WO2024218693A1

WO2024218693A1 - Power connector and method of assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2024218693A1
Application number: PCT/IB2024/053764
Authority: WO
Inventors: Shivasharan Basavaraj Mahajanshetty; Sandeep Cs; Harsha Thyagaraj
Original assignee: Molex LLC
Current assignee: Molex LLC
Priority date: 2023-04-17
Filing date: 2024-04-17
Publication date: 2024-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-17
Also published as: CN120898338A

Abstract

A power connector and its method of assembly are provided. The power connector includes a socket receptacle and a plug which are couplable together. The socket receptacle includes an insulative socket receptacle housing, a conductive body and a lock attached to the body, but is also movable relative thereto. The body and lock seat within the socket receptacle housing. The lock has a top section and a rear section which are angled relative to each other, and the rear section has an opening therethrough. The plug including a plug housing and a conductive pin. The pin passes through the body and engages with the rear section of the lock in a locked condition.

Description

POWER CONNECTOR AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of India Provisional Patent Application No. 202321027925, filed on April 17, 2023 and India Provisional Patent Application No. 202441019868, filed on March 18, 2024 each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND

[0002] Power connectors are used for high current, high voltage energy storage and power distribution units. Such power connectors may be used in high power applications such as computers, data servers, busbar applications, and electric vehicle (EV) systems. SUMMARY

[0003] A power connector and its method of assembly are provided.

[0004] In an embodiment, the power connector includes a socket receptacle and a plug which are couplable together. The socket receptacle includes an insulative socket receptacle housing, a conductive body and a lock attached to the body, but is also movable relative thereto. The body and lock seat within the socket receptacle housing. The lock has a top section and a rear section which are angled relative to each other, and the rear section has an opening therethrough. The plug including a plug housing and a conductive pin. The pin passes through the body and engages with the rear section of the lock in a locked condition.

[0005] In an embodiment, the pin is releasable from the lock.

[0006] A method of assembling a power connector is provided. The method includes: inserting a conductive pin into a passageway of a conductive body having a flexible lock thereon, the lock having a top section and a rear section which are angled relative to each other, the top section being engaged with the body, the rear section having an opening therethrough and partially blocking the passageway; engaging a free end of the pin with the rear section of the lock, thereby causing the lock to move relative to the body; passing the free end of the pin through the lock; and engaging the lock with a shank of the pin. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

[0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a power connector according to various aspects of the present disclosure, shown mounted on a substrate;

[0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the power connector, and a substrate to which the power connector is attached;

[0010] FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a socket receptacle and a terminal of the power connector;

[0011] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an assembled socket body of the socket receptacle and the terminal, with a lock exploded therefrom;

[0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a side elevation view of the lock;

[0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the socket receptacle and terminal prior to assembly with a plug of the power connector;

[0014] FIGS. 7-10 illustrate cross-sectional views of the socket receptacle, terminal and plug during assembly; and

[0015] FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate cross-sectional views of the socket receptacle, terminal and plug during disassembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] While the disclosure may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the disclosure, and is not intended to limit the disclosure to that as illustrated and described herein. Therefore, unless otherwise noted, features disclosed herein may be combined to form additional combinations that were not otherwise shown for purposes of brevity. It will be further appreciated that in some embodiments, one or more elements illustrated by way of example in a drawing(s) may be eliminated and/or substituted with alternative elements within the scope of the disclosure.

[0017] The present disclosure relates to a power connector 20 for high current, high voltage energy storage and power distribution units. The power connector 20 may be used in high power applications such as computers, data servers, busbar applications, and electric vehicle (EV) systems.

[0018] The power connector 20 includes a socket receptacle 22 in which a terminal 24 is mounted, and a plug 26 which is configured to be mated with the terminal 24. The socket receptacle 22 includes an insulative socket receptacle housing 28, a conductive socket 30 and a lock 32. The plug 26 includes an insulative plug housing 34 and a conductive pin 36. The pin 36 seats within the terminal 24 and is releasably locked to the socket 30 by the lock 32.

[0019] As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the socket receptacle housing 28 has a top wall 38, front and rear walls 40, 42 extending downward therefrom, and opposite side walls 44, 46 extending therebetween which define an open ended cavity 48 therein. The cavity 48 is open to the bottom of the socket receptacle housing 28. The top wall 38 includes a latch 50 which can be depressed into the cavity 48 such that the latch 50 flexes inwardly from the remainder of the top wall 38. The front wall 40 has an opening 52 therethrough which is open to the cavity 48. A chamfer 54 may extend from the front surface of the front wall 40 to the opening 52. The side walls 44, 46 have latches 56 therein, each of which has a barb extending into the cavity. The latches 56 can be flexed outwardly from the remainder of the side walls 44, 46.

[0020] As best shown in FIG. 4, the socket 30 includes an upper portion 58 and a lower portion 60 extending from a lower end of the upper portion 58. The upper portion 58 has a top surface 62, an opposite bottom surface 64, a front surface 66, an opposite rear surface 68, and side surfaces 70, 72 extending therebetween. Each side surface 70, 72 has an elongated slot 74 at a lower end thereof which may extend from the rear surface 68. The lower portion 60 may be a threaded shank. An elongated groove 76 is provided in the top surface 62 and extends parallel to the front surface 66. The groove 76 may extend between the side surfaces 70, 72. A step 78 is provided within a central portion of the groove 76. A wall, which may be cylindrical, forms a pin receiving passageway 80 that extends through the socket 30 from the front surface 66 to the rear surface 68. An axial centerline of the socket 30 is defined between the front surface 66 and the rear surface 68. A chamfer 80a may be provided at the entrance of the pin receiving passageway 80 in the front surface 66. A counterbore 80b is provided in the rear surface 68 around the exit of the pin receiving passageway 80.

[0021] The lock 32 is formed as a flexible spring, and may be formed of stainless steel. The lock 32 has a rear section 84, and a top section 86 extending from an upper end of the rear section 84. The top section 86 has a front lip 88 extending from a front end thereof. Prior to assembly with the socket 30 as shown in FIG. 5, the rear and top sections 84, 86 are preferably at a non-perpendicular angle A, for example eighty-two (82) degrees, relative to each other, but may be perpendicular to each other. The front lip 88 has a length which is substantially less than the length of the rear section 84. The rear section 84 includes an opening 90 therethrough. A top edge 92 of the opening 90 may be linear, and a lower edge 94 of the opening 90 is generally U-shaped. The lower edge 94 has a radiused edge 94a on a front side of the rear section 84. The front lip 88 has a central cutout 96 that generally mirrors the shape of the step 78.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the terminal 24 includes a conductive contact 98 and a conductive cap 100. The contact 98 is formed from a ring-like connecting portion 102 having a plurality of separate flexible beams 104 cantilevered therefrom such that a passageway 106 is formed therein which extends from a front end of the contact 98 to a rear end of the contact 98. In an embodiment, the connecting portion 102 is discontinuous around its circumference such that a slot is provided. In an embodiment, the connecting portion 102 has a plurality of spaced apart nubs extending from a rear end thereof. The flexible beams 104 extend from an end of the connecting portion 102, and each beam 104 is generally parallel to, and radially spaced from, an axial centerline of the contact 98. The beams 104 are spaced apart from each other around the circumference of the connecting portion 102. Each beam 104 may have a first portion which extends at an angle from the connecting portion 102 at a corner, and a second portion which extends at an angle from an end of the first portion at a corner. The first portion angles inwardly toward the axial centerline, and the second portion angles outwardly from the axial centerline. The corners may be radiused and may be aligned around the circumference of the contact 98 and define an inner diameter. The cap 100 has an annular first wall 108 which defines an opening that forms part of the passageway 106, and a second wall 110 extending radially outwardly from and perpendicular to the first wall 108.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 6, the contact 98 is seated within the passageway 80 of the socket 30 such that the rear end of the contact 98 generally aligns with the rear end of the socket 30, the front end of the contact 98 is spaced from the front end of the socket 30, and the axial centerlines of the socket 30 and the contact 98 align. An outer surface of the connecting portion 102 abuts against an inner surface of the wall forming the pin receiving passageway 80 of the socket 30. The cap 100 secures the socket 30 and the contact 98 together. In an embodiment, the cap 100 is press fit to the socket 30 and to the contact 98. In an embodiment, the cap 100 is crimped to the socket 30 and to the contact 98. The wall 108 of the cap 100 engages against the inner surface of the connecting portion 102. The wall 110 seats within the counterbore 80b. Other means for attaching the contact 98 to the socket 30 are within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0024] The lock 32 seats on the socket 30. The rear section 84 of the lock 32 extends along and engages against the rear surface 68 of the socket 30, the top section 86 of the lock 32 extends proximate to the top surface 62 of the socket 30, and the front lip 88 of the lock 32 seats within the groove 76. The rear and top sections 84, 86 are at an angle of greater than ninety (90) degrees relative to each other. The central cutout 96 of the front lip 88 engages with the step 78 of the groove 76 in an interference fit to secure the lock 32 to the socket 30. The wall 110 is between the rear section 84 of the lock 32 and the rear surface 68 of the socket 30.

[0025] The socket 30, having the terminal 24 and the lock 32 mounted thereon, is inserted into the cavity 48 of the socket receptacle housing 28 through the open bottom end. The socket 30 and terminal 24 form a conductive body. The latches 56 flex outwardly to allow the upper portion 58 of the socket 30 to slide into the cavity 48. After the upper portion 58 of the socket 30 passes by the barbs on the latches 56, the latches 56 resume their initial condition and the barbs engage within the slots 74 of the upper portion 58 to prevent the movement of the socket 30 within the cavity 48. The lower portion 60 extends downward from the socket receptacle housing 28. The lower surface of the latch 50 on the top wall 38 of the socket receptacle housing 28 may engage with the upper surface of the top section 86 of the lock 32. The front surface 66 of the upper portion 58 of the socket 30 seats against the front wall 40 of the socket receptacle housing 28, and the axial passageway 80 of the socket 30 aligns with the opening 52 in the socket receptacle housing 28. A space 132 is provided between the rear section 84 and the rear wall 42 of the socket receptacle 22 for the rounded end 128 to seat within.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 6, prior to assembly with the plug 26, a portion of the opening 90 in the rear section 84 of the lock 32 aligns with the passageway 106 of the terminal 24, and a bottom section of the lower edge 94 of the opening 90 is above a bottom section of the passageway 106 of the terminal 24 such that a portion of the passageway 106 of the terminal 24 is partially blocked in the axial direction.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plug housing 34 includes a front wall 112 and a side wall 114 which extends rearward therefrom. The front wall 112 has an opening 116 therethrough and the walls 112, 114 define a cavity 118 therein which opens to a rear end of the plug housing 34. An axial centerline extends from the front wall 112 to the rear end of the plug housing 34. The opening 116 opens into the cavity 118. The side wall 114 is shown as cylindrical, but the side wall 114 can take other forms, such as for example square in cross-section. A plurality of spaced apart flexible arms 120 extend inwardly into the cavity 118 from the side wall 114. The flexible arms 120 extend in the direction of the axial centerline of the plug housing 34.

[0028] The pin 36 has a shank formed in an embodiment by a front portion 122 and a rear portion 124 extending from a rear end of the front portion 122. Each of the each of the front and rear portions 122, 124 may be cylindrical, A flange 126 extends radially outward from the front end of the rear portion 124. The front portion 122 has a diameter which is less than the diameter of the rear portion 124. The inner diameter defined by the corners of the contact 98 is less than the diameter of the front portion 122 of the pin 36. The front portion 122 has a rounded free end 128 which may be hemispherical. A groove 130, which may be circumferential, extends around at least a portion of the circumference of the front portion 122 proximate to the rounded free end 128. The rear portion 124 may have a cavity therein which extends from the rear end thereof.

[0029] To assemble the pin 36 with the plug housing 34, the free end 128 of the pin 36 is inserted through the rear end, through the cavity 118, and then through the front opening 116. The front portion 122 extends forward of the front wall of the plug housing 34. The flange 126 engages the arms 120 and causes the arms 120 to move toward the side wall 114. Once the flange 126 passes by the arms 120, the arms 120 resume their initial state and engage a rear end of the flange 126. This secures the pin 36 to the plug housing 34.

[0030] To form the power connector 20, the plug 26 is inserted into the socket receptacle 22 as shown in FIGS. 7-10. The lock 32 is initially in an unflexed condition as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The free end 128 of the pin 36 is passed through the opening 52 in the front end of the socket receptacle 22 and through the entrance of the pin receiving passageway 80. The chamfers 54, 80a assist in guiding the pin 36 into the passageway 106 of the terminal 24. As the pin 36 is pushed further into the socket receptacle 22, the free end 128 of the pin 36 engages the flexible beams 104 and causes the beams 104 to flex outwardly, see FIG. 7. As the pin 36 is pushed further into the socket receptacle 22, the front portion 122 of the pin 36 passes through the beams 104, with the corners engaging the front portion 122, and the rounded free end 128 engages with the lower edge 94 of the rear section 84 of the lock 32, see FIG. 8. As the pin 36 is pushed further into the socket receptacle 22, the rounded free end 128 causes the rear section 84 to move vertically downward and puts the lock 32 into a flexed condition, see FIG. 9. The opening in the rear section 84 is sized such that the top edge 92 of the opening 90 does not engage with the rounded end 128 of the pin 36. The front radiused edge of the lower edge 94 assists in this movement of the rear section 84. The rounded end 128 passes through the opening 90 and once the groove 130 aligns with the rear section 84, the lock 32 resumes its unflexed condition and the lower edge 94 seats within the groove 130, see FIG. 10, to move the lock 32 to a locked condition. The rounded end 128 seats within the space 132. As a result, the lock 32 locks the plug 26 to the socket receptacle 22.

[0031] The plug 26 can be released from the socket receptacle 22 by depressing the latch 50 on the socket receptacle housing 28 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Depression of the latch 50 engages the top section 86 of the lock 32, and causes the rear section 84 of the lock 32 to move downward and out of the groove 130, see FIG. 11, and into an unlocked condition. The top edge 92 of the opening 90 does not engage with the pin 36. Once the lower edge 94 of the opening 90 in the rear section 84 of the lock 32 is not within the groove 130, the pin 36 can be pulled axially out of the socket receptacle 22, see FIG. 12. [0032] The lower portion 60 of the socket 30 is mounted to a substrate 134, such as a printed circuit board or a busbar. In FIG. 2, the substrate 134 is shown as a printed circuit board with a conductive contact pad 136 on an upper face thereof which surrounds a plated conductive through hole 138. With the printed circuit board, the bottom surface 64 of the socket 30 contacts the contact pad 136 and the lower portion 60 of the socket 30 extends into the through hole 138. If a busbar is provided as the substrate 134, the busbar has a through hole (like through hole 138) therethrough through which the lower portion 60 of the socket 30 extends, and the bottom surface 64 of the socket 30 contacts a mating surface of the busbar surrounding the through hole. If the lower portion 60 of the socket 30 is threaded, a washer 140 and nut 142 can be secured to an opposite side of the substrate to mount the socket receptacle 22 to the substrate 134. The pin 36 of the plug 26 is electrically coupled to another component (not shown). Current travels through the pin 36 of the plug 26, through the terminal 24, through the socket 30, to the substrate 134. The contact of the bottom surface 64 of the socket 30 with the contact pad 136 provides a large surface of contact between the socket 30 and the substrate 134 for current transmission.

[0033] While the socket 30 and terminal 24 are described and shown as separate components to form the conductive body, the socket 30 and terminal 24 may be integrally formed as a single piece.

[0034] The present disclosure can be used to provide a right angle screw mount for the power connector 20.

[0035] Directional terms such as front, rear, horizontal, vertical and the like are used for ease in explanation, and do not denote a required orientation in use.

[0036] While a particular embodiment is illustrated in and described with respect to the drawings, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the scope of the disclosure and the appended claims is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated in and discussed with respect to the drawings and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure and appended drawings. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings describe example embodiments in the context of certain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should be appreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions may be provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the disclosure and the appended claims. Further, the foregoing descriptions describe methods that recite the performance of a number of steps. Unless stated to the contrary, one or more steps within a method may not be required, one or more steps may be performed in a different order than as described, and one or more steps may be formed substantially contemporaneously. Finally, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Claims

1. A power connector comprising: a socket receptacle including a socket receptacle housing, a conductive body and a lock, the lock being coupled to the body and movable relative to the body, the socket receptacle housing including a cavity in which the body and lock are seated, the body having a passageway therethrough, and the lock having a top section and a rear section which are angled relative to each other, the top section being engaged with the body, the rear section having an opening therethrough; and a plug including a plug housing and a conductive pin extending from the plug housing, wherein the pin seats within the passageway and through the opening to engage with the rear section of the lock in a locked condition.

2. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the rear section of the lock partially blocks a rear end of the passageway prior to assembly of the pin with the lock.

3. The power connector of claim 2, wherein a lower edge of the opening though the lock has a chamfer thereon.

4. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the pin includes a groove in which the rear section of the lock seats when the lock is in a locked condition.

5. The power connector of claim 4, wherein the rear section of the lock partially blocks a rear end of the passageway prior to assembly of the pin with the lock.

6. The power connector of claim 5, wherein the socket receptacle housing includes a depressible latch which engages with the top section of the lock when the lock is moved to an unlocked condition.

7. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the socket receptacle housing includes a depressible latch which engages with the top section of the lock when the lock is moved to an unlocked condition.

8. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a socket and a terminal mounted therein, the terminal having a plurality of flexible beams.

9. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the socket receptacle housing and the plug housing are formed of insulative material.

10. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the lock is formed of stainless steel.

11. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the top section and the rear section are angled relative to each other at an angle of 82 degrees prior to assembly with the body.

12. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the top section and the rear section are angled relative to each other at an angle of less than 90 degrees prior to assembly with the body, and the top section and the rear section are angled relative to each other at an angle of greater than 90 degrees after assembly with the body.

13. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the top section further includes a front lip which extends downward and engages with a top surface of the body.

14. The power connector of claim 13, wherein the front lip seats within a groove of the body in an interference fit.

15. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the body has a lower section that is couplable to a substrate.

16. The power connector of claim 15, wherein the lower section is threaded.

17. The power connector of claim 1, wherein rear ends of the body and lock are spaced from a rear wall of the socket receptacle housing by a space, and wherein a free end of the pin seats within the space in the locked condition.

18. The power connector of claim 1, wherein the lock is a spring.

19. A method of assembling a power connector comprising: inserting a conductive pin into a passageway of a conductive body having a flexible lock thereon, the lock having a top section and a rear section which are angled relative to each other, the top section being engaged with the body, the rear section having an opening therethrough and partially blocking the passageway; and engaging a free end of the pin with the rear section of the lock, thereby causing the lock to move relative to the body; passing the free end of the pin through the lock; and engaging the lock with a shank of the pin.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising detaching the pin from the body by depressing a latch which engages with the lock.