Eaton Corporation high-power lock box connector

Eaton Corporation’s eMobility business offers specialised high-power lock box (HPLB) power connectors for use in current and future electrified and internal combustion vehicle solutions. The HPLB connectors offer a space-saving profile, cost savings and reduced manufacturing complexity. The HPLB connectors are designed to provide protection against the elements and corrosion, with the HPLB terminal system designed for high-current and high-temperature applications, up to 500 A and 125°C.

Eyelet workers are traditionally manufactured by production line workers wearing two sets of gloves for protection against high voltage and an air gun to tighten small nuts. If the connection is not precise every time it can result in a disruption in power flow. If the operator accidentally drops a nut into the component’s inner workings, it can short circuit the entire unit. The HPLB connectors can be installed by a ‘pick-and-place’ robot, to facilitate precise and safe connections. The HPLB also sits flush, unlike traditional connector terminals, reducing space requirements within the vehicle.

Eyelet terminals within vehicle electrical components are not sealed, potentially exposing them to road spray and salt, which accelerates terminal galvanic corrosion. Corrosion can mitigate the power flow, leading to system failure. The fully sealed connectors are also resistant to severe vibration and deliver a component service life that meets USCAR Safety Performance Requirements.

The HPLB terminal connectors are designed to lower temperature and provide extra current carrying capacity. The HPLB terminal system forms a connection that provides improved contact force throughout the component’s service life. Unlike traditional box and blade terminals, the connectors use Power Connections’ Connector Positive locks, which utilise an ‘inside-out’ contact system with internal spring pressure and multiple contact points. This configuration provides a stronger connection than that of conventional box-and-blade connectors where the female terminal spring squeezes the male blade, which loosens when exposed to heat and vibration, resulting in a loss of power flow continuity and the possibility of corrosion.

The connection also reduces heat radiating from the connection points by an average of 3.33°C per contact. Many modern vehicles have up to 120 such contact points, so leveraging HPLB connectors leads to temperature mitigation and improved vehicle performance.