Methods for detecting loose connection in power connectors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9601879-B1
Application number	US-201615057154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 1, 2016
Priority date	Mar 1, 2016
Publication date	Mar 21, 2017
Grant date	Mar 21, 2017

Abstract

An electrical connector assembly that includes a female and male connector assembly. The female assembly includes a primary female housing including two female terminals. A secondary female housing including two female terminals short circuited to one another. The secondary female housing affixed to a side of the primary female housing. A male connector assembly including a primary male housing including two male terminals. The two male terminals in contact with the two female terminals of the primary female housing when the primary male housing is seated in the primary female housing for providing electrical energy to the electrical component. A secondary male housing including two male terminals. The secondary male housing affixed to a side of the primary male housing, wherein at least one of the two male terminals have a shorter length than the at least two male terminals of the primary male housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector assembly comprising:
a female connector assembly comprising:
a primary female housing including at least two female terminals, the at least two terminals in electrical connection with a power source;
a secondary female housing including two female terminals short circuited to one another, the secondary female housing affixed to a respective side of the primary female housing;

a male connector assembly comprising:
a primary male housing including at least two male terminals, the at least two terminals in electrical connection with an electrical component, the at least two male terminals in contact with the two female terminals of the primary female housing when the primary male housing is seated in the primary female housing for providing electrical energy to the electrical component;
a secondary male housing including two male terminals, the secondary male housing affixed to a respective side of the primary male housing, wherein at least one of the two male terminals have a shorter length than the at least two male terminals of the primary male housing.

2. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the two male terminals of the secondary male housing having the shorter length enable the secondary male housing to be electrically disconnected from at least one female terminal of the secondary female housing while the male terminals of the primary male connector are partially withdrawn yet still connected to the female terminals of the primary female housing.

3. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the two male terminals of the secondary male housing maintain electrical connection with the two female terminals of the secondary female housing when the primary male housing is fully seated within the primary female housing.

4. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising detection circuitry to detect when the at least one of the two terminals of the secondary male housing electrically disconnects from at least one associated female terminal of the secondary female housing.

5. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4 wherein the detection circuitry is integrally formed as part of the secondary male housing.

6. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4 wherein the detection circuitry is disposed separately from the secondary male housing.

7. The electrical connector assembly of claim 4 wherein the detection circuitry comprises:
a node;
a first sense line coupled between the node and the first male terminal of the secondary male housing;
a low pass filter coupled between the node and a voltage diagnostic sense line;
a second sense line coupled between a second male terminal and a ground;
a resistive element coupled between the node and a reference voltage, the resistive element being in parallel with the low pass filter.

8. The electrical connector assembly of claim 7 wherein an electric connection between the two male terminals of the secondary male housing and the two female terminals of the secondary female housing generates 0 volts on the voltage diagnostic sense line.

9. The electrical connector assembly of claim 8 wherein an electric disconnection between the at least one of the two male terminals of the secondary male housing and an associated female terminal of the secondary female housing generates a 12 volt signal on the voltage diagnostic sense line.

10. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the two female terminals of the secondary female housing are short circuited internally within the secondary female housing.

11. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the primary male housing and the secondary male housing are integrally formed as a monolithic housing assembly.

12. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 wherein the primary female housing and the secondary female housing are integrally formed as a monolithic housing assembly.

13. The electrical connector assembly of claim 1 further comprising a partial space formed between the primary male housing and the secondary male housing, the partial space allowing a wall of the primary female housing and a wall of the secondary female housing to seat over a wall of the primary male housing and secondary male housing, respectively.

14. A method of detecting a loose power connection comprising the steps of:
providing a female connector assembly that includes a primary female housing and a secondary female housing, the primary female housing including at least two female terminals, the at least two female terminals being in electrical connection with a power source, the secondary female housing including two female terminals short circuited to one another, the secondary female housing affixed to a respective side of the primary female housing;
providing a male connector assembly that includes a primary male housing and a secondary male housing, wherein the primary male housing includes at least two male terminals, the at least two male terminals being in electrical connection with an electrical component, the at least two male terminals are in contact with the two female terminals of the primary female housing when the primary male housing is seated in the primary female housing for providing electrical energy to the electrical component, wherein the secondary male housing includes two male terminals, the secondary male housing affixed to the primary male housing on a respective side of the primary male housing, at least one of the two male terminals having a shorter length than the at least two male terminals of the primary male housing, wherein a connection between the male terminals of the secondary male housing and the female terminals of the secondary female housing generates a first voltage on a voltage diagnostic sense line representing a connector intact condition, and wherein a disconnection between at least one terminal of the secondary male housing from at least one of the associated terminals of the secondary female housing generates a second voltage on the voltage diagnostic sense line representing a loose connector condition, the second voltage being greater than the first voltage;
identifying an ignition on condition;
measuring a diagnostic voltage on a voltage diagnostic sense line over a duration of time;
determining whether the measured diagnostic voltage is greater than a voltage threshold;
generating a warning signal to a driver in response to the measured diagnostic voltage being greater than the voltage threshold.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein measuring a diagnostic voltage on the voltage diagnostic sense line over a duration of time comprises the following steps:
collecting measured diagnostic voltages on the voltage diagnostic sense line after a first period of time;
determining whether the measured diagnostic voltage is greater than the voltage threshold;
in response to the measured diagnostic voltage being greater than the voltage threshold after the first period of time, measuring the diagnostic voltage after a second period of time.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein in response to determining whether diagnostic voltage is greater than the voltage threshold after the second period of time, a determination is made whether a timer is greater than a timer threshold, and wherein the warning signal is issued in response to the timer being greater than the timer threshold.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein in response determining that the timer is less than the timer threshold, diagnostic voltage measurements are measured for a

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Lin Wen-Chiao
• Du Xinyu
• Ghoneim Youssef A
• Demitrish Daniel

Classifications

• G01R31/68 Primary

  Testing of releasable connections, e.g. of terminals mounted on a printed circuit board · CPC title

• H01R13/7032 Primary

  making use of a separate bridging element directly cooperating with the terminals · CPC title

• G01R31/005

  Testing of electric installations on transport means · CPC title

• H01R13/71 Primary

  Contact members of coupling parts operating as switch {, e.g. linear or rotational movement required after mechanical engagement of coupling part to establish electrical connection} · CPC title

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title