ELECTRICAL CONNECTION DEVICE AND CONNECTOR

• US 20090239408A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: ABB Schweiz AG (ABB Limited)
• Inventors: Knapp, Wolfgang, Sacher, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,641,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/376
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/28 Clamped connections, spring connections made by means of terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits H01R12/00

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a connection device, in particular a heavy-duty plug-type connection, with a first connector and a second connector, which each have a contact-making element in order to produce an electrical connection in the connected state of the connectors; the connectors bearing against one another at a connection region in the connected state; at least one of the connectors comprising a coolant line with one or more access points for the supply and discharge, respectively, of a coolant; the coolant line being provided at the contact-making element in order to dissipate heat from a contact point between the contact-making elements; all of the access points of the coolant line being arranged outside of the connection region.

Claims

1. A connection device for a heavy-duty plug-type connection, with a first connector and a second connector, which each have a contact-making element in order to produce an electrical connection in the connected state of the connectors;

the connectors bearing against one another at a connection region in the connected state;

at least one of the connectors comprising a coolant line with one or more access points for the supply and discharge, respectively, of a coolant;

the coolant line being provided at the contact-making element in order to dissipate heat from a contact point between the contact-making elements;

wherein

all of the access points of the coolant line are arranged outside the connection region, and

wherein the first connector comprises a housing with a contact-making element accommodated therein, a section of the coolant line being formed between the housing and the contact-making element, the housing having a passage for accommodating the contact-making element of the second connector,

the passage being formed in such a way that it is closed in the connected state by means of the contact-making element of the second connector so as to prevent the emergence of the coolant, and

a closure element being provided in order to close the passage in the non-connected state so as to prevent the emergence of the coolant.

3. The connection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first connector is in the form of a female connector and the second connector is in the form of a male connector.

4. The connection device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure element is prestressed by a spring element, which presses the closure element in the non-connected state against a stop into the passage in order to close said passage.

5. The connection device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the contact-making element of the second connector has a cylindrical form.

6. The connection device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the passage is provided with a sealing element in order to seal off the passage so as to prevent the emergence of the coolant.

7. The connection device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a further section of the coolant line is formed within the contact-making element.

13. The connection device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the passage is provided with a sealing element in order to seal off the passage so as to prevent the emergence of the coolant.

14. The connection device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a further section of the coolant line is formed within the contact-making element.

2. A connection device for a heavy-duty plug-type connection, with a first connector and a second connector, which each have a contact-making element in order to produce an electrical connection in the connected state of the connectors;

the connectors bearing against one another at a connection region in the connected state;

at least one of the connectors comprising a coolant line with one or more access points for the supply and discharge, respectively, of a coolant;

the coolant line being provided at the contact-making element in order to dissipate heat from a contact point between the contact-making elements;

wherein

all of the access points of the coolant line are arranged outside the connection region, and

wherein the coolant line is arranged in a separate cooling unit, which is fastened on the contact-making element of the at least one connector.

12. The connection device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first connector is in the form of a female connector and the second connector is in the form of a male connector.

8. An electrical connector, in particular a heavy-duty plug, for producing an electrical connection, comprising:

a contact-making element in order to make contact with a further contact-making element of a further connector in a connected state so as to produce the electrical connection;

a connection region, which is provided to bear, in the connected state, on a corresponding further connection region of the further connector; and

a coolant line with one or more access points for the supply and discharge, respectively, of a coolant;

the coolant line being provided at the contact-making element in order to dissipate heat from a contact point at the contact-making element;

wherein all of the access points of the coolant line are arranged outside of the connection region, and

a housing with a contact-making element accommodated therein is provided, with a section of the coolant line being formed between said housing and said contact-making element,

the housing having a passage for accommodating the contact-making element of the further connector,

a closure element being provided in order to close, in the non-connected state, the passage so as to prevent the emergence of the coolant.

10. The connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the closure element is prestressed by a spring element, which presses the closure element, in the non-connected state, against a stop into the passage.

11. A connection module with one or more electrical connectors as claimed in claim 8, which are coupled to a coolant pump and a heat exchanger via coolant lines.

15. A connection module with one or more electrical connectors as claimed in claim 10, which are coupled to a coolant pump and a heat exchanger via coolant lines.

9. An electrical connector, in particular a heavy-duty plug, for producing an electrical connection, comprising:

a contact-making element in order to make contact with a further contact-making element of a further connector in a connected state so as to produce the electrical connection;

a connection region, which is provided to bear, in the connected state, on a corresponding further connection region of the further connector; and

a coolant line with one or more access points for the supply and discharge, respectively, of a coolant;

the coolant line being provided at the contact-making element in order to dissipate heat from a contact point at the contact-making element;

wherein all of the access points of the coolant line are arranged outside of the connection region, and

wherein the coolant line is arranged in a separate cooling unit, which is fastened on the contact-making element.

16. A method of providing a heavy-duty plug-type connection based on a connection device having a first connector and a second connector, which each have a contact-making element in order to produce an electrical connection in the connected state of the connectors;

the connectors bearing against one another at a connection region in the connected state, the method comprising;

providing with at least one of the connectors a coolant line with one or more access points for the supply and discharge, respectively, of a coolant, the coolant line being provided at the contact-making element in order to dissipate heat from a contact point between the contact-making elements;

arranging all of the access points of the coolant line outside the connection region; and

arranging the coolant line in a separate cooling unit, which is fastened on the contact-making element of the at least one connector.