Device and method for fitting connector housings provided with sealing mats

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10446998-B2
Application number	US-201815954721-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 17, 2018
Priority date	Apr 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

A device for fitting a connector housing provided with a sealing mat to a prefabricated cable end of a cable includes a fitting unit with a cable gripper having an insertion element. The cable end can be introduced into the connector housing with the fitting unit, wherein the sealing mat has a cable through-hole that can receive the cable in a sealing manner. The insertion element is guided through the cable through-hole of the sealing mat during the fitting process. The insertion element has a shaft and a widened tip.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for fitting a connector housing provided with a sealing mat to a prefabricated cable end of a cable, the device having a fitting unit with which the cable end is introduced into the connector housing during a fitting process, the fitting unit comprising: a cable gripper for gripping the cable and having an insertion element that during the fitting process is guided through a cable through-hole of the sealing mat, the insertion element having a shaft and a tip, the tip being wider than the shaft, and the tip being disposed behind a contact on the cable end when the cable gripper is gripping the cable;
wherein the shaft has a cylindrical exterior that is connected to the tip.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the tip has a tapering front region.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the tip has a front region tapering conically about an angle of inclination relative to a longitudinal axis of the cable gripper or relative to an axis of cone running parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the angle of inclination is between 60° and 80°.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein the tip has a tapering front region, a center region, and an end region, the end region tapering toward the shaft.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein a longitudinal extension of the tip is at least seven times shorter than a length of the shaft.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein a longitudinal extension of the tip is in a range of 1 mm to 5 mm.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein that in cross-section the insertion element has a hexagonal inner contour.

8. The device according to claim 1 wherein for forming a free region permitting deformation of the cable, the insertion element has an inner contour that in cross-section is larger than an inner contour of clamping jaws of the cable gripper.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the free region has a length in a range of 5 mm to 8 mm.

10. The device according to any of claim 1 wherein the cable gripper has two clamping jaws that are movable relative to one another for gripping the cable, the tip and the shaft of the insertion element comprise two insertion element halves, and each of the insertion element halves is joined to or integral with an associated one of the clamping jaws.

11. The device according to claim 10 including flat areas formed on radial sides of the tip at a separating gap between the insertion element halves.

12. The device according to claim 1 wherein in cross-section an outer contour of the tip has a pointed oval shape.

13. A method for fitting a connector housing provided with a sealing mat to a prefabricated cable end of a cable, wherein a contact is attached to the cable end, comprising the following method steps:
providing a fitting unit having a cable gripper for gripping the cable and having an insertion element that during the fitting is guided through a cable through-hole of the sealing mat, the insertion element having a shaft having a cylindrical exterior that is connected to a tip, the tip being wider than the shaft;
gripping the cable with the cable gripper of the fitting unit, wherein the cable gripper is positioned such that the tip of the insertion element is disposed behind the contact; and
inserting the cable end of the cable, using the fitting unit, into the connector housing, wherein the insertion element is guided through the cable through-hole into the sealing mat.

Assignees

• Komax Holding Ag

Inventors

• Felices Jean-Luc
• Estermann Beat
• Kiser Markus
• Hugener Simon

Classifications

• H01R43/00 Primary

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors (of trolley lines B60M1/28) · CPC title

• H01R43/22 Primary

  Hand tools · CPC title

• H01R13/5216

  characterised by the sealing material, e.g. gels or resins · CPC title

• H01R13/521

  Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert · CPC title

• H01R13/5208

  having at least two cable receiving openings · CPC title