Patent Application
20200169013
The invention relates to an assembly of a plug connector part.
An assembly of this type comprises a holding frame which has a frame opening for receiving a plurality of modular contact inserts at a plurality of plug-in spaces arranged alongside one another along a width direction, and at least one modular contact insert which can be inserted into the frame opening at at least one plug-in space and has an arrangement of plug openings for connecting electrical conductors to the at least one modular contact insert.
Holding frames of this type serve for the modular receiving of contact inserts on plug connectors. One or more contact inserts can be arranged on such a holding frame in order to be inserted together with the holding frame into a housing of a plug connector part and to be connected to the housing. In this way, contact inserts can be combined with each other in a modular manner and arranged in or on a plug connector part via the holding frame.
Such contact inserts can have, for example, one or more electrical contacts. In this case, the contact inserts are connected on the one hand to electrical lines which are supplied to a plug connector and on the other hand form plug contacts through which the plug connector can be brought into engagement with a mating plug connector part in a plug-in manner for electrical contact.
Such modular contact inserts offer the advantage of flexible combinability and thus variable usability of plug connectors.
Plug connector parts with a holding frame receiving modular contact inserts are known, for example, from DE 10 2012 110 907 A1 and DE 20 2012 103 360 U1.
In a holding frame known from DE 10 2012 110 907 A1, it is provided that a second holding frame part can be attached to a first holding frame part, which has recesses for receiving projection elements of contact inserts, in order in this way to block projection elements inserted into the recesses and thus lock them on the holding frame.
In a modular plug connector known from EP 1 353 412 B1, modules can contain, for example, switching means which assume a signal-regulating or signal-controlling function in a module. A plurality of modules can be attached alongside one another to a holding frame.
In an embodiment, the present invention provides an assembly of a plug connector part, comprising: a holding frame having a frame opening configured to receive a plurality of modular contact inserts on a plurality of plug-in spaces arranged alongside one another along a width direction; and at least one modular contact insert insertable into the frame opening at at least one plug-in space, an arrangement of plug openings for connecting electrical conductors being disposed on the at least one modular contact insert, wherein the at least one modular contact insert has an arrangement of connection spaces that are assigned to the plug openings and to which at least one functional element is attachable to electrically connect two plug openings to one another.
The present invention will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. Other features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate the following:
In an embodiment, the present invention provides an assembly of a plug connector part which makes it possible to provide further functions on a modular contact insert for modular connection of the contact insert.
Accordingly, the at least one modular contact insert has an arrangement of connection spaces which are assigned to the plug openings and to which at least one functional element can be attached for the electrical connection of two plug openings to one another.
Electrical conductors can be plugged into the plug openings of a modular contact insert in order in this way to electrically connect the electrical conductors to the contact insert. In that connection spaces are assigned to the plug openings and that functional elements, for example for providing a bridge for the purpose of potential distribution, can be connected thereto, plug openings can be variably interconnected. By attaching a functional element for electrically connecting connection spaces, to which different plug openings are assigned, plug openings can be electrically connected to one another, optionally with the provision of an additional electrical function.
The functional elements which can be connected to the connection spaces can be, for example, a contact bridge, a disconnecting blade, an electrical fuse or a diode element. A contact bridge is used to electrically short-circuit connection spaces and thus the plug openings assigned to the connection spaces so that the plug openings assigned to the connection spaces are electrically brought to the same potential. A disconnecting blade serves to switchably connect two plug openings. A disconnecting blade can be opened from a closed position, wherein the plug openings assigned to the connection spaces are electrically connected to one another in the closed position and the plug openings are disconnected from one another in the open position. An electrical fuse serves to connect two plug openings with an interposition of the fuse so that a current flows between the plug openings via the fuse. Plug openings are functionally connected to one another via a diode through a diode element.
In one embodiment, exactly one connection space is assigned to each plug opening. Plug openings can thus be electrically connected to one another via the connection spaces assigned to different plug openings, for example via a contact bridge, via which the connection spaces and, via them, the plug openings assigned to the connection spaces are electrically connected to the same potential (known as potential distribution).
In this case, each connection space can be realized, for example, by an opening in a current bar, into which a contact bridge or another functional element with a terminal pin can be inserted. A functional element may have two or more terminal pins. For example, a contact bridge may be comb-shaped for insertion into a plurality of connection spaces.
In one embodiment, the plug openings for connecting the electrical conductors are arranged alongside one another along one or more rows on a housing body of the modular contact insert. The connection spaces are also advantageously arranged alongside one another along one or more rows, wherein the rows of the connection spaces preferably extend in parallel to the rows of the plug openings. Thus, rows of plug openings for connecting electrical conductors on the one hand and rows of connection spaces for connecting functional elements on the other hand are formed on the modular contact insert.
In one embodiment, the rows can be extended transversely to the width direction along which the plug-in spaces of the holding frame are arranged alongside one another.
In one embodiment, one or more rows of connection spaces form a shaft on a housing body of the contact insert, which is molded, for example, back into the housing body in a recessed manner relative to the rows of plug openings. Such a shaft is formed as a depression on the housing body and preferably serves to receive the functional elements in such a way that at least some functional elements do not protrude outward beyond the housing body in a position inserted into the shaft and are thus at least largely received in the shaft.
In a specific embodiment, the modular contact insert has two rows of plug openings which extend in parallel to one another and to each of which a row of connection spaces is assigned. In this case, the rows of the connection spaces can be located between the rows of the plug openings (as viewed along the width direction). The rows of connection spaces which are assigned to the different rows of plug openings are thus located in a close relative position between the rows of the plug openings, which makes it possible to simply attach functional elements to the rows of connection spaces and, for example, also makes it possible to connect plug openings of different rows to one another via the rows of connection spaces.
The rows of connection spaces together form, for example, a shaft on the housing body of the contact insert, into which functional elements can be inserted.
A plurality of plug-in spaces arranged alongside one another along the width direction are defined on the holding frame. In principle, each plug-in space serves to receive a contact insert so that the division of the plug-in spaces corresponds to the division of the contact inserts in this case. In one embodiment, however, a contact insert, which in particular has a plurality of rows of plug openings and rows of connection spaces assigned to the rows of plug openings, may also have a width which corresponds to twice the width of a plug-in space. When such a contact insert is attached to the holding frame, the contact insert in the inserted position occupies the space of two adjacent plug-in spaces and is accordingly held on the holding frame at two adjacent plug-in spaces.
In principle, it is also conceivable and possible to use a contact insert with an even greater width, for example the width of three plug-in spaces or even more plug-in spaces.
Contact inserts can be modularly combined with one another via the holding frame in order to create a plug face on a plug connector part which can be connected in a plug-in manner to an assigned plug face of a mating plug connector part. For this purpose, one or more contact inserts can each have a plug section on which electrical contact elements are arranged and which can be connected in a plug-in manner to the mating plug connector part.
It is conceivable in this case for all contact inserts to have a plug section with contact elements arranged thereon. However, it is also conceivable and possible for one or more contact inserts not to have a plug section and thus for (merely) an electrical connection—by using suitable functional elements at the connection spaces—of electrical conductors on the contact insert to be able to be provided via the plug openings and connection spaces assigned to the plug openings.
The plug openings for connecting the electrical conductors are formed, for example, on a first side of the housing body of the contact insert, while the plug section is formed on a second side of the housing body facing away from the first side, for example as a plug for plugging into a mating plug connector part or as a socket for receiving a plug of the mating plug connector part. In this case, the connection spaces can be provided either on the first side or on the second side or also on both sides.
In a first embodiment, the connection spaces are arranged on the same side as the plug openings for connecting the electrical conductors. In this case, therefore, electrical conductors and functional elements for connecting the electrical conductors can be connected to the contact insert on the same side. Such an embodiment of the contact insert can be useful, for example, if the plug connector part assigned to the holding frame is to be firmly installed on a switch cabinet and the side of the contact insert assigned to the plug openings and the connection spaces is still accessible even in the assembled state of the plug connector part so that functional elements for connecting plug openings can be attached and also changed.
In a second embodiment, the connection spaces are arranged on the side of the plug section and thus opposite to the plug openings on the contact insert. The functional elements are thus attached to the contact insert from sides of the plug section. This can be useful, for example, if the holding frame is to be inserted into a housing of a plug connector part, for example on an electrical line, and the holding frame is thus received in the housing in the assembled state so that the plug openings in the housing are no longer readily accessible. In this case, a connection with functional elements can take place via the side of the plug section (accessible from the outside), which in particular makes it possible to change the connection in the assembled state of the holding frame.
It is possible for the contact elements of the plug section and the connection spaces as well as the plug openings to have the same division (viewed in the depth direction transversely to the width direction). However, it is also conceivable and possible for the contact elements of the plug section to have, for example, a different division in comparison with the connection spaces. This makes it possible to design the arrangement of the connection spaces in such a way that, for example, standard components, for example standard contact bridges, can be used at the connection spaces.
The holding frame forms a plurality of plug-in spaces offset from each other along the width direction for receiving a plurality of contact inserts. For example, a spring element on a frame wall is assigned to each plug-in space such that contact inserts can be individually inserted into the plug-in spaces and can also be removed from the plug-in spaces again. The holding frame advantageously has a substantially rectangular shape. In this case, frame walls form side faces along the longitudinal sides of the holding frame, on which two spring elements for each plug-in space are arranged opposite to the lock.
In one embodiment, a plug connector part can have a holding frame of the type described above. Inserted into the holding frame can be a plurality of modular contact inserts, at least some of which have a plug section which can be connected to a mating plug connector part in a plug-in direction and has contact elements arranged thereon for contact with the mating plug connector part. Electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic or other contacts, for example, can be provided on the contact inserts. By plugging the plug connector part into engagement with an assigned mating plug connector part, contact is made between the contact inserts held in the holding frame and assigned mating contacts on the part of the mating plug connector part.
The plug connector part 1 can be connected in a plug-in manner in a plug-in direction S to an assigned mating plug connector part 2. The holding frame 3 of the plug connector part 1 serves to receive modular contact inserts 4, as illustrated in one exemplary embodiment in
As can be seen from
The contact inserts 4 can differ in the shape of the plug sections 40 with the contact elements 400 arranged thereon, in the number of contact elements 400 or also in their basic function. For example, not only electrical contacts but also mechanical or pneumatic contacts, for example, can be provided via the contact inserts 4.
The contact inserts 4 can be attached to a holding frame 3 in a modular manner in different combinations. The holding frame 3 has, along a width direction B, frame walls 31, 32 which extend in parallel to one another and are spaced apart from one another along a depth direction Q and receive the contact inserts 4 between them. On the front side, the frame walls 31, 32 are connected to one another via wall parts 33, 34 so that a rectangular frame with an opening 30 is formed into which the contact inserts 4 can be inserted in an insertion direction E.
In the exemplary embodiment shown in
Recesses 310, 320 are formed in pairs lying opposite one another on the frame walls 31, 32, respectively, into which recesses the contact inserts 4 with projection elements 420, 421 can be inserted so that, in the case of contact inserts 4 arranged in the holding frame 3, the contact inserts 4 each come to lie with their projection elements 420, 421 in a pair of opposite recesses 310, 320.
The recesses 310, 320 of the opposite frame walls 31, 32 have different widths A1, A2 (see
Fastening points 330, 331, 340, 341 are provided on the front wall parts 33, 34 and serve to fasten the holding frame 3 to the housing 10 of the plug connector part 1 and, for example, by means of suitable screw connections, allow the holding frame 3 with contact inserts 4 arranged thereon to be fixed on the housing 10.
Additionally provided on the front wall parts 33, 34 are connecting devices 332, 342 via which, for example, a neutral conductor (known as a PE contact) can be connected to the holding frame 3 and via which, when the plug connector part 1 is connected to the mating plug connector part 2, a ground connection is created between the plug connector part 1 and the mating plug connector part 2.
As explained above, on the holding frame 3 are created plug-in spaces 300 into which contact inserts 4 can be inserted. In the exemplary embodiment of the contact insert 4 in accordance with
Each plug-in space 300 is defined by two opposite recesses 310, 320 in the side walls 31, 32 of the holding frame 3, wherein, in the exemplary embodiment shown in
Between the rows 410, 411 of the plug openings 41, a functional shaft 43 in the form of two rows 430, 431 of connection spaces 432 for attaching functional elements 44, 440, 64 is formed on the housing body 42 of the contact insert 4, as can be seen from
In the arrangement shown in
In the arrangement shown in
The rows 430, 431 of the connection spaces 432 of the functional shaft 43 extend like the rows 410, 411 of the plug openings 41 along the depth direction Q transversely to the width direction B along which the plug-in spaces 300 are arranged alongside one another. By arranging the rows 430, 431 of the connection spaces 432 of the functional shaft 43 between the rows 410, 411 of the plug openings 41, different functional elements, such as disconnecting blades, diode elements, fuse elements or contact bridges, can be variably placed in the functional shaft 43 for electrically connecting the connection spaces 432 and, via them, the assigned plug openings 41 of the rows 410, 411.
In the case of the contact insert 4 of the holding frame 3, the rows 430, 431 of the connection spaces 432 of the functional shaft 43 are arranged on the same side as the plug openings 41 of the rows 410, 411. The attachment of the functional elements to the functional shaft 43 thus takes place on the same side as the connection of the electrical conductors 110 to the plug openings 41.
In contrast, in the contact insert 6 of the mating plug connector part 2, a functional shaft 63 having two rows 630, 631 of connection spaces 632 is formed in the form of a shaft-shaped depression on the housing body 62 of the contact insert 6 on a side of the contact insert 6 which is assigned to a plug section 60 with contact elements 600 of the contact insert 6 arranged thereon. In this case, the functional shaft 63 is thus formed on the side of the plug section 60, as can be seen from
This makes it possible, as can be seen in particular from
As shown by way of example in
In general, each plug opening 41, 61 is assigned to a connection space 432, 632 of the functional shaft 43, 63 so that each plug opening 41, 61 can be connected to another plug openings 41, 61 via a functional element.
With a view to the arrangement on the respectively assigned holding frame 3, 5, the contact inserts 4, 6 are functionally identical. In particular, the contact insert 6 also has projection elements 620, 621 for being arranged in assigned recesses 510, 520 on side walls 51, 52 of the holding frame 5 with a latching connection via spring elements 511, 521. The contact insert 6 also has twice the width in comparison with a plug-in space 500 and is thus received in the inserted position on two adjacent plug-in spaces 500. Contact devices 532, 542 are formed on front wall parts 53, 54 of the holding frame 5 for electrical contact with assigned contact devices 332, 342 of the holding frame 3 when the plug connector parts 1, 2 are plugged together, in order in this way to provide a common ground potential at the plug connector parts 1, 2.
The connection spaces 432, 632 on the functional shafts 43, 63 can be formed by openings in respectively assigned current bars 412, 413, 612, 613, into which functional elements with terminal pins can be inserted. The connection spaces 432, 632 can, however, also be designed differently, for example with spring elements or the like, to which functional elements can be connected.
The idea underlying the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above but can also be realized in principle in completely differently designed embodiments.
In particular, the contact inserts shown here are to be understood merely as examples. Contact inserts used on such a holding frame can have, for example, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or even entirely different contacts.
The number of plug-in spaces provided on such a holding frame may vary. In this case, it is possible, but not mandatory, for a separate spring element to be assigned to each plug-in space on each frame wall. It is also conceivable and possible for a spring element continuous along the width direction to be assigned jointly to a plurality of plug-in spaces.
Quite different functional elements can be used on functional shafts of contact inserts, in particular also functional elements other than those mentioned here.
A contact insert of the type described here does not necessarily have to have a plug section with contact elements arranged thereon for plug-in connection to another contact insert of a mating plug connector part. It is also conceivable and possible for a contact insert to have (only) plug openings and connection spaces of a functional shaft so that conductors can be electrically interconnected via the contact insert.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below. Additionally, statements made herein characterizing the invention refer to an embodiment of the invention and not necessarily all embodiments.
The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20175565 | Aug 2017 | BE | national |
This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/070721, filed on Jul. 31, 2018, and claims benefit to Belgian Patent Application No. BE 20175565, filed on Aug. 16, 2017. The International Application was published in German on Feb. 21, 2019 as WO/2019/034410 under PCT Article 21(2).
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2018/070721 | 7/31/2018 | WO | 00 |
