초록 ▼

A ganged electrical connection system includes an arrangement defining a plurality of receptacles. A plurality of first connectors is receivably coupled in the plurality of receptacles. A plurality of second connectors is matable to the plurality of coupled first connectors of the arrangement along

A ganged electrical connection system includes an arrangement defining a plurality of receptacles. A plurality of first connectors is receivably coupled in the plurality of receptacles. A plurality of second connectors is matable to the plurality of coupled first connectors of the arrangement along mating axes. Positional mating tolerance variation associated with the plurality of second connectors in relation to the plurality of coupled first connectors manifested at the plurality of receptacles when the plurality of second connectors are mated to the plurality of coupled first connectors is absorbed by the arrangement. The plurality of the plurality of second connectors mate with the plurality of coupled first connectors in a single unimpeded, uninterrupted mating connection. A ganged electrical system for an electric-type vehicle is also presented.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A electrical connection system comprising: an arrangement defining a plurality of receptacles and including a plurality of first connector housings respectively including at least one electrical contact, said plurality of first connector housings being receivably coupled in the plurality of recep

1. A electrical connection system comprising: an arrangement defining a plurality of receptacles and including a plurality of first connector housings respectively including at least one electrical contact, said plurality of first connector housings being receivably coupled in the plurality of receptacles; anda plurality of second connector housings respectively including at least one electrical mating contact, said plurality of second connector housings and the respective at least one electrical mating contact being matable to the plurality of coupled first connector housings and the respective electrical contacts associated with the plurality of coupled first connector housings along mating axes, and the plurality of coupled first connector housings have respective floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles that absorb positional mating tolerance variation during mating of the plurality of second connector housings to the plurality of coupled first connector housings, said floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles occurs in at least one of an X-axis and a Y-axis direction about the respective mating axes orthogonal to the respective mating axes in the respective plurality of receptacles,wherein said positional mating tolerance variation associated with the plurality of second connector housings in relation to the plurality of coupled first connector housings manifested at the plurality of receptacles when the plurality of second connector housings are mated to the plurality of coupled first connector housings is absorbed by the arrangement. 2. The electrical connection system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of coupled first connectors have a ganged configuration within the arrangement and the plurality of second connector housings and the respective at least one mating electrical contact mate with the plurality of coupled, ganged first connector housings and the respective at least one electrical contact associated with the coupled, ganged first connector housings in a single unimpeded, uninterrupted mating connection. 3. The electrical connection system according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement further includes, a spring attached to the arrangement,wherein said floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles occurs in the X-axis and the Y-axis and a Z-axis direction about the respective mating axes in relation to the plurality of receptacles, said Z-axis direction being co-axial to the respective mating axes and said positional mating tolerance variation absorbed by the respective plurality of receptacles in the Z-axis direction is assimilated by said spring. 4. The electrical connection system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of receptacles are formed in at least one row in the arrangement. 5. The electrical connection system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of second connector housings are in electrical communication with a single electrical device. 6. The electrical connection system according to claim 1, wherein said arrangement defines at least one slot in communication with the plurality of receptacles, and the at least one slot receives the plurality of first connector housings such that floatable movement of the plurality of coupled first connector housings in the plurality of receptacles is in relation to said at least one slot. 7. The electrical connection system according to claim 6, wherein said at least one slot in the arrangement comprises at least two slots and each receptacle in the plurality of receptacles includes said at least two slots, and the respective plurality of coupled first connector housings have an amount of floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles associated with the at least two slots. 8. The electrical connection system according to claim 6, wherein the arrangement comprises a support frame and the support frame is formed of a single unitary piece. 9. The electrical connection system of claim 1, wherein each first connector body in the plurality of first connector housings includes a forward section and a rearward section, said forward section being receivably coupled in a receptacle in the plurality of receptacles, andsaid rearward section being matable to a second connector housings in the plurality of second connector housings. 10. The electrical connection system according to claim 1, wherein the support frame comprises at least one rail extending from the support frame and the at least one rail defines at least one recess having an area and each of the plurality of first connector housings includes at least one lock ear where at least a portion of the at least one lock ear is contained within the area when the plurality of first connector housings are receivably coupled in the plurality of receptacles, and said floatable movement of the plurality of coupled first connector housings in the plurality of receptacles is bounded by movement of the at least one lock ear within said area. 11. A ganged electrical connection system comprising: an arrangement defining a plurality of receptacles and including a plurality of first connectors being receivably coupled in the plurality of receptacles; anda plurality of second connectors matable to the plurality of coupled first of the connectors along mating axes, and the plurality of coupled first connectors have respective floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles that absorb positional mating tolerance variation during mating of the plurality of second connectors to the plurality of coupled first connectors, said floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles occurs in at least one of an X-axis and a Y-axis direction about the respective mating axes orthogonal to the respective mating axes in the respective plurality of receptacles,wherein said positional mating tolerance variation associated with the plurality of second connectors in relation to the plurality of coupled first connectors manifested at the plurality of receptacles when the plurality of second connectors are mated to the plurality of coupled first connectors is absorbed by the arrangement, andwherein the respective plurality of coupled first connectors have floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles in the arrangement and the arrangement further includes at least one first connector that is fixedly attached to the arrangement that does not have said floatable movement. 12. The electrical connection system according to claim 1, wherein the arrangement further includes, a connector position assurance (CPA) member attached to the arrangement,wherein when the plurality of second connector housings are mated with the plurality of coupled first connector housings the CPA member is adapted to prevent the plurality of second connector housings from unmating from the plurality of coupled first connector housings. 13. A method for absorbing positional mating tolerance variation during mating of a plurality of first connector housings and a plurality of second connector housings in a electrical connection system, comprising: using an arrangement defining a plurality of receptacles and the plurality of first connector housings including a respective at least one electrical contact, said plurality of first connector housings are receivably coupled in the plurality of receptacles, and the plurality of second connector housings include a respective at least one mating electrical contact, said plurality of second connector housings and the respective at least one mating electrical contacts being matable to the plurality of coupled first connector housings and the respective at least one mating contacts associated with the plurality of coupled first connector housings along mating axes; andabsorbing said positional mating tolerance variation by the arrangement associated with the plurality of second connector housings in relation to the plurality of coupled first connector housings manifested at the plurality of receptacles when the plurality of second connector housings mate to the plurality of coupled first connector housings along the mating axes. 14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the steps in the method include the coupled first connector housings having a ganged configuration in the arrangement, and the plurality of second connector housings and the respective at least one mating electrical contact mate with the plurality of coupled, ganged first connector housings and the respective at least one electrical contact associated with the coupled, ganged first connector housings in a single unimpeded, uninterrupted mating connection. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the method further includes, floatably moving the respective plurality of coupled first connector housings in the respective plurality of receptacles that absorb said positional mating tolerance variation during mating of the plurality of second connector housings to the plurality of coupled first connector housings, and said floatable movement of the respective plurality of coupled first connector housings in the respective plurality of receptacles occurs in at least one of an X-axis and a Y-axis direction about the respective mating axes orthogonal to the respective mating axes in the respective plurality of receptacles. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the steps in the method further include the arrangement comprising a spring attached to the arrangement, the method further including floatably moving the respective plurality of coupled first connector housings in the respective plurality of receptacles that absorb said positional mating tolerance variation during mating of the plurality of second connector housings to the plurality of coupled first connector housings, and said floatable movement of the respective plurality of coupled first connector housings in the respective plurality of receptacles occurs in the X-axis and the Y-axis and a Z-axis direction about the respective mating axes, said Z-axis direction being co-axial to the respective mating axes and said positional mating tolerance variation absorbed by the respective plurality of receptacles in the Z-axis direction is assimilated by said spring. 17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the steps in the method further include, defining at least one slot in each receptacle in the plurality of receptacles and the plurality of first connector housings being received in the at least one slot, and the step of absorbing the positional mating tolerance variation further includes, floatably moving the respective plurality of coupled first connector housings in relation to the at least one slot to absorb said positional mating tolerance variation at said respective plurality of receptacles. 18. A electrical connection system employed in an electric-type vehicle that includes a battery stack containing a plurality of battery cells where the electrical connection system assimilates positional mating tolerance variation of the plurality of battery cells when the battery stack is electrically connected to the electrical connection system, the electrical connection system, comprising: an arrangement defining a plurality of receptacles and including a plurality of first connector housings being receivably coupled in the plurality of receptacles; anda plurality of second connector housings matable to the plurality of coupled first connector housings along mating axes, and the plurality of coupled first connector housings have respective floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles that absorb said positional mating tolerance variation during mating of the plurality of second connector housings to the plurality of coupled first connector housings, said floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles occurs in at least one of an X-axis and a Y-axis direction about the respective mating axes orthogonal to the respective mating axes in the respective plurality of receptacles,wherein said positional mating tolerance variation associated with the plurality of second connector housings in relation to the plurality of coupled first connector housings manifested at the plurality of receptacles when the plurality of second connector housings are mated to the plurality of coupled first connector housings is absorbed by the arrangement. 19. A method of assimilating positional mating tolerance variation of a plurality of battery cells in a battery stack in an electrical connection system where the battery stack and the electrical connection system are employed in an electric-type vehicle, comprising: using the electrical connection system to assimilate said positional mating tolerance variation in the plurality of battery cells when the plurality of battery cells are electrically connected to the electrical connection system, the electrical connection system including, an arrangement defining a plurality of receptacles and including a plurality of first connector housings being receivably coupled in the plurality of receptacles; anda plurality of second connector housings matable to the plurality of coupled first connector housings along mating axes, and the plurality of coupled first connector housings have respective floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles that absorb said positional mating tolerance variation during mating of the plurality of second connector housings to the plurality of coupled first connector housings, said floatable movement in the respective plurality of receptacles occurs in at least one of an X-axis and a Y-axis direction about the respective mating axes orthogonal to the respective mating axes in the respective plurality of receptacles,wherein said positional mating tolerance variation associated with the plurality of second connector housings in relation to the plurality of coupled first connector housings manifested at the plurality of receptacles when the plurality of second connector housings are mated to the plurality of coupled first connector housings is absorbed by the arrangement.