DE102011056553B4 - Plug with indicator element and separating device that can be attached to a cable - Google Patents

Abstract

Plug (1) with a plug housing (3), in which at least one indicator element (14) for error checking and a plug contact (6) are arranged, the plug contact (6) being pluggable on the plug side with a mating plug contact and connectable on the connection side to a line (2). is designed, with a separating device (17), which acts mechanically on the indicator element (14) and can be mechanically coupled to the line (2), and with two indicator contacts (11), which are arranged within the plug housing (3) and through which Indicator element (14) can be bridged, characterized in that in an operating state (B) of the plug (1), in which the line (2) is conductively connected to the plug contact (6) on the connection side, the two indicator contacts (11) are connected by the indicator element (14) are bridged and in a fault state (S) of the plug (1), in which the line (2) is at least partially pulled out of the plug housing (3) compared to the operating state (B), the two indicator contacts (11) are electrical are separated from each other.

Description

The invention relates to a plug with a plug housing in which at least one indicator element for error checking and a plug contact are arranged, the plug contact being designed to be pluggable on the plug side with a mating plug contact and to be connectable to a line on the connection side, with a separating device which acts mechanically on the indicator element and is designed to be mechanically coupled to the line, and with two indicator contacts which are arranged within the plug housing and can be bridged by the indicator element.

Plugs with indicator organs are known. The indicator element of the known plugs is designed to determine whether the plug is connected to a mating plug. For this purpose, for example, an electrical connection of the indicator element with plug contacts of the mating connector is queried. If the plug and mating plug are not plugged together, querying the indicator element can indicate an error condition.

From the US 5,346,406 A a plug is known in which cables are wound helically around a central conductor, which is provided with a sleeve that can be removed from a pin, so that the sleeve is pulled off the pin and the cables can lengthen before the cables are pulled out of their sockets become. From the general conceptual basis DE 103 40 525 B3 a plug is known in which the housing and an element attached to the cable, movable against a spring force in the housing and connected to the cable, each have a contact piece, so that when the cable is pulled, the two contact pieces come into contact and an electrical one Close the circuit and, for example, an acoustic signal is emitted or the plug is automatically released from an intermediate piece. The DE 196 00 542 A1 discloses a short-circuiting element that can be inserted into a first connector housing and which, when the first connector housing is correctly connected to a second connector housing, short-circuits two contacts arranged on the second connector housing.

In particular, plugs of the type mentioned at the beginning are used to transmit drive energy from electrically powered vehicles. Plugs for such an application are generally suitable for conducting high electrical powers, i.e. high electrical currents and/or high electrical voltages. The plug contacts of such a plug are generally designed so that they can receive and forward the drive energy from a line or a mating plug contact. However, checking the condition of the plug can be desired in many applications, e.g. in data transmission, in safety-relevant applications or in plugs that are otherwise difficult to check or reach.

In the case of plugs, however, there may be other sources of error in addition to a loose plug connection that cannot be queried or detected using the known indicator elements.

It is therefore the object of the invention to provide a plug with which causes of errors other than open plug connections can be queried.

This task is solved for the plug mentioned at the beginning in that in an operating state of the plug in which the line is conductively connected to the plug contact of the plug on the connection side, the two indicator contacts are bridged by the indicator element and in the faulty state of the plug in which the line Compared to the operating state, the two indicator contacts are at least partially pulled out of the plug housing and the two indicator contacts are electrically separated from one another.

In a mounted state of the plug, in which the cable is connected to the plug contact on the connection side, the separating device can be mechanically coupled or attached to the cable, so that the separating device moves with the cable. Consequently, a transition of the plug into a fault state, in which the cable is at least partially pulled out of the plug housing, can influence the indicator element and can thereby be indicated. In this fault condition, the mating state of the plug with a mating plug can be unaffected. Known plugs cannot indicate this fault condition, but the plug according to the invention can.

The solution according to the invention can be further improved by various, individually advantageous configurations that can be combined with one another as desired. These embodiments and the advantages associated with them are discussed below, with the design measures and their effects being described merely as an example for a plug with only one indicator element and a separating device. Of course, the plug can have several indicator elements and/or several separating devices.

The indicator element and the indicator contacts can be adapted to one another in such a way that the indicator contacts can be bridged by the indicator element. In particular, the indicator contacts can be in an operating state of the plug in which it is connected to the line ready for use and can be bridged by the indicator element.

The indicator contacts can be plug-in contacts accommodated in the plug housing, each of which has a plug-in end pointing in a plug-in direction for connection to a mating plug and a contact end opposite the plug-in end along the indicator contact for connection to the indicator element. If the plug ends of the indicator contacts are arranged in a plug face of the plug and, like the plug contact, can be connected to the mating plug, the plug according to the invention can be used to determine not only whether the cable has been pulled out of the plug, but also whether the plug and the mating plug are plugged together are.

Alternatively, the indicator contacts can be arranged at the ends of an indicator bridge, which can be rigidly connected to the connector housing. In this case, the indicator element can comprise two connection lines. In this embodiment, the indicator contacts do not need to be accessible via the plug face, but can be accessible inside the plug. The connecting lines can be bridged by the indicator bridge in the operating state and detached from the indicator bridge in the fault state. To determine the state of the plug, the connection lines extend, for example with the Lei line, to a control unit, which can determine and output the state of the plug or initiate other steps.

In particular, it may be the case that the indicator element no longer bridges the indicator contacts if the plug is faulty. The bridging state of the indicator contacts can be queried, for example at the plug ends of the indicator contacts, and thus the operating or fault state can be determined.

In the faulty state, the cable can be moved by a distance relative to the plug housing compared to the operating state, so that the cable is detached from the plug contacts of the plug. This distance traveled by the line relative to the plug housing can be viewed as a minimum distance running along a fault direction between an operating position of the line in the operating state and a fault position of the line in the fault state.

If one end of the cable is no longer connected to the plug contacts of the plug, short circuits can occur within the plug. Such short circuits may affect the operation of a device connected to the connector. For example, a vehicle's energy storage device can be short-circuited and ignite. There may also be a risk of injury to a person if the conductor end of the cable is pulled out of the connector housing. At the latest in this fault position, the fault condition can occur in order to prevent personal injury, for example due to electric shock.

For mechanical coupling of the separating device to the line, the separating device can have a fastening element that can be attached to the line. As a result, the separating device with the conductor can be coupled to the indicator element in a motion-transmitting or rigid manner. A movement of the line can therefore be transmitted to the separating device and through this to the indicator element, so that the transition of the line is automatically transferred to the indicator element and this is also transferred from the operating state to the fault state.

The line can, for example, be a cable comprising at least one conductor, to the external shape of which the fastening element can be adapted. As a rule, it is sufficient if the fastening element for connection to the line is curved in one direction, i.e. at least in sections or completely annular or shaped as a polygon. The fastening element can also be easily placed or plugged on and designed to be open on one side, for example as a staple.

In order to be able to easily attach the separating device to the line, the fastening element can be designed as a fastening sleeve or sleeve, which can be connected to the line in a positive or non-positive manner. For example, the fastening sleeve or sleeve can be fastened to a jacket of the cable or to a conductor of the cable. To connect the separating device to the line, it can, for example, be pressed or crimped onto the jacket or the conductor. In particular, the fastening element can be shaped as a cable end sleeve that can be pressed onto the cable.

Alternatively, the fastening element can be designed as an elastic ring which is elastically expanded when the line, i.e. the jacket arranged around the conductor, or the conductor itself, extends through the fastening element together with the indicator element. The elastic fastening element can be made of plastic or rubber, for example. In particular, the separating device can consist of the elastic ring. Such an elastic ring can be easily pulled onto the cable and the indicator element, without the need for tools, for example for crimping.

For example, the indicator element can be shaped as a conductor loop, the ends of which conductively connect the indicator contacts to one another in the operating state. Alternatively, the indicator element can also have a conductive plastic, which bridges the indicator contacts in the operating state and is produced, for example, with the plug housing using a multi-component injection molding process.

So that the separating device can act mechanically on the indicator element, the separating device can alternatively have a lateral projection which, at least in the operating state of the plug, overlaps with the indicator element in such a way that the indicator element rests on the projection during the transition from the operating state to the fault state. The indicator element can at least partially revolve around the projection in the operating state. The cable can also be coupled to the indicator element in a motion-transmitting manner through the separating device through the lateral projection.

In order to prevent the indicator element from slipping off the lateral projection, the projection can have a holding bay that opens in the direction of interference. The holding bay can be delimited transversely to the direction of interference by the fastening element and by a projection of the projection extending in the direction of interference. In order to save installation space within the connector housing, the projection can form a free end of the projection.

However, to separate the indicator contacts during the transition from the operating to the fault state, the connection between the indicator contacts can also be interrupted in another way. For example, the indicator element can be continuous in the operating state and mechanically interrupted in the faulty state. For this purpose, the lateral projection can be formed, for example, with a cutting edge for cutting through the indicator element. In particular, the cutting edge can cut through the indicator element when or shortly after leaving the operating state. The cutting edge can be arranged facing away from the plug contact and point towards a loop end of the indicator element. Consequently, the cutting edge can be arranged at least in sections in front of the indicator element and in particular in front of its loop end in the direction of interference pointing from the operating position to the interference position of the line. Alternatively, the indicator element can have a thin wire bridging the indicator contacts, which breaks off or tears through during the transition to the fault state.

If the indicator element is coupled to the line in a motion-transmitting manner by the separating device, the indicator element can be removed from the indicator contacts and can bridge these. For this purpose, the indicator element can be detachably plugged together, for example, with the contact ends of the indicator contacts. If the indicator element has to be severed to determine whether the operating state has been exited, it can be firmly connected to the indicator contacts. For example, the indicator contacts can be plug contacts formed at the ends of the indicator element, which are firmly anchored in the plug housing.

So far, the plug according to the invention has been described in an assembled state, wherein in the operating state a conductor is connected on the connection side to plug contacts of the plug, the indicator element bridges the indicator contacts and the separating element is coupled to the conductor in a mechanical manner acting on the indicator element. However, the plug can also be in a ready-to-install state, for example as a kit, in which the conductor is not necessarily present and at least the separating element and possibly also the indicator element can each be handled separately from the plug housing. The kit can also contain several separating elements and/or indicator elements that can be adapted for different conductors and/or plugs.

The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. The different features of the embodiments can be combined independently of one another, as has already been explained for the individual advantageous embodiments.

• 1 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines ersten Ausführungsbeispiels eines erfindungsgemäßen Steckers in einem Betriebszustand;
• 2 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Steckers gemäß dem Ausführungsbeispiel der 1 in einem Störzustand;
• 3 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung eines zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels des erfindungsgemäßen Steckers in einem Betriebszustand; und
• 4 eine schematische Schnittdarstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Steckers des Ausführungsbeispiels der 3 in einem Störzustand.

Show it:

• 1 a schematic sectional view of a first exemplary embodiment of a plug according to the invention in an operating state;
• 2 a schematic sectional view of the plug according to the invention according to the exemplary embodiment 1 in a disturbed state;
• 3 a schematic sectional view of a second exemplary embodiment of the plug according to the invention in an operating state; and
• 4 a schematic sectional view of the plug according to the invention of the exemplary embodiment 3 in a disturbed state.

The figures show the plug according to the invention in an assembled state, whereby in Operating state, a conductor is connected to the plug contacts of the plug on the connection side, the indicator element bridges the indicator contacts and the separating element is mechanically coupled to the conductor. However, the plug can also be in a ready-to-install state, for example as a kit, in which the conductor is not present and at least the separating element and possibly also the indicator element can each be handled separately from the plug housing. The kit can also contain several separating elements and/or indicator elements that can be adapted for different conductors and/or plugs.

First, the structure and/or function of a plug according to the invention are described with reference to the exemplary embodiment 1 described.

1 shows the plug 1 schematically in a perspective sectional view, with the plug 1 in its operating state B being shown cut in a plane running parallel to a longitudinal direction L of a line 2. In operating state B, the line is arranged in plug 1 in an operating position PB.

The plug 1 can be designed with a plug housing 3, which delimits a connection volume 4 of the plug 1, for example transversely to the longitudinal direction L. Furthermore, the plug 1 can be designed with a plug face 5 pointing in a plugging direction R for connection to a mating plug.

To connect to the mating connector, the connector 1 can have at least one and in particular as in 1 shown include two plug contacts 6, whose plug ends 7 located in the plugging direction R are arranged in the plug face 5 and are designed in particular for plug connection with plug contacts of the mating plug. The plug contacts 6 are designed, for example, to conduct drive energy of an electrically driven vehicle. In operating state B, the conductor 2 is conductively connected to the plug contact 6, wherein the conductor 2 can be held captively in the operating position PB shown by the conductive connection. A connection end 8 arranged along the plug contact 6 opposite the plug end 7 can be designed for a conductive connection to the line 2. For example, a conductor end 9 of a conductor 10 of the line 2 can be connected to one of the connection ends 8 in a conductive and in particular electrically conductive manner. For this purpose, the connection end 8 can be attached, for example, to the conductor end 9 and in particular crimped, screwed, soldered or connected to the conductor end 9 in other known ways.

At least one indicator contact 11 for determining the operating state B or a fault state of the plug 1 can be present in the plug housing 3. The indicator contact 11 can be designed with a plug end 12 pointing in the plugging direction R and arranged in the plug face 5, which can be plugged together, for example, with a counter-indicator contact of a mating plug to query the status of the plug 1. A contact end 13 of the indicator contact 11 opposite the plug end 12 along the indicator contact 11 can be accessible through the connection volume 4. In the exemplary embodiment 1 The plug 1 includes two indicator contacts 11, of which only one is visible and the other is covered.

The plug 1 can also have an indicator element 14, which can be provided in the connection volume 4 in the operating state B shown. The indicator element 14 is preferably formed with two bridging ends 15, one of which is conductively connected to one of the indicator contacts 11, at least in operating state B. According to the exemplary embodiment of 1 The bridging ends 15 can be detachably plugged together with the indicator contacts 11 in operating state B. For this purpose, the contact ends 13 of the indicator contact 11 are formed, for example, as contact pins and the bridging ends 15 of the indicator element 14 are formed as contact sockets.

In operating state B, the indicator element 14 bridges the indicator contacts 11 or shorts them. Between the bridging ends 15, the indicator element 14 can have a line section 16, which conductively connects the bridging ends 15 to one another. For example, the line section 16 can be designed as a conductor loop.

The plug 1 can also have a separating device 17, which can be mechanically coupled to the line 2 or to its conductor 10 and is designed to act mechanically on the indicator element 14. According to the exemplary embodiment of 1 The separating device 17 can have an annular fastening element 18 which connects the line 2 or its conductor 10 to the indicator element 14 in a rigid manner. The separating device 17 can even consist of the fastening element 18 and can, for example, be a crimp ring through which a section of the line 2 and in particular the conductor 10 and a part of the indicator element 14 can extend. The motion-transmitting coupling of the line 2 to the indicator element 14 can therefore be produced by crimping the indicator element 14 to the line 2 using the separating device 17. Alternatively, the annular separating device 17 can be used for example, have or even consist of an elastic ring, which is made of rubber or plastic, for example. Such a separating device 17 can possibly be assembled without using a tool.

2 shows the plug 1 of the exemplary embodiment 1 along the plane of the 1 shown in section and in a fault state S, in which the conductor 2 compared to the operating state B 1 is moved in a disturbing direction D relative to the plug housing 3 and is at least partially pulled out of it.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the interference direction D extends counter to the plug-in direction R or the longitudinal direction L. However, the interference direction D can also be aligned differently. For example, if the plug 1 is angled instead of the straight design of the illustrated embodiment, the interference direction D can have an angle to the plugging direction R that is comparable to the angle of the plug 1.

In the fault state S, in particular the connection between the indicator element 14 and the indicator contacts 11 can be separated. Furthermore, the connection of the line 2 to the plug contacts 6 can also be interrupted by the movement of the conductor 2 relative to the plug housing 3. If the conductor end 9 is detached or torn from the connection with the connection end 8 in such a fault position PS of the line 2, undesired short circuits can occur within the connection volume 4 and, for example, a short circuit with other conductive components of the plug or with another conductor 10 on line 2 come. Consequently, it may be desirable for the connection of the indicator element 14 to the indicator contacts 11 to be released before the risk of an unwanted closure occurs.

The movement of the line 2 relative to the plug housing 3 in the fault direction D can be transmitted to the indicator element 14 by the separating device 17 at least during the transition from the operating state B to the fault state S.

In order to safely avoid the potential for injury or short circuits with conductive elements outside the connection volume 4, the indicator element 14 can be separated from the indicator contacts 11 and transferred to the fault state S at the latest when the conductor ends 9 are pulled out of the connection volume 4. A separation of the indicator element 14 from the indicator contacts 11 can be detected and a device connected to the plug 1 via the line 2 can be switched off. If the state of the plug 1 is queried by a mating plug that can be connected to the indicator contacts 11, an unintentional opening of a plug connection between the plug and mating plug can also be detected.

3 shows a second exemplary embodiment of the plug 1 according to the invention in operating state B. For elements that have the same function and/or structure as the elements of the exemplary embodiment 1 and 2 correspond, the same reference numbers are used. For the sake of brevity, we will only point out the differences to the exemplary embodiment 1 and 2 received.

The exemplary embodiment of the 3 differs in particular in the design of the separating device 17. The separating device 17 can also be used here via the fastening element 18, which can be designed as an annular cable end sleeve through which the conductor 10 can extend. The fastening element 18 can be attached to a jacket 19 of the line 2 and, for example, pressed or squeezed onto the line 2. The fastening element 18 is, for example, a crimp sleeve.

The separating device 17 can be designed with a lateral projection 20, which can extend transversely to a central axis of the fastening element 18 from the outside thereof. When the plug 1 is assembled, the central axis of the fastening element 18 can extend parallel to the longitudinal direction L of the line 2.

The lateral projection 20 can be arranged behind a part of the line section 16 in the longitudinal direction L in the assembled state or in the operating state B of the plug 1. If the line 20 is now moved in the fault direction D, here against the longitudinal direction L, from the operating position PB of the operating state B towards the fault state S, the lateral projection 20 can rest against the longitudinal direction L on the line section 16 of the indicator element 14 and thus the movement of the line 2 is transmitted to the indicator element 14.

The lateral projection 20 can have a projection 21 running counter to the longitudinal direction L for positioning the line section 16. Between the projection 21 and the fastening element 18, a holding bay 22 can be arranged, which can accommodate a cross section of the line section 16. The holding book 22 can open in the assembled state of the plug 1 against the longitudinal direction L and be limited transversely to the longitudinal direction L by the projection 21 and the fastening element 18. In its operating position PB, the line section 16 can be at least partially transverse to the longitudinal direction L between the fastening element 18 and the over stand 21 must be arranged and the line section 16 thus does not slip off the lateral projection 20 transversely to the longitudinal direction L. The projection 21 can be arranged at a free end of the lateral projection 20.

In addition, the lateral projection 20 can be designed with a cutting edge 23, which cuts through the line section 16 during the transition from the operating state B to the fault state S. For this purpose, the cutting edge 23 can be aligned in particular against the longitudinal direction L.

The cutting edge 23 can extend transversely to the longitudinal direction L between the projection 21 and the fastening element 18 and point counter to the longitudinal direction L when the plug 1 is assembled. In particular, the cutting edge 23 can point towards the line section 16.

In the operating position PB of the line 2, the line section 16 can be spaced from the projection 20 and especially from its cutting edge 23 in order to avoid unwanted damage to the indicator element 14, for example abrasion caused by vibrations.

4 shows the exemplary embodiment 3 in a disturbed state S.

In the fault state S, the conductor end 9 can be transferred to the fault position PS and separated from the plug contact 6. Alternatively, the plug contact 6 can remain at least partially connected to the conductor end 9 in both the first and this exemplary embodiment, even if the line 2 is moved out of the operating position PB. In the exemplary embodiment 4 the line 2 is designed with two conductors 10, with the line end 9 of the front conductor 10 in the illustration being pulled out of the plug contact 6. The conductor end 9 of the rear conductor 10 in the drawing is still connected to the connection end 8 of the plug contact 6. However, the connection end 8 is torn off from the remaining plug contact 6. Line 2 is in 4 moved so far relative to the plug housing 3 that the conductor ends 9 and even the connection end 8 of the plug contact 6 that is still connected to the line 2 are completely pulled out of the connection volume 4.

The separating device 17 is still attached to the line 2 in the exemplary embodiment shown. The cutting edge 23 has severed the line section 16 of the indicator element 14, which is still connected to the indicator contacts 11.

Claims (13)

Plug (1) with a plug housing (3), in which at least one indicator element (14) for error checking and a plug contact (6) are arranged, the plug contact (6) being pluggable on the plug side with a mating plug contact and connectable on the connection side to a line (2). is designed, with a separating device (17), which acts mechanically on the indicator element (14) and can be mechanically coupled to the line (2), and with two indicator contacts (11), which are arranged within the plug housing (3) and through which Indicator element (14) can be bridged, characterized in that in an operating state (B) of the plug (1), in which the line (2) is conductively connected to the plug contact (6) on the connection side, the two indicator contacts (11) are connected by the indicator element (14) are bridged and in a fault state (S) of the plug (1), in which the line (2) is at least partially pulled out of the plug housing (3) compared to the operating state (B), the two indicator contacts (11) are electrical are separated from each other. plug (1). Claim 1 , characterized in that in the fault state (S), the line (2) is moved by a predetermined minimum distance relative to the plug housing (3) compared to the operating state (B). Plug (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 2 , characterized in that the separating device (17) has a fastening element (18) which can be attached to the line (2). plug (1). Claim 3 , characterized in that the fastening element (18) is at least partially annular. plug (1). Claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that the fastening element (18) is designed as a fastening sleeve which can be connected to the line (2) in a positive or non-positive manner. Plug (1) according to one of the Claims 3 until 5 , characterized in that the fastening element (18) is shaped as a cable end sleeve and can be pressed onto the cable (2). plug (1). Claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that the fastening element (18) is an elastic ring and is elastically expanded when a line (2) and the indicator member (14) extend through the fastening element (18). Plug (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 7 , characterized in that the indicator organ (14) has a loop-shaped line section (16), the ends (15) of which conductively connect the indicator contacts (11) to one another in the operating state (B). Plug (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 8th , characterized in that the separating device (17) has a lateral projection (20) and the indicator element (14) at least partially surrounds the projection (20) in the operating state (B). plug (1). Claim 9 , characterized in that the lateral projection (20) is formed with a cutting edge (23) for cutting through the indicator element (14). Plug (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 10 , characterized in that the indicator contacts (11) are plug contacts accommodated in the plug housing (3), each of which has a plug end (12) pointing in the plugging direction (R) for connection to a mating plug and a plug end (12) along the indicator contacts (11). have opposite contact end (13) for connection to the indicator element (14). Plug (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 10 , characterized in that the indicator element (14) can be removed in the operating state (B) or is firmly connected to the indicator contacts (11). plug (1). Claim 1 , characterized in that the indicator element (14) is mechanically interrupted in the fault state (S).

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