EP0967693B1 - Schwimmende Steckeranordnung - Google Patents

Schwimmende Steckeranordnung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0967693B1
EP0967693B1 EP19990111647 EP99111647A EP0967693B1 EP 0967693 B1 EP0967693 B1 EP 0967693B1 EP 19990111647 EP19990111647 EP 19990111647 EP 99111647 A EP99111647 A EP 99111647A EP 0967693 B1 EP0967693 B1 EP 0967693B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
connector
support structure
mating
connectors
connector assembly
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19990111647
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0967693A2 (de
EP0967693A3 (de
Inventor
Francois Jodon De Villeroche
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whitaker LLC
Original Assignee
Whitaker LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Whitaker LLC filed Critical Whitaker LLC
Priority to EP19990111647 priority Critical patent/EP0967693B1/de
Publication of EP0967693A2 publication Critical patent/EP0967693A2/de
Publication of EP0967693A3 publication Critical patent/EP0967693A3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0967693B1 publication Critical patent/EP0967693B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/62—Means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts or for holding them in engagement
    • H01R13/629—Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances
    • H01R13/631—Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances for engagement only
    • H01R13/6315—Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances for engagement only allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/73—Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
    • H01R13/74—Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an electrical connector assembly comprising a first connector and a second connector matable therewith, the assembly floatably mounted with respect to a device such as a panel to enable adjustment of positional tolerances during coupling.
  • French Patent FR 2 127 328, European Patent 371835, and German Patent DE 3903839 disclose connectors floatably mountable to a panel or support in order to adjust for tolerances in the relative position between connectors to be coupled.
  • the connector compensates for angular misalignment in addition to translational misalignment. Adjustment for misalignment is typically required when the connectors are mounted on devices that are assembled together, whereby connector coupling occurs automatically.
  • the devices may be relatively large with respect to the connectors, an example of a potential application being the assembly of automobile body or component parts, such as an automobile chassis to an automobile body or a seat to the bodywork. Assembly of such devices require particularly large absorption of positional tolerances.
  • a connector assembly comprising a first connector for mating with a second connector in a mating direction, each of the connectors mountable to a support structure whereby the first connector is floatably mountable on its support structure such that the first connector is movable in a plane orthogonal to the mating direction, the connectors being provided with complementary guide means for correctly guiding and locating the connectors during mating, wherein the first connector comprises centering members co-cooperable with complementary centering members of the support structure such that the first connector is located in a centre or neutral position (for example the centre of a cavity or cutout of the support structure) when the first and second connectors are unmated, the centering members disengageable from the support structure when the connector is biased in the mating direction during mating of the second connector with the first connector such that the first connector is floatable with respect to the support structure in the orthogonal plane.
  • the assembly may further comprise a spring member that biases the first connector in the mating direction with respect to the support structure.
  • the first connector When the first and second connectors are unmated, the first connector is resiliently biased into the unmated position where the centering members between the first connector and support structure co-operate to center the first connector.
  • the first connector is provided with retention shoulders that engage the support structure to retain the first connector to the support structure in the unmated position.
  • the centering members of the first connector may be provided on or as extensions of opposed faces of the housing of the connector, in the form of enlargened portions with guide tapers that are insertable into complementary cutouts in the support structure in a snug fit.
  • the centering members move out of the complementary cutouts and allow floating movement of the connector within the cutout.
  • the first connector is thus accurately centered with respect to the support structure in the unmated position in a robust and reliable manner.
  • floatability of the connector in the mating direction is also provided.
  • a connector assembly 2 comprises a first connector 4 mounted on a support structure which in this embodiment is a panel 6, and a second connector 8 matable in a mating direction (M) with the first connector 4.
  • the second connector may also be mounted on a support structure (not shown).
  • the first connector 4 has an insulative housing 10 receiving electrical terminals in cavities 11 for mating with complementary terminals mounted in a housing 12 of the second connector 8.
  • the first connector housing 10 extends in the mating direction from a terminal receiving face 14 to a mating face 16, and similarly the second connector housing extends from a terminal receiving face 18 to a mating face 20.
  • the first connector housing 10 is further bounded by opposed side walls 22 and opposed end walls 24 to form an approximately rectangular connector when considering a cross-section orthogonal to the mating direction (M).
  • the first connector 4 is provided with mating guide members 26 in the form of tapered or conical projections extending beyond the mating face 16 cooperable with complementary mating guide members 28 of the second connector in order to guide and locate the connectors with respect to each other during mating, thereby absorbing misalignment between the connectors in a plane substantially orthogonal to the mating direction (M).
  • the mating guide members 26 and complementary mating guide members 28 may have various other shapes and constructions found in conventional floating connectors.
  • the guiding may be performed by simply providing a large funnel shaped shroud at the mating end of one of the two connectors for receiving the mating end of the other connector therein. It would also be possible for example to provide the guide members as shown in international application PCT/IB98/00842.
  • the assembly 2 further comprises a spring member 30 that is in this embodiment fixed to the first connector housing 10 at a mounting portion 32 and extending therefrom to ends 34 that bias against the mating side 36 of the panel 6.
  • the spring member 30 is for biasing the first connector 4 in the mating direction (M) with respect to the panel 6, such that the mating face 16 of the connector is biased away from the panel.
  • the spring member 30 is in the form of a leaf spring stamped and formed from sheet metal as a single integral part, where a pair of spring arms 33 are provided adjacent opposed sides 22 of the connector, and joined together at their ends 34 by a bridging portion 35.. It would also be possible to provide many other constructions such as wire coil springs, or plastic spring members integrally moulded to the housing, as long as a large resilient travel of the connector 4 in the mating direction (M) with respect to the panel 6 is enabled.
  • the housing is provided with retention shoulders 38 that retain the connector to the panel in the unmated position shown in figure 1.
  • the retention shoulders 38 are provided along the end walls 24 but could also be provided on the side walls 22.
  • the retention shoulders 38 are provided on protrusions 40 that have a taper 42 to enable insertion of the connector through a cutout 44 in the panel from the mating side 36 of the panel until latching engagement of the retention shoulder 38 against a complementary edge 46 of the cutout 44.
  • the cutout 44 is profiled to enable the connector to be received through the cutout in the mating direction (M).
  • the connector may be provided with a further stop 48 that delimits resilient biasing of the connector in the mating direction (M) towards the panel 6, by abutment of the stop 48 against panel 6. The latter provides an anti-overstress feature for the spring 30.
  • the first connector 4 further comprises centering members 50 that engage in complementary centering members in the form of recesses 52 in the support structure cutout 44.
  • the co-operating centering members 50, 52 ensure that in the unmated position as shown in figure 1, where the mating face 16 of the first connector is biased fully away from the panel 6, the connector is in a defined fixed position in a plane orthogonal to the mating direction (M) with respect to the support structure 6. Any mispositioning between the first and second connectors 4, 8 during coupling is thereby kept to a minimum by ensuring that the first connector 4 is always in a defined (center) position prior to engagement of the connectors.
  • the centering members 50, 52 only engage in the fully unmated position shown in figure 1, but as the first connector 4 is displaced in the mating direction towards the panel 6, for example during coupling of the connectors 4, 8, then the centering members 50, 52 disengage as shown in figure 2 thereby allowing floating movement of the first connector 4 within the panel cutout 44.
  • the panel cutout 44 is dimensioned to allow floating movement of the connector in the plane orthogonal to the mated direction, to the extent required (for example ⁇ 5 mm in each of the directions X and Y).
  • the centering members 50 of the first connector 4 are in the form of enlargened extensions of the side walls 24, and may be provided with tapered surfaces 54 to the side walls for guiding the enlargened portions 50 into the recesses 52 when the connectors are uncoupled and the first connector 4 returns to the fully unmated position shown in figure 1.
  • the abutment of the interengaging guide portions 26, 28 will bias the first connector 4 in the mating direction (M) towards the panel 6 thereby disengaging the centering members 50, 52 such that the connector 4 floats relative to the panel thereby enabling alignment and full mating therebetween.
  • the spring 30 is provided with a spring force greater than the required mating force between the connectors to ensure that the connectors 4, 8 are fully mated whilst enabling absorption of tolerances of the assembly with respect to the panel 6 in the mating direction (M).
  • centering members 50 are shown as extensions of the side walls 24, and having substantially planar shapes extending beyond the wire receiving face 14 of the connector housing, various other shapes and positions thereof may be given.
  • the centering members may be in the form of substantially semi conical protrusions received in semi circular complementary cutouts of the panel, either on the end walls or on the side walls 22. A multitude of other complementary shapes can be provided.
  • the second connector 8 may also be floatably mounted to a support structure with co-operating centering members similar to the first connector.

Landscapes

  • Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)

Claims (9)

  1. Verbinderanordnung (2), die einen ersten Verbinder (4) für einen Eingriff mit einem zweiten Verbinder (8) in einer Eingriffsrichtung (M) aufweist, von denen ein jeder Verbinder an einer Haltekonstruktion montierbar ist, wobei der erste Verbinder (4) in der Eingriffsrichtung mit Bezugnahme auf die Haltekonstruktion (6) beweglich montiert ist und an seiner Haltekonstruktion (6) so schwimmend montiert werden kann, daß der erste Verbinder (4) in einer Ebene orthogonal zur Eingriffsrichtung (M) beweglich ist, wobei die Verbinder mit komplementären Führungselementen (26, 28) für das richtige Führen und Anordnen der Verbinder während des Eingriffes versehen sind, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der erste Verbinder (4) ein Zentrierelement (50) aufweist, das mit einem komplementären Zentrierelement (52) der Haltekonstruktion (6) zusammenwirken kann, so daß der erste Verbinder (4) in einer definierten Position mit Bezugnahme auf die Haltekonstruktion (6) angeordnet wird, wenn der erste und der zweite Verbinder (4, 8) außer Eingriff gebracht werden, und die Zentrierelemente (50, 52) getrennt werden, wenn der erste Verbinder (4) in der Eingriffsrichtung (M) mit Bezugnahme auf die Haltekonstruktion (6) während des Eingriffes des zweiten Verbinders mit dem ersten Verbinder vorgespannt wird, so daß der erste Verbinder mit Bezugnahme auf die Haltekonstruktion in der Ebene orthogonal zur Eingriffsrichtung (M) schwimmfähig ist.
  2. Verbinderanordnung nach Anspruch 1, bei der der erste Verbinder (4) in Richtung der vollständigen Außereingriffsposition mittels eines Federelementes (30) elastisch vorgespannt wird, das zwischen der Haltekonstruktion (6) und dem ersten Verbinder (4) wirkt.
  3. Verbinderanordnung nach Anspruch 2, bei der das Zentrierelement (50) des ersten Verbinders (4) vergrößerte Verlängerungen der gegenüberliegenden Seitenwände (24) des Verbinders aufweist.
  4. Verbinderanordnung nach Anspruch 3, bei der sich die Verlängerungen (50) über eine Drahtaufnahmefläche (14) des Verbinders hinaus erstrecken.
  5. Verbinderanordnung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, bei der das Zentrierelement (50) eine Abschrägung (54) aufweist, um das Zentrierelement in eine komplementäre Aussparung (52) des komplementären Zentrierelementes der Haltekonstruktion (6) zu führen und anzuordnen.
  6. Verbinderanordnung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 5, bei der das Federelement am ersten Verbindergehäuse (10) in einem Montageabschnitt (32) befestigt ist und sich von dort zu Enden (34) erstreckt, die an der Eingriffsseite (36) der Haltekonstruktion (6) in Eingriff kommen.
  7. Verbinderanordnung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 6, bei der das Federelement (30) in der Form einer Blattfeder vorliegt, die aus Blech gestanzt und geformt wird.
  8. Verbinderanordnung nach einem der Ansprüche 2 bis 7, bei der das Federelement (30) mit einer Federkraft versehen ist, die größer ist als die Kraft, die erforderlich ist, um die Verbinder (4, 8) in Eingriff zu bringen.
  9. Verbinderanordnung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, bei der das Verbindergehäuse mit Arretierelementen (40, 48) versehen ist, die die Bewegung des ersten Verbinders (4) mit Bezugnahme auf die Haltekonstruktion (6) in der Eingriffsrichtung (M) zwischen der vollständig Außereingriffsposition, wo die Eingriffsfläche (16) des Verbinders von der Haltekonstruktion vollständig weggelenkt wird, bis zu einer Anschlagposition begrenzen, wo das Federelement vollständig zusammengedrückt wird, wobei der Abstand zwischen den Arretiervorsprüngen (40, 48) die maximale Toleranzaufnahme in der Eingriffsrichtung (M) definiert.
EP19990111647 1998-06-22 1999-06-16 Schwimmende Steckeranordnung Expired - Lifetime EP0967693B1 (de)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19990111647 EP0967693B1 (de) 1998-06-22 1999-06-16 Schwimmende Steckeranordnung

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP98401524 1998-06-22
EP98401524 1998-06-22
EP19990111647 EP0967693B1 (de) 1998-06-22 1999-06-16 Schwimmende Steckeranordnung

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0967693A2 EP0967693A2 (de) 1999-12-29
EP0967693A3 EP0967693A3 (de) 2000-12-06
EP0967693B1 true EP0967693B1 (de) 2003-12-03

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19990111647 Expired - Lifetime EP0967693B1 (de) 1998-06-22 1999-06-16 Schwimmende Steckeranordnung

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2024193745A1 (de) * 2023-03-20 2024-09-26 Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG Elektrische steckverbindungseinheit, gehäuse einer elektrischen einrichtung und elektrische antriebsmaschine

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6679726B1 (en) * 2002-11-26 2004-01-20 Molex Incorporated Panel mounted electrical connector
DE102005046152A1 (de) * 2005-09-27 2007-04-05 Siemens Ag Steckerleiste
US9017087B1 (en) * 2013-10-18 2015-04-28 Tyco Electronics Corporation Cable connector assembly and cable tray having a floatable cable connector
JP7194433B2 (ja) * 2019-08-29 2022-12-22 日本圧着端子製造株式会社 コネクタおよびコネクタ構造

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2127328A5 (de) * 1971-03-04 1972-10-13 Materiel Telephonique
US4812133A (en) * 1988-06-30 1989-03-14 Amp Incorporated Floating mounting means for electrical connector assembly
US5514000A (en) * 1994-07-22 1996-05-07 Molex Incorporated Polarizing and/or floating panel mount for electrical connectors
US6017233A (en) * 1994-12-14 2000-01-25 Molex Incorporated Floating panel mount system for electrical connectors

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2024193745A1 (de) * 2023-03-20 2024-09-26 Schaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG Elektrische steckverbindungseinheit, gehäuse einer elektrischen einrichtung und elektrische antriebsmaschine

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Publication number Publication date
EP0967693A2 (de) 1999-12-29
EP0967693A3 (de) 2000-12-06

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