Odu Gmbh & Co Kg

Alfred Mitter

Dieter Spitzenberger

Daniel Gartenmaier

Josef Leitl

Jorge Saucedo

Bernhard Huber

An adaptive connector comprising a contact jack and a lamella comb, wherein the lamellae of the lamella comb electrically contact the contact jack, characterised in that the contact jack is connected in a mechanically inseparable but movable manner with the lamella comb. The contact jack can be pivoted relatively to the lamella comb with an angular range of more than 2 degrees while maintaining contact between the contact jack and the lamellae of the lamella comb, and/or the contact jack can be moved translationally relatively to the lamella comb in at least one direction within a translational range of more than 1 millimetre. Moreover, an adaptive connector comprising two or more adapter elements that are electrically separate from each other. Each adapter element comprises a connection jack or a connection lamella device at each of two ends of the adapter element, the connection jack or connection lamella device of one end being electrically connected to the connection jack or connection lamella device of the other end. The adapter elements are connected with each other in a mechanically inseparable but movable manner. Any of the adapter elements can be pivoted relatively to at least one other of the adapter elements with an angular range of more than 4 degrees and/or any of the adapter elements can be moved translationally relatively to any other of the adapter elements in at least one direction by more than 2 millimetre. Finally, a system comprising the adaptive connector and a counter connector.

Adaptive connector

A socket comprises an annular socket part and a lamella basket at least partly disposed in the interior of the annular socket part. The lamella basket comprises a plurality of lamellae and an annular carrier strip located at the rear part of the lamella basket. Each of the lamellae has a first end and a second end, with the first end being firmly attached to, or integrally moulded with, the annular carrier strip and with the second end being implemented as a free end. The lamellae extend from the annular carrier strip towards the front end of the socket. The inner surface of the annular socket part comprises a bulge that: protrudes in a radially inward direction; and is configured for supporting the lamellae when the lamellae are resiliently deformed in a radially outward direction.

Connecting plug and socket with lamella basket

An improved floating connector can be employed for, among other things, connecting a traction battery to the drive of an electrically-driven vehicle. The self-aligning floating connector can be used to mate connectors of the battery and the electric drive despite misalignment. The floating connector has a frame and a contact housing movable inside an aperture of the frame. The contact housing is rotatable about an axis that extends perpendicularly to the surface defined by the aperture. The essentially oval outer surface of the contact housing can cooperate with the aperture to provide a limit stop for the relative movement of the contact housing and the frame. The angular movement of the contact housing inside the aperture can be sterically constrained to limit the rotation of the contact housing relative to the frame to a pre-defined angular range. A system with a floating connector and a mating connector is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Heldenstein, Germany

Alfred Mitter