DE102020202732B4 - Housing arrangement for an electrical plug - Google Patents

Abstract

Housing arrangement (100) for an electric plug (200), with a from a first pivot position (21) into a second pivot position (22) on a housing (10) rotatably mounted lever (20), and with a locking mechanism (30), through which the lever (20) can be locked in the first pivoting position (21), the locking mechanism (30) having a bolt (40) movable relative to the lever (20) and a bolt receptacle (50) movable at least partially relative to the lever (20), wherein the bolt (40) and the bolt receptacle (50) are movable relative to each other depending on a pivot position (41, 42) of the lever (20) relative to the housing (10), the bolt (40) being in the first pivot position (21 ) can be transferred into the bolt receptacle (50), characterized in that at least part of the locking mechanism (30) is formed in a lever axis (25) supporting the lever (20) on the housing (10).

Description

The invention relates to a housing arrangement for an electrical connector.

A housing arrangement for an electric plug is known, with a lever attached to a housing such that it can be rotated from a first pivot position into a second pivot position, and with a locking mechanism by which the lever can be locked in the first pivot position, the locking mechanism having a bolt that can be moved relative to the lever and a has a bolt receptacle that is at least partially movable relative to the lever, the bolt and the bolt receptacle being movable relative to one another as a function of a pivoted position of the lever relative to the housing, the bolt being transferable into the bolt receptacle in the first pivoted position.

the DE 10 2012 218 034 A1 , the DE 103 08 636 B4 , the DE 20 2018 104 599 U1 and the EP 3 226 361 A1 each show a plug with a pivotable lever and a locking mechanism. The disadvantage of these solutions, however, is that they are very large.

The object of the invention is to provide a solution that is compact and enables a secure connection with a mating connector.

According to the invention, this is achieved in that at least a part of the locking mechanism is formed in a lever axis supporting the lever on the housing.

The lever allows the electrical connector to be securely attached to a mating connector. Because a part of the locking mechanism is formed in the lever axis, the connector is compact.

The solution according to the invention can be further improved with the following further developments and configurations, each of which is advantageous in itself and can be combined with one another as desired.

The lever axis can in particular represent a pivot bearing or be part of a pivot bearing with which the lever can be rotated relative to the housing. The lever axis can be a type of shaft, which is mounted in a corresponding counter bearing, for example an axle mount on the housing.

In order to enable simple locking, an axis of rotation about which the lever can be rotated can run through the locking mechanism.

The bolt receptacle can be at least partially movable with respect to the housing.

In an advantageous embodiment, the bolt receptacle can extend through a peripheral surface, in particular a bearing surface, of the lever axis. The peripheral surface or bearing surface can be configured in the shape of a segment of a cylinder in order to enable simple rotation.

In the second pivoting position, two stops can engage and block the locking mechanism. Thereupon, wrong operation can be prevented.

In particular, blockage may be present over a range greater than 45 degrees, preferably greater than 90 degrees. As a result, incorrect actuation can be prevented not only in the direct vicinity of the first pivoting position, but also further away from it.

In a compact configuration, a pair of stops can be arranged on an edge of the bolt receptacle. For example, a stop can be arranged at an edge of an opening of a channel and/or formed by an edge of the opening.

In order to enable secure blocking with a larger overlap, in an advantageous embodiment, a further pair of stops can be present, which is further away from the axis of rotation than the pair of stops on the edge of the bolt receptacle. Another pair of stops can also additionally block a rotation of the lever from the first pivoting position in order to make the locking even more secure.

To save space, the latch receiver can be part of a channel on the housing. Conversely, a channel on the housing may be part of the latch receiver.

The housing arrangement can be designed in such a way that the channel in the housing is aligned with a channel in the lever axis in the first pivoting position. The two channels can, for example, have an identical cross section and/or an identical orientation in the first pivoting position. In particular, the channel in the housing can only be aligned with the channel in the lever axis in the first pivoting position and not outside of the first pivoting position.

The bolt can be slidably guided on the lever. For this purpose, the lever can have at least one guide element for the bolt and/or the bolt can have at least one guide element for the lever. In particular, the bolt can be linear on the Lever can be moved to allow easy operation. In an advantageous embodiment, the bolt can be locked on the lever. For example, the bolt can be locked in a pre-locking position on the lever. The pre-detent position may be a position in which the locking mechanism does not lock. Furthermore, the bolt can be locked in a locking position on the lever. The detent position may be a position in which the locking mechanism locks. To create a latch, latching elements can be present on the locking element and/or counter-latching elements on the lever. The latching elements can be designed, for example, as a projection or as a recess, which together form a latching mechanism. It is particularly advantageous if the bolt can be brought from the pre-locked position into the locked position and/or vice versa by a displacement, in particular a linear displacement.

The latch may have a boss or spigot projecting from the rest of the latch. The projection or spigot may be located in the lever axis. Other parts of the bolt can be arranged outside the lever axis. The projection or spigot may have a constant cross-section. The cross section can be adapted to a cross section of the bolt receptacle and in particular can be complementary thereto in order to achieve a good connection. The projection or spigot may protrude from an actuation portion at which actuation of the latch occurs, such as manual actuation.

The bolt can be designed as a carriage. The carriage can be movably mounted in a channel-shaped guide element formed on the lever.

An electrical connector can include a housing arrangement according to the invention.

A connector assembly may include an electrical connector and a mating connector, wherein the mating connector is configured to mate with the electrical connector.

The electrical connector may include a securing mechanism configured to secure the electrical connector to the mating connector, with the lever being part of the securing mechanism. In particular, the electric plug can be secured on the mating plug in the first pivoting position. In the second pivoting position, the electrical connector cannot be secured to the mating connector and, for example, be detached from it.

The securing mechanism can positively secure the electrical connector on the mating connector. For example, an element on the electrical connector can engage behind an element on the mating connector or vice versa.

The securing mechanism can have a displaceably mounted element which is driven by the lever. For example, the element can be mounted in a linearly displaceable manner, in particular perpendicular to a plug-in direction along which the electric plug is plugged into the mating plug.

In order to enable secure assembly, a displacement direction along which the bolt is displaced relative to the lever can run parallel to a plug-in direction along which the electric plug is plugged into the mating plug. In particular, the displacement direction is a direction along which the bolt is displaced in the bolt receptacle relative to the lever.

Fastening is also secure when the displacement direction along which the bolt is displaced relative to the lever runs parallel to a pressing direction along which the electrical plug is pressed onto the mating plug by the securing mechanism.

In an advantageous embodiment, the locking element can be in one piece. Furthermore, the lever can be in one piece. In this way, production can be simplified.

When the latch is made large and located outside of the housing, it is easy for a user to know whether the locking mechanism is activated and locked or not. In order to make this distinction even easier, there can be indication elements that are visible or not visible depending on the position of the bolt. For example, such indication elements can be visible in the pre-locked position and hidden in the locked position, or vice versa.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail by way of example on the basis of advantageous configurations with reference to the drawings. The advantageous further developments and refinements presented here are each independent of one another and can be combined with one another as desired, depending on how this is necessary in the application.

• 1 eine schematische, geschnittene Seitenansicht einer ersten Ausführungsform einer Gehäuseanordnung mit einem Hebel in einer zweiten Schwenkstellung;
• 2 eine schematische, geschnittene Perspektivansicht der ersten Ausführungsform mit dem Hebel in der zweiten Schwenkstellung;
• 3 eine schematische, geschnittene Seitenansicht der ersten Ausführungsform mit dem Hebel nahe der ersten Schwenkstellung;
• 4 eine schematische, geschnittene Seitenansicht der ersten Ausführungsform mit dem Hebel in der ersten Schwenkstellung, wobei der Verriegelungsmechanismus den Hebel noch nicht verriegelt;
• 5 eine schematische, geschnittene Seitenansicht der ersten Ausführungsform mit dem Hebel in der ersten Schwenkstellung, wobei der Verriegelungsmechanismus den Hebel verriegelt;
• 6 eine schematische, teilweise geschnittene Perspektivansicht der ersten Ausführungsform mit dem Hebel in der ersten Schwenkstellung, wobei der Verriegelungsmechanismus den Hebel noch nicht verriegelt;
• 7 eine schematische, teilweise geschnittene Perspektivansicht der ersten Ausführungsform mit dem Hebel in der ersten Schwenkstellung, wobei der Verriegelungsmechanismus den Hebel verriegelt;
• 8 eine schematische Seitenansicht der ersten Ausführungsform mit dem Hebel in der ersten Schwenkstellung.

Show it:

• 1 a schematic, sectional side view of a first embodiment of a housing arrangement with a lever in a second pivot position;
• 2 a schematic, sectional perspective view of the first embodiment with the lever in the second pivot position;
• 3 a schematic, sectional side view of the first embodiment with the lever near the first pivot position;
• 4 a schematic, sectional side view of the first embodiment with the lever in the first pivot position, the locking mechanism not yet locking the lever;
• 5 a schematic, sectional side view of the first embodiment with the lever in the first pivot position, wherein the locking mechanism locks the lever;
• 6 a schematic, partially sectioned perspective view of the first embodiment with the lever in the first pivot position, the locking mechanism not yet locking the lever;
• 7 a schematic, partially sectioned perspective view of the first embodiment with the lever in the first pivot position, wherein the locking mechanism locks the lever;
• 8th a schematic side view of the first embodiment with the lever in the first pivot position.

In the 1 until 8th A first embodiment of a housing arrangement 100 is shown. Together with further elements, in particular contact elements 210 accommodated in contact element receptacles 220, the housing arrangement 100 forms an electric plug 200.

The electric plug 200 can be plugged together with a mating plug (not shown) along a plug-in direction P. In order to secure this connection, the electrical connector 200 has a securing mechanism 230 which, in particular, comprises a linearly displaceable element 230 . Depending on the position of the movable element 230, the electrical connector 200 is secured to the mating connector or can be detached from it. The securing mechanism 230 can generate a force acting along a pressing direction A, which presses the electrical connector 200 against the mating connector. The pressing direction A can in particular run along the insertion direction P.

The displaceable element 231 is coupled to a lever 20, so that the position of the displaceable element 231 depends on the position of the lever 20.

The lever 20 is rotatably attached to a housing 10 of the housing assembly 100 . It can be brought from a first pivoted position 21 into a second pivoted position 22 . A locking mechanism 30 can lock the lever 20 in the first pivot position 21 . For this purpose, the locking mechanism 30 has a bolt 40 which can be moved relative to the lever 20 . Furthermore, the locking mechanism 30 has a bolt receptacle 50 which can be moved at least partially relative to the lever 20 . Depending on the pivoted position of the lever 20 relative to the housing 10, the bolt 40 and the bolt receptacle 50 can be moved relative to one another. In the first pivoting position 21, the bolt 40 can be transferred into the bolt receptacle 50, so that it then fills the bolt receptacle 50.

In the first pivoting position 21 of the lever 20, the mating connector is secured on the electrical connector 200. In the second pivot position 22 of the lever 20, the mating connector can be detached from the electrical connector 200. For example, elements on the electrical connector 200 can engage behind corresponding elements on the mating connector and create a form fit.

A part of the locking mechanism 30 is formed in a lever axle 25 which supports the lever 20 on the housing 10 . In the example shown, the lever axle 25 is part of the lever 20 and is mounted in an axle receptacle 15 on the housing 10 . The lever axle 25 and the axle mount 15 are each designed in the form of a cylinder segment in order to enable simple rotation. The bolt receptacle 50 extends through a peripheral surface 26 of the lever axis 22, which thus represents a bearing surface 27.

A part of the bolt receptacle 50, in particular a channel 29 formed on the lever axis 25, is at least partially movable relative to the housing 10.

The bolt receptacle 50 also includes a channel 19 formed on the housing 10. The bolt 40 can only be inserted into both channels 19, 29 in the first pivoting position 21. This is achieved in that the two channels 19, 29 are aligned with one another only in the first pivoting position 21, and in particular have the same cross section and run in the same direction.

Outside the first pivot position 21, for example in a second pivot position 22 as shown in 3 is shown, the bolt 40 can not be inserted into the channel 19 in the housing 10, since a first pair of stops 60, consisting of a first stop on the housing 10 and a second stop 62 on the bolt 40, against each other. The first pair of stops 60 is arranged on the edge of the bolt receptacle 50 . In particular, over a wide pivoting range, for example over more than 90 degrees, it is prevented that the bolt 40 can be actuated erroneously.

A second pair of stops 70, consisting of a first stop 71 on the housing and a second stop 72 on the bolt, also prevents displacement into the channel 19. Since the second pair of stops 70 is further away from an axis of rotation R about which the lever 20 can be rotated , the overlap between the two stops 71, 72 is larger here.

In order to keep the design compact, the axis of rotation R runs through the locking mechanism 30, in particular through the channel 29 in the lever axis 25.

The bolt 40 is movably guided on the lever 20 . For this purpose, the bolt 40 and the lever 20 have guide elements 42 and 24, respectively, which interact.

The bolt 40 is designed as a carriage 45 and is movably mounted in a channel-shaped guide element 28 formed on the lever 20 .

The latch 40 has a projection or spigot 41 which projects from the remainder of the latch 40 . The pin 41 is arranged in the lever axis 25 . Further parts of the bolt 40 can be arranged outside of the lever axis 25 . The pin 41 has a constant cross section. The cross section is adapted to a cross section of the bolt receptacle 50 and in particular is complementary thereto in order to achieve a good connection. The pin 41 protrudes from an actuation section 44, at which actuation of the bolt 40 takes place, for example, by manual actuation.

The bolt 40 can be locked on the lever 20 . On the one hand, it can be locked in a locking position 83 by means of a first locking mechanism 91 . The locking mechanism 30 locks the lever 20 in the locking position 83 .

On the other hand, the bolt 40 can be locked in a pre-locking position 82 by means of a second locking mechanism 92 . In the pre-detent position 82, the lever 20 is not locked but is free to rotate. The second locking mechanism 2 also has a projection 93 which interacts with a recess 95 and in particular abuts against a stop 94 .

A displacement direction V, along which the bolt 40 can be displaced relative to the lever 20 when the lever 20 is in the first pivot position 21, is parallel to the plug-in direction P, along which the electric plug 200 is plugged into the mating plug. The direction of displacement V is also parallel to a pressing direction A, along which the electrical connector 200 is pressed onto the mating connector.

The latch 40 is designed in one piece to allow safe and easy production. The lever 20 is also designed in one piece.

At an actuation section 240, the lever can be actuated manually, for example.

Since the latch 40 is made large and is located outside of the housing 10, it is easy for a user to know whether the locking mechanism 30 is activated and locked or not. In order to make this differentiation even easier, there can be indication elements which are visible or not visible depending on the position of the bar 40 . For example, such indication elements can be visible in the pre-locked position 82 and covered in the locked position 83 .

Reference List

10

housing

15

axle mount

19

channel

20

lever

21

first swivel position

22

second swivel position

24

guide element

25

lever axis

26

peripheral surface

27

storage area

28

channel-shaped guide element

29

channel

30

locking mechanism

40

bars

41

cones

44

actuation section

45

sleds

42

guide element

50

latch mount

60

stop pair

61

first stop

62

second stop

70

stop pair

71

first stop

72

second stop

82

pre-lock position

83

detent position

91

first locking mechanism

92

second locking mechanism

93

head Start

94

attack

95

recess

100

housing arrangement

200

electric plug

210

contact element

220

contact element recording

230

safety mechanism

231

movable element

240

actuation section

A

pressing direction

P

mating direction

Q

transverse direction

R

axis of rotation

S

pan direction

V

shift direction

Claims (15)

Housing arrangement (100) for an electric plug (200), with a from a first pivot position (21) into a second pivot position (22) on a housing (10) rotatably mounted lever (20), and with a locking mechanism (30), through which the lever (20) can be locked in the first pivoting position (21), the locking mechanism (30) having a bolt (40) movable relative to the lever (20) and a bolt receptacle (50) movable at least partially relative to the lever (20), wherein the bolt (40) and the bolt receptacle (50) are movable relative to each other depending on a pivot position (41, 42) of the lever (20) relative to the housing (10), the bolt (40) being in the first pivot position (21 ) can be transferred into the bolt receptacle (50), characterized in that at least part of the locking mechanism (30) is formed in a lever axis (25) supporting the lever (20) on the housing (10). housing arrangement claim 1 wherein an axis of rotation (R) about which the lever (20) is rotatable passes through the locking mechanism (30). Housing arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 1 or 2 , wherein the bolt receptacle (50) extends through a peripheral surface (26) of the lever axis (25). Housing arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , wherein in the second pivoting position (22) two stops (61, 62, 71, 72) are engaged and block the locking mechanism (30). Housing arrangement (100) after claim 4 wherein the locking mechanism (30) is locked over a range greater than 45 degrees, preferably greater than 90 degrees. Housing arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 4 or 5 , wherein a pair of stops (60) is arranged on an edge of the bolt receptacle (50). Housing arrangement (100) after claim 6 , wherein another pair of stops (70) is further away from the axis of rotation (R) than the pair of stops (60) on the edge of the bolt receiver (50). Housing arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , wherein the latch receiver (50) is part of a channel (19) on the housing (10). Housing arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 1 until 8th , The bolt (40) being displaceably guided on the lever (20). Housing arrangement (100) according to one of Claims 1 until 9 , wherein the bolt (40) on the lever (20) can be latched. Electrical connector (200), comprising a housing arrangement (100) according to any one of Claims 1 until 10 . A connector assembly comprising an electrical connector (200). claim 11 and a mating connector configured to mate with the electrical connector (200). connector arrangement claim 12 , wherein the electrical connector (200) has a securing mechanism (230) which is designed to to secure the electrical connector (200) to the mating connector, the lever (20) being part of the securing mechanism (230). Connector arrangement according to one of Claims 12 or 13 , wherein a displacement direction (V) along which the bolt (40) is displaced relative to the lever (20) runs parallel to a plug-in direction (P) along which the electric plug (200) is plugged into the mating plug. Connector arrangement according to one of Claims 12 until 14 , A displacement direction (V) along which the bolt (40) is displaced relative to the lever (20) runs parallel to a pressing direction (P) along which the electrical plug (200) is pressed onto the mating plug by the securing mechanism (230).

Images