Patent Application
20240204439
This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. EP 22214298.6 filed Dec. 16, 2022, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if fully restated herein.
Exemplary embodiments relate generally to a connector element for a connector system, such as for electronic signalling, and related systems and methods.
In numerous technical applications it is found desirable to replace individual elements in a chain transmitting signals, for instance originating from a sensor. It may thus be found desirable that a releasable connection is provided between individual elements of such a chain, for one specific instance at the connection between an analog-digital converter and a signal cable for transmitting the digitized signals from the analog-digital converter to a data collection and/or data processing device. For instance, a plug-and-socket connector system may be implemented. In an aspect, it may be desirable if releasing and re-establishing the connection between components can be performed directly by the user, or by a service technician in the field while avoiding the risk of re-establishing the connection with wrongly connected contacts, or lines, respectively. In another aspect, signal transmission shall not be impaired by dirt in the releasable interface or creeping currents on the surfaces of the connector elements of the releasable interface, or connection system. In this respect, it may also be found desirable to achieve good sealing of the connection system, such that no dirt, liquid or humidity can penetrate between the connector members. In still a further aspect, the size of the connector members may be limited.
It is understood that the desire for connector elements and connector systems yielding characteristics mentioned above may be present in other technical fields.
Known art comprises the product offered on the priority date of the present application by Büschel Connecting Systems, Albstadt, Germany, under the name “Variopin”.
It is an object of the present disclosure to provide the initially mentioned subject matter. In a more specific aspect, a connector element for connector system shall be provided. In particular instances the connector element and connector system shall be adapted and configured for transmitting electric power and signals. In more specific aspect, said connector element shall yield certain desirable characteristics outlined above.
This is achieved by the subject matter set forth in claim 1.
Further effects and advantages of the disclosed subject matter, whether explicitly mentioned or not, will become apparent in view of the disclosure provided below.
Accordingly, disclosed is a connector element for a connector system comprising four contact members for making electric contact. Preferably, the connector element comprises exactly four contact members. As will be readily appreciated, electric contact is to be made with a counterpart contact member of a counterpart connector element. The contact members are accessible from a front side of the connector element. The connector element further comprises a contact member carrier, wherein the contact member carrier comprises a circumferentially extending contact surface having an axial extent. The contact members extend in an axial direction on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier. On the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier the contact members have free contact surfaces which are accessible on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier. Each contact member has an insulation radius. The insulation radius is a minimum clearance between the outer boundaries of said contact member and the closest neighbouring contact member. This minimum clearance is measured in a plan view onto the front face. The contact members are grouped into two groups of contact members. Each contact member has a closest neighbouring contact member which defines its insulation radius. This closest neighbouring contact member and the contact member at hand belong to different groups of contact members.
This shall be understood as implicitly meaning that the insulation distance from a contact member to the other contact member in the same group of contact members is larger than the insulation distance to a contact member of the other group of contact members. The insulation distance between two contact members is measured as a minimum clearance between the outer boundaries of two contact members. In still other words, the contact members are arranged non-equidistant. The non-equidistance applies to measurements taken in the plan view onto the front face and in particular applies when measuring the distance between the contact members along the circumference of the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier.
It is understood that, as a consequence of above definitions, groups of contact members comprise contact members which each have at least one other contact member not belonging to the group of contact members closer to them than the other contact member out of the group of contact members.
Preferably, there is therefore for every one of the contact members belonging to a first group, at least one contact member of the second group to which the minimum clearance is smaller than to the one to any one of the other contact members of the first group and vice versa.
The insulation resistance between the contact members in one group of contact members is larger than the insulation resistance between a contact member out of one group of contact members and a contact member out of the other group of contact members. In particular, the resistance for creeping currents between two contact members in one group of contact members on the front face of the contact member carrier is increased when compared to a connector element having the same size with the contact members arranged equidistantly.
Preferably, the groups are pairs.
Preferably, instead of an insulation radius the term “minimum insulation distance can be used, whereby each contact member has a minimum insulation distance when measured in a plan view onto the front face, wherein the minimum insulation distance is preferably measured as a minimum clearance between the outer boundaries of said contact member and the closest neighbouring contact member. In this embodiment, the contact members are preferably grouped into two pairs of contact members, wherein each contact member has its minimum insulation distance with a contact member of the other pair of contact members.
The contact member carrier may, in particular, be made of a plastic with a high insulation resistance. Preferably, the high insulation resistance is greater or equal to 1014 Ω/cm. This allows to obtain the desired electrical properties even at small insulation radii such as radii between 1 and 2 mm. Preferably, the plastic is injection mouldable. This facilitates the production of the connector element. Preferably, the plastic has a water absorption of less or equal to 0.4% and can be used at temperatures between −40° C. and +85° C. With these properties, the connector element can be used reliably in a surrounding where it might get wet and at all temperatures at which sensors and chains transmitting signals from these sensors are typically used. Preferably, the plastic is therefore one of the following: PBT, PEEK, PPE, PPS, LCP or a fluoroplastic such as PCTFE, PVDF, ECTFE, ETFE, PFA or FEP.
It is noted that within the framework of the present disclosure the use of the indefinite article “a” or “an” does in no way stipulate a singularity nor does it exclude the presence of a multitude of the named member or feature. It is thus to be read in the sense of “at least one” or “one or a multitude of”.
It is moreover noted that in the context of the present application the terms “bordering” and “adjacent” as well as “bordering” and “adjacent to” are considered as synonyms.
The contact members may in exemplary embodiments be arranged on the corners of a tetragon, wherein the tetragon has at least two parallel sides. The parallel sides of the tetragon extend at least between the contact members of each of the groups of contact members. The corners of the tetragon may for instance be the centerpoints of the contact members or the border points of the contact members where they are closest to either a neighboring contact member in the same group of contact members or a neighboring contact member in the other group of contact members. In another aspect, common tangents of any two neighboring contact members on a side of the contact members facing the two other contact members may be considered. The thus defined four tangents may form a tetragon with at least two parallel sides, wherein at least the tangents of the two groups of contact members having the greater distance to each other are parallel. In particular, said tetragon may be a rectangle, which has one group of shorter sides and one group of longer sides.
In a preferred embodiment, the smaller distance between the at least two parallel sides is between 1 mm and 1.2 mm, more preferably between 1.05 mm and 1.1 mm. In another preferred embodiment, the smaller distance between the at least two parallel sides is between 1.6 mm and 1.95 mm, more preferably 1.65 mm and 1.8 mm. These specific choices allow to arrange a printed circuit board (PCB) between projecting sections of the contact members. As will be explained in the following, using projecting sections of the contact members to support the PCB facilitates connecting a PCB to the connector element and makes the connection more robust.
In further exemplary embodiments, the contact members extend axially through the contact member carrier and project on the back side of the contact member carrier with projecting sections of the contact members. The projecting sections of each pair of contact members have common tangents, wherein the common tangent of the projecting sections of the first group of contact members on a side facing the projecting sections of the second group of contact members is parallel to the common tangent of the projecting sections of the second group of contact members facing the projecting sections of the first group of contact members. A clear space is provided between the projecting sections of the first group of contact members and the projecting sections of the second group of contact members. In aspects, common tangents of any two neighboring projecting sections of contact members on a side of the projecting sections facing the two other projecting sections of contact members may be considered. The thus defined four tangents may form a tetragon with at least two parallel sides, wherein at least the tangents of the two groups of contact members having the greater distance to each other and/or of the two groups of projecting sections having the greater distance to each other are parallel.
A recess may be provided on the back side of the contact member carrier between the projecting sections of the first group of contact members and the projecting sections of the second group of contact members. The recess may be dimensioned to receive remains on an end of the printed circuit board. Thus, the printed circuit board can be attached flush with the back side of the contact member carrier, even if it has manufacturing tolerances.
Further, the contact member carrier may in embodiments comprise at least one of collars extending from the back side and surrounding the projecting sections of the contact members projecting from the back face along a part of their longitudinal extents, and/or recesses surrounding the projecting sections of the contact members. These features may serve to further increase the creepage distance for electrical currents and thus reduce such creeping currents between neighbouring contact members on the back side of the contact member carrier.
The contact members may, in particular, be provided as, while not limited to, rods or spring contact.
In other embodiments, the contact members extend axially through the contact member carrier and project on the back side of the contact member carrier with projecting soldering lugs. The contact members may be provided as spring contacts with a soldering lug on a back end. The spring contacts may be gold-plated to protect them from corrosion and to ensure low contact resistance. The spring contacts may be placed in a plastic receptacle shell of the contact member carrier and be kept in place by a contact holder secured to the back side of the contact member carrier and holding the spring contacts in place, while the soldering lugs extend through the contact holder and project from the back of the contact member carrier. There may be hooks on the outer diameter of the contact member carrier and adjacent the back end of the contact member carrier onto which the contact holder may be snapped. The contact member carrier and/or the contact holder may in particular be made of a plastic with a high insulation resistance. In further, more particular embodiments, a coding structure may be provided on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier, for instance on a peg or inside a socket. These embodiments are outlined in more detail below. Thus, the contact member carrier has a circumferential reference position. The contact member carrier and the contact holder may also comprise interacting coding structures such that the contact holder can only be attached to the contact member carrier in one orientation relative to the circumferential reference position. On the back of the contact holder the contacts extending therethrough may be marked to make correct wiring easier. It is thus facilitated to connect each wire attached to a soldering lug to a contact member having a specific circumferential position in or on the contact member carrier.
As noted above, a coding structure may be provided on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier. Said coding structure comprises at least one of a projection on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier and/or an axially extending groove in the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier. The coding structure provides for an asymmetry of the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier in the circumferential direction and defines a circumferential reference position of the contact member carrier.
In exemplary embodiments, the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier is cylindrical.
In embodiments of the connector element, the contact member carrier may comprise a peg, wherein the circumferentially extending contact surface of the contact member carrier is provided on the lateral outer circumferential surface of the peg. The peg is preferably a cylindrical protrusion of the contact member carrier. It is preferably the peg of the connector element which is dimensioned and intended to be at least partially inserted in a socket comprising a complementary formed contact surface.
In other embodiments, however, the contact member carrier may comprise a socket having an axially extending wall limiting the socket and forming the circumferentially extending contact surface.
It may further be provided that the connector element, on its back side, i.e., opposite the front side, comprises at least one alignment structure configured and adapted for receiving and aligning a printed circuit board. The at least one alignment structure comprises at least one axially—in relation to the connector element—extending support notch formed in the at least one alignment structure. The at least one support notch is configured to receive a printed circuit board when the printed circuit board is advanced into the at least one support notch along the axial direction of the connector element, while the two faces of the printed circuit board extend in an axial direction of the connector element and in a radial direction of the connector element. The at least one support notch is in particular configured such that a printed circuit board received in the support notch is placed in the clear space between the projecting sections of the two groups of contact members. A first one of the at least one support notch extends radially to a greater extent than a further support notch on a radially opposite side of the connector element. In a preferred embodiment, there is no such further support notch. Thereby, the alignment structure is asymmetric in the axially extending plane between the two groups of contact members with respect to the axial direction of the connector element. In a preferred embodiment, the first one of the at least one support notch extends radially entirely through one of the at least one alignment structure while an alignment structure wall on a side of the connector element radially opposite said first one of the at least one support notch is closed on a radially outer side. The printed circuit board, when installed, is aligned and/or supported in the radial direction by the alignment structure wall. Further, it is enabled to install the printed circuit board off-centric with respect to the connector member or contact member carrier, respectively, i.e., laterally offset. This has the advantage that the pattern of circuit paths on a PCB to be mounted to the connector element and the projecting sections of the contact members can be chosen such that they only match if the PCB is arranged in a desired orientation with respect to the connector element. This facilitates the production of electronic devices and reduces errors. A further support notch in the form of a support groove may in embodiments be formed on a radial inner side of one of the at least one alignment structure and be closed on a radially outer side, wherein a connection line between the two support notches extends in an axially and radially extending plane between the two groups of contact members.
In a connector element comprising a peg, as set forth above, it may be provided that the peg extends from a cylindrical section of the connector element having a larger cross-sectional dimension than the peg. Said cylindrical section may for instance be part of the contact member carrier. The cylindrical section comprises at least one circumferential groove on its outer diameter, wherein the circumferential groove is configured to receive an O-ring therein, for sealing purposes, as outlined in more detail below.
In further embodiments of the connector element, a locking sleeve is revolvably and axially mobile, for instance between two axial end stops, received on the connector element. The locking sleeve may in particular be configured for a bayonet lock. A counterpart structure configured to interlock with the locking sleeve, in particular in a form lock relationship, is provided on the outside of an element comprising a counterpart connector element. The counterpart structure may for an instance be provided on the outside of an electronic device comprising the counterpart connector element configured for making connection with the connector element comprising the locking sleeve. Bayonet locks yield the advantage of being easier to clean than threads, and moreover locking and unlocking is facilitated when compared to a pair of threads. In addition, the Bayonet lock according to the invention avoids a rotation of the connector element and the counterpart connector element with respect to each other. This has the advantage that the elements in the chain transmitting signals which are connected with the connector element and its counterpart can remain in their respective holders while the connection is established.
In another aspect, there is disclosed an electronic device comprising a connector element and a printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is received in the clear space between the projecting sections of the first group of contact members and the projecting sections of the second group of contact members, and the projecting sections of the contact members are soldered directly to conductor paths of the printed circuit board. For instance, the clear space defined between the projection sections of the two groups of contact members and measured between the facing tangents of the projection sections of the two groups of contact members may be more than or equal to one times the thickness of the printed circuit board and smaller than or equal to 1.2 times the thickness of the printed circuit board, and may in even more particular embodiments be more than or equal to 1.05 times the thickness of the printed circuit board and smaller than or equal to 1.1 times the thickness of the printed circuit board. Preferably, the PCB has a thickness of 1 mm. This allows to miniaturize the electronic device while still ensuring that the distances are sufficient to reduce creeping currents and ensuring the mechanical stability of the PCB.
A housing may be provided which encases the printed circuit board and at least a part of the connector element, wherein an O-ring sealing is provided between the connector element and the housing. Preferably, the housing is cylindrical with an outer diameter of less or equal 1.5, preferably less or equal to 1.25 times and most preferably greater or equal to 1 times, the diameter of the shaft of a sensor which forms the electronic device or to which the electronic device is intended to be mounted. Preferable, the housing is cylindrical with an outer diameter of less or equal to 18 mm, preferably less or equal to 15 mm and most preferable greater or equal to 12 mm. Sensors, such as pH-sensors, conductivity sensors, ion-selective electrodes to measure ion concentrations, sensors to determine dissolved oxygen, turbidity and/or oxidation reduction potential comprise typically a shaft with a diameter of 12 mm. A housing with an outer diameter which is equal to or slightly greater than the sensor shaft ensures that the combination of sensor shaft and electronic device is handy and convenient to store and to mount. The housing with such dimensions does not distract the view on the sensor shaft and allows the use of sensor holding devices designed for sensors without an electronic device according to the invention.
In still a further aspect, a system is provided which contains a first connector element comprising a peg, wherein the contact members are provided on the circumferentially and axially extending surface of the peg, and a second connector member comprising a socket, wherein the contact members are provided on a wall radially limiting the socket. The peg has an outer axially extending surface forming the circumferentially extending contact surface of the first connector element, on which the contact members of the first connector element are provided and accessible, and the socket has an axially extending surface being the radially outer boundary of the socket and forming the circumferentially extending contact surface of the second connector element on which the contact members of the second connector element are provided and accessible. The socket and the peg are complementary to each other such that the peg is configured to be received inside the socket, whereby, when the peg is received inside the socket, at least one contact member on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the peg and a contact member on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the socket make electric contact with each other. More particular and more commonly, it may be provided that each contact member on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the peg makes electric contact with a contact member on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the socket and vice versa. In particular instances, the first connector element comprising the peg may be attached to a sensor, thus forming an assembly with the sensor, may be part of a sensor head, or may be part of a sensor assembly comprising a sensor and a sensor head, and is configured to transmit data originating from the sensor to the second connector member comprising the socket. The sensor head may comprise electronics for processing data from the sensor, and may comprise, for one specific instance, an analog-digital converter. In this specific instance, matching contact members of one group of contact members may transmit digitized signals originating from the sensor to the second connector member comprising a socket and matching contact members of the second group of contact members may transmit power form the connector member comprising a socket to the first connector member comprising a peg. The sensor may for instance be a sensor for pH measurements, a conductivity sensor, an ion-selective electrode to measure ion concentrations, a sensor to determine dissolved oxygen, turbidity and/or oxidation reduction potential. As the peg is easier to clean than the socket and as the sensor is typically more exposed and therefore more likely to be soiled, it is preferably the connector element comprising the peg which is mounted to the sensor.
It may further be the case that, in a system as mentioned above, a coding key is provided on the circumferentially extending contact surface of one of the peg and the socket and an axially extending slot is provided on the circumferentially extending contact surface of the other one of the peg and the socket. The axially extending slot is configured to receive the coding key when the peg is received within the socket, wherein the coding key and the axially extending coding slot are arranged and configured such that the peg can only be received within the socket in one relative circumferential orientation, in particular about their axial centrelines. It is found beneficial if the two connector members can only be matched in this one relative position, because wrong connection of contact members of the two connector elements is prevented.
In another aspect, disclosed is a signal transmission device comprising a connector element in which the contact members comprise a soldering lug projecting from the back face of the contact member carrier and a signal cable having at least four wires. At least one wire is connected to each of the soldering lugs, and a sealing sleeve is placed over the cable in a sealing relationship and covering the back side of the contact member carrier and the soldering lugs and is configured to provide at least liquid-proof sealing of the inner space including the soldering lugs.
Still further disclosed is a method for assembling an electronic device according to any of the type outlined above. The method comprises providing a connector element having a peg extending from a cylindrical section having a larger cross-sectional dimension than the peg, wherein the cylindrical section comprises at least one circumferential groove on its outer diameter, wherein the circumferential groove is configured to receive an O-ring therein; providing a printed circuit board and placing a first end of the printed circuit board in the clear space between the projecting sections of the first group of contact members and the projecting sections of the second group of contact members, providing a housing comprising a cylindrical inner diameter dimensioned to achieve sealing with the O-ring provided on the connector element, directly soldering the projecting sections of the first group of contact members to respective conductor paths provided on a first side at the first end of the printed circuit board and directly soldering the projecting sections of the second group of contact members to respective conductor paths provided on a second side at a first end of the printed circuit board, connecting one of a pluggable connector or a sensor to a second end of the printed circuit board opposite the first end of the printed circuit board, said one of the pluggable connector or sensor comprising a radially extending structure configured as an end stop for the housing, and axially displacing the housing over the connector element towards one of the pluggable connector or sensor until the housing engages the end stop.
It is understood that the features and embodiments disclosed above may be combined with each other. It will further be appreciated that further embodiments are conceivable within the scope of the present disclosure and the claimed subject matter which are obvious and apparent to the skilled person by virtue of the present disclosure.
The subject matter of the present disclosure is now to be explained in more detail by means of selected exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It is understood that the drawings are highly schematic, and details not required for instruction purposes may have been omitted for the ease of understanding and depiction. It is further understood that the drawings show only selected, illustrative embodiments, and embodiments not shown may still be well within the scope of the herein disclosed and/or claimed subject matter.
The figures show:
Further, an O-ring 114 is received in a circumferential notch of a further cylindrical section of contact member carrier 11, wherein the diameter of the further cylindrical section is larger than the diameter of peg 112. The purpose and use of O-ring 114 is outlined in more detail below.
The arrangement of contact members on the circumferential surface of a peg yields various advantages, which include easy cleaning of the contact members, while other beneficial effects may be apparent by virtue of the present description or may otherwise be conceived by the skilled person.
Contact member 111a, for an instance, has a smallest insulation distance with contact member 111c, while it has a larger insulation distance with contact member 111b and still a larger insulation distance with contact member 111d. Contact member 111b has a smallest insulation distance with contact member 111d, while it has a larger insulation distance with contact member 111a and still a larger insulation distance with contact member 111c. Contact member 111c has a smallest insulation distance with contact member 111 a, while it has a larger insulation distance with contact member 111d and still a larger insulation distance with contact member 111b. Contact member 111d has a smallest insulation distance with contact member 111b, while it has a larger insulation distance with contact member 111c and still a larger insulation distance with contact member 111a.
Further, the contact members may be grouped into two groups of contact members. For instance, any two contact members located on the edge of one longer side of the rectangle may be considered one pair or group of contact members. That is, contact members 111a and contact member 111b form one pair or group of contact members, while contact members 111c and 111d form another pair or group of contact members.
It can then be said that each contact member has its smallest insulation distance with a contact member of the other group of contact members. This smallest insulation distance, i.e., the smallest one of the insulation distances of a given contact member to all other contact members, is referred to as the insulation radius of said contact member or “minimum insulation distance”. The insulation distance between two contact members is measured as the minimum clearance between the outer boundaries of two contact members. The insulation radius of a given contact member is measured as the minimum clearance between the outer boundaries of said contact member and its closest neighbouring contact member.
The specific arrangement of the contact members yield the effect that signals transmitted through contact member 111a are less sensitive to interferences from contact member 111b than to interferences from contact member 111c, signals transmitted through contact member 111b are less sensitive to interferences from contact member 111a than to interferences from contact member 111d, signals transmitted through contact member 111c are less sensitive to interferences from contact member 111d than to interferences from contact member 111a and signals transmitted through contact member 111d are less sensitive to interferences from contact member 111c than to interferences from contact member 111b.
Annular recesses 117 are formed on the back side of contact member carrier 11 around the projecting sections of the contact members. These annular recesses 117 serve to increase the distance between the projecting sections of the contact members when measured along the surface of contact member carrier 11, thus decreasing creeping currents between the individual projecting sections along the contact member carrier.
Further, for the purpose of attaching connecting member 1 to a printed circuit board, or vice versa, contact member carrier 11 comprises on its backside alignment structures 119 and 120. While alignment structure 119 is continuous, support notch 120a is provided within alignment structure 120. Support notch 120a extends radially through alignment structure 120, essentially subdividing alignment structure 120. The width of support notch 120a is dimensioned such that the printed circuit board can be received within support notch 120a. Support notch 120a is further located on a radial extension of the clear space between the projecting sections 116a and 116b of the first group of contact members and the projecting sections 116c and 116d of the second group of contact members. A printed circuit board may thus be received in the clear space between the projecting sections and inside support notch 120a, and be supported in a circumferential direction and against falling over by the adjacent sections of alignment structure 120 and by the projecting sections of the contact members, and is further radially aligned by alignment structure 119.
Moreover, as can be seen in
It was outlined above, in connection with
It shall be noted that it may also be possible that a connector element comprising the socket may be provided with contact members extending through the contact member carrier and projecting from the back side of the contact member carrier with projecting sections, thus being configured to be directly connected to the printed circuit board. Likewise, the connector element having the peg may be provided with contact members having soldering lugs and may be configured to be connected to the cable of the transmission device.
While the subject matter of the disclosure has been explained by means of exemplary embodiments, it is understood that these are in no way intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. It will be appreciated that the claims cover embodiments not explicitly shown or disclosed herein, and embodiments deviating from those disclosed in the exemplary modes of carrying out the teaching of the present disclosure will still be covered by the claims.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22214298.6 | Dec 2022 | EP | regional |
