DE19706636C2 - Electrical connection device for consumers arranged in a row, in particular solenoid valves - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an electrical connection device device for arranged in a row, independently of one another other consumers to be controlled, in particular solenoid valves, according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such connection devices for solenoid valves are known for example from DE 39 43 752 C2. In the known arrangement form a string connection block elements fluidic channels and a passage channel for receiving printed circuit boards, which when put together also plug the terminal block elements in electrically Series are switched. Serve at opposite the side edges of the circuit boards arranged electrical Connectors. The contacts of the opposite Plug devices are interconnected so offset that automatically assigns the contacts to the first Plug device for the individual solenoid valves.

From DE 44 13 657 C1 a valve arrangement of in-line plate valves is known, which form fluidic through-channels in the sequence of different through openings, with recesses for two actuating devices being provided in the valve plates, which are form-fitting and captive in the individual rooms by means of plug connections are fixed. In the actuators there are solenoids for operating the control valves, with outstanding, electrical connection contacts being arranged from the actuators, via which the control signals required for operating the actuators can be supplied. Any electrical connection devices for the connecting contacts 41 are not disclosed.

From CH 396 130 is a disconnect and test plug contact known connection with a contact carrier, in which the outgoing connections via spring contacts a form of Spring wires can be realized. Furthermore, from DE 89 01 917 U1 known a spring contact strip, the one has strip-shaped insulating body, which on its Top of a longitudinally extending Aus has acceptance. A row is transverse to Longitudinal direction of the insulating body and extending in the Recess lying spring elements provided, each a straight and parallel to the bottom of the Insulator lying leg and one over have this bulging, further leg. From the US 3,239,798 are U-shaped, stamped from a metal and curved spring elements for connecting several other circuit boards known. Thereby form the However, spring elements do not have rows of contacts on several Contact holders and their interconnection as a bus System. Finally, from DE 25 00 684 A1 Contact rows of spring elements known by  Stamping and bending are manufactured and in which the individual spring elements over a plastic or Paper web are connected to each other. All these known variations of connection devices are more or less constructively complex or have to be connected be moderately adapted to the respective consumer.

The object of the present invention is starting from this state of the art at the same permanent connection principle to a connection device create that is easier to manufacture and assemble and the constructive and assembly largely independent of Is consumer.

This object is achieved by the features of Claim 1 solved.

With this arrangement, the known plug contacts through simpler and cheaper system contacts puts. Printed circuit boards can be completely eliminated and are made by simple plastic injection molded parts and elastic contact strips replaced. The invention Connection device can still easily sluggish outside on consumer rows or solenoid valve rows can be attached to ver chains.  

By the measures listed in the subclaims are advantageous developments and improvements of Connection device specified in claim 1 possible.

It has proven to be particularly beneficial if each one leg of the spring elements on the contact holder flat fits while the other leg from the contact holder protrudes resiliently. This will have the spring elements on the one hand a good and secure hold, whereby due to the resiliently protruding legs at the on rows of contact arrangements safe electrical Contact connections are established automatically. Here serve groove-like indentations in the contact holders Inclusion of spring elements to improve the good Positioning the spring elements.

To achieve the necessary transfer of contacts of the two rows of contacts of each contact arrangement are Legs parallel to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the contact holder aligned, the Cross bars between the legs for the offset connection of the contacts run obliquely to this longitudinal direction.

A particularly favorable structural arrangement results characterized in that the spring elements of a contact holder in essentially from a unit on the contact holder  slide-on spring elements composite exist, the individual spring elements connecting connecting webs have detachable or punched away. The Ab separate and punch away then takes place after each opening push the cohesive composite, creating a very quick assembly is achieved. Fixing the spring elements is then made by an adhesive or by Plastic hot pressing or deformation on the contact holder. This takes place in an advantageous manner in that when opening push the spring element assembly through recesses the same penetrating, thermoformable or flat pressable projections are provided on the contact holder.

The arrangement of the contact holder in each case in the holding frame serves to improve the mechanical strength and Protection against unwanted short circuits and incorrect contacts. The contact holders are expediently assigned Neten holding frame arranged and snapped out what also contributes to simplifying assembly. Ins in particular, the holding frame at least covers the crossbars between the legs of the spring elements, the Legs remain accessible. The connection contacts preferably reach through an opening at the front  of the holding frame at least partially through it by.

Each is for quick and easy positioning Contact arrangement can be plugged into a consumer and / or designed to snap on. The necessary plug-in and / or locking elements are preferably on the Contact holders or holding frames arranged. To protect the Contacts of the contact holder against dirt and moisture activity becomes the one leg of the spring elements having flat side of the contact arrangements advantageous surrounded by a seal while the other opposite flat side with a match the contact surface is provided for such a seal. When the contact arrangements are lined up then takes place automatically the seal.

To increase mechanical stability and positioning accuracy of the row of contact arrangements is one the flat having one leg of the spring elements side of the contact arrangements with at least one front jump and the opposite other flat side with provided at least one corresponding recess, the intermesh when lined up.

To supply the necessary control signals for the  Consumers serve one with the first of the lined up Contact arrangements in connectable connection unit to Transmission of control signals. It is convenient to do so the contact connectable to the first contact arrangement place the connection unit according to a flat side formed a contact arrangement and has an ent speaking row of contacts.

The connection unit advantageously has means for Distribution of over a multipole cable or a post control signals transmitted to the row of contacts.

Embodiments of the invention are in the drawing shown and in the following description explained. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a perspective exploded diagram of a group consisting of individual contact assemblies electrical connection device for electrical supply to a solenoid valve's number and a terminal unit for supplying the electrical control signals rule,

Fig. 2 shows such a contact arrangement in a side view on a first flat side,

Fig. 3 shows the contact arrangement in a side view of a first narrow side

Fig. 4 the contact arrangement in a view from above,

Fig. 5 shows the contact arrangement in a side view of the second opposite flat side,

Fig. 6 shows the contact arrangement in a side view on the second opposing narrow side,

Fig. 7 shows the contact arrangement in a Querschnittsdar position along the section line BB in Fig. 3,

Fig. 8 shows the contact holder of the contact arrangement without a holding frame in the view of FIG. 2 and

Fig. 9 shows a schematic control signal curve with three lined-up contact arrangements.

The exploded diagram shown in Fig. 1 shows a series arrangement of four plate valves 10 , as described for example in DE 44 13 657. When such plate valves 10 are arranged in series, different passage openings form fluidic passage channels, a valve member and one or two solenoid coils also being provided. The row arrangement of these plate valves 10 is closed at the two free ends by end members 11 , one of which is shown in Fig. 1. The electrical connections not visible in FIG. 1 solenoids of the valves facing up and guided by electrical connection elements 12 since Lich outwardly, where this connection elements protrude beyond the vertical page boundary 12 of the plate valves 10 addition. The supply of the required electrical control signals for the plurality of solenoids of the plate valves 10 takes place via a multipole cable 13 which is plugged into a connection unit 14 by means of a multipole plug (not visible in FIG. 1). This connection unit 14 has on one side a vertical row of connection contacts 15 , which are each designed as horizontal, electrically conductive strips. In the connection unit 14 , the individual wires of the multipole cable 13 are assigned to these connecting contacts 15 .

In an alternative embodiment, the control signals required for the plate valves 10 can also be routed via a bus line instead of via a multipole cable 13 . In this case, the connection unit 14 contains a bus station or a bus node in order to be able to assign the various control signals to the connection contacts 15 .

The connection of the connecting contacts 15 to the electrical connections on the underside of the protruding areas of the connecting elements 12 takes place by means of a multiplicity of contact arrangements 16 , three of which are shown completely and one partially in FIG. 1, that is to say that the latter are only those the contact rows and connections forming spring elements 17 shown, as will be explained in more detail in the following description of FIGS. 2 to 8. These contact arrangements 16 have a width corresponding to the width of the plate valves 10 and are likewise arranged in a row and fixed to the plate valves 10 , the individual electrical connections being explained in more detail in connection with FIG. 9.

In Figs. 2 to 8 one of the contact assemblies 16 is shown in detail and in different views. Essentially, this contact arrangement 16 consists of an elongated, rectangular holding frame 18 , into which a contact holder 19 , as shown separately in FIG. 8, can be inserted and thereby locked or unlocked. The holding frame 18 has at its upper narrower transverse frame member 20 is a rectangular through opening 21, into which a two ramps forming projection 22 on the upper end face of the contact holder 19 is immersed in the insertion of this contact holder 19 in the holding frame 18 and partially through engages. At the opposite end of the contact holder 19 , a resilient locking plate 23 is formed, which engages with a projection 24 on the lower cross frame part 25 when inserting the contact holder 19 . To unlock the free end edge of the locking plate 23 is raised slightly so that the contact holder 19 can be pressed out of the holding frame 18 .

The contact holder 19 has a plurality of parallel groove-like depressions 26 on both sides, which extend perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the contact holder 19 . In these groove-like recesses 26 a plurality of U-shaped spring members 17 is inserted so that the legs of which extend respectively in these groove-like recesses 26th The crossbars 27 of these U-shaped Kontaktan arrangements 26 have such a slope relative to the longitudinal direction of the contact holder 19 (see Fig. 3) that displacement of the legs of the spring elements 17 in the longitudinal direction of the contact holder 19 causes two groove-like depressions 26 in each case becomes. That is, the legs arranged in two directly opposite recesses 26 belong to different contact arrangements 16 , namely to contact arrangements which are offset in two positions in relation to one another.

In the two topmost opposite depressions 26 according to FIG. 3, a modified spring element 28 is inserted, as is shown in FIG. 1 separately Darge. This has two in the inserted state directly opposite legs 29 , which are integrally connected via a U-shaped connecting part 30 with two connection contacts 31 , which are positioned in the inserted state on a ramp of the projection 22 , also for better positioning there groove-like depressions are provided.

Modified spring elements 32 , 33 are also inserted into the second uppermost and third uppermost recess 26 on the right side of the contact holder 19 according to FIG. 3. These have two legs 34 , 35 positioned in the recesses 26 , which are connected via transverse webs 36 , 37 to two further connection contacts 38 , 39 , which in turn are positioned on the second ramp of the projection 22 or in corresponding recesses of this projection 22 .

For assembly, the spring elements 17 , 32 and 33 are pushed together as a spring element composite in one operation onto the contact holder 19 such that the legs of these spring elements each engage in the groove-like recesses 26 , as described. To make this possible, the spring elements 17 , 32 and 33 are connected to one another in the region of the transverse webs 27 , 36 , 37 by vertical connecting webs. When pushed on, projections 40 reach through spaces between the transverse webs 27 , 36 , 37 . In a further step, these projections 40 are pressed so flat by heat pressure that the spring elements 17 , 32 , 33 are fixed to the contact holder 19 , and on the other hand the vertical connecting webs are separated, cut away or punched out.

It is of course also possible to push the spring elements 32 , 33 separately, as is the case with the spring element 28 , or to push them separately onto the other spring elements 17 . Regardless, all spring elements are fixed by deforming the projections 40 on the contact holder 19 . As an alternative to this, it is in principle also possible to glue the spring elements 17 , 28 , 32 , 33 to the contact holder 19 or to clamp them by means of appropriate clamping devices.

While the left leg 41 of the spring elements 17 and the left leg of the spring element 28 lie flat in the recesses 26 in FIG. 3, the opposite are the right leg 42 of the spring elements 17 , the right leg of the spring element 28 and the legs 34 , 35 of the Spring elements 32 , 33 angled outwards in front of jumping, as is particularly evident in FIGS . 4 and 7. When lining up the Kontaktan arrangements 16 , these resiliently projecting right leg come into contact with the flat left leg of the adjacent contact arrangement 16 , so that the corresponding electrical connections are Herge provides.

When positioning the contact arrangements 16 in a row arrangement on the row arrangement of the plate valves 10 , the connecting contacts 31 , 38 , 39 come into electrical contact with corresponding mating contacts in the jumping area of the connecting elements 12 , so that an electrical connection to the solenoids of the plate valves 10 during positioning is automatically established. The projecting right leg of the spring elements 17 , 28 , 32 , 33 of the contact arrangement 16 positioned furthest to the right in FIG. 1 are in electrical contact with the connecting contacts 15 in the assembled state of the connecting unit 14 .

All contact holder 19 have on their respective right flat side (in FIG. 3) positioning projections 43 and corresponding to the respective opposite locations of the left flat side positioning recesses 44, with the positioning projections 43 recesses in the positioning at the juxtaposition of the contact assemblies 16 respectively 44 of the adjacent contact assembly 16 intervene and so a mutual positioning in the direction of the series is established. The positioning projections 43 and positioning recesses 44 can of course also be reversed or mixed, it being only essential that the desired interlocking takes place when the contact arrangements 16 are lined up.

According to FIG. 3, the holding frame 18 has a circumferential seal 45 , which is arranged in a corresponding groove, on the left-hand side, which thus encompasses the left leg of the spring elements 17 , 28 . On the opposite side, the holding frame 18 has a corresponding sealing surface 46 , so for example a smooth, flat surface, so that when lining up the seal 45 of the one holding frame 18 with the sealing surface 46 of the adjacent holding frame 18 comes into contact, so that complete sealing of the entire row arrangement is achieved. The last holding frame 18 in each row is closed in a manner not shown by a sealing plate or the like.

The holding frame 18 has a holding and latching device 47 on its wall pointing toward the respective plate valve 10 in the assembled state. This is inserted into a corresponding receiving device of the plate valves 10 or an assembly aid during assembly in order to be able to fix the individual contact arrangements 16 to the plate valves 10 . In Fig. 1 the type of recording devices are not provided for simplification.

In Fig. 9, the signal distribution through the contact holder 19 on the solenoids of the individual plate valves 10 and 10 'is shown. In addition to a plate valve 10 , which is designed as a bistable valve, two plate valves 10 'are shown in Fig. 9, which are designed as monostable valves and need only one signal line to the two signal lines for a bi-stable valve. The bistable plate valve 10 is associated with a contact assembly 16, as described with reference to FIGS. 2 through 8, while the monostable plate valves 'orders modified Kontaktan 16' 10 are associated, in which the spring element is omitted 33 and in which the left leg 41 of the spring elements 17 to the right legs 42 are only offset by a contact or a recess. If contact arrangements 16 with three upper signal outputs were required, an offset by three depressions would be required accordingly.

In the case of the connecting contacts 15 of the connection unit 14 , the uppermost one is designed as a ground contact M, while the others are designed as signal contacts for the signals S1 to S22 in the order from top to bottom. Due to the described design of the spring elements 28 , the ground contact M in the assembled state of the contact arrangements 16 and 16 'with all the spring elements 28 is electrically connected, so that the ground connection rests on all the connecting contacts 31 of these spring elements 28 . The signal S1 is applied by means of the spring element 32 of the first contact arrangement 16 ′ in the row to the corresponding connection contact 38 and thus to the first monostable plate valve 10 . The remaining signals S2 to S22 are displaced upward by one contact each by the displacement of the spring elements 17 of the first contact arrangement 16 'of the series arrangement. As a result, the signals S2 and S3 are applied to the spring elements 32 , 33 of the second contact arrangement 16 , so that they rest on contacts 38 , 39 and are fed to the second bistable plate valve 10 of the series. The remaining signals S4 to S22 are offset by this second contact arrangement 16 by two contact distances upwards. As a result, the signal S4 reaches the spring element 32 of the third contact arrangement 16 'in the row and thus via the corresponding connection contact 38 to the third monostable valve 10 '. The remaining signals S5 to S22 are in turn offset by a contact distance up and leads to a fourth contact arrangement, not shown. This can continue until all 22 signals are fed to a valve.

The arrangement described allows the same or unlike contact arrangements 16 or 16 'to be strung together in any order, depending on whether a signal line or two signal lines are required at the corresponding point. This ensures that the signals applied on the input side in sequence from top to bottom are successively supplied to the connected plate valves 10 , in the same order, without any wiring being required and without assignment errors being able to occur.

The connection device according to the invention is self-ver of course not on the application for plate valves limited but can be for all types of consumers used, that are lined up or that different control or supply signals compel.

The holding frame 18 and contact holder 19 are expediently made of insulating plastic or an insulating ceramic, while the spring elements 17 , 28 , 32 , 33 consist of an elastic, highly conductive material, for example copper-plated, silver-plated or gold-plated spring steel or other, for Contact tongues in a known manner usable, conductive materials.

Claims (18)

1. Electrical connection device for arranged in a row, independently to be controlled United consumers ( 10 ), in particular solenoid valves, with contact assemblies ( 16 , 16 '), each of which is assigned to a consumer ( 10 ) and in the assembled state with this over Terminal contacts ( 31 , 38 , 39 ) is electrically connected, each contact arrangement ( 16 , 16 ') having rows of the same type of contact on opposite sides, a contact of one row of contacts having the directly opposite contact of the other row of contacts and at least one terminal contact ( 31 , 38 , 39 ) is connected, at least one or two further contacts of one row of contacts is only connected to one or two further connection contacts ( 31 , 38 , 39 ) and the remaining contacts of one row of contacts with the contacts of the other row of contacts in each case at least one contact are connected offset, the contacts e inander facing rows of contacts of two adjacent rows of contact assemblies (16, 16 ') mitein other are in electrical contact, and wherein the row of contacts of the first of the juxtaposed contact arrangements (16, 16') is provided with control signals for the individual consumers (10) acted upon, characterized in that that each contact arrangement ( 16 , 16 ') has a plurality of U-shaped spring elements ( 17 ) held on a contact holder ( 19 ), of which one leg ( 41 ) forms one contact row and the other legs ( 42 ) form the other contact row that connected to the directly opposite contact (29) of the other contact row contact (29) of the series a contact together with one or two connecting contacts (31) forms a slide-separately to the contact holder, designed as a spring element (28) unit and in that the Terminal contacts ( 31 , 38 , 39 ) designed as spring tongues and on an end face of the l long contact holder ( 19 ) are arranged. 2. Connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that in each case one leg ( 41 ) of the spring elements ( 17 ) lies flat against the contact holder ( 19 ), while the other leg ( 42 ) protrudes elastically resiliently from the contact holder ( 19 ). 3. Connection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact holder ( 19 ) has groove-like indentations ( 26 ) for receiving the spring elements ( 17 , 28 , 32 , 33 ). 4. Connection device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the legs ( 41 , 42 ) are aligned parallel to one another and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the contact holder ( 19 ), the cross webs ( 27 ) between the legs ( 41 , 42 ) for the offset connection of the legs ( 41 , 42 ) forming the contacts extend obliquely to this longitudinal direction. 5. Connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring elements ( 17 , 32 , 33 ) of a contact holder ( 19 ) consist of a spring element assembly which can be pushed onto the contact holder ( 19 ) as a unit, the individual spring elements ( 17 , 32 , 33 ) have connecting webs which hold together and which can be separated, cut or punched away. 6. Connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring elements ( 17 , 28 , 32 , 33 ) are fixed to the contact holder ( 19 ) by an adhesive or by plastic hot pressing or deformation. 7. Connection device according to claim 6, characterized in that when pushing on the spring element composite through recesses of the same, thermoformable or flat-pressed projections ( 40 ) are provided on the contact holder ( 19 ). 8. Connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact holders ( 19 ) are each arranged in a holding frame ( 18 ). 9. Connection device according to claim 8, characterized in that the contact holders ( 19 ) are arranged in the associated holding frame ( 18 ) and can be disengaged. 10. Connection device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the holding frame ( 18 ) covers at least the transverse webs ( 27 ) between the legs ( 41 , 42 ) of the spring elements ( 17 ), the legs ( 41 , 42 ) remaining accessible . 11. Connecting device according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the connecting contacts ( 31 , 38 , 39 ) through an end opening ( 21 ) of the holding frame ( 18 ) reach through at least partially. 12. Connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each of the contact arrangements ( 16 , 16 ') to a consumer ( 10 , 10 ') is designed to be pluggable or snap-on. 13. Connection device according to claim 12, characterized in that plug and / or latching elements ( 47 ) on the contact holders ( 19 ) or holding frame ( 18 ) are arranged. 14. Connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the one leg ( 41 ) of the spring elements ( 17 ) having flat side of the contact arrangements ( 16 , 16 ') is encompassed by a seal ( 45 ), while the other opposite Flat side is provided with a corresponding contact surface ( 46 ) for such a seal ( 45 ). 15. Connecting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the one leg ( 41 ) of the spring elements ( 17 ) having flat side of the contact arrangements ( 16 ) with at least one positioning recess ( 44 ) and the opposite other flat side with at least one corresponding Positioning projection ( 43 ) is provided. 16. Connection device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one with the first of the lined up contact arrangements ( 16 ) bring bare connection unit ( 14 ) is provided for transmitting the control signals. 17. Connection device according to claim 16, characterized in that with the first contact arrangement ( 16 ) connectable contact point of the connection unit ( 14 ) is formed accordingly a flat side of a contact arrangement ( 16 ) and has a corresponding contact row ( 15 ). 18. Connection device according to claim 17, characterized in that the connection unit ( 14 ) has means for distributing the control signals transmitted via a multipole cable ( 13 ) or a postal line to the row of contacts ( 15 ).