Electrical connector with coding function

1. An electrical connector, comprising:

a first connector housing; and

a second connector housing, wherein the first connector housing defines a wall arranged substantially perpendicular to a connecting axis, wherein the wall defines an opening for insertion of the second connector housing, wherein the first connector housing includes a first collar that extends from the wall concentrically around the opening and a second collar that concentrically extends from the wall around the first collar, wherein the first collar and the second collar are spaced apart, wherein a sleeve-shaped coding element is attached with a first end to a free end of the first collar, wherein the first collar and the sleeve-shaped coding element are concentrically arranged around the opening, wherein a sealing element is arranged in a sealing area between the first collar and the second collar, wherein the sleeve-shaped coding element includes a supporting feature at the first end, wherein a dimension of the sleeve-shaped coding element in the connecting direction is larger than a cross-section of the sleeve-shaped coding element, wherein the sleeve-shaped coding element includes a coding feature at a second end, which is suitable, in combination with a corresponding coding feature of a mating connector, to enable or prevent full mechanical connection of the first and second connector housings, and wherein the coding feature is a recess in the sleeve-shaped coding element, which extends from the second end of the sleeve-shaped coding element along the connecting axis in a direction of the first end.

2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the recess is small in relation to a circumference of the sleeve-shaped coding element.

3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the cross-section of the sleeve-shaped coding element is rectangular and the recess is provided in a flat area of the sleeve-shaped coding element.

4. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the sleeve-shaped coding element includes a plurality of the recess in each flat area, the plurality of the recess not being distributed uniformly over the circumference of the sleeve-shaped coding element.

5. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the supporting feature is formed by an end surface of the first end of the sleeve-shaped coding element.

6. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a first end of the sleeve-shaped coding element and the free end of the first collar include fastening feature which is configured to hold the first end of the sleeve-shaped coding element and the free end of the first collar together.

7. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the fastening feature include cylindrical pegs projecting perpendicularly from an inner side of the sleeve-shaped coding element and cooperating with circular-arc-shaped recesses in the free end.

8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first end of the sleeve-shaped coding element and the free end of the first collar can only be connected in a specific orientation.

9. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a second end of the sleeve-shaped coding element and a free end of the second collar are not in one plane, perpendicular to the connecting axis.

10. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first collar, within the sealing area, is free of joint lines and ridges on a sealing surface facing the sealing element.

11. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sealing element is made of silicone or contains silicone.

12. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of the sleeve-shaped coding element is square-shaped.