EP1552582A2 - Electrical plug-in connector - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical plug-in connector is in the form of a cable plug connector or a device connector plug. A particularly reliable and tightly-sealed connector may be achieved, whereby the plug-in connector is disclosed, and contains a connector mechanism, which is self-closing on bringing the parts for connection together. The plug-in connector further contains a radial seal for sealing the parts connected together.

Description

 Description Electrical connector

The invention relates to an electrical connector, in particular in the form of a cable connector or a device connector.

To achieve a particularly high level of tightness, it is known to insert sealing rings into the pin contacts of a connector surrounding protection sleeves. These sealing rings serve as axial seals, so they are compressed when the socket and plug part are connected. Sealing forces are introduced into the connector. For this reason, to ensure permanent tightness, materials with particularly high strength are required to manufacture the plug connector or additional securing elements to secure the plug connection.

The object of the invention is to provide a particularly reliable and tight-fitting connector. This object is achieved by a connector according to claim 1. According to the invention, the connector has a connection mechanism which closes automatically when the parts to be connected are brought together. In addition, the connector has a radial seal for sealing the connected parts. The connection mechanism is designed to connect the plug connector to a further plug connector in such a way that the radial seal is arranged in the overlap region when the plug and socket part are plugged together. When connecting the socket part and the plug part, the contact protection sleeves attached to the socket part and surrounding the plug sockets can be inserted into corresponding contact protection sleeves surrounding the pin contacts on the plug part. The radial seal is advantageously arranged in the area of the contact protection sleeve, preferably on the contact protection sleeve of the plug part.

A basic idea of the invention is to replace the axial seal previously used with a radial seal. The sealing forces thus act radially, ie in the direction of the circumference of the connector and no longer in the axial connection direction of the connector. The radial seal therefore works without the need for sealing forces to be introduced into the connector. In other words, the sealing forces no longer have to be applied by the plug-in connection or by additional securing devices. With this solution, the connector can be simplified in construction. In particular, it can be made entirely of plastic without the need for additional securing devices, since only the retention of the plug connection, but no longer the sealing forces, are to be secured. The connectors with force-free locking or latching thus obtained are not only structurally simple, but also have a particularly high level of tightness, so that, for example, the requirements according to IP 67 are met. A simple construction of the connector is also achieved through the positive locking. In the best case, only two parts are required for the connection, which can be hidden together without the use of a tool. The connector according to the invention can be, for example, a cable connector or a device connector.

Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims.

A locking tongue is preferably used to produce the plug connection, which connects the plug and socket part to one another (claim 2). Such a locking tongue is known for example from the German patent DE 34 40 043 C2, in particular from the patent claims 1 to 4 there. Since the locking is force-free due to the use of a radial seal, the attachment of a single locking tongue is sufficient. Despite this asymmetrical locking, a secure and tight connection is possible because no counter forces act on the locking.

To mount the device connector on a device wall, for example a lamp housing, it has a mounting element, for example in the form of a stop collar (claim 3). An axial seal is attached to the mounting element, with which the stop element bears against the housing wall surrounding the mounting opening. In addition, the connector enters Thread for securing the stop collar to the housing wall using a screw connection.

In a further development of the invention, a two-part device connector plug is proposed, which requires a much smaller housing bushing, cf. Claim 5. The electrical connector therefore consists of an adapter element and a contact carrier which can be connected to the adapter element. For this purpose, a specially designed adapter element with a bushing is used, so that the device connector can also be used for housing bushings that are narrowed down to the dimensions of the cable diameter plus the housing wall thickness. The adapter element can be combined with the plug or socket contact carriers of the connector. It is particularly advantageous that the user does not have to change existing housing bores. On the other hand, only one new adapter socket has to be developed and manufactured, since this can be combined with existing module components.

If the connector is designed as a cable connector, it has an automatically closing connection mechanism for connecting the contact carrier of the connector with a strain relief and a radial seal for sealing the parts connected to one another (claim 6). This is particularly advantageous

Embodiment according to claim 7, according to which the strain relief can be easily pushed onto the contact carrier. This makes it easy to install. The slide is preferably carried out axially, ie in the longitudinal direction of the connector. The preferably sleeve-like strain relief is fastened according to a further embodiment of the invention according to claim 8 by means of a latching connection on the contact carrier. Good manageability and high suitability for construction sites is achieved through extensive pre-assembly, in which, for example, strain relief and contact carrier are already connected to one another.

The radial seal for sealing the connection is arranged in the overlap area of the strain relief and contact carrier. The strain relief pushed onto the contact carrier is preferably attached using an end brought attached cap nut. This also serves as a further seal against the cable running out of the connector.

The embodiment as a cable plug connector can also have the connection mechanism described above for connecting a complementary plug part. The contact carriers of the cable connector and device connector are preferably constructed identically in this regard.

The contact carrier has a contact area arranged opposite the plug or socket face for connecting the conductors. The connection area preferably includes so-called push-in contacts into which the conductors can be simply inserted. The wiring effort is very low. The push-in contacts are designed in particular as spring-loaded terminals. However, screw, crimp, solder or insulation displacement connections can also be used, for example. It is particularly advantageous if spring-cage terminals are equipped with a double connection for two conductor ends per pole. In this case, the strain relief is preferably designed in such a way that it guarantees the connection of two round cables in parallel next to one another in a connector.

It is particularly advantageous if the connecting mechanism can only be opened with an actuating tool (claim 9). This fulfills the requirements for re-connectable installation connectors according to EN 61535. With the special arrangement of the radial seal according to claim 10, a kind of pre-release of the plug connection first takes place, in particular when loosening using a tool. In this way, the frictional forces of the radial seal between the connecting parts that are still to be overcome are no longer as great. The connection can therefore be separated particularly easily.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention according to claim 11, the connector comprises a corresponding opener for unlocking the connection mechanism. This means that a connector that can only be opened with a tool can also be used where connectors that are normally opened by hand are used, without this resulting in additional work for the User leads. The opener is detachable, preferably with the formation of a locking or. Snap connection, connected to the connector (claim 12). In addition, suitable coding measures can be used to ensure that the break contact can only be fitted to those connectors where the break contact is desired.

A particularly simple yet safe actuation of the connection mechanism is possible by an opener according to claim 13. This has a release element for unlocking the connection mechanism, which is attached to an actuating element, which can preferably be deflected by hand. Such an opener can be constructed in one piece and consist entirely of plastic, as a result of which it can be produced particularly cost-effectively.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the contact protection sleeves surrounding the plug contacts are designed in such a way that, in addition to a security against rotation (claim 14), the use of corresponding coding elements (claims 15 and 16) also results in a hiding protection against plugging together of connector pairs that do not belong together.

Further embodiments of the invention result from the subclaims.

The invention is described below using exemplary embodiments which are explained in more detail with reference to the figures. Here show:

Fig. 1-3 different views of a plug part of a device connector, Fig. 4-6 different views of a socket part of a

Device connector, Fig. 7-9 different views of a connector part of a cable connector, Fig. 10 is a strain relief for a cable connector,

11-13 different views of a socket part of a cable connector, FIG. 14 an opener for a connection mechanism,

15 a socket part with a locking tongue, 16 shows a socket part with a snapped opener,

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the mating face of a connector with coding and

18, a top view of the mating face of a socket to the plug according to FIG. 17,

Fig. 19 is a schematic representation of the possible encodings in the

17, Fig. 20-21 sectional views of other embodiments.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the connector according to the invention as a device connector. Here, a three-pole (N, L, earth) circular plug connector 1 is shown, which is already fitted in the mounting opening of a device wall 2. However, the connector according to the invention can also be configured, for example, 5-pin or with any number of poles. On the front end face 3 of the cylindrical contact carrier 4 of the connector 1, the three connector pins 5, which are arranged parallel to one another, are each surrounded by a contact protection sleeve 6, which extends beyond the pin contacts. The contact protection sleeves 6 are surrounded by a sheath 7 which is essentially triangular in cross section and which is formed on the contact carrier 4 of the plug connector 1.

For mounting on the device wall 2, the contact carrier 4 has a circumferential stop collar 8. To seal the connector 1 to the housing wall 2, an axial seal 9, for example in the form of a sealing ring laminated on one side with adhesive film, is attached to the stop collar 8. The connector 1 is inserted here from the inside 10 of the housing into the housing opening and fixed to the outside of the device wall 2 with the aid of a fastening nut 11. When the fastening nut 11 is tightened, the sealing ring 9 is then compressed and seals the assembly opening. A corresponding external thread 12 is attached to the contact carrier 4 in the area of the stop collar 8.

As shown in FIG. 2, which shows the connector 1 without a housing wall, a contact area 14 for connecting the conductors (not shown) is located on the rear end face 3 of the connector opposite the front face 3. intended. The connection area 14 has push-in contacts 15 in the form of spring-loaded terminals. This makes it possible, for example, to connect solid or fine-stranded conductors with a cross-sectional area of 0.75 to 2.5 mm * mm. The contacts 15 are designed as double contacts, so that two conductor ends can be connected to one pole.

To form a secure connection with the corresponding socket part, a locking tongue 16 is provided, which can be inserted into a longitudinal shaft 18 extending in the plug-in direction 17 in the plug housing 4, and whose locking hook 19 attached at the end engages in a correspondingly provided locking window 20 for secure fixing, cf. , Fig. 3, which shows the connector 1 without a nut and locking tongue. The locking tongue 16 can be either loose or inserted as a pre-assembled component on the plug or socket part. However, it is also possible to design the locking tongue 16 as an integral, one-piece component of the contact carrier 4.

A radial seal 21 is attached around the outer casing 7 of the contact protection sleeves 6 directly at the foot of the casing 7. This extends into a correspondingly provided receiving groove 22. A conventional O-ring can be used as the radial seal 21, which then takes on the triangular shape of the protective sheath 7 in the attached state.

4 shows a socket part 23 of a circular connector corresponding to the plug part 1 just described. The socket part 23 can also be mounted in the housing opening of a device wall 2 with the aid of a fastening nut 11. To seal the connector 23 to the device wall 2, an axial seal is again provided on the stop collar 8. The connection area 14 attached to the rear is provided with double connections 15 in the form of spring-loaded terminals, as is the case with plug part 1.

The connector face located on the front side 3 in turn has three contact protection sleeves 24 which surround the three contact sockets 25 (N, L, earth). Around the contact protection sleeves 24 is again essentially a cross-section triangular envelope 26 arranged. However, in contrast to the plug part 1 described above, this protective sleeve 26 does not protrude beyond the front end face 3 of the contact carrier 4, but instead closes with it. The socket part 23 also has a longitudinal shaft 18 extending in the plug-in direction 17 for receiving a locking tongue and corresponding locking windows for latching the latching hooks.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the connector is designed as a cable connector. 7 to 9 again show a three-pole embodiment of a corresponding plug part 27. A strain relief 28 is attached to the rear side opposite the end face 3 of the contact carrier 4 and is fixed with the aid of a union nut 29. The end face 3 with the plug contacts 5, the contact protection sleeves 6 and the radial seal 21 and the corresponding locking elements 18, 20 is constructed identically to the device connector 1, 23 already described. However, the connector housing 4 now has additional locking elements in the form of locking hooks 30 for producing a locking or. Snap connection with the strain relief 28.

To seal the connection of the connection between contact carrier 4 and strain relief 28, a circumferential radial seal 31 is provided on contact carrier 4, which is inserted into a corresponding circumferential groove 32 and held there. When the strain relief 28 snaps onto the contact carrier 4, the radial seal 31 then lies in the overlap region and seals the two parts 4, 28 against one another.

The strain relief 28 designed in the manner of a sleeve, cf. 10, on its front end face 33, has three latching receptacles 34 which are configured in a staggered manner relative to one another. When the strain relief 28 is pushed axially onto the contact carrier 4, three latching elements 30 arranged symmetrically on the circumference of the contact carrier 4 engage in the latching recesses 34 of the strain relief 28.

The strain relief 28 tapers from its front towards its rear in several stages, cf. 10 and has 35 at its rear end a lamellar holding device 36 for fixing the cable (not shown). A cable seal 37 is located in the strain relief 28 for additional sealing of the plug connector 27 for the cable to be connected. The strain relief 28 is fixed with the aid of a fastening nut 29 which is screwed onto the strain relief 28 on the rear. For this purpose, the strain relief 28 has a corresponding external thread. The fastening nut 29, like the fastening nut 11 for fixing the connector 1, 23 to a device wall, can be provided with means which prevent it from being screwed on by hand. These can be ratchet-like snap hooks, for example.

To connect the connector 27, the strain relief 28 and the cable seal 37 are first pulled over the cable. The stripped cables are then connected to the spring-loaded terminals 15 and the strain relief 28 is connected to the contact carrier 4 by axial snapping. 11 to 13 show a corresponding socket part 39 of a cable connector.

The described connectors 1, 23, 27, 39 can be plugged together to form socket-plug combinations. For example, the plug part 27 of the cable connector shown in FIG. 7 can be connected to the socket part 23 of a device connector shown in FIG. 4, etc. When connecting the socket and plug part, the respective protective sleeves 7, 26 are pushed into one another. In this case, the inside of the protective covering 26 of the socket part 23, 39 then lies against the outside of the covering 7 of the plug part 1, 27, so that the radial seal 21 attached to the plug part 1, 27 seals the socket and plug part against one another.

14 shows an opener 40 for opening the lock. The opener 40 has an at least semicircular ring segment 41 for attachment to the contact carrier 4, on the ends of which snap hooks 42 are attached. A release nub 44 is attached to the ring segment 41 via a resilient web 43. An actuating surface 45 is attached to the side of the web 43 opposite the release knob 44. To fasten the opener 40 to the contact carrier 4, this has, as shown in FIG. 15, a receiving groove 48 formed on its front end by an inner ring 46 and an outer ring 47. In the assembled state, the inner and outer rings 46, 47 simultaneously serve to absorb the forces generated when the opener 40 is actuated.

The receiving groove 48 has at least two locking recesses 49 for receiving the snap hooks 42 of the opener 40. The inner ring 46 has an opening 50 in the area of the locking window 20 for receiving the opening web 43, which extends from the receiving groove 48 to the locking window 20 in the assembled state.

As shown in FIG. 16, the opener 40 is arranged on the contact carrier 4 in the locked state in such a way that the release knob 44 points into the locking window 19 without touching the locking tongue 16, 19. When the opener 40 is actuated by deflecting the web 43 from its rest position, for example by pressing a finger on the actuating surface 45, the release knob 44 moves into the locking window 19 and presses the latching hook 19 of the locking tongue 16 out of its locking position. The locking can then be separated by pulling the socket and plug parts apart in the axial direction.

17 and 18 show the connector faces 51, 52 of mutually assigned plug contacts. Coding pins 53, 54 are integrally formed on the protective sleeves 24 of the socket contacts, which are inserted into corresponding coding pin receptacles 55, 56 of the plug part 27 when the socket part 23 and plug part 27 are plugged together. The coding pins 53, 54 are integrally formed on the contact protection sleeves 24 of the socket part 23, while the contact protection sleeves 6 of the plug part 27 have corresponding pocket-like extensions 55, 56.

The three-pin connector shown gives a total of twelve different coding options. These are shown schematically in FIG. 19. The variant shown in FIG. 19a corresponds to the connector face from FIG. 17. In all coding variants, the pin 57 on the socket part 23 pointing towards the center of the three plug contacts, which, together with a corresponding receptacle 58 on the connector part 27, prevents rotation formed.

20 shows a two-part device connector according to a preferred embodiment of the invention in a greatly simplified sectional view. The device connector has all the features of the invention described above, as are also shown in FIGS. 1 to 6. In addition, the plug connector in this embodiment comprises an adapter element 101 which can be connected to the contact carrier. The adapter element 101 consists of a sleeve-shaped base body 102, for example made of a plastic material, on which a tubular connecting or extension piece is formed on one side as a lead-through connector 103. The central longitudinal axis 104 of the base body 102 coincides with the central longitudinal axis 105 of the bushing 103, so that the bushing 103 extends in a straight line away from the base 102. On the side of the base body 102 opposite the lead-through connector 103, this has a receiving opening 106 for a contact carrier. The contact carrier can be both a plug contact and a socket contact. An example is a schematic representation of a corresponding one

Plug contact 107 shown. To form a detachable connection, the plug contact 107 has connecting elements in the form of latching tongues 108, which snap into corresponding latching receptacles 109 on the base body 102 of the adapter element 101 and form a secure mechanical connection when the contact carrier 107 and adapter element 101 are brought together. The bushing 103 is hollow on the inside, so that electrical connecting or connecting cables can be guided through the bushing 103 and the base body 102 to the contact carrier 107 and can be connected there to the contact elements of the plug contact. A screw thread 110 is attached to the outer circumference of the lead-through socket 103. A fixing nut 111 attached to the lead-through 103 serves to mount the adapter element 101 in a housing opening 112 of a housing wall 113. In other words, the adapter element 101 is attached to the rear of the contact carrier 107 on the Housing wall 113 fixed. To ensure the tightness of the plug connection, a round seal 115 is provided, which surrounds the lead-through 103 and bears against the back of the base body 114.

While conventional connector housings are designed, for example, for mounting in an M 25 mounting opening, the feed-through socket 103 in the exemplary embodiment has a smaller diameter, so that mounting in a housing opening 112 for M 20 threads (corresponds to PG 13.5) is also possible.

21 shows a further exemplary embodiment of an adapter element 101, again in a greatly simplified sectional view. A socket contact 117 is now shown as an example of the contact carrier to be connected. The adapter element 116 differs from the adapter element 101 described above in that the lead-through 103 is attached to the base body 102 of the adapter element 116 at an angle. The central longitudinal axis 105 of the bushing 103 forms an angle a of approximately 30 ° with the central longitudinal axis 104 of the base body 102. Other adapter elements can have different connection angles in the range from 90 ° to 180 °. Depending on the position of the housing opening 112 or the housing wall 113, the rear side 114 of the base body 102 extends obliquely to the base body central axis 104.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

Device connector - 30 snap hooks

Plug part 31 radial seal

Device wall 32 receiving element

Front face 33 Front face

Contact carrier 34 locking opening

Connector pin 35 rear

Touch protection sleeve 36 holding device

Protective cover 37 cable seal

Stop collar 38 external thread

Axial seal 39 cable connector -

Inside of the socket part

Fixing nut 40 openers

Male thread 41 ring segment

42 snap hooks at the rear

Contact area 43 bridge

Push-in contact 44 nubs

Locking tongue 45 actuating surface

Direction of insertion 46 Inner ring

Longitudinal shaft 47 Outer ring

Locking hook 48 receiving groove

Locking element 49 locking recesses

Radial seal 50 breakthrough

Receiving groove 51 connector face - connector part

Device connector plug - 52 connector face - socket part

Socket 53 coding pin

Touch protection sleeve 54 coding pin

Contact socket 55 coding pin holder

Protective sleeve 56 coding pin holder

Cable connector - connector part 57 anti-noise pin

Strain relief 58 anti-rotation fixture

Union nut 101 adapter element 101 102 basic body 110 screw thread

103 bushing 111 fixing nut

104 central longitudinal axis of the 112 housing opening base body 113 housing wall

105 Central longitudinal axis of the 114 rear bushing 115 round seal

106 receiving opening 116 adapter element

107 plug contact 117 socket contact

108 locking tongue

109 rest

Claims

Expectations 1. Electrical connector (1, 23, 27, 39) with a connection mechanism that automatically closes when the parts to be connected (1, 23, 27, 39) are brought together to form a Plug-socket connection with a further plug connector and with a radial seal (21) arranged on a contact protection sleeve (24) for sealing the interconnected parts (1, 23, 27, 39) in the overlap area of the two plug connectors to be interconnected. 2. Connector according to claim 1, characterized by a connecting mechanism with a with at least one latching hook (19) and in the plug-in direction (17) pointing locking tongue (16) for Introduction to a locking opening (18). 3. Connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a mounting element (8) for fastening the connector to one Device wall (2). 4. Connector according to claim 3, characterized by an on the mounting element (8) arranged axial seal (9). 5. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by an adapter element (101, 116) with a bushing (103) for s passage through a housing opening (112) or the like. and one Connecting element (109) for forming a connection with a contact carrier (107, 117), the bushing (103) having different external dimensions from the rest of the adapter element (101, 116). 0 6. Connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by an automatically closing connection mechanism when connecting the parts to be connected (4, 28) for connecting a contact carrier (4) of the connector with a strain relief (28) and a radial seal 5 (31) for Sealing the interconnected parts (4, 28). 7. Connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the strain relief (28) can be pushed onto the contact carrier (4) and the 0 radial seal (31) is arranged in the overlap region. 8. Connector according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the connection mechanism on the contact carrier (4) and strain relief (28) has 5 latching elements (30, 34) attached. 9. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the connecting mechanism can only be opened with an actuating tool 0. 10. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the radial seal (21, 31) is arranged such that when the connection mechanism is released, a very small release path is sufficient to achieve the To overcome frictional forces of the radial seal (21, 31). 11. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises an opener (40) for opening the connection mechanism. 12. Connector according to claim 11, characterized in that the opener (40) is detachably, preferably with the formation of a 5 latching connection, connected to the connector. 13. Connector according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the opener (40) has a trigger element (44) attached to a deflectable actuating element (43) for opening the connecting mechanism. 14. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized by 5 a contact contact sleeve (6, 24) associated with a plug contact (5, 25) with a pocket or web-shaped anti-rotation element (57, 58). 15. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that each plug contact (5, 25) has a protection sleeve (6, 24) and at least one protection sleeve at least one pocket or web-shaped coding element (53, 54; 55, 56) assigned. 16. Connector according to claim 15, characterized in that at least one of the coding elements (53, 54; 55, 56) points in the direction of a contact protection sleeve arranged in a further contact plane.