EP2885841B1 - Contact-making device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a contacting device for electrical conductors and pin contacts according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

Such contacting devices are needed to reversibly contact electrical conductors and to enable a transmission of an electrical signal or electrical energy. For example, such a contacting device - mounted on a printed circuit board - can electrically connect an electrical conductor to this printed circuit board.

Also, such contacting means are provided in connectors for attaching and contacting electrical conductors to a connector.

In addition to electrical conductors and a contact of contacts - so-called pin contacts - is provided with such a contacting device. For this purpose, one or a plurality of contacting device is arranged in a connector housing in order to contact there inserted pin contacts from a corresponding mating connector.

State of the art

From the US 4,973,271 A is known a terminal with low insertion force. The terminal serves to reduce the force needed to insert and contact an electrical conductor and thus facilitate connection. This is realized by a movable holding member which acts on the contacting spring element and defines its spring force.

In the DE 20 2009 002239 U1 An electrical connection terminal with spring force element for clamping an electrical conductor is presented. The spring force element has a contact leg for the fixation and contacting of the conductor. Furthermore, the spring force element has a spring force leg, which applies the clamping force for the fixation. The clamping force is defined by a screw. In addition, the terminal has an opening through which an inserted electrical conductor is contacted with a current bar.

The EP 2 325 947 A1 introduces a terminal for connecting electrical conductors. The terminal has a housing and a clamping device. The clamping device in turn has a contact region and an actuator cooperating with the clamping device. The actuator acts by lever movement on a spring contact element. As a result, an inserted electrical conductor is fixed and contacted on the spring contact element.

The DE 20 2009 007573 U1 describes a connection terminal for electrical conductors with a housing, a clamping element and a linearly displaceable actuating element. This is limited by a busbar. The actuator presses in a first position on the contact point of the clamping element to press an electrical conductor against the busbar and thus to contact.

From the prior art, a variety of contacting devices is known. Most of these devices consist essentially of a spring element, which mechanically clamp a conductor to be inserted or a contact to be inserted.

The electrical contact of the conductor or contact is about the spring element itself, or over a metallic area in the device to which the spring element presses the conductor or contact, the purpose.

The generated clamping force, with which the electrical conductor or contact is clamped and thus contacted, is usually defined by the geometry and material properties of the spring element. Depending on the material thickness has the spring element and how it is shaped an inserted electrical conductor or contact is clamped different degrees.

The disadvantage of all solutions known in the prior art is that the contacting devices each have only one, defined contacting force. This is especially disadvantageous if a plurality of contacting devices, which are combined to form a connector, must be contacted simultaneously. In addition, the contacting force changes, depending on which cross section has a contacted, electrical conductor.

With contacting force of the contacting is in each case both the insertion force - the force required to insert an electrical conductor or pin contact - and the holding force - the force that is needed to pull a contacted electrical conductor or pin contact from the contacting device - to understand.

Therefore, it is also disadvantageous in the prior art that individual conductors which are contacted in a corresponding device, can be solved only with a high force from the contact.

task

The object of the invention is to introduce a contacting device which allows an adjustable contacting force. It should be possible to reduce the insertion forces for contacting an electrical conductor or contact and subsequently - after the contacting process - to increase the holding forces in order to ensure a secure electrical contact. Furthermore, the contacting forces for different cross sections of electrical conductors should be able to be variably adjusted. In addition, a reduction of the holding forces to solve the contact is desirable.

The object is solved by the characterizing features of independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

In the present invention is a contacting device for electrical conductors and pin contacts. The contacting device consists of a spring contact formed as a contact element, which is arranged in a contact chamber.

The contact chamber is preferably provided in an insulating body. The insulating body can have only a single contact chamber with spring contact element, or provided with a variety Contact chambers and arranged therein spring contact elements, forming a so-called terminal block or a connector.

The insulating body has, in addition to said contact chamber, an insertion opening which serves to receive an electrical conductor or contact to be contacted. Through the insertion opening, this can be introduced into the contact chamber and contacted with the spring contact element assumed there.

The spring contact element of the contacting device is formed from a fixed and a free end. The fixed end is provided for fixing the spring contact element in the contact chamber. The free end of the spring contact element is used for fixing and contacting an electrical conductor or contact.

The preferably two legs existing spring contact element is tensioned between two opposite side surfaces of the contact chamber. In this case, an inserted conductor or contact between one of the legs - the contact leg - and a side surface of the contact chamber is clamped.

The second leg of the spring contact element - the spring leg - abuts against the opposite side surface of the contact chamber. As a result, the two legs of the spring contact element produce the necessary contacting force to contact an inserted electrical conductor or contact.

According to the invention, a sliding element is provided between the spring force limb and the side surface on which the spring force limb rests. The sliding element serves to adjust the spring force with which the free end of the spring contact element acts in the contact chamber.

In this case, according to the invention, the spring force limb is not directly adjacent to the side surface of the contact chamber, but to said sliding element. By moving the sliding element along the spring force limb, the length of the free end of the spring contact element and thus the contacting force of the contacting device can be varied.

With a shortened, free end of the spring contact element, the spring force with which the free end in the contact chamber is braced higher than the spring force of the free end when its length is not shortened.

Further embodiments of the invention can be found in the subclaims.

embodiment

Fig. 1

ein Federkontaktelement;

Fig. 2

einen Querschnitt durch eine Kontaktierungseinrichtung;

Fig. 3

einen weiteren Querschnitt durch eine Kontaktierungseinrichtung;

Fig. 4

einen Querschnitt durch eine Kontaktierungseinrichtung mit kontaktiertem elektrischen Leiter;

Fig. 5

einen weiteren Querschnitt durch eine Kontaktierungseinrichtung mit kontaktiertem elektrischen Leiter; und

Fig. 6

eine Reihenklemme mit erfindungsgemäßen Kontaktierungseinrichtungen.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. Show it:

Fig. 1

a spring contact element;

Fig. 2

a cross section through a contacting device;

Fig. 3

a further cross section through a contacting device;

Fig. 4

a cross section through a contacting device with contacted electrical conductor;

Fig. 5

a further cross section through a contacting device with contacted electrical conductor; and

Fig. 6

a terminal with contacting devices according to the invention.

The Fig.1 shows a spring contact element 11 for use in a contacting device according to the invention 1. The spring contact element 11 consists essentially of two areas: a fixed end 13 and a free end 12.

The fixed end 13 of the spring contact element 11 is used for fastening and fixing of the spring contact element 11 in a contact chamber 3, as well as for electrical contacting of the spring contact element 11 to other components, printed circuit boards or the like.

The free end 12 of the spring contact element 11 is provided as a resilient contact area. For the free end 12 is expediently formed of two legs. A contact leg 15 for contacting an electrical conductor or pin contact 8. And a spring force leg 14, which serves to adjust the spring force.

In this embodiment, the two legs 14, 15 at an angle of approximately 45 ° to each other - forming a V - arranged. Of course, other angles to the arrangement of the legs to each other are conceivable that this is not limited to 45 °. However, the angle should suitably lie in a range between 0 ° and 180 °.

The Fig. 2 shows a cross section through a contacting device according to the invention 1. Shown is an insulating body 2, which forms the housing of the contacting device 1. In the insulating body 2, a contact chamber 3 is provided, which receives a spring contact element 11, a contact receptacle 16 and a sliding element 20.

The insulating body 2 has, in addition to the contact chamber 3, a first opening 6 and a second opening 7. The second opening 7 is provided as an insertion opening for insertion of an electrical conductor or pin contact 8 to be contacted. The first opening 6 serves as an unlocking opening. In this an elongated object (eg a screwdriver) can be introduced to the contacting of a connected electrical conductor or pin contact 8 to solve.

In the lower area shown, the insulating body 2 has a further, wide opening to the contact chamber 3. This serves only for mounting the individual elements in the insulating body 2 and has no inventive task.

For locking the spring contact element 11 and the contact 16 in the insulating body 2, the expert from the prior art knows various possibilities. In this embodiment, the contact receptacle 16 is held by means of a latching tongue in a recess in the insulating body 2. The locking will not be discussed further.

The spring contact element 11 accommodated in the contact chamber 2 is held in the contact chamber 2 in the area of the fixed end 13 shown below. In this case, the spring contact element 11 is received in this embodiment in the contact receptacle 16 and welded thereto.

However, the spring contact element 11 then also directly - without the contact 16 - are held in the insulating body 2.

The free end 12 of the spring contact element 11 shown in the upper area is provided for the contacting and clamping of an electrical conductor or pin contact 8 to be introduced.

In this case, the free end 12, which is preferably formed of two legs, clamped in the contact chamber 2. Between the contact leg 15 and a side surface 5 of the contact chamber 2, an electrical conductor or pin contact 8 is inserted and fixed mechanically via the spring force of the spring contact element 11 and electrical be contacted.

The second leg - the spring force leg 14 - serves to absorb the spring force which transmits the contact legs 15. For this, the spring force limb 14 bears against the side surface 4, which lies opposite the side surface 5.

In this embodiment, the spring contact element 11 - as already described above - not directly received in the contact chamber 2, but is at least partially surrounded by the contact seat 16.

The contact receptacle 16 forms a contact region 17, which rests against the side surface 5 of the contact chamber 3, to which an electrical conductor or pin contact 8 to be connected is contacted. As a result, the conductor or pin contact 8 is advantageously electrically contacted from two sides-from the contact region 17 and from the spring contact element 11.

At the in Fig. 2 In addition, the contact receptacle 16 has a connection region 18. This is provided for relaying electrical signals which are transmitted via the contacting device 1. The connection region 18 can be connected reversibly as a screw connection, by means of a solder connection or other contacting methods known to the person skilled in the art.

In an inventive embodiment of the contacting device 1 without contact 16, a connection region 18 directly on the spring contact element 11 is conceivable.

On the side facing away from the contact leg 15 of the contact chamber 3 according to the invention between the spring force leg 14 and the Side surface 4 a sliding element 20 is arranged. The sliding element 20 is displaceable along the spring leg 14.

For actuating the sliding element 20, an actuator 21 is formed on the side of the sliding element 20 facing away from the spring force limb 14 in this embodiment. The actuator 21 can be accessed from outside the insulator 2. Thus, for example, with the aid of a screwdriver or similar object of the actuator 21 and so the sliding element 20 are moved.

In the in Fig. 2 shown position of the sliding element 20 is a high spring force of the contacting device 1 is set. Since the sliding element 20 is located on the end of the spring leg 14 facing the contact leg 15, only the contact leg 15 can deform elastically. This small resilient region of the spring contact element 11 causes a high spring force and thus contacting force of the contacting device. 1

Compared to the in Fig. 2 shown position, located at the contacting device 1 in Fig. 3 the sliding element 20 on the contact leg 15 opposite end of the spring leg 14. As a result, the resilient region of the spring contact element 11 is longer than in Fig. 2 , Due to the longer resilient region of the spring contact element 11 is a lower spring force than in Fig. 2 causes.

When inserting an electrical conductor or pin contact 8 in the contacting device 11 not only the contact leg 15 is elastically deformed, but the contact leg 15 and the spring force leg 14th

In the 4 and FIG. 5 are the contacting devices 1 of Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 shown again. However, with a respectively inserted and contact electrical conductor 8.

The electrical conductor 8 is clamped in each case between the contact leg 15 of the spring contact element 11 and the contact region 17 of the contact receptacle 16. By clamping an electrical contact and mechanical fixation of the electrical conductor 8 is ensured.

In Fig. 4 It can be seen that due to the position of the sliding element 20, the spring contact element 11 is elastically deformed only from the contact leg 15. This small, deforming portion of the spring contact element 11 generates a high contacting force acting on the electrical conductor 8.

In Fig. 5 deformed due to the position of the sliding element 20 in addition to the contact leg 15 and the spring force leg 14. Due to the longer, resilient region of the spring contact element 11, the contact force generated on the electrical conductor 8 is lower than in Fig. 4 ,

Also, positions of the pushing member 20 between the maximum positions are out of the 4 and 5 conceivable. For example, the spring force can be further refined by latching the sliding element 20.

The Fig. 6 shows a connector 9 for soldering on a printed circuit board with therein contacting devices 1 according to the Fig. 1 to 5 , In this embodiment, the insulating body 2 contains six contacting devices 1. On the upper side, a second opening 7 is provided for each of the contacting devices 1, in which an electrical conductor or pin contact 8 to be connected can be plugged into the contacting device 1.

In addition to the second openings 7, a first opening 6 is still provided in each case. In this a screwdriver or similar, elongate object can be introduced to solve the contact.

Laterally on the insulating body 2 are 21 to recognize the setting of the contacting force actuator. The five left actuators are set to a low, the right to a high contacting force (see. 4 and FIG. 5 ).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1.

contacting

Second

insulator

Third

contact chamber

4th

side surface

5th

side surface

6th

first opening

7th

second opening

8th.

elec. Head / contact

9th

Connectors

11th

Spring contact element

12th

free end

13th

fixed end

14th

Spring leg

15th

contact legs

16th

contact

17th

contact area

18th

terminal area

20th

sliding element

21st

actuator

Claims (5)

1. Contact-making device for electrical conductors and pin contacts,

   • comprising an insulating body (2) in which a contact chamber (3) with a spring contact element (11) which is arranged in the contact chamber (3), a sliding element (20) and a contact receptacle (16) are provided,

   • wherein the insulating body (2) forms the housing of the contact-making device (1),

   • wherein the insulating body (2) has a first opening (6) and a second opening (7),

   characterized in that
   the first opening (6) serves as an unlocking opening in order to release the contact-connection of a connected electrical conductor or pin contact,
   wherein the second opening (7) serves as an insertion opening for inserting an electrical conductor or pin contact with which contact is to be made,

   • wherein the spring contact element (11) has a free end (12) and a fixed end (13),

   • wherein the free end (12) is formed from at least two limbs,

   • wherein a first spring force limb (14) bears against a side face (4) of the contact chamber (3),

   • wherein a second contact limb (15) projects in the contact chamber (3) toward a side face (5) which is situated opposite the side face (4), and forms a free, resilient length of the free end (12),

   • wherein the contact limb (15) serves to make contact with an electrical conductor or pin contact which is to be inserted between the contact limb (15) and the side face (5),

   • wherein a sliding element (20) is arranged between the spring force limb (14) and the side face (4), the spring force limb (14) bearing against the said sliding element, and

   • wherein the sliding element (20) can be displaced along the spring force limb (14),

   • wherein the contact receptacle (16) receives the spring contact element (11), is mechanically connected to the said spring contact element and, together with the said spring contact element, is arranged in the contact chamber (3),

   • wherein the contact receptacle (16) has, a contact region (17), wherein the said contact region is provided between the contact limb (15) and the side face (5) of the contact chamber (3),

   • wherein the sliding element (20) can be moved to two maximum positions and also positions which are situated between the said maximum positions,

   • so that the free, resilient length of the free end (12) of the spring contact element (11) can be finely varied and can be extended from the contact limb (15) to the spring force limb (14), and

   • that the contact limb (15) makes contact with an inserted electrical conductor or pin contact in each position of the sliding element (20), and

   • that the sliding element (20) has an operator (21) which can be operated from outside the insulating body (2).
2. Contact-making device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the sliding elements (20) have a plurality of contact-making devices (1) which are arranged next to one another a group operator by means of which all sliding elements (20) can be operated at the same time and which can be operated from outside the contact chamber (3).
3. Contact-making device according to either of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   at least one contact-making device (1), arranged in an insulating body (2), is in the form of a plug connector or terminal block.
4. Contact-making device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the sliding element (20) has at least two, preferably more than two, latching means in order to be latched between the two.maximum positions.
5. Plug connector for making releasable contact with a mating plug connector, characterized in that the plug connector for making contact with an electrical conductor which is to be connected has at least one contact-making device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4.

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