Patent Application
20170288341
The invention relates to a housing for connecting to a plug connector part.
A housing of this kind comprises an insertion opening into which the plug connector part can be inserted in an insertion direction. The insertion opening is surrounded by a wall, which can be, for example, cylindrical or can have a different shape, and which defines the insertion opening. A coding apparatus is also provided that comprises at least one coding protrusion which protrudes inwards from the wall into the insertion opening transversely to the insertion direction. The coding apparatus is designed to allow the plug connector part to be inserted into the insertion opening in a predetermined angular position about the insertion direction.
The coding apparatus ensures that the plug connector part can only be inserted into the insertion opening in one or more separate, predefined angular positions. Corresponding protrusions and/or grooves are provided on the plug connector part and can be brought into operative connection, with an interlocking fit, to the at least one coding protrusion of the coding apparatus such that the plug connector part can only be inserted into the insertion opening in the one or more predefined angular positions and, additionally, when in the inserted state, the plug connector part is held in its angular position relative to the insertion opening.
The housing can, for example, be a component of an electrical device. An electrical cable, for example, can be connected to the electrical device by means of the plug connector part that can be inserted into the insertion opening, and therefore electrical signals, for example data signals, or an electric power supply can be transmitted by means of the plug-in connector provided by the housing and the plug connector part.
A housing of this type that can be connected to one or more plug connector parts by means of a plug-in connection can be used, for example, in wind turbines or in other electrical devices that are subjected to varying environmental conditions, for example varying temperatures, during operation. In this respect, a shielding plate and a printed circuit board can be connected to the housing, for example, to which shielding plate and printed circuit board the plug connector part is connected when inserted into the insertion opening.
While the housing is made of plastics material for example, a shielding plate is expediently made from metal, for example. This can result in the material of the housing and the material of the shielding plate having significantly different thermal expansion coefficients, which may result in the housing and the shielding plate expanding or shrinking to different extents under changing environmental conditions. In turn, this can result in quite considerable forces acting on the plug connector parts inserted into the insertion openings in the housing, which forces are caused by changes in position between the shielding plate and the housing under changing environmental conditions, for example as a result of a changing ambient temperature.
DE 20 2010 015 623 U1 discloses a trailer connector for a vehicle, in which receiving channels for plug-in contacts are formed on a connector housing.
DE 43 43 209 A1 discloses a supply connector comprising a housing. The supply connector can be used, for example, to charge an electric vehicle.
An aspect of the invention provides a housing for connection to a plug connector part, the housing comprising: an insertion opening into which the plug connector part can be inserted in an insertion direction; a wall surrounding the insertion opening; and a coding apparatus including a coding protrusion which protrudes inwards from the wall into the insertion opening transversely to the insertion direction. The coding protrusion is configured to allow the plug connector part to be inserted into the insertion opening in a predetermined angular position about the insertion direction. The wall includes a first wall portion and a second wall portion, axially adjoining the first wall portion in the insertion direction. The second wall portion is offset from the first wall portion towards the outside in a direction transverse to the insertion direction.
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. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations in embodiments of the invention. The 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:
An aspect of the present invention provides a housing for use with a plug connector part, an electrical device comprising a housing of this kind, and an assembly comprising a housing and a plug connector part, which housing, electrical device and assembly can be used even in environments where environmental conditions change significantly and temperatures vary, and provide a secure, reliable and rigid connection between a plug connector part and a housing.
Therefore, in the housing, the wall comprises a first wall portion and a second wall portion which adjoins the first wall portion axially in the insertion direction, the second wall portion being offset from the first wall portion towards the outside in a direction transverse to the insertion direction.
The second wall portion being offset from the first wall portion towards the outside is understood to mean that, when viewed from inside the insertion opening, the second wall portion is offset from the first wall portion towards the rear. If the wall is substantially cylindrical, the second wall portion is radially offset towards the outside. Therefore, the insertion opening is wider in the region of the second wall portion than in the region of the first wall portion.
In particular, the insertion opening has a first opening width at the first wall portion and a second opening width at the second wall portion that is larger than the first opening width, as measured in a direction transverse to the insertion direction.
An aspect of the present invention provides, on an insertion opening in a housing into which a plug connector part can be inserted, a wall portion that has a larger opening width than another wall portion of the insertion opening. In this respect, the first opening width of the first wall portion can be adapted to an insertion head of the plug connector part that is to be inserted into the insertion opening, such that the opening width at the first wall portion substantially corresponds to the external diameter of the insertion head (comprising coding protrusions that may be arranged thereon).
The first wall portion is in front of the second wall portion when viewed in the insertion direction, and therefore, when being inserted, the plug connector part is first introduced into the insertion opening, with an approximately exact fit, in the region of the first wall portion. In this process, one or more coding protrusions of the coding apparatus of the insertion opening may fit perfectly with corresponding coding elements on the insertion head of the plug connector part, and therefore the plug connector part is inserted into the insertion opening in a defined angular position.
When fully inserted, the insertion head of the plug connector part, preferably in particular together with coding elements arranged thereon, comes to be positioned in the region of the second wall portion which has an increased opening width. Owing to the second wall portion being offset towards the outside, this does not result in the plug connector part being secured in the insertion opening with an exact fit when fully inserted; instead, there is (slight) clearance relative to the wall of the insertion opening in this fully inserted state.
Owing to the clearance between the wall of the insertion opening and the insertion head of the plug connector part inserted therein, the insertion head is able to move (slightly) in the insertion opening during operation. If, during operation, changing environmental conditions cause a change in the position between, for example, a shielding plate, to which the plug connector part is connected when inserted, and the housing as a result of the shielding plate and the housing expanding to different extents, for example, due to changes in temperature, this change in position can be compensated for by the plug connector part moving in the insertion opening in the housing, without this producing (excessive) forces between the plug connector part and the housing or the shielding plate.
Therefore, as a result of the different opening widths at the different wall portions, effects resulting from the different materials of the shielding plate and the housing, for example, having different thermal expansion coefficients can be compensated for.
In an advantageous embodiment, the wall is, for example, substantially cylindrical at the first wall portion and at the second wall portion thereof. In this case, the first opening width corresponds to the diameter of the insertion opening at the first wall portion, whereas the second opening width corresponds to the diameter of the insertion opening at the second wall portion. In this case, the first diameter at the first wall portion is smaller than the second diameter at the second wall portion, and therefore the insertion opening widens towards the second wall portion.
The coding apparatus comprises at least one, preferably a plurality of, coding protrusions which protrude inwards from the wall and are shaped such that they define, together with the plug connector part, one or more defined angular positions in which the plug connector part can be inserted into the insertion opening. The at least one coding protrusion preferably extends in the insertion direction to the wall of the insertion opening, it being possible, in an advantageous embodiment, for the coding protrusion to extend substantially to the second wall portion.
In this case, the at least one coding protrusion can preferably extend over the entire height of the second wall portion, as measured in the insertion direction.
Two or more coding protrusions are advantageously provided that together form the coding apparatus. In this case, a coding groove is formed between every two coding protrusions, which groove extends longitudinally in the insertion direction and into which an associated coding protrusion on the insertion head of the plug connector part can be pushed, which protrusion is in the form of an elongate coding rib for example. In an inserted state, the coding protrusion of the plug connector part is positioned in the associated coding groove of the housing such that, as a result of this, the angular position of the plug connector part is fixed relative to the housing.
A coding groove formed between two coding protrusions preferably comprises, on the inlet side, an entry point, the width of which, as measured in the circumferential direction about the insertion direction, is smaller than the width of the coding groove adjoining the entry point. When a plug connector part is inserted into the insertion opening, this results in coding elements on the insertion head of the plug connector part initially fitting perfectly with the entry points of associated coding grooves, and thus, during insertion, a precisely defined angular position is initially assumed. Upon further insertion, the coding elements on the insertion head of the plug connector part reach the region of the coding grooves and are subsequently positioned, with clearance, in the associated coding grooves after having passed an associated entry point.
This thus creates clearance between the inserted plug connector part and the wall of the housing opening, in both the transverse direction and the circumferential direction, and therefore, when fully inserted, the plug connector part can move, at least slightly, in the associated insertion opening.
In an advantageous embodiment, the entry point is arranged on the first wall portion. Therefore, when coding elements on the insertion head of the plug connector part reach the region of the entry point, the insertion head is inserted, with an exact fit, into the insertion opening in a defined angular position until the fully inserted position is reached, once said coding elements have passed the entry points.
A plurality of coding grooves of the coding apparatus are preferably offset from one another on the wall of the insertion opening in the circumferential direction about the insertion direction. In this respect, the coding grooves can differ from one another particularly with respect to their widths as measured in the circumferential direction. Additionally or alternatively, the angular spacings between the grooves can also differ. As a result, it is possible to predetermine precisely one angular position in which a plug connector part can be inserted into an associated insertion opening in the housing.
If the coding grooves are formed on the second wall portion, the opening width at the second wall portion can be measured in particular between (approximately) opposite coding grooves. The opening width at the second wall portion is thus measured between the bases of opposite coding grooves.
An electrical device preferably comprises a housing of the above-described type and a shielding plate, which extends in a plane transverse to the insertion direction, is connected to the wall of the housing and adjoins the wall when viewed in the insertion direction. The housing can be made of plastics material for example, while the shielding plate is made of a metal material, for example steel or copper. Accordingly, the housing and the shielding plate may have significantly different thermal expansion coefficients, and this can result in the shielding plate and the housing expanding or shrinking to different extents during operation under changing environmental conditions, in particular at changing temperatures.
The shielding plate preferably defines the insertion opening in the housing in the insertion direction. The shielding plate thus forms a rear wall of the insertion opening and thus defines the depth of the insertion opening. One or more engagement openings are made in the shielding plate, in which openings one or more latch elements of the plug connector part can engage in a latching manner. Therefore, by means of the shielding plate, the plug connector part can be locked in the insertion opening in a latching manner, and therefore, once the plug connector part has been inserted into the insertion opening, the plug connector part cannot readily be removed from the insertion opening, at least not without releasing the latched connection.
The insertion opening in the housing functions as a mating plug connector part for the plug connector part and creates a socket into which the plug connector part can be inserted in order to establish an electrical connection, for example. For this purpose, a contact pin comprising one or more electric contacts can be arranged on the shielding plate. The contact pin extends in the insertion direction from the shielding plate into the insertion opening and, when the plug connector part is inserted into the insertion opening, connects to an associated contact part of the plug connector part, and therefore, when the plug connector part is inserted, contacts of the contact pin are electrically contacted to contacts of the contact part of the plug connector part on sides of the housing.
The electrical device can be a component of a wind turbine, for example, or of another electrical installation. The electrical device can comprise, for example, an electronic part that comprises a printed circuit board and electrical and electronic components arranged thereon. The printed circuit board is preferably arranged at a spacing (of greater than zero) from the shielding plate and is located behind the shielding plate, when viewed in the insertion direction, such that the shielding plate shields the printed circuit board towards the outside. The shielding plate is used in particular for electromagnetic shielding and suppresses the immission of electromagnetic interfering signals to the printed circuit board and/or the emission of electromagnetic interfering signals from the electrical device.
An assembly comprises a housing or an electrical device of the above-described type and additionally one or more plug connector parts that can be brought into plugged engagement with one or more insertion openings in the housing. A plurality of insertion openings, for example, can be provided in the housing for connection to a plurality of plug connector parts, it being possible for the insertion openings to be provided in the housing in an ordered manner (for example in an arrangement having several lines of insertion openings).
Each plug connector part comprises an insertion head, at least one coding rib preferably being arranged on the insertion head, extending in the insertion direction and being able to be brought into engagement with a coding groove on the insertion opening. The coding rib which engages in an associated coding groove thus makes it possible for the plug connector part to only be inserted into an associated insertion opening in one or more angular positions. When inserted, the plug connector part is held in its angular position by means of the coding rib positioned in the associated coding groove.
The coding rib preferably extends longitudinally on the insertion head of the plug connector part in the insertion direction over an extension length. In this case, the extension length of the coding rib is preferably no larger than the height of the associated coding groove (likewise measured in the extension direction). If the coding groove is formed on the second wall portion of the insertion opening in the housing, when the plug connector part is fully inserted, the coding rib on the insertion head of the plug connector part comes to be positioned entirely in the region of the second wall portion and the coding groove arranged thereon, and thus, owing to the increased opening width in the region of the second wall portion, there is clearance between the insertion head and the wall of the insertion opening. This makes it possible to compensate for changes in the position of the plug connector part relative to the housing, if, for example, the shielding plate and the housing expand to different extents under changing environmental conditions.
The length of the at least one coding rib is preferably shorter than the overall length of the insertion head (when viewed in the insertion direction). Therefore, the coding rib only extends over part of the insertion head.
The plug connector part preferably comprises at least one latch element which is arranged on a plug-in assembly and can be brought into latching engagement with the housing. The latch element can, for example, comprise one or more spring arms on each of which a latching lug is formed for latched connection to an associated engagement opening in the housing or shielding plate.
In an advantageous embodiment, the plug connector part can constitute what is referred to as a “push-pull” plug-in connector, for example, which comprises a plug-in assembly, which also comprises the latch element, and an adjustment part which can be adjusted relative to the plug-in assembly and is in the form of a sliding sleeve or the like. In order to establish the plugged connection between the plug connector part and the housing, the plug connector part can be inserted into an associated insertion opening in the insertion direction, the latch element coming into latching engagement with the housing or the shielding plate. In order to release the connection between the plug connector part and the housing, the adjustment part is actuated and acts on the latch element when actuated such that the latched connection between the latch element and the housing or the shielding plate is released and the plug connector part can therefore be removed from the insertion opening counter to the insertion direction. Such a plug-in connector operating according to the “push-pull” principle allows the plug connector part to be inserted in a simple manner with a secure and reliable connection and additionally allows the connection to be released in a simple manner by actuating the adjustment part.
As can be seen in
As can be seen in
As can be seen in
While the housing 2 can be made of plastics material for example, the shielding plate 3 is preferably made of a metal, for example copper or steel. The shielding plate 3 is used to electromagnetically shield components of the electrical device 1 from the external environment outside the electrical device 1.
The shielding plate 3 comprises a central opening 31 through which a contact pin 4 passes. The contact pin 4 is substantially cylindrical and carries a plurality of contacts 40 that can be electrically contacted with associated contacts of a contact part 81 (see
The contact pin 4 is connected to a printed circuit board 5 via fastening points 51. The printed circuit board 5 has contact points 50 which are associated with the contacts 40 of the contact pin 4 and are used to electrically contact the contacts 40 on sides of the printed circuit board 5. Cable cores, for example, can be guided through the contact points 50. Alternatively, an electrical connection, for example a scarf joint, can be established at the contact points 50.
As can be seen in
As can be seen in
The wall 22 which defines the insertion opening 20 is formed by two different wall portions 220, 221. In this case, a second wall portion 221 axially adjoins a first wall portion 220 in the insertion direction E, has a diameter D2 that is larger than the diameter D1 of the first wall portion 220 and thus has a larger opening width, as can be seen in the sectional view according to
As can be seen in
In this case, the coding protrusions 240 extend over the height H1 of the second wall portion 221, and therefore the coding grooves 241-244 are formed on the second wall portion 221.
An entry point 245 for each coding groove 241-244 is located at the transition between the first wall portion 220 and the second wall portion 221, but still on the first wall portion 220, and represents the entrance into the particular coding groove 241-244, through which entry point an associated coding rib 701-704 on the insertion head 70 has to be pushed when the plug connector part 6 is being inserted. As can be seen in particular in
As a result of the second wall portion 221 having a larger diameter D2 than the first wall portion 220 in the region of the coding grooves 241-244 arranged on said second wall portion, when the plug connector part 6 is fully inserted, i.e. when the insertion head 70 of the plug connector part 6 is fully inserted into the insertion opening 20, there is clearance between the insertion head 70 and the wall 22 of the insertion opening 20. The coding ribs 701-704 extend on the insertion head 70 over a length L2 (see
This makes it possible, for example, to compensate for a change in position between the shielding plate 3 and the housing 2 which occurs under changing environmental conditions, for example at changing temperature conditions, by the insertion head 70 of the plug connector part 6 being able to move (slightly) in the associated insertion opening 20.
If there is a change in temperature, the shielding plate 3 generally expands (or shrinks) in a different manner to the housing 2 if the material of the shielding plate 3 and the material of the housing 2 have different thermal expansion coefficients. Since the latch lugs 903 of the plug connector part 6 engage in the shielding plate 3 in a latching manner, the position of the plug connector part 6 together with the shielding plate 3 changes, and therefore the plug connector part 6 may change position relative to the housing 2. This is possible in the region of the clearance between the insertion head 70 and the insertion opening 20, without this producing (excessive) forces between the plug connector part 6 and the housing 2.
The axial length L1 of the insertion head 70 substantially corresponds to the overall height H of the insertion opening 20 (cf.
When the plug connector part 6 is being inserted into an associated insertion opening 20, the insertion head 70, together with the coding ribs 701-704 arranged thereon, is first inserted into the first wall portion 220. The plug connector part 6 can then be brought into the correct, defined angular position in which the coding ribs 701-704 fit with the entry points 245 on the inlet side of the coding grooves 241-244.
Owing to the reduced width W1 at the entry points 245 by comparison with the coding grooves 241-244, the coding ribs 701-704 are, in this case, in the (at least approximately) exact angular position, and therefore the insertion head 70 is inserted with an exact fit.
Upon further insertion, the coding ribs 701-704 are pushed into the associated coding grooves 241-244 until the coding ribs 701-704 come to be positioned entirely in the region of the coding grooves 241-244 when the insertion head 70 is fully inserted. Since the coding ribs 701-704 have, in that case, passed the entry points 245 and are thus no longer positioned in the region of the entry points 245, there is clearance between the coding ribs 701-704 and the coding grooves 241-244 and thus, overall, there is clearance between the insertion head 70 and the wall 22 of the insertion opening 20.
The plug connector part 6 is designed in accordance with the “push-pull principle” and comprises a plug-in assembly 9 on which an adjustment part 7 in the form of a sliding sleeve is arranged so as to be slidable in the insertion direction E. As can be seen in the exploded view according to
The latch element 90 is arranged on a contact part 81 and the spring arms 902 of which latch element engage over the contact part 81. When the plug connector part 6 is assembled, the shaft 900 comes to be positioned in the region of freely extending cable cores 80 between the contact part 81 and a coated cable 8 and covers these cable cores 80 on their free path of extension between the contact part 81 and the coated cable 8.
A housing part 91 is arranged on the shaft 900, covers the shaft 900 and comprises guide ribs 912 along which the adjustment part 7 is slidably guided. The housing part 91 forms a sleeve 910 which receives the shaft 900 therein and joins to a collar 901 of the shaft 900 by means of a collar 911. An attachment piece 913 which extends at an angle to the sleeve 910 defines a bend in the cable 8 on the plug connector part 6 (see for example
The adjustment part 7 forms the insertion head 70 comprising the coding ribs 701-704 arranged thereon.
Whereas, in this case, the coding ribs 701, 703 extend longitudinally on the insertion head 70 over the length L2 which corresponds to the height H1 of the coding grooves 241-244, the coding ribs 702, 704 comprise a coding head 705 and an elongate portion 706 which adjoins thereto (see
The adjustment part 7 is resiliently preloaded with respect to the plug-in assembly 9 by means of spring elements 92, and therefore, once the adjustment part 7 has been actuated counter to the insertion direction E, the adjustment part 7 automatically returns to its starting position.
In order to connect the plug connector part 6 to the electrical device 1, the plug connector part 6 is inserted, by the insertion head 70, into an insertion opening 20 in the housing 2 in the insertion direction E, until the insertion head 70 comes to be positioned entirely in the insertion opening 20. In this inserted state, contacts 810 of the contact part 81 are electrically contacted with contacts 40 of the contact pin 4 on sides of the electrical device 1. Furthermore, the latch lugs 903 engage in the engagement openings 30 in the shielding plate 3, and therefore a latched connection is established between the plug connector part 6 and the shielding plate 3.
In order to release the plug connector part 6 from the electrical device 1, the adjustment part 7 is moved relative to the plug-in assembly 9 counter to the insertion direction E by a user pulling, for example, on an actuation part 71 of the adjustment part 7 that adjoins the insertion head 70. As a result, the adjustment part 7 strikes chamfers 904 on the spring arms 902 of the latch element 90 (the spring arms 902 come to be positioned in the region of the insertion head 70 when the plug connector part 6 is assembled, inside which insertion head suitable actuation elements are provided for acting on the chamfers 904). As a result, the spring arms 902, together with the latch lugs 903 arranged thereon, are pressed towards the inside radially to the insertion direction E and are thus brought out of engagement with the engagement openings 30, and therefore the plug connector part 6 can be removed from the insertion opening 20 counter to the insertion direction E.
The contact part 81 is surrounded by a spring element 93 which is in the form of a coil spring, abuts the shielding plate 3 when the plug connector part 6 is inserted and creates spring preload between the insertion head 70 and the shielding plate 3 counter to the insertion direction E. This spring preload removes clearance from the latched connection between the plug connector part 6 and the shielding plate 3 and assists with removal of the plug connector part 6.
The basic concept of the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but can also in principle be implemented in completely different embodiments.
In particular, the insertion opening, in principle, does not have to be cylindrical, but may, for example, instead be polygonal, for example square or oval.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2014 112 631.9 | Sep 2014 | DE | national |
This application is a U.S. national stage application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2015/069507, filed on Aug. 26, 2015, and claims benefit to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2014 112 631.9, filed on Sep. 2, 2014. The International Application was published in German on Mar. 10, 2016, as WO 2016/034466 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2015/069507 | 8/26/2015 | WO | 00 |
