The invention relates to a shield sleeve for producing an electrical connection between a cable shield and a metal housing portion of a connection element. Furthermore, the invention relates to a shielding end element comprising such a shield sleeve and a crimp sleeve which is constructed so as to be able to be fitted over the shield sleeve.

Shield sleeves are known from the prior art. Shield sleeves having a cylindrical sleeve member in which a circular ring is arranged at one end, said ring extending perpendicularly relative to the cylinder axis and consequently perpendicularly relative to the direction of the cable, are widespread. The cable shield is placed on the cylindrical sleeve member and secured by means of a crimping sleeve which is fitted over the sleeve member and the cable shield and crimped therewith, whereby an electrical contact is produced between the cable shield and shield sleeve. In order also to produce an electrical contact with a connection element of the cable, the annular portion is pressed in an axial direction onto a metal housing portion of the connection element. This takes place, for example, via a second housing portion of the connection element. In order to produce a secure and uniform contact, an annular corrugated spring is fitted between the annular face of the shield sleeve and the metal housing portion. The annular corrugated spring is corrugated in an axial direction so that it has contact locations for the annular face of the shield sleeve and contact locations for the metal housing portion of the connection element.

With such shield sleeves, the contact force and consequently the contact resistance are highly dependent on the connection and the force between the housing portions of the connection element. Furthermore, the contact resistance is relatively high.

An object of the present invention is to provide a shield sleeve, which ensures a secure, consistent contact resistance which is substantially independent of the forces between the housing portions of the connection element. The object is achieved according to the invention by a shield sleeve which comprises a rotationally symmetrical sleeve member, at one end of which at least one radially protruding contact flap which can be resiliently redirected in a radial direction is arranged, the contact flap having at least one contact location which protrudes in a radial direction with respect to the sleeve member. A shielding end element according to the invention comprises a shield sleeve according to the invention and a crimp sleeve which is constructed so as to be able to be fitted over the shield sleeve.

Owing to the radially protruding contact flap which can be resiliently redirected in a radial direction and which has at least one contact location which protrudes in a radial direction with respect to the sleeve member, the production of the contact between the shield sleeve and the metal housing portion of the connection element is no longer carried out in an axial direction but instead in a radial direction. The contact force and consequently the contact resistance between the shield sleeve and the metal housing portion of the connection element is thereby less dependent on the force between the housing portions of the connection element in the axial direction. Ideally, the contact force and consequently the contact resistance are independent of the force in the axial direction and constant.

The solution according to the invention can be further improved in accordance with the following developments. The individual further developments are each advantageous per se and can be freely combined with each other.

The contact flap may be integral with the sleeve member. For example, the sleeve member and the contact flap may be a single component, which is produced from a metal sheet by means of deep-drawing, punching and shaping.

A plurality of contact flaps may be fitted to the sleeve member. In particular, the contact flaps may be fitted to the same end of the sleeve member. Preferably, the plurality of contact flaps are fitted symmetrically, in particular in a rotationally symmetrical manner, to the sleeve member. For example, eight contact flaps which each have the same spacing from each other may be fitted in the peripheral direction of the sleeve member. A plurality of contact locations may be provided on an individual contact flap. Reliable contacting can thereby be ensured. The contact resistance may be further reduced by means of a plurality of contact locations. The at least one contact location may protrude not only with respect to the sleeve member, but also with respect to the contact flap. The contact location may thus be located further towards the outer side in a radial direction than the remainder of the contact flap.

The contact location may be point-like or linear. In order to enable contacting over the largest possible surface-area, the contact location may also be constructed as a contact face.

A contact face may also serve to enable a relative movement of the shield sleeve and a counter-element, without losing the electrical contact. To this end, a counter-element may move on the contact face and contact it at various positions.

The at least one contact flap may overlap the sleeve member in a radial direction. With such an embodiment, the length of the shield sleeve in an axial direction may be smaller than with other embodiments. For example, the contact flap may be bent back on the sleeve member. The contact flap may thus be directed away from a distal end, on which the contact flap is fitted, and which faces towards the end of the cable in the operating state. A free end of the contact flap may face slightly outwards or be directed in a direction parallel with the axial direction.

A portion of the at least one contact flap may be bent inwards in a radial direction. This portion may in particular be a portion which is arranged remote from the connection between the contact flap and the sleeve member. For example, a portion which is close to the connection may face outwards with the end thereof facing away from the connection and an adjacent portion which is further away from the connection may face radially inwards with the end thereof facing away from the connection, that is to say, in the direction towards the shield sleeve. In addition, the free end of the shield sleeve, which is opposite the end of the contact flap close to the connection in an axial direction, may face radially outwards or parallel with the axial direction. The contact flap may be further away from the shield sleeve in a portion close to the connection than in a portion remote from the connection. Such a portion remote from the connection may be very close to the shield sleeve or be in abutment therewith. This portion may act as a support portion in order to enable, for example, greater contact forces between the shield sleeve and the metal housing portion, or to prevent a plastic deformation of the contact flap by the forces which occur.

The support of the contact flap on the sleeve member may in particular be carried out by means of a curved support member, which is formed on the contact flap. Such a curved configuration of the support may enable the support face to move readily in an axial direction on the sleeve member without causing damage.

The contact location may be crimp-like or hump-like. A crimp or a hump may increase the stability of the contact flap. Furthermore, a crimp-like or hump-like embodiment leads to the contacted face being smaller. The contact pressure, that is to say, the contact force on the contact face may thereby be increased and better contacting may be possible. The rounded configuration of a crimp and/or a hump in one or two dimensions may enable relative movement of the contact flap relative to the metal housing portion with little damage and/or little wear. A slot and/or a hole may be provided in the contact flap. A slot and/or a hole may influence the resilient force of the contact flap in a radial direction. The slot and/or the hole may be selected in such a manner that a specific contact force occurs in a radial direction.

The contact flap may have at least one contact wing which is arranged in a tangential direction of the sleeve member and which is directed radially outwards. For example, in a substantially rectangular contact flap, which is connected at one side of the rectangle to the sleeve member, a corner remote from the connection may be bent radially outwards. Owing to such a bent or folded configuration, the resilient force of the contact flap may be changed. In particular the contact force may increase since the contact wing forms a larger angle with the sleeve member and/or the metal housing portion of the connection element. Furthermore, the contact wing may produce a more precisely defined and/or smaller contact location than is possible with a rather planar contacting with a contact flap without a contact wing. In particular a substantially rectangular contact flap, which is connected to the sleeve member at one side of the rectangle, may have two contact wings, which each extend from the connection of the contact flap with the sleeve member to a corner remote from the connection. This may lead to improved relative movement between the shield sleeve and the metal housing portion of the connection element since the shield sleeve can move to the same extent in both directions in a tangential direction in a rotational manner relative to the metal housing portion of the connection element, without becoming caught. An end facing away from the connection between the sleeve member and the contact flap may thus have a V-shaped, U-shaped and/or curved cross-section.

The contact location may have at least one cutting edge directed radially outwards. The cutting edge, on contact with the metal housing portion, can penetrate any contamination and/or oxide layers which may be present and consequently ensure a secure electrical contact of the shield sleeve and the metal housing portion. The cutting edge may extend in an axial direction so that the cutting operation already occurs when the shield sleeve is joined to the metal housing portion. Alternatively and/or in addition, the cutting edge may extend in a tangential direction so that the cutting operation is initiated, when rotational relative movements occur between the shield sleeve and the metal housing portion, for example, owing to vibrations which occur. When vibrations occur, this cutting process may take place automatically during continuous operation so that oxide layers newly produced in the meantime and/or new contaminations are automatically penetrated again. The shield sleeve according to the invention may be connected to a cable shield of a cable, For example, the cable shield may form a shield film or a shield braid. The cable shield may be fitted to the shield member, for example, by means of a soldered or welded connection. In an advantageous embodiment, the cable shield is fitted over the sleeve member and fitted to the sleeve member by means of purely mechanical securing. The cable shield may thus be securely clamped, for instance, to the sleeve member, for example, by means of an annular or cylindrical securing element. In a preferred embodiment, a crimp sleeve which is constructed so as to be able to be fitted over the shield sleeve is used to secure the cable shield between the shield sleeve and the crimp sleeve. The crimp sleeve may be fitted to the shield sleeve and clamp the cable shield loosely between the shield sleeve and the crimp sleeve. In a subsequent crimping step, the crimping sleeve may be deformed in such a manner that it forms a crimp connection with the shield sleeve and/or the cable shield. The shield sleeve and/or the crimp sleeve may have a sleeve crimp portion on which a crimping operation can be carried out.

A shielding end element according to the invention comprises a shield sleeve according to the invention and a crimp sleeve which is constructed so as to be able to be fitted over the shield sleeve. The crimp sleeve may be constructed so as to be at least partially complementary, in particular complementary in terms of cross-section, with respect to the sleeve member.

Therefore, it may be constructed so as to receive the shield sleeve in an axial direction. The crimp sleeve may further have a wire crimping portion, on which the crimp sleeve may be crimped with the wire of the cable. This wire crimping portion may have a smaller diameter than the remainder of the crimp sleeve in a rotationally symmetrical embodiment.

In an advantageous embodiment, the crimp sleeve is constructed in a rotationally symmetrical manner.

The crimp sleeve may have a receiving portion for the at least one contact flap of the shield sleeve. Owing to a receiving portion, other elements may be protected from the contact flap, for example, from cutting edges of the contact flap. Furthermore, a receiving portion may ensure electromagnetic shielding in the region of the contact flaps in a completely assembled state.

In an advantageous embodiment, the receiving portion is bell- shaped. Such a rounded, rotationally symmetrical embodiment can be readily produced in technical production terms. In order to configure an electromagnetic shielding in the most complete manner possible, the receiving portion may be configured in such a manner that it can be connected to the metal housing portion of the connection element in a positive-locking manner in an axial direction. By way of example, the invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to advantageous embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described are merely possible embodiments, in which the individual features, as described above, however, may be combined or omitted independently of each other. Reference numerals which are the same in the different drawings refer to objects which are the identical in each case.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic, perspective illustration of a shield sleeve according to the invention, a crimp sleeve according to the invention, a housing and a cable; Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic, perspective view of the shield sleeve illustrated in Figure l ;

Figure 3 is a schematic, perspective view of the elements from Figure 1 in an assembled state;

Figure 4 is a schematic, perspective view of another shield sleeve according to the invention, another crimp sleeve according to the invention together with a housing and a seal;

Figure 5 is a schematic, perspective view of the shield sleeve from Figure 4 together with a housing portion;

Figure 6 is a schematic, perspective view of the elements from Figure 4 in an assembled state;

Figure 7 is a schematic, perspective view of another shield sleeve according to the invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment 1A of a shield sleeve 1 according to the invention together with a first embodiment 2A of a crimp sleeve 2 according to the invention, a cable 3 and a housing 4, comprising a first housing portion 4' and a second housing portion 4". The housing portions 4', 4" are illustrated in a partially cutaway manner. In Figure 1, a preassembly state is shown, in which connections have not yet been produced between the individual elements. The shield sleeve 1 and the crimp sleeve 2 are fitted on the cable 3 and arranged one behind the other in a cable direction C.

The cable 3 comprises an internal conductor 30, an intermediate insulation 31 and a cable shield (not shown) which is located outside the intermediate insulation 31 and which is surrounded by an external insulation (not shown). The conductor 30 of the cable 3 is provided at the distal end D with a contact portion 35, which serves to produce contact with another element which is not shown. The shield sleeve 1 has a sleeve crimp portion 10, which serves to produce a crimp connection with a sleeve crimp portion 20 of the crimp sleeve 2. In order to achieve an electrical contact with the cable shield, the cable shield is placed on the sleeve crimp portion 10 of the shield sleeve 1, the crimp sleeve 2 is fitted on the shield sleeve 1, and the sleeve crimp portion 20 of the crimp sleeve is crimped with the sleeve crimp portion 10 of the shield sleeve 1. The cable shield is thereby secured between the two crimp portions 10, 20 and the two sleeve crimp portions 10, 20 are connected to each other.

The crimp sleeve 2 further has a wire crimp portion 21 to which it can be crimped with the cable 3. A relative movability of the cable 3 with respect to the crimp sleeve 2 and consequently the shield sleeve 1 is thereby limited.

In order to receive the sleeve crimp portion 10 of the shield sleeve 1, the sleeve crimp portion 20 of the crimp sleeve 2 has a larger diameter than the wire crimp portion 21. The crimp sleeve 2 is rotationally symmetrical. It comprises a cylindrical sleeve crimp portion 20, a cylindrical wire crimp portion 21, a transition portion 201 which extends in a conical manner between the portions 20 and 21, a receiving portion 22 and a transition portion 202 which is located between the sleeve crimp portion 20 and the receiving portion 22. The housing 4 comprises a metal first housing portion 4' and a second housing portion 4" which is also metal. Alternatively, the second housing portion 4" may also be non-metallic. In order to connect the elements shown here to each other in accordance with the invention, the crimp sleeve 2 is connected to the shield sleeve 1 as described above. Subsequently, the shield sleeve 1 and the crimp sleeve 2 are inserted into the metal first housing portion 4' in the cable direction C. Afterwards, the second housing portion 4" is also brought into connection with the first housing portion 4' in the cable direction C. The arrangement illustrated in Figure 3 is thereby produced and is described in greater detail below.

In order to ensure an electrical connection between the shield sleeve 1 and the metal first housing portion 4', the shield sleeve 1 has radially protruding contact flaps 11 which can be resiliently redirected in a radial direction R. Figure 1 shows a first embodiment 11A of such contact flaps 11. These contact flaps 11 have contact locations 12 which, in the assembled state, are in contact with an inner edge 40 of the first housing portion 4'. The contact locations

12 shown here protrude in a radial direction R relative to the contact flaps 11 so that the shield sleeve 1 contacts the first housing portion 4' only at the contact locations 12. Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the shield sleeve 1 illustrated in Figure 1. The shield sleeve 1 comprises a sleeve member 13 and contact flaps 11 which are fitted thereto. The contact flaps 11 are fitted in the shield sleeve 1 at a distal end D. They are integral with the sleeve member

13 and were produced by deep-drawing and punching a metal sheet. The first embodiment 13 A of a sleeve member 13 shown here is rotationally symmetrical and comprises the cylindrical sleeve crimp portion 10, a conically extending transition portion 104 and a base portion 14. The base portion 14 is cylindrical and has a larger diameter than the sleeve crimp portion 10. The contact flaps 11 are fitted at the distal end D of the base portion 14. The contact flaps 11 are strip-like or tongue-like. A base 15 of a contact flap 11 is fitted to the base portion 14 of the sleeve member 13. The contact flaps 11 face counter to the cable direction C and extend substantially counter to the cable direction C. The contact flaps 11 can be resiliently deflected in and counter to the radial direction R and protrude radially from the sleeve member 13. They are consequently arranged radially further outwards than the sleeve members 13.

Each contact flap 11 has two contact locations 12 which protrude radially outwards from the contact flap 11, that is to say, which are constructed so as to protrude with respect to the sleeve member 13 and the contact flaps 11 which are arranged therein.

The contact locations 12 shown here are hump-like or crimp-like. The hump-like contact locations 12A are rounded both in the cable direction C and in the tangential direction T so that a relative movement of the shield sleeve 1 relative to the first housing portion can extend in both directions R, T with little damage.

Between the two hump-like contact locations 12A is a slot 16 by means of which the resilient force is optimised at the resilient redirection of the contact flap 11.

A portion 17A of the contact flap 11 close to the connection faces radially slightly outwards from the base 15. A portion 17B remote from the connection adjacent to the portion 17 A close to the connection faces radially inwards from the portion 17A close to the connection, that is to say, towards the sleeve member 13. On a curved support member 17C adjacent to the portion 17B remote from the connection, the orientation turns again so that the free end 17D is directed radially slightly outwards. In this state the curved support member 17C is not yet in contact with the base portion 14 of the sleeve member 13. However, in the event of a resilient redirection of the contact flap 11, for example, in the connected state, this curved support member 17C may be supported on the base portion 14. Owing to the configuration thereof which is rounded in a cable direction C, a movement of the curved support member 17C on the base portion 14 is possible with little damage. The contact flap 11 is bent relative to the sleeve member 13, that is to say, it is bent back on the sleeve member 13. In the radial direction R, therefore, the contact flap 11 overlaps the sleeve member 13. In Figure 3, the elements shown in Figure 1 are shown in a connected state. The housing 4 is illustrated in a partially sectioned manner. The contact flaps 11 are in abutment with the first housing portion 4' by means of the contact locations 12 and press in a radial direction R against the first housing portion 4' since they are redirected counter to the radial direction R. The receiving portion 22 of the crimp sleeve 2 closes in a positive-locking manner with the first housing portion 4'. Complete electromagnetic shielding in the end region 60 of the arrangement 6 is thereby ensured.

The elements shown in Figure 3 may be part of a connection element, by means of which it is possible to connect the cable 3 to other elements.

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment IB of a shield sleeve 1 according to the invention, a second embodiment 2B of a crimp sleeve 2 according to the invention, a seal 7 and a housing 4 comprising a metal first housing portion 4' and a second housing portion 4". The crimp sleeve 2, the seal 7 and the two housing portions 4', 4" are illustrated in a partially sectioned manner.

The crimp sleeve 2B of the second embodiment shown here has, in addition to the wire crimp portion 21, the transition region 201, the sleeve crimp portion 20 and the receiving portion 22, a carrier portion 23, on which the seal 7 can be fitted, and furthermore a transition portion 203 between the sleeve crimp portion 20 and the carrier portion 23 and a transition portion 223 between the receiving portion 22 and the carrier portion 23. The transition portions 201, 203, 223 are each formed in a conical manner. On the whole, the crimp sleeve 2B again has a rotationally symmetrical configuration and may be pushed over the shield sleeve IB. It is thus at least partially complementary to the shield sleeve IB.

In order to produce a connection between the cable shield (not shown) and the shield sleeve IB, the cable shield is fitted to the outer side of the shield sleeve IB and secured thereto. In this embodiment, the cable shield is secured by means of clamping between the shield sleeve 1 and the crimp sleeve 2 by the sleeve crimp portion 10 of the shield sleeve 1 being crimped with the sleeve crimp portion 20 of the crimp sleeve 2 so that the cable shield is securely clamped between the shield sleeve 1 and the crimp sleeve 2. The connection produced in this manner on the wire crimp portion 21 of the crimp sleeve 2 can be mechanically connected to the cable by the wire crimp portion 21 being squeezed, whereby it becomes plastically deformed.

In order to compensate for the length of the crimp sleeve 2 which is greater in the cable direction C than in the first embodiment shown in Figure 1 owing to the carrier portion 23 in the cable direction C, the shield sleeve 1 of the second embodiment has an extended base portion 14B. Contact flaps 11 are provided at the distal end D on the base portion 14. The second embodiment 1 IB of a contact flap 11 shown here is substantially rectangular when viewed from the side, one side of the rectangle constituting a base of the contact flap 11, which is secured to the base portion 14. The two corners 17E of the contact flap 11 remote from the connection are bent radially outwards. Contact wings 18 are thereby produced and are arranged in a tangential direction T on the contact flap 11 and protrude radially outwards. When the shield sleeve 1 is connected to the first housing portion 4', a contact location 12 on the contact wing 18 contacts the inner edge 40 of the first housing portion 4'.

This contact operation is shown in Figure 5. The housing portion 4' is illustrated in a sectioned manner. Owing to the contact force acting in the cable direction C, which presses the shield sleeve 1, IB onto the first housing portion 4', the contact flaps 11 are redirected counter to the radial direction and produce a resilient force, which presses the contact wings 18 onto the inner edge 40.

The contact flaps 11 and the contact wings 18 have cutting edges 19. These cutting edges 19 are sharp and score or cut the inner edge 40 of the first housing portion 4' so that occurrences of contamination or oxide layers are penetrated. The cutting edges 19 extend in the cable direction C so that they automatically cut when the shield sleeve 1 is inserted into the first housing portion 4'. The contact flaps 11 have a curved cross-section at the free end 17D thereof. The centre 17F of the free end 17D is closer to the sleeve member 13 than the corners 17E. Furthermore, the centre 17F of the free end is substantially the same distance away from the sleeve member 13 as the centre 17G of the base 15 of the contact flap 11.

In Figure 6, the elements shown in Figure 4 are shown in a connected state. The individual elements are illustrated in a partially sectioned manner.

The receiving portion 22 of the crimp sleeve 2 closes in a positive-locking manner with the first housing portion 4' of the housing 4. Electromagnetic shielding is thereby produced again in the end portion 60 of the arrangement 6.

Figure 7 shows a third embodiment 1C of a shield sleeve 1 according to the invention. The shield sleeve 1, 1C shown here again has a rotationally symmetrical sleeve member 13, which comprises in this instance only a base portion 14. The base portion 14 is cylindrical. At a distal end D of the base portion 14, contact flaps 11 are fitted in a third embodiment 11C. A total of eight contact flaps 11 are fitted so as to be distributed in a uniform manner over the periphery of the cylinder. A uniform distribution of the resilient force which occurs is thereby achieved.

The contact flaps 11 each have contact locations 12 in the form of contact faces 12C. A portion 17A which is close to the connection and which adjoins a base 15 of the contact flap 11 tapers counter to the cable direction C in a tangential direction T so that the contact face 12C measured at the free end 17D thereof in the tangential direction T is less wide than the base 15. Furthermore, the portion 17A close to the connection faces slightly outwards in a radial direction from a base 15. The contact locations 12 in the form of contact faces 12C thus protrude radially. Furthermore, each contact flap 11 has two sharp edges 29, which are arranged in and counter to the tangential direction T at the contact flap 11. These sharp edges 29 may scratch away contamination or oxide layers in the event of a tangential relative movement on a counter-edge to be contacted. A small contact resistance can thereby be achieved. The sharp edges 29 protrude only once in a radial direction with respect to the contact flap 11 but may nonetheless also cut through contamination or oxide layers on a counter-face. Therefore, these are also cutting edges 19.

A free end 17D of the contact flaps 11 according to the third embodiment is slightly angled in the direction towards the sleeve member 13 with respect to the portion 17A close to the connection so that the free end 17D can be supported on a crimp sleeve in a well-defined manner.

The shield sleeve 1A shown in Figure 1 forms, together with the crimp sleeve 2A which is shown therein, a first embodiment 70A of a shielding end element 70 according to the invention. The shield sleeve IB shown in Figure 4 forms, together with the crimp sleeve 2B shown therein, a second embodiment 70B of such a shielding end element 70. Both embodiments 70A, 70B are advantageous embodiments, which each have a bell-shaped receiving portion 22 on the crimp sleeve 2, which can be connected to the corresponding first housing portion 4' in a positive-locking manner. According to the invention, however, such a bell-shaped receiving portion 22 is not absolutely necessary.

List of reference numerals

1 Shield sleeve

1A First embodiment of a shield sleeve

IB Second embodiment of a shield sleeve

1C Third embodiment of a shield sleeve

2 Crimp sleeve

2A First embodiment of a crimp sleeve

2B Second embodiment of a crimp sleeve

3 Cable

4 Housing

4' First housing portion

4" Second housing portion

6 Arrangement

10 Sleeve crimp portion of the shield sleeve

11 Contact flap

11A First embodiment of a contact flap

11B Second embodiment of a contact flap l lC Third embodiment of a contact flap

12 Contact location

12A Hump-like contact location

12C Contact face

13 Sleeve member

14 Base portion

14A First embodiment of a base portion

14B Elongated base portion

15 Base of the contact flap

16 Slot

17A Portion close to the connection

17B Portion remote from the connection

17C Curved support member

17D Free end 17E Corners

17F Centre at the free end

17G Centre of the base of the contact flap

17H Bend

18 Contact wing

19 Cutting edge

20 Sleeve crimp portion of the crimp sleeve

21 Wire crimp portion of the crimp sleeve

22 Receiving portion of the crimp sleeve

23 Carrier portion of the crimp sleeve

29 Sharp edge

30 Conductor

31 Intermediate insulation

35 Contact portion

40 Inner edge of the first housing portion

60 End region of the arrangement

70 Shielding end element

70A First embodiment of a shielding end element

70B Second embodiment of a shielding end element

104 Transition portion

201 Transition portion

202 Transition portion

203 Transition portion

223 Transition portion

C Cable direction

R Radial direction

T Tangential direction