Patent Grant
6921275
The invention is based on a plug-in device.
The application DE 199 63 912.4-34 has disclosed a plug-in device with a unit plug and a socket part in which the unit plug has a knob that is disposed in a cutout of the socket part. Either a spring or a spring tab is required in order to secure the unit plug in the socket part.
DE 196 07 986 A1 has disclosed a tube coupling for two parts, where one part has a knob, which, in the connected state, is disposed in a cutout of the other part. The socket part has a spring, which presses the knob into the cutout. This spring is a bar that is stressed on one end and can therefore easily become mechanically fatigued.
The plug-in device according to the invention, has the advantage over the prior art that through simple means, it produces a secure plug-in device and an axial tolerance compensation.
Advantageous modifications and improvements of the plug-in device mentioned in claim 1 are possible by means of the steps taken in the dependent claims.
It is advantageous if a spring part is a bar, which is claimed at both ends, which does not become mechanically fatigued as quickly.
It is advantageous if a groove of a unit plug and a projection of a socket part constitute a bayonet connection because this produces an additional securing in the radial direction.
In a likewise advantageous fashion, a knob of the unit plug and a cutout of the socket part can constitute a detent connection. The knob and the cutout can also be advantageously embodied so that they constitute a clamped connection.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in a simplified fashion in the drawings and will be explained in detail in the description that follows.
The e.g. plastic socket part 5 is for example a fitting 12, which is attached to a tube 13. The tube 13 can also be a container 13. The tube 13 contains a medium whose parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, or volumetric flow, are detected by a sensor. For example, the socket part 5 is constructed as follows. The fitting 12 is comprised, for example, of a receiving tube 16, which is disposed perpendicular to the tube 13 and whose axial end has a projection 15 perpendicular to an axial direction of the receiving tube 16. The projection 15 has an external circumference line that is approximately round or curved, which has a flattened region 18 on two opposite sides. On at least one side of the projection 15 oriented away from the unit plug 5, an underside 19, there is at least one cutout 11.
The e.g. plastic unit plug 3 contains, for example, a sensor for detecting at least one parameter, which has a temperature sensor 7, for example, at its one end. A plug receptacle 21 on the unit plug 3, which is embodied for example as elongated, has, for example, external electrical plug contacts.
Around the unit plug 3, there is a ring 24, which encompasses an annular opening 31 and is connected to the unit plug 3 at a first connecting point 27 and a second connecting point 28. The angular connecting points 27, 28 extend approximately parallel to an axial direction 34 of the unit plug 3. The sections of the ring 24 between the connecting points 27, 28 are embodied as flexible and constitute a spring part 43. The spring part 43 constitutes a bent bar that is clamped in place at both ends.
The form of the annular opening 31 corresponds approximately to the external form of the projection 15 so that when being connected in the axial direction 34, the unit plug 3 is guided by the socket part 5 and can only be inserted in a particular position. The unit plug 3 comes to rest with a contact surface 36 directly against a contact surface 37 of the socket part 5.
Above the ring 24 and between the first connecting point 27 and the second connecting point 28, the unit plug 3 has a groove 40, for example embodied as an open cutout, into which the projection 15 travels upon rotation of the unit plug 3 or tube 13 so that it protrudes partially into the groove 40 and produces a bayonet connection.
At least one knob 9 is disposed on the spring part 43, for example in the center. In the connected state, the knob 9 is disposed in the cutout 11 and the projection 15 protrudes at least partially out from the groove 40 and rests at least partially against the spring part 43.
When being installed into the socket part 5, the unit plug 3 is turned until the knob 9 engages in detent fashion in the cutout 11, i.e. the knob 9 and the cutout 11 constitute a detent connection. In this case, the spring part 43 is bent in the installation direction because the knob 9 rests against the underside 19 of the projection 15 and a height of the groove 40 in the axial direction 34 corresponds approximately to the height of the projection 15 in the axial direction 34. When the knob 9 is disposed in the cutout 11, the spring part 43 springs back and secures the knob 9 in the cutout.
In so doing, the spring part 43 can either exert a force or exert no force on the knob 9 in the cutout 11.
The cutout 11 and the knob 9 can also be embodied so that they constitute a clamped connection, for example by means of a frictional engagement.
The unit plug 3 is thus secured against rotation in the socket part 5 and is consequently also axially secured.
The groove 40 and the projection 15 can also be embodied as wedge-shaped so that they constitute a clamped connection.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 08 199 | Feb 2001 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/DE02/00642 | 2/21/2002 | WO | 00 | 10/17/2002 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO02/06693 | 8/29/2002 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5254014 | Yagi et al. | Oct 1993 | A |
| 5799987 | Sampson | Sep 1998 | A |
| 6179103 | Meyer | Jan 2001 | B1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 196 07 986 | Sep 1997 | DE |
| 199 63 912 | Jun 2001 | DE |
| 0 737 847 | Oct 1996 | EP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20030143887 A1 | Jul 2003 | US |
