EP0085935B1 - Travelling plug - Google Patents

Abstract

1. A travelling plug with contact pins (14, 28, 38, 48, 64) for electrical socket outlets with different contact spacings, which contact pins are adjustable in guides (16, 22, 30, 66, 76) in a housing, characterized in that the contact pins (14, 28, 38, 48, 64) are electrically connected and are held by frictional contact in position in the guides by means of contact springs (26, 42, 46, 48) which exert an axial and/or radial load on the rear end of the contact pins.

Description

The invention relates to travel plugs with adjustable contact pins in the housing for electrical sockets with different contact distances.

It is very difficult for travelers that there are several different, standardized connector systems in different countries. The plugs initially differ fundamentally in terms of the type of contact pins (round pins, flat pins) and their spacing; moreover, the round pins have different diameters and the flat pins have different angular positions to one another. In order to be able to connect a certain electrical device to sockets of different systems, one usually uses adapter plugs or adapters which can be placed on the plug of the electrical device and which in turn have contact pins that match the respective foreign system. The known adapters have built-in contact pins, so that they are only suitable for a single foreign connector system. If you are traveling a lot, you need several such connectors.

To eliminate this disadvantage, in addition to an adapter plug which contains three different pairs of contact pins in magnetic bores, which can be individually pulled out and axially fixed, travel plugs with contact pins which can be adjusted in guides in the housing are known. For example, B, the FR-A-1 242 968 travel plug with straight or curved contact pins. However, nothing is said about the electrical connection of the contact pins to the electrical lines and about means for holding the contact pins in a certain position. If the contact pins are directly connected to the electrical lines in the usual way, breaks occur after some time and multiple adjustment of the contact pins on the back and forth moved and twisted lines.

In another known travel plug according to EP-A-00 33 723, the contact pins are seated on blocks which are displaceably guided in the housing, acted upon by spring pressure and connected to electrical lines. Here, too, there are no means to keep the contact pins in a certain set position with a certain spacing. On the contrary, springs ensure that the contact pins are repeatedly moved into the position with the greatest spacing and have to be reset each time they are plugged into a socket with a smaller hole spacing. In addition, there is also the defect that when the distance between the contact pins is adjusted, the electrical lines move and thus become brittle over time.

The invention is therefore based on the object in travel plugs of the type mentioned with adjustable contact pins by simple means to improve the position of the contact pins in the respectively set positions and at the same time to improve the durability of the electrical connection to the contact pins.

The above object is achieved according to the invention in that the contact pins are frictionally held in position in the guides and electrically connected by contact springs which exert an axial and / or radial tension on the rear end of the contact pins.

The invention offers the advantage that a single element, namely a contact spring, simultaneously fulfills the mechanical function of fixing a contact pin in its guide and the electrical function of a long-term reliable electrical connection to the electrical line despite the mobility of the contact pin. It does not matter whether the contact spring is firmly connected to the contact pin or to the guide.

Since systems with flat pins also depend on the angular position of the contact pins and the contact spring does not have to hinder the rotation of a contact pin, it is provided in a preferred embodiment of the invention that at least one of the contact pins is rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis.

• Fig. 1 einen Querschnitt durch einen einfachen Stecker mit radial verstellbaren und drehbaren Kontaktstiften;
• Fig. 2 u. 3 einen Axialschnitt und eine Draufsicht auf einen mit einem Kabel verbundenen Stecker mit auswechselbaren, verstellbaren Kontaktstiften;
• Fig. 4 einen Reisestecker in Form eines Zwischensteckers;
• Fig. 4a, b, c Längs- und Querschnitt einer Modifikation sowie als Detail eine zugehörige Kontaktfeder vor dem Biegen;
• Fig. 5 eine hinsichtlich des elektrischen Anschlusses der Kontaktstifte gegenüber Fig. 4 abgewandelte Ausführung;
• Fig. 6 eine Seitenansicht zu Fig. 5;
• Fig. 7 eine Draufsicht auf das Ausgangsmaterial der Kontaktfeder gemäss Fig. 5 und 6;
• Fig. 8 einen Längsschnitt durch einen Zwischenstecker mit Magazinbohrungen für mehrere unterschiedliche Kontaktstifte;
• Fig. 9 eine Draufsicht auf den Zwischenstecker nach Fig. 8 ,
• Fig. 10 und 11 eine abgewandelte Ausführungsform des Steckers nach Fig. 8 und 9, welche auch zum Anschluss an eine Lampenfassung geeignet ist.

The invention allows numerous design variants and is therefore explained in more detail below with reference to several construction examples shown in the drawing. Show it:

• 1 shows a cross section through a simple plug with radially adjustable and rotatable contact pins.
• Fig. 2 u. 3 shows an axial section and a top view of a plug connected to a cable with exchangeable, adjustable contact pins;
• 4 shows a travel plug in the form of an intermediate plug;
• 4a, b, c longitudinal and cross-section of a modification and, as a detail, an associated contact spring before bending;
• 5 shows an embodiment modified with regard to the electrical connection of the contact pins compared to FIG. 4;
• FIG. 6 shows a side view of FIG. 5;
• 7 shows a plan view of the starting material of the contact spring according to FIGS. 5 and 6;
• 8 shows a longitudinal section through an adapter plug with magazine bores for several different contact pins;
• 9 is a plan view of the adapter plug of FIG. 8,
• 10 and 11 a modified embodiment of the plug according to FIGS. 8 and 9, which is also suitable for connection to a lamp holder.

In Fig. 1, a plug 10 is shown, which is connected via a cable 12 to an electrical device. In the example, the plug 10 has flat contact pins 14, as are customary, for example, in the USA, Australia and the USSR. In order to be able to use the plug in several of these countries, the invention provides that the Allow distance between the contact pins 14 and their angular position with respect to their longitudinal axis to change. For this purpose, the contact pins 14 sit in aligned slots 16 in which they are rotatably mounted. In order to hold the contact pins 14 axially, they are provided with a flange 18 at the rear end, and a disc 20 is also placed on the neck of the contact pins 14. The assembly can take place, for example, in such a way that first a still round pin is inserted into the elongated hole 16, then the disk 20 is pushed on and finally the pin is flattened to the desired shape. When using a connector housing which is axially divided in the plane of the elongated holes 16, the disk 20 is placed on and the pin is flattened before being inserted into the housing. It has been shown that hollow round pins are very well suited for producing flat contact pins from them.

As shown in Fig. 1, the washers 20 are recessed into an elongated groove 22 in the end face of the connector. This offers the possibility that the straight parallel side walls of the groove 22 can also serve as a radial guide for the contact pins 14 with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the plug. In this case, the holes 16 need not be elongated holes, but it is sufficient if their diameter is larger than that of the neck of the contact pins 14. The latter receive their radial guidance via the disks 20 sliding along the side walls of the groove 22.

It is important that a secure electrical connection is ensured despite the mobility of the contact pins 14. In the example, it is provided that the rear flange 18 of the contact pins can be inserted into a contact spring 24, which is firmly seated in the plug housing, is connected to the electrical line 12 by clamping or soldering, and presses axially against the flange 18 from behind with a spring tongue 26, regardless of what position it is in. This clamping has the further advantage that it holds the contact pin 14 frictionally in the position set by hand.

On the rotatably seated on the contact pins 14 discs 20 radial projections can be attached, which in cooperation with the side wall of the groove 22, the rotational movement of the contact pins 14 on z. B. limit about 90 °. This limitation would be necessary if, instead of the connection via the contact spring 24, a highly flexible electrical cable was alternatively provided, one end of which is fixedly attached to the contact pin 14, while the other end is firmly connected to the end of the line 12.

In a further modification of the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the stops limiting the rotary movement of the contact pins 14 can also be attached to the connector housing or a part firmly connected to it and come to rest directly on a side face of the contact surface 14 or a part which is non-rotatably connected thereto.

In order to change the cross-sectional shape of the contact pins 14, it can be provided in the case of round pins that a sleeve which increases their diameter can optionally be placed on thin pins and which, for example, is screwed to the plug housing with its rear end. In addition, there is the further possibility that the contact pins are divided lengthwise one or more times and the individual parts can be spread out to a greater or lesser extent depending on the diameter required.

The plug according to FIGS. 2 and 3, like the one according to FIG. 1, is permanently connected to an electrical device via an electrical line 12. In order to offer even more possibilities than the plug according to FIG. 1, the contact pins designated 28 in FIG. 2 can be exchanged. For this purpose, the two radial guides 30 of the contact pins 28 have a central opening 32 which allows different contact pins, e.g. alternately round and flat pins, are inserted into the radial guides 30 and brought to the desired spacing. The prerequisite for this is that all contact pins at the rear end are of identical design in such a way that they all fit into the radial guides 30.

2 and 3, a contact spring 34, which is electrically connected to the line 12, can be inserted into the plug housing for each contact pin 28 and which clamps the contact pin under pretension and can be part of the radial guide 30.

In order to avoid a short circuit, an insulating piece which is displaceable therein is preferably inserted into the radial guides 30 and allows the two contact pins 28 to be inserted through the opening 32 by sliding back and forth, but is then located between the two contact pins.

As can be easily understood, 28 different small stop pins can be attached to the rear part of the different contact pins, which cooperate with corresponding counter-stops on the connector housing or the radial guides 30, so that the movement of the contact pins from the center to the radially outward limits in each case in that position becomes where the correct contact distance results.

4 shows a travel plug in the form of an intermediate plug or adapter 36, which is a plug with contact pins 38 on one side and forms a socket with holes 40 on the other side. With regard to the storage and guidance of the contact pins 38, the statements made with regard to FIGS. 1 to 3 apply. In the case of intermediate plugs, special attention must be paid to the connection between the contact pins 38 and the contact springs 42, on which the contact pins of a device plug inserted through the holes 40 come to rest. Preferably, but not necessarily, the contact springs 42 are radially displaceable together with the contact pins 38, but, in contrast to the contact pins 38, are held non-rotatably in the plug housing. Because of the displaceability, the contact springs 42 are to be dimensioned sufficiently wide so that, regardless of the position, the desired contact always occurs with the contact pins inserted through the holes 40. 4 shows a displaceable contact spring 42 on the left and a non-displaceable contact spring 42 on the right.

There is also the possibility that the contact springs 42 are fixed next to the contact pins 38 in the connector housing and connected to the contact pins 38 by means of a highly flexible cable. Such a design has the advantage of a particularly flat design. In the example, there is a direct connection between the contact pins 38 and the contact springs 42, in which the latter, with a spring tongue 44 formed thereon, engage behind an end flange or an attached flange ring and thereby generate an axial bracing and clamping. In contrast to Fig. 1, it is gem. Fig. 4 about an axial tension.

In the embodiment of an intermediate connector shown in FIGS. 4a, b, c, modified from FIG. 4, solid contact pins 38a are assumed, which have their final shape, as shown in FIG. 4a, with two flange rings at the rear end before assembly. With the area between the two flange rings, they are inserted into radially extending, aligned slots 45a, which are open at the radially outer end (see FIG. 4b) of an end plate 45 of the intermediate connector. These elongated holes 45a are then closed during assembly of the intermediate plug by inserting the end plate 45 in its jacket wall 36a at the radially outer end, so that the contact pins 38a are radially displaceable but cannot be lost.

4a, b, c is that the contact pins 38a serve to hold the contact springs securely in the predetermined position. 4a shows on the one hand at 42a and on the other hand at 42b, c different embodiments of contact springs. In all cases it is advisable to shape the contact springs in such a way that they form several spring tongues connected in one piece, e.g. two opposite spring tongues 42a or, according to FIG. 4c, three spring tongues, two of which, namely the spring tongues 42b face each other in the fully formed and assembled state, while the third spring tongue 42c at the inner end of the elongated holes 45a at a right angle and with such a spacing from the other two Spring tongues are arranged so that a flat contact pin can be inserted into this intermediate gap. The connecting web between the three spring tongues 42b, c is designated 43 in FIGS. 4a and 4c.

In order to hold the contact springs securely, the end plate 45 is formed on the inside in the region of the elongated holes 45a with a diametrically extending thickening 45b which is pierced by the stepped elongated holes. Where the contact springs sit on the edge of the elongated holes, the edge is formed with a recess 45c, the depth of which corresponds approximately to the thickness of the contact springs. Fig. 4b shows in the top area in a plan view from below of the end plate 45, the recesses 45c before the assembly of the contact springs. The depressions 45c prevent the contact springs from moving along the elongated holes.

In order to hold the contact springs until the contact pins 38a are mounted on the elongated holes 45a, knobs 45d can be integrally formed on the end face of the thickened portion 45d, between which the correspondingly bent spring tongues 42a can be snapped into place.

The inner end of the contact springs is angled at 42d to the central axis of the elongated holes 45a, so that it engages behind from the rearmost flange ring of the contact pins 38a according to FIG. 4a, thereby ensuring the axially fixed connection of the contact pins and the contact springs to the end plate 45. The distance between the two flange rings of the contact pins on the one hand and the wall thickness of the end plate 45 in the area between the flange rings together with the thickness of the contact springs on the other hand are to be dimensioned appropriately. In addition, the rearmost flange ring of the contact pin 38a is gem. Fig. 4a on the circumference of the contact spring, so that it is held frictionally in the selected position. When the spring tongues spring open due to an inserted contact pin, the pressure against the rearmost flange ring increases.

It goes without saying that different contact pins and contact springs can each be formed with identical connection dimensions, so that they all fit into the same end plate 45.

Fig. 5 shows possible modifications to Fig. 4. First, there is the possibility to clamp or solder a highly elastic cable 50 to these two parts in order to improve the electrically conductive connection between the contact spring denoted by 46 and the contact pin 48. On the other hand, this necessitates the provision of stops of the type mentioned above to limit the rotation of the contact pin 48 in order to avoid damage to the cable 50. In addition, mechanical clamping of the contact pin 48 is also to be generated so that it remains in the set position.

According to the proposal, the contact spring 46 is again used for this. In the initial state prior to bending, this has the shape shown in FIG. 7 of a flat sheet with two tongues 52 which point towards the center and are produced by incisions and have a central hole into which the contact pin 48 engages in the assembled state. 7 is then bent into the U shape shown in FIG. 6 and thus mounted in the connector housing. In the fully assembled state, the spring tongues 52 have the function of pressing radially against the rear end of the contact pin 48 due to their own elasticity, while the rest Part of the contact spring 46 is used for the socket function of the adapter plug. So that the spring tongues 52 can press more strongly against the rear end of the contact pin 48, it is provided that the legs of the contact spring 46 according to FIG. 6 each rest on an edge 54 or at least come into contact with them when the contact pins of a device plug are inserted through the holes 40. The edges 54 are located at about ¹ J _sec to _^1/3 of the height of the legs of the contact spring and form during spreading of the contact spring by an inserted contact pin each having a support point to which the spring legs are bent while against the free ends of the spring tongues 52 press on the contact pins 48.

Not only with device plugs acc. 2 and 3, but also in accordance with intermediate plugs. Fig. 4, the contact pins can be exchangeable through an opening in the radial guides. The traveler can keep the various contact pins loose. However, it is advisable to store the contact pins in the connector housing. Such an embodiment is shown in FIGS. 9 and 9. In this case, the adapter plug has six magazine bores 56, two of which are diametrically opposed in pairs and are intended to receive a specific type of contact pin. A ring 58 with an end-side inner flange 60 is rotatably seated on the plug housing. The latter is broken through at two diametrically opposite points. The openings are denoted by 62 in FIG. 9. In addition, the inner flange 60 of the ring 58 at least partially covers the magazine bores 56 and thus prevents the contact pins designated 64 in FIG. 8 from falling out.

If a certain pair of contact pins is to be used, the ring 58 is rotated in such a way that the desired contact pins can be removed from the magnetic bores 58. The ring 58 is then rotated into the position shown in FIG. 9, in which the cutouts 62 are aligned with radial guides 66 which are open radially on the outside. The contact pins 64 can thus be inserted into the radial guides 66 from the radially outside, possibly individually, until a pin 65 abuts a special stop 67. The ring 58 is then rotated again, expediently into the position in which the openings 62 are aligned with the now empty magazine bores 56. The ring 58 now closes the radial guides 66, so that the contact pins 64 located therein are secured against sliding out. In addition, the radially inner edge of the flange 60 can be designed in a cam-shaped manner such that it holds the contact pins 64 in the correct radial position in each case.

For the connection and clamping between the contact pins and the contact springs designated here at 68, reference can be made to the above explanations.

10 and 11 show a modification of the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 8 and 9 in the direction that the adapter plug can optionally also be screwed into an incandescent lamp holder. For this purpose, a screw base 74 formed with two contact pins 70, 72 is provided. The radial guides 78 go according to. Fig. 11 into each other, however, the contact springs or other electrically conductive parts connected to the guides are insulated from one another, and there is at least one radially outer insertion opening through which the free ends of the contact pins 70 and 72 are inserted into the radial guides 76 can, while the rotatable ring designated here with its single recess 80 is in alignment with the radial guides 76 at their insertion opening. The screw base 74 is then secured in the position shown in FIG. 10 by rotating the ring 78.

The above exemplary embodiments all describe plugs in which the radial adjustment of the contact pins is independent of their rotation about the longitudinal axis. It goes without saying that these two movements can also be combined in that at least one contact pin sits eccentrically in a rotatable disk, the rotation of which then changes both the contact distance and the angular position of a flat contact pin.

Claims (9)

1. A travelling plug with contact pins (14, 28, 38, 48, 64) for electrical socket outlets with different contact spacings, which contact pins are adjustable in guides (16, 22, 30, 66, 76) in a housing, characterised in that the contact pins (14, 28, 38, 48, 64) are electrically connected and are held by frictional contact in position in the guides by means of contact springs (26, 42, 46, 48) which exert an axial and/or radial load on the rear end of the contact pins.

2. A travelling plug according to Claim 1, characterised in that at least one of the contact pins (14) is a flat pin and is mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

3. A travelling plug according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the contact pins (14) are guided in aligned slots (16, 22) in an end plate of the plug and are retained therein by flanges (18) or discs formed on or attached to the rear end thereof.

4. A travelling plug according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the radial guides (30, 66, 76) are open radially outwards or inwards so that different contact pins can be interchanged with one another.

5. A travelling plug according to Claim 4, characterised in that different contact pins are formed with bases having different abutments (65) which cooperate with different radial end abutments (67) on the radial guides (30, 66, 76) for setting the spacing between the contact pins.

6. A travelling plug according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised in that it is in the form of an adapter (36) to be interposed between a socket outlet and a plug of differing systems, wherein the contact springs (42) bearing against the adjustable contact pins (38a) also form the electrical contacts for the plug inserted into the adapter.

7. A travelling plug according to Claim 6, characterised in that the contact pins (38a) are guided radially and retained axially in aligned slots (45a) in an end plate (45) of the adapter, which slots (45a) are open at the radially outer end and can be closed by its circumferential wall, and the rear ends of the contact pins (38a) engage over the respective contact springs (42a, b, c) at their fastening end and thereby secure them to the end plate (45).

8. A travelling plug according to Claim 7, characterised in that the contact spring of each pole has a plurality of spring tongues (42a, b, c) joined together in one piece, the connecting web (43) of which is disposed on the radially inner end of the slot (45a), wherein the fastening end of the contact spring (42a, b, c) fits into matching recesses in the end plate (45) and is retained therein in each case by the contact pin (38a).

9. A travelling plug according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the housing is provided with a plurality of magazine bores (56) which can be closed from the outside, for accommodating different contact pins (64), and the magazine bores (56) open in a circular arrangement into an end face and can be closed by a ring (58) which is mounted to rotate there, which ring is provided with recesses and which, depending on the position, uncovers the openings of the radial guides (66) or two opposing magazine bores (56).

Images