The disclosure relates to a plug-in connector, and more specifically to a plug-in connector for use in an industrial environment and in particular in a harsh industrial environment.
The publication EP 0 945 929 A2 discloses a plug-in connector having a rectangular cross-section for use in an industrial environment. The plug-in connector demonstrates an insulating body in which the contact elements are arranged using insulation displacement connection technology. The individual conductors of a connected cable are arranged in one contact piece. As the contact piece and the insulating body are joined together, the individual conductors are contacted by the associated contact elements in an electrically conductive manner. The insulating body that is joined to the contact piece is surrounded by a metal plug-in connector casing.
The plug-in connector disclosed in EP 0 945 929 A2 has proven its worth. However, owing to its multiple component parts, it necessitates high production costs and assembly costs. In addition, the parts require a large amount of installation space in the plug-in connector casing and this makes the overall plug-in connector extremely large and as a consequence limits its field of application.
The publication U.S. Pat. No. 1,672,521 A discloses a plug-in connector having a casing that is manufactured from two parts that are screwed together. The two parts each have two receiving devices for respectively fixing a contact element.
The publication GB 1 537 061 A discloses a plug-in connector having a plug-in connector casing that is injection molded onto a cable. Contact elements that are likewise arranged in the plug-in connector casing are arranged on the individual conductors of the cable.
The publication EP 0 424 699 A2 discloses a casing feed-through having an insulating body which has a cable passing through it.
The publication US 2004/0235321 A1 discloses two plug-in connectors which can be plugged together and mutually matching contact elements are held in the casing of each plug-in connector.
The publication DE 10 2015 113 786 A1 discloses a plug-in connector which has a plug-in connector casing having a locking bracket, an insulating body which is arranged in the plug-in connector casing and an electrical contact which is arranged in the insulating body.
There is generally a need in the industrial environment to make the best possible use of the available space, i.e. to accommodate as many technical components as possible in the limited space. A compact as possible installation space is accordingly required for such industrial plug-in connectors. A wide functionality spectrum is required simultaneously. The plug-in connectors must fulfill the most varied tasks.
During the priority application regarding the current application, the German Patent and Trademark Office has researched the following prior art: U.S. Pat. No. 1,672,521 A, GB 1 537 061 A, EP 0 424 699 A2, DE 10 2015 113 786 A1, US 2004/0235321 A1.
The object of the disclosure is to design a compact as possible plug-in connector for harsh industrial environments and simultaneously to provide a wide breadth of functionality.
The object is achieved by the plug-in connector as described and claimed.
The plug-in connector can be produced is a particularly cost-effective manner owning to its modularity and the use of identical components in different design variants.
It is possible to provide different functionalities by means of simply exchanging only individual components.
The plug-in connector comprises an insulating body and at least one contact element that is attached or fixed directly in the insulating body. Generally, the plug-in connector has multiple contact elements that are all attached or fixed in the insulating body. The insulating body is configured in such a manner that it simultaneously forms the plug-in connector casing of the plug-in connector. As a consequence, the insulating body or the plug-in connector casing is configured outwardly in a corresponding robust and aesthetic manner.
The insulating body has a rectangular cross-section and is essentially in the shape of a cuboid. The outer surfaces are essentially smooth. Only the necessary function elements that for example render it possible to lock the plug-in connector with a mating plug-in connector are arranged or formed as one on the outer surfaces.
The terms ‘plug-in connector’ and ‘mating plug-in connector’ are used in part synonymously in this application. A mating plug-in connector describes merely a plug-in connector that is configured in such a manner that it can be plugged together with a matching plug-in connector.
It is preferred that the insulating body has an attachment tab or an attachment tongue for reversibly attaching to a mating plug-in connector. In this case, the mating plug-in connector can be constructed in a comparable manner to the plug-in connector and can have essentially the same features as the plug-in connector. A common feature can be that also in the case of the mating plug-in connector the insulating body forms the plug-in connector casing.
It is preferred that the plug-in connector has an attachment casing for attaching to an electrical device. In this case, the plug-in connector forms a so-called device socket on the electrical device. The attachment casing can be embodied in a straight manner but also in a bent manner, depending upon the construction and geometry of the device. As a consequence, the procedure of providing a plug-in connection with a plug-in connector that is to be connected thereto is more comfortable. Even if in this case the term ‘device socket’ is used, both insulating bodies having socket contacts and also insulating bodies having pin contacts fit into such an attachment casing.
Alternatively, the plug-in connector has a strain relief element so as to provide strain relief for multiple individual conductors, which are connected to the plug-in connector, or a connected cable that in turn can comprise multiple individual conductors running through an outer cable sheath. Such a plug-in connector offers strain relief protection for the conductors and/or for the cable and is often used in environments, for example within a switch cabinet or a device, in which it is not necessary to provide particular protection against media, such as for example water. Such a plug-in connector can be appropriately sealed by means of a seal that is mentioned below and has through-going openings, also called a single-wire sealing seal.
Alternatively, the plug-in connector has a cable casing for fixing and providing strain relief for a connected cable. In comparison to the simply constructed strain relief element, the cable casing offers in addition to the strain relief function also further improved sealing properties with the result that a plug-in connector that is configured in this manner is leakage-tight with respect to media such as water.
It is preferred that a bearing pin is formed as one in each case on two opposite-lying side faces of the insulating body. A locking bracket that has a U-shaped cross-section can be pivotably mounted on the bearing pin by way of lateral bearing receptacles of the locking bracket. The bearing pins advantageously each have a cylindrical basic shape with a prism-shaped contour formed thereon. It is preferred that the prism-shaped contour has a triangular cross section.
In a particularly advantageously embodiment of the plug-in connector, the locking bracket has in the region of each of its bearing receptacles an elevation that faces the plug-in connector casing. In the locked state, the elevation of the locking apparatus bears against the contour of the bearing pin. In the unlocked state, the locking apparatus is widened during the locking process by virtue of the cooperation between the elevation and the contour. The locking apparatus is also initially widened by means of the contour during the unlocking procedure as it is pivoted downward. The locking procedure and the unlocking procedure can thus be performed in each case in a manner in which the wear is low. As a consequence, the insulating body is not damaged or scratched by the locking bracket, as a result of which it can continue to provide its casing function.
It is preferred that the plug-in connector has a seal that has through-going openings for the contact elements and/or the conductors connected thereto. The number of through-going openings corresponds to the number of contact elements of the plug-in connectors. The seal is preferably arranged in the insulating body. As a consequence, the plug-in connector can achieve a particularly high degree of tightness.
In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the plug-in connector has contact inserts in which at least one contact element is arranged. The contact carrier is attached in this case in the insulating body. Such a contract carrier is ideally used then if the contact elements are particularly large and/or heavy. It is preferred that contact elements of this type have a crimp connection or a screw connection for making electrical contact with a conductor. The contract carrier ensures that contact elements of this type sit securely in the insulating body.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the plug-in connector has a shielding metal plate. The shielding metal plate is embodied in an essentially flat manner and is arranged within the insulating body parallel to the plug-in direction. On the connection side, the shielding metal plate can be electrically conductively connected to a shielding braid of the connected cable. It is preferred that the shielding metal plate has on the plug-in side two tabs that face in the plug-in direction and are arranged offset with respect to one another. If a plug-in connector that is facing the shielding metal plate is plugged together with a corresponding mating plug-in connector, the tabs of the plug-in connector each engage with the opposite-lying tabs of the mating plug-in connector with the result that the shielding function is reliably established.
In one advantageous variant of the invention, the plug-in connector has a shielding sleeve that is arranged within the insulating body. The shielding sleeve is used to electromagnetically shield the contact elements that are arranged in the plug-in connector. Such a plug-in connector transfers data or signals with particularly high signal integrity.
It is preferred that the plug-in connector has a least one identifying element. The identifying element can be clipped for example onto the outside of the insulating body, in other words can be reversibly fixed thereto. The identifying element is available in numerous colors and in each case has a color that is different from the insulating body. The insulating body is generally black. The identifying elements can be configured appropriately colored and in particular be provided with so-called signal colors. If multiple plug-in connectors are located on an electrical device, these can be easily distinguished from one another with the aid of differently colored identifying elements, which for example simplifies the maintenance of such an electrical device.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is explained in detail below.
The figures illustrate in part simplified schematic views. In part, identical reference numerals are used for similar but possibly not identical elements. Different views of similar elements may be scaled differently.
The invention relates to a plug-in connector 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1IV, 1V, 1VI, 1VII that essentially comprises an insulating body 2, 2′ and at least one contact element 4, 4′, 4″, 4′″, 4IV, 4V, 4VI, 4VII that is attached or held in the insulating body 2, 2′, wherein the insulating body 2, 2′ forms the plug-in connector casing of plug-in connector 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1IV, 1V, 1VI, 1VII. The plug-in connector 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1IV, 1V, 1VI, 1VII is however not limited to these components. Different embodies of such a plug-in connector 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1IV, 1V, 1VI, 1VII are illustrated in the following figures. The plug-in connector 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1IV, 1V, 1VI, 1VII is constructed in a particularly simple manner and consequently can be assembled quickly. In addition, the plug-in connector 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1IV, 1V, 1VI, 1VII is embodied in a very robust manner and is suitable for use in an industrial environment, in particular in harsh industrial environments.
The plug-in connector 1′ or the mating plug-in connector 1′ (terms are used synonymously) has optionally a cable casing 13 for fixing and providing strain relief of a connected cable (not illustrated). For this purpose, the cable casing 13 is equipped with a cable screw arrangement 14 and an associated seal 15. The media tightness of the plug-in connector 1′ is increased by means of the cable casing 13.
The plug-in connector 1 can be equipped optionally with a locking bracket 6. The locking bracket 6 is embodied from sheet metal which has been processed in a bending and stamping process. The locking bracket 6 has essentially a U-shaped basic shape. Bearing receptacles 7 are provided in the side faces of the locking bracket 6 and the bearing receptacles engage over the bearing pins 5 of the insulating body 2. As a consequence, the locking bracket 6 is pivotably mounted on the insulating body 2. Bearing pins 5 are likewise formed as one on a mating plug-in connector 1′. In the locked state, the locking bracket 6 engages over the bearing pin 5 of the mating plug-in connector 1′. As a consequence, the plug-in connector 1 and the mating plug-in connector 1′ are reversibly locked to one another.
A prism-shaped contour 9 is also likewise formed as one in each case on the bearing pins 5 of the mating plug-in connector 1′. The bearing pins 5 are embodied longer than the respective contour 9. This means that the bearing pins 5 protrude in a perpendicular manner further from the insulating body 2,2′ than the respective contour 9.
The locking bracket 6 has in the region of its bearing receptacles 7 in each case an inwardly facing elevation 8. With the aid of the elevations 8 and the contours 9 that are formed as one on the bearing pins 5, the locking apparatus 6 is elastically widened during the locking procedure. The locking apparatus 6 does not rub with its side parts against the insulating body 2, 2′ or against its side faces.
By virtue of the shape of the contours 9 and the associated elevations 8, the locking bracket 6 is held in its position in the closed state. It is necessary during the unlocking procedure to overcome a resistance since the locking bracket 6 is elastically widened again. As a consequence, an unintentional opening of the system or of the plug-in connection comprising a plug-in connector 1 and a mating plug-in connector 1′ is prevented. Moreover, the locking bracket 6 does not rub with its side parts against the insulating body 2, 2′ either against the insulating body 2 to which the locking bracket 6 is pivotably attached or against the insulating body 2′ of the mating plug-in connector 1′ that is to be connected.
The plug-in connector 1, 1′ has a seal 10. The seal 10 is illustrated in an enlarged view in
The second embodiment of the plug-in connector 1″, 1′″ has a contact carrier 19. The contact carrier 19 has receptacles 20 in which in each case a contact element 4″, 4′″ is arranged. The contact carrier 19 is latched in the insulating body 2, 2′ of the plug-in connector 1″, 1′″. Finally, the contact elements 4″, 4′″ are then also attached in the insulating body 2, 2′ of the plug-in connector 1″, 1′″ by way of the contact carrier 19. The contact elements 4″, 4′″ have on the connection side a screw connection. The strands of a connected conductor (not illustrated) are attached in a connection-side receiving sleeve by way of a lateral screw. The screw connection technology ensures that the plug-in connector 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, 1IV, 1V, 1VI can be assembled in a simply manner. Contact elements 4″, 4′″ of this type are used in particular for transferring high currents.
The plug-in connector 1 can be equipped with an identifying element 33, as is illustrated in
Even if different aspects or features of the invention are illustrated in the figures in each case in combination, it is obvious to the person skilled in the art—unless otherwise indicated—that the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only possible combinations. In particular, units or feature complexes of different exemplary embodiments that correspond to one another may be exchanged with one another.
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10 2018 118 774.2 | Aug 2018 | DE | national |
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PCT/DE2019/100659 | 7/17/2019 | WO |
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WO2020/025087 | 2/6/2020 | WO | A |
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