Electrical connection device for mounting a component in a motor vehicle

• US 6,050,835 A
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 04/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Molex Incorporated (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex Incorporated (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tschuschke, Dieter, Henrion, Carsten, Zischka, Helmut, Schwarz, Uwe, Popa, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TRUC T
• Application Number:
  US09/012,747
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.3, 296/65.05, 296/65.03, 439/247
• US Class Current: 439/247
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/01516 with locking mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB

Abstract

An electrical connecting device for a component of a motor vehicle having an electrical functional group, in particular for a motor vehicle seat, comprising a first electrical connector associated with a chassis, a second electrical connector associated with the component adapted to be mated with the first electrical connector upon mounting the component in place on the motor vehicle. Such a device simplifies the mounting and installation of such motor vehicle components and increases the reliability and functional security of the electrical functional groups.

Claims

1. An electrical connection device for a component (1) of a motor vehicle comprising:

a first electrical connector (5) and a second electrical connector (4), wherein upon mounting the component (1) within the motor vehicle, the first and the second electrical connectors (4,

     5) are mated together, and

a mechanical guide (7) adapted to align the motor vehicle component relative to the motor vehicle wherein the mechanical guide (7) includes an aligning device (8,

     9) which establishes a defined tolerance during mounting, and a spring (11) which elastically connects the motor vehicle component (1) to the aligning device (8,

     9).

2. The electrical connection device according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical guide (7) further comprises a pivoting guide having a stop, which allows the motor vehicle component (1) to pivot from a pre-mounted position into a final mounting position.

3. The electrical connection device according to claim 1 wherein the mechanical guide (7) further includes a joint which can be joined together laterally.

4. The electrical connection device according to claim 1 wherein the first and the second connectors (4, 5) are self-aligning connectors such that one of the connectors permits some lateral movement and the other of the connectors has a funnel-shaped section for guiding the connectors into mated condition.

5. The electrical connection device according to claim 2, further comprising a device (8, 9) for preventing the transfer of the motor vehicle component (1) from the premounted position to the mounting position when the motor vehicle component (1) is not correctly inserted into the mechanical guide (7).

6. The electrical connection device according to claim 1 wherein leads of the first connector are held in a cable guide chain (12).