EP4593211A1

EP4593211A1 - Connector socket

Info

Publication number: EP4593211A1
Application number: EP25151205.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mengni WANG; Zhiyun Zhong
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact Asia Pacific Nanjing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact Asia Pacific Nanjing Co Ltd
Priority date: 2024-01-25
Filing date: 2025-01-10
Publication date: 2025-07-30

Abstract

This patent application provides a connector socket including a socket housing and a conductive component located inside the socket housing. The socket housing includes a socket housing body and a plugging portion which are integrally formed. The socket housing body, at one side near the plugging portion, is provided with an annular groove surrounding the plugging portion. This patent application provides the annular groove surrounding the plugging portion at one side of the socket housing body near the plugging portion. On the one hand, it makes a plugging surface of the plug and the socket to be maintained in a sinking state after the plug is plugged into the socket, and thus the plug and the socket are not easily loosened after plugging, improving the stability of the connector structure. On the other hand, the conductive component that is installed inside the socket housing can save metal materials in the plugging direction, further achieving the effect of cost savings. This patent application leaves a certain clearance space for the plug when the plug is plugged into the socket, greatly improving the utilization of space inside a cabinet under the premise of limited installation space.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

This patent application relates to the technology field of connector, and in particular, to a connector socket.

BACKGROUND

Energy storage connector is a common type of electrical connector, which includes a socket and a plug that is to be mated with and plugged into the socket. After the plug is plugged into the socket, an electrical connection can be achieved. When the existing energy storage connector is installed in a relatively narrow space of a cabinet, the installation space for the connector is very limited due to space constraints. How to fully utilize the cabinet space has become an urgent problem to be solved in the field of connector.

Summary of the Invention

This patent application provides a connector socket, which can improve the structural stability of the connector and at the same time increase the utilization of the installation space for the connector.
To achieve the above purposes, this patent application adopts the following technical solutions:
a connector socket for mating with a plug, the socket including a socket housing and a conductive component located inside the socket housing, the socket housing including a socket housing body and a plugging portion which are integrally formed, the socket housing body, at one side near the plugging portion, being provided with an annular groove surrounding the plugging portion.
Further, the conductive component comprises a conductive component body, an installation portion, and a connection portion that connects the conductive component body and the installation portion.
Further, the conductive component body is in a form of a hollow cylindrical structure, the installation portion is in a form of a flat structure, and the conductive component body, the connection portion, and the socket housing are integrally injection molded.
Further, the conductive component is formed by integral stamping, bending, and docking of a metal sheet.
Further, the connection portion is provided with a hole that allows injection molding glue to flow and fill an interior of the conductive component body to form a core column.
Further, a top of the core column covers a top of the conductive component body on a front side of a plugging direction, forming an anti-touch finger cap.
Further, the installation portion is provided with an installation hole, in which a rivet nut is installed.
Further, one end of the plugging portion near the socket housing body is provided with a first annular snap groove for clamping with the plug.
Further, the top of the plugging portion is provided with a second annular snap groove for locking with the plug.
Further, a seal is provided on a side of the socket housing body that is away from the plugging portion, and the seal is used for fixing and sealing the socket and a panel.

Beneficial effects:

The connector socket provided by this patent application is provided with an annular groove surrounding the plugging portion at one side of the socket housing body near the plugging portion. On the one hand, it makes a plugging surface of the plug and the socket to be maintained in a sinking state after the plug is plugged into the socket. The annular groove accommodates a part of the plug housing, thus the plug and the socket are not easily loosened after plugging, improving the stability of the connector structure. On the other hand, due to the fact that the plugging surface is maintained in the sinking state, the conductive component that is installed inside the socket housing can save metal materials in the plugging direction, further achieving the effect of cost savings. This patent application leaves a certain clearance space for the plug when the plug is plugged into the socket, greatly improving the utilization of space inside a cabinet under the premise of limited installation space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a structure schematic diagram of a socket provided in an embodiment of the present application;
Figure 2 is a exploded structure schematic diagram of the socket provided in an embodiment of the present application;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of the socket provided in an embodiment of the present application;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional structure schematic diagram of a connector in a connected state provided in an embodiment of the present application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Below, a further detailed illustration of this patent application will be provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It can be understood that the specific embodiments described here are only used to explain this patent application, and not to limit this patent application. Additionally, it should be noted that for ease of description, only a portion related to this patent application is shown in the accompanying drawings, rather than the entire structure.
In the description of this patent application, unless otherwise specified and defined, the terms "connected", "connect", "fix" should be comprehended in a broad sense. For example, the terms may be a fixed connection, a detachable connection or an integrated structure; may be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; may be a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, or may be internal communication between two elements or interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, specific meanings of the foregoing terms in the present patent application may be understood based on specific situations.
In this patent application, unless otherwise specified and defined, the situation of a first feature being located "above" or "below" a second feature may include that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or include that the first feature is not in direct contact with the second feature, but in contact with the second feature through other features between them. In addition, the situation of a first feature being located "above", "over" and "upon" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly above and diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is horizontally higher than the second feature. The situation of a first feature being located "below", "beneath" and "under" a second feature includes that the first feature is directly below and diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is horizontally lower than the second feature.
In the description of embodiments of this patent application, the terms "up", "down", "left", "right" and other directional or positional relationships are based on the directional or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, only for the convenience of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting this patent application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish one from another in description and do not have any special meaning.
Referring to Figures 1 and 4, a connector socket 1 of embodiments of this patent application is used to mate with a plug 2 to form an energy storage connector. The socket 1 comprises a socket housing 10 and a conductive component 20 located inside the socket housing 10. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the socket housing 10 includes a socket housing body 101 and a plugging portion 102 which are integrally-formed. The socket housing body 101 is provided with an annular groove 103 surrounding the plugging portion 102 at one side of the socket housing body 101 close to the plugging portion 102. The conductive component 20 is formed by integral stamping, bending, and docking of a metal sheet. The conductive component 20 comprises a conductive component body 201, an installation portion 203, and a connection portion 202 that connects the conductive component body 201 and the installation portion 203. The conductive component body 201 is in a form of a hollow cylindrical structure. The installation portion 203 is in a form of a flat structure. The installation portion 203 is also provided with an installation hole. There is a rivet nut 204 installed in the installation hole for connecting external wires. Wherein, the conductive component 20 is integrally injection molded with the socket housing 10. Specifically, the conductive component body 201, the connection portion 202, and the socket housing 10 are integrally injection molded.
This patent application provides an annular groove 103 surrounding the plugging portion 102 at one side of the socket housing body 101 near the plugging portion 102. On the one hand, it makes a plugging surface of the plug 2 and the socket 1 to be maintained in a sinking state after the plug 2 is plugged into the socket 1, and since the annular groove 103 accommodates a part of the plug housing, the plug 2 and the socket 1 are not easily loosened after plugging, improving the stability of the connector structure. On the other hand, the conductive component 20 that is installed inside the socket housing 10 can shorten length in the plugging direction, saving metal materials and further achieving the effect of cost savings. In addition, this patent application leaves a certain clearance space for the plug 2 when the plug 2 is plugged into the socket 1, saving installation space in the plugging direction of the plug and socket and realizing a miniaturization design of the entire energy storage connector. Therefore, under the premise of limited installation space in the cabinet, the utilization of space inside a cabinet is greatly improved, which is very conducive to maximizing the utilization of space inside a cabinet.
Referring to Figure 3, the connection portion 202 of the conductive component 20 is provided with a hole 204, which is actually an injection molding hole. When the socket housing 10 and the conductive component 20 are injection molded together, injection molding glue can be filled into an interior of the conductive component body 201 through the hole 204 to form a core column 104. A top of the core column 104 covers a top of the conductive component body 201 on a front side of a plugging direction, forming an anti-contact finger cap 105. The core column 104 and the anti-contact finger cap 105 are integrally formed. It can be understood that the socket housing 10, the conductive component 20, the core column 104, and anti-touch finger cap 105 are integrally injection molded.
Referring to Figures 2 and 4, the plugging portion 102 of the socket housing 10 is provided, at one end near the socket housing body 101, with a first annular snap groove 106 for clamping with the plug. The top of the plugging portion 102 is provided with a second annular snap groove 107 for locking with the plug. The first annular snap groove 106 and the second annular snap groove 107 are used to accommodate locking structures when the socket and the plug are mated with each other. When the socket 1 is installed on a panel, a seal 30 is provided on a side of the socket housing body 101 that is away from the plugging portion 102. This seal 30 is used to fix and seal the socket 1 and the installation panel.
Obviously, the above embodiments of this patent application are only examples made to clearly illustrate this patent application, and are not intended to limit the implementations of this patent application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, various obvious changes, readjustments, and substitutions can be made without departing from the protection scope of this patent application. It is not necessary and impossible to exhaustively list all implementations here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this patent application shall be included in the protection scope of the claims of this patent application.

Claims

A connector socket for mating with a plug, wherein the socket (1) includes a socket housing (10) and a conductive component (20) located inside the socket housing (10), the socket housing (10) includes a socket housing body (101) and a plugging portion (102) which are integrally formed, and the socket housing body (101), at one side near the plugging portion (102), is provided with an annular groove (103) surrounding the plugging portion (102).
The socket according to claim 1, wherein the conductive component (20) comprises a conductive component body (201), an installation portion (203), and a connection portion (202) that connects the conductive component body (201) and the installation portion (203).
The socket according to claim 2, wherein the conductive component body (201) is in a form of a hollow cylindrical structure, the installation portion (203) is in a form of a flat structure, and the conductive component body (201), the connection portion (202), and the socket housing (10) are integrally injection molded.
The socket according to claim 2, wherein the conductive component (20) is formed by integral stamping, bending, and docking of a metal sheet.
The socket according to claim 2 or claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the connection portion (202) is provided with a hole (204) that allows injection molding glue to flow and fill an interior of the conductive component body (201) to form a core column (104).
The socket according to claim 5, wherein a top of the core column (104) covers a top of the conductive component body (201) on a front side of a plugging direction, forming an anti-touch finger cap (105).
The socket according to claim 2 or claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the installation portion (203) is provided with an installation hole, in which a rivet nut (204) is installed.
The socket according to claim 1, wherein one end of the plugging portion (102) near the socket housing body (101) is provided with a first annular snap groove (106) for clamping with the plug.
The socket according to claim 1, wherein a top of the plugging portion (102) is provided with a second annular snap groove (107) for locking with the plug.
The socket according to claim 1, wherein a seal (30) is provided on a side of the socket housing body (101) that is away from the plugging portion (102), and the seal (30) is used for fixing and sealing the socket and a panel.