snap onto the conductive portion (4) immediately behind the insulating portion (3) .

7. Use of a pin according to claim 4 or 5 in a motor vehicle with a vehicle electrical system voltage which is more than 12 V.