EP2580815B1 - Electrical connector element - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a connector assembly, comprising an electrical connector element with a resiliently deformable contact member, by means of which the connector element is electrically connectable in a mating with an associated further connector element of the connector assembly.

Such connector elements are for example from the DE 10 2007 042 194 A1 known. When mating the connector element with an associated further connector element, the contact member must optionally be bent against the action of a foreign spring, whereby an increased insertion force is required when mating. For many applications, this is not detrimental or even desirable because it signals the operator when mating that now the contact member is in contact-bearing system.

In applications in which the force applied during mating force is limited, for example, because the connector element is arranged in a hard to reach place, a compromise be entered between the applied insertion force and the effective in the assembled state contact force.

From the DE 10 2005 043 694 A1 an electrical connector with biased contact blades is known, which extend from a main body opposite to the insertion of a contact pins. The connector also has an elastic expansion element, which is supported in the initial state against displacement in the insertion of the contact pins by at least one detent and holds the contact blades in an elastically tensioned open position, wherein the at least one detent by inserting the contact pin on the point of contact is releasable with the expansion element.
The expansion element is essentially a resiliently deformable plate which is anchored in associated detents on the inner surfaces of the contact blades.

The US 4,591,222 and US 6,257,911 show electrical connectors with a reduced insertion force.

The DE 10 2006 009 074 A1 shows an electrical connector having the features of the preamble of claim 1, in particular with a prestressed contact blade, the free end is directed in the insertion direction of the contact pin, and with a pivotally mounted on a connector housing support arm in the ready-initial state of the connector both with its free end protrudes into the plug-in receptacle as well as the biased into the socket in the contact blade retains.

The EP 1 191 637 A1 shows a connector with a pin-like projection on a plug part, which is inserted into a socket of a female part. The pin-like projection has a groove formed substantially transversely to its longitudinal extent. The bushing has a latching means which projects at least partially into the interior of the bushing essentially transversely to its longitudinal direction. In the connected state of the plug part with the socket part, the latching means engages in the groove.

The DE 10 2008 007 866 A1 shows a so-called banana plug to which a connection cable can be connected by means of a clamping screw.

The US 4,655,526 shows a connector assembly with a arranged in a first connector element and biased by a spring expansion element which spreads the contact arms of the first connector element, thereby reducing the force required to insert a second connector element.
When mating a contact pin of the second connector element comes with its front end into abutment with the flat end of the expansion element facing it and shifts the expansion element during further mating against the spring force such that the effect of the expansion element can be canceled. When releasing the connector, the expansion element is moved back into its expanding starting position due to the spring force.

The DE 17 90 315 B1 shows an electrical connection terminal, in which a socket has two mutually bent to the contact legs, between which a force acting on the two legs torsion spring is arranged. When plugging in the plug element comes Contact pin with its front end in contact with the torsion spring and moves it into the socket during further mating. As a result, the contact legs are brought into spring-loaded system to the contact pin.

The US 2003/109181 A1 shows a connector assembly with a socket-shaped connector element whose contact spring is deflected by the manual displacement of a sliding sleeve, thereby clearing the way for a force-free insertion of a plug-shaped connector element. After mating the sliding sleeve is pushed back, whereby the contact spring can be brought into contact-bearing contact with the plug-shaped connector element.

The invention is based on the object
To provide a connector assembly having further improved performance characteristics. In one embodiment, the required when mating the connector element with another connector element insertion force to be reduced and still be ensured a permanently reliable electrical connection.

This object is achieved by the specific in claim 1 connector assembly. Particular embodiments of the invention are defined in the subclaims.

In one embodiment, the plug connection element has a tensioning element, by means of which the contact element and / or a foreign spring supporting the contact element in the contact is provided in such a way is elastically deformable, in particular in the initial state of the connector element is deformed before mating that the force required during mating of the connector element with the further connector element against the amount of force that is required without the clamping element is reduced. In any case, this reduced force is valid for a phase of joining together, in particular at the beginning of the joining together. Upon further mating, especially in the course of the complete mating, the effect of the tensioning element is automatically canceled and forcibly controlled by the mating. Thereby, the contact element with the intended contact force, which is determined by the inherent resilience of the contact member, optionally in total with a force applied by a foreign spring force, can be brought into electrically connecting contact with the further connector element.

As a result, the insertion force required for mating the plug connection element with the further plug connection element is reduced, in particular at the beginning of the mating connection. At the same time the full contact force is provided in fully assembled state. This has the advantage that the insertion force is reduced at least at the beginning of the mating, and only after reaching an intermediate position in which the two plug-in connector elements already experience a leadership in further mating, a higher insertion force is required. In this case, even at the beginning of the mating, the contact member in plant, possibly also in electrically contact-bearing system, be on the associated further connector element, however, the contact force is reduced due to the effectiveness of the clamping element.

In one embodiment, a gap is present through the effective at the beginning of the mating clamping element between the contact member and the contact-making surface of the further connector element, which can be closed by canceling the action of the clamping element. The gap may, for example, be less than 0.2 mm, in particular less than 0.05 mm and preferably less than 0.03 mm. As a result, a guide between the two plug connection elements is already ensured at the beginning of the mating, without the insertion force is increased by a contact of the contact element on the contact surface.

In one embodiment, the clamping element when mating in the connector element is displaceable, in particular slidable in the insertion direction. The displacement can occur only when the clamping element comes in preferably form-fitting contact with a provided for the other connector element for this purpose contact surface, and thereby the clamping element is displaceable in the insertion direction during further mating.

In one embodiment, a frictional force reducing lubricant is applied between a base body of the connector element and the clamping element. For example, the clamping element and / or the base body on its corresponding surface may have a frictional force reducing coating and / or the clamping element may be oiled or greased. Alternatively or additionally, the clamping element, which has no mechanical or electrically conductive function in the assembled state, be made of a material which has a low coefficient of friction in coordination with the material of the base body.

Through the gap, the two connector elements can in any case at the beginning of the mating are powerless or even force-free inserted into each other until the other connector element comes into contact with the clamping element and this shifts the further mating until the effect of the clamping element is repealed.

In one embodiment, the clamping element is arranged in the connector element that only after reaching more than 40% of the overlap of the associated contact surfaces of the connector element on the one hand and the other connector element on the other hand, especially after reaching more than 55% of the coverage and preferably only after reaching more than 65% of the overlap, the effect of the clamping element by further mating can be canceled. Thus, an increased insertion force must be applied only for the remainder of the distance of the mating. As a result, the abrasion on the surface of the contact member and / or the associated contact surface of the further connector element is reduced.

In one embodiment, the connector element is a female element. The clamping element may be designed as a spreader, by means of which the contact member and / or a foreign spring is spread to a degree by which the force required to mate the female member with a male member is reduced. For example, the clear width of the contact member of the female member under the action of the clamping element may be greater than the outer diameter of a contact pin of the male member.

In one embodiment, the connector element may be a plug element, and the clamping element may reduce the outer diameter of the contact member, for example by a clamping ring which is strippable during mating and thereby its effect on the contact member can be canceled.

In one embodiment, the plug connection element and / or the further plug connection element has a fixing element with which the fully assembled state of plug connection element and further plug connection element can be fixed. As a result, it is ensured even with the occurrence of further pressure and in particular tensile forces that the mated condition and thus the electrical connection is maintained.

In one embodiment, the fixing element during mating of the connector element with the other connector element is resiliently deformable. For example, the fixing element may be resiliently deflectable when plugged together. After reaching the mated position, the fixing element can engage in a recess provided for this purpose on the further plug connection element. The recess can be designed such that a release of the fixation is possible only with a very high force and / or with a tool. In one embodiment, the latching recess may also have a self-locking flank which prevents non-destructive release of the mated condition.

In one embodiment, the clamping element and the fixing element are arranged in such a manner in the plug connection element and / or the further plug connection element, that the tensioning element during Plugging together is effective until the fixing element has experienced more than 60%, in particular more than 80% and preferably more than 95% of its maximum deformation. As a result, only the fixing element can be deformed in a first phase of the mating, which is possible with a comparatively low insertion force. Only when the fixing has largely or completely taken its maximum deformed state, in a second phase of the mating, the clamping element can be moved and / or the action of the clamping element can be canceled. This prevents the forces for deforming the fixing element, on the one hand, and for displacing the tensioning element, on the other hand, from being added together when plugged together.

In one embodiment, the plug connection element and / or the further plug connection element has a base body which has an opening for receiving a conductor, which is electrically and mechanically connectable to the base body by means of a clamping screw. The main body may also have a plurality of openings for screwing a plurality of clamping screws. In one embodiment, the base body of the plug connection element and / or the further plug connection element is cylindrical and / or on the surface without sharp edges, so that an overlying, radially elastically expandable Muffenisolierkörper is protected from damage. In a Auführungsart the outer diameter of the body must therefore not exceed a certain level, for example, 37 mm.

Fig. 1

zeigt eine Seitenansicht eines Ausführungsbeispiels einer Steckverbindungsanordnung,

Fig. 2

zeigt eine Draufsicht auf die Anordnung der Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

zeigt einen Schnitt III-III durch die Anordnung der Fig. 2,

Fign. 4 bis 6

zeigen einen Querschnitt durch die beiden Steckverbindungselemente in verschiedenen Stadien des Zusammensteckens, und

Fig. 7

zeigt den Verlauf der Kraft F über dem Weg s beim Zusammenstecken der beiden Steckverbindungselemente.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description in which reference to the drawings, several embodiments in Individual are described. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may each be essential to the invention individually or in any desired combination.

Fig. 1

shows a side view of an embodiment of a connector assembly,

Fig. 2

shows a plan view of the arrangement of Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

shows a section III-III through the arrangement of Fig. 2 .

FIGS. 4 to 6

show a cross section through the two connector elements in different stages of mating, and

Fig. 7

shows the course of the force F over the path s when mating the two connector elements.

The Fig. 1 shows a side view of an embodiment of a connector assembly with an electrical connector element 1 in the fully mated condition with another connector element 2. Die Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the arrangement of Fig. 1 , The Fig. 3 shows a section III-III through the arrangement of Fig. 2 ,

The connector element 1 has a base body 10 which has an opening 12 for receiving a conductor, not shown. The conductor can be electrically and mechanically connected to the base body 10 by two clamping screws 14, which can be screwed radially in relation to a longitudinal axis 4 of the connector element 1. The further connector element 2 also has an opening 32 for a conductor to be connected, by means of radially screwable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the clamping screws 34 with the main body 30 of the further plug connection element 2 is mechanically and electrically connectable.

In the openings 12, 32 cable ladder with different cross sections can be inserted. In particular for cable conductors with a smaller than the maximum possible conductor cross-section, an optionally also adapted to the respective conductor cross-section or the respective conductor cross-section associated centering ring 8 can be inserted, in particular in the opening 12, 32 can be inserted. Through the centering ring 8 of the cable conductor with respect to the opening 12, 32 is centered, ie, an offset of the longitudinal axis of the cable conductor with respect to the longitudinal axis of the opening 12, 32 can be minimized or even eliminated.
In the assembled state, the longitudinal axis of the cable conductor can thereby coincide with the longitudinal axis of the opening 12, 32. The transverse offset of the cable with respect to the opening 12, 32 of the body 10, 30 in the socket insulation body can thereby be minimized or eliminated.

The longitudinal axis 4 of the electrical connector element 1 coincides in the assembled state with the longitudinal axis 6 of the further connector element 2. The plugging direction is parallel to the longitudinal axis. 4

The main body 10 preferably integrally forms a contact member 16, which in the exemplary embodiment has contact tongues 18 arranged around the longitudinal axis 4, which are resiliently deflectable in the radial direction. The contact member 16 forms a basket contact, which has a total of six contact tongues 18 in the embodiment, which can be arranged equidistantly in the circumferential direction. To support the contact force, the connector element 1 has a foreign spring 20th auf, which wraps around the contact tongues 18 near its free axial end in the embodiment as a wrap spring and biases in the direction radially inward. As a result, in the assembled state, the contact tongues 18 are held in contact-bearing contact with a contact-making surface 22 of a contact pin 24 of the further plug connection element 2. The main body 30 preferably forms the contact pin 24 in one piece.

In the fully assembled state, a locking element designed as a latching ring 26, which is inserted into an inner groove 28 in the base body 10 of the plug connection element 1, is latched into an outer groove 46 extending on the contact pin 24. As a result, the fully assembled state is secured and can - if at all - be repealed only by an excessively high tensile force on the connector elements 1, 2.

The FIGS. 4 to 6 show a cross section through the two connector elements 1, 2 in different stages of mating. In the connector element 1 is on the contact member 16, in particular on the contact tongues 18, a clamping element 40 in such a system that the contact tongues 18 are bent radially outward against the force of the foreign spring 20. As a result, the inside diameter of the circumference enclosed by the contact tongues 18 is greater than or equal to the outside diameter of the contact pin 24 of the further connector element 2 in the region of the contact-making surface 22, and an annular gap 48 is formed which may be less than 0.2 mm, in particular less than 0.5 mm and preferably less than 0.03 mm. The open space can be found in the Fig. 4 illustrated state between 0.01 mm and 0.4 mm, in particular between 0.01 mm and 0.1 mm and preferably between 0.01 mm and 0.06 mm greater than the outer diameter of the contact pin 24 in the region of the contact-making surface 22nd

The inner diameter of the clamping element 40 may be greater than or equal to the outer diameter of a portion of the contact pin 24, which is smaller than the outer diameter in the region of the contact-making surface 22. Thus, the two connector elements 1, 2 in the in the Fig. 4 position shown powerless or at least with little force according to the arrows.

The base body 10 has an opening 36, whose inside diameter is greater than the end portion of the contact pin 24 of the further connector element 2. The opening 36 is designed as a blind hole opening and separated from the opening 24 for insertion of the conductor by a wall 38. In the region of the preferably at least partially cylindrical opening 36, the fixing element 26 is inserted in the inner groove 28 and initially not in contact with the contact pin 24. The contact pin 24 is rounded at its axial end and / or has an at least partially conical section.

Upon further mating ( Fig. 5 ) comes the conical portion of the contact pin 24 in abutment with the fixing member 26 and spreads this in the course of mating. In the in the Fig. 5 shown state, the fixing element 26 is almost maximally spread. In this state, an annular shoulder 42 formed by the contact pin 24, which is formed by the transition to the contacting surface 22 with its enlarged outer diameter, comes into abutment with the clamping element 40; at further pushing together becomes the clamping element 40 is displaced in the direction of the arrow 44 within the connector element 1. In the in the Fig. 5 shown state, the overlap of the mutually associated contact surfaces of the connector element 1 and the other connector element 2 more than 40% of the coverage in the fully assembled state of Fig. 6 , in particular more than 55% and preferably more than 65%.

The contact tongues 18 have a section with reduced wall thickness, by which the inside width of the main body 10 is increased in this area. The transition to the increased clear width takes place at an obtuse angle of more than 90 °, in particular more than 120 ° and preferably more than 145 °. Once the clamping element 40 is moved into this section, the effect of the clamping element 40 is released. This condition is in the Fig. 6 shown. As a result, the contact tongues 18 come into contact-bearing contact with the surface 22, in addition also supported by the foreign spring 20. In the in the Fig. 6 shown state also locks the fixing member 26 in the outer groove 46 of the contact pin 24 and thereby fixes the mated state.

The Fig. 7 shows the course of the force F in Newton over the distance s in mm when mating the two connector elements 1, 2. The range s <0 corresponds to the phase of the mating, until the conical end surface of the contact pin 24 comes into contact with the fixing element 26. In the range 0 <s <about 3 mm, the fixing element is spread by the mating, until the shoulder 42 comes into abutment against the clamping element 40. At about s = 3.5 mm is in a further mating the displacement of the clamping element 40, until at about s = 6.5 mm, the action of the clamping element 40 is released and the contact tongues 18 are in contact with the surface 22. As a result, the force required for further mating increases, but remains below a total value of about 100 N. At about s = 9 mm, the fixing element 26 snaps into the outer groove 46, whereupon the fully assembled state is reached and the force increases very sharply ,

The diagram shows that during mating, the phase in which the fixing element is spread (0 ≤ s ≤ approx. 3 mm) and the phase in which the clamping element is displaced (approx. 3.5 mm <s <approx 6.5 mm), and / or the phase in which the contact tongues 18 are in contact with the contacting surface 22 (about 7 mm <s <about 9 mm), are clearly separated from each other, so that the in The plug-in forces required for the respective phases do not add up, but only have to be applied one after the other when plugged together.

Claims (10)

1. A plug connector arrangement having an electrical plug connector element (1) with a resiliently elastically deformable contact organ (16) with which the plug connector element (1) may be electrically connected with an associated plug connector element (2) of the plug connector arrangement when they are plugged together, wherein the plug connector element (1) has a tensioning element (40) by means of which the contact organ (16) and/or an external spring (20) supporting the contact organ (16) is resiliently elastically deformable upon making contact such that the force required for plugging the plug connector element (1) together with the additional plug connector element (2) is reduced and wherein the action of the tensioning element (40) may be neutralized by plugging the plug connector element (1) together with the additional plug connector element (2), characterized in that: the tensioning element (40) is annular; the additional plug connector element (2) has a contact pin (24) and an annular shoulder (42) formed in one piece with the contact pin (24); upon plugging the plug connector element (1) together with the additional plug connector element (2), a segment of the contact pin (24) engages through the annular tensioning element (40) and may bring the annular shoulder (42) into position at the tensioning element (4), and upon further insertion, the tensioning element (40) may thereby be displaced counter to the contact organ (16) to neutralize its effect, and, with the contact force provided, the contact organ (16) may be electrically connected with the additional plug connector element (2).
2. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 1 or any of the aforementioned claims [sic], characterized in that a gap (48) is present between the contact organ (16) and a surface providing contact (22) of the additional plug connector element (2) due to the tensioning element (40) active at the beginning of insertion, and in that the gap (48) may be closed by neutralizing the action of the tensioning element (40).
3. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 1 or any of the aforementioned claims, characterized in that, upon insertion, the tensioning element (40) may be displaced in the plug connector element (1) in the direction of insertion.
4. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 1 or any of the aforementioned claims, characterized in that a lubricant reducing the frictional force is applied between a base body (10) of the plug connector element (1) and the tensioning element (40).
5. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 1 or any of the aforementioned claims, characterized in that the tensioning element (40) is arranged in the plug connector element (1) such that the effect of the tensioning element (40) may be neutralized by further insertion only after coverage of more than 40% of the of the contact surfaces of the plug connector element (1) and of the associated additional plug connector element (2), in particular only after coverage of more than 55% and preferably only after coverage of more than 65%.
6. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 1 or any of the aforementioned claims, characterized in that the plug connector element (1) is a socket element and in that the tensioning element (40) is a spreading ring by means of which the contact organ (16) of the socket element and/or the external spring (20) may be spread to a degree that reduces the force required to plug in the plug element.
7. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 1 or any of the aforementioned claims, characterized in that the plug connector element (1) and/or the additional plug connector element (2) has a fixing element (26) with which the connected position of the plug connector element (1) and additional plug connector element (2) may be secured.
8. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 7, characterized in that the fixing element (26) is resiliently elastically deformable upon plugging the plug connector element (1) together with the additional plug connector element (2).
9. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the tensioning element (40) and the fixing element (26) are arranged in the plug connector element (1) and/or the additional plug connector element (2) such that the tensioning element (40) is active upon insertion until the fixing element (26) has reached more than 60 %, in particular more than 80 %, and preferably more than 95% of its maximum deformation.
10. The plug connector arrangement according to Claim 1 or any of the aforementioned claims, characterized in that the plug connector element (1) and/or the additional plug connector element (2) has a base body (10, 30) that has an opening (12, 32) to receive a conductor that may be electrically and mechanically connected with said base body (10, 30) by means of an attachment screw (14, 34).

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