Structure and Design Standards of Car Connectors
What is a car connector?
The role of car connectors is very simple: Between the blocked or isolated circuits in the circuit, a bridge of communication is built, so that the current can flow and the circuit can realize the predetermined function. The form and structure of automobile connectors are ever-changing. It is mainly composed of four basic structural components, namely: contact, housing (depending on the variety), insulator, and accessories.
1. The contact is the core part of the car connector to complete the electrical connection function. Generally, a contact pair is composed of a male contact piece and a female contact piece, and the electrical connection is completed by the insertion of the female and male contact pieces.
The male contact is a rigid part, and its shape is cylindrical (round pin), square cylinder (square pin) or flat (plug). The male contact is generally made of brass or phosphor bronze. The female contact is the socket, which is the key part of the contact pair. It relies on the elastic structure to be elastically deformed when it is inserted into the pin to generate elastic force to form close contact with the positive contact piece to complete the connection. There are many types of jacks of the connector: There are cylindrical (splitting grooves, necking), Tuning fork type, Cantilever type (longitudinal slot), Folding type (longitudinal slot, 9-shaped), Box shape (square socket) and hyperboloid wire spring socket, etc.
2. The shell is the outer cover of the car connector. It provides mechanical protection for the built-in insulating mounting plate and pins, and provides alignment of the plug and socket when mating, and then fixes the connector to the device.
3. Insulators, insulators are also often referred to as car connector bases or inserts. Its function is to arrange the contact pieces according to the required position and spacing, and to ensure the insulation performance between the contact pieces and between the contact piece and the shell. Good insulation resistance, withstand voltage performance and easy processing are the basic requirements for selecting insulating materials to be processed into insulators.
4. Accessories. The accessories are divided into structural accessories and installation accessories. Structural accessories such as clamp ring, positioning key, positioning pin, guide pin, connecting ring, cable clamp, sealing ring, gasket, etc. Install accessories such as screws, nuts, screws, spring rings, etc. Most of the accessories have standard parts and common parts.
It is these four basic structural components that enable automotive connectors to act as bridges and operate stably.
Automotive connector design standards
With the rapid development of the automobile industry, various functional parts and various parts of automobiles are constantly developing in the direction of intelligence, refinement and reliability. Higher requirements are also put forward for the structural design, appearance design and materials of automobile connectors.
Automotive connectors must meet the USCAR-20 standard, which is the performance standard for automotive electrical connector systems. It is stipulated that the contact surface of the electrical connector of the automobile connector should always be reliable during the whole life cycle, including the following factors:
1. The material of the connector contact is stable and reliable
2. Stable positive force
3. The voltage and current of the circuit are stable
4. The temperature requirement is within the specified range, including the surrounding temperature and its own temperature rise
5. Better robustness
6. It must be the same as the connector used in the high-speed and long-distance communication computer, and the car connector must be able to work reliably under harsh conditions
7. Connector insertion force: below 20.5kg;
8, the connector retention force: 2.5kg above;
9. Heat resistance: -40~120℃
