EP0093628A2 - Female socket with plural terminals - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Female connector plug (1) having multiple terminals of the type of those which possess, for example, a plurality of seatings or sockets (2) disposed in a circular arrangement coinciding diametrally with a circular arrangement of the pins (3) of a multiple male connector plug (4) intended for engaging into said female plug, on which plugs there exists a first codification phase determined by a cylindrical, axial projection (7) equipped with a spline (8) coinciding with the centre of the multiple male plug, the projection and the spline being intended for engaging respectively into a complementary orifice (5) and into a groove (6) of the female plug, thus establishing a unique relative positioning between the two elements which defines a correspondence of terminals for them, a complementary code being obtained by means of a key (12) adapted to be introduced into one of the corresponding seatings (9) of the female plug, the male plug (4) being provided with a member (13) complementary to the key (12), characterized in that the seatings (9) are formed around the complementary orifice (5) of the female plug, between said orifice and the sockets (2) which receive the pins (3) of the male plug (4), the number of said complementary code seatings being substantially equal to that of the sockets, in such a manner as to determine a unique positioning and unique coupling between the female plug and the male plug.

Description

The present invention refers, as indicated in the description of this specification, to a series of improvements made to the coding systems of female sockets with multiple terminals, intended not only to obtain such codification relating each male socket multiple to the corresponding socket, otherwise also to ensure the practical impossibility of coupling between elements of different code.

As is known, there are multiple electro-mechanical devices and devices on the market such as relays, counters, electro-valves, etc., as well as electronic devices such as timers, level detectors, amplifiers, etc. ., structured in such a way that their input, output and control terminals combine by configuring a multiple male plug which can be connected to the appropriate female sockets.

This obviously allows them to be replaced quickly in the event of a breakdown, this replacement can be carried out by non-specialized personnel.

Among the wide range of possibilities available, a universal arrangement adopted for some time is that which includes eight or eleven male plugs of cylindrical configuration, diameter standardized, arranged in correspondence with an imaginary cylindrical surface, of radius also standardized, these male sockets being known in Spain under the name of "octals" or of decals ", depending on whether they comprise eight or eleven male plugs. .

It is obvious that in correspondence with such "octal" or "undecal" male sockets, there is a diversity of female sockets, of different dimensions, materials or confections, the constant of which is to include eight or eleven female terminals or sockets arranged in a circle of standardized radius corresponding to that of the multiple male socket, and the sockets of which are capable of receiving, with a certain pressure, each of the male plugs of the multiple socket.

Logically, the sockets of the female socket are connected by means of cables or other systems to screw terminals for the rear wiring of the female sockets, or these cables are soldered directly to the sockets in question.

Some devices using the male plug system with eight or eleven male plugs, adopt a connection system also standardized, so that, if it is a relay for example, the terminals of the coil are always connected to the same plugs of the multiple male plug, as happens with open contacts, closed contacts, switch contacts, etc., using universally accepted connection diagrams and according to international standards.

That said, in order to establish a reference point allowing the perfect coupling of the multiple male plug to the corresponding female plug; these male sockets are provided with a central projection in the form of a cylinder provided with a key, while the female sockets have, in correspondence with the previous structure, a cylindrical housing and a groove or notch on one of its generatrices to receive said key. In this way, and thanks to the key-groove assembly, the device carrying the multiple male plug can only adapt to the female plug in a determined position.

The plugs of the male plug are listed clockwise, starting from the key, from one to eight or from one to eleven as appropriate, and the sockets or female plugs of the female plug are listed from the same way, as well as the usage terminals connected to these sockets. In this way, the user knows that when he connects a cable to terminals 2 and 10 of the female socket, this connection continues, via the female plug-male plug contact, to the terminals of the relay coil. . The connection systems of the male plugs of the male sockets, which are standardized in the case of relays, also follow very standardized criteria in the case of timers and other electronic devices.

The advantage of this standardization is obvious. The maintenance of an electrical panel comprising female elements receiving male plugs eight or eleven in number is simple, insofar as these elements can be replaced by equivalent elements although manufactured by separate brands. The key of the male socket and the groove of the female socket guarantee the correct connection position, as well as the fact that the internal connections of the element correspond to the internal connections of the female socket.

That said, this standardized codifica system tion, which is theoretically correct, is insufficient and presents problems in the practice of mounting and maintaining electrical equipment, allowing errors which are sometimes the cause of major secondary failures, or which impede the normal operation of the equipment in question.

In the specific case of electro-mechanical relays, we know that there is a wide variety of windings, for alternating and direct current, with ohmic resistances and a different number of turns. There are also relays with different types of contacts, both in terms of dimensions and type of material, and different working conditions, so that two relays with the same plug and the same external appearance can be totally different in terms of their electrical behavior.

There is no doubt that if you connect a relay whose coil is designed to work in 24 volt alternating current to a socket whose terminals have a voltage of 220 volts, the result is a burnt out coil and the relay destroyed . In the same way, if one connects a relay of alternating current alternating to work at 220 volts to a socket whose terminals corresponding to the coil are 220 volts in direct current, the relay heats up excessively, works so abnormal and eventually becomes damaged.

Without going so far, it is frequent to observe in practice errors which, without implying the immediate destruction of the relay, can be the cause of anomalies with serious consequences for the equipment. A relay whose coil is designed for working at 24 volts can, for example, be adjusted so that the operating voltage is of 13 volts, the retention voltage of 5 volts and the operating time of 10 milliseconds. In the event of a fault, if this relay is replaced by another whose coil is also marked as being 24 volts, but with different settings, nothing prevents this second relay from being connected to the socket of the first, but it It is obvious that the same working conditions will not be given. The relay will operate at a different voltage, with different times, so it is easy for an intermittent fault to occur in equipment requiring costly overhaul.

Theoretically, these cases should not occur insofar as the manufacturer, also in theory, should mark on the relay sufficient indications allowing the identification; but, in addition to the fact that this condition is not always respected, even in standard production the data marked on the relay by the manufacturer are not sufficient to allow to know the special settings or the type of contacts of the relay. And, even if these indications exist, it is very easy that, during the maintenance of electrical equipment, a worker confuses two relays whose coils are of the same brand and the contact number is the same, but whose work prescriptions are different.

What has just been described by applying it to the case of electro-mechanical relays, is also applicable, with even more serious risks, to the case of electronic devices ending in a male socket with eight or eleven plugs. The smallest error regarding the applied voltage or the application of a voltage to mismatched plugs can cause immediate destruction semiconductors or any other element of the electronic circuit in question.

This is precisely the problem which it is claimed to solve with the subject of the present invention, the latter consisting of a series of improvements to the coding systems avoiding the aforementioned errors, without contravening any of the standard standards already established.

In accordance with the above, the female sockets with eight or eleven sockets have, in their central zone, female housings aligned by describing a circumference, corresponding to the male plugs of the multiple socket. In addition, and corresponding with the center of this circular arrangement of aligned housings, there is another housing intended to receive the cylindrical appendage provided with a key of said multiple male plug.

Therefore, the recommended improvements consist in placing, in the area of the female socket located between the circular alignment of housings corresponding to the female terminals or sockets and the central orifice - concretely, in the sector in the form of a circular crown thus obtained - a plurality of housings preferably coinciding in number with the sockets or female terminals, by means of which it is possible to reinforce the codification of the assembly. The actual coding is carried out with the collaboration of two parts, one intended to be fixed to the female socket and the other to the multiple male socket, so that it is only when these two parts are complementary that the mechanism in question can be installed on said socket, while in any other circumstance this proves impossible, even if the two elements are provided with the same number of plugs males and females and in the same layout.

Such complementary parts can be constituted, for example, by a small rod coupling in one of the complementary housings of the female plug, while a disc made of insulating material, preferably provided, is adapted to the multiple male plug. holes for coupling to the male plugs of this multiple socket, this disc further comprising other plugs, also made of insulating material, intended to snap into the complementary housings of the female socket, this number of male plugs being equal to the number of real male plugs of the multiple socket minus one.

This disc can obviously be mounted on the multiple male socket in different positions, in correspondence with the number of male connection plugs existing on the latter, while the first part, associated with the female socket, can also occupy different positions on the latter coinciding concretely in number with that of the complementary housings, which itself coincides, as we saw above, with that of the connection sockets.

In these conditions, a double coding is established, on the one hand that determined by the own multiple male plug and the complementary female sockets of the female plug, assisted by the conventional key housing, and on the other hand a coding determined by the position of the two complementary parts mentioned above, relative to the multiple male plug and to the female plug, determining that a male plug can only be coupled to a female plug when their coding coincides, which solves the problem possible mistakes we made hint above.

It is obvious that a male plug can only be adapted to a female plug if the key is in the correct position and that, on the other hand, this coupling can only be achieved if the empty space corresponding to the complementary part of the multiple male socket coincides with the space occupied by the part associated with the female socket, or vice-versa insofar as this structuring can also be carried out in the opposite direction.

As a complement to the structure described, the female socket proposed by the invention has all its connection terminals housed in cavities where they are perfectly protected against any occasional contact, and in addition, their online arrangement making that they are perfectly isolated from each other, any possibility of short circuit is practically zero. On the other hand, given this line arrangement of the terminals, the length of the cable which has to enter the socket is absolutely identical in all cases, which also facilitates wiring. In addition, the identification numbers of the various terminals are also arranged online, which also makes them particularly convenient to read, a phenomenon which is particularly advantageous when there are various female sockets mounted on a common support and leaning against each other.

Provision has also been made for the own female socket to be provided with an identification system distinguishing it from other female sockets located on the same installation, an identification system in which there are two zones, one based on numbered parts can be inserted into the socket's own body, the other based on small strips carrying any text and duly protected by a transparent plastic plate fixed on the front side of the socket.

Another characteristic of the socket proposed by the invention consists in the fact that, coinciding with each of its connection terminals, or what amounts to the same thing, with each of the female terminals or sockets, there are small holes fitting out access for a test point of a measuring device, to the corresponding terminals, with the particularity that this test point remains fixed in these holes and thus maintains the contact situation, thus leaving the hands of the user free operator for any other type of manipulation necessary for the verification operations to be carried out.

• la figure 1 représente une vue en plan d'une prise femelle à douilles multiples pourvue d'un système de codification conformément aux améliorations que constitue l'objet de la présente invention.
• La figure 2 représente une vue en perspective de la même prise femelle face à laquelle se trouve la prise mâle correspondante, multiple, avec, en situation intermédiaire, les pièces complémentaires destinées à être fixées sur la prise mâle et la prise femelle et qui déterminent la codification proprement dite.
• La figure 3 montre une représentation similaire à celle de la figure 2, sur laquelle varie légèrement la configuration des pièces complémentaires codificatrices.
• La figure 4 montre finalement une autre solution constructive pour de telles pièces codificatrices complémentaires.

To complete the description which will be carried out below, and with a view to allowing a greater understanding of the characteristics of the invention, there is annexed to this description, as an integral part thereof, a set of drawings in which, purely by way of non-limiting illustration, the following has been shown:

• 1 shows a plan view of a female socket with multiple sockets provided with a coding system in accordance with the improvements which constitute the object of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 represents a perspective view of the same female socket facing which is the corresponding multiple male socket, with, in an intermediate situation, the complementary parts intended to be fixed on the male socket and the female socket and which determine the codification proper.
• FIG. 3 shows a representation similar to that of FIG. 2, on which the configuration of the codifying complementary parts varies slightly.
• FIG. 4 finally shows another constructive solution for such complementary coding pieces.

In view of these figures, it can be observed that, in accordance with the recommended improvements, a female socket 1 will comprise, between its circular alignment of housings 2 -corresponding to the receptacles of male plugs 3 of the male multiple socket 4- and its central orifice 5 -with its corresponding groove 6 for receiving the cylindrical appendage 7 from the male multiple socket 4, appendage provided with a key 8- a plurality of complementary housings 9 preferably coinciding in number with that of the sockets 2, which will be also preferably determined by radial partition-partitions 10 connecting an inner ring 11 constituting and delimiting the own axial orifice 5, and the body on which the housings of the sockets are formed.

In accordance with the structure described hitherto for a female socket provided with the improvements recommended by the invention, it is obvious that it can be coupled to it without any problem a conventional male multiple socket without any type of additional coding.

That said, to reinforce this codification, as is the object of the object of the invention, in the special structuring of the female socket 1 by means of said complementary housings 9, two auxiliary parts 12 and 13 collaborate that are can observe in detail in Figure 2.

The part 12 constitutes a wedge intended for snap into any of the housings 6 of the socket, while the part 13 is configured by a disc having the same reference 13, provided with holes 14, to be fixed to the own multiple male socket 4, specifically to the male plugs 3 thereof, this disc or ring 13 having a hollow cylindrical extension 15, the diameter of which coincides with that of the circular alignment of the housings 9, this cylindrical projection having a crenellated free end, so that each of the slots 16 thus determined can penetrate into one of the housings 9 of the female socket, one of the missing slots leaving room for a large integral cutout 17 or groove which, in the correct mounting position between the multiple male socket and the female socket, in accordance with the codification provided- is located opposite the shim 12 associated with the female socket whereas, in any other coupling position of the male socket and the female socket, one of the slots 16 comes dra abut against the wedge 12 and make impossible any coupling between these elements, which will allow the operator to realize that the element or device 18 associated with the male socket 1, in accordance with the coding previously established on the female socket , is not the right one.

This coding can be carried out by means of complementary pieces slightly different from those shown in FIG. 2, and in this respect and in accordance with the representation in FIG. 3, the shim 12 can keep the same configuration as in the previous case, but the disc 13, instead of comprising a cylindrical and hollow projection 15 as before, comprises a series of plugs 16 ¹ corresponding to the slots 16 above, which cor themselves responded to the complementary housings 9 of the socket, one of these plugs 16 'being absent and giving way to the integral cutout or groove 17 of the previous case.

As we said above, we can proceed in reverse, as illustrated in Figure 4 for example, on which the disc 13 is secured to a single plug 19, while all the housings 9 'of the female socket are penetrated by a crenellated ring 20, with the exception of one of them, said ring 20 having an opening 21 leaving one of these housings 9 'free; or precisely the only one to which the insulating plug 19 of the complementary insulating part 13 will have access.

In accordance with the above, and in the example of practical application corresponding to the installation of relays, if on a female socket 1, of the type represented for example in FIG. 2, is introduced for example the additional shim 12 in its complementary housing 9 corresponding to the female terminal or socket 4, it will only be possible to install on this female socket a relay, the male multiple socket of which comprises a disc 13 positioned so that the integral cutout or groove 17 of its cylindrical projection 15 is in front of said shim 12, said relay adjusting perfectly to the requirements of this socket and, in accordance with the established codification, an error on the part of the operator as regards the choice of relay will imply the impossibility of coupling it to this socket and will reveal the error in question.

As a complement to the structure described, the body 1 of the socket has its connection terminals arranged in two transverse alignments and extreme, in correspondence with the reference housings 22 in the figures, housings perfectly independent of each other thanks to partitions 23 which eliminate any possibility of short-circuit between the cables having access to these terminals, access being achieved precisely by the openings 24 made between each pair of partitions 23.

In this way, all the cables must penetrate into the body 1 of the same length and there is established inside this body a penetration limit of these, which means that the insulating sheath of these cables can be eliminated in an extreme sector which is perfectly concretized and that once these cables are coupled to the respective terminals, these will emerge from the female socket perfectly protected by their sheath, while the tightening screws 25 corresponding to these terminals are located in the housings 22, at a certain distance from the mouth of these, which makes their possible contact practically impossible.

On the other hand, in the same way as the terminals are aligned transversely, in accordance with the arrangement of the housings 22, the identification numbers 26 of these terminals are also arranged transversely and in line, which makes them easy to read, especially when there are several female sockets mounted next to each other.

The socket outlet which is the subject of the invention is provided with its own identification system, which system is also double. On one side of its front face are housings 27 in which can be embedded numbered plastic parts, commercial, which fit together by exerting pressure and which include graphics consisting of numbers or letters which, duly combined, allow the sought identification of the socket in question. A second aspect of this identification system consists of a card 28 covered with a transparent plastic plate, which is fixed to the front face of the body 1 by means of two end plugs 29 therein and which can be see in detail in FIG. 1, by simple pressure, as well as in the symmetrical zone of the front face of the body, in this same FIG. 1.

It is obvious that this card or label 28 can bear any code whatsoever making it possible to identify the socket in all of the components forming the electrical equipment of an installation.

Finally, in correspondence with each of the connection terminals 25 and independently of the housings 22 where these are established, and which in turn determine accesses for the appropriate screwdriver or tightening tool, there are small holes 30 also providing access to the terminals in question and allowing the introduction of a test tip of a measuring device, during possible inspections of the electrical equipment and its maintenance. These holes 30 have the concrete and specific purpose of adapting their dimensions to the test tips so that they remain in contact position on the terminals stably, leaving the hands free. operator, which implies a considerable advantage from a practical point of view compared to conventional female sockets where the test points must be adapted to the own screws 25, which means that the worker must hold these points in one hand so permanent because, in case of con milk, the connection would be interrupted.

In accordance with all of the foregoing, it is obvious that by means of the coding system for female sockets recommended by the invention, one not only obtains a perfect identification of these female sockets on the installation where they are coupled, otherwise it turns out to be absolutely impossible to couple a relay with characteristics distinct from those provided to a given female socket, if the female socket and the relay have been coded as just explained.

Claims (6)

1. Female socket with multiple terminals of the type of those having, for example, a plurality of female terminals or sockets arranged in a circular alignment diametrically coinciding with the circular alignment of the plugs of the male multiple socket intended to be nested in this socket female, and on which there is a first coding phase established by an axial and cylindrical projection provided with a key, coinciding with the center of the male multiple socket, intended to fit into a complementary orifice of the female socket , thus establishing a unique relative positioning between the two elements which defines a correspondence of terminals for these, characterized in essence by the fact of having, between the circular alignment of the sockets of the female socket and the central orifice of the latter, of a plurality of complementary housings, preferably coinciding in number with that of the sockets, these complementary housings being intended s to establish a complementary code by means of the association with these, as well as with the corresponding male multiple socket, of the respective parts, complementary to each other, determining a unique relative positioning of a part with respect to the other , unique positioning dant with that of conventional landlocking. 2. Female socket with multiple terminals, according to the first claim, characterized in that in one of the complementary housings of the female socket is housed a blocking shutter thereof, while one associates with the socket multiple male a disc provided with holes in numerical, dimensional or positional correspondence with the male plugs of the latter to which they must adapt, this disc being of an insulating nature and projecting internally into a cylindrical and hollow body, the diameter of which coincides with that of the circular alignment of the complementary housings of the socket, the cylindrical body in question having a crenellated free edge, the slots of which are intended to penetrate into the complementary housings of the socket, with the particularity that this hollow cylindrical body is devoid of one of these slots and instead presents an integral cutout or groove which, in accordance with the codification sought, is opposite the shim associated with the female socket when the male multiple socket is that which corresponds to the female socket in question. 3. Female socket with multiple terminals, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the disc mentioned of insulating nature intended to be fixed to the connection plugs of the male multiple socket has, instead of the aforementioned hollow cylindrical body, a plurality of plugs also insulating and arranged in correspondence with the complementary housings of the socket, the number of these plugs being equal to N-1, N being the number of complementary housings of the socket, so that for the coupling of a male multiple socket to the corresponding female socket, in accordance with the codification provided, the area of the insulating disc associated with the male multiple socket without plug will be opposite the complementary housing of the female socket where the coding wedge is coupled. 4. Female socket with multiple terminals, according to the first claim, characterized in that a crenellated and open ring is associated with the female socket from which it closes all the complementary housings minus one, while with the male multiple socket corresponding to the mechanism intended to be coupled to said female socket, there is associated a disc provided with a single plug which, in the correct mounting position of the male socket relative to the female socket, according to the codification provided, is located opposite the empty complementary housing from the socket. 5. Female socket with multiple terminals, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the terminals are housed inside cavities independent of each other and separated by means of longitudinal partitions extending to the own side wall of the body and through which have access to it the connection cables, the identification numbers of the various female sockets, and hence of the various terminals, also being aligned transversely, in correspondence with the own alignments determined by the aforementioned cavities of these terminals. 6. Female socket with multiple terminals, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that also, in correspondence with the various cavities corresponding to the different terminals, there are holes independent of the cavities in question and providing access to the terminals of connection with a view to the possible introduction of a test point of a measuring device, with the particularity that these holes have such dimensions that they are capable of retaining in contact this test point .

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