Reflectometry system for fault detection on a connector
multipoint hardened from an electrical network

The present invention relates to a reflectometry system for detecting faults on a connector.

More particularly, the invention relates to such a reflectometry system suitable for detecting faults on a hardened multipoint connector of an electrical network.

In general, such a reflectometry system includes, for example, a measurement probe, associated with an oscilloscope, and making it possible to detect electrical faults within complex systems and severe environments.

Such systems are encountered, for example, in submarine, rocket or even space vehicle systems.

Indeed, within these systems, it may be impossible to dismantle certain electrical elements in order to verify their electrical integrity since standard electrical controls, for example by line and contact resistance, by insulation measurement, or again by measurement of dielectric strength, are not sufficient to detect faults, due to the complex design of electrical connections (small size, special materials, optimized design, high density of contacts).

In these cases, the only possible non-destructive control is a specific measure of reflectometry of the power line.

This detection technique is well known in the state of the art and is generally used to detect open faults on long lengths of cable, where precision is not necessarily a requirement (for example of the order of a meter) .

In the case of harsh environment connectors, the accuracy is of the order of a millimeter and the frequency of the reflectometry must be increased (microwave).

Thus, the connection of the reflectometer to the connector must be optimized in order to guarantee the signal quality and the reproducibility of the measurements.

However, in the state of the art, this is difficult to achieve.

The object of the invention is therefore to solve these problems.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a reflectometry system for detecting faults on a hardened multi-point connector of an electrical network, of the type comprising a measurement probe, characterized in that it comprises an interfacing piece and impedance matching electrically adapted to be mounted on the connector to be tested and comprising a body provided with at least one member in the form of a ring for collecting the masses of the connector contacts and a measurement orifice for the system probe reflectometry.

Other characteristics of the reflectometry system according to the invention follow, taken alone or in combination:

the member in the form of a mass collection ring is associated with means for receiving and positioning the measurement probe opposite a contact of the connector to be tested,

- the body in the form of a mass collection ring is associated with spring-loaded electrical contacts to preserve the functional endurance of the connector,

the member in the form of a ring for collecting the masses of the contacts is removably associated with the body of the interfacing piece, so that it can be replaced by another member in the form of a ring for collecting the interchangeable masses having an orifice measuring access to a contact different from the connector to test it,

the member in the form of a ring for collecting the masses of the contacts is detachably associated with the body of the interfacing piece, so that it can be moved and reassembled thereon, so that its measurement orifice gives access to contacts different from the connector to test them,

- the measurement probe is connected to an oscilloscope.

The invention will be better understood on reading the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a schematic sectional view of a prior art reflectometry system;

- Figure 2 shows a schematic sectional view of a reflectometry system according to the invention;

- Figure 3 shows an end view of an interfacing piece and impedance matching forming part of a system according to the invention; and

- Figure 4 illustrates an electrical spring contact used in a system according to the invention.

We have indeed illustrated in these figures and in particular in Figure 1, a reflectometry system of the prior art.

This system is used for the detection of faults on a hardened multipoint connector of an electrical network.

This connector is designated by the general reference 1 in this figure 1, and the latter comprises several electrical contacts, such as the contact designated by the general reference 2 according to this same figure.

The reflectometry system also includes a measurement probe, designated by the general reference 3, associated with an oscilloscope, designated by the general reference 4.

This probe is adapted to be placed in contact with each electrical contact of the connector, in order to test the latter and possibly detect a fault in the corresponding network.

As indicated above, this structure has a certain number of drawbacks, in particular at the level of the difficulty of correctly positioning the probe and therefore at the level of the quality and reproducibility of the corresponding measurement.

To solve these problems, in an reflectometry system according to the invention, an interfacing and impedance matching part comprising a mass collection ring and a measurement orifice for the probe are used.

An exemplary embodiment of such a system has been shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

In these figures, the hardened multipoint connector of the electrical network is designated by the general reference 10, and the latter always includes contacts, such as the contact designated by the general reference 11.

The system according to the invention comprises an interfacing and impedance matching part designed to be mounted on the connector to be tested, this interfacing and impedance matching piece being designated by the general reference 12.

This interfacing and impedance matching part is adapted to be mounted on the connector to be tested 10.

This part comprises a body designated by the general reference 13 in these figures, this body being provided with at least one member in the form of a ring for collecting the masses of the connector contacts, this ring being designated by the general reference 14.

The body and the ring also include a measurement orifice to allow the insertion of the reflectometry system probe, this orifice being designated, for example, by the general reference 15 in FIG. 3.

In fact, and as illustrated in FIG. 2, the member in the form of a mass collection ring is also associated with means for receiving and positioning the measurement probe opposite a contact of the connector to be tested. .

In FIG. 2, these means for receiving and positioning the probe are designated by the general reference 16 and the probe is designated by the general reference 17.

Conventionally, this is always connected to an oscilloscope, designated by the general reference 18.

As is also illustrated in these figures and in particular in FIG. 2, the member 14 in the form of a ring for collecting the masses of the contacts is removably associated with the body 13 of the interfacing piece.

This then makes it possible, for example, to replace this member with another interchangeable member in the form of a mass collection ring, having an orifice for measuring access to a contact different from the connector for testing it.

Of course, other embodiments can be envisaged and, for example, the member in the form of a ring for collecting the masses of the contacts can also be detachably associated with the body of the interfacing part, so as to be able to be moved and reassembled on it so that its measurement orifice gives access to contacts different from the connector to test them.

Finally, and as illustrated in FIG. 4, it should be noted that the member in the form of a mass collection ring can be associated with electrical spring contacts, such as that designated by the general reference 19 in this figure. 4, to maintain the functional endurance of the connector.

It is therefore conceivable that such a structure has a certain number of advantages compared with the systems of the prior art.

Indeed, the use of the interfacing part, as described above, makes it possible to improve the quality of the contact and therefore the quality of the measurement and the reproducibility thereof, while being of greater ease. of implementation.

Of course, still other embodiments can be envisaged.

CLAIMS

1. - Reflectometry system for detecting faults on a hardened multipoint connector (10) of an electrical network, of the type comprising a measurement probe (17), characterized in that it comprises an interfacing and adaptation part impedance (12) electrically adapted to be mounted on the connector to be tested and comprising a body (13) provided with at least one member (14) in the form of a ring for collecting the contact masses of the connector and a measurement orifice (15) for the reflectometry system probe.

2. - reflectometry system according to claim 1, characterized in that the member (14) in the form of a mass collection ring is associated with means (16) for receiving and positioning the measurement probe facing d 'a contact (1 1) of the connector to be tested.

3. - reflectometry system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the member (14) in the form of a mass collection ring is associated with electrical spring contacts (19) to maintain the functional endurance of the connector (10).

4. A reflectometry system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the member (14) in the form of a ring for collecting the masses of the contacts is detachably associated with the body (13) of the workpiece. interfacing (12), so that it can be replaced by another member in the form of an interchangeable mass collection ring having an orifice for measuring access to a contact different from the connector for testing it.

5. - reflectometry system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the member (14) in the form of a ring for collecting the masses of the contacts is detachably associated with the body (13) of the part interfacing (12), so that it can be moved and reassembled thereon, so that its orifice (15) for measurement gives access to contacts different from the connector for testing them.

6. - reflectometry system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measurement probe (17) is connected to an oscilloscope (18).