DE20303987U1 - Electrical plug and socket line connector, includes spring ring in annular groove, which locks plug and socket together and has built-in release catch - Google Patents

Abstract

A spring ring (7) seats in an annular groove (8) in the casing (5). It expands radially, sufficiently to accommodate the socket casing (6) when this is inserted. In this state, the spring ring engages a second annular groove (10) in the casing. On the casing, near the spring ring, there is a projecting, axially-adjustable release tool (11). This expands the annular spring against its resilience.

Description

MAUCHER, BÖRJES & COLLEAGUES

PATENT AND LAW FIRM

Patent Attorney Dipl.-Ing. W. Maucher · Patent and Attorney H. Börjes-Pestalozza

Anton Hummel Dreikönigstrasse 13

Verwaltungs GmbH D-79102 Freiburg i. Br.

Mozart Street 2 _Tel (07 61)79 174 0

79183 Waldkirch Fax (07 61)79 174 30

Our file - Please always specify

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Electrical connector with a plug and with a

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The invention relates to an electrical connector with a plug and a socket, in which electrical contact is made after plugging together, wherein the plugged-together position of use can be fixed in a form-fitting manner by means of an overlapping sleeve, and at least one threadless coupling element is provided on the outside of the part or housing of the connector that is covered by the sleeve, in particular the socket, and a matching counter-coupling is provided on the inside of the sleeve itself, and wherein the coupling element is an annular spring that is arranged in a first annular groove and has a different diameter than the first annular groove in the relaxed state, wherein the annular spring deflects into the first annular groove during the coupling process, and the counter-coupling is a second annular groove that is arranged essentially concentrically to the first annular groove in the coupling position and into which the annular spring springs in a coupling manner when it is relaxed after plugging together, so that the coupling element designed as an annular spring in

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In the position of use, it partially engages in the first annular groove of one part and partially in the second annular groove of the other part.

Such a connector is known from DE 200 18 583.7 U1 and has the advantage of enabling a positive locking of the connector quickly and without the need for a complex threaded connection. However, with this known connector, it is difficult to release the connection because the user has to couple the sleeve in the correct position with a specially bent, radially protruding section of the annular spring and then rotate the sleeve in the correct direction in order to achieve mutual release of this coupling. This is not immediately apparent to a user, so that releasing this known connector requires appropriate operating instructions or inquiries to the manufacturer or the like. In addition, the radially outward protrusion of the annular spring is disadvantageous if this connector has to be sealed against moisture because such a seal in the area

this outward protrusion is hardly possible.
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The object is therefore to create an electrical connector of the type defined at the outset, in which the advantage of a positive locking of the connector is retained, but the release of this connector is simplified and it is possible to design the connector to be moisture-tight if necessary.

To solve this problem, the electrical connector defined at the outset is characterized in that the first annular groove is provided in the sleeve and the annular spring

within its bearing in this first annular groove, it can be expanded elastically in the radial direction at least to such an extent that its clear inner cross-section corresponds to or exceeds the largest outer cross-section of the housing of the bush, so that when the housing is pushed in, the annular spring gives way and can be locked into the second annular groove of the housing, and that an axially adjustable release tool protruding into the area of the annular spring is arranged on the sleeve, which serves to expand the annular spring against its elastic restoring force in order to be able to release the coupling again.

This results in an electrical connector with the advantages of an annular spring used to couple the parts to be connected together, which does not require a radial projection or a fixing in the direction of rotation in order to be deformed in the circumferential direction to change its diameter, because it can simply be expanded by an insertable part and can then be compressed into the coupling position. A corresponding release tool is provided for release, with which the annular spring can be expanded again from its coupling position in order to be able to pull the plug connection apart again. Such a release tool is very easy to use.

For a simply constructed coupling, it is useful if the ring spring is interrupted by a slot on its circumference and can be expanded by widening the slot. Although rings that can be changed in their circumference and diameter in the radial direction are conceivable or known, in which there is no continuous slot, but rather several slots extending from different sides over part of the cross section, a one-off

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Interrupted ring as annular spring is particularly easy to manufacture and assemble.

The width of the slot interrupting the circumference of the ring spring can be dimensioned such that when the two sides of the slot touch each other, the external dimension of the ring spring is equal to or larger than the narrowest point of the sleeve, at least in its release direction or in both axial directions. This means that the ring spring can be pre-assembled practically 0 in a captive manner, because it can then be

\ inserted housing of the bushing remains in its storage position within the first annular groove of the sleeve, even when it is deformed into its relaxed position in which the slot is practically closed, i.e. the annular spring has its smaller diameter and circumference.

The slot can interrupt the ring spring radially or at an angle and the ring spring can have a protrusion-free circumference. This makes it a very simple component.

To simplify the handling of the electrical

&igr; The release tool, which serves primarily to release the connector, can be arranged on the front side of the sleeve and have a collar or nozzle or individual fingers projecting inwards into the sleeve, preferably with a conical shape, in particular with an inclined surface, at the free, axially inner end or edge, which acts on or overlaps the annular spring when the release tool is pressed in axially, and/or the annular spring can have a circumferential bevel on its front side facing the release tool, on which the release tool engages during use, the angle(s) of the conical shape or inclined surfaces or bevel and the cross section of the annular spring being selected so that

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that the annular spring can be moved radially out of the area of the second annular groove of the bushing and expanded. This means that when dismantling, the retaining ring or the annular spring can be expanded using the release tool, thereby making the passage through the annular spring sufficiently large to be able to push the housing of the bushing or the part of it with an annular groove through or pull it out. If the release tool is then moved back and disengaged, the annular spring can perform its holding function again.

For the best possible cooperation between the release tool and the ring spring, it is best if the bevel on the ring spring extends to the inside. This allows the operating end of the release tool to be guided from this bevel to the inside of the ring spring and to expand it safely.

A particularly useful design of the electrical connector with release tool can be that the release tool overlaps the outside of the sleeve at least in part with an actuating part. This makes operation considerably easier because the release tool can be gripped on the outside of the sleeve and moved axially, whereby sufficient play must of course be provided on the front side of the sleeve for the axial adjustment of the release tool.

The actuating part can be designed as an actuating nozzle that extends concentrically and coaxially over the outside of the sleeve, the surface of which is in particular grooved and/or roughened. Such an actuating nozzle can thus be gripped equally well from all sides and, with a suitably roughened or grooved surface, can also be gripped with sufficient

Safety against the occurring resistances and restoring forces can be adjusted in the release position.

The release tool can be locked in its initial position and axial adjustment and thus release of the electrical connector and its coupling can be blocked. This can prevent unwanted release movements. It can also be concealed from unauthorized persons how the connector coupling could be released.

For example, an openable or removable or detachable locking element can engage the edge of the actuating part of the release tool facing away from the front side of the sleeve, which in its locking position blocks the axial displacement of the release tool in its release position. If this locking element is in its position of use, the release tool cannot be adjusted in the axial direction, so that its inner collar or socket or fingers provided instead cannot be adjusted into the area of the annular spring and into the interior of this annular spring in order to expand it for release. The plug connection of the connector according to the invention cannot be released until the locking element is released or removed.

The locking element can be a ring or partial ring that fits between the front of the actuating part of the release tool and a counter stop. This represents a very simple form of such a locking element.

The ring or partial ring serving as a locking element can be pushed onto or inserted into the retaining sleeve in the space between the actuating element of the release tool and a stop located on the retaining sleeve.

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This works particularly well if this locking element has a slot or gap on its circumference, which allows it to be pushed sideways onto the corresponding ring-shaped area of the holding sleeve, possibly with a slight widening of this ring-shaped locking element, so that it is then releasably locked in the position of use.

A modified embodiment can provide that in the area of the side of the release tool facing away from the front of the sleeve and its actuating part on the holding sleeve, an external thread is provided on which the locking element, which is designed in particular as a screw ring, can be axially adjusted by screwing and can therefore be moved into the locked position or release position. The displaceability of the release tool can thus be blocked by screwing the locking element axially so far that it hits the actuating part of the release tool and thus prevents its axial adjustment. If the release tool is to be operated, the screwable locking element must first be adjusted sufficiently far in the axial direction by screwing on its thread in order to enable the corresponding release movement again with the help of the release tool.

It is advantageous if the socket and the sleeve have deformations that match each other so that the two parts can be brought together in the correct position. This ensures that the plug pins and sockets that are to be brought into contact inside the connector come into contact with each other in the required way without the user having to spend a long time searching for the correct mutual rotational position.

Especially when combining one or more of the features and measures described above, a

Electrical connector in which the advantages of a positive locking of the plug connection are retained, but easy release is still possible. Another significant advantage of the arrangement with a locking element for the release tool is that even when the release tool is locked, the user can insert the two parts of the connector into each other and connect them in a positive locking manner because the ring spring engages in the corresponding position of use. The lock only needs to be released or removed to release the connection in order to be able to operate the release tool.

Examples of embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawing. It shows in part 5 schematic representation:

Fig. 1 is a side view, half in longitudinal section, of a connector according to the invention in the position of use, on an enlarged scale
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Fig. 2 shows the detail marked with "X" in Fig. 1 of the coupling of the two essential parts of the connector by means of an annular spring engaging in two concentric grooves simultaneously,
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Fig. 3 is a view of a locking element with which the release of the plug connection of the connector can be blocked,

Fig. 4 is a representation of a modified embodiment corresponding to Fig. 1, in which a screw ring is provided as a locking element instead of a slip-on ring, which in this case

is in the open position, thus allowing the release tool to be used to release the plug connection,

Fig. 5 shows on an enlarged scale the detail marked with "X" in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 shows the embodiment corresponding to Fig. 4 in a corresponding representation, with the screwable locking element adjusted to the locking position, and Fig. 7 shows on an enlarged scale the element marked "X" in Fig. 6.

marked detail with the locking element screwed into the locking position, by which an axial adjustment of the release tool and thus a release movement is prevented.
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In the following description of the various embodiments, parts that have the same function have the same reference numbers even if their external design differs.
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A connector, designated as a whole with 1 and shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 6 in the plugged-together position, essentially has a plug 2 and a socket 3, in which, after plugging together, electrical contact exists in a known manner, for example between contact pins on the one hand and contact sockets on the other, which are each held in insulating bodies 4.

The assembled use position according to Fig. 1, 4 and 6 is fixed in a form-fitting manner by means of an overlapping sleeve 5 in a manner to be described below, with the part or housing 6 overlapped by the sleeve 5, which accommodates one of the insulating bodies 4, having an even closer

descriptive threadless coupling element and a matching counter-coupling are provided on the inside of the sleeve 5 itself, the common coupling element being an annular spring 7 which is arranged in a first annular groove 8 and has a smaller diameter than this first annular groove 8 in the relaxed state. During the coupling process, this annular spring 7 deviates from the position shown for example in Fig. 2, 5 and 7 deeper into the first annular groove 8 because it is widened accordingly by the end 9 of the front side of the part or housing 6 which is bevelled in the exemplary embodiment.

The counter-coupling is practically a second annular groove 10 on this part or housing 6, which in the coupling position is arranged approximately 5 concentrically to the first annular groove 8 and into which the annular spring 7, after being plugged together, springs in a coupling manner when it is relaxed, as can be clearly seen in Figs. 2, 5 and 7.

The coupling element designed as an annular spring 7 thus engages in the position of use shown in the drawings partly in the first annular groove 8 and partly in the second annular groove 10 of the parts to be connected, so that they are fixed to one another in a form-fitting manner in the axial direction.

The first annular groove 8 is provided on the inside of the overlapping sleeve 5 and the annular spring 7 is elastically expandable in the radial direction within its bearing in this first annular groove 8 due to a correspondingly large radial dimension of this annular groove 8 to such an extent that its clear inner cross section corresponds to the largest outer cross section of the housing or part 6 of the bushing 3 or possibly even slightly exceeds it, so that when the housing 6 is pushed in, the

Annular spring 7 deflects accordingly and can then be locked into the second annular groove 10 of the housing 6 by springing into this annular groove 10 when this is arranged concentrically to the first annular groove 8.
5

In all embodiments, it can also be seen that an axially adjustable release tool 11, which is to be described in more detail below and which projects into the area of the annular spring 7, is arranged on the sleeve 5 and serves to expand the annular spring 7 against its elastic restoring force even when the connector 1 is plugged together, so that the positive connection, which exists due to the annular spring 7 and which prevents axial separation of the connector 1, is deactivated and the electrical connector can therefore be released again.

So that the annular spring 7 can be easily deformed in the appropriate directions, it is interrupted by a slot on its circumference in a manner not shown in detail and can be expanded by widening this slot. The slot can interrupt the annular spring 7 radially or at an angle and the annular spring 7 has a protrusion-free circumference.

The release tool 11, which is sleeve-shaped, is arranged on the front side of the sleeve 5, as can be seen particularly well in Fig. 2, 5 and 7, but also in Fig. 1, 4 and 6.

0 The release tool 11 has a collar or nozzle 12 or individual fingers projecting inwards into the sleeve 5 with a conical shape on the inner edge, namely with an inclined surface 13 which is located at the axially inner end or

edge. This means that the annular spring 7 can be acted upon and gripped behind when the release tool 11 is pressed in axially in order to be able to expand it from its locked position into the release position. The release tool 11 therefore only has to be moved axially from the position shown in the figures against and into the sleeve 5, whereby the inclined surface 13 engages in the interior of the annular spring 7, expands it radially and thereby clears the way for the housing 6 of the bushing 3 to be released from the sleeve 5 or, conversely, enables the sleeve 5 to be pulled off the bushing 3.

The angle(s) of the conical shape or inclined surfaces 13 and the cross-section of the annular spring 7 are selected such that the annular spring 7 can be moved radially out of the region of the second annular groove 10 of the bushing 3 and expanded in the manner already mentioned.

The annular spring 7 has a circumferential bevel 14 on its front side facing the release tool 11 or its nozzle 12 and the inclined surface 13 0, on which the release tool 11 with the bevel 13 engages during use.

It is clear that the bevel 14 does not necessarily have to be flat, as in the embodiment, but could also be convex. If necessary, the cross-section of the material forming the annular spring 7 could even be circular or partially circular.

In particular, in Fig. 2, 5 and 7 it can be clearly seen that the release tool 11 partially overlaps the sleeve 5 on the outside with an actuating part 15. This allows the user to still remove the

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Easily reach and operate release tool 11.

In the exemplary embodiments, this actuating part 15 is designed as the sleeve 5 on the outside, concentrically and coaxially with a slight clearance over the actuating socket, the surface of which is grooved and/or roughened in order to be able to transfer the user's displacement force well. The grooves 16 and the elevations 17 that delimit them can be clearly seen in the drawings.

To prevent an unwanted release movement from occurring, the release tool 11 can be locked in its initial position, which is shown in the figures, whereby an axial adjustment and thus a release process is prevented and blocked.

For this purpose, an openable or removable or detachable locking element engages the edge 18 of the actuating part 15 of the release tool 11 facing away from the front side of the sleeve 5, which locking element in its locking position prevents and blocks the axial displacement of the release tool 11 from the position shown in the figures into the release position. In this regard, several embodiments are possible and two embodiments are shown.

In Fig. 1 to 3 it can be seen that the locking element is a ring or partial ring 19 which fits between the edge 18 of the actuating part 15 and a counter stop 20. This partial ring 19 which serves as a locking element and which can be seen particularly well in Fig. 3 can be placed on the holding sleeve 5 in the space between the actuating element 15 of the release tool 11 and a stop 20 located on the holding sleeve 5, since this partial ring 19 is open over a relatively large part of its circumference. On this

On the side opposite the opening, this partial ring 19 has a handle 21, with which it can be grasped and put on or, if necessary, removed again with some effort, because it is initially expanded slightly when put on and then fits with its inner circumference to the outer circumference of the sleeve 5, i.e. it must be expanded against its elastic forces when it is to be put on and, in particular, removed again in order to be able to operate the release tool 11 again.

A modified version is shown in Figs. 4 to 7.

In this case, in the area of the side of the release tool 11 and its actuating part 15 facing away from the front side of the sleeve 5, an external thread 22 is provided on the holding sleeve 5, on which the locking element, in this case designed as a screw ring 23, can be axially adjusted by screwing and can thus be moved into the locking position (Fig. 6 and 7) or into the release position (Fig. 4 and 5).

In order to prevent the bushing 3 from coming loose from the sleeve 5, the screw ring 23 only needs to be adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 6 and 7. This position also has the advantage that the plug connection can be made even when the release tool 11 is locked, i.e. the screw ring 23 does not have to be loosened to bring the bushing 3 and the holding sleeve 5 together. Only to release the plug connection does it have to be screwed back into the position shown in Fig. 4 and 5 in order to create a sufficiently large distance from the edge 18 of the actuating element 15 of the release tool 11 so that the release tool 11 can be moved axially into the sleeve 5 in order to release the annular spring 7 there in the manner already described.

It should also be mentioned that the socket 3 and the sleeve 5 can have matching deformations for a correct positional joining of the two parts, so that the plug connection can always be carried out in the desired correct relative position to each other and in the correct position of the plug pins to the mating contacts.

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Claims (14)

1. Electrical connector ( 1 ) with a plug ( 2 ) and with a socket ( 3 ), in which there is electrical contact after plugging together, wherein the plugged-together position of use can be fixed in a form-fitting manner by means of an overlapping sleeve ( 5 ), and at least one threadless coupling element is provided on the outside of the part or housing of the plug connector that is overlapped by the sleeve ( 5 ), in particular the socket ( 3 ), and a matching counter-coupling is provided on the inside of the sleeve ( 5 ) itself, and wherein the coupling element is an annular spring ( 7 ) that is arranged in a first annular groove and has a different diameter than the first annular groove ( 8 ) in the relaxed state, wherein the annular spring ( 7 ) deviates into the first annular groove ( 8 ) during the coupling process, and the counter-coupling is a second annular groove ( 10 ) that is arranged essentially concentrically to the first annular groove ( 8 ) in the coupling position and into which the annular spring ( 7 ) after being plugged together, when it is released, it springs in a coupling manner, so that the coupling element designed as an annular spring ( 7 ) engages in the use position partly in the first annular groove ( 8 ) of one part and partly in the second annular groove ( 10 ) of the other part, characterized in that the first annular groove ( 8 ) is provided in the sleeve ( 5 ) and the annular spring ( 7 ) within its bearing in this first annular groove ( 8 ) can be expanded elastically in the radial direction at least to such an extent that its clear inner cross section corresponds to or exceeds the largest outer cross section of the housing ( 6 ) of the socket, so that when the housing ( 6 ) is pushed in, the annular spring ( 7 ) gives way and can be locked into the second annular groove ( 10 ) of the housing, and that an axially adjustable release tool ( 11 ) protruding into the area of the annular spring ( 7 ) is arranged on the sleeve ( 5 ), which serves to expand the annular spring ( 7 ) against its elastic restoring force. 2. Electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the annular spring ( 7 ) is interrupted at its circumference by a slot and can be expanded by widening the slot. 3. Electrical connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the width of the slot interrupting the circumference of the annular spring ( 7 ) is dimensioned such that when the two-sided boundaries of the slot touch each other, the external dimension of the annular spring ( 7 ) is equal to or larger than the narrowest point of the sleeve ( 5 ) at least in its release direction or in both axial directions. 4. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the slot interrupts the annular spring ( 7 ) radially or obliquely and the annular spring ( 7 ) has a projection-free circumference. 5. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the release tool ( 11 ) is arranged on the front side of the sleeve ( 5 ) and has a collar or socket ( 12 ) or individual fingers projecting inwards into the sleeve ( 5 ), preferably with a conical shape, in particular with an inclined surface ( 13 ) on the free, axially inner end or edge, which acts on or engages behind the annular spring ( 7 ) when the release tool ( 11 ) is pressed in axially and/or that the annular spring ( 7 ) has a circumferential bevel ( 14 ) on its front side facing the release tool ( 11 ), on which the release tool ( 11 ) engages during use, wherein the angle(s) of the conical shape or inclined surface ( 13 ) and/or the cross section of the annular spring ( 7 ) are selected such that the annular spring ( 7 ) projects radially out of the Area of the second annular groove ( 10 ) of the bushing ( 3 ) can be moved out and expanded. 6. Electrical connector according to claim 5, characterized in that the bevel ( 14 ) on the annular spring ( 7 ) extends to its inner side. 7. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 6, the release tool ( 11 ) engages over the sleeve ( 5 ) on the outside at least in regions with an actuating part ( 15 ). 8. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the actuating part ( 15 ) is designed as an actuating nozzle which concentrically and coaxially overlaps the sleeve ( 5 ) on the outside and whose surface is in particular grooved and/or roughened. 9. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the release tool ( 11 ) can be locked in its initial position so that an axial adjustment and thus a release process is blocked. 10. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that an openable or removable or detachable locking element engages the edge ( 18 ) of the actuating part ( 15 ) of the release tool ( 11 ) facing away from the front side of the sleeve ( 5 ), which locking element in its locking position blocks the axial displacement of the release tool ( 11 ) in its release position. 11. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the locking element is a ring or partial ring ( 19 ) which fits between the edge ( 18 ) of the actuating part ( 15 ) and a counter-stop ( 20 ). 12. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the ring or partial ring ( 19 ) serving as a locking element can be plugged or inserted onto the holding sleeve ( 5 ) in the space between the actuating element ( 15 ) of the release tool ( 11 ) and a stop ( 20 ) located on the holding sleeve ( 5 ). 13. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that in the region of the side of the release tool ( 11 ) and its actuating part ( 15 ) facing away from the end face of the sleeve ( 5 ), an external thread ( 22 ) is provided on the holding sleeve ( 5 ), on which the locking element, designed in particular as a screw ring ( 23 ), is axially adjustable by screwing and can thus be moved into the locking position or release position. 14. Electrical connector according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the socket ( 3 ) and the sleeve ( 5 ) have matching deformations for a correct joining of the two parts.