IP Library Granted Patent US 11,239,610
Granted Patent B2
US 11,239,610 · App. 16/564,576 · Granted Feb 1, 2022

Electrical plug with specific earthing of outer parts

Inventors: Herbert Edenhofer (Schwarzach, DE); Philipp Moncher (Perasdorf, DE); Josef Achatz (Lalling, DE)
Assignee: TE Connectivity Industrial GmbH
H01R13/652H01R13/508
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,239,610
App. No.
16/564,576
Granted
Feb 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electrical plug includes a plug housing having a first outer housing part and a second outer housing part separate from the first outer housing part, an earthing contact disposed in the plug housing, and an earthing connection element separate from the earthing contact and disposed in the plug housing. The first outer housing part and the second outer housing part are each at least partly metallic. The earthing connection element is electrically connected to the earthing contact, the first outer housing part, and the second outer housing part.

Claims (31)

1. An electrical plug, comprising:

a plug housing having a first outer housing part and a second outer housing part separate from the first outer housing part, the first outer housing part and the second outer housing part are each at least partly metallic;

an earthing contact disposed in the plug housing; and

an earthing connection element separate from and electrically connected to the earthing contact and disposed in the plug housing, the earthing connection element has an elongated base web defining a groove extending in a longitudinal direction of the base web and receiving the earthing contact and a pair of wing elements extending from opposite sides of the base web relative to a longitudinal axis of the base web, wherein at least one of the wing elements electrically contacts the first outer housing part to form an earthing connection, and at least one of the wing elements electrically contacts the second outer housing part to form an earthing connection.

2. The electrical plug of claim 1 , wherein the earthing connection element is formed in a single piece as a molded and bent part.

3. The electrical plug of claim 1 , wherein a groove opening of the base web is oriented downwards.

4. The electrical plug of claim 1 , wherein a first wing element of the pair of wing elements has an axially protruding contact tab electrical contact with the first outer housing part.

5. The electrical plug of claim 4 , wherein a second wing element of the pair of wing elements has an outer surface in electrical contact with the second outer housing part.

6. The electrical plug of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the wing elements has a radially protruding contact tab in electrical contact with the second outer housing part.

7. The electrical plug of claim 1 , further comprising a tubular insulating body, at least one of the wing elements has a coupling hole receiving a coupling pin of the tubular insulating body.

8. The electrical plug of claim 7 , wherein a first wing element of the pair of wing elements has a radially protruding first contact tab at a delimiting edge of a first coupling hole of the first wing element, the radially protruding first contact tab abuts a front side of a first protrusion of the second outer housing part and is axially clamped between a first coupling pin of the tubular insulating body and the front side.

9. The electrical plug of claim 8 , wherein a second wing element of the pair of wing elements has a radially protruding second contact tab at a delimiting edge of a second coupling hole of the second wing element, the radially protruding second contact tab abuts a rear side of a second protrusion of the second outer housing part and is axially clamped between a second coupling pin of the insulating body and the rear side.

10. The electrical plug of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating body having a tubular shape and in which a plurality of electrical contacts are received, the insulating body is arranged in the plug housing.

11. The electrical plug of claim 10 , wherein the earthing connection element is arranged on an outside of the insulating body and is retained on the insulating body in a clamping manner.

12. The electrical plug of claim 11 , wherein the insulating body has a downwardly open furrow receiving a base web of the earthing connecting element.

13. The electrical plug of claim 1 , further comprising a joining flange separate from the first outer housing part and the second outer housing part and connected to the second outer housing part, the joining flange is at least partly metallic.

14. The electrical plug of claim 13 , further comprising a metallic contact element disposed between the second outer housing part and the joining flange, the metallic contact element is a segmented contact ring electrically connected to the second outer housing part and the joining flange.

15. The electrical plug of claim 14 , wherein an earthing connection between the first outer housing part, the second outer housing part, and the joining flange has a transition resistance less than 100 mΩ at each of a plurality of earthing connection points of the earthing connection.

16. The electrical plug of claim 1 , wherein the first outer housing part has a lug engaging a lug receptacle of the second outer housing part.

17. The electrical plug of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal axis of a first joining region of the first outer housing part is oriented at an angle of between 60° and 120° to a longitudinal axis of a second joining region of the second outer housing part.

18. An electrical plug, comprising:

a plug housing having a first outer housing part and a second outer housing part separate from the first outer housing part, the first outer housing part and the second outer housing part each define an outwardly exposed exterior of the plug housing and are each at least partly metallic;

an earthing contact disposed in the plug housing; and

an earthing connection element separate from and electrically connected to the earthing contact and disposed in the plug housing, the earthing connection element having a base and at least one wing element extending from the base, wherein the at least one wing element directly electrically contacts each of the first outer housing part to form an earthing connection, and the at least one wing element directly electrically contacts the second outer housing part to form an earthing connection.

19. An electrical plug, comprising:

a plug housing having a first outer housing part and a second outer housing part separate from the first outer housing part, the first outer housing part and the second outer housing part each define an outwardly exposed exterior of the plug housing and are each at least partly metallic;

an earthing contact disposed in the plug housing; and

an earthing connection element separate from the earthing contact and disposed in the plug housing, the earthing connection element directly contacts and is electrically connected to each of the earthing contact, the first outer housing part, and the second outer housing part.

20. The electrical plug of claim 19 , wherein:

the first outer housing includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end; and

the second outer housing includes a first end joined to the first end of the first outer housing and a second end arranged opposite the first end of the second outer housing in a direction away from the second end of the first outer housing.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 9, 2019
From: ACHATZ, JOSEF; EDENHOFER, HERBERT; MONCHER, PHILIPP
To: TE CONNECTIVITY INDUSTRIAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 050315/0919 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2017 104 982.7 · Mar 9, 2017 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTEP2018055848 · Mar 8, 2018
Related Publication 20190393652A1 · Dec 26, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,237,612 US 12,640,521