WO2010015889A1

WO2010015889A1 - Electrical connector assembly, an electrical device comprising the same and a method for mating the same

Info

Publication number: WO2010015889A1
Application number: PCT/IB2008/054464
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claude Casses; Patrice Cappe; Stéphane TRANCART
Original assignee: FCI SA; Framatome Connectors International SAS
Current assignee: FCI SA
Priority date: 2008-08-04
Filing date: 2008-08-04
Publication date: 2010-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-04

Abstract

The electrical connector assembly comprises a first and second connectors and connecting means (126) for controlling the power supply of power contacts so that the power contacts are powered up during the plugging movement only once mated and powered down, during the unplugging movement before being unmated.

Description

Electrical connector assembly, an electrical device comprising the same and a method for mating the same

The present invention relates to electrical connector assemblies, for instance power connector assemblies for electricity-fuel hybrid driven vehicles or fully electrically driven vehicles.

Electrical motors of electricity-fuel hybrid driven vehicles or fully electrically driven vehicles are powered supplied by batteries through cables, with high currents and/or voltages. For security reasons, it is required that little or no electrical current flows in the power contacts during connecting or disconnecting these cables or in other word during the plugging and unplugging of the connectors of the power circuit comprising these cables.

The invention relates to an electrical connector assembly according to claim 1. Thanks to the invention, it is possible to mate power male and female connectors with unique plugging movement along a unique mating axis. With the method according to the invention, the interlocking contacts are mated during the same axial movement, during a second portion of the plugging movement, after having executed a first portion of the plugging movement, when the power contacts are mated. Then it becomes possible to connect the power contacts to a power source through a power switch, and to connect the interlocking contacts to the power switch, in order to control the power switch. Because the interlocking contacts are connected or disconnected only when the power contacts are connected, the power switch connects/disconnects the power contacts to/from the power source when they are connected to each other, thereby ensuring that few or no electrical current flows in the power contacts during connection or disconnection.

Thanks to the method according to claim 2, it becomes possible to compensate tolerances, gaps, clearances and plays of the different connector assembly components and to be sure that the interlocking contacts are connected only once the power contacts are mated. Indeed, a third portion of the plugging movement is intercalated between the fist and second plugging movement portions. This third plugging movement portion ensures that the power contacts are already mated when the interlocking contacts are connected. The length corresponds to at least the some of the tolerances of the different connector assembly components that can have an effect on the mating of the power contacts. An advantage of the method according to claim 3 is to provide a time out and to ensure that the power contacts are unpowered before they are disconnected.

An advantage of the method according to claim 4 is to provide for unblocking means that forces an operator to actuate means in a movement that is different from the unplugging or unmating movement.

An electrical connector assembly according to claim 6 has the advantage to control the electrical connection of the interlocking contacts with an element having a shape and in a material specifically designed and optimized for this purpose. An electrical connector assembly according to claim 7 has the advantage to provide separating means, so that the position of the first and second connectors with respect to each other, in which the resilient arm comes into contact with the interlock contact, is independent from the exact location of the interlock contact in the first connector, and the errors or tolerances in the form of the interlock contact, in particular with its length.

Other features of the invention are set forth in the other dependant claims. The invention also relates an electrical device according to claim 11. Other objects of the invention are to provide an easy-to-use and low-cost electrical connector assembly, and to ensure sealing of the power contacts and of the interlock contacts against dust and water.

These features and advantages of the invention, as well as others, will be apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- figure 1 is a three dimensional view of a male electrical connector; - figure 2 is a three dimensional view of a female electrical connector, intended to mate with the male electrical connector of figure 1 along a mating axis;

- figures 3 and 4 are cross section views of the male and female connectors in a pre mated position; - figures 5 and 6 are cross section views of the male and female connectors in a mated position;

- figure 7 is a cross section view of a male power contact and of a rotary cap; - figures 8 to 10 are three dimensional views of the male power contacts and of the rotary caps, during operation of the rotary caps;

- figure 11 is an exploded three dimensional view of the female connector; - figure 12 is a three dimensional view of an outer body of the female connector; - figure 13 is a three dimensional view of a slider and an outer body of the female connector; and

- figures 14 to 16 are three dimensional views of the female connector, without the slider, during mating/unmating.

A male 10 and a female 100 electrical connectors are respectively illustrated on figures 1 and 2.

The male and female connectors form an electrical connector assembly for D. C. current and 400V voltage, and are intended to mate with each other along a mating axis XX' orientated from the male connector (Fig. 1 ) towards the female connector (Fig. 2). Referring to figure 1 , the housing of the male connector comprises an outer

12 and an inner 20 housings. The outer housing 12 comprises a tube 14 with an advantageously oval cross section. The tube 14 extends along the mating axis XX'. The outer housing 12 comprises a rear base flange 16 extending perpendicular to the mating axis XX'. The base flange 16 is fixed to the tube 14, at a rear end 14R of the tube 14. Fixing holes 18 are provided through the base flange 16, in order to fix the outer housing 12, e.g. to a wall.

The inner housing 20 has a tubular shape along the mating axis XX' and extends inside the tube 14 of the outer housing 12.

Referring to figure 4, the inner housing 20 comprises two cylindrical sleeves 22, 24 extending along a respective axis YY', ZZ', each parallel to the mating axis XX' and each delimitating a respective accommodating chamber 21 , 23. Each cylindrical sleeve 22, 24 comprises a respective front face 26, 28, extending perpendicular to the mating axis XX'. The male electrical connector 10 comprises two male power contacts 30,

32, each accommodated in a respective accommodating chamber 21 , 23 and extending along the respective longitudinal axis of the accommodating chamber YY', ZZ'. Each male power contact 30, 32 comprises a cylindrical body 31 , 33 and a front plane lance 34, 36 extending frontward from the cylindrical body 31 , 33. The cylindrical body 31 , 33 projects rearwards with respect to the base flange 16 and comprises a rear end 31 R, 33R having, in the illustrated example, a fixation system to a conductive element or (not depicted) a fixation system to a conductive cable. Each front plane lance 34, 36 projects frontward through the respective front face 26, 28, and comprises a front end 34F, 36F.

Referring back to figure 1 , the male connector 10 comprises two rotary caps 38, 40, each circularly mounted onto a respective circular sleeve 22, 24.

Each rotary cap 38, 40 comprises a guiding cylindrical lateral wall 42, 44, and a protection transversal wall 46, 48. The guiding wall 42, 44 of each rotary cap 38, 40 extends rearwardly and frontwardly with respect to the protection wall 46, 48, and is intended to fit onto the respective cylindrical sleeve 22, 24, so that the rotary cap 38, 40 is able to slide along the respective axis YY', ZZ' and able to rotate around the respective axis YY', ZZ'. The protection wall 46, 48 comprises a rectangular aperture 50, 52 for letting the front plane lance 34, 36 of the respective male power contact 30, 32 pass through.

Referring to figures 7 to 10, the guiding wall 42, 44 comprises a longitudinal groove 54, 56, and a rear trough 58, 60, located adjacent to the groove 54, 56, at a rear part of the lateral wall 42, 44. Each sleeve 22, 24 comprises a longitudinal peg 62, 64 intended to be received selectively in the groove 54, 56. Each one of the longitudinal pegs 62, 64 comprises a finger 62A, 64A designed for engaging a notch 58A, 6OA, so as to prevent rotation of rotary caps with vibrations for instance. The fingers 62A, 64A are elastically maintained in the notches 58A, 6OA. When the female connector 100 is plugged on the male connector 10, the rotary caps are forced to rotate as it will be explained below. Then, each fingers 62A, 64A gets out of its respective notch 58A, 6OA in which it was elastically maintained. The fingers 62A, 64A and the pegs 62, 64 are then moved into the grooves 54, 56, in which they are guided along the axis YY' and ZZ'. The lateral wall 42, 44 of each rotary cap 38, 40 comprises at least one guiding pin 63, 65 inwardly orientated, i.e. toward the axis YY', ZZ' of the respective accommodating chamber 22, 24. The guiding pin 63, 65 is located in front of the protection wall 46, 48 of the respective rotary cap 38, 40. Referring back to figure 1 , the male electrical connector 10 comprises a shield 66 having a tubular shape along the mating axis XX'. The shield 66 is interleaved between the inner housing 20 and the tube 14 of the outer housing 12. Referring to figures 3 and 4, the shield 66 comprises a rear flange 66R that extends perpendicularly to the mating axis XX', rearward from the base flange 16. The rear flange 66R is intended to ensure shielding continuity with the element on which the male connector 10 is mounted. The shield 66 is made of two identical half-round shield elements.

Referring to figure 3, the male connector 10 comprises two longitudinal interlock contacts 68, 70, located between the accommodating chambers 22, 24. Each interlock contact 68, 70 comprises a front plate 72, 74 extending parallel to the mating axis XX', and a respective rear end 68R, 7OR intended to be connected to a respective control wire intended to be connected to an electrically controllable power switch 200. Each front plate 72, 74 comprises a front end 76, 78.

Each rear end 68R, 7OR faces a respective rear hole 69, 71 provided through the base flange 16 for letting the control wires pass.

The male power contacts 30, 32 are intended to be connected to the electrical power source trough the power switch 200. The connection of the interlocking contacts is intended to close the power switch 200, and the disconnection of the interlocking contacts is intended to open the power switch 200.

The interlocking contacts and the power switch provide, as it is explained below a first on / last off switch system. Indeed, the interlocking contacts circuit is closed first so as to power up the power circuit comprising the male power contacts 30, 32, only when once the male and female connectors are sufficiently plugged together. Reciprocally, the interlocking contacts circuit is open last so as to power down the power circuit first and before the male and female connectors are completely unplugged. To this aim, the male connector 10 comprises two insulating lugs 80, 82.

Each lug 80, 82 is located along a respective one of the front ends 76, 78 of the front plates 72, 74. Each lug 80, 82 comprises a front ramp 8OF, 82F and a rear ramp 8OR, 82R. These lugs provide for safety means as it will be explained below. The male connector 10 further comprises a stopping pin 84 projecting outwardly from the tube 14 of the outer housing 12.

Referring to figure 2, the female connector 100 comprises an outer body 102 comprising a tube 104 with an advantageously oval transversal cross section. The tube 104 extends along the mating axis XX'. The outer body 102 comprises a lateral wall 106 extending parallel to the mating axis XX', next to the tube 104.

The outer body 102 comprises two cylindrical sleeves 110, 112, each extending along a respective one of the axis YY', ZZ', and each delimitating a respective accommodating chamber 109, 111.

Referring to figure 12, each sleeve 110, 112 of the female connector 100 comprises a respective guiding groove 121 , 123, intended to engage a respective one of the guiding pins 63, 65 of the rotary caps 38, 40. The guiding grooves 121 , 123 are at an angle with respect to the mating axis XX', so that the sliding of the guiding pins 63, 65 in the grooves 121 , 123, makes the rotary caps 38, 40 rotate around the respective axis YY', ZZ' and move rearward with respect to the male connector 10.

Referring to figure 11 , each sleeve 110, 112 of the female connector 100 comprises a front face 114, 116 provided with a rectangular front aperture 118, 120 intended to receive a respective one of the male power contacts 26, 28 during mating. Referring to figure 4, the female connector 100 comprises a female power contact 122, 124 accommodated in a respective one of the accommodating chambers 109, 111 , behind the front face 114, 116.

Referring to figure 3, the female connector 100 comprises an interlock shorting member 126. The interlock shorting member 126 comprises a central portion 128 and two opposite arms 130, 132, curved around an axis perpendicular to the mating axis XX' in a hairpin fashion, so as to be able to resiliently deform transversally with respect to the mating axis XX'. Each arm 130, 132 comprises a free end 134, 136, on both sides of the central portion 128. The interlock shorting bar 126 is located between the two sleeves 110, 112, so that, when the male and female connectors 10, 110 are in the process of being mated, each free end 134, 136 is located in front of a respective one of the interlock contacts 68, 70, and more precisely in front of a respective one of the lugs 80, 82. Referring back to figure 2, the female connector 100 comprises a shield 138 having a tubular shape around the mating axis XX'. The shield 138 is interleaved between the sleeves 110, 112 and the tube 104 of the outer body 102. The shield 138 is intended to contact the shield 66 when the male and female connectors 10, 100 are mated, in order to ensure shielding continuity between the male and female electrical connectors 10, 100. The shield 138 is made of two identical half- round shield elements.

Referring to figure 11 , the female connector 100 comprises a slider 140 having a tubular shape along the mating axis XX'. The slider 140 is slidingly mounted on the outer body 102 and comprises a longitudinal rack 141 extending parallel to the mating axis XX'. The slider 140 comprises a button 143, advantageously hinged relatively to the slider body and adapted to be pushed along a direction perpendicular to the mating axis XX'.

Referring to figure 13, the slider 140 comprises a stopping tooth 139 projecting toward the lateral wall 106. The stopping tooth 139 comprises a front transversal wall 145 and a rear ramp 147.

Referring to figure 11 , the female electrical connector 100 comprises a cam gear 142 mounted on the lateral wall 106. Such a mechanism is described in the US patent publication US 7,241 ,155 B2. The cam gear 142 is able to rotate with respect to the lateral wall 106 around an axis GG' perpendicular to the mating axis XX'. The cam gear 142 comprises a corridor 144 for receiving and driving the stopping pin 84. The corridor 144 is advantageously circular around an axis parallel to and offset from the GG' axis. The corridor 144 comprises an entrance aperture 146 for the entrance of the stopping pin 84, and a stopping side wall 148, delimitating the outer periphery of the corridor 144, and intended to cooperate with the stopping pin 84.

The cam gear 142 comprises a circular rack 150, extending circularly around the GG' axis. The circular rack 150 is intended to cooperate with the longitudinal rack 141 of the slider 140. The female connector 100 comprises a blocking element 152 for blocking the male and female connector 10, 100 when they are mated. The blocking element 152 is mounted on the lateral wall 106, and intended to slide parallel to the mating axis XX' with respect to the lateral wall 106, in order to take a frontward blocking position (figure 16), in which a blocking arm 153 of the blocking element 152 blocks the rotation of the cam gear 142, by entering into a blocking aperture (not visible) provided in the cam gear 142.

The blocking element 152 further comprises a flexible longitudinal arm 154 with a stopping tooth 156, intended to cooperate with the stopping tooth 139 of the slider 140. As shown on figure 13, the stopping tooth 156 comprises a rear ramp 158 for cooperating with the front ramp 147 in order to let the slider 140 slide frontward, and a front wall 160 for stopping a rearward translation of the slider 140, by engagement with the rear wall 145 of the stopping tooth 139.

For safety reasons, each one of the two accommodating chambers of the male connector 10, and of the female connector 100, is sealed independently of the other one.

In this way, if water enters one accommodating chamber, it is still not able to enter the other one, thus preventing a short circuit between the two power contacts. More precisely, referring to figures 3 and 4, the male connector 10 comprises a rear flat seal 170 applied against the base flange 16 and surrounding the cylindrical sleeves 22, 24 and the rear holes 69, 71. The rear flat seal 170 extends inside the rear flange 66R of the shield 66. The rear flat seal 170 further comprises a plug 172 (figure 4) for sealing longitudinal channels 174 used in the manufacturing process.

Furthermore, the male connector 10 comprises a respective O-ring 176, 178 for each male power contact, to ensure sealing between the male power contact 30, 32 and the respective sleeve 22, 24. Each O-ring 176, 178 is mounted in a respective annular groove 180, 182 provided in the respective male power contact 30, 32.

Referring to figure 4, the female connector 100 comprises a respective rear lip seal 184, 186 located at the rear of each one of the respective circular sleeves 110, 112. Each rear lip seal 184, 186 is intended to ensure sealing with a respective power cable (not shown) connected to the respective female power contact 122, 124.

The female connector 100 further comprises a respective front circular interfacial seal 188, 190 mounted on each circular sleeve 110, 112 and intended to ensure sealing with the inner housing 20.

The female connector 100 further comprises a global interfacial seal 192, surrounding the two power contacts and the interlock contacts, and intended to ensure sealing with the inner housing 20 of the male connector.

The mating of the male and female electrical connectors 10, 100 will now be explained.

Three plugging movement portions and three positions are defined for describing how the male and female connectors are mated/unmated, or in other words plugged/unplugged or electrically connected/unconnected. A first plugging movement portion corresponds to a configuration in which the male and female connectors are considered unmated or unmated. This first plugging movement portion starts for instance when the male and female connectors are aligned but not at all engaged with each other. This first plugging movement portion ends just at a pre-mated position A, which corresponds to a position just before the arms 130, 132 engage the front ramp 8OF, 82F of the respective lug 80, 82. Position A defines the starting point the second plugging movement portion. The second plugging movement portion ends at the intermediate position B, once the free ends 134, 136 come into electrical contact with the front lances 72, 74. The end of the second plugging movement portion corresponds to the beginning of the third plugging movement portion. The mated position C, once the power male 30, 32 and female 122, 124 contacts are in electrical contact with the front lances 72, 74, defines the end of the third plugging movement portion.

The male and female connectors 10, 100 are first set in a pre-mated position A, in which they are aligned with respect to the mating axis XX'.

Referring to figure 14, in the pre-mated position A, the slider 140 is in a rear position, with the longitudinal rack 141 engaged with the circular rack 150. The entrance aperture 146 heads frontward and is located in front of the stopping pin 84. Referring to figure 7, in the pre-mated position A, the rotary caps 38, 40 are in a protection position, so that the protection walls 46, 48 are each located in front of the respective plane lance 34, 36, with the apertures 50, 52 rotated around the respective axis YY', ZZ' with respect to the plane lance 34, 36, so that they are misaligned with the plane lances 34, 36. In the protection position, the protection walls 46, 48 prevent contact with the male power contacts 30, 32 in particular with fingers of a hand.

Referring to figure 8, the rotary caps 38, 40 are kept in the protection position by pegs 62, 64 above the contacts 30, 32. For each rotary cap, three pegs are engaged in three respective rear troughs 58, 60. More precisely, the fingers 62A, 64A are engaged in the respective rear trough 58, 60 so as to prevent the protection wall 46, 48 to attain a use position that will be detailed below.

The male and female electrical connectors 10, 100 are then displaced along the mating axis XX' towards each other. During this displacement, the sleeves 110, 112 of the female connector 100 are introduced into the rotary caps 38, 40. The guiding pins 63, 65 of the rotary caps 38, 40 engage the grooves 121 , 123. Since the grooves 121 , 123 are bent, the longitudinal sliding of the sleeves 110, 112 into the guiding walls 42, 44 is no longer possible, without pushing the male and female toward each other so as to overcome the elastic force that maintains the fingers 62A, 64A in their respective notches 58A, 6OA. While the guiding pins 63, 65 are driven in the portion of grooves 121 , 123 which is not parallel to the axis YY' or ZZ', the rotary caps are forced to rotate around the respective axis YY', ZZ'. Once the fingers 62A, 64A are disengaged from the notches 58A, 6OA, the pegs 62, 64 align the grooves 54, 56. It is preferred to have the translation of the rotary caps guided by the pegs in the grooves, rather than by the apertures 48, 50 on the plane lances 34, 36. Indeed, it is preferable to have a friction of plastic on plastic rather than a friction of plastic on metal. Further, the chain of dimensions is better controlled when the material are the same.

In this position, the apertures 48, 50 of the rotary caps 38, 40 are aligned with their respective plane lances 34, 36. Once, the guiding pins 63, 65 reach the dead end of the grooves 121 , 123, the rotary caps are pushed backward, so that the protection walls 46, 48 attain a use position in which the respective plane lance 34, 36 passes through the respective protection wall 46, 48, through the respective aperture 48, 50.

During the same movement of the female and male connectors toward each other, the stopping pin 84 enters the corridor 144 by the entrance aperture 146. The slider 140 is then moved frontward, which leads to the rotation of the gear cam 142 around the axis GG', through the cooperation of the racks 150, 141. The corridor 114 then moves the stopping pin 84 frontward in order to further bring the male and female connectors 10, 100 towards each other until reaching the last unmated A. The use of the racks 150, 141 makes that a large displacement of the slider 140 leads to a small displacement of the stopping pin 84 that is moved by the corridor 144, so that the force needed to bring the male and female connector towards each other is lowered, and in particular the effort for connecting the male and female power contacts is lowered. In the last pre-mated position A, the male power contacts 30, 32 respectively contact the female power contacts 122, 124, while the free ends 134, 136 of the interlock shorting member 126 are in front of the lugs 80, 82.

The male and female connectors 10, 100 are brought towards each other by sliding the slider 140 on the first plugging movement portion, so that the interlock shorting member 126 comes into contact with the lugs 80, 82. In the first plugging movement portion, the heads of the arms 130, 132 engage the front ramp 8OF, 82F of the respective lug 80, 82, for moving the arm 130, 132 away from the respective interlock contact 68, 70.

The male and female connectors 10, 100 are then further brought towards each other by sliding the slider 140, until the free ends 134, 136 are guided by the rear ramps 8OR, 82R in order to come into the intermediate position B, in which the arms 130, 132 contact the front plates 72, 74 of the interlock contacts 68, 70, therefore electrically connecting the interlock contacts 68, 70 together. The switch 200 is then powered up and closes the power circuit comprising the power contacts 30, 32. During the displacement from the pre-mated position A to the intermediate position B, each arm 130, 132 thus interacts with the associated lug 80, 82 so that the arm 130, 132 resiliently deforms while going round the lug 80, 82. The lugs 80, 82 provide for safety means and allow to be sure that the intermediate position, in which the resilient arms 130, 132 come into contact with the interlock contacts, is independent from the exact location of the interlock contact in the first connector, and the errors or tolerances in the form of the interlock contact, in particular with its length. The interlock shorting member 126, its arms 130, 132 and the lugs 80, 82 thus form connecting means for connecting the two interlock contacts 68, 70 with each other, while the lugs 80, 82 form separating means for moving the arms 130,

132 away from their respective interlock contact 68, 70 between the pre-mated position A and the intermediate position C. The distance, corresponding to the first plugging movement portion, between the pre-mated position A and the intermediate position B is determined, during design of the connector assembly, according to manufacturing clearances and to a desired penetration distance of the male power contacts into the female power contacts at the intermediate position B, so that an appropriate mating and connection of the power contacts 30, 32 is ensured before the power contacts are powered up by the power source.

The slider 140 is moved frontward, so that the male and female connectors

10, 100 are brought nearer to each other, through the second plugging movement portion, until a mated position C (figure 15) is reached. Between the intermediate position B and the mated position C, each arms

130, 132 is resiliently deformed, so that each free end 134, 136 slides and leans on the front lance 72, 74 of the respective interlock contact 68, 70.

It should be noted that the male and female power contacts 30, 32, 122,

124 are configured for maintaining the contact with each other all the way of the second plugging movement portion between the intermediate B and mated C positions.

The blocking element 152 is then pushed frontward until its blocking position (figure 16), in which the arm 153 engages the gear cam 142 for preventing its rotation. The operations of unmating the male and female connectors 10, 100 will now be described.

The blocking element 152 is pushed rearward, so that it does not block the gear cam 142 (figure 15). The slider 140 is slided rearward, which leads to the rotation of the gear cam 142, until a blocked position (figure 13) in which the stopping teeth 139, 156 engages with each other to block a further sliding of the slider 140 away from the male electrical connector 10. In the blocked position, the stopping pin 84 is still in the corridor 144, so that the stopping pin 84 is stopped by the stopping side wall 148 of the corridor 144 (Figure 11 ), locking the male and female connectors 10, 100 in this position.

Preferably, the blocked position occurs between the intermediate position B and the last (for first during the unmating) pre-mated position A, i.e. along the first plugging movement portion, when the power contacts are connected to each other, while the interlock contacts are disconnected from each other.

The button 143 is then pushed along an axis perpendicular to the mating axis XX'. The button 143 pushes in turn the flexible arm 154 in order to shift, perpendicularly to the mating axis XX', the stopping tooth 156 with respect to the stopping tooth 139 (Figure 13).

The slider 140 is then moved further away from the male connector 10, in order to align the entrance aperture 146 with the stopping pin 84. The slider 140, the gear cam 142 and the two racks 141 , 151 thus form shifting means for shifting the stop formed by the stopping side wall 148 with respect to the stop formed by the stopping pin 84.

It should also be noted that the stopping tooth 139 and the blocking element 152 with its stopping tooth 156 form blocking means for blocking the shifting means in the blocked position, while the male and female connectors 10, 100 move from the intermediate position B to the pre-mated position A. The button 143 and the flexible arm 154 on which the stopping tooth 139 is fixed, form unblocking means for deactivating the blocking means by shifting the stopping tooth 139, 156 with respect to each other.

This blocking means provide means for ensuring that the male power contact will no longer be powered while disconnected from the female power contact. This prevents that electric arc occurs during unmating of the male and female connectors. Indeed, the time period needed by the operator for pressing the button 143 for unlocking the blocking means is sufficient for the power switch 200 to open the power circuit comprising the male power contacts. It is also to be noted that if an operator presses the button 143 from the beginning of the unmating operation, he will be stopped anyway before electrically disconnecting the male and female power contacts. Indeed, the blocking means also comprises a protrusion 154A located at the free end of the flexible arm 154 so as to block the edge of the button 143, if this button is pressed while the slider is moved from the mated position C to the intermediate position B.

The male and female connectors 10, 100 are then safely separated apart from each other along the mating axis XX'.

During this movement, the guiding pins 63, 65 of the rotary caps 38, 40 slide into the grooves 121 , 123, until they reach the bent portions. Then, due to these bent portions or cams, the rotary caps are forced to rotate. While the guiding pins 63, 65 are driven in the portion of grooves 121 , 123 which is not parallel to the axis YY' or ZZ', the rotary caps are forced to rotate around the respective axis YY', ZZ'. At the end of this portion, this rotation pushes the fingers 62A, 64A in the notches 58A, 6OA and the rotary caps are locked in their upper position, in which it remains a gap between the protection walls 46, 48 and the lance tip of the front plane lances.

The invention is not limited to the previous embodiment. In particular, it could be transposed to a connector assembly with three male/female power contacts, intended to convey three-phase power.

The power switch circuit described above comprises an electrical loop with two male power connectors, the interlock shorting member 126 and the power switch 200, but in other embodiments of the invention, the power switch circuit may comprise at least one female power contact and/or a connector assembly comprising more than one male connector and/or female connector. For instance the power switch circuit may comprise serial power contacts of different male and/or female connectors.

Claims

1. Method for mating an electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector (10) accommodating a first power contact (30; 32), a second connector (100) accommodating a second power contact (122; 124), a first interlocking contact (68) and a second interlocking contact (70) accommodated in the first connector (10) or in the second connector (100), wherein the first and second connectors (10, 100) are mated through a unique plugging movement along a mating axis (XX') and unmated along the same mating axis, this unique plugging movement comprising a first and second plugging movement portions, and wherein, on the first plugging movement portion, the first and second power contacts are in an electrical connection state chosen amongst an electrically connected state and an electrically disconnected state, while the first and second interlocking contacts are not electrically connected, on the second plugging movement portion, the first and second power contacts are electrically connected, while the first and second interlocking contacts are also electrically connected.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein on a third plugging movement portion, intercalated between the first and second plugging portions, the first, second and third plugging movement portions forming the unique plugging movement along the mating axis (XX'), safety means ensures that the first and second power contacts are electrically connected, while the first and second interlocking contacts are not electrically connected.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein when unplugging the first and second connectors, this unmating movement is temporarily blocked after interlocking contacts are disconnected and before the power contacts are disconnected.

4. Method according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein unblocking means are actuated for unblocking the unmating movement so as to disconnect the power contacts, after the first and second connectors has been temporarily blocked during the unmating movement and after interlocking contacts are disconnected.

5. Electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector (10) accommodating a first power contact (30; 32), and a second connector (100) accommodating a second power contact (122; 124), a first interlock contact (68), and a second interlock contact (70) accommodated in the first connector (10) or in the second connector (100), wherein the first and second connectors (10, 100) are mated through a unique plugging movement along a mating axis (XX') and unmated along the same mating axis, this unique plugging movement comprising a first and second plugging movement portions, and wherein,

• on the first plugging movement portion, the first and second power contacts are in an electrical connection state chosen amongst an electrically connected state and an electrically disconnected state, while the first and second interlocking contacts are not electrically connected,

• on the second plugging movement portion, the first and second power contacts are electrically connected, while the first and second interlocking contacts are also electrically connected.

6. Electrical connector assembly according to claim 5, comprising connecting means (126, 130, 132, 80, 82) for connecting the two interlock contacts (68, 70) with each other on the third plugging movement portion.

7. Electrical connector assembly according to claim 6, wherein the connecting means comprises, in the second connector (100), a first resilient arm (130) intended to come into contact with the first interlock contact (68), wherein the first interlock contact (68) comprises a front end (76) towards the second connector (100), and wherein the first connector (10) comprises first separating means (80) for moving the first resilient arm (130) away from the first interlock contact (68) on the third plugging movement portion.

8. Electrical connector according to claim 7, wherein the first separating means (80) comprise a first lug (80) located along the front end (76).

9. Electrical connector assembly according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the first connector (10) comprises the second interlock contact (70), and wherein the connecting means comprise, in the second connector (100), a shorting element (126) for connecting the two interlock contacts (68, 70) with each other.

10. Electrical connector assembly according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein connecting means comprises a shorting element (126) with a central portion (128) connecting two resilient arms (130, 132), and wherein the central portion (128) and the two resilient arms (130, 132) are integral and made in one single piece.

11. Electrical device comprising an electrically controllable power switch, an electrical power source, and an electrical connector assembly according to any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the first power contacts (30, 32) are connected to the electrical power source through the power switch, and wherein the interlocking contacts (68, 70) are connected to the power switch so that the connection of the interlocking contacts closes the power switch, and the disconnection of the interlocking contacts opens the power switch.