CN111952760A

CN111952760A - Holding frame and plug connector with such a holding frame

Info

Publication number: CN111952760A
Application number: CN202010411531.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 卢卡斯·霍佩; 托尔斯滕·迪塞尔; 曼纽尔·通克尔
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2019-05-17
Filing date: 2020-05-15
Publication date: 2020-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2040-05-15
Also published as: CN111952760B; CN212676503U; DE102019113069B3; DE202020102620U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a holding frame for a plug connector for receiving a plurality of contact inserts, comprising: a base frame having a first side wall and a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall opposite the first end wall, the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall and the second end wall enclosing an interior space of the base frame, into which a contact insert can be inserted in an insertion direction, the first side wall and the second side wall each having at least two openings; and a plurality of wall sections which, in a fixed position, hold the contact insert inserted into the interior of the base frame on the base frame, which are each arranged in one of the openings of the first or second side wall in a tiltable manner, which wall sections can be transferred by their tilting movement into the fixed position and into the open position, which wall sections are held on spring-elastic fixing tabs by means of which the wall sections can be transferred automatically from the open position into the fixed position.

Description

Holding frame and plug connector with such a holding frame

Technical Field

The invention relates to a holding frame for a plug connector for receiving a plurality of contact inserts. The invention also relates to a plug connector with such a retaining frame.

Background

Such a holding frame is used for modular applications of contact inserts, for example 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 plug connector part or into a housing of a plug connector and to be connected with the housing via the holding frame. In this way, the contact inserts can be combined with one another in a modular manner and arranged in or on the plug connector part via the retaining frame.

Such a contact insert may have, for example, one or more electrical contacts. In this case, the contact insert is connected on the one hand to an electrical line which is fed to the plug connector and on the other hand forms a plug contact by means of which the plug connector can be brought into plug-in engagement with a mating plug connector part for electrical contact.

Such a modular contact insert has the advantage of being flexible in combination, so that the plug connector can be used flexibly.

If the contact insert is inserted into the holding frame, the contact insert must be held on the holding frame in order to be able to attach the holding frame together with the contact insert, for example, to a plug connector. In the holding frame known from DE 102012110907 a1, it is provided that the second holding frame part can be fastened to the first holding frame part, which has a recess for receiving the projecting element of the contact insert, in order in this way to lock the projecting element located in the recess and thus to lock it on the holding frame.

In the holding frame known from DE 202012103360U 1, two grooves are provided on the frame wall. The protruding element of the contact insert can be engagingly inserted into a first recess on the upper edge of the frame wall, while the pin-like projection of the contact insert can latchingly engage with a second recess in the form of an opening.

Disclosure of Invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a holding frame which enables a simple introduction of a contact insert into the holding frame and a reliable locking of the contact insert on the holding frame, while at the same time the contact insert can be easily removed from the holding frame.

This object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The holding frame according to the invention is characterized in that: a base frame having a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a first end wall and a second end wall opposite the first end wall, wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall and the second end wall enclose an interior space of the base frame, into which a contact insert can be inserted in an insertion direction, wherein the first side wall and the second side wall each have at least two openings; and a plurality of wall segments which, in a fastening position, hold the contact insert inserted into the interior of the base frame on the base frame, wherein the plurality of wall segments are each arranged in one of the openings of the first or second side wall so as to be tiltable, wherein the wall segments can be transferred into the fastening position and into the open position by their tilting movement, wherein the wall segments are held on spring-elastic fastening tabs by means of which the wall segments can be automatically transferred from the open position into the fastening position.

According to the invention, it is now provided that the wall segments are no longer arranged in a fixed position on the base frame, but are arranged movably relative to the base frame, so that the wall segments can be tilted into a fixed position and an open position relative to the base frame, wherein the contact insert can be fixed on the base frame and thus on the holding frame by means of these wall segments. In the fixed position, the wall segments are preferably arranged in alignment with the respective side walls of the base frame in which they are positioned. In the fixed position, the contact insert introduced into the interior space can be held in a fixed position on the wall section by the projecting elements of the contact insert engaging the indentations formed on the wall section. When the wall section is transferred from the fastening position into the open position, the wall section is tilted away from the interior space with its region which in the fastening position is in retentive engagement with the projecting element of the contact insert, so that the wall section is tilted out of the plane of the respective side wall in the open position. For example, the wall segments in the open position may be inclined out of the plane of the respective side wall at an angle of between 3 ° and 15 °, preferably between 5 ° and 10 °. By tilting the wall segments apart when transitioning into the open position, the insertion area of the contact insert into the interior of the base frame is enlarged or widened in the open position, so that the contact insert can be inserted into the interior without hindrance. In the open position of the wall section, the contact insert can also be easily detached and removed from the interior of the base frame, since for this purpose the wall section can be tilted away from the contact insert again. The movable-tilt mounting of the wall sections is preferably designed such that each wall section can be tilted individually. In the case of a possible individual tilting movement of the wall segment, the individual contact inserts can be inserted individually into the holding frame independently of the other contact inserts and can also be separated therefrom again. To achieve the tilting movement, the wall section is held on a spring-elastic fastening lug. Due to the spring elasticity of the fastening webs, they can be twisted in order to transfer the wall sections into the fastening position and into the open position. The fixing tab can thus function like a torsion spring. In the fixing position, the fixing tab is preferably in the starting position. When the wall section transitions from the fixed position to the open position, the fastening tabs are twisted and thus transferred into the rotated position, so that a twisting moment acts on the respective fastening tab, whereby the fastening tab tends to rotate from this rotated position back into the starting position. The effect of this is that the wall section automatically tilts back into the open position after insertion or release of the contact insert, without the need for applying force to the wall section manually or by means of a tool. The pivoting movement of the fastening tab for transferring the wall section into the open position and into the fastening position therefore takes place within the fastening tab, so that the fulcrum is located within the fastening tab. Two fastening tabs are preferably assigned to each wall segment. The fixing tabs preferably extend at right angles from the wall sections, in particular from the longitudinal sides of the wall sections. In its initial position, the fixing tabs preferably extend parallel to the outer circumferential surface of the base frame or parallel to the outer surface of the side walls of the base frame. The holding frame according to the invention thus enables manual insertion and release of the contact insert, wherein the user only needs one hand, whereby the user's handling can be significantly improved. Each wall segment forms a pilot pressure plate which can be manually manipulated by a user to transition to the open position and which can be automatically tilted from the open position to the securing position.

It is preferably provided that the wall segments each have an actuating region, by means of which the wall segments can be manually transferred from the fastening position into the open position. The user can manually apply pressure to the wall segments via the actuating region in order to bring about a tilting movement of the wall segments from the fastening position into the open position and thus to bring about a torsional moment on the fastening tabs, which are each assigned to a respective wall segment. The actuating region is preferably formed on an outer surface of the wall segment facing away from the interior of the base frame. The manipulation area is preferably formed by a manipulation surface. Depending on the design of the respective wall section, the maneuvering region can be formed at the upper or lower end of the wall section.

Preferably, two fastening tabs are assigned to each wall section, wherein a first fastening tab can be arranged on a first longitudinal side of the wall section and a second fastening tab can be arranged on a second longitudinal side of the wall section opposite the first longitudinal side. Each wall section can thus be suspended between two fixing tabs, so that when the wall section is transferred into the fixing position and into the open position, the twisting or rotation only takes place in the region of the fixing tabs and not in the region of the wall section. Preferably, the two fastening tabs assigned to the wall section are each arranged at the same height from one another on the respective longitudinal side, so that a uniform rotation or an equal torsional moment can act on the two fastening tabs assigned to the wall section.

In order to enable a particularly good tilting movement of the wall sections, the first and second fixing tabs of the wall sections are connected to the respective wall section eccentrically to the first and second longitudinal sides of the wall section, respectively.

The wall section is preferably formed integrally with the fastening tab assigned thereto. The wall segment can thus be formed with the two fastening tabs assigned thereto, the first fastening tab and the second fastening tab in one piece.

The wall section is preferably designed as a stamped and bent part together with the fastening webs assigned thereto. The wall section together with the fastening webs can thus be punched out of the strip-shaped material and bent into the correct shape. The wall sections and the fixing tabs may preferably be formed from sheet metal, for example sheet steel.

For fastening the fastening tabs and thus the wall sections, the fastening tabs can be fastened to the base frame, for example. The fastening tabs formed as elongated shapes preferably each have a first end and an opposite second end, wherein the fastening tabs can be connected to the respective wall segment by the first end and are fixed to the base frame by the second end. The fixing on the base frame can be formed, for example, by screw, rivet and/or pin fixing.

It is furthermore possible that the fixing tabs are not fastened directly, but indirectly, to the base frame in such a way that the fixing tabs can be fixed to the retaining elements, respectively, wherein the retaining elements can be fixed to the base frame. A retaining element can be provided for each wall segment and for the two fastening tabs assigned thereto. However, it is also possible to fasten wall segments and thus more than two fastening tabs to the base frame by means of holding elements. The one or more retaining elements are preferably each fixed to one of the two side walls of the base frame. The retaining element can be fastened to the base frame in such a way that it at least partially covers the inner surface of the side wall of the base frame pointing in the direction of the interior of the base frame and/or the outer surface of the side wall of the base frame facing away from the interior of the base frame.

The holding element is preferably releasably fixed on the base frame. In order to be able to fix the holding element firmly to the base frame, the holding element can have at least one locking element by means of which the holding element can be brought into locking engagement with the base frame. The locking element may interact with a counterpart locking element formed on the base frame. For example, the locking element may have a locking lug, while the counter-locking element may have an opening, into which the locking lug can snap. Furthermore, the locking element can also have an opening, while the counter-locking element has a locking lug which can be snapped into the opening.

In order to be able to further improve the fastening of the holding element to the base frame, the holding element can be arranged on the base frame in such a way that it can surround the upper edge of the base frame. The holding element can thus be placed on the upper edge and thus be supported on the upper edge of the base frame. Thereby, the risk of tilting of the holding element relative to the base frame may be reduced, so that the holding element may be securely held in a fixed position relative to the base frame. The upper edge is the upper edge of the base frame, viewed in the insertion direction of the contact insert.

It can be provided here that the holding element has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape, wherein the holding element can have a first wall and a second wall arranged parallel to the first wall, wherein at least one locking element is formed on the first wall and on the second wall, respectively, by means of which locking element the holding element can be brought into locking engagement with the base frame. The two walls of the holding element can then be connected to one another via a curved section. The bending section may be arranged on the upper edge of the base frame or may surround the upper edge. By means of the two walls extending parallel to one another, the holding element can have a higher stability and can therefore be fitted better and securely to the base frame. The first wall may extend along an outer surface of the base frame or an outer surface of the sidewall of the base frame, and the second wall may extend along an inner surface of the base frame or an inner surface of the sidewall of the base frame. The locking elements can be designed as locking lugs which can engage in openings of the base frame designed as mating locking elements. It can be provided here that the locking element of the first wall and the locking element of the second wall can engage in the same opening of the base frame and can thus snap into it.

It is preferably provided that the fastening web can be formed integrally with the holding element, to which it is fastened. The holding elements can then be formed together with the respective fixing elements and the respective wall segments from stamped and bent parts.

The holding element is preferably formed from a metal sheet, for example a steel sheet.

It is further possible that a first holding element extending along the first side wall can be arranged on the first side wall of the base frame and a second holding element extending along the second side wall can be arranged on the second side wall of the base frame, wherein a wall section arranged on the first side wall can be connected to the first holding element by means of a fixing tab assigned thereto and a wall section arranged on the second side wall can be connected to the second holding element by means of a fixing tab assigned thereto. In this way, a retaining element can be provided for each side wall, which can be connected to all wall sections arranged on the side wall via corresponding fastening tabs in order to retain them on the base frame. However, it is also possible to arrange a plurality of holding elements on each side wall, which can each be assigned to one or two or more wall segments and can hold them.

If each side wall is provided with one retaining element, it can be connected to one another by providing a connecting web extending along the first end wall and a connecting web extending along the second end wall of the base frame, wherein two connecting webs can connect two fixing elements to one another. The two connecting webs are thereby preferably arranged at right angles to the holding element. The holding element can form a frame together with the two connecting webs, which can be arranged on the base frame. The retaining elements can be held in a defined position relative to one another by the connecting webs.

Furthermore, such a frame formed by the two holding elements and the two connecting webs can also have further functional elements or can also accommodate them. Thereby, at least one contact tongue can be arranged on the first connection tab and/or the second connection tab. The contact tongues can for example make contact with PE contacts or protection conductor contacts arranged on the base frame. For this purpose, the contact tongues preferably extend along the outer surface of the base frame facing away from the inner space of the base frame.

In order to be able to hold the contact insert inserted into the interior of the base frame securely in a fixed position, the wall segments may each have a locking edge for interacting with a projecting element of the contact insert inserted into the base frame, wherein the locking edge is preferably inclined in the direction of the interior of the base frame. By means of the oblique design, the locking edge is preferably crimped or bent over from the rest of the respective wall section. The locking edge may be formed on an outer circumferential surface of the wall section. The locking edge is then preferably formed on the lower outer edge of the wall section, so that the wall section and its locking edge can be pressed from above onto the projecting element of the contact insert. In the securing position, the entire wall section can thus stand on the projecting element of the contact insert and exert a pressure on the projecting element of the contact insert from above. However, the wall segments may also have window-like indentations, through which the projecting elements of the contact insert project in the fixing position. In this configuration, the locking edge can be formed on an inner edge delimiting the window-like indentation, which inner edge can be pressed from above onto a projecting element guided through the window-like indentation in the fixing position.

The object according to the invention is also achieved by a plug connector having a housing, a holding frame arranged in the housing and a plurality of contact inserts accommodated in the holding frame, the holding frame being designed and expanded as described above.

Drawings

The invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.

In the figure:

fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a holding frame according to the invention, in which a contact insert is inserted,

figure 2 shows a schematic view of the wall segment shown in figure 1,

fig. 3 shows another schematic perspective view of a holding frame according to the invention, in which a contact insert is inserted,

figure 4 shows a schematic view of a top view of the holding frame shown in figure 3,

figure 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view along the line a-a shown in figure 4,

figure 6 shows a schematic cross-sectional view along the line B-B shown in figure 4,

fig. 7 shows another schematic perspective view of a holding frame according to the invention, in which a contact insert is inserted,

fig. 8 shows a schematic view of two retaining elements which are connected to one another by a connecting web, an

Fig. 9 shows a schematic view of a holding frame according to the invention with an embodiment of fig. 8 in which two holding frames are connected to each other by two connecting tabs.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 and 3 to 7 and 9 show schematic views of a retaining frame 100, which can be arranged in a housing of a plug connector.

Each holding frame 100 has a base frame 110 formed in one piece. The base frame 110 may be formed of a metal material or a plastic material.

The base frame 110 has a first side wall 111, a second side wall 112 opposite to the first side wall 111, a first end wall 113, and a second end wall 114 opposite to the first end wall 113. The two

side walls

111, 112 are arranged parallel to each other. The two

end walls

113, 114 are also arranged parallel to each other. The

end walls

113, 114 are arranged at an angle of 90 deg. relative to the

side walls

111, 112. Together, the two

side walls

111, 112 and the two

end walls

113, 114 enclose or delimit an interior space 115 of the base frame 110. The contact insert 200 may be inserted and secured in the interior space 115 in an insertion direction E, as shown, for example, in fig. 1. The contact insert 200 is fixed by means of wall segments 116 arranged on the base frame 110. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the wall segments 116 each have a recess 117 into which the projecting element 210 of the contact insert 200 can snap when the contact insert 200 is inserted into the interior 115 of the base frame 110.

For each wall segment 116, an opening 118 is formed in the base frame 110, and the wall segment 116 may be disposed in the opening 118.

The wall section 116 is tiltably mounted in the opening 118 such that the wall section 116 is tiltable to an open position and a fixed position.

As shown in fig. 1, the wall segments 116 arranged on the left side are in a fixed position. In the secured position, the wall segments 116 are aligned with the

respective side walls

111, 112 of the base frame 110 on which the wall segments 116 are positioned. In the fixed position, the contact insert 200 inserted into the interior space 115 can be held in a fixed position on the wall section 116.

The wall segments 116 arranged on the right in fig. 1 are in an open position, in which the wall segments 116 are inclined out of the plane of the

respective side wall

111, 112. In the open position, the interior space 115 in the region of the respective wall segment 116 is at least partially enlarged, in particular widened, by the oblique positioning of the wall segments 16, so that the insertion of the contact insert 200 can be facilitated without the wall segments 116 themselves having to be deformed.

To enable the tilting movement of the wall section 116, the wall section 116 is held on a spring-elastic fastening web 119. By means of the spring elasticity of the fastening tab 119, it can be twisted to transfer the wall section 116 into the fastening position and into the open position. The fixing tab 119 may thus function like a torsion spring. In the fixing position, the fixing tab 119 is in the starting position. In this starting position, the fastening tabs 119 are positioned parallel to the outer surface 120 of the

respective side wall

111, 112 of the base frame 110. When the wall section 116 is transferred from the fixed position into the open position, the fixing tabs 119 are twisted, so that a twisting moment acts on the respective fixing tabs 119, and the fixing tabs 119 thereby tend to rotate back from this rotated position into the starting position, which results in the wall section 116 automatically tilting back into the open position after insertion or release of the contact insert 200, without the need to apply a force to the wall section 116 manually or by means of a tool. The rotary movement of the fixing tab 119 for shifting the wall section 116 into the open position and into the fixing position takes place within the fixing tab 119, so that the fulcrum is located within the fixing tab 119. In the twisted state, when the fastening web 119 is rotated out of its starting position, the fastening web 119 is at least partially tilted or inclined relative to the outer surface 120 of the

respective side wall

111, 112 such that it is no longer arranged parallel to the outer surface 120.

As can also be seen in particular in fig. 2, two fastening tabs 119 are provided on each wall section 116. One of the two fixing tabs 119 is arranged on a first longitudinal side 121 of the wall segment 116, and the second of the two fixing tabs 119 is arranged on a second longitudinal side 122 of the wall segment 116 opposite the first longitudinal side 121. The fastening tabs 119 each extend at right angles outward from the wall segment 116, in particular outward from the

longitudinal sides

121, 122 of the wall segment 116. The fastening tabs 119 are each arranged eccentrically to the respective

longitudinal side

121, 122 of the wall segment 116. The fastening tabs 119 are formed integrally with the wall segment 116 assigned thereto.

The wall section 116 has at its lower end, viewed in the insertion direction E, an actuating region 123, by means of which the wall section 116 can be manually transferred from the fixing position into the open position. The actuating region 123 is designed in the form of an actuating surface which is formed on an outer surface 124 of the inner space 115 of the wall section 116 facing away from the base frame 110.

The wall segment 116 has, at its upper end, viewed in the insertion direction E, a window-like recess 117 in which a projecting element 210 of the contact insert 200 can be hooked. The inner edge or inner circumferential surface defining the notch 117 has a locking edge 125 which in a fixed position rests on the upper side 211 of the protruding element 210 to retain the protruding element 210 in the notch 117. The locking edges 125 are arranged inclined in the direction of the inner space 115 of the base frame 110, so that the locking edges 125 project or are bent out of the plane of the wall segments 116.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 1 and 2, the wall segments 116 are fastened to the base frame 110 by fastening tabs 119. The securing tab 119 is connected to the wall segment 116 by a first end 126. The fastening tabs 119 are fastened with a second end 127 opposite the first end 126 directly to the base frame 110 or to the

respective side wall

111, 112 of the base frame 110, in particular to the outer surface 120. The fixing may be done, for example, by means of screws, rivets or pin connections.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3 to 9, the fastening tabs 119 are not fastened directly to the base frame 110, but rather the fastening tabs 119 are each fastened to a retaining element 128, wherein the retaining element 128 is in turn fastened to the base frame 110. The fastening tabs 119 are each fastened with their second end 127 to a retaining element 128. The fixing tab 119 is integrally connected to the retaining element 128.

In the embodiment shown here, a holding element 128 is arranged on the first side wall 111 of the base frame 110, and a further holding element 128 is arranged on the second side wall 112 of the base frame 110. All wall segments 116 and fastening tabs 119 arranged on the

respective side wall

111, 112 are connected to the respective retaining element 128 and are fastened to the base frame 110 by means of the retaining element.

As can also be seen in particular in the sectional view of fig. 6, the holding element 128 is arranged on the base frame 110 in such a way that the holding element 128 surrounds the upper edge 129 of the base frame 110. For this purpose, the holding element 128 has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape.

The holding element 128 has a first wall 130 and a second wall 131 extending parallel to the first wall 130. The first wall 130 and the second wall 131 are connected to each other via a curved section 132. The curved section 132 surrounds the upper edge 128 of the base frame 110. The first wall 130 extends along the outer surface 120 of the base frame 110 or the outer surfaces of the

sidewalls

111, 112 of the base frame 110, and the second wall 131 extends along the inner surface 133 of the base frame 110 facing the direction of the inner space 115 or the inner surfaces of the

sidewalls

111, 112 of the base frame 110.

As can be seen in particular in the sectional view of fig. 5, locking

elements

134, 135 are provided on the two

walls

130, 131. Via the locking

elements

134, 135, the holding element 128 can be brought into locking engagement with a counter-locking element 136 of the base frame 110. The locking

elements

134, 135 are designed here in the form of locking lugs, and the counter locking element 136 is designed in the form of an opening in the base frame 110, wherein the locking element 134 of the first wall 130 and the locking element 135 of the second wall 131 engage together into the opening formed as the counter locking element 136. The base frame 110 has a plurality of such counter-locking elements 136 along the two

side walls

111, 112, respectively, in which each two locking

elements

134, 135 of the retaining element 128 can engage.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3 to 9, the wall section 116 does not have a recess for the projecting element 210 of the contact insert 200 to penetrate through, but the wall section 116 is designed to be closed over the entire surface. At the lower end of the wall section 116, a locking edge 125 is formed, which can cooperate with a protruding element 210 of the contact insert 200, by the locking edge 125 being placed in a fixed position on the upper side 211 of the protruding element 210. Here, the locking edges 125 are also inclined in the direction of the interior 115 of the base frame 110, so that the locking edges 125 are bent away from the remaining part of the wall segments 116 and project into the interior 115 of the base frame 110. The locking edge 125 is formed here on the outer surface of the wall segment 116.

The holding element 128 has a window-like recess 141 for each contact insert 200, through which recess 141 the projecting elements 210 of the contact insert 120 can project in the fixed state. The recesses 141 are each delimited towards the top by a wall segment 116, in particular by the locking edge 125 of the respective wall segment 116, so that the locking edge 125 can be placed in a fixed position on the upper side 212 of the projecting element 210 projecting through the recess 141.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3 to 9, the wall section 116 has a handling area 123 above the locking edge 125, which is provided in the form of a handling surface on an outer surface 124 of the wall section 116. By the user manually applying pressure to the manipulation area 123 in the direction of the interior space 115 of the base frame 110, the wall section 116 can be tilted from the fixing position into the open position, in which the locking edge 125 is tilted away from the upper side 211 of the protruding element 210 and is disengaged from the protruding element 210 of the contact insert 200, so that the contact insert 200 can be pulled out of the interior space 115 counter to the insertion direction E.

The wall segments 116 may be formed to have different widths, with the wall segments 116 shown in fig. 3 being wider than the wall segments 116 shown in fig. 7.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 8, the two retaining elements 128 arranged on the first side wall 111 and the second side wall 112 are connected to one another by two connecting webs 137. The two connecting webs 137 are arranged parallel to one another and, as shown in fig. 9, extend along the two

end walls

113, 114 of the base frame 110 in the mounted state on the base frame 110. Here, the connecting webs 137 bear in a planar manner against the inner surface 133 of the base frame 110 or against the inner surface 133 of the

end walls

113, 114 of the base frame 110.

The two retaining elements 128, which are formed in one piece with their corresponding fastening webs 119 and wall sections 116, are also formed in one piece with the two connecting webs 137. Which together may be formed from a single stamped and bent part. The two connecting webs 137 are each connected to the second walls 131 of the two holding elements 128.

The two holding elements 128 together with the two connecting webs 137 form a frame shape which can surround the base frame 110 in the form of a frame.

A plurality of

contact tongues

138, 139 are arranged on each of the two connecting webs 137. The

contact tongues

138, 139 may be formed in one piece with the connecting tab 137. The contact tongues 139 can be connected in an electrical contact manner with the protection conductor contacts 140 arranged on the base frame 110. The contact tongues 138 may form screw faces for PE contacts arranged on the base frame 110.

Description of the reference numerals

100 holding frame

110 basic frame

111 first side wall

112 second side wall

113 first end wall

114 second end wall

115 inner space

116 wall segment

117 gap

118 opening

119 fixing contact piece

120 outer surface

121 first longitudinal side

122 second longitudinal side

123 manipulation area

124 outer surface

125 locking edge

126 first end

127 second end

128 holding element

129 upper edge

130 first wall

131 second wall

132 bending section

133 inner surface

134 locking element

135 locking element

136 mating locking element

137 connecting tab

138 contact tongue

139 contact tongue

140 protective conductor contact

141 recess

200 contact insert

210 projecting element

211 upper side

E direction of insertion

Claims

1. Holding frame (100) for a plug connector for receiving a plurality of contact inserts (200), having

-a base frame (110) having a first side wall (111), a second side wall (112) opposite the first side wall (111), a first end wall (113) and a second end wall (114) opposite the first end wall (113), wherein the first side wall (111), the second side wall (112), the first end wall (113) and the second end wall (114) enclose an interior space (115) of the base frame (110) into which a contact insert (200) can be inserted in an insertion direction (E), wherein the first side wall (111) and the second side wall (112) each have at least two openings (118), and

-a plurality of wall segments (116) which, in a fixed position, hold a contact insert (200) inserted into the interior (115) of the base frame (110) on the base frame (110), wherein the plurality of wall segments (116) are each arranged in one of the openings (118) of the first side wall (111) or the second side wall (112) so as to be tiltable, wherein the wall segments (116) can be transferred by their tilting movement into a fixed position and into an open position, wherein the wall segments (116) are held on spring-elastic fixing tabs (119), by means of which the wall segments (116) can be transferred automatically from the open position into the fixed position.

2. The holding frame (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the wall segments (116) each have an actuating region (123) by means of which the wall segments (116) can be transferred manually from the fastening position into the open position.

3. The holding frame (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that two fixing tabs (119) are assigned to each wall section (116), wherein a first fixing tab (119) is arranged on a first longitudinal side (121) of the wall section (116) and a second fixing tab (119) is arranged on a second longitudinal side (122) of the wall section (116) opposite the first longitudinal side (121).

4. The holding frame (100) according to claim 3, characterised in that the first and second fixing tabs (119) are connected to the respective wall segment eccentrically to the first and second longitudinal sides (121, 122) of the wall segment (116).

5. The holding frame (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the wall segments (116) are formed integrally with the fixing tabs (119) assigned thereto.

6. The holding frame (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the wall segments (116) together with the fixing webs (119) assigned thereto are designed as stamped and bent parts.

7. The holding frame (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that a fixing tab (119) is fixed on the base frame (110).

8. The holding frame (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the fixing tabs (119) are respectively fixed to a holding element (128), wherein the holding element (128) is fixed to the base frame (110).

9. The holding frame (100) according to claim 8, characterised in that the holding element (128) has at least one locking element (134, 135), by means of which the holding element (128) is in locking engagement with the base frame (110).

10. The holding frame (100) according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the holding element (128) surrounds an upper edge (129) of the base frame (110).

11. The holding frame (100) according to claim 10, characterised in that the holding element has a U-shaped cross-sectional shape, wherein the holding element (128) has a first wall (130) and a second wall (131) arranged parallel to the first wall (130), wherein at least one locking element (134, 135) is formed on the first wall (130) and the second wall (131), respectively, by means of which the holding element (128) is in locking engagement with the base frame (110).

12. The holding frame (100) according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterised in that a fixing tab (119) is integrally formed with the holding element (128), said fixing tab being fixed to the holding element.

13. The holding frame (100) according to one of claims 8 to 12, characterised in that a first holding element (128) extending along the first side wall (111) is arranged on the first side wall (111) and a second holding element (128) extending along the second side wall (112) is arranged on the second side wall (112), wherein a wall section (116) arranged on the first side wall (111) is connected to the first holding element (128) by means of a fixing tab (119) assigned thereto and a wall section (116) arranged on the second side wall (112) is connected to the second holding element (128) by means of a fixing tab (119) assigned thereto.

14. The holding frame (100) according to claim 13, characterised in that a connecting tab (137) extending along the first end wall (113) and a connecting tab (137) extending along the second end wall (114) are provided, wherein two connecting tabs (137) connect two holding elements (128) to one another.

15. The holding frame (100) according to claim 14, characterised in that at least one contact tongue (138, 139) is arranged on the first connection tab (137) and/or on the second connection tab (137).

16. The holding frame (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterised in that the wall segments (116) each have a locking edge (125) for interaction with a protruding element (210) of a contact insert (200) inserted into the base frame (110), wherein the locking edges (125) are inclined in the direction of the interior space (115) of the base frame (110).

17. Plug connector having a housing, a holding frame (100) arranged in the housing and a plurality of contact inserts (200) accommodated in the holding frame (100), characterized in that the holding frame (100) is formed according to any one of claims 1 to 16.