IP Library Granted Patent US 12683333
Granted Patent B2
US 12683333 · App. 18/355,462 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Shield contact element and method of manufacturing such a shield contact element

Inventors: Gregor Panitz (Bensheim, DE); Holger Starke (Bensheim, DE); Marco Wolf (Speyer, DE); Kevin Keil (Bensheim, DE); Luca Boehm (Bensheim, DE)
Assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH
H01R13/6581H01R43/16
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12683333
App. No.
18/355,462
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A shield contact element for shielding a plug connection includes a housing shell and a contact lamella. The housing shell has a cylindrical shape and extends in an axial direction for receiving a plug connector, the plug connector connecting to a plug contact element to form the plug connection. The contact lamella extends in the axial direction and creates an electrical connection between the housing shell and a shield for shielding the plug contact element. The contact lamella has a contact foot disposed in a recess formed in the housing shell to electrically contact the housing shell with the shield in the recess.

Claims (35)

1 . A shield contact element for shielding a plug connection, comprising:

a housing shell having a cylindrical shape and extending in an axial direction for receiving a plug connector, the plug connector connecting to a plug contact element to form the plug connection; and

a contact lamella extending in the axial direction and creating an electrical connection between the housing shell and a shield for shielding the plug contact element, the contact lamella has a contact foot disposed in a recess formed in the housing shell to electrically contact the housing shell with the shield in the recess, the recess formed into the housing shell in a first direction transverse to the axial direction and open on one side in a second direction opposite the first direction.

2 . The shield contact element of claim 1 , wherein the recess extends from one axial end of the housing shell in the axial direction to another end of the housing shell.

3 . The shield contact element of claim 1 , wherein the contact foot is a first contact foot having a free end abuttingly contacting a surface of the housing shell facing in the second direction through the open one side of the recess, and the contact lamella has a second contact foot projecting from the housing shell in the second direction opposite to the first direction of the recess.

4 . The shield contact element of claim 3 , wherein the second contact foot connects to the shield by form fitting.

5 . The shield contact element of claim 4 , wherein the contact lamella has a third contact foot, the first contact foot and the third contact foot are arranged in the recess and the second contact foot presses against the shield.

6 . The shield contact element of claim 5 , wherein the second contact foot is arranged in the axial direction between the first contact foot and the third contact foot.

7 . The shield contact element of claim 1 , wherein the contact lamella is one of a plurality of contact lamella, a spacing is provided between adjacent contact lamella of the plurality of contact lamella.

8 . The shield contact element of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of contact lamella are manufactured by stamping so that an area between the plurality of contact lamella is sheared off.

9 . The shield contact element of claim 1 , wherein the housing shell has a pair of fastening protrusions opposing one another and formed from the housing shell, the fastening protrusions project outwardly from the housing shell and brace a shield contact housing.

10 . The shield contact element of claim 1 , wherein the housing shell has a fastening element formed from the housing shell, the fastening element protrudes from the housing shell inwardly to lock a housing of the plug connection.

11 . The shield contact element of claim 3 , further comprising a U-shaped connector having a pair of legs fixing the contact lamella to the housing shell and shortening a current path, each leg of the pair of legs connected to a respective side of the U-shaped connector.

12 . The shield contact element of claim 11 , wherein the first contact foot is arranged in the recess by bending the U-shaped connector.

13 . The shield contact element of claim 12 , wherein a first one of the legs of the U-shaped connector and the housing shell are connected via the recess.

14 . The shield contact element of claim 12 , wherein a second one of the legs of the U-shaped connector is fixed to an axial end of the housing shell.

15 . The shield contact element of claim 14 , further comprising an offset piece disposed between the second one of the legs of the U-shaped connector and the housing shell to offset the U-shaped connector in the first direction of the recess.

16 . The shield contact element of claim 15 , wherein the U-shaped connector, the offset piece, the contact lamella, and the housing shell are a one-part piece.

17 . A shield contact system, comprising:

a shield contact housing formed from an insulative material and have a stop on an inside; and

a shield contact element received in an interior of the shield contact housing, the shield contact element including a housing shell having a cylindrical shape and extending in an axial direction for receiving a plug connector, the plug connector connecting to a plug contact element to form the plug connection, and a contact lamella extending in the axial direction and creating an electrical connection between the housing shell and a shield for shielding the plug contact element, the contact lamella has a first contact foot disposed in a recess formed in the housing shell to electrically contact the housing shell with the shield in the recess, the recess and the stop directly contacting the shield contact element to restrict an axial freedom of movement of the shield contact element in the shield contact housing.

18 . The shield contact system of claim 17 , wherein:

the recess defines a hollow body open on one side facing a first direction transverse to the axial direction and closed on an opposite side, the first contact foot having a free end contacting a surface of the housing shell facing in the first direction through the open one side of the recess; and

the shield contact element further includes:

a U-shaped connector having a pair of legs, each leg extending from a respective opposite side of the U-shaped connector;

a second contact foot extending from a first one of the legs of the contact lamella and projecting from the housing shell in the first direction; and

an offset piece disposed between a second one of the legs of the U-shaped connector and the housing shell to offset the U-shaped connector in a direction of the recess opposite the first direction.

19 . A method for manufacturing a shield contact element for shielding a plug connection, comprising:

providing a sheet metal;

forming a recess in the sheet metal, the recess open on one side and closed on an opposite side;

bending the sheet metal into a housing shell formed in a cylindrical shape and extending in axial direction for receiving a plug connector, the plug connector connecting to a plug contact element to form the plug connection; and

providing a contact lamella extending in the axial direction and creating an electrical connection between the housing shell and a shield for shielding the plug contact element, a contact foot of the contact lamella is disposed in the recess formed in the housing shell to contact the housing shell with the shield in the recess on a side of the housing shell facing the open one side of the recess.

20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:

punching off the contact lamella from the sheet metal and, by bending the sheet, a U-shaped connector is created between the housing shell and the contact lamella; and

deep drawing to form the recess.